Presentation: Intro to Big Data (Spring 2021)

 

This is my presentation on the introduction of big data, it included a quick survey using Desmos. (From 3/16/2021)

Vaccination #2 of 2

 

Again, I'm grateful for the fantastic healthcare workers and staff at IEHP in Rancho.  They made everyone feel welcomed and it was a painless process.  I had some very mild fatigue for the 48 hours after the second dose.  A bit of sleepiness ain't no thing. =)  (From 3/24/2021)

Thank you Karly

Looking happy and relaxed, Karly came to my classroom to deliver these freshly home-made cookies.  She's one of my top students in AP Calculus, her mom is also a fantastic friend at work.  These cookies and her visit capped off my dream-like week.  Now, on to spring break!  (From 3/26/2021)

Retro Game Played - A Link to the Past

The Legend of Zelda - A Link to the Past
(Released 1991 in Japan, 1992 in US)

This is still considered one of the best Zelda and SNES games ever.  I really admire the game developer for creating this big world filled with interesting dungeons and thematic music.  The 2D gameplay still holds up very well.  There is some back tracking, but Link has a diverse inventory that makes the gameplay engaging throughout.  I'm generally not a RPG fan, yet A Link to the Past has enough action and puzzle solving element that I'm very glad that I experienced this classic.  (Completed March 2021)

Retro Game Played - Castlevania Legends

Castlevania Legends

(Released in Japan in 1997 and in US in 1998)

In this third installment of Castlevania for the Game Boy, we have a female protagonist.  The game play reminds to be about the same as the first two in the series.  It's a relatively short platform playthrough.  I think emulation the NES Castlevania and NES Castlevania III is a much more fulfilling experience.  (Completed March 2021)

Retro Game Played - Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge

Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge

(Released in Japan and US in 1991)

This is the second installment of this franchise on the Game Boy.  The first one was very sluggish, this one played a bit smoother.  While both versions are very dated, I still enjoyed the geometry and level design of the multiple stages.  (Completed March 2021)

Retro Game Played - Castlevania: The Adventure

Castlevania: The Adventure

(Released in Japan and US in 1989)

This game runs very slowly.  Yet, I still appreciate the creative design and challenging levels.  With my short attention span and limited gaming time, I also like that this game is not too long.  This is the first of three Castlevania games on the original Game Boy.  I plan to play the other two as well.  (Completed March 2021)

Senior Bearcat Athletes 2021

 

It's wonderful to see our senior athletes being recognized in this beautiful booklet.  Great job Bonita Athletics Department and ASB.  (From March 2021)

Bonita High School - Announcements - Mar 24, 2021

Once a Bearcat Sticker

 

A few of my wonderful coworkers recognized me in my role as a teacher and gave me a nomination.  Their words mean so much to me.  Above any title, I feel extremely blessed and fortunate to have the best people around me.  (From March 2021)

1. Good for Students - Mr. Yip is the most dedicated teacher in the math dept. He truly cares about his students and does everything in his power to help all students learn. One look around his room shows he is all about the kids. He teaches from the center of the room, surrounded by the students, where he can both demonstrate math problems and answer questions while casually chatting with students. As a result, the kids appreciate that he teaches from the center rather than at a distance and it creates a desire in them to learn in his class. This can also be seen by the fact that Mr. Yip has a room full of students before and after school – some just enjoying the environment, but most seeking help. His availability to them is key to their success. Additionally, even though Mr. Yip teaches mostly upper-level math classes, he is willing to help any student who walks in his door with any level of math they need.

Ricky Yip is a hardworking, dedicated, supportive teacher for all of his students. He volunteers extra time to give students help in difficult subjects and caters his presentation of curriculum with student success as the top priority. Ricky is inclusive and welcoming to all students and his room is open during lunch and after school for students to get the extra help that they need. Ricky regular participates in showcasing the great work of his students through the 4A program. As you’ll see below, Ricky is also the most selfless supporter of activities, arts, and athletics on our campus.

Ricky Yip is continually recognized as the best teacher on campus by his colleagues, and more importantly, but the students. I have never heard a student speak poorly of him, and he is more dedicated to student learning than any other teacher on campus. He is willing to help out ANY student with ANY level of math. In all my years talking with him before or after school, I have never seen him turn away any student, even those that are not in his classes. He honestly believes that every student who needs help should get it. He does more for students at this school than any other teacher on campus, and it’s not even close.

Ricky goes above and beyond for his students. A good teacher does not only teach but makes himself available to those who still need help after class. Mr. Yip is available before school and after school for ALL those that need help. He loves math and it shows in his instruction.

2. Good for the school - Mr. Yip’s presence at school events is ubiquitous. He has amassed more action points than other staff member for good reason. It can be said no event is an event unless Mr. Yip in attendance and he does not limit himself to just events right after school. He is as likely to attend a football game as he a drama production – and somehow will come to both even if they are held the same night. Mr. Yip’s pro-Bonita attitude benefits all aspects of the school. It is important for staff to support the school and Mr. Yip does that every single day.

Ricky is hands down the greatest supporter of arts performances, sporting events, and voluntary activities outside of the school day at Bonita High School. He truly enjoys supporting these groups and has a greater connection to his students as a result. Ricky collaborates regularly with his peers at Bonita to share best practices and improve his own teaching ability. He is a part of the newly formed Equity Committee dedicated to advocating for fair treatment of all students at Bonita High School. Ricky is also one of the most humble teachers I have ever worked with, always quick to bring out the best in others and deflecting attention away from his many accomplishments.

Ricky Yip goes to more school events than anyone else on campus. He is a welcome presence at any charity event, sporting event, community service event, or rally. He is always willing to help with students, parents, or staff in any of these events. He gives more time to this campus than any other teacher, and his universal acclaim by students, parents, and staff is a testament to that. He has led the school in Action Points from Day 1, and it’s not even close. Lest I forget, he also has re-written the math curriculum for every level he has taught, and he offers his materials to any math teacher in need.

Ricky is at most sporting events supporting the students as well as the school. He is always positive and it shows in all that he does.


3. Good for the community - Mr. Yip is not just good for the community, he is building the Bonita community. When you combine his dedication to both his students and the school as a whole, it is clear that no other teacher is as much a part of the Bonita community as Mr. Yip. This is something that parents notice as well. When I think about which teachers I want my children to have, it’s not hard to choose the guy who is everywhere, always involved. Anyone who puts the kind of effort into their profession as Mr. Yip can easily be trusted to teach my kids math – and the many life lessons that come with the education Mr. Yip provides.

Ricky represents Bonita High School, volunteering a week of his summer vacation each year as a grader for AP exams. When not in the pandemic this requires traveling to Kansas City, MO and grading AP submissions from across the country for 8 hours a day for 7 days. This is a fantastic opportunity for professional development for Ricky and he uses the knowledge he gains there to be a better teacher to his students. As stated above, Ricky is also very visible in the La Verne community as a supporter of several student groups and activities, benefitting the community as a whole. Ricky is also extremely professional in all of his interactions with students, staff, administration and parents, and would be an exemplary representative of the school and the district as teacher of the year.

As stated above, Ricky is a constant presence at every school and community event. He not only helps at these events, but he also demonstrates leadership for students and fellow staff members.
When Ricky isn’t involved in an official service project, he is also routinely seen doing small projects on his own (like his shoe donation campaign for the group homes).

Ricky is a model Bearcat, and a model citizen of our community. We are lucky to have him, and there is no teacher more deserving of this award.

Mr. Yip goes out of his way to help his students, to support them and the staff. A teacher that tries so hard to help all is nothing short of an assess to the community he serves.

Bearcat Weekly Breakdown 3/22/21 to 3/26/21 (Week 28)

 

Thank you, Jonathan - ASL 2021

"This year, my favorite teacher’s name is Mr. Yip, calculus teacher. He is patient, competent, clear and concise, and funny. Thank you for helping me understand math."

Jonathan (Pre-Calc Honors) sent me this video and message on Monday afternoon.  It totally made my day.  Thanks Jonathan.  (From 03/15/2021)

Retro Game Played - Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors

Nine Hours Nine Persons Nine Doors

(Released in Japan in 2009, US in 2010)

This is the first graphic novel video game that I have played.  The story is interesting with unique character development.  The puzzles in the game reminded me of my escape room experiences with friends.  The sci-fi element near in the second half of the game did not appeal to me as much.  It was entertaining nonetheless and I have purchased the two sequels following 999.  I look forward to completing this Zero Escape trilogy.  (Completed February 2021)

Retro Game Played - Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse
(Released in Japan 1989, in US in 1990)

This is fantastic game.  It extended on the greatness of the original Castlevania and made it even better.  The levels have great theme music, atmosphere, and bosses.  The only criticism is that this game is very hard.  I don't think I can finish it without using save states.  (Completed March 2021)

Retro Game Played - Castlevania

Castlevania
(Released in Japan in 1986, in US in 1987)

This great classic holds up very well today.  The theme of the traditional monsters such as bats, mummies, and Dracula are the bosses of this game.  It is not too long, the whip and sub-weapons fit well into the physics of the game.  The music, color palettes, and level designs are all top quality.  This is one of my favorite retro games that I've played this year.  I'm looking forward to playing this game's many sequels.  (Completed in February 2021)

THE PAWSE -- SEASON 6 -- Episode 13

THE PAWSE -- SEASON 6 -- Episode 12.5

Bonita High School - Announcements - Mar 17, 2021

Vaccination #1 of 2

I feel blessed to be able to receive this vaccination.  It was an extremely easy and pleasant process at IEHP in Rancho.  I experienced no pain nor side effects since my first shot.  I am grateful for the health care workers and the staff at IEHP for their efforts.  (From 33/2021)

Bearcat Weekly Breakdown 3/15/21 to 3/19/21 (Week 27)

 

Bonita Teachers Spotlight (Mayer, Sanchez, Redman, Baumunk)

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Note: Since the date of this IG post, Mr. Sanchez has retired from teaching after many years at Bonita HS.

Retro Gaming 2021 - 3DS Games

 

Happy Pi Day!  It's important to have a side hobby to complement my focus on math and education.  Collecting and playing retro video games is a hobby that I have revisited recently.  It serves as a good distraction from online teaching and lesson preparation.  Since March of 2020, I have maintained social isolation indoors, aside from running and biking outdoors.  I get a deep sense of nostalgia through playing older video games and learning about gaming history.  The term "retro" is relative.  For me, I go back to the original Nintendo (NES) from the mid-90's to the Nintendo 64 from the early 2000's.  Since then, I have mostly abstained from video gaming.  Through YouTube videos and enthusiasts' websites, I have learned about the progression of some new systems since the N64.  Just for fun, I purchased a few newer consoles.  I'm now exploring the Nintendo handheld library of games in Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo 3DS.  The picture above show three of the new games that I found, they are inexpensive since the 3DS has been discontinued.  Clockwise from the top: (1) Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, (2) The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, and (3) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.  *Since this posting, I've purchased many more new 3DS titles to support game developers.

Recent collections and games that they play through 3rd party modifications:

Neo Geo Mini (NGM) - Neo Geo library, NES, SEGA, Capcom arcade, and other retro MAME arcade games.

Neo Geo Arcade Stick Pro (ASP) - Neo Geo library, Capcom arcade, other retro MAME arcade, NES, Game Boy (GB), and Game Boy Color (GBC).  [ASP with the Hylo mod also emulates Game Boy Advance and Super NES, but the shoulder buttons from those two systems cannot be assigned to the ASP hardware.]

Anbernic RG351M - This handheld emulates GBC, GBA, NES, SNES, Neo Geo, Neo Geo Pocket Color, MAMEs, PlayStation, and Sega Genesis/MegaDrive, and Sega Game Gear.  It runs some PSP, N64, and DreamCast games.

Nintendo DS Lite - This handheld is backwards compatible.  It plays DS games and the hardware has a slot for GBA games.

Nintendo 2DS XL - This handheld plays 3DS games and is backwards compatible.  It plays DS games. 

Retro gaming
Video games

Retro Gaming 2021 - Nintendo New 2DS XL

I did not play any Nintendo DS / 3DS games from the mid-2000's to late 2010's.  To have an original hardware for DS and 3DS games, I purchased this New 2DS XL from eBay.  I had to pay above retail price since this device is no longer available at stores.  I've been enjoying using this new device for several titles.  The case on the left was ordered separately.  (From February 2021)

Retro gaming
Video games

Target Return Date 4/12/2021

With elementary schools returning to a hybrid model on April 5th, our district also announced that the target return date for middle and high schools to be on April 12th.  Whatever the case maybe, I am already preparing to design my classroom.  One main focus for me is in the instruction delivery over both in-person and distance learners.  I worked over the past few days to solve the problem by projecting my laptop Whiteboard to the projector.  The HP Universal Dock given to some teachers is a value piece of equipment.  It's helping organize all of my peripherals and display ports.  I will continue to rearrange my classroom to welcome students' potential return.  (From 3/9/2021)

Bonita High School - Announcements - Mar 10, 2021

Bonita Teachers Spotlight (Chiu, Castro, Cooney, Cisneros)

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 Note: Since the date of this IG post, Ms. Cooney has left Bonita.

Bearcat Weekly Breakdown 3/08/21 to 3/12/21 (Week 26)

 

Russell's Zoom Background

Russell's new Zoom background looks very familiar. (From 3/1/2021)

Retro Gaming 2021 - Nintendo DS Lite

I completely missed the Nintendo DS era in the mid-2000's.  I was busy being a new math teacher and was working towards graduate school.  This new Mario DS Lite was purchased on eBay at a good price (~$65).  It plays DS games and is backwards compatible with Game Boy Advance cartridges.  This device will likely stay brand new since after ordering this, I purchased a New 2DS XL.  The 2DS XL has a bigger screen and plays 3DS titles as well. (From February 2021)

Retro gaming
Video games

Bonita Teachers Spotlight (Casasola, Brandler, Bird, Bell)

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Bonita High School - Announcements - Mar 3, 2021

Bearcat Weekly Breakdown 3/01/21 to 3/05/21 (Week 25)

Retro Gaming 2021 - RG351M

 

This is the Anbernic RG351M.  RG is retro gaming.  This little device is incredible.  It emulates various retro gaming systems.  From what I have seen on YouTube and have experienced myself, this device runs all Game Boy games extremely well.  That includes the original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance.  I purchased this mainly to run Game Boy Advance games.  Additionally, it also runs the original Nintendo and Super Nintendo (NES and SNES).  I enjoy organizing my games into a clean library and tinkering with the system configurations.  Video gaming has been a recent revisit of my children hobby.  With this device, I'm learning the newer applications such as RetroArch, DiskGenius, and Win32DiskImager, WinSCP, and more.

Other emulated systems: Neo Geo, Neo Geo Pocket, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, PlayStation 1, PlayStation Portable, Wonder Swan, and various arcade consoles.  [And from enthusiast videos, this does not run Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, or the Sega Dreamcast perfectly.]

The aluminum is well constructed to provide a premium handheld experience.

The order included a nice case.

Retro gaming.

Video games.

Bonita Teachers Spotlight (Pocino, McLuckey, McMilon)

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Bonita Homecoming 2021

More photos here: Google Photo Album HOCO 2021