Educational Happenings...

High school students know that their learning isn’t relevant

2012-01-17T13:14:00.001-06:00

Taken from http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/

As was so aptly said just a few days ago:

It is hard to make an argument that there are many desirable post-secondary educational or career scenarios for current high school students that will not require the use of computer technology on a daily basis. The kids have known this for quite some time now. High school students know that they will almost certainly be using computers in any desirable job that they manage to get after high school. They know that a computer is a requirement for success in today's higher eduction environments. They know that, in the "real world," college students don't write papers in longhand on loose-leaf notebook paper; they know that, in the "real world," people don't create business presentations with markers and paste on poster board or tri-fold displays; they know that, "in the real world," people who engage in any type of research may still occasionally use books, but they conduct the majority of their research using online tools. They know that, "in the real world," bankers do not keep their accounts in paper ledger books, or do their financial forecasting only with the aid of a calculator. Yet high school students are regularly asked to write in longhand on notebook paper, make presentations using kindergarten tools, research mostly using books, and do their calculations on paper. Why should anyone be surprised that they don't find their high school experiences "relevant?"

Do we have the will to integrate digital technologies into students' learning in regular, frequent, and meaningful ways? Are we brave enough to cast a critical eye at the learning tasks that we assign students and ask difficult but necessary questions about their relevance in a technology-suffused, globally-interconnected society? Are we willing to look at what passes for 'learning' and 'teaching' and 'schooling' on a day-to-day basis in this country and acknowledge that the vast majority of it is mind-numbingly boring and disengaging? Can we recognize that we're infantilizing our young adults instead of enabling them to be empowered learners, thinkers, and doers?

Robert Fried noted that:

We have opted not to create schools as places where children’s curiosity, sensory awareness, power, and communication can flourish, but rather to erect temples of knowledge where we sit them down, tell them a lot of stuff we think is important, try to control their restless curiosity, and test them to see how well they’ve listened to us. (pp. 58-59)

He also stated that:

[M]ost of what [our students] experience during school hours passes over them like the shadow of a cloud, or through them like an undigested seed. They may be present in the classroom, but they are not really there. Their pencils may be chugging away on the worksheets or the writing prompts or math problems laid out for them, but their intelligence is running on two cylinders at best. They pay some attention to what their teacher happens to be telling them, but their imagination has moved elsewhere. (p. 1)

We could have learning spaces that emphasize hands-on inquiry, critical thinking, collaboration, and authentic, "real world" problem solving instead of teacher lecture, rote practice, and fact regurgitation. We could have learning spaces that spark students' imaginations and enable them to be interested, engaged learners instead of dulling them into bored compliance. We could have learning spaces that students would choose rather than classrooms that we force students to attend. Shame on us that we don't.

The Shift of Public Education

2012-01-17T11:55:00.002-06:00

Great video about what's happening to public education in New Brunswick, Canada (5:35):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjJg9NfTXos

The economics of Christmas lights (Taken from Seth Godin)

2011-12-04T10:09:00.000-06:00

Why bother buying them, putting them up, electrifying them and then taking them down again?

After all, the economist wonders, what's in it for you?

The very same non-economic contribution is going on online, every single day. More and more of the content we consume was made by our peers, for free. My take:

People like the way it feels to live in a community filled with decorated houses. They enjoy the drive or the walk through town, seeing the lights, and they want to be part of it, want to contribute and want to be noticed too.

Peace of mind and self-satisfaction are incredibly valuable to us, and we happily pay for them, sometimes contributing to a community in order to get them.

The internet is giving more and more people a highly-leveraged, inexpensive way to share and contribute. It doesn't cost money, it just takes guts, time and kindness.

No wonder most people don't insist on getting paid for their tweets, posts and comments.

Two asides: First, it's interesting to note that no one (zero) gets paid to put up Christmas lights, but some towns are awash in them.

and second, I think there's a parallel to the broken windows theory here. Broken Windows asserts that in cities with small acts of vandalism and unrepaired facades, crime goes up. The Christmas Light corollary might be that in towns (or online communities) where there's a higher rate of profit-free community contribution, happiness and productivity go up as well.

Inquiry Based Learning

2011-12-03T09:40:00.003-06:00

If our District is looking at the possibility of moving to a 1-1 District, inquiry based learning is worth taking a look at. Interesting article in regards to inquiry: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/

Rick Wormeli: Redos, Retakes, and Do-Overs

2011-11-12T13:23:00.002-06:00

Pretty interesting video clip regarding current grading practices (8 Minutes):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-3PFfIfvI

Having Fun with Learning

2011-11-02T07:00:00.001-05:00

It has been said in a variety of ways that “Families are a child’s first and most influential teacher.” Our children learn important skills and knowledge both at school and at home. How can we partner with schools so children can achieve their goals, develop to their potential and participate fully in their community?

Family routines and special events provide a rich backdrop for important and meaningful learning. Children need many meaningful experiences to develop background knowledge. Through “hands on, minds on” experiences we develop important knowledge about how the world works. We continue to develop background knowledge throughout our lives. We know children who have had rich experiences have an easier time learning to read, developing math skills and understanding science concepts. Making learning a part of your family routine can help your child develop important background knowledge for life-long learning.

Family routines that support learning include:

• Conversations

Talking with your child may be one of the most important things you can do to support learning. Giving your child many opportunities to talk with you will develop vocabulary, social skills and reflective thinking. Talk with your child about things he or she is interested in (e.g, make comments about your child’s interests and ask open-ended questions to find out what your child is thinking.) Follow your child’s lead. Listen carefully for opportunities to start conversations: sports, friends, food, a special TV program may all offer a starting point for conversation. Have fun! We all learn best when we are engaged in activities that we enjoy.

• Meal preparation

In addition to conversations during family meals, cooking together can provide valuable learning experiences. Children practice literacy skills when they read recipes, information on food packages and learn new ingredient vocabulary. They learn math skills while measuring and selecting appropriate cooking utensils. They learn science when observing the changes that occur during the cooking process. All this while having great fun!

• Leisure time

We all enjoy our leisure time. This is a special time families can spend with their children. Surround your child with books and magazines. Read with and to your child. Select reading material together. Younger children may be interested for shorter periods of time. If your child sees that you value and have fun reading, they will too! All children have creative tendencies. What activities do you have at home that allow for creative learning? Buttons, fabric, construction paper, wrapping paper and ribbon can provide for crafts that allow for creativity. It is not the product that is important, but the process. Children learn problem solving, hand-eye coordination, and perseverance during the creative process. An inexpensive digital camera can provide endless hours of experimentation and creativity for older children. Your child will enjoy these activities even more, if he or she has the opportunity to experience them with a family member. Families can use the time they have with their children having fun exploring their world while, at the same time, supporting learning. This valuable time together will help ensure our children will develop the critical social-emotional, physical, language and thinking skills necessary to be an active participant in their community.

~ Alison Bell

Iowa Statewide Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC)

Homework?

2011-10-19T07:06:00.001-05:00

Alfie Kohn and the great debate regarding homework... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npZ4dkt4e4U&feature=related

Professional Development

2011-10-19T06:59:00.002-05:00

A teacher (Doug Reeves) speaking about teacher professional development as well as high stakes testing and Government involvement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-X4qunQrmM

Changing Education Paradigms

2011-10-19T06:53:00.001-05:00

Does this thinking go along with the "new blueprint" for education? (Sir Ken Robinson)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U Hold onto your eyes...

Toxic Grading Practices

2011-10-19T06:50:00.002-05:00

Below is a link to a speech by Doug Reeves regarding current grading practices. Does it make sense? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jduiAnm-O3w

Let the kids touch the computer

2011-10-04T15:58:00.001-05:00

Eric Marcos says:

AUGUST 12, 2011 0 COMMENTS

Let them touch the computer. That’s how the world changed for me, for all of us. If you give kids a little bit of trust and let them try out some stuff, they’re going to come up with fascinating things that will surprise you.

You can read more about Eric and his students’ Mathtrain.tv project. Beginning this fall (and every year afterward), start asking your child’s teachers - or, better yet, your principal, superintendent, or school board members - this oh-so-important question:

You know, it’s a digital world out there now. How much time per week does the average child in this class / school / district get to use computers as part of his or her learning experience?

If you get an answer of more than 30 to 60 minutes per week (that’s only 6 to 12 minutes per day), you’ll be lucky. And, no, that’s not enough.

Image credit: Curious

2011-08-26T07:10:00.001-05:00

Iowa, Did You Know?

by IOWA FUTURE

August 4, 2011

16 COMMENTS

A new Iowa Future video, “Iowa, Did You Know?,” highlights the drastic changes occurring in Iowa and the world, and shows that schools are struggling to keep up in today’s dynamic new global environment. The video premiered at this week’s School Administrators of Iowa Conference.

This fast-paced video emphasizes the magnitude of the challenges ahead, the need for Iowans to support the changes that schools must make if our learners are to be career, college, and citizenship ready, and the imperative to do this now, rather than later.

The seven-minute presentation is aimed at all Iowans, from all walks of life. It may be used with a variety of audiences, including students, parents, community members, school board members, legislators—virtually anyone with an interest or a stake in Iowa’s education future.

The “Iowa Did You Know?” video is the latest of a growing number of resources in the Iowa Future toolkitto provide school and community members with information and tools to help them lead or participate in education change efforts in their communities.

Scott McLeod authored “Iowa, Did You Know?” which is based on the popular general “Did You Know?” series written by Scott and others.

Watch the video below or on the YouTube Iowa Future channel. Following the viewing considering using the accompanying discussion guide to begin an in-depth conversation in your group. The guide is designed to be used with all types of groups, educators and noneducators alike. Also available to provide for more thorough study and review, is a pdf of all of the 87 “Iowa, Did You Know” slides.

What Motivates Teachers?

2011-08-26T07:06:00.003-05:00

Taken from a Blog written by Jason Glass (Education Elements
A Place for Tempered Radicals)

The question of “what motivates teachers” was the subject of my dissertation. In a nutshell, I asked the question of whether teachers were motivated for money and economics or motivated to help kids and to be part of something greater than themselves. The answer … “yes.”

In studying the Eagle County School district (which arguably has one of the longest running and most interesting stories on performance based compensation) I found, overwhelmingly and not surprisingly, that teachers were primarily motivated to help kids. Teachers were also heavily motivated by the concept of being part of something greater than themselves, a concept noted in the literature as “public service motivation theory.”

However, I also found that although the altruistic motivators were clearly strongest, teachers also paid more attention to those things compensation was attached to (evaluation and assessment results in Eagle County’s case).

So, it’s not one or the other, but both. Teachers are motivated to help kids. Teachers are also rational people who pay attention to economic incentives.

I’ve used my findings as a possible explanation for why simple “cash for test scores” or “merit pay” schemes fail to raise student achievement. These approaches, by themselves, they don’t pull at the major levers in what motivates teachers and they usually don’t come with any real supports to help teachers improve their craft and learn from each other.

My conclusions were that we should avoid simplistic approaches advanced by many on the “performance pay” side of the argument, but we should also avoid a defense of the status quo “step and lane” system.

Deci and Ryan’s work was made popular by writer Daniel Pink, who said that compensation systems must be “adequate and fair.” I would argue the industrial “step and lane” pay system is neither and we have a great deal of evidence that educators are responding to its incentives in ways that lead us to perverse outcomes. For example, nearly 50% of educators nationally obtain advanced degrees that have an incredibly poor research track record of success in improving teaching. Compare this with the estimated 10% of Americans who have advanced degrees overall.

Think that has something to do with the ongoing compensation incentives provided with a “lane” change? I certainly do.

Frederick Herzberg also wrote about this nearly 40 years ago and told us that while compensation wasn’t necessarily a “motivator” for improvement, it did have the capacity to “demotivate” if it weren’t well attended to. I’d hold up the evidence around attrition for teachers early in their careers and labor market shortages for special education teachers as examples that we don’t have this “right” yet. Certainly working conditions and supports are part of this conversation, but so is compensation.

So, Hemmingsen is improving in her sophistication in being able to engage in this discussion – but she still doesn’t get it as she continues to try and paint me as some kind of merit-pay hawk.

To again clarify, I’m not talking about using compensation as a motivator for teachers, I’m talking about changing compensation structures to align with things that would actually be good for schools, educators, and kids. Things like creating and paying for teacher leader roles, creating time for teachers to work together collaboratively, incenting the pursuit advanced degrees or other PD options that are aligned with what their kids need, paying more to get and keep our best teachers in front of our neediest kids, front loading pay structures to get better candidates into teaching and keep them, extending the school day/year for kids that need it, and addressing teacher labor market shortage areas. And yes, performance based elements – so long as they are coupled with support systems to help teachers improve.

The possibilities are fascinating to consider – but part of the change is that we have to stop using the cash we have in such non-strategic ways and start using it smarter.

Hemmingsen also selectively takes her shots at the school organization I was proud to be part of in Eagle County, noting the high attrition rates at the inception of human capital system change in 2001 and the leadership turnover in 2007. But again, she only tells you part of the story. When I left Eagle County, the teacher attrition rate (for those not being non-renewed for performance related reasons) was in the single digits, we had solid leadership which remains in place today, and we had the highest paying salary system in the state. Further, the district has been closing the achievement gap at an amazing pace, has been recognized by the state legislature for its innovation, has had 4 Colorado Principals of the Year in as many years, and has value added results that are just startlingly good. This in a district with a 51% Hispanic student population, along with the language learner and poverty issues that accompany that demographic statistic.

The improvements with Eagle County’s results did not occur just because of a change in compensation system. Rather, leaving the step and lane system allowed the districts to better move finite resources to solve problems and achieve strategic outcomes. I don’t think anyone there would say the pay was the driver. The change primarily happened because all the pieces in the organization were pulling in the same direction and toward the same goals and the district had the flexibility in its resources to address student needs.

So, what motivates teachers? Helping kids and being part of changing the world motivates teachers. But teachers are also rational people who respond to financial incentives. Our work shouldn’t be to blindly protect a near 100 year old industrial era compensation structure, but instead to think about how we build a compensation structure that takes into account teachers’ altruistic motivations and that incents them toward things that help kids and communities. Then, we would be moving toward a system that emphasizes the real underlying motivations for educators, and that uses money strategically.

ARE YOUR LOCAL SCHOOLCHILDREN 'STUDENTS' OR 'LEARNERS?'

2011-05-20T11:12:00.002-05:00

Scott McLeod on May 16, 2011, 1:00 PM
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I’m not quite sure how I missed this wonderful table from David Warlick. Take a look below. Are your local schoolchildren ‘students’ or ‘learners?’ If they’re not ‘learners,’ what can/should you do about it as an educator, parent, community member, and/or concerned citizen?

STUDENTS/LEARNERS

Relationship with educators:

Students are employees, required to obediently follow instructions.

Learners are citizens with a vested interest in the learning society.

Relationship with other “Students”:

Students are competitors

Learners are collaborators

Motivation:

Students... (Obligation) Students are culturally obliged to work for the teacher & for compensation (below)

Learners... (Responsibility) Learners are motivated by an understood and realized “value” in their work, especially when it is valuable to others.

Compensation:

Student...Institution defined grades and gateways to college (another institution) and a good job (another institution)

Learners...A sense of ongoing accomplishment that is not delivered but earned, and not symbolic but tangible and valuable — an investment.

Mode of Operation:

Students...Compliant, group-disciplined, objective-oriented, and trainable

Learners...Persevering, self-disciplined, group- and goal-oriented, resourceful, and learning in order to achieve rather than achieving learning.

Why?

Students...Compelled

Learners...Curious

Equipped:

Students...with packaged knowledge and tools for recording packaged knowledge — prescribed and paced learning

Learners...with tools for exploring a networked variety of content, experimenting with that content, and discovering, concluding, and constructing knowledge — invented learning

Assessment:

Students...Measuring what the student has learned.

Learners...Measuring what the learner can do with what has been learned.

Some additional questions worth considering…

How does an emphasis on being a ‘student’ rather than a ‘learner’ impact children’s motivation for school tasks?
How does an emphasis on being a ‘student’ rather than a ‘learner’ impact children’s future success as workers or postsecondary students?
How does an emphasis on being a ‘student’ rather than a ‘learner’ impact children’s willingness as adults to challenge the establishment or the status quo, whether those be political, economic, or otherwise?
Rhetoric aside, do most adults really want children to be ‘learners’ in the truest sense of the word? Or do they just want them to be compliant and trainable?
Being a ‘learner’ implies (to me, at least) the need to ask questions. Lots and lots of questions. What do we do with children who ask questions in school, particularly those that challenge how we do things? (Why…?)

Image credit: Atlas, it’s time for your bath

RICHARD ELMORE

2011-05-20T11:08:00.000-05:00

Scott McLeod on May 17, 2011, 7:05 AM
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From Using technology to move beyond schools (Elmore & City):

With rare exceptions, schools currently treat the digital revolution as if it never happened. Computers, more often than not, still sit in dedicated rooms, accessible only with adult supervision. Laptops, when they are used at all in classrooms, are frequently employed as electronic worksheets, digital typewriters, and presentation producers, rather than as extensions of students’ access to knowledge. When students do use technology to extend the reach of their learning, they typically do so by visiting predigested information sources and cutting and pasting information into predetermined, teacher-driven formats. “Social networking” among students is treated as a subversive activity engaged in by kids who are up to no good, and certainly not as a promising point of entry to anything that might be called “learning.”

When students step out the door of the institution called school today, they step into a learning environment that is organized in ways radically different from how it once was. It’s a world in which access to knowledge is relatively easy and seamless; in which one is free to follow a line of inquiry wherever it takes one, without the direction and control of someone called a teacher; and, in which, with a little practice, most people can quickly build a network of learners around just about any body of knowledge and interests, unconstrained by the limits of geography, institutions, and time zones. If you were a healthy, self-actualizing young person, in which of these environments would you choose to spend most of your time?

The basic problem with this scenario, however, is this: The more accessible learning becomes through unmediated relationships and broad-based social networks, the less clear it is why schools, and the people who work in them, should have such a large claim on the lives of children and young adults, and the more the noneducational functions of schooling come to the fore.

From What would happen if we let them go? (Elmore):

what would happen if we simply opened the doors and let the students go; if we let them walk out of the dim light of the overhead projector into the sunlight; if we let them decide how, or whether, to engage this monolith? Would it be so terrible? Could it be worse than what they are currently experiencing? Would adults look at young people differently if they had to confront their children on the street, rather than locking them away in institutions? Would it force us to say more explicitly what a humane and healthy learning environment might look like? Should discussions of the future of school reform be less about the pet ideas of professional reformers and more about what we're doing to young people in the institution called school?

For those of you who don’t know Dr. Elmore, he’s the Gregory R. Anrig Professor of Educational Leadership at Harvard University. As you might imagine, he is quite smart and is widely recognized as one of America’s leading thinkers about classroom instruction and school curriculum. If you haven’t read School Reform from the Inside Out or Instructional Rounds in Education, it’s probably time that you did.

10 REASONS YOUR EDUCATORS (OR EMPLOYEES) ARE RESISTING YOUR CHANGE INITIATIVE

2011-05-20T11:06:00.001-05:00

Scott McLeod on May 20, 2011, 9:26 AM

Here’s a little something for you to think about over the weekend. Those resisters and naysayers in your school organization (or corporation or nonprofit or …)? You know, the ones that are pushing back against your change initiative? The ones that you like to complain about because ‘the train is moving’ and they’re not ‘getting on board?’ What if they’re right?

10 Reasons Your Educators Are Resisting Your Change Initiative

Surprise, Surprise! Decisions or requests that are sprung on administrators and teachers without notice.
Excess Uncertainty. Not knowing enough about the change will result in the "walking off a cliff blindfolded" syndrome.
Loss of Control. Feeling that changes are being done to, rather than done by, those affected.
Loss of Routine. Concerns that change will require administrators and teachers to question familiar (and comfortable) routines and habits.
We've Seen This Before. Expectation that the initiative is temporary and it will stay incomplete, meaning the best strategy is to lay low and not contribute to success.
Loss of Face. Change implies that the former way of doing things was wrong. Some administrators and teachers may feel embarrassed in front of their peers or staff.
Concerns About Future Competence. Educators can question their ability to be effective after a change: Can I do it? How will I do it? Will I make it in the new situation?
Ripple Effects. Change in one area can disrupt other projects or activities, even ones outside of work.
More Work. Organizational change often increases workloads.
Sometimes the Threat Is Real. Change often creates real winners and losers, and people worry about where they will end up when the project is complete.
Additional thoughts

As a school leader, if you want your change initiatives to be successful, you MUST address these issues. More important than whether you think you’ve addressed them is whether the resisters believe that you’ve addressed them. It’s what is in their heads and hearts, not yours, that’s important.

What else might we add to this list? I’d probably add:

Under-Resourcing. The initiative is not accompanied by sufficient resources (e.g., time, support, funding, training) to actually make it happen. So why should we bother?
Innovation Fatigue. Too many simultaneous initiatives. [this contributes to both 5 and 9]
Source

FYI, the “top 10” list comes from IBM’s online Change Toolkit for educators, which is built on the work of Rosabeth Moss Kanter. The Change Toolkit is a powerful resource for school leaders who are interested in better facilitating organizational change. Learn more and sign up for a free account!

Summer Learning Tips for Parents

2011-05-02T17:12:00.001-05:00

Iowa Parent Information Resource Center and reference the PIRC website, www.iowaparents.org.

Summer months are often filled with sports clinics, camps, library reading clubs, trips to the swimming pool and family vacations for
many school-age children. But for some children, summer break means extra time in front of the television or computer screen with
little parental supervision.
And there are other children whose parents would like to help, but they don’t know how or don’t realize the importance of staying academically
stimulated.
Why does it matter?
Students who do little during the summer months to stimulate their minds experience what is known as “summer slide.” This is when
they lose academic skills, mostly in the areas of math and reading, and then experience setbacks when they return to school in the fall.
The setbacks force teachers to spend about four to six weeks at the beginning of the school year refreshing students and bringing them
back to where they were at the end of the previous academic year. For example, students in the Grand Rapids (Michigan) school district
were found to have lost about 40 percent of what they learned from the previous school year, according to a study done between 2003
and 2004.
And the U.S. Department of Education has reported that students’ reading skills fall behind about 25 percent each summer. The average
student also loses about 2.6 months of grade-level equivalency in math computation skills during the summer.
In addition to brain activity, children also need to participate in physical and social activities during the summer to keep their bodies
strong. Much of a child’s social stimulation can be received through interaction and activities with family members.
Also, parents need to help their children prepare for the next grade level during the summer months. This is increasingly important for
those children who will enter kindergarten or the next academic stage such as middle or high school.
What the research shows
Most children experience a slight academic setback during the summer months, according to studies by Johns Hopkins University’s
School of Education. The effect varies widely and is most apparent between low-income students and their middle-class peers.
The university’s National Center for Summer Learning has reported the following:
• Most students lose two months of math skills during the summer. This mostly occurs because parents are able to keep their children
reading during summer months but pay less attention to math, according to Harris Cooper, an education professor at Duke University.
• Low-income students lose reading skills, while middle-class students mostly make slight gains.
• Most of the loss occurs in elementary school, so that by the time some students reach fifth grade, they are academically 2 ½ years
behind their peers.
Other studies have found:
• Students usually score lower on standardized tests at the beginning of the new school year than they did at the end of the previous
school year.
• Many low-income youth who fell behind during the summer months eventually drop out or do not attend college.
• Children also gain weight more rapidly during summer break.
• Parents have reported they have difficulty finding productive activities for their children to do during the summer.
What can parents do?
Arne Duncan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, said families need to use the summer months to spend time with their children.
They need to turn off the television and instead visit museums, parks and libraries. Each child should have a library card, and families
should “find ways to continue to learn and to learn as a family all summer,” he said.
Research has shown that summer reading offers one of the greatest benefits because it improves comprehension and vocabulary regardless
of the subject. Reading is most effective when a parent is involved, according to a Harvard University study.
There are numerous activities parents and other adults can do with children regardless of financial status. These ideas include:
• Read: Parents should read to their child every day. Children improve more quickly when an adult asks questions about the material and
makes the child re-read difficult passages. Books are too difficult for a child if he or she does not understand five or more words in a 100-
word section. Also, set an example and make sure the child sees you reading.
• On the road: Play “I Spy” with road signs for numbers, colors and shapes. Ask older children to estimate and calculate the travel time to
a destination.
• Get outdoors: Take children to parks and trails for walks or to ride bicycles, or plant a garden or flowers together. Spend time before the
outing to gather information and ask children about the plants and wildlife they encounter.
• In your city: Take trips to the museum or other cultural amenities during free admission days. Find free or inexpensive camps through
your city’s parks and recreation department, school or other groups.
• At the ballpark: Teach young fans how to calculate statistics such as RBIs or ERA. Suggest that they read a book about baseball before
the game to teach kids more about the sport and to brush up on reading skills.
• Volunteer: Ask a friend or relative to host a child at his or her workplace for a day, or take your child to pick up litter or volunteer at a
soup kitchen or senior center.
• In the kitchen: Allow a child to help out by measuring ingredients and reading recipes. Ask more challenging questions such as how
many pints are in a quart and how to divide ingredients.
• Online: Numerous universities and community colleges offer free online courses, some of which can be downloaded to portable devices.
Websites such as readingrocket.org can give parents reading tips to help their child at various ages.
• Move it: Attend summer music festivals with your children and dance together. Sign up your child for summer swimming lessons or
other athletic events.
• Get prepared: Establish a school-night routine a couple of weeks before school starts that includes earlier bedtimes.
• Be involved: Attend back-to-school and orientation nights to meet teachers, and learn about school and classroom
expectations.
• As a family: Plan and cook meals together, share family traditions/customs, or tell stories and reflect upon fun
times.
• Play games: Tell jokes and riddles and share trivia; also, play board games or other games together. Another way to
get the brain working is to play thinking games such as categorizing items such as animals or foods, and doing word clusters.
• Pen pals: Work as a family to write a letter to another family member or a friend. Everyone should contribute ideas.
• Turn it off: Have at least one full week with no television or video games.
Ideas by grade level to prepare your child for school:
Kindergarten –
1. Help children develop their language skills by teaching them to use adjectives and follow simple directions.
2. Read to your child every day.
3. Sing songs and listen to music.
4. Practice matching letters, rhyming words and organizing things by size, color, shape, etc.
5. Teach your child to do things by themselves such as get dressed, eat, clean up and use the restroom.
Middle school –
1. Show your child how to become organized such as using a different folder for each subject and teach them how to record assignments.
2. Help your child keep track of their activities by having a calendar at home on which events and homework assignments can be written.
3. Create a homework schedule and set aside time each night for reading and writing.
High school –
1. Encourage your child to get a job in order to make him or her more responsible and help understand what it’s like to have a job.
2. Help children prepare for their future by taking challenging classes and creating a plan for after high school.

Christmas in April

2011-04-15T18:24:00.005-05:00

Winners of the Christmas in April competition at the Armstrong Building...
Mrs. Work
Mrs. Korte
Mrs. Hansen #2
Mrs. Hansen #1
Mrs. Koop

A fashionable bunch of ladies!

SKYPE IN THE CLASSROOM (from: Eric Sheninger)

2011-04-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

"A simple question to ask is, "How has the world of a child changed in the last 150 years?" And the answer is, "It's hard to imagine any way in which it hasn't changed! But if you look at school today versus 100 years ago, it is more similar than dissimilar." -- Peter Senge, senior lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

What should learning in schools look like in the 21st Century? Are schools preparing students for success in a global society? These are two questions that quickly came to mind when reading the quote above from Peter Senge. It is essential more than ever that schools veer away from methodologies that worked for many years when we were educating a different type of student for a different role in society. Key to this transformation is the integration of authentic learning experiences and technology that engage students of all levels and make learning meaningful.

When I came to New Milford High School in 2004 there were many amazing programs in place. One was the Holocaust Study Tour. This global learning endeavor provides some of our students the opportunity to travel to Europe for at least 10 days and study the Holocaust in depth. This authentic learning experience cannot be reproduced in the classroom. For detailed information on the program please visit The New Milford Holocaust Project.
　
Technology now allows the students and staff at NMHS to share in the authentic learning experiences taking place in Europe (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic). Last year, we launched a blog where the students in Europe chronicled and reflected on essential questions, focusing on a dark time in human history. Meanwhile, students and staff back on the campus of NMHS are using the blog as a catalyst for a variety of other learning experiences. Some teachers even have their students respond to the posts each day. The first Holocaust Study Tour 2011 blog post should be up tomorrow so be sure to check it out.
　
Skype has also brought a whole new element to the program. Prior to the trip, students Skyped numerous times with their guide who resides in Israel. This year we even Skyped in a Holocaust survivor to our elective course on the topic. I use Skype to keep in contact with my teacher while on the trip and to sometimes converse with the students about what they are learning. We also encourage our history teachers to Skype with the study tour if the times can be worked out. At our District Open House this Thursday, I plan to Skype the group in from Europe to kick off the event. The theme for the event is appropriately centered around what it is like to be a student in the 21st Century.
　
It is an exciting time to be in education. Technology has really added a whole new dimension to learning. Schools that confine themselves to a bland curriculum, textbooks, worksheets, or learning activities that do not go beyond the walls of the brick and mortar building are really doing a disservice to their learners. In a society that is now globally connected through easy to use and cost effective web 2.0 tools, opportunities to engage and make the process of learning meaningful to all students has quickly become a reality. Teachers now have at their fingertips many tools to add a global context to any lesson.

For example, Skype in the Classroom is a free community that assists teachers in establishing connections between teachers in different countries to help their students learn. Unfortunately, many schools across the country block blogging tools and Skype as well as a variety of other web 2.0 technologies that foster creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills. As Peter Block alluded to, schools have not evolved in step with societal changes. In order to best prepare out students, we must move away from an industrial model of instruction and let go of control in order to meet the diverse needs of today's learner. This will only happen when schools realize that technology is not the enemy and when combined with passionate teachers and visionary schools the end result for students is learning like never before.

Focus: Instructional Technology

2011-03-29T17:20:00.001-05:00

Before Adopting a Laptop Initiative

by ELIZABETH ROSS HUBBELL

How often have you heard the story of a school or district spending thousands of dollars on technology without any evidence it will have an impact on student learning?

Whether a failure to prepare teachers for a fundamental shift in how they teach or a failure to plan for technology obsolescence, district and school leaders have considerable information to gather and up-front planning to do if a laptop implementation is to be successful. One of the best ways to collect this information is to conduct a technology audit. It can save time, money and headaches.

Last year, I worked with a suburban school district that was preparing for a laptop initiative. Their initial thinking was to start small with just a few schools, then expand it K-12. The district leadership thought the high school would be the most logical starting point for the rollout.

After discussing the idea with principals, the superintendent decided to have McREL conduct a technology audit to see how comfortable teachers were with current technologies and how easily a new tool could be integrated into the current culture.

Classroom Climate
The audit results surprised them. Teachers of kindergarten through 2nd grade and those at the high school level tended to use the most traditional methods in their instruction. When I walked into these classrooms, students often were passive audiences to teacher-led, whole-group instruction. I saw a fair amount of worksheets and teacher-directed question-and-answer sessions.

This did not mean learning wasn’t happening, but a laptop initiative in this environment probably would have resulted in expensive machines being used for rudimentary tasks, such as early learning games or note taking.

At the upper-elementary and middle-school levels, however, instruction looked quite different. Students often were engaged in small-group, collaborative learning. The classrooms had a busy buzz to them as students discussed ideas, collaborated on projects and shared their learning with the larger group.

The structure of the rooms represented pods of activities. I often found the teacher taking the role of a facilitator who would help a group refocus or work through a challenge, then move on to the next group. The levels of Bloom’s taxonomy that the lessons targeted often were at a higher level of thinking. A set of laptops in this environment had potential to be used not only for building basic skills, note-taking and research, but also for collaboration and communication among groups and for evidence of learning beyond quizzes and tests.

Based on the audit details, the school district started the laptop initiative at the middle-school level, while focusing professional development on how to create engaging, project-based, differentiated classrooms.

Gathering Data
A good tech audit will gather data through various tools — surveys, focus groups, classroom walkthroughs, and interviews with members of the schools and district — to get an understanding of what learning looks like in that environment.

If you are considering implementing a 1:1 initiative, ask yourself these questions:

• How are the teachers and students in my building or district using the tools they already have?

• How well do my teachers vary how students are grouped?

• How well do my teachers allow flexibility and variety in showing evidence of learning? (Do students primarily show learning through a summative assessment, or do teachers use many formative assessments?)

• Do teachers support and extend students’ understanding of basic concepts by developing authentic projects that take student learning to a higher level?

• Do teachers know how technology can transform students’ capacity to create, collaborate and communicate?

• Do all students in the school or district emerge prepared to use 21st-century tools in collaborative and creative settings, or is their experience dependent upon teacher interest and comfort level?

• How ready are my teachers for highly differentiated instruction?

A Costly Tool
When schools and districts spend thousands of dollars on expensive and powerful equipment without finding out if their teachers and students are prepared to use these tools, they may find the machines are only being used, as Alan November points out in an article on his website November Learning , as a “$2,000 pencil” for web research, word processing, note taking and disseminating PowerPoint documents.

In these situations, teachers are, in a sense, integrating technology, but its use has little advantage over paper-and-pencil methods. Some teachers even may insist students put valuable learning tools away during instruction because they view them as distractions or inappropriate in the classroom.

On the other hand, when teachers are well-versed in creating environments in which students regularly collaborate on projects, use a variety of high-level strategies, and have choices in how they receive and disseminate what they have learned, technology seamlessly, almost invisibly, exists as a tool to facilitate these processes.

Which Route?
Implementing a 1:1 laptop initiative requires much more than purchasing hardware and software. It requires teachers being comfortable with no longer being the “sage on the stage.” It requires a general knowledge of various tools that help students collaborate on projects and communicate with others.

Finally, it requires a plan for dealing with inappropriate behavior in a way that addresses the infraction rather than banning the media that provided the means. A tech audit can help a school or district decide what professional development, curriculum alignment and staffing are needed for an initiative to be most successful.

Elizabeth Hubbell is an educational technology consultant at McREL in Denver, Colo. E-mail: ehubbell@mcrel.org

Khan Academy (Flip the Classroom) This is what Mr. Fitzgerald is doing in his Mathematics classroom...

2011-03-28T18:02:00.003-05:00

Why Social Media Can and Is Changing Education

2011-03-25T12:43:00.000-05:00

POSTED ON MARCH 24, 2011 BY GEORGE

Social media is something that has become so prevalent in our culture that I have seen everything from large companies to churches having their own facebook accounts. When I first was presented with the idea that using Twitter, Facebook, or blogging as something in education I was weary of its application. As I have immersed myself in the process, and have seen my own staff and school use this themselves along with students, I have seen some tremendous changes in their practice.
cc licensed flickr photo shared by shareski

I really believe that using technology just to do the same things that we have always done, but on the computer, is not a good enough reason. There has to be more. Thinking aboutthis today, I have really seen some of the impacts that social media is having on education.

1. It’s free. Okay, in reality, nothing is really free. We still have to pay for Internet and technology in our building, but our software costs have gone down significantly. As educators continuously have to deal with budget cuts, it is important that we use tools that do not have a cost on it. Safety is essential, but with teaching Internet safety, setting up certain sites, with a little hard work, the software costs nothing. Our school has paid $300 for server space (for three years) in the last two years that I have been here, and have set up a safe and secure blogging platform for our students. This is music to any educators’ (especially those dealing with budgets) ears.
2. It cuts down on isolation. One of our programs is an off-site building that is out in the country. This program serves 12 students and has two teachers. Every few years, this program is revisited and we ensure that teachers have an opportunity to move so that they have the ability to connectand learn from others. This year when we had the conversation, both teachers did not feel the need to move. They are both connected through many teachers through social networks and the feeling of isolation has somewhat dissipated. Now with small schools that are out in the country, you are never limited to the ideas and camraderie of those in the building, but those that you are willing to connect with. When I first started my career in a small town, it felt very lonely and on some days could be very taxing. The opportunity to connect is there for those who are willing to take it.
3. Building tolerance and understanding of cultural diversity. There are so many different cultures in the world and when I was a kid, we only had read about them in books. There is so much of an opportunity to not only read content from different people and hear their perspectives, but social media gives us the opportunity to actually talk with people. Having the opportunity to connect with people all over the world breaks down a lot of barriers and builds understanding. These are opportunities that we did not have as kids but we need to ensure that our students have this opportunity now.
4. It can amplify passion. Passion is a term that has been used a great deal in education. I am a firm believer that we have to build learning upon the passions and interests of our students. We now have the opportunity to not only connect with people of different cultures, but to people with similar interests. If you watch Chris Anderson’s Ted Talk, he discusses how people can connect with similar interests and create innovation in new areas. He talks about through the use of video, dance has evolved so rapidly because of the ease of sharing. The child who does not feel anyone has similar interests in the classroom, is not limited anymore. We can help to facilitate these connections in schools so our students do not only feel “normal”, but their passion thrives.

5. The world of education is (and needs to be) more open. As an administrator, I need to continuously communicate and connect with not only my stakeholders, but the world of education. Parents no longer need to wonder what I am thinking, because I can share it continuously in an open way. I can do everything from sharing my calendar for the week with our community, to things I am reading. Chris Kennedy, a superintendent in British Columbia, shared everything from his cell phone number to his calendar with the entire world. The parent who may not know the teacher in the next grade, can simply follow their blog to get to know about some of the practices. This breaks down walls and helps to build relationships with families and our community. Parents could not see the other classroom’s “newsletter” unless it was passed around; now it is easily shared. Knowing people beforehand will help to break down barriers that may have existed before.

I have said this many times before, that education is based upon relationships. While people often look at social media is just “technology” we have to see how proper use can help really bring our world together. If we are proactive in the way we work with kids using social media, there is no limit to what we can do.

Why do 21st Century Educational Reformers look to Business Leaders for answers?

2011-02-28T07:28:00.003-06:00

taken from Alan Shoho

Why do so many 21^st century educational reformers look to business people or the business sector for answers to educational issues? What expertise or experience do business people have in creating effective schools? And where is the EVIDENCE to suggest that they have any proven ideas beyond political rhetoric? Would the business sector ever approach educators to address ethical lapses in judgment as demonstrated by many examples from the past decade with BP, Enron, WorldCom, financial meltdown, mortgage crisis, etc.? Can you imagine a business asking clients how to run their business? Or what about lawyers asking people without law degrees for legal advice. As you can see, I have pondered many questions since UCEA in New Orleans.

Over the past few weeks and months I’ve attended a number of meetings and luncheons about how to improve education with Chamber of Commerce types and legislative staffers. As I walk away from each of these meetings, I keep wondering where did we (as educators) lose our credibility and how can we regain it. Based on my experience, very few policymakers and influential voices are looking to educators for answers. Unfortunately, I do not have many answers to offer, but there are a lot of educational scholars who are smarter than me and maybe our collective thinking can re-create an environment where our voice is heard and sought out.

While many business affiliated groups are pushing for educational reforms like charter schools, vouchers, creating pathways for alternative certification, etc., where’s the evidence that any of these methods work? During President George W. Bush’s two term presidency, he advocated for experimental, randomized, control studies to be the gold standard to deem whether an innovation was worthy or not. As far as I know, very few, if any of these ideas being pushed by business-affiliated groups have any proven track record.

The challenge ahead of the field is to not only point out and ask questions like above, but also to create a new environment in the 21^st Century where we capture the public’s trust and confidence in preparing school leaders and reforming education for the betterment of all children.

2011-02-22T13:05:00.001-06:00

What does 1:1 Mean to You?

Recently, we began discussing (in our district) the possibility of going to a 1:1 program. The discussion has evolved from conversations, tech sessions, and our observations of what other schools are doing. For the past several years, I have watched as a neighboring district implemented a 1:1 program for their 4th grade students via MLDs (aka Mobile Learning Devices) and soon after, our district did the same. Both districts have expanded their program and now, we are considering how the evolution of this technology will impact our current 5th graders (who all have a device) if we don't change how we operate in the high school classroom.

So this is where we are... how do we prepare to teach a different type of student? The 'Networked Student' (see video below)? We have been saying for years that students' needs are different today than they were 5 or 10 years ago. So how do (or should) we as educators adjust and change to meet the needs of these 21st Century students?

Going 1:1 (putting a device in the hands of all students) is not the solution. This new tool can certainly be used in the process, almost as a vehicle for getting us to a 21st Century classroom. But it is in no means the end-all, be-all. 21st Century classrooms must teach students how to collaborate, how to innovate, how to communicate (digitally and otherwise), how to investigate, how to research, how to use every tool at their disposal in order to problem solve.

In a discussion with a group of teachers recently, the issue came up as to whether or not we were degrading the basic skills by using too much technology. Making students memorize facts that they can Google isn't educating them. Teaching students how to find information and then evaluate, synthesize, and analyze that information in order to solve a problem or create a solution is educating them.

In a recent conversation with my good friend and teacher @SNewco, we were discussing a math problem he had given his students. He had expected them to have to use paper and pencil to come up with the answer. One student, however, used Google and some other intuitive internet research on his MLD to arrive at the correct answer. While stunned,@SNewco couldn't have been happier with his student's ability to find the correct answer. This is 21st Century Learning! We have to change how we question and teach our students, knowing full well that they have the ability to 'Google' the answer!

To me, going 1:1 next school year is no different than it probably was to give every student a book 100 years ago. Sure its the next big thing, but it is becoming a standard item. I would be willing to predict that within 5 years, the word 1:1 will be nearly obsolete. A learning device (i.e. smart phone, iPad, netbook, ipod, etc.) will be the standard, not the anomaly. In reality, long before my career is over, a student device with be as standard as a 3-ring binder or a calculator is today.

So the question isn't should we or shouldn't we go 1:1... the real question iswill we be ready when the students are?

Student Response to Education

2011-02-16T09:17:00.000-06:00

Interesting take on our education model.

Why Don't You Ask Us?

In my 10 or so years in the Learnersville education system, I have been asked many questions.

“What's two plus two?”

“What happened in the story?”

“Why can't you kids, behave?!”

However, I have not been asked the one magical question that is so powerful, if uttered, unicorns will dance around the room pooping rainbows and leprechauns will chase them looking for their gold. The room would echo with amazement. And the kids would be blinded by the sheer force of the one and only epic question.

What is that question you ask? Some of you may assume that the question is, “What do you want to learn?” HA!! Wrong! No, I'm completely aware that teachers by law are required to teach certain things. And you thought you had me figured out. :)

The question is, “How do you want to learn?” Yes, the epic fantastic amazing question that just might save the world. And I have never been asked it! I am under the impression that none of my teachers actually care about how I want to learn, or how the child next to me wants to learn. I'm sure their reason is that: they know best. Whatever, you don't know how I learn best. YOU'VE NEVER ASKED!

I sit at a desk seven hours a day just waiting for that one question to be spoken, but I know now that I will most likely never be asked it. I guess I have to demand it. So here it goes:

ASK ME HOW I WANT TO LEARN!!!!!!!!

Educational Technology Article

2011-02-11T11:03:00.001-06:00

If we were really serious about educational technology, we would… [here are 10 to get you started]

show students how to edit their privacy settings and use groups in Facebook instead of banning online social networks because they’re ‘dangerous’ and/or ‘frivolous’;
teach students to understand and contribute to the online information commons rather than ‘just saying no’ to Wikipedia;
put a robust digital learning device into every student’s hands (or let them bring and use their own) instead of pretending that we live in a pencil, notebook paper, and ring binder world;
photo © 2006 Michael Surran | more info(via: Wylio)integrate digital learning and teaching tools into subject-specific preservice methods courses rather than marginalizing instructional technology as a separate course;
understand the true risk of students encountering online predators and make policy accordingly instead of succumbing to scare tactics by the media, politicians, law enforcement, computer security vendors, and others;
find out the exact percentage of our schools’ families that don’t have broadband Internet access at home rather than treating the amorphous ‘digital divide’ as a reason not to assign any homework that involves use of the Internet;
treat seriously and own personally the task of becoming proficient with the digital tools that are transforming everything instead of nonchalantly chuckling about how little we as educators know about computers;
recognize the power and potential (and limitations) of online learning rather than blithely assuming that it can’t be as good as face-to-face instruction;
tap into and utilize the technological interest and knowledge of students instead of pretending that they have nothing to contribute;
better educate and train school administrators rather than continuing to turn out new leaders that know virtually nothing about creating, facilitating, and/or sustaining 21st century learning environments;
and so on…

What else could we add to the list?

A Flipped Classroom

2011-01-26T13:27:00.003-06:00

Imagine if what was done in the classroom was done at home, and what was done at home was done in the classroom...

http://vodcasting.ning.com/video/the-flipped-classroom

Race to Nowhere (taken from Dangerously Irrelevant)

2011-01-26T12:42:00.001-06:00

I really liked Race to Nowhere

JANUARY 21, 2011 28 COMMENTS

22Share

Last September I blogged the trailer for the movie, Race to Nowhere, which focuses on the achievement pressures faced by many of our schoolchildren. Today I had an opportunity to attend a screening of the full movie. Here are 30 quotes from the film. Some of these might not be word-for-word but they’re close; I was paying attention to the movie, not my typing. I’ve highlighted my 8 favorites from the list below…

I can’t really remember the last time I just went outside and ran around
We do whatever it takes to get an A
When I had kids, I didn’t think that the only time I’d see them was for 20 minutes at dinner
These kids are so overscheduled and tired … I’m afraid that our children are going to sue us for stealing their childhoods
We want the best for them [so] we put pressure on them to be what we want them to be
[All of this pressure] ends up turning kids into little professionals
I figured out that not eating gave me more energy … but it still wasn’t enough to get everything done
My school principal told me [when I tried to return from a treatment facility for anorexia and anxiety] that she didn’t want the teachers to have to worry about me – I was too much of a distraction for them [and other students]
We lose boys because they tune out and we lose girls to depression
The countries that outperform us on international tests actually give less homework than we do in the United States
At what point did it become okay for schools to dictate how we spend our lives after the bell rings? [regarding homework]
Parents need to educate themselves that homework isn’t going to make their students any smarter
When American kids encounter questions [on international assessments that don’t look like what they’re used to from their rote practice], they fall apart
These tests that they do so horrible on - they don’t test my kids on the curriculum, they test them on their culture and their culture isn’t represented on the tests
I tell my [urban] students that learning is power – to do whatever you want to do in life, you have to be a learner and you have to care – that is not what the district wants from me as a teacher
If we forget this [question] or do a different one, then we’re going to get in trouble and we’ll lose 5 minutes of recess [4th grader]
Your 6–month-old is supposed to be sucking on his toes and thumbs, not doing flashcards
[Students say] ‘The teacher doesn’t care – it’s just busy work - why CAN’T I just copy my homework?’
The point of education is to learn, not memorize
It’s impossible to cover all of the material for the AP course in one year. Literally impossible.
After my daughter passed her AP French exam, she said, “I never have to speak French again.”
So much of [kids’] time is structured. The only unstructured time they seem to have is the time they spend on the computer.
What’s happening these days is that kids aren’t getting a chance to find out what they love to do.
They’re 4 or 8 [years old] and they’re resume-building
Parents say ‘My child is a good kid.’ No, they were a good performer. You never found out if they were a good kid. You just know they’re a good student, not a good solid kid.
I stopped trying because if you don’t try, you can’t fail.
I think that success in America is measured by how much money you make, not how happy you are in your life
The environment and culture are so competitive that kids don’t feel like they can ever let people see their true selves
If you’ve always had As, there’s only one way to go and that’s down, so that B feels like a failure
We need to redefine success for kids … We have to get off this treadmill together. [We have to discuss] what does it take to create a happy, motivated, creative human being?

Discussion afterward

Here are a few statements afterward from the international educators and others who watched the film:

None of us went into education to inflict harm on children but when you put it all together the net effect is often much different.
At my previous school we eliminated homework and instead gave families a booklet called ‘Supporting Learning’ that gave them ideas of things they could do at home with their kids instead.
How many of you assign homework? How would you handle a parent that asked if their child could opt out of the homework you assign? [this question was mine]
Five to seven hours a day at school are plenty of time to do what we need to do academically with students
Many of your parents have dedicated much of their lives to preparing students for Harvard (a process Alfie Kohn calls ‘Preparation H’). How do you handle it when as educators you’re trying to slow down, reduce workload, stop the ‘race to nowhere,’ etc. for kids but parents aren’t buying what you’re selling? [this question was mine]
We have a responsibility to assuage the collective anxiety that we feel about ‘doing well.’

The film is about an hour long. Although it’s targeting what are in many ways polar opposite issues and demographics compared to Waiting for Superman, the film is well worth a watch. I greatly appreciated the opportunity to finally see it.

Closing thoughts

My children are 13, 10, and 6; so far they have been ‘excellent students.’ They live in a college town community and attend schools in which there is a lot of academic pressure on students - from parents, from other kids’ parents, from educators, from student peer groups, from society in general, etc. How much of that is being internalized by my children despite the messages that we try to send at home? Although my wife and I repeatedly discuss with our kids that learning is supposed to be a joyful experience – that we’d much rather that they love what and how they’re learning and have a chance to pursue their interests than get good grades – I still worry about what messages they’re incorporating into their mental models of success. It’s an ongoing conversation and battle and I’m not completely certain that we’re winning. I’m also uncertain if the fact that I’m a workaholic – albeit on things for which I’m usually interested and passionate – helps or hinders my cause with my kids.

I’ve recommended to my school district leadership team (administrators and school board) that they do a screening of this film for local parents. They’ve shown no interest to date, which is unfortunate because this film is extremely relevant for our community and our families.

I try to remember to ask my kids daily if they have a happy life. I hope they’ll always be honest with me.

Technology at an Early Age????

2011-01-26T11:05:00.001-06:00

Panic! Children Are Learning to Use Technology at an Early Age!

by AUDREY on 24. JAN, 2011 in OP-ED

There’s something about headlines stirring up fear and revulsion over children’s usage of technology that really annoys me. The latest story making the rounds: an AVG study (yes, that’s AVG the antivirus company, not AVG a child development research group) that finds children are learning to use computers before learning other “life skills.”

That distinction right there should probably give folks pause, as I’d contend, at least, that a familiarity with technology is surely becoming a “life skill” in its own right.

But the AVG study goes on to cite a number of activities that preschool age children aren’t doing, implying by way of contrast, that preschoolers are on computers instead. (Gasp!)

“Kids these days” can use a mouse before they can learn to tie their shoes or ride a bike. The latter insight is being bandied about as some sort of sign we’re raising a generation of square-eyed robots who never venture outside to play (unless of course, they can carry their iPads with them).

The AVG survey does contain some interesting data, don’t get me wrong. 25% of children age 2 to 5 can open a web browser. 44% of 2 to 3 year olds know how to play a computer game. European preschoolers are more apt than U.S. preschoolers to know how to make a cellphone call. At this age, there is no gender division between boys and girls in their technology skills.

What bothers me about the study, however, is how these online activities are juxtaposed to those offline. Playing a computer game versus being able to swim. Using a smart-phone app versus riding a bike. Making a cellphone call versus tying your shoes.

I’m suspicious, perhaps, because my “life skills” at age 2 to 5 only just included how to tie my shoes. And honestly, I think I might’ve been 6 before I learned how to ride my bike. So when AVG says that “small children today are more likely to navigate with a mouse, play a computer game and increasingly – operate a smart-phone – than swim, tie their shoelaces or make their own breakfast,” I laugh. I’m actually quite thrilled to think that a preschooler would have access to technology because, yes, when you’re 4, you’re pretty damn incompetent — you can’t ride your bike or wipe your butt or read. You might not be able to read yet. But you can play. And you can play with technology. If you learn at age 4 how to use a mouse, does that preclude your learning at age 4 1/2 to swim? Seriously?

I really don’t think these changing skills are cause for panic. If anything, they should serve as a reason to teach kids the same sorts of safety measures we’d demand they understand before they hopped on a bike or jumped into a swimming pool.

Resiliency...

2011-01-18T11:14:00.001-06:00

To be resilient…

Focus on results. Embrace the fact that results are what we’re all really after. Effort and attempts are great first steps, but we need to act with commitment to delivering (just like we want people to do for us).
Make lessons of failures. Minimize the tendency to make a mistake anything more than a lesson on how not to do something. We need to learn from our experiences and accept them as tuition for future success. And yes… Our mistakes might put us in a bind at times and have some uncomfortable consequences but again, that’s real life.
Continue on. Smarter.
Reinforce. Support each other (and ourselves) by continually reminding and encouraging one another to deliver on the first three points.

Vocabulary Sites

2011-01-16T15:23:00.000-06:00

Tools and Sites to Teach and Learn Vocabulary

January 16, 2011 | Leave a Comment

Some more useful sites for teaching, learning and practising vocabulary

Puzzlemaker at Discovery education enables teachers to create puzzles,

You can create flashcards using Flashcard maker from Scholastic.com

Spelling wizard is also a great tool to help self study or enables teachers to create spelling scramble and word search

At SuperKidsVocabulary Builders, you can easily create puzzles, wordsearch or play games and learn new words.

Vocabulary.com is a great site to learn and teach vocabulary.

OneLook Dictionary enables you to access definitions from different dictionaries.

Flickr related tag browser is great. You type the word you want to search and see flickr images and related other words and images too.

ClassTools.net is a wonderful site to create flashcards, games, diagrams, puzzles.

Vocabulary and Spelling City is another great site to play with words.

Related post on this blog: Teaching Vocabulary-links, books, ideas

Free Mathematics Tutorials, Problems and Worksheets

2011-01-16T13:51:00.000-06:00

Great Resource

http://www.analyzemath.com/

Mathematics Apps

2011-01-16T10:54:00.001-06:00

Wolfram|Alpha Announces Music Theory, Algebra & Calculus Apps for the iPad

Written by Andy Brovey

Topics: News

Wolfram|Alpha is the maker of Mathematica and more recently, Wolfram|Alpha apps for the iPad. The technology behind their products is designed to accept free-form input and serve as a knowledge and computational engine to produce and present results. They recently announced a series of Course Assistant Apps for Algebra, Calculus and Music Theory. The Algebra and Music Theory apps are $1.99 each and the Calculus app is $2.99. More here.

21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020

2010-12-13T15:44:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, December 15, 2009
21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020
Last night I read and posted the clip on '21 Things That Became Obsolete in the Last Decade'. Well, just for kicks, I put together my own list of '21 Things That Will Become Obsolete in Education by 2020'.

1. Desks
The 21st century does not fit neatly into rows. Neither should your students. Allow the network-based concepts of flow, collaboration, and dynamism help you rearrange your room for authentic 21st century learning.

2. Language Labs
Foreign language acquisition is only a smartphone away. Get rid of those clunky desktops and monitors and do something fun with that room.

3. Computers
Ok, so this is a trick answer. More precisely this one should read: 'Our concept of what a computer is'. Because computing is going mobile and over the next decade we're going to see the full fury of individualized computing via handhelds come to the fore. Can't wait.

4. Homework
The 21st century is a 24/7 environment. And the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school disappear. And despite whatever Secretary Duncan might say, we don't need kids to 'go to school' more; we need them to 'learn' more. And this will be done 24/7 and on the move (see #3).

5. The Role of Standardized Tests in College Admissions
The AP Exam is on its last legs. The SAT isn't far behind. Over the next ten years, we will see Digital Portfolios replace test scores as the #1 factor in college admissions.

6. Differentiated Instruction as the Sign of a Distinguished Teacher
The 21st century is customizable. In ten years, the teacher who hasn't yet figured out how to use tech to personalize learning will be the teacher out of a job. Differentiation won't make you 'distinguished'; it'll just be a natural part of your work.

7. Fear of Wikipedia
Wikipedia is the greatest democratizing force in the world right now. If you are afraid of letting your students peruse it, it's time you get over yourself.

8. Paperbacks
Books were nice. In ten years' time, all reading will be via digital means. And yes, I know, you like the 'feel' of paper. Well, in ten years' time you'll hardly tell the difference as 'paper' itself becomes digitized.

9. Attendance Offices
Bio scans. 'Nuff said.

10. Lockers.
A coat-check, maybe.

11. IT Departments
Ok, so this is another trick answer. More subtly put: IT Departments as we currently know them. Cloud computing and a decade's worth of increased wifi and satellite access will make some of the traditional roles of IT -- software, security, and connectivity -- a thing of the past. What will IT professionals do with all their free time? Innovate. Look to tech departments to instigate real change in the function of schools over the next twenty years.

12. Centralized Institutions
School buildings are going to become 'homebases' of learning, not the institutions where all learning happens. Buildings will get smaller and greener, student and teacher schedules will change to allow less people on campus at any one time, and more teachers and students will be going out into their communities to engage in experiential learning.

13. Organization of Educational Services by Grade
Education over the next ten years will become more individualized, leaving the bulk of grade-based learning in the past. Students will form peer groups by interest and these interest groups will petition for specialized learning. The structure of K-12 will be fundamentally altered.

14. Education School Classes that Fail to Integrate Social Technology
This is actually one that could occur over the next five years. Education Schools have to realize that if they are to remain relevant, they are going to have to demand that 21st century tech integration be modelled by the very professors who are supposed to be preparing our teachers.

15. Paid/Outsourced Professional Development
No one knows your school as well as you. With the power of a PLN in their backpockets, teachers will rise up to replace peripatetic professional development gurus as the source of schoolwide prof dev programs. This is already happening.

16. Current Curricular Norms
There is no reason why every student needs to take however many credits in the same course of study as every other student. The root of curricular change will be the shift in middle schools to a role as foundational content providers and high schools as places for specialized learning.

17. Parent-Teacher Conference Night
Ongoing parent-teacher relations in virtual reality will make parent-teacher conference nights seem quaint. Over the next ten years, parents and teachers will become closer than ever as a result of virtual communication opportunities. And parents will drive schools to become ever more tech integrated.

18. Typical Cafeteria Food
Nutrition information + handhelds + cost comparison = the end of $3.00 bowls of microwaved mac and cheese. At least, I so hope so.

19. Outsourced Graphic Design and Webmastering
You need a website/brochure/promo/etc.? Well, for goodness sake just let your kids do it. By the end of the decade -- in the best of schools -- they will be.

20. High School Algebra I
Within the decade, it will either become the norm to teach this course in middle school or we'll have finally woken up to the fact that there's no reason to give algebra weight over statistics and IT in high school for non-math majors (and they will have all taken it in middle school anyway).

21. Paper
In ten years' time, schools will decrease their paper consumption by no less than 90%. And the printing industry and the copier industry and the paper industry itself will either adjust or perish.
Posted by Shelly Blake-Plock at 9:45 AM

What's My Sentence?

2010-12-13T15:10:00.001-06:00

http://vimeo.com/8480171

Math and English apps help students study

2010-12-13T15:07:00.000-06:00

http://www.kentucky.com/2010/12/13/1564473/math-and-english-apps-help-students.html

The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us...

2010-12-06T12:43:00.001-06:00

It's worth the ten minutes it takes to watch this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

Technology with Intention

2010-11-30T11:58:00.001-06:00

Interesting article about how to use technology in the classroom. It is worth the small amount of time to read.

http://www.billingsmiddleschool.org/beta/2010/11/26/technology-with-intention/

Wikis in the Classroom

2010-11-09T13:22:00.001-06:00

Are Your Students Using Wikis to Strengthen Vocabulary Skills?

By Patrick Ledesma on November 8, 2010 6:47 PM | No Comments |

Think about all the ways you promote content vocabulary in your classroom.

Got that bulletin board? Got that word wall? Got a few posters with pictures and words around your classroom? Do students keep a notebook, graphic organizers, or flashcards of important words?

What about wikis?

Yes, wikis.

A wiki is a website of one or more pages that allows people to add and edit content. The most famous wiki is Wikipedia, that online encyclopedia that anyone can add and edit content. While the issue of using Wikipedia for research may be controversial, my focus here is creating your own wikis so students can generate their own content for classroom purposes.

If your district doesn't provide a place to create wikis, lots of educators create wikis on websites such as PBWorks and Wikispaces.

Wikis are a powerful instructional tool for students to develop and practice vocabulary.

Why? When I learned about wikis a few years ago, as a school based technology specialist, I needed to find a way to highlight the instructional value of using wikis so I could convince other teachers to try this new technology.

During that time, building vocabulary using Marzano's research was a major focus in my district. Although technology was not always included in the strategies, using wikis fit almost all of the strategies to promote vocabulary.

What if the students collaboratively developed a class wiki for their content vocabulary?

This is how it works. You assign each student a word or group of words to research. After they have completed their research, they create a page for each word in the class wiki. When students are finished, the class will have their own wiki showing their classroom vocabulary.

It's like a "mini Wikipedia" of content vocabulary for your class that can grow throughout the year!

Here are some of Marzano's vocabulary strategies and why wikis are very useful.

1) Students restate the explanation of the new terms in their own words.

Wiki application: Give the student a vocabulary word(s) and instruct them to research and write their word(s) in a way that is understandable to their friends. This encourages them to restate their explanation in their own words.

2) Students create a non-linguistic representation of the term.

Wiki application: Tell your students that they have to include a picture that illustrates their word. A picture is non-linguistic! (This is terrific for geometry!)

3) Students periodically do activities that help them add to their knowledge and vocabulary terms. Activities can include comparing similarities and differences, classifying, metaphors, and analogies.

Wiki application: Tell your students to give both examples and non examples of their vocabulary word. Or, they can use analogies or metaphors if your subject allows it. (Advanced user tip: using the "Tags" feature in a wiki for each definition is actually requiring students to classify their words. Neat!)

4) Students discuss the terms with one another.

Wiki Application: Here is where things get fun. Since it's a wiki, students can edit each other's definitions. With your guidance, after students have completed their own words, you can have them look up each other's words, analyze what is written, and edit to improve the definition.

Think about the higher level skills students learn and practice as they build on what their classmates have published.

5) Students are involved with games that allow them to play with the terms.

Wiki Application: When your students have finished creating the wiki, you now have a permanent and readily accessible online resource for content vocabulary. What kinds of activities for review, remediation, or enrichment can you create that will encourage your students to access their wiki regularly throughout the year? Lots of possibilities!

And just imagine how useful these wikis will be when you start reviewing for those standardized tests. Your students and parents will have all their important words for the year all in one place.

Using Graphic Organizers to Structure and Format that Wiki

You can use graphic organizers to help students with their research and note-taking. One helpful graphic organizer that I like is the Frayer Model, which requires students to write the definition, characteristics, examples, and non examples. Here are a bunch of Frayer Model examples.

Or, create/edit your own version of the Frayer model using the Marzano strategies you find helpful.

Yes, the Frayer model has been around since the 70's, but it's still terrific for keeping students focused, and it will ensure that all students have the same type of information in their definitions. When you have students do the research, they should fill out their information either electronically or on paper using the good 'ol Frayer format before they edit their wiki pages. This will provide consistency in the structure, format, and content of the definitions.

So, developing vocabulary is in one instructional meaningful way to use wikis.

If you teach a subject that uses vocabulary, add wikis to your arsenal of vocabulary activities!

MOVIE

2010-11-04T10:48:00.002-05:00

An 11 minute movie clip from Sir Ken Robinson that could challenge your thinking about education, take a look:

http://bit.ly/RSArobinson

Message for Parents

2010-11-04T10:24:00.002-05:00

Helping Your Child Succeed at School

Ron Mirr, Iowa Parent Resource Information Center, www.iowaparents.org

The Iowa PIRC staff has adapted and prioritized 12 ideas for parents to consider to help their children succeed in school. We have put them in order based on what we are finding from various research studies. Feel free to reproduce this and share with students’ parents. You are your child’s best teacher! Research shows that children whose parents are engaged in their education are more likely to achieve academic success. Use the following checklist to plan how you can best help your child learn. As you organize your efforts, make sure to start at the top of the list and work your way down. It’s okay if you can’t do all of the things on this list! If you only have time to do one thing, work on the first item. As you have more time to work with your child, keep heading down the list in order. It is essential to be as positive as possible as you support your child. Don’t forget, these ideas are effective for children in all grades PreK‐12!

1. Have high expectations for your children. Kids rise to a challenge. Make sure your children understand the clear expectations you have for them and how well they should do in school. Talk to your children about your expectation that they will continue their education after they graduate from high school. Encourage your students to talk with their counselor and their teachers about their options

after high school. While it’s OK to reward your children for successes, as your children get older it is important to help them develop an

internal desire to do well in school that doesn’t require rewards.

2. Talk to your child about school. Ask specific questions to draw out your child. Instead of asking “yes” or “no” questions, ask “How do you think you did on the math test?” or “What is something funny that happened at school today?” or “What did you do during PE?” It is very important as you talk with your child about school to help him/her believe in him/herself and have the confidence to know that s/he can succeed. (See Questions to Ask Your Children Besides “How Was Your Day” at (http://bit.ly/9N81ND.)

3. Get “connected” with your child’s teachers. Teachers and parents should be equal partners. This doesn’t mean you have the same role, but you are both equally important players in supporting the success of your child. Ask teachers about their expectations. What are students expected to master by the end of the year in each class? How will each teacher be gauging your child’s progress toward these goals? Ask about the best way to get in touch if you have questions. Ask what you can do at home to support what is going on in the classroom.

4. Make sure your child has a quiet place to study and to learn at home. Find an area in your home that is free of distraction where your child can concentrate on homework and other learning without being disturbed by other distractions. Listening to music while doing homework is not the best way for all students to focus on their homework. Be available to offer suggestions if your child has a question. Make sure your child spends enough time learning at home. A commonly accepted rule is 10 minutes of learning at home per school night per grade level (e.g., 3rd grade = 30 minutes, 6th grade = 60 minutes, 9th grade = 90 minutes, 12th grade = 120 minutes). Students should spend time learning at home every night even if they don’t have specific homework.

5. Get your child “connected” to the school. Students who feel “connected” to adults and other students at school do better academically. Encourage your child to join a club, participate in intramural activities, go out for a sport, or join a music group. If what your child is interested in isn’t offered as a school club or activity, work with the school to start one.

6. Check your child’s homework, but don’t do it. Offer to check math problems, proofread written papers and look over spelling words. If you find a mistake, point it out to your child and help him/her figure out the correct answer. Remember to also point out what your child did well in his/her homework, too. If your child is having trouble encourage him/her to contact his/her peers or look for an online resource. Also encourage your child to ask for help from the teacher. Remember to help your child practice how to ask for help in a

positive way. (See Homework at http://bit.ly/cdaU5p.)

7. Find out about homework assignments and school tests. Use your district’s online computer system or teacher’s webpage to monitor homework assignments and get in the habit of checking it regularly. If you can’t find the information you need about upcoming classroom assignments, contact your child’s teachers and ask them to post when there’s an important project or test coming up. If you feel like you need more information, contact your child’s teacher(s) and ask them to post more information that can help you know how your child is doing and how you can support him/her at home.

8. Talk about your own learning. Discuss with your child how you plan, solve problems and think about the future.

9. Post a family calendar in a central place. Write down important school dates, including due dates for projects and tests. Encourage your child to add to the calendar and to check it daily. Help your child learn to plan and prepare ahead. As your child gets older, help your child take the lead for regulating and organizing homework and study time with you as their coach.

10. Go to school meetings and events. Attending concerts, plays, assemblies, meetings, and other activities is a good way to become familiar with your child’s school community and develop relationships with other parents.

11. Volunteer to chaperone school dances and drive kids to school competitions. You’ll meet other parents, school staff, and your child’s classmates. In this way you can also develop a network of other parents with whom you can share information and discuss ideas.

12. Find a way to make your voice heard. If you have the time and the desire, ask to be part of school committees. Attend PTA/PTO meetings. Many schools now have parent and school teams that share ways to further build a family-school partnership for student learning. Ask to form or join such a team. Adapted from “10 Tips for Middle School Parents” found at www.schoolfamily.com and including the work of Karen Mapp, Anne Henderson and K

Virtual Schools

2010-10-27T14:33:00.001-05:00

Ohio School District To Replace Snow Days With Online Learning – CBS News

Filed under: cyber school,education,high school,iNACOL,news,virtual school — mkbnl @ 9:28 am
Tags: cyber school, education, high school, virtual school, news, iNACOL

This was posted in one of the iNACOL forums yesterday.

Oct. 25, 2010
Some Snowed-in Ohio Students To Learn Online
In Experiment, Ohio School District To Replace Snow Days With Online Learning
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/10/25/…in6989040.shtml
(AP) COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – When bad weather hits this winter, students in a rural western Ohio school district will hit their home computers as part of an experiment.
With the Ohio Department of Education looking on, the Mississinawa Valley Schools in Darke County will try to replace days off for snow and other inclement weather with online learning.
Department officials say the test could help the state determine the future of calamity days.
School districts are allowed to declare only three this year, down from the previous five. Schools that go over must make up the days on scheduled days off or at the end of the school year.
Mississinawa Superintendent Lisa Wendel tells The Columbus Dispatch the experience in online education will help students in college, where those classes are more common.
___
Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com

APL Training (Staff Professional Development)

2010-09-15T06:39:00.005-05:00

The Armstrong-Ringsted CSD has elected to bring in the APL & Associates for teacher professional development this year. We have completed 2 full days of APL training as to date. In regards to the implementation of this program, the goal is to create classroom management consistency within the District. The APL Program, once effectively implemented will enable the staff of the Armstrong-Ringsted CSD to instill in our students the 21st century skills that are most needed when our students graduate and leave us.

The 21st century skills that we are infusing into our students are:

Employability, the ability to work with others and collaborate.

Communication Skills, written and oral.

Professionalism, and Work Ethic.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills.

(Taken from the APL & Associates)

Teaching is both an art and a science. As an art, a teacher's personality, ideas, aptitude and experiences shape the attitude and particular approaches taken within the classroom. However, as a science the Armstrong-Ringsted CSD recognize that certain strategies and skills, if consistently practiced, create successes for both the teacher and the students in pursuit of the mission statement - building a foundation for lifelong learning. Those strategies and skills fall under a teacher effectiveness program called APL.

The APL teacher effectiveness program serves as three major attributes: organizational tool, communication tool, and behavioral guidance tool. In each case, the characteristic applies to both the teacher and the student. From APL implementation, greater understanding results that promotes learning; a more positive relationship between teacher and student, and a stronger learning environment is created.

There are two power words that are important in our thinking of teaching. They are consistency and specificity. Consistency throughout the district in every classroom lowers the level of concern for students. How we do business is not a mystery to teachers or students. Specificity simply means the elimination of vague directions, expectations and learning content. Clearer communication and stronger focus results in making the teacher/student relationship a more positive one.

These newly learned APL strategies are now an integral part of our school culture. Teachers are encouraged to practice and master these skills and strategies, so that throughout the district a common learning culture is established in which teachers and students are successful.

Why Twitter @ School?

2010-06-29T17:31:00.002-05:00

5 Real Examples of Using Twitter for Education

One of the best reasons to set up a Twitter account is because you have a real reason to share timely information with a real audience. For me, I have a Twitter account because I want to share with others when I have new blog posts and I want to read about when those I follow have new information to share. I also enjoy Twitter because my Twitter network always has lots of great ideas and advice to share and I also find that I have a lot of ideas and advice to contribute about educating innovatively with my Twitter network. Additionally, I find it to be a terrific tool for connecting with folks at conferences. Once the tag is set I can Tweet ideas with the tags and have others respond resulting in terrific conversations and deeper, more connected learning.

However many innovative educators want more than ideas. They want concrete people, ideas, examples, of those who are using Twitter and how it is being used in ways that appeal to them. So here are some ideas for those who need some Twitter mentors.

1) Tweet Shout Outs to Students and Teachers
At the Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School Mr. Brown tweets frequently. During the school year his Tweets often consist of shout outs to his students and staff. He has his Tweets embedded directly on his web page which has the added benefit of making the home-school connection. Students and families are always in the know of what is being celebrated and focused on in the school.
Visit: Kurt Hahn Expeditionary Learning School

2) Tweet What is Happening in Your Library or in Your Classroom
Do what library media specialist Tracy Karas does. Create a page for your library, lab or classroom and Tweet your latest updates out to your students/visitors/school community. Tweet what's new, what's hot, what's not.
Visit: Marta Valle High School Library Media Center

3) Tweet at Conferences
Since I started Tweeting I have gained so much more from conferences! They have moved from a isolated (despite many people) experience, to an interactive, dynamic experience. Conference session become a conversation. Just find out the conference tag i.e. ISTE, BLC10, Educon, and send your tweet. See who else is responding to you or tag. In Twitter look at your @(and your name) tweets and look in search for the Twitter tag. You're on your way to processing knowledge and having a conversation!
Visit: ISTE Tweets or 140conf Tweets

4) Tweet During Lessons
I love incorporating Twitter into my lessons for teachers. To do this I share the Twitter tag with participants and ask them to Tweet before, during or after our time together depending on the task at hand. I provide the tag for Tweeting to give my students a place and way to share their thoughts and ideas. This serves as a great way I have specific times I check out the Tweets (i.e. work time) and when I bring participants back together we build on those Tweets.
Visit: This conference session on using cells or this session on using Twitter which I update depending on topic.

5) Give School Updates
Schools can set up a Twitter account and provide all the staff with the Twitter username/password. This makes every staff member on the beat reporters able to quickly share school news with the school community and the world. Teachers can Tweet themselves or assign a daily Tweeter in their class responsible for sharing the Tweet.
Visit: http://www.martavalle.org or http://cms.schooleffects.com/esheninger
Here's How to Get Started
Set up your account
There are two steps to follow to get started.
set up a twitter account
enable texting updates from your phone
To use twitter from your phone go to www.twitter.com and set up an account.
You can Tweet from your phone by entering your number at http://twitter.com/devices and entering Twitter into your phone with this number: 40404. Don't worry that it is only 5 digits. Just send a text to it and it will show up in your Twitterfeed.
Users can contribute by simply sms texting anytime/anywhere from their phone.
Embed your Tweets
Once you are ready to begin Tweeting you'll want to embed your Tweets into your wiki, website, or blog as you've seen in each of the previous examples. To do this you can search your site's widgets or gadgets, or embed the html code into your site if you want a specific look and feel. Here's how.
Visit Twitter Widgets at http://twitter.com/widgets
Select Widgets for "My Website"
Select either "Profile Widget"
Customize Your Profile Widget
Next you'll click on each of the following to indicate how you want your widget to appear on your site.
Settings
Preferences
Appearance
Dimensions
Now grab your code and embed it into your blog, website or wiki. Here's how to do this in three commonly used spaces.
Blogger
Select "design" -> "page elements" ->"add a gadget"
In the "basics" menu select "HTML/JavaScript"
Paste your code and save
Congratulations! Your code is embedded
Google Sites
Select "edit this page" -> "insert" -> "more gadgets" -> "featured gadgets" -> "embed gadgets"
Paste your code and save
Congratulations! Your code is embedded
Wikispaces
Select "edit this page" -> "widgets" -> "other html"
Paste your code and "save" your code
"Save" your page
Congratulations! Your code is embedded

Once you set up Twitter on your website, blog, or wiki you've begun the conversation and are able to start connecting to your audience in ways never before possible. So what are you waiting for? Start Tweeting becauseit's all about the conversation.

White Boards

2010-06-14T19:12:00.000-05:00

Interesting Article on Interactive White Boards:

Willingham: The unrealized promise of whiteboards

My guest today is cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham, a psychology professor at the University of Virginia and author of “Why Don’t Students Like School?”

By Daniel Willingham
Reporter Stephanie McCrummen wrote an excellent piece in The Washington Post on Friday on whiteboards in classrooms. The story said that a view is emerging that the large amounts of money schools are spending on instructional gadgets are not necessarily improving student performance.

Perhaps in an effort to be fair, she didn’t really go far enough.

Whiteboards are one of the few recent electronic innovations that have been well studied in the classroom. There have been ample opportunities for study because Great Britain has invested heavily in them--almost every school has at least one.

The outcome of those studies echo what the chief executive of SMART Technologies (a leading Whiteboard company) said: Teachers and kids say that they like whiteboards a lot, and both say that kids are more engaged in class because of the whiteboard. In fact, this effect is quite large--pretty much everyone who is in a classroom with a whiteboard thinks it helps a lot.

But that does not translate to better classroom performance.

A recent study sheds light on part of the problem. The researchers didn’t ask kids “does the whiteboard make class more interesting?” Instead, they asked kids, “Did you like your math class this year?” without referring to the whiteboard. They posed the same question to kids in classrooms with a whiteboard and to kids without one.

Kids who had a whiteboard in their class did like math class more, but the effect was puny--much smaller than when kids were asked about the whiteboard directly.

It seems, then, that kids like whiteboards very much. There is a powerful “gee whiz” factor.

But it doesn’t do much to make kids like math more, at least as whiteboards are currently used.

More generally, liking something that happens in school is certainly good--it’s hard to imagine a pedagogical method succeeding if teachers and students uniformly hate it! But liking it is not enough to ensure that it translates into better learning.

What is perhaps most remarkable in this story is that enormous sums of money are being spent on this (and other) technologies without correspondingly thorough and thoughtful professional development.

In many districts, the technologies have simply been plopped into teachers’ classrooms with minimal or no support. Little wonder that they are not being used as effectively as they could be.

Dismal as this start was, there are thousands of teachers who have made excellent, creative use of whiteboards and other “gadgets.” Prowl the internet for an evening and you’ll find the websites where they share what they have done and are doing.

How much Race to the Top grant money would it take to identify these teachers and give them a taller podium from which to broadcast their findings, and perhaps release time to conduct professional development for their peers?

Yes, yes, I know that these methods would be unproven in controlled studies. And sure, those studies ought to be done. But in the meantime, there the whiteboards sit in classrooms.

If the London bookmakers are interested, I’d like to put five dollars on home-grown professional development for whiteboards versus merit pay.

-0-

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By Valerie Strauss | June 14, 2010; 11:55 AM ET
Categories: Daniel Willingham , Guest Bloggers , Technology | Tags: educational technology, smart boards, technology in schools,whiteboards

QZAB Summer Construction Video Updates

2010-06-14T11:30:00.010-05:00

Main Hallway Student Lockers Under Construction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcEYPfEC_Mg

Student Lockers by Mr. Waldstein's Room Under Construction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N93bdlPen9Q

Family and Consumer Science Room Under Construction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R5ByoAZKd8

Science Lab Under Construction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOJYRzNafLI

Lunchroom Under Construction:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7EGQNQqrnk

What Chief Executives Really Want.

2010-06-01T10:30:00.001-05:00

by Frank Kern
Wednesday, May 19, 2010

provided by

A survey from IBM's Institute for Business Value shows that CEOs value one leadership competency above all others. Can you guess what it is?

What do chief executive officers really want? The answer bears important consequences for management as well as companies' customers and shareholders. The qualities that a CEO values most in the company team set a standard that affects everything from product development and sales to the long-term success of an enterprise.

• Bad Bosses: What Kind Are You?

There is compelling new evidence that CEOs' priorities in this area are changing in important ways. According to a new survey of 1,500 chief executives conducted by IBM's Institute for Business Value (NYSE: IBM -News), CEOs identify "creativity" as the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future.

That's creativity—not operational effectiveness, influence, or even dedication. Coming out of the worst economic downturn in their professional lifetimes, when managerial discipline and rigor ruled the day, this indicates a remarkable shift in attitude. It is consistent with the study's other major finding: Global complexity is the foremost issue confronting these CEOs and their enterprises. The chief executives see a large gap between the level of complexity coming at them and their confidence that their enterprises are equipped to deal with it.

Until now creativity has generally been viewed as fuel for the engines of research or product development, not the essential leadership asset that must permeate an enterprise.

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Needed: Creative Disruption

Much has happened in the past two years to shake the historical assumptions held by the women and men who are in charge. In addition to global recession, the century's first decade heightened awareness of the issues surrounding global climate change and the interplay between natural events and our supply chains for materials, food, and even talent. In short, CEOs have experienced the realities of global integration. The world is massively interconnected—economically, socially, and politically—and operating as a system of systems. So what does this look like at the level of customer relationships? For too many enterprises, the answer is that their customers are increasingly connected, but not to them.

Against that backdrop of interconnection, interdependency, and complexity, business leaders around the world are declaring that success requires fresh thinking and continuous innovation at all levels of the organization. As they step back and reassess, CEOs have seized upon creativity as the necessary element for enterprises that must reinvent their customer relationships and achieve greater operational dexterity. In face-to-face interviews with our consultants, they said creative leaders do the following:

Disrupt the Status Quo. Every company has legacy products that are both cash—and sacred—cows. Often the need to perpetuate the success of these products restricts innovation within the enterprise, creating a window for competitors to advance competing innovations. As CEOs tell us that fully one-fifth of revenues will have to come from new sources, they are recognizing the requirement to break with existing assumptions, methods, and best practices.

Disrupt Existing Business Models.CEOs who select creativity as a leading competency are far more likely to pursue innovation through business model change. In keeping with their view of accelerating complexity, they are breaking with traditional strategy-planning cycles in favor of continuous, rapid-fire shifts and adjustments to their business models.

Disrupt Organizational Paralysis. Creative leaders fight the institutional urge to wait for completeness, clarity, and stability before making decisions. To do this takes a combination of deeply held values, vision, and conviction—combined with the application of such tools as analytics to the historic explosion of information. These drive decisionmaking that is faster, more precise, and even more predictable.

Taken together, these recommendations describe a shift toward corporate cultures that are far more transparent and entrepreneurial. They are cultures imbued with the belief that complexity poses an opportunity, rather than a threat. They hold that risk is to be managed, not avoided, and that leaders will be rewarded for their ability to build creative enterprises with fluid business models, not absolute ones.

Something significant is afoot in the corporate world. In response to powerful external pressures and the opportunities that accompany them, CEOs are signaling a new direction. They are telling us that a world of increasing complexity will give rise to a new generation of leaders that make creativity the path forward for successful enterprises.

Frank Kern is senior vice-president of IBM Global Business Services.

Interesting article written by a New Jersey Principal.

2010-05-22T12:46:00.000-05:00

Q: What tips do you have for administrators, advisors, and teachers getting started with using web 2.0, social media and other technologies in the classroom?

Administrators need to stop worrying about data such as standardized test scores and redirect their attention towards an emphasis on student learning. They need to realize that these technologies are not going away and will only become more prevalent in society. Administrators must remove self-imposed barriers such as filters and open their eyes to endless possibilities to reach learners in unique ways.

Teachers and advisors need to stop making excuses about not having the time to learn how to properly integrate these tools. If learning and student success are important then there is time available. Isn't this why we decided to pursue a career in education? Taking risks and utilizing a variety of instructional resources that are readily available should be supported and a part of every school's culture. Teachers must also realize that they don't have to tackle multiple technologies at once. They need to determine which few might work best in their respective courses and master them first.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity

2010-05-20T09:28:00.002-05:00

Very good video about how our students and children progress through the education system. Take a look...

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Around the World with 80 Schools

2010-05-19T06:41:00.003-05:00

Here is a link to a website that explains how schools are beginning to "link" together through the use of Skype. Classes of students from around the world are able to video conference with each other during the school day in order to better understand and simply be exposed to other cultures. Take a look...http://aroundtheworldwith80schools.net/

Industrial Technology

2010-04-15T11:58:00.005-05:00

Here are some short video clips of our Industrial Technologies class demonstrating their catapult for the Iowa State University Catapult competition. They are the 2 time defending champions of this competition at ISU.

PE

2010-04-15T11:24:00.002-05:00

Here is a short video of our 7th and 8th graders in their PE class using bows. Thank you to the Emmet County Conservationists and our instructor Mrs. Kinnander for helping make this event possible.

Technology in Plain English

2010-04-14T15:25:00.007-05:00

After attending the Scott McLeod training sessions for administrators I reflected back and looked through my notes. Some of the best explanations of the new technologies out there today were video clips that were done in plain English. I have decided to attach these video clips for anyone to take a look at. They do a great job of explaining what the technology is and why you would use it.

Blogs in Plain English:

RSS Feed in Plain English

Twitter in Plain English

Online Photo Share in Plain English

Wikis in Plain English

Blocking Websites...

2010-04-13T12:09:00.003-05:00

Are we as a school district actually preparing our students to effectively perform in the digital age? I had posted a poll in the past asking what websites we currently block and would it be academically beneficial to students and staff members if they were not blocked. I ran into that same question/issue today. I spoke with a staff member who had pulled a video clip off of youtube. They lost the video clip and they were running into the issue of how to quickly gain access to this site for the class to watch the video clip on their own. Should we be blocking these sorts of sights or should we be teaching our students how to filter through the site and be responsible when viewing the content?

Interesting blog:

From the head of Zeus

Most schools currently expect students to somehow (maybe magically?) be responsible, successful digital citizens upon graduation from high school - able to navigate all of the intricacies of a digital, global world - despite having little to no opportunity to learn or meaningfully practice what that means during their 12+ years of schooling.

Continuing my analogy from my previous post, we have to stop pretending that students are like Athena, able to burst forth fully-formed from the head of Zeus (or the cocoon of schools), ready to successfully function in a complex adult world without prior practice or experience.

Dress Code Discussions...

2010-04-01T08:27:00.003-05:00

We here at the Armstrong-Ringsted High School have been having discussions in regards to our dress code. These sorts of issues arise every year when the beautiful springtime sun is upon us. From the length of shorts and skirts to muscle shirts and cut offs. I am sure other students and school staff around Iowa are having the some of the same discussions as our school. I had some quality discussions yesterday with some of our students in regards to the dress code. They talked to me about out dress code being outdated and that it should be changed. The message I am trying to get out to the students is, get the student council involved. It is my opinion that this group of elected students are the "change agents" in a school building. I am very open to new ideas and possible changes in the future, if we can come to an agreement.

In my opinion this is a teachable moment in regards to how we get the change we feel we want or need. For instance, if I as a citizen of Iowa want something (law) to be changed I contact my representative to make my opinion known. This is how our society is currently set up to make substantial changes. Who are the student council representatives some may ask?

Traci, Travis H, Taylor G, Katelyn, Dylan L, Whittney, Kyle, Megan, Emily, David L, Drew, Evan, Colton, & Clyve.