Classroom Integration

#conferencechat Is #FETC on your radar? It should be…

December 14, 2019 by Amber Leave a Comment

I am an unapologetic nerd. I love to read. To reflect. I love to grow and get better at whatever it is I am trying to do in life. As an educator, it is important to model that for not only our students but also our teachers.

It’s why one of our professional goals each year as a staff is to read a book that they feel can contribute to their growth as an educator. It’s an individual choice. One that I ask they take seriously, b/c I am also not a fan of jumping through hoops for the sake of jumping.

I’m also a huge proponent of attending conferences and growing with people and spend a considerable amount of my budget to grow our people. Our team knows that I allocate money for them to travel and attend various conferences throughout the year. It’s even MORE fun when they find something and ask to go, but I also send what I can their way too. That also includes my more siloed campus members…art, music, pe, etc. Everyone deserves the chance to get better if they want to.

When it comes to conferences for me, I find I am much more selective these days.

I’ve been spoiled by the amazing educators I’ve gotten to see throughout the years that not only MOVE me personally, but that also push me professionally. I need both these days. I need to get better as a leader for my people, in addition to needing that personal connection to make it all come together with a big pretty bow. (like a gift! see? those love languages come up all over the place!)

Excited that FETC is first up in 2020…it checks off #allthethings on my “make it worth missing school” list. For my Texas peeps, FETC is the Florida TCEA, their state tech conference. “Tech” conferences have come a long since my days in the technology department…no longer are they just about the shiny tools and 50 apps in 50 minutes. It’s more about effective instruction in using any kind of technology, about introducing effective pedagogy and growing with your teams. Tools will come and go, but your people are yours.

Example…here are a couple of the sessions I am really excited about…

Dwight Carter: former principal, “Why settle for good when you can be G.R.E.A.T! In today’s high demand culture of education, it’s easy to get bogged down by initiatives, mandates, and other constraints, but there are two things we can control: our attitude and actions. You will learn five habits to shift your mindset to be G.R.E.A.T every day.”
Marlena Gross-Taylor, former principal, “Explore instructional strategies that can be used to create effective learning conditions to increase student success. Identify evidence-based instructional routines and tech implementation designed to maximize student interaction in classroom activities to deepen student discourse and thinking. Participants will identify a component of instructional practice they want to improve and develop a personal professional plan to support the identified goal.”
Marlena is also presenting on “The start-up model thrives on high-energy, innovative ideas and intentional marketing. This session will guide you as a leader in branding your school with a start-up mentality to create excitement, celebrate the creativity of students, and promote family and community involvement. Principals are the lead storytellers of their schools and must become adept in leveraging digital resources to share the amazing accomplishments of their school.”
Jacie Maslyk has SEVERAL sessions I can’t wait to get to:

C259 | #Connect2Lead: Using Your Learning Network to Move Your School Forward

W172$ | Challenge Accepted! 6 Engineering Design Challenges for Any Classroom

W085$ | Design in the Making: Using Creative Thinking in the Innovative Classroom

W211$ | Remake Literacy: MakerEd Meets ELA in Powerful Ways

W011$ | Unlock Creativity: 7 Keys For Every Educator

C032 | 5 Digital Tools for Every Administrator

Again, so much more than tools and tricks, right? I am hoping to catch sessions from Steven Anderson, Shaelyn Farmsworth, and Joe Sanfelippo..again, national voices that will be there, working with educators of all levels. Knowing that all these crazy talented educators will all be in the same space at the same time…I’m also looking forward to the conversations that I know will be taking place. I will never forget attending a conference with a group of people who attended zero sessions because “they knew all that already.” Even if that is true…

are your people at the same level/place of comfort and skill with you? If not then there is still growing to do!

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Connecting with like-minded, incredible, committed people just fills my bucket. How do YOU do that? If not at conferences, then how?

Come to FETC with me!

Inquiringly &

Win an autographed copy of Shake Up Learning…and EVERYone wins!

May 6, 2018 by Amber 18 Comments

I’ve long been a fan of Kasey Bell and her laid-back approach to #allthethings google. We’ve planned together, we’re brainstormed together, and flat out learned from each other. I call her my #digitalbestie because if there is a question I’ve had in regards to PD, Google training, or regional support from her “real job”, she is always available for me! Her support of empowered learners is a staple of strong and appropriate integration.

When she told me that she was writing a book, I celebrated her wholeheartedly. She is an engaging presenter and easy to follow as a teacher. I couldn’t imagine her book being ANY different. It combines reflection with a call to action. One of my favorite lines in the whole book is “Facilitate the messy!” which can surmise a lot of educators thoughts when it comes to shaking up what they do in their classroom. As a teacher or an administrator, there is great comfort in reading along with not only her journey to be as comfortable as she is in her role now but also how to guide those alongside you, with you.

Chapters range from “a breakdown of the DNA of dynamic learning” and “how to unleash your voice and share your story”, to leadership support with “how to empower your students” and “facilitating with finesse”. It provides examples, reflection questions, next steps and more. It is an easy read and I would love to get a copy in YOUR hands!

Empowered educators lead to empowered learners…and that should be the goal for all of us!

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Not feeling lucky? You can purchase it here!

I can’t wait to share her greatness with you!

ShakeN up &

#TXASCD Groundshaking moves for Integration Success

November 3, 2016 by Amber Leave a Comment

I had the pleasure of presenting at the Texas ASCD conference this week with a principal here in the Wylie ISD. We were a part of an iPad roll out last year and wanted to speak to our experience. It was a lively group and we were able to get into some great conversations. Below are the challenges we discussed, and the presentation itself.

October challenge!

Speedgeeking!

And our presentation! Please let me know if you have any questions!

November integration,

Amber

Differentiation is not difficult…3 easy ways to make it happen!

September 19, 2016 by Amber Leave a Comment

I love that my campus is full of educators who recognize the variances in students abilities. How completely overwhelming to look at 22 (or 44! or 66!) students and realize that in order to make instruction happen at their level, you’re going to have to make some instructional magic happen. We’re really focusing on a workshop model classroom, structuring all instruction around small groups. It’s a work in progress but here by week 5, I am already starting to see it happen!

When looking at ways to differentiate, if you’re not able to make a small group rotation happen, there is always the three C’s: choice, challenge, and change.

Choice: Whether it is a book at their level or a menu level activity, give students the opportunity to make a choice. Our kinder team worked out a BINGO style activity so that student could be directed to activities they NEEDED to complete, but options were fun enough that the others they wanted to complete. They can create items, whether it be digitally or kinesthetically. The level of engagement and ownership escalates with my first grader when she gets to CHOOSE what her activity work looks like. Even something as basic as flash cards vs an app on the iPad, if it was her choice, she’s more likely to stay all in.

Challenge: How can the activity that the class is working on be tweaked to be more challenging for some students? A Makerspace is a prime example of a station that allows students to be challenged. Allowing students to conduct research on a given topic, or being challenged to find a local “expert” for the class to connect with could also raise the bar on an activity. Technology allows for students to create way more creatively than a paper pencil exercise…from an explain everything video to having a twitter poll…students who feel like they are actively involved in the learning process through a classroom challenge will be more engaged and inherently, stay on task!

Change: Research shows that just making a change can allow for differentiation at times in the classroom. From what the student is asked to complete to the manner in which is delivered to them. What if you recorded instructions for a project/product and a group of students was allowed to receive their directions in that manner? What if one group created a game but another group created a quiz over the same content? I saw students today taking pictures of the different states of matter inside the classroom…what if one group of students were allowed to search outside of the room? An easy change that ups the complexity level of the activity…

Even within a PLC or planning session, it wouldn’t take too much extra time for a team to throw out several easy ways that an activity could be differentiated. How do you make this happen in your classroom or on your campus?

DifferentiateN discussing,

Amber

Culture & Leadership Connections: Are you #FutureReady?

February 23, 2015 by Amber 1 Comment

Confession: I’m not that great with technology.

I know, I know…”Technically Teamann” and all that jazz. But really, I’m not great with technology.

I can’t code. I couldn’t reroute an access point. I don’t build computers. I don’t develop software. I don’t build apps. Or teach people how to do ANY of those things. I can troubleshoot (via the Google) any technical problems, but I can’t take apart a machine. I can’t write HTML or Flash. I can’t talk shop with the IT department. I’m just not that great with technology.

You know what I am good at?

I am good at making technology work for me.

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I am able to use tools that are readily available to accomplish my personal and professional goals and to develop relationships. I am good at connecting and seeing how much this benefits all of those around me. If I have a teacher who is struggling, I can connect them with an expert in just the area they need help with. If I have a student with a particular passion, I know how to find amazing resources to help them. If I need my bucket filled, I have made connections, made friends, with like-minded people who lift me up and inspire me from all over the world. I have found a way to share my experiences & my voice with anyone who cares to listen.

If you stop and reflect on our students entering the workplace, becoming grown-ups, and functioning in this world that we live in, we can all agree on a few things. We know being a good test taker is not a sought after characteristic by today’s, and most likely not future, employers. They have to know how to collaborate, how to develop relationships, how to CONNECT with others. They need to know how to be responsible for their digital footprints, how to own the data that is collected from them and about them.

These are the skills our students need, and being future-ready means we as educators have got to figure out a way to add those skills to the already overflowing plate we have in front of us.

One important facet in my role as an administrator is to empower my staff and our students to be the very best versions of themselves, knowing that our future will be about the advantage of the opportunities available. If we are increasingly moving to become a digitally competitive society, we need our students to be able to function, and function well.

Introducing these generations to their digital responsibilities and abilities is crucial!

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Leveraging technologies to partner with parents to help them understand the importance of what their child can do and the GREAT things that are happening with their students each and every day should be always be on our list of best practices. Today there are too many available options to share and connect with our families and stakeholders to not utilize them!

I’m not that good with technology, but I am passionate about using it to accomplish my goals. We only have so many hours in a day to impact the life of a child, and if by intentionally applying what we have available to model the collaboration, communication, and creation, we can get our students off on the #futureready foot!

Click here to learn more about the 2015 Digital Learning Day. I’ll be in Washington on March 13th at #DLDay with my session, “Who’s the Boss: Take Charge When it Comes To Your Professional Learning”. You can also see a complete list of presenters here.

Charge taking,

Amber