my version of transparent, collaborative leadership...with a Teamann twist

a “timely” piece…

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In the same spirit my positive piece was yesterday, James and I would like to share an article that our esteemed Assistant Superintendent, Phyllis Parker, shared with us this week. I’m going to ask in this week’s Lion Bytes, that you not only take the time to read, but also to respond via a comment about your reactions to this compelling article. We’ll be checking back and responding, creating a virtual conversation that will take place at your leisure.

Every student struggles with something. No student has a perfect life. Every student needs an education that interests and challenges them and helps them learn more about their possibilities. It’s been revealed that more and more students are struggling with reading making the implementation of any supportive strategies as important as ever. In fact, “at-risk” readers are in many instances becoming the norm. Struggling readers and English language learners are among the entire student population that are “at-risk” and we’re regularly working through ideas to help make them successful. By using these same strategies with every student from the start of their education there will be less “at-risk” readers and teachers will have more time to focus on some of the other factors that make every student “at-risk of not developing their potential.” We do that well here at Luna, but again, we want to hear your thoughts about ways we can maybe do it better here in the 2012.

 

sharingly,
Amber

Appy-tizing chat

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There’s just no end to the great jokes I could make using the word “app”, is there?? 🙂

Last night’s #tichat was a fast and furious hour detailing some of the favorite apps that we’ve seen used in the classroom. One of the hardest thing with using the iPad/iTouch/iPhone in the classroom is finding the time to go through all of the apps in the iTunes Store listed under the education banner. From @matt_gomez’s fave “toontastic” (with great examples provided” to @plnaugle’s contribution of Apps in Education: Discovery Learning: Games Designed to Let you Fail http://t.co/iIVRqeXW which FASCINATED me…we had some great sharing going on!

Sites galore, so make sure you have plenty of open tabs and free time to sort through your faves.

When you have time, check out the archive of tweets…there’s something for high school science , middle school math…and kinder treats galore!

Final bonus? Your appy hour treat for reading this post? This site.

You? are welcome.

Apptastically,
Amber

the silver bullet…

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(caveat: I don’t like guns. my title does not endorse guns. or bullets. :))

(another caveat: this is also not about a blender.)

 

One of the first conversations that my principal engaged me in was about the use of “workbooks”. While it wasn’t a practice that his mindset and philosophy embraced, he recognized that it was a means to an end. Scores were inevitably higher, skills were inevitable ingrained, and it seemed successful.

 

While in technology, we worked a lot with test prep programs. No names needed, you know which ones I’m talking about. I embrace these programs, I do. I’ve even done some consulting for them. That being said, I don’t feel that they replace authentic teaching and learning. Nor do I think a workbook does.

 

What I do think is that they resemble a candy bar. A snickers, if you will. It serves its purpose in the short term. Your belly is sated, your brain thinks you’re full, and it seems successful. In about an hour though…you’re hungry again. This was the analogy we used when talking about test prep, whether it be a program or a workbook. Short term memory is great…in the short term. When we’re talking about authentic learning, long lasting learning…applicational learning that can be drawn on for the years to come…we’re not talking about a snickers.

 

Which brings me to the magic bullet. I mentioned on Twitter that I was really resistant to using ANY of our limited budget monies for workbooks, even as a reference tool. Had a teacher in my PLN (@JamieVanderG) tweet me that “we use them because anything but top notch test scores mean we get told we don’t do enough and have to do better”, that :”on paper kids feel the pressure too”. which made me SO sad. I really hope none of my LL’s feel that the only way they can be effective, that their “silver bullet” is to use a workbook. Another tweep, @ScottElias, said, which I thought was genius, “Why are we always looking for the silver bullet? We have time & instruction directly in our control. There’s your silver bullet”.

 

YOU are the silver magic bullet. YOU are the difference in a child’s learning. You can manipulate the time in your day to make SURE a student sees the lesson objective and grasps them. Teachers are the masters of invention. Utilize every minute of your instructional time. I saw a class on Friday reviewing vocabulary words while lining up in the hall on Thursday. Every single minute counts.

 

Todd Whitaker, on a previous post left a comment that “One of the best things about teaching is that it matters. One of the greatest challenges about teaching is that it matters every day.” That’s never been more true!

 

Minute manager,
Amber

Tech integration…need some ideas?

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Had the opportunity tonight to take part in a chat on Twitter, focusing on technology integration. It was a collective group of people, from ALL over, who had a vested interest in sharing and collaborating with other educators on the topic of…technology integration. Given my former role as facilitator and my passion as an assistant principal now, I think it was a natural step for me to cohost the chat with my new friend, Cathy Brophy,(@brophycat)

It was ideas, questions, introductions, comments, and dialogue all centered around integrating technology in the classroom. There were teachers, facilitators, directors…all grades, all subject matters, all levels of experience, from the very new (@aliharper20) to a Twitter legend (@cybraryman1) .

It was the fastest hour of my whole summer break! There were over 500 tweets within the hour. That’s insane! 🙂 In a good way!

We’re working on a list of topics for next Thursday’s chat. Thinking two questions per hour, spending 30 minutes on each. You can come follow along, read what all they have to say or jump right in…we won’t bite!

One of my fave quotes is “The smartest person in the room, IS the room.” How can you not want to be in the room that is throwing around 500 comments about a subject you’re interested in? (For my LL’s, we’ll be visiting Twitter and chats during our fall inservice, :))

For those that took part in the chat, or missed it, the archive can be found here.

New to twitter? Unsure what I am talking about? Read this to get yourself going…

Next week’s chat will be on Thursday, 7/28, at 7pm CST. Join in! I’ll post our first questions as soon as we decide, 🙂 and I want YOU in my room!

twitchatN,
Amber

#tichat & archive

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We had two great topics for our #tichat last night. The first was how do you get technology resistors on board and the second, some clever, fun ways to start off the year with technology professional development. Once again, the hour FLEW by…we had over 625 tweets!

(Teamann tangent: for those LL’s confused: every Thursday I am co-moderateN a “chat” centered around technology integration. Not surprised? me either. It’s an hour of like minded folk answering a couple questions, bouncing ideas off each other, and sharing what works!)

Some of the great ideas from last night on ways to get your technophobes on board included:

  • Anthony Muhammad’s Transforming School Culture is a must rd for guidance on working w/ resistant teachers.
  • I try to steal some of the work they are doing, TECH it up and show them the differences.
  • Fear plays a major role in resisting change. Use it, show it, promote it as ways to ease the fear. Little steps.
  • I try to offer help in planning and teaching – taking some work off of their plate instead of adding more.
  • diferentiate, meet tech resistor’s at there level, encourage and don’t overwhelm
  • I try to send out tips, newsletters, make myself available in non-threatening ways
  • Plan some hands-on workshops for colleagues to show them potential tools to use in their subject area
  • We’ve been doing “10 minute Tech. Tips” at staff meetings to get some interest…
  • I use my students with special needs to show what they can do to show that ALL kids can do it
  • I hope to someday have a team of 5th graders support teachers in school with tech.
  • Don’t forget the home baked goodies at tech workshops. 🙂
  • Also did “Tech Tuesdays” 20 min of new topic each week; one page handout, quick highlight on a tool

Some of the great ideas shared last night on fun & fresh ideas for staff development for BTS (back to school) were:

  • Talked about doing a QR code scavenger hunt to introduce them to all the new things we’ll be doing this year
  • QR Scavenger Hunt Generator http://www.classtools.net/QR/index.php
  • upgrading @GlogsterEDU 2 school acct. Thinking abt teachers register & create glog about themselves 2 learn how 2 use. make it fun
  • audience participation, role playing and give always with some fun music
  • plan collaborative dialogue based sessions. Be “guide on the side” not “sage on the stage
  • @cybraryman has an AMAZING site for QR uses in the classroomhttp://www.cybraryman.com/qrcodes.html
  • Tech integration metaphor: Boiling Frog Syndrome http://t.co/FEO6CtM #tichat Slow slimmer…resistors will never know!! (Teamann tangent: I had to google this and every time I see a frog I will now cringe!)
  • Speed Geeking — saw idea here on Twitter! rotate through stations – sounds fun!
  • need flexible PD…fit the needs of the teachers. choice and options are key.
  • Encourage leadership 2use new web 2.0 tools faculty meetings 2 present.
  • Here’s a link to one I used: http://www.scribd.com/doc/59837518/Handout(Speedgeeking handout example!)

Those are some of the highlights! There was great conversation happening, as well some “oh that happens to YOU too” moments, which may have been my favorite. I’m a big fan of the phrase “The smartest person in the room, IS the room”, and dadgum it, twitter proves it every time! Why fight and recreate the wheel when we are all on the same team, same page, and have the same goals? Even if you take an idea and tweak it…sharing can SAVE YOU TIME..

🙂 I’ll get off my “we should share” soapbox now, and leave you with the chat archive. Hard to “read” but I’ll work on finding a better tweet keeper for next weeks chat!!

 

 

your tweetheart,
amber