LeadingTogether@TIE

Positive Academic Results with Technology Infused Curriculum

2009-03-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

The 2009 National Trends Report: Focus on Technology Integration in America's Schools describes how five states incorporated the use of technology and increased academic achievement in specific content areas.

English, Math, Science and Social Studies--Georgia
The Instructional Technology Enhanced Environment (ITEE) grant teachers at Georgia's Claxton High School, 11th grade, represent all four academic core content areas: English/language arts, science, social science, and mathematics. Teachers plan common units which incorporate technology. Significant gains were made in all areas with the greatest gains in math and science with a 15% and 16% increase, respectively.
http://www.gadoe.org/it.aspx?PageReq=ITEnvGrant

Math--California
The Vallejo EETT-C Project involved Franklin Middle, Solano Middle, Springstowne Middle, and Vallejo Middle Schools. The project focused on the lowest performing students in 6th and 7th grade. While typically these are students who do not engage fully in learning, the different types of technology in this program turned that around. The district saw gains on CST scores for the target students, the 50 lowest performing students in each middle school. Approximately 40% moved up one performance band in the first year, essentially accomplishing the two-year objectives the first year.
http://www.vallejo.k12.ca.us/

Math--New Jersey
The Alfred C. MacKinnon Middle School in New Jersey received the Math Achievement to Realize Individual eXcellence (MATRIX) grant for technology integration in math instruction for special needs 7th grade students. Students planned and designed the construction of a new bridge connecting New York and New Jersey. Seventh grade special education students won first place for their bridge designs and models during the 2006 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics National Conference. Last year the percentage of students scoring in the GEPA proficient ranges increased to the highest percentage in the district's history (74.4%).
http://mcubed4.tripod.com/

Math--Iowa
Great Prairie consortium developed a new initiative that focused on 8th grade math achievement. Great Prairie focused on professional development at the middle school level as the primary change agent for improving student achievement. Comparison of student growth in math achievement for proficient and non-proficient students in six participating school districts showed a statistically significant closing of the gap between proficient (n=327) and non proficient (n=131) students during the 8th grade.
http://www.iowa.gov/educate/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1527&itemid=2343

Reading and Math--Oregon
The LIVE-C--Learning through Interactive Video Experiences at Three Rivers School District (1st-12th grades) was designed to bring the world to the geographically isolated, culturally limited and high poverty students through the use of mobile interactive video conferencing equipment. Teachers invite experts from around the world to enter their classrooms as co-teachers, as well as connecting their students to students around the globe. Fifth grade reading/lit Statewide Assessment scores at Fruitdale Elementary rose from 61.4% in 2006-07 of students meeting or exceeding the standard to 95% in 2007-2008. In math, 86.7% of students met or exceeded in 2007-08, up from 63.6% in 2006-07.
http://www.soesd.k12.or.us/News.asp?NewsID=278.

These examples add to a growing body of research focused on student achievement and the use of technology. School leaders have the opportunity to study the models and learn strategies for implementation by contacting schools where they have been successful.

Class of 2020 Action Plan for Education

2009-03-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

SETDA (State Educational Technology Directors Association) recently published a series of white papers called "Class of 2020: Action Plan for Education" that focuses on topics relevant to the use of technology in schools. The following paragraphs from this series may be useful in our work with school leaders:

Student Bill of Rights

I. Each student has the right to feel safe in and proud of a school.

II. Each student deserves an engaging educational experience that provides opportunities for learning and for the future, including the acquisition of 21st Century Skills required for the global workforce.

III. Each student deserves to have highly qualified and effective teachers that have the necessary support in terms of resources, professional development, planninhg time, and leadership.

IV. Each student deserves an individualized learning experience addressing his/her abilities, strengths, weaknesses.

V. Each student has a right to the tools, technology, and resources needed for developing life-long learners and creators of knowledge.

Action Steps To Support Our Students

1. Ensure that technology tools and resources are used continuously and seamlessly for instruction, collaboration and assessment.

2. Expose ALL students (Pre-K through 12) to STEM fields and careers.

3. Make ongoing, sustainable professional development available to all teachers.

4. Utilize virtual learning opportunities for teachers to further their professional development, such as online communities and education portals.

5. Incorporate innovative, consistent and timely assessments into daily instruction.

6. Strengthen the home and school connection by using technology to communicate with parents on student progress.

7. Provide the necessary resources so that every community has the infrastructure to support learning with technology, including assessments and virtual learning.

8. Obtain societal support for education that utilizes technology from all stakeholders--students, parents, teachers, state and district administrators, business leaders, legislators and local communities.

9. Provide federal leadership to support states and districts regarding technology's role in school reform by passing the ATTAIN Act.

10. Increase available funding for E-rate so that school districts and schools can acquire telecommunication services, Internet access, internal connections and maintenance of those connections.

For additional information on topics highlighted in the Class of 2020 Action Plan visit SETDA's Class of 2020 Website at http://www.setda.org/2020.

Good News--You CAN Make a Difference

2009-02-24T10:07:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to fulfill this year's resolution for getting better organized, I'm reading a lot of articles right now that I had filed "to read later." I'm sure at the time I didn't think it would be two years later, but as luck would have it, this one by Ronald F. Ferguson of the Tripod Project from the Fall 2006 issue of JSD couldn't be any more timely. In today's economic climate, leaders are struggling to meet budgetary limitations while still providing top notch professional development for teachers.

The good news is that school leaders can effectively improve instruction simply by addressing the following five challenges for implementing professional development:

Introduce activities in ways that inspire ownership
Balance principal control with teacher autonomy
Commit to ambitious goals
Maintain industriousness in pursuit of those goals
Effectively harvest and sustain the gains

In other words, succcessful practices in schools have less to do with the program or initiative being implemented, and more to do with the implementation process. So what can school leaders do?

Select and introduce the focus of the PD
Assign responsibilities and define accountability for participation, including feedback mechanisms.
Refine and clarify both school and personal goals (of teachers) for instructional improvement.
Implement and monitor activities to help teachers succeed at these goals.
Celebrate and reward accomplishments.

Making the PD enjoyable, with feasible goals that are clearly defined, and encouraging peer support won't cost a thing, but can provide amazing returns.

Made to Stick

2009-01-29T14:28:00.000-08:00

Recently, I have had the opportunity to begin reading "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die" by Chip & Dan Heath. In the book, there are some principles given about ideas that can be applied to leadership. First, "keep it simple." As a leader, it is vital to "determine the single most important thing." Too often in our work as educators & leaders we become too easily diverted from the main focus. One of the fundamental rules of journalism can be summed up by the statement: "Don't bury the lead." As leaders, we must have single-mindedness of purpose and laser-like vision on the main goal and we must continually share that goal with others so that we don't "bury the lead."
Another key component of effective leadership is use of the "unexpected." It is vital as leaders to "grab attention" and then to keep it. How do we keep people's attention? As a writer, one might employ a technique known as the "news-teaser approach." For example, a headline such as "Which local restaurant has slime in the ice machine?" is certain to garner more attention than something like "Local man eats cereal for breakfast." While this may seem like a ridiculous comparison, it illustrates an important point: as leaders, we must exhibit an uncommon enthusiasm and confidence when working with others. We must have a genuine concern for people and their needs that is evident in our words and actions, as well as in our eagerness to listen.
A third characteristic of effective leadership is summarized by the word "concrete." We must be able to address issues in a way that is practical and relevant. All the theories in the world are meaningless if they do not lead to specific actions that can help resolve people's issues. It is important to find common ground at a shared level of understanding. As leaders, we must master the ability to place ourselves "in another's shoes" to know best how to help in any given situation. It has been said that teachers learn much more than students because they learn the material twice: once during the preparation, and once during the delivery to the students. As leaders, we are only effective when we offer advice that gets to the heart of the issues that people face.
A fourth characteristic of effective leadership is "credibility." We must help people believe. It is not enough to offer advice and then say "I hope this works for you." We must convince people that what we have to share with them has been proven to be effective in other similar situations and circumstances.
A fifth trait of effective leadership is the concept of "emotion." We must make people care! How can we make people care? We need to appeal to self-interest and identity. I doubt there are many people in the world who get out of bed each day and say "I wonder how badly I can perform today?" However, some people don't reach their potential simply because they don't have the proper encouragement. At the 1993 ESPY Awards, the late Jim Valvano, former men's basketball coach at North Carolina State University, delivered a stirring speech that brought the audience to tears. He suggested that all people need to do three things each day: think, laugh, and cry. In doing so, he said that people experience a "full day." As human beings we are emotional beings, and as leaders, we must be able to display emotion at appropriate times and in appropriate ways. We are not robots!
Finally, a sixth characteristic of effective leadership is the ability to tell stories. There are two main types of stories: stories that simulate (or tell people how to act), and stories that inspire (or give people energy to act). We must be able to use both types of stories as we work with people. Some people need more of the former, while others need more of the latter. As we continually develop our relationships with people, we will gain insights as to what types of stories they need to hear from us!
By employing these six principles, we will be able to provide effective leadership for people from all walks of life, no matter where our journey as leaders might take us.

New Teacher Support on a Budget

2009-01-27T12:07:00.000-08:00

I think we can all agree on the validity and effectiveness of teacher mentor programs, both in getting new teachers better prepared at a faster rate and in keeping teachers in our schools, which has an economic benefit as well. Unfortunately, we can all take a look at shrinking budgets and see support programs like mentoring being put on the chopping block. We also know that December and January can be truly low points in the year for new teachers--they've been working really hard for months and the end of the year isn't close enough to boost their spirits.

So here are a few ideas for helping new staff members feel more included. They don't replace quality ongoing mentorship, but they can at least help build a relationship and support system.

1. Include new teachers in end of the year meetings, student orientations, and classroom visits. Better yet, be your new teacher's sub for a day so they can visit other classrooms and connect with experienced teachers.
2. Invite new teachers to professional workshops--perhaps waiving the fee or creating a small informal book study group.
3. Introduce new teachers to subject and grade level colleagues--and consider hosting team building or getting to know you activities throughout the year
4. Include information about new staff in newsletters. Go beyond the fall introduction and feature the new teacher's interests or hobbies.
5. Continue to provide orientation and mentoring opportunities as much as possible. Even hosting a mid-year new teacher tea or getting an experienced teacher to "check in" on the new teacher can help them know they are not alone!

Kicking But

2009-01-26T12:54:00.001-08:00

One of the exercises Dan Pink recommends in his book A Whole New Mind seems to fit well with January being a time for focusing on the new year, new goals, new resolutions for improving our lives. The exercise is this: make a list of changes you'd like to make and what's keeping you from making them. The word "but" tends to make less important what is in front of it, while putting all the emphasis on what follows--thus you focus on the obstacle. By replacing "but" with "and," you put an equal emphasis on both sides--thus it's easier to focus on how to make both parts of the sentence doable. Therefore, I want everyone to get closer to their goals, and it's impossible for me to be there to help all of you. So, I'm going to blog about this in order to give you a tool for helping yourselves. Happy New Year!

Example: I want to exercise more but I work too much.
Now replace the but with an and.

Example: I want to exercise more AND I work too much. Now follow that up with a specific idea for how to make the two work together.

Example: I want to exercise more and I work too much. So...I am going to find an exercise program that works with my busy schedule.

Use communication skills to foster rational conversations

2008-12-19T21:39:00.000-08:00

With all the preparation for the holidays and the bringing together of friends and families, we often find ourselves involved in stressful situations. I invite you to take a few minutes and read the coaching reminder written by my friend, John Dyer. In a recent conversation, he and I talked about how the holiday season gives us a great opportunity to practice our communication skills with both colleagues and family. He writes:

One of the most difficult applications of the communication skills of coaching is to be able to use them when a speaker is in an extended emotional state, AND you are involved with or the cause of the emotional reaction. How does one maintain one’s composure and diffuse the emotion of the speaker so that the conversation can be rational and productive? It is not easy. Some possible suggestions for handling such a situation:

· Focused, sincere and genuine listening is essential. The listening set-asides are imperative. No autobiographical listening. No solution listening. AND, let us add two more in this situation. No “defensive” listening, and no “counter-argument” listening.
· Paraphrase is essential beginning with emotional paraphrase or combination emotional and content. Label the persons feeling. Examples may include: “ You are really upset about this”. “This is bothering you a great deal.” “You’re angry about how this was handled.” “You’re disappointed in me.” “You’re insulted because what I said offended you”. (Hey wait a minute – how come these examples are coming so easy to me?)
· It may be necessary to do repeated emotional paraphrases (3 or more) to allow the person to vent their feelings and lower the intensity level.
· What for evidence of the speaker’s reduced stress – slower, deeper breathing pattern, a reduction in the flush of the skin, reduced muscle tension, lower of pitch of voice and slower pace of speech.
· When the speaker is calmer present a thought provoking question that can focus the conversation on resolving the situation. Examples may include: “ What are some possible things we could consider doing to resolve this?” “What might I do to help rectify the problem?” “What might have to happen for us to avoid a similar situation in the future?” “How might I be more proactive in supporting you?” “What might be some alternative strategies that we could use in advance to make certain the situation doesn’t happen again?”

And I say with the smile – this is easy to say, it may not be so easy to do when you are equally involved emotionally – both in a work situation and maybe especially in a family situation.

Remember the coaching pattern: pause, paraphrase, pause and question. Your friends and relatives will be astounded at your conversational skills!

Developing a Better Focus

2008-12-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

If there are two words in education we might soon tire of hearing, they are creativity and innovation. Yet, I can't help but be excited by the current focus on these two human talents, and I'm not alone. In this article from the New York Times, author and Systems Change 2005 Keynote speaker Dawna Markova illustrates the challenges for leadership in fostering these.

"The first thing needed for innovation is a fascination with wonder," Dawna says. "But we are taught instead to 'decide.' ...to decide is to kill off all possibilities but one. A good innovational thinker is always exploring the many other possibilities."

In addition, to paraphrase, the focus on standardized testing often leads to a focus on preparing all students to be good test-takers, encouraging mediocrity and limiting students' abilities to achieve excellence in where their talents lie. Unless the brain has determined creativity and innovation to be worthwhile mental patterns by the time an individual reaches puberty, it will prune those areas to put more energy into the "critical" areas established.

For the sake of our future, it is imperative that we continue to find ways to focus on higher order thinking skills, from the first day of Kindergarten to graduation day and beyond, if we want our students to be lifelong learners who succeed in the 21st century.

Connectivism and the 21st Century Student

2008-12-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

I received this video from Kathy Schrock's SOS weekly email. She always has interesting resources, but I just love the way this one provides a glimpse of life for the 21st century students. It was also an introduction to connectivism for me--I had heard of the concept but for some reason did not yet see it as an educational philosophy. Now I am working to merge connectivist thinking with the constructivist thinking for which I've been advocating to see how these philosophies work together.
The question I have for educational leaders is this: what kinds of systemic change need to occur in order to support this student? how will you make connectivist instruction possible for your students?
And on a side note, if you have not seen the original videos from Common Craft, visit http://commoncraft.com/ for an easy explanation of practically any Web 2.0 concept and more.

What if?

2008-12-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

I recently read the article "Cover the Material or Teach Students to Think?" In the article, former school administrator (among his many other educational roles) Marion Brady poses the argument that our schools need to pose the question, "What if..." more often to encourage student thinking. His premise is that our system is currently geared toward a knowledge-based economy, and our schools with their textbooks, tests, and focus on recall are outdated for today's era of rapid social change.

"Education leaders can take a crucial step toward getting students to use
higher-order thinking skills by drawing a sharp line between firsthand and
secondhand knowledge."

In other words, instead of giving students lower level taxonomy skills to prepare them to think, or failing to believe our students are capable of thinking, maybe we should encourage them to actually think, by interacting with the world and through using the available technologies to connect them with primary sources so they can learn to analyze information, draw conclusions, and create new understandings.

Making this shift is not an easy battle--educational policy, influential business leaders, the media, and high stakes testing all tend to focus on those lower levels of thinking, making the assumption, one can only guess, that by mastering facts a person can then use those facts to synthesize, evaluate, and create. As leaders, it is a daily challenge to structure a learning environment where teachers are encouraged to involve students in authentic projects that incorporate higher order thinking skills, to face down the testmakers and focus on learning instead of covering what will be on the test. But what if...?

A Good Holiday Read

2008-11-26T08:06:00.000-08:00

What Great Teachers Do Differently has been wafting around my world, and so I finally took it in hand and read it. It is a positive and energizing read, and it is a great handbook for LEADERS, too! The lessons here apply to life and work in general, and I'm taking away some gems. Author Todd Whitaker is a principal who shares his experiences in concise and interesting stories. One chapter that made a difference in my behavior already is one called "The Teacher is the Filter." He poses the question, "How is your day going?" And then continues: As educators, we hear this question many times a day. Our response not only influences how others view us, but also affects the frame of mind of the person who asked. What's more, we have choices about how to respond...You can smile at a fellow teacher and and say, "Things are great! How about with you?" Or you can respond, "That Jimmy Wallace is getting on my nerves!"--and all of a sudden Jimmy Wallace is getting on that teacher's nerves too (whether the teacher knows him or not. Whitaker then takes that lesson further by describing how important it is for principals not to share information with their staff about an irate parent, for example, because it serves no useful purpose. This is an authentic leader with real experiences on which to draw. Many principals with whom I get to work have a similar positive outlook, and it's energizing to be around them. You can literally feel it when you enter their building, because this attitude is contagious--teachers, janitors, and parapro's all "catch" it! And, most importantly, kids catch it, too.

Educators apply Cognitive CoachingSM skills

2008-11-21T05:40:00.000-08:00

As more educators (teachers, administrators and retired administrators) across the state are learning the process of Cognitive CoachingSM, it is becoming evident that the skills and tools are becoming their default. As I travel around the state coaching educators who are currently involved in trainings or were past participants, I find they are eager to learn how to continue to develop their capacity. They want to push to the next level of coaching groups as they find using their skills in these situations valuable. A big questions is, "How do I coach and faciliate at the same time?"

So, what is coaching? Coaching is skill set. It is a capacity for effective communication. The fundament skills of coaching are: rapport, listening, giving wait time, paraphrase, probing for specificity, inquiry and the use of structures or maps.

This skills are learnable. Some of the strategies for internalizing the ability to attend to these skills at a level of automaticity include;
· Real time practice – applying the coaching skills
· Mental rehearsal
o Listening to the radio mentally formulate paraphrases to what you hear announcers speaking
o Listening to the radio or watching TV interviews, formulate questions of inquiry that you might use if you were a part of the conversation
o Listening to other people’s conversation mentally formulate paraphrases, questions or probing that you might use if you were in the conversation
o Select one skill that you want to acquire at a level of “unconscious competence” and devote intentional focus on that singular skill for an appropriate time period until you are confident that you do it automatically. (i.e. for the next two weeks I am going to pay serious attention to “rapport” etc.)

· With a friend or colleague ask them if you could practice your communication skills as you engage in a social conversation
· Using these communication skills in most conversations – it doesn’t have to be a “coaching” to make use of high level communication skills such as these. (John Dyer, 2008)

The Cognitive CoachingSM website is: www.cognitivecoaching.com.

Spark: Exercise and the Brain

2008-11-18T13:55:00.000-08:00

While preparing a book talk on Spark: the Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, I asked many random teachers and leaders if anything was happening with fitness in their school or community. No one had much to share...So, I gave my book talk at the Systems Change Conference and SUDDENLY, I'm hearing great things about fitness in South Dakota schools! Some standouts are described here: http://www.healthysd.gov/Schools/SuccessStories.aspx
The book confirmed what I had already noticed about my own exercise and how it enhances my mental functioning. Author Dr. John Ratey shares compelling research about improved test scores, overcoming depression, coping with ADHD, and many motivating stories and statistics. There are great reasons for encouraging exercise for kids, and I think it's just as important for us adults to benefit from and to model this transforming behavior. Here at TIE, we celebrate a colleague's birthday with an annual hike up Harney Peak. It's great for our brains, our bodies, our relationships, and our work! Are you doing anything to encourage excercise for the adults and/or kids in your schools? Please post them here--or at the Healthy South Dakota website. One idea can spark a movement...

Systems Change Speaker Keith Sawyer

2008-11-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

This speaker braved the blizzard to get to Rapid City on November 7 to speak to educators who appreciated his low-key but informed approach to creativity and innovation. One idea he described that sparked my interest was how the Gore Company (makers of Gore-Tex) encourages innovation. The company allocates 10% of employees' time to explore something they feel has great potential. They do not need permission or approval to do this exploration, but they frequently collaborate. This unstructured time allows innovation to come from the bottom-up, which has kept the company viable, fresh, and competitive. Imagine what it would be like to have 10% of a day or a week to be creative or to follow a dream! It reminded me of some school leadership teams that I have seen at work...The synergy in those teams as they look at student work and plan instructional improvements can be extremely creative and energizing! It also supports my belief that everyone is creative...just in different ways.

Smart Boards - What a Phenomena!

2008-11-07T19:12:00.000-08:00

Watching Jackie Jessop Rising manipulate the Smart Board was a phenomena. While I was hardly able to keep up with her maneuvering, it was even more difficult to transfer what I was seeing to how I might use it. And I really haven't figured that part out yet. However, I was so impressed with the capabilities of the Smart Board, that I started asking teachers questions about how they were using this tool. Several special education teachers started talking about how they are utilizing the Smart Board and they left me in the dust. I confess I really don't know what they were talking about. So, I did some research and WOW. Check out this website and and then log onto Anne Marie's blog.

http://smartboards.typepad.com/smartboard/2008/05/smart-boards--3.html
and log onto the Talking Smart Boards & Much More blog.

As you work with teachers across the state, I suggest sharing this website with them. The site includes resources such as interactive websites, sharing notebook lessons, and an interesting section called "Sharing SMART Board successes.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I am amazed at the vast number of websites that offer quality blogs, tips and lesson plans for using the Smart Board. Now, I just need to figure out how I can use it so I'll be look for Jackie!

Systems Thinking and Dynamic Modeling

2008-07-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

Peter Senge and Systems Thinking
A report from Systems Thinking and Dynamic Modeling.
Peter Senge’s keynote address reinforced the idea that systems thinking is based on interrelatedness.
He supports the idea of systems citizenry and several teachers shared examples of how they are involving students in real world problem solving. Carol J. Petri, at teacher from Texas, shared a project in which high school sophomores tested water streams above and below their community and shared this information with city government officials. These students help shape restoration of the stream in their community.
Senge and others at the conference advocate student involvement in making meaning from the data around them and thinking forward to see how complex systems change over time. See more at http://sysdyn.clexchange.org/

Evaluating Technologies - NECC - 6/28/08

2008-06-28T12:33:00.001-07:00

A report from the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC). One vendor, ePals, invites attendees to contribute to an online discussion about evaluating technology solutions. The framework is a great discussion starter for leaders who make technology decisions for their organization about any type of technology.

From the website:

How can teachers move beyond technology integration and authentically embed NETS (National Education Technology Standards) into curricula across the content areas to transform learning?

A FRAMEWORK FOR EVALUATING SOLUTIONS
How does this service help students become global citizens in the global marketplace (e.g., in building innovation, literacy, critical thinking, creativity and responsibility)?
How does this service enable collaboration, teamwork and problem solving in the classroom?
How does this service address the needs of ALL students?
How does this service foster real-life learning experiences and independent exploration across the curricula?
How does this service create a safe and secure environment for teaching and learning?
How does this service provide professional development that encourages teachers to collaborate, share expertise and maximize student achievement?

Tired of sticky notes?

2008-06-17T07:52:00.001-07:00

Personally, I can't even begin to imagine this. I love sticky notes. I have to truly restrain myself from buying more sticky notes every time I go to an office supply store or even many gift stores now. But for those of you who have had enough of Dilbert, Garfield, or even that tropical multi-color pop-up sticky note block that was fun for the first six months and now you just want it gone...

Bob Sprankle has some ideas for going digital, and ditching the sticky note once and for all. Plus, Hotchalk is running a promo right now where you can get full access to their journals. And if you're not familiar with the Hotchalk resources, it's worth some summer Internet time to check them out (some are free, others have a small fee).

Image Source

21st C Skills & Any Century Skills

2008-06-10T07:01:00.000-07:00

This presentation from Jim Moulton (Maine) is a fantastic focus on the importance of the appropriate use of technology to encourage student learning. Student learning. Project based learning can give students the authentic context for engaging students in the content to be learned. Also, if you have not yet invested the TCPK framework, do. Jim is right on target and every teacher should think in terms of possibilities the way he does.

Peter Reynolds Lists 6 Essentials

2008-06-09T11:04:00.001-07:00

I hope you caught this recent article in District Administration, but if you didn't, you can read it online here:
http://www.districtadministration.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=1605

Peter Reynolds is a beloved children's book author (The Dot) and a great technology innovator and founder of Fablevision. In this article, he's celebrating ISTE's addition of Creativity and Innovation to their standards. Here's part of #6 to entice you to read the other five: "Leadership:...Without enlightened leadership, none of our lofty goals for revolutionizing education can take root. We need brave leaders who can invent the future with their staff and with the next generation. We need leaders who live the new ISTE standards personally, rather than pass them along on badly photocopied sheets for teachers to pass along to their students. This is not the "pass it along" era. This is the "connected universe" era. Unconventionally constructed social networks are reinventing the world..." His other five are equally provocative and practical! maggie

Balanced Leadership Academy

2008-05-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about this opportunity from School Administrators of South Dakota?

The Balanced Leadership Academy is a series of five professional development sessions designed to help school administrators learn and apply effective leadership practices. It focuses on 21 key leadership responsibilities identified in research compiled by McRel. The program combines proven research with practical applications. School administrators will leave the program with the skills of knowing how to lead, why leadership is important, and when it's critical to provide effective leadership.

Leaders, like everyone else, need to take full advantage of opportunities like this to hone their skills, refresh their outlooks, and connect with other leaders for ongoing support. Whether you've just finished a professional development event, or it's been a while since you've done something like this, I would strongly encourage anyone in a leadership role to participate in this great opportunity.

For more information, click here, or contact John Pedersen at (605) 773-2525 or john.pedersen@sasd.org

Teaching the Digital Natives

2008-05-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

I love this quote from Steve Hargadon in April's TechLearning, so I'm just copying it verbatim. The bold-facing and paragraphing is mine.

You may think you don't have anything to teach the generation of students that seems so tech-savvy, but it really, really needs you.
For centuries we have had to teach students how to seek out information--now we have to teach them how to sort through an overabundance of information. We've spent the past 10 years teaching students how to protect themselves from inappropriate content--now we have to teach them to create appropriate content.

They may be "digital natives," but their knowledge is surface
level, and they desperately need training in real thinking
skills.

They live lives that are largely separated from the adults around them,
talking and texting on cell phones and connecting online. We may be afraid
to enter that world, but enter it we must, for they often swim in uncharted
waters without the benefit of adult guidance.

To do so we may need to change our conceptions of teaching, and
better now than later.

Motivating

2008-05-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

This website from School Improvement Network takes aim at all the negative publicity that public schools in the United States usually receive, and posits three short video clips focusing on the fact that leaders, teachers, and schools DO make a positive difference in the lives of their students.

Making Kids Googlable

2008-04-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

On his weblogg-ed, Will Richardson askes administrators:

[...if you are Googling people who you might want to teach at your school, what are you doing to insure the kids in your classrooms are “Googled well” when they go for their own interviews? And I don’t just mean telling them NOT to post certain things online. I mean what are you doing to help students shape their online portfolios so that when their future employers or future mates run the search, what they find is not just a lack of negatives but a potential plethora of positives? Not surprisingly, the answer is basically “not much.”]

http://weblogg-ed.com/2008/making-kids-googlable/

Dailies-Allison Knox Keynote

2008-04-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

Each day, the director of a movie checks the dailies to see if the filming is acceptable progress toward the vision he or she has for the film. Allison used the analogy to encourage us as teachers and educators and especially as leaders to continually check our progress toward our 21st century learning goals. She shared statistics showing that 99% of voters think 21st century skills need to be taught in today's schools and the greatest skill needed by employers is critical thinking--with innovation coming in fourth, just a few percentage points lower.

We need to ask ourselves if our dailies are ensuring that our students will have critical thinking skills. We need to focus on the higher levels of the new Anderson taxonomy that puts evaluation and creativity at the top. We need to continue to campaign for creativity and innovation in our schools, and to provide evidence that students are on the 21st century learning pathway. How can we do this? What practical things are we doing already? What needs to change?

Power Up 2 Integrate Technology

2008-04-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

Power Up 2 Integrate Technology
Kris Baldwin, Debbie O’Doan & Jackie Jessop Rising, TIE
Participants in this grant shared their experiences when they integrated Web 2.0 tools in their classrooms.
They said the most beneficial aspects included
Enough exposure to wikis, blogs, RSS feeds, and other tools to now feel comfortable using them.
1. Paticipating in online classes that focused on one particular tool.
2. Student centered classrooms motivate low achieving students and engaged them in learning.
3. Gaining confidence that they can create a unit that is meaningful and engaging.
4. Seeing detailed units that other area teachers are using.
5. Powerup project wiki at http://powerup.tie.wikispaces.net/ to access resources

Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works

2008-04-07T12:54:00.001-07:00

In answering the question, Why Technology? Roxanne Everhard made the statistics from Marzano’s work easy to understand and builds a case for reading and using the texts: What Works in Schools, Classroom Instruction that Works, Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works. From her experience, Roxanne explains to us “Our students and children these days demand technology, they don’t just want it, they demand it.” From Survey Monkey, Bubbl.us, Del.icio.us, Wikispaces, to blogs, Roxanne leads us through some Web 2.0 technologies. For more information on Using Classroom Instruction that Works, sign up for the online graduate course at ESA 6 or TIE. You can also call the TIE office or email Roxanne Everhard or Jackie Jessop Rising for more informaiton.

Technology Professional Development in Your School

2008-04-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Lisa Tolliver & Rodney Dally from the Wagner Community School District have created a new and innovative way to differentiate professional development in their district. Some of the new ideas included a rotational in-service day schedule (discipline training, cultural diversity, technology integration, RtI, and collaboration), earning two credits for participation and implementation of professional development topics, and (one of my favorites) compensation for improving their technology skills!

This was a great session on how to make professional development more teacher and paraprofessional friendly!

Indepth on Windows Movie Maker and PhotoStory

2008-04-07T08:13:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate to work with a group of TIE participants sharing Windows Movie Maker and Photostory.

Feel free to check out my website that I used for this indepth.

http://www.garretson.k12.sd.us/TIE2008

Dr. Tim Tyson's Keynote Address

2008-04-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

Dr. Tim Tyson shares the importance of schools not accepting the idea of “this is the way it is always been”. The world is changing and so should schools. Students need authentic learning experiences to get them excited about learning. Dr. Tyson asks us to think about questions such as:
What if students really wanted to learn?
What if they wanted to create content?
What if they wanted to connect with people to share?
So, how can we make learning irresistible, so irresistible that students want to do it, all the time?
At what age does meaningfulness start?
Ask our students what do you have to say that is so important that everyone in the world needs to hear it?
For more information on student projects, visit Maybryonline.org

Pat McGill Energizes Educators

2008-04-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

Pat McGill started out this humorous and exciting session with stories of her own teaching experiences. Her positive energy spread throughout the room helping educators avoid negativity. One of her key points was that individuals motivate themselves; in education our job is to provide environments where the motivation occurs. Grow the gifts! Instead of thinking outside the box, she encouraged us to grow the box (story by Leo Buscaglia).

Leadership is the power of influence. Educators model, monitor, and mentor. Participants at the session then chose a psychometric shape. This shape indicated your personality traits.

Her five R's included being real, rural, ready, reachable, remarkable. She suggested we read the Four Agreements. And left us with lots of golden nuggets to reflect on!

21st Century Skills for Administrators

2008-04-06T14:36:00.002-07:00

Kris Baldwin lead this in-depth session on how school administrators can use technology successfully in their school districts and buildings. One area of interest included finding out about people through websites such a My Space, Facebook, and Bedo or looking at teacher certification. Another good way to find out about someone is to "Google" their name. But, make sure that you put "quotes" around their name to narrow your search.

Kris also discussed how students are Digital Natives and we are Digital Immigrants. The students are changing, we need to learn how to change with them, and connect with them digitally. She helped us to create and use wikispaces, Del.icio.us, and Blogs. These programs will meet students at their level, as well as helping teachers collaborate when they can't be together in the same room at the same time.

Kris has a wealth of information on her wikispace. Make sure to check out all of this digital information and begin connecting with your staff and students at a new and different level!

Teacher Leaders Unite

2008-03-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

I found a great website where teacher leaders can go to learn about leadership, coaching and mentoring, professional communites, 21st century learning, classroom practice, and other teacher leadership information.

Under the resources link, there is a 21st Century link that takes you to many different articles and websites on why and how teachers can and should integrate technology into their classrooms.

Have fun looking around! http://www.teacherleaders.org/

Good Leaders (Teachers) Never Quit

2008-03-17T17:38:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Joseph Martin of the New Teacher University located in Florida. Among the topics he addressed were the following: the most common reasons teachers quit the profession; four "Fear Factors" administrators must be aware of when hiring teachers; three P's that administrators must understand about their teachers; and three things administrators must do to retain good teachers. According to Dr. Martin, the three most common reasons why teachers quit the profession are the following: lack of support (isolation); unrealistic expectations (too much to do & not enough time to do it); and, surprisingly, other teachers (experienced, negative teachers). Dr. Martin stated that student behavior was the fourth-most common reason why teachers quit the profession. In order to truly understand their teachers, administrators must understand teachers' "Fear Factors", which are (1) Time; (2) Approval; (3) Consistency; and (4) Quality. By "time", the implication is that teachers are afraid of wasting it. Their personal planning time needs to be respected & valued so that they believe they can complete their responsibilities. Second, some teachers get offended very easily. They need to perceive a "sense of approval" from their peers & supervisors. Third, some teachers don't want to change; they are afraid of doing things differently. These individuals need to be given very clear, simple directions when asked to do something new. Finally, some teachers are concerned with "quality", and need to be given time to do things correctly. The three P's that Dr. Martin refers to are: priorities; purpose; and pressures. Administrators need to understand teachers' individual priorities, preferably each person's top three. Second, administrators should try to understand each teacher's purpose for entering the profession; what drives the individual to teach? Third, an administrator should ascertain what pressures an individual teacher experiences, in order to know how best to help the teacher. In conclusion, all administrators (and leaders) should: serve with their hearts, not with their heads; the responsibilities should cause more heartaches than headaches. Next, administrators should focus on the purpose of their positions, not the payoff. Finally, administrators should be an example to their teachers, not an excuse.

From the Boardroom to the Classroom: Value-Added Leadership

2008-03-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

Today I had the privilege of listening to a presentation by Dr. Robert Marzano & Dr. Tim Waters from McREL (Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning). One of the key ideas in the presentation was the emphasis on the importance of individual reflection. In order to become more effective as teachers & leaders, it is absolutely imperative that we schedule times (at regular intervals) to reflect on the specific strategies, methods, and practices in which we engage. As we work with administrators & teachers, it is part of our responsibility to ask questions that direct those individuals to reflect on what they are doing, so that they may consider new approaches to particular challenges that they face. While this may seem like common sense to some, Marzano & Waters have asserted that it is something that is not valued enough. They have also indicated that, contrary to many beliefs, the strength of leadership at the district level has a strong correlation with the academic achievement at the individual school level. Some people believe that the superintendent's leadership ability does not necessarily have a significant impact on the achievement of students at the school building level. Chief among the responsibilities of the superintendent should be the following: a goal-setting process; non-negotiable goals for achievement & instruction; school board alignment with & support of district goals; monitoring goals for achievement & instruction; and use of resources to support the goals for achievement & instruction. Again, it is not uncommon to observe some leaders who will focus on certain responsibilities, at the expense of others. However, the schools who are committed to doing what's best for students will take no shortcuts in ensuring that all of these responsibilities are met. Only when this occurs will students have the greatest opportunity for increased academic achievement and personal success.

Focusing on a Gradual Release of Responsibility

2008-03-17T13:25:00.000-07:00

Doug Fisher, San Diego State University, held an outstanding session on gradual release of responsibility and how he trains districts to make this theory come alive in the classroom. The presentation included discussions on the prupose and modeling of lessons; guided instruction to differentiate, collaborative learning, and independent practice.

Most models include modeling, guided practice and independent practice and skip over the collaborative practice, which is where the student learning and thinking occur.

This session offered many insights on this process and made us truly reflect on our practice as professional development trainers. All too often we jump through the hoops to present our content, and don't include these steps along the way. This might be one reason that we sometimes don't see the changes we would like to see. It is a slow process, but if you follow the steps, you might actually see the understanding occur more quickly. Sounds easy, but remember, it does take time.

ASCD Update - Marzano's new book "Making Standards Work"

2008-03-17T13:02:00.000-07:00

Robert Marzano was a featured speaker at ASCD discussing his new book, "Making Standards Work." We've heard Marzano speak before, and we have to say that this was one of his most interesting presentations. One piece of our work this year has been centered on Formative Assessment. Marzano's new book supports the Formative Assessment research by Stiggins.

Marzano's discussion about standards centered on the idea that standards have too much content and that we need to trim state standards by at least 1/3. One way to do this is to mesh all "Like concepts" into one standard. The book states that there should be no more than 15 topics, per content area, per grade level, per year.

Another topic discussed was creating scales or templates for rubric design across the building. The book contains many examples of rubrics.

The last topic covered was the controversial grading issue. If you are going to use a formative assessment scale, it doesn't make sense to use a 100 percent grading system, or when you average scores, you underestimate the knowledge.

With the work that we are engaged in for TIE and ESA, this book is a must!

Florida Merit Pay Plan

2008-03-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

Merit Pay is such a hot topic these days. I found Forida's experiences reported in the St. Petersburg Times interesting. Click here to read more.

ASCD Update - Integrating Technology

2008-03-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

After attending two technology related sessions here at ASCD, it is a confirmation that technology has to be seamlessly integrated into the curriculum at all levels. iPods: A Catalyst for Learning was a session designed to show participants all the wonderful ways to integrate iPods into the curriculum. The first and most obvious is to use them in foreign language or ESL/ELL courses. Students use the voice recorded add-on feature and record their voice for fluency, pitch, sound level and pronunciation. Another use for the iPod is in the math classroom. Students are recording their investigations and explaining how they solved the problem or describing in their own words the math vocabulary they are studying. The cumulative record for each of these examples can then be made into a digital portfolio. The theme here is to really let your imagination run wild with the potential iPods bring to the classroom.

The Alarming Cost to Society of HS Dropouts

2008-03-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

Henry “Hank” Levin shared statistics from a study which showed the alarming amount of not only financial resources that are lost when students don’t graduate from high school, but the effect on health, crime and welfare. This special feature session was The Enormous Returns to the Taxpayer of Public Investment in Education.
The US gains $127,000 when a student graduates from high school versus dropping out.
Approximately 3 out of 10 students are dropouts. The rate is higher for males than females. US lags most industrialized countries in graduation rates, and the dropout rate is rising, not falling. The data is truly alarming and goes without saying that as a country we need to refocus our energy on making high school graduation a priority. We are losing billions of dollars a year through lost wages and taxes and higher health and crime rates.
To learn more about the study Levin referenced or to buy the book with the complete results go to http://www.cbcse.org/

We Need to get Behind Public Education-Frosty Troy

2008-03-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

Frosty Troy delivered a keynote presentation that resonated with the audience of public school educators. Public school education is and has been taking a terrible rap and it is time to get behind it and support what educators are doing well. Troy said he no longer supports public education; instead he attacks those who attack it! SAT and ACT scores are at an all time high, at a point in American history when we are experiencing some of the worst parenting skills of our time. Public school teachers are expected to not only teach, but be the child’s spiritual advisor, counselor and substitute parent. Troy criticized the voucher system as well as private schools because of how it would negatively affect public education. He accused private schools of cherry picking the public schools, taking the best and the brightest and leaving public schools with the rest. Troy was an advocate for career and technical education; stating that fifty percent of career and tech. students go on to college and do better than the college prep students. Yet, the president has cut the funding to these programs. Troy reminded the audience that teachers are role models, having the highest credibility next to clergy in America; when teachers speak people believe them. It is time to stand up and be proud of American Public Education.

Alma Powell - ASCD Featured Speaker

2008-03-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

It was exciting to attend ASCD's feature presentation of Alma Powell (Colin Powell's wife). If you have heard Colin Powell speak, you would have also enjoyed Alma's message. She spoke about the Whole Child; Whole Community. The one quote that made us truly stop and think today was, "Our kids are not failing, we are failing our kids." When Alma speaks of we, she has a heavy emphasis on not only the school, but also the community as a whole failing our children - we all need to come together to protect our children and our future. Alma has worked with high security issues in regard to our nation, but spoke about how educators are the security of our children and we need to step up and protect them.

Pam and Barb

37 Tips and Tricks to Ignite Learning

2008-03-15T19:34:00.001-07:00

Doug McPhee from Coast Consultare offered a highly interactive session giving teachers tips and tricks for their classroom. However, as a leader and a professional development provider, this session had great application and was well worth the time.

Activities fell into three areas: Energizers (building the emotional environment); Processing Content (Building Personal Competence) or Integrating (Building Commitment).

Several of the tips were modeled after Garmston's Adaptive Schools and others were ones we have used. However, most were new to us and involved reflection and dialogue. Some examples include: Note to self, handshake-handshake-handshake; using boomerangs and using music.

Doug McPhee suggested http://www.masterfulteacher.com as a resource.

Pam and Barb

Tomlinson and Jacobs-Icons of my time

2008-03-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

Being in education for twenty plus years I am thrilled to be able to sit in sessions with the familiar names I have heard and authors I have read. Carol Ann Tomlinson was one of those familiar names that I now have a face to go with the name. Her session was unfortunately plagued with audio problems which she seemed to take in stride and was eventually able to share most of her presentation. I was “jazzed” to see the author she referenced in today’s presentation was our own System’s Change Conference speaker and South Dakota native, Gary Marx. Tomlinson used Marx’s body of research from his book, Ten Trends to emphasize the importance of differentiating instruction to meet the vastly diverse population we see in our classrooms today as well as future trends for what is to come. This session was an affirmation of what Marx had shared in November with Tomlinson putting the case of diversity icing on the cake.
Heidi Hayes Jacobs is another name that goes without saying as an education icon I have wanted to hear in person for some time. I was able to attend her session on Curriculum Mapping Update: Linking School-Based Collaborations to Global Learning Communities. What I was particularly excited about as I listened to the updates she shared about curriculum mapping was the emphasis she put on technology. Up to that point, I had not heard much about technology being present in education which I know is not true, but was starting to question if this group of educators had something against it. She offered some great technology integration suggestions for teachers to start using as they plan curriculum for the 21st century, which she reminded us is almost 10 percent over. She accused educators of using Brady Bunch Curriculum with today’s students.

ASCD preconference session - well worth the time

2008-03-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

Robert Marzano’s What Works in Schools-Translating Research into Action is a publication many education leaders and staff development individuals are familiar with as an excellent resource. Tim Westerberg facilitated an engaging two day preconference session at ASCD entitled Leadership for What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action. Westerberg combined research done by Marzano, Michael Fullan, Rick and Becky DuFour, Richard Elmore and many others. Over the course of two days participants from Australia, Canada, Iceland, South Africa and locations throughout the US developed a working knowledge of parts of five of the eleven factors Marzano identifies in What Works in Schools-Translating Research into Action.
A guaranteed and viable curriculum deserves the attention of educators if students are to be successful. I was struck by the staggering number of standards and benchmarks teachers are to get through in a limited amount of time. Given so many standards, teachers can’t possibly give justice to all of them. Participants offered insightful dialogue as to what can be done about it and where we go from here.
Another interesting discussion focused on Instructional Strategies and how imperative it is for students to know the direction and outcome of the intended learning. As important as it is for students to know where they are going is for students to know where they have been. “The most powerful single innovation that enhances achievement is feedback. The simplest prescription for improving education must be ‘dollops’ of feedback.” John Hattie.
A topic that I am challenged by that was addressed in this preconference session is grading. Westerberg had one slide that simply said, “Grading at most schools in this country (which he changed to world) is a mess and is unfair to kids.” I had not given the topic too much thought prior to this session, but am inspired to delve into the subject in more detail.
I could go on and on as I found the information relevant and timely. If you have had Marzano’s book on your shelf since shortly after buying it and reading it, I would suggest giving it another look. If you don’t have it on your shelf, go out and buy it.

The Power of Perspective

2008-03-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

Do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist? How do you look at situations & circumstances? From your view, does the proverbial glass more often appear to be "half-empty" or "half-full?" Your answer to these questions may reveal much more than you realize about your leadership style and ultimately your ability to positively influence the lives of others around you. A phrase that has resonated deeply with me recently is the notion that, as educators, our work must become "profoundly personal" to us, if we hope to make a lasting difference in the lives of others within our circle of influence. This begins with our attitude. For instance, one individual has suggested that instead of labeling low-performing students as "at-risk" (which could be construed as a pessimistic view), we may want to consider them as students "at-promise." While this may not seem like a revolutionary concept, it may help to foster a change in the way that we look at the potential of students & other educational leaders with whom we work. When some individuals share stories of difficult or challenging situations in which they are engaged, it is not uncommon to hear them use the cliche "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." This, again, implies that a situation is "hopeless." A teacher that I met recently gave me a clever, thoughtful statement in response to this cliche: "Did you salt the oats?" In other words, have I done everything that is necessary to positively change a situation, or am I just going to choose to believe that there's nothing more I can do? I invite you to read the following: OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE. Does the statement read "Opportunity is nowhere?" or "Opportunity is now here?" Once again, just a small shift in our perspective can allow us to become more confident leaders and result in positive differences in the lives of those around us.

Rethinking Senior Year

2008-03-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

My first session this morning was envigorating! Janice Dreis and Larry Rehage presented on "Rethinking Senior Year" a program they co-advised at New Triere High School in Winnetka, IL for twelve years.
The program started with a desire to Banish "senioritis" by creating student engagement through four programs 1)Senior Guidance Plan/Institute, 2)Year-long Senior Sevice Project, 3) Senior Instructional Leadership Corps (SILC) and 4)Senior Project.
The Senior Guidance Plan/Institute begins with a senior survey at the beginning of the year asking "What skills/information have you not received that you need for life?". Many students choose the same skills/information each year and roughly 15 topics are identified ranging from success in college, stress relief, and money management to more serious topics such as AIDS Awareness and STD's. Through out the year topics are addressed in the students advisory periods either by the teacher or by students who wish to present. Speakers are also brought in and special senior assemblies are held. Their goal is to hit the topics in as many ways and as many times as possible through the year. The program concludes with a Senior Institute Day where community members speak on the topics selected by the students.
Senior Instrucation Leadership Corps (SILC) is where seniors serve as teaching assistants in classrooms across the curriculum and across all grade levels 2-5 days week. They don't just make photo copies but act much like a student-teacher would and receive one credit for each semester. In 1998 New Trier had 26 seniors take part in this aspect of the program and in 2007 162 seniors participated.
The Senior Project takes place during the last 5 weeks of the school year. The seniors stop going to school completely and have an internship under a community sponsor. They must write daily logs and reflections, a time sheet, a sponsor evaluation must be turned in and the student presents their work to an evaluation committee. Which is graded on a pass/fail basis.
Lastly is the Year-Long Senior Service Project. The senior senate chooses a service theme each year which most often happens to be Habitat for Humanity. They take part in raising the money for the house, construction 3 days a week and do cross curricular learning about social, political, and economic issues surrounding affordable housing and Habitat for Humanity.
Through the many video's we watched it was evident that the seniors were engaged and loved what they were doing. It allowed for real world experience and I would have to agree that they are better equipped for life outside of high school.

Relationships Matter

2008-03-14T19:57:00.000-07:00

After attending a two day in-depth session on High Poverty Learners: Research Based Practices that Work I would sum it up with two words, "relationships matter."
Out of the eight strategies our presenters William Parrett and Kathleen Budge discussed 1)effective leadership, 2)engaging parents and the community, 3)holding high expectations, 4)targeting low performing students (schools), and 5)build and sustaining instructional capacity; these in one way or another deal with relationships.
Relationships between teachers and students, parents and teachers are always stressed. However, there also have to be good working relationships between teachers and the district and parents and the district. I will focus on teachers and parents however through two routes. For many reasons parents stay away from schools but when the reason a parent stays away from a school is a lack of trust we wonder how do we fix that? I say one route is through the student. If we focus on the student by setting high expectations and creating relationships with them those relationships will hopefully be mentioned at home. When a parent realizes that their students teacher truly cares and has high expectations and that the student trusts the teacher I believe the parents will do the same and thus we've accomplished engaging parents and the community.
The second would be meeting the parent where they are at, literally. One of the stories we heard was of a teacher who had every meeting with a particular parent in the school parking lot. That parent had been a drop out of the school and therefore did not trust the school. So meeting the parent where they were at was essential. Another district went door knocking to invite parents to conferences and still another held parent teacher conferences over the phone or at the students home because parents did not have the transportation to get to the school.
Building relationships is not an easy job but building them is the foundation to having an even better school.

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Relational Leadership Skills

2008-03-14T18:34:00.000-07:00

Quote: The higher up in the organization one moves, the less likely they are to receive honest and specific feedback about their relational leadership skills.

What has been your personal experience?

Pam and Barb (ASCD Conference)

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Visual Explorer Resource

2008-03-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

During today's session at ASCD, Karen Dyer highly recommended this resource and we wanted to share it with you. The resource is expensive, but she stated it was well worth the investment. We've included a little bit of information about the product.

Visual Explorer: Picturing Approaches to Complex Challenges, CCL Press, 2001
Charles J. Palus and David M. Horth

In mission-critical situations many different perspectives are typically present, information and other resources are frequently lacking, and yet the responsible group needs to be coherent in its purpose and clear in its understanding in order to take urgently needed action. How do people find coherence leading to action in such situations? Through dialogue. Visual Explorer facilitates dialogue and helps groups reach a shared understanding about specific challenges. It includes 224 carefully chosen color images that invite examination and explication, and thereby acts as a resource for groups seeking to explore complex topics. Groups using Visual Explorer can collectively explore a complex topic from a variety of perspectives, building a shared understanding in preparation for making choices and taking action.

Pam and Barb

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Creating Effective Results Driven Teams: Making Leadership Work

2008-03-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

Today's presenter was Karen Dyer from the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC. The session focused on the role of perception in impacting team effectiveness.

An interesting quote/discussion topic was, "We are measured not by what we are, but by the perception of what we seem to be; not by what we say, but how we are heard; and not by what we do, but how we appear to do it."

Another topic that was interesting to us was the concept of "Why Mangers Derail". Karen discussed how people don't derail because of the event, they derail because of the patterns they follow. The derailing factors include: 1) Difficulty in molding a staff; 2) Difficulty in making strategic transitions; 3) Lack of follow-through; 4) Poor treatment of others; 5) Overdependence; 6) Disagreements with higher management about how the business should be run or about strategies to be used.

Pam and Barb

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School 2.0: Technology and the Future of School

2008-03-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

Over the past several years a number of technology trends have emerged that together have transformed our world, economically and socially. Our education system is not immune to these changes. From technologically savvy digital-natives, to the increasingly competitive global economy to the social transformation brought about by the internet, the students attending our schools and the expectations they need to meet have changed considerably. Mr. Magner will examine these trends, explore their implications for our education system, and discuss a collaborative approach to evolving schools to meet the needs of this changing world (Tim Magner).

On March 25th at 2pm, Tim Magner will be leading a webinar on School 2.0: Technology and the Future of School. To sign up for this webinar go to http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ProfessionalDevelopment/Webinar_Series1/Innovative_Educators/School_2_0.htm

High Poverty Learners

2008-03-14T04:34:00.000-07:00

Dr. William H. Parrett, the Director of the Center for School Improvement & Policy Studies and Professor of Education at Boise State University, has shared some thoughts that have given me a new perspective when working with staff & students in high-poverty schools. He suggests that HPHP (High-Performing High-Poverty) schools have staff who are characterized by the following: (1) Caring Relationships; (2) High Expectations; (3) Courage & Will; and (4) Commitment to Action. I would like to focus specifically on the last three attributes: high expectations, courage & will, and commitment to action. In working with superintendents, principals, and teachers, I have found that most of them understand the importance of caring relationships. However, many of the leaders in our schools are so focused on "maintaining the status quo", that they are clearly inhibited in their ability to make decisions that might ultimately result in higher student achievement. As Dr. Parrett has suggested, many people are too "enamored" with the challenges or obstacles that apparently prevent them from meeting the needs of students. As he has stated, we must remind ourselves to "Stop admiring the problem(s)!" We understand that challenges exist when working with high-poverty students. But then we must ask the next (and most important) question: What are we going to do about it? The final step is to have the courage & will to take action. We must not be satisfied that we "have tried" different options. We must be willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the opportunity for success of ALL students. As Richard Elmore has stated, there are three questions school leaders must ask: (1) What do we want students to know?; (2) How will we know when they've learned it?; and (3) What will we DO when they have not learned it? Once again, it is imperative that we encourage our leaders to exhibit the courage and will to commit to action that will ultimately result in the opportunity for success for all students....NO MORE EXCUSES!

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Technology in Teaching

2008-03-13T07:28:00.001-07:00

While doing some research for 21st Century Teaching and Learning, I found a blog devoted to creating a conversation around "technology in teaching and learning." The blog entitled "The Fischbowl" is created by the Technology Director, Karl Fisch, of the Littleton Public Schools in Littleton Colorado and is intended to be a staff development blog for Arapahoe High School Teacher exploring constructivism and 21st Century Learning Skills. Mr. Fisch uses XPlane to create an awareness presentation that is informational and persuasive. Though not all of the information is new, he does give the reader permission to use the presentation as is which might be a time saver for any of you presenting on 21st Century Skills.

Seeking AP teachers for Learning Power Program

2008-03-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

We often ask ourselves, "What do we do when kids' don't get it?" But what do we do when kids already know? One answer is to offer kids Advanced Placement courses. That isn't always easy because many South Dakota schools are small, located in remote areas and do not have the staff to teach advanced courses.

In an effort to address the needs of students who already know, through funding from ExxonMobil, the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) has awarded nearly $2 million for a statewide pilot project called Learning Power which will offer high school students online Advanced Placement (AP) courses in math, science, and English.

Students and teachers will be offered financial incentives to participate in the Learning Power program. We are seeking names of teachers who are currently teaching or have successfully taught AP courses to become part of a select cohort and participate in this program. If you know of any AP teachers in the areas of English, math and science, please submit their names to me or Dr. Parry.

Contrast to the US Approach

2008-03-10T10:07:00.001-07:00

TechnicallySpeaking@TIE: Contrast to the US Approach
Click on the link directly above to view this blog post on TIE's Technically Speaking blog.

Food for Thought: Parker Palmer on the Democratic Experiment

2008-03-10T09:07:00.000-07:00

Parker Palmer on the Democratic Experiment Recorded on February 19, 2008 at the Commonwealth Club of California and presented by Minnesota Public Radio, Parker discusses America's democratic experiment -- how rash decision-making undercuts what the Founding Fathers set out to create, and how important tension is for the practice of democracy.
http://www.couragerenewal.org/parker/interviews

Using Cell Phones in the Classroom? Why not?

2008-03-05T06:20:00.000-08:00

Educators, it is time to embrace change again. We learned to incorporate computer technology into our classrooms, why not cell phones. Here are some great ideas on how to use cell phones as teaching tools.

In the article "Cell Phones in the Classroom" , the authors from McGraw Hill discuss how students can use the different functions on a cell phone to supplement learning.

·Calculators. Although most schools have them in math class, other classes that don't have them on hand for students can benefit from number crunching. For example, social studies students studying elections can quickly determine percentages of electoral votes or other scenarios. Science classrooms can use them to perform calculations related to fieldwork.

·Digital cameras. Not all schools or classrooms are outfitted with digital cameras, although many can benefit from them. For example, students can use them to document a variety of things for multimedia presentations or reports. Fieldtrips can be documented and incorporated into digital travelogues.

·Internet access .Many phones have wireless Internet access, thus opening up a world of possibilities for class use. Science students might conduct fieldwork and submit their observations or data to either an internal or external data gathering site. Students can subscribe to podcasts that you produce or offered by a multitude of other sources.

·Dictionaries. Students in literature and language arts classes can benefit from being able to quickly query the definition of a word. Additionally, students who are English learners especially can benefit from translation dictionaries which are becoming available on cell phones.

Another article, "Using Cell Phones as Teaching and Learning Tools", lists these great ideas as well as a video presentation on how to use cell phones in the classroom.

1) Have students type their own cell phone novels. Make sure to okay this with parents in advance! Text messaging can be expensive without a prepaid package!

2) Have students make a photo documentary using the camera function on their cell phones. After they take a sufficient number of photos, they can upload them to sites such as Flickr and type narrative descriptions for each picture to share with classmates, family and friends.

3) Have students create educational podcasts with their cell phones (or home phones) using free services like Gabcast that allow users to record podcasts using their phones. The podcasts can then be uploaded to blogs or other multimedia sites to share. Thanks to Liz Kolb for sharing this idea!

4) Have students text message their parents homework assignments so that after school there is no confusion as to what is due the next day.
For more ideas on how to use cell phones as teaching, learning, technology and literacy building tools, check out this excellent video presentation by Liz Kolb filled with ideas on how to incorporate cell phones into classroom and homework activities

Using Technology: Change in Student Teacher Roles

2008-02-12T10:38:00.001-08:00

When students are using technology as a tool or a support for communicating with others, they are in an active role rather than the passive role of recipient of information transmitted by a teacher, textbook, or broadcast. The student is actively making choices about how to generate, obtain, manipulate, or display information. Technology use allows many more students to be actively thinking about information, making choices, and executing skills than is typical in teacher-led lessons. Moreover, when technology is used as a tool to support students in performing authentic tasks, the students are in the position of defining their goals, making design decisions, and evaluating their progress.

The teacher's role changes as well. The teacher is no longer the center of attention as the dispenser of information, but rather plays the role of facilitator, setting project goals and providing guidelines and resources, moving from student to student or group to group, providing suggestions and support for student activity. As students work on their technology-supported products, the teacher rotates through the room, looking over shoulders, asking about the reasons for various design choices, and suggesting resources that might be used.

Project-based work (such as the City Building Project and the Student-Run Manufacturing Company) and cooperative learning approaches prompt this change in roles, whether technology is used or not. However, tool uses of technology are highly compatible with this new teacher role, since they stimulate so much active mental work on the part of students. Moreover, when the venue for work is technology, the teacher often finds him or herself joined by many peer coaches--students who are technology savvy and eager to share their knowledge with others

Technology Leadership

2008-02-07T14:34:00.000-08:00

Knowledgeable and effective school leaders are extremely important in determining whether technology use will improve learning for all students. Many school administrators may be uncomfortable providing leadership in technology areas, however. They may be uncertain about implementing effective technology leadership strategies in ways that will improve learning, or they may believe their own knowledge of technology is inadequate to make meaningful recommendations. Because technology is credited as being a significant factor in increasing productivity in many industries, some people believe that more effective use of technology in schools could do more to improve educational opportunities and quality. Research indicates that while there are poor uses of technology in education, appropriate technology use can be very beneficial in increasing educational productivity (Byrom & Bingham, 2001; Clements & Sarama, 2003; Mann, Shakeshaft, Becker, & Kottkamp, 1999; Valdez, McNabb, Foertsch, Anderson, Hawkes, & Raack, 2000; Wenglinsky, 1998). How connected are you to technology in your school district?

Mentoring and coaching promote collegiality/student achievement

2008-02-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

The number of teachers leaving the profession is increasing, according to a May 2006 study from the National Education Association. The study looked at trends in the teaching industry in the past five years: About half of new teachers quit within the first five years because of poor working conditions and low salaries. Twenty percent of teachers say unsatisfactory working conditions keep them from wanting to stay in the profession, while 37 percent blame low pay for their decision to quit. Nationwide, more than 3.9 million teachers will be needed by 2014 because of teacher attrition, retirement and increased student enrollment. School districts across South Dakota continued to be affected by the loss of teachers as they leave the field for early in their careers for other jobs.

A consensus is growing among policy makers, administrators, researchers, and professional organizations, that educational improvement occurs when schools promote the professionalization of teachers. Effective schools research has linked collaborative activities and collegiality among teachers with gains in student learning. Consequently, programs such as peer coaching and mentoring are being widely advocated. From "Research Update", Institute for Educational Research, Glen Ellyn, IL, USA. These programs are being advocated because they provide the support teachers need to be successful thus keeping them in the field of education. You might read this article for a detailed report about mentoring and coaching. http://www.mentors.net/03library/collab_pc.html.

Successful teacher induction programs have strong mentoring programs supported by coaching. The coaching process provides structure, tools and processes allowing mentors to have conversations that encourage and stimulate teachers to grow as a person and within the education community. Evidence-based research links cognitive coaching with an increase in student achievement as collegiality among teachers deepens.

Classroom "Walk Throughs"

2008-01-31T12:09:00.000-08:00

Many of the schools I work with are training principals to use 10 minute "classroom walk throughs" as a method of teacher evaluation. I've never felt very comfortable about this process and now I know why. Read what Jane Davis has to say. To read the entire article go to the December 2007/January 2008 edition of Educational Leadership.

According to Davis, the idea behind classroom walk-throughs is to look "at how well teachers are implementing a particular program or set of practices." Classroom walk-throughs are a formative assessment tool that should focus on improving school-wide program implementation. They were never intended to be used as individual teacher evaluation tools and in fact, using them in that manner may very well backfire for a district.

Since so many of our South Dakota schools have decided to use this process, it is worth our time to become familiar with the research surrounding these latest educational process. According to Davis, the limited research varies in usefulness and effectiveness, but she does identify several studies that outline when classroom walk-throughs are useful and when they aren't. For example, Davis describes an in-depth study of three urban districts conducted by the RAnd Corporation. Their findings indicate that "administrators find walk-throughs more useful that do teachers" as teachers are rarely given individual feedback. However, used effectively, they become a vehicle for identifying school-wide professional development needs and that may be a good thing.

Davis warns against implementing a classroom walk-through program "when the purpose is murky or when trust among teachers, principals, and central-office staff is low." Under those circumstances, "walkthroughs are likely to be perceived as compliance checks, increasing distrust."

Web 2.0: Block It or Embrace It?

2008-01-31T11:09:00.001-08:00

TechnicallySpeaking@TIE: Web 2.0: Block It or Embrace It?

Click the link directly above to view this TIE blog entry.

Research shows both sides of change

2008-01-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

Professional Learning Communities at Work by Richard DuFour and Robert Eaker contains a section on the complexity of change. DuFour and Eaker offer fourteen research findings regarding the failure of school reform:
The change moved too fast—people were overwhelmed.
The change moved too slowly—people lost their enthusiasm.
The change lacked strong leadership from the principal.
The change relied too heavily on the leadership of a strong principal.
The change was too big and attached too much at once—people change incrementally, not holistically.
The change was too small—organizations need a more aggressive, comprehensive shake-up.
The change was top-down without buy-in from the faculty.
The change was bottom-up without the support of the central office or administration.
Gains were celebrated too soon, and the sense of urgency was lost.
Gains were not recognized and celebrated, and the initiative lost momentum.
Schools were unwilling to change—they were steadfastly committed to the status quo.
Schools embraced every change that came along and careened from fad to fad.
Leaders failed to develop a critical level of support before initiating change.
Leaders mistakenly insisted on overwhelming support as a prerequisite for initiating change; this stipulation ensured implementation would never occur.

These paradoxes speak for themselves about how important balance is within the change initiative. The leader needs to know the participants within the change—which research finding fits the participants of a particular educational community?

Do Schools Do Enough with Inventiveness?

2008-01-25T08:40:00.001-08:00

Interesting results from a survey of teens released from the Lemelson-MIT program that portrays both positive and negative news for schools (unfortunately eSchoolNews went for the sensational headline focused on the negative: Top News - Survey: Schools fail to teach innovation).

First, teens are optimistic that innovation can help solve many environmental issues today (72%) and that they could invent some of these solutions (64%), especially compared to only 38% of adults surveyed (interestingly, half the adults were 18-24 years old).

While a vast majority of teens (79 percent) believe there is value in
hands-on project-based science-technology-engineering-math
(STEM) education and learning in high school, they also believe schools can do more to prepare them for innovative work:

The Lemelson-MIT Invention Index found that more than half of American teens (59 percent) do not believe their high school is preparing them adequately for a career in technology and engineering. The disparity is more pronounced among some groups historically under-represented in these fields. Nearly two-thirds of African-American teens (64 percent) and teen girls (67 percent) believe they are not prepared in school for these careers. News: Press Releases

The director of the program believes this type of learning is doable for schools:

"Learning to invent is really no different than learning to throw a touchdown pass or play the trombone," said Schuler, noting that 40 percent of the teens who are most confident in their ability to invent are most likely to believe their high school is preparing them for a career in technology or engineering. "It takes practice. Students need the opportunity to get their hands dirty and invent," he said. "Generally speaking, there’s not enough ‘learning by doing’ taking place in today’s high schools, and our survey found that students recognize this."
. . .
"Support for new approaches in STEM education needs to start from the top," added Schuler, noting that the Lemelson-MIT Invention Index found that nearly one-third of American adults (30 percent) were unable to identify a presidential candidate who they feel has the most effective plan for improving this type of education in high schools. "Our nation’s proficiency in STEM education is an important issue to an overwhelming majority of people – 94 percent of adults and 80 percent of teens believe the U.S. needs to be more proficient. As we enter an election year, we hope to see increased attention and clarity from candidates around these issues."

More 21st C Skills

2008-01-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

Here is some interesting information about the impact of technology on schools, published last October. It provides a glimpse of how Web 2.0 tools are and will continue to play a role in teaching and learning, emphasizing the importance for school leaders to understand this medium.

School districts across the country are revising their academic curriculum to give students more 21st century learning opportunities, according to a survey issued today by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) at the organization’s annual T+L Conference here.

Among those districts that are revising their curricula, 85 percent reported that technology is playing a part in supporting the changes, especially in the area of using technology tools for project-based learning (83 percent), distance or online learning (nearly 57 percent) and upgrading math and science equipment and facilities (nearly 52 percent). A majority of districts (nearly 53 percent) said that they are using new interactive web tools, such as wikis and blogs, in the classroom.

More 21st C Skills

2008-01-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

School districts across the country are revising their academic curriculum to give students more 21st century learning opportunities, according to a survey issued today by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) at the organization’s annual T+L Conference here.

Real, Ideal, and Breckenridge

2008-01-23T14:46:00.000-08:00

I am not endorsing this conference, but it is a new one and brings together business, community, and education. Here is part of what the website says:

"Focus on Education, Innovation 2008 conference
The theme is the real and the ideal.
Innovation 2008 will focus on what’s next in the social, cultural, and methodological dimensions of education, as well as in technology for education.

We believe that bringing together leaders in education, business, academia, and government in a conference environment organized around these themes will produce significant new ideas, perspectives, and initiatives.

While the goals of the conference are ambitious, there will also be ample time for networking, skiing, and enjoying the beauty of the Colorado Rockies.

Please join us at Innovation 2008, April 13 and 14, 2008 in beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado "
http://www.education-2008.org/

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

2008-01-15T15:48:00.001-08:00

Good facilitation depends very much on good communication skills.
Good online facilitation depends very much on good online communication skills.
How true.

Near the beginning of January, Jacki posted a link on the Connect-Ed blog about http://eduwikius.wikispaces.com/, the December wiki space of the month. It is an enormous wealth of resources.
One resource of particular interest to leaders would be the Facilitating Online link. The resource explains several skills needed for good communication and good online communication.

Keep In Touch With Educational Policy

2008-01-15T08:20:00.001-08:00

One of the roles of educational leaders is to keep their finger on the pulse of policy issues affecting education. If you are interested in the agendas of the South Dakota Education Committees check out these websites:
H-Ed and S-Ed

If you'd like to listen to meetings live visit:
House Ed Audio Senate Ed Audio
(because these are live sessions, you will only hear audio when someone is really there)

General information can be found at:
Statehouse and Legislature

Leadership Winds of Change

2008-01-11T13:55:00.001-08:00

This article provides a great overview of to what educational leaders need to pay attention, especially in the area of instructional technology. The sailing metaphors are just a bonus. Check out this amazing sailing photo on flickr.

Success Stories

2008-01-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

Bruce Oliver, the editor of Just for the ASKing, has compiled a list of qualities that successful leaders exhibit. He includes twelve characteristics:
Wisdom
Priorities
Humility
Professionalism
Focus
Omnipresence
Invitation
Balance
Honesty
Encouragement
Power
Open-mindedness
Oliver tells a brief story about someone who possesses the quality.

The full article can be accessed at H:\subject matter\leadership\October 2007 Just for the ASKing! -Talking Out of School Conversations with Successful Leaders.mht

Oliver, Bruce. "Talking Out of School: Conversations with Successful Leaders” Just for the ASKing! October 2007, http://www.askeducation.com/newsletter.htm. Reproduced with permission of Just ASK Publications & Professional Development (Just ASK), Inc. Copyright 2007 by Just ASK, Inc. All rights reserved.

Leadership Linked to Student Achievement

2008-01-07T16:31:00.000-08:00

Leadership has significant effects on student learning, second only to the effects of the quality of curriculum and the teachers’ instruction, according to the 2003 task force on Educational Leadership.
Maximizing collaboration skills empowers institutions and the leaders within those institutions to reach their goals. School Leadership that Works: From Research to Results by Robert Marzano focuses on administrator and teacher leader qualities and responsibilities that affect student achievement. Marzano describes twenty-one responsibilities for leaders: situational awareness, flexibility, discipline, monitoring, and outreach are the five that correlate most highly with student achievement.
For more information on this topic see https://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentID=12290 , or http://www.mcrel.org/topics/products/212/ or register for a one credit asynchronous book study at http://survey.tie.net/surveys/collschlead.htm before Jan. 16 2008.

When Will They Grow Up?

2007-12-28T12:28:00.000-08:00

Most parents would agree that we dream our own children will do more, and be more than we have been able to accomplish ourselves. The landscape for those future accomplishments is becoming more complex, as is life itself. Young adults are spending more time and money on post secondary education and are finding independent adulthood further away. Will Richardson has a thought provoking article in his blog, Emerging Adulthood on this very topic.

Local Teacher Going Green

2007-12-28T09:28:00.000-08:00

We know that teachers affect the lives of students and sometimes those affects are not seen for years if ever. However, one local teacher has seen the affect her teaching has had on her students, their families and their pocket books. At a time when we are trying to focus on "Going Green" Donna Robinson has taught her students that helping save the environment is as easy as changing a lightbulb.

We need to talk

2007-12-24T12:50:00.000-08:00

One of the sometimes less pleasant duties of being a leader is having difficult or challenging conversations with our colleagues. This article from Judy Ringer at Pegasus Communications provides a structure for having such a conversation that will help for a successful outcome, and hopefully avoid any deterioration into defensive, emotion-based dialogue.

http://www.pegasuscom.com/levpoints/difficultconversations.html

Web 2.0 Safety

2007-12-18T19:05:00.000-08:00

A Web 2.0 Approach to Internet Safety

Are your students safe? Are your policies up to date?

2007-12-18T07:55:00.000-08:00

In this paper, Shirley Hord describes the Joyce and Showers staff development model and relates it to a change model derived from school improvement studies. Noting the fit of the two models, Hord suggests successful strategies for a comprehensive approach to changing teachers' practices which include developing and articulating a vision, planning and providing resources, investing in training, monitoring progress, providing continuous assistance, and creating a context conducive to change. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory. Read at http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues42.html

Missed Systems Change 2007 ?

2007-12-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

If you missed Systems Change Conference, 2007, view this highlight video of the keynote speakers: Neil Howe, Gary Marx, and Rick Melmer.

Systems Change 2007 - Highlight Video

Effective Leaders Facilitate Change

2007-12-10T18:09:00.001-08:00

Hord, S. (1992). Facilitative leadership: The imperative for change. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.Read at http://www.sedl.org/change/facilitate/welcome.html
The text contains research that supports six categories of actions that are used by effective leaders to facilitate change. These include developing a culture of readiness for change, promoting the vision, providing the necessary resources, ensuring the availability of professional development, maintaining checks on progress, and providing the ongoing assistance necessary for change to occur smoothly.

ITunes U for You

2007-12-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

I just returned from a meeting/training that explained a little more about ITunes U and how it can be used.
Basically, some of the major universities, including MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, and others have put some or all of their course content online. In fact, some of the courses at Duke now require the purchase of an ipod, rather than a text book. These and others have used ITunes U as a one way to disseminate the information to everyone around the globe. This is an amazing resource. You can get to the ITunes U library and listen to many educational lectures or see presentations, video, slideshow w/audio, etc.
These resources don't cost anything, only to have ITunes downloaded on your computer.
The possiblilities of using these podcasts in the classroom are endless!

Check it out at http://www.apple.com/education/itunesu/
Official Announcement: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/05/30itunesu.html

Berkeley: http://www.apple.com/education/itunesu/
Stanford: http://itunes.stanford.edu/

Quest Atlantis

2007-12-10T12:17:00.000-08:00

Do you want a new way to teach lessons while utilizing technology? Then you should take time to check out Quest Atlantis. Quest Atlantis was developed by the Center for Research on Learning & Technology at Indiana University. The program takes students on quests through four different worlds: Ecology World, Culture World, Healthy World and Unity World. Each world comes complete with a teacher unit guide that is attached to McREL learning standards. Each unit has several lessons that have students work through various quests, classroom discussions and real world observations. Goals and benchmarking is also laid out at the beginning of each unit so that teachers and students know expectations and know if the expectations were met at the end of each unit. The various worlds deal with contemporary issues for example in Ecology World students focus on the interdependent relationship between people, plants and animals. Current global issues are addressed and students are asked to hypothesize and come up with possible solutions to problems facing the world today. With high quality graphics and varying worlds I believe that Quest Atlantis could be a great tool to engage students in learning with technology.

Wikis in the Workplace

2007-12-03T08:30:00.000-08:00

Wikis can be used in many ways. For example, you might want to read about how some innovative teachers are using wikis in the classroom. Wikis can also be used to quickly accomplish administrative type duties. Here at TIE, most of the staff use wikis to post recent work and presentations, so that our constituents can easily find our handouts and other information they may need. Sometimes when we present, we will have more people than we expected and rather than mailing or emailing our handouts when we return to our office, we can just give them our wiki address and they can get the information they need without waiting for us.

A few of us TIE staff members on the data team use an internal wiki space that we keep updated for team members to know which of the districts' charts and lists still need finished. It helps the team stay organized even though we are often on travel and don't have time to track each other down to talk about what pieces of work are finished.

Through the Power UP project, (Title IID) I have been given the opportunity to work with teachers to effectively integrate technology into their teaching. We use a wiki space to post all the information participants need. We have recorded sessions which are posted, in case a participant misses the session. We post information about effective technology integration, different "power sources", or tools that can be used to integrate, and the teachers will be using the wiki space to post their technology integrated units, so they can be shared, not only with us and each other, but with any teacher, any time, any place. Visit our Power up site, all created on a wiki to learn more.

Other examples of how wikis can be used:
- To keep track of schedules, lunches, calendars, other types of information.
-To keep track of changes in events
-To use with daily announcements (disctrict or school level)

Is your school a wiki user?

Time to Think

2007-11-21T11:27:00.001-08:00

How many times when implementing a policy, practice, or other strategy have you heard this, "We just don't have enough time." Well, here's something worth considering from an article on Knowledge Sharing:

"The concept of 'slack' refers to the availability of resources that go beyond the requirement for regular activities," notes Haas. "Slack time is the amount of time and attention the team members can commit to the project beyond the minimum required." Studies have found that "time famine" -- or a feeling of having too much to do and not enough time in which to do it -- can reduce team productivity.
Teams with insufficient slack time may download large quantities of documents from a database without checking their quality, skim the papers on their desk superficially -- missing important information -- or fail to solicit sufficiently diverse views by only consulting close colleagues who will return their phone calls promptly. These shortcuts can reduce the benefits of the knowledge inputs they obtain. In contrast, Haas points out, "slack time increases processing capability because team members have more time and attention available to allocate to knowledge-related as well as other task activities."

The key? Leaders (including teachers) often need to act as filters, determining which concepts are the most crtical for understanding and then providing the time for focused processing of those concepts. All too often we fall into the shotgun approach--throw all the research at them and hope some of it hits the target--or the coverage approach--we have to touch on every single detail about this topic, and the critical understandings are lost in the data stream.

New and Improved Partnership for 21st Century Skills

2007-11-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has revised their framework and added new documents to their website. I'm interested in your comments on these new documents:

Route 21, an extensive database on 21st century skills-related standards, assessments, curriculum, professional development and learning environments.
U.S. Students Need 21st Century Skills to Compete in a Global Economy, the results of a survey in which Americans express strong support for teaching more than basic skills.
Framework for 21st Century Learning, a revised, 3-dimensional graphic.

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/

CASTLE for Technology Leadership

2007-11-16T12:44:00.000-08:00

CASTLE claims to be the nation's only center dedicated to the technology needs of school administrators. Their website offers programs and resources focused on preparing technology-savvy school administrators. Although TIE has provided the leadership for several technology leadership initiatives administrators continue to request additional training and support, especially those in Classroom Connections pilot schools. The CASTLE website is not specific to one to one initiatives but administrators may find value in the Principal Blogging Project, the DDDM(data driven decisonmaking) Resources, PTLA(principal technology leadership assessment, or CASTLE conversations. What do you think?

http://www.schooltechleadership.org/index/

Systems Change Conference Keynote: Neil Howe

2007-11-15T08:47:00.001-08:00

Neil Howe, author on Generations and Millennials, provided a great keynote to kick off the Systems Change Conference in Chamberlain today. He spent some time talking the shifting changes of recent generations, but ended with some specifics for educators on dealing with millennials and GenX parents:

Millennials believe people their age can make positive impact on community. Leverage individual goodwill among parents and families--get "helicopter moms" on your side. Channel their energy, not straight-arm them (compared to Boomers, GenXer parents are more personally attached, protective, and directive of their children--more demanding as school consumers, seeking data and return-on-investment).
Develop more structured communities that help prevent students from falling through the cracks
This group of students want to team. They use the internet to "collectivize." Mobilize students as groups and teach team skills. Create strong service links to community. Focus on school engagement and connectedness; encourage students to lead and organize.
Replace realism with optimism--have students make personal progress plans. Integrate college-ready curriculum with school to work applied learning. Use contextual and project-based environments.
Emphasize a core or essential learning curriculum that every student is expected to master. Make
sure that every task is achievable with directed effort--retool learning plans for continuous monitoring, assessment, and redirection.
Structure all learning around mastery goals by designing the curriculum to emphasize alignment everywhere. Closely articulate secondary work with post secondary.
Keep every student challenged and directed; emphasize achievement over effort or aptitude. Also, encourage teachers themselves to set an example of professional achievement and lifelong learning.
Integrate cutting edge networked technology--build ICT skills into the curriculum.

Taking schools to the next level of improvement

2007-11-12T12:22:00.000-08:00

Noted researcher and scholar Richard Elmore of Harvard University suggests that we may need to help schools work smarter, not harder, in their school improvement efforts. Specifically, he suggests that when schools plateau in student achievement, redoubling effort and adding new strategies may not be as effective as allowing time for "consolidation" or refinement of existing teacher knowledge and skills. For the complete article:

http://www.nga.org/cda/files/0803KNOWING.pdf

Indian Ed for All

2007-11-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

November 2007
A few people have asked me in the short time I've been here about Montana's
Indian Education for All. I thought steering our staff to Montana's OPI site would give insight to their burning questions about Indian Ed for All.

In 1999, Montana legislators passed HB 528 "Indian Ed for All" Recognition of American Indian cultural heritage and to be committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural heritage and education.

Every educational agency and all educational personnel will work cooperatively with Montana tribes or those tribes that are in close proximity, when providing instruction or when implementing an educational goal or adopting a rule related to the education of each Montana citizen, to include information specific to the cultural heritage and contemporary contributions of American Indians, with particular emphasis on Montana Indian tribal groups and governments.

It is also the intent of this part, predicated on the belief that all school personnel should have an understanding and awareness of Indian tribes to help them relate effectively with Indian students and parents, that educational personnel provide means by which school personnel will gain an understanding of and appreciation for the American Indian people.

Documentation related to Indian Education for All can be found at the OPI website at:http://www.opi.state.mt.us/IndianEd/EdforAll.html

Materials were put together for the Fort Peck Reservation and Rocky Boys Reservations that teachers were able to incorporate into their classrooms. It was a "canned lesson plan" that was centered around the calendar. The plan was that each month would feature a different theme that was selected by a local committee. To learn more about the curriculum created see http://www.fullcirclecm.org/index.php.

This is enough for now, I encourage you to visit Montana's Office of Public Instruction's website listed above. It's another resource you can add to your del.ici.us site.

Treasure Hunt:
What is the definition of American Indian?
Who was one of the featured calendar girls in the Full Circle curriculum?
What is sovereignty?
How many sovereign nations exist in Montana today?

Please reflect on your observations!

Formative assessment update

2007-11-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

Formative assessment provides feedback to improve the quality of students’ work according to many researchers. A few necessary key attributes include : it should be corrective in nature, not merely stating that the student’s answer is either right or wrong; it should be prompt – as close to the time of the assignment as possible; it should be specific to the learning criteria established by the teacher, i.e. targets springing from standards and benchmarks; it should be of high quality; it should occur frequently. The Concept of Formative Assessment is clearly and succinctly described in an article by Carol Boston in the ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation which can be found at http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=8&n=9 There is a brief bibliography included in the article Dr. Boston references a toolkit that may be helpful to administrators addressing assessment issues in their schools. The toolkit is available from the Northwest Regional Education Lab at a very small cost. http://www.nwrel.org/assessment/toolkit98.asp

Forgetful? Email junkie? This might help!

2007-10-26T09:51:00.001-07:00

There is a service online called jott where you can call their number from anywhere and leave a message for yourself, or for a group of your friends or coworkers, and it will translate your voice message into text and email you or your group. So if you've ever found yourself needing to remember vital information, but without a pen handy, just use your trusty cell phone to send yourself an email instead! There are also some very neat options for blogging from your cell (I did this the old fashioned way by typing it in) or using your cell to Twitter. The online service is free, but phone charges will vary by your agreement.

20th Century Left Behind

2007-10-22T08:55:00.001-07:00

The cover story for October's eSchool news focused on the upcoming reauthorization of NCLB and the possibility that 21st century learning will be given greater emphasis. The current law's focus on technology in the form of Title IID funding, also know as the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT or E2T2) block grant has been on the chopping block on recent years. The current draft of the new NCLB legislation seeks to redirect this trend by updating how this funding is allocated. As South Dakota is a new partner with the 21st Century Learning Partnership, which is working with netTrekker to promote 21st Century Learning resources, we would appear to be well positioned to meet and benefit from these possible changes. Read the article for more information on this and other NCLB updates.

Should schools block social networks/communication tools or utlize them?

2007-10-05T15:23:00.001-07:00

TechnicallySpeaking@TIE: Should schools block social networks/communication tools or utlize them?

Click on the link directly above to read this blog from TIE's Tech blog.

Is User Education Pointless?

2007-09-16T21:10:00.001-07:00

TechnicallySpeaking@TIE: Is User Education Pointless?

Please click on the link directly above to view this blog posted on Technically Speaking@TIE.

eSchool News Describes New NCLB Legislation

2007-09-11T15:31:00.001-07:00

eSchool News online - House draft would overhaul ed-tech funding

Educational technology advocacy groups are applauding the release of another House proposal to renew the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that would direct funds toward training teachers in the use of technology and would help schools with low-income students buy computers and software, among other measures...The measure seeks to improve the current law's Title II, Part D, "Enhancing Education Through Technology" (EETT) block-grant program, which is the largest single source of federal funding for school technology, by improving support for disadvantaged schools and ensuring that teachers are equipped to use technology effectively. It focuses a larger percentage of funds on professional development, prioritizes funding for schools in need of improvement, and requires states to assess whether students have achieved technological literacy by the eighth grade.

21st Century Skills: What administrators need to know

2007-09-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out this upcoming TIE workshop provided free to member schools. The registration deadline for 21st Century Skills: What administrators need to know is September 24th. Check out the workshop page to register for this online course.

The Executive Wiki from Technology & Learning

2007-07-26T07:47:00.001-07:00

David Warlick highlights ways wikis can be administrators' best friend through:

Community Collaboration
Democratizing Learning
Up-to-Date Content
Spreading the Word

Techlearning > > The Executive Wiki > June 15, 2007

Tech Integration is Top Down

2007-07-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Scott McLeod, author of the blog Dangerously Irrelevant, makes this statement in his interview with ESchoolNews,

"Administrators are the ones that have the power to facilitate change. They
control the power of the budget. They assign personnel. They create vision. And yet
we’re not doing a lot of those things in the area of technology, because our
leadership doesn’t know how to be effective leaders in the area of
technology. They might be skilled leaders in other areas of education. But they’re
struggling when it comes to the tech stuff."

Dr. McLeod was recently named a Leader in Learning by the cable industry for his work in creating the CASTLE project for school technology leadership. This project provides resources such as online workshops and blogs targeted toward school leaders in order to help them promote effectively technology integration in their districts and schools.

You may also remember Scott from his work with Karl Fisch on the video "Did you know" as highlighted by Will Richardson at the TIE conference. The message is clear--leaders at all levels need to be thinking about technology in schools as means of preparing students for the 21st Century.

NECC 2007 - Keynote

2007-07-05T13:26:00.001-07:00

I highly recommend you take a moment to read about the NECC keynote which was extremely thought provoking. eSchoolNews offers both a written description and video segments:

Futurist Andrew Zolli urged educators to foster their students'
creativity. He also outlined the key trends that are shaping
education's future--including the need to redefine "intelligence."

eSchoolNews Keynote Description

eSchool News Keynote Video clips of Keynote

NECC 2007 - Assessing Technology Skills: NETS

2007-07-03T10:22:00.003-07:00

Assessing Students' and Teachers' Technology Skills: NETS as Benchmarks

Please click the link directly above to read this entry in the TIE Tech blog...