Group Building Ideas

I work with some incredible people and sometimes when we get together to plan events, the ideas just flow. Here are some of those ideas:

• Team Resume: Have people in your team create a resume that included everyone's experience. 15 many degrees, 87 years in the classroom, etc.
• Give One, Get One: Have a listing of ideas, facts, and general characteristics on index cards in a bag. Everyone receives a bag with the characteristics and tries to find a person who matches the index card.
• What resources do I bring? Have a share-out of what each person brings to the table to contribute to the group.
• Garage Sale: For this activity, the participants must categorize their "garage sale" items into the following categories: http://www.thelandscapeoflearning.com/2012/10/garage-sale-for-education.html
• For Sale or Barter

• Not For Sale 

• Recycled

• Repair Shop

• Garbage
• Toxic Waste 

• SWOT Analysis: The point of a SWOT analysis is to help you develop a strong business strategy by making sure you’ve considered all of your business’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats it faces in the marketplace.
• Read more: http://articles.bplans.com/business/how-to-perform-swot-analysis/116#ixzz3O9dDQ1DH

Learning Forward in 2015

I recently attended the Learning Forward National Conference in Nashville, TN. It was a fantastic experience from sightseeing to learning and connecting with other educators passionate about professional learning. I went to several sessions about technology, telling my story through writing, and I even presented a session on webinars. While those experiences were great, my biggest take away was self-reflection I did during the conference.

I realized that working in an office setting has made me rely too much on PowerPoint. I used it for meetings, workshops, and presentation of any kind. My colleague to went to a workshop that was presented by the author of "Sit and Get Won't Grow Dendrites". From what she told me about the workshop it was very interactive and demonstrated how you can present without Powerpoint. Based on her insight, I decided to read the book. It had a lot of great ideas and reinforced the fact that I used Powerpoint entirely too much. My first professional resolution for the New Year is to use less Powerpoint. I need to think outside the presentation box. To quote another colleague of mine, "Powerpoint is a great tool when you are planning something last minute. However, if you are planning a head of time and not waiting till last minute, the presentation techniques are endless."

I also reflected on my "PLN". In 2014, I participated in the Maryland Edchat on several occasions, attended my first edCamp, and made more connections online than in previous years. However, I still feel I need to connect more. I need to put forth more effort to connect with other educators in Maryland. I really want to connect with professional learning specialist in other states and build a network. I plan to continue to participate with Maryland Edchat but I want to start a weekly #pdchat. I am not exactly sure how they will happen but I have vision.

Finally, I want to dive into what Personalized Professional Learning looks like and we can further support the idea in Maryland.

Those are my resolutions for 2015, less Powerpoint and more connecting.

Learning from Others - My First Connections

My favorite year of teaching was my second year. I taught third grade with an incredible team. As a team, we planned together, graded together, and team taught. At the time, we thought we were friends working together. Now, there is a name for what were: Learning Community.

It was my favorite year of teaching because we worked together to improve our own teaching which in turn improved student achievement. I felt that I grew as a professional and our data demonstrated the student grew as well.

Now, I work at the state department. Not a day goes by that I do not miss working directly with students. However, I have found a passion for working with educators. I like helping teachers share the great things they are doing with other teachers. I like working with teachers to improve their practice. I like working with a team that has a common goal to improve student achievement through educator effectiveness.

It is amazing how my world has changed since, I began as a teacher. Even though it has become wider, the same principals exist. Being connected makes me feel like I am effective. I am helping others while improving my own practice.

Cheers! To Connected Educator Week!

Effective Professional Learning - Commericals

I teach a graduate level course at Johns Hopkins, titled "Integrating Media into the Standards Based Classroom". This course focuses on how media can be integrated into each classroom through a variety of tools and techniques. I have taught the course at least three times and each I tweak and update the course.

One of the topics I focus on is "Effective Professional Learning", because I think if teachers are learning how to integrate media into the classroom, then they should also be sharing with other teachers. The assignment for this topic included readings and videos on what makes professional learning effective for teachers. The demonstration of learning included:

Reflect on professional development programs and initiatives that you have experienced in the last several years.
Think about those programs or initiatives that affected your:

• Knowledge and Skills
• Practice
• Student Performance

Using the tool, Animoto, create a short video that conveys your thoughts about effective professional development opportunities.

This was the first time in the this course, I have had the students summarize using Animoto and I thought was incredible. I think that several of these videos could be used at the beginning of the year to set expectations and atmosphere for professional learning throughout the year.

Here are some of the videos they made:





http://animoto.com/play/lf2ya5qf9tLTj027Wu76Yg

http://animoto.com/play/hqumlE1EeTxMwCch7da8ag

http://animoto.com/play/bkxAN0TQyMLO77k5cWLJiA

http://animoto.com/play/2DLxKaRwIFM4558akmDgJA

http://animoto.com/play/F0016fB58F2feHD1Ol7HrA

http://animoto.com/play/q8T4L0Os079poJa9qLXLQw 

#edcampusa Experience

I discovered that I only really blog after I have been so inspired that my mind is still turning hours later after an experience. Today after a two year hiatus, it has happened again because.... I have attended my first Edcamp.

Since I have taken my position as the state department, I found myself in a different part of the playing field in education. Attending conferences was no longer about bringing something back to my classroom but bringing something back to the state. To be honest, there was not a conference I attended that really help me in my role.... until today.

The USDE Edcamp was different. The topics discussed included how to include all educators in social networking so we could all be connected. One idea that was shared by the edcampers is to start the movement of state involvement. This means having SDE know what is going in districts and schools, not just policy. The state has this stigma of being unreachable and I want to change that.

No matter what happens in the future, the SDE will always have to monitor policy and ensure compliance but there has to be a middle ground in which we are still connected to the classrooms and to each other.

My one take away from #Edcampusa is to connect to other state departments, share ideas, and start the State Edcamp Movement.

Learn Now, Lecture Later: New and Emerging Classroom Models

This is my first official at ISTE2012 and it was a last minute choice. I usually do not go to session that are sponsored by a particular company because the information is generally skewed. However, I want to see emerging classroom models and hopefully be able to adapt and apply to my classroom.

There is a panel discussion with superintendents/directors from various districts. During the introduction, one of the gentlemen said, "We do not teach pencils we teach writing, we need to think of technology the same way".

What technology are you using most often in your district?

• 1:1 laptops/netbooks
• Students need to own their work and sharing does not allow that. 
•  Blogs
•  Encouraging students to write about what they read, increased student finishing books.

 What are teachers doing with the technology?

• Hand-On projects
• Groups projects
• Independent study
• Distance/virtual learning
• One-on-one tutoring

How is the shift away from lecturing affecting the way they learn?

• Students like to use the same resources (cell phones) in school and outside of school. 
• Student ownership
• Keep students "plugged in" during school.

What technologies does faculty need?

• Laptop/netbook
• Working technology-professional development

 "We do not take our crayons and put them all in one room, there are available in every classroom. That is how computers should be in the school dispersed, throughout, not in a computer lab"
How is technology transforming student learning?

Technology Coaches and Professional Learning Communities - Look at the research. What has been done, what works?

What does the research say?

ISTE Leadership Symposium

There are representatives from all over the world represented at the leadership symposium, representing educational technology.

Michael Fullan is a guest speaker here and I always find interesting to actually hear someone speak after I have read their work. I read Michael Fullan's work during my JHU/ISTE administration certification program. Michael Fullan - Engage Students.


Designing Learning Environments
(Jonathon Bergmann)

• Engaging - Hands On - Active Classroom
• Must start with the pedagogy.
• What is best use of my face-to-face class time?

Flipped Classroom in Elementary School:

• "B-Ba-Bat"
• Math Concepts
• Model reading strategies 

I thought the session was informative but skewed toward flipped classrooms and thought it should have been a more rounded discussion about best practices for designing. Great information about the flipped classroom.



Resources:

http://leadershipsymposium2012.iste.wikispaces.net/
http://learningspacetoolkit.org/