I hope to come out at the end of this with a clearer view of where I’m going, how I plan to get there, and what I want to say about it.

In the meantime, you’ll still see new links appear in the “Links I’ve Checked Out Lately” and the “How-To/Tutorials” sections at the top of this page.

In response to Scott McLeod’s call for contributions to Leadership Day 2009, here are my ideas for how school leaders can help themselves and their staffs begin to find some answers to those questions.

• First, I think there should be a distinction between the idea of technology integration and the tools or resources used to achieve it.  ISTE’s Technology Standards for Administrators is a good place to start when looking at the idea. I had the privilege of participating in one of the groups that helped to refine the language in the latest edition of these standards.  To me, one of the key ideas can be found in standard 1a which states that administrators need to “engage in an ongoing process to develop, implement, and communicate technology-infused strategic plans aligned with a shared vision.” There isn’t a one-time answer to the problem. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.  It shouldn’t be randomly started and stopped.  It is okay not to have all the answers at one time. As you learn more, you will be able to refine your technology plan to match that shared vision.
• Why bother? The world is changing. The way the business world works is changing. The way the scientific world does work is changing. The way we live in modern culture is changing.  As educators, we need to change how we do business as well.  Students are saavy enough to see that their time in school is different the “real” world. Most use technology in outside of school, but that doesn’t mean they know how to use that technology to extend learning, extend thinking, or be creative.
• What about the problems? Yes, you’ll have to repair or replace equipment. Don’t you replace books? Yes, you’ll need to invest in time and moey to educate yourself and your staff.  Don’t you keep up on education news, trends, and provide professional development in other areas? Yes, there are ways students can get to sites you don’t approve of and find ways to cheat. Students break all kinds of rules every day in your school. Learn about the copyright, fair use, and Creative Commons, and then teach students about digital citizenship.  If we don’t, who will? Give students more real, engaging, meaningful experiences with technology in the curriculum and they will have less interest in getting around the rules and filters.
• Ready for more?  Talk to members of your staff who are more comfortable with technology, talk to students about what technologies they use and what bothers them about not being able to use mote technology in school. Think about your own life. How is your own use of technology different than it was one year ago, five years ago, or ten years ago.

The truth is that the target isn’t really moving. It’s more a matter of deciding you actually want to hit it in the first place.  If we are serious about standards, differentiation, and engagement; school administrators must take the lead learning about what target looks like and helping themselves and their staffs take aim.

• Technology is now and will continue to be a critical component in students’ ability to attain jobs and thrive in the workplace.  Duh!
• Ethics and moral responsibility are coming back into fashion. Yay! Are we doing enough to teach them about online citizenship, rights, and responsibilities?
• We’re all going to have to take responsibility for our benefits and retirement. Are we preparing all students with useful math skills?   Are we allowing them to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to make decisions that will affect them in the long-term?
• Work times, places, and structures are becoming more flexible.  Are we allowing students to develop the critical thinking skills to make decisions that affect them in the short-term?
• Retirement may become a thing of the past. Do students develop a strong work-ethic?
• Green is the way to be. Do our students really understand why, so it isn’t only a fashion?

Even though we don’t have a crystal ball to show us exactly what students will see when they enter the workforce, we can do a lot to make sure they have at least some of the fundamental skills necessary. Many of us will still be in the workforce when those students enter it also.  I wonder if we’ll be ready?

Next comes our leap into the use of iPods in the classroom. Next year, we’ll be fortunate enough to have a few small sets of iPod Nanos which will be used primarily in connection with reading (at least at first) in several classrooms.  Once again, the “cool” factor has hit. Everyone wants them.  Who is willing to do what it takes to use them effectively?  Who is willing to do the pre and post assessments, participate in the trainings (budget = no extra pay), and manage the equipment?

Patience.
Persistence.
We’ll get there

I’ve been trying to figure out which grant I can apply for to get a set myself.  Recently, my administrator came to me to let me know that there are some funds that will disappear if we don’t use them before the end of the year. She wants to purchase a set of iPods with all the necessary equipment before the end of the school year.  Yippee!!

But wait…what happens after we get them?  My fear is that they will end up abused or stuck in a box and forgotten like so many other things. Training has to be included in new technology decisions (and many other decisions as well).  Next year, budgets will be tighter than tight. Whether by finding money, or by requiring teachers attend training to get use of the equipment, it needs to happen.  As much as I want this equipment on campus, I don’t wanted the money and opportunity wasted.

Stay tuned…

When I got home, several issues became much more important. One friend was going through surgery and wasn’t sure whether or not the cause was cancer (it isn’t).  Another friend with stage 4 cancer, was going through a second round of surgery and was having a very difficult time physically and emotionally. In addition, a large number of the staff I work with received pink slips.  While some may have theirs rescinded, many others likely won’t.

Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at what is really important. Twitter, Plurk, and blogs were normally a regular part of my day.  For several weeks, I set them aside.  Sometimes real, face-to-face life is more important.  With all that we do with kids and technology, I hope we’re remembering to include that aspect as well.

Like so many others, neither my workplace nor my personal budget allows me to go to all the learning opportunities I would like to.  With the PLN I’ve developed in Nings, Twitter, Plurk, Diigo, etc., I have been able to join in on amazing conversations, class sessions, collaborative projects, and lectures from around the globe. Interactive learning isn’t constrained by my budget.  It only prevents my ability to always be there in person.

Now I’m thinking about how to help students (almost all very low income) to take advantage of opportunities like these now and in the future.

A Couple of Tools to Start

• Skype/VoIP – Hopefully we’ll be able to do this at school soon to communicate with others from our classroom.

• Wiki – Collaboration and sharing, even at an elementary level, is very possible through wikis

A Few Skills to Learn and Keep

• Digital Safety and Responsibility – Lessons here are needed to help students learn how to take advantage of learning opportunities without violating someone else’s rights or having their own rights violated.
• Critical Thinking Skills – It’s all well and good to learn and collaborate more, but it’s not very valuable unless you take the time to really think about and evaluate the information.
• Manners – Be open to listening. Think carefully before you criticize. Be ready to disagree if that’s how you feel, but do so with respect.

Regardless of how you feel about the outgoing president, I hope you’ll agree that we, as educators, should be working hard to make sure students have a sufficient grasp of word attack skills, vocabulary, idioms, etc. to be taken seriously and seen as intelligent, educated individuals.  Below are a few resources that can help.  Several sites are aimed primarily at those learning English as a second language, but would be useful even for native English speakers.  For more, check out  Larry Ferlazzo’s blog.  It’s one of my favorites for these kinds of resources.

LessonWriter – Create language arts lessons from any digital text.
Free Rice – A measure of rice is donated to the UN World Food Program for each correctly identified  vocabulary word.  Now other subjects are available as well.
Using English – Includes vocabulary, grammar, verbs, idioms and more.
http://rea.ccdmd.qc.ca/ri/Expressions – Here you can learn the meaning of given idioms.  You can also find equivalents in Spanish or French.
Journey North – Journey North includes vocabulary lessons to coordinate with their migratory wildlife activities.
Word Central – This Merriam-Webster sites provides several ways for students to practice their vocabulary skills.
WordGirl – from PBS Kids

Don’t “misunderestimate” your students.  Together, we can work to help them improve their use of the English language. You might just learn something along the way as well.

I was just tagged by JoNelle Gardner in the meme going around the education blog circles called “Seven Things”.

Here are the rules:
* Link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog.
* Share seven facts about yourself in the post – some random, some weird.
* Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
* Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or Twitter and/or Plurk.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Well, here goes…

1. Before teaching I was in Public Relations/Marketing for a fraternal insurance company.  While going to school full-time, I worked full-time to pay my way through school. I took a job as a receptionist, but after a couple of months I managed to talk my way into a PR/Marketing position. I finally completed my degree, but thanks to a mortgage and because I was taking care of my mom, I couldn’t afford to quit my job to pursue teaching.  After nine years and a painful layoff, I went back for my credential. I guess it all worked out after all. I’m so happy I had that corporate experience.
2. As a kid I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to be a teacher or a chef. My mom started teaching my brother and I to cook when we were about 5, and I was cooking family dinners 4-5 nights a week by middle school. I still love to cook, but I know that there is no way I could hack it in a professional restaurant kitchen.
3. I’m loose-jointed. Wish it meant I was Cirque du Soleil limber. Sadly, it just makes for joints that snap, crackle, pop, and lock a little more than I’d like.  In the second grade when I broke my arm, the doctor had a really hard time setting it because the elbow doesn’t sit the way it should. Thankfully, since I inhereited the trait from mom, she showed him how it should go. I wonder what would have happened if he had had to figure it out on his own.
4. While I was working in PR/Mktg, I also volunteered as an adult-literacy tutor and worked as a tutor trainer throughout the county. It was my way of both giving back to the community and teaching before getting into the classroom full-time.
5. I’m still scared by the flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz. I’ve seen the movie many, many times and even read the books as a kid, but those monkeys just aren’t right.
6. My photo was used in brochures and I “starred” in a public service announcement for the San Diego County Council on Literacy. Mind you I’m no model or actress by any stretch of the imagination.  They only used me because minority tutors were in very short supply.  I cringe whenever I run across either piece.
7. My faith is important to me. It isn’t something that I completely understand or can explain, but faith is a critical part of who I am.

That’s it for me. How about you?

Scott Shelhart

Dan McDowell

Cory Plough

Chris Bell

Steve Hargadon -Though likely you’ve been tagged already, just had to do it.

It was a reminder that technology integration doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.  Something as simple as having students take pictures can be incredibly valuable.  Photos can be used in any curriculum area and adapted to any grade and ability level. When students have control of the camera, or even choosing online photos, there can be a meaningful connection. That connection can make learning possible.