What Works in the Elementary CAN Work in High School...

This year I have an opportunity to be involved in almost every phase of teaching (Pre-school through 12th). My week often includes visiting TK classrooms and Alternative classrooms, Pre-school classrooms and high school physics classrooms, 4th grade classrooms and high school Art classrooms. With these visits and interactions I also take time to reflect on the teaching dynamics that are going on. One thing I am noticing over and over again... students who are responsible for their own learning learn more. That being said I have been doing some research and came up with a book called 'the daily 5' written by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. It is based on fostering literacy in the elementary grades. Interesting thing is by using the ideas in the book students become independent learners and it works. Now instead of going into every detail and example I jump to a larger thought of ... Could this work with junior high and high school students in core and elective classes? The idea used is to break learning into 7 to 10 minute teacher centered instruction and then let the students (through various independent learning activities) work for 30 minutes, coming back together to reteach or teach other concepts. If you are interested in details read the book, I hope you do. Then think how would this work in Algebra, Health, and Chemistry. I think many quality teachers are using this idea but I think more need to use it with older students. Well????

Educational Possibilities and Facilities

Time to think more than outside the box...

think inside the mind!

What should education look like in this time and space... and in the next 100 years.

Yes I said 100 years.

Do the same thinking and planning the people who built the buildings that today we are replacing.

Challenge ideas that dictate schedules, grades, staff, learning needs, buildings, transportation, budgets, and everything!!!

Video - Should kids be driving alone?

Video - Should kids be driving alone?

Alternative Schools an Alternative for What?

Alternative schools are about providing an alternative to the traditional high school environment. Do they really or do they just move students from one non-successful environment to another one that does not provide the rigid antiquated settings. Does the new alternative environment require a student to do more than breathe to get the diploma? When students are not required to attend as often, be on time (regular school hours), and do not complete the entire subject area studies, is that an alternative for what? Is it really helping students or just helping the schools graduation rates. Does life after graduation provide and alternative for students now adults who are not successful? Very rarely.... Instead of offering 'Alternative Schools' why don't we provide 'Alternative Teachers and Administrators'. Does that not make more sense?

Do you still really enjoy working with kids?

Do you still really enjoy working with kids? Teaching them new things, getting excited about things that excite them, listening to them, caring about their learning, caring about them, enjoying just being their teacher? I ask myself that everyday and yes I do. The day that I don't is the day I will find a new job. I will not stay for the insurance benefits, I will not stay for the paycheck, I will not stay just to have a job to go to. I hope that all educators continually review why they became a teacher and why they still teach. Students can tell if a teacher or administrator is not in it for them. I don't want my child to be stuck in a classroom with a teacher who does not want to be there. I don't want to be stuck in a school with educators who don't want to be there. So the question might also be how can an educator continue to keep that spark of enjoyment alive? It is not easy.... give me your ideas?

Public Relations and Public Schools

PR is used by politicians, celebrities, businesses, and almost everyone in the public eye or needs to be in the public eye. Do public schools need the same type of PR?

Advertisements at the local movie theaters in between shows.

Advertisements on bill boards on the highways.

Advertisements on local cable stations.

Advertisements on radio.

Advertisements at malls.

Advertisements on Face Book and Youtube

And if PR is needed where , when , how much, and who should be responsible for it?

Pay Attention

Teachers often ask students to 'Pay Attention'. Paying attention is an important part of learning. Segway to the world of the consumer ... when a company wants you to buy a product they pay for your attention by buying adds on TV, Facebook, newspapers, and many other sources. It works as indicted by how many adds we see in the world around us. Now take the concept of learning, paying attention, and paying for attention to the world of a secondary student. Studies show that students are engaged by technology. The first payment that can be made for the attention of the student is making a computer available . Computer use at school is limited as to the number of the available and scheduled times of use. To expand on the paying for student attention through technology 1 to 1 programs are the next step. Students can pay attention (be engaged) 24/7. Next to use the curriculum to promote learning by funneling the curriculum through the lap top. Staff will need to have time to learn the technology that needs to be used and then be given the time to adapt and create curriculum. So let's start paying attention to paying attention!!! Special thanks to Justin Tarte for the blog topic idea.

Alternative Schools

I am excited to be part of the creation of an Alternative School for the Prairie Valley Community School District. Why am I excited?

- The alternative school will be shared with three school districts and includes a partnership with a community college.

- The alternative school concept is needed in the school district and fills a hole that had to be outsourced previous to this year.

- I will be involved in the initial building of a learning environment that is different from the environment that has been offered to high school students at this point.

- The staff that are involved are wonderful to work with and engaged in the idea of the importance of the alternative school.

- The students and parents who are enrolled are excited with the opportunity that are being offered.

- I am excited that the Alternative School will make it possible for students that have not found success in the traditional high school setting can be successful, graduate, and achieve what ever they dream .

Any resources, ideas, or comments are welcome !

Professional Development or Pure Drudgery

Another school year is about to begin and as always they begin with teacher professional development days. State required and for the most part teacher pure drudgery. I could elaborate as to why this is so and site endless examples and sources but time to move past the obvious and look into the future.
What would happen if professional development planning could think outside the box...literally the physical box of the school building. Technology is here and it is time to use it with teaching staff in the same way it is being developed and used with students. Here is an example of a professional development using a technology mind set....
Staff arrive (not in the school building or classroom but at a site of choice ie. home, library, business, out of district school, student home,etc.)
Staff get on line and open a google document and begin the district wide learning plan.
Staff interact with other staff , parents, students, businesses, schools via chat lines, blogs, skype, twitter and record input on google docs.
Information is shared, lead team organizes the information into a wiki page which all share holders can access and add to.
Next professional development day roles are rotated, sites are rotated, and previous information is evaluated as to a plan to continue with the district wide learning plan.
Now I know I have probably not used all the correct technology resources available. I also know that making sure that computer access is key to success. I also know that if we want to enable students to learn via technology educators have to use it to teach and train their own. It is just common sense! 1 to 1 technology should be starting with educators so let's start!!!

SAM I AM....

I start an new phase in my life and job this school year 2010-11. I am now the official School Administrative Manager. What will I do? I have a list of possibilities. What I hope I will do is be a manager of possibilities.

-Possibilities for administrators to work more closely with true educational leadership roles such as teacher to student skills, research based concepts, curriculum based instruction, evaluation techniques, community and parent relationships, professional development, learning teams, technological advances... the list goes on.

-Possibilities that create an environment for all students to graduate and excel through alternative educational programs. -Possibilities to maintain and create safe learning environments through programs such as Warrior Pack, PBIS, and Character Counts.

-Possibilities to aid teachers in student transitions and resources for information and support.

- Possibilities to report and promote the school districts status as to quality teaching as indicated by state mandated test scores.

- Possibilities to be involved with all administration, teachers and students TK through 12th grade...the best possibility that I could ask for.

I will definitely miss the teaching classroom experience that I have enjoyed for so long. I am thankful for all that these experiences have given me throughout the years. I look forward to the challenge that awaits me as a SAM...yes I am!!!

BLOGGING ALONE....

So many blogs so little time. Even if your blog gets read it isn't catchy enough or relative enough to comment on. Maybe the reader just does not know how to put into words what they want to say. Of maybe I am just kidding myself that people are reading this blog. It is like being the popular kid at blog school or the outsider. I find it interesting that teachers and professors make assignments that students must blog and usually if you want points it has to be their blog. Then they brag about how popular the blog site is getting. How many hits is important in the blogsphere even if the hits are meaningless and were required for the course. This could all be chalked up to blogenvy. Perhaps and perhaps I could require students to read this blog. No I won't do that. Maybe I do not utilize the promotional end of blogging and I should be attaching my blog to every facebook wall posting, every e-mail sent out, and even my youtube account. I could do that ... but would feel even worse if I still did not capture blog readers. So I guess I continue to blog alone...talking to myself...discussing topics of interest to me...making an efforst to share ideas and converstations. Self evaluation through blogs in similar to blog journaling. Nothing bad can really come of it and something good might be found among the rambling. My thought for the day is how social networks, blogs, chat rooms, and technology sites can be very lonely for a lot of people who never get responded to. What do they have to give up to get the attention they desire from this informational technology venue? Some post outrageous videos, some lie about who the are and change their personality, and some try to post controversial topics to rope bloggers in....

AIS Teaching...Let's Talk About It Please

ART Teachers, Music Teachers, Home Ec. Teachers, Voc. Tech. Teachers, P.E. Teachers

Not Core Curriculum...Not Tested in standardized Tests....Not Needed!!!!

Teaching has stressed and is still stressing the importance of core subjects. The core subjects have always included Math, Reading, Literature, Science, and Social Studies. The adoption of the 'Iowa Core Curriculum' and '21st Century Skills' again reforces the importanc of core subjects. In-service programs and faculty meetings are planned for these core subjects because that it what the state is testing students in (ITED, ITBS). NCCLB is evaluating schools on these scores in the core areas. Why are school districts even waisting tax payers money on the special classes such as art and music? The monies used for those 'extra' classes would provide valuable time and services to students that would help directly test scores. Student/teacher ratios would be smaller, more technology could be purchased and used, and the entire curriculum could be fine tuned. What are we waiting for ... get the pink slips out!!!
Or are these extra classes Important to students and their education? Do they engage students who would quit school ? Do the classes seem more differentiated? Do the classes teach something not evaluated in standardized tests...creativity?

Facebook, friend or ignore...

Facebook is a social network that has become a prominent technological issue in student life.

Facebook builds relationships, some good, some okay, and some bad.

Questions I have...

1. Should students be encouraged to be involved in facebook? Why or why not?
2. Should parents and community be encouraged to be involved in facebook? Why or why not?
3. Should school staff be encouraged to be involved in facebook? Why or why not?
4. Should school administrators be encouraged to be involved in facebook? Why or why not?

Feel free to answer one of the questions above, create your own question, or just comment on the entire idea of social networking using facebook and how it relates to education.

Why I post ...Why I blog...

Why I post?

Because I can. Because it makes me put my thoughts in order. Because having my thoughts posted terrifies me.

Why I blog?

Because I can. Because I get to read other ideas and thoughts and make sense out of them , or not. Because when I blog the postings and blogs often comfort me to know that others are trying to make sense and order out of their thoughts.

Now why do you post?

Why do you blog?