I have been troubleshooting for a few people on how to get onto the blog to be able to post. You will have to accept the invitation from "Trish" that came to your school email account yesterday. Click on the blue link that you see first. It should take you to the site. If you do not have a google account- it will ask you to create one. You might have to do that first before it will let you connect to the blog. There is a time limit and if you do not connect to the blog soon- it will time out. If that happens- email me and I will resend an invite.
I am excited about the blog and I hope this develops into a site where we can all share our ideas and develop into a staff of a Single Culture of doing what is best for our kids. We are all very talented and care so much for our students- if we put all our ideas, strategies, and resources together- how can our students fail?
Check out Staton's class blog. Her kids made it yesterday. It is a good example of how this can be used in your classroom.
Trish
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If you would like to visit my class blog, the website is
ReplyDeletehttp://5thgradereaders.blogspot.com
We are going to write about not only what we read, but things that happen at school: guest speakers, assemblies, field trips, etc. The kids are super excited and are looking forward to your comments!
I can't wait to read it. I am sure it will be super interesting- from the kid's point of view.
ReplyDeleteLet's make sure that we are inviting, sharing and encouraging everyone to take part. To force will result in resentment or a nicer term would be opposition (not so nice after put in print). Modeling is the best policy. So perhaps, each week or rather than F2F (meeting face to face) a question can be posed specifically to a team or to the entire body. To expect (wish or want) technology use in the 21st century, someone has to take the initiative to step into a classroom or two and model what technology in classrooms looks like. Staff Development works effectively not so much from presentation (though some will grasp that way), but by actually showing how it's used and then by allowing the learner to use with thoughtful, constuctive support.
ReplyDeleteWhat ongoing support is available to assist teachers in the implementation of 21st century tools?
Are we ready for a Teacher's Academy geared in this direction?
If staff would like to see what others are doing or have done.....
wsfcs.pbwiki.com/Blogs
I agree as far as using encouragement and modeling rather than force...and please know that this Blog is optional...I just thought it would be a good place to start conversations and share ideas. There is no list being checked off-to see who is blogging...can't tell who most of you are anyway due to the "fun names".
ReplyDeleteI also agree on the sharing of ideas and modeling the use of technology in the classrooms. I was thinking of that this morning when I was reflecting on this week. I was wondering how we could set it up to do some sharing. I know several teachers are using fantastic strategies with not just technology but with SIOP, and Marzano's as well. Some are incorporating all of it in very effective lessons.
What do you think would be most effective?..1) Arrange for teachers to visit a teacher who is doing the technology to observe...or 2.) Arrange for the teacher to model the lesson in the observing teachers class...3.) Set it up so that the two may team teach together. Or, a combination of all three? Any better ideas? Could we incorporate some of our planning day or some of our learning team time to observe?
Another thought I had was to spend 5-10 minutes of our staff meetings sharing ideas and/or sample lessons.
Part of the discussion that came from this week's staff development meeting was the desire to sit and share ideas without an agenda at a few of our meetings. I think we could take some time in each of our staff meetings and have the last 15-20 minutes for vertical "conversations"- where the only criteria would be to discuss the "good" things that are happening in our classrooms with technology, Marzanoe's, etc.
I also heard some discussions on the need for updated tech training on the technology we have available in our building. We could arrange a few afternoons in the technology lab for refreshers or for new topics- all I need are ideas of what kind of help you want. It would be optional but for tech credit. Suggestions? Please email me if you are interested in pursueing (sp?) it this spring and what topics.
We will also have to decide this year what we want for Staff Development for next year in addition to the three Marzano Strategies. I think some more technology training would be good and we could set it up to be some lab time, observation time, and modeling/ team teaching as well. Hopefully between the three instructional strategies- it will hit on everyone's learning styles and stick. We will discuss this further in SIT as the year progresses so be thinking about this need as well.
Thanks for all the comments. They have been both informative and energizing.