Sunday, May 19, 2013

A year in pictures!

 It's the last week of school.  I tried to write a great ending to the story, but I'm going to let the story tell itself.
                                           Cafe and Daily Five
                                            DC Parade - who knows?

                           
                                              National Storytelling Festival Jonesborough, TN
                                                      Traveling
Doc Watson Merle Fest - Boone, NC

                                                small groups
                                                 2nd graders reading with Kindergarten
                                                 Langston - 2 months old

                                                        Don't get rolled over
                                                            science fair
         

                                            Grow your own food!
Kindergarten graduation - 100's of smiles!
                                                 Carmen Deedy and my daughter
                                                        yes, I like cookies!
                                                         Plan to read!



School years are very precious.  We wish them away in the heat of the battle, but we should cherish each day whether good or bad.  21st century tools make it very easy to chronicle that journey.  This blog was an attempt to improve my writing skills and 21st educator skills.  If I have to assess myself I would give myself an A for not follow the rules and a C for organization.  I started because I was struggling with how to balance the school and home life, I didn't always stay on topic.  I did wander as I always do, but it's that how we learn.  I've experimented with a lot of 21st tools, twittered with a lot of interesting people, and read some of the best written blogs in my life.  It's hard to believe the talent in the educational world that we just give away for free.  I plan on using pinterest, twitter, and my blog to continue my education online and I'm sorry to say that I think I learned more this year than going back to school.  Yes, I know I need my Phd.
One last thought for the school year. Above is a picture of my garden in early spring, it takes constant attention to have a steady crop of something to eat.  You have to protect the soil, water, watch for insects, it know exactly when to plant(timing is every thing), and constantly experiment with different plants.  It's real easy to grow tomatoes and cucumbers.  Black beans, swiss chard, garlic, onions, sugar snap peas, sweet potatoes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, black eyed peas, collard greens, mint, parsley, lettuce, carrots, beets, kale, and broccoli can be a challenge.  However, that  challenge is what makes life fun and exciting.  Every teacher has a wide variety of students with a wide variety of needs and when we reach out in an exciting thought provoking way we will reap the harvest of life long learning for all.
I've had over 800 views this year and thanks to everyone that participated in my journey.

Be the change you wish to see in the world!

1. organize my pictures better!
2. take better pictures of all events
3. make sure you are having fun everyday!

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Excited about STEM!



What gets you excited about being a teacher? or being a school leader? Student engagement - teacher engagement - Last week I had the opportunity to take a teacher to tour a STEM school, she left excited with ideas.  I believe in project based learning it creates student engagement.  18 years ago I attended an AIMES workshop and it helped me revolutionize my classroom because it gave me resources to pull off my ideas weekly.  It's very easy to forget how much time it takes to create project based lessons, but once you do it they become easier every year.  I hope to use STEM certification to create that same revolution at our school.  Below is some resources I found to help you research the idea of STEM in your classroom.

Check out Henderson Hill Elementary School in Atlanta

Engineering is Elementary


PBS teachers resources


Discovery Education Common Core Academies



Sunday, May 5, 2013

It's May and you need a reason!

Watch this video, 7 minutes and 48 seconds - for some last three weeks of school inspiration.



I would like to thank every teacher for what you do because you make a difference and you can change our society.
Thank you

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Don't plan the summer without reading this blog!


The purpose of this blog today is to convince teachers to start an online professional learning network this summer.  Many wonderful bloggers have written on the same subject and I started to just give a link to those sites, but instead I want to share my own personal PLN story.  My journey begins with a strong desire to learn and find ways to do my job better.  People being lifelong learners is something I believe in with all my heart.  I ENJOY learning and I think the path to creating a PLN will be rewarding for all educators who love to learn. If someone is in education and doesn't love to learn, something is seriously wrong, right?  

Back to my journey . . . I want to discover new things and find out about what other educators are doing.  The school where I work offers plenty to do without planning any extras.  Many opportunities abound to tackle behavior, help families and trouble-shoot technology.  At times I feel like a highly educated repair man more than anything else.  What happened to lifelong learning, teaching, guiding teachers through observations, helping design lessons, creating better math interventions, doing math interventions, and transforming our school?  I long for that kind of progress.  The timing hasn't been quite right to begin a Phd and an online degree from a faraway school doesn't feel engaging to me.  Instead for now, I've turned to Twitter.  I had heard about people using Twitter for professionals reasons rather than reading posts about the latest trend in shoe styles.  So I signed up and started following different educators.  I looked for principals that were writing about experiences and best practices.  I quickly found that Twitter was a place to drive traffic to a blog.  I couldn't believe all the great writing I found on educational blogs.  I even started reading a math blog from Finland!  I felt invigorated about professional learning again.  No one was complaining and everyone was writing about great experiences going on in schools. Even though I thought I was doing all I could, I discovered that I really was only keeping the boat afloat rather than actively guiding the ship.  
Daily life in school can pull someone in many directions.  Students are a challenge to manage at times and the constant grind of the school day wearing.  I like to compare it to an actor being on stage 6 hours a day 5 days a week with an audience that can't leave.  

An infusion of connections with similar professionals fighting the same battles is very refreshing!  Educators who tackle the same issues and make progress offer hope that problems can be solved. So I started reading Tweets and going to links, but I still wasn't fully connected.  I thought Twitter was about developing a group with the same interests and communicating regularly.  Then I discovered the hastag #gaed and the experience on Twitter became a different thing altogether.  Every Thursday night at 8:00 PM I jump on Twitter and talk with regulars who show up in a feed on a particular topic related to education.  There is even a parent at our school that is a teacher at another school on the hashtag --someone I've personally met.  These people comment on my posts, I on theirs, and new people start following me.  One day I even received a tweet from State Superintendent, John Barge!  My wife, a librarian, posted about books and received replies from award-winning authors.  Never before has the ability to connect and communicate with the source of information been so great.  My daughter was doing a research  paper and read an article. She then emailed the researcher and received detailed information in return. Because I value learning, discovering the power of online learning is exciting to me.  

Next, I decided that I wanted a blog so that I could truly communicate ideas and learning.  I talk with many superstar educators by reading their blogs and commenting back to them.  The flow of ideas is so powerful it could actually make a difference with a challenging issue being worked out the next day. My blog over the last few months has been directed at motivation and I've come to the conclusion that people are motivated by what makes them happy.  Of course that seems really simple, but that's really it.  Watching a favorite program on TV, sitting on the porch with family, going to a bluegrass festival, reading or whatever it may be . . .  Learning is what makes me happy and it's why I became a teacher.  I BELIEVE in life long learning and I can still become better at most anything in my 40s and beyond.  My motivation for using Twitter is that my Professional Learning Network (PLN) will help me learn. Another motivation for writing a blog is to learn to be a better writer. It's inspiring to see people discussing how they are making improvements in their professional lives that make them better educators and leaders.  People on Goodreads sharing about books, teachers sharing experiences with BYOT, principals sharing experiences of working with parents, and of course, what to do about common core. 

Still reading? That means maybe I'm making a convincing case for starting a Professional Learning Network!  I suggest setting up 4 sites on the internet.   A blog to write about learning and problem solving, Pinterist to share visuals, Edmodo for parents, and a Twitter account to connect with professionals. The first pledge has to be to connect as a professional and share ideas just as much as borrowing them.  Be a producer of knowledge, not just a consumer!
  
Read the following link and watch the TED video.
Think like a leader, because everyday teachers lead 20 to 30 students into the future. Malcom Gladwell's book, Outliners, begins with a story about an exceptional community of healthy people.  A community virtually absent of heart disease.  Medical researchers landed on this community to figure out how it had happened.  Surely it was the diet, exercise, or genetics.  What they found out is that this community made up of immigrants from the same town in Italy, were a tight knit community that never stopped communicating with each other.  They had more civic organizations than the average community and families supported each other.  My professional learning network will become a version of that group for me.  Yes, it will mainly be online but that is the reality of the 21st century. It seems like a healthy community to me!

One more link to help you get started Tips for Twitter.
Good Luck and you can follow me @stanlearn on Twitter.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Wagging puppy tails

I started to take the week off from posting, but my goal has been to post every week until I decide to stop.  My focus on motivation has taken me through three books:
Mastery by Robert Greene
The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg
The WillPower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal
I'm still reading The Willpower Instinct but I've come to a conclusion about motivation.  Motivation is the desire for happiness.  The question and confusion comes with the word happiness.
Students walk into your room with different definitions of happiness: playing video games for hours, playing out side with no goal just enjoying whatever happens, watching Tv, eating, reading, and the list could go on and on.  As educators we have to create an environment that makes school part of happiness.  Langston is our new puppy and he just turned 5 months old.  He seems to enjoy everything and especially eating, he seems to be happy.  I ran today, that made me happy.  It was the first time in five months I ran without pain!
Every Monday start your morning off asking about their weekend.  This time should be like the Ozzie and Harriet dinner time.  One student talks the others listen and have them repeat their classmates thoughts.  Truly engage in each student and have them learn to engage in each other, teach everyone to be present in the moment.  One year I had a little girl tell me every Monday that she went to Golden Corral for lunch after church on Sunday.  That was a very respectable event for her family and she was proud of being able to go out to eat.  Food was always her motivator.  This may seem funny but that piece of knowledge can get you over mountains.  Knowing who is playing sports, taking dance, wishing for a new bike, family is getting a divorce, family having a baby, relative moving in, step brother moving in, staying up to late and the list goes on.  They give you the information you need to read their actions and thoughts.  Yes, it takes time but it's worth every minute of it, if you create a risk free environment, and allow students to speak you may become their motivator.
Give the above books a try and find out what makes you happy, it may change your career.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Real reform - Educators treated like doctors and lawyers







Reform that might actually change something!


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/13/opinion/teachers-will-we-ever-learn.html?pagewanted=all

Everyone in education needs to read the above article and send it to your congress person. I believe I wrote something very similar when I was in graduated school about solutions for education.  Reform is focused in the wrong place.  Policy makers are trying to reform classrooms when they need to reform the system.  I would add one comment.  All parents should be required by law to attend a student led conference twice during the year.  All parents should be required to attend training sessions to understand the common core curriculum.
Tell me what you think about the article.

Friday, April 5, 2013

How much persuasion goes into motivation?

Below is a 12 minute video on the science of persuasion.  I'm interested in how you can use the principles of this video to increase student motivation in your classroom.  Tell me what you think.






Thursday, April 4, 2013

Beverly Hall and the Game of Thrones

After watching Game of Thrones I understand Beverly Hall's thinking a little better. There is nothing else but success and if you can't win by following the rules make up your own. It really doesn't matter if she is convicted or not the damage is done. 90% of her principals left or were fired and scores increased in percentages that just aren't possible. I'm sorry something wasn't right. I hate to judge but why would any public school leader have an $100,000 budget per year for travel in her district.
So what's the take away, why should anyone care about Beverly Hall?  Education can not be judge like a business that makes widgets or produces a product. If my Iphone doesn't work I can take it back to Apple. If everyone has problems their stock price may go down. If three students out of 30 fail math, is the teacher defective?
The struggle lies in how education is evaluated.  It can't be test scores, but we need a way to evaluate ourselves.  A teacher evaluation system needs to be based on science and art. Science of  motivation - What principles do you use to motivate your students?  What latest research have you read to back up your reasoning? What action research have you done over the years to evaluate your approach? The art of motivation is completely different because students are humans and humans are not the same.  The art of motivation is making theories come to life.  How would we know?  School administrators that visit your class regularly and talk with your students and parents.
The science of teaching - What pedagogy styles do you adhere too?  How do you engage, assess, differentiate, and grade your students?  Show me you data, examples of student work, and videos of student lead conferences.
One more instrument to finish off the evaluation would be business of the classroom: attendance, grading, and school paper work on time.  What type of team player are you?  What type of professional learning are you doing and plan to do?
Our evaluation system doesn't have to be so complicated to work.  Complicated systems create cheaters.  It's just like our tax code, someone will find a flaw to make the system work for them.  Simple is better.  However, simple must be ruled by smart.  The system I mentioned above will take time and lovers of education.  It will not work with managers of schools that want boxes to check and standards to rate.
Beverly Hall thought she was the Queen of the House of Atlanta city schools but she didn't protect her name.  In the Game of Thrones your name is the only thing that lives on.  You have to honor it at all cost.
Great school leaders will hardly ever make the paper.  They won't be seen smiling for awards or riding in expensive cars.  You will see them in the back of school plays, putting out extra chairs at a school concert, helping pick up trash after the football game, visiting classrooms, riding school buses, attending PTO meetings, speaking at civic organizations about the importance of education, seen at the public library, and making sure every school has the best teachers he or she can find.  Rewards will be given to teachers and students.  Education is like religion the pay off is only at the end.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Motivation - What's It All About Alfee?

What to do with a student with no inclination to do anything?   Let's say that after establishing a relationship with that student, there still isn't anything to help with motivation.  The only motivation he or she has is to sit and stare.  These students may cause few problems or cause little drama in your class.  What's plan B?  First relax, every teacher in the world has experienced this issue.  Start with a reachable goal that the student understands and can help create.  This student and his or her personal life was created under circumstances beyond control.  The student can't be allowed to give up or zap all of the teacher's energy.

I personally have had two students who had decided to completely tune out. With one I beat my head against the wall trying to change him and never got anywhere.  The other, even though she initially resisted, I was able to find a way in by making a point to connect with her daily.  I discovered this student was the neighborhood hair stylist and from that moment on everything I had her do in class was related to hair.  Hey, it was a start! I found out about her interest in hair styling in March and for the remainder of the year she was actually engaged with her learning.  Realize that your plan for this student may not be his or her plan and your attempt to exert control will leave you exhausted and the student even further entrenched.  A student's world is often different than your world and their belief structure is too.

One of our fifth grade teachers asked her students, "what is motivation?"  They wrote answers on note cards and they were very informing!

8 students listed parents or family as motivating factors.
5 students listed stuff - money, video games, candy, etc...
3 students wrote something about personal improvement.
4 students thought motivation was something about moving or movement.
1 student said she motivates herself to try hard and eat right.

We anticipated student motivation to be focused around stuff - candy, video games, money, but the majority of our students listed family - a surprise.

Through discussions with our teachers this week, it's occurred to me that maybe we've got the wrong questions. Our students have deficiencies beyond reading and math.  Educators can model and teach self-improvement, inquisitiveness, curiosity and a desire to be a positive force within family and community.  Our society is raising students differently today.  Regardless of whether the new generations methods are right or wrong, it's a fact.

How many of us take the time to think about what is motivating our students?  This week the fifth grade class was asked to think about and discuss motivation.  First, we asked, "What motivates you?"  Next, we asked, " Do you think you are born smart or you can work hard to be smart?"  Everyone agreed that you have to work to get smarter.  Wow, maybe they do get it! Still over half of the class was not able to list anything they do to improve.  Many don't meet personal AR goals or complete homework.  So, if a student believes that hard work will improve grades, why aren't they doing it?  I believe that there is a disconnect in how they see the future and the work that they are doing to prepare for that future today.  Their perception of hard work or just living is what they see family doing each day.  Since 50% of the student's motivation in the class previously mentioned comes from parents, I want to know what families are doing.  Are they struggling to pay the bills, sleeping in and not working, going to college at night, reading for pleasure, practicing an instrument, playing video games, working jobs they dislike, working three jobs, or fill in the blank?  Student perception of what life is about could be driving motivation.  Many of the students who don't seem motivated are often quick to say what they think the teacher wants to hear.  They may answer, "I come to school to learn", "I come to school to get a good job" or  "I come to school so I can go to college."  However, ask them what they want to do with their life or if they control their own destiny, and the answer is often, "I don't know".  Shoulders shrug when students have to give details of how they will fulfill their destiny.  Maybe this is too hard of a question for a fifth grader.  Why won't many students practice daily reading if they know it will increase reading level and fluency?  We could make guesses, but I have some ideas. It goes back to why I eat that second piece of cake.  I know it's not good for me, but I do it anyway.  Human nature plays a significant part in motivation.  What makes someone feel good? Perhaps it's friends, family, food, books, doing well in front of peers, doing well for the teacher, getting a compliment or being rewarded.

A major focus of mine is how to address motivation to improve classroom instruction.  We can build relationships with students so that we discover answers, thoughts, and get a feel for what may possibly drive these young individuals.  Do you tell your boss how you really feel?  Probably not, but if the relationship is a trusting one built on mutual respect, chances are you would.

As I research and think about the idea of motivation, I realize how hard it is to get answers about what motivates.  Why do some of us get it (life) right and some do not.  I've spent the last few hours at my mother in-laws.  She lives in an expensive suburban neighborhood.  Everyone has had to get something right just to buy into this comfort.  There is a peaceful, lush, 3 plus mile nature trail that Langston (my puppy) and I are exploring today. Everything is brand new to him.  Born in the winter, he's enjoying a day that is warm with birds and bees zooming overhead. We walk by a pond, he sniffs and jumps!  I imagine every one of us experiencing life for the first time.  A success or failure occurs at every moment. The response from family, friends, or something else (a feeling?) creates our motivation.  I love being outdoors. As a child I spent the majority of my days outside -- why would anyone want to be inside, right? To this day being outside makes me feel better.  That cue or link to feeling better is what I believe motivation is probably about.  Does answering a question make you feel good?  What about solving a problem?  Helping someone? Being a part of something?

Acceptance.  Most humans want to belong to a group and if they don't, something may be wrong.  Yes, we all want peace at times and may desire a short period of being alone. For some, acceptance can be stronger than doing what is right.  Gangs use acceptance to create a family where one doesn't exist.
 
How does this affect the classroom?  When students walk in they all have a preformed perception of motivation.  They have developed cues that tell them what to do. These cues likely come from the pleasure or control area of the brain.  Children have had hundreds of hours at home or in a day care to develop a response system.  That system may have been carefully developed or not thought of at all.  Some children manage by avoidance, stay out of sight and hope everything will be ok.  Some students have demands placed on them and others do not.

Classrooms should be well thought-out environments where the teacher is developing habits of the mind.  Teachers teach not only the curriculum, but how to think and learn.  Every minute of the day should be crafted to create students/people that can contribute to our society and that our society has a use for.  Sounds hokey, but we all know that the students of today are our future.

Let's go back to that classroom and start with planning. A different type of planning that I call a flow system.  No one with the exception of a robot can be expected to sit and take in information all day.  If school is an unrealistic place or if school doesn't resemble life, it will be useless to the learner.  A day developed around a system of high and low points physically and mentally is a good idea.  P.E. or recess should be used as a release point.  Also, walking around the building or going outside to read are activities that help students improve mental alertness.

Today I listen to a book while driving, talk with my family, take a long walk with my dog while continuing to listen to a book, play a game, take a short nap, and work on writing this blog.  I'm completely at ease enjoying a day.  My daughter is reading, playing frisbee, napping, and reading some more.  My wife and her mother are shopping.  The three or four year old next door is singing in the sand box.  Life is good!  How did I get to this point?  At one time in my life when I had little job experience, I would be working on Saturday or any given holiday.  I feel like I have worked hard to get where I am in life.

Back to designing that classroom.  The first question you have to ask yourself is: Do you let the the day run you or do you try to organize  and gain control the best you can? When students walk into your room is it with a clear purpose?  The morning should be a constant push to reach goals, conquer problems, and for the best teaching to occur.  After lunch is a more relaxing time of reading to students, finishing work, and doing hands-on projects. Be conscious of how much you talk.  Students learn the habit of not listening because everyone repeats instruction/directions for them.  Stop, get their attention, speak and then ask for a response.

I hope Mrs. Alexander comes up with another round of questions for her fifth graders and I plan to work with some fourth graders on behavior modification for the rest of the year. My next blog post will continue to focus on developing the classroom and helping to form habits that encourage learning and self improvement.

Ted Talks -  This link will take you to a group of Ted Talks on the creative spark.  David Kelly's talk, the second one, fits best with this blog post.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Motivation Chapter 2 - Web 2.0 and BYOT



Last week I was very proud of three members of our staff for moving into the 21st without any mandates or federal requirements.  Two of our staff members have been exploring the idea of BYOT and the other is promoting her grade through Edmodo.
 BYOT is the equivalent to the first day kids brought paper and pencil to school.  I'm sure the same conversations took place then as now.  Johnny wrote a bad word with his pencil vs. Johnny posted a negative comment about someone online.  The difference is Johnny couldn't get help with his homework or learn the next topic before you teach it.  My daughter was doing research one night and she emailed the author and she received an email back.  She was able to have communication with the actual scientist doing the research.
BYOT - Susan and Will have been true guinea pigs figuring out what works with their students and our technology.  It took us about two months to figure out the wifi connections.  All devices may not work with your wifi system just be prepared to tell some parents their device will not work on our system.  I'm not sure if there is any real answers unless we all become wifi experts.  Start simple - use timers, online dictionaries, let them record themselves reading or speaking, just don't force technology where it doesn't fit.  Slow steps allow you and the students to get comfortable with bringing their devices and it becomes normal.  The biggest step is to remember that you need to think web 2.0. How can they use these devices to communicate, collaborate, and learn?  Centers for practice is OK to start but you want to create a creator of content not a consumer.

I think the biggest eye opener for Susan and Will was the fact that they are doing about the same or probably more than other teachers.  So how did I motivate them to achieve this success?  Since I think they read this blog, I'm going to let them comment on how they were motivated to try BYOT.
Our kindergarten has started putting everything on Edmodo: newsletter, reminders, homework, spelling test, videos to help teach your student, and other resources it's awesome.  One of our biggest struggles is how to get parents involved and this is a great way.
I was very proud of our school last week because we are stepping up to join the 21st century when it comes to learning and communication.  It's slow steps for everyone but the motivation to continue is engagement.  We have to engage our parents and students the way they are engaged at home.

I'm still working on what motivates me to learn and then I will be able to create a philosophy of motivation for our students.  My daughter was doing homework on Saturday morning and I asked her why?  First she said she wanted to make good grades then later so she could go to a good college.  I wish her answer would have been, I'm studying because I want to learn about ........  Her answer was very truthful.  Educators have to change our presentation so that our students understand the usefulness of it and that they aren't doing something just for a grade.

I hope you have a balanced week.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

What is motivation? and how can we use it to improve our lives?





Motivation has always interested me.  During my adolescent years I moved around several times to places where I knew no one.  I had to think about who I was and how I wanted to present myself at the age of 12.  What was motivating me?  What was motivating everyone around me?  Why do some kids torment others? Why are some kids curious and others not?  These thoughts still puzzle me daily.  Above is a quick video from Dan Pink, he seems to have the answers to motivation at this moment in time.
 I ran today with an achy knee and then a cramp in my calf, but I still ran four miles.  What motivated that?  Running has become part of who I think I am.  I am a running and I what to run the Boston Marathon before I die.  I feel better when I run, sleep better, and my weight goes down when I run.

This post is about gathering resources to develop a better understanding of motivation.  My plan is to write a response statement on motivation, so I can talk about what I believe, why I believe it,  how we can use it in the classroom to improve education, and how administrators can use it to improve schools.
Please read some of my resources below and tell me what you think about student motivation and teacher motivation.

What do you think of Daniel Pink's motivational theory and do you have a motivational theory that you believe in?



The 3 real reasons that motivate us to work hard every day

Pink explains further that there are in fact just 3 very simple things that drive nearly each and everyone of us to work hard:
  • Autonomy: Our desire to direct our own lives. In short: “You probably want to do something interesting, let me get out of your way!”
  • Mastery: Our urge to get better at stuff.
  • Purpose: The feeling and intention that we can make a difference in the world.
What Really Motivates Workers
by Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer
Understanding the power of progress.
The Problem.
Ask leaders what they think makes employees enthusiastic about work, and they’ll tell you in no uncertain terms. In a recent survey we invited more than 600 managers from dozens of companies to rank the impact on employee motivation and emotions of five workplace factors commonly considered significant: recognition, incentives, interpersonal support, support for making progress, and clear goals. “Recognition for good work (either public or private)” came out number one.
Unfortunately, those managers are wrong.
Having just completed a multiyear study tracking the day-to-day activities, emotions, and motivation levels of hundreds of knowledge workers in a wide variety of settings, we now know what the top motivator of performance is—and, amazingly, it’s the factor those survey participants ranked dead last. It’s progress. On days when workers have the sense they’re making headway in their jobs, or when they receive support that helps them overcome obstacles, their emotions are most positive and their drive to succeed is at its peak. On days when they feel they are spinning their wheels or encountering roadblocks to meaningful accomplishment, their moods and motivation are lowest.
This was apparent in vivid detail in the diaries we asked these knowledge workers to e-mail us every day. In one end-of-day entry, an information systems professional rejoiced that she’d finally figured out why something hadn’t been working correctly. “I felt relieved and happy because this was a minor milestone for me,” she wrote, adding that her efforts to enhance a specific version of software were now “90% complete.” A close analysis of nearly 12,000 diary entries, together with the writers’ daily ratings of their motivation and emotions, shows that making progress in one’s work—even incremental progress—is more frequently associated with positive emotions and high motivation than any other workday event. For example, it was noted on 76% of people’s best days, when their reported moods were most buoyant, and on only 25% of their worst. (The exhibit “What Happens on a Great Workday?” shows how progress compared with the other four most frequently reported positive events.)

The Breakthrough Idea.
As a manager of people, you should regard this as very good news: The key to motivation turns out to be largely within your control. What’s more, it doesn’t depend on elaborate incentive systems. (In fact, the people in our study rarely mentioned incentives in their diaries.) Managers have powerful influence over events that facilitate or undermine progress. They can provide meaningful goals, resources, and encouragement, and they can protect their people from irrelevant demands. Or they can fail to do so.
This brings us to perhaps the strongest advice we offer from this study: Scrupulously avoid impeding progress by changing goals autocratically, being indecisive, or holding up resources. Negative events generally have a greater effect on people’s emotions, perceptions, and motivation than positive ones, and nothing is more demotivating than a setback—the most prominent type of event on knowledge workers’ worst days.
Links below are to explore other viewpoints of motivation:

Carol Dweck  Mind set web site

Maslow

Motivation vs Engagement

Wikipedia on motivation

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Perception and Reality

Is perception reality?  Are you busy?  Is your job too stressful? Is the country doing better economically today than five years ago?  Does my stock going up really mean I have more money?  What perception do we create? Do we create our life or does our circumstances or some greater power?
I had to spend a day this week waiting in court because of a subpoena from a discipline issue.  It was a big waste of time from my view point because no one some to be concerned that they were waiting to appear before a judge.  No one seemed concerned that they had a record now that would follow them through every application they fill out in the future.  Their perception was very different than mine.  Almost an unconscious believe that either I really didn't do anything or everything is going to be all right.  The other perception is that this is something everyone in my family goes through and I'm no different.  Wow!  This can be a scary thought because is my perception of truth the real truth.  We all exist through our perception and only rarely change or morph into anything different and education and mentors are the way that happens.
1.  Think about your reality.  If you are reading this you are probably looking for something.  You may not know what it is but you realize change is progress.
2.  I read twitter and blogs because in my business I have very few people to talk about with what I do and why?  Yes, educators are over worked, underpaid, and policies aren't written by us.  However, I'm going to work on Monday and I'm going to be better than I was last week. Time management! Discuss topics that some people would rather not hear.
3.  How do we balance different realities with our work environment.
Let's go through the list of perceptions that affect your classroom or school.
1. Federal government - Standing in the world - Not good according to PISA test
2. State government - Budget Shortfall - We spend too much money on education and the results are the same.
3. Local government - budget, Does the community really respect education/  Go to your public library and find out - then compare to the money spent on athletics.
4. District School superintendent - Do you know his or her name? What is their goals or agenda?
5. School administrators -
6. Teachers
7. Parents
8. Students
9. Community Members
10. Media
I'm sure I left out someone.
I put two links below that may help with your perception.  Your students need to be engaged and that should always be our focus.  Our perception as educators should be to seek from our students ideas that help us incorporate their perceptions into an education we know they need.  They need to be able to read, think logically, communicate, and write to express an opinion or fact.
Games in class , Inquiry Learning 
Thanks to Seth Berg, because his blog on perception helped me rewrite my mammoth blog post about my weeks experiences.
Also, I found a great slide show about why to blog the link is below!
Why blog?

I leave you with this thought - Reflect and what you do everyday with more than just yourself, because you never know what perception you are viewing the world unless you share.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

One day as an assistant principal in a high poverty elementary school.

One day as an assistant principal in a high poverty elementary school.
It's very hard to explain to people what I do everyday. Most people think I'm the guy handling when some one gets in trouble. Which in their mind rarely happens and you just call their parents and that's it.
This morning I started the day off with little sleep because I was up at 2 in the morning with my wife because she was sick.
First arrival. I have two buses with over 60 students on them. Sounds like good planning and saving money. However , the students have difficulty getting along. We have lots of bus discipline problems and a progressive discipline plan to follow. Also, calling parents about bus problems can be an all day affair because you can't get find anyone at home. Also, the fact that over crowding causes a lot of the problems in the first place. A huge tipping point happened this week because teachers decided to ride on of the buses.  I have suggested and invited teachers to do this before but never insisted they do this.  On Thursday, they saw the need from my actions.  I don't think they realize what a big step this is as a school.  Those 63 students are the hardest to reach everyday and it's going to take more than what they have done in the past.  Seeing the neighborhood and extending the bond they have with those students is super critical.  If those students can follow the rules in their class why not on the bus.  They don't realize that when I ride the bus it's not as a buddy but to get someone in trouble and I'm perceived differently at that point.  Also, I believe parents are noticing because they are coming out to meet the kids.  Normally maybe one or two guardians are out, on the second day they told me of at least 6 parents out.

Next, I have spent three days trying to get a testing results meeting scheduled and I finally got that coordinated today.  Every time they agreed to a date they would email back to change the date and then I have to contact parents which is never easy at our school.
Next I headed to second grade to do a lesson on blogging. Our Byot class - pilot program, was trying this for the first time. My idea was to read a book to them and have them commenting and answering questions in real time.  I set up the blog and tested the blog in two locations to make sure it wasn't blocked, but I didn't have time to check the lab.  Of course the lab was blocked.  We quickly adjusted and used Word instead.  Using Word worked just as well for the kids because they didn't know the difference.  I was really amazed at how engaged they were at how much typing they were doing. As I was trying to teach a student came in looking for me and two teachers came in asking for help on technology.  I really enjoyed the activity because the kids seem to love it.  Second graders aren't jaded by life yet and really appreciate anything new.  One student that seems never to get anything was laughing at all the unstated jokes in the book, loved it!!!
As soon as I finished I email tech people about unblocking site and left for another teachers room.  She had problems with her projector communicating with her computer ever since the electricity went out two days ago.  She uses her mimio board, interactive white board, very effective and needs the projector for a lot of her instruction.  I spent about 15 minutes and realized a needed back up.  Luckily our one day per week substitute tech person was sitting in the office with nothing to do???????  I forget to tell you he is a high school student at our charter school in the county.  I sent him to work on the job while I got back to getting kidblog.com unblocked.  It took several emails especially after I asked, did anyone actually go to the site they were blocking.  It should be operating on Monday.

I read through a few emails and double checked my calendar and ran to lunch room duty.  We had someone out today and there was a sub and one other adult which is hard of hearing doing lunch duty, so you understand it was a little crazy.  My goal everyday is to talk to as many students possible about learning goals, but first I have to keep the order.  Today was mostly keeping the peace.
I was almost to the end of lunch when a special student was loosing it.  Everyone in the school is trying to help her but it's not working.  She has MAJOR home life problems and she's just a kindergartener.  This took about an hour and the principal taking with step-mom while I was attempting to calm the student.  Not fun, but just part of the job.  While this event was going on another teacher walked by reminding me of the conference with a parent in a few minutes.
The student is the classic drop out candidate.  He is very capable but his parents let him stay home if he feels bad, slightly.  I think we had a good conference with the step dad.  I just tried to tell him what he was creating by letting him stay home.  I think the problem is more the mother and she want talk with us.
Next I tried to balance the checking account.  As soon as I stop in my office someone is going to come in.  A teacher needed help filling out some paper work for a doctor for one of her students.  I finished both of these task while receiving texts from my wife that she was feeling worse.  I left early to get her to the doctor and I was only at work 5 hours today.  I continued answering emails all weekend and sent our reminders for activities next week.
I believe most educators days are like this IF they are trying to make a difference.  I actually loved those five hours at school.  I just wish I had more resources to move our school faster into the 21st century.  We need a full time social worker, an instructional technology teacher, and another special education teacher devoted to teaching reading.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. Gandi

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Reflections

Reflections of the Week:
Education is a lot more than a school building.  It's more than test, essay papers, assignments that you don't want to do, and it's more than teachers.  Education is about responding to adversity.  Education is about being happy and growing.  Education is about understanding that you can't stop learning.  Our health, our mental state, our prosperity, and our happiness depends on education.  So what is education? Education is about using tools to improve your life.  Jobs, growing vegetables, curing an ailment, writing a better essay, using technology to study for a test that helps you get into a better college which helps you get a better job,  reading books that give you a better understanding of the human experience, and you learn to bring happiness to you and your family.

Below are three videos I think are worth your time.  The time is by each one.

The PISA test and how to improve education with data - not at the classroom level  about 17 min.
Mapping the world with twitter - just very interesting 5min
Harvard Edcast - How to improve what we do?  a little over 50 min.

Blogging is a real challenge because I do so much everyday how to focus can be very hard.  Social media integration, BYOT, Common Core, Reading Cafe, math instruction, teacher feedback, special education, social work, RTI, testing coordinator, and of course lunch duty are just a few of the issues I will deal with tomorrow.  So I have to go back to Balance.  I've been going to Apple workshops for free at Lenox and hopefully the calendar sync through icloud is going to help with balance at the house.
Goals of the week:
1.  Do a check up on Cafe Reading throughout the building - walk-through all classrooms during reading cafe - check on goal setting - Designed a quick Google form to collect data for this.
2. BYOT projects
3. Complete Access testing
4. Do a feedback meeting with a teacher
5. Work on digital storytelling with Will and Susan.
6.  RTI - move progress on students who need testing and who need better interventions.  I need to develop a plan for a third grader for math.
7.  Reward 3rd grade readers for meeting goals.
8.  I almost forget Social Media for the classroom teacher on Tuesday Tech.  - Need to fine tool the Edcanvas board.
8.  And for me, work on narrowing my vision and focus to improve my career.  Check on Phd at Kennesaw this week.

If you haven't seen Lincoln, the movie, I recommend it.

I'm excited about the possibilities that lie ahead next week.
Be the Change you wish to see in the World!  Ghandi

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Learning and MOOC

Since I'm a student of education I think it is very important to continue learning and one way I've been attempting to do that is through Coursea.  Coursea is a MOOC.  If you are unfamiliar with Massisve Open Online courses you should familiarize yourself because they are probably the future of education.  I'm taking an college algebra course through the University of California and if I pay a small fee 79.00 I would get credit for the course.  However, I'm not sure I will pass.  My point of taking the class was to stay ahead of my daughter so I could help her with high school math if she had a question, but I also wanted to test out a MOOC.  First, polynomial functions are not something I remember, but the teacher is doing a great job of convincing me that I should be using these at work.  However, I can't remember all of the exponent rules and I'm having trouble entering my answers on the quizzes correctly.  Bottom line, I'm like the smart kid in your class that is trying to do the three chapters of work on one weekend and passed last year doing this but now It's not working.
1. The class is challenging.
2.  The quizzes aren't multiple choice.
3. The video instruction is good, but some of the quizzes are way above my skills.

I recommend trying a MOOC.  Try Coursera or Udacity for course offerings.

My other goal is to be a learner.  Learning is not always easy.  I spent an hour trying to learn the concepts and thought I had it.  If I really needed this class I would be very frustrated because I would have to backtrack for hours to learn the material.  The feeling of not understanding is not pleasant.  When students in your class are acting out or finding something else to do there is a reason.  I think it's good for every educator or anyone to feel that frustration or that experience because it gives us a perspective so we can help.  When you are working with children focus on telling them what to do next, not what they did wrong.


Saturday, February 16, 2013

Learning Targets

Over the past several days I've attempted to write a post about a really good professional development presentation in our county, but it just isn't coming together.  As I have stated before I'm more of an editor for opinion pieces than a evidenced based writer like the common core wants us all to become.
Professional learning can be an oxymoron many times, there's nothing professional about it and no one learns anything.  Last Tues at our district level monthly professional learning meeting professionalism and learning actually took place for me.  Sarah Jacobs, Common Core Georgia Performance Standards ELA, spoke about learning targets and balanced assessments.  She was energetic, quick witted, heavy with knowledge, and used all the techniques that model a good lesson.  Her focus was on learning targets and balance assessments.  Her presentation was mostly pep-talk about why we use targets and balanced assessments.

NINE ASPECTS OF LEARNING TARGETS

• First principle of meaningful learning and effective teaching
• Each lesson (target) serves a purpose in a larger, overarching learning goal (standard)
• Teachers and students understand and aim for a common goal
• Teachers and students make learning visible to maximize progress
• Goals are appropriate, challenging, and increase motivation
• Lessons intentionally develop assessment-capable students
• Focus is on what students are actually doing during a lesson
• Everyone in the school (teachers, students, administrators) have
specific targets and “look-fors”
These are all very simple ideas that I think everyone would agree on, but it's not being implemented in a day to day basis.  Targets are daily goals for all to see, hear, and understand.


• Knowledge- I can identify a
metaphor
• Reasoning – I can make a
prediction
• Performance/skills- I can read
with expression
• Products – Write a clear thesis

The targets are written in clear I can statements or show and tell statement, listen to my poem I wrote today.  Setting targets this way puts the responsibility back on the learner and off of the teacher.  Our school has a huge problem with this concept.  Our teachers are working as hard as they possibly can and they become frustrated all the time by the performance level of their students work.  The kids are lazy, the kids don't care, but my response is the kids don't know what you truly want from them and you haven't sold your product well.  Yes, we do have a very difficult population of students to reach, but you knew that from the start.  Why this professional development was perfect for me is because I'm walking our building daily thinking of ways to buy everyone in to essential questions and it's not working.  Learning targets is perfect and I've already seen one teacher with I can statements in her room.  If you want to learn more about learning targets Sarah Jacobs was using the book, Learning Targets.
My targets:
1.  Explain idea to admin team
2.  Get feedback from IEP teachers
3.  Talk with three teachers about learning targets - Wade, Hanson, 3rd grade
4.  Read book noted above

This week at school we've been discussing writing and the common core.  Topic sentences, closing sentences, and all the problems students have with writing.  I think I have all those problems too.  I'm planning to get better by writing and having someone else read, I hope.  If you take the time to read please give me a comment, feedback is always great.
I'm attempting two new things on my blog a link and a link to a google document - please tell me if they work.

Learning Targets Presentation

Good luck setting targets!



Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Sick Day


7 hours ago I started writing a blog post trying to make sense of some of my normal thoughts.  I was home because I was sick and settling in for a medicine induced coma.  When Langston, our 3 month old puppy started barking and making a strange crying sound almost like a child.  At first I thought it was the medicine but I then headed to check on Langston.  He had bowel movement all over the cage and it was on him, never before had this occurred with him.  Being who I am I just started cleaning- took everything outside and sprayed with the hose - stretched out to dry, but then I noticed that Langston was all wet.  He was drooling from the mouth.  It was like someone put three times too much washing powders in the washing machine and bubbles and all were coming out his mouth.  Being Mr. Calm I wiped his mouth and dried him off a little thinking this would stop.  Remember I almost in a legal medicine induced coma.  The foam doesn't stop and then diarrhea hits.  He's a puppy it just shots out like a fire hose.  A this point I'm thinking parvo, my puppy is going to die.  Ok, clean him up again and get ready for the vet.  I just remembered the doctor said many times don't drive after you take this medicine.  Sorry, I've got to drive.  Off we go to the vet, throw up comes next and I start sinking lower and lower.  How am I going to tell Dinara about her puppy on the day before Valentine's.  Luckily the vet is closed until 2:00 for lunch!!!!  Not today, open up!  The vet scares me a little and then we all settle down for an IV.  Langston stays I drive, again, home and try to sleep, which is rather hard sense I'm thinking how to tell Dinara.  I finally slip into the coma, but not for long and thankfully the vet calls and says my puppy is back to acting like a puppy it must have been something he ate in the yard, which it probably is since he eats everything. So back to my title balance.  Why did I get sick and go home today? To save my puppy!
I hope I had a topic sentence and closing sentence.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Thoughts of the week!

Why do we learn?  Do we continue to learn?  What is school all about?  As someone that tries to lead a school, these are thoughts that ring through my head daily.  How do we close the achievement gap?  How do we address the digital divide?  How do we engage our brightest students?  How do we engage any of our students?  Why would anyone want to help someone that doesn't want to be helped? What is a learning disability and do you inherit it or is it something preventable?  What is our society suppose to do with unwanted children?  How can children learn when they are not loved?

Education is a different practice to different situations.  When I read blogs and my twitter following I'm feel like I'm reading about schools and school leaders that don't have to deal with some of the issues I'm dealing with daily.  Some days curriculum is the last thing I get to think about and it should be the first. However, Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is true.  Because daily we have students that have psychological problems and they take a lot of our time and energy.  But the worst part of the story is their parents have the same issues and I just have to throw up my hands on some days.

The positive, by creating a weekly schedule which focuses on observations, interventions, and helping teachers with BYOT, and other curriculum issues helps me maintain my sanity.  This Friday, I helped second graders create spreadsheets and within the same hour dealt with parents with psychological problems.  I didn't let my focus stray and I always keep my vision on what I can change.  I can't always change parents but we can change children.

BYOT progress - I'm proud of my BYOT teachers because they keep pushing forward.  Every failure is a learning opportunity.  I'm hoping one teacher is going to keep the spreadsheet idea going with lunch choices and collecting data from that adventure.  Both teachers are experimenting with Remind101 and I think we need to share that with the staff once we have a few messages and get some feedback from users.

Goal this week is to survey some students to see what they think of technology and does it improve their engagement.

How can we use technology to improve learning outcomes?  I think we have to constantly remind ourselves that this is our goal with BYOT.

Goal during the break is to get Goodreads on my blog and to introduce that to the staff. Ahead of schedule, you should see it tonight.

I'm excited about next week because it's a week before a break, and I get to work on my garden.  However, I'm really excited to see how many third graders read over this weekend, what project Mr. Larkey's class will come up with and continue over the break, and what Mrs. Cline and I can figure out to do with spreadsheets and second graders.  I can't wait!

One more thought - Last week going over intervention data with a parent, I noticed as I was explaining to Dad he was focused on the dates of the up and down data.  He wasn't listening to me but he was focused on the dates.  He saw something I didn't know the inconsistency was caused by his daughter going between parents and they weren't being consistent with her.  When you actually have enough data points you can really show trends that you don't anticipate.

Balance - two sleeping dogs and a rainy afternoon - ordering seeds for the vegetable garden.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Technology in Action

This is a great video example of my vision of technology or BYOT in the classroom.  Notice that the technology allows the teacher to spend more time with his students in small groups or one on one.
Video is from Edutopia and Digital Learning Day.

What is educational technology?


Balance today is about vision for the future.  Today, BYOT isn't perfect.  It's not exactly how you want it to work, but it's a work in progress.  Goals only happen with vision and the article below does a great job of explaining it for me.  Please comment!

BYOT shout out idea - Remind101 - It let's you create a group of people, students, parents, etc... and then you can send out texts to them without having to share phone numbers.  It's like they are following you on twitter but they can't respond back.  I'm trying it with teachers this week so far it's working.  Thanks to Susan for taking the time to give it a try and she said she may even try it with her students.






Thursday, January 31, 2013

Third graders reading and BYOT



I spent the last three days preaching to our third graders about reading.   Reading is a skill that has to be mastered no matter what! Everything I'm doing as a 21st learner requires a high level of reading and writing skills.  I believe our biggest problem is not can our students read but can they evaluate what they are reading.  However, our students aren't ever going to be able to participate in the 21st if they do not develop better reading skills at an early age.
Only  44% of my third graders read at grade level by mid-year this year.  Amazing we had only two students not pass our state test, something seems wrong.  I, myself completely understand this false sense of security.  I made great grades in high school and thought I was very prepared for college only to find out I was way off the mark.  That is what our state standardized test is doing to our students.  Ok, back to my preaching this week.  Each third grade class was visited by me in the library with a quick speech and a review of the accelerated reader goal setting system we have in place.  Every student is suppose to understand their goal and reach their goal and this is a huge priority of mind. The media specialist, classroom teacher, and myself sat down with each third grader and double checked their understanding of the system and reminded them of their responsibilities to reach their goal.  I had several students in tears because the truth is they are under performing and they need to be told and that's my job. AR will get 90% of your readers on grade level if you use it properly, my belief.  I've had great success as a teacher, parent, and administrator with the program.  However, our third graders this year just aren't up to the task.  I'm not sure why, so I'm helping to attack the problem by constant reminders and checking up on the students.  Another great use of your smart phone and lunch room duty - monitor goals.
Today, I had a short conversation with one of our teachers about their doctoral program and she had to write her first scholarly paper. I have never been a very good writer because of have a tendency to go off topic, change tenses too much, not want to edit, and be too editorial.  It's the main reason I haven't started a doctoral program yet.   What caused me to think about her question was the content and her textbook.  Is a textbook really a credible tool for the social political environment in education today?  If it's a book it's probably slanted one way or the other because no one in the field of politics today is writing anything with just the facts or ideas in the middle.

BYOT:
Wifi is starting to work better for fourth graders.
Next step:  Develop ideas to integrate technology into the school day for our teachers.
Get third graders on grade level in reading according to Star Reading.
Get someone to develop a digital storytelling project with me.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Productivity

One of my daily quest is how to be more productive.  I have hundreds of ideas and tasks I wish I could complete, but many days I've just spend time getting people together for a meeting.  The video below is a big help to start being more productive tomorrow.



The Wifi story continues!

This weekend I had a terrible time running.  The pain in my left hip and knee was awful.  I thought to myself I'm just getting old, but the minute I made it home walking most of the five mile trip, I fired up the internet.  I quickly learned that I probably had a weak left hip and I needed to strengthen it.  The weirdest thing about this is the exercises made my hip feel better immediately.  Balance, if one part of the system isn't working right everything becomes painful.  Today, Will and I learned that the two wifi networks have different passwords and that's why we are having a hard time.  A few letters was causing students, teachers, and an administrator great anguish.
I'm very excited that Will is going to attempt to allow his students to bring their devices everyday.  I really believe that he will finds ways to integrate and not try to add something to his plate.

I'm trying my first MOOC, massive online open course, for the next six weeks.  I'm trying a pre-calculus class to refresh my mathematics skills to help my daughter next year, but also I'm very curious how MOOCs actually work.  If you are unfamiliar MOOC are all the rage in the online education world.  Universities are putting courses online for anyone to take for free.  The MOOC I signed up for through Coursea wanted you to sign up to use an assessment system that would monitor your quiz and give you feedback on how to improve by the answers you gave - that would cost $50, but you do not have to use that device.  The first lecture was a 11 minute video that wasn't bad or great but as introductions to a course go it was OK.  You did have to agree to a code of conduct, have due dates for quizzes, and the normal stuff of taking a class.  I'm very interested in the grade and will anyone give me credit for taking the class.



BYOT - Our director of technology came and spoke to our tech group.  His willingness to come and speak was great, but he needs to work on his mission.  I think he is spread to thin to truly help us and he is doing his best at the moment.  I think he will help us but like everything else these days it takes time.  I still do not understand the wireless.  I walked into my mother inlaws on Saturday in Augusta and her wireless, that I set up at Christmas, worked great for all of our devices, apple and Chrome Book.  We didn't even have to re-enter the password.  Why will that not work at school?
I am very grateful to two of my teachers for taking time out of their busy schedule each week to try and make BYOT work.  I still believe this is the only way for public education to move into the 21st century learning.


Monday, January 21, 2013

Reflections on BYOT

A day off is always a great time to seek balance in your life.  However, we moved into a new chapter of our life with a new puppy on Saturday.  Puppies bring joy to my heart, but also bring discipline to my words because I understand how easy it is to create the wrong dog by how you treat him.

This leads me into BYOT.  What I've learned with second graders.  After two days of dealing with technical problems I realize that students will be patient to use these devices.  We had lots of moments to get upset, abandon the program, or this is not worth the hassle.  I'm sure every new program goes through those moments, but the excitement of the students has sold me.  On student's mother said, "She could not sleep last night she was so excited about bringing her ipod to school and using it in class."  We must capitalize on that excitement and make sure we plan for engaging lessons with their devices.  I'm not sure if the excitement is coming from being able to play games or the feeling of newness, but it's excitement about school in second grade.  Second and third grades are the grades I believe we start losing students, so anything we can do to gain their interest let's do it.
I was finally able to get Socarative(a great classroom interactive tool for BYOT) working with about seven students, but conquering the technical issues was the hardest part of the day.  We have come to the conclusions that some devices are not going to work on our network.

My orginal belief was that the students need to understand how to log in and how to understand wifi, etc...  Not anymore that can come later.  The next class the parents will have to come to a meeting to discuss, logging in to the network, teaching their child how to use their device, purchase some apps, and understand a 21st century learners responsibilities.  We only had two parents attend our night time meeting, but we've had about 20 devices in two classes show up with signed permissions.

We've heard about the achievement gap but the technology divide is going to be the fastest than we ever thought about.  Both issues are very obvious in our title one school.
 

Next steps:
I do not think our teachers really know what to do with the devices.  They aren't sure how to integrate them into their lessons.  Next goal is to help facilitate that with my two pilot classrooms.
Next week, I suggest grouping the students into centers with CAFE or math activities.

Technology Tuesday is working so far.  I have the director of technology coming to speak tomorrow to help us with technical issues and discuss the counties technology goals.  Also, I will talk with him about the twitter account for the school.  The next week I'm going to invite just beginners for a 101 lesson on their device.

I'm excited about Edcanvas in Google Chrome for creating lessons and presentations.  I've made Powerpoints, Prez's, and tried just about everything, but nothing is faster to create than with Edcanvas.  If you use Google Chrome the site will give you access to google docs, you tube, and google search right on the site and then you just drag and drop.  Unbelievably quick, looks great, and then with google chrome you can use it on any device.  Edcanvas is worth a try!!