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