Digital Etiquette and Literacy

After looking at the article from Mark Ribble (2009) about how we should be thinking about technology use in our own school I have concluded the two most important areas that our school needs to focus on are:  Digital Etiquette and Digital Literacy.
The first area Digital Etiquette is lacking in our particular building because generally students that are  in our building come to us with an Individualized Development Plan (IEP), usually these students are told what they cannot do. Instead a better way to handle this issue may be to look at how do we want to act? Creating the space for an hour of dialogue allows students to have a voice in their own decision making process, and helps to create buy in. As violations occur students should have an opportunity to discuss what happened, why, and how this should be dealt with. In researching this issue with fellow educators many noted that Special Education students may not be able to discuss and debate this issue. I disagree. We have discussed similar issues in my class, with great success.
Another issue, Digital Literacy is one especially unique to the Special Education students I have.... this is not something in our classrooms. When the subject comes up the finger usually points to another teacher....and the idea is expressed that it should be handled in the "English" classroom or in the "Study hour" etc. The real answer is that....we all need to teach it. I try to weave all my lessons around around constantly incorporating some form of technology, and most of my students seem to enjoy it. I think the way to handle this issue is that all teachers should be expected to have a form of online presence for every lesson, unit, or day activity. It should be not the only means of operation, but one of the paths that leads to the goal.

Technology-Student Information Systems-& FERPA

Kent Intermediate School District is a supporter/user of the the Student Information System (SIS) called POWERSCHOOL. POWERSCHOOL is a web based system that is used by teachers, parents, students, and administrators in a school district. It is a system that is used to track attendance, grades, information, etc. for a given student, or for an entire class (for use by the teacher). Each person accessing information is given a password to access information specific to them, for example: students can access real time information on their grades and assignment status, teachers can access class information, etc. Teachers are also able to graph class information, look up information on a given student, track assignments, filter categories, send notes home, etc.Administrators are able to place information on given calendars, track teacher input, etc.
"The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records."   (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html FERPA laws are followed protect each students' rights, for example, once a class is completed and submitted teachers can no longer access information on any given student...only when they are in the class of a given teacher can information by accessed by that teacher.
"Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student's education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the record." 
(n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html. This section of the law is also followed in that parents have complete access to their students' file, in real time. They can also request further information from the teacher right from the site.

Can students think critically?

My students do a looking great job searching the internet, but as far as critically deciding on whether or not a site is actually selling or reviewing a valid product is a different story. Behind the question of whether or not my students can review an internet site is a deeper question of whether or not our students can think critically, and no I have to say that is not an area that I believe we have done a good job at.....either myself or the teaching profession in general.
When I began my teaching career we did teach critical thinking skills to several classes, it went very well, but with no administrative support it began a slow death. Several of us teachers thought it to be very important for our students but with so much being pushed out out of the curriculum it was not one of the areas that survived. Originally we began with a "kickoff" activity that taught the ways to approach a learning situation, and then we continued to reinforce these skills in the classroom. Students need these skills to be able to compete in our society today.....it is a way to back up what you know, be able to defend it, and evaluate your own thinking. So, now the discussion is coming back again to the importance of Critical Thinking Skills.....and again I do think they are important.We need to go back to what we originally knew was a good idea, dust it off, look at some research ....and help our students to think.....critically!

UDL

Multiple paths all leading to the same outcome...Universal Design for Learning

If we truly....I mean truly, want all students to learn then we must figure out where we want to go first (the destination), and then depending on where students are at......give them multiple ways of getting there. We need to allow for choices in how they want to learn.....in my own classroom I try to allow students to be in our note taking and discussion groups, but if they prefer they may also go and listen to a computer presentation, read a chapter in text,  do a personal internet search and presentation on our current topic, or many other possibilities (I also involve students in the decision making process). Then when we move on to presenting what we have learned I also allow for multiple presentation methods. 

These two methods are part of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) , two methods I try to keep in the forefront of mind whenever I am designing new curriculum. I believe these are also two methods for ensuring student engagement ....whenever you allow for student choice, you are validating the student and demonstrating respect for them as individuals and not cookie cutters.

The third area for UDL is that there should be multiple  opportunities for engagement......students should have freedom to choose how they want to interact with the material, although this is hard for the teacher to plan multiple opportunities it again allows choices for the students, which is turn promotes the value in the classroom that "you are so important to this room that I am going to make sure that your learning preferences are taken into account."

As long as we are going to end up at the same location....what difference does it make which rail you ride?

Do we need technology?

                                   "Do we really need technology in the classroom?"

Do we need technology in the classroom? 

Honestly I think that question is too old .....I believe we have passed the point of no return. I think Technology has proven it's place at the head table and I don't think it matters anymore whether we want him there or not.He's there....the question now is are you going to engage and talk with him or not. ........

Technology has created a place in the world, that if you are not involved it is time to ask yourself what am I really doing here? I have a teacher I work with that refuses to engage with Technology and I keep watching him slipping away.Honestly they are not honing their craft of teaching. What if a person in automotive industry refused to keep up with current automotive trends...would they still be working?

Do we really need to debate whether or not it is a "good" or "bad" thing? Shouldn't the real question now be.....what are you doing to engage and make the best possible use of this tool? We need to determine where we are at and where we need to be and go..........

My educational "wand".........

If I carried the magic wand of education in my school……

Curriculum: It would be real world, with relationships between business and education, every day. Teachers could be anyone that had “ something” to relate to the given learning topic. “Teachers” as we think of them now would become facilitators of learning. They might verify learning progress, or develop specific questions to help clarify learning situations. Students would be pared together to facilitate a specific assignment or collaborative approach. This could happen in real time, or it could be digitally. I would allow students the choice of curriculum with the ability to move back and forth depending on interest. For example, students may start in Hospitality but decide Food Science was more appealing.

Teachers: I think I answered that already …..but just to reiterate….teachers would be the facilitator, a coach, a mentor that asks the tough questions of each student……stretching each one in the direction they need to go. “Teachers” could be anyone to someone in a retirement home….to a local mechanic.

Students: Some questions you really don’t understand until you are in a career setting. So, in this high school they would go out and “work” with a companion to get a feel for the job, situation, or problems they are working on. Students could be anyone…..from around the world, age, background, or race. In other words education could be ongoing throughout our lives. Don’t we all want to learn….something? There may be a specific set of requirements to obtaining a high school diploma, and another for college, etc.

Assessment: I expect there would be a set of criteria that students would need to master…..you need to understand Algebra and be apply to apply it before you can work on a space shuttle, but there may be a variety of ways that appeal to different people in how that is done. Some students may do it musically and others in a kitchen. True assessment should be validated by the “teachers” (whomever they may be) and the Instructor or Coach. This may not be just 2 people, but for each child could be several. Students could schedule assessments for whenever they were ready, and reflection afterwards might also include peers.

Technology: Technology would be something that would help to assist each student to their goals….so if you lived in a remote area your level of education could be as first rate as someone in a great school district. I suppose this would also mean that districts would be eliminated, and classes could be coordinated through the ISD’s or through the state.

Another way technology might be used is that grants may be given to companies, who then take the use the funds not only to advance their own company, but also support and commit to helping to develop student objectives.

Technology would simply be a tool that would help to support the entire learning process.

What an I do to be a visionary leader?

 "What can I do to be a visionary leader?
As a visionary leader I need to be able to tap into the trends and the future of education. I need to be able to see where we are headed and how to get there. I don't believe this happens while sitting in a personal bubble without constantly connecting yourself to the world of education, and the world in general.
In this society we also need to look toward our digital society and begin to imagine where our students are at....and where they need to be in order to be successful. Educationally this means we want our students to be such things as collaborative workers, problem solvers, critical thinkers, etc.
As a leader your craft of teaching must be finely honed, but the art of the administrator and peace negotiation must also be crafted. This is a journey that lasts a lifetime..... and  I don't know that anyone on the journey actually ever arrives at the destination.

Learning Labs

5/17/13
We are starting Learning Labs in our building and we went out this past week to look at some samples of ones that are being done in other schools. Specifically we went to a middle school and a grade school. The thing that struck me from these visits was not only how they support the art of teaching, but also how just by visiting these classes I have become more mindful and more reflective of my own teaching. As I am working with my students and helping them it is as if I have " a committee" watching and constantly commenting on my work         "hmmmmm good gradual release there" or " I saw that example of student questioning there, maybe you should think about using that one more often." It's crazy especially when the committee starts debating things.....:)

tla-tal-Getting Started

....what I hope to get out of the Teacher Leadership Course.....?


I hope to learn those things that make a  leader, I hope to learn to serve, and I hope that somehow these things will somehow make a difference for some persons life because that's what we are all about..... making those relationships and connections in life.
ps and... I just love to learn.....................................................









can you find other images in here besides the fox????? Test your brain!