Day 74 - Advertisements & Webinars

The ads these days are changing... This one is from my Duolingo:

This one was on my Instagram:

This one was in a YouTube video, and I actually checked it out... They're $20 for one, and the price goes down as you buy more. I was seriously considering buying the five at $14 a piece (so I could give some away) until I read the reviews.

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I was able to attend two webinars this afternoon!

The first one my mom invited me to - it's for her ICL group - continued learning through Roosevelt University. I probably shouldn't have been able to be in it, but there weren't 100 participants, so it was okay. Plus, it gave me some fodder to help when we argue about that man that we argue about all the time... It was called "Logical Fallacies," and it included some of what (I believe) we teach in eighth grade:

Yup. This one is sooooooo true of DT on a daily basis.

It was also pretty hilarious at the start - the participants being my parents' ages - all talking over each other, making comments about the backgrounds, swearing and then repeating what that person who swore said... I was laughing a ton at the start! Adults - Just like the kids! Finally the man helping with the tech muted everyone so the presenter could start. I did learn a new setting for Zoom while sharing your screen. Here's HOW!

I then was able to attend one from Tom Driscoll at EdTech Teacher - Games, Simulations, and Virtual Field Trips. I did NOT know you can move that little yellow guy in Google Maps to where you want to see the street view! That was my huge take-away for that hour. He also talked about these sites which I want to explore further:
     123apps.com (to help with those with Chromebooks!)
     Games for Change
     Google Arts & Culture
     Mystery Doug
     GeoGuessr
     Wide Open School

Genius Hour Shifts to Online

Thank you to online colleague and face-to-face friend Aric Foster for the push to write this post...

Aric asked me for three bullet points and tips for shifting Genius Hour (or whatever you'd like to call it) online... Here are the basics I sent to him...

1) What about heartbreak maps?? They would be perfect for this situation. That could be the start of "What's a problem in your world you want to help solve?" Right now, our students want change for themselves and for others. Two great questions to get them thinking (ask one at a time) - What is something YOU want to improve for yourself? What is something someone you know needs? What is something you think the world needs?  TIP for the brainstorming part of the process: GIVE THEM TIME. I used to jump in and have students' ideas due in one week (or so). But when I tried to do it myself, it was often difficult for ME to come up with an idea worthy of my time. If the ideas we push out of them too soon aren't something they're passionate about, it's going to flop. It's got to be something they really really want to do. So provide the time for the idea to come. Once ideas start coming in, have students share them with others. That way those without ideas (yet) can use those as inspiration (even if they do the same thing - who the heck cares, as long as they're doing something for themselves or others?!).

2) While students (and YOU! - TIP: You should be doing your OWN, so you can be a step ahead of the kids in everything you're asking them to do.) are coming up with a topic/issue, you can be figuring out a couple of logistics.

3) You'll also want to come up with some sort of process/system for them to follow.  TIP for the process: Make something visible, so students can see where their peers are and ask each other for help with a step (if needed).

Then... go from there... keep doing your own project and follow along with student projects, going with the flow. One more TIP: Since you won't be in the classroom, roaming from student to student to see how they're doing, have some sort of reflection or exit slip for students to complete at the end of the day or week... Something that shows what their plan is for the week, how it went for them, and what their next plans are for the next week would be helpful to you and them.

And remember... You are a genius, and the world needs your contribution! (Thanks, Angela Maiers!)

Looking for MORE? Check out... 

• this resource from Denise Krebs
• this resource from Andi McNair 
• this resource from Lanny Ball 
• and, of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't share this resource I've been curating since 2013.

Day 18 - I Really Liked Today

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Yippee!! I kind of feel like a teacher again today! I feel useful!

Celebrations:

• Student faces and voices on Flipgrid
• Students' responses to our Google form check in
• Students' quick questions via email when Flipgrid or Schoology were down
• Student faces and voices on Flipgrid
• Students' responses to our Google form check in
• Students' quick questions via email when Flipgrid or Schoology were down
• Student faces and voices on Flipgrid
• Students' responses to our Google form check in
• Students' quick questions via email when Flipgrid or Schoology were down
• Student faces and voices on Flipgrid
• Students' responses to our Google form check in
• Students' quick questions via email when Flipgrid or Schoology were down
• Student faces and voices on Flipgrid
• Students' responses to our Google form check in
• Students' quick questions via email when Flipgrid or Schoology were down
• Student faces and voices on Flipgrid
• Students' responses to our Google form check in
• Students' quick questions via email when Flipgrid or Schoology were down
• REPEAT REPEAT REPEAT... ;)

THANK YOU, Flipgrid and Schoology, for helping us CONNECT with our children once again.

Quick Tip #33 - Clearly Extension

When I'm trying to read online, this extension helps immensely...

Full Transcript

Quick Tip Playlist

Spreadsheet View

Scratch - Taste of Coding

Thanks to Michael Abramczyk & Megan Hacholski at the first ICE "Taste of Tech" session yesterday at the Illinois Math and Science Academy, I learned a teeny bit about coding using Scratch!

Find it on Scratch here. (Maybe I'm the only one who can see it in this link, but that works for me...

Some teachers at my own school think I'm "techie." I'm really not - I do love learning new tools, however! And yes, Michael, you're definitely "one more than ten." It's so good to know why your Twitter handle is what it is! For those who didn't get to watch this from in the 80's...

#1st5Days Scavenger Hunt

I've been wanting to do a QR code scavenger hunt with my students for a few years now. We had an "extra" few days before school started this year, so I had some time to create! My original inspiration came from The Daring Librarian...!

My Goals:

--Classroom procedures shared in an engaging way
--Students moving around the room, searching, reading, listening, discussing, learning
--Easily accessible information for students who join in the middle of the year
--Information presented in different ways (video, audio, pictures, reading)
--Student practice with iPads we can check out and use
--End result: Students will learn and the bulletin board will be full (fingers crossed)

Materials Needed:

Handout

--Pairs of students w/split headphones when possible
--Double-sided copy of a hand out (here is mine) for each pair of students (next year I hope to go paperless!)
--QR scan app for each pair of students
--QR codes (for your lessons - here are mine) around the room, near the objects they describe
--An activity for students to do when they are finished. Mine is embedded into the hunt.
--Patience and time

How I imagined it would go:
I hope students will be searching for QR codes, reading, listening, and viewing our processes for the room. They have the handout as somewhat of a guide - they will be able to slowly fill it in once they access each site. I love that the handout isn't in any order, and that they blanks can be filled in differently, depending on what students got out of the (very) mini-lessons. I also hope to see students getting to work on our bulletin board decorations for Parent Night on their own.

How it actually went:
Overall, I believe it went well. We had some snafus, such as the fact that students didn't know their Google passwords had been changed, and needed to come to me to find them if they wanted to use some of the documents. I collected reflections from the two days of school, and one student actually wrote "I did not enjoy the scavenger hunt. I could barely find any of the questions." Oh, so good to know! I realized more and more as the day went on that the sheet provided was "all over the place" and students really couldn't find what they had to fill in. I'll need to change this so they are not as frustrated. Other students, however, wrote that they enjoyed it. "I like the scavenger hunt because it lets you learn about the class." "I thought today's lesson was challenging but fun, and how I like LA to be." I also received a mixed message... "I do not know what ELA will be like unless it is always easy like today. Then I won't like it."

Sometimes we stood on chairs...

There was a lot of looking down...

And many random pairs of students who didn't know each other...

Hints:

--Use a URL shortener before you put it into the QR code generator. It will make your QR codes easier to read. I used the Chrome extension goo.gl URL shortener.
--I used QR Stuff for my QR code generator. I downloaded each pic, and saved them in my Google Drive.
--Explore the various tech you can use - modeling for students! I used my favorite tech spreadsheet (that I also share w/students) and various apps to make the QR codes go to different places. I also added in a fun ChatterPix video (a first for me)!
--Don't wait until the last minute to do this... It took a lot of planning, creating, and organizing.
--Don't think for one moment this will be a permanent lesson you can laminate and use every year - if you're a teacher who is learning from other teachers on Twitter, you KNOW things will be different in the classroom next year! ;)

I'm looking forward to seeing the students learn how they can run our class in room 239!

Disclaimer

Observations... Being observed by administration can be nerve-wracking for anybody. But when my assistant principal walked in the room and sat down, I looked at my class through her eyes. What did she see?

Yes, he ended up on the floor... still participating vocally, even if it's hard to see his hand raised!

No, she didn't see all of this - I took these pictures a few days later, when I could catch students unawares!

Of course, she did see the changes that have occurred in my teaching - I've never done a read-aloud. I've never had so many seating options. I've never had students "talk" with other students on a Weebly set up by a teacher out in British Columbia, Canada! After she left, I had my next lesson with the same students, and I felt things were more "normal." Students were doing what most teachers expected - me leading, students sitting up, following directions, writing quietly... But I've been doing it this way for years now. I should know how to teach in this fashion.

At home, I felt I needed to write a disclaimer for the outside of my door. Something like this...

I talked with her three days later, and she helped alleviate my fears. Even though she said when she first walked in she was "alarmed," (oh, how my stomach churned when she said this!) she stayed and observed the entire 40 minutes and kept taking factual notes. She assured me that I'd established an environment for learning. She reminded me that I gave students expectations.

I explained how during the first period she witnessed me teaching what I had never taught before, and how I'm still learning what is best for students in this regard. I admitted that I didn't know what percentage of students were actually able to multi-task (play games on iPads, doodle) while I read, and what students were not. She suggested a quick reflection for after the read-aloud, and I implemented this the next day. One of my hunches was right - one student only remembered the last bit of what I'd read...

The next few minutes of our discussion centered around Genius Hour. I told her we've got the routine down nicely, but I'd still like to see students follow their passions, and do something about it. I still have the goal for students to read, be inspired, and act on it. She then asked me such a simple question: "What do you need to do to make Genius Hour better?" The rest of the afternoon, this was my focus. My next step, I've decided, is to print out the pictures I took of the board during our first Genius Hour, and ask, during one-on-one conferences, which ideas were theirs. If they were bothered by bullying or animal abuse or racism or suicide etc... why aren't they trying to do something to help prevent it? Why aren't they reading up on the issues or reading books on the causes? Why won't they share what they've learned with us so we can help prevent these issues too?

Yes, I was nervous about being observed. I was nervous about the follow-up conversation. I still feel like I need to have a disclaimer on my door. I still question myself every day if this is the very best use of our time. I still reflect after each lesson to see where I could have done better. I'm still nervous when people come in to visit, as I don't know what they'll see and what they'll miss.  However... I still believe in what I'm doing. And I still need to be challenged, so I can keep figuring out if what I'm doing is right... or if I need to fine tune my ways once again.

[Author's note, 1/19/13 - Of course, not all of these pictures were taken on the same day. Most (with the exception of the laptop) were, however, taken during a "read aloud," which is the portion of the lesson I wasn't quite sure about, as I've never done read alouds during class so often.]

Who are Luddites Failing?

My husband is a history buff. It’s a good thing – it means I learn something every now and then! He recently read an article in BBC History Magazine (Vol. 13, No. 5 - May, 2012) titled, “Luddites.” Here’s some of what Charlotte Hodgman had to say (p78):

Luddism, a protest movement that arose from the textile trade in Britain 200 years ago, first emerged during 1811, in the Midlands, as a reaction to the replacement of skilled craftsmen with new labour-saving technology. A pattern of public petitioning quickly emerged, which was followed by machine breaking and violence across Britain’s main textile areas…

Richard Jones, a research student in economic and financial history at the University of Cambridge, says: “The Word Luddite has now entered everyday usage to describe those who dislike technology, oppose innovation or who are generally resistant to change…”

I read this, and I knew I was a Luddite not long ago. I remember when our new principal at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, asked us about BYOT, I was not excited. I just KNEW the kids would be texting each other, cheating by looking things up, and playing games.

Then I was the chosen one in the district to pilot the iPad writing program for four weeks. The white hairs came with this pilot, but I completed it the way I was asked. In this time, I noticed that my one student who is always playing with a pencil or a toy was now playing with the iPad – moving apps around! As our class had discussions, he busied himself moving the apps around. I saw it, and I thought – Doodler. That’s okay. I can handle doodling. It helps the brain think! (See this TED Talk about doodlers – you’ll be passing out paper and pencils! Doodlers Unite www.ted.com/talks/sunni_brown.html ) But students having their phones in class? For what purpose? Google? Not good enough for me.

Then I read the next line…

(More from Richard Jones…) “In my opinion, however, this is a misreading of the original Luddite motivation… Luddites were motivated by a desire to protect the status quo of their established skilled trades and their positions within those trades… When machinery displaced them, they naturally reacted very strongly.”

Well, then. I was NOT a Luddite, after all… right? I KNEW that technology would not displace me. I had tenure! I was set! I was in like Flynn! I could pass it all up and still teach. No issues. I would not protest the BYOT, I just wouldn’t buy into it.

But then I thought… If I were an administrator, I would not be looking for new teachers that didn’t know how to use technology. And the more I learned from my PLN on Twitter, the more I knew I would be changing the way I taught sooner, rather than later. And you know what else? Go ahead and let students search Google on their phones. What will they find? Not the answers to my tests. No. My tests (what tests??) were not going to have answers on it you COULD Google. They would feature critical thinking. They would have students applying what they knew, not just giving the ages of Ponyboy’s brothers. (Oh, I always despised that question!!)

I was in on the hiring process this June, for we were seeking two new LA/LIT positions at our middle school. I was not looking for the teacher who had students in silent lines in the hallways, sitting in rows facing front, memorizing the school rules. I was looking for someone who could engage students as readers and writers. Technology or not, I was not looking for the “old-school” version of a school teacher.

Hodgman also states (p79),

The Luddites were always destined to fail.

I think Luddites may be destined to fail, but I think what’s most important is that we’ll fail students if we do not change with the times, and grab hold of what we can to enhance student learning. Technology will continue to grow leaps and bounds, just as it’s done in the past. I need to use the technology to help my students develop their creativity, their critical thinking, their collaboration…

Here’s someone I’ve quoted many times, C.F. Kettering…

            Nothing is constant but change.

Let’s be positive role models, and teach our students that we can change along with the times. Let’s help them with the technology as well. Knowing full well they’ll have digital footprint, let’s help them make it a positive one.

I want to do it all...

Looking at all that is ahead...

Have you heard the song? Terri Clark sings, "I wanna do it all - Visit Paris in the Fall, watch the Yankees play ball, I wanna take it all in..." Maybe watching the Olympics has brought on this post, but it's been simmering in my brain the last few weeks!

I went to my first EdCamp yesterday. I didn't know what an EdCamp was until June, and I was signed up to go a month later. I met a #sschat Twitter pal, Shawn McCusker (@ShawnMcCusker), and he says he's addicted to them. I think he's addicted to them because he loves to share, and share he did! He shared at four of the four sessions, I believe! I "voted with my feet" and went to what happened to be more lecture than I anticipated about YA lit in a H.S. reading classroom. Then I went to a session (led by Shawn) about Evernote, one of my favorite iPad apps. (I love it even more now!) Lunch was free pizza and socialization, then I went to a session on iPads in the classroom - started by Jeff See (@JeffreyASee), and then aided by Shawn. The last session I went to was regarding Live Binder, another free resource I need to check out. Another FULL DAY of learning. I crave it. I want to learn more. I want to DO more. I want this next school year to be the best. I always want each year to be the best.

I realized, once again, that I want to do it all.  I've always wanted the following...

I want...
...students to be happy, engaged, friendly, and welcoming.
...students to show perseverance, responsibility, respect, and confidence.
...students to work with peers, using technology, on real-world problems.
...students to remember what they read because they are engaging with the text.
...students to think deeper and get more out of text they read.
...to stimulate student thinking.
...to help students be life-long learners.
...to give students my individual, undivided attention when they speak to me.
...students to question, not just answer.
...students to be reading, and sharing good books they've read.
...students to become life-long readers because they love reading.
...students to see real value in what they write.

The following list includes what I've been inspired about this summer alone...

I want...
...my students to know how to leave a positive digital footprint.
...my students to have time to read (what they choose) independently each day.
...my students to act on what they've read - through many means. (Thanks, Erin Olson - @eolsonteach!)
...my classes to Skype with authors, like Shannon Miller (@ShannonMMiller) has done at her school!
...to have as many books in my room that Donalyn Miller (@DonalynBooks - The Book Whisperer) has, and have my kids read as much as hers!
...my students to use Evernote to collect, curate, and create notes, websites, ideas...
...to Skype with Greg Kulowiec (@GregKulowiec) during class so my students with iPads know HOW to use the tools on them.
...students to know about all the tools I've been exposed to this summer so they can explore in order to best present (or create) their ideas (but I don't want to teach them the tools!).
...to incorporate all I've learned from Ellin Oliver Keene (Talk About Understanding) about reading comprehension, and talking with, and listening to students.
...to slow down, choose my words carefully, and listen to students, asking for even more from them.
...to help my students realize their passions... their genius... thanks to Angela Maiers (@AngelaMaiers - Classroom Habitudes).
...my students to be connected to students around the globe, or at least across North America!
...to meet my favorite LA/LIT Twitter pals in person!! I've had actual (typed) conversations with so many people now, that I feel I know them. When I meet them, I will be able to call them friends. (I already feel like I work with them!)
...to be able to use (in blog posts or presentations) the beautiful pictures my husband took yesterday (exploring OshKosh!), and ones I have taken or will take. (Thanks for the ideas, Sylvia - @langwitches!)
...to give my all at school, but enjoy time with my husband after school each night and weekend.
...to spend time with my niece and nephew, while they're at such a fun age - 6!
...to be able to take breaks from all this learning, and not feel like I'm missing something I could be doing tomorrow with my students.

So... I need to remember...
    When students walk into room 239 on that first day, I may forget everything I've learned.
    I cannot do everything.
    I will be challenged in ways I can't even imagine today.
    My family comes first.
    I need to take things one step at a time.
    Something I was reminded of by Laura Coughlin (@CoughlinLaura) 2 minutes ago - the kids are scared on the first day, too.

You want to do it all, too, don't you...? Any more advice to give this greenhorn teacher in her 18th year of teaching? Please - what do you need to remind yourself of every day during the school year?

Pictures ARE Worth a Thousand Words

I wanted to share with you one more thing I learned in Boston at the BLC12 conference...

I had so many theoretical ideas swirling around my brain, I needed to take a step back. I had introduced myself face to face with Sylvia Rosenthal Tolisano (@Langwitches) the night before, and I decided to head to her session entitled "Presentation 21 Makeover." She'd told me she'd talk more about the impact pictures can have on an audience (or class) than the words projected.  Off I went. (See her slides from the presentation here.)

The biggest lesson I learned - Forget bullet points. The photograph is the most important part. The photograph is what the audience will remember. You have to figure out - what is your message?

Sylvia had some stunning photographs - some she'd taken from other sites (and given credit, of course!), and others she had taken herself.  One question everyone was thinking was raised - where do you get your photographs? Sylvia had a slide with sites to search, but what my brain heard, from all she was describing... "I've been taking my own." When I got home, I went to the library to check out a book, and found this...

I love my camera, but I only had the iPad with me with my list of books to check out. Also, I had to take the pictures from up above, or else I'd get the frame from the painting that was behind this cute pair in my picture. (It was right above her head - I've named her Emma...)

I posted one of my many pics on our Flickr T365Project group, and Sylvia responded, "The bronze book screams to have a quote on it!" Yes. I noticed that as well when I got home and uploaded them. I looked through my pictures, and noticed this one might be more conducive to "writing" on the book...

Alas. I knew I had to go back to the library, use my Canon Rebel XTi, and get a different perspective. (Is my passion for photography one of my geniuses?) I suddenly absolutely needed this picture for my parent night slides. I'd reviewed them after Sylvia's presentation, and knew I didn't have a ton of bullet points, but knew I still had too many. I wanted ONE idea on each picture. And I needed my own pictures, not pictures I had Googled! For shame! (I really was astounded at all the pictures I'd just plopped right into the Keynote! I did have the resources on each page, but were they really available for my use??? See Bloggers Beware!)

So I went back today, and captured this shot:

Now, you've seen the other two pictures, and you know that it's a boy and girl on a bench reading a book. But without the previous pictures to aid you, can you still figure it out from this picture? And just WHAT could I write on that book?

Here's where you could help - please join this conversation and put your thoughts on the comments. Do you think this picture could work? What quote would YOU put on the book? I won't write back, as I just want to know what you think, but I thank you ahead of time for your two cents!

Everyone's posting... What I learned!

Yesterday came a flood of blogs for me to read - about what everyone's learned this past year. Someone from #kinderchat put it out as a blog challenge, and many took them up on it!  Yes, I too learned about the importance of blogging, Genius Hour, and Twitter, but I'll putting a twist on my post - I'm just going to write about what I learned YESTERDAY!  Let's try a list, to make it easier to follow...

1. Flickr - Two great educators in my PLN, Denise Krebs and Laura Coughlin put me up to this. Denise has been on at least two "groups" in Flickr for awhile now - #365project and #JJAProject - where teachers go to post a picture they've taken that day. I LOVE my Canon. I love my long-range lens. But I hardly every upload pictures until the week-long trip is over, or it's time to print some out. So, I just looked at their pictures when they posted them on Twitter, and then moved on. But a tweet from Laura finally pushed me over the edge - she encouraged, "JOIN the group!" with the website attached. Okay, okay!  I had nothing else to do... I read the older posts Denise had about the group, and then jumped in, knowing I'd learn as I went. I uploaded my Detroit Zoo pics first, from Spring Break 2011 - just because I loved them so! 

2. Diptic - On the #365project group, themes were listed - and one of them was collages. This led me to my iPad, on which I'd downloaded Diptic. It was another tweet from Steve's blog - Teaching with iPad, that led me to download this app. I'd downloaded it, then left it. But it has a way to easily create collages, or combine multiple images onto one image, so it was finally opened and explored today. And this is what I downloaded to Flickr.




3. Dvolver - I then explored what was already on a growing list of tech to try during my summer - I started a GoogleDoc at the start of summer, and thought I'd better start playing at what I put on it! After all, it is 102 degrees outside... Just by stopping by the website, this is what I created. It's not the most versatile tool, but it's quick and simple. How would YOU use it?

4. Incredibox - More from my GoogleDoc... This was FUN! And so EASY! Check out the song I created! You can use this in your slideshows, or as background music for anything. I don't know how long your song can be, but it's great music - now I just have to learn how to record it so I can use it.





What I've learned this past year? To TRY NEW THINGS. Just experiment. The computer won't break. Explore what others say is valuable, and it may just work for you, too! Enjoy the journey, as always!

My Digital Footprint Awakening

Note: My summer posts have been all about what I have learned, and not with students. It is a reflection journal, so I'm going to continue reflecting!

In all the tweets, in all the blog posts, in all the websites, I keep seeing threads of discussion on our "digital footprint." Well, I learned a big lesson about my own this week.

When I first started following teachers and principals, I realized the fact that "PD on Twitter has become everything a teacher's lounge or after school meeting SHOULD be." I believe someone tweeted it, I retweeted it, and it soon became my mantra when I got online. (Update 8/17/12 - I finally found the author - Sean Junkins! I put this quote in my PD in Your PJs keynote, as well! Thanks, @SJunkins!)

I loved the positivity of educators on Twitter. Sure, there were still people who tweeted about concerns they had in education, and most had links to articles they'd read that were worrisome. And some don't separate their personal tweets from their professional tweets, so I'd hear how someone's son's baseball team did not win, or some restaurant service or food that wasn't the best, but it was mostly positive. I learned to skim over the personal tweets and only focus on my goal - of learning from this beautiful PLN I had carefully built.

Well, I was humbled this week. I posted what I thought of as my first (was it really, though???) negative-with-a-plea tweet as a reaction. I was upset, so I tweeted what I heard. I only have a tad over 100 followers, thank goodness. Who really wants to follow a 7th grade LA teacher who's just on Twitter to learn? The only "accolade" in my bio is NBCT, and that was in 2007 (yikes! The year to renew is approaching fast!)! So I viewed the 140 characters as a tiny vent session.

When I came home, I knew I had vented, and started wondering why. I realized I had veered away from "teacher's lounge without the complaints" after what I consider a very valuable discussion I had three days later... 

That discussion I had was with a man who is from the source of my frustration that day. I was contacted, and we talked for half an hour [my true Genius (Half-)Hour today]. This is a person I know & respect, and yet was not expecting to hear from. He inquired about the situation from which my tweet stemmed. He listened when I detailed the background of it's reactionary nature. He then proceeded to thoroughly educate me (in the truest sense) about the Common Core Standards and he alleviated some of my fears that come with such as big change. I don't know if he is aware of all he truly taught me... about so many things... (a partial list follows!)!

--> I learned, as so often happens in my life, that I am still ignorant of the digital world, of the power my words can have, and of the ease of straying from my own beliefs to be a positive person. I am humbled by this experience.

--> I learned (and I suppose I already knew, but it was instilled in me this week) that we can write and say (and tweet) whatever we choose. 

--> I learned that most companies, no matter the size, have someone on staff who monitors the web (yes, the entire web, including tweets) for any mention of their name, or their services, or their affiliates, and most likely their competitors, as well. This can be to see concerns, successes, ideas, and to keep the revenue coming in. They keep their business by keeping up their image in this image-driven society. This could mean they try to help customers if there are issues, spread the word about what they do well, attempt to keep up with their competitors, and perhaps glean ideas for improvements - all by hovering over and examining the web.

--> I learned to go to the source if you have an issue with something. This could be difficult in some situations... Such as teacher salaries or overcrowded schools. But it could be easier in other situations... Such as a hair in your soup or a student who won't participate. Such situations we can deal with quickly, and even get results, or at the very least bring awareness to the situation. We have so many resources - we can choose to go to them instead of venting our drama out to the world.

--> I learned that if you Google (I can't believe it's a verb these days!) your name, you'll get every tweet you ever typed, every comment you ever made on any blog post, every website organization you belong to, and, of course, your blog and school at which you work. I am creating my digital footprint each and every day. I am taking risks - everything I write can be taken out of context, misconstrued, and used against me. I am still figuring out who I am by what I write. So much of my verbal life has landed on these "pages." I've always said what I feel, as my family is well aware. However... our online community is IMMEASURABLY larger than any family and friends we have that know us. We need to make sure they know US, and not just what we type.

And now I'm off to spend time with just my husband to celebrate our anniversary. --> I've learned that you need to let the cherished people in your life know how you feel. If you want to leave a "footprint" on their hearts, you need to communicate your love in multiple ways to get your message across. Thank you to my husband for helping me sort through my feelings this week and figure out what I truly want to communicate to you... whoever you are. 

Learning Across States - In Real Time!

Today... in the time span of about one hour my day took a twist I didn't expect... After my morning ride, I received this tweet, retweeted from Laura Coughlin:

So, naturally, I had to see what was going on in Laura's day of learning with Dean Shareski!  I clicked on the link provided.  I heard Dean speaking about technology... even about how BOOKS changed our culture - suddenly we didn't need to learn from people to get information - we could READ. By ourselves. (Obviously, there's more to it than that, but that was the gist - had me thinking all day!) I could even see Dean walking in front of the screen, clicking an app on his phone so the slides changed on the presentation. The only downfall was that the volume was a little low, and I could only see half of the screen. But hey! I could be in the same room as Laura, learning in St. Joseph, MO, even though I was in my own home in IL!

Next, I saw her tweet...

What to do?  Open up Today's Meet, of course!  Just clicked on the link and BOOM! I was THERE! I could see a couple of notes typed by a couple of people I didn't know, regarding Dean's presentation.
I still couldn't believe I was there.  I ran to my husband and showed him the video and Today's Meet, and he couldn't wrap his head around it. He thought they could see us, however, because he said, "Well, turn it away from me!" (Not quite Skype...)  I was so blown away, I had to tweet it out...

And then, just when I was feeling really guilty for "listening in" on a day I didn't pay for, was able to watch in my PJs (if I so wanted), and could even participate on the sidelines, I heard the volume go up on the presentation.  Great! Now I didn't have to strain to hear him! So... I "talked" on Today's Meet and thanked them for raising the volume, but asked if they could move the camera up a tad.  And VOILA! Someone in MO kindly moved it - I could now see the entire screen at their presentation!  I felt even more guilty then, but so utterly AMAZED! Unbelievable. Just when I was thinking how utterly incredible it was I was feeling like a participant in the room at EdWeek St.Joseph School District (#edweeksjsd), I received this tweet...

Still amazed 10 hours later, I had to write this post. This was one hour of my life - a true Genius Hour - and I learned of the power of technology. It may seem a simple thing to some... set up a camera, set it up to produce a live stream, set up a back channel such as Today's Meet, and ta da! ANYone, from ANYwhere, can participate. The whole hour, I was just astounded at the power we have as teachers, but we need to be learners so students can have the same benefit. We all need to have our own Genius Hour. What will I be learning during my next personal Genius Hour?  Well, of course, Melissa Corey archived the video, so I'll return to that another day and be stunned all over again...

A huge thank you to St. Joseph School District for sharing out your week!!!

My Summer... One Big Genius Hour!

Just yesterday, I realized something, so I tweeted out my thoughts to a great teacher in my PLN - Gallit Zvi (@Gallit_Z). She had just tweeted something to her school district in Surrey, BC about Genius Hour, and there I was again, thinking!

She retweeted it, and I looked at it once more.  It's so true. Lately, I feel like my life is a CONSTANT Genius Hour!  I spend all of my free time exploring tweets, reading educator and principal blogs, and learning about new technology (the good and the bad!). This fills my day when my husband and I are not doing something together.  He used to call it work - "You're working again?" - but I think now he knows how much I enjoy learning.

This is the goal, correct? To facilitate learning so that it is a life-long passion.  Each time the school year ends, I KNOW I can do better the next year. And so, each summer, I work at learning and exploring more ideas / options / theories, etc. so that I can be "the best teacher ever!" Always a pipe dream.  I'm always reaching for it.  I'm always changing what doesn't work, and hopefully growing as a skilled teacher. I'm always questioning what to do - and evaluating it when it's finished. I hope, that some day, I will NOT feel like a first-year teacher.  This will be my 18th year (?!?!) as a teacher, but each year feels like my first in so many ways.

One of my (myriad) goals for 2012-2013 - Let the students in on how thrilling it is to be a life-long learner, and to follow your passion.  Big sigh.  It takes up most of my time this summer, but I'm ecstatic to keep learning new things and figuring out ways to implement them and let students teach themselves. To go along with this goal, I hope students will be reflective of their learning as well - I hope they see the intrinsic value, grasp it, and use it to their advantage.  May every day be filled with Genius Hour experiences! Genius Hour is no longer just 20% of my day... Can we make it "12 Hours of Genius Time" next summer?!

[Note: If you've forgotten the premise of Genius Hour, please visit the wiki that Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs) & Gallit created, Gallit's post describing it here, or how I started my journey with it here.]