Sunday, January 23, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
A Book Review for Follow Me to Freedom
John and Shane are two leaders who have been through many struggles, have devoted their lives to creating a better world, and have come from different backgrounds to share their lessons learned with us through a genuine, heart-felt conversation. It is easy to hear their love and respect for each other as they discuss the blessings and struggles of leadership. Their story shows another side of leadership: one beyond that of leadership within the school walls. Their story shares the grit, tears, and realities of leadership within communities. These communities have been through disasters, riots, and storms, but have also come together with prayer, love, and support to build something better.
The vision that is carried throughout the book is looking toward Christ for our vision. If we “align our particular vision with God’s Word” (loc. 836), we can feel secure that we are leading in accordance with His will. Our vision also must come, not from arrogance, but from our “experience and woundedness” (loc. 1108). If it comes from arrogance or pridefulness, Shane warns, “we cannot just be in love with the big vision; we have to love the people around us” (loc. 2609). Through love for others and prayer for guidance, our vision will guide us closer to Him through our lives.
As we lead, others are following us. This book shows us that we must choose carefully who we follow and, again, ensure that they are looking toward Christ as the ultimate example. Christ taught his disciples to “quietly make friends with people” (loc. 424). If we become friends with our followers, stop seeking glory for our works and accomplishments, and instead promote God and his grace, others will want to join with us to get closer to Him. Shane uses Christ and his disciples as an excellent example for us. The disciples were ordinary men. “He teaches the disciples to offer what little they have and promises that when we do that, there will be enough” (loc. 1289).
One of the greatest themes running through this book is how to be the leader Christ believes we can be. “All it takes is the humility to recognize that we all have something to teach, and we all have something to learn” (loc. 1109). If we remember that simple truth, then we can stay balanced between knowing that God has a plan for us and realizing that we are a small piece of an even bigger plan that encompasses so much more than our vision for ourselves.
Resources:
Clairborne, S., & J. M. Perkins (2009) Follow Me To Freedom: Leading and Following as an Ordinary Radical. Ventura: Regal. Kindle edition.
Follow me to...
…the every-day journey.
The last three chapters of Follow Me to Freedom reminds me to stay humble, to remember both the history and the future in my leadership role, and to realize the responsibility that comes with leadership. While God has put me where I am today, I can’t put too much self-importance in that because He uses everyone for His purpose. Not just me, not just you, but everyone. We all have our unique gifts, strengths, and weaknesses that create our families and communities. We must find a way to come together every day of this journey. Good times are easy, hard times are tougher to stay together and work together. But it is necessary... Together with the leaders and members that have come before, we all look toward the future. Without the leaders of yesterday, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My responsibility is to remember their legacies. Mrs. Anderson, my teacher mentor, would whisper into students’ ears that needed a reprimand. I need to remember that when I am tempted daily to whine and complain to others instead of going to someone in private to resolve hard feelings.
Dreaming Big at Buffalo Elementary
In order to move forward into 21st Century learning with the teachers and students of Buffalo Elementary, we must have a vision of where we want to be and a plan on how we are going to get there. Of course, “there” is a never-ending goal. As we continue to grow and change, technology and education are being revamped continuously. In order to prepare our students for this changing world, the leaders of Buffalo Elementary need to pro-actively seek out disruptive innovation opportunities.
Buffalo ISD leaders need to make a commitment to the 21st Century skills that students will need to compete and succeed in our changing world. To launch that commitment, they need to hire a district-level technology director. This person can be devoted to pro-actively searching out grants and other financial opportunities, providing ongoing professional development to the professionals, and staying abreast of technological trends in education. I hope to be that person for BISD, but I will continue to work on those same tasks within my duties as Reading and Math Campus Coach until that opportunity becomes available for me.
In order to best help my organization, I will take advantage of some of the many Web 2.0 tools. I am a member of the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA), so I receive the latest research and articles from them monthly. I also follow several Twitter accounts that regularly tweet about the latest trends and interesting articles. The Horizon report will be one of the many resources that I follow, and I plan to continue with my blog and my plans for the Dream Big group of educators at my school.
Along with the Dream Big group, I hope to teach other teachers to use the many resources we have available to us now. Our campus will best be served by the many tools available for free learning tools on the web. We have a reliable network, at least two student computers in every classroom, and SMART boards with document cameras in every classroom, too. We have to break down the barrier that teachers think is holding our school and students back. Technology isn’t just for the big-city kids. It is available and accessible for each and every student in our school. Our disruptive innovation is breaking down that barrier and realizing that we can use these tools, too.
Resources:
21st Century Fluency Project. 2010. Infosavvy group. www.committedsardine.com
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Follow me to...
a positive place. :) (AKA - that's why they call me Pollyanna!!!)
As a leader of my school, I have been exposed to a lot of negativity this year. It's very easy to fall into a pattern of complaining without coming up with any positive solutions. In Follow Me to Freedom, Shane found the key to my heart when he said, "There is no room for negativity and complaining. We either need to use every ounce of energy we have to change something that is wrong, or we need to stop complaining" (loc 2713). Later, he points out that while we do need people around that see what's wrong, they also need to be part of the solution. Leading people away from negativity is a challenge, and it's all to easy to follow those same negative people into frustration. If we demonstrate our commitment to excellence with a positive "WE can do it" attitude, other's will want to follow that lead...
As a leader of my school, I have been exposed to a lot of negativity this year. It's very easy to fall into a pattern of complaining without coming up with any positive solutions. In Follow Me to Freedom, Shane found the key to my heart when he said, "There is no room for negativity and complaining. We either need to use every ounce of energy we have to change something that is wrong, or we need to stop complaining" (loc 2713). Later, he points out that while we do need people around that see what's wrong, they also need to be part of the solution. Leading people away from negativity is a challenge, and it's all to easy to follow those same negative people into frustration. If we demonstrate our commitment to excellence with a positive "WE can do it" attitude, other's will want to follow that lead...
Monday, November 29, 2010
Dream Big Group - The Beginning
1. Specific Context of the Teaching/Learning Situation
How many students are in the class? Is the course lower division, upper division, or
graduate level? How long and frequent are the class meetings? How will the course be
delivered: live, online, or in a classroom or lab? What physical elements of the learning
environment will affect the class?
The class will consist of up to 20 elementary classroom teachers that volunteer to become part of a discussion and book study group. The teachers are all certified teachers with at least bachelor’s degrees, so this would be considered continuing education at a graduate level. We will meet once a week in a combination of live and online discussions. We will meet in the school library for our face-to-face meetings, and the online discussions will take place in an educational ning network. The first meeting will be an instructional class to familiarize the class with the ning network.
2. General Context of the Learning Situation
What learning expectations are placed on this course or curriculum by: the university,
college and/or department? the profession? society?
The nature of education will be changing drastically over the next few decades. Teachers that are relatively new to the teaching field will see a continued shift to using technology as a learning tool over the course of their careers. Most teachers are teaching using traditional methods the same way they were taught and expecting children to have the same societal factors they did growing up. These teachers will read and discuss articles that describe the changing expectations of the new generation and the future of education. Then we will learn about the tools available for our use now that they can begin to implement technology within their classrooms.
3. Nature of the Subject
Is this subject primarily theoretical, practical, or a combination? Is the subject primarily
convergent or divergent? Are there important changes or controversies occurring within the field?
Technology and its influence on the world of education is a combination of theory and practice. There is a broad range of reactions to the research and practicalities involved in this discussion. For teachers that are somewhat comfortable with the social aspects of technology, they have seemed to respond in a positive way. Other teachers see this topic as very divergent in nature. They want to continue teaching the same way they always have, talk about the many pitfalls involved, and respond with negativity to these discussions. They will probably not volunteer for this discussion group, but I am hoping that as the discussions continue and teachers begin to use technology in innovative and meaningful ways, they will begin to see the positive aspects of using technology in the classroom.
4. Characteristics of the Learners
What is the life situation of the learners (e.g., working, family, professional goals)? What
prior knowledge, experiences, and initial feelings do students usually have about this
subject? What are their learning goals, expectations, and preferred learning styles?
The teachers on my campus are professionals with a broad range of teaching experience and technology comfort levels. Three of our teachers are first-year teachers, nine have less than 5 years of experience, and the rest range from 5-25 years experience. The majority of the teachers are comfortable with the basic skills in word processing, data input, and email. All of the teachers have access to SMART boards, document cameras, iPod touches, and at least one student computer in their classrooms. Only a few are using the SMART boards as interactive teaching tools beyond taking attendance and completing morning calendar activities. All of the teachers have the expectations that their time will not be wasted, and they will leave the discussions with activities they can use in their classrooms to enhance authentic learning.
I am aware that a few of the teachers will are skeptical about using more technology in the classroom. As a part of our discussions, we will talk about both the positive and negative aspects of implementing the available technology. Our ultimate goal is to provide meaningful learning experiences for our students. Unnecessary use of technology for the sake of using technology can detract from that goal. Therefore, we must always be mindful of purpose with any activities or tools. Ben McNeeley lists several challenges for higher education in his report, Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool New Thing (Oblinger, 2005). I think those same challenges hold true for all classrooms, and this will be one of the focuses of our discussions.
5. Characteristics of the Teacher
What beliefs and values does the teacher have about teaching and learning? What is
his/her attitude toward: the subject? students? What level of knowledge or familiarity does s/he have with this subject? What are his/her strengths in teaching?
I believe that every child has their own unique gifts. As a teacher, my greatest responsibility is to guide my students to believe in themselves, value their gifts, and know the feeling of accomplishment that comes from completing a goal.
My passion within education is teaching students to read. My husband and son are both dyslexic, and my husband’s experiences with school have made me aware of how many of our students exit the school system with negative feelings toward their own abilities. Working with dyslexic students to help them find their gifts and see the value of reading is a challenge. Most of them have already given up on themselves and are overwhelmed by the battle of learning to read. Through encouragement, compassion, and an open appreciation of their many other gifts, I try to open their hearts and minds to the possibilities of the future.
Trying to help teachers see the value of using technology in their classrooms is a similar battle. Many have decided it is just a waste of time or lack the self-confidence to explore technology as anything more than a word processing and email tool. Through positive encouragement, multiple realistic examples of using tech tools in the classroom, and awareness of the future for our students, I hope to open their hearts and minds to the possibilities of our future.
Resources
Oblinger, Diana G. and James. (2005). Educating the Net Generation. Educause. http://www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen
Three activities:
1. Teachers will sign up for a educational ning network account, join the Buffalo Elementary group, and post an initial discussion post detailing their expectations for the discussion group. Teachers will then respond to each other’s posts and follow discussions within the group.
2. Using lesson plans and curriculum, teachers will create a SMART notebook activity for use in their classroom. Activities must be interactive, student-centered, and directly related to learning outcomes stated in the curriculum. When we meet for discussion, teachers will present the activities to the group for discussion and evaluation. A primary goal will be to create a meaningful activity using the SMART notebook software. Example – vocabulary interactive review. Each page has the vocabulary word, a student-friendly definition, and a learning activity to reinforce meaning.
3. Teachers will be responsible for reading several articles discussing the future of technology in the classroom. Every week, teachers will be responsible for writing a brief “aha” moment description and adding it to the ning network discussion boards.
Outline –
Day one – intro to the Ning network. Teachers will create an account, join the Buffalo Elementary group, and write a post describing their expectations for the group. Teachers will then respond to each other’s posts over the following week. The reading assignment for the week will be Growing up with Google: What it means to education by Diana G. Oblinger.
Day two – I will post a link to Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool New Thing by Ben McNeely. Teachers will be asked to read and respond to the text by writing a brief “aha” moment description. They will also be expected to read each other’s posts and respond to them within the Ning network.
Day three – we will meet face-to-face to discuss the SMART notebook activity. We will discuss expectations, review usage of the SMART notebook software, and discuss possible pitfalls.
Day four – I will post a link to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills webpage. Teachers will be asked to explore the website and write about how the 21st Century Skills expectations and activities can translate into their classrooms. We will come together to discuss this website after two weeks for exploration and web-discussions.
Day six – we will come together for a reflective discussion, make a plan for moving forward, and create a document to present to administration demonstrating the results of our discussion group.
How many students are in the class? Is the course lower division, upper division, or
graduate level? How long and frequent are the class meetings? How will the course be
delivered: live, online, or in a classroom or lab? What physical elements of the learning
environment will affect the class?
The class will consist of up to 20 elementary classroom teachers that volunteer to become part of a discussion and book study group. The teachers are all certified teachers with at least bachelor’s degrees, so this would be considered continuing education at a graduate level. We will meet once a week in a combination of live and online discussions. We will meet in the school library for our face-to-face meetings, and the online discussions will take place in an educational ning network. The first meeting will be an instructional class to familiarize the class with the ning network.
2. General Context of the Learning Situation
What learning expectations are placed on this course or curriculum by: the university,
college and/or department? the profession? society?
The nature of education will be changing drastically over the next few decades. Teachers that are relatively new to the teaching field will see a continued shift to using technology as a learning tool over the course of their careers. Most teachers are teaching using traditional methods the same way they were taught and expecting children to have the same societal factors they did growing up. These teachers will read and discuss articles that describe the changing expectations of the new generation and the future of education. Then we will learn about the tools available for our use now that they can begin to implement technology within their classrooms.
3. Nature of the Subject
Is this subject primarily theoretical, practical, or a combination? Is the subject primarily
convergent or divergent? Are there important changes or controversies occurring within the field?
Technology and its influence on the world of education is a combination of theory and practice. There is a broad range of reactions to the research and practicalities involved in this discussion. For teachers that are somewhat comfortable with the social aspects of technology, they have seemed to respond in a positive way. Other teachers see this topic as very divergent in nature. They want to continue teaching the same way they always have, talk about the many pitfalls involved, and respond with negativity to these discussions. They will probably not volunteer for this discussion group, but I am hoping that as the discussions continue and teachers begin to use technology in innovative and meaningful ways, they will begin to see the positive aspects of using technology in the classroom.
4. Characteristics of the Learners
What is the life situation of the learners (e.g., working, family, professional goals)? What
prior knowledge, experiences, and initial feelings do students usually have about this
subject? What are their learning goals, expectations, and preferred learning styles?
The teachers on my campus are professionals with a broad range of teaching experience and technology comfort levels. Three of our teachers are first-year teachers, nine have less than 5 years of experience, and the rest range from 5-25 years experience. The majority of the teachers are comfortable with the basic skills in word processing, data input, and email. All of the teachers have access to SMART boards, document cameras, iPod touches, and at least one student computer in their classrooms. Only a few are using the SMART boards as interactive teaching tools beyond taking attendance and completing morning calendar activities. All of the teachers have the expectations that their time will not be wasted, and they will leave the discussions with activities they can use in their classrooms to enhance authentic learning.
I am aware that a few of the teachers will are skeptical about using more technology in the classroom. As a part of our discussions, we will talk about both the positive and negative aspects of implementing the available technology. Our ultimate goal is to provide meaningful learning experiences for our students. Unnecessary use of technology for the sake of using technology can detract from that goal. Therefore, we must always be mindful of purpose with any activities or tools. Ben McNeeley lists several challenges for higher education in his report, Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool New Thing (Oblinger, 2005). I think those same challenges hold true for all classrooms, and this will be one of the focuses of our discussions.
5. Characteristics of the Teacher
What beliefs and values does the teacher have about teaching and learning? What is
his/her attitude toward: the subject? students? What level of knowledge or familiarity does s/he have with this subject? What are his/her strengths in teaching?
I believe that every child has their own unique gifts. As a teacher, my greatest responsibility is to guide my students to believe in themselves, value their gifts, and know the feeling of accomplishment that comes from completing a goal.
My passion within education is teaching students to read. My husband and son are both dyslexic, and my husband’s experiences with school have made me aware of how many of our students exit the school system with negative feelings toward their own abilities. Working with dyslexic students to help them find their gifts and see the value of reading is a challenge. Most of them have already given up on themselves and are overwhelmed by the battle of learning to read. Through encouragement, compassion, and an open appreciation of their many other gifts, I try to open their hearts and minds to the possibilities of the future.
Trying to help teachers see the value of using technology in their classrooms is a similar battle. Many have decided it is just a waste of time or lack the self-confidence to explore technology as anything more than a word processing and email tool. Through positive encouragement, multiple realistic examples of using tech tools in the classroom, and awareness of the future for our students, I hope to open their hearts and minds to the possibilities of our future.
Resources
Oblinger, Diana G. and James. (2005). Educating the Net Generation. Educause. http://www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen
Three activities:
1. Teachers will sign up for a educational ning network account, join the Buffalo Elementary group, and post an initial discussion post detailing their expectations for the discussion group. Teachers will then respond to each other’s posts and follow discussions within the group.
2. Using lesson plans and curriculum, teachers will create a SMART notebook activity for use in their classroom. Activities must be interactive, student-centered, and directly related to learning outcomes stated in the curriculum. When we meet for discussion, teachers will present the activities to the group for discussion and evaluation. A primary goal will be to create a meaningful activity using the SMART notebook software. Example – vocabulary interactive review. Each page has the vocabulary word, a student-friendly definition, and a learning activity to reinforce meaning.
3. Teachers will be responsible for reading several articles discussing the future of technology in the classroom. Every week, teachers will be responsible for writing a brief “aha” moment description and adding it to the ning network discussion boards.
Outline –
Day one – intro to the Ning network. Teachers will create an account, join the Buffalo Elementary group, and write a post describing their expectations for the group. Teachers will then respond to each other’s posts over the following week. The reading assignment for the week will be Growing up with Google: What it means to education by Diana G. Oblinger.
Day two – I will post a link to Using Technology as a Learning Tool, Not Just the Cool New Thing by Ben McNeely. Teachers will be asked to read and respond to the text by writing a brief “aha” moment description. They will also be expected to read each other’s posts and respond to them within the Ning network.
Day three – we will meet face-to-face to discuss the SMART notebook activity. We will discuss expectations, review usage of the SMART notebook software, and discuss possible pitfalls.
Day four – I will post a link to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills webpage. Teachers will be asked to explore the website and write about how the 21st Century Skills expectations and activities can translate into their classrooms. We will come together to discuss this website after two weeks for exploration and web-discussions.
Day six – we will come together for a reflective discussion, make a plan for moving forward, and create a document to present to administration demonstrating the results of our discussion group.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Leading Change
I'm in love with Prezi's... Here is my latest Prezi about leading the change that is about to take place within the third grade team at my school. It's going to take teamwork and a lot of support to make the changes successful...
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