Day 22 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 22

What does your PLN look like, and what does it to for your teaching?

By PLN I am assuming that Teachthought is referring to Personal Learning Network.

My PLN at Buffalo Grove/District 214 is pretty amazing. I have the amazing opportunity to be a part of a team of ITFs (Innovative Technology Facilitators) across my district where we work and collaborate on a daily basis. I also have the opportunity to have 3 DTCs (Division Technology Coaches), whom I work with directly, in my school and carry the load for me when I am busy running around, or need to be out of the building. 

Below is a great blog/article on PLNs and how to build your own.

http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/pln-challenge-1-what-the-heck-is-a-pln/

One of my favorite part of the article is where the author says: 

Best of a PLN is it’s personal!

You make all the choices:

1. What tools you use!
2. Who you connect with!
3. How you want to learn!
4. When you want to learn!

I think those 4 elements are incredibly important to stress to people about building their own PLN and showing that the power of the PLN is that it is completely up to the user how much they put in or get out of it. 

 Also, setting up a Personal Learning Network is really not as hard as one may think. Honestly, it is just a place for someone to gather information and collaborate with others. 

I also think that one important part of developing your own PLN is having the understanding that it does NOT HAVE TO BE SOLELY FOCUSED ON TECHNOLOGY! Although, we use technology to connect with others outside our buildings, that does not mean that every conversation has to be focused on technology. In fact, I would actually push people the other way. 

The classroom should never be about the technology. The classroom should be about the students and doing what is best for them. We need to remember that the technology is just a vehicle that is used to get our points across. When the focus of the classroom becomes about the tech and NOT the students, we lose sight of why we go into this profession in the first place. 

Day 21 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 21

Do you have other hobbies/interests that you bring into your classroom teaching? Explain.

So, this will be my first post in a while. In fact, I haven't posted in over a month. Ironically, it has been my interests (coaching and technology) that have kept me away from blogging over the past 31 days.

When I became a technology coach here at Buffalo Grove, one of my major worries was whether or not I would be able to inspire and teach other teachers how to use technology in the classroom. Inspiring the minds of a 17 year old kid, who hasn't yet figured out what he or she believes is easy; inspiring a 35 year old teacher who is at the "midpoint" of their career to jump in and try something new is a whole other story.

However, the more I worked with teachers, the more I realized that coaching is coaching, regardless of the age of those you are working with. Sure there are subtle differences. Seeing I am also a football and wrestling coach as well, my approach dramatically changes when I am working with teachers on technology. The one thing that doesn't change though, is my philosophy on coaching.

I have never believed that coaching is about "pushing" people to do something; you need to let them,

on their own, discover what is best for them. I have always felt (yes this applies in coaching athletics as well) that with every "push" there is going to be resistance. However, with collaboration, motivation, good energy (that's my big one) and self-discovery the outcomes are much more positive.

Unfortunately, so many people believe that you must "push" your intentions on others in order to get the outcome you want. What people need to realize is that coaching is not about the outcome, but rather the process you use to get there. The outcome is, and always will be, a byproduct of the process. 

Day 20 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 20

How do you curate student work–or help them do it themselves?

http://www.teachhub.com/empower-student-to-take-ownership-of-learning

I found the above article incredibly interesting, seemingly due to the fact that I am mostly working with teachers now. The funny thing is that I really see the approach to getting "buy-in" from teachers and students very similar.

The article defines student empowerment as “student ownership of learning”. The funny thing is that I actually find it harder, at times, to get teachers to buy in and take ownership. One of my favorite stories, from when I was teaching, came from a technology workshop that I gave here at school. At the end of the session, one of the teachers came up to me and said: 

"Listen Jeff....All this technology is great, but I worked really hard for my first 10 years of teaching to get my curriculum and my worksheets in order so I could coast for my last 20 years. I did't get into teaching to change what I am doing all the time." 

I will never forget that conversation; and there was a part of me that thought this teacher was brilliant in the sense that they were really trying to work smarter, not harder. However, the downside (not that I need to explain it to anyone) is that this teacher really didn't have any real ownership over what he was doing. Instead, he had created some generic work, that was focused more on student regurgitation rather than student creation. 

This conversation forced me to reflect on what I had been doing and decide if I really was inspiring my kids to take ownership over their own work. I began breaking my class periods down into three 15-minute segments. 

• Teaching/instructing
• Brainstorming
• Creating

The work the students produced inspired me and vice versa. As time went on I felt like I was teaching WITH my students, not TO them. 

Now that my job has changed, I am finding the same kind of inspiration in my colleagues. My job has allowed me to get into other teacher's classrooms, see what they are doing and, in some cases, feel a little jealous that I do not have the ability to use and practice what I am seeing in the classrooms. However, the techniques when working with teachers has really remained similar to the way I was in the classroom. 

Day 19 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 19:

I really didn't understand the question being asked on line, so I am just going to wing this one....and this one is going to be short.It's Friday :-)

It is times like this when I wish that I was more creative. I wish I read CNN enough to write something clever on ISIS or stir up something controversial about the Ebola "Outbreak." But the fact of the matter is that I don't worry about those things because......well, I don't have to. I know some of you are thinking that I sound like an uneducated, unworldly teacher from the suburbs that is just focused on his little bubble; and to be honest I cannot say that you would be wrong. However, as a teacher, it is really to easy to get caught in our own little bubbles and really not worry about anything other than what is happening in our schools or our classrooms. 

Still, I think that good teachers do tend to get "lost in their jobs" more than they realize, especially those (like myself) that leave the classroom and now have to view their buildings from a larger perspective. That being said, I guess I don't mind NOT knowing everything outside of my little bubble especially when it comes at the benefit of my school, the teachers and the kids. 

Read this article below for some interesting facts. 



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/09/oecd-teacher-salary-report_n_5791166.html

Day 18 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 18:

Create a metaphor/simile/analogy that describes your teaching philosophy. For example, a “teacher is a ________…”

I know that I am not following the "rules" of this Blogging Challenge. I believe it was supposed to be done in September and I believe it was supposed to be 30 days in a row. However, I am really not sure how anyone actually finished in that time frame. Maybe I put too much thought into these, but WOW have I procrastinated. 

Anyways.......This entry SHOULD be easy; and I really would love to give a creative answer, especially since I taught English for 10 years before becoming the Technology Facilitator. However, I really think that good teaching is really no different than good coaching and vice versa. Early in my career that idea escaped me. I thought that all coaching had to be incredibly intense and all teaching had to be incredibly cerebral.  What I found out though, was that my teaching AND coaching suffered given that approach. Over the course of my first few years, I turned down my intensity as a coach and took a much more cerebral approach to my athletes; on the contrary, I turned up my intensity in the classroom and tried to motivate my students as much as I tried to "teach" them. 

What I found was astounding. My classroom environment went from a place of abysmal grinding work, to a place where students felt motivated regardless of their skill level. Students entered my classroom with a smile knowing that no matter how tough the task that we were working TOGETHER to get them through it. My classroom really started to feel more like a "team" environment.   

As the Technology Facilitator (Technology Coach) for Buffalo Grove High School, I still take this approach when working with teachers every day. I approach every situation with a "let's do this together" attitude and really try to work with these teachers to get them to where they want to be in the classroom. Whether it be teaching or coaching I really don't believe that you can go wrong when you bring knowledge and motivation to the table. 

Day 17 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 17:

What do you think is the most challenging issue in education today?

I wish there was a simple answer for this one, but overall I think that everything really does comes down to one simple answer: parents. 

Now, if you are a parent reading this, please continue reading before you start running to the school board, demanding for my resignation. 

There was a great post on, Homeroom, which is the official blog of the US Dept. of Education that talked about how teachers and parents need to work AS A TEAM in the education system, not against each other. I can just think back to those early days as a young teacher where I dreaded parent teacher conferences as well as those parent phone calls where I just knew every minute was going to be a battle. However, as I grew older (and hopefully wiser) I realized that I had to treat my relationship with parents like I would treat a "teammate." I need to encourage them and give them some things that we can work on together instead of playing the "blame game" all year long.  

Parents need to understand that they, "are important learning partners and teachers are so thankful" for all that they do.We all know that the education system is not perfect, but show me a system or an organization that truly is run to perfection. (No...you cannot count Google. That wouldn't be fair). However, WITH the parents AND teachers working together we can find that common ground, and continue to work towards that common cause. We need to understand that we all want to foster positive growth in our schools and prepare our students for life after they leave our grasp.

"Improving schools is an important job and one that teachers, parents, and policymakers should do together."

Here is some food for thought. 

So, what exactly can parents do? Here are some suggestions:

• Be a voice for higher expectations;
• Be a voice for elevating the teaching profession; and
• Be a voice for the kinds of changes our schools must make to truly prepare our young people for the future they will face.

Day 16 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 16:

If you could have one superpower to use in the classroom, what would it be and how would it help?

I love this question, not only because I am really a child inside and still watch superhero movies, but also because I think it would be fun to be an incognito superhero (like Clark Kent)  and teach in the classroom.

 On a hunch, I did a Google search on "teaching superpowers" just to see what I could find. 

I eventually came across an article that talks about "superpowers" that teachers already have.

I posted the article below and I am going to look at each topic and leave some comments. Enjoy!

My comments will be in Blue. 

Here is the top 10 list of Teacher Super Powers:

Super Educational Gadgets

Batman’s known for his gadgets, just like those techie teachers who rock the projectors, interactive whiteboards and all things e-learning to live up to 21^st century expectations… and beyond.

• I think we already have this one. Everywhere you look, there are iPads, laptops and Apple TVs. I don't know what else a teacher could want in our school. Heck, even some of our furniture has outlets built into them. 

Elasti-teacher

Physics can’t explain how you’ve stretched yourself to do everything a crazy classroom requires – from differentiating instruction for every student, finishing mountains of paperwork in a single bound, keeping in touch with parents, researching new teaching tools and techniques, attending innumerable meetings and much more.Lifting heaving objects might be impressive for some superheroes, but not nearly as impressive as holding it from 8-3 after your large morning coffee (because the caffeine fix isn’t an option).

• This one I would enjoy. I wouldn't mind the ability to stretch myself around the classroom. Our rooms tend to be small and crowded. The ability to move myself around without disrupting students and tripping in backpacks would be great. 

The Firestarter

You light the spark of learning that is the most important tool for young students. Once you light the fire, you extend those super powers to your students as they learn and grow.

• Fire in school....I would pass on this one. 

Power of Super Patience

Thought not as glamorous as invisibility or flying, the indestructible patience you show in class is more important and more challenging than lifting an 18-wheeling over your head.

• I am married. I think I already have this one. :-)....Just don't tell my wife I said that. 

Webs of Knowledge

Take notes, Spidey! Students can’t help but be caught up in the enticing web of knowledge you create with engaging lessons, fun projects and boundless enthusiasm.

• What would we do without Google? My father tells me all the time that my generation, "has become so reliant on technology that we don't know how to live without it." That may be a comment that I disagree with. In fact, my generation (I am 33 by the way) went through high school without the internet or cellphones. Sure, our school had the internet, but it was on 3 computers in the corner of the computer lab and only the 3 "tech nerds" (very ironic that I am one now) were able to use them. Cell phones were VERY RARE and to be honest....so few kids had them there wasn't a point to them because there was no one to call!

The Hammer of Teacher

Keeping discipline and rogue classroom behavior in check is your super skill. Like Thor, you can’t be afraid to bring down the hammer when necessary.

• I agree with this one to a point. I think there is a difference between setting good expectations and being a disciplinarian. I am not saying that there aren't times where you need to come down hard on kids, but I always felt that talking to a kid, showing and earning their respect went a long way as well. Now.....if someone is going to give me Thor's Hammer to bring into class, I wouldn't argue with that. 

Super Distraction Deflectors

While Wonder Woman used her magic gold bracelets to deflect attacks, you use your super wit and classroom command to deflect distractions and students trying to get you off topic.

• We have those. Thanks YouTube and iMessage!

This is a test

Day 15 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 15: Name three strengths you have as an educator.

These are always the questions that you hate to answer. First of all, I don't think that most educators like to talk about themselves (which this 30 day challenge forces you to do); and second, it is hard to give a unique answer without sounding like you are trying too hard. 

So..in the words of the Joker......HERE WE GO!!







I would have to say that one of my biggest strengths is my ability to get kids to WANT TO WORK for me. I think there is a big difference between getting kids to work for you and getting kids to WANT TO WORK for you. Maybe it is the football coach in me, but I think that getting kids TO BELIEVE they can accomplish something is just as important as the result. Plus, instilling a little "want to" into students can help the overall classroom environment, give them ownership over their work and motivate them to take on tasks they the might have otherwise passed on due to difficulty.

I understand as much as anyone that motivation can only take you so far in the classroom.  With that, my preparedness and my work ethic would have to be my next two strengths. Maybe I am cheating the question by combining those two, but I really think that my ability to prepare for each and every lesson, show the students what we are doing and why we are doing it, helps give a purpose to each day.

I try to avoid, as much as anyone can, the question from kids, "why are we doing this?" Ensuring I have a purpose and a focus for each lesson AND communicate that to kids really makes a difference when building an overall positive classroom environment. 

Day 14 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

 

Day 14: What is feedback for learning, and how well do you give it to students?

Although this is not a tough question, I did a quick Google Search on "giving effective student feedback" just to see what would show up, and the most prevalent characteristic dealt with, "knowing what you know and knowing what you don't know." Reflecting on my last 10 years of teaching English, I think back to my first couple of years where the feedback I gave to my students was bland, generic and really did't help them as writers. At the time, I knew what good writing looked like, but just didn't know how to communicate that to my students in a language they would understand. 

My comments were usually something like: 

"Reword this" 

"Extend this idea" 

"What?"

or even worse, when I graded a piece of writing that was outstanding I would say:

"Great work" 

"Interesting" 

and would NOT focus on their style or voice. In fact, looking back I don't think I honestly knew HOW to give feedback based on the purpose of each assignment. 

Let's take this blog for example: 

One of the reasons I never created a blog before was because I was afraid of putting my thoughts into words, then putting it out there for the whole world to see. So I did some research and spoke to some other bloggers, and the best piece of advice I got was, 

think about your blog as a professional diary. You are not trying to win the Pulitzer Prize with every post, but rather put your thoughts and ideas out there for others to pull from. Yes, the writing is important, but more importantly, you are putting yourself out there and maybe inspiring someone else to take a chance on something new or possibly be inspired by something you say, regardless of your style or comma placement.

That statement really changed the way I looked at blogging. Yes, the writing and the style is important, but this is just another way to connect and start conversation,  engage with other teachers and get feedback. (So please feel free to comment...good or bad). 

I believe that this is the same way I give feedback to students (and teachers given my new job), based on the purpose of the piece.. Every piece of writing doesn't have to win the Pulitzer Prize and may have a missed comma or two; every lesson that I observe from a teacher doesn't have to be the one that wins them the Golden Apple, but more importantly is the intended message communicated and how can I help enhance their ideas not completely change them. 

Day 13 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Dat 13: Name the top edtech tools that you use on a consistent basis in the classroom, and rank them in terms of their perceived (by you) effectiveness.

I have been lucky enough to play and teach with some pretty great edtech tools over the past few years. The best advice I can give to anyone who is just starting with technology in the classroom is DO NOT SOLELY RELY ON APPS. 

Now, let me back up a bit. I am not saying to never use apps in the classroom; but do not structure your entire curriculum around 1-2 specific apps with the hopes that they will be around forever. 

Although we are an Apple school I have found myself storing, organizing and communicating with Google Apps for Education. Some have argued that I "shouldn't solely rely on Google"  and "that is the same thing as relying on 1-2 apps." However, Google is really one of those businesses that is too big to fail, so I am throwing my stock there. 

I am going to rank the best edtech tools, but I am going to leave Google Apps off of this list for right now. As far as I am concerned, that is like asking who the best basketball player ever to live is.....We would all obviously pick Michael Jordan and everyone else if just fighting for 2nd. :-o

 My list: 

1. Moodle/Schoology 

• These are two different LMS's, but both with great functionality and places where you can house and build an interactive classroom. 

2. Notability/Adobe Reader

• Both PDF annotators. Adober Reader is free and has almost all of the functionality of Notability. However, Notability is only a few $ and worth the purchase. 

3. iBooks/iBooks author

• Find books on line or CREATE YOUR OWN using your own content. iBooks author is incredibly easy to use and allows students to participate in the creation process. Great tool for a creative writing and/or college writing course for digital portfolios. 

4. Evernote

• Allows students to take notes, record lectures and share very easily. 

Sorry for the short post! Been a crazy day. I'll do better next time. :-)

Day 12 of my 30-Day Blogging Challenge for teachers from teachthought.com

Here is the link to the site with the 30-day challenge. 

http://www.teachthought.com/teaching/reflective-teaching-30-day-blogging-challenge-teachers/

Day 12: How do you envision your teaching changing in the next 5 years? 

I always love questions like this, because I always feel like "The best laid schemes of Mice and Men oft go awry". 

To be honest, I have no idea where my job is going to take me in the next 5 years. It's not that I don't have a plan or goals, but I feel like the last few years have been a technological whirlwind  and I can't even imagine where educational technology is going to take us in the future. 

If you were to ask me 5 years ago, I would have given you several possibilities, but no real answer. And....I certainly would have never predicted that I would end up here. 

In fact, I even thought about: 

1. moving to Texas to teach because....well it's Texas.  
2. trying to coach at the college level full time and leaving education all together. 
3. getting into sales 
4.  trying to get into the communications realm (TV/Radio). 

So where does that leave me now? Well, I never thought I would ever leave the classroom, but here I am. I am the guy in his office writing on his blog during the school day, collaborating on Twitter, going to workshops etc. 

I just hope that in 5 years I can see the impact I am having on kids due to the research and curriculum development that I am doing now. The hard part about leaving the classroom is not seeing the immediate impact on kids, and understanding that my vision has become more broadened and administrative rather than immediate and departmental. Who knows...maybe 5 years from now I will be back in the classroom. :-)