Tweaking the Proposal

After meeting with louis this week I feel like my proposal is sooo much more manageable now. I had one very large culminating experience set up and was beginning to feel quite overwhelmed!

The new proposal is similar to the old one but much more focused now. I am going to be focusing on creating a moodle as my classroom "hub" and developing/implementing 6 curricular projects by Thanksgiving. I will be focusing more on how to use moodle as an instructional tool now. I will be learning the ins and out of moodle, developing slideshows, tutorials, google docs worksheets, rubrics and direction guides for my moodle.

This week I focused on setting up the moodle so it was easy to navigate, organized and consistent. Since I teach 3 different levels and art classes (Art fundamentals, 2d concepts, 3d concepts) I wanted to make sure they all looked the same so that as students move through the art program at FOx RIver, they will be familiar with the moodle set up.

I spent over 7 hours figuring out how I wanted to organize my moodle pages--probably too much time, but now I LOVE how it is set up. I piloted it with AF classes and they found it very easy to navigate! They like how I created a "topic" box for each project, posted a picture of the project and created links to project directions, daily learner goals, rubric, project examples. I am using google docs to create all my online worksheets so that if i need to change anything on the file, I don't have to re-upload a new word document--google does it right on the web! woohoo!

I learned sooo much more about moodle from "play" this week that my colleagues are asking me for moodle help! I am still in the dark about using the assignment and quiz options but feel so much more confident in my understand of the layout and "resources" options for moodle.

The Beginning of the End

So I began my moodle pages and had my students submit their first electronic rubric/evaluation. Overall, I think it has been a great success. We had some issues with our server at school, which caused some of my classes to not be able to access the moodle and their google docs but still it was all online the students just did it at home instead. I really like having them submit their work to me online and have already been thinking about how I can make it even more successful. For instance, I have decided for their next project that they will complete the self reflection, unit questions and rubric online through google docs as well as insert a picture of their project too. I will NEVER have to take work home again! Just kidding!!

The idea of the photo is two-fold. THe first is that I usually spend hours grading at school to make sure I am grading the right project. I do formative assessments throughout he project so having the photo inserted on the picture is just a great way to "jog" my memory. By the time I get to assessing their project I pretty much already know how they performed on the project. The other reason why I want them to insert a picture is so I can give them "mini" photo assignments like turn in a color picture and a black and white or create a comic strip (using toon-do, etc) with your image.

Final Leadership Reflection

I don't think my definition of leadership has changed at all. I do think that this class has helped me organize my thoughts on leadership in a much better way. I guess I always knew what characteristics and qualities I thought a leader should have but know have a much better understanding of how to put these characteristics to use.

My definition of teacher leadership is someone that wants the best for their school, students and community by promoting and supporting positive changes. They are also a person that takes risks when needed, volunteers when they can, accepts challenges with an open mind and values teamwork and collaboration.

I completely agree with the books assertion about "improving education from within". To me this concept is very similar to the "you have to love yourself before you can whole heartedly love anyone else." If we as the educators don't try to improve the education system, who will?

I know that I try to make our school a better place for students, staff and the community. I am very involved with our building and extra-curricular. In addition I feel like i am the students best advocate. I see and work with them everyday.

I enjoyed this class a lot and feel like I learned tons about the change process in schools. I know that it is not an over night event and that real change (meaningful and successful change) is long term. This class also made me realize that many of the duties I take on in my school are leadership roles.

Leadership week 5

In chapter 6 tehre are a couple of things that really stood out to me and I would like to take minute to reflect on them.

1. Map the Curriculum- really cool idea for not just incoming teachers. I think this would allow teachers to be more flexible and realistic with their lessons, instruction and activities!

2. Use assessments as teaching tools- feedback, feedback, feedback! Students need to be assesses both formatively and summatively and meaningfully. Why assign something if you are not going to be looking at it or grading it? If we expect the students to take time to learn/study/complete it, we should also be expected to give them meaningful and effective feedback.

3. Teach study skill- in the middle school we are just starting out this process and I firmly believe we need to start very basic. If we tell them and model successful ways to take notes and study in school, they will be more successful. We can't just expect them to know how to do these things.

4. Communicate with frequently parents- I like the analogy the books used about being a team. If you only communicate with the students you are basically only inviting half a sports team to a game. I also think that its super important to communicate with the parents at good times in the students educational career as well. At my school we have positive parent contacts. This is a great way for us to reach out and an praise students when they are doing well in class and being to build a friendly relationship with parents. By building this relationship right away, parents feel like you are not just a negative person but rather truly concerned about their childs' education-the good and the bad!

CEDO 565 week 4

It feels like it has been forever since we last had class yet I feel like I didn't get a break! With the school year in full swing it was great to have the last couple of weeks off to focus on my classroom, instruction, new digital art lab and our new 1:1s!

It has been a CRAZY year so far with all the new technology changes in our building. We started all of our 7th graders with netbooks this year and have been attempting to go "paperless" with them. As a specialist, I also have 8th graders so this task is quite daunting. Many of my classes are "mixed" sections so not all of my students have access to the net books.

I am really glad this course landed in our cohort schedule when it did. I have found myself becoming more of a leader in my school for our technology and LOVE it. I enjoy being able to share new ideas, apps, & processes with my colleagues as we all make this 1:1 journey together. I am also seeing how neccessary change is to education yet how difficult it is for many teachers to make. I like being able to help when I can and stay positive about these HUGE changes. Many of our staff members are scared and overwhelmed with the new initiave and dont want to embrace it with open arms yet. I am hoping to help lead some of these colleagues and give them the confidence to just try it and jump in!

The game

This weeks class was interesting. We played one part of a simulation game on schools and change. I found it really interesting as we continued to move through the game that our players didn't move as fast as we wanted them too and were becoming frustrated. When I look back at how slowly change actually occurs in a school, I am actually amazed at how far our "players" got in their first year. We had everyone move at least one spot and some are actually advancing pretty quickly.

I also realized how important talking and learning to communicate with colleagues is. Our players eventually made progress by learning to work together and discussed issues. Change can only happen when everyone is part of it and whole heartedly believes the change needs to happen.

Another thing I reflected quite a bit on this past week was the In tune article. I graduated from college in 2008 and find many of the characteristics they used to describe Millennials to be very correct. In fact, my school district hired 21 new staff members the year I was hired (many of us being new graduates) and our entire district had an inservice on the differences between generations because they realized how important it is for all of us to understand where we all are coming from. Without this background, many of my veteran teachers would be put off by us "newbies" and many of us newbies would have very little patience for our veteran teachers. (ie. new technologies, strategies)

week 2

I really am enjoying the text we are reading for this course, How to Thrive as a Teacher Leader. It is giving me a number of great ideas for my own leadership qualities as well as how to continue to grow as a teacher leader. My favorite parts of the last 2 chapters (2 & 3) were:

1. Teacher leaders as part of the interview team *
2. Characteristics to look for in a new applicant
3. Learning how to prepare for being part of the interviewing process as a teacher leader
4. Keeping things positive

*In my district we have our teacher leaders sit in on interviews and also are part of the hiring process. Usually the new teacher is hired and then meets the principal and given a basic school tour and then the teacher leader (or chair) meets with the new hire for a more thorough meeting/tour. New hire orientation is done at the district and building level as well followed by a mentor/mentee program.