The Educators' Royal Treatment

Want Change? Share Your Accomplishments!

By Eric Sheninger, Principal at New Milford High School located in Bergen County, NJ.

Possibly one of the most important reasons I delved into the world of social networking was to share with a global audience the great things that my students and staff are doing.  As a principal nothing is more gratifying than advertising these accomplishments and receiving feedback from passionate educators who are truly working hard to make a positive impact on a child’s life.  After all, I strongly feel this is an essential requirement of my position and all others in the field of education.

There is another driving force at play here and that is change. Change is a word that I routinely hear and read about on blogs, twitter, and other social media sites.  In sharing success stories involving successful technology integration combined with sound pedagogy I hope to stimulate other teachers in my school and around the world to take risks, get out of their comfort zone, make learning relevant, and be innovative. 

On Friday February 25, 2010 I read this tweet from Michael Circe (@edu_mac_nation) “Looking to do educator spotlights on edu.Mac.nation. DM if interested in being featured! Please RT! #education #mac).  If you know anything about me then you know that I never pass up an opportunity to boast about my school, students, and staff.  There are so many members of my PLN out there doing amazing things with Apple products.  It is my hope that this post will motivate them to share. Every success story can possibly assist another school, teacher, or administrator to help initiate the change process.  The following is a school spotlight that I submitted at edu.Mac.nation:

Upon becoming Principal of New Milford High School over three years ago it was decided after a needs assessment that more resources and professional development had to go into the area of educational technology.  I was fortunate enough to participate in two television shows that resulted in funds that normally don’t just fall into the hands of a high school administrator.  After researching and learning about how iPods and MacBooks were being utilized to engage learners I quickly decided to purchase a mobile iPod learning lab (Bretford PowerSync cart, 28 nanos each with a recording device, Bose speaker system) and some MacBooks.  This was a relatively bold move at the time because the use of iPods in a classroom setting was non-existent in my school and PCs were the technology of choice. The next challenge was motivating my staff to use the iPods in particular. Naturally my teachers were apprehensive.  After having Apple come in and train my teachers on podcasting they were ready to begin integrating this technology into their instruction. 

The following are two specific examples of activities NMHS staff using the iPods:

1.     Economics (Linda Keesing-Media Specialist): As a reporter for the business section of The Record (local newspaper), you will create an audio podcast to accompany your newspaper article on the various facets of this economic crisis.  It is your job to learn more about the factors contributing to this crisis.  Your insights into potential remedies for it will be especially valuable.  You will explain why fiduciary responsibility in the private sector and federal oversight in the public sector are among the essential ingredients in maintaining a sound U.S. economy.  You will examine the question of the global nature of this crisis.  Your editors expect you to research these issues thoroughly so that you can explain them to your audience.

2.     American History 2 (Nicolette Perna): Students in American History II have just begun to study the 1920s. As an introductory activity, students are working to create podcast interviews dealing with the culture of the 1920s.  Students worked in pairs to conduct some research on the culture of the 1920s and then worked together to write an interview; one person as the interviewer, the other as someone that lived during the 1920s.  Students have the option to focus on one aspect of 1920s culture or do an overview of multiple aspects.  They will record their podcasts with their partners and then as a class will listen to and discuss them.

The MacBooks were a huge hit, even with me.  After purchasing some of these laptops I began to use one on a regular basis.  I can now say that I been converted from a PC to a Mac user and couldn’t be happier.  The one feature that I like best when creating presentations is the grab utility that allows me to capture portions of content on web pages in a flash.  As far as my teachers go, below are 2 examples of how they have used the MacBooks:

1.     Biology (Keith Devereaux): Students were assigned an authentic learning project where they had to create vodcasts.  A description of the entire project can be viewed here: http://www.educatorsroyaltreatment.com/2009/08/authentic-learning-and-technology.html

2.     Applied Music Theory (Joe Andolino): Students created their own original music using Garage Band and integrated a web 2.0 application.  A description of this project can be viewed at http://www.educatorsroyaltreatment.com/2009/10/macs-web-20-music-to-my-ears.html

I am extremely proud of my staff developing innovative projects using Apple products to engage the learners of New Milford.  By sharing these success stories I hope to motivate and excite more NMHS staff members into using them on a regular basis.

Thank you Eric for sharing the outstanding work that is happening at New Milford High School. It truly sounds like your school's "bold" changes have had an impact on learning and instruction. I also want to thank Eric for being the first educator to shine a "spotlight" on the work that is happening in his school. If you are an administrator, like Eric, or a teacher who is interested in sharing about your work or your school feel free to visit the edu.Mac.nation contact page where you can contact me with information for a future spotlight.

New Initiative Addresses Underage Drinking

By: Stephen Wakefield

The consequences last longer than the party.  This is the message of It’s 21. Just Pass, a new initiative from the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America, the National Football League Players Association and Discovery Education.  Launched in 21 cities nationwide, It’s 21. Just Pass challenges high school students to learn the risks of underage drinking, test their knowledge and win amazing prizes.

The It’s 21. Just Pass initiative includes:

• A quiz that challenges students’ current knowledge while providing critical information about the laws and consequences related to underage drinking;
• A drawing to award one $5,000 scholarship (students become eligible by taking a short online quiz); and an assembly featuring an NFL player, awarded to the school with the highest challenge participation levels.

In addition, the It’s 21. Just Pass online video forum encourages students to create short videos about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking for a chance to win two tickets to an area NFL game.  To learn more about It’s 21. Just Pass, visit www.its21justpass.com.

A Kid's Eye View on Robotics

What do you think of when you think of robots? Fierce competition, heads of state, and algae might not be the first things that come to your mind. But my friend Priya Ganesan is challenging that assumption--recently, she sent me an article she'd written about her recent experience in a robotics competition. I'm not exactly talented with robotics, and I was glad to read a kid's eye view on something other than my own areas of expertise (language arts, social studies, and educational technology). Read on and enjoy Priya Ganesan's kid's eye view on robotics!

-Adora

First Lego League: Encouraging Science and Technology through Robotics

Priya Ganesan

[Priya Ganesan is a 14-year-old girl living in Redmond, Washington. She reviews several books in a variety of genres at her widely-read blog, Book Crumbs. She also interviews authors and participates in online book publicity tours. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, competing in math competitions, playing the piano, and playing tennis as part of her home school’s varsity tennis team.]

Last year, I participated in a worldwide robotics competition, First Lego League, with four other middle school students, and we formed a team called “The Olympians.” 

First Lego League (FLL) is a global robotics program which encourages enthusiasm for science and technology in kids from 9 to 14. Every year, FLL teams “embark on an adventurous challenge based on current, real-world issues. Guided by a team coach and assisted by mentors, the participants research and solve a real-world problem based on the challenge theme, present their research and solutions, build an autonomous robot [with Lego Mindstorms] using engineering concepts, and program the robot to perform a series of tasks in 2.5 minutes. Using the yearly challenges, FLL entices kids to think like scientists and engineers, provides a fun, creative, hands-on learning experience, teaches kids to experiment and overcome obstacles, builds

self-esteem and confidence, and inspires kids to participate in science and

technology.”

My team members and I started in the middle of September of 2008 and immediately got to work for the 2008-2009 robotics season. The theme for last year was “Climate Connections,” so the tasks that the robot had to perform were climate-related, and our project was to discover a climate-related problem in our region, conduct experiments to collect and analyze data, come up with an innovative solution to the problem, and spread the word about the problem and solution. We decided on the problem of “toxic algae,” which are constantly polluting bodies of water around the world and have severe environmental effects. We took water samples from local lakes and ponds, analyzed the water conditions, and experimented with different solutions to purify the water and get rid of the algae.

I learned a lot through robotics. For starters, I learned about kinematics and physics, as knowledge of those fields of science was essential to build an efficient and stable robot. In addition, I explored computer programming and figured out how to make the robot turn, sense objects, use several motors at once, and more.

In terms of the project, I learned a lot about toxic algae. I also enjoyed learning about public relations and marketing while informing the community of our research. My team and I set up an informative website, went door-to-door with flyers on algae, presented our information to a middle school in India, and published an article about toxic algae in four local newspapers (you can read the main article here). We also presented at the local city council and at the Seattle Dome, contacted government officials, and worked with Washington Governor Christine Gregoire and India’s ex-president Dr. Abdul Kalam in order to spread more awareness about this global problem of toxic algae. From writing letters to talking to

strangers, I improved my writing as well as my public speaking skills.

After winning 1st place at the regional and state competitions, my team and I went all the way to the international competition in Atlanta, Georgia. We competed against 84 teams from 27 countries around the world, and it was a great experience overall. We won 1st place in Teamwork at the international competition, which was an incredible honor.

So in conclusion, robotics is a fun way to get involved in science and technology while learning important skills like teamwork, responsibility, time management, and more! It can be challenging and frustrating at times, but it’s also very rewarding at the end. And it’s easy to participate! Go to the FIRST (the organization that hosts robotics competitions) website and you can learn more about it! There are four main competitions:

• Junior FLL for young elementary school students
• FLL for upper elementary and middle school students
• FTC and FRC for high school students.
  

It’s easy to sign up a team for next year’s competition, and it’s a great way for children to get excited about science and make a difference in their community. 

Free Resources for Black History Month

by Emily Embury

In honor of Black History Month, Shmoop has compiled 47 free Learning Guides for high school students.  Shmoop salutes those – from the biggest names to the most ordinary people – who have shaped the African-American experience for over 400 years.  Those highlighted include David Walker, Toni Morrison, Malcolm X, Jay-Z, among others.  Enrich your classroom with videos, images, primary resources, and a Best of the Web section that connects you to relevant and trustworthy web resources.

Featured Resources:
Huckleberry Finn: Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn champions American ideals of freedom, independence and rugged individualism in Pre-Civil War America.  The thirteen year-old narrator’s dedication to his own moral standards and his friendship with Jim, a runaway slave, makes this one of the Great American Novels, and one taught in classrooms around the world.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel tells the story of an African-American man falsely accused of raping a white woman in 1930s Maycomb, Alabama.  The novel’s message of standing up for what is right at all costs has provoked strong reactions and even controversy over the past fifty years, making it one of the most widely read novels dealing with race in America.

Explore 45 more Black History Month topics ranging from Blues Music History, to Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, to the Civil Rights Movement.

Shmoop offers free Learning Guides in seven subjects: literature, poetry, bestsellers, history, civics, biography, and music.  You can learn more about Shmoop by visiting the new Teacher Resources Center, which features examples and ideas from fellow teachers and librarians to help educators integrate Shmoop into the classroom.

Great CMS Helps Build Your District Brand

by Katie Brosious

In response to both Eric Sheninger's post about the importance of branding in education, and Trish Rubin's blog, EdVentures in a New York Minute, about branding in education, I started to think about how, with a CMS, schools can use their district Web site to establish a brand.

The Importance of a Brand in Education

Although I will leave this part mostly to the experts (Thanks Eric and Trish!), I will say a few words about the importance of a brand in education. Education is a service. Education is just like any other service in that it must exude value in the business that it is in, in order to attract new students. In education, school districts must show academic value. Bad or good; clear or not, everything--person, place, or thing--has some sort of brand attached to it. It's what others think and feel about what you have to offer.

Why doesn't education take advantage of this? Especially K-12 school districts! Universities have come a long way, and seem to be working on establishing their own individual brand. However, many school districts do not put their best foot forward...To network, to evolve, to improve, and to show the world what they are accomplishing.

But how would they spread their message? It's not like school districts have the advertising budgets of McDonald's or Coca Cola. They have the label of 'school,' which implies education, but it's extremely obvious that no two schools are the same. Its important for schools to build their brand because school districts, more than any other educational institution, need to stay updated and in the know. Today's K-12 students are tomorrow's leaders. It is essential for schools to have a cohesive mission, a set of values, and a sense of pride within the district, which can be done by establishing a brand.

Branding on the Web

More and more, school districts are using social networking sites like Twitter to extend and enhance their brand. Some Twitter accounts are for the whole district, some just for a school, and some are from teachers, staff or administrators from the district. Each Twitter account is another point of contact for that district. It improves community outreach, makes the district more personable and personal, and helps to spread the district message. Social media sites like Twitter are great. And they're an extension of the district brand. But they just aren't enough. Even if a district has a great media presence, consistency throughout the district all-inclusive WEB presence is key.

Aside from social media, the school district Web site is often the most important point of contact for the school district. If community members want to know what time the football game is on Friday, the district site is the first source of information. The district Web site is like the Encyclopedia for that district. Students, parents and community members expect to have all of their questions answered simply by clicking over to the district Web site. It must support a cohesive brand and mission along with all other point of contacts for that district on the web.

Using ContentM K-12 to Brand your District

The best and easiest way to build a school district Web site is with a CMS like ContentM K-12. Not only will you be able to design and implement your school district Web site with ease, you (or anyone else) will be able to maintain it with a few clicks. You will be able to update your Web site in seconds when you need to (i.e., for snow day cancellations or delays). You can spread the word about your district's overall academic accomplishments. You can show your students' accomplishments. The best Web sites are dynamic and fluid; they are always changing as new things happen. School district Web sites should be no different.

Compare and Contrast: What the World Eats

By Carla Beard,

As we expand the definition of "literacy" to include multimedia, teachers will scramble to find good models for students. The series of pictures, "What the World Eats," might service as a basic source for comparing and contrasting.

Peter Menzel shot these photographs of families around the world and their typical diet for a week as part of the 2007 book Hungry Planet. He and Faith D'Alusio, who wrote the book, visited 30 families in 24 countries and asked them to display what they would typically eat in a week's time. They also calculated their food budget for a week. Amounts are presented in both the local currency and the US equivalent. Each picture in this series shows a portrait of the family, the home, and the food and beverages.

The photographs are carefully planned, with food to the front and the family behind, colors and lighting balanced and professional. More important, though, is the impact of looking at a series and noting similarities and differences. Who eats fresh fruit and vegetables? Who eats a lot of meat? Who eats grains, and who eats processed foods? Are the differences determined entirely by culture? If not, what other factors might be at work?

Careful analysis of still photographs like this series can help students learn to think critically:

• What information is being communicated?
• The photographs are all arranged similarly. What do the similarities emphasize?
• Each photograph is different, too. What do the differences emphasize?
• Who is the intended audience and what purpose might this series serve?
• What questions do these photographs raise? Do the photographs suggest any answers to those questions? 
• Do the photographs taken as a group communicate an idea that an individual photograph alone might not? If so, what is it and what details suggest it?

When students can analyze a series of photographs, they can bring a stronger set of skills to a poem, a play, or a novel. They can also analyze with more confidence a commercial, a blog, or a political speech.

For Tech Talk, Ask a Teacher

by Ken Royal

At TCEA I had a chance to speak with two educators who accepted a Twitter invitation. One was @EdTechSandyK, a district technology specialist and the other @kgustin a first grade and inclusion teacher, as well as a school technology mentor. The complete video should be up at http://www.scholastic.com/administrator/ soon, but I need to say that the conversation amplifies what I've said many times, instructional technology experts/teachers, are everywhere today, and at every grade level. Listening to the ideas of just two, would have given a district twenty or more ideas to try. And, the best part, most of the ideas shared at the interview cost little, or nothing to try.

I have made it an essential part of my tech-education knowledge base to interview teachers whenever I can. Even though my work for Scholastic has me speaking to administrators, marketing/product managers, and company executives—all agree that great ideas filter up, as well as down in a school district. If you want success, listening to educators at every level is a necessity. I've always thought that way, but it's getting to be more of a universal concept today.

So, here's a little YouTube tease from that TCEA video. 

What is TeachMeet?

by Jason T. Bedell

TeachMeet is a great idea for an education conference, originated in Scotland and was initially driven by Ewan McIntosh. TeachMeet details can be found at http://teachmeet.pbworks.com. There are several foundational ideas that are both simple and brilliant. First, all teachers have something to share, but they often lack a venue. As educators, we all strive to adapt to and meet the needs of all of our students. This is a difficult task and we all have our own unique methods of doing so. Unfortunately, we often struggle alone; it is difficult for others to learn from our failures and our successes. TeachMeet allows anyone to present without pressure. Any teacher who would like to share will be able to. Second, many educators never get a chance to attend any of the myriad of beneficial conferences that abound simply due to cost. The answer to this is simple: eliminate the cost. TeachMeet will always be completely free to anyone who would like to come.

I am organizing a TeachMeet conference at the Nashville Public Library on April 1-2. Our informational wiki is located at http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com . The doors will open at 9:30 with some light breakfast items, such as coffee and pastries, for those who registered. The conference activities will officially begin at 10 in the morning and go through 4 pm on both Thursday and Friday. To help people come, we are providing lunch free of charge to all teachers. Please register for free early, though, so we know how much food to buy. When people come between 9:30-10, we will have certificates of attendance and/or presentation if people need to give that as evidence to their districts.
This conference is going to be focused on using educational technology, particularly to foster authentic learning and to facilitate educational change. This is not going to be a traditional conference where audience members just sit and listen. This conference is going to be very participatory. There will be at least 2 sessions running concurrently for most of the conference. There will be both 15 and 7 minute presentations, usually in 1 hour blocks on a broad topic, such as digital storytelling. There will be a lesson planning workshop, informal round-table discussions (contribute ideas to our WallWisher page: http://www.wallwisher.com/wall/TMNashville ) , and several panel discussions on different topics such as adapting teaching strategies to 21st century learner or social networking in schools. Anyone who is interested can sign-up. Our schedule of events is posted here: http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com/Schedule+of+Events . It is in a state of flux at the moment as we will be accepting presenters for about the next month. By mid-March, the presenter list and topics will be finalized.
If you think you would like to sign up to give either a 15 or 7 minute presentation, help out with the workshop, facilitate a round-table discussion, or moderate a panel, please sign-up here: http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com/Sign-up+to+Present . If you would like to volunteer to help us setup, clean up, or help in any other way, please sign up here: http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com/Volunteer . Lastly, if you would like to sign-up to come and participate, you can do so here: http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com/Sign-up+to+come .
We are still seeking donations and sponsors for this event, which will be streamed live online to a large audience. Companies such as Techsmith, Ingram Library Services, ABC-CLIO, Camcor, and Soundzabound are all reaching out to help the educational community. There is information available for potential sponsors here: http://teachmeetnashville.wikispaces.com/Sponsors .
This is going to be a really dynamic conference. You will be able to network, learn from, and share with educators from all over TN and beyond. This is a really good chance to not only learn, but to help others as we join together to find ways to help all students. Please consider attending or presenting if you are able to make it to Nashville. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Jason Bedell at jason@jasontbedell.com.

FREE Brainchild Achiever! with Study Buddy Purchase

by Jennifer Harrison

Buy one 10-pack of Study Buddies and get Brainchild’s Achiever! online assessment and instruction program for FREE for the entire school.

Any purchase before March 31, 2010 will earn FREE access to Achiever! until July 31, 2010. With Achiever’s proven performance record as a test-prep resource, that is good news in the rush to prepare students for high-stakes assessments this spring.

Achiever! is used to assess standards-based performance and then deliver tutorials and retest students on their state’s standards.

The Study Buddy hand-held tutor provides self-paced, standards- based instruction that complements Achiever! Study Buddies can be used by themselves as instructional devices for individual students or in groups.

 

Go to www.Brainchild.com to learn more or to place an order. 

"Get Them on a Bus Mate!"

by Ken Royal

(Posted today at Scholastic Administrator. I feel this one deserves to be here as well. ~KR)

At about the turn of  this century, I was seeking ways to share “how to” technology with staff. Most of my innovative tech friends were still either in the UK, or Australia. Yeah, today, you’d call them part of my PLN (Personal Learning Network).  I remember asking for technology professional development advice, and the voice e-mail that made me start thinking out of the box. I can still hear his voice saying, “Get them on a bus mate!”

Turns out, my Aussie buddy was trying to get his staff to use digital cameras and software to enhance teaching. He actually offered incredible professional development courses throughout the year, but usually had difficulty filling seats. He discovered, by hiring a bus, offering a digital camera field trip, packing away a bit of a picnic, he had a captive audience. He could do some how to, share new tech news, and have a good joke or two. The carrot he held out didn’t hurt either—staff would get to take a camera back to class, and he would make sure they had the appropriate software to work with it.

Now, a bus trip didn’t work with all things then, there’s no way he’d do it with a huge desktop, and it was a time where wireless was still pretty much two cans attached by a string. The concept, though, of getting staff away from their usual surroundings, offering equipment and software to take back to the classroom, having some fun learning, and bonding as a group is what I took away then, and what I still believe to be valuable now.

I was reminded of that Aussie tech bus trip this week, when I met educators and administrators on my trip to cover eTech 2010 in Ohio. Offering individual educators a day at a conference makes sense, but planning to send a larger group makes more sense. And sending more than your favorite geek teacher makes the best sense. If that group is diverse, with elementary, middle, high school educators, at different levels and subject areas, joined by administrators—principals, curriculum heads, assistant superintendents and superintendent—you have the makings of a unified tech team.

All that said, I know the economic times are tough, but you need to weigh the value gained when more than one or two excited, enthusiastic teachers or administrators come back from a conference with ideas. What a great and simple way to get teams of teachers working together, rather than one rogue teacher doing the equivalent of a technological light show in his/her classroom. The former creates a solid plan, and the latter makes for a lonesome pioneer, sometimes seen as just the district’s tech show off.

If you can get groups of educators to FETC, eTech, TCEA, or local conferences—wonderful, but if you can’t, think about that bus field trip idea. Create a small conference of your own, possibly teaming with other schools or districts. If possible, have teachers take away some software or tech, and don’t hold the PD in the same building where teachers work. Get them away, get them to bond, and remember to take them on a field trip mate!

Educon 2.2 - Now What Are You Going To Do?

by Patrick Larkin, Principal, Burlington High School (MA)

Having just completed the best Professional Development experience of my life at Educon 2.2, I am certain that I will be signing up for Educon 2.3 the same day that registration opens.  I am not going to miss out on the opportunity to converse with other passionate, progressive educators on the topic of transforming our schools.

As I read the dozens of posts from others who attended Educon, it is clear that many share the same sentiments.  So that brings me to two major questions: 

1. What makes Educon the phenomenal experience that it is? 
2. How do we move from conversations about change to actions that will bring change? 

The Setting

Educon is what it is because of the people involved. Start  with a model leader (Science Leadership Academy Principal Chris Lehmann) who works under the premise that schools need leaders who give "top-down support for bottom-up ideas."  Add in passionate teachers, students, and parents who are willing to engage in a conversation with a leader who cherishes feedback and you have an extraordinary setting for learners.  I cannot help but wonder how our national model would for education would change if those in charge of setting policy operated the same way.   

The Educon Experience

When I discuss my weekend at Educon, I am not really sure how to describe it. The word "conference" doesn't seem right, at least not in comparison to dozens of events with a similar name that I have attended in the past.  I know the program describes it as a conversation, but that does not seem adequate due to the high-level discussions that I was able to immerse myself in over the course of my three days in Philadelphia. 

Unlike other "conferences" there is no hierarchy at Educon.  There are no presenters talking at attendees about their expertise on a particular topic or issue.  Instead there are "conversation facilitators" who lead fellow conference attendees in two-way discussions that value the experience and questions of everyone in the room.  Unlike so many other conferences I have attended where the speakers seemed most intent on talking about their accomplishments, at Educon the focus was clearly on students. Despite the fact that many of the conference attendees are well-know leaders in progressive education, there was no hint of pretense. 

Time To Look In The Mirror

My next thought alarms me because it is about school administrators and I say this with both eyes firmly on the mirror.  It surrounds the fact that I learn a great deal more when I spend quality time with passionate classroom teachers.  Most of my time with my administrative colleagues is spent on low-level issues while my time with passionate teachers focuses on engaging students in meaningful learning experiences.  

This really struck me during SLA staff member Diana Laufenberg's  session titled "What if school wasn't like real life, what if it just was real life?" Diana stated that the two things that she tells her students when they present to the class are Don't kill the joy in the room and don't be boring.  I think we all need to make these words to live by in our schools.  We cannot move our schools where we need them to go if we are bogged down with excessive conversations about things that are unrelated to teaching and learning.  School leaders need to stop killing joy and boring the heck out of teachers!  

Moving From Conversation To Action

This theme of moving from conversation to action is a common one in many of the posts I have read since Educon. One of my favorites was a post by Dan Callahan called Blowing it up (or: How I changed my class because of EduCon).  My favorite part is the conversation by the kids about taking responsibility for their learning.  Did I mention Dan teaches sixth graders?  Why don't we all put more faith in our students to help us redesign our schools?

In closing, I returned to my school this past Monday with more clarity on my role than when I left for Philly.  I need to continue to engage my staff, students, and parents in conversations about what we need to do to create a more relevant experience for our students.  Stagnation is failure.  It is time to act. While I am fortunate to be at a school in a supportive community with a great staff, I know others feel differently.

If you find yourself in a school culture that does not support your ideals, please leave. Let's set up an underground list of #Educon schools where like-minded educators can go knowing that they are entering a community that is interested in moving the agenda forward.  Let's create communities that believe Educon Axiom #1 - "our schools must be inquiry-driven, thoughtful and empowering for all members." 

At this point, there are only two places we can be as educators, either in the conversation stage or the action stage. If you do not see the need for this, then you need to exit the stage and do something else with your life.  

Thank you to everyone who attended Educon. It is a true honor to be associated with such an inspirational group of educators! 

STEM Professional Development Academy Now Open

By Sandy Fash

The Siemens Foundation, Discovery Education, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and the College Board are kicking off a new nationwide initiative, The Siemens STEM Academy.  The Academy is designed to advance science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in the United States by engaging educators across the country through hands-on and multimedia professional development opportunities.

The national Siemens STEM Academy encompasses the following four elements:

- Siemens Teachers as Researchers (STARs)

A two-week residential professional development and research immersion program for select middle and high school teachers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the country's largest multi-purpose national research laboratory, located in Oak Ridge, Tenn.  Teachers will have the unique opportunity to engage with top scientists and researchers on short-term research projects related to current topics of national interest.  Through authentic research, professional scientific collaboration and educational enhancements, the program offers valuable insights, resources and scientific contacts that educators can bring back to the classroom.  Applications are now being accepted through March 1.

- Siemens STEM Academy Institute

A week-long STEM immersion program that will enable 50 select teachers to gather and engage with today's critical science thinkers and other peers across the nation and visit leading institutions to see real-world applications of STEM subject matters.  In addition, the Institute also will include monthly professional development opportunities, support and additional tools and resources designed to further inspire student achievement in STEM education.

- STEM Academy Online Portal

A national portal and online community designed to foster STEM achievement by providing educators with a dedicated resource to collaborate, exchange and connect about all things related to STEM education.

- Brains of Science Connect Webinar Series

A monthly Webinar series that gives educators the chance to interact with today's eminent scientists, personalities and thought-leaders, and extend that experience to their students through customized, standards-based content.

For more information about The Siemens STEM Academy, check out www.siemensstemacademy.com. 

Engaging Parent Volunteers: A Call for Action

by Karen Bantuveris, founder and CEO of VolunteerSpot, free and easy online scheduling and signup tools.
Involving parents in our schools as volunteers and fundraisers boosts student performance and reinforces the view in the child's mind that school is valued in the family.

The Milwaukee school district, among others, has used federal stimulus funds to experiment with new programs to increase parent involvement with promising initial success. Parents who are involved at school are also more likely to vote for school bonds and participate in school fundraisers.  Making all our schools and classrooms welcoming environments for parent volunteers should be an important priority – both for improving student performance and the budget.

Involvement builds commitment

Most parents welcome a meaningful way to contribute that fits their interests and schedules – but it’s contingent on school leaders and teachers to ask for help in a way that parents successfully respond and engage. As much as many teachers like the thought of having parents help in the classroom, especially in younger grades, they shy away when it comes to implementation. It’s often perceived as too time consuming to coordinate parent schedules and plan their work, or they have had bad experiences with parents disrupting lesson plans and class arrangements.  Providing teachers with quick access to simple volunteer scheduling software and online signup sheets makes it easier for them to ask for specific help and supplies, and proactively manage classroom volunteer opportunities.

Schools that successfully engage parents in the classroom, even in small ways like weekly readers, find more parents willing to take leadership roles in fundraisers and academic and enrichment projects.  Parents at Oak Hill Elementary in Austin, Texas, for example, launched a drop-in after school tutoring program to boost reading skills. Parents in San Carlos, California, provide art instruction, and school gardens are sprouting up across the country thanks to parent/teacher teams. Online volunteer sign up solutions give parent leaders confidence and save time coordinating project like these by letting parents schedule themselves to help, quickly and easily.

Is your school a volunteer-welcoming place?

Does your school offer volunteer jobs to fit a variety of schedules and interests?

• Sporadic classroom opportunities, like readers and science helpers
• Ongoing day-time opportunities in the library, cafeteria or copy room
• Take-home projects like packaging materials and updating the website
• Weekend cleanup/beautification projects involving the whole family
• Special-skill projects like gardening, accounting, and updating computers
• Fundraising and Booster committees

Do teachers, administrators and parent leaders ask for help and solicit involvement regularly, including using online scheduling and sign-up tools?

Are processes for volunteer background checks, confidentiality and security well documented and easy to follow?

When parents show up to help, are they given clear direction and enough to do?

Are parents alerted if a volunteer shift is canceled due to field trips or special schedules?

Are parents promptly dismissed and thanked at the end of their scheduled shift?

Does your school orchestrate one or two large community-building fundraisers like a carnival, book fair or family movie night?

Is it clear how to make donations, including electronic equipment and classroom supplies?

Finding more ways to involve parents at school yields big results in terms of parent commitment to your school community, fiscal fitness, and most importantly, student success.

Save time and get more parents involved in your school community -- please visit VolunteerSpot and take a tour today. VolunteerSpot is ideal for all kinds of school scheduling: classroom helpers, parent-teacher conferences, exam proctors, PTA fundraisers and more...