Blog Post #14- Final Project Ideas

                The calling to teach should never change; regardless of where your classroom may be.  Stepping out of the classroom eight years ago was life-changing in multiple ways; however, I still have the mindset and heart of a teacher.  My classroom walls are bigger and my responsibilities encompass the entire school community now, but I will always be that humble teacher.  As a principal, I oversee so many things, but first and foremost- are the people in my care.  The students, the parents, the teachers are the lifeblood of any school and they require love, support, and prayer.  Two years ago, after I realized the demise of the families at Immanuel, God prompted me to teach parenting classes.  I am by no means a perfect parent, but I love to teach about my journey of raising my own two children and all of the ones I helped raise in the classroom.  Most of the disciplinary issues I deal with involve parenting or the lack of proper modeling in the home.  As you know, problems at home can spill into the school community; therefore, the need for guidance and humble wisdom was needed. 

                My final project will be titled, “Teaching Accountability” for now.  It may evolve into another title but this will be the main theme.  After learning about Web 2.0 tools this semester, I am sure that my project will be more entertaining than just a boring PowerPoint!  I plan on utilizing Prezi, Evernote, Edmodo, and Twitter.  The Prezi presentation will include words, videos, images and photos.  Using Edmodo for a parent poll, Evernote for parent notebooks, and Twitter as the communication tool, should make for an engaging presentation.  Blogging came to my mind for the communication tool; however, after learning about the capabilities of Twitter, I thought it would be a better fit.  All parents seem to have something to say- positive or negative, so tweeting is limited to 140 characters.  This works for me!

                Polling or surveying parents has seemed to be an effective way to teach about what they are struggling with in parenting and providing solutions for them.  The problem will always be the parents following through with a plan of action and being consistent.  We can sit and listen until the cows come home, but if we don’t drive the cattle to a better location, life becomes stagnant.  Everyone has business or personal journals that they write in, so what better way to have a digital notebook with helpful hints, instead of shuffling through your purse or briefcase looking for a pen and paper. Throughout our busy day, full of interruptions, being able to tweet quickly or browse articles is the way to go.  Most everyone has some form of digital connection with them at all times, so why not use it to help someone else.  Your words and story may be the medicine someone needs right at that moment- so tweet.  Lastly, a succinct presentation that can capture your ideas, themes, and solutions instantaneously is wonderful.  

                 I look forward to sharing all that I have gleaned from this class, because I recognize a leader who continues to love learning, is one who willingly chooses to step out of their comfort zone and try something new, and this speaks volumes to those who are a part of the educational process.  We cannot expect everyone else to do something we are not willing to do- no matter how hard the task may be.

               

Blog Post #13- Jane's 6th Grade Scenario

                The profession of teaching involves so many areas of opportunity for creativity on the educator’s part; therefore, a teacher is in her element when the students are engaged and excited in the process.  Sixth grade is that time in a child’s life where they are caught in the middle of adolescence trying to figure out where they belong in the growth and maturity process.  Eighty seven percent of “who they are” is determined by their peers; therefore, they are often conflicted on how to work effectively together, who their friends are, and where they fit in socially.  The groups that often appear during this age, such as, the pleasers, the independents, the bullies, and the nerds, find themselves in situations where they must collaborate.  Thus, the problem that arises is simple; however, all of these personalities make it complex.  Figuring out how to navigate through the socialization process and effectively work as a team must be taught, developed, and modeled by the instructor.

                Jane, the 6^th grade teacher, loved the idea of having a process like Wikis as a strategy because she saw how effective and engaging it was in a colleague’s classroom; hence, she quickly decided to implement it in her class.  The actual definition of “Wikis” is “a quick way to engage a team or group.”  Teachers love new ways to bring about learning within the students, so, typically, teachers love sharing and promoting a new concept.  It stirs the pot or brings fresh ideas into the mix, but all too often, the “what” is present, but the “’how” gets lost in translation.  The how is the process that needs to unfold in a systematic way so that everything works as it should. One of the problems I observed in this scenario was the preparedness for the concept.  It seems that so many of the obstacles that occurred within the students had to do with lack of vision, guidance, and direction. 

                When a project is assigned there needs to be clear objectives, proper formatting and procedures in place, and a clearly defined plan of action. The plan should include: guidelines for writing and researching, grading processes, and ethical ways to engage with one another.  Engaging with one another at the sixth grade level involves treading softly, but firmly implementing the idea that the project is not a “me” but a “we” project.  The hurt feelings that escalated into a crying session could have been avoided if the “I deserve” concept had been addressed.  Often times a student will feel that they deserve better treatment because they performed or did their part.  One group suffered from this issue, so, they just stopped going the extra mile and working together.  The younger generation has an entitled attitude that seems to fester if not handled properly and I feel that Jane could have prepared the students to take on the “I am responsible for my actions” instead of playing the blame game.

                Secondly, the issue of plagiarism reared its ugly head.  In my opinion, it is never too early for a teacher to address the importance of using your own words.  Taking someone else’s words and not giving credit where it is due is wrong on multiple levels.  Once again, teaching, training, implementing, and modeling this concept is invaluable.  The students were plagiarizing because the issue had not been addressed properly.  I realize that many times a student will plagiarize due to laziness, misunderstanding, procrastinating, and simple apathy; however, most students can understand that “cheating” is unacceptable on any level.  Plagiarism is cheating no matter how many ways you look at it!  In my mind, a sixth grader still has that open mind and heart to see what it means to have the character of integrity and honesty.    The importance of instilling values in a student should never cease, no matter what age they are.  A solution for both issues I have presented could be to have an outsider review the research paper and offer their expert opinion.  Maybe even experts in the field of hydrology could have edited the work of the students to avoid hurt feelings from their peers.  An outsider could offer an opinion to the group members and not specifically single out anyone; however, even being singled out would be beneficial for the good of the group.  This person would have no personal connection to the group; therefore, their opinion would be more acceptable.

                Lastly, the group who embedded work into the project with no clear meaning had no investment into the project.  They may have done the work, but there was no ownership.  Taking ownership for something is becoming a huge problem when it comes to the work ethic of our school communities.  Hard work is becoming a thing of the past.  Teaching a student that everyone needs to play a role in the process must be addressed.  The team members need to know that their hard work pays off in the end- for the good of the group.  They also need to understand that when a group member disengages or defaults, it affects the entire team.  Learning to encourage a student is a vital part of roleplaying within a team.  I call this constant intervention of discussion and roleplaying, “Death by lecture.”  We can never lecture enough concerning the issue of taking ownership of your own work and the team’s work.  Too often, you have the savior who comes in and takes on the writing for the entire team.  No one wins in this process because you have the writer with thoughts of judgment, anger, and resentment because they “did it all.”  If we spent more time in the early years of raising children developing the concept of “we” there might not be such an entitled generation rising up from the ranks. 

                The war against apathy, entitlement, and poor attitude is on-going.  As educators, who play a role in the future of so many students, we must forge on, mentor those who we disciple, and enlighten those in our care to take on the fight for the future generations to come. 

 

LINKS:

 

http://www.grammarly.com/plagiarism&utm_source+bing&utm_medium+cpc&utm_campaign+Search&utm_term=plagiarism%20check&matchtype=pttps

www.entreleadership.com/podcasts/170-dr-john-townsendfighting-entitled

https://entreleader.leadpages.co/ssfive-fixes-thank-you

 

Blog Post #12- Twitter and its Uses

                Learning about Twitter was quite an eye opener for me this week.  It is not that I am not familiar with this form of communication or following, it is the vastness of information from multiple sources at the click of a button that is so readily available that is astounding.    Discovering hashtags brought a whole new meaning to gaining opinions from others in 140 characters or less.  When I think of tweeting in short phrases, “my old school” principles of speaking and writing complete sentences becomes obsolete.  I struggle with this element because I feel that the younger generation suffers from the ability to engage in proper communication and respectful conversations; however, it is difficult to negate the fact that moving forward brings about momentum and change- two essential ingredients to success.

            Several hashtags caught my interest, such as, #cpchat, #edchat, #parenting, and #teaching.   I spent most of my time navigating through #cpchat and followed @forprincipals because of my interest in being an exceptional leader.   Jon Gordon, a professional motivational speaker, tweeted and shared multiple sayings that inspired me to move from good to great.  I love quotes because they engage an audience through speaking, viewing, and displaying them on a wall.  Quotes are a quick reminder of the importance of reflecting on one’s character and thoughts.  One of my favorites was, “A leader brings out the best within others by sharing the best within themselves.”  Another one was, “Leaders should teach others to focus on solutions, not complaints.”  The three profound traits of an effective leader are vision, focus, and shared decision making.  I pondered the value of a great leader by reading the Link learningfocused.com/11183-2/edchat#cpchat

 

TEACHING AND LEARNING WITH TWITTER

            At present, we do not have any teachers that utilize Twitter in the classroom at Immanuel Christian School; however, after I shared some possible uses they were interested.  I feel that some of my younger teachers, who are very familiar with Twitter on a personal level, will be more agreeable to implementing it in the educational process. In the article, “How to Use Twitter for Teaching and Learning, “Pamela De Loatch mentioned that students who do research papers would benefit from Twitter.  Our AP English teacher liked the idea of her students researching the hashtag #glossaryfullofwords to aid them in the process of writing.  Along the same idea of researching, our 5 grade history teacher discussed the possibility of allowing her students to connect with students from another culture through Twitter.

            I teach parenting classes at Immanuel and I recognize the benefit of exploring the hashtag #parenting.  As I perused through the tweets of parenting organizations and groups, I gained valuable information to use in my parenting class.  Recognizing that others have so many of their own proven methods to effective parenting through Twitter was quite engaging.  I actually appreciated the fact that the tweets were short and yet chalked full of wisdom.  Being able to post articles for the parents to read and tweet about will open the door for two way communication.  Parents can have the opportunity to read the tweets of others, which will be beneficial for all.  This prior communication should open up conversation during the class, which will make for an entertaining and inspiring evening.  How could that not be a win-win situation?

            With an open mind and a little bit of pressure to move into the 21^st century, I see the importance of delving into all that the digital age has to offer.  It is fine to be old-fashioned in my values, but in order to be an effective leader; I must be willing to try by opening my mind, my heart, and my hands to the technological age.

Blog Post #11 - Using Edmodo in the Classroom and Beyond

                The daily face to face conversations that take place in a school community or business are becoming almost extinct, due to the use of digital communication.  The importance of relaying information to multiple sources all at once, has become a necessity in today’s world.  People want immediate answers to problems, as well as quick responses which show concern for the issue at hand.   In order to run a school community efficiently, all stakeholders need to have the necessary information in order to engage in the process of education.  Administrators, teachers, students, and parents require the proper information, data, resources, and procedures in order for the school to run like a well-oiled machine.  With all the different facets of these relationships, it is important to communicate effectively while touching all of the required components. 

                Edmodo, an effective web 2.0 tool, for relaying information with grades, lessons, assignments, communication, and feedback is a wonderful resource to implement in any school community.  If people aren’t able to meet face to face, Edmodo is a great alternative to engage teachers, parents, and students in the learning process.  With lessons assigned to classroom groups, grading results posted immediately, homework assignments dispersed, quizzes, polls, and data at their fingertips, the teacher-student relationship thrives.  Today’s students spend a majority of their time on social media, so the ease of completing and posting work on the web, comes easily for the 21^st century student.

                I love the way Mrs. Soto, a second grade teacher at Immanuel, uses Edmodo in her classroom.  Before she came to Immanuel, Mrs. Soto was a second grade teacher in the public school, so she was aware of the resource, Edmodo.  Every year, she utilizes the web tool when she introduces “Flat Stanley”, a fun writing activity, where Stanley (a paper doll) travels all over the world visiting relatives.  The fun part of the activity is communicating with relatives from other lands where Stanley goes to visit..  Mrs. Soto loves to take polls, give assignments, etc. where everyone can communicate and engage in the project. 

                Each year, I have a Principal’s reading challenge for the school community.  The past two years, our Elementary Student Council, has simultaneously had a book club during the reading challenge.  Mrs. Jordan, our Elementary Student Council sponsor, utilizes Edmodo to test the student’s comprehension and overall understanding of the theme, plot, and setting.  They read a chapter and then do an assignment and quiz on Edmodo.  The child who gains the best grade for quizzes and assignments is honored by being “Principal of the Day.”  I wish this meant that I could take the day off, but no such luck!  I have to make sure they don’t burn the school down…..

                Another wonderful teacher, Mr. Valerio, loves to use Edmodo for the topic of diagramming sentences.  He devises interactive assignments for homework, where the children can edit, respond, and devise a more effective sentence for relaying the meaning.  Some of the children don’t have computers at home, so he and the computer teacher set up times for the children to visit the tech lab.  The students love “Funny sentence Day.”  I have visited the lab before on that day and there is some real hooting and hollering going on.  Believe it or not, they are actually learning the importance of diagramming sentences and how this skill is a necessity in proper grammatical writing.

                With all of the obstacles involved in the education process, such as, diversity, divorces, discipline, and deciphering information with language and learning disabilities, it is refreshing to give the students every opportunity to connect with the teacher, other students, and the required knowledge necessary to be successful.  Everyone is searching for some form of connection in their lives and Edmodo offers several options for the visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learner. 

               

Transformation Happens With Prezi Blog Post #9

This is my Prezi presentation by Linda Johnson.

Blog Post #10 Feedly Readings

            As a school principal, I spend the majority of my time mentoring, correcting, disciplining, guiding, and praying for those in my care.  My specific concerns encompass the emotional, physical, behavioral, and spiritual issues that the school community faces on a daily basis.  I am concerned about modeling a lifestyle of wellness for the whole child.  At Immanuel Christian School, we are able to minister to and guide the children to choose wisely and make good choices.  A teacher‘s calling to teach, often involves being expected to make a difference in the life of a child and work miracles. One of the most difficult miracles to perform is accountability for one’s actions.

 

            I mentioned teaching the whole child because I feel that the students should be guided and taught to follow their passion.  The core subjects and fine arts are equally important in my eyes; therefore, I see the benefit of keeping fine arts in the curriculum.  Many school districts are leaving out this important element due to financial and academic pressures and I feel that denying the students an opportunity to pursue their dreams is detrimental to learning how to fail.   We are raising a generation who does not know the value of failure.  While reading the article,” Embracing Failure: Building a Growth Mindset through the Arts”, I recognized the element of accountability should be taught, modeled and built into the curriculum.  Chris Gonzalez, the former chair of the arts department at New Mexico School for the Arts states, “Students have to take risks.  Helping a child develop an attitude of believing that they can improve their abilities through effort is an essential resource that they will need in the future.”  Learning to make mistakes should be addressed as young as 2 years old.  Teaching a young child to hold their head up high, accept their mistakes, and move forward is an important trait to have in the world of socialization. 

            Geron Spray, an English and history teacher, states,” A student who has perseverance, takes constructive criticism well, and builds on it learns the valuable lesson of growing. Struggling through the practice of doing something over and over again, after falling, builds character in oneself.  One of the things I do with the students is I have them write down their thoughts about the mistake they made, how they can grow from it, and how they should move forward.  I devised a little questionnaire that I use when dealing with a student, teacher, and even parents.  The process of reflecting inward is so important if someone wants to grow and become better.  As educators, we can’t allow those in our care to become crippled emotionally when “bad things happen.” It is essential in the education of a child to touch their character in order to teach them academically.

 

            Another facet of educating the whole child involves their physical well being.  I am an advocate of exercise.  The importance of physical exercise should be at the forefront of every educational institution and a part of the daily curriculum.  In the article, “Let‘s Get Digitally Physical: Technology in the Gym Class,” Marion Oswald discusses the staggering statistics that 17% of children ages 2-19 are obese.  She claims that combating obesity can help children become better learners.  A study done by the New York Times, found that good aerobic condition in students helps recall and critical thinking in learning concepts.  Their counterparts who are less physically fit struggle in grasping deeper thinking. A child who feels physically fit is able to think more clearly and be prepared for whatever the day may bring.  It brings an air of confidence, which is important in the learning process. 

 

            I loved two ideas because they use digital resources, something that students are engaged in and often addicted to- in other words, there is passion involved.  Passion helps ignite and stimulate the learning process and allows the student to engage in something they enjoy.  If the student enjoys the process, it makes for a better arena of learning- where all parties benefit.  Two apps that were mentioned are Coach’s Eye and Xbox Kinect.  After reading this article, I am going to talk with our golf and physical education teachers about implementing these two apps in their curriculum.  I think that Mr. Powers, our golf coach, would love to provide immediate feedback to his players.  Constructive feedback would be beneficial to the students and it would help have “Aha” moments.  Of course, our physical education coaches would enjoy telling the high school students they could bring their Xbox to school!  Implementing this interactive game with the students would benefit both the teacher and the students.  Wednesday afternoon, the high school gym class is small and I think that this digital engagement with the students would be a fabulous way to exercise, and learning to follow instructions would be invaluable.

            In conclusion, finding moments to instruct, guide, mentor, and model a spirit of well being and self-reflection in the lives of those in our circle of influence,  no matter what your calling may be, is an excellent equation for success and prosperity.