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.