2009 Promethean ActivSoftware Blogging Contest

OK, I hope I am not yet too late for this. I am reposting from Promethean's Contest blog because I don't want to miss anything...

A simple way to enter to win a complete ActivClassroom!

To kick off the National Educational Computing Conference in Washington, D.C., Promethean USA announces its 2009 ActivBlogging Contest.

Visit our booth at NECC, or, if you won’t be making it to NECC, share your experiences in the classroom and/or online for a chance to win a complete ActivClassroom.

Promethean will also “tweetaway” an ActivBoard+2 each day at NECC, with a complete ActivClassroom giveaway on Wednesday, July 1st. Follow us on twitter during the conference for a chance to win.

Here’s how it works:

*Open to RESIDENTS of the USA ONLY

Choose your own adventure – 3 Ways to Enter:

OPTION 1 – if you are attending NECC
(the National Educational Computing Conference):

Visit booth #3204 between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and sit in on an activity, class or presentation.

Then, blog about what you see/experience/learn.

Ideas for blogging:

• Attend 30 min. class taught by 11 year-old Adora Svitak: Using Technology To Get Kids Excited About Reading and Writing. (Daily presentations at 11:30 each day)
• Take part in the ActivClassroom Game Show (Daily give-aways at 12:00 noon each day – visit www.prometheanworld.com/necc for instructions.
• Experience our Learner Response Systems, ActivExpression and ActiVote at one of our learning stations.(Presentations throughout each day)
  
  
  

OPTION 2 – Online Activity:
Sign up for Promethean Planet (http://www.prometheanplanet.com/ ), check it out and blog about your experience.

Ideas for blogging:

• What is your favorite feature or section?
• What works? What can we improve?
• How do the resources provided support you as a teacher?

OPTION 3 – Your ActivClassroom and the Environment:

We want to know how you are using your ActivClassroom to save resources and protect the natural environment.

Ideas for blogging:

• Do your children use your ActivClassroom technology in ways that conserve energy or reduce paper consumption?
• Do you use teach students to be environmentally conscious using Promethean technology and resources?
• Are there ways that your classroom reaches out into the community, neighborhood or world to promote conservation and/or environmental awareness?

Questions? please check out the contest rules.

NECC 2009, missed first day :(

I missed today's 2009 NECC 1st day sessions :( but will be there tomorrow :)

But I'm glad they have ISTEVision, ISTE's first-ever onsite communications network where we can get daily and nightly news from all over the conference, feature stories, interviews, session and event simulcasts, 2009 video-on-demand sessions, ISTE Webinars, Second Life™ machinima clips, contest winners, and user-uploaded videos from the members and participants.

They also have ISTEConnect with LiveStreaming, Twittering, Blogging, and a lot more connecting through the social networking sites (Facebook, Ning, etc). I was able to watch the ISTE International Reception through the streaming video :)

This is my Disney World!

DEN at NECC 2009...I was there!

I'm glad I didn't miss today's DEN's pre-NECC Birthday Party Extravaganza, "I learned a lot of cool stuff!" is an understatement! Many DEN STARs from across the country came to DC early for the 2009 NECC just to attend DEN’s fourth birthday celebration at Discovery Headquarters today.

Here are my favorite presentations from Jen Dorman:

- Power Up Your Professional Learning Network

According to her, there's a need to connect with colleagues both within the educational system and worldwide. The solution? Tap into professional networks and harness social networks for professional learning.

- Get Your ‘Og On

All about blogs, vlogs, and glogs!!! I am already proficient with blogs, and pretty familiar with using vlogs. What's new? Glogs! Glogs are like online interactive multimedia posters, which can be published publically or privately, and can also be emailed. It's so cool, colorful and creative that my students will surely become addicted to once I introduce this to them!

I also went to the session by Steve Dembo and loved his presentation: Top Ten Free Web 2.0 Sites. But the URL I have is a broken link and I can't find his presentation in his blog.

Discovery Education Booth Schedule at NECC

(from the DEN Blog Network)

NECC is just under a few days away, and we hope you’re as jazzed for it as we are! Our home on the conference floor will be Booth #3228 and we’ve got a packed schedule there. You’ll be able to see presentations such as:

• Discovery the Possibilities with Discovery Educaiton Digital Services
• Multimedia Einsteins: Discovery Education Science
• Using Multimedia in the Classroom with Mimio
• 50 Ways To Use Discovery Education streaming
• Bring 21st Century Teaching to Your Classrooms: Professional Development that Works
• Connecting Formative Assessment to the Power of Digital Media

And who will be presenting these sessions? None other than your favorite DE and DEN presenters, including Hall Davidson, Lance Rougeux, Steve Dembo, Matt Monjan, Jen Dorman, Eren Koont, Alex Morrison, and more!

Download the complete Discovery Education Booth Schedule

Don’t forget though, that’s just a fraction of what we’re doing at NECC. Be sure to attend the special Using Multimedia in the Classroom session we’re hosting with Mimio and the four DEN spotlight sessions.

Look forward to seeing you at the conference!

New stationary bike exercises students' brains, bodies

Some Illinois students are testing a new stationary bike called the NeuroActive Bike that works out the body and mind at the same time. Students pedal while playing memory games and solving puzzles. Chicago Tribune

Kentucky educators receive martial arts training

Keith Smith, left, an alternative school teacher in Pendleton County, simulates an Aikido technique to without harm, grab and control a student trying to punch someone, as Smith lays his hands on Todd Brendel, right, a school resource officer for Erlanger-Elsmere Schools during a class at the Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services in Cold Spring.

Some Kentucky educators are learning the martial art Aikido so they can better restrain students or defuse violence without causing injury. The techniques give educators confidence that they can gain control over a potentially violent situation without harming anyone, an Aikido-trained educator said. The Cincinnati Enquirer

Students are using Facebook, Web to talk to one another worldwide

Some high-school students in Maryland are working with teens around the world to expand their cultural horizons and learn more about other countries. "It's far more interesting to hear a person your age tell about the volcano than to read in a book about a volcano," said assistant teacher Natacha Steimer after a student in Guatemala told Maryland children about one he likes to visit. The Washington Post

Chicago hospital offers an online site for autism services

Chicago's Rush University Medical Center has created an online Autism Resource Center that lists area education options and disability services designed for children with autism. The resource also lists information fees, insurance and waiting lists. Chicago Tribune

On Becoming a Teacher Leader

Two years ago when I was invited to run as the WTU Vice President of Special Education, I could hear the voice of my mom (who's in the Philippines) whispering to me. It was the same voice that was telling me not to get involved in student activism when I went to college at The University of the Philippines (the country's premiere university). Mom knows very well that I firmly stand for what is right, my passion for what I do is contagious, and that I am overly persistent to get what I want; this could be very dangerous at a very idealistic young age.

Two years ago when I was asked to run under the slate of President George Parker, I asked a wise old union leader in my school why I was chosen to lead and he replied looking straight at me "Because you make things happen". Well, I said, they will be dissapointed. I am not an activist, I hate politics, I am very positive and proactive, I have a good relationship with everyone, they definitely will not like me there but, yes, I make things happen.

Two years was spent just observing, listening, trying to make sense of what's going on around me when I sit on the table during executive board meetings. I am a very hyperactive person, it is too difficult for me to sit still and listen for hours during meetings. I guess I am just like my students in some ways, restless. I couldn't take it anymore, I needed to be productive. At the beginning of this year, I submitted my Performance Target Plan to President Parker outlining what I was planning to accomplish as the Vice President for Special Education. Am I right on target? Yes, I should have added more things to do.

This is the heart of what I do as a leader, communicating, connecting and collaborating with the members and our partners. This is the soul of what I do as an educator, advocating for my students. I realized that when I empower, support, encourage and inspire the teachers to do their best for the kids, I am impacting the lives of more than just the students in my classroom.

Last Monday, during the conference, US Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan emphasized in his speech the important role that the national teachers unions and other leading foundations play in turning around schools and transforming education. Before he ended, he said,

"The education reform movement is not a table where we all sit around and talk. It’s a train that is leaving the station, gaining speed, momentum and direction. It is time for everyone – everywhere – to get on board."

I know I am. Are you?

2009 National Charter Schools Conference

The 9th Annual National Charter Schools Conference is being held here (right at this moment) in Washington DC from June 21-24, 2009. Keynote speakers include urban schools leaders: New York City Public Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Additionally, President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan were invited to address the conference.

I went to engaging sessions that were mostly about Teacher Leadership and creating Professional Learning Communities. No bulky handouts anymore! Copies of all the powerpoint presentations were given to the participants in a CD, very innovative! Here's a brief summary of my favorite points from the four sessions that I have attended:

- Empowering Teachers to Affect Policy by Steven Hicks and Julie Shively

According to the presenters, who are both National Board Certified Teachers, "Teachers understand - better than anyone - the challenges and rewards of public education and the types of instructional and school improvement strategies that yield the greatest results for their students."

This session has revealed to me opportunities at the national, state, and local levels for teachers in developing policies that affect the classroom! I am grateful that I was given a chance at a national level to share with my colleagues my experiences as a teacher in DC Public Schools. As a citywide teacher leader, I learned a lot of strategies that I can use whenever I sit on the table with the education policy makers in my school district. The most important things that I will remember are these tips:

Tips for teachers in discussing education policy:

Prepare (Know the issue)

- Be ready to present your points succinctly. (30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes)
- Know the opposition's points and be able to counter them.

- Maintain your enthusiasm and sincerity.

- Use a sense of humor and the ability to roll with the punches.

- Know the people you are talking to and their staff. (They can make or break opportunities to speak with their boss).

During the meeting:

- Address the person properly.

- Identify yourself immediately at each contact. have a business card handy.

- Refer to the topic you want to discuss early in the conversation.

- Use your own words.

- Be brief but courteous.

- Establish your own credentials - why are you an expert on this topic?

- If possible give the person something in writing to which they can refer later.

- If something is said off-the-record always respect that and keep it confidential.

- Follow up in writing, making sure to include your contact information.

Cautions:

- Don't begin your discussion with threatening language: "As a citizen..."

- Don't apologize for taking up their time. Just be brief to the point.

- Don't be arrogant, condescending, or threatening.

- Don't argue or back someone into a corner.

- Don't send copies of a form letter, unless you take the time to include a personal note.

- Teacher Leadership in a Learning Community (K-12) by Jay Westover

Equally important is fully understanding what a Professional Learning Community is. A PLC is a collaborative culture focused on results and learning comprised of independent teams...

- working toward the same goal

- through collective inquiry of student data

- and commitment to continous improvement

- to ensure all students learn

In this session, I have learned 5 simple steps in becoming a Professional Learning Community (PLC) that have been effective in helping teacher teams get started in the PLC process. What do we need to create a strong PLC? Here are the 5 Cs of a PLC (for me, it's easier to remember things using a mnemonic):

- Collaboration

- Common Curriculum

- Common Assessments

- Collective Intervention

- Confirmed Instructional Practices

Yesterday's sessions were very informative! Expert presenters were very innovative and knowledgeable about their topic. I left each room equipped with the knowledge that I need on how to engage in collaborative teamwork focused on results and learning; it has also given me the strategies, knowledge and skills to become a better teacher leader. Now I'm ready to roll!

Strengthening My Teacher Leadership Skills

Yesterday was Sunday, Father's Day; where was I? I was at the Mt. Vernon Convention Center here in DC for the 2009 National Charter Schools Conference.

Keynote speakers include urban schools leaders: New York City Public Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and District of Columbia Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. Additionally, President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan were invited to address the conference.

I didn't hear them speak anymore today. I could only afford to go to yesterday's Teacher Initiatives workshop sessions sponsored by the US Department of Education because yesterday's sessions were free. There were a lot of teachers coming from the DC Area aside from those who arrived from across the country. There were many public schools teachers yesterday who I guess, like me, were taking advantage of the free professional development sessions conducted by our national teacher leaders, Teaching Ambassadors and Fellows from the US Dep't of Ed, and/or National Board Certified Teachers.

I always go to national conferences and I am used to engaging in meaningful conversations with my colleagues coming from other districts about education policies, theories, philosophies and teaching practices. But there was this weird feeling yesterday. In the past, when I shared during group discussions or with the big group, after I introduced myself as a teacher from DC Public Schools they politely listened to me, no questions were asked, just "ok, fine". Yesterday, after I introduced myself as a teacher from DC Public Schools, people stopped what they were doing, looked at me, and listened intently.

During small group discussions after going through what we were supposed to do, teachers engaged in small talks with me like "So, how do you like your young and aggressive Chancellor?", "It's very shaky right now in DCPS, how are you affected by this?"...there were many more questions; I guess the one good thing about being a DC Public Schools teacher right now is popularity (or is this really a good thing?)

I went to several sessions, mostly on Teacher Leadership and building Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in schools, and learned a lot, now ready to bring back new knowledge to my school and school district. Before the school year ended, I told one of my colleagues that I am now ready for more challenges and to accept more responsibilities. I still want to be a classroom teacher, but I want to assume a different role now. I believe that I can better serve the students and positively impact young precious lives more if I can directly support their teachers and help strengthen their teaching skills and encourage them to implement the best practices of teaching.

Next year's conference will be in Chicago, just FYI for those who would be interested. What have I learned from yesterday? It's here.

Celebrate Dads - Support the Special Olympics

Fun. Courage. Determination. Acceptance. Grace. What attribute best describes the dads in your life?

This Father’s Day, celebrate dad – or a grandfather, coach, friend or mentor – with a gift to Special Olympics in his honor. With your help we can give the power of sport to one more person. Your contribution changes lives of athletes and brings joy to those around them, all in the name of important people in your life.

Here's how to make a big difference this Father's Day. I just did :D

Disputes on Teacher Evaluations

My Yahoo has been flooded with emails for the past two days about the terminations. Here's what the WaPo says about it:

D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee, following through on promises to dismiss teachers deemed ineffective, has fired about 250 tenured and novice instructors this week for poor performance or failure to obtain a license, union officials said yesterday.

Parker said the union would appeal the firings in instances in which it believes teachers did not receive adequate support on the 90-day plan. The first step would be an appeal to D.C. school officials, followed by a session with an independent hearing officer. If neither results in a reversal, the cases could go to an arbitrator. The process can take four to 12 months. In the past, Parker said, the union has been able to secure reversals of about a third of the handful of dismissals.

I had to dispute my final rating too. While this was all happening, I was doing a presentation showing documentations and evidence of knowledge of content, effective teaching strategies and student achievement to my Principal, Asst. Superintendent, and my WTU Representatives. It was intense for me and at the same time I was eagerly excited to demonstrate how excellent I was as a teacher this year. I couldn't hold my tears (cry baby I am!) when I showed my video presentation because it was sort of a reflection for me. Looking back I saw how my students have tremendously progressed and how much accomplishments they had during this school year. The conference lasted for about 45 minutes and it was done in a professional manner. I am grateful that I was given a chance to prove by reasoning and evidence that I am a teacher leader and that I am the quality teacher who goes above and beyond the call of duty to provide my students the high quality instruction, state-of-the-art classroom resources (from grants), and innovative supports (24/7 online extension of my classroom) that my students need to be successful.

People were telling me that it would be difficult to dispute the content of a teacher evaluation, so I should just question the procedural violation. I went on anyways. What gave me the guts to do this? I just read this report last week, and I knew that my position was right. Who's to blame? The current Teacher Evaluation System that has failed the teachers and the students for decades.

Afterwards, the rest of the teachers' concerns in my school were brought to the table individually and were resolved in a peaceful and professional tone. To our WTU Representatives who showed up despite the last minute call, to my Principal and Asst. Superintendent who showed professionalism, from deep in my heart, THANK YOU.

This is another learning experience for me. I realized that it is imperative for us professionals to listen to each other, communicate effectively, and be sensitive to each other's feelings so that we can come to a solution that is good for kids and fair to teachers.

Afterall, education is about collaboration, it is about partnerships. Now, can we all work together?

Union president: Best teachers include NBCTs

President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers Jerry T. Jordan says the area's best teachers include those who pursue National Board Certification. He also suggests that incentives for completing rigorous training, additional mentoring and other changes would help teacher retention. Philadelphia Daily News

To improve retention, we need:

* Better pre-service education and apprenticeship programs.
* Effective principals who provide instructional guidance and encouragement.
* A rigorous curriculum with meaningful professional development.
* Effective mentoring programs.
* Smaller classes.
* Better working conditions, safe schools and adequate books, technology and supplies.
* Incentives for teachers who mentor other teachers, work in challenging schools, accept additional responsibilities or complete high-level training.

The key to getting a mix of new and veteran educators in middle schools where turnover is highest is to give teachers the resources, respect and support they need to help children succeed.
Great teachers come in many forms - new teachers bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm, and veterans offer experience, advanced education and training. We must do more to retain both. *

Are longer school days the answer to school improvement?

Education Secretary Arne Duncan says longer school days, weeks, and years will improve learning

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is pushing for longer school days and school years nationwide, but some critics say that more time in the classroom will not be the boost students need to compete globally. "You'll notice in Indian and Chinese schools, the students spend a lot more time on task," said Bob Compton, creator of "Two Million Minutes," a global education documentary. "American schools have more study breaks, and the classes are generally shorter. Instead of increasing the school day, the bigger question is: Are we teaching the right subjects for students to compete in the 21st century?" eSchool News

Teens organize camp for children with special needs

Pot-bellied pig Jasmine can't get a kiss from Hillarie James while visiting Cumberland Presbyterian Church's special-needs camp Thursday.

Twin 18-year-old sisters, both of whom want to work with children with special needs, organized a half-day camp in Tennessee for children with special needs. Among their activities, students at the camp interacted with animals such as armadillos and pot-bellied pigs with the help of a wildlife biologist. The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.)

Special educator summits world's highest peaks

BAYFIELD, Wisconsin — A retired school teacher with multiple sclerosis has now climbed the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents. A dispatch from the expedition company Alpine Ascents International reported that Lori Schneider reached the 29,035-foot high peak of Mount Everest at about 7:30 p.m. Friday Central time. It’s the tallest point in the world. The 52-year-old from northwestern Wisconsin climbed six of the other peaks — including Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount McKinley — after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. Schneider is reported to be the first woman afflicted with the neurological disease to reach the Everest summit and the first person with MS to complete the Seven Summits.

"If you can teach people with MS or any other disability that sometimes you will have hard days and sometimes days will be OK, you can teach them not to give up hope, to keep trying," she said. Chicago Sun-Times/The Associated Press

School board approves hiring math, science teachers from Philippines

An Alabama school board has voted in favor of hiring eight science and math teachers from Manila, Philippines, to fill vacancies in those areas. Officials are anticipating as many as 50 vacancies in math and science teaching positions in the upcoming school year, and four administrators traveled to Manila to recruit the educators to fill some of those positions. Montgomery Advertiser (Ala.)/Associated Press

Designing an individualized education plan that works

Educators and parents should work together with parents to craft individualized education plans that are transparent and understandable to all, says Donnalyn Jaque-Antón, who oversees special education for about 82,000 Los Angeles students. Use language that's understandable to parents and tells them clearly what to expect, she says. Her district provides parents with a video on the process. Disability Scoop

Baby giraffe inspires boy with dyslexia to write

Harrison Pineda, 11, suffers from dyslexia, but Riverbanks Zoo’s baby giraffe, named Lewis, inspired him to write a 12-chapter story.
- Erik Campos/ecampos@thestate.com

Harrison Pineda, 11, has multiple disabilities including severe dyslexia, but Lewis -- a newborn giraffe at a South Carolina zoo -- inspired him to write a 12-chapter story. "He so wanted to tell the story of Lewis that he sweated every word of the story," said his tutor, Gillian Barclay-Smith, who previously had been working with Harrison on reading for months without much luck. The State (Columbia, S.C.)

Duncan: Upper-level collaboration needed on school reform

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan met Thursday with Milwaukee officials, urging them to collaborate on ways to improve education and create better schools. He also told officials that the federal stimulus money targeting education offers them a great opportunity to create big changes and that they should not waste it. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

N.Y. school hires "dream team" of teachers with 6-figure salaries

Rhena Jasey, a Harvard graduate, is on a teaching dream team.

Officials at a New York charter school sought out the best teachers by luring them with a salary of $125,000 a year, saying that it is the classroom teacher who is one of the biggest influences on student success. The eight teachers chosen for the school have a track record of engaging students in lessons and instilling an enthusiasm for learning in students. The New York Times

Principal allegedly ordered grade changes for students with disabilities

The Bronx School of Law, Justice and Government which houses the Eagle Academy, where educators are accusing the principal of forcing them to inflating grades.

The principal of a New York City academy allegedly told many educators to boost the failing grades of students with special needs. "In some cases, the students haven't submitted any work at all, and they were failing the exams," a teacher said. The principal said the teachers were "disgruntled," and students had not received appropriate instruction. Daily News (New York)

Student, longtime aide "just clicked"

Glenbrook South High School senior Julie Halfen, 19, who has Down Syndrome, is escorted to gym class by her one-to-one aide Linda Hammer. Linda has been Julie's aide since Julie was in first grade. (Chicago Tribune photo by Chris Walker / June 2, 2009)

Linda Hammer, 53, has helped high-school senior Julie Halfen, who has Down syndrome, with her classes since Halfen was in first grade. "It's very bittersweet because I am so proud of her," said Hammer, who changed employers so she could remain with Halfen through high school. Chicago Tribune

The Widget Effect, A TNTP Report

Here's the latest report from The New Teacher Project: "THE WIDGET EFFECT, Our National Failure to Acknowledge and Act on Differences in Teacher Effectiveness'

READ: Download the ExecutiveSummary » 1.5 MB PDF

READ: Download thefull report » 5.6 MB PDF

"If teachers are so important,why do we treat them like widgets?"

Effective teachers are the key to student success. Yet our school systems treat all teachers as interchangeable parts, not professionals. Excellence goes unrecognized and poor performance goes unaddressed. This indifference to performance disrespects teachers and gambles with students’ lives. Read an overview of The Widget Effect »

What is a web widget?

A web widget is a portable chunk of code that can be installed and executed within any separate HTML-based web page by an end user without requiring additional compilation. They are derived from the idea of code reuse. Other terms used to describe web widgets include: gadget, badge, module, webjit, capsule, snippet, mini and flake.

Marines investigate enlistment of man with autism

The Marine Corps is investigating how a man with autism was allowed to enlist amid an allegation that the recruiter was told of his disability. A 2006 court order prevented Pvt. Joshua Fry, 21, from entering into contracts on his own; he faces a court-martial over unrelated allegations. San Diego Union-Tribune

National Board Certification: More than just a certificate

National Board Certification is more than just adding a set of initials after a teacher's name. Becoming a National Board Certified Teacher means that a teacher has been judged by his or her peers as one who is accomplished in his or her field. Read more.

Classroom makeovers could lead to school pride

With so much talk of education reform, the simplest fix could come in the form of a classroom makeover, according to this blog post. Repairing classrooms, building shelves and making aesthetic improvements could create a sense of pride in schools. Edutopia.org/Spiral Notebook blog

Teachers learn from each other in collaborative groups

Ferson Creek first-grade teachers Jen Emanuele (from left), Catherine Zarate, Kris Criss and Jaime Foss meet before classes to work on lesson plans and discussing ideas to better meet the needs of students. (H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@kcchronicle.com)

Teachers in an Illinois district say that collaborating in "professional-learning communities" has helped them discover best practices and new ideas for reaching struggling students. Teachers meet several times each month to discuss "what we want our students to know, how do we know when they've learned it and what do we do for the kids who haven't reached that goal," said Principal Lisa Hichens. The Chronicle (Geneva, Ill.)