Last Blog......

The three things that I was introduced to during this course:
1)  Digital Citizenship.  With Huntsville City Schools implementing the digital 1:1 initiative, educating students about Digital Citizenship is SO IMPORTANT!  Digital Citizenship should be taught at every grade level from day 1.

2)  NETS standards.  I really enjoyed learning about the NETS standards because technology is so important to the future of education.  Being able to use technology is one thing, but understanding the reasoning and objectives of the NETS standards is something that every teacher should understand and implement in their classroom.

3)  Aurasma- which Stephanie and Amanda showed me tonight.  That is totally cool!  Cannot wait to show my kids when I get home tonight.


Two questions that peaked my interest are:
1)  Learning about different ways to communicate with faculty members using a blog and/or wiki.  I think it's a great way to model technology use with faculty members.  I already use an Edmodo page to communicate with faculty members, and specifically math teachers to use to turn in their lesson plans to me every Friday.

2)  Promoting Digital Citizenship at the beginning of the school year in a way that educates and involves students at all levels.  Digital Citizenship is so important and with proper education, discipline issues can be averted and even avoided.


One thing I will incorporate as a TOSA and future administrator is:
the use of the iPad.  I am getting in the habit of carrying my iPad with me where ever I go in the building.  I am such a note-taker, that it's been a difficult transition from a clipboard to iPad, but I am adjusting slowly but surely.  I love technology and its advantages, and I always look forward to the next big "tech toy" to come on the market.

#29: Last student choice

In addition to going to Florida for Thanksgiving, we also drive down for about 5-6 days for Christmas.  My dad lives on about 200 acres in north Florida about 25 miles west of Tallahassee.  The benefit of him living out in the country allows us to celebrate Christmas in a special way.  After eating supper and exchanging gifts, my family has a huge Christmas tradition of having a big bonfire that is about 12 feet high and about 30 feet wide, and after lighting the bonfire we light about $1000 worth of fireworks that we all chip in to buy.  What's so wonderful about this tradition is when we leave my dad's house and head to the "bonfire field"; there will be about 50-60 cousins and friends who come to enjoy the bonfire and fireworks.
This tradition begin many, many, many years ago with me, my brother, sister and cousins having bottle rocket wars as children.  Then, as we got "too old" for bottle rocket wars, we began having a bonfire which just got bigger and bigger and bigger each year.  The bonfire and fireworks are a tradition that we all enjoy.  Luckily, my husband (Jeff), Jake, Hannah and I get the luxury and fun of buying the fireworks and we always enjoy going to Fireworks World.  It's like a kid in a candy store, and then we get home and pack them up for our trip south.

#28: Football and Thanksgiving

HHS plays this Friday night, and if they win, that means our trip to Florida for Thanksgiving will begin immediately after the football game.  I really hope the Panthers can pull out another playoff win, and then we can leave for Florida to see my family.  Thanksgiving with my family in Florida is always a blast.  Between eating so much food and watching our Florida Gators play their in-state rival Florida State Seminoles; we all enjoy being together for the weekend.  It seems like yesterday Jake (16) and Hannah (13) were just babies in their car seats as we drove down, now Jake can drive us.....Scary!! 
I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.  I know that we will enjoy our long weekend in Florida with my family.

#27: BYOD and mobile learning

Huntsville City Schools implemented the digital 1:1 initiative where every student grades 3 through 12 received a laptop computer, and grades K through 2 received iPads.  While it is an exciting feeling to see students who did not have laptops now have technology in their hands, there have been some frustrations.  Students need to be taught the responsibility that comes with technology and that responsibility ranges from how to take care of a laptop to the importance of digital citizenship.
Students may can work around the firewall, yet they do not know how to operate in Word or PowerPoint, let alone, how to properly shut down the computer.  These areas are where teachers have to step up and teach students the responsibility that comes with laptops.  They must realize there is more to a laptop than social media and the internet, but instead, there are programs that students can use to improve their academic success in the classroom.

#26: Thanksgiving

HHS won their playoff games this Friday night and they play Vestavia Hills this Friday.  I'm hoping the Panthers can get another big playoff win.  My son, Jake, is the starting corner back and I cannot believe that his junior season in football is almost over.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving.  We always leave after lunch on Thanksgiving Day to drive to my dad's house in Florida.  It will be the first time we have been home to Florida since before school started back in August.  Jake and Hannah are excited to go and Hannah would leave today and stay until the end of the holidays.  There's nothing like being around friends and family during the holiday season.

#25: Digital Citizenship

With more and more schools implementing technology in the classroom, especially those implementing the 1:1 initiatives or BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), educators must teach the importance of digital citizenship.  Students today are indeed digital natives and know more about how to use technology than many adults.  However, with the "know how", students need to be taught how to use technology responsibly.  With the implementation of a 1:1 initiative, students who did not have access to the internet now have access and not all students use the technology in a responsible manner.  Instead, cyber-bullying has increased because it's easier to be a bully behind the screen of a computer rather than to a person face to face.
As educators, we realize the importance of technology and the successes it can bring to the classroom; however we must teach students the importance of digital citizenship.

#24: iPads and their role in special education

iPads are very beneficial in the classroom, and that is especially true in the special education classroom.  Of course, the implementation must be done efficiently and effectively in order for students to be succesful.  iPads offer so many opportunities for students with special needs, whether it's educational applications such as games and hand-on learning opportunities or interactive books, the iPad can be such a wonderful educational tool for all students, not just special education students.  iPads could also be beneficial for special education students because they can store all their documents and work on the iPad, and not have to rely on folders or binders.  Instead, special education students can use the iPad as a means to organize school work and upcoming events using productivity tools such as the calendar and Pages.

#23: Holiday Season

I love the Fall time of the year.  Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are my favorite holidays.  I love watching Christmas movies with Jake and Hannah.  In fact, Hannah and I put up our Christmas tree today and are now watching Elf.  I think we have watched the Grinch and Elf so much we could quote the entire movie  :)
This semester is almost over and the time has flown by so fast.  We are almost half-way through our Samford classes and it seems like yesterday that we were all meeting for the first time.

#22: The flipped classroom

I think the flipped classroom is a great idea and way to get all students, of all abilities levels, involved and engaged in the classroom.  By engaging with students via classroom activities, grouping activities, and labs, teachers can involve all students in a lesson.  And instead of having the traditional homework, students can home and watch a video, podcast, or PowerPoint of the lesson that was taught during the day.  For students who do not have internet access or a computer, the teacher can offer an alternative assignment or a print out of the PowerPoint lesson
I firmly believe the flipped classroom works and is a wonderful strategy, it can be used and implemented at any school and with any group of students.  However, I do believe that teachers need to receive professional development on how-to strategies of implementing the flipped classroom, especially those teachers who are intimidated and do not like change.

#21: November

I cannot believe that at the end of this week it will be November.  My how time flies!!  It's been a really quick first nine weeks of school and I definitely realized this past week how important Fall Break was for teachers and students.  I really do hope that we get a Fall Break next year.  There is definitely a difference in the teachers and the students this year.  Teachers and students need that break to rest, relax and get refreshed for the second nine weeks.  The past couple of weeks have been very stressful and everyone seems on edge.  In the past when we had a fall break, everyone was able to regroup during the break and come back to school refreshed and ready to finish the semester.
Although we never traveled anywhere fall break because my sons plays football and my husband coaches football, it was nice to have a small break from school.  I sure hope next year the fall break gets added back to the school calendar.

#20: Discuss barriers of technology in education

Technology in our classrooms can be so beneficial if used with fidelity and responsibly.  However, there are barriers of technology in education.  First and foremost, not all students have the same access to technology.  Many students do not even have a computer at home, let alone internet access at home.  Yet, there are many students who not only have a computer at home, but may even have their own laptop, and have access to the internet at home.  Huntsville City Schools implemented a 1-to-1 initiative where every student was given a laptop.  However, there is still the barrier of internet access at home for those students who cannot afford the cost.  Second, there are many teachers who are afraid and intimidated by the use of technology in their classrooms.  Many teachers do not like change, especially when it comes to using and implementing technology in the classroom.  And unfortunately, technology is the future.  Teachers must be able to use and implement technology in the classroom.

#19: Does technology help or harm literacy?

I believe that technology helps and also harms literacy.  Our children are digital natives, they were born with technology in their hands, and they are very skillful when it comes to using technology.  Technology requires students to read, and also solve problems on how to use the technology.  The more a child reads, the better student that child will be in the future.  However, I also believe that there are technologies that harms literacy.  For example, when students use a cell phone to send text messages, or post tweets on twitter they use short-hand, sentence fragments and do not pay attention to grammar mistakes.  Sometimes, even I have a hard time trying to figure out what my own children are trying to stay when they text me or post a message on twitter. 
I do believe that technology helps, more than harms, literacy.  However, as educators we must teach our students the correct and responsible way to use technology so that it will help their literacy.

#18: Discuss an article you’ve read recently about technology in schools.

I recently read an article from "the Journal", Transforming Education through Technology.  The article questions the validity of high-stakes online testing using iPads.  As technology evolves, so does the ability to cheat on summative tests, especially those that are taken online.  Unfortunately, there are students who will cheat on such tests, and there is no easy solution to prevent cheating.  Not only do we have to worry about students who may cheat on a test, there are also teachers who feel so much pressure to make Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), that they are willing to risk their jobs for an advantage or upper-hand.  Hopefully, measures have been put in place to prevent teachers from cheating and educators must work hard to find solutions so that the students cannot cheat as well.  Technology can be such a great tool to have in our classrooms and must be used correctly by all parties involved in the education process. 

#17: Tech savy

One thing that I have realized in my new job is that there are some teachers who are extremely tech savy, and then there are others who are at the opposite end of the spectrum.  Our teachers have been using a digital curriculum and the tech savy teachers have done a great job incorporating the digital curriculum into their classrooms.  I am amazed at some of the great strategies these teachers are using in their classrooms, and enjoy conversing with them about what they are doing to engage their students.  There are some really great teachers who are constantly wanting to learn new technologies to share with their students and other teachers.  I am so fortunate to work with these amazing teachers and look forward to learning from them throughout the school year.

#16: Old Technology

What do I do with old technology?  One thing that my children have to pay for is their cell phones, unless they take mine or my husband's old cell phone.  When he or I get a new cell phone, we offer our old ones to the kids.  We will not buy a new phone for them when they can use our old phone.  We could definitely do a better job of donating our old desktop computers and laptops.  We gave a desktop to a friend, but still have a desktop and a laptop collecting dust in our house.  I have a work laptop and an iPad which I will return to Huntsville City Schools, but I also have a laptop for home and an iPad.  The kids have two laptops, and one of which they will also return to Huntsville City Schools.

#15: Technology

I love technology and have always wanted to newest and neatest in technology.  The new iPhone 5 is already on my wish list, and I absolutely love my iPad.  I would have loved this technology as a child, and would love to been able to have access to iPad when my children were smaller.  I have two children, Jake who is a junior at Huntsville High School and Hannah who is an 8th grader at Huntsville Middle School.  Last year for Christmas they both received laptops, and now due to the one-to-one initiative they have another laptop from Huntsville City Schools.  They both enjoy using their laptops for schools, especially Edmodo.  However, they do not like having a textbook on their laptops.  They both would prefer to have a textbook in their hands, which I can completely understand.  As much as I love technology, I'd much rather have a book in my hand than to read off of my iPad.  However, I realize that online textbooks are the future and luckily they are getting a hands-on experience before they will reach college.

#14: New website

A few weeks ago I attend a "Powerful Conversation Network" (PCN) workshop and during the workshop the presenter used a website called "WallWisher" to engage the participates in a survey.  It was fantastic and as a matter of fact, I will be using "WallWisher" as my Web 2.0 cool tool.  It is a wonderful, fun and engaging website that teachers, families and even students can use to gather data or input in various areas.  I look forward to presenting my cool tool in class.

#13: October

Wow!  I cannot believe that it is already October.  It seems just yesterday that it was August and we were beginning a new school year.  I absolutely love the fall time in north Alabama.  The changing of the leaves, the cooler temperatures, Hannah's volleyball season, Jake's football season, college football and the fall holidays of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas make the fall season one of my favorite times of the year.  One thing that I have missed this fall is the yearly Fall Break that we have usually the first week of October.  Although we never traveled due to football, it sure was nice to have a small break.  I did not realize how much I enjoyed Fall Break until this school year.  Whew....I'm tired!!  

#12: How would you approach resistance by teachers to use of technology in the classroom?

There is always going to be resistance from teachers in a school.  And that is especially true in the use and implementation of technology.  Many times I have heard teachers, even myself, complain and resist new strategies and technological programs.  To address the resistance, as an administrator I would engage teachers in an one-on-one conversation about the benefits of technology, all the while offering any assistance even professional development to help teachers feel more comfortable about using technology.  Technology can be very intimidating to some teachers, especially since the students are so comfortable and may know more about technology than the teacher.  In addition to offering my support, I would use team coaching strategies to help those teachers who are resist to using technology.  By pairing a resist teacher with a teacher who uses technology efficiently and effectively, the resistant teacher is provided with a real-life example of how technology makes the job easier and less stressful on the teacher.  Change is evitable, and change is good; however sometimes change is hard.  But with support, coaching and professional development, teachers may not be as resistant to technology in the future.

#11: Volleyball

I have two children, Jake a junior at Huntsville High School, and Hannah an 8th grader at Huntsville Middle School.  After 5 weeks of having a laptop and using the digital curriculum, they both would much rather have a textbook instead of the digital textbook.  They do like using Edmodo to communicate with their teachers and they like using technology in their classes, however, they would still prefer to have a physical textbook.  Technology can be a very useful tool, however, at times, it can be "too much" if it is not implemented and integrated in an effective and efficient manner.  Their teachers have done a fantastic job of incorporating technology in their instruction all the while not being 100% dependent upon technology.  "Teaching" cannot be done by a computer and/or computer program alone, it takes a dedicated, caring teacher to use all the tools necessary to prepare our children for their future. 

#10: What principles should guide your approach for integrating technology into instruction (as an administrator)

As an administrator, if I expect my teachers to integrate technology into instruction, then I should model and implement technology as well.  By using technology with teachers, an administrator provides teachers, new and old, with a live example of how to effectively and efficiently use technology as a form of communication, in addition to a learning tool.  As an administrator, I use technology to communicate with teachers via email and/or Edmodo, to gather and sort data such as STAR Math and STAR Reading scores, and to progress monitor struggling students.  As a matter of fact on Monday, I will be training teachers on how to use the STAR Math and STAR Reading results to progress monitor students, and how to use the program to determine areas of weakness that can guide their instruction.  Being the RtI coordinator, I work with STAR results daily by identifying the Tier II and Tier III students who need more intervention strategies and instruction.  As an administrator, the STAR program is vital to my evaluation, but also for the teachers.  Every teacher will be evaluated by the STAR results, so by ensuring they are properly trained on how to use the results to guide instruction, teachers can integrate the technology into their instruction.

#9: Student Choice

We are about 5 weeks into the school year, and it's been quite an eye-opening experience for me.  With the digital 1-to-1 initiative being implemented, the transition has gotten smoother, but there are still issues that are stressful to teachers and students.  Something that surprised me about students with laptops is their lack of knowledge on how to operate a computer, for example:  shutting it down correctly, using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other basic skills.  Students can find a way to get past the firewall, however, they do not know how to shut down a computer correctly. 
Our teachers have done a really good job of teaching our students basic computer skills so that their laptops will work efficiently with the digital curriculum.  When using technology in the classroom, teachers must implement strategies and procedures such that the students are not playing games, but rather are on task.  Such strategies include:  closing the laptop while teaching, leaving the screen at a 45 degree angle while teaching, or using Splashtop so that the teacher can roam the room while teaching.  Technology is a powerful tool, however, it must be used effectively and efficiently.

Post #8: How can technology affect the learning process?

Technology can be such a powerful tool that can have a profound affect on the learning process.  However, the use of technology in the classroom must be used with fidelity.  First and foremost, teachers need to teach students how to use technology in the correct manner.  Our students are indeed digital natives, and are comfortable using technology.  However, in the classroom, they need to understand and realize the importance technology can have on their education. 
Using technology is a great way to communicate daily with students.  My son, who is a junior in high school, and my daughter, who is an 8th grader, are both learning how to use Edmodo to communicate with their teachers, turn in assignments, and keep up-to-date with what is happening in each of their classes.  All of their teachers are preparing them for college just not academically, but teaching them how to use technology to communicate.
There are so many different ways in which technology can affect the learning process.  Technology is constantly evolving, and educators must keep current with the trends so that they can apply and use technology with their students.

Blog post #7: Tomorrow's class

I am looking forward to our class tomorrow night.  I was late to our last class, and I have missed my fellow cohort members.  I love technology, and always look forward to learning something new that I can implement and/or help another teacher use in their classroom.  Technology is constantly changing, and we have to be able to adjust and adapt as the technology changes.
With the beginning of a new school year at a new position, I have learned to use Prezi, thanks to a fellow cohort member who presented a Prezi during the summer.  Thanks Deanna, I am hooked on Prezi!!  I have also learned how to use Edmodo, and completed a survey using SurveyMonkey, which was so easy to create and read results.
I look forward to learning something new tomorrow night, and can't wait to see my fellow cohort members.

Blog Post #6: How can technology innovations be sustained in schools?

The best way to sustain technology innovations in education is through repetitive use of the technology.  With our "digital native" students, we must incorporate technology as well as adapting to the new innovations that occurring at an exponential rate.  Technology can be a useful tool in the classroom in many ways.  Whether it's communicating with students (and parents) via email, using edmodo, moodle or other core related websites; teachers can use technology in various ways to strategically teach all students of varying ability levels.

Things I've learned so far....

After being in school for three weeks, I have learned more than I could possibly imagine about being an administrator.  First and foremost, an administrator must have effective communication and listening skills.  If the communication is not detailed and explicit, teachers will be confused as to their duties and responsibilities.
At Westlawn, we have many first year teachers and at least 9 of them are Teach For America teachers.  Although they are young and fresh out of college, they are extremely intelligent, tech savvy, eager and creative in their teaching.  It's extremely important that communication from the administrator is explicit and detailed because they are new to education.  I am excited to have the opportunities to watch these young teachers in their classrooms.  

Best practices of technology used in the teaching area.

Although I am no longer in the classroom, I am surrounded by teachers who are very tech savy.  Just this past week, I have downloaded a couple of apps for my iPad. 
An app that I would definitely use in the classroom is the SplashTop app which allows a teacher to control their laptop computer using their iPad.  This app is provides teacher with mobility around the classroom while engaging the students in the lesson.
Another useful app for teachers is TeacherKit.  It is a personal organizer for teachers and enables them to organize classes and students.  It's interactive and gives teachers the ability to track the attendance, grades and behavior of students.

TOSA job description

My new position as a TOSA, teacher on special assignment, is a job that I am really enjoying so far this year.  I'm considered the second assistant principal, and I am learning more and more each day about the responsibilities of an assistant principal.  I am very fortunate to work for a great principal and assistant principal.  They have both so very helpful, and are very knowledgeable about their jobs. 
My responsibilities include being the RtI coordinator, collaborating with the social worker on students with excessive absences, working on the CIP, being a mentor for a first year teacher and assisting with discipline when needed.  I look forward to school each day, and I am still adjusting to having an office, instead of a classroom of students.

Why do I want to be an administrator?

After the past couple of weeks, I have learned that being an administrator is about management.  I am not completely sure that I want to be a principal.  I think that it will depend on the situation and the school.  However, I would like to work in the central office in the curriculum or pupil services areas.  I am thoroughly enjoying my new job, because I am receiving a hands-on experience of the day-to-day duties of an assistant principal.

EDUC 597:  First Blog Post

This is my first official post in my blog.  I have to admit, I've never used a blog; I have only read a couple.  Looking forward to reading my fellow cohort members updated blogs.