Overall, I got a sense of how key mentoring can be to getting technology in the classrooms. Another avenue to get teachers exposed to the tools available, even if admin isn't in support (poor Heather).
Heather and her mentor showed exemplary flexibility in dealing with the lack of support from their district tech person. A value I realized is key when working with technology. Things fail, the internet goes down, installations don't happen on time. It is important to have a 'go with the flow', flexible attitude so you can move forward instead of getting bogged down and quitting.
Jonathan experienced another road block I hadn't thought of, knowing the basics before introducing technology tools. I can only imagine as I struggled through my first year of teaching how much more stressed I had been if I had to also implement new technology! It seems either the technology or subject basics must be solid before adding one or the other. It would be ideal to use technology as you initially create your lessons but if those tech skills aren't already there it becomes too much and needs to be implemented once a foundation is in place.
Barbra continued to astound me with her knowledge. How does one become so proficient at data analysis? I was in awe of her helpful feedback on so many blogs. I made a plea to her via twitter to share some resources and sites to this newbie!
I loved Ginger's presentation and realized I need variety and movement to keep my attention. Her slides, font, and tone of voice kept me engaged from beginning to end. Something to keep in mind as I work on future presentations as a teacher and a student. She took me full circle to TLAP: hook, engage, layer.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
670 Reflection Week 7
Play is where it's at. Chris and I concurred playfulness is a big part of learning so why are 'humor, gaming, and creating art discouraged'. Chris introduced me to a Common Core Aligned Game Show that he was developing. Talk about being creative!
Thomas and I discussed actions speaking louder than words. I reflected on a recent parenting moment I'd witnessed that addressed just that. Something to keep in mind as a leader to my students and my children. We also agreed that risks are required for growth. So why not plan for it?
Colin reinforced the importance of collaboration. That we are in this together, we should listen to each other, delegate, and realize there is always someone more competent than you at something. The goal being to come up with the best possible answer, not to compete to be the person with the best answer. After all, our end result should be focussed on what is best for our students.
I reflected with Tiffany and Chris about innovation. I had just finished watching A Christmas Story and was was struck by the fact that every aspect of the movie seemed so old fashioned (the cars, mother’s role, toys) except for the classroom which was very similar to how it is now! How is it that change has happened politically, personally, commercially but not educationally? It's time for innovation. Pixar & Apple, seem to have fostering creativity worked out. I know I’d love to work in either environment. Why don't we start with taking a small page from their books toward innovating education?
Above image retrieved from http://behappy.me/we-dont-stop-playing-because-we-grow-old-we-grow-old-because-we-stop-playing
Thomas and I discussed actions speaking louder than words. I reflected on a recent parenting moment I'd witnessed that addressed just that. Something to keep in mind as a leader to my students and my children. We also agreed that risks are required for growth. So why not plan for it?
Colin reinforced the importance of collaboration. That we are in this together, we should listen to each other, delegate, and realize there is always someone more competent than you at something. The goal being to come up with the best possible answer, not to compete to be the person with the best answer. After all, our end result should be focussed on what is best for our students.
I reflected with Tiffany and Chris about innovation. I had just finished watching A Christmas Story and was was struck by the fact that every aspect of the movie seemed so old fashioned (the cars, mother’s role, toys) except for the classroom which was very similar to how it is now! How is it that change has happened politically, personally, commercially but not educationally? It's time for innovation. Pixar & Apple, seem to have fostering creativity worked out. I know I’d love to work in either environment. Why don't we start with taking a small page from their books toward innovating education?
Above image retrieved from http://behappy.me/we-dont-stop-playing-because-we-grow-old-we-grow-old-because-we-stop-playing
Friday, December 6, 2013
Mentoring Paper
Can mentoring a colleague to implement one iPad in each classroom impact teachers' use of iPads and students' learning?
Background:
The goal of my mentoring project was to help find uses for one iPad in the classroom. I mentored my friend, a part time librarian, and her coworker, the full time librarian integrate one iPad in each classroom of their grade 3 - 6 elementary school. They requested assistance with finding possible apps the teachers can use on their new iPads with their students.
I felt this was a good project as there was an actual request for mentoring. I am interested in iPad applications myself, and my children would likely benefit from this too as they attend this school. I had sent them a few ideas to get them started and had a teacher contact me for specific math apps for students who planned to be absent. The feedback was very positive so I felt I could be of good use to them. I wanted to mentor this person because she is a friend of mine with an expressed need. She is the part-time librarian, I was also familiar with her coworker, the full time librarian, who spearheaded this technological movement. I helped them gather potential uses for one iPad in the classroom along with implementation guidelines and recommendations.
Literature Review:
Mentoring is…
an on-going relationship, voluntary, based on confidentiality and trust, active listening, guiding and sharing, a workplace partnership. (The Aged Care)
Mentoring involves…
sharing information in confidence, an informal plan, a schedule for communications, encouraging protege to write a list of questions. (wikiHOW)
Mentoring skills…
create open and supportive climate for discussion, demonstrate good listening/follow-up skills, provide constructive feedback and advice. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
Mentoring motivation and rewards...
"By using your influence and resources as a decision maker, you can bring new hope to young lives through the power of mentoring. You might be surprised by how much you will benefit as well." (MENTOR)
Methodology:
I helped them gather potential uses for one iPad in the classroom along with implementation guidelines and recommendations. A simple google search gave me multiple sites that helped me on my trek to discover potential iPad uses. I also followed the #ipaded hashtag on TweetDeck for ideas and advice. And appreciated any input from my classmates via our blogs and Twitter sessions. I took a week to collect ideas, we weeded through the material together, then planned to distribute our findings to the teachers while gathering their input as to their needs/desires. This is where the best laid plans took a turn. We intended to repeat and fine tune this process the next week until suitable uses were found. I then intended to help organize a meeting with the teachers to introduce the apps and make myself available to my friend the following week to help troubleshoot any issues. The meeting to introduce the apps to the teachers never came to be. There were grand ideas to have an 'Apps with Apps' night, appetizers and iPad navigations to explore best possible apps to be used. But it never got off the ground, coordinating times never seemed possible and the semester continued to pick up speed for all parties involved. Instead the iPads were released to teachers and specific app suggestions were handed out upon request of the teacher so as not to overwhelm them with our compilation of possibilities. 'Apps with Apps' night is still in the works but has been put on the back burner for the moment. I continued to check in weekly and provide further research where needed. We still are having an open conversation.
I collected data through my own reflective journal after each interaction.
Results:
I had a pretty strong read from my observations on the apps being positively received. Within the first week of providing a list of apps for my mentee, I was approached by another teacher in the building for help finding subject specific apps for two of her students to use on their own iPads at home. I quickly sent a list off to which she responded, "Wow! Thank you". I also ran into another parent around town two weeks later who thanked me for the apps, the librarian had passed my list on to her, and she was extremely grateful to have a 'guide' for apps for her kids to use rather than 'spending two or more hours every night' searching and not finding much. There seems to be a definite need for assistance in wading through the endless apps available. In week 5 the head librarian personally thanked me for the provided apps and that she has been sharing the list around school and the community. She was planning an 'apps with apps' meeting and wanted me in attendance. She was grateful but uncertain about being able to setting time for meeting in the near future.
My own child's teacher has the iPad in her class and occasionally lets students use it as another computing device for online exercises. It has not been used beyond that as far as he reports.
Discussion:
Overall, it was a mainly successful endeavor however I need to keep the ball rolling. It was easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the year and push this project aside for both myself and my mentee. But we are not finished yet. She has requested assistance using the Reflector app which we both believe will open doors for many new uses of the iPads for the teachers. I will attend their meeting to introduce apps to the teachers and will observe the teachers' responses and their embracing or ignoring of the apps presented at that time. I anticipate positive results as the teachers seem ready and eager to embrace technology and have the continued support of the librarian team to be successful. The shear volume of apps available is definitely overwhelming for many, so it is useful to have a PLN to help navigate and share findings with. Finally, we must remember to have patience. Technology integration takes time and will evolve as needs and opportunities arise.
Resources:
The Aged Care. Mentoring Colleagues. Retrieved from
http://www.accreditation.org.au/upload/images/Mentoring%20colleagues%20-%20Anne%20Ivanson%20and%20Lois%20Knox.pdf
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Mentoring and Coaching Skills. Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/students/gatheringplace/coach/
wikiHOWto do anything. How to Become a Mentor for Young Work Colleagues. Retrieved from
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Mentor-for-Young-Work-Colleagues
Andrea Stineff
University of Alaska Southeast
Fall 2013
Background:
The goal of my mentoring project was to help find uses for one iPad in the classroom. I mentored my friend, a part time librarian, and her coworker, the full time librarian integrate one iPad in each classroom of their grade 3 - 6 elementary school. They requested assistance with finding possible apps the teachers can use on their new iPads with their students.
I felt this was a good project as there was an actual request for mentoring. I am interested in iPad applications myself, and my children would likely benefit from this too as they attend this school. I had sent them a few ideas to get them started and had a teacher contact me for specific math apps for students who planned to be absent. The feedback was very positive so I felt I could be of good use to them. I wanted to mentor this person because she is a friend of mine with an expressed need. She is the part-time librarian, I was also familiar with her coworker, the full time librarian, who spearheaded this technological movement. I helped them gather potential uses for one iPad in the classroom along with implementation guidelines and recommendations.
Literature Review:
Mentoring is…
an on-going relationship, voluntary, based on confidentiality and trust, active listening, guiding and sharing, a workplace partnership. (The Aged Care)
Mentoring involves…
sharing information in confidence, an informal plan, a schedule for communications, encouraging protege to write a list of questions. (wikiHOW)
Mentoring skills…
create open and supportive climate for discussion, demonstrate good listening/follow-up skills, provide constructive feedback and advice. (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
Mentoring motivation and rewards...
"By using your influence and resources as a decision maker, you can bring new hope to young lives through the power of mentoring. You might be surprised by how much you will benefit as well." (MENTOR)
Methodology:
I helped them gather potential uses for one iPad in the classroom along with implementation guidelines and recommendations. A simple google search gave me multiple sites that helped me on my trek to discover potential iPad uses. I also followed the #ipaded hashtag on TweetDeck for ideas and advice. And appreciated any input from my classmates via our blogs and Twitter sessions. I took a week to collect ideas, we weeded through the material together, then planned to distribute our findings to the teachers while gathering their input as to their needs/desires. This is where the best laid plans took a turn. We intended to repeat and fine tune this process the next week until suitable uses were found. I then intended to help organize a meeting with the teachers to introduce the apps and make myself available to my friend the following week to help troubleshoot any issues. The meeting to introduce the apps to the teachers never came to be. There were grand ideas to have an 'Apps with Apps' night, appetizers and iPad navigations to explore best possible apps to be used. But it never got off the ground, coordinating times never seemed possible and the semester continued to pick up speed for all parties involved. Instead the iPads were released to teachers and specific app suggestions were handed out upon request of the teacher so as not to overwhelm them with our compilation of possibilities. 'Apps with Apps' night is still in the works but has been put on the back burner for the moment. I continued to check in weekly and provide further research where needed. We still are having an open conversation.
I collected data through my own reflective journal after each interaction.
Results:
I started with researching recommended subject-specific apps and sharing them with my mentee. This got her motivated and she returned to me with apps of her own she found and requested recommendations of apps currently being used by teachers. With so many apps available, having reviews from teachers actually using them was a huge filter for weeding through the masses. We kept in weekly contact troubleshooting and evaluating apps as they came across them.
I had a pretty strong read from my observations on the apps being positively received. Within the first week of providing a list of apps for my mentee, I was approached by another teacher in the building for help finding subject specific apps for two of her students to use on their own iPads at home. I quickly sent a list off to which she responded, "Wow! Thank you". I also ran into another parent around town two weeks later who thanked me for the apps, the librarian had passed my list on to her, and she was extremely grateful to have a 'guide' for apps for her kids to use rather than 'spending two or more hours every night' searching and not finding much. There seems to be a definite need for assistance in wading through the endless apps available. In week 5 the head librarian personally thanked me for the provided apps and that she has been sharing the list around school and the community. She was planning an 'apps with apps' meeting and wanted me in attendance. She was grateful but uncertain about being able to setting time for meeting in the near future.
My own child's teacher has the iPad in her class and occasionally lets students use it as another computing device for online exercises. It has not been used beyond that as far as he reports.
Discussion:
Overall, it was a mainly successful endeavor however I need to keep the ball rolling. It was easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the year and push this project aside for both myself and my mentee. But we are not finished yet. She has requested assistance using the Reflector app which we both believe will open doors for many new uses of the iPads for the teachers. I will attend their meeting to introduce apps to the teachers and will observe the teachers' responses and their embracing or ignoring of the apps presented at that time. I anticipate positive results as the teachers seem ready and eager to embrace technology and have the continued support of the librarian team to be successful. The shear volume of apps available is definitely overwhelming for many, so it is useful to have a PLN to help navigate and share findings with. Finally, we must remember to have patience. Technology integration takes time and will evolve as needs and opportunities arise.
Resources:
The Aged Care. Mentoring Colleagues. Retrieved from
http://www.accreditation.org.au/upload/images/Mentoring%20colleagues%20-%20Anne%20Ivanson%20and%20Lois%20Knox.pdf
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Mentoring and Coaching Skills. Retrieved from http://www.asha.org/students/gatheringplace/coach/
wikiHOWto do anything. How to Become a Mentor for Young Work Colleagues. Retrieved from
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Mentor-for-Young-Work-Colleagues
MENTOR. National Mentoring Partnership. Retrieved from http://www.mentoring.org/get_involved/for_mentors
NCWIT Mentoring-in-a-Box: Technical Women at Work. Mentoring Basics - A Mentor's Guide to Success. Retrieve from http://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/legacy/pdf/IMentor_MentorGuide.pdf
Monday, December 2, 2013
670 Vision of Creative Leadership
My vision for creative leadership involves taking risks to break new ground, involving and valuing all members input, and creating an environment that fosters creativity and change.
Taking Risks to Break New Ground:
Travis Turner quoted "Creative leadership involves blowing up the status quo, and out of the chaos, building a new world." Zacko-Smith claimed "(creative) leaders make a conscious choice to search for new opportunities, invoking their own and others creative thinking in a deliberate manner." We can not be creative and innovative without taking risks and being okay with failure. A creative leader must plunge full force into status quo to make change.
Taking Risks to Break New Ground:
Travis Turner quoted "Creative leadership involves blowing up the status quo, and out of the chaos, building a new world." Zacko-Smith claimed "(creative) leaders make a conscious choice to search for new opportunities, invoking their own and others creative thinking in a deliberate manner." We can not be creative and innovative without taking risks and being okay with failure. A creative leader must plunge full force into status quo to make change.
Involve and Value All Members Input:
Zako-Smith states "…as leaders draw out and nurture others and the environments in which they work and live in so that creativity can flourish. Complex problems cannot, and should not, be solved by the leader alone. Thus, it becomes crucially important for leaders, both those in positions of authority and those who choose to make a difference through their influence, to deliberately engage in a process that draws on the creative thinking of others." Robinson seconds this stating that leaders must "consciously engage the whole staff in the creative life of an organization"and "Being a creative leader means ensuring that everyone in the organization is playing to their creative strengths and feels that their contribution is valued as a part of the overall performance of the organization." Each person in the organization has their own perspective and ideas on the organization, excluding any of those can lead to disgruntlement whereas including them gives the feeling of validity and worth plus invaluable insight.
Create an Environment that Fosters Creativity and Change:
Zako-Smith discusses the following Creativity Principles:
Use creative thinking to solve problems
Separate and balance divergence (generating many, diverse and original options) and convergence (selecting and developing most promising options)
Defer judgment
Use affirmative judgement
Allow incubation time (time to process ideas)
Create a climate for creativity and change (allowing for idea support, playfulness, freedom, trust and openness, debate, risk taking)
Robinson lists very similar environmental requirements for creativity to happen. Setting the physical and mental environment are key components to fostering creativity.
And I suppose the very first step to creative leadership would be stepping into action and leading. This quote posted on Jonathan Field's blog to inspire creativity, innovation and action says it succinctly.
"What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Fields, J. (2010). 55 Quotes to Inspire Creativity, Innovation, and Action. Retrieved from http://www.jonathanfields.com/55-quotes-creativity-innovation-action/
Robinson, K. (2012). Our of Our Minds: Learning To Be Creative.
School of One. New York State Department of Education. Retrieved from http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/9435AD08-90F3-42AA-838C-6372C3B5D2E6/0/SchoolofOneBrochure_FINAL.pdf
Turner, T. (March 29, 2013). Cherry Truffle. Creative Leadership Quotes. Retrieved from http://www.creativeleader.com/creative-leadership-quotes/
Zacko-Smith, J.D. (2012). Creative Leadership: Its Meaning and Value For Science, Technology and Innovation. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1958027/CREATIVE_LEADERSHIP_ITS_MEANING_AND_VALUE_FOR_SCIENCE_TECHNOLOGY_AND_INNOVATION
Mentoring Project Presentation
Apparently my mic is really good. It even picked up my increasing frustration as my arrow keys refused to work...HA HA HA HA HA!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Reflection Week 12
Ahhh…Barbra and Tracie strike again! They're invaluable input has got me on target to 'hook' teachers to use the iPads and ween myself from mentoring duties. I had plans to follow up with a meeting to demonstrate apps they could use however I will also add to this blogs they can follow and ways for teachers to research apps in the future. Handing over the reins. Hmm… may be I'll even help them set up a blog for the staff to share their app findings with each other and the world.
Heather's post put my knowledge in perspective. I always assume people know what I do and therefore don't feel like I have anything special to share. This is true in all aspects of my life, not just technology. But Heather's explanation of her mentee not being comfortable with technology made me realize not everyone is on board the technology train. This has given me confidence to share what I know more freely rather than waiting to be asked. Big step.
Heather's post put my knowledge in perspective. I always assume people know what I do and therefore don't feel like I have anything special to share. This is true in all aspects of my life, not just technology. But Heather's explanation of her mentee not being comfortable with technology made me realize not everyone is on board the technology train. This has given me confidence to share what I know more freely rather than waiting to be asked. Big step.
670 Reflection Week 6
Thomas shared a great TED Talk about electronic tattoos. Definitely something to keep in mind as we share our thoughts and lives with the world. He agreed that "technology affords us many opportunities for creativity and self-actualization" as do I. But it was at this point that I found I was coming at the essential question from two sides: the students (digital natives) and the creators of the tech plan (digital
immigrants). And it got me thinking, are we trying to plan for and measure creativity, art, and collaboration that is already happening naturally for our students? Are we essentially then creating a document to catch up and fit with where our students are? It made me realize how important input from students is for tech planning. Tiffany also expressed that significant forms of creativity and ingenuity currently exist, siting YouTube as an example of art, collaboration, and science. I'm beginning to see the tech plan as a document to help the digital immigrants catch up to the natives.
Colin mentioned on my blog that he believed "within every organization a unique culture will evolve that sets what the current 'appropriate boundaries' are." I found that statement to be very true and had experienced just that myself this past week in communications with a group. There was just a sense of needing a more personal touch on the particular matter so I placed individual phone calls instead of sending a bulk email. The personal calls were very well received and I was glad I trusted my gut. So I wonder, can just trust people's intuition to know which form of digital communication is appropriate? And if this is the case, we wouldn't need to address emotional intelligence in a tech plan. Of course, individual personalities will lend themselves more easily to certain communications than others… oh man, just brought myself back full circle! No solid answers this week but lots of thoughts :)
immigrants). And it got me thinking, are we trying to plan for and measure creativity, art, and collaboration that is already happening naturally for our students? Are we essentially then creating a document to catch up and fit with where our students are? It made me realize how important input from students is for tech planning. Tiffany also expressed that significant forms of creativity and ingenuity currently exist, siting YouTube as an example of art, collaboration, and science. I'm beginning to see the tech plan as a document to help the digital immigrants catch up to the natives.
Colin mentioned on my blog that he believed "within every organization a unique culture will evolve that sets what the current 'appropriate boundaries' are." I found that statement to be very true and had experienced just that myself this past week in communications with a group. There was just a sense of needing a more personal touch on the particular matter so I placed individual phone calls instead of sending a bulk email. The personal calls were very well received and I was glad I trusted my gut. So I wonder, can just trust people's intuition to know which form of digital communication is appropriate? And if this is the case, we wouldn't need to address emotional intelligence in a tech plan. Of course, individual personalities will lend themselves more easily to certain communications than others… oh man, just brought myself back full circle! No solid answers this week but lots of thoughts :)
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