Deciding to be a great teacher: it starts with YOU!

<p> Teaching is a profession. Teaching is also a decision.</p> <p>I decide if I am going to teach. Each and every day, I decide if I am going to teach. Just because I'm called a teacher doesn't mean anything.</p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhfb2IYLNzqtcVQ3l8iDVHKbO0WCwiwzhMNtXyfmuIg_zgum3jBJ9dWT3vpRX0CwzBofNfab4WFQDv7TuxPNJUtYqJVVBKqCIGMzc_X__H4Hq4kcvNTS7t6ZV5vyWJdoG-TRyhEafBt3S/s1024/Photo%252520Jul%25252025%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A09%252520PM.jpg" target="_blank" style="clear: right; float: right; "><img alt="" class="alignright" height="375" id="blogsy-1375271209777.3987" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMhfb2IYLNzqtcVQ3l8iDVHKbO0WCwiwzhMNtXyfmuIg_zgum3jBJ9dWT3vpRX0CwzBofNfab4WFQDv7TuxPNJUtYqJVVBKqCIGMzc_X__H4Hq4kcvNTS7t6ZV5vyWJdoG-TRyhEafBt3S/s500/Photo%252520Jul%25252025%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525209%25253A09%252520PM.jpg" width="500"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some beautiful students from Japan, China, Hawaii and Georgia at Flat Classroom Live in Hawaii last week. I love students!! We had a blast at Punahou School. Thanks to Emily McCarren for inviting me and Julie Lindsay. It was great!</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>I can call you a car and ask you to sit in my garage but if you don't have 4 wheels and a motor, you're not going to take me anywhere. </p> <p>Every morning as I wake up to face my day, I start gearing up to teach. Speaking is pretty easy for me because preparing for a keynote feels a lot like preparing for class with one exception. Teenagers are a much tougher audience than you beautiful, wonderful educators out there.</p> <p>If you have too long of a gap or you're caught unprepared you might end up with a mess on your hands. </p> <h3>Do I upgrade and make it hard or keep it the same and go easy?</h3> <p>This year, I was faced with a decision. Do I stick with Windows 7 and the last version of office or upgrade to Office 2013? I had no choice. I have decided to keep my students on the leading bleeding edge of technology where it hurts. Often, it hurts me more than anything as I have to update my plans and create new tutorials. Everything ends up being new. It hurts, but it fits with my decision.</p> <p>My decision is to have, as far as I know it, one of the leading technology education programs in the world for high schoolers. We don't have the money to have such a program but really, as long as my computers are 4 years old or less, the only thing it costs me is myself. </p> <h3>Decisions. Decisions.</h3> <p>I have decided to teach. I decide to teach every single day.I teach with decisions. I teach with my life. I teach with my own willingness to put myself out there and learn new things even when I feel clueless.</p> <p>If teaching is a decision and a lifestyle, learning is too. Those precious children decide if they are going to learn from you. If you decide to teach, they have to decide to learn from you. </p> <p>But inherent in my decision to teach is my decision and commitment to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to get their attention. Sing, dance, swing from the rafters, turn off the lights and use lasers to teach about fiber optics. Whatever it takes. This, as you know, those of you rebels among our profession who are insanely committed to our craft - this takes everything we have. </p> <p>Teacherpreneurs like us are all out committed. We are committed with heart, soul, and mind and will not stop until the last bell rings on the last day of school.<br></p> <p>Deciding to teach doesn't mean we're perfect. It means that when we mess up and fall down that we get up and start over. It means that we don't quit. It means that the only failure we cannot accept is quitting because failure is a daily part of what happens in our classrooms.</p> <h3>We need admins to protect the teacher's heart</h3> <p>This is why anything that tries to kill the heart of a teacher should be watched for closely by administrators. Such tenacious commitment takes a lot of time, heart and energy. So, when you have others on staff who aren't in the classroom who make it extremely difficult for teachers -- Those who create hurdles.-- Those who are rude. --- Those who just try to be a pain because they can... you have to watch for that because with the amount of effort that it takes to make the decision and carry through with that decision to teach... we teachers don't have a lot of energy for other guff from non-classroom spaces.</p> <h3>Will you decide to teach?</h3> <p>Teaching is a decision. It takes all you have. But as anyone who has given their heart and soul to such a worthy cause will tell you, students give back far more than you could ever give. My heart and soul are overjoyed with the presence of my students.</p> <p>Teaching is a profession. Teaching is also a decision. It is a decision you make each and every day.</p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

EDUCATION Inspiration Teaching Deciding to be a great teacher: it starts with YOU!

Teaching is a profession. Teaching is also a decision. I decide if I am going to teach. Each and every day, I decide if I am going to teac...

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A wish for every staff member of every school: to get it and get at it!

<p> With major jetlag, I sit here bleary eyed on the couch considering the fact that in 7 days I'll be back at school. The summer will be done and it will start again - the 12th year of teaching for me. </p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Tpg9TJUy2-Y/T5BflDVMsKI/AAAAAAAWrMw/bO8frbxCqeI/s800/Locker%252520Systems%252520Inc.%252520-%252520Metal%252520Storage%252520Lockers%25252C%252520Employee%252520Lockers%25252C%252520School%252520Lockers.jpg" target="_blank" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright" height="581" id="blogsy-1375112283128.4941" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Tpg9TJUy2-Y/T5BflDVMsKI/AAAAAAAWrMw/bO8frbxCqeI/s500/Locker%252520Systems%252520Inc.%252520-%252520Metal%252520Storage%252520Lockers%25252C%252520Employee%252520Lockers%25252C%252520School%252520Lockers.jpg" width="500"></a></div> <h3>Are you waiting for someone to fix it?</h3> <p>As I look at tweets, I see someone looking at the statistics on poverty saying, "The government isn't doing enough" and another person wanting someone to "fix education" and yet another bemoaning the fact that they don't have enough technology.</p> <p>Here's the thing. If you externalize the problems of the world and expect someone to come in miraculously and "fix" this or "do" that, you'll be waiting forever. </p> <p>You've got the classic superman complex. You're waiting for some super hero sized person or government to come in and fix the things that need fixing. You'll be waiting until your hair turns grey and your skin blows off your bones, my friends. Fixit doesn't happen. </p> <p>You've got problems too. You don't have enough time to do this or do that. You might be overweight, like me. You might wish you had one more planning period or one less student in that tough to manage third period class. Good luck getting any of those things to change. Fixit doesn't happen.</p> <h3>Do you get-it?</h3> <p>Let me tell you what does happen. Get-it happens. When start getting on my exercise equipment 45 minutes a day. When I get-it and attack my weight by eating healthy and working out then I'll get change. Wishing doesn't make things happen. Blaming just makes us bitter. When we get it and get it at - then, we see real change.</p> <p>When I get the fact that nonprofit organizations with far less money often do far more than the government to help combat poverty and join in supporting such organizations. When I get the fact that some employers are in fact owned by good people who also help combat poverty by taking steps to hire people who can't get jobs in other places and I support those organizations - then we can get at it. When we get-it that student "tech angels" and other organizations that give kids practical skills help them get summer employment now - we start looking for teachable, practical activities to interject into our schools.</p> <p>When I get-it that a child receiving a good education will do more to help that child stay out of poverty as an adult, and start doing everything I can to help that child - then we can get at it. </p> <h3>The Easy Way: It is not my problem - you fix it</h3> <p>You see, there are some educators taking the easy way out - the easiest ways to improve their test scores is for the lowest of the low to drop out. So, they sit back and let it happen and expect someone else to fix-it. <br></p> <h3>The Hard Way: I get it - it is my job to do what I can to combat tough problems.</h3> <p>But there are some educators who are frantically committed to the fact that they want to reach every child. </p> <p>They look problems in the face and yell into the storm: NOT ON MY WATCH! I've got these kids under my care and I'll get at it until I retire and even then, I'll spur other educators on to get at it. The only way to fail is to quit.</p> <p>They want no child to drop out. They will do what it takes to be relevant and reach every child -- they get it and want to do what it takes to get-it. They get at it every day and don't quit. It is hard and they are heroes. They work in all types of schools because every school has tough problems. Those problems might hide behind crisp uniforms and clean faces - but they are there just under the surface. If you teach, you know it too.</p> <h3>Meet the Front Lines</h3> <p>Educators are on the front line of just about every societal problem out there. When we get-it - when we realize just how important our job is, then we can get at these problems in our world.</p> <p>When the world out there finally gets it that we have to all be part of the solution. Teachers can't fix it, sometimes parents can't fix it either. We have societal issues that do start at home but go into the movies we watch, the food we eat, the entertainment we pursue, the schools we attend. All of these things are in a mix that causes poverty, crime, gluttony, thievery, abuse, murder and more. Ah, but none of us can fix it. None of us.</p> <h3>All we can do is get-it. </h3> <p>We can get that <strong>we each have a role and part to play and get-at</strong>-it. We can do our best with what we have. We cannot do everything but we can do something. </p> <p>But if we sit back and make excuses for why we're unimportant and leave it to someone else to "fixit" we will not be doing our part. We are failing because we are quitting and saying it is someone else's job.</p> <p>We all have a role to play. We are all shaping the future of our world, right now. Every classroom and teacher is an important part of this. Get it! Please! Get it!</p> <h3>Teachers dance with the future today.</h3> <p>Tomorrow's debates in Congress are born today in your classrooms. The eating habits of tomorrow are being formed in our lunchrooms now. Healthy habits are born in our bathrooms and PE classes today. The entertainment of tomorrow is first acted out on the stage in our auditoriums today. The sports heroes of tomorrow are getting dressed in your locker room right now. Tomorrow's congressman may be running for secretary of the Chess Club right now. </p> <p>If we want to impact the words, deeds, and actions of tomorrow - the school bell is ringing. May we all get the fact that we do have some very important work today. It may take 10 or 20 years to see the results, but some results of the future will show that many of you are faithful today. The sorry results will be seen from those educators who sat around with their feet up on their desks blaming society for the sorry state of things and wishing society would fixit without getting the fact that teachers play a very important role today.</p> <p>Educators. Teachers. Para professionals. Volunteers. Principals. Janitors. Coaches. Lunchroom staff. School nurses. Security staff. Front office administrators. School secretaries. GET IT. Whether school is about to start or you're already in the midst of it. GET THIS: YOUR JOB IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU WORK WITH KIDS. Kids are important. They are our future. Please "get it" that unless you handle the problems and struggles in front of you today that no one else will fix it. Don't settle. Don't relax. Don't expect someone else to handle it. If a problem is in front of you. GET IT and get at solving it. Now. This is your job and the future is only as bright as you help make it to be. This is hard work but our future needs us to get how important our job is today. </p> <p>You can't do everything but you can do something. That something is usually the thing right in your face or under your nose at that moment. If more of us would get it and handle the problems right in front of us, it will be less problems for others to handle later. </p> <p>What a place every school would be if each staff member really GETS the importance of their job! Every one of you are important. Every one of you matters because every single precious child in our doors matters. Each one of them is precious and needs love and attention. It will only happen if people who work in schools start realizing that we aren't just here for the pay - we are here because we get to work with the future. Our job is important because kids are important. Do you get that? Do you really get it?</p> <p>I'm ready to start school. I get it - do you? If so, let's get-at-it together. The future is calling.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>A special request:</strong></p> <p>How do you help the others in your school get at the importance of their jobs? What do you read? What stories do you tell? Will you please share in the comments so that others who are working to inspire staff members to "get it" will have those stories to tell too? This is important.</p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

EDUCATION Inspiration Teaching A wish for every staff member of every school: to get it and get at it!

With major jetlag, I sit here bleary eyed on the couch considering the fact that in 7 days I'll be back at school. The summer will be d...

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Navigating the rough waters of teaching

It has always bothered me that I have nightmares about teaching. Always. Just before I have to go into the classroom, I have them...Full color, noise filled nightmares.<br /><br />I'm working with second graders last week at Vacation Bible School at church and last Sunday night I had another one of those dreams. It really bothered me, so I thought about it and these were my conclusions.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MoRXC8G9H1HLBpufm5Zxb01AfEPb1TEfIzuSfldf0t_GcyKa18Nx2TaSaKMHf5DfpjwIZdSvgL0NuEH5RSBKmWhPCzoeNm-m8TL6XNjC_P3ktVtcwZkowRPsOa3u5REalvvPuJ8Kb_BP/s1600/Nantahala+1+2012+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4MoRXC8G9H1HLBpufm5Zxb01AfEPb1TEfIzuSfldf0t_GcyKa18Nx2TaSaKMHf5DfpjwIZdSvgL0NuEH5RSBKmWhPCzoeNm-m8TL6XNjC_P3ktVtcwZkowRPsOa3u5REalvvPuJ8Kb_BP/s320/Nantahala+1+2012+(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">This was a nightmare for me. My son and I went down<br />the Nantahala Falls the total WRONG way this time.<br />We didn't go under because we didn't stop padddling.<br />I righted us and we sailed on through but it was scary.<br />Teaching can be scary, especially if you don't respect<br />the power of the classroom and if you stop<br />rowing your own boat, you're in trouble.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h3>Why do we have teaching nightmares?</h3>I've talked with other teachers on my Facebook page about this and we all seem to have nightmares, but why?<br /><br />Why should we dream about failing as a teacher when it is something we just do?<br /><br />Shouldn't we be confident masters knowing we can navigate any waters?<br /><h3>Navigating an understanding of common teacher nightmares</h3>I hit on the answer as I asked myself this yesterday morning. My thoughts turned to white water rafting pros. These people are always dealing with water. They guide people down rivers and they enjoy the river themselves. Yet, even these pros come up against situations - often unexpectedly - that scare them.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdSWr_rZ5DZUOPGlJCqJFWHn53CyVqnCVjeRBxzj2ORX41SzlsPPXrOWZHWUyC1CRdfVZYGi1P-pne8PvdkSFu-KC0PQ6eD8i5m5O9rlpVinCotvS_3B7q5qXhxhAH3wQCt3WlxbGfgkj/s1600/Nantahala+1+2012+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdSWr_rZ5DZUOPGlJCqJFWHn53CyVqnCVjeRBxzj2ORX41SzlsPPXrOWZHWUyC1CRdfVZYGi1P-pne8PvdkSFu-KC0PQ6eD8i5m5O9rlpVinCotvS_3B7q5qXhxhAH3wQCt3WlxbGfgkj/s320/Nantahala+1+2012+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">This is the scariest of all. My son sucked out in the<br />worst rapid. He had slowed down because<br />he was too close to another boat<br />and the raft was sucked out from underneat<br />him. But he went back in again with the<br />knowledge of what NOT to do.<br />When we mess up in the classroom one day,<br />we have to go back in and do it again and learn.<br />A mistake is only permanent if you don't learn from it.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3>The respect for something that comes with being a professional</h3>Last year were were on the <a class="zem_slink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.022687,-83.50502&spn=1.0,1.0&q=35.022687,-83.50502%20(Nantahala%20River)&t=h" rel="geolocation" target="_blank" title="Nantahala River">Nantahala River</a> in our duckies (1 or 2 man inflatable self bailing rafts - kind of like a canoe) and there was a strainer in the river. A strainer is a tree across the river. It is very dangerous and life threatening.<br /><br />While some of those unwitting (unexperienced) dummies in the rafts said "let's just go over it" - the guides responded with a some what paling face:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"No, we have to wait until they cut it out." </blockquote><br />They know that strainers are very dangerous. Period. End of story. Stay away.<br /><br />We teachers are like those guides. When people from the local town come to speak in our classrooms, they don't realize that <b>they are on a guided tour</b>. They might think they are dipping their oar into teaching, and certainly, they are somewhat, but they aren't experiencing the wild rapids that teaching is - nothing near it. They are being guided by a professional.<br /><br />Surely river guides also have their own nightmares. The unexpected tree or rock - the river that shifted in the night. <br /><br />One rafting pro this summer said it to me like this<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"when you're a professional, you don't know the river, you respect the river." </blockquote>He acknowledged that he learned to navigate the river and that he was not its master. He could navigate and do it well, but he would not dare to think he was master of that river.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7n03_q6QSIAX7DXiVeYgzhOq_J4WMS_GOc-YFKe0drVGDUHdrTQ1_3zbv_GfbQgKumvqB35uAzi777OcW39xq-BS3Wn8o80crXQK2ZonUm6ndFjaa3HSv2s8fLGFHZ9R9doKP7Yf_zKcq/s1600/Nantahala+1+2012+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7n03_q6QSIAX7DXiVeYgzhOq_J4WMS_GOc-YFKe0drVGDUHdrTQ1_3zbv_GfbQgKumvqB35uAzi777OcW39xq-BS3Wn8o80crXQK2ZonUm6ndFjaa3HSv2s8fLGFHZ9R9doKP7Yf_zKcq/s320/Nantahala+1+2012+(5).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another trip down. My kids know how to row their<br />own boat. This is important to me and a life lesson that<br />they learn from rafting.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">The only people not afraid of just how quickly a class can be "lost" are those who are not professionals. The only people unafraid of rivers are those who aren't professionals. </span><br /><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><br /></span><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">Professionals who have "seen it all" know that the unexpected, unforeseen can happen to them too and things can go terribly wrong in a heartbeat.</span><br /><br /><h3><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">The truly unnavigable rapids</span></h3>When in South Africa, I met a woman who said she taught a class of 500 high school, inner city kids. She was their "teacher." I cannot begin to comprehend this sort of rapid - for, to me, it would be a 500 foot waterfall - fatal to my life, psyche and all I am.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgj0jO3r8tV-q2oP6ansXcGsdWUgB7FfQsdzmWR6eEFJuf__ZU54i9XpXtN3_FDThJfshO2JpDEh8v_lU4yHr3YYT6mjk8qitAGtLsasv3yBSudvUKrf5qO07mLleHsXp_NF0hsMmcRXL/s1600/Nantahala+1+2012+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgj0jO3r8tV-q2oP6ansXcGsdWUgB7FfQsdzmWR6eEFJuf__ZU54i9XpXtN3_FDThJfshO2JpDEh8v_lU4yHr3YYT6mjk8qitAGtLsasv3yBSudvUKrf5qO07mLleHsXp_NF0hsMmcRXL/s320/Nantahala+1+2012+(6).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">This was actually a perfect run. It looks like my<br />son and I are going under. We are not. We are paddling<br />like crazy and going through the hole at the bottom<br />of this fall. Sometimes it looks like we're going under<br />in the classroom when we're navigating an especially<br />challenging unit and are doing PBL or inquiry based<br />unit. This is why it is hard to evaluate teacher<br />classrooms at a glance. If you looked at this picture without<br />the before and after, you'd think I was in trouble.<br />In fact, I was probably right between the "Ya" and "hoo!"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />So, this is what we teachers have nightmares about. We have nightmares about the unexpected. We have nightmares about the little situation that suddenly gets out of hand. Sometimes we have nightmares that we just aren't ready.<br /><h4>1. We can be taken by surprise</h4>Just as master river guides can suddenly be taken by surprise if they aren't paying attention - so can we. We, as teachers, know our position is precarious.<br /><br />We respect our classroom but we don't think that we own the kids in it or are their master. We know our place - an important one, for sure - is riding something far bigger than we are.<br /><h4>2. We cannot ever afford to stop pushing ahead</h4>Like a river guide, we know that it is fatal to stop paddling. If you stop paddling, the river takes you. If you put your feet up on your desk. If you stop teaching or stop trying - you're gone.<br /><br />Swept over the rapids, your room will descend into chaos -- unless you have methods and systems still in place and the students know what they are to do -- in which case, you didn't really stop paddling. You just have a system for the calm waters. <br /><h4>3. If a great guide is truly great, their presence seems almost unnecessary</h4>Like a river guide,we teachers love it when we see people who need us less and less. This year as we took the duckies down the river, the guides said they enjoyed the trip so much because we were good at what we did. No incidents because we all handled our own boats. <br /><br />We knew we needed the guide and followed him (like "duckies" thus the name) but we took care of our business. This is what happens when we have students who are following and rowing their own boat of learning in the direction we head. It is a fantastic experience.<br /><br />It might look like the teacher is doing nothing, but in truth, like the guide, the teacher is still everything.<br /><br />We would have gotten out of that river if our guide wasn't there. We knew if we followed him, we'd be safe.<br /><br />Like white water, the more challenging the work and the more independent each learner is expected to be, the more they need a good teacher.<br /><h4>4. The healthy fear that comes from experience</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPq8RcrGhT0DBmR6sCDLGg8yIEYFj6onPnhlA_2J-gydHwhYi8DSle4cStekBf23KIzscal4lqCKVQovZQN_JlWexPWnL8RvXwj-3yi-kkWadzON7-CPNoC29L775z28oUqLdaXRJqYjs/s1600/Nantahala+1+2012+(7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPq8RcrGhT0DBmR6sCDLGg8yIEYFj6onPnhlA_2J-gydHwhYi8DSle4cStekBf23KIzscal4lqCKVQovZQN_JlWexPWnL8RvXwj-3yi-kkWadzON7-CPNoC29L775z28oUqLdaXRJqYjs/s320/Nantahala+1+2012+(7).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Like a river guide, we fear because we know what it is like to be afraid. I'm not physically afraid of my students but I have had a class that "got away from me." I made a false move and somehow I'm somewhere I don't want to be with this class -- either disorder, off track, or just not focused on the task at hand. T<br /><br />his is a horrible, awful feeling when you know it is has happened. It is an unspoken - most teachers pretend like they've never lost a class but most of us have.<br /><br />If you love teaching and want to do a good job, it is the worst feeling you'll ever have.<br /><br />Some teachers allow this to happen the last few weeks or God forbid - month of school. You can see them, feeding movie after movie to a class of kids who went on vacation months before. <br /><br />I don't want that. I always want to know I'm doing my job. I always want to be teaching and helping kids move ahead - sometimes it might be showing a movie with a purpose. <br /><br />You'll hear veteran teachers talk about this quietly --<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"so and so can't 'hold a classroom'"</blockquote> -- it simply means, that if they get in their boat, they drown and give up. Sometimes it shows because these teachers leave their classroom -- a lot.<br /><br />I was talking this with my nephew today and he said, "Aunt Vicki, I can't remember you ever leaving our class this year." I really try not to, although, when there is a network problem, sometimes it is unavoidable.<br /><br />Principals, I promise if you ask a veteran teacher who can't "hold a classroom" - they'll tell you exactly who they are. It is often the teachers who have kids in your office the most. Teachers who can't hold a classroom often look to external sources -- often times the principal - to do it for them.<br /><br />Front office discipline is no substitute for an undisciplined classroom where the teacher is completely irrelevant. I have to be careful not to "butt in" in these classrooms when I'm on the side fixing a computer but sometimes it is more than I can bear.<br /><h3>So, why do I have nightmares?</h3>Quite simply, it is because teaching depends on a lot more than me but it also depends a great deal on my tenacious determination to keep going. I must be there: knowledgeable, persistently paddling, teaching. But even if I am there, there are circumstances and things beyond me. <br /><br />I have no idea when a real boulder of a behavior problem will rear its open mouth trying to drag me down. I have no idea when the river may just be more than I can navigate. I sometimes don't spot undercurrents of a problem between students before we're right there in the midst of a mess.<br /><br />The classroom river is wild. It can be directed but often cannot be truly tamed. It can be guided but it cannot be controlled any more than a raging river.<br /><h3>Insight into the mind of why teachers quit</h3>In fact, many teachers are getting out, not because they are bad teachers, but because the waters of teaching in their classroom environment have become simply unnavigable. Experts won't go in the water, if they are afraid and feel it is impossible. They avoid the strainers at all costs.<br /><h3>Our mind and attitude is vital to our success and ability to keep going on</h3>Our attitude about our classrooms is the most important thing here. As expert teachers, if we feel that the classroom is unnavigable - it might be - and it can lead to mistakes as well as stress and fear that we're going under. It might even lead to the teacher quitting and no longer rowing her boat - which will lead to further failure.<br /><br />Yes, whitewater raft guides are one of the closest things to teaching I can think of. The nightmares are real. <br /><br />Plus, you have everyone who has ever gone down the river in a guided tour raft trip thinking that they can easily do it.<br /><br />I've heard that <b><span style="color: red;">teaching is the most impossible job everyone thinks they can do</span></b>. <br /><br />Get out there and paddle. Realize that the nightmares are just a normal part of teaching. If all the teachers conversing on my fanpage are to believed, we all have these nightmares. Accept and understand what these nightmares say about your feeling and our profession. I'll be having more of these dreams soon - I tend to have them the week before school starts. I think this illustration will help me deal with it and not psych myself out that I've had another nightmare. <br /><br />Heading into the rapids of another day with these beautiful second graders. It is going to be a great day - I'm ready to paddle!<br /><br />I would love if you'd share your insight into your own dreams and "nightmares" about teaching so that other teachers can realize that it is OK to have these.<br /><br />Paddle on, professionals. Paddle on.<br /><br /><div id="blogsy_footer" style="clear: both; font-size: small; text-align: right;"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="margin-right: 5px; vertical-align: middle;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=9cab0fec-bdc9-4c0b-b589-27dd8d3ec5d3" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

Inspiration Teaching Navigating the rough waters of teaching

It has always bothered me that I have nightmares about teaching. Always. Just before I have to go into the classroom, I have them...Full col...

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Why you should set soft goals for your classroom this year

<p> When you set your goals for the fall, don't forget your soft goals.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CJAin17uLEg/UZ3thiQ33UI/AAAAAAAAW8Q/xQmZtWywiIg/s580/13%252520-%2525201.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="500" id="blogsy-1373800607505.2463" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CJAin17uLEg/UZ3thiQ33UI/AAAAAAAAW8Q/xQmZtWywiIg/s500/13%252520-%2525201.jpg" width="500"></a></div> <p>There are hard and fast things you must do in the classroom. There are tasks, standards, and objectives that must be met. However, it is easy to be so busy as a human doing and forget that you're teaching human beings.</p> <p>This is why I like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Classroom-Habitudes-Revised-Teaching-Attitudes/dp/1935542621/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1373800252&sr=1-2" target="_self" title="">Classroom Habitudes</a> so much. (Read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Classroom-Habitudes-Revised-Teaching-Attitudes/dp/1935542621/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1373800252&sr=1-2" target="_self" title="">the book</a> by <a href="http://www.twitter.com/angelamaiers" target="_self" title="">Angela Maiers</a>) It gives us a "to be" list before you hit the to do list. Students need to know what we want them to BE as we reach to do the things that they need to do. They need to see the purpose behind the plan.</p> <h2>Make a list of the things you want your students "to be"</h2> <p>Even more so, we, as teachers, need to be intentional about what we want to help our students be. Thankful. Passionate. Curious. Ethical. Perseverant. Creative... and the list goes on.</p> <p>Intentionally think about your soft goals because these give you a canvas upon which you will paint your class activities. They should influence the posters you select, the projects you design, and the lessons you plan. You can teach math in a way that harnesses the power of passion. You can weave lessons in that will allow students to show thankfulness to others. You can have projects that foster curiosity.</p> <h3>Purposefully determine what these "to be's" are. Know them. Use the language. Discuss them.</h3> <p>These are things you can do, but important things <strong>never</strong> do themselves. They start with you.</p> <p>I think it is best to look at these soft goals in the summer. Take some time and write down the important things you want to help students be. </p> <h3>Activity to get you started</h3> <p>Try this activity. </p> <p>1. At the top of a page write... "this year, I want my students to be more..." then, answer the question. This will help you get started on your soft goals.</p> <p>2. Brainstorm the books, music, projects, movies, and creative ways you can redesign the lessons you have to incorporate these to be's. Write these things next to each of the items you wrote in step 1.</p> <h3 style="font-size: 23px; line-height: 29px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">TIP: State your "to be" in the positive</h3> <p style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); ">When you pick them be careful to state your "to be" in the positive. Instead of "don't bully" select "speak up when injustice happens." We inadvertently remove the negative - so when you say "don't bully" - you're really hearing "bully." (This is why most of us teachers are taught to say "be quiet" instead of "don't talk." "Don't talk" will typically have the opposite influence of what we desire.)</p> <h3>Do this now.</h3> <p>School is right around the corner. Educators, we have a huge responsibility to educate a generation. If we forget the human beings in our classrooms we will one day have those humans be so busy doing that they might just forget about being kind, respectful, helpful, and understanding towards our generation. Things have a way of going around. You will reap the results of the soft goals you set now as will society, so choose well.</p> <h2>Schools can set soft goals for their year.</h2> <p>You can also be assured, that schools who are intentional about the "to be's" they select will reap the benefits of emphasizing those to be's. Principals can do the activity above. This is part of having vision and when it starts with the principal and superintendent - it becomes unstoppable. You are casting vision for what you want to be. Just prepare to work hard to be that yourself. If you say you want everyone to be something and you glaringly don't try to be that yourself. (For example, if you emphasize work ethic but find a way to leave early every day, you'll cause a morale problem.)</p> <h3>Please share</h3> <p>What are the "to be's" you want to emphasize this year? I am using Angela's Classroom Habitudes book for mine and adding "Integrity" as one of the to-be's. </p> <p>What are yours? Please feel free to share them or the links in the comments. Do you create "soft goals?" Why or why not?</p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

innovation Inspiration Teaching Why you should set soft goals for your classroom this year

When you set your goals for the fall, don't forget your soft goals. There are hard and fast things you must do in the classroom. Ther...

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Why teachers should help lead a thankful revolution

<p> I've been thinking about the 19 firefighters in Arizona who died unexpectedly with the sudden turn of a fire. I've also been thinking of the teachers who gave their lives protecting children from gunmen and tornadoes this year. I've even been thinking about the janitors who quietly do their jobs in our school - do you know that if they scrimped on their job when no one was looking - we could literally have outbreaks of disease among our precious children?</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ifl0L-wVt-A/SIJWqDLl0MI/AAAAAAAAELQ/_dLw2hAOm9A/s1600/Fireman.JPG" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="752" id="blogsy-1373625649065.7375" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ifl0L-wVt-A/SIJWqDLl0MI/AAAAAAAAELQ/_dLw2hAOm9A/s500/Fireman.JPG" width="500"></a></div> <h2>How can we help promote gratitude and active thankfulness among this generation?</h2> <p>I just wonder what we as teachers can do to help promote a grateful generation. How can we help kids know the importance of saying "thank you" to and to be glad for what they have?</p> <p>This is something I want to be more of what I do this year at school.</p> <p>Sure, I've got standards to meet and a curriculum to accomplish, but it is kind of like this.</p> <p>If I focus on making sure my children keep their room clean while forgetting my relationship with my children - they might have a perfectly clean room but have no kind of relationship with me. We have tasks and relationships to balance. The relationship is vitally important. There's a human side to every task. When we forget the humans, their task becomes almost irrelevant. (Ahem, overtesting...)</p> <h2>Thankfulness as a habit</h2> <p>If teachers aren't thanked, perhaps it is because we don't help kids see and thank others. I'm not proposing we do this so that suddenly people can acknowledge that we are a noble calling (as they should, by the way). </p> <p>I am proposing that we help our children tell others that they matter and thank them for their work because it is something we must do. When we acknowledge the sacrifices of others, we are more sensitive to notice it everywhere we see it.</p> <h2>A self centered generation will be an unhappy one</h2> <p>The unhappiest people I know think only of their own happiness. An unhappy generation will be a self centered one. Kids are self centered by nature -it is pretty much how we are born. As I've matured and begun to see the value in helping others with my own life, I've grown in joy and fulfillment.</p> <p>Because one day tragedy will strike every community - it does. And communities that can live with the peace of mind that they've thanked the heroes among them will rest much easier on this. </p> <h1>Please share your ideas and links</h1> <p>How can we thank our law enforcement, EMTs, and all of those people who serve us every day? I'm looking for all kinds of ideas beyond having them come and sit at an assembly and taking food (I think they like the second one the most, from what I've heard.) What can we do to really shower and show gratitude to the heroes among us?</p> <p> If you've done something special, please write about it on your own blog and put the link in the comments below so that those of us gathering ideas can learn from you! Thank you.</p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

Inspiration students Teaching Why teachers should help lead a thankful revolution

I've been thinking about the 19 firefighters in Arizona who died unexpectedly with the sudden turn of a fire. I've also been thinki...

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Going to the upper road: when life says "move on"

<blockquote><p><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LVHrGjOA7EU/SSFyDaNy0cI/AAAAAAAAAh8/vIzx3fkUf4I/s1600/9908_11_7638_a3.jpg" target="_blank" style="text-align: left; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img alt="" class="alignleft" height="335" id="blogsy-1372767131801.9924" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LVHrGjOA7EU/SSFyDaNy0cI/AAAAAAAAAh8/vIzx3fkUf4I/s500/9908_11_7638_a3.jpg" width="500"></a></p><p> I’m going by the upper road, for that</p><p><span style="text-align: center; ">still holds the sun,</span></p><p>I’m climbing through night’s pastures where</p><p>the starry rivers run:</p><p>If you should think to seek me in my</p><p>old dark abode,</p><p>You’ll find this writing on the door,</p><p>“He’s on the Upper Road.”</p><p>Streams in the Desert - July 2</p></blockquote> <p>There are times we must move on. We've lived in a place that served a purpose. We've gotten comfortable there. We've had good times there. Yet, there are new travels ahead with a new purpose and new mission.</p> <p>As we've been talking on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/coolcatteacher" target="_blank" title="">Facebook page</a> about whether we miss our students, I'm struck by the comments of those teachers in transition between schools. Leaving a school must have heartache in it. Every teacher I know who is a great teacher loves their kids and many colleagues at any school - no matter how tough.</p> <p>My Mom still shows me the platter presented to her when she left her first school. My sister still misses some of her colleagues and talks fondly of her first class at Gwinett County schools near Atlanta. It is part of who we are. Our treasures are not dollars in the bank, but faces that come to mind and the stories that enrich our lives full of meaning. Good teachers are rich. We aren't biding our time, we are building it. When we retire, great teachers have castles of legacy built upon the stories and richness of lives forever changed.</p> <p>Today, I have lunch with Casey - she's in college and was one of the two students that Thomas Friedman mentioned when he wrote about the Flat Classroom projects in his version 3 of the World is Flat. She is doing great in college and I'm excited to hear her stories. She couldn't stay in her old abode (high school) but had to move on to the upper road (college) and then will move beyond. Like my son who just finished his first college test yesterday in Psychology. The upper road calls.</p> <p>I'm writing this because many of us educators have transition. We may have to give up coaching a sport and move to another. We may have to give up a club to do another. We may no longer be teaching a subject we love and have to move to one we're not so crazy about. If we're parents, we might even have to let our own child move to their upper road without the baggage of an overly sad parent hanging over their heads. (sniff)</p> <p>I never want to be the kind of teacher (or parent) who lives in the old, dank abodes of time past - wishing for how it used to be. It used to be hard and it will continue to be hard because that is the profession we have. The profession we have is tough. I pray daily to be like Moses' burning bush to be on fire without burning out (something only God can do, honestly, because teaching is sooooo hard.)</p> <p>So, teacher, as you face transition - let's move to the upper road with purpose. Let's remember the past abode with joy, but as our bodies move forward, let our hearts and souls move forward too. <strong>Let's be fully present in the present</strong> - learning from the past but not living there. Let it go and go on.</p> <p>The upper road calls. I'm packing my bags. Will you?</p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

Inspiration parenting Teaching Going to the upper road: when life says "move on"

I’m going by the upper road, for that still holds the sun, I’m climbing through night’s pastures where the starry rivers run: If you should...

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The Key to Staying Positive in Your Classroom: Throw Away Your Depends

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdiQZyXtRBUSeY9UY3ZDxMLZHBFK289Z70OxQZW3duHujsYXR0UmmTno1d0Mr0-qnTrL7SQXJtkV7MdGIn46cgT3GZCKPQ0MbmYWvAcsM1ovbRvAHWXVSyYEQdaNNu1aKEnRdc7Gi9wN1/s426/iStock_000005803734XSmall.jpg" target="_blank" style=" "><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="282" id="blogsy-1371651394829.6223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmdiQZyXtRBUSeY9UY3ZDxMLZHBFK289Z70OxQZW3duHujsYXR0UmmTno1d0Mr0-qnTrL7SQXJtkV7MdGIn46cgT3GZCKPQ0MbmYWvAcsM1ovbRvAHWXVSyYEQdaNNu1aKEnRdc7Gi9wN1/s426/iStock_000005803734XSmall.jpg" width="426"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does my attitude depend on others? Be careful - there are always reasons for having a bad one.</td></tr></tbody></table> <p> As I sit here in the Fort Wayne, Indiana airport at 12:30 pm after my 6 am flight was delayed, I'm still not sure if I'm on the flight to Detroit. The agents are hiding in the back because so many people are upset, they refuse to deal with it one person at a time. I'm not going to let this turn me into a cranky person. My joy doesn't depend upon whether they do their job. It can't or I'm an easy target of the natural happenings of life.</p> <h1>Does your attitude depend?</h1> <p>If you are in education and your attitude depends upon whether things are right in the front office - you'll be lucky to be happy half of the time. </p> <p>If your attitude depends upon whether your school has a sorry teacher or two - you'll never be happy. Every school I know has a few sorry teachers, sad to say.<br></p> <p>Your attitude cannot depend! It cannot.</p> <p>It cannot depend upon whether it rains or snows. You have no control over that!</p> <p>It cannot depend upon whether you feel good or not. You have no control over that either!</p> <p>It cannot depend upon whether there is no drama in your school. There always will be!</p> <p>If you have a great administrator - thank him or her every day. You are fortunate. Sadly, there are also those administrators, who, overwhelmed and for reasons of their own, hide like these shadowy gate attendants at this airport - afraid of angry people and letting the ire pile up. They hide behind closed doors and sometimes clock out early. This is life.</p> <p>If all of your colleagues are perfect teachers - enjoy it - it won't last. We all screw up sometimes. Some teachers do the bare minimum - copying worksheets and memos and leaving no imprint on the minds of children except a hatred of the topic. You can't help that. You can't.</p> <p>If no one in your school has answered the call of the siren song of secret sin - now gone public for everyone to know - be thankful! Because odds are there will often be these scandals.They happen because people are human and make mistakes. Your attitude cannot depend on whether one of these is going on either.</p> <h1>Are you really waiting for the nightly news to be good?</h1> <p>Waiting for everything to be perfect is like waiting for the nightly news to only report good things - it will never happen. Bad things happen. They do - this is earth - not heaven - bad things happen here.</p> <p>I'm saying this because so often, as a teacher, it is so easy to get upset about things we cannot control. We cannot control others at all. Not one brand new spanking bit.</p> <p><strong>Quite frankly - if your attitude depends on others - it is like the other kind of Depends. It will always smell because foul stuff is always around you</strong>. It is the function of the world that stinky stuff happens. It always will. Your attitude cannot depend upon your environment being squeaky clean. If it does, you'll be disappointed and miserable the rest of your life - whether you teach or not.</p> <p>As teachers, <strong>we must get rid of our depends</strong>. </p> <p>Throw them in the trash and never put them on again! We have to. It is essential that we cultivate an ability to insulate our students. When we close the door, it should be like a cocoon - a safe, secure place.<br></p> <h1>Take off your Depends!</h1> <p>To do this, we must get rid of our depends. Take off your depends RIGHT NOW!</p> <h1>The Most important "A" in your Classroom</h1> <p>The most important A in your classroom is your Attitude.</p> <p>Look at that word attitude. -- look at it again -- </p> <p>Att - <font size="7">I</font> - tude.</p> <p> Do you see that?</p> <p>I am at the center of my attitude. It is me. I'm at the center of my own attitude.</p> <p>There are times we have to own our attitude and decide to turn it around.</p> <h1>Attitudes spread</h1> <p>I've been in Ft. Wayne this week at the Knight Time Learning Conference in Kendallville, Indiana at East Noble High and they have an ash tree borer that is killing off these lovely ash trees. The only thing they can do is cut out all the trees around when one is blighted. Bad attitudes spread like ash borers - killing off attitudes -- beauty, and effectiveness.</p> <p>East Noble High School has the other kind of attitude - they are some of the most positive, kind, hard working people I've ever met. They are blessed.</p> <p>The difference between trees and us is that once a tree is blighted - it must be chopped down. You and I can actually do something about our attitudes. We can change.</p> <h1>How can I change my bad attitude?</h1> <p>Sometimes it is just going to a friend and saying:</p> <blockquote><p>"You know what, I've had a stinky attitude and I'm done. I'm not going to do this any more. I'm going to do what it takes to be part of the solution, not part of the problem."</p></blockquote> <p>Other times it is decided to stay away from the ash-boring negative talk of some of your colleagues until this most recent happening passes.</p> <p>Ultimately, there are often times - probably less than you think - when the corruption is so foul that you've made your home in a septic tank and you have to get out. </p> <h1>It happens EVERYWHERE</h1> <p>But every school - I repeat - EVERY SCHOOL goes through cycles. ALL OF THEM. </p> <p>All have scandals. All have staff members who make mistakes. All have parents with nasty divorces and the drama that ensues. All of them have things that make others angry and irate. </p> <p>All schools even have people who bide their time and have become people who hold a job instead of doing their job. These people, hold a job because no one else can do those responsibilities but they don't do their job - leaving others to secretly have a hard choice. Do you do the right thing for your students and do the job of another or do you let them fall and hurt more kids in the process?<em> (I admit, I usually do the latter, although it might not be right - I love the kids and they are why I teach. It is infuriating when sorry people get "promoted" to get them away from students but it happens. Move on. It isn't fair but life isn't either. Do your job anyway and love those students. It is the right thing to do.)</em></p> <p>If your attitude depends - why not get rid of your depends?</p> <p>If you're going to be one of those teachers who makes it 30 or 40 years then you're going to have throw your depends away.</p> <p>Like Dorothy saying "there's no place like home" and clicking her ruby slippers, let's repeat the words that will remind us how to throw away our depends.</p> <ul> <li>My attitude will not depend upon whether other teachers do their job.</li> <li>My attitude will not depend upon whether administrators are doing their job.</li> <li>My attitude will not depend upon whether everything is fair around me - life isn't fair. It never will be.</li> <li>I will influence MY attitude. My attitude will be positive and encouraging. I will make no excuses and will not perpetuate negativity.</li> <li>In my classroom, my attitude determines my student's altitude and ultimately their aptitude for my subject. My attitude is important and I will protect it.</li> <li>If my attitude stinks, my students are not old enough to get rid of their depends. Because I love my students, I will do whatever it takes to keep and maintain my positive attitude even if it means distancing myself from colleagues.</li> <li>Nothing good comes out of a bad attitude - they stink.</li> <li>I will do what it takes to be a noble teacher - ANYWAY. </li> <li>I will surround myself with positive people, encouraging books, and avoid whiners.</li> <li>Even when truly tough things are happening, I will do my best to close my door and provide the most positive environment I can for my students. This only depends upon me and my attitude.</li> <li>I will work hard to stay rested and healthy so I have every chance of staying positive in tough times.</li> <li>I will encourage other educators to see the big picture instead of dwelling on the injustices that will happen.</li> <li>If I depend upon anything or anyone it will be my God, my family, and my closest friends and even then, I will know there are times and things I don't understand that I have to leave at the front door of my school so I can teach.</li> <li>My smile depends upon nothing and I will give it freely as I will also give my love, energy, time, and knowledge.</li> <li>My students depend on me and I'll never forget the honor and privilege I have to be given the opportunity to teach them.</li></ul> <p>Hi everyone, I'm a teacher and I've thrown away my depends. How about you?</p> <p> <em>Written June 15. It took some time to finish and publish this post.</em></p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

Inspiration Teaching The Key to Staying Positive in Your Classroom: Throw Away Your Depends

  Does my attitude depend on others? Be careful - there are always reasons for having a bad one. As I sit here in the Fort Wayne, Indiana...

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Karen Lirenman: Interview with outstanding K-2 Teacher 2013 #iste2013 @klirenman

<p>First grade teacher Karen Lirenman (@<a href="http://www.twitter.com/klirenman" target="_self" title="">klirenman</a>) has won the Kay L Bitter Award for innovative leadership in the K-2 classroom. She'll receive this award at <a href="http://www.isteconference.org/2013/" target="_self" title="">ISTE 2013</a> in a few weeks in San Antonio. You'll want to see what the younger classroom can be by listening to what she's doing. Wow!</p> <p><img class="en-media" height="166" index="0" src="evernotecid://6CA6D944-D766-4B50-9CEC-EA281312E510/ENResource/p5361?contextid=" style="cursor: default; " width="183" x-evernote-mime="image/png"></p> <p><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font size="4">Karen Lirenman is a grade one teacher in Surrey, British Columbia who loves to provide her students with choice in how they learn, show, and share their knowledge. She engages them globally through video conferencing, twitter, and blogging and uses technology as seamlessly as possibly to make this all happen. She started teaching in 1992.</font></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><font size="4">Professional blog <span style="font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; "><a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" href="http://www.learningandsharingwithmsl.blogspot.ca/">http://www.learningandsharingwithmsl.blogspot.ca/<br></a></span><font face=".HelveticaNeueUI"><span style="line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; ">Class twitter @<a href="http://www.twitter.com/MsLsClass" target="_self" title="">MsLsClass</a>. Class blog. </span></font><span style="font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI'; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; "><a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); " href="http://www.mslirenmansroom.blogspot.ca/">http://www.mslirenmansroom.blogspot.ca/</a></span></font></p> <p><a href="http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1112:teaching-teachers-with-technology&catid=91:every-classroom-matters&Itemid=259" target="_self" title="">Listen to the show</a></p> <h1>Essential Questions</h1> <ul> <li>You joined Twitter in 2011 and it changed your life. How?</li> <li>You have your first grade students create hashtags. How?</li> <li>How do you have your first grade students Tweet without problems? Doesn't it make you nervous?</li> <li>How did your class communicate with an author over Twitter?</li> <li>You say that "your first graders are in control of what to share with the world," what are some of the things they choose to share with the world?</li> <li>How do you use video conferencing? How do you pick whether to use Skype, Google Hangout or Facetime?</li> <li>Describe how your classroom technology is setup in the classroom?</li> <li>You describe your teaching style as one "that empowers students to choose the tool that fits best for them" how does this look? How do you give choice in the math class?</li> <li>What are your student's favorite apps?</li> <li>How are your students writing fiction and nonfiction stories and how do they publish their work?</li> <li>How do you tie in your personal and professional blog in a way that protects your student's privacy?</li> <li>If a teacher is getting iPads, but they are nervous, how does the teacher get started?</li></ul> <h1>Show Links</h1> <p>Skype <a href="http://www.skype.com" target="_self" title="">http://www.skype.com</a></p> <p>Google Hangout: <a href="http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/" target="_self" title="">http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/</a></p> <p>Facetime <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://www.apple.com/ios/facetime/" target="_self" title="">http://www.apple.com/ios/facetime/</a></span></p> <p>Draw and Tell: <a href="http://www.duckduckmoose.com/educational-iphone-itouch-apps-for-kids/draw-and-tell/" target="_self" title="">http://www.duckduckmoose.com/educational-iphone-itouch-apps-for-kids/draw-and-tell/</a></p> <p>iMovie <a href="http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/" target="_self" title="">http://www.apple.com/ilife/imovie/</a></p> <p>Educreations <a href="http://www.educreations.com/" target="_self" title="">http://www.educreations.com/</a></p> <p>Pop Words <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/popwords!/id472853634?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/popwords!/id472853634?mt=8</a></p> <p>Word Wizard <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/word-wizard-talking.../id447312716?mt=8" target="_self" title="">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/word-wizard-talking.../id447312716?mt=8Popplet</a></p> <p>Skitch <a href="http://evernote.com/skitch/" target="_self" title="">http://evernote.com/skitch/</a></p> <p>Bookcreator <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/book-creator-for-ipad/id442378070?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/book-creator-for-ipad/id442378070?mt=8</a></p> <p>My story <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-story-book-maker-for-kids/id449232368?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-story-book-maker-for-kids/id449232368?mt=8</a></p> <p>Discovery Education app <a href="http://www.discoveryeducation.com/ipad/">http://www.discoveryeducation.com/ipad/</a></p> <p>Pop zoo app <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/om/app/pop-zoo-free/id610497983?mt=8">https://itunes.apple.com/om/app/pop-zoo-free/id610497983?mt=8</a></p> <p>Dropbox <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/" target="_self" title="">https://www.dropbox.com/</a></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To find out more about this podcast go to <a href="http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/p/every-classroom-matters.html" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; ">my Podcast page</a>.</span><br></p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

innovation Teaching Technology Karen Lirenman: Interview with outstanding K-2 Teacher 2013 #iste2013 @klirenman

First grade teacher Karen Lirenman (@ klirenman ) has won the Kay L Bitter Award for innovative leadership in the K-2 classroom. She'll ...

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Alfred Thompson: How we can teach computer science to every age @alfredtwo

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQD7ZBon3GwfXbmu8UiNlq9x6AAMr5bpu7RjjnyRCECFevPO9O8T8-gAGZO4MjnOuub6-jWzsxWLGVM0PlmA8khyphenhyphenJJ1i4P6ox8C7lOkH5DsdAiHpwcjyucojixDQQSZRB6Lw8AdfPAFU7R/s182/Photo%252520Jun%2525204%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A02%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style=""><img alt="" class="alignnone" height="178" id="blogsy-1370347673639.049" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQD7ZBon3GwfXbmu8UiNlq9x6AAMr5bpu7RjjnyRCECFevPO9O8T8-gAGZO4MjnOuub6-jWzsxWLGVM0PlmA8khyphenhyphenJJ1i4P6ox8C7lOkH5DsdAiHpwcjyucojixDQQSZRB6Lw8AdfPAFU7R/s182/Photo%252520Jun%2525204%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525208%25253A02%252520AM.jpg" width="182"></a></div> <p> Alfred Thompson (@<a href="http://twitter.com/alfredtwo" target="_self" title="">alfredtwo</a>) "Mr. Computer Science" spent some time talking with me and the listeners of Every Classroom matters about how we should be teaching computer science at all levels. It can be simple. Students should know how to cause the computer to do things starting at a very young age. In 10 short minutes, you can learn all about this topic and how you can put some concepts in your classroom. Are you teaching students about advanced searching? Start there.</p> <p>Alfred serves on the Computer Science Teachers of America board. He's my go-to guy for questions about how to teach Computer Science. I've been a faithful reader of his blog since the first month I started blogging in December 2005. Alfred, though, isn't just a PLN resource, he's my friend. He's a good man and a great servant leader to the cause of Computer science and STEM education and is a wealth of knowledge. Take a listen, follow Alfred on Twitter, and understand how Computer Science Matters in your school.</p> <p>Blog: <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" href="http://blog.acthompson.net/">http://blog.acthompson.net</a></p> <p> </p> <p>Twitter: <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" href="http://twitter.com/alfredtwo">http://twitter.com/alfredtwo</a></p> <p> </p> <p>Home Page: <a style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" href="http://www.acthompson.net/">http://www.acthompson.net</a></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.bamradionetwork.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1077:teaching-teachers-with-technology&catid=91:every-classroom-matters&Itemid=259" target="_self" title="">Listen to the show </a></p> <h1>Essential questions:</h1> <ul> <li>What should elementary age students to be able to do? <em>(curriculum directors listen up)</em></li> <li>What are your favorite simple introduction to programming tools for kids in elementary? (<em>elementary teachers)</em></li> <li>What do students not understand about searching and search engines? </li> <li>Can every child learn to program?</li> <li>If a high school puts in AP Computer Science or Computer Science what programming languages are being used today?</li> <li>How can use use practical examples to teach programming?</li> <li>What is the Raspberry Pi and how can it be used in the classroom?</li> <li>What are some examples of what you can do with the Raspberry Pi?</li> <li>What is the computer science teacher's association? What does it do?</li></ul> <h1>Show Links:</h1> <h3>Elementary Apps & Teaching Tools</h3> <p>Scratch from MIT: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://scratch.mit.edu/" target="_self" title="">http://scratch.mit.edu/</a></span></p> <p>Alice from Carnegie Mellon: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://www.alice.org/" target="_self" title="">http://www.alice.org/</a></span></p> <p>Kodu - Microsoft - make simple games: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/kodu/" target="_self" title="">http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/kodu/</a></span></p> <h3>Advanced Searching</h3> <p>Why search engines can't replace teachers: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://blog.acthompson.net/2013/05/why-search-engines-cant-replace.html" target="_self" title="">http://blog.acthompson.net/2013/05/why-search-engines-cant-replace.html</a></span></p> <p>Advanced Google search: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://www.google.ca/advanced_search" target="_self" title="">http://www.google.ca/advanced_search</a></span></p> <p>Advanced Bing search: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/ff808438.aspx" target="_self" title="">http://onlinehelp.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/ff808438.aspx</a></span></p> <h3>High School Computer Science</h3> <p>Small Basic: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://smallbasic.com/" target="_self" title="">http://smallbasic.com/</a></span></p> <p>Python: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://www.python.org/" target="_self" title="">http://www.python.org/</a></span></p> <p>Java: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://www.java.com/en/about/" target="_self" title="">http://www.java.com/en/about/</a></span></p> <h3>The Super Cool, Super Cheap Raspberry Pi</h3> <p>Alfred's Blog Post about the Raspberry Pi: <a href="http://blog.acthompson.net/2013/04/new-toyraspberry-pi.html">http://blog.acthompson.net/2013/04/new-toyraspberry-pi.html</a></p> <p>See official Raspberry Pi Website for projects: <a href="http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=15" target="_self" title="">http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=15</a></p> <p><em>Note since I recorded the show. Some people are making game consoles from the 80's with these and hooking them up to their TV's. i.e. Atari anyone? This is so cool, I gave you some bonus links below!</em></p> <p>Lifehacker - How to make a retro gaming console for $35: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://lifehacker.com/how-to-turn-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-retro-game-console-498561192" target="_self" title="">http://lifehacker.com/how-to-turn-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-retro-game-console-498561192</a> (Great Maker project for this summer!)</span></p> <p>Other cool articles about how people are using raspberry pi in many ways: <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 15px; line-height: 19px; white-space: nowrap; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); "><a href="http://lifehacker.com/tag/raspberry-pi" target="_self" title="">http://lifehacker.com/tag/raspberry-pi</a></span></p> <h3>CSTA Information</h3> <p><em>I teach Introduction to Computer Science. I do not teach AP Computer science or extensive programming. If you teach any computer science concepts, I highly recommend you should join. Last time I checked, dues are covered by a grant if you're an educator. The newsletter is great and I learn so much about STEM every time I read it. Every school should have one member of CSTA on staff - it is that important. (I also think every school should have at least one ISTE (<a href="http://www.iste.org" target="_self" title="">www.iste.org</a>) member on staff - it is another vital STEM organization that shares best practices. These organizations have become hubs of learning and networking.)</em></p> <p>Computer Science Teacher's Association: <a href="http://csta.acm.org/" target="_self" title="">http://csta.acm.org/</a></p> <p>Computer Science Education Week (December 8-14, 2013): <a href="http://www.csedweek.org/" target="_self" title="">http://www.csedweek.org/</a></p> <p><em>(Add this to your school calendar now. What a great time to plan some activities. How about Raspberry Pi for Christmas? You could have a Raspberry Pi making contest!! This is a perfect time to celebrate computer science just before Christmas because you can do so many fun things. Make fun games on Kodu, etc.)</em></p> <h3> About the Every Classroom Matters show on BAM Radio Network</h3> <p> </p> <p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To find out more about this podcast go to <a href="http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/p/every-classroom-matters.html" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; ">my Podcast page</a>.</span><br></p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

innovation Teaching Technology Alfred Thompson: How we can teach computer science to every age @alfredtwo

Alfred Thompson (@ alfredtwo ) "Mr. Computer Science" spent some time talking with me and the listeners of Every Classroom matte...

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Flipboard Magazines make curation for your classes EASY. #ipadchat

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYuio06nsqjr77bDEssGx-xkdE11k5FOZKscjujkUymey5m3_3lJ2SYJUzGI94Q39yBk9oRLPPV5JO_fcZsTpuRrtaXcujgh8pD3FQm32SmuSL80RjWYkX7QXgYPakybP5xJfozHWu-6a/s1024/Photo%252520Apr%25252016%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title=""><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="667" id="blogsy-1366108638033.857" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMYuio06nsqjr77bDEssGx-xkdE11k5FOZKscjujkUymey5m3_3lJ2SYJUzGI94Q39yBk9oRLPPV5JO_fcZsTpuRrtaXcujgh8pD3FQm32SmuSL80RjWYkX7QXgYPakybP5xJfozHWu-6a/s500/Photo%252520Apr%25252016%25252C%2525202013%25252C%2525206%25253A18%252520AM.jpg" width="500"></a></div> <p> Flipboard is a fantastic ereading tool which has also become a premier curation tool. I've created a magazine <a href="http://flip.it/WaRGT" target="_self" title="">Education Inspirivation</a> that you can subscribe to in Flipboard by clicking on the Flipboard link: <a href="http://flip.it/WaRGT" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; ">http://flip.it/WaRGT</a> </p> <h3>Curation is Evolving</h3> <p>Curation continues to evolve and this is just one way. I created this magazine just a few days a go and almost 200 people are following the magazine. For me, a sharer by nature, I gravitate to places where it is easy to share. </p> <h3>Make a Custom Magazine for your course and students using Flipboard</h3> <p>If you have 1:1 ipad program, you should consider creating a magazine for your students, what a cool way to have "required" reading. Same for college professors, imagine a neat, cool, beautiful magazine where your students can easily retweet and comment.</p> <h3>How does it work?</h3> <p>You set up Flipboard. Then, there is a plus in the bottom right hand side. Use it and it will ask you to set up a magazine and you can flip content to the magazine. There is a place for the comment but I can't find where that comment goes right now. Once you get content into the magazine, you can look at the magazine and click the share button to share it with others. Tweet out the link and share on Facebook so others know that you've got a magazine.</p> <h3>How to pull content into Flipboard: use diverse streams of information</h3> <p>If you'll follow the tips I shared in <a href="http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2011/04/15-fantastic-ways-to-use-flipboard.html" target="_self" title="">15 Fantastic Ways to use Flipboard</a>, you can curate from the hashtags for your course, your course blogs and work, and current news. (I also have a square just for <a href="http://www.downes.ca/" target="_self" title="">Stephen Downes</a>, I want to read everything he writes.)</p> <p> So many ways to collect, share and curate! There are lot of wonderful magazines out there. After I've settled on my favorites, I'll be sharing those. There are many magazines emerging, for me, the question is going to be who creates and continues to curate their magazine in the long term. I'm hesitant to jump on any bandwagons yet as there are many flash-in-the-pan types out there. Robert Scoble has some great magazines, though. I'm planning on updating my Flipboard magazine daily (with Sundays off) to see how it works. You can also search through Flipboard's recommended content at the top right where you access your magazine.</p> <p>There are a million questions for Flipboard (analytics, etc.) but in the meantime there's lots of potential for classrooms and teachers of all types. Thanks to the nice people at Flipboard who called me the week before this launched so I was ready to play with it while I had surgery during spring break. It is just as easy and cool as they said, a rare thing in this world of vaporware. Any teacher can do this easily.</p> <h3>Will you share the links to your magazines in Flipboard?</h3> <p>If you create or have a magazine, will you share the link in the comments below? If you have a favorite, will you share it as well? I'm experimenting and would love to find and play with some more magazines. Thanks!</p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

innovation Teaching Technology Flipboard Magazines make curation for your classes EASY. #ipadchat

Flipboard is a fantastic ereading tool which has also become a premier curation tool. I've created a magazine Education Inspirivation ...

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Kool Aid worth drinking: the respect and admiration for the noble profession of teaching

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iW3gyfWuBMQ/SC4eYUJK37I/AAAAAAAAE-U/e9gas_w7rHc/s1600/Crump%252520Classroom%252520Photos%2525204-25-08%252520008.JPG" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="335" id="blogsy-1362658132899.7783" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iW3gyfWuBMQ/SC4eYUJK37I/AAAAAAAAE-U/e9gas_w7rHc/s500/Crump%252520Classroom%252520Photos%2525204-25-08%252520008.JPG" width="500"></a></div> <blockquote><p> "Every great poet is a teacher; I either wish to be considered as a teacher or as nothing."</p><p>William Wordsworth, loc 914, Six Centuries of English Poetry</p></blockquote> <p>A teacher or nothing? What is this profession of which poets aspire?</p> <blockquote><p>What office is there which involves more responsibility, which requires more qualifications, and which ought, therefore, to be more honorable than teaching?</p><p>Harriet Martineau</p></blockquote> <p>Anything more honorable than teaching? Oh, there are many honorable professions, I think. It wouldn't make sense to elevate one profession by putting down others. Being a good parent is an honorable thing for upon the family societies are built, or sadly, crumble. But the classroom is also a foundation of society. It is also a place where future generations walk and are inspired or angered. Truly, the great tread upon these halls, so walk slowly, look them in the eye, and talk warmly as you encourage the greatness among you.</p> <p>Yet, are we just baby sitters? Is school where kids go so they have something to do during the day? Let it not be!</p> <blockquote><p>"The true aim of every one who aspires to be a teacher should be, not to impart his own opinions,but to kindle minds." F. W. Robertson</p></blockquote> <p>Kindling minds? Is that what we are doing? Oh, I'm so fortunate, I feel I get to do that. Right now, however, I'm doing SAT prep which is far from mind kindling. I'm teaching them how to "beat" a test and outsmart the test makers to elevate themselves above other test takers. It feels important - to their future and lives -- but it isn't the spark kindling, mind blowing, excitement inducing lessons that they run to class for. This too shall pass, thank goodness. I can only imagine what I'd feel if all I did was test prep. God be with us! It would be not only awful, but sad. But I think the reason the students listen to me is because even amidst our least favorite material, they know that passion based learning is coming back on Monday. Oh yes, we'll be back.</p> <blockquote><p>Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition.</p><p>Jacques Barzun</p></blockquote> <p>So, we know what we do is noble. We know that there is certainly an art to teaching. We know that there are not only some good teachers out there but there are great teachers out there. Then, why, then, tell me, do so many teachers feel that the ire of society is looking down upon them? Why do many feel unsupported, unappreciated and criticized? What is this toxic Kool-aid of looking down upon teachers that society has drunk?</p> <p><strong>I'm not drinking the kool-aid</strong>. While the media is required to give equal time to political candidates, it is not required to give equal time among the positives and negatives of a profession. Teachers make easy targets. There is always a 1% fool factor in any profession - those who do foolish things with power or take dumb paths. The fools among us are not only the greatest of fools but the most despicable of humans because they are working with innocent, malleable children. When a teacher messes up, it is most repulsive, especially to those of us who do it every day. And being such a large profession, there is always some of the 1% available to tar and feather in the media and give another instance of a profession gone wrong. </p> <p>But do you know, there are lawyers who do wrong - where are they? How about the garbage man who does something wrong or the secretary with sticky fingers who steals money? It is because when a teacher goes wrong, they have a living breathing victim and no one emotes, or should evoke more sympathy than an innocent child. They are our greatest treasures and should be treated as such. Of course, news of the victimization of one of these children spreads like wildfire, causing people to turn on the news - who, desperate for viewers, they will report on things that elicit responses and nothing does more so than a teacher gone wrong.</p> <p>But <strong>I'm still not drinking the kool aid</strong>. The 1% fool factor is not going to determine what I think of a noble profession. It is not. And it shouldn't for you.</p> <p>See the reporting and the misunderstanding for what it is. Teachers are an easy target. And say that we have not messed up but a parent says that we have, they can make up anything they want and take it to the media and we are bound by confidentiality, much like doctors or lawyers, except even more so. Because we are not at liberty to formulate our own responses because our districts and schools have lawyers who are out to protect the "system" not necessarily the "teacher."</p> <p>Yet. <strong>I'm still not drinking the kool-aid.</strong></p> <p>Teachers, you are noble. I'm not going to let a waning media convince me otherwise. I'm also not going to entirely blame the media. There are things fundamentally WRONG in education. There is a mismatch between how students learn and how they are being taught in many schools. But <strong>there is also a mismatch between what teachers are being asked to do and what they know is the right thing to do.</strong></p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-t8GqgbsCqdc/SQyUpjF1JII/AAAAAAAAACM/EqxfrxGnz9s/s896/New%252520Kool%252520Aid.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a></div> <p>Fundamental changes need to happen in many schools who have forgotten the main purpose that they exist. We are here to kindle. We are here to inspire. We are here to encourage. A child may not have a reason to get up every day, but <strong>something should be so exciting at their schoolhouse, that they can't wait to get out of their house and head there</strong>. There should be at least one class, besides study hall, that kids are excited to get into. <strong>Not because we entertain them, but because we have captivated them</strong>. They are excited.</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dkyCPJNaCiU/SPVrD8fMeqI/AAAAAAAACi0/REqj3P6KJFY/s320/koolaid-large.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br></a></div> <p>Learning should be fun. It should be a blast! Students should be excited. Teachers should too. But I refuse to believe all is lost. Sometimes, you can be lost in a bad neighborhood but are just one block over from your destination. Many schools have taken a wrong turn and leadership will get them back in the right place. </p> <p>But let me tell you, the wrongest turn for you as a teacher is to let suck-y things sour your attitude and your perspective on the bright, wriggling hope sitting in those seats before you today. <strong>We cannot let the frustrations and injustices of life keep us from admiring and respecting the profession that is most noble.</strong></p> <p>Remember your noble calling teacher and let the respect of this profession rekindle in our hearts and minds as we know and recognize that who we are and what we do is vital to society's future. Whether society itself recognizes or appreciates us or not, we are here as watchmen on the wall and will do our duty to guard these children, cast out the 1% among us who are fools and shouldn't be teaching kids anyway, and we will do our best every day whether anyone notices or cares.</p> <p>We love our students and are giving our lives every day to help them love learning. And that, my friends, is kool aid worth drinking.</p> <p> </p> <a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dkyCPJNaCiU/SPVrD8fMeqI/AAAAAAAACi0/REqj3P6KJFY/s320/koolaid-large.jpg" target="_blank" style="text-align: center; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; "><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="320" id="blogsy-1362658132888.2659" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dkyCPJNaCiU/SPVrD8fMeqI/AAAAAAAACi0/REqj3P6KJFY/s320/koolaid-large.jpg" width="294"></a><p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

Inspiration Teaching Kool Aid worth drinking: the respect and admiration for the noble profession of teaching

"Every great poet is a teacher; I either wish to be considered as a teacher or as nothing." William Wordsworth, loc 914, Six Cen...

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Get a distance away and start a new habit today.

<blockquote><p> "Every now and then, go away, take a little relaxation, because when you come back to your work, your judgement will be surer. To remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgement. Go some distance away, because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance, and a lack of harmony or proportion is more readily seen." Leonardo da Vinci</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" caption="Nobody has to tell my cat to sleep. Animals tend to listen to their own needs and rest when it is needed. Let's learn to do the same."><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6JohTTjZiJd6Orlv58bSqTq8dO2Y5g8WZ656gV7ZdmCGt2ytlErEuwXpKdvLc_lWL35BrCm5uwLSt7_MquBiV2CqBQ3LQAcYMCAv5WfdF5oDkpjcovhawxqOdz7L4xDw9qb4lypu3F1t/s425/Photo%252520Dec%25252020%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525207%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="425" id="blogsy-1361792919665.8853" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6JohTTjZiJd6Orlv58bSqTq8dO2Y5g8WZ656gV7ZdmCGt2ytlErEuwXpKdvLc_lWL35BrCm5uwLSt7_MquBiV2CqBQ3LQAcYMCAv5WfdF5oDkpjcovhawxqOdz7L4xDw9qb4lypu3F1t/s425/Photo%252520Dec%25252020%25252C%2525202012%25252C%2525207%25253A30%252520AM.jpg" width="425"></a></div></blockquote> <p>Today, I challenge you to start one habit that you'll be thankful you did one week from now. One habit.</p> <p>The trouble with this time in the school year is that we are largely, too close to our work and I think we tend to lose our power of judgement. Think about the times when tempers flare the most and when petty disagreements happen? There are times I think, "Really, they disagreed about that?" or I back up and look at myself and say "Really, I'm upset about this?"</p> <p>Some people call it Margin, others call it R&R, and others call it "getting away" but I call it my weakness.</p> <p>I admit that right now, I'm not very good at getting some distance away. I read all the time management books... at least 50 to date and learn a lot about being productive but very little about true balance.</p> <p>I think most of the time management "experts" don't have 12 loads of laundry, three kids, and a husband and three cats and a dog to care for. They probably have a secretary or maid or both.</p> <p>I'm happy for those people who can jet set around the world, happily pruned and beaming about how they can help me prioritize and monetize my life, but they haven't lived my life. And I haven't lived yours.</p> <p>You are the greatest motivational speaker ever invented for YOU. What you say to yourself inside your head has more long term impact on your life than any of these voices coming from outside your eardrums. YOU have to determine the next step. <strong>YOU have to determine the next course of action.</strong></p> <h2>Pick One Habit today</h2> <p>Pick ONE habit today that you'll be glad you started in a week and DO IT. You know what it is. It will likely mean shifting something else. I wish I had the answers for you, because if you're like me, you may not feel like you have many choices right now. You're a hamster jumping between 5 or 6 wheels trying to keep them all running. You probably feel alone and perhaps even like a slave to the world. I'm with you.</p> <p>Time is short. It is, quite literally, a dash. You are living the dash between the year you were born and the year you die. This is all there is. If you can manage 30 hormonal preteens in one class period, and take kids on field trips to places that most parents wouldn't take their brood, and get all those grades done and manage all those parent teacher conferences - then <strong>most assuredly, you have the organizational acumen to carve out an hour for yourself today to do something that needs to be done to take care of you.</strong></p> <p><strong>You are a finite resource</strong>. There is only so much of you. Teachers don't just try to burn the candle at both ends, we try to add new wicks and make new ends to burn! We are completely out of control some of the busiest people I know.</p> <h2>Do this NOW</h2> <p>But, let's write a new end to this day. Right now, get out your calendar and schedule the one habit you long to do. Make the time to do it today and I will too. Let's add a new end, one where we have some common sense and actually take care of ourselves for a change.</p> <p>There's more to life than having nightmares about a prom gone terribly wrong and being upset about all of those papers that aren't graded yet and the 6 loads of laundry still left sorted and dirty, ready to be washed. There's more than this and it is time to make time for more of you by doing less running on the endless wheel. Make time for yourself or you break yourself, and you know how tough gets when you're sick.</p> <p>Wake up that tired motivational speaker in your head RIGHT NOW. Put her or him on task right now to pick and figure out a time to help you start your habit today. </p> <p>If Leonardo da Vinci had to take time to get away, don't you think we should too? </p> <p>Last night, my husband and I were looking at all of the films that Anthony Hopkins has made and were pondering his newest film, Hitchcock, and we talked about what it would take to do that amount of work - that is a lot of movies.<br></p> <p><strong>You have more stories than Hopkins</strong>. You have the stories of hundreds and maybe thousands of children passing through your rooms. You're not going to make it without some rest in between. Music is made more beautiful by the pauses and rests and you'll be made more beautiful too.</p> <p>Pick a habit today... one habit... and start it. Make it a habit that you'll be glad that you started one week from now.</p> <p>Remember your noble calling, teacher, but <strong>remember yourself. If</strong> you give out, your career is over and we need you in education right now. You have my heartfelt love, thanks, and appreciation. Let's get to it.</p> <p> </p><div style="text-align: right; font-size: small; clear: both;" id="blogsy_footer"><a href="http://blogsyapp.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad" height="20" src="http://blogsyapp.com/images/blogsy_footer_icon.png" style="vertical-align: middle; margin-right: 5px;" width="20" />Written by Vicki Davis, author - Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Posted with Blogsy from my iPad</a></div>

Inspiration Teaching Get a distance away and start a new habit today.

"Every now and then, go away, take a little relaxation, because when you come back to your work, your judgement will be surer. To rema...

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18 Ways to Secure Parent Permission to Use Technology

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container zemanta-img" style="float: right; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="zemanta-img"><a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Child_Art_Aged_4.5_Person_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: clear:right;"><img alt="Child Art Aged 4.5 Person 1" border="0" class="zemanta-img-inserted" height="293" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Child_Art_Aged_4.5_Person_1.png/300px-Child_Art_Aged_4.5_Person_1.png" style="border: none; font-size: 0.8em;" width="300" /></a></div></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption zemanta-img-attribution" style="text-align: center; width: 300px;">Child Art Aged 4.5 Person 1 (Photo credit: <a href="http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Child_Art_Aged_4.5_Person_1.png" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>)<br />Get parent permission for artwork, photographs, and<br />use of technology. Here are some samples to<br />get you started.</td></tr></tbody></table>Many of you have asked for permission form samples, so here is a copy of a list I have compiled a list to reference as part of my upcoming book, <a href="http://writinginthecloud.wikispaces.com/" target="_blank">Collaborative Writing in the Cloud</a> from <a href="http://www.eyeoneducation.com/" target="_blank">Eye on Education</a>. As always, ask what will help you, I'm here to serve.<br /><br />Remember, I'm a teacher, not a lawyer, and <b><span style="color: red;">this is not intended to give any legal advice.</span></b><br /><br />As always, check any permission forms you use with your local administrators and local counsel. I do hope this list will help dispel the myth that you can't do that.<br /><br />There are teachers doing creative things all around the world and getting permission. Just search, you can find even more than this.<br /><br />I will update this list in 2 places:<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="https://www.diigo.com/list/coolcatteacher/permission-samples" target="_blank">Permissions and AUP Samples List</a> [Diigo]</li><li><a href="https://www.evernote.com/pub/coolcatteacher/flatclassroom" target="_blank">My Flattening Classrooms Evernote Notebook</a> (has all original pdfs and docs included if any of these links are broken)</li></ul><br /><h2>18 Permission Form Samples</h2><br />1. <a href="http://www.rcs.k12.va.us/oges/artsoniapermission.pdf">Artsonia sample permission form</a><br /><div class="diigo-description">This is an online art museum for student work. This permission form is used by artsonia, a student online art museum. It is a great place to participate and share artwork. Also, I like how artsonia allows parents to moderate the comments left on their child's artwork. This form also asks for parent volunteers. This is a nice way to share your student's best work.</div><div class="diigo-tags">tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/artwork">artwork</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/elemchat">elemchat</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a><br /><br />2. <a href="http://www.state.nj.us/education/techno/idconsent/form.pdf">State of New Jersey Consent form for images</a></div><div class="diigo-description">This is the photo permisison form used by the state of New Jersey schools. I'm not sure if you should be required to specifically notify parents that photo recognition software is available. I do like the different levels of permission but am not sure how they track it in photos, etc. This seems like it would be a bit of a struggle, I guess it would have to be done with the use of colored dots on field trips, etc. </div><div class="diigo-tags">tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/photographs">photographs</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/photography">photography</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />3. <a href="http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/19-673.pdf">Boy Scouts activity consent form</a><br />This is an activity consent form used by the Boy Scouts of America. They take students on physically challenging events for weekends and nights. This is a great organization that has worked with kids in nature environments for many years, so it would be a good sample to review.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/field">field</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/trips">trips</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />4. <a href="http://www.neopets.com/coppa/consentform.phtml">NeoPets Parental Consent form</a><br /><br /><a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children%27s_Online_Privacy_Protection_Act" rel="wikipedia" target="_blank" title="Children's Online Privacy Protection Act">COPPA</a> is a reason that many schools shy away from having any children under 13 participate in online sites, however, NeoPets is a website that has done this. This is a copy of their COPPA consent form. In here, you can see how they've tracked and worked with this permission. It does require the parents to fill out and fax or mail the form in to NeoPets to allow children to use the communications portion of the website. This would be a website to review if you're looking at creating a portal or service that allows kids under 13 to post and communicate in ways that tracks their data. I am wondering if Facebook would eventually do something like this or if they will continue to create an environment that encourages children to lie to get on their platform. (i.e. under 13 not allowed)<br /><br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/coppa">coppa</a><br /><br />5. <a href="http://www.drummwr.com/CYSS%20Youth%20Network%20Survey/YNS%20Parent%20%20Adult%20Consent%20Form%203-21-12_LA.pdf">Research Consent form for Research</a><br /><br />This is an example of a consent form for research for a research student done at the University of Georgia. If you are a researcher, you'll want to check with your university as to the proper way to format and secure permissions, however, as students become researchers, I have questions about securing permission for research. This is an area we need to discuss and understand because students can now be viable, authentic researchers and perhaps may have links to more accurate data collection techniques than researchers. What happens when researchers partner with students to collect data? A whole new world of research is opening up, so research forms are worth collecting.<br /><br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/research">research</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/researcher_thoughtleader">researcher_thoughtleader</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a><br /><br />6. <a href="http://www.evernote.com/shard/s6/sh/21c5089a-07ec-472c-92fa-c8684b1fe3be/f49d69e0fff73ed961065c34252ecfa2">Parental Permission for Web 2.0 Training, ONline Collaboration and Media Release (BOCES NEW YORK)</a><br /><br />This was a downloadable doc, so I put it into my public Evernote notebook of permission forms and other things about flattening the classroom, this link links to that notecard. This is a permission form for students who are using advanced Web 2 tools, collaborating online, and a media release. If you are in a conservative district, this permission from 2009 may help you.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a><br /><br />7. <a href="http://www.pjphs.org/uploaded//Permission_Form.pdf">Technology Permission form for Catholic School system</a><br /><br />This permission form is comprehensive and includes permission for online presentations in Blackboard Collaborate, blogging, wikis, google apps, podcasts, videos, social bookmarking and RSS as well as images. It is very comprehensive and useful. Again, I'm not a lawyer, but of the forms I've seen, I think this one is comprehensive.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/technology">technology</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />8. <a href="http://blogging101.wikispaces.com/Permission+Slips">Edu Blogging 101 - Permission Slips</a><br />A collection of blogging permission forms, while these are a bit older, they do give you a start.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/blogging">blogging</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />9. <a href="http://mshallteachesenglish.edublogs.org/files/2009/07/Parent-Permission-Form.pdf">English Class Permission form</a><br />This is a fascinating permission form hybrid because it incorporates blogs, wikis, permission to read certain novels and watch certain videos ALL in one permission form. It would be one that high school literature teachers would want to look at using. I like how it discloses how students are identified. I may adapt something like this.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/sample">sample</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/blogging">blogging</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/wiki">wiki</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/wiki_book">wiki_book</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />10. <a href="http://www.evernote.com/shard/s6/sh/4d04f45c-eea3-4872-b20e-910f993b014a/e3c1ec316c02ce3b853342a9b46574ea">Social Networking Parent Permission Form</a><br />While not having a lot of legalese, this form does disclose what students will be doing and gets permission from parents.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/social">social</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/networking">networking</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/wiki">wiki</a><br /><br />11. <a href="http://www.cohs.com/?pid=206">Cardinal O'Hara High School - Parental Permission Form</a><br />This website discloses the apps that this school will be using and links to the permission form. It is on the Academic Affairs page. I like the face this presents to the public. Here is what we WILL do and how we WILL do it -- with your permission, of course. Parents have a choice but schools do not - we must offer 21st century tools as part of a 21st century school. There are ways to do this.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />12. <a href="https://sites.google.com/a/beaverton.k12.or.us/bsd_google_apps/home/permission-forms">Permission Forms - Google Apps Support</a><br />These are the permission forms for the Beaverton School District and Google Apps with specific disclosures about how usernames and passwords will be set up and downloadable permission forms.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/sample">sample</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/forms">forms</a><br /><br />13. <a href="http://rrms.pasco.k12.fl.us/wp-content/uploads/rrms/2012/07/Google-Apps-Consent-Form-Secondary.pdf">Google Apps Consent Form - PASCO</a><br />Here's a google apps consent form for another district. It also references the Network Access Agreement (We call ours an AUP - or acceptable use form) which is an important practice that ensures students know they must use the network in accordance with guidelines already given.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/google">google</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/apps">apps</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />14. <a href="http://www.ttsdschools.org/pages/ttsd/Parents/Google_Apps_for_Students">Google Apps for Students</a><br />Another website example of disclosures about the use of Google apps from a district in Oregon. This also references their Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) and frequently asked questions about Google Apps, another good thing to include.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/aup">aup</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/forms">forms</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />15. <a href="http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Page/10904">Gorman, Susan - US History/Coach / Technology User Agreement Forms</a><br />This teacher has permission forms for use of Toondoo, Edmodo, and Glogster, three excellent sites that I also use in my classroom. While I like to combine mine all into one, this is an option for those very conservative districts.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edmodo">edmodo</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/toondoo">toondoo</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/glogster">glogster</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />16. <a href="http://smorton31.edublogs.org/2012/08/13/final-project-political-cartoon-analysis/">Final Project: Political Cartoon Analysis | Web 2.0 Morton</a><br />This teacher's lesson plan fully discloses the tools that are being used, the standards, and required permissions. This is a very detailed example, but one that you may have to use for large projects to get approval in your district.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/lesson">lesson</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/plans">plans</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permissions">permissions</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/sample">sample</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />17. <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T0RhASp_WZASBae4nYzpUmLmbSTklTwmAqVMyXRfdBM/edit?pli=1">Digital Permission Form (1).doc - Google Drive</a><br />This permission form has many different tools including weebly, Google dlocs, voicethread, YouTube, Glogster, Xtranormal, Toondoo, and others. I'm not sure that Audacity has to be included as it is a program on the local machine, however. I do like how the teacher asks for permission "I agree to allow my student's work to be used as  a positive example of published work for demonstration or promotional purposes." Some parents are afraid their child will be made to look bad in online examples, this covers that concern although it puts the onus on the teacher to make sure he/she vets examples that are published.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/sample">sample</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a><br /><br />18. <a href="http://www.evernote.com/shard/s6/sh/3189a9dd-4738-45fd-b825-e6155399fc45/6b4a2c8f1cf88a43385a65209b26f6a9">Evernote, Dropbox, Edublog Consent form from Canada</a><br />Here's a sample form allowing students to use Dropbox and Evernote and Edublog services from a teacher in Canada. NOte that this includes disclosure that the site is hosted outside the country, something important for international relationships as typically websites are governed by their host country.<br />tags: <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/permission">permission</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/aup">aup</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/sample">sample</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a><br /><br /></div><div class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href="https://www.diigo.com/">Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher">here</a>.</div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_c.png?x-id=43eacefa-1cc3-4306-bbb2-0c37970ed2eb" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>

Teaching 18 Ways to Secure Parent Permission to Use Technology

Child Art Aged 4.5 Person 1 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Get parent permission for artwork, photographs, and use of technology. Here are some ...

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