Friday, November 2, 2012

How Do I Do That? November



How Do I Do That? November:
There will be two sessions of the How Do I Do That Technology Series in November.

November begins a rotating school schedule for the series. Each week we will be visiting a different school in Burlington for the sessions.

Join members of the BPS EdTech and IT Teams for technology support. Share ideas with Burlington teachers and collaborate about using technology in the classroom. The sessions are open from 2-5PM and provide support for many edtech devices and applications. We will continue to highlight Google Apps for Education, iPads, AppleTV, Reflection, student digital portfolios, and interactive whiteboards and projectors. Please bring your BPS laptop, iPad, or both to the session.
BPS teachers can bundle hours of participation at How Do I Do That sessions during the school year for Burlington inservice credits. Ten hours of participation will earn one inservice credit. Twenty hours will earn two inservice credits. There is a maximum of two credits for staff members each year.

Please contact Dennis Villano, Director of Technology Integration at villano@bpsk12.org if you have any questions regarding the How Do I Do That Technology Series.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Going Back to the Roots of Great Learning #30GoalsEdu

There are a number if places you can turn to for great do-it-yourself Professional Development. One of my favorites is Shelly Terrell's awesome Teacher Reboot Camp Blog. Her 30 Goals Challenge is a great way for educators to learn on their own at their own pace. Each goal is clearly defined with clear examples of what success looks like.  For an example, check out the post below From Teacher Reboot Camp:

Goal 18: Make a Small Change to Your Curriculum of The 30 Goals Challenge for Educators!

Click the link to find out more about the 30 Goals Challenge for Educators!
Have you ever watched toddlers play in a playground? You will notice how the children interact with the objects and nature around them. You will see their eyes question then see the way in which they resolve the problem that has risen in their minds. Kids are naturally curious. They are discovering their world and when something doesn’t fit they will interact with others and figure out a way this works best for them. While training teachers, I often show this video, Nathan Playing at PreSchooland ask teachers to reflect on how Nathan and his friend are learning. Nathan and his friend make muffins out of the leaves and dirt. They then go to bake them but find the muffin tray doesn’t fit. They then figure out a solution together and the way they do this is without any words. Watch the video to discover the imaginative way in which they resolve the issue.



This type of learning encourages play, movement, the exploration of curiosities, problem solving, creativity, collaboration, real world application, personalization, and critical thinking. These are all the characteristics of learning that engages and motivates. Our students crave and need this kind of learning in order to find their paths and discover more about themselves and their interests. They are continually discovering how their talents and skills will be used to mark their place in their world. They want to make sense of it all and schools should have curriculums that motivate learners to uncover their passions or explore their curiosities through experimentation and play.

The Status Quo

We have millions of kids out there who are not focused. They repeat poverty cycles, end up in jail, or become addicts. They are part of an educational system that focuses on test results. They are taught from curriculums that focus on standardized testing results which means a lot of drilling of facts. Students stay in desks for most of the day and recite answers in order to pass or get their teachers and parents off their backs. They don’t want to learn because most learning in schools is tedious, boring, and irrelevant. None of us enjoy answering questions from a textbook or bubbling answers on a worksheet because we don’t really learn much from this process. Wouldn’t it be better for our students to instead get out of their desks, work with their peers, come up with many solutions for a problem, and test them all until they come up with the solution that works for them?We will walk into our classes this week and we have a choice. We can decide to lecture, drill, have students answer questions from textbooks, fill in worksheets, and follow our set-out curriculums to a tee. Or we can choose to teach in a way that gets backs to the roots of the learning that inspired and engaged us before we went to school. I hope that many of you will look at your curriculum and see how you can make it support authentic and engaging learning. It is not an easy adjustment but the time investment is worth it because at the end of the year you will actually like being a teacher, your students will have experienced so much growth, and you will have inspired some of your learners to enjoy learning. Try changing one thing a week or month. That’s what helped me. I began with the chapter tests and switched them into projects. Then I tackled bookwork, vocabulary quizzes, and getting rid of multiple choice activities. I took baby steps until eventually I was the kind of educator I enjoyed being.

This post was originally posted on the SmartBlog for Education.

The 30 Goals Challenge

As part of The 30 Goals Challenge I would like to inspire you to accomplish these goals: Short-term- Change, modify, or adapt a test, lesson plan, bookwork, quiz, and/or item in your curriculum in order to make it support authentic and engaging learning. Long-term- Try changing, modifying, or adapting items in your curriculum each month till you feel that your curriculum is the kind that supports engaging and authentic learning. We can always make adjustments and improvements.

Important News

Challenge:

Change one thing in your curriculum to support engaging and authentic learning.
Did you reflect on this goal? Please leave a comment that you accomplished this goal by either posting your own video reflection on Youtube, using the hashtag #30GoalsEdu, posting on the 30 Goals Facebook group, adding a post to the GooglePlus page, or adding a comment below!
Be inspired with these Inspirational songs, videos, quotes, and more on my Pinterest board, Inspiration for World Changers!

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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Burlington High School New Staff Profile - Ms. Deacon

Thank you to the BHS student newspaper, the Devils Advocate, for creating new staff profiles.  
Welcome, Ms. Deacon





By:  Emma Hirsch, grade 9.
This year Burlington high school was privileged in an abundance of new staff members, including the associate principal position, Mrs. Deborah Deacon.She joined the staff early this past summer, coming from Wilmington High where she was the assistant principal. This was all part of the moving positions of Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Larkin. Larkin becoming the assistant superintendent and Sullivan be promoted to principal.
Associate principal’s specialize in classroom management and student behavior. Their main job is to create a positive and comfortable atmosphere for the students. Mrs. Deacon’s main passion is seeing students find their passions. She wants to be able to see the process that students take on their way to the real world. In her position Deacon teaches kids to learn from their mistakes.
Mrs. Deacon was raised in central Mass, Gardner to be specific. She was a marketing teacher in Stoneham for a good portion of her career. Even now at BHS she hopes to start a marketing program for students interested. The school had a similar program a couple years ago and Deacon is trying to bring it back. This is for students who have taken business classes and are interested in getting more involved in that field. Mr. Sullivan praises her saying, “It’s nice to have someone with different experiences. She is a great addition to the high school and is already making improvements and adding to the business department.”
Right before she came to Burlington Deacon had a job as assistant principal in Wilmington. She decided to come here because she heard the position was available, and she knew about the technology and thought that Burlington had a respect for education that she liked.
Although Deacon understands the benefits of the Ipads and the technology use for better communication, she believes that there is a time and a place for everything. In her opinion, using books and pencils still are important learning tools. Deacon herself still takes notes with pen and paper before transferring them onto electronics. another worry about technology is that students feel they have more power. She is worried that students have more courage to say potentially hurtful things that wouldn’t normally be said in person. Deacon is more comfortable with people relations, although she does support the technological advances.
Deacon is also very active in the SADD program. She is very against drinking and doing drugs. this year she will be organizing the Be Smart Project where different speakers warn students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol in a way that students can relate to and understand more. Deacons main passion is seeing kids grow up to be something great, so she doesn’t want to see students throw their potential away.
One other passion of Ms. Deacon’s is helping the special needs students have a normal high school experience. She wants them to be able to eat lunch with everyone else, have gym classes, go to football games, dances and other school activities that without the help of other students they may not otherwise do. Deacon’s hope is that every student is treated fairly because everyone has weaknesses, whether they are visible or not, and they all have special things to offer.
Outside of school Ms. Deacon is the Melrose swim coach. She has been coaching there since she hesitantly took the job fifteen years ago. When she isn’t swimming, she is coaching tennis also in Melrose where she currently lives. Also Deacon has an active role in her nieces and nephews lives. She mentions, “They are my children even if they didn’t come from me.”
Deacon hopes to spend the rest of her career here in Burlington and is excited to start the new programs and get involved with the students. She hopes to see every student grow up to be something great. Deacon believes in the potential of everyone and wants to see what students do with their lives. Mr. Sullivan praises her saying, “It’s nice to have someone with different experiences. She is a great addition to the high school and is already making improvements.”

Burlington High School New Staff Profile, Mr. Strobel


Burlington High School New staff profile from the Burlington High School student newspaper Devils Advocate.  Welcome, Mr. Strobel.




By: Kenny Tigges
Most students in the burlington high school think they know a lot about their teachers after the first month of school. Students think all teachers do is teach. They dont, They dont know that their teachers have very interesting lives out side of school.
Some studends at BHS thinks Mr. Strobel is one of the most interesting teaches in the burlington high school. Mr. Strobel started off teaching in south dakota for 2 years.
Mr. Stobel loves to travel so he went to australia for 2 years and became a teacher in australia. who ever thought one of your teachers in bhs was also a teacher in australia.
In south dakota he first taught school in west central school in South Dakoda. Mr.Strobel is not just a teacher in south dakota he coached boys basketball and track. he doesnt currently live in burlington he just moved to medford two weeks ago.
He does not currently coach anything at bhs but he said “I would like to coach basketball and track again.” he also wants to have a computer/technology club.
He started teaching school right after he went to college. He went to college at madison college in South Dakoda.
Mr. Strobel like to outside and go biking and hiking. He loves to watch football and one of his favorite teams are the Minasoda Vikings. He also likes to play phrisby ball. Phrisby ball is when you have a disk and you try to hit chains. He explained it as like mini golf only with a disk.
Mr.Strobel likes to travel he went to south east Asia just to get away from home. So far Mr.Strobel likes being here with the students at Burlington High School.


Thursday, September 27, 2012

How Do I Do That? October Dates

From The BPS EdTech Blog:

The October sessions of the How Do I Do That Technology Series will be held each Tuesday in the library at Burlington High School. Join members of the BPS EdTech and IT Teams for technology support. Share ideas with Burlington teachers and collaborate about using technology in the classroom.
The sessions are open from 2-5PM and provide support for many edtech devices and applications. We will continue to highlight Google Apps for Education, iPads, AppleTV, Reflection, student digital portfolios, and interactive whiteboards and projectors. Please bring your BPS laptop, iPad, or both to the session.
BPS teachers can bundle hours of participation at How Do I Do That sessions during the school year for Burlington inservice credits. Ten hours of participation will earn one inservice credit. Twenty hours will earn two inservice credits. There is a maximum of two credits for staff members each year.

Please contact Dennis Villano, Director of Technology Integrationvillano@bpsk12.org if you have any questions regarding the How Do I Do That Technology Series.

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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

How Do I Do That Series Kicks Off Next Tuesday!

The How Do I Do That Series Kicks Off Tuesday afternoon at Marshall Simonds Middle School and it is open to all BPS teachers. It is a great opportunity to learn more about some of the great easy-to-use resources that are available to you here in Burlington.

Join members of the BPS EdTech and IT Teams for technology support. Share ideas with Burlington teachers and collaborate about using technology in the classroom. This session also provides a great opportunity to check out the new MSMS Learning Commons.

The session is open from 2-5 PM and will provide support for many edtech devices and applications. We will continue to highlight Google Apps for Education, iPads, AppleTV, Reflection, student digital portfolios, and interactive whiteboards and projectors.
Please bring your BPS laptop, iPad, or both to the session.

Please contact Dennis Villano, Director of Technology Integration (villano@bpsk12.orgif you have any questions regarding the How Do I Do That Technology Series.

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