Week 4: Publishing/Leadership Presentation

For the publishing leadership project in week 4 of MAC I presented my project to four of my peers: Michael George, Virginia Holm, Michael Hood, and Dennis Woodward. We facilitated this presentation using this Google Document and iChat. We met at 7:30PM on May 26th, 2011 and each shared the links to our presentations. After reviewing each presentation we met in an Audio iChat and shared for 5-7 minutes about our work. We each took notes about the others' project and then shared our comments in the Google Document.

Click here to see a copy of my Publishing/Leadership Presentation.
See below for the comments my peers had about my presentation.

Michael George says: David you did a very complete job with this project. Your district is fortunate to have you as a resource to help integrate new technology into the classroom. So often, districts purchase technology and have no training plan for the staff and the technology just collects dusts. It is great that you used chunking or segmenting to construct your lessons. This is the best way to teach both adults and kids in my experience. I am also glad to see that you have taken the next step and organized your training material into Schoology where teachers can enroll in your course and learn how to use the system using a ramp-up method for complexity of task. It is unfortunate that you were not able to get more staff participation and I believe that if you pushed harder to get the staff the PD (professional development) points that you would have a higher number of participants. Also, I would encourage you to think about expanding your scope to either your entire district or even start a YouTube channel. What you have is good and can be used for the benefit of anyone with a SRS system.

Virginia Holm says: David, you can tell that this was a project that you felt strongly about. Your research and re-evaluation show that you took to heart what created problems for teachers in successfully using the SRS. Your final comments about frequent practice of learning new tools really says it all. Too often we are introduced to new methods and technology that leave us excited only to lose interest due to lack of time and commitment.

I think the success in the video versus the live presentation and Schoology is that it allows teachers to learn at their own pace and convenience. Attending training sessions is part of the job, but often leads to resentment due to time taken away for the classroom, paperwork and student follow-up. I am glad you found success in that most teachers plan to use Promethean again. Do you plan to follow up somehow with the ones that have said they would use it?
Your presentation overall was positive and clear. Your PowerPoint laid out well and easy to read. It highlighted points that you further discussed in your presentation. On the Student Response Systems page however, I would flow the sentence under the bullet and out of the graphic. It could be difficult to read from the back of the room.

Dennis Woodward says: I love the enthusiasm you have for integrating technology not only in your school but also in your spearheading efforts to have your entire school district adopt student response systems. Your well though out plan has proven that you will achieve this goal.

Students love handheld games, phones, music players and all kind of other gadgets at their disposal. The SRS clickers are just a natural way to engage today’s students. I can picture the kids in your class hanging on every word of your lecture waiting for the next prompt so they can enter the correct answer with the clicker. What an brilliant way of keeping the students focused!

Not only do I hope that your enthusiasm is contagious, but I hope that when you present at VTEA, you get many more people sign up for your canned clicker course that you created in Schoology. This is a valuable resource that teachers will be able to rely on when they hopefully decide to ask their administration for an SRS for their classroom.

Your passion for the Promethean system warrants some dialog between you and Promethean itself. Teachers who get this fired up over a product need to spread the word. Promethean may be able to fuel your fire as you obviously love the product and great ideas of how to use it. Teachers love learning from teachers who can tell them real classroom scenarios.

Michael Hood says: David your research reinforces a lot of what I found, specifically resistance of teachers to learn a new way of doing things. I know in my district there was a program to introduce “clickers” into the classroom. This was before the introduction of smartboards in every classroom, and the procedure to get them for use in the classroom involved scheduling, checking out the equipment, modifying the program for your specific application, using it and then returning it to repeat the process the next time.
You’ve nailed the requirements for really effective use. Classroom sets that stay with the teacher, the proper programs and time to develop the skills necessary to use it easily. With these requirements in place, even the most reluctant teachers would come to the realization that this is a great tool to increase student engagement.
Keep up the good work, I think you are on the right track and I think that as more teachers adopt this technology and it continues to improve, that this will be a tool that teachers grow to see as an indispensable part of classroom practices.

Week 4: Art of Possibility: Response to Dennis Woodward

Dennis writes:

This week's reading encompassed a chapter titled Lighting a Spark. Zander explains that during the Middle Ages, people would carry a metal box with a smoldering cinder that they would perpetually feed kindling so that when the time arose, a fire could be build with ease.

This "spark" was then used in the analogy that we can carry the spark and be infectious by allowing those around us to be use this spark to create possibilities.

I have often called my own children pet names such as sparky because they create and bring out possibilities that I just do not see as possible for someone their age. Whether it is my lack of memory for 30 years ago or the fact that today's kids are growing up much faster than we did at that age, I am amazed at the possibilities and accomplishments that they create and perform.

Just this week, my first grade son's math worksheets included multiplication and division. Yes. Division in 1st grade. I did not even know this was possible. I hope he continues to carry that proverbial smoldering cinder and continues to create sparks as his educational journey progresses!

David response with:

Great thoughts on an inspiring chapter. It reminds me of a NatGeo episode about India's Cask system. A man and his family live at the bottom of the barrel. Considered dirty they can only do and go to certain places. BUT, this man's family has been keeping an ancient fire burning for centuries. Only this man and his family can perform sacred cremation ceremonies. So while he is shunned by everyone he is also very important to society.

This connects to the reading because many times we discredit others spark because it doesn't line up with ours or simply do not understand it. Keeping an open heart allows us to keep and open mind and thus perceive the realm of infinite possibility with clear vision.

Week 4: Free Choice: Response to Jenn Castro

Jenn wrote:

I would like to present at the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) put on by FMEA here in Florida. Since I have attended this conference many times in the past, I have a working knowledge of the quality of work that is presented here and I believe that my Project will be well-received by the conference participants. The more that I think about presenting at a conference of this type, the more I think that this might be possible and I get less and less intimidated.


Brainstorming Blog Part 1


Brainstorming Blog Part 2


CastroJenniferPubLeadProject


David responded with:

I think you are definitely on the right track! Be sure to raise the bar and bring something new and "EMDT" the presentation! I looked over your PPT and was very impressed with your research. I seems like you had a great turn out and were really able to get the students involved and keep them engaged. It also looks like you found some interesting results and have something worth presenting. I am very glad you found that Music Educators can elevate and push students more than expected. I hope to see these results used in more classrooms. We need more musicians!

Think Out Loud 1 and 2

I thought we were suppose to put these on our ARP website. I am putting it here just to cover all my bases.

Think Out Loud 1
I have no idea where to start looking to publish. I know that Dr. Bedard has a nice list of conferences and publications that we can use to start but I just don’t know that my research is that large. In fact I am slightly frustrated at the Full Sail folks for leading me this far without warning me that my plan would be rejected. My initial goal was to take this course to the district level and have it approved for Professional Development. I wanted to have every teacher have access to using this course to learn how to use the SRS. My goals and intentions about this have been clear from the beginning and I have prepared my ARP for that purpose. Now I am told that this is not good enough and I need to think broader. I can see how this is a a good thing and I agree but now that I am in month 11 I am frustrated that I was not encouraged earlier to change my thinking to a broader scope. I think at this point I am leaning towards a presentation at a conference and incorporating more about Schoology and how to use it into my presentation.

Think Out Loud 2.

I think I found one! I am a member of the VTEEA and they hold a conference every year. This isn’t the biggest conference but it is definitely the right audience. I want to pursue having a presentation at this event this Summer. I need to get my proposal in soon and it may be late but I emailed some folks and it sounds like I have a good change of getting in even if I am late submitting. I want to go hear because I want to start with a smaller audience and move to a larger audience as I develop and improve my presentation skills and topic. I know I am passionate enough to talk about Schoology but I am not sure that the SRS aspect of my ARP would fit the audience, or any audience. There are no publications by Promethean and my initial audience was to be my district. We are all in a unique situation in that every teacher in the district was just giving this technology without any training on how to use it. We now just let it sit around and do nothing. I know that I could find a well known publication or conference but the audience might be more interested in Schoology than the process I developed for teaching teachers how to use the system. The entire goal of my project was to develop a system that worked for MY district. A tailored way for our district leadership team to streamline the integration of this technology that is sitting doing nothing. There exists a real need for hundreds of people to take this course right now! I plan to pursue this avenue after graduation as well as present at VTEEA this Summer. I think both of these are a great way to gain exposure for my ARP and advance my Action Research to the next level.

Week 4: Free Choice: Publishing Project

This week we are presenting our publishing piece to the class or a small group of peers. I am certain this experience will be interesting and hope that it will be fun. I know that I am not excited to stay up late but I also know that I want good feedback. So I need to do unto others I would have them do provide the same level of feedback from beginning to end. For my publishing assignment I have chosen to do a presentation at a conference. I am pursuing the VTEEA Summer conference in August of this year. Im a member and plan to submit my presentation to them by the end of next week with the hopes that they will allow me to present. I am very excited that publishing is a part of this ARP. Many times I have great ideas but I am such a hard critic of myself that I never share them on a large scale. I let them work for and that is the end of the story. For this project I will be promoting and sharing and trying to get others to use my Schoology course to learn more about Promethean products. Maybe one day Promethean will hire me! I wish...

Week 4: The Art of Possibility 9 - 12

This week’s reading has really hit home with me. I am all about action and not talk. I feel that people who talk also blame and nothing every changes. This weeks reading is of the contrary. In chapter ten he talks about the choices I can make to change my world of possibility and untimely anything. I remind myself of this everyday. In fact when growing up anytime we had a tough time or an unexplainable thing would happen that was hard to deal with, my mom would say, “Let go and Let God.” Now I know this is a simple thing but when you really think about it or better, actually DO it, you realized that letting go and not worrying opens up lots of time to DO other things. And doing is what this week and life is all about. If you don’t like something do something to change it or change your opinion about it. Nothing else can happen and you can never expect others to change it for you.

It is from my mom that I also have that same drive to help others. Paying forward moments of opportunity by stepping aside and letting others shine is how I live my life! I am a foot washer. I put other before myself even when it hurts. I try hard to help those around me. In turn, and this is no joke, I am the happiest man in the world. I have not a single complaint in the world. I have a beautiful girlfriend, I have my dream job, I travel, I own real estate, I am fit. I have everything in life I want and I have no complaints about anything. I give credit to paying forward happiness to others for my own happiness. This is a perfect example of how this author is not telling me anything new but instead phrasing it in a way that is new and eye opening. I love it.

In response to creating a framework practice I have found that little notes about big ideas all over my life are perfect reminders of the things I need to hear to keep me in the right state of mind. A note about turning the other cheek in my car helps prevent road rage. A note about accepting everyone at my desk helps remind me that every student is different not wrong (and other teachers just have other ideas). After seeing these notes over and over in the same places the actions they evoke become habit and need no reminders.

The last practice is what I think I do best. I constantly find myself in the position of networker or connector. I seems to know someone who can do something for every situation in my life. Need an oil change, I know a guy. Need a banner, I know a guy. In some situations I am simply the missing piece to a more complicated puzzle and I am always will to fit myself into that puzzle. Someone needs a logo design, I can do it or I know a guy. You need a sign made, you want a website, show me how to photoshop this into that. These things to me are easy and readily available in my life but to others it is a large obstacle on the path of their quest in life. I help them pass it and they are able to move on. I have not done this for others many times but have had this done to me many times. In some situations I meet with someone that seems to be on my path for longer than just one favor and we begin to work in trade together. I do this and you do that. We become a team of strengths that work towards something bigger.

This image is from Creative Commons and was found on a Google Image search.

Week 3: The Art of Possibility 5-8: Response to Joanna

Joanna Puello writes:
MAC, Week 3, BP1 Reading: The Art of Possibility

I had a good laugh as I read through Chapter 4: “Leading From Any Chair” (The Art of Possibility by Rosamund & Ben Zander)! Ironically, the same day I read the chapter, my boss at the ESOL language center where I teach called me into her office. “I’ve gone by your classroom recently, and I’ve noticed you sitting a lot while you teach. None of the students have complained, but…try to stand more. You can always lean on your chair if necessary. But other than that, everything is fine!”

I nodded and said, “Ok.” (Not going to pick that one to battle!) Then I proceeded to ask her about my current group of students. When I got them, they had just failed Level 3, so I was assigned to re-teach the material. Some of the new students were ready to re-take the test even though we hadn’t finished all of the material because I had tailor-designed the classes so that their test taking would be more successful (and ultimately so that they would learn more English). “Can they re-take the test on Monday?” I asked.

“They don’t re-take the test,” she said, surprised at my question.

“They don’t?” I asked, even more surprised.

“No,” my boss responded, “Because what if they don’t pass the second time?”

Then they have a pretty rotten teacher! I thought to myself. I didn’t say anything but finally understood how my students got to Level 3 when they didn’t know many things that Level 2 students had mastered.

Later that day, I read “Leading From Any Chair”. I remembered my ESOL training through Cambridge University and how in one practice round, the trainer corrected me because I was towering of my students instead of crouching down to their desks. So which way is better? Do I stand or do I sit? Well, I stand while I teach when I need to write on the board or when the class activity naturally requires it. Otherwise, I feel honored to be “at the same level” as my students. What’s so important about standing? Is it to exert an aurora of leadership? If I’m an effective teacher, can’t I teach well from any part of the room? Evidently, standing up = effective teacher or energy or good communication or established authority for my boss. I, on the other hand, measure my success “from the twinkle in their eyes” (Ben Zander). I know that relating to my students (who are often far more accomplished or wealthy than I am) and respecting them as individual people gives me a connection with them and opens the gates to their hearts so that they will be motivated to listen to me talk about the fundamentals of English grammar. I also don’t need to stand to get control or to grab their attention. I can whisper, and they’re all ears because in the midst of the most complex grammar formula, I can insert content that touches their hearts and arouses their curiosity…and makes the keep coming back for more.

To keep my job, I’ll be sure to stand every time my boss comes around and CERTAINLY when the content inspires it. To keep my students, I’ll keep making their eyes twinkle.

David Hotler writes:

I love how you took this chapter and found a connection in your own life. Ironic that it is such a direct connection to the wording and ideas. You boss tells you to stand and you read a chapter called Leading from Any Chair. I find it interesting that your supervisor did not comment first on your ability to teach. I think focusing on this positive aspect of your classroom would have been at least the right thing to do from the beginning.

It is most encouraging to hear you say that you find getting to the level of the students to be the most effective what to teach them. I find that sitting next to students or crouching down and lowering my voices helps create a safe environment when we are speaking one-on-one. I also have a software on my Mac that enables me to control the mouse of my student and project their screen on the board. Many times when sitting at my desk I can answer several questions at once instead of individually. Great work deducing your own theory and staying true to your own teaching style.