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Saturday, March 26, 2011

What do you stand for...?

Professional discussion and reflection allow Educators to define their beliefs on a variety of educational topics. I can not think of any professional growth opportunity that is more important than defining who we are as Educators. I created this video to share my beliefs on education, as well as to highlight the characteristics of an Educator that I feel are the most important.

What do you stand for...?

  

Friday, March 25, 2011

Finding the right line...

Today in class I introduced Prezi to my German 2 students. I have been using Jing to create short videos with the instructions for the day, so my role as the educator has really been more of a facilitator. I purposely omitted the ins and outs of how to use Prezi because I want my students to explore, discover and learn how to use Prezi on their own.

In a moment where my excitement got the best of me, I started to show a student how to add an image to her Prezi presentation. As I started to show her how, she told me in both a confident and frustrated voice, "I got it Herr Tarte."

This simple, but yet profound statement hit me like a ton of bricks...

This year, I have been doing a lot with my students to help give them more autonomy and control over their learning. Additionally, we have been doing some great things at my high school in an effort to give our teachers more control over their PD days.

So, when we are working with our students, our colleagues or even our own children, we need to be aware of the fragile line that encourages discovery and exploration, and the line that impedes growth and development.

As a teacher, you want your students to have just enough information to peak their interest so they can explore, discover and grow on their own; too much information and they become reliant on you...

As a building or district leader, you want your staff members to have the resources and opportunities to continue and further their growth and development; not enough opportunities and limited resources will hinder any future growth...

How can we create a school culture that is able to give when it needs to give...but also is able to take a step back when it needs to relinquish control...?

How do we walk the fine line between too much, not enough, and just right to ensure we are meeting the needs of all our students and colleagues...?

Take a moment to reflect upon how you are providing for your students, your colleagues, or your own children. Some will need more than others...some will need nothing at all...but most importantly we all need to recognize the importance of creating an environment so that others can be successful...             

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Let's make a difference...

If you are reading this you are most likely participating in and embracing the power of Twitter and blogging. Consequently, you are enjoying the many innovative, creative, and thought provoking ideas that are being shared through the Twitterverse and Blogosphere.

Additionally, you have most likely heard from your colleagues that are not participating in Twitter and blogging. You probably are hearing something like this; "many of the ideas being shared on Twitter and blogs are great, but they just aren't "doable" or "feasible" in my current situation."

Now, there are many reasons that could lead someone to say, "it just isn't doable or feasible for me." Whether it is a lack of resources, lack of administrative support, lack of time, or simply I just can't do it, we have all heard all of the reasons...

I have taken this into consideration, and I have contemplated the many ways an Educator can make a difference no matter what outside influences there may be...here we go!

1) - Say "hello" to as many students as possible tomorrow & ask them how they are doing...

2) - When a student struggles with something...reassure them that everything will be ok...

3) - If something you did in class worked out wonderfully...take time to share what you did!

4) - Take a moment to thank someone who has recently helped you...

5) - Write a short note about something a student did well...and then give it to him/her...

6) - Help a colleague troubleshoot a problem he/she may be having...be the half full glass...

7) - Praise a student for demonstrating an act of courage or character to another student...

8) - Be patient and don't overreact...there's most likely a reason that it happened...

9) - Try something new and take a risk...the worst thing that can happen is you learn...

10) - Share this with a colleague first thing tomorrow morning...




Friday, March 18, 2011

10 videos that WILL ignite a discussion: Part 4

This is part 4 of the "videos that WILL ignite a discussion" series. I have been using these videos during PD sessions, as well as during Power Lunch sessions to spur discussion and reflection. As educators, it is crucial that we are constantly in a state of reflection and evaluation, and with the help of these videos educators are able to engage in thoughtful and productive conversation. Please take a moment to check out the videos in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 as well. Thank you and enjoy!


1) - Where good ideas come from by Steven Johnson




2) - The truth behind motivation by Dave Martin 




3) - Do schools kill creativity...? by Sir Ken Robinson




4) - I need you to believe...? by Dalton Sherman




5) - Why Educators should be using Twitter by Justin Tarte




6) - Learning to change...changing to learn




7) - Step into the stream by Shelley Paul




8) - Born to learn 




9) - Teaching in the 21st century




10) - Problem based learning at Stenden University



Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Embracing the Reality of Change...

As I often do, I speak with my wife about issues and theories related to education. Though my wife is not a full time teacher, she does teach as an adjunct professor at a local community college and works for a school district. Thus, I feel she is knowledgeable and a worthy audience when discussing educationally related topics.

Our most recent discussion revolved around how education needs to be more effective and applicable to the ever changing needs of the student population. There are so many fantastic things going on in education, but we still have room for improvement when it comes educating students. Looking at education with a glass half full approach, we can be encouraged because there is always room to change and improve the way we conduct our business as educators.

One of the beauties of being in education is we have the right and obligation to be change agents. We go to work every day looking for new ways of improving education. That is our job...make education as relevant, applicable and as necessary as possible to prepare students to be successful in their future lives.

I prepared a presentation about change and how we can all be change agents. My wife had one question for me, "Don't you think you are asking too much of educators?" When I thought about how I would answer this question, I realized the answer was simple. "No," I am not asking too much of educators, because our duty and job as educators is to do what it takes to get the job done. Just as society and students have changed, we need to change and evolve to ensure we are positively affecting our students. We need to change the culture of education and make sure we are reaching all of our students preparing them to be lifelong learners and successful democratic citizens.


Friday, March 11, 2011

Why Educators should be using Twitter...

Lately, I have been hearing a lot about trying to find videos to help show the power of Twitter. Unfortunately, there aren't many videos showing the power of Twitter as it relates to education. Consequently, I decided I would try my hand at making a video to show how Twitter can connect educators, provide resources and information, and ultimately improve education. I hope you enjoy it and hopefully it's something you can share with your colleagues.


Jerry Blumengarten @cybraryman1                            Daniel Pink @danielpink
Tom Altepeter @tomaltepeter                                    John Maxwell @johncmaxwell
Aviva Dunsiger @Grade1                                          Mark Sanborn @mark_sanborn
Pernille Ripp @4thGrdTeach                                     Jon Gordon @jongordon11
Chris Wejr @mrwejr                                                 David Truss @datruss
Steve Anderson @web20classroom                          Dwight Carter @dwight_carter
Kyle Pace @kylepace                                               Josh Stumpenhorst @stumpteacher
Eric Sheninger @NMHS_Principal                            Shannon Smith @shannoninottawa
Alec Couros @courosa                                             Gwyneth Jones @gwynethjones
George Couros @gcouros                                         Patrick Larkin @bhsprincipal
Michael Zimmer @MZimmer557                               Katie Hellerman @theteachinggame
Dave Martin @d_martin05                                        Brian Berry @nunavut_teacher
Jeff Delp @azjd                                                        Lyn Hilt @L_Hilt
Akevy Greenblatt @akevy613                                  Cale Birk @birklearns
Krissy Venosdale @KTVee                                     Chris McGee @cmcgee200
Stephanie Madlinger @cyberteacher                         Bob Dillon @ideaguy42
Don Grimshaw @mrgrimshaw                                   Tonya Thompson @thompson_shs
JP Prezzavento @JPPrezz                                         Justin Tarte @justintarte

Monday, March 7, 2011

10 keys to effective Leadership...

I am not a district Superintendent. I am not a building Principal. I am also not a department head. I am a German teacher, and even though I am not in a "titled" position, I believe I know the type of leader I aspire to be. I have worked with a wide range of school leaders, and I have decided to write a post about the qualities of leadership that I admire the most. By no means is this an exhaustive list, so if there is something I am missing please leave a comment and add to the list. Thank you!


Great and effective leaders...


1) - Are compassionate and are able to put themselves in the shoes of others...

2) - Always concentrate on finding solutions, rather than dwelling on the problems...

3) - Have two visions...one developed by stakeholders and one developed by him/herself...

4) - Are approachable and are able to communicate clearly and effectively...

5) - Always take responsibility for what happens...

6) - Protect their superstars at all costs...

7) - Create opportunities for others to tap into their strengths...

8) - Are constantly learning and growing...

9) - Are able to diffuse and exploit difficult and tense situations...

10) - Inspire, motivate and empower others to reach new heights...



Friday, March 4, 2011

10 Tips for Effective Professional Development...

1) - Involve teachers & administrators in preparing a PD focus...

To effectively implement any program it is essential to involve the stakeholders. In the case of PD, getting teachers from all content areas, as well as the administration involved is crucial when determining a building or district PD focus. The development of this focus will ultimately provide the direction that the school or district follows as it pertains to PD. Having a strong and concise focus developed by both teachers and administrators is the 1st step to effective PD.

2) - Have clear objectives and goals...

Once a focus is developed, individual PD goals and objectives must be made. The objectives and goals are directly tied to the focus, but unlike the focus, the goals and objectives are much more specific and precise. It can be easy to load up on a lot of goals and objectives, but I would caution against having too many goals and objectives. Isolate a small number of high priority objectives and goals and concentrate on achieving them. Too many goals will overwhelm educators...too few goals will prevent growth...find a happy medium.

3) - Be organized and be prepared for something to go wrong...

Make sure all of your sessions are set up in advance, and make sure all your presenters have everything they need for their presentations. Send out an Email to ask in advance what people will need for their presentations, and then make sure it is available and ready to go for them. There is nothing worse than scrambling at the last second to get a presentation set up. Avoid this unnecessary stress by being organized and planning things in advance. I have yet to experience a PD day without something going wrong, but I can assure you that if you are well organized and are planning in advance you will limit the number of things that go wrong.

4) - Don't assume you need a guest speaker...check within your building for hidden gems...

Far too often schools and districts start their search for PD presenters by looking outside of their buildings and districts. These outside presenters cost more, are more difficult to arrange, and more times than not aren't really able to connect with the needs of that building's teachers. I'm not saying there aren't great and worthwhile guest speakers, but I would suggest looking in house first because you never know what hidden knowledge or expertise you might have right down the hall. Moreover, using in house educators is a great way to grow and develop future building and district leaders.

5) - You don't have to do everything in one day...

Please be aware of how much information you are throwing out on your PD days. If you are throwing out tons of new information and programs be prepared to have an overwhelmed and stressed out staff. Just like our students, it's imperative that PD is paced and regulated. If the building's PD focus is strong, then it's most likely something that will happen over several years, not a couple PD sessions. Control the pace of PD, and focus on creating learning and growth opportunities on a daily basis; not just on those few select PD days.

6) - Offer a variety of sessions that will meet the needs of all your colleagues...

One of the best things a PD committee can do is to offer a wide variety of PD sessions. All educators are different, and as such they all have individual needs and interests. To meet the needs of all your colleagues, try to provide a wide range of sessions that are applicable across several content areas, as well as different ability levels. Each PD session should be tied to the overlapping focus and the individual goals and objectives. Giving your colleagues a choice when it comes to selecting PD sessions is extremely important.

7) - Have high expectations, but make sure to meet your colleagues where they are...

PD is all about helping educators so they can do a better job of helping their students, and just like students, each educator has a different ability level. When preparing PD sessions, it is crucial to remember the ability level of the audience. It's perfectly okay to have high expectations, but it won't do any good if your audience doesn't have the basic skills needed to do the more complex stuff. Focus on where your audience is, and then determine how you can help them get to where you want them to be.

8) - Learning something new can be stressful...don't forget this!

We all know someone who has left a PD session stressed and annoyed. This is either because they thought the session was worthless, or because they didn't understand what they were doing or what they need to do. When educators are learning something new during a PD session, they will need time to digest the new concept, as well as time to work with the new concept. Learning does not happen quickly, and if PD is to be effective we need to remember the struggles that are associated with learning.

9) - Acknowledge all the parties that helped to make the PD day possible...

The last PD day you attended, hosted, organized or presented at, most likely had a lot of people behind the scenes that were never recognized. Please don't forget to thank your presenters...don't forget the staff members who got the rooms set up and prepared...don't forget the people who organized the entire PD event...and lastly don't forget to thank your colleagues for being a part of the day.

10) - Be patient and focus on growing and developing your colleagues...

The road down PD lane is not always easy. There will be set backs and there will be struggles. Growth is not always a pretty process, but it's a necessary process that we need to embrace. Some educators will grow and develop faster than others, but PD is about helping all educators to grow and develop. Keep your head up and stay positive and remember what PD is all about...it's about helping educators who in turn will help students.

Also, check out the great comments on "How can we improve PD and faculty meetings?"