Chief Learner's Thoughts
Connecting the dots between what students want, enjoy and need.
Archive for Toolbox for learning
February 11, 2009 at 2:00 pm · Filed under 21st Century Skills, Core 6, Leadership, Technology, Toolbox for learning
Last week at the State of the School, I communicated how St. Raphael is leading the way in Catholic Education in the 21st Century. This leadership came through the hard work of everyone at the school. If you missed the meeting please watch the presentation on our website.
The changes that we have made in the last few years are what propelled us to the front. As educators we researched and implemented new teaching methods, purchased new teaching and learning tools, and have worked to include the 21st Century skills by embedding them in the core subjects. Throughout this process we have expanded our focus on the spiritual development of our students.
At the middle school level we have added laptops. One goal for this addition was to improve the students writing abilities. Now the students are able to spend more time editing and improving their writing skills and less time simply recopying their rough draft. This has resulted in an increase in the understanding of and application of the English language. The laptops also allow our students to communicate their learning through a variety of methods. These skills are required in the 21st Century.
We recently added a document camera in each classroom. These cameras allow an image to be enlarged onto a screen. The image can be either 2-D or 3-D or a live demonstration. We are already seeing results in the form of improved understanding because all the students can see and hear the instructions, the students are able to display their work for class critiquing, and classroom management is improved because the students can stay in their desks to see the demonstration instead of huddling around the teacher.
Our most recent focus has been to expand on teaching the 21st Century skills to the students. We realize that it will take many hours of planning to incorporate these skills into all lessons. This work is exciting for us as we see the value in our continued improvement.
I am excited that our leadership is being recognized. In April I will be presenting at the National Catholic Education Association Convention in Anaheim. My presentation will focus on how the leadership in Catholic schools can transform schools to successfully educate students for the 21st Century.
It is an exciting time to be at St. Raphael’s Catholic School and I am proud of the work my staff has done to bring about these important changes.
November 5, 2008 at 2:42 pm · Filed under 21st Century Skills, Core 6, Technology, Toolbox for learning
The teachers cheered this morning when I completed the hookup of our fifth document camera. Why the cheer, why the sparkle in the teachers’ eyes, and why were the students equally excited? Well, let me tell you….
A document camera is a tool that allows the teacher to project an image on to a screen. The image can be from a worksheet, a book, a science specimen— anything either two- or three-dimensional. Instead of gathering all the students around the teacher to see a demonstration, the teacher can project the demonstration up on the screen so students can see it while sitting in their desks.
The addition of these tools was made possible through generous donations to “purchase something the teachers otherwise would not have” and a special rebate. The donations allowed us to purchase four document cameras, two LCD projectors, and five AV carts to support the new tools. We now have document cameras for teachers to share on each level of the school, except the basement.
The teachers are excited because this tool is very flexible. They no longer need to make a black line master and make a transparency on the copier. They simply slide the paper under the camera and it is projected up onto the screen. The teachers wasted no time in using the new tool. As the youngest students prepared to vote in the school election, their teachers projected the ballot up onto the screen. This allowed the students to easily become familiar with the format and how to indicate their presidential choice.
There are many different uses for this tool and having it available all day, each day, makes it a productive addition to a classroom. Mrs. Schulz utilized a document camera that a vendor lent us for a few weeks. Once it was gone, she realized how often she was using it and the flexibility it allowed. She was able to quickly and easily show something that added to the discussion or lesson. She really misses the daily use and is waiting patiently for her turn because the third-floor camera is currently in Mrs. Scholl’s room.
If you want to see this tool in action, I encourage you to come to the November 13 PHT meeting. Three different teachers will present how the document camera is used in their classroom and how it benefits the students.
July 10, 2008 at 10:30 am · Filed under 21st Century Skills, Leadership, NECC, Technology, Toolbox for learning
During the last three years I have learned the value of using a variety of tools to engage students in learning not just content but also the 21st century skills. Employers are looking for employees who have a different skill set then they did even ten years ago and schools need to prepare their students for this reality. To help me better understand how to do so I joined the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and attended NECC in Atlanta last summer. I was very excited to bring what I had learned in Atlanta to St. Raphael last school year and I saw how it benefited our students.
As I have learned the value of embracing the 21st century skills, I realized that many of my principal colleagues are not fully prepared to lead their schools through the changes needed to expand the teaching of the 21st century skills. During our Springfling and Techtober-fest I heard from various Archdiocesan teachers and principals their lack of training or knowledge on the 21st century skills. They expressed they felt unprepared to begin the journey their school needed. These experiences helped me to be elected to the Communications Chair position of the ISTE subgroup -Special Interest Group Administration (SIGAdmin) this past spring.
At NECC in San Antonio the newly elected chair, vice chair and I met for the first time. These two individuals and I are excited to be in the leadership role to help other administrators gain the knowledge and resources needed to make changes in their schools and districts. On Tuesday July 1, we led the SIGAdmin annual meeting. The meeting was attended by 23 of our members and we began to select the most important goals for our special interest group to accomplish in the next year. School administrators have the largest impact on the climate and learning that takes place in schools. Our special interest group is made up of over 4000 members so we know our leadership will have the opportunity to impact students all over the world. I find this exciting and look forward to working closely with other administrators who want to share their knowledge with the goal of preparing students around the world for their future.
July 8, 2008 at 11:00 am · Filed under 21st Century Skills, Core 6, Technology, Toolbox for learning
From June 29 until July 3 I was with more than 17,000 attendees at the NECC in San Antonio. This national conference is an exciting place to learn about teaching and learning in the 21st century.
As I sat through various workshops in addition to the keynote speakers I met people from all over the world who are equally excited about engaging students in the learning process. We all agree the success of students learning is keeping them engaged in the learning process. The tools available now for teachers make it easier for them to engage all students through their various learning styles.
A part of the conference includes students sharing examples of their work. These young participants were from both the United States and Mexico and were as young as nine. They confidently explained their newly acquired knowledge and the skills they used to obtain the knowledge. Many of the projects included collaboration with students in a different community or even another country. These students were proud of what they learned and I am confident they will remember what they learned long into the future because of their level of engagement. They did not learn it just for the test.
On Tuesday morning the keynote speakers were Jim Carleton and Mali Bickley from Canada. These two teachers worked together to have their students connect and collaborate with students in Africa. The Canadian students became so engaged in their learning and along the way they realized the African students had so little as compared to them. These realizations made the students want to reach out and help the African students by raising money to send to Africa to help the school. These students were so excited to help others and you could feel the pride these young Canadian students felt as they spoke about their experience.
Being a part of this conference reinforces to me that our students want to contribute to our world in a positive way at a young age. As educators we need to provide them ways in which to do so. We need to create learning opportunities that connect the content we need them to learn to meaningful ways to reach out to the world. In doing this our students will amaze us in their learning but more importantly to their passion for life.
March 4, 2008 at 7:33 am · Filed under Core 6, Technology, Toolbox for learning
This past weekend I spent time with people who are from the Greatest Generation and I listened to them complain that nothing is made in the Great United States of America anymore. They went on to say that maybe our country is not so great anymore. This made me reflect on a few things.
- First, is the number of products made in the USA a benchmark for defining great?
- Second, if it is not products what defines great?
These are two very tough questions and I firmly believe there are many answers.
As an educational leader these comments and questions make me reflect on my work. I need to be aware of the world our current students will be working in eight or more years and the skills they will need.
- Should they be prepared to “make products” or to “develop products”?
- What will these “products” look like?
- Will they be concrete items such as cars, appliances, medical equipment or will they be abstract products that will help speed communication, transform medical evaluations, or help meet the basic needs of people throughout the world?
The potential answers to these questions should be influencing what is happening in the schools.
Former Maine Governor Angus King introduced the idea of a 1:1 laptop initiative state wide in Maine. Here is his reason, ” For more than 100 years, Maine has always been in the bottom third of states- in prosperity, income, education, and opportunity for our kids. In my 30 years of working on Maine economic issues, no idea has had as much potential for leapfrogging the other states and putting Maine in a position of national leadership as this one- giving our students portable, Internet-ready computers as a basic tool for learning.”
This governor was analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of his state. The greatest economic strengths of Maine are the forests and waters, yielding wood products, water power, fisheries, and ocean commerce. Currently, the largest industry is paper manufacturing. However, since the 1980s manufacturing employment has dropped. Maine’s greatest current economic weakness is its limited access to the national transportation network that links major production and manufacturing centers with large metropolitan markets. By facing these realities, the governor took a bold stance and made a change in how things are being done in Maine so the future can look differently. This governor knew that by educating the students of Maine in a different way with different tools it would open up new paths for employment. This type of courageous leadership should be applauded.
How would our schools look if all educational leaders had courageous conversation about how to educate the students? I have attended many workshops that have told me to have these conversations:
- Will the current way of doing things maintain the quality education of your school?
- If you continue to do the same thing will your children be prepared for their future or for the current work force?
When I look at what we are doing at St. Raphael’s I know we have started having those courageous conversations and we are changing how we are doing things. The staff is dedicated on helping our students grow in their skills so they will be prepared for the future. To accomplish this we are using technology to help deliver instruction, to help students learn and demonstrate their learning. We are asking the students to work in partnerships, to look for more than one answer, and to reach out to the world beyond their classroom. We are excited that the students are embracing this challenge.
It is through this hard work and making changes that the United States of America will continue to be great. I am excited each day to be a part of an educational environment that is willing to tackle the unknown future and help prepare our students for it.
December 3, 2007 at 10:32 am · Filed under 21st Century Skills, Technology, Toolbox for learning
The other day I gave a tour to a family that is exploring schools for their son who will start kindergarten in the fall. As I gave the tour, I pointed out the ways St. Raphael’s staff works with students to help them grow and develop their academic abilities. We witnessed both small and large group instruction but it was a different program that these parents recognized as a strength.
The program is our use of technology as a teaching and learning tool. We talked at length about how we use technology to meet the needs of the individual students. As an example, I told them about Mrs. Schulz use of technology in her Charlotte’s Web unit. The students accessed online activities for each section of the book, where they completed exercises that reinforced the objectives of that section. By utilizing these resources the students were able to work at their own pace. Our strength of using technology as a teaching and learning tool, allows us to provide our students with a range of instruction and access to a greater number of resources than most small schools.
October 12, 2007 at 1:04 pm · Filed under Middle School, Technology, Toolbox for learning
As a member of the National Middle School Association, St. Raphael receives the monthly professional journal, Middle Ground. In The Family Connection part of the the October issue one topic covered was what is the best grade configuration for young adolescent students. The article has been inserted below.
2007 • Volume 12 • Number 2
Parents Want to Know …
What is the best combination of grades for a middle level school?
For elementary age children and high school age adolescents, the options are fairly limited—to elementary and high schools. But, young adolescents, ages 10 to 15, are often found in a variety of schools with different grade configurations. While research indicates there is no one best configuration, every different combination has advantages and disadvantages for young adolescents’ learning. Here are several of the most common.
- K–8 schools, where students stay together for their elementary and middle school years. Advantages: The lack of transitions from school to school and the opportunity to have a school community for nine years. Disadvantages: K–8 schools often do not have the wide range of course offerings in areas such as art, drama, foreign language, and computers.
- Separate middle level schools (whether called middle school, intermediate, or junior high school) usually include grades 5–8, 6–8, or 7–8. Advantages: These schools should be designed around the unique learning needs of 10- to 15-year-olds—active and engaging learning opportunities for all students, at least one adult who knows every young adolescent well, opportunities to explore a wide variety of both core and elective subjects, and preparation for high school that build on successful middle level practices.
- K–12, 7–12, or others. Advantages: Potentially, continuity and consistency in program and relationships. Disadvantages: When middle level and high schools are together, often the middle level becomes the “country cousin,” receiving less priority than the high school. In some instances, the high school practices, often inappropriate for young adolescents, are adopted or pushed on the middle level.
While any school with any set of grades can provide the proper environment, young adolescents deserve the same attention paid to their schooling that younger and older students receive. Whatever the grade configuration, how students are treated, the chances they have for close relationships with peers and teachers, and the opportunities they have for being engaged in high-level work are three key components in any middle level school.
As I read the article I was so pleased to reflect on the education we provide for our young adolecent students. First we offer an enriching program that includes; art, music, choir, Spanish, physical education and the core subjects of religion, science, literature, English, social studies and math. All of these subjects have technology integrated into their instruction.
To further enhance our program we have the fall musical and a variety of athletic teams along with the church youth group activites. Our teachers know the students and take a personal interest in each child and help them grow and develop.
When I give tours to potential families they are amazed of all we have to offer. What stands out to them is that we have a full range of programs that meet the educational and development needs for each age group we have in our school.
September 20, 2007 at 7:57 am · Filed under Core 6, Toolbox for learning
As the leader of St. Raphael’s Catholic School, I am dedicated to help my staff deliver an education of the highest quality. This requires all of us to make changes that will improve our educational program. We need to prepare our students to learn and work with people throughout the world. This type of education can be done through planning and the use of tools that were not readily available a few years ago.
Over the last two years we have made integrating technology into teaching and learning a priority. This change has allowed us to provide the students with the opportunity to gain the necessary skills they will need as adults. When I see the students at school I see the impact these changes have made on the development of the whole person. These differences are often small or subtle. This is fine as we are working on the foundation for the students and it is the combination of these changes that will have a long term impact. I understand that it might be more difficult for parents to see the value of this change since they are not at school each day. Even educators sometimes have a hard time explaining what they know and see daily in their work.
Recently, I was reading an article titled 8 More Reasons for Technology in Education by Arthur Virtue. He is enrolled in a masters program in instructional technology and I was intrigued by his comments. I have included an excerpt for you to read. The entire article is found here .
One member of our group, the executive assistant, asks the question “Why is technology so important in education?” After years in this grad class, we all scoffed at this question but actually failed in our attempts to give clearly defined answers. I think about this and decide to make a list for quick reference. If you are familiar with the term educational technology (using technology to enhance the teaching process), you will find little new ground here, but here goes:
- Using technology involves the student in the learning process. Students using technology become active participants in the learning process instead of passive listeners.
- Using technology eliminates most discipline problems. When the student is involved in the work, there is little time for trouble.
- Using technology allows students to take ownership of the project. When the student is empowered to find his/her own answers, the learning process becomes much more interesting.
- Using technology transforms the teacher from authority expert to facilitator. The teacher becomes more of a participant than authority expert when the students use technology to find answers online.
- Using technology is familiar to today’s students. Technology use is part of the normal learning process for students; it is in their “comfort zone” and teachers often learn new technology programs along with students.
- Using technology reduces the workload on the teacher. Technology as a tool enhances, and replaces, text, paper and pencil because students can use technology for both reference and presentation.
- Using technology allows for a smooth transition from school to work and school to college . Technology is used everywhere – in math, science, engineering, transportation, manufacturing, and every business application you can think of. From sales transactions and inventory control, to e-commerce, the uses for technology are limitless.
- Using technology allows for the free exchange of information. The widespread use of compatible word processing and graphic software programs allow information to be exchanged easier than ever before.
In the next few months keep these items in mind as you talk to your children about what they do at school each day. As you listen to their responses you may become more aware of the impact these changes have made on your child and the foundation we are building.
September 6, 2007 at 9:19 am · Filed under Technology, Toolbox for learning
Some of my staff members and students have noticed my newly chosen title. I have not explained it to them but thought this is the proper place for them to hear the answer.
As an educator I learned very early in my career that the principal does affect a school’s climate and student achievement. I have worked under some fabulous principals that have made working with them a joy. The whole school was very positive, the students enjoyed attending school and the staff worked very hard to support each other. Unfortunately not all of my experiences have been that positive. My goal as the leader of St. Raphael is to create that same type of positive and supportive school that I was fortunate enough to experience.
One way in which I work is to lead by example. I have asked my staff to grow in their skills of using technology as a tool for teaching and learning. While expecting my staff to grow in their skills and knowledge I held myself to the same standard. Just like the teachers I have shared my successes and failures. Together we celebrate all the wonderful accomplishments we have made. We also support each other when things do not go as we had hoped. I wanted to start the school year off with this message so at my staff welcome breakfast I presented my first staff development motivational movie.
Mostly, I want my staff to understand that we are all learning so that led to my title change….Chief Learner of St. Raphael.
