Wrestling 101 -21st

I am in the midst of planning, thinking and dreaming about what the new year will bring to SJLS!  How we can move toward what a 21st Century school looks like - philosophically, pedological, and what it means to be a leader of one.  The leader issue is definitely the challenge.  Moving from "here to there" hinges on my ability to guide, support, and direct a greater capacity to nurture growth.
I ran across this graphic through a social network of technology instructors - this one from MT @4444Charlie. It is a basic understanding that no matter what we can do with devices, it is driven by the big ideas in learning.  This is what keeps me up at night. :).
I have had several conversations lately about "how long are you going to do this?" referring to staying in educational ministry.  Several of my friends, family and associates are making the jump to retirement or making plans to do so. This concept alone has me energized to keep learning and trying to pass knowledge on to my staff and others.  My quest frustrates me because in am now in a place with the financial resources to make it happen, without the knowledge resource to guide decision-making.  Until the calvary rides in to the rescue with greater understanding, I will keep wrestling.

Back to Yosemite

 

Just a week ago I along with our 7th grade science teacher organized a 7th grade class trip to Yosemite National Park.  It was a long process of convincing parents and students that this adventure was well worth the effort of organizing it and making it happen.  Back in 1987 I put together my first 8th grade overnight class trip to Grand Canyon National Park.  This was back in our MLS Phoenix days when very few of the kids in the class had actually visited GC.  Since those early days, the trip has been experienced with students in San Diego, St. Louis and now Bakersfield.
We had our share of adventures.  Biking from the valley to Bridalveil Falls was more work than I needed on a beach "one speed" cruiser bike.  The hour downpour at Mirror Lake not only soaked us, but we were welcomed back to our campsites with flooded tents.   At this point, I would have been easy to pack it all up and head home.  The Housekeeping Camp laundry mat was an easy way to dry out sleeping bags and clothing.
Through this experience the kids learned about resiliency and perseverance. They pulled together and worked as a team to cook, tent, care for and encourage one another.  Throw in a couple awesome hikes and overflowing waterfalls and you have a good week.  I'm thankful to have the chance to sharing this love of nature with a bunch of kids from the inland valley.  God was gracious in providing us a wonderful classroom to experience his creation firsthand.  Though this experience takes alot of experience and work to do well, it creates memories that the kids never forget.

Preferred Future

 
This past week our staff at SJLS had a visit from the WASC/NLSA committee on our campus.  They were made up of two public school administrators and two Lutheran school administrators.  There is always tension when you add something "big" to your normal crazy life.   Their four day presence was a blessing in the story of our school.  Our action plan has four key initiatives:

1. Develop a philosophy and educational plan for effective implmentation of technology into the instructional process.  Included is this is an effective staff development plan to sustain successful integration by staff.
2. Implement a greater variety of assessments - both formative and summative that meet the needs of the variety of learning styles in each classroom.
3. Provide for administrative time to effectively manage school growth and the instructional program of the staff.
4. Make strategic decisions regarding enrollment policies, facilities expansion and management of resources to sustain the potential growth and development of a quality learning environment for students.
Each component of this plan has additional steps that specify the objectives that will help accomplish these bigger goals. Of course, these goals provide a blueprint for change and initiative that will push us beyond a few years well into the future.

What a great list!  I am so encouraged to walk through this process and provide leadership to our community in order to make this happen.   A big impressive point is that through the visit and the reading of our report, the visiting committee did not identify any impediments to the school improvement process.  That statement is a first in all my years of walking down the accreditation process.  I am thankful for the chance to help drive the bus during this chapter in the school's history.

What's Up? Not much really!

My life as a neophyte social networker may be about done.  :)
I recently spent the past 40 days without  daily multiple feedings of Facebook.  Yup - that means I gave it up for Lent.  I usually spend those forty days prior to Easter replacing a daily habit I enjoy with time to remember what my Savior has done for me on that Good Friday.   It is getting harder to think of daily activities or habits that can be replaced.  For me, Facebook seemed the appropriate item.  Whenever I made the journey into my social world, I would replace it with prayer or Bible reading through Luke - which we are currently studying at church.  A couple observations when I considered the change

• Most of my network was very connected to my previous school and ministry.  I would find myself engaged mentally with the lives of my "former life."   I am not sure that was all a good thing for me.  I have "moved on" in more ways than one.  
• I realized that I did not miss the editorial critique, self-serving announcements or witty comments that cry out, "look at me!".

So I'm considering hanging up my FB account and spend more time in  Google+ and igoole.   There is SO much out there that is substantive in nature and edifying.    You may have already figured that out,  but I am still trying to learn my way around the world of 2.0.  In reality, I was thankful for an opportunity to swap my own self-professed need for networking with folks I may never see again with a time set to connect with my loving Father.   Thanks for Lent. Thanks for the cross.  Thanks for Easter!

back and shakin!

 

It's been a couple weeks since I returned from the IPad conference in Watsonville, CA.  It was mind-opening to me!  I went with some preconceived ideas about the role IPads would play in education.  Some were ... yes "were"...
     Laptops were the ticket in education.  Windows OS, productivity software, media savy, controls on content, software management, keyboards, locked machines.  Plus all the steps you have to go through to email, download, dropbox information from student to teacher or lesson to pupil. Security and lack of "control" over student tablets, managing all the devices through the Apple world.
Following my visit, most of these data points for me are not longer valid. Here's why...

• My world of usable apps were greatly expanded - more practical and ease of use was a huge for me. The exposure to applications for education was very engaging.
• Educational publishers will make more textbooks available to schools in the next few years.  
• Battery life is 4-5 times the length of a laptop.
• Access to technology and internet is a finger poke away!
• Apple TV application through a hdmi cable and projector or tv

However, with all this being said, the ability to flip the classroom and engage students in the learning process is dynamic!  So what have I done since...
We had just purchased 25 Ipads to use in K-1 classrooms so that teachers could use them in with a "center" approach to daily instruction. We were already moving down the path for using it as a digital learning device for math and reading.  Those tablets are loaded and ready for deployment.  I even purchased a MacBook to help with specific configuration of the tablets. 
I bought an Apple TV sensor and tried it out on a tv on campus.  Pretty cool... Considering how to best deploy this with a teacher and Ipad.
I realized we did not have the expertise between myself and current technology teacher to implement and manage these new tools, so asked our contemporary worship leader to help out with this.  He is an Apple disciple and has invested time and talent in learning how to make this work.  A talented parent who is part of a technology class needed a  project to work on and she is loading all the apps on the pads for us.  
I sit back and simply marvel.  I can't wait for kids to engage in the learning curve with tools that most already know how to operate.
Not sure what the future holds... still mulling, talking, sharing, thinking and collaborating about tomorrow.  Being a student is invigorating! :)

Viewpoint 2013

Welcome to 2013!

I was reflecting how life has changed in just the past 13 years.  If my memory serves me well, I think I was still "instant messaging" (IM-ing) with my son who was in college and thinking that was a very cool communication process.  Quite an upgrade from the "collect phone call" system in the college dorm that I occasionally used with my family back in the 1970's.   This afternoon my K-2 staff will "Facetime" live on an Ipad with first grade teachers in Ellisville, MO about a leveled reading program we will soon use. The funny thing is, that through practice process connecting the Ipad and Smartboard, the other teachers learned some new applications that they didn't know was available!   Isn't this an awesome application to a professional learning network.  The give and take of conversation and discovery makes adult learners model what directly  apply to their primary classrooms.
We are preparing to use Ipads in our K-1 classrooms and learning about the Apple volume purchase process and naming  Ipads.   What a kick - we've already made some major mistakes that need some tech help from Apple.  This week we hosted a Kindergarten information night in which a couple teachers shared that they were excited about using Ipads with their students.  I had an email today from a parent asking if they could buy a couple more for us.  The learning excitement is infectious whether you are a student, teacher or a parent.
Tomorrow, I am heading out to a two-day Ipad conference in which I''ll have the chance to learn how another school uses Ipads as a 1-1 learning tool with all their students.  This is sop in some places, but before SJLS ventures too far, I am engaging myself in the learning curve. 
My take-away... I'm learning something new every day!  More than I've been accountable to in my new role without a true tech coordinator.  For the time being, I've got to pioneer these new initiatives and work around our system to make things work. I've got a great staff that is being open to these new ideas.  I continue to tell them how thankful I am that they tolerate me :).  I'm also so proud of the team of teachers I left behind at SJLS, Ellisville.  They are helping shape a school a thousand miles away!  Who would have thought that the key to effective instruction lies with teachers being willing to be students and learn!

Christmas Conspiracy 2012

The countdown has begun for Christmas - 21 days to go.
My grown up kids have asked through my wife, "what do I want for Christmas?"  What does my list look like?  I guess when you get my age, you probably have collected all the "stuff" you really need...  screwdrivers, drills, saws, hammers, a tv, music access, phone, computer... and in the clothes department I'm kind of a minimalist.  This past year in moving to CA, I bought more short sleeve shirts than I have in years.  In about three weeks, I'll be sitting in Florida with my four kids and with my grandaughter as we celebrate her first Christmas!  Wowsers! What more could I possibly need besides that!  Family!
The folks behind "Advent Conspiracy" have it and I wholeheartedly support the premise of turning Christmas upside down! 
I loved the thought substituting compassion for consumption. The thing is, I think its catching on!  Thankfully so.  More acts of "random kindness" are popping up all over Christendom!   I love the four values of AC - Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love all!   How impactful are those phrases!  I encourage you all to reflect on what is important in your lives and your true values and put energy into those during these four weeks of preparation.  I wish I could gather all those "happy few" folks and celebrate Christ's birth with worship, good conversation, good food and make some great memories.  Until that reunion in heaven, I'll have to make all that happen with my family. Check out the website  www.adventconspiracy.org.  Take a piece to make your Christmas one to remember.  I promise I will.