"Creativity is contagious, pass it on." ~Albert Einstein

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Get ready for a great learning experience!  Edcamp is coming to Central Nebraska!

Maggie Mintken, Assistant Principal at Grand Island Senior High, and I had a great discussion this summer as a result of her first Edcamp experience in Omaha last spring that was organized by Josh Allen.  We recognized the need for a "workshop by educators, for educators" in Central Nebraska. We put our heads together along with Deanna Stall, Tech Integration Specialist with ESU10 in Kearney, and we have set the date for the first Edcamp in Central Nebraska.   Here are the details:
Date
Saturday, October 20th
Location
Grand Island Senior High
2124 N Lafayette
Time
Registration begins at 8:00 am
Sessions start at 9:00 am

So you might be wondering, what is an Edcamp? As educators we all have attended regular conferences with keynote speakers, breakout sessions and a grandiose vendor hall packed with all sorts of gizmos and gadgets that you can buy to take back to your classroom.  Well, an Edcamp is the complete opposite.  It is driven by the educators that are attending.  That's YOU! There is no set agenda as you arrive.  Before the first session is to begin, the session topics are created by teachers volunteering to lead sessions on something they feel others might want to learn more about.  The best part is that it is FREE!

I attended my first Edcamp two years ago and consider it one of the most powerful learning experiences I have had as an educator.  Don't take my word for it.  Here are some other educators' reviews after attending an Edcamp:






Mark the date on your calendars!  We are currently working on a website that will contain more information for Edcamp Central Nebraska.  If you are on Twitter, we will be using the hashtag #edcampcentralNE.   Tell a colleague and be sure to include your administrative team.

You will walk away from your first Edcamp with a burning desire to get back to your classroom.  I know I did!
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Monday, August 13, 2012


"A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed."
~Henrik Ibsen

As many of you might know,  I am taking the next step in my teaching career at a new school district this year.  I started a couple of weeks ago and have been busy ever since.  I will admit that my new position has left me stressed a bit, wondering how I am going to keep 100 teachers in three buildings happy.  Today, after a great meeting with an elementary teacher on how she could integrate some new tech tools into her curriculum, I was headed back to my office in the high school.  

As I was walking down the hallway I noticed a student walking down a hallway that intersected my hallway.  The student walked past, and a second later reappeared.  It caught me off guard as the student was quite a ways from me.  The student approached me, never breaking eye contact and said, "Hello, my name is 'Emily.'  Welcome to Aurora Public Schools!" while firmly shaking my hand.   After an exchange of pleasantries, I proceeded to my office thinking about the positive impression this student just left on me.  It was such a reaffirming experience for me, not mentioning the fact that it just solidified my decision to join the APS community. 

As I was walking back to my office I thought about the many conversations we have with students on a daily basis throughout the school year.   Sometimes we joke around with kids, sometimes we are serious.  It really made me think of the impressions that I have made on my students.   Was I positive?  Did I always say the right thing?  It's amazing to think that something you say to a student at school could be the only positive thing that they hear during their day. It's sad, but true. 

We as educators have the ability to leave a lasting impression in the minds of our students by the simple things that we say to them.  Likewise, as I learned today, these young students leave a lasting impression on us.  An adult (probably more than one) in this young student's life has taught and encouraged her to be respectful, confident, friendly, courageous, and kind.  As adults who have the opportunity to interact with young people daily,  I urge each of you to go out of your way tomorrow to interact with that "one" student...leave an impression!

Have a great school year!




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Monday, August 6, 2012

“Teaching students about the world is not a subject in itself, separate from other content areas, but should be an integral part of all subjects taught. We need to open global gateways and inspire students to explore beyond their national borders.” 
~Vivien Stewart, Becoming Citizens of the World, Educational Leadership

One week until school starts!  I am sure your summer "to do" list is all checked off and you are as anxious as I am for a new year.   Hopefully you explored some new tools or ideas to incorporate into your curriculum as well.  If not, I would love to challenge you to connect your classroom to the world this year.

Yes, I know it will take some time on your part (if you are an #aurorahuskies I look forward to helping you do this) to find resources and people to connect with, but isn't it worth it for your students?  

One of the easiest tools to connect your classroom to the world is Skype.  My Skype contact list has grown exponentially since I started incorporating it into my curriculum last year.  There are teachers all over the world that are looking to connect their classrooms as well.   Here are some of the ways that I have used Skype in my classroom:
  • Skype question and answer session with an App developer .  Students created a Google Document and listed questions that they wanted to ask the developer.  It was an amazing learning experience full of fascinating information.
  • World Read Aloud Day-I had readers from all over the world Skype in to read books during the day to K-5 students to promote global literacy.
  • Mystery Skypes-A very engaging, geography based question and answer session with another class. 
  • Skyped with a Park Ranger at Yellowstone-Students were amazed they were speaking to a "real" park ranger!
  • Skyped with a former student that now lives in Japan.  We learned lots of great information about the culture of Japan.
  • Skyped a student while she was on vacation in Hawaii.  She shared her experiences with us and gave us an awesome tour when it was freezing cold here in Nebraska. 
  • Skyped with partner classrooms about a Voicethread project we collaborated on pertaining to landmarks in our respective states. 
It's nothing earth shattering, but it was very engaging and authentic experience for my students.  Your students will be using this tool (if they are not already) when they are in the workforce.  Don't you think school is a great place to learn how to properly use this tool?


Skype in the Classroom is a great resource to get you started.  You can view projects that other educators have posted or even create your own.  It is so easy to use.

You have a little time left before school officially begins.  Get signed up, look for projects. Create a project.  Do something to connect your classroom to the world this year and enjoy the experience!



As the student stated in the video, "You can learn anything when your school is connected to the world."  What are you waiting for?  
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