SMART Exemplary Educator 2014 Global Summit Day #2--Reflections

Today's Theme:  It Takes a Teacher to Start an Education Revolution

SMART's Greg Estell, President, Education kicked off the Summit at SMART Headquarters.  We began by recognizing the 78 educators and the countries they represent.

Greg shared that today,

“A brand is no longer what a company tells the consumer it is.  It’s what consumers tell each other it is.” and that is one reason SMART is so interested in what we as educators have to say.

In the education division at SMART there are three themes that help guide their work--Education Comes First, Freedom to Learn, Device Independence.  Any device going into the classroom needs to enable students the freedom to learn.

In the Executive Briefing Center I visited the SMART Collaborative Classroom and had the opportunity to try out a variety of SMART products. I fell in love with the new SMART Table. It blows the previous version out of the water. I also had the opportunity to try out the interactive projector. I was amazed how well it worked. In the Collaborative Classroom it was being projected on to a piece of counter-top that was mounted on the wall.

From the Collaborative Classroom I traveled to the large board room, where I attended a demonstration of SMART AMP. This cloud-based software truly will allow device independence while allowing groups of students to collaborate. The software works on the Google Apps for Education platform and is extremely easy to set up and to begin sharing with students. I like the fact that I can share with each individual student or that I can share with groups of students. The fact that it automatically saves in my Google Drive (and doesn't take up any of my Google Drive space), is an added advantage. Anxious to try SMART AMP in my classroom this coming year and looking forward to seeing SMART AMP grow.

After lunch Heather Lamb, dug into some of the features in SMART Notebook 14. She began by sharing the impact of SMART Notebook in the classroom. When a child can touch it, feel it, own it...they can learn it. That is the heart of SMART Notebook interactive software. She also shared this video to remind us about not interfering with a student's creativity. Does there always need to be a right answer? As Heather showed us the SMART Response VE Concept Mapping and Word Cloud Widgets from the SMART Exchange, I immediately began to think about how I could use these in my first grade computer class, as well as my high school business classes.

SMART Exemplary Educator Sherri Desseau from Tacoma, Washington, shared how she worked with her school district's special education population to effectively use SMART Tables. The stories she shared were very inspiring. I know a special student back home that I would like to see using one of our SMART Tables.

Our long day concluded with SMART Program Manager Eric Harper who facilitated a discussion about SMART Notebook 2014 and what the future holds. Sorry folks, but that is confidential information and I can't share it with you, but I know you will be as happy as I am about the future of SMART Notebook.

The first day at SMART Headquarters was action packed and full of lots of great information. I'm already planning on how to implement some of the features I learned about today. Looking forward to another great day of learning and sharing tomorrow.

SMART Exemplary Educator 2014 Global Summit--Day 1

I arrived in Calgary for the SMART Exemplary Educator 2014 Global Summit.  It was great meeting up with SEE's that I met two years ago at the airport, as well as meeting some new SEEs.  I quickly got settled into my room at Hotel Alma and headed up to the 7th floor for the Welcome Reception and Dinner.  It was great to reconnect with SEEs I met two years ago, and to meet many new SEEs.

After dinner, education advocate Richard Gerver delivered an inspiration keynote. (www.richardgerver.com)

Here are some of Richard's thoughts:

Live a little, learn a little, laugh a lot.

Instead of emphasizing test preparation we should instead focus on actual skills, interpersonal skills, and how to adapt to change. Students need to see why what they are learning and doing is important now, not that it might be important some time in their lives.

He challenged us with the following:

Clarity--What do you stand for?  In education, what do we stand for?

Coherence--Internal/External--Your behavior inside and outside of the classroom should demonstrate what you stand for, and it is important that everyone is on board, not just 90%.

Leadership--symbolizes the best values

We need to brand education, just as a business brands a product.

As educators we need to get out more.  We spend too much time "on the job" and not enough time out in the real world, learning and growing.  We need to keep our creative spark alive.

I'm looking forward to this week at SMART.  I want to live a little, learn a little, laugh a lot, and with the help of the other SMART Exemplary Educators grow. 

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Putting All the Pieces Together

I recently completed my SMART Certified Lesson Developer certification through SMART Learning Space.  I have been using SMART products for the past 8 years, and picked up lots of tips and tricks during that time.  However, it was until I completed the SMART Lesson Development Workshop (Intermediate and Advanced) courses, that I learned how to tie all of the pieces together to create a complete all inclusive lesson.  This course taught me how to use my SMART board for whole group instruction, small group instruction, and independent student learning.  I also learned how to include SMART Response questions for formative assessments during the lessons.  These formative assessments allow me to guide my instruction.  By using the SMART Response, I am also able to collect data, so that I can individualize my instruction to meet the needs of my students.

Now when I sit down to think about the lessons that I will develop for my classroom, I no longer just design whole group SMART board lessons to introduce topics to my students, I design a complete lesson to meet the needs of all my students.

Even though I've been using SMART products for years, it was the courses that I took through my SMART Certified Lesson Developer certification that helped tie all the pieces together for me.  Check out SMART's Training Course Catalog.  I highly recommend their courses.

You can find several of my lessons on the SMART Exchange.

Collaborative Learning a Changing World

After viewing the SMART's video Collaborative Learning a Changing World.  I am just in awe of where technology is taking education.  As technology continues to advance, today's students will no longer be confined to the four walls of the classroom.  Our students will need to be able to live and work in a global economy and I can't think of a better way to be prepared then through worldwide collaborative learning.

In order for this to become a reality it is important for teachers to do the following:

1. Continue to learn--learning never ends and the more today's teacher can stay on top of technology advances the easier it will be to properly integrate it into the classroom.
2. Develop a worldwide social network to begin to develop relationships so that when the opportunity to collaborate outside of your classroom arises you have the relationships already established.
3. Fight for funding.  Let your district know how you integrate technology in your classroom and how you will be able to expand the learning opportunities for your students.  Check out any and all grant opportunities....where there is a will there is a way.

The world is changing and with technology teachers have a great opportunity to enhance and broaden the educational opportunities for their students.

Let the Fire Burn

In two days, the school year will begin. My position of K-12 Technology Integrator has been made permanent. As I begin year two, I reflect back on last year.

I didn’t know what to expect last year. The talk of technology integration across the district, had never been talked about by the administration. Technology use in the district was just a little spark.
I knew it would not be an easy task, but was eager to begin working with the teachers that I had met during my summer staff development workshop. They of course were the first to contact me for help, and were eager to learn how to integrate technology into their curriculum.

Housing my office in our K-1 building was also a great idea. The Kindergarten and first grade teachers were craving technology, but nobody had ever spent time with them. They really didn’t know what they didn’t know. Even the principal at that building began a blog to keep her parents informed of the happenings in the building.

Little by little, word began to spread and I began to meet and work with great teachers throughout the district. A spark had turned into a flame and the fire is now lit.

Fortunately the high school was a recipient of the Classrooms for the Future grant and appointed Aly as the CFF coach. Aly has become a big supporter and an ally. Aly helped add fuel to the fire. When things are not working, or not going the way they should be, I can always count her to help get things moving in the right direction.

Aly and I had the privilege of adding fuel to the fire this summer through technology staff development workshops. We had a great group of teachers coming in to learn about Moodle, wikis, digital cameras, Web 2.0, and podcasting. Many of our teachers are pumped and ready for the school year. They have a new understanding of what technology is out there, and how it can seamlessly be integrated into their curriculum.

I am also excited to begin year two of my journey through education with technology. I had the pleasure of attending the KTI Summit at Bucknell this summer. I learned some great new tools, met lots of great Pennsylvania teachers, and have made some great contacts with people who are willing to collaborate.

Hopefully by the end of the year we will have a blazing inferno that can’t be put out!

Yes! Kindergarten Students Can Use Technology!

There only in school for 1/2 a day and really not even a 1/2 day. With all they need to learn, is there room for technology? So many people believe that we should not waste time having Kindergarten students use technology. Well I totally disagree. This week I have had the opportunity to work with the youngest students in my district and they were so excited to be using the technology. First, a class of kindergarten students are writing a book about animals that they each selected. They wanted to find some simple facts about their animals to include in their writing. Their teacher brought them to the computer lab and they were able to use web sites that I had previously bookmarked to find and print facts about their animals. Yes, they weren't really doing the searching, but they were using literacy skills because they had to find their animals from lists of animals on the websites I provided. In addition, they will need to read the facts and incorporate them into their reports. In addition, they needed to use listening skills, and basic computer skills(click, double click, maximize windows, minimize windows and access the print command) in order to get the information they needed. While they waited for their information to print many of them spent time exploring other animals. They were truly engaged in the activity and I can't wait to read their book when they are finished.

The second activity involved the wedding of the Letter Q and U. Our Kindergarten teacher conducts a mock wedding, complete with food (UTZ potato chips and Queen of Heart Strawberry or Cherry Tarts), and dancing at the reception. I took our digital camera kit into the classroom and allowed the students to photograph the wedding and reception. Their eyes lit up when I gave them the cameras, and yes, I had to delete lots of shoes, floors and people missing heads, but they were able to capture the ceremony, reception and dancing. We are in the process of putting Mr. and Mrs. QU's wedding album together. Let's face it, this is the world these children, while they are only 5 have grown-up in and it is time that it becomes part of their daily school life.

The Kindergarten, Transition and First Grader's Voted!

I know it has been a while since I've posted, but this journey through technology has been a wild ride. Teachers within the district are slowly beginning to see how computers and technology can be a learning tool to enhance instruction and student learning. I feel the biggest building that I have had an impact on is our K-1 building. The teachers in this building are thirsty for technology and I love to sit and talk and share with them.

Because today was the primary election in Pennsylvania our principal decided it would be a great day to conduct an election in the building. Yesterday, she read five books to the students and handed out bookmarks with the five book covers on them. The students were to take the bookmarks home and discuss the books with their parents and then decide on their favorite book. To help tabulate the votes, and to give the students a more realistic way of voting, I created a Google form using a Google spreadsheet, and the students came to the computer lab to cast their votes. To assist the Kindergarten students, many of the first grade classes were partnered with a kindergarten student. After I led the first graders through the voting process, they cast their vote and traded places with the kindergarten student. The first graders were then responsible to help the kindergarten students complete the voting process.

What an experience: 1. To see the students participating in the democratic process by voting.
2. To see 1st grade students take on the serious role of making sure that the kindergarten students were able to cast their votes. 3. To see kindergarten students truly thankful for the help their 1st grade buddies provided.

After the students voted, I even gave them an "I VOTED" sticker complete with our school mascot on. The teachers were thrilled to participate in this exercise, it was short, simple, but tied technology and the computer classroom to the real world!

What a great day! Tomorrow, the teachers will share graphs of the voting results with their students, as they begin to analyze the results by school and by individual class.