Explain Everything in Spanish II Class

In Spanish II, students created a postcard in Spanish that pertained to a place that they visited.  With Explain Everything's features

• Easily crop images
• Layering
• Multiple text font and size options
• Exportable as a PDF to Google Drive

the students were able to create their two slide PDF, export it to Google Drive, and share it on Canvas.  All within a 55 minute mod.

The students who were prepared simply copied their paragraph from their Google Doc app into the Explain Everything text boxes.

As a technology integration coach, I presented the features to Explain Everything for about 5-6 minutes using AirServer.  Since this learning opportunity was multiple sessions, I taught the first Explain Everything tutorial and stayed in the classroom for the entire 55 minutes.  The second time I taught the tutorial, but then left the classroom.  The third and subsequent times after that the content teacher Ms. Slusarek taught the entire lesson.  This will be the case when I am in Mrs. Van Gheem-Rottier's room tomorrow.  As the first slide of the video displays, while the instructor is focusing on the content, we have instilled an expectation of creativity which aligns with the four c's.

Flex Mod Visit From Lake Forest (Illinois) High School

Four members of the Lake Forest High School staff joined us today to discover and ask questions as they determine if the flex mod schedule is right for them.

Our schedule was filled with different professionals from our school answering questions.  Everyone who participated in the different panels was open and honest with our visitors about positives and challenges of the flex mod schedule.  Teachers truly stated more positives than challenges.

If you are interested in how the flex mod schedule works, please contact Pulaski High School.

From Subject Line To Signature: Emailing Correctly in a Professional Educational Setting

As we are in our second full month of the flex mod schedule, students continue to communicate with teachers on a variety of topics.  From missing assignments to acquiring resources, students must provide proper, professional emails.

On Thursday, our homeroom will focus on teaching students the proper way to email teachers to get fast, productive results.

The presentation provides a great video from Forbes magazine on proper business emailing techniques and a specific example of an email conversation between a student and a teacher.  Combined with discussion questions and after participating in this educational setting, students will know the correct aspects of properly writing an email to their teacher.



The motivation for this presentation can be found here.
The presentation template can be found at Slides Carnival.

Flex Mod Small Group Discussion with the Harkness Style of Discussion

For the first time, Mr. Krause, Mr. Rodal, and Ms. Krause (Mrs. Schartner) implemented aspects of the Harkness Style of discussion.  While we didn't have a large wooden table, we were able to have comfortable dialogue among a group of students ranging in number from 10 to 16.

Students focused their discussion on the interactions of the American Government with Native Americans.  Students needed to complete the discussion questions prior to small group.  The students utilized their Google Doc on their personal mobile device or on a class provided iPad.  In addition, main points of the discussion were written down by the students on a paper version.

The discussion questions completed during the conversation.  The TOR is the "Teacher of Record" and this completed sheet is turned into that teacher.

Our classroom set up.  Students used personal mobile devices or classroom iPads to access their Google Document prepared prior to the discussion time.

I was responsible for drawing the conversation path.  Each line represents a speaking opportunity from a student.  The lines are connected from person to person as they spoke.  We created a template that was created for each class.  Once students sat in a specific spot, students wrote their name prior to class.

To be fair, this was the first attempt by the teacher.  The teacher is in the top right corner with all of the lines. 

The very next mod, after reviewing the above discussion diagram, students in the next mod conducted this conversation.  The only change in this discussion would have been more teacher directed dialogue for question number 3.

Overall, having the flex mod "small group" classes provides a tremendous opportunity for a small number of students to discuss topics in an in-depth and engaging way.

Canvas: Copying Anything To Another Course or Section

It's important to remember that a teacher MUST be in the course that they want to copy something to.

Social Media Successes

At the SITA conference last week, I presented "Social Media Successes!" This presentation was all about REAL, actual successful social media classroom uses.

I used Periscope to record some features of the presentation.







I used a Slide Carnival templates.  I love the colors of yellow and black in this presentation.

Flipboard: Three of My Favorite Magazines

I've been flipping and reading and reading and flipping magazines using Flipboard for a couple of years.  In the spring of 2015, I taught our teachers about Flipboard.  Three magazines have become front runners as resources for me and other educators.

Digital Workflow
View my Flipboard Magazine.
This magazine is everything I can find on the web (via Flipboard's curation) that helps students or teachers with efficient work flow with digital tools.

Apple Ecosystem for Educators
View my Flipboard Magazine.
This magazine focuses on anything, and I do mean anything, that will help our staff and students migrate from a PC way of doing things to a Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV way of doing things.  We have a plan of being 1:1 with iPads in three years.

Flex Mod Schedule
View my Flipboard Magazine.
Our high school is truly innovating with a "Flex Mod" schedule in 2015-2016. Students will have more flexibility and responsibility to harness their educational time in high school.  This magazine contains all resources that can help with any aspect pertaining to the flex mod schedule.

Whether on the iPad, iPhone, or using a computer, Flipboard has become and incredible learning and teaching tool.

Apple Core

It's been announced that we will have an "Apple Core" training team in our school district for the first time staring this school year.  Twelve people working toward teaching other staff members in our district specific technology skills to enhance student learning.

Apple Core Technology Training Team

Engage, enhance and accelerate learning for all students with the iPad.

To accomplish our mission, your role would be to

• Become experts in using iPads for student collaboration, creation, critical thinking, content consumption, digital citizenship
• Assist staff in being effective users of iPads both personally and professionally as outlined above.  
• Help build confidence of staff in using and integrating iPad apps and content with all curriculum through instructional coaching,  training, conversations and positive attitudes.  
• Research and share best practices with technology integration and bring innovative ideas to the training team and all district staff
• Assist in training staff, specifically those whose classroom would see an increase of devices each year

Being a member of an innovative group of people will continue to challenge and stretch me so that I can learn and instruct all at the same time.  As a member of the 2013 Apple Distinguished Educator class, I'm reminded of the saying on our shirts.

"To educate, I innovate."

I believe this group will be the essence of the same people that are ADEs.  How awesome will that be!

Some of our specific tasks include.

Apple Core Team Tasks

Training

• Train PCSD staff in iPad content and websites including but not limited to
• District Apps
• iTunes U
• Integration with GAFE
• Learning Management Program
• Train staff on effective ways to integrate technology/personalize learning using the frameworks of SAMR model and 4 C’s.

Planning

• Participate in planning around the implementation of the Pulaski Digital Learning Plan
• Participate in the planning of professional development for professional staff

With this plan, our entire school district will move forward.  I look forward to the challenges that this responsibility provides.

Let's go!

2015 Lunch N' Learn Semester 2 Topics

As is my custom, at the end of each semester I provide a summary of all of the topics we introduce to our teachers.  Here's the list:

May 26: Flex Mod Blended Learning Recording Tools and Options

May 25: Flex Mod Yearly Planning Schedule (2015-2016)

May 19: Small Group Leadership & Discussion in The Flex Mod Schedule

May 12: Flex Mod - Updated Large Group Lesson Plan & Presentation Ideas

May 5: Large Group Instruction Planning In The Flex Mod Schedule

April 28: Flex Mod Digital Sign & Countdown Preparations

April 20: SMART Notebook Express

April 13: SMART Notebook New & Review

April 7: Educator's Guide To Flipboard In The Classroom

March 30: Educator's Guide To Periscope & Meerkat

March 23: Snapguide: How To Make...Tool

March 9: Facilitate Classroom Discussion Using LetsGeddit & Google Forms

February 23: Doctopus + Goobric + Google Classroom

February 13: The Sketchnote Process

February 9: iMovie: Integration Apps For The iPad

February 9: 24 Google Slides Templates You Can Use On Your iPad

February 3: Explain Everything: Integration Apps For The iPad

January 26: Recordium: Integration Apps For The iPad

Semester 1 (2014-2015)

Google Slides: Larger Area To Work