How to Propose a Teacher Center Course

Registering for Teacher Center Course

The VoiceThread below gives you step by step instructions on how to register for the many courses being offered at the Lansing-Groton Teacher's Center this year.

What is Twitter?

My presentation at the Groton Technology day was on social networking with a section involving Twitter and another introducing Delicious. I have included the video to help everyone understand what Twitter is so sign up and follow me (earthscienceroc) and our students while joining in the conversation. Also check out the District's Delicious account by emailing me, pwiech@groton.cnyric.org, for the password. Thanks to everyone for a great day!

Eye-Fi

Check out Eye-Fi....www.eye.fi. It's a card that goes in any digi cam and wirelessly uploads your photos to picasa, webshots, etc. Good times!

Change of Course?

We might be headed in a direction other than that in which we want to head (I think that's grammatically correct....no terminal prepositions for me!). The two workshops I've done so far (though my sample size is only five people...) have indicated to me that we need to start off at a more basic level. We see a lot of these cool techie tricks as very exciting and useful. Many teachers, though, could perceive them as threatening to their current methods, too complicated, etc. We need to couch this entire tech day in more gentle, "non-threatening" language just like Chad said. I'm going to admit -- I'm more than a little bit frightened about what the general reaction to this 1/2 day of technology is going to be. We're going to have to be very careful, but at the same time, echo the sentiments of that loverly post by Andy. Arrggg... thoughts?

Posted by Andy Yale on his Del.ic.ious....

Original post here.


Someone in a community I belong to recently said, "Why should teachers change? We are asking them to work harder, do things in a new way, unlearn the old ways of doing things, and when they do all that we have asked we do what? Tell them thanks? I know we don't give them more money. Maybe if they are really lucky we ask them to help the others who just don't seem to get it. What a reward!

I face the same problems, some jump on board and others don't, and I have started asking myself why should they change?"

Why change?

Here's why-- you change for the same reason you went into teaching in the first place. You change because what you do for a living was never just a job- but more a mission. You change because you are willing to do whatever it takes to make a significant difference in the lives of the students you teach. You change because you care deeply about kids and you know that unless you personally own these new skills and literacies you will not be able to give them to your students.

Why change? You change because of all the people in the world- teachers understand the value of being a lifelong learner. You change because you know intuitively relationships matter and you are interested in leaving a legacy to your kids-- through what you do for other's kids. You change because you understand learning is dynamic and that to not change means to quit growing.

Why change? Because you made the decision when you first became a teacher to do something that was larger than life and more meaningful than money, recognition, and status. You became a teacher because of change-- the changes in the world you wanted to make one kid at a time. You change because you want to do what is right-- simply because it *is* the right thing to do and you understand the need to model for others so they can do what is right as well. You are use to hard work and long hours. You are use to commitment with little recognition. You know what you do has lasting results.

You change because the world has changed and you know that not challenging the status quo is the riskiest thing you can do at this point. You change because you love learning and you love children and you know they need you to lead the way in this fast paced changing world and to do that you have to find your own way first. That is why you and they should change.

Photo credit:http://leadinganswers.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/03/15/monarch_stages.jpg

Two (crazy) Ideas?

So in some of my conversations with fellow teachers, two things have come up:

1. Some teachers, through no fault of their own, simply don't have the basic computer skills necessary to go on to higher-level things like geotagging, blogging, wiki-ing, etc. Perhaps we need to offer some sort of "basic" seminar on our March conference day?

2. Some teachers are using PowerPoint, but have indicated to me that they don't feel that they're using it well. Maybe a "PowerPoint Techniques" workshop would be in order. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Cheap Shots? C'mon...you know you have a cheap shot or three for me...

First TTL Workshop!

Today is the first TTL workshop in the Technology Tools Series! It's on Document Cameras and More, and will be presented in the bio lab in the high school, room 222. There's still time to sign up, so let your teacher-buddies know. Look for pictures of our crazy antics here, too.