Last week a challenge was offered to SMART Exemplary Educators to create a lesson using a specific part of the the software, SMART Learning Suite Online (SLSO). The winner would recieve a prize pack that could contain one of the stuffed plush monsters.  This was music to my very competitive ears.! Who doesn’t love winning?

I march down to the Kindergarten room where I am part of their center rotation. One day a week I work with students on a technology based lesson connected to their curriculum. Sharing this idea with the teacher, she says “I’m introducing fractions. They will be new to this, can you create something for them?” “Sure!”, I say knowing this concept will be a challenge. Only a whole, 1/2 and 1/4 is expected to be taught at this level.

Work began on creating a Rank Order activity that will teach the 5/6 year old students how to connect their number knowledge to fractions and pictures. They understand numbers and pictures and know I need to connect the two so they can take prior knowledge to new knowledge. Using Notebook software, images were created that showed the numerical form of fractions as well as their picture. After comparing the fractions to sharing cake, it began to make more sense. Using the Rank Order game, the students needed to sort the fractions from biggest to smallest. Once all  all the images were placed and clicked the ‘check responses’ box, a green or red check was shown marking their answers. Any images with a red check could be adjusted, checked again until mastery was achieved.

 

Leaving the room, the continuation of the lesson was left in the teacher’s hands. Later on that day it was connected to a Fraction Monkey website that was completed as a whole group activity. Working as a team, they shared their answers and referred to the Rank Order activity earlier in the day. The concept was making sense and the teacher was pushing them to take their newfound knowledge one step further. Paper folding activities were next on the agenda and now the technology based activities were connecting as AHA moments continued to spread like wildflower.

The final success was the individual activity. Up until this point, the students were working in a communicative and collaborative fashion on the devices and as a whole group in front of their interactive white board. The

teacher wanted one final test. She assigned them the worksheet to the left and was blown away. The students were able to successfully complete it understanding the concept. Many shared how playing the ‘game with Mrs. Kuzma’ this morning help them alot.

Later on in the day the teacher and myself discussed how the challenge evolved into so much more. “Where do I get this software? Does our county have it?” This all sounds like a typical lesson, something that effective teachers do every day. From start to finish, it was a total of 24 hours from initial game to independent worksheet.

 

Walking into a stereotypical garage or shed, you will most likely find an absurd amount of tools. The older the home owner, the more tools they will have. It might be filled with hammers, saws, nails-all types of them, ladders, and even a saw horse. That could lead you to believe that he/she may be an amateur carpenter who built the beautiful piece of furniture in their house. After some asking, you come to learn that they do in fact have a lot of tools but not sure what to do with them.

Now transfer that thought to your classroom. Take a walk around and look at all the fabulous tools you have acquired. Building blocks, molding clay, maps, technology, files of creativity from veteran educators, manipulatives, etc. Every one of them is valuable if used effectively.

Having them in your room only means you have stored some items. Students of all ages learn best by playing. Being involved with the learning process is where the connections happen. As we read articles and blogs, listen to pod casts, watch videos and even attend conferences we are given an influx of new items we ‘must use’.  Technology is constantly changing and educators are consistently told out with the old and in with the new. The issue here isn’t what is the latest and greatest but HOW are you using that tool.

As you look around your classroom, look at the tools you have and determine how they can be incorporated in your lessons. What can you do that will engage your students collaboratively? What activity will make the dinner conversation tonight?

If your class is full of technology or only has one device or IWB, do you know how to use it effectively? Take the time to ask questions, read articles and watch videos. There is so much power in  your creativity and passion for teaching so let it explode into the tools you have.

“How many of us purposefully and explicitly model the learning process for our children? How many of us stand up in front of kids and say, ‘This is what I’m learning right now.” ~George Curous ‘The Innovator’s Mindset’

What is your one word that will be your next challenge? #oneword2018 When you look back on the past 3 months, 6 months or even a year can you say how you’ve grown? Think about it. Before you know it, you’ve been teaching for a handful of years, most likely in the same grade-or even the same room. If you don’t take the time to learn, grow and achieve the goal a new way you become stale. Your excitement dwindles because it’s the same old routine and your students will see it.

If you are in a job that encourages forward thinking and growth, chances are opportunities are within walking distance. Local trainings and webinars created by fellow colleagues with tools in your district and ideas that are relevant to you are readily available. On the other side of this equation, you may need to find that growth on your own. Here are a few tips to accomplish that:

• Follow a ‘#’ from conference: #FETC, #VSTE, #ice18 or #ISTE18 as examples
  • hashtags will work on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
  • attendees are encouraged to post what they are learning and often presentations can be found online
  • join the conversation no matter where you are
• Online courses
  • NorthTIER offers a multitude of inexpensive and current courses taught by local teachers
  • Search for your favorite product and inquire about course work. Most offer 4-8 week options
• Conferences
  • Search for those that interest you.
  • A one day conference can be inexpensive and may be covered by school funds.
  • Ask colleagues in your department for recommendations
• Blogs
  • 1-2 pages focused on a theme
  • Favorites:
    • freetech4teachers
    • Edutopia
    • Ask a Teacher

 

 

 

It’s been a week since the 2017 SEE (SMART Exemplary Educator) Summit. It was a fearless week. There was so much I wanted to tell my family but didn’t know where to start. Instead of trying to put it into words I sat back and digested it like you would when you have just finished a fabulous meal with the perfect company. You can’t find the words but can savor the flavor and know that it surpassed your expectations.

 

 

 

This year I was selected to be a mentor. A mentor, by definition, is a wise and trusted counselor or teacher. This company believes in me so much that they’d give me this honor. Throughout each of the days I, along with 8 other mentors, guided, answered questions, asked the hard ones and ensured that the emotion we felt when it was time to say goodbye was understood by the attendees.

 

 

Our week began with a session led by executives who told us we were the “Best of the Best”. In teaching, a profession filled with constant evaluation, criticism and desire for improvement they told us we are enough. They shared their excitement in the upcoming week to hear our ideas, learn from us and work with us to improve the company. That’s quite a bit of information to hear on a Monday morning yet they kept repeating “We are the best of the best.” Their wishes for the week certainly came true.

 

 

 

During the next four days, our sessions were filled with executives, developers, fellow attendees and other members of the company sharing experiences, trials, obstacles and successes. When we questioned, they answered. When we challenged, they listened. When we achieved a new goal, we all celebrated. So much so that on

day 3 of this amazing week, everyone at SMART Headquarters came to the cafeteria and cheered for us as though we were famous walking down the red carpet with our names in stars lining it.

 

 

As a mentor, I realized that it was my duty to guide and encourage the 24 new Summit attendees that way any parent would. They were guided to ask the questions, share their ideas and converse with any and every employee that joined us. What other company brings their customers to their headquarters to have it criticized with the opportunity to grow?

A week later we received a survey asking us to reflect on every aspect the week, one of which was to describe the week in one word. Fearless would be my word. Fearless to apply to attend knowing the level of competition of SEEs around the world. Fearless in sharing my thoughts to help create one of the best weeks of professional development possible. Fearless in meeting new people which included those from 7 different countries. Fearless throughout the week by showing them that this company wants to improve and values our opinion. Finally, as they took their walk down the red carpet with the entire company cheering them on, I needed to be fearless as I watched them as any proud parent would. They relished in the moment and I caught it all on video.

As any effective teacher does, I evaluate my time during that week and hope I was enough. I hope my passion for this community and SMART was felt enough that they know they are the best at what they do, their voice matters and this journey has barely begun.

Stay fearless as you now have a team that is cheering you on.

 

 

 

In Virginia, the S.O.L.s are here. This is our end of the course state assessment where students prove how much they’ve learned. You may be preparing or reviewing, currently testing or celebrating the end of that 5th season. Grades 3-12 know the drill. Spend the school year prepping for it in every way possible.

What if the prep didn’t start in 3rd grade, but earlier? How do you begin to prepare? Teachers in grade K-2 will tell you their kids are too young to handle the pressure. It’s time to change that thinking and find appropriate sites for this to happen.

WEBSITE NAME	WEBSITE ADDRESS	INFORMATION ABOUT SITE
Kahoot	https://getkahoot.com	teacher created; points awarded by fast answering
Quia	https://www.quia.com	shared quizzes are free; create your own for a small annual fee
Quizizz	https://quizizz.com	sample quizzes; create your own; play against classmates
QuizStar	http://quizstar.4teachers.org/	various types of questioning formats; graded quizzes; create a class

Looking for a large list, click here to learn of paid, free, K-12, and PD.

Of course, there are always more and maybe your tried and true isn’t on my list. Not matter the tool you use, get your students involved in it. So much of today’s world is assessed via online items and the more we prepare our students and add this language to our teachings, the better prepared we are all to prove how smart we are.