Kentucky Connected Educators Day 8

Shannon Treece

Eminence Independent Middle/High School 

Principal

In what way (s) are you a connected educator?

Networking and collaborating are key to learning and growing as an educator.  There are many ways to become a connected educator from serving on local committees, to engaging in the principal group at my local cooperative (OVEC), but without a doubt Twitter has allowed me to grow my PLN and become a connected educator way beyond the boundaries of local networking.  Twitter has allowed me to connect and brainstorm with people all over the world, in the comfort of my home.  The obstacle of trying to research and find schools doing what you want to visually see no longer exists.  Contacts are literally 140 characters and 1 minute away from reality.  

How does being connected impact your practice? 

We are growing our mastery learning work and implementing Standards Based Grading at Eminence.  In our endeavors to achieve this we have had some questions arise and wanted to see how other schools have addressed the scenarios we were experiencing.  I reached out to Twitter and found the #SBG (Standards Based Grading) chat, participated and began making connections immediately to other schools experiencing the same scenarios.  The conversation was thought provoking and gave us other options to consider as a staff.  It also allowed me to connect with Deron Durflinger the principal of a very well known school in Iowa who just happened to be using Infinite Campus and was also implementing Standards Based Grading.  We used Google Hangout to have a conversation and both schools were able to learn from each other despite having never met formally or traveling for a site visit. That is the power of Twitter.

Another example includes a connection to a high school principal in Massachusetts by the name Patrick Larkin.  He has since moved to central office, but was implementing a 1:1 program in a high school when others were dreaming about going 1:1.  He had much experience and I was able to connect with him and determine what they found to be best practice and what was most effective in their implementation as Eminence was going 1:1.  What I learned via Twitter, would have taken a year or more to potentially learn.  

TeachMeet Events are another great way to learn about technology tools and how to use them.  It is totally an “unconference” style of event, 20 minute sessions, freedom to move in and out, relaxed atmosphere where anyone can sign up to present on the spot.  It is a great place to get ideas to share with team.  This is where I specifically learned about Flubaroo, a grading tool and how to screencast among many other tools.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?  

It makes me accountable…no reason to not know or be learning on any topic.  There is a twitter chat available for any topic imaginable in education everyday.  There is no excuse for not engaging in new 21st century learning, I want to be responsible steward of learning for those that I serve, both staff and students.  Being connected can be overwhelming too at times, I have to work hard to keep the balance.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?  

Pick a topic and time that works for you; find a twitter chat and just following along until you are comfortable joining into the conversation.  Attending a twitter chat is a unique experience that truly has the potential to revolutionize PD for educators.  It has for me and it will for you as well, given the time to experience results.   Being connected will open doors beyond what you ever imagined.   It will make you a more informed professional in a field that is rapidly changing to serve those we love the most.

Shannon Treece is a principal at Eminence Independent Schools.  

Follow her on twitter @PrincipalTreece

Kentucky Connected Educator Month Day 6

Chris Crouch

Regional Instructional Specialist/Northern Kentucky

Kentucky Department of Education   

 In what way (s) are you a connected educator?

 

I think of myself as a relative newcomer to the connected educator universe and I can’t believe that it took me this long to get here.  I consider myself a connected educator due to the fact that I’m able to utilize resources, experiences, and individuals from sources all over the world.  Sharing ideas, receiving input, refining thinking and then actually adapting my how I do my job everyday are essential to being a connected educator.  I’ve really concentrated on two areas of connecting.  I regularly participate in education Twitter chats and blog daily. 

How does being connected impact your practice?

Being involved in a larger platform for developing my practice allows me to take the best ideas from other connected educators all over the world.  One of the important skills I have learned from being connected is developing and sharing a message.  Twitter forces a concentrated effort of brevity, more is less.  Blogging has helped me refine my ideas and thoughts into coherent action steps and turn theory into practice.  My blog, has allowed me to share what has worked for me and serve as a virtual portfolio for my work. 

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

As a professional I feel that I have a duty to be abreast of the heartbeat of the profession.  Twitter and the blogosphere allow me to attend hundreds of hours of professional learning in my own way.  Accessing these types of learning opportunities, either Google hangouts or Twitter chats through a virtual conference have allowed me to focus on my weaknesses, to grow my areas of iinterest, and to participate in thelarger community of educators.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleague interested in becoming connected?

The world that exists outside of our classrooms and schools is quite large and intimidating.  My advice would be to gradually acclimate yourself to the torrent of information and thought available.  Twitter is amazing tool for educators and for creating a Professional Learning Network (PLN), but the key to building a powerful PLN is to be a good follower.  Find educators that push your thinking, have insight into complex issues, or share a common  issue or concern. Once you find these educators, follow them, retweet them, and read.  Understanding what makes one an effective contributor is important before one attempts becoming a contributor.  This process allows for a great infrastructure for a PLN. 

Also, don’t be afraid to connect with people outside of the field of education itself.  I have found that the healthcare and design industries have great implications to our work as educators and always search out ways to incorporate what works for them into my work.  

 Chris Crouch has been an educator for 14 years, all in the Northern Kentucky area.  He has taught grades 7-12 and was awarded the 2009 KCTE High School Teacher of the Year.  Chris has also worked as a consultant for Advance Kentucky, a program funded by the National Math and Science Institute, helping students across Kentucky prepare for Advanced Placement exams.  Discovering all that the connected educator universe has to offer has inspired Chris to start a blog: www.workontheworkchris365.blogspot.com and follow him on Twitter @the_explicator.

Kentucky Connected Educator Month Day 4

Laura Raganas

Technology Integration Specialist

Taylor County School District

In what ways are you a connected educator?

When I think about this question, my mind begins to race as to the many directions this could go...connected to/with students, parents, co-workers, community, and internationally.  However, with each of those, I can use the same sites, apps, and programs.  I began my journey to be connected with my teacher website years ago and would post activities, hyperlinks and my newsletter.  From there, I got a twitter account and began connecting with other teachers around the world.  Our district is performance-based which pushed me to create videos for my 4th and 5th grade math classes using the site/app Knowmia.  Those are now publicly posted and students can access them any time as a tutorial.  Since I have moved into a technology position, I have broadened my network to include Google (Drive, Apps, Hangout, etc…), Collaborize Classroom, Ky iTunesU (4th Grade Math and 5th Grade Math courses), Edmodo, Nearpod, Evernote, ISTE, KySTE, and Remind101.  (This is definitely not an exhaustive list.)  I also have a livebinder of apps at:  http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/923579

How does being connected impact your practice?

Being connected is the best and most progressive thing I have done to help facilitate my classroom.  Through the numerous connections, not only do I gain knowledge, I am able to share my findings with my students, colleagues, and others with whom I network.  

As a classroom teacher at Taylor County Elementary, I was fortunate enough to be in a 1:1 iPad situation.  Our district is also performance-based K-12 so the students would access their assignments online and progress at their own pace.  This allowed me to meet each child’s individual need(s) where they needed me most.  The students would access their assignments via Ky iTunesU or on my website and then take their tests on CIITS.

This year, I am working with all teachers K-12 in the district to help implement technology effectively.  My main focus has been at the high school level where all the teachers and students have a Google account and they collaborate through this platform.  Many of them also have a Collaborize Classroom account for their students to blog.  Others may use Ky iTunesU, Edmodo, Nearpod or Evernote.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

By being “connected”, I have access to others’ creativity and ingenuity.  On the above mentioned sites and apps, I can share with other professionals as well.  Let’s face it, in this age of technology, educators must stay current.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

I would say that you should begin with Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.   These would give you an opportunity to learn from others and share what works for you.  From there, try to create a blog and access sites such as Ky iTunesU to see how others have created online courses for students.  Finally, expand your connections in the direction that works for YOUR students and YOU -- Personalize your Learning.  

 

As a teacher, I strive to provide the best education for each child...differentiating however and whenever possible to reach each one.  I have taught 3rd grade and gifted/talented in Florida, 4th and 5th grade in Kentucky, and am now Technology Integration Specialist in the Taylor County School District. 

If you would like more information, you may contact me at: laura.raganas@taylor.kyschools.us

connect with me on Twitter @lraganas

find me (Laura Raganas) on LinkedIn

Kentucky Connected Educator Month Day 1

Donnie Piercey

Simmons Elementary
Woodford County

In what way(s) are you a connected educator?

Connected Educator Month is a celebration of teachers who figured out how the Internet can be their friend in the classroom.  The word “educator” jumps out at me, though.  All of us are teachers of students first-being connected just makes our lessons all the more awesome.  So, how am I connected? 

I tweet (@MrPiercey) to get and share ideas with other educators around the world (who I know are a whole lot more creative than I am!). I started the #KyEdChat hashtag for that reason. There are wonderful teachers here in Kentucky who understand the importance of being connected; solid educators who love sharing many of the creative things they are doing with their students. Check out all these Kentucky teachers on Twitter.

Three years ago, I created a classroom blog for my students and parents. My site is a collection of websites, resources, and videos that I use for instruction throughout the school year. If we play a game in class on our Chromebooks, I'll put a link to it on my blog, so my students can go home and play it. If we watch a great Youtube video in class, I'll embed it on my website so my students will watch it over and over again while they are at home. Why should the walls of my classroom be the place where learning stops?

Lastly, this past May I was given the opportunity to attend the Google Teacher Academy down in Sydney, Australia. Being a Google Certified Teacher is a great honor and (okay, I'll admit it) a whole lot of fun, too. It's given me the opportunity to meet some very prominent teachers; some at conference, and others through communities on Google+. The best part for me though: the 160 students who come into my classroom each day get to experience the Googley goodness, too! If you've never played around with the free Google Apps for Education, you're missing out. Sure, I'm a connected educator, but I'm connected to my students first.  

How does being connected impact your practice?

This year, Woodford County Schools is letting me pilot a 1:1 Chromebook classroom with my 4th and 5th grade students at Simmons Elementary. They’re very powerful tools that I believe can change the way teachers teach here in Kentucky.  My students each have their own Google Account which gives them access to all of the free Google Apps for Education. My big, long-term goal is to use my Chromebooks to run a virtual, paperless classroom.  I know this is a wild idea for an elementary classroom, but I’m all about dreaming big.  Here’s one way that I’m using my Chromebooks to make that dream happen:
Every day, my students take a “Flashback” using Google Forms.  Here’s a sample one from a few weeks back (click if you’d like to take it yourself).   All of their information is instantly recorded onto a spreadsheet, and this is where the really-cool-and-nerdy-teacher-stuff starts.  I learned from fellow Google Certified Teacher Jay Atwood (@jayatwood on Twitter, you should follow him!) about a quick little script called “Flubaroo”. Flubaroo grades my students’ work within a matter of seconds; it even emails my students their results!  Check out this video below to see how it works:

  Boom!  Instant Feedback.

Because he's a Google Certified Teacher and he's always looking to teach people new tools and content to improve their learning, Donnie asked Fund staff member, Renee Boss, to join him for a Google Hangout on Air.  In the video below you will find the answer to the last two questions Renee asked Donnie.  How does being connected impact you as an educator?  What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

(Note:  In his teacher as facilitator way, Donnie kept the camera on Renee for the first two minutes of the video chat, so be sure to watch the whole thing to see Donnie and to hear his thoughtful responses to the final two questions.)

Online Tools Essential for Collaobrating Across States

 Using online tools such as Google Hangout, Google Docs, WebEx, and Twitter, Kentucky teachers are showing they will do what it takes to make a collaboration project with Colorado teachers benefit their students.  As mentioned in the previous Common Assignment post, teachers are collaborating across states to create common units of study. 

While the bulk of the fall unit preparation was completed face-to-face in Seattle over the summer, teachers are currently refining and revising the units of study now that they have met their students and have a better understanding of what each student needs to be successful.  Anyone who has ever been a teacher will tell you, your work doesn't end when the final bell rings at the end of each day.  Kentucky and Colorado teachers are collaborating after school hours and even on the weekends to make this project a success.  According to English teacher, Sherri McPherson, the benefit of this collaborative project is the team of teachers from two states teaching at the same time and making adjustments based on feedback they provide to each other.  They are in this work together with "no lone wolves."

Lafayette High English Teacher, Sherri McPherson, collaborating online Sunday afternoon