Usually teachers find support within their own PLC's in their schools, but there is great value in working with other schools as well. Ridge Road Middle School and Piedmont Middle School recently collaborated to tackle some of these questions together. What started as an informal visit turned into a rich, impromptu conversation about the real ins and outs of a successful tech program using tools such as flipped learning and electronic notebooks.
There was so much wisdom being shared that we decided to film the conversation to share with other CMS teachers. Whether you are a tech sailboat (early adopter) tugboat (who will get there eventually) or an anchor (not even reading this blog right now)*, we educators are all in the same boat: ferrying our students to the lighthouse of academic achievement!
Tech integration can take many forms. You can personalize it just as you do other aspects of your classroom. You don't have to be an expert to give it a try. How it looks for you will look like something different for your students and for other teachers at your school.
Tools and 21st century methods mentioned in the video:
- Electronic Portfolios
- Google Drive
- Gaggle
- BlendSpace
- Evernote
- AudioNotebook
- High-engagement via student-driven assignments
- Personalized Learning
- Visual Literacy
- Wikis as Portals
- Flipped and Blended Classrooms
- BYOT
- Remind 101
- 1:1
- Chromebook and Google Drive Add-ons
- Data-driven re-looping
- and more
*Boat metaphor courtesy of Travis Allen, iSchool Initiative. Thanks to Candice Simmons for the notes and to Katherine Ruffalo for the copy editing.
A facilitator at CMS' Piedmont Middle School, Lisa Gurthie holds a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Tulane University and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Social Studies Education from Brown University. Since 1989, she's taught in middle, high, college, private, public, alternative, religious, "free" schools and even the US Army. Her current school is the most joyful hub of curiousity-driven learning she's known in her 25 years as an educator.
Her interests include social media and the technological revolution, especially as it intersects with education as a vehicle for unschooling school. She adores desserts, culture, and travel (37 states and 17 countries so far). She is married to stylish supergenius and regional chief engineer Michael Gurthie and has three awesome children ages 24, 15, and 8. Connect with her on Twitter @lisgurthie.