My Learning Journey

How We Rolled Out 1,000+ MBAs in 7 Days

2012-01-18T20:52:00.001-05:00

I took a look at my blog this weekend and noticed I had not written anything since December 22! This seems like a life time ago!

It wasn't like I didn't have anything going on...oh, just my 4th rollout in a year and a half! ;) First it was MacBooks for LS faculty in 3/2011, next iPads for LS faculty in 6/2011, then iPads for students in 9/2011, and finally MacBook Airs for LS faculty in 1/2011.

So why another rollout...You see in a matter of about 2 1/2 months we decided that we were going to swap out our MacBooks for MacBook Airs...that would be all students, faculty, and staff...roughly 1,000 machines!

What's even more impressive is that we accomplished the rollout in about 7 days! So, how does one accomplish this monumental task? Here is a look back at what went into the process...

Early November

Fly to Georgia and visit GAC

Late November

Meet with Apple rep and order hardware
Start drafting a timeline for the rollout
Inform faculty/staff/parents/students of upcoming rollout
Work on image

Early/Late December

Test and finalize image
Send image to imaging company
Machines imaged over winter break

Early January

Receive hardware shipment
Finalize timeline/process/procedure of rollout
Rollout...

Plan out who is going to be on each campus.

Accept delivery and unpack all the MBAs.

That's a lot of MBAs!

Stack and count student MBAs...that would be by 5s.

Stack and count teacher MBAs.

Testting the image.

Loving the boxes.

Making sure the numbers were right.

Move 335 11" MBAs to East Campus.

Move 114 13" MBAs to East Campus.

Make plans for day 1 of roll out.

Plan what should be at each table.

Cross off each list when set up.

Last minute To Dos...

Directions for sign in table.

Post signup form...excited teachers!

Take picture of what needs to be returned and label using Skitch app.

Take picture and label how to bundle cables without dock.

Take picture and label how to plug cables into new MBA.

Arrange and set up Sign In Table.

Set up Phase 1 Table.

Set up Phase 2 Table.

Set up Phase 3 Table.

Sign In Table in action...
Takeblue tape and Sharpie. Write your first and last name on the tape. Put tape oncomputer. (See picture)
Takea Faculty/Staff 2012 Roll Out Checklist and complete the top portion. (Seesample)
Takechecklist, labeled MacBook, Sleeve, Power Cable, Doc and Doc Power Cable toPhase 1 Table.

Phase 2 in action...

Assign New Machine, Name Computer

Run Quick Add 2012, Update JSS inventory

New computer bags for everyone!

Phase 3 in action...
Create account/Set account as a local admin, Login as userConfigure Outlook, Label Power Charger (staff label power charger with name)Collect completed checklist form, Cross Employee off of Master ListDirect staff to instructions for transferring data

Things to Know Document and labels...

Clean Room

Move furniture back...AND we are done!

So...just like that you too can rollout 1,000 MacBook Airs! In all seriousness...it took a lot of teamwork, some creative problem solving, and amazing leadership to accomplish all that we have this year!

Thankful Thursday - Lobstah Truck Style

2011-12-22T13:53:00.001-05:00

Today I am thankful for heading on a little adventure with my friend Leslie! We have been talking about lobster rolls and making a visit to the Lobster Truck all summer. Sadly, we never made UNTIL... today! Yes, we FINALLY made it! We enjoyed a nice, relaxing hour long lunch in the park. Chatting...breathing in the fresh, winter air...AND enjoying our lostah rolls! Not bad, for a Thursday afternoon in December!

We made it!

LOVE how cute it is!

Waiting in line with everyone else.

Almost there....what to get, what to get!

Went with the original meal.

Can you say DEE-LISH!

Cute little statue in the park.

Loving the down time of winter break...

Loving Pinterest

2011-12-20T10:16:00.001-05:00

I was going through my Google Reader this morning and came across this post by Kristen about a great list of educational apps on Pinterest. Pinterest is all abuzz right now with people sharing and pinning all the things they love. I have seen it all over my rss feeds from DIY blogers, but never thought of it as a way to share apps. Kuddos to Dan Callahan for a great idea!

So...thanks Dan and Kristen for shedding some new light on my Pinterest curiosity! I think I may be sitting here a bit longer as I pin all the apps I have on my iPad and the ones we are using for our 1:1 iPad program at FHS.

Thankful Thursday - Toys for Tots

2011-12-15T13:54:00.000-05:00

Can't believe a whole week has flown by and another Thursday is here! Maybe it is harder to believe that I have not blogged in a whole week after blogging every day for a month!

Anyway...this week I am thankful for organizations like Toys for Tots. Last weekend I had the opportunity to participate in a service project helping prepare gift bags for needy children. To be honest, I did not know too much about the organization, but what better way to learn more about it - than spend a morning doing service for them! I met some really great people, learned more about the organization Volunteer Fairfax, and most importantly learned about Toys for Tots goal (which I love)...

The primary goal of the Foundation is the same as that of the overall Toys for Tots Program: i.e. – to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them into becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.

What's not to love... an organization that helps to make a happy Christmas for those children who may otherwise have not received anything. I know, I know... the holidays are not all about the toys, but for some kids this may be all that they have...

I did learn that there are MANY generous people out there. A lot of the donations that we unpacked and sorted were for children ages 0-11...not too many things for the teenage children. I guess we forget that teenagers appreciate fun things too. So..if you are thinking about making a donation this holiday season, consider donating something for a teen boy or girl and give to Toys for Tots.

Lots of Toys to Choose From

Bike Donations

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.
- Thornton Wilder

Thankful Thursday

2011-12-08T20:13:00.001-05:00

Photo (cc) César Poyatos

Today I am thankful for winter breaks...

Looking forward to some down time with family and friends.

Reading, watching movies, having coffee dates, and just doing nothing...

Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering. ~Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A.A. Milne

Love What You Do, Do What You Love

2011-12-07T18:53:00.001-05:00

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ~Confucius

For those in the field of education, we go to a school every day. For some it may be a job...for others it is work. For me, it is a place that I look forward to going...day after day. The energy, spirit, learning, and sense of community are so inspiring to me...

Here is an example of some of the great teaching and learning at Flint Hill School and why I LOVE what I do...

One of my second grade teachers created this lesson on creating pictographs using the Keynote, PS Express, and camera apps. The best part of the lesson...supporting and watching this teacher shine! She is a poster child for my support model of - I teach, you watch...I teach, you support...You teach, I support...You teach, I watch. She did one amazing job, and I was one proud mama bear!

Not too many people can say they love what they do...Fortunately for me, I have found a school that I LOVE going to each and every day!

Thankful Thursday

2011-12-01T14:38:00.001-05:00

Today I am thankful for my husband who has a passion for amphibians, specifically toads. He has taught me how to love our 8 little, bumpy friends. Here is a video of "Harriet" looking for some dinner on her way to bed. Hope you enjoy the 48 second clip...

NaBloPoMo = The End

2011-11-30T19:05:00.001-05:00

Photo (cc) michellerle

Today is the last day of November...which means it's also the last day of NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month! I really can't believe that I made it, well not exactly...but almost! I feel like I need to have a little party for myself!

As mentioned before, I have learned so much from this experience...

One thing I know for sure is that as we move into December, I hope to take the lessons learned and continue with regular postings...

The Choices We Make

2011-11-29T18:46:00.001-05:00

This amazing TEDx Talk by Amy Purdy is inspirational, powerful, and heart warming. The raw emotion she showed was so genuine and pure. She explains that the choices we make determine how are lives will be, not by what happens to us. She says you have two options when faced with hardships...

Let it beat you down OR get creative and discover a way to use it to your advantage.

Imagination allows us to break down borders, to move beyond our circumstances, to create and constantly progress.

The next time I am feeling defeated about things that are happening in my life, I will watch Amy's talk and remember to NOT let it beat me down, but rather get creative and choose to take whatever it may be as a learning experience.

iPad App Goes Viral

2011-11-28T18:33:00.001-05:00

Book Creator has gone viral in the Lower School! Currently students in grades K-2 are all writing stories using Book Creator. I am so excited with how my teachers and students have taken to this fabulous app!

Prior to using the app, I taught a 30-45 minute guided discovery with each class. Below is an example of a kindergarten student who created a book in about 2, 30 minute sessions...one being the guided discovery that I did with his class and the other during an indoor recess time! Imagine that...students choosing to write/create during recess!

What I thought was even cooler...was how he incorporated 2 additional apps to create and edit his pictures. First, he added pictures from his camera roll. Next, he created the rainy/rainbow pictures using the CHALK_BOARD app. Then, he took screen shots of his drawings. Finally, he used the PS Express app to rotate the rainy/rainbow pictures...saved them and then inserted into his final page...pretty amazing for a kindergartener!

The icing on the cake...seeing his reaction when he shared his book to me via email and then iBooks...now, that was priceless!

...have I mentioned lately just how much I LOVE what I do!

(I am sure that all the elementary teachers out there can translate his writing. For everyone else...see the captions)

Cover

Leaves come from Maple trees and Oak trees
Turkeys are not fast runners, but the skinny ones are.

Lego people are delicate.
Plants need water to grow and the sun.

Rainbows come after rainy days.

The Home Stretch

2011-11-27T15:54:00.001-05:00

Photo (cc) Anne

It's hard to believe that 27 days ago Andrew from TieandJeans suggested doing a 30 day blogging challenge....I anxiously agreed, not knowing if I could do it. 3 weeks and 6 days later...I have made the turn and am heading into the home stretch! I did it... AND there actually may be hope for me as a blogger! Here is a reflection of my blogging journey and a few things that I have learned along the way...

Blogging is enjoyable, when you have things to write about.

It's a challenge on Friday nights when you want to come home from work and crash on the couch.

Having a few posts in draft form would help with my Friday night frustrations.

Making a list of blogging topics is an essential tool for me...I often think of things to blog about on my drive home...if I don't write them down, I forget about them (well...maybe not write them down WHILE I am driving).

Some of my posts that were posted out of desperation for making a post that day were TED Talks, pictures, or quotes...funny thing...some of those posts generated a lot of traffic.

Learning to move beyond my embarrassment and fear of writing. As Seth Godin says...

Just write poorly. Continue to write poorly, in public, until you can write better.

Reading blogs, LOTS of blogs has helped me in my blogging journey.

I don't blog for others, but for my learning...although, it is cool to look at the stats and to receive a comment or two.

I often say that I don't articulate my thoughts well...I have learned to just write how I talk and eventually I will find my voice.

By blogging, I am modeling to my teachers who may be interested in blogging.

I am setting a good example to my students on how to have a positive digital footprint.

I have more posts in one month than I have had in two years...this is exciting, people!

I was not 100% on my 30 days = 30 posts...I missed 3 days...I still think this is a major accomplishment!

Starting this 30 day challenge has me thinking of other 30 day challenges I can start.

I was able to accomplish this goal because I believed in myself.

As I come to the end of my 30 day challenge...I may not write a post a day, but I KNOW I WILL continue down this blogging path...A special thank you to Andrew for pushing me out of my comfort zone!

Dare to believe - because believing makes it so.

- Beth Mende Conny

Holiday Movie Series

2011-11-26T16:54:00.001-05:00

I LOVE this time of year...decorating, baking, celebrating, traditions, and giving. One of my favorite holiday traditions is watching seasonal movies. Today I started the holiday movie series with Love Actually (2003). It is a British romantic comedy about different aspects of love told through ten separate stories. A must see for the holiday season!

Here are a few more that I will be watching over the next month...

Planes Trains and Automobiles (1987)

A Christmas Story (1983)

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Die Hard (1988)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-24T10:59:00.001-05:00

I think Seth Godin says it best...

A great way to give thanks...

for the privileges we've got is to do important work.
Your job, your internet access, your education, your role in a civilized society... all of them are a platform, a chance to do art, a way for you to give back and to honor those that enabled you to get to this point.
For every person reading this there are a thousand people (literally a thousand) in underprivileged nations and situations that would love to have your slot. Don't waste it.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Learning Numbers Through the Lens of an iPad

2011-11-22T18:48:00.001-05:00

Another great day of learning in the JK house! To show their understanding of number sense, students placed various objects on construction paper to represent numbers 1 thru 10. They used the camera app on the iPad to take pictures of each number represented. I wish I could have bottled the excitement in the room! These little four year olds were so engaged in what they were doing...doesn't get any better than this!

One Day of Peace

2011-11-20T19:05:00.000-05:00

Imagine what life would be like with more peace in the world...even if for one day. Jeremy Gilley turns his dream into reality. Worth the 17:41 of your time...

Tweaking a Lesson

2011-11-19T17:33:00.000-05:00

One thing I love about teaching is that when a lesson doesn't go in the direction that you had envisioned, you can tweak it and try again with another class...

Our language arts coach, first grade teacher and I planned a fiction writing lesson using the Book Creator app. First, students would gather their ideas using a graphic organizer. Then, using just the graphic organizer and their iPad they would begin writing their story. We weren't sure how this was going to turn out, but we thought we'd go for it anyway...

On Monday, Joey (LA Coach) introduced the lesson to the class. She read the story she had created and published in Book Creator and modeled how students were going to use the graphc organizer to gather their thoughts for their fiction story. The next day, I came in and did a guided discovery of the app. Students discovered the many features the app had to offer. They practiced adding text and making layouts. By Wednesday, students were ready to begin and were eagerly waiting to start writing! How great is that?! As they began to work we noticed that most of the class knew exactly what they wanted to write. They gathered their thoughts and started typing away...a few others had a bit of a challenge taking their thoughts and putting it into a story while trying to type. To help them with the process, we decided to have them tell us their story. This seemed to help them a lot. This got thinking...

What other apps did they have on their machines that would assist them with the writing process? Then I remembered...they had Quick Voice! Quick Voice is a voice recorder app that is super easy to use...Students could use Quick Voice to record/listen to their story and then use Book Creator to draft, edit, design, and then publish to iBooks. This would be perfect! I will let you know how it goes when we try it out with the next class...

Less = More

2011-11-18T19:08:00.000-05:00

Here's to a little life editing...

Thankful Thursday

2011-11-17T20:53:00.001-05:00

I am thankful for a job that I love and am passionate about...

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. - Steve Jobs

It Never Hurts to Ask

2011-11-16T11:27:00.001-05:00

While visiting Cedars School last year, one of the many lessons that I learned from their teachers, was that it never hurts to contact App developers. I remember Alison telling me how they had contacted the developer of the Toontatsic App to ask them to make some modifications. To my surprise the developer worked with Cedars and made the adjustments...

Fast forward about six months and we finally had an opportunity to contact a developer. We had purchased the Magnabet App and noticed that it had a variety of punctuation marks for students to use, but it did not have a "period." I told the teacher that I was working with that I would contact the developer to see if they can add the period....it never hurts to ask, right? Well...later that night, I emailed the developer and less than 15 minutes later I received the following response...SCORE!

I was so excited that I emailed my teachers to let them know what took place and to encourage them to do the same.

On Monday, I received the following email from our Language Arts coach about contacting the developers of the Book Creator App...

Of course, I was SUPER excited for her! Here is the response she got from the developer...

And another response she received from Dan...

Lesson learned...it never hurts to ask!

It's Not About the Flashy Tools

2011-11-15T16:56:00.001-05:00

Seth Godin's writes about adversity and the route to success. He says the following...

Resource-rich regions often fall behind in developing significant industrial and cultural capabilities. Japan does well despite having very few resources at all.Well-rounded and popular people rarely change the world. The one voted most likely to succeed probably won't.Genuine success is scarce, and the scarcity comes from the barriers that keep everyone from having it. If it weren't for the scarcity, it wouldn't be valuable, after all.It's difficult to change an industry, set a world record, land big clients, or do art that influences others. When faced with this difficulty, those with other, seemingly better options see the barrier and walk away.Why bother? The thinking is that we can just pump some more oil or smile and gladhand our way to an acceptably happy outcome.On the other hand, people who believe they have fewer options take a look at the barrier and realize that even though it will be difficult to cross, it's the single best option they've got.This is one of the dangers of overfunded/undertested startup companies. Without an astute CEO in charge, they begin to worry more about not losing what they've already got than the real reason they started the project in the first place.

When I read this it makes me think of schools...

Are the schools with the most resources the ones with the most resourceful/creative teachers who are thinking outside the box...pushing their students to collaborate, communicate, create, and think critically?

I don't know the answer, but I can make a good assumption based upon my experiences working in various schools and counties the past 15 years...

As far as I am concerned...it's not about the flashy tools...it's about the learning.

"It's a Book, I Have to Print It"

2011-11-14T21:18:00.001-05:00

I was reading a post by Dr. Schuester over at The View from My Windowless Office about students having to create poster board projects when they are living in a 1:1 laptop environment. She poses the question "How do we release teachers from feeling that they have to decorate their walls with student work to prove the students are learning?" She suggests that teachers use the technology that the students have so that they can share their projects electronically with peers, parents, and the community. It seems so obvious, right? Well...

Her post brought me back to a conversation I was having with a few teachers about the Book Creator App. It went something like this...I was explaining how simple the App was to use....how they could have students create picture, ABC, number, fiction, non-fiction, and how-to books with a few easy finger taps and swipes. I proceeded with excitement to explain that the best part was when they shared their finished book, they had the option to open it in iBooks! Just imagine all your students publishing their books and seeing them on the iBook, book shelf...AND they could even email their books to their classmates! I thought wouldn't this be a way to give our students an authentic writing experience...A way for them to create, collaborate, and communicate with others? We started making progress and...THEN...the question was asked..."Can students print the books when they are done?" Why do they NEED to print, I asked? Because IT'S A BOOK and kids like having their books. All I heard was Charlie Brown's teacher saying....Wanh, wanh! I know, I know change is hard...

I guess this is why I need to head back to the "shallow end" for awhile...

36 Hours in Atlanta

2011-11-13T18:45:00.001-05:00

Today has been a whirlwind of a day. Flew to Atalnta this morning with 7 other colleagues to visit an Apple site school in the morning. We talked shop over lunch at Atlanta Fish Market and then had about a 2 hour meeting/brainstorming session at our hotel. It was a great meeting where we hashed out what developing a professional brand looks like, discussed ways to use social media in school to develop our professional brand and as a marketing tool. In addition, we also touched upon a few curricular topics in lower and middle school. It was a high energy meeting where a lot was accomplished. I appreciated having the time to brainstorm and set some of the ideas in motion. Our meeting conversation continued into dinner at Local Three. All, in all today was a perfect blend of collaboration, socialization, and indulging in local cuisine!

A New Approach

2011-11-12T17:02:00.001-05:00

I have been thinking a lot about my work with teachers these days. Some days feeling really great about what I do... and others are a bit more challenging. Yesterday was a perfect example of feeling great about what I do...I had about 10-12 teachers attend my weekly "Appy Hour." Teachers come to collaborate and share how they have been using their iPads in the classroom. They share new Apps, projects they may be doing with their students, and tips/tricks they have discovered. I LOVE this time. Teachers come because they want to, not because they are forced into it for PD. I may entice them with cookies, muffins, or pumpkin roll...but for the most part I think they are there to learn and collaborate with their colleagues. I received one of the nicest compliments shortly after Appy Hour was over...

Just wanted to say THANK YOU for holding these Appy Hours… Every time I go, I walk away with new apps and new ideas from you and others who join the group… Not to mention the yummy food/ snacks you share.

This made me smile and gave me reassurance that I am doing my job. Fortunately or unfortunately I do not live in Utopia. While the majority of my days are great, there are those days/weeks that are just one challenge after another. When I have these days, I often question what I could be doing differently to support my teachers...do I offer more trainings, hold more 1:1 sessions, create training documents/resources, etc, etc...

Well, today as I was going through my Google Reader I came across Jen's blog post. She articulated everything that I have been thinking for the past couple of weeks. I love her analogy of "heading back to the shallow end of the pool." She explains that there are 4 types of teachers in education today....

a. The ones that are comfy in the deep end of the pool. (This is pretty much anyone within my twitter network, the people who write the blogs I follow, conference speakers, the DEN network, etc)

b. The ones who are comfy in the shallow end of the pool. (This includes most (but not all) of the people who participate in my projects, many of the teachers on my campus, and a majority of people I speak with through this blog and at conferences.)

c. The ones who are sitting in the lounge chairs near the pool. (This includes the lurkers we all know who are seeing what is happening in education, but are still quite comfortable where they are sitting.)

d. And the one’s who refuse to exist that the pool even exists. (no more needs to be said here.)

And I have realized, and I have decided, that I am heading back to the shallow end of the pool. I think it is much more important for me to be in the shallow end of the pool. I know I have stopped being effective when all I do is holler “come on out, the water is fine” when indeed what I need to do is head back to the shallow end and work with the MANY there to help them get to the deep end.
So from now on, I am going to exist more with the group #2 and #3.

When I read this post it was like an "Ah Ha" moment for me! Instead of getting down on myself, I am going to try a new approach and work with the teachers who are "sitting in the lounge chairs by the pool" and those "that are comfy in the shallow end of the pool." Hopefully, my willingness to go back to the shallow end will be more effective in getting more teachers to venture off into the deep end.

Happy Veterans Day

2011-11-11T19:20:00.001-05:00

Thanks to those who are serving and have served...

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.- John F. Kennedy

Make Today a Masterpiece

2011-11-09T16:15:00.001-05:00

This morning, I was talking with my Division Director about how fast the school year seemed to be going. We were having a hard time believing that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away. In a teachers world..we have two weeks until Thanksgiving, five weeks until winter break, and then it's all down hill from there...pathetic as it may seem - many of us start thinking about the next school year when we return from winter break.

You see, I work in a very frenetic paced school. Don't get me wrong...I THRIVE on this pace. I feel more organized and energized when the day is full. However, I often get caught up with everything that needs to be done and what's ahead, that I forget to slow down and appreciate each day for what it is..a gift, a blessing, a masterpiece.

So...on this "Thankful Thursday" I vow to slow down a bit and smell the roses...appreciate the vibrant colors on the trees and see the breathtaking sunsets on my way home. I am thankful for each day that I have been given. I will let go of the past, I am not going to be anxious about tomorrow...Instead, I will trust in today, and enjoy today, living life to the fullest.

Too often we get distracted by what's outside our control. The door to the past has been shut and the key thrown away. And you can't do anything about tomorrow; it is yet to come. However, tomorrow is determined by what you do today. So make today a masterpiece."

- John Wooden

Life is Short...Live Your Dream

2011-11-09T12:39:00.000-05:00

The folks at Holstee have just released a video to go along with their manifesto. If you haven't read....you MUST!

It's a no brainer people...life is short. Find your PASSION...not tomorrow, not in a week...FIND it NOW and START LIVING YOUR DREAM!

Ah Ha Moments

2011-11-08T20:20:00.002-05:00

I love "Ah Ha" moments! I love them more when they come from teachers! Today was a double header with the Ah Ha moments!

"Ah Ha" moment #1... chatting with a teacher about iPads. One of her comments to me was "What's so great about the iPad, is that I don't have to know how to do everything with them; and that's OK, because my students are teaching me! I am learning from them and I love it...they are so engaged and excited about learning!"

"Ah Ha" moment #2... working with a teacher after school on ways to share her human body exit interviews with students families. I could see the light bulb go off and the next thing I know we were talking about her creating a YouTube account for her class to share their video projects with family and friends.

As mentioned before, we just rolled out 400 iPads in grades JK thru 4. So...there has been a lot of change in the Lower School division at my school.

As with anything new...change is hard. I am so thankful for the "Ah Ha" moments that these two teachers had today and look forward to more moments like these...

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. - Alan Watts

Happiness

2011-11-07T19:26:00.000-05:00

If you want happiness for an hour - take a nap. If you want happiness for a day - go fishing. If you want happiness for a month - get married. If you want happiness for a year - inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime - help others.
- Chinese Proverb

Teaching English to students in Na Som, Laos

Teaching English to Monks in Luang Prabang, Laos

Planting rice in Ban Chiang Yuen, Thailand

Delivering meals to elderly people in Ban Chiang Yuen, Thailand

Donating 2,400,000 kip to an island village in Laos

Fall into Reading

2011-11-06T19:33:00.001-05:00

One of the many reasons that I love fall is that my love for reading seems to be reignited. The past two weekends I have read Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS and I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali. Both interesting and inspiring books, well worth the time to read...

In Start Something That Matters, Blake Mycoskie tells the story of TOMS, the One for One shoe company that he started. He combines lessons learned from pervious business ventures, as well as, other innovative organizations. Blake offers six steps to transform your own life or business...

Finding your story
Facing your fears
Being resourceful without resources
Keeping it simple
Building trust
Incorporating giving

Start Something That Matters offers ideas, stories, and tips on how you can make positive changes in your life while pursuing what you love and are passionate about.

This is an amazing book about making a difference in the world. It left me feeling inspired about pursuing my passions for helping others.

I AM Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced is an autobiography about Nujood Ali, a young girl who lives in Yemen. She does not know her exact age because her birth was never registered anywhere. She was a typical girl - liked to dream, play outside and fought with her brothers and sisters. Her family fell on hard times and had to move to the city. At this time, a man who was three times her age approached her father and asked to marry Nujood. Her father agreed, feeling it would be better on the family since it would be one less mouth to feed. There was one condition that he had for his soon to be son-in-law...he insisted that Nujood never be "touched" until she reached puberty.

Unfortunately, this did not happen...Nujood was taken from school, married off to a complete stranger, and taken away from her family. Her husband raped her, her mother-in-law beat her and made her work all the time. Najood was miserable and cried all the time. All she wanted to do was play like all the other kids in the village her age. Reluctantly her husband took her to see her family. Sadly, Najood was not going to get any help from her family. She then worked up the courage to fight for her rights and went to the courthouse to request a divorce.

This is a powerful book about courage and human spirit. It left me feeling fortunate for the opportunities that I have had and the culture in which I was raised.

I Don't Have All the Answers AND That's OK

2011-11-05T20:05:00.000-04:00

I have had this post from Tiny Buddha in my draft folder for sometime. I love reading Lori's posts daily, but this one in particular I could relate to in many ways. As a teacher, it's easy to get caught up with what's happening inside our four walls...my struggles, my students difficulties, my parent challenges, etc. However, in reality ALL teachers have difficulties and challenges. I think if we step outside these walls, we would realize that we are all in this together, and together we may be able to grow and improve our practice and face the challenges that we have in education today.

One of the greatest lessons in my teaching career came to me just 3 years ago when I stepped outside "my walls" and realized that I DO NOT have all the answers and THAT'S OK. I stopped being a "teacher" and started to be more of a facilitator of learning. Instead of feeling like I had to have all the answers, I would work with my students to find solutions to problems and answers to questions...I let them take control of their learning. Through this shift in thinking/teaching I felt that I had a better understanding of my students; a very humbling experience for me...I was learning from my students and they from me.

In a culture that values independence and success, oftentimes above all else, it’s easy to forget we’re not alone. We’re not. And we’re not all that different. We all have struggles and challenges, and we always will.That’s actually a beautiful thing. Through problems we learn, grow and improve the world around us. Problems give us opportunities to be both bold and humble; they allow us to be both student and teacher. Don’t worry about having all the answers. No one does. It’s the questions that tie us together.

“We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.” -Unknown

Blogging Challenges

2011-11-04T21:52:00.000-04:00

So...here I am four days into my challenge and I am already struggling with posting something. Maybe it is because I went to happy hour and am not in the mood to write at 9:30 on a Friday night OR maybe it is that I can't think of anything to share. As I am writing this I realize that in order for me to complete this 30 day challenge I will need to make a few changes...First, I need to start a list of blogging topics. Next, I need to allow my self time to reflect. Finally, I need to learn not to procrastinate.

I guess the important thing is that I am not giving up! I am going to persevere and make it to the end of this challenge...

I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday. ~Author Unknown

Thankful Thursdays

2011-11-03T16:13:00.001-04:00

November marks the time that we celebrate Thanksgiving in North America. For some it may be about the turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie and for others it may be a time to reflect on the things that we are thankful for.

As part of my 30 day challenge I am going to start a regular post on Thursdays called "Thankful Thursday." I am going to take this time every week to reflect on the things that I am thankful for.

So heres to my first "Thankful Thursday"... Today, I am thankful for spending time with JK and K students! I LOVE this age! They are so full of life! They are inquisitive, love to play, and nothing really stresses them out. I guess Robert Fughum really had it right when he wrote...

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.
These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

[Source: "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum. See his web site at http://www.robertfulghum.com/ ]

The Art of Conscious Listening

2011-11-02T20:14:00.000-04:00

I love this TED talk given by Julian Treasure. He mentions that 60% of our communication time is spent on listening, but only 25% of that is retained. I like the 5 listening exercises he offers to help take back our listening...

Silence - take 3 minutes a day to recalibrate our ears to hear quiet again.
Mixer - take notice to how many channels of sound we hear.
Savoring - enjoy the mundane sounds.
Listening Positions - move your listening position.
RASA - receive, appreciate, summarize, and ask

In addition to sharing the listening exercises, he suggests that we should teach the skill of listening in schools. By doing this we can "transform the world in one generation to a conscious listening world - a world of connection, a world of understanding and a world of peace." Imagine that if we all learned the art of conscious listening, what type of world it would be...I am thinking it would be a better one.

"I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening."

— Larry King

My First 30 Day Challenge

2011-11-01T20:10:00.002-04:00

One of my colleagues over at Tie and Jeans mentioned to me that he was starting a 30 day blogging challenge. It's pretty simple...30 days = 30 posts. What may be simple for some, is not that simple for me. You see...I HATE WRITING! I am not sure where my disdain for writing comes from...all I know is that it is a painful process for me.

You may be wondering...why do you have a blog if you hate writing so much? Simply put, I know in order to grow personally and professionally it is important to reflect on the experiences I have.

So, in an effort to push myself and step outside my comfort zone...I am going to stand by my teammate and take the challenge with him. I know it will be an incredible learning experience and maybe, just maybe I may enjoy the writing process.

How My iPad Journey Began...Part 3

2011-10-12T17:20:00.000-04:00

The iPads are here! The iPads are here!

As you can see...I am a little behind in writing about my iPad journey. When I started writing I thought this may be a post or two. As I reflect on what we have gone through in the last six months to get to the point that we are, I thought it would be a good idea to rewind a little and start reflecting on what I have learned about the process of rolling out 400 iPads.

In the next few posts, I will reflect upon what I have learned about this process. The highs, lows and unexpected bumps in the road. If anything, I am writing to document all that I have learned and how I have grown professionally from this experience. So...sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!

Facilities bringing the iPads over from the Upper School Campus...

Wheeling them in...

Unpacking all the boxes...

Putting them in a safe place until we were ready...

Yep, that's 400 iPads...

How My iPad Journey Began...Part 2

2011-10-11T22:16:00.001-04:00

The first week of April I was fortunate enough to be heading to Cedars School of Excellence for an entire week. Initially I had not planned on spending a week at Cedars, but in hindsight, I was so glad I did. I feel like this gave me a better understanding of how iPads were integrated in a 1:1 environment.

It was amazing to see the iPad being used in transformative ways. The device wasn't being used simply as an App device, but rather a creation tool enabling students to express, create, and reflect with. It was truly inspiring to see the kind of learning teachers could get out of their students.

Teachers at Cedars are truly passionate about what they do. You see it and feel it the moment you walk through the doors...

My time at Cedars was transformational...it was by far the best professional experience I have had in my 15 years of teaching. In addition, the generosity and sincerity they extended to me was something that I have never experienced from another school. They instantly made me feel like part of their school family and for that I will always hold a piece of Cedars close to my heart.

Special thanks to Alsion Speirs, Fraser Speirs (ADE), Lorna Speirs, Elaine Black, Owen Atkinson, Andrew Jewell (ADE), Jenny Oakley (ADE), Emma Rukin, Carolyn Speirs, and Elaine McKenzie-Smith for sharing Scottish culture/customs with me.

How My iPad Journey Began...Part 1

2011-10-02T16:53:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that about 6 months ago I was in Greenock, Scotland visiting Cedars School of Excellence. While I have been an avid reader of blogs and tweets for professional development, visiting Cedars was probably by far one of the greatest professional development experiences I have had.

It is funny how some things in life unfold...I started at my school at the end of September and new that our division would be making the transition to some type of Apple product...possibly iPads. So...I began doing research and looking to follow people who were blogging and tweeting about their use. After a quick Google search, I began following Fraser Speirs. While I was very intrigued about what he was writing, NEVER in my wildest dreams did I think I would be in Scotland three months later.

I guess it was sometime in December that we purchased a 10 pack of iPads to "test" out. I took one home over winter break, downloaded some free Apps and just began to tinker. I enjoyed it's ease of use, etc. but wasn't sold 100% on it's use in the classroom, especially in a 1:1 environment. At this point I thought, why don't I email Fraser to get some insight on their 1:1 program. So...that's exactly what I did. I didn't have any expectations and hit send.

Well, 3 days later I received a response, I couldn't believe it! It was like hitting the jackpot. I had made contact with...The Fraser Speirs!

From this point we Skyped a few times and then I applied for a grant. Well...two months later I was on a B. A. flight headed to Greenock, Scotland to see first hand what was taking shape at Cedars School of Excellence!

"Life is all about timing…the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable…attainable. Have the patience, wait it out. It’s all about timing." ~ Stacey Charter

Clearing a Technology Hurdle

2011-05-17T14:36:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I had a teacher open her Macbook up for the first time because she found a need to use it... (we are transitioning to an all Mac platform, so teachers have PC tablets until June)

She wanted to create a video and had seen other colleagues producing great videos using iMovie; so she took on the challenge one video clip at a time! She encountered difficulties along the way, but the amazing thing is she pretty much taught herself how to use iMovie. She would email questions and by the time I would get back to her, she had it all figured out.

I was so proud of her accomplishment and what she had overcome...her fear of technology. I made sure that I complimented her on her achievement and this was her response...

"I am proud of myself as well! Since I didn’t even touch a computer until my senior year of high school, I have always kind of lived in fear of them, and I finally feel like I’ve cleared some kind of technology hurdle. I think learning iMovie might be my proudest professional achievement this year, since it does not come naturally to me. Thanks for your help!"

Seeing the twinkle in her eyes and the excitement in her voice was priceless!

Back to the Grind

2011-05-04T20:05:00.002-04:00

I have taken a sixth month hiatus from blogging and it's time to get back in the swing of things. It's crazy how much has taken place in the last six months!

iPad research, EduCon in Philadelphia, Learning and the Brain Conference in San Francisco along with a visit to the "Mother Ship" in Cupertino, MacBook rollout to teachers and staff in the Lower School, deciding to go 1:1 iPads in grades JK thru 2, connecting with Fraser Speirs, changing our decision about iPads...(decided to go all out and now we will be 1:1 JK thru 4), applied for and awarded a grant to visit Cedars School of Excellence (more on that later), ordering and receiving 400 iPads, getting my new iPad2, 1 1/2 hour conference call with Apple about how to set up Volume Purchase Program, and two 3hour meeting sessions to set up VPP and other logistical stuff for teacher iPad rollout....WHEW, all this in addition to day to day teaching responsibilities! It's no wonder why I haven't been blogging!

Well, things are going to change...as we approach the rollout of our 1:1 iPad program I am going to document the journey. So many exciting things are going to be happening at school and I want to share with you all. So... hang on and get ready for an amazing time ahead as we embark on our iPad Journey!

In a Happy Place...

2010-11-14T10:32:00.000-05:00

This post has been in draft form for a few months. As I get back to reflecting and blogging, I thought this was a perfect post to start with. A couple of months ago I came across this post and it really made me think.

My last school year was one TOUGH year. I lost both my father and mother-in-law, had a job that I loved, but had so much stress from an unhealthy work environment, that it physically made me sick. In December of that year I made the conscious decision to finish off the year and then resign. It was a hard choice and I wasn't sure what I was learning in this process, but I am so happy that I took that leap.

I am now in a place where I am truly happy. I think that I am in this happy place because when life was tough....I loved people anyway...I did good anyway...I was honest and frank anyway...I helped people anyway...and I gave the world the best that I had anyway. Life has rewarded me for staying true to myself. It wasn't easy, but what I have learned though out life is that true lessons in life are never easy.

The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith.

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

Thailand 2009 Service Work

2010-08-30T14:30:00.000-04:00

Who's Accountable...Teachers or Students?

2010-05-17T18:47:00.000-04:00

Today I was going through my Google Reader and came across this post and was a little irritated after reading. A few minutes later I ran into this post and watched the video. Amazing talk! If only more professors/teachers would change the way they teach, then there would be no reason for them to "shut down laptops and other digital distractions."

Willing to Surrender

2010-05-11T19:59:00.002-04:00

Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become. -Unknown

I am not too sure where I found this quote, but it really seems to fit where I am professionally. After a lot of thought I have decided to take a leap of faith and leave my current position. I LOVE what I do and I LOVE the students, faculty, and staff that I work with. For me, it comes down to happiness and passion. For various reasons this year, I have lost the passion to be in my current position. I find that far to often people stay in a position even if they are unhappy. I don't want to be that person...Therefore, I am surrendering what I am for what I can become. By staying true to my character, I hope that good things will come my way.

Growing Up Connected

2010-05-04T09:13:00.000-04:00

One of my colleagues shared this article with us today. My response to this was... I am sure similar things were said when the phone came into play...I remember my parents getting upset with me for spending so much time on the phone with my friends.

I think it all comes back to good parenting, moderation, and modeling. We (parents, teachers, etc.) are just as connected to our Blackberry's, iPhones, Facebook, and Twitter so what kind of message are we sending? It's very frustrating to hear people bash the tool, when the tool is not the source of the problem.

I believe that Americans in general have problems being "connected" or in the "moment." We don't value relationships or personal interaction in our society, so why should our students? Our job as educators and parents is to model this. Do you think we are doing a good job at this?

TEDTalks : Tom Wujec: Build a tower, build a team - Tom Wujec (2010)

2010-04-23T10:21:00.001-04:00

Truly fascinating! Wouldn't this be a great team building activity to do at the beginning of the school year!

more about "TEDTalks : Tom Wujec: Build a tower, ...", posted with vodpod

The Story of Bottled Water (2010)

2010-03-23T09:58:00.001-04:00

Take a stand and DO NOT buy bottled water.

more about "The Story of Bottled Water (2010)", posted with vodpod

Appreciating Life

2010-02-15T11:38:00.000-05:00

It's interesting when Mother Nature brings life to a halt how people react. Instead of people being anxious and rushed like they tend to be in these parts of the world, everyone just seemed to take things in stride. Life seemed to slow down a bit...people were out chatting with their neighbors, helping each other, and being friendly.

As we ease back into our routines and return to "normal" this week, it will be interesting to see how things emerge...I have a pretty good feeling of what that will look like and unfortunately it isn't promising.

What I have learned during this unexpected time off is that maybe we all need to slow down a bit and appreciate the finer things in life...a good book, catching up with friends, meeting neighbors, appreciating what I have, and spending quality time with those I love.

Winter Break Enrichment

2009-12-27T11:30:00.005-05:00

Just a few books I plan on reading over my break...

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-16T21:44:00.001-05:00

May the meaning of the season be deeper, its friendships stronger and its hopes brighter. Wishing you and your family a safe, happy holiday and a prosperous New Year.

Just Getting By

2009-10-15T12:00:00.002-04:00

It's funny how my last post was about being re-energized after my time away from work. I have been back to work a little over a month and do not feel energized. Was it all the meetings/trainings that we had at the beginning of the school year? Was it coming back to the States having only a few days off before going back to work? Was it hosting a conference at our school in the first month and all that needed to be done to make it a success? Was it agreeing to teach 3 new classes?

I think that all these factors play into the feeling of "I'm just getting by." I am not that person who likes to just get by. I am a planner...I like to plan at least a week in advance, I like to have a rough idea for the trimester of where I am going with my students, and I make to do lists CONSTANTLY!

I always say that I would never want to be an administrator, but the longer I stay in education, the more I long for administrators who remembered what it was like in their instructional days and empathize with those who are in the trenches.

Time To Reflect

2009-06-20T06:29:00.004-04:00

One thing that I love so much about teaching is that we have the summers off to reflect and renew our spirits. I love taking this time to travel…it takes me out of the “bubble” of Northern Virginia to really see what life is like in other cultures. To be disconnected from the everyday pleasures that I am so used to really makes me a better person, teacher, wife, and friend. This summer I am spending 9 weeks in Thailand doing service work and teaching 3-6 grade English through Rustic Pathways. I am living in a little village outside Udon Thani. It is very rural with very little “Western” influences, yet the people here are so warm and friendly, they really make you feel like family. I will definitely cherish this journey and be renewed when it is time to go back to work at the end of August.

The Final Push

2009-05-21T19:17:00.005-04:00

With nine days to go until the end of the school year, I am officially on autopilot. After 13 years of teaching I have realized that I have a love hate relationship with this time of year.

I hate that I get snappy with my husband because of the stress I feel to get everything done. I hate that I don't have enough time to teach my students everything that I had hoped to teach them. I hate that I live on caffeine to make it to the end. I hate that I am emotionally, physically, mentally drained.

On the other hand...

I love seeing the growth my students have made through out the year. I love when students say that they will miss me. I love to start thinking of new projects/possiblities for the next school year. I love taking down everything in my room so I can start fresh in August. I love passing out yearbooks and seeing the kids get excited about seeing themselves in the book. I love the idea of having a new SCA board and all the ideas they bring to make change. I love cleaning and organizing to get ready for the next school year. I love seeing the 8th graders at graduation. I love reflecting on what went right this year and what went totally wrong. I love the idea that I can change what went wrong. I love the idea that summer break is near and my travel adventures will begin.

So...I continue to push on because I love what I do and this makes my soul happy!

Chalkboard Animation

2009-05-06T09:06:00.003-04:00

This video from Lucinda Schreiber is just way too cool. Would love to integrate more stop motion projects into our curriculum, but am having a hard time putting it all together. Any ideas?

Firekites - AUTUMN STORY - chalk animation from Lucinda Schreiber on Vimeo.

A Tribute to My Gram

2009-05-05T19:56:00.008-04:00

As I sat in the waiting room of my doctor's office today I listened as two little old men reminisced about the past. They talked about when they bought their homes and how much the city of McLean had changed since 1950. They chatted about their gardens and the wars they were in. As I listened, they really made me smile and remember the chats I used to have with my Grandma Marie. She taught me so many life lessons and there is not a day that goes by that I do not think about her. She always used to say to me "Missy Po each year you get older the faster the time goes, so cherish the time you have." There have been so many times since she has passed that I wished I could pick up the phone and give her a call. Even though I can't, I know in my heart that she is and will always be with me. So, in honor of Mother's day this weekend...I want to thank my "gram" for all the lessons, guidance, love, smiles, and hugs she gave me. Thanks Gram, I love you.

Wisdom Trailer - Wisdom Book by Andrew Zuckerman

2009-04-08T15:05:00.002-04:00

Empathy, peace, patience, life experiences = wisdom. This is one of my favorite videos.

more about "Wisdom Trailer - Wisdom Book by Andre...", posted with vodpod

Be Your Own Advocate

2009-04-06T16:10:00.002-04:00

I think I have just come to the realization that if you want anything to get done the right way you have to be your own advocate. For the past 16 months we have been dealing with leaking windows. I have been upset, angry, and calm throughout the whole situation. I finally said enough is enough and began making phone calls and complaints. I hope that my documentation of the process (pictures, emails, and service tickets) will help get the job done right this time!

My Inaugural Post- Take 2

2009-04-01T13:23:00.002-04:00

So here it is...my first official blog post. I have started this many times over, but I have never followed through. This is my attempt to follow through. There are many reasons that I feel blogs are a great way to communicate. I have learned so much in the past 3 years because I am reading...not primarily in books, but online. This is and will be a reflection of "My Learning Journey."