New Home PC + Same Old School PC = Argh

As we move back into the school year, I often get requests from co-workers for assistance. Currently one of the most common problems my co-workers are encountering is file compatibility with their home to work files.

If you have updated your home PC and are working in Windows 7 instead of Windows XP/2000 like most of our workstations in the public education sector, it can be extremely frustrating when you realize that awesome worksheet or powerpoint you have created will not open on your school workstation. Another time I encounter this is when students work at home, then bring it in to share with the class and it wont open.

There is a simple patch from Microsoft to download, located here. Click the DOWNLOAD button near the top of the page.

If you find this does not work for you, please let me know so I can revise my link.

Day 4: Master Teacher Conference

Last Day! Morning was spent with our content area, which means I was with the Science group. Loved it! We talked about inquiry and observation, and clarity in directions when conducting a lab. We practiced observations with small machines and exotic fruits, a great way to enhance skills and of course address differentiation.

After lunch, we finally got together with our regional group to begin planning for next years summer conference. The Southwest Region's PASSages conference focus looks to be instructional differentiation, something I am a big fan of.

I have begun previewing the books selected by SDE over the week, but I find myself going back to one of the books Jana Rowland from SDE-Curriculum Standards in Science, it's Science: Formative Assessment by Page D. Keeley. It discusses 75 specific strategies and their implementation with accomodations noted. Got to love that! I am reading it and seeing where I can work them in. I love this book, the more I read the more I like it!

Day 3: Master Teacher Conference

Day 3 was implementation of the teacher's understanding of learning styles and content area sessions.

The day started with an exercise to drive home the point on how learning styles effect task completion and team work. It was an eye opener, and I won't share too much since I know you could learn more from participating in the workshop. If you'd like to know more be sure to apply to be a Master Teacher in February when the application process begins again!

TO DO: I will post links for assessing student's learning styles tomorrow after I get my papers together.

The second half of the day was spent in content areas such as Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, et al. In Science, the Oklahoma Science Museum (think Omniplex) shared the many different programs available and sampled a couple of demonstrations with us.

It was really pretty cool, and so fun to dust off that skill set and get nerdy with ma' peeps. However, my neice was not at all happy when I rushed back to her after the class and was rubbing a large green balloon against her head and shoving a cup wrapped in Reynolds Wrap in her hands. She translated "complete the circuit" to "getting shocked" and was not as enthusiastic as I was to experience it all. Her spirit of inquiry is really lost when it's time for a Big Mac Attack.

More tomorrow!

Day 2: Master Teacher Summer Conference

So Tuesday felt like a long day. The speaker, Rich Cash, titled the presentation "Differentiated Instruction: Quality Teaching and Learning Strategies to Maximize the Learning of ALL Students." The wikipedia definition of Differentiated Learning is...

Differentiated instruction (sometimes referred to as differentiated learning) involves providing students with different avenues to acquiring content; to processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas; and to developing teaching materials so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in ability.^[1]

I would have to say, 70 percent of the time was spent establishing a need for the training, explaining basic brain functioning or the differences between the sexes. Many observations focussed on how boys learn differently. Thirty percent of the time was spent reviewing tips that boil down to three simple words: Know Your Students. Suggestions where provided, four pages of bulleted lists or tables covered concrete, take-it-to-class information although they were somewhat vague. It is always good to start the school year with a reminder of what I need to do, just wish I had more concrete things, actionable items, from today.

Two Words for Implementation of Differentiated Learning:

Start Small.

Three Words of Resonance that Were Ah Hah's for many:

Praise the Effort

(Not the inteliigence) of the Student.
OK, well that is more than three words but you get the idea.

Perhaps this is oversimplification, but that's my day in a nutshell. I just saved you eight hours of your life, now log off and go outside! Read a book, email me a cool link to share with other teachers.

Day 1: MT Summer Conference

The greatest thing about the first day of being back at the Summer Master Teacher Conference is the unveiling of the book we can offer to our peers in Professional Development. This year's books supplied by the SDE are
Curriculum 21, edited by Heidi Hayes Jacobs and Fulfilling the Promise of the Differentiated Classroom, by Carole Ann Tomlinson.

Although I do not have to use these books, I certainly am interested in previewing them before making a decision. My potential participants have lobbied me on what they feel they would like to see in PD. I have been requested to focus on my technology skills to share with the school, specifically educational Video Production tools for teachers and use of SmartBoards.

From what I have read about the books, I am concerned that the Jacob's book might be redundant, since she is a real mover and shaker in the Curriculum Mapping arena-which has been done a bit overmuch. The reviews on Amazon were somewhat mixed and vague.

Looking forward to tomorrow!