The Panther Principal

Moving Powell GT Magnet Elementary into the 21st Century!

Rules of the Road for Social Networking

Feb 12

Posted by cfmiller in 21st Century Skills, Social Networking | 2 Comments

I believe most of us will agree that “social networking” will be a huge part of our child’s life as they mature through the early part of the 21st Century.   This is easily seen in our classrooms.  If you walk into a Powell GT Magnet Elementary classroom and ask the students “Have you ever heard of Facebook?” there is a good likelihood you’ll see almost all the kids raise their hands.   If you ask a follow up question “How old do you have to be to use Facebook?” you’ll get about half the class to say “13 years old”.   It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the math on that one…if almost the whole class knows about Facebook (and presumably has been exposed to it in some form outside of school) yet only half of those same students know they are not supposed to be a part of that social network until the age of 13, that’s an indication of a major problem.  The problem, however, isn’t specific to Facebook.  In the broader context, the problem is that students need to be taught the rules-of-the-road for online collaboration/social networking before they are of age to use that type of communication; otherwise we risk kids using it inappropriately for cyber bullying or other unacceptable behavior.  Once kids have started using social networking sites or (even worse) have been trained or modeled their use through older peers or friends, we’ve lost the opportunity to show them important safeguards about that means of communication.

In the past, elementary schools have struggled to solve this problem due to a very simple reason – how do we as educators train students and model the appropriate usage for online collaboration/social networking when there are no vehicles for our age group?  Thankfully, there are now people who have recognized that issue and created online collaboration sites specifically for use in schools.  One of these online collaboration sites is called Edmodo (http://www.edmodo.com/) and in December 2011 we started training teachers/students on its usage.  Edmodo provides a safe and easy way for students to connect and collaborate, share content, and access homework, as well as school notices.  Our goal is the same as those who created Edmodo, to harness the power of social media and use it to train students on the appropriate usage before they begin using it on their own.  Edmodo is a closed social network.  This means that only those students in the class who are given a code by the teacher are able to “join” the classroom network.  And as an added safeguard, the teacher receives a notification of every post through her email, so even when his/her students are not logged onto Edmodo, they can still see the conversation.  So far, classes have used Edmodo to share ideas on projects, ask about homework, and let others know about various books they are reading.  As Principal, I am a part of all classroom Edmodo groups and see every post, from every child, in our school.  This allows me to see how our students are using Edmodo, but it also allows me to comment on their posts (the kids enjoy that!).  Prior to joining the classroom social network, I go into each classroom and conduct an online collaboration/social networking training for all students.  The training consists of videos from Netzsmartz (http://www.netsmartzkids.org/LearnWithClicky), as well as discussion and modeling of “good netiquette”.  For those of us who are not digital natives to these terms, netiquette is “network etiquette” (what you should and should not do when you’re online).   Netiquette covers both common courtesy online and the informal “rules of the road” of cyberspace.  I address social networking abbreviations that are acceptable to use on a classroom social network (TX – thanks, BTW – by the way, etc.) and those that are not (OMG – oh my God, TMI – too much information, etc.).  Students are given a specific list of abbreviations to keep at their desks so when they use Edmodo they can model the usage of appropriate abbreviations.  So far I have conducted this training with 3 of our 18 classrooms and I expect to train several more before the end of the year.  You will know your child has completed this training because there will be a letter sent home (from me) explaining how your child was trained and the reasons behind the usage of Edmodo.

In my view, it is unwise for any educator to assume that students will get this important training somewhere else.  As Principal of Powell GT Magnet Elementary I believe that our school has a responsibility to teach children about the real-life skills surrounding  social networking.  As with any organization, adopting new and innovative tools takes time.  My plan is to pilot the use of Edmodo in several classrooms for the remainder of this year, but training/usage regarding social networking/Edmodo will be conducted for all classrooms beginning with the 2012-13 school year.

Note:  I highly encourage parents to talk with their elementary age children about social networking, netiquette, and the rules-of-the-road regarding social networking sites.   Feel free to explore our school website which provides many links to internet safety tools you can use to teach your kids at home:   http://www.powelles.net/internet-safety-at-powell.html.  You can also see more about Edmodo capabilities through this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc5wEdGpxi4&feature=related.

 

 

 

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Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Jan 1

Posted by cfmiller in 21st Century Skills | No Comments

Like many of you, at the beginning of each year I like to reflect on the challenges I’ve faced in the previous year and self-assess whether or not I rose to those challenges.  Sometimes the challenges I’ve faced over the previous year have a clear win/lose scenario (i.e. creating a consistent exercise routine or eating fewer donuts), however, there are other challenges I’ve faced where success isn’t so black and white – instead, it’s measured in shades-of-grey.

There is no challenge more fitting of the “shades-of-grey” label than my attempt in 2011 at becoming more “digitally literate” in the use of 21st Century social networking tools and personal learning networks (Twitter, Facebook, Remind101, Connected Principals, Classroom 2.0, etc.).  A little over a year ago I challenged myself to fully implement 21st Century communication tools, both personally and professionally, in order to become more digitally literate and connect with colleagues/school community/family and friends.  The drive behind this personal challenge was that I felt out-of-the-loop.  I felt as if there were huge streams of information scorching through cyberspace and I wasn’t a part of any of it.  (I will also admit I had no idea what that little “#” meant on the bottom corner of my favorite television shows and I couldn’t take it any longer!  For those of you who are curious, it’s called a “hashtag” in social networking terms).

Foolishly, in the very beginning I thought that challenging myself to embed social networking in my daily routine would be as simple as an equation…A+B=C.  I’ll simply learn A, add it to B, and that will be equal to me becoming C …an expert in social networking/personal learning networks.  Wow, I couldn’t have been further from reality.  It didn’t take long before the analogy in my head of an “equation” was changed to that of a long, open-ended hike through the mountains.  This journey through social networking and personal learning networks definitely has its ups-and-downs and there is no definitive end to this continually evolving form of communication.  However, I did realize that a more realistic measurement of success is that I simply jumped into the game.  I created a Facebook page to keep in touch with close friends and family.  I also created a Twitter account to tap into the knowledge of colleagues around the world and communicate more efficiently with our school community.  I even took it a few steps further to mandate Twitter use school wide, along with Remind101, so that social networking becomes embedded within our instructional routines at Powell.

As I begin 2012, I have challenged myself to build on the successes I’ve had so far with social networking.  Over the coming year, I’d like to find ways to incorporate “two-way” communication between the school and our community so that I can receive feedback from Powell parents/community members through Twitter, school website, etc.  The “one-way” communication that we currently implement through our social networking tools are great, but (please forgive me for stating the obvious) social networking truly works best when information is shared between people.   

With all that said, I highly encourage all parents in our community to experiment with social networking as I did a year ago.  It has been an incredibly rewarding experience and I can’t speak highly enough about how these tools have positively impacted all aspects of my life.  And as the old saying goes, if I can do it, anyone can.   :)

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Powell STEAM

Nov 25

Posted by cfmiller in 21st Century Skills, Electives | No Comments

One of the conversations born out of our increased focus on 21st Century skills is a renewed importance of keeping “arts instruction” within our schools.  In particular, school boards and school system administrators across the United States are placing more emphasis on funding for the graphic arts, the visual arts, and the performing arts.  This is not surprising given all the brain research that shows how arts instruction enhances almost all aspects of math and science skills acquisition. 

Expanding arts instruction within our schools has been most recently organized through the acronym STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math).  This new acronym has simply taken the often-used word STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and added an “a” for arts instruction to create the word STEAM.  Powell GT Magnet Elementary is uniquely positioned to embed arts instruction within our GT Magnet electives and classroom instructional blocks because of our focus on the graphic arts, visual arts, and performing arts.  At Powell we are blessed with an extremely creative arts staff, as well as collaborative-minded classroom teachers that have been utilizing a form of STEAM for several years (even before anyone had fully defined the philosophy).  In January, a committee of teachers at Powell will begin the process of officially organizing a school wide focus on STEAM that will truly change the shape of instruction within Powell classrooms.  During the winter and spring we will define what STEAM will look like in our classrooms, so be watching our school website over the next several months for more information.

 I am excited about the impact STEAM will have on Powell students and the creative, innovative ways we will use our entire staff to embed arts instruction within other academic disciplines.  This framework will surely foster the inventive thinking skills that your children will need to thrive in a 21st Century world!

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New Ways of Learning in the 21st Century

Oct 21

Posted by cfmiller in 21st Century Skills | No Comments

It is often easy for us to define 21st Century skills through how we use IPads, IPods, Sifteo cubes, and other cutting-edge technologies.  The marketing of these devices make it hard to think otherwise.  But the reality is that 21st Century skills are characterized much more by the way we learn/teach, rather than the technology we use in our classrooms.

The use of Project Based Learning methods in schools is an excellent example of how we’re evolving instructionally to better prepare your children for their 21st Century world.  Project Based Learning is one of the instructional engines that power the use of IPads, IPods, and other such technologies in schools.  Project Based Learning can be defined in various ways, but this is the definition that I prefer (taken from the Buck Institute of Education website):

In Project Based Learning (PBL), students go through an extended process of inquiry in response to a complex question, problem, or challenge. While allowing for some degree of student “voice and choice,” rigorous projects are carefully planned, managed, and assessed to help students learn key academic content, practice 21st Century Skills (such as collaboration, communication & critical thinking), and create high-quality, authentic products & presentations.

What child wouldn’t want to learn in that type of atmosphere?  It is an engaging, meaningful, and exciting learning environment.  At Powell GT Magnet Elementary, we are committed to using Project Based Learning techniques in our classrooms and will implement these new practices on a limited basis beginning in November 2011.  It is my hope that as we continue to foster relationships with our community-partners and acquire new 21st Century technologies, we will be able to further refine our use of Project Based Learning techniques within Powell classrooms.  For more information, please visit our “What is Project Based Learning?” link on the school website which gives you much more information on how Project Based Learning will enhance classroom instruction at Powell Elementary.

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The Use of Data Walls at Powell GT Magnet Elementary

Sep 18

Posted by cfmiller in 21st Century Skills, Data | No Comments

For the first time in the history of Powell GT Magnet Elementary, we have posted “data walls” on each hallway to inform parents of the progress toward our academic goals.  This is a very important step in our evolution and reflects our commitment to 21st Century educational philosophies. 

 In a 21st Century world, transparency regarding our school data is extremely important.  There are obvious, and essential, restrictions on the data we post (for instance, we don’t post individual student names or data that singles out specific student groups).  However, our goal is to post data that reflects our mission/values as a school and also allows for others in our community to better understand their role in fulfilling those mission/values. 

 For students, a data wall allows them to see their own progress.  The grade level data is a constant reminder of why they need to work hard, concentrate on their schoolwork, and have high expectations for academics/behavior.

 For staff, a data wall also allows them to see their own progress but with a slightly different focus.  The grade level data is a constant reminder of why we need to be diligent about following through with the implementation of instructional best practices to support our learning.  With a strict focus on the effectiveness of our instructional practices, we are more likely to achieve our ambitious academic goals.

 For parents, a data wall allows them to precisely indentify where they can target their support to impact achievement of our goals.  Parents can look at a data wall and see the specific instructional focus of the grade level, as well as the supporting data, and decide how they can help.  Parents can then decide in what capacity they can support their child’s academics:  Volunteering at the school, joining PTA initiatives, working one-on-one with their child at home, or simply reinforcing the completion/importance of homework each night.  Without a data wall, parents would not have such a refined focus as to how they can help us achieve our goals.

 As we move forward over the coming months, we’ll continue to provide our school community with variations on the data wall.  We have started this process by posting our data on each hallway, but we will continue to expand our scope of the data wall to include the website as well.  As Principal of Powell GT Magnet Elementary, I look forward to the comments, questions, and conversations that are initiated by our use of data walls.  Ultimately, everyone will benefit from our transparency.

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The Importance of a Gifted and Talented Magnet School in the 21st Century

Aug 27

Posted by cfmiller in 21st Century Skills, Electives | No Comments

The philosophy behind a “Gifted and Talented” Magnet School is the belief that every student has gifts and talents to be valued and nurtured. To that end, students in the GT pathway explore a wide variety of subjects through core curriculum and an extensive menu of elective courses.  The diverse course load offered through the GT format presents children with a unique preparation for their 21st Century world and we take full advantage of that opportunity at Powell GT Magnet Elementary.

 

I’m sure we can all agree that our current world moves quite fast.  However, the speed of our current world will pale in comparison to how fast the world will be moving 15 years from now.  This transformation has several implications, most notably how it will affect the number of career-shifts your children will have throughout their adulthood.  During their 20’s and 30’s, your children are expected to change jobs more than any other generation that has preceded them.  It has become even more imperative that elemenatary age children have varied educational experiences to fully tap into their many gifts and talents.  The gifts and talents that your children foster during their elementary years will be the seeds that grow into an amazing array of abilities during their adult years.  As a parent myself, I take full advantage of the GT format at Powell by encouraging my daughter to explore all different types of electives.  Yes, my daughter would be happy as a clam just taking drama/acting electives for the duration of her elementary years, but in her 21st Century world I know she’ll need to foster a passion for many other disciplines as well.   That is why I am always encouraging her to try a new or different elective.  The encouragement that your children receive from you now to explore a variety of electives in elementary school will provide them the tools they need later in their lives when they are confronted with wide-ranging career choices.  

 

Very soon you’ll be receiving your magnet registration information.  You’ll notice we’ve made some adjustments in our GT Magnet offerings to better align our program with your child’s 21st Century world.  During 2011-12, we will continue to progress toward a broader variety of magnet elective choices for your children that incorporate wireless technologies and project based learning within our instructional routines.  This process will truly enhance our identity as a GT Magnet School and I am excited about the potential for all our students to discover their many gifts and talents at Powell!  :)

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A peek into the future of Powell GT Magnet Elementary

Aug 3

Posted by cfmiller in 21st Century Skills | No Comments

As an educator, I have come to the realization that it is important for me to understand the research behind each “generation” of children.  The generations you’ve probably heard about the most are the Baby Boomers (born 1946-64), the Generation X’ers (born 1965-1979), and the Millenials (born 1980-2000).  But over the past few years a new generation has emerged to dominate our discussions in schools.  This new generation is referred to as Generation Next and they include children born after 2001.  In schools, educators (who are predominantly from the Baby Boom/Gen X/Millenial generation) have taken note of this current generation for good reason.  Gen Next’ers possess unique qualities that none of us “old folks” from previous generations have ever seen before.  A Gen Next’er has an instinctive drive to use technology to play and learn.  A Gen Next’er has an innate understanding of social media.  A Gen Next’er thrives, and excels, in a world that is constantly changing.  As a former teacher without the privilege of instructing amazingly distinctive students such as Gen Next’ers, I can imagine that one question is confronting our current Baby Boomer/Generation X/Millenial teachers every day:  How do I prepare for such dynamic learners?

 

Hopefully it will be encouraging for you to know that at Powell GT Magnet Elementary we have already begun to answer that question.  Over the course of the upcoming year, you will see us transform into a school better suited for the 21st Century children sitting in our classrooms: 

  • Students at Powell will be engaged in their learning more than ever before with the use of wireless technologies. 
  • Students at Powell will be held accountable through the reinforcement of “positive expectations” that truly teach good behavior. 
  • Students at Powell will benefit from community partnerships that leverage expertise and materials from a variety of resources.
  • Students at Powell will be instructed in classrooms that foster life skills to prepare them for 21st Century careers.

As a proud member of Generation X and one of the “old folks,” I am excited about education in the 21st Century.  The career possibilities for your children are as limitless as their imaginations and I feel privileged to be a part of their lives during this remarkable time of change and opportunity.  I will be using this blog to keep you posted on Powell’s journey into the 21st century, so I encourage you to check back often!

Chas Miller

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