Week 7 had a resounding theme: SUCCESS!
This was one of the busiest weeks on record for me thus far.
I worked in classrooms, met with teachers, set up future plans, assisted with as much as I possibly could, updated the DLP Google Classroom collection of resources, experimented with a few new tricks, met with student tech leaders and more!
More?
Attended the annual STEAM showcase with very special students who were sharing their knowledge of STEAM, sound waves, using technology to visualize sound wave patterns, building and creating fabulous art installation pieces using Coding and Makey Makey. I was so very proud to be their "coach" at that event!
I was able to catch up with and meet with my Tribe....or at least part of the Tribe.....some of my fellow DLP coaches in the Pittsburgh area. This is so very helpful. I cannot stress enough how important this relationship is to all of us. We share successes and failures, we throw ideas around for discussion, we compare notes, we support one another, and we simply are there to reaffirm what great accomplishments we have achieved in such short a time. I'm meeting with another coach next week to see how things are progressing for her , then, I'm actually planning an out-of-state visit to see Kelli Coons in South Carolina! I'm really looking forward to this meeting! It will be so helpful seeing how she operates her coaching program, meet her teachers, see the good things happening in her school, and meet face to face to discuss EVERYTHING!
Good things with teachers:
I helped the special ed department stream-line their data collection process using Google Forms and Google Sheets. They also learned how to use Google Keep to set up friendly reminders for staff to complete behavior data forms.
A reluctant, veteran science teacher let me in to see his amusement park research activities!!! Yay! A win! He though using the Chromebooks for simple research wasn't fancy enough. THAT IS COMPLETELY MY FAULT. I obviously did not do enough or say enough to reassure this teacher (and possibly others) that the amount of technology, the type of technology, or the sophistication of the technology is not what matters........meeting student learning goals is what matters. If using the Chromebooks for research is what he needed to accomplish his goals, then so be it! I was proud of him for trying!
He also set up a separate Google Classroom for his special needs inclusion science class. He was very proud of listing the differentiated lessons posted to the classroom. A win all around!
Challenges:
KEEPING THE SECRET ABOUT THE EXTRA CHROMEBOOKS WE WILL BE RECEIVING! LOL
It's so hard to listen to frustrated teachers when they say there just aren't enough Chromebooks to go around, knowing full well some are on the way!
Our biggest challenge with the ones we currently have is longevity or sustainability: some of the older Chromebooks have missing keys, no longer hold a charge, or are simply MIA. This is so very frustrating. Carts of 25 are actually carts of 19.....so someone 'borrows" from another cart. We have a librarian who manages the signing out of the carts and the delivery of the carts, but it is difficult to police adults. The carts we have a shared with the high school and this also presents a problem. We will have to seriously come up with a better organizational and accountability plan of action.
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