#ITEC14 Day 1 Reflection

As the mental exhaustion sinks in I take a brief moment of my evening to reflect on the day I had down in Des Moines, IA for ITEC 2014.  ITEC is a 3 day conference that features speakers from around the state and some out of staters to talk about the latest and greatest in educational technology.  Topics have ranged from iPads in the k-5 classroom to mindset to Google glass to makerspaces and everything in between.  My reflection is unconventional as I will not post deeply.  I will instead highlight a few of my favorite quotes from the day that speak to the learning and messages spread today.  All of these quotes came from Twitter today so be sure to follow the hashtag tomorrow at #itec14.  Many of the quotes cam from our keynote today, Adam Bellow, as these happened to be the most popular tweets of the day for a specific reason...the keynote was awesome.

• The world is full of average -@casas_jimmy
• The power of being a connected educator...it can make you a better teacher
• If I can go into McDonalds and Starbucks and get online no matter when, why can't we do that in our public schools -@medahl
• Selfie could be the best form of assessment around -@adambellow
• Anyone can download an app why not upload one? -@adambellow
• The worst assignment we can give in schools is the kind where students ask "how long does it have to be?" -@adambellow
• That's not PD that's a magic show -@adambellow
• Curriculum can come shrink wrapped but it shouldn't -@adambellow
• I don't want to go to school, I want to stay home and learn" let that sink in. -@adambellow
• Wait so digital worksheets are not a good use of tech in Ed?
• Live a life in Beta -@adambellow
• Build it, make it, share it, repeat -@adambellow
• How can schools block Facebook and then create a Facebook account for the school?!?! -@adambellow
• Twitter is the faculty room you always wanted -@adambellow
• Not everything is available at the app store. We cannot allow our tech to eclipse our humanity. -@adambellow
• There is a lot of news going on that isn't featured on CBS news -@eolsonteacher
• I value my time so I use it well...Twitter is one way I use my time well

Curious George: A Model for Education

My son and I watch Curious George religiously every day.  I love the show, which might sound ridiculous coming from a 25 year old, but it's not filled with annoying songs like many other children shows are.  It's tolerable for a lengthy amount of time.  There is another reason I love the show and it has everything to do with the first word of show, Curious.  This show is all about curiosity and problem solving, and as an educator I love it.  My son is still at the age where he simply likes the sounds and colors and he can pin point certain characters, but I find myself getting really into the show when George is trying to solve a problem.

Throughout almost every episode George is faced with a problem or a project and he has to find a solution whether the problem/project is purposeful or accidental.  He runs into many obstacles along the way, some detrimental to the cleanliness of himself, the apartment, or sometimes the city streets.  He finds himself getting frustrated at times, but he always perseveres and solves the problem by the end of the episode.  As an educator I watch these episodes and see the relevance they have on the world of education and I simply ask that others see this too. I have listed out what I have noticed about education in the episodes I have watched.

First, all kids can learn.  George is a monkey and he is able to solve complex problems...yeah I know he is only fictional and much of the stuff in the show may not be possible by a monkey, but can you imagine giving students the freedom to explore like George and see what they can do.  It seems pretty ridiculous, but there are still plenty of teachers out there who believe only certain kids can learn.  That is frustrating, annoying, and those teachers don't see potential.  George has proven to me that no matter the circumstance and no matter the individual learning can be done when given the freedom to explore.

Second, failure is not an option (but let me define failure).  Failure to me is giving up completely without effort to complete a project or solve a problem.  Don't get me wrong sometimes it is ok to just drop things and move on based on  purpose, but one thing I notice about George is he tries, and tries, and tries.  Purpose is everything.  George always sees a purpose in what he is doing, which drives him to a finished product.  The problem is he only has 20 minutes of air time so who knows if that product is ever really finished.  We need to let kids mess up and fix those mistakes, constantly.  I have never seen George so frustrated that he throws his hands up and walks off screen.

Third, feedback is key to development.  Feedback traditionally comes from someone else, but in many cases it can come from self assessment.  This happens all the time with George.  He stands back assesses his work, tries it out, and tweaks the design until it is just right.  He is giving himself feedback constantly.  In some cases the Man in the Yellow Hat gives feedback, but I have noticed it is more encouragement than anything (which is still feedback, but it's never constructive criticism).  Every once in awhile George takes on a project with one of his friends and they are able give each other feedback which is always beneficial.

Fourth, sometimes the greatest solutions are actually just accidents.  I think it's funny how some of the greatest inventions are accidents.  George does this a lot, where he notices something just by chance and it ends up contributing to the solution.  We need to let students explore, make mistakes, and be curious, because who knows maybe that "mistake" can lead to a greater solution, and the crazy part...many times it does.

Fifth, curiosity is amazing.  That's it, curiosity is amazing.  When we allow kids to be curious they can do amazing things.  Purpose driven curiosity is a great thing and we need to open this up in our classrooms and schools.

Computer/Tech Time: An Analogy

I don't quite remember the first time I opened up a textbook or actually used one for class, but it had to be late elementary school.  Now that I'm older I would like to reflect on the textbook as a learning tool.

I was probably in 3rd grade and I remember the teacher in the classroom finishing up our math lesson and saying, very enthusiastically, "Now, boys and girls, we are going to go to the Library for Textbook Time."  The kids jumped in excitement to the point the teacher had to reprimand us for our voices being at a level that was unacceptable for elementary schools.  We marched in a single file line to the library and sat down at tables.  In front of each of us were these shiny, new, textbooks, filled with so much information.  We were so happy to be there, to learn, to unlock our potentials.  Now the amazing part.

We were taken through step by step how to use a textbook.  We learned how to explore the table of contents, how to flip pages appropriately, how to hold the text book, how to carry the textbook.  How to use the index, the glossary, we learned about bolded words!  We even learned how not to carry the textbook, how not to hold the textbook, how we should never flip too fast, fold, or bend the pages.  Never throw the textbook.  Oh and never ever chew gum whilst reading a textbook.  As the year went on our excitement stayed because it was different, it was new, and it was interesting.  Then the problem.

Some of us kids were curious, we wanted to read the textbook, search for information inside.  This book had like 1000 pages, and we were only focusing on the pages in the beginning and the back and barely even opening up the textbook.  A few of us kids got side tracked one day and peered inside to a wonderful chapter about the mammals of the world.  We could see colorful pictures and so many words that were begging to be read, and then my book slammed shut and I was pulled away from class by my teacher.  I was told I would have to stay in for recess and that Textbook Time was a privilege and I was abusing that privilege by not doing what I was told.  I was only trying to learn.  I was only curious.

The year passed and we moved on to 4th grade.  We were ready to apply our Textbook Time knowledge even further.  This year we still had Textbook Time and I was crossing my fingers that we would be able to explore further and read those wonderful words.  The year started out the same, but this time we were given new and different textbooks, we explored multiple types of textbooks and looked at the similarities and differences.  Then one day we were told to flip to page 376 (somewhere in the middle) and read the passage on that page, and then shut the textbook.  A small reward but that was all.  I was somewhat disappointed because I wanted more.  Don't get me wrong, I was still excited about Textbook Time, because it was still different, and new.

Let's jump ahead to High School.  Every student now had textbooks to carry around and teachers were assigning reading left and right!  We were all excited to finally get to use these things for what they were intended for.  One day my History Teacher told us to go home and read Chapter 4: The American Revolution pages 102-136.  I read those pages and was slightly bored (the writing was a little dry), but I saw a chapter on the Civil War, and remembered I recently watched a movie about the Civil War and I wanted to learn more, so I read that chapter too.  I got back to school the next day and told my History Teacher all about it expecting praise, extra credit, or a further discussion.  My hopes were too high, for I was reprimanded for exploring too much and was told it would distract my learning about the American Revolution.

Other kids started doing this, reading ahead, exploring.  Soon parents were being called, and textbooks were being taken away from students.  Our Board approved a new Textbook Policy that said "Textbooks are only to be used in class for educational purposes as seen fit by the individual teacher, any other use is punishable by revoking access to textbooks, detention, or suspension.  All Textbook use needs to be monitored by appropriate personnel."

Students were furious and annoyed.  We only wanted to explore.  We were curious.  But, we weren't even given the chance to voice our side of the issue, and show what could be done.  Some teachers allowed us to explore, these are the teachers I enjoyed being around, and to this day I know I learned so much more form the classes that allowed us to explore, to be curious, and be creative.  They opened up possibilities for us through the pages in those books.  They unlocked our true potential as not only learners but as human beings.

Google Classroom: The Cons

As I said in my previous post, I love Google Classroom.  This post will eventually become totally irrelevant as Google Classroom will get a lot better.  In fact this post may become irrelevant very soon.  So take this post as look into the future of Google Classroom might be able to do in the very near future.

• Co-Teaching Capabilities: Right now Google Classroom only allows one person to manage and be the administrator of that specific class.  I have a few teachers using it right now who co-teach, and it is a pain for them.  One of the teachers is the admin and the other has to sit idly by while the admin. teacher has all the fun.  I assume this feature will be added very soon.
• Sharing and Folder Features: Google classroom creates folders in your drive for each class you have set up, and then for each assignment you create (this is where the student's assignments end up going once they turn them in).  The great part about the Doctopus add-on is it created folders for your students and for you (the teacher).  You could tell Doctupus how the rest of the class saw each document and then in turn it would automatically share those documents with you instantly so you could check progress constantly.  Classroom can create the assignment for each individual student, and does create folders for the students for each class, but it does not automatically share documents with the teacher.  The document is only shared if the student presses "turn in" or shares it manually. 
• Side Note: Doctopus was confusing and not the most user-friendly add-on.  Once you set it up once, it's a breeze, but that initial set-up takes awhile, and it can be a training nightmare.  Hopefully Classroom picks up these features that Doctopus has and incorporates them.  This would render Doctupus useless and if integrated slowly it would not be the training nightmare Doctopus is
• Customization: Right now the dashboard is sleek, simple, and modern in Classroom which is great.  I do wish I could customize it a little more though.  Sure I can change my cover photo from the gallery, but I want more.  This one doesn't necessarily effect how the app is used, but we like to be unique, so why can't my Classroom?  This, I am sure will change soon.
• Management: Right now management for Classroom is very basic.  Students join the class, they can comment, and upload whatever they want.  I think that is great, and if it was my class, I wouldn't change a thing.  I have some teachers, though, that won't use it because they can't disable certain features like commenting.  This is, unfortunately, a trust issue, and I DON'T think it is Classroom's issue.  I would say that classroom will add this management feature eventually.  This would give teachers the power to disable commenting and uploading and then classroom just becomes a place where students go to get resources.  Perhaps, the feature could event go as far as individualizing, so a teacher could disable these features for individual students, rather than the entire class.  Teachers now can remove students and delete what students post.  Like I said, I think the management is fine right now, but some teachers want more.  

Right now, that's all I can think of that could be added to Google Classroom.  It's a great tool already and I only foresee it getting better in the weeks, months, and years ahead.  Invite Google into your classroom and you won't be disappointed.

Google Classroom: The Pros

I know this post is a little delayed so I apologize, but I have finally been able to sit down and mess with it, and have witnessed it being implemented in an actual classroom.  Here is my general response, "Oh Google you've done it again."

Google Classroom is amazing, and here are my reasons why:

1. It's Google, duh.  With the growing number of GAFE schools, why wouldn't you want a dashboard that automatically hooks into your Google life.  It creates folders right in your drive, you can upload right from your drive, you can search from YouTube right in the app, and you can send emails via Gmail right in the app.  Consistency is great, and with the power of one log-in for all Google apps, it's a no brainer for me.
2. Organization is key to success.  I think a lot of success develops from organization, but everyone's definition of organization is different.  Google Classroom allows you to share assignments with your students via link, attachment, drive, or YouTube.  It then creates a folder for you (in your Drive) and then places all the student's in that specific folder for that specific assignment.  When you start classroom you will notice a new folder in your drive aptly named "Classroom."  As you create classes you will notice folders within your "Classroom" folder popping up aptly named after your course names.  Within each of those folders are the assignments folders for each individual assignment.  You can assign due dates, and see when students have submitted their assignments.  
3. It's simple.  Ever since I started using Google apps I was hooked because of the simplicity which translates directly to user friendly (with the exception of sites, yes I don't like sites).  Google Classroom is set up for anyone to use.  It's clean, organized, and there are not a ton of options.  The goal is not to replace your classroom, it's to enhance it, so why would there be a ton of options, you're still the teacher, Google just helps you stay organized and open up communication.
4. Communication is awesome.  Why wouldn't you want to open up communication with your students?  Classroom makes it easy for students to email you, comment on assignments and announcements, and they can even contribute to class resources via links, documents, and videos.
5. It's not perfect.  Well this is an odd thing to put into a pros list, isn't it?  My answer is no.  Nothing is perfect and Google Classroom has it's flaws which will be the basis of my next post.  With that being said, that only means there is room for improvement.  Google is constantly updating, so it's only a matter of time before features and improvements are made.  The simplicity is great right now because anyone can open it up and use it, even those reluctant teachers.  As it gets more complex, those reluctant teachers can learn along with everyone else.

Hashtag Etiquette #10SummerBlogs

Five years ago it was known as the number sign/pound sign.  Now this little sign (#) is known as the hashtag and it has taken over social media to the point I even used on in the title of this post. Older individuals find them annoying, younger individuals find them addicting, and people like me find them to be powerful.  In 2009 twitter became the forerunners on hashtags by hyper-linking them, making it possible to connect with people with the same hashtags.  You can now use them to chat, connect, market, or even emphasize something within a post.  Hashtags are now used on just about every form of social media, and I feel obligated to go over some rules of hashtagging, before you get too carried away.

1. Quit over-hashtagging.  I know you have seen it in the past where someone decides to add in about 40 hashtags to there post.  When I see this I question the purpose.  Hashtags should be short and meaningful.  The purpose is to connect and emphasize, not scare people.  Generally speaking I think 1-3 in a post is ok but never more than 5.
2. Relevance, Relevance, Relevance.  You have lost everything with me if you decide to throw in some random hashtag with no meaning to your post.  This one doesn't happen a lot, but it sticks out like bad writing, when it does.  
3. Short and Simple people.  A hashtag needs to be short and simple.  Something easy to type and something that sticks out to other readers.  It needs to be something that others are hashtagging too.  I should be able to click on your hashtag and instantly be connected with hundreds, thousands, maybe millions of others who are hashtagging the same thing.  If I click on your hashtag and you are the only lonely soul that used that hashtag, then it wasn't meant to be a hashtag.  The only argument for this is if you are trying to start a trend, in that case it better be memorable.  If your hashtag is more than 3-4 words it's too long (for the most part).  
4. Use them where they matter.  Facebook is not the place for hashtags.  Twitter and Instagram are.  The only exception to this rule is if your posts/tweets are automatically uploaded to Facebook.  In that sense you are ok because it always says that it was uploaded via those sites.  Twitter has always been the front man for hashtags and for some reason it picked up well on Instagram, but Facebook was a little late to the show and has never been able to catch up.  Facebook has other uses though, which still makes it powerful.  Google+ has embraced the hashtag very well.
5. Understand the hashtag.  I see this one all the time, and it might just be judgement.  Do a little research before you hashtag to fully understand what a hashtag is.  It's not just a symbol you throw in front of a word to make it a link, it's so much more.  On that same note, don't just discount the hashtag because young people throw the term around.  There is a lot of power behind that hashtag, but you need to understand what it does and why we do it to really use them effectively.  

So, there you have it.  The 5 rules of hashtagging.  We tell the students and kids we have to use social media correctly, so we need to start doing the same by following these suggestions for a powerful tool.  Start using hashtags but please don't be that annoying person who doesn't know what they doing.  You'll end up like that person who thinks they know the lyrics to a song and ends up blurting out the wrong words.  Thanks for reading and I hope you learn something.

Why Fort Dodge is Great: This Really Isn't About Education #10SummerBlogs

As the title states, this post has really nothing to do with education.  It has a little to do with attitude, a lot to do with perspective, and everything to do with change.  This is a personal reflection, but can be applied to anywhere and anyone.  So read on and hopefully take something from this...it might be kind of long.

The year was 2007 and I moved to Fort Dodge, IA to attend Iowa Central Community College to run cross country and track and learn a little bit.  I became wrapped up in the negativity associated with Fort Dodge, heard all the stereotypes, the reputations, and I took everything at face value, and got out quick in the fall of 2008.  I transferred to UNI and graduated in 2011 with a BA in English Education.  I got my first teaching job in Eagle Grove, IA which is about 25 minutes northeast of Fort Dodge.  My fiance's family (she is now my wife) lives in Fort Dodge so we made the decision to find a place to live in Fort Dodge, as opposed to a small town, since we knew we didn't want to spend more than 5 years here.  My response: Oh great, back to Fort Dodge.

People would talk to me about Fort Dodge, and my response was always negative.  That it was a crappy town, with not a whole lot going for it.  People asked me why I didn't just try to find a teaching job in Fort Dodge, and my response would always fall back to some negative comment about the town.  Then something changed.  But before that let's get a glimpse of this town.

Most people enter town on 5th Avenue South, or Old Highway 20.  When you get into town you are greeted with a string of businesses, mostly chain restaurants.  The town has recently added a nice aquatic center, a fun center (bumper cars, mini golf, go carts, laser tag, etc.), and a brand new middle school on this side of town (east).  As you get further downtown, things look a little bleak to an outsider, but it only takes some familiarization to know that downtown has some great opportunities as well.  Iowa Central is all the way on the West end of town and potentially has some of the nicest facilities the town has.  We have a rec center, plenty of shopping, plenty of restaurants, and big business like Cargill, CJ Bio, Koch, and Boehringer, are huge for this town.  We have golf courses, an aquatic center, mini golf, bowling, sporting goods, a small zoo, a lot of parks, and great events like Shellabration (this year Lynyrd Skynyrd is coming), and the Dragon Boat Bash, along with Frontier Days, Octoberfest, The HyVee Half Marathon, just to name a few.  You have a great mix of big businesses and smaller local businesses.  We have a public school system and a private parochial school system. You have bad parts of town and good parts of town.  You have good people and you have bad people.  You have drugs, alcohol, problems, but you also have families, churches, and community.

The amazing part about what I just explained above in that paragraph doesn't just apply to Fort Dodge, IA, it can apply to almost any town, city, or village in the United States.  But why does Fort Dodge attract such a negative reputation or attract those negative attitudes?  That's a great question and I don't really have the answer.  I don't know the history of this town very well, and I would assume it stems from that, but progress is not made by dwelling on the past, it's made by focusing on the future.

Now let's get to my epiphany.  Last year in April I, along with a few others, organized a small 5k to raise money for those affected by the Boston Marathon Bombings.  We got everything ready in under 7 days.  Advertising, donations, logistics, etc.  I expected no more than 30-40 people to show up and I could hopefully write a check for 200 dollars to send out to Boston.  What happened exceeded my expectations, and that's an understatement.  We had just shy of 300 individuals show up for the event and raised just over 6000 dollars.  I was brought to tears and I was a bit overwhelmed by this at the time, but what it did for me is change my perspective about this community.

There are great people in Fort Dodge, IA that want to make a difference, but often times the negativity over powers that progression.  I am here to say that Fort Dodge is a great community with great people.  It has a great school system that I am happy to employed by now.  It has great events, great opportunities, and there is no doubt in my mind that Fort Dodge is moving forward.  To all the naysayers, and complainers out there, I ask a few simple questions: What are you doing to make this place better?  And if you aren't trying to make it better, why are you still here?

Now let's talk about change.  I don't think Fort Dodge, IA is the greatest place in the world, and I don't think it's the best it ever will be, or perhaps has ever been.  I love this community, and I know it has great things coming, but that takes leadership and the willingness to drop the negativity, drop the reputation, and focus on the future.  It takes evaluating what Fort Dodge has, what Fort Dodge needs, and what the people of Fort Dodge want.  What are we missing?  Are there any disconnects?  It takes community involvement, events worthy of attending, advertising, economy, and positive attitudes.  I believe all of these things are progressing in full force.  My only request if you live in this community, have lived in this community, live near this community, or know of this community, don't bash on it solely because others do.  Don't bash on this community because a few people rubbed you the wrong way.  Don't bash on this community because of crime.  Instead, praise this community for the progress it's making.  Praise this community for the willingness to expand and accept new businesses.  Praise this community for a school system that is making some big leaps in the educational realm today.  Praise this community for its diversity and opportunities.

A lot of people ask, "so what is there to do in Fort Dodge?"  It's a hard question to answer, because you just have to look and search for it.  Get out every once in awhile.  Head down to Amigo's on a Wednesday night for live music and an awesome crowd.  Head over to Fort Frenzy and have a blast racing go carts.  Head out to Willow Ridge and play a round of golf, followed by a nice meal.  Head down to Snell Crawford for a nice run, walk, or bike ride, and maybe play a round of frisbee golf.  Visit local shops like the Cheesecake Lady, Nettie's, the Dariette, Brown's Shoefit, or Hardy's Cady Shack Cafe.  Have a drink at Sneakers, Community, Lefties, or Sport's Page and catch a game while you're at it.  Float around the lazy river at Rosedale Rapids.  Head down to Market on Central every other Saturday over the summer, or participate at Third Thursday Fit Night over the summer.  Run a 5k, 10k, or half marathon, they are available all the time.  Head out to Kennedy Park for a walk around the lake.  Buy a Decker Tee at Decker's infamous tent sale.  Head down to Oleson Park Zoo and see the animals.  Get a family photo shoot done at Greendoor Photography.  Head out to the Fort Museum to travel back in time.  Head down to the public library and check out a book, or check out some of the events they host.  Enroll in some classes out at Iowa Central.  Be involved.  Organize your own event.  The sky is always the limit.

I thought originally I would be here for 5 years...tops, but I know now I am here long term.  I loved Eagle Grove the three years I taught there, but I have grown to love the community I have called home for the past 3 years as well.  Fort Dodge may have a bad rep, and negative people, but there are so many great positive people that have great voices.  Those voices need to be heard and need to be utilized.  Fort Dodge is a great place, and if you don't believe me, start surrounding yourself with good people, and start opening your eyes a bit.  Go Dodgers.