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An open letter to teachers from your students

8/11/2017

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Dear teachers, 

​We know that you have a difficult job.  From what we hear, grading homework and tests, planning activities and going to meetings takes up a lot of your time.  In addition, we know that we can be a handful at times, too. While we may not always show it, we really appreciate what you do, and no, we can't do your job even though at times we say and act otherwise.  With that being said, there are a few things we would like you to keep in mind when you are planning lessons and interacting with us throughout the school day:


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Engage Students with a Digital Turn and Talk

7/20/2017

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One way I love to engage learners during discussions or question and answer sessions in my classroom is with the Kagan Structure Think, Pair, Share. While I was still a full-time classroom teacher, I would ask a question, instruct students to discuss the question with their shoulder partner, during which 
each partner gave and explained their answer.  I did this so that every student in the classroom  had an opportunity to think about and engage in discussion around the content.  This was a great way to break up a class period and get students talking and thinking.  ​​​

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Providing Teachers Context and Confidence

6/17/2017

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On May 25, 2017,  my son Gabriel was born.  Gabriel is my second child and by all accounts, is a happy and healthy baby. As I think back to the first few days of his life compared to those of my 5 year old daughter, there is one major difference between the two experiences.  My level of confidence.  I clearly remember with my daughter being surprised that the hospital let me, a guy who could barely cook his own dinner, take a human child home.  My wife and I didn't know what we were doing, and the looks on our 
faces told our nurse that.  However, now, after five years of parenting experience to go on, we were calm, confident, and ready to go when we finally got to take our little guy home.  This change in demeanor came down to things: context and confidence.  ​

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Increase Productivity While Working Remotely

6/4/2017

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Recently the St. Louis area was impacted by severe weather that closed school for 4 days. As all educators know, just because classes are canceled, that doesn't mean that our work stops.  In addition to needing to get work done with colleagues who weren't in their offices or classrooms, meetings all across the district had to be rescheduled, and calendars needed to be adjusted.  This all happened the last 10 days of school.  
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Needless to say, it was a little tricky getting all of our end of the year work efficiently and effectively.  However, thanks to G Suite tools, meetings were rescheduled, collaboration took place, and deadlines were met.  In the next few paragraphs, I will share some of the ways Google tools can help get work done and connect people remotely. ​

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The Google Certified Trainer Road Map

5/19/2017

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​When I was first learning about educational technology by joining Twitter and attending conferences as a high school ELA teacher 6 years ago, I was flooded with so much information. Web tools, resources, lesson ideas, implementation strategies, and so much more was at my fingertips on Twitter  and in front of me at conferences and edcamps. At the center of all this learning were Google 
Certified Teachers and Trainers.  I remember being awed by this group of educators who seemed to have all the answers and cool schwag. I hoped that one day I would be able to include myself in that group. ​

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Five Reasons to Become a Google Certified Educator

5/8/2017

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​In 2015, Google introduced Google Educator certifications, giving classroom teachers an opportunity to be recognized by Google for their ability to implement Google for Education tools in the classroom. Many educators quickly started working through the training modules and obtaining Google Certified Educator status. 
Other educators, like me, put off the the certifications saying things like "I know that I know it, so why take the tests?" or "I don't have time do mess with that".  For a while I was in the latter group. However, after seeing so many of my colleagues and friends from other districts take the assessments and earn Google certifications, I dedicated a few days to working through Google's training modules and taking the Level 1 and Level 2 assessments.  Now I'm glad that I invested time into the Google certification exams. Here are 5 reasons why YOU should work towards Google Educator certifications, too. 

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Expanding my PLN with Blogging Buddies

5/5/2017

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I've been blogging on and off since the beginning of 2011.  Blogging is a practice that I've always found to be a useful tool in reflection and in planning learning activities for students and PD for educators. Throughout the past 6 years I've gone through periods of writing often and long writing droughts.  Earlier this year, though, I recommitted myself to blogging regularly reconnecting with some of the educators I met years ago when I began this journey.  Needless to say, I was thrilled when I saw that ISTE's Edtech Coaches PLN was beginning a blogging accountability program called Blogging Buddies. 


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Create a Magical Class Website with the Power of #GSuite!

5/1/2017

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Recently I was talking to a group of teachers in my school district about the difference between Google Classroom and  a class website as a communication tool.  We know that Google Classroom is an excellent tool for creating a paperless workflow for the classroom, but that doesn't help parent communication (I know that we can send guardian summaries, but that's not the same as a website).  ​


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Screaming from the (digital) mountain tops

3/13/2017

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In my role as the Instructional Technology Coordinator for my school district, I develop and deploy technology-based PD for the 850 teachers in my district.  I provide one-off PD workshops, semester-long academies, PLC collaboration, just-in-time digital trainings and more. I love working with teachers because it keeps me close to the classroom and, after all, I am a teacher at heart.  

The fact that developing a communication plan is paramount to any organization's success is not lost on me.  In fact, I feel strongly that one of the most important parts of my role is communication including communicating the vision for technology's role in my district, communicating with educators before, during, and after professional development takes place. I think a lot about and have the best way to communicate my message. Below are a few of the ways I connect with teachers in my district to share my message and communicate before, during, and after PD has take place. 

Below are some of the methods I use to communicate with the 850 teachers I serve.  My hope is that sharing these communication methods will help me reflect on my practices and help others ideas on how to increase communication with the groups they serve. 


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What I Learned about Leading a District Twitter Challenge

2/25/2017

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My district just finished its second annual district-wide Twitter challenge. The month of the Twitter challenge has come to be one of my favorite parts of the year because I get to peak in classrooms all across the district that I'm unable to visit and I'm able to make connections with more of my 850 teachers to develop classroom partnerships and strengthen relationships.  I think that every district should try a Twitter challenge.  But before you get started, here are a few lessons I have learned in the past two years about facilitating a district-wide Twitter challenge. 


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    About JP 

    Husband | Father | Edtech Coordinator | Google for Education Certified Trainer, February 2017 #GoogleET | METC Spotlight Educator 2017

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