I recently had to attend the funeral of my wife’s two month old great-nephew. The funeral was in Georgia, which is about a 10 hour trip from  Ohio by car, so I had a lot of time to think. As I observed two 26 year old  parents mourn the sudden and tragic passing of their son, I couldn’t help but  think about how much we take life for granted. We get caught up on what we  don’t have or who has more. We, at times, focus on the things that divide us as  opposed to what draws us closer together. As life happens we start to run on autopilot until we are interrupted by a tragedy. What if we were more aware of  our coasting by asking ourselves several “what if” questions?

 Personal/Family

What if we took five minutes to pray every day?

What if families had breakfast or dinner together at least twice a week?

What if we exercised for 30 minutes every day?

What if we watched less TV and read, wrote, and talked with others more?

What if we spent less money and gave more?

What If we gave 12 hugs a day?

What if we genuinely complimented at least 5 people a day?

What if we choose to learn from failure?

What if we forgave more often and extend the grace we too often are given?

What if we choice one day a week to turn off our mobile devices, desktops, and TVs?

What if we create a bucket list and actually did it?

What if we weren’t afraid?

School

What if every staff member believed all students can learn at high levels?

What if schools truly focused on learning for all?

What if every student felt like they belonged?

What if every parent felt like they had a partnership with their child’s teachers?

What if principals truly made classroom visits and visibility a daily priority?

What if principals weren’t afraid to confront behaviors that are counter to the school  vision, mission, and values?

What if, for one night a week, there was no homework assigned?

What if the senior year was truly relevant?

What if teachers were inspired to work in your school?

What if students were passionate about learning in your class?

What if students were given the chance to recover from an academic failure?

I can’t help but to think about the words spoken by the 2 month old’s mother as she courageously  addressed the guests at the funeral: “Even though he wasn’t with us long,  he brought so much peace to this family and brought us all together. I hurt,  but I can’t help but to be happy for what he has done for this family.”

Her words caused many emotions to flood my system, and with the emotions came time to  reflect upon the many questions I’ve posed in this post.  Before another moment ticks by, before  another life is lost, allow yourself to question, “what if?” What are we going to do with the time we have? What if we picked just two questions from each list and took time to apply them to our lives? Imagine what a significant impact you would have on others. Let’s keep this going. What questions do you think should be on the list?

Be Great,

Dwight

Images from Jostens Renaissance Facebook page

One of the most uplifting, exciting, and celebratory conferences for educators and students is the National Jostens Renaissance Conference which takes place every July. I’ve had the privilege of attending the conference for 7 years and each year I leave feeling recharged, rejuvenated, and valued as an educator. Yes, it’s that great!

Jostens Renaissance is a philosophy that focuses on creating a positive school climate and culture by inspiring students and staff to celebrate educational performance.  Learning, risk taking, collaboration and play are celebrated throughout the entire conference. The energy comes from the participants including students of all ages, teachers, support staff, and administrators.

This year’s conference will take place July 13-15 in Orlando, FL and the theme is “Something to Believe In.” The line up of featured speakers is top notch: Todd Whitaker, Keith Nord, Emmy Award winning speaker, Mark Sharonbrauch, Jessica Weiner, Justin Patchin and Sameer Hinduja, Ruby Payne, and the “Red Rubber Ball” man himself, Kevin Carroll! While this line up is outstanding, the power lies in the hundreds of presentations by educators like you and me.

There will be a list of breakout sessions that highlight what schools from across North America are doing to increase student achievement, attendance, citizenship and service in connection with local communities.  To top it off, for three days, those of us in attendance are treated like royalty! There is no talk about what educators aren’t doing, only appreciation for our service and dedication to the young people we have been blessed to work with. Carve out some time in July to attend this awesome conference! Not convinced? Check out Jostens Renaissance on Facebook. If you believe in inspiration, creativity, collaboration, celebration, unity, and learning, I look forward to seeing you there! In the meantime, check out this song by Parachute, which is the inspiration for the conference theme!

Be Great,

Dwight

Recently the Gahanna Lincoln High School Orchestra and Chorale collaborated on a meaningful performance that raised thousands of dollars for those in need. This was the second year of the event and both years the audience walked away feeling proud, overjoyed, and appreciative of how we focus on the arts in the Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools. This year I was much more aware of the time commitment and hard work it took for the teachers and students to prepare for this performance because of the use of social media. The final product was simply a masterpiece. I asked GLHS Orchestra Director, Kevin Dengel (@KevinDengel) to reflect on the collaborative process and share his thoughts:

What Drives You?

What drives you? For me, it is the creative process; developing unique experiences and facilitating collaboration. It helps to continually energize and refresh my battery – and those of my students. Collaboration also makes me a better educator, because it gets me out of my comfort zone. You know  ‘the comfort zone’, that forlorn cubical far away from any windows or humans. It’s adjacent to the fire escape and tornado shelter, and has not been dusted since 1943. Your comfort zone is where you keep your red Swingline stapler and await the next ‘TCP’ report (Office Space). Fantastic mentors instilled in me an appreciation and understanding for the power and impact collaboration has on individuals and communities, and I pursue these within my own department and across the curriculum. I have been able to find a new, more exciting and interactive, comfort zone.

Reaching Out

We were not created for isolation and must be cautious to not withdraw ourselves into it. “Think outside of the box” … well for heaven’s sake, who put me there in the first place?! In the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools (@GahannaJeffersn), I am blessed to work with amazing colleagues and students. Many have thrown the box out with the trash – the same one with all the pre-scripted lesson plans. We are always pursuing new endeavors and initiatives, both personally and professionally, making the learning environment exciting and fresh, if one choosing to engage with it. Few quarantine themselves into isolation, but it is an educational travesty when they do. If we are all experts in our field, we should be engaging in authentic community. If nothing else, to show students that our world is not departmentalized.

Inception

Two years ago, I approached Jeremy Lahman (@JeremyLahman), LHS choir director, interested in combining two of our ensembles. This collaborative question is flourishing into something we could not have anticipated. Since then, our Chamber Orchestra and Chorale have joined musical-forces to perform Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem Mass and Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria. We now hope to collaborate every year. It is not only fun for everyone, but it benefits Gahanna Residents In Need (GRIN) – a local charity! Preparing for this performance is always a tall order; however, I have learned that the best growth and learning occurs when we experience challenge and difficulty. To teach and not allow for these is … well, poor teaching. Do you always play it safe?

Light the Fire

Had Mr. Lahman and I not capriciously discussed collaborating that one day, Gahanna Residents In Need (GRIN) would have not had their yearly budget triple for two-consecutive years. Had our students not been exposed to these pieces by Fauré or Vivaldi, they would not have performed masterworks in the classical repertoire. Had the community not rallied behind the arts, our most-needy residents would have little hope. Had that ‘acorn’ of an idea not germinated, this collaboration would not have grown to bear fruit. 

What fruit? Firstly, the proceeds from ticket sales allows GRIN to improve the quality of life for many struggling families in our community. Secondly, it is service-learning; the process of aiding others grasp that one person or group can become a change-agent. Remember always that a Giant Sequoia (Redwood) starts as a seed no larger than a pea – and the seeds require a fire to germinate. What “seed” are you holding onto? When are you going to light the fire?

Reaping and Sowing

Pastor Claude Davis, at New Life Church, Gahanna, says, “Whatever is sown will give 1) what was planted, 2) after it was planted, and 3) more than was planted.” It’s a Biblical principal that is as real as gravity. Mr. Lahman and I hope that our first two “harvests” will pay forward for Gahanna, illustrating to our students the power of reaping and sowing for the benefit of our brothers and sisters. Who knows what our current students will do to improve others’ lives in the future, because of the collaborative experience in service-learning now.

“I had to keep pinching myself.”

Retired Director of Bands, Jeff Shellhammer said these words to our students, at the conclusion of our final rehearsal before GLORIA! “I had to keep pinching myself. Are we really in Gahanna?!” Gahanna has top-tier arts, from music to theatre to visual arts. We are able to offer our students high-quality opportunities, because our administrators, community, and staff value the arts. Parents encourage their students to enroll in our courses because of this! It is due to the convergence of ALL these that our students are able to thrive.

Moving Forward

So I ask, “What seed are you keeping in your cubical?” Become an agent of change and accept the challenges associated with it . Allow the words of Jeff Shellhammer to be your community’s reaction, “Are we really in ________?” Push the quality and opportunities to a new level. The process is not easy. It requires creativity and collaboration, but it is worth every drop of sweat. What will you sow? When will you light the fire?

In Arts Education, 

Kevin Dengel

@kevindengel

Administrators wear many hats and deal with what can be categorized as minutiae throughout the day. It’s a part of the job. Athletic Directors also have to handle minutiae throughout the day and have the privilege to interact with student-athletes and coaches in very meaningful ways. I’ve asked the Gahanna Lincoln High School Athletic Director, Justin Sanford (@jsan0900) to provide us a glimpse of his day:

So let’s begin in the morning!  

I have certainly grown to appreciate the blessing of time; Time that you have to spend with those that you love and unfortunately, the time that you don’t.  The job of an Athletic Director doesn’t begin an end as a traditional school day would, this appreciation of time spent with your family is precious.  

Each morning, I’m grateful for the joy of preparing a quick breakfast for my boys – they love bagels or waffles; what can I say?  Then, I take one or both of them to either preschool (Kirill), or to catch the bus heading to High Point Elem. (Caleb).  Even if for just a brief 10 – 20 minutes with them each morning, I’ve come to cherish this time for, there are several evenings throughout the week that a sporting event will keep me at school after the boys have already turned in for the night.

Here at Gahanna Lincoln, I have the privilege to manage the custodial staff, oversee the operating expenses for the high school and serve as Athletic Director too.  

This morning arrival (7:20), I went straight to the gymnasium – I had received a call from one of our night custodians that there was an issue with the bleacher system retracting back into place following our Girls Basketball game last night (FYI, left the school for home at 9:30pm last night).  Knowing our Phys. Ed. Classes would need those retracted for class, that was the first order of business… Unlocked the bleacher lever that somehow locks on its own, and Boom!  Bleachers Retracted!  

Then it’s off to answer emails and radio calls-the front door closing mechanism isn’t working properly (I’ve got no answer for that one), maintenance work order entered into the system – done! 

Logged into the AESOP system to see what custodians might be calling off today…all present and accounted for!  

More email answering for contest requests of game scheduling, purchase order request to be completed and appropriated, met with one of our student-athletes to go over her NCAA clearinghouse worksheet, completed the officials payment statements from last night’s game, tally the deposit from the game as well…

Where were all the spectators by the way, that was not a very good gate…

Take a stroll through the hallways to get some face time with students (did you say facecake?)…

And before you know it, it’s off to an 11:00am meeting with Scott Schmidt at Central Office to discuss facility rental agreements and schedules.

How about some lunch?  Is there tuna salad at the salad bar…my favorite and would choose to eat that every day if available…..oh the suspense….Ahhh….Chicken Salad….skipping lunch and heading to the bank to make a deposit.

This afternoon will bring more paperwork…this time its documents for our athletic conference (the Ohio Capital Conference – OCC) for which we are a member.  I have the great pleasure to serve as the Audit Committee Chair and currently working the conference through compliance for our 501.c3 non-profit status.  Did I say great pleasure???  There are filings that need to be met for our Articles of Incorporation and the IRS  SS-4 filing…I must have missed a meeting and was assigned this position, I highly doubt anyone would volunteer to head up an Audit Committee…So this afternoon will mean meeting with our conference commissioner and getting his signature of sets of documents that need filed.

The next hour or so, I received several “pop ins” from teachers that have maintenance issues in their rooms, an impromptu phone call from a parent that’s upset with something going on in their child’s athletic program and a visit from Dale Foor, soliciting items for the Gahanna Jefferson Education Foundation Auction. 

Have to make copies….jam….clear copier jam and resume copying….jam….call Ms. Effie, she has the magic touch and doesn’t like when I touch the copier anyway!

As we approach the 3:00 hour, I will meet with our head night Custodian, Ken Wolford and discuss any scheduled events for this evening, issues that need attended… then, he and his crew start their duties as the building begins to clear out.

Make my rounds throughout the building to visit with coaches and teams, to see how the programs are doing…stop by for a quick critique of the Cheer Comp Squad routine…they’re gonna rock this route this year…and if I’m lucky, interact with several of our student-athletes along the way.  

This by far, is the greatest blessing of this job…to be a part of these student-athletes lives, even if from somewhat afar.  The lessons and attributes in which they learn and are exposed to, can be life-changing if they allow it.  Working with coaches that can influence the lives of these young people every day is not only a blessing, but a responsibility; and it’s one that the coaches at Gahanna Lincoln High School take great P.R.I.D.E. in.

It was said, “That a coach will influence more people in a given year, than most people will do in a lifetime.” Billy Graham

And our coaches – myself included, choose to accept this as a Blessing and not a Responsibility!  I’m grateful for our coaches, and my opportunity to be the Athletic Director at Gahanna Lincoln.  

Hey look, its 4:00 and we do not have an athletic event tonight, so I’m shutting down and heading home to spend a few, precious, appreciated moments with my family.

Until we do it all again tomorrow!  Go Lions!

“Get off the phone!” This is something my mom would yell at me, my brother, and sister when we growing up. It was a time when the landline house phone was our way to connect with our friends and family when we weren’t at school or visiting their homes. We would jockey for the phone because whoever got to it first stayed on it the longest.

Fast forwarding to today I hear this statement more than ever. I hear it at home, at school, and I hear it from other educators. However, I don’t believe it’s a relevant complaint these days. A phone today is not just a phone, but a powerful mobile device with access to an abundance of information and operation tools. Accessing this information is only part of the equation; the other parts are reading, researching, creating, and sharing information.

So, when you see someone using their “phone,” they very well could be reading a book, article, blog, connecting with their personal learning network via Twitter or Skype, researching, creating a digital story, preparing for a presentation, or reading the newspaper. In short, they could be…. learning. How can one get upset with that?

Be Great,

Dwight

Educon 2.4 was a unique conference experience because it’s more a conversation than a typical conference of presentation after presentation. Many of our conversations continued at lunch, dinner, during breaks and on Twitter.

 The backdrop was the Science Leadership Academy, an inquiry-based, student-centered public school that has an extremely diverse and eclectic student population. The word “community” is an obvious part of the school’s culture and the students were very much a part of the Educon experience as they served as guides, conversation facilitators, and tech crew.

 I spent quite a bit of time reflecting about my three days at Educon and have come away with several key takeaways to think about:  

1. Ask “what if?”- We often have the case of the “yeah, buts” when new ideas are shared instead of thinking about possible ways to make something happen. Have you ever said, “Yeah, that’s a good idea, but…..” followed by a list of reasons why a particular idea won’t work. Creativity and problem solving are stifled before given a fair chance to cultivate into something meaningful.
2.  “Why should I use it?”-When sharing a new web 2.0 tool, such as Twitter, Diigo, or Google Docs explain how it can make one’s life easier before sharing what it is. We often get caught up in the excitement or “cool factor” of a new tool and leave out why and how the new technology can increase efficiency and productivity. Time is at a premium for everyone these days and there are a number of tools we can learn to use in the classroom and share with our students to capture time. The more we share with them and explain “the how” the more prepared they will be to thrive in an ever changing future. 
3.  “Culture matters”- Innovation is a not a “flash in the pan experience,” but a process that occurs over time. We have to create and maintain a culture at GLHS that makes risk taking and failure safe for our students and each other. A part of the learning process is failure with a chance to recover and reflect. 
4. “Be Resilient!”- Resilience is defined as the ability to cope with stress or anxiety. We live in a pressure cooker as educators and the release seems a far way away.Therefore, we have to review our systems and ask how we are adding to our own stress and students’ stress. For example, we assign projects, papers, presentations, and performances at the same time and expect quality work from our students. We have hard deadlines because we are teaching responsibility. Yet, do we take into consideration the scope of a student’s entire day at school? I constantly push my staff to “try this new tool,” “read this article,” “review your grading practices…” on top of the other general demands of being an educator. It’s no wonder we are so tired and on cognitive overload. What in our system, that’s within our control, can we change to provide time for us to talk with one another and give our students time to work, breathe, and decompress?  
5.  “Tech Savvy”-Being a tech-savvy educator is more about a willingness to learn, share, fail and reflect than mastering a particular tool. Embracing technology is an example of one’s desire to learn new ways to make learning more engaging and relevant to our students. The phrase, “I don’t do technology” is not only unacceptable, but it’s a declaration that “I’m done learning.” If we are not willing to learn then we are not willing to help our students learn. It seems we see new tools daily, so mastering a tool is maybe not the best approach. 
6. “Laser-like focus”- Upon entering the Science Leadership Academy, the mission, core values, guiding principles, and rules were posted everywhere and recited by every member of the school community. More importantly, they were evident in the way the school functions. “Recite” is not the best word choice here because it conveys a message of memorization as opposed to belief. They believe in what they are doing. They not only share a common belief, but a common language that provides clarity of purpose. Whether talking to the principal, Chris Lehmann, a teacher, freshman tour guide, or senior facilitator, each spoke confidently and clearly about what the school is all about:

           Mission-How do we learn? How can we create? What does it mean to lead?

           Core Values- Inquiry, Research, Collaboration, Presentation, and Reflection

           Rules-Respect yourself, Respect Others, Respect the Learning Environment         

So, I had to ask myself, “If someone asked me what our core beliefs are, would my answer match that of a department chairperson, first year teacher, secretary, or student of any grade level? It’s something we all should think about and discuss within our school communities.  

Be Great,

Dwight

Early during the 2010-2011 school year, my Principals Advisory Council came up with the idea to engage parents and community members by teaching technology classes once a month. We were cognizant of a potential gap that was occurring in terms of technology tools our students use, we use, and our parents use. If we were having difficulty keeping up, we figured our students’ parents and community members were too.

As we were planning what “Community University” would look like, I read a blog post written by Burlington High School Principal, Patrick Larkin, about the technology classes his school offered to parents. I knew we were on to something! To decide which classes to offer, I surveyed the staff to find out what classes they would be willing to teach and from there, created a schedule and class description for parents. The next step was to inform parents and make it happen!

We launched Community University in October, 2011 with a Facebook 101 class and it was a hit! Our orchestra teacher along with our district Chief Communications Officer facilitated the class for about two dozen parents. Parents were very appreciative of our efforts and left excited about the new information they learned. We saw it as opportunity for them to engage their students in a conversation about digital citizenship as well.

Community University classes are offered the first Monday of each month for an hour. We now offer two classes each month and since October,  we have held a resume writing class, understanding Google Docs class, Facebook 102, and a telescope class, which was faciltated by students. Some of the future classes are as follows: How to use your Smartphone, What is Digital Citizenship?, Twitter 101, Enhance Your Power Point Presentations, Understanding Movie Maker, iPad 101, and Understanding Prezi.

Each class is facilitated by a GLHS staff member who volunteers their time to connect with and engage our community. I encourage you to offer technology classes for your community as well. We see it as an opportunity to increase parents’ and community members’ confidence in using the technological tools that are increasingly becoming a part of our world.

Be Great,

Dwight

This is cross-posted on Connected Principals.com

“So how as the conference,” Samantha, my wife, asked when I called her from the airport. “It was incredible!” I exclaimed. “Okay, what was it about?” she asked. I quickly replied with a chuckle, “Well, the essential question was how do we sustain innovation in education?” Her response was priceless, “Wow! That’s…. a lot to take in.” I replied, “Yes, it was a lot to take in and it’s exactly what I needed.” Again, her response was priceless, “so, it stretched you.” Boom!

I have a bad back, mainly because of a bulging disk, but also because I don’t stretch. My hamstrings are in knots so it creates tension in my lower back. I hate stretching! It takes too much time and quite frankly it hurts! It hurts because I don’t do it. I know what you’re thinking, “If you would just stretch then it wouldn’t hurt.” No kidding, but what we are talking about is a knowing-doing gap. I know what to do, I’m just not doing it. On the other hand, I absolutely love learning. I equate it to mental and cognitive stretching. It’s a painful, daunting process at times, but it is also so rewarding.

Many of us who attended Educon 2.4 experienced this cognitive stretch throughout the weekend in the form of conversations and panel discussions. Educon helps to close the knowing-doing gap when it comes to grassroots education reform. You see, the presenters, participants, those who followed on Twitter or watched it from the live video stream, were primarily educators who are “doing” the work, not just individuals talking about want needs to be done. This same group also searches for better ways to do what is best for today’s learner, and not once did we spend an entire session discussing how to make a better standardized test!

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to its original dimension.” It is hard to argue against that because what he referred to was the learning process. When we let ourselves engage in the learning process and try to wrap our minds around an essential question, such as the one posed at Educon, we find ourselves in deep conversation about the purpose of school, the future of education, what IS learning, why use technology, and what is innovation. Yes, it can be philosophical, but it also gives us all a chance to dialogue about what we are doing, how we are doing it, how we can learn from one another, and what we can do in our classroom, school, and community right now.

Educon was just the stretch I needed to be a better leader for my students, staff, and community when I return to my building. It gave me a chance to step away to think, listen, reflect and also learn with others. Thanks to Chris Lehmann (@Chrislehmann), the students at the Science Leadership Academy, and The Franklin Institute for hosting this amazing conference.

Be Great,

Dwight

Students in our Space Technology class just completed a space simulation in which they were asked to design a rover that would complete specific tasks. In years past, they would do a space shuttle simulation. But this year, science teacher, Fred Donelson (@mrdglhs) changed things up a bit to simulate the landing on and mining of materials from an asteroid.  According to Mr. Donelson, “students will be simulating a landing by using bounce technology to drop a robot down the stairway.  They are also building a rover, remotely controlled via the internet, to remove a debris field from a mine and then collect/mine some minerals.  And a PR team will communicate all of this to visitors.”

Each year, I am simply amazed by what the students do! I wanted a student to share his experience of participating in the simulation so I invited Gahanna Lincoln High School senior, Jonathan Harrison to be a guest blogger. I’ve had the pleasure of being Jonathan’s principal since he was in the sixth grade and I couldn’t be more proud of him!

Project Vesta Reflection

               There is too much to be said for a project my group and I spent over a month on completing. One of the reasons I took Space Technology was because of the teacher, Mr. Donelson. He is one of the most interactive teachers I have ever had and I feel like he really wants his kids to succeed. Yes, I do understand that every teacher, for the most part, wants their kids to succeed in their class, but Mr. D does so much more. He uses inventive ways to teach such as social networks: always posting on Facebook and Twitter to keep his students updated on certain things going on in the class. It really helps not having to jump through hoops to find out what is due the next day. He also makes sure all of his students understand the material he is presenting, which is the most important. Students who needed the extra help could always find it, no matter if it was during the school week, on the weekends or even over holiday breaks. We had put in many hours to our project, but it was nothing compared to the hours Mr. D put in.

               With that being said, my group wanted to put in just as much work towards our project as Mr. D had put into us. We wanted to go above and beyond our expectations and really knock the socks off not only our competition, but our whole community. Personally I feel like we exceeded our goals and really showed people what teenagers are capable of producing. It also showed people how social networking can really effect a student’s education. We were able to contact teachers, administrators and other educators not only from all over the country, but across the globe. It was really eye-opening to see something we use for leisure everyday open up a lot of opportunities to further your education. That was really cool and something I enjoyed doing.

               The objective was to land your egg rover on the asteroid Vesta. Once there you had to clear debris and mine minerals that would act as important substances we need here on Earth. Each 6 person team was split up in 3 teams of two. The three teams were the Rover team, Lander team and the Public Relations team.

               Personally, I was on the Public Relations team. We had a lot of things to complete while this project went on. We had to develop a teaching video on space colonization, which will be a factor in our lives. The catch was that it had to be suitable for middle school students, who cannot read nearly as fast as high school seniors. We had to edit multiple times, which was extremely frustrating. But we finished it and it turned out very nicely. Next we had to make a documentary video. This basically outlined everything we did throughout the whole project. We had to keep record of everything that happened with videos and photos. We also had to “get our name out there.” I thought that what we were doing was very cool and interesting and I wanted other people to know also. I made a website, Facebook group and a Twitter account for everyone to communicate back and forth. In a few days we had educators from all over the world commenting on our progress and they were really interested in what Team Chronos, (our team name, @TeamChronos), was doing that day. They would ask for information on everything we had knowledge on, which was pretty cool. It’s not every day that an adult comes to a teenager and asks them for information so that they can teach their kids what we found out. Lastly we had to make a team brochure, which had to include each team’s mission, a small bio on each Team Chronos member and the whole team’s objective. We had a lot of fun with this, because we had made two different brochures. One was funny and the other was professional. It was awesome coming up with fake bio’s that made someone laugh.

               As a group, I could not have asked for a better group of guys to work with. We all had the same mindset and goals to accomplish during this project. Dedication, hard work and good work ethic benefitted our group unlike it did for others. We split up the work equally, and the only arguments we had was who was going to finish the projects at their homes. Eagerness to get your work done is a quick way to ensure it actually does get completed. Our group’s outlook and attitude was really positive too. When we had an idea we would share it with one another, get their opinions and find a way to improve it. We were not settled with being “good enough,” we wanted to simply be the best space tech team to ever pass through Gahanna. With that attitude, our best work came as the result.

               If I were a teacher I would definitely do a project similar to this. It brings out the best in every single student, regardless of GPA, clique or grade. This project would not work if you did not teach like Mr. Donelson however. You have to be interactive and really show the kids that you believe they can achieve great things. If you struggle with showed your students your dedication, you would still have the same kids not caring about their grades and turning in mediocre work at best. That is not helping anybody. What we’re doing here is something BIG. Rovers, space stations, alternative energy and time travel are all going to be something our generation deals with, so why not learn about them now? It is helping out our future and possibly getting kids interested in robotics and space which can open up to more career opportunities. I would definitely recommend this project to any teacher willing to dedicate time to a child’s learning. They have to want a better future for us and for their grandchildren.

               Overall I am very grateful for the opportunity to take this class. It teaches you a lot about your surroundings as well as a little bit about yourself. Also the information we learn today will benefit us tomorrow. These kinds of jobs will be the positions that pay the most and are the most available, especially to Americans. America is slowly declining in the science race and a large part of the blame goes to not educating our children at a young age. It spikes their interest and gives them options for a wide range of careers. This is what the world’s leading competitors do, such as China, Japan and many more. They teach their kids engineering and robotics at a very young age, which is benefitting them now. This project helps us with future projects that can really impact our lives. This information we gain is irreplaceable and I can never thank Mr. Donelson and Gahanna Lincoln High School enough for allowing me to take such a wonderful class.

On Thursday, December 8, 2011 I attended the Ohio Summit 2.5, which is a conference that showcases what Ohio schools are doing to integrate 21st Century skills and technology in the teaching and learning process. I wanted to attend the conference to hear some of the keynote presenters: Karl Fisch (@karlfisch), the creator of “Shift Happens: Did You Know 2.0″, Daniel Pink (@danielpink), author of A Whole New Mind and Drive, and finally Ewan McIntosh (@ewanmcintosh), Scottish educator. I’ve already shared my reflections about Stan Heffner,  the state of Ohio’s Interim Superintendent’s opening remarks,  which you can review here. This is part II of my reflections.

The first keynote speaker was Karl Fisch, Director of Technology and Mathematics teacher at Arapahoe High School in Colorado. He was such an inspiration! His energy was electric and his humor was spot on. He feverishly paced back and forth during his presentation, which keep things interesting.

He is the creator of the YouTube hit, Did You Know? Shift Happens 2.0. He started off by stating, “I am not an expert. I ask questions and a have several questions that I would like to discuss with you.” Besides the hit YouTube video, his humility gave him credibility. Following are some nuggets of wisdom I gleaned from his presentation:

 “If you put good people in a fundamentally flawed system, the system will win.”

• The key here is that we must have systems in place that support the 4 Cs (communication, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity). Not only that, there must be a systemic and ongoing process for providing support, advice, encouragement, and a different perspective.
• Often times our conversations about school reform stall because we are overcome by the entrenched factory system of doing school. Yes, school may have worked for us, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be better for our students today and tomorrow. Instead of asking what we need to do differently in schools to meet the needs of today’s learner, we should ask how are we going to do things differently.

 He asked a fundamental question that really piqued my interest: “What does literacy mean in the 21st century?”

• This is definitely a moving target and it’s deeper than just one’s ability to read. He shared a quote by Jason Ohler that hit the nail on the head:  “Literacy means to consume and produce the media form of the day.”
• To further hammer home his point he said, “If all we teach students is the 5 paragraph essay then that’s educational malpractice.” The five paragraph essay is extremely important and a skill necessary for effective writing, but I believe his point is that literacy today is much more complex, much more diverse than it ever has been. With social media, we have to teach and model for students how to appropriately and effectively “consume and produce the media form of the day.”
• This has to include sharing content on YouTube, connecting with others globally through Twitter, Skype, and blogging. Since the audience in these venues is authentic and more public, digital citizenship is paramount.
• An example he used was the 2008 presidential election. Observers of the debates were able to check facts in real time while watching the debate on TV. Thus, it became an interactive learning process as opposed to a passive exercise of just listening. We must use these same tools in the classroom as a means to teaching literacy.

 “What should students  (and their network connections) know and be able to do?”

• The first thing that came to mind was, “can my students tell me who is in their personal network? Do they even know what that means in terms of learning and collaboration?” Well, the only way I will know this is to ask them!
•  He stressed the importance of providing opportunities for students to create globally connected learning networks.  He shared several examples of what this can look like:

1. Ohio history- discover why buildings, streets, or communities are named the way they are by researching primary sources and conducting interviews of local residents.
2.  American Revolution-Skype or build a wiki with schools from Great Britian about the revolution.
3. Book Reports- create a movie trailer and post it on YouTube then create a QR code and tape it to the spine of the book found in the school’s library. Talk about a relevant and authentic project!
4. “Wikify” Research Papers- at the end of each page, students create hyperlinks at the bottom, just like what’s found on Wikipedia.
5.  Skype with students in another country to discuss books, war, hunger, or other social issues that impact the lives of teens. This can be taken one step further by creating reflective blogs, wikis, or Google Docs about the information shared.
6. Skype with experts-reach out to experts in any field via Twitter or business Facebook pages and then connect with them via Skype for presentations, interviews, and discussions.
7. Live blogging about books-instead of doing a traditional book report, have students blog about main characters, key themes, or opposing points of view then share the blogs with others.
8. Skype with authors-self explanatory.

These are some very practical examples that require just a little bit of knowledge of how to use a specific tool. Each one incorporates technology, collaboration, and creates an authentic audience. Together, we can make the 4 Cs of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity a natural part of teaching and learning. What examples can you add to the list?

Be Great,

Dwight