TCI Teacher Subscription Updates - 12/26/12

Subscription updates to TCI Teacher Subscriptionis coming on December 26, 2012.

These changes include:  A new look to the Home Page, A Pacing and Assignement Calendar, More Control of Teacher and Student Settings, and Changes in Navigation.
TCI has put together 2 short videos that might be helpful to you.

The first is a 3 minute video that give a tour of the new features for the Teacher Subscription.

The second is a 1 minute video tour of the Student Subscription.

TCI is also offering Webinars:

iObservation

Grand Forks Public Schools has begun to use iObservation! 

We hope iObservation will be a valuable tool to:

• Develop a common language of instruction

• Establish clear and consistent expectations for walkthroughs and observations

• Engage in conversations with teachers around professional practice

• Provide relevant and specific feedback to teachers

• Cultivate a professional learning community

• Plan for professional development

• Use data to determine student and teacher needs

• Support the growth of every teacher in your school

Follow these directions to successfully get started

in iObservation.

1. Open an internet browser.

2. Type www.effectiveeducators.com in the address bar.

3. Click the Click Here link next to ‘First Time User?’

4. Type your email address in the Email Address box.

5. Click Submit.

6. Go to your school email account to find an email from noreply@

EffectiveEducators.com containing your username and password.

Note: 

Check your spam/junk email folder if you do not see the email.

Click on "Mail Summary" in your email in box or go to http://401b-lightspeed.grand-forks.k12.nd.us/Spam/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fSpam%2fReports%2fsmSpamMailUser.aspx

Then, Find the email from iObservation and check the box for "Not Spam?" and click "Execute Checked Actions". The link to set a password for iObservation should be sent to your email inbox.

(See link to video tutorial below)

7. Click the link in the email or copy and paste the link into an internet browser.

8. Verify that the first name, last name, and email address displayed are correct.

9. Type a password in the Change Password box.

11. Retype the password in the Confirm Password box.

12. Click Save.

Mail Summary video tutorial:  http://screencast.com/t/8FukMHUh6Z4H

Improved History Assessments - Darin King's Blog

It is my goal to click through the blogs I follow at least once a week.  One of my favorite blogs to "check-in" on is the blog written by someone familiar to most of us, Mr. Darin King.  

Again, Darin has shared a very interesting and engaging resource.  Beyond the Bubble is developed by the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG).  SHEG is an award-winning group that provides outreach to educators in California and across the nation.  

SHEG draws on over twenty years of research-based experience working at the elementary, middle, and high school levels to find the most effective ways to convey knowledge and love of history to students and teachers of all ages.  

Beyond the Bubble unlocks the vast digital archive of the Library of Congress to create a new generation of history assessments using Primary Sources.  SHEG created easy-to-use assessments that capture students’ knowledge in action; rather than their recall of discrete facts.  The program attempts to contribute to the quality of education by helping teachers use the Library’s digitized primary sources to engage students, develop their critical thinking skills and construct knowledge.

Check out Darin's Blog:  Darin King's Blog  

Or go explore Beyond the Bubble:  http://beyondthebubble.stanford.edu/our-approach

The Personal Learning Network

We are getting ready as a district to gain a deeper understanding of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).  I enjoy my PLCs very much!  But, I also enjoy my PLN.

What's a PLN?

Personal Learning Networks (PLN) share a close association with the concept of Professional Learning Community (PLC).

A personal learning network is an informal learning network that consists of the people a learner interacts with and engages in professional development within a digital environment.

In a PLN, a person makes a connection with another person with the specific intent that some type of learning will occur because of that connection.  Learners create connections and develop networks with other professionals in order to gain understanding and knowledge.  The learner does not have to know these people personally or ever meet them in person.

To learn more about personal learning networks, check out the following links:

http://edupln.ning.com/

http://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/pln-your-personal-learning-network-made-easy/

http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol6/619-toc.aspx

TCI Blog

Taking a little time to read through my blog list tonight.  I have the TCI Blog linked off of my blog, see it in the right column.  I hadn't visited this blog in over a month.  One good thing about not being able to sleep, is that it gives me a little more reading time.  Check out the TCI Blog, and find some ideas for Halloween and the upcoming Presidential Election.

'via Blog this'

21st Century Skills

When you think 21^st Century Skills, think about the 4 Cs. The 4 Cs are: 

Creativity and Innovation

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Communications

Collaboration

Along with the 4 Cs, students must possess certain life and career skills: 

Flexibility and Adaptability

Initiative and Self-Direction

Social and Cross Cultural Skills

Productivity and Accountability

Leadership and Responsibility

The Partnership for21st Century Skills is a national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student.   P21 provides tools and resources to help the U.S. education system keep up by fusing the 3Rs and 4Cs.

Professional Learning

Next Thursday evening, I will get into the car with my daughter and drive to southern Minnesota for her two year tumor recurrence appointment.  A wonderful orthopedic doctor found the tumor on a MRI, and quickly referred us to a colleague that specializes in bone tumors and is one of the best pediatric orthopedic oncologists in America.  These two doctors are part of a professional learning community.  They know each other's skills and expertise; and for the benefit of their patients work together and collaborate.  Needless to say, we are grateful for the amazing care taken and the successful removal of the bone tumor in my daughter's arm.  Is it worth the drive - absolutely!

How far do you have to drive to get an expert opinion for the treatment and benefit of you students?  Not as far as I will be driving next week!  You have experts just minutes away - your colleagues!  When we learn from our peers and work together we are taking advantage of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

A Collaborative Culture With a Focus on Learning for All

A PLC is composed of collaborative teams whose members work together to achieve common goals linked to the purpose of learning for all.  It is difficult to overstate the importance of collaborative teams in the improvement of student learning.  In many schools, staff members are willing to collaborate on a variety of topics as long as the focus of the conversation stops at their classroom door.  In a PLC, collaboration represents a systematic process in which teachers work together interdependently in order to impact their classroom practice in ways that will lead to better results for their students, for their team, and for their school.  Therefore their collaboration centers around certain critical questions:

1. What knowledge, skills, and disposition must each student acquire as a result of this course, grade level, and/or unit of instruction?
2. What evidence will we gather to monitor student learning on a timely basis?
3. How will we provide students with additional time and support in a timely, directive, and systematic way when they experience difficulty in their learning?
4.  How will we enrich the learning of students who are already proficient?

To learn more about PLCs visit All Things PLC at http://www.allthingsplc.info/