What Does it Mean to be Innovative?

Last week I had the opportunity to be recognized by Google as an Innovative Teacher using Chromebooks in the classroom.  This meant participating in a Google Hangout with four other

Language Arts teachers and sharing some of the ways I use Chromebooks with my students. As the hangout date approached, I began to ask myself "What does it mean to be innovative?"

So, much like my students, I googled it! According to Dictionary.com, innovative means "creative."  This is definition was easy to accept. I am creative.  I love coming up with new ways to present content and assess students.  I seldom do anything the same way twice because I love tweaking and changing my approach.  I embrace the challenge of looking at something from a new perspective.

But as an English teacher, I know that a word's connotation is often more important, so I perused the list of synonyms. They included avant garde, cutting edge, state of the art and original. These meanings were a bit more intimidating and difficult to live up to.

Over the past 18 months, I have been integrating Chromebooks and technology into my classroom.  But this isn't "avant garde."  In education, technology is becoming the status quo, an expected school supply.  So I continued to contemplate how or if I had been "pushing the boundaries of the expected norms."

I traced my journey back to the beginning: the start of my blog.  I began blogging in the fall of 2011 to push my own boundaries.  And I have pushed myself as both a writer and a teacher.  I joined our technology integration team and as a result I pushed myself to learn, integrate and teach others about technology.  Maybe being innovative means pushing yourself beyond your own expectations.


Day to day I feel fairly ordinary, but looking back over the past two years, I see that I have transformed.  Who knew in the span of two years, I would write 50 blog posts, lead over 30 trainings for colleagues, pilot 20 different Web tools and hangout with other educators on Twitter, at conferences and on Google+.  I guess sometimes you need to examine yourself through a telescope rather than a microscope.

So on the day of the hangout, I confidently shared some of the tools, lessons and projects that have made my Chromebook experience original.  And I realized that an innovative teacher is one who strives to improve themselves and their students' learning experiences by  embracing change and the chance to evolve.

#everydaypoetry

April is National Poetry Month and in classrooms across the country students are reading, writing and analyzing poetry.  But when I mention the word poetry to my freshmen, I am usually met with a chorus of moans.  For many students poetry is foreign and intimidating.  So this year, to celebrate poetry, I wanted to lessen the mystique of poetry by taking it out of the classroom and injecting it into students' everyday lives.  Thus, the idea for the "Everyday Poetry Challenge" was born.

My goal was to get students to read, write and share poetry outside of the classroom and in the "real world."  After all, poetry is the perfect genre for the 21st century student.  It is a sound byte of dense emotion and content.  Portable and potent with roots in both music and math.

It seemed as if poetry was made for today's social media, so I began tweeting, posting, and snap chatting poems @mrswallacemwhs and encouraged my students to do the same.  We agreed to use #everydaypoetry to track our sharing.

I have to admit I was probably more excited about the challenge than anyone.  I had visons of students reciting sonnets in the halls and tweeting Poe, Dickinson and Whitman into the wee hours of the night.  In reality, there were mostly "roses are red" ripoffs and Dr. Seuss quotes randomly posted throughout each week.

At first I was disappointed in the results of the challenge, I started to think I should have given my students more parameters for the assignment. I should have dictated the types of poetry they shared.  I should have required daily sharing.  But as I was wallowing in my should haves, I suddenly remembered my original goal: get students to share poetry.  I grabbed my phone and saw example after example of this on instagram, tumblr, snapchat, and twitter.

Today, as students prepared their reflections on the poetry challenge, I was blown away by the number of poems students wrote, discovered and shared over the past 30 days.  Many of the poems were simple or silly, but others were complex and cultured.  This challenge was important for me as well.  I learned to give my students flexibility, to stop micromanaging learning and to embrace any engagement outside the classroom.  These are lessons that will serve me well beyond National Poetry Month and into #everyday!

Have Chromebook-Will Travel

It's 4 am.  Normally, I am wrapped snug in my bed enjoying a few more hours of sleep before stepping into my classroom, but not today.  Today,  I am awake, armed with a Chromebook and headed out the door to
Chicago.  It is a milestone day.  Because even though I have 18 years of workshops, site visits and release days under my belt, today is my first real "business trip."  Today, I am headed to the Leyden School District to learn about their 1:1 initiative.

I was first introduced to Leyden's Chromebook experience last January when I attended a Chromebook Classroom event in Minneapolis.  Leyden was 1 of 3 school districts in the country piloting Chromebooks on a large scale and planning for a 1:1.   I watched them discuss their pilot in Google Hangout just hours before I unveiled the Chromebook to my own students and the idea of a school wide 1:1 seemed a distant dream.  Fast forward a year in a half later and my pilot is laying the groundwork for our own Chromebook 1:1, which will begin next year.

Today, we are traveling to Leyden to hear about how they rolled out the 1:1 and find ways to make it work in our own district.  My traveling companions include our Assistant Superintendent, Technology Director, Tech Integrationist, Middle School Principal and four other teachers.  I don't realize it at the time, but later in the day I am struck by how our team is a unique combination of perspectives.  I believe this is essential to any kind of change that a district is considering.  We ask different questions, pick up on different details during the day and are inspired by different aspects of the presentation and tour.  It is another reminder that a collaborative group is more powerful than any one individual.


Today, I met Jason Markey, the Principal at East Leyden, but I have actually known him for over a year through Twitter.  He is one of the examples I give about how 21st Century tools enrich our ability to
collaborate and learn beyond our building.  And while following educators online is a powerful professional development tool, there is nothing like the real thing.  Asking Jason questions in person, as I toured Leyden classrooms, and hearing about his experiences as a dialogue versus in 140 characters or less gave me insight I haven't had until now.

During the course of the day I learn so much it is difficult to digest and summarize, but here are three components to Leyden's 1:1 that I feel are making it a model for others around the country.

• Administrative Leadership: The presentation today was led by Leyden's Technology Director, a Principal and Assistant Superintendent.  Everyone of them was passionate, knowledgeable and articulate about the district's vision and the reasons behind the 1:1.  I got the impression they were all in this together and not one person was shouldering the weight of this change.  They also personally embrace technology and have the tweets, blogs and Youube channels to prove it.  Their enthusiasm was contagious and I am sure this is felt by teachers, community members and students.
• Commitment to Teachers:  I heard this message over and over through out the day.  Leyden made a commitment to teachers that students would always have a device.  A commitment that technology would be a tool to enhance teaching and transform learning, not replace it.  And a commitment that they would trust teachers to find ways to integrate technology without mandating it.  Their professional development philosophy is to provide teachers with training "just in time" versus "just in case" and they offer a wide variety to meet various teacher's needs.  Some examples include a summer training summit, weekly inservice meetings and personal training from the technology coaches.  Leyden sees teachers as its greatest asset and is willing to invest in ways to make the Chromebooks work for teachers.  
• Students as Partners and Problems Solvers:  Leyden sees the students as partners in the 1:1.  This is evident through the TSI (Tech Support Internship), a class which empowers students by utilizing their problem solving skills and allowing them to create their own pathways to learning.  The internship opportunity was created to provide additional tech support.  Leyden took a potential barrier to 1:1 and used it to create a learning opportunity for students.  Transforming learning is one of integration's and Leyden's primary goals.

As I look at my three takeaways, I realize that when administration, teachers and students work toward the same outcome you are bound to find success.

After more than 12 hours I head home saturated with information and excited to build our own model for 1:1.  My first business trip is a success, but I realize now that it was really more of a field trip.  Field trips are a way to extend learning outside the walls of the classroom.  As we look to redefine teaching in
the 21st century, we need to find more ways to organize field trips for both students and teachers.  After all, when we are armed with technology we can take our learning anywhere.

I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say No!

I am every marketing team's dream. I am an impulse shopper and I am easily seduced by new or improved products, end caps and limited time sales. So it should come as no shock that I am the first person in my district to want to try a new technology or pilot a new tool.  Like Ado Annie in Oklahoma, "I'm jist a girl who cain't say no!"

This affection for anything new has led me to a plethora of pilots this school year.  Not including the integration I am doing using Chromebooks, Google Apps and School Fusion, I am testing six new web 2.0 tools.  Some of these pilots have taken off, other have fizzled and a few are just taking flight.

I began this year committed to blogging with my students and after looking at several options, I decided to try Edublogs.  This educationally focused site has been a positive addition to my classroom allowing me to give my students an authentic blogging experience while allowing for guidance and over site.  I think there are features I still need to explore and master, but this is a site I will use again.

I came away from the Google Summit in November with tons of new ideas and tools to try in my class, but the most intriguing was the site NoRedInk.  This site promised a fun way to practice grammar.  I figured

anything that can make grammar fun is worth a shot.  The free version allows teacher management of students and a variety of grammar practice.  In a matter of minutes you can create assignments and quizzes, you pick a few criteria and the site does the rest.  The site personalizes examples based on student's interests which was little corny for my 9th graders.  While there were some glitches and limitations in the types of skills tested, for a free product it delivered valuable practice and feedback for students.  There is a premium version that may be worth the investment.

In January, a colleague introduced me to Class Dojo a site and app that track behavior in a creative way.  The site is designed for younger kids with monster avatars; however, it can be customized for any classes needs.  I thought it would be a great way to track discussion, but I started the semester trying to track too many variables and soon found I couldn't keep up.  I would like to give it another try, but think it only works if you use it everyday.

The Boardworks company came in and demoed their product in the fall and I was immediately drawn to the prepackaged lessons that allowed me to do more with my SMART board, so I agreed to try out the grammar and literature packages.  Unfortunately, the company has not developed these for a Mac and so the  software was installed on an ancient PC.  The cumbersome nature of the product has been a roadblock to the pilot.  

For the past two years, every time someone talks about a LMS (Learning Management System) Schoology is at the top of the list.  Its Facebook look and document sharing system make it a favorite with both students and teachers.  So when our integrationist asked me if I wanted to pilot it this semester, I couldn't say no!  After nine weeks, I am not sure if it lives up to all the hype.  It is easy to use and students like the layout, but since we use Skyward for grades and attendance it doesn't seem to save me much time.  Sharing files in Google apps is just as easy.  And so far, I prefer the look of School Fusion.

My most recent pilot came this week when I introduced my classes to WeVideo for a book trailer project.  I was drawn to this video editor because of its collaborative capabilities, but I was skeptical.  After years of using iMovie, I didn't think a free online editor could compare.  Within just a few days, I have been converted.  This editor is user friendly, has all the essential editing features, and makes sharing and collaborating so easy it will be hard to use anything else in the future.

At the end of Oklahoma, Annie agrees to settle down with one guy, Will Parker.  I am not sure I will ever settle on just one technology, but I definitely think her final song "All er Nuthin" is good advice for any pilot.  The only way to know if the latest and greatest is really a good match for your classroom is to use it and use it often.  And as hard as it is to admit, this may just mean I might have to be the girl who occasionally says no!

More Snow Days Please!

It is 6:00 am and the phone rings. My heart skips a beat as I rush to answer, hoping it's the news I've been waiting for.  And then I hear it; the sweet pre-recorded angel announcing that school is closed.  "Snow Day!" I break out in a victory dance, as my shouts of glee ring through the halls.

It is a well-known fact that the only people who love snow days more than kids are the teachers.  We ponder their potential on Facebook and in the teacher's lounge, check the weather ticker religiously before bed and say a little prayer anytime the potential for flurries is predicted.  The occasional snow day is probably the closest any of us come to winning the lottery. But why are snow days such a welcome gift for teachers?  I have a couple of theories.  

One reason I think teachers cherish the snow day is that we are constantly told to do more with less.  More differentiation of lessons, data analysis, formative and summative assessments, learning targets, smart goals, alignment of standards.  Educators often feel themselves being buried under a blizzard of initiatives and it is rare to be given permission to slow down or even stop the business of school. 

Today's snow day was an opportunity for me to dig my way out of a stack of MCA writing assessments.  But for others it was just an opportunity to relax and recharge, something that is definitely needed during the cold gray time in the school calendar.

Another reason I think students and teachers alike covet snow days is they break up the routine.  One of the problems in education is that everything is so scheduled.  We begin at the same time every day, we spend the same amount of time in each class down to the second and even in our class we often establish a predictable pattern or routine.  This day-to-day sameness can cause apathy and boredom amongst both students and staff.  

Snow Days are filled with whimsy; they are unscheduled by nature and promote excitement through their spontaneity.  The problem is, unless you teach in a rural area, they usually only come once every year or two.  I propose one requirement for educational reform should be more snow days.

Of course, I realize we can’t really legislate the weather, but we can try to capture what makes a snow day so magical and infuse it into education.  We can take more breaks from the routine, make our days less scheduled, and promote a culture in the classroom where the unexpected is embraced.  When we do this we may find as much joy in a school day as in a snow day!

A Letter to English 9

Dear Ninth Graders,

Today, I am going to introduce the idea of blogging to some of you and attempt to inspire the rest of you to revitalize your blogs

From the beginning, my approach to blogging and 21st century skills has been to try before I teach.  I began this blog to reflect on my own teaching and to transform from a consumer of content to a creator.  Over the past year I have been blogging and have learned some valuable lessons.  Here is what I want you, my students, to know about blogging.

Writing is Hard.  I wish I could tell you that writing a blog will be easy, but all writing is a challenge.  Even when you write about something you know and something you love, writing is hard work.  Every time you sit down to write, you are creating.  It will frustrate you, confuse you and terrify you, but once you complete a post you will find enormous satisfaction.  Satisfaction that can only come from facing a challenge and completing a chore.

“I hate writing, I love having written.” ― Dorothy Parker

Ideas are not Watermelons. I used to think the ideas for my writing were like watermelon seeds, small and in need of mental incubation. I was afraid to writes about an idea until it was full grown. I have discovered ideas rarely develop when they are trapped inside your mind. When you write an idea, no matter how small, you give it the chance to grow.  Writing is the best way to grow an idea, so spit it out and let it grow as you write not before.

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” - Stephen King

Writing is Learning. Your blog will be your classroom. It is here that you will question, analyze and find answers.  You may learn about your topic, but you will absolutely learn about yourself.  You will learn the power of reflection and you will learn that the best way to become a writer is to write.

“That is what learning is.  You suddenly understand something you’ve understood all you life, but in a new way.”  – Doris Lessing

So good luck as we share our thoughts and write our stories; together we will write on.

Mrs. Wallace

Where's Wallace

One of my son’s favorite books is a tattered copy of Where’s Wallace by Hilary Knight.  The story is about a mischievous orangutan that escapes from the zoo and goes on an adventure. It is a little bit Curious George and a little bit Where’s Waldo and the perfect title for this post since I feel like I’ve gone MFB or missing from blog.

When I set out to blog over a year ago my goals were lofty, I wanted to reflect on my teaching and the learning in my classroom twice a week. I quickly adjusted to a more reasonable once a week posting and found that I cultivated quite a following. Like Wallace, I picked up a few new friends on every adventure and with each post. 

But this year I just can’t seem to keep ahead of my to do list and blogging tends to be the thing I leave at the wayside.   After a long Sunday of grading, the last thing I want to do is write, so I push back my deadline.  And pretty soon one day later becomes one week or even one month later.  I convince myself that only a few people are really reading my posts anyway, so if I miss a week it won’t really matter.

But it does matter, not so much to my followers (my mom and a few friends), but to me.  I began this blog as a way to reflect on my practice, to analyze the changes I was making in my classroom by going paperless and to challenge myself to learn using a 21^st Century tool. 

So Where’s Wallace been in the last few months?  This year one of the adventures that has pulled me away from my blog has indeed been my blog.  This fall I began a classroom blog with my students, Thoughts from C106.  September and October were all about setting up the blog, looking at examples of blogs, and trying out a few topics but November and December have been full on blogging. 

Each week my students are writing, creating and publishing.  They are creating an online portfolio of work and practicing the reflective thinking that blogs offer.  Each week I try to offer my own take on the blog topic, so when I miss a deadline here I am usually posting something for my class about a coming of age moment or my favorite family tradition.

I have learned that when I “do” an assignment I give my students they are less likely to complain and I gain insight into problems they might encounter.  Despite the fact that I am still writing about once a week, blogging has not gotten any easier.  I still struggle to find the time to write. 

Like my students, procrastination gets the best of me and I know I need to find a more systematic way to organize and synthesize my thoughts.  I wait for inspiration to hit me, but what I really need to do is to write until I am inspired.  This is advice I will try to follow in the coming weeks.

At the end of Where’s Wallace the zookeeper, Mr. Frumbee, and Wallace return to the zoo after experiencing the circus and other thrills.  I know I will continue to have exciting adventures in my 21^st century journey and I promise to share them with you here, so I'd like to come along for the ride.