Finally got to reading The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn. Reading a chapter a night, here are some strong thoughts from chapter one.
Five basic themes frequently heard in complaint of homework:
It’s a burden on parents.
It causes stress for children.
It causes family conflict.
It leaves less time for other activities.
Leads to less interest in learning.
This posts contains a link to a PDF document on The Morning Meeting by Responsive Classroom and is in answer to the question “What can a school/staff do to start their day on the right foot?”.
When asked the preceding question I think back to Responsive Classroom training and the process they talk about for holding a daily “Morning Meeting” to start the day. The morning meeting sets the stage for a productive day, allows students to start their day sharing, commenting, a quick activity, and an intro to their day.
If you’re looking for a quick sheet on what Professional Learning Communities are try this form from Solution Tree. PLC Brochure
I also found the following from http://www.allthingsplc.info
These come from the 2007 Summit “Learning by Doing”.
“Learning by Doing: Bringing PLC to Life in Our Schools and Districts” featuring Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Rick Stiggins, and Jonathan Saphier.
Smaller sections:
In searching for online content related to Professional Learning Communities I came across the following information from http://www.allthingsplc.info
The following items are from the “2006 On Common Ground Summit”.
“On Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities” featuring Rick Stiggins, Michael Fullan, Richard DuFour, and Lawrence Lezotte.
- Sub Topics:
Listen to this Post (nothing fancy, just me reading).
cross posted @ www.technology4teachers.org
It isn’t uncommon for Principals and Teachers to find items and information about maintaining their own personal health pop up in professional literature, conferences, emails, lectures, etc. Almost every one of the items can be summed up in three points (my words):
In the past I went to a gym… quit that….. I tried to work out at home… quit that…. I found that first of all I need a separation from everyone else, so there was one obstacle. I also found out that I apparently didn’t pay attention during PhyEd classes and had no clue how to effectively weight train or work out, obstacle number two. With the help of a trainer I was pointed on the right path and given some basic skills but found that I still:
Yet with all of those issues…. I’ve joined the gym again. So what changed over the last couple years to take the time (and $) to join the gym again? Especially knowing there was an 18 month contract….. welcome, the iPhone and 24-hour gyms. As mentioned in a previous post the iPhone has a large number of tools including applications specifically designed for health and fitness.
Knowing I needed to get back in shape wasn’t enough to get me going, but the more I thought about my iPhone the more I started to wonder if it could do the impossible and get me back in the gym. I also looked to see if the iPhone could fix some of the issues I listed above…. I found an iTunes application called “GymGoal” that answered almost all of the issues I have. With the application I can now use my iPhone (no more paper!) to create and track my workouts, and more importantly for me the workouts include illustrations and videos for how to perform the exercise. Feel free to take a look at their website for a more detailed explanation, or the iTunes store for review and photos.
Here’s a recap of my own obstacles to working out and what I’m doing to SUCK IT UP and get moving:
Here’s my setup at the gym:
When I go to the gym now I only need my iPhone, keys, headphones, and water. My music is running the whole time as I keep my water and iPhone on one end of the gym and walk back between reps/circuits to record results and move on to and review the next stop. I pretty much go solid with quick water/tracking breaks between reps. It may sound silly but I really like the setup, no more cords and iPods dangling… no more pencils and paper. I’m set.
So in closing, suck it up and get healthy!
Sean Martinson
ps. I get no kick-backs from Apple for my strong endorsement of their products… just the knowledge that I’m recommending easy-to-use yet powerful tools for educators.
cross posted @ www.technology4teachers.org
Well, it finally hit me tonight. I spend so much time searching for what others are using their iPhones for that maybe it’s time I post some of what I’m using. As an educational administrator (Dean of Students and Activities Director) I use my iPhone more than any other tool. Each day I have to charge it as I drain through the battery. A common theme I find from the apps I use is their ease of use and web accesability options. By web accessible I mean an alternate version is available for me to grab from my laptop or desktop. I always have copies of information I need available with an internet connection and when I don’t have that I can access the info directly from my iPhone’s data connection. The only information I can think of that I don’t have direct access to are items that present a data privacy concern (suspension records, specific student related communication pieces, etc.). These are still housed on our in district network and I have to access them from my desktop. Our student information system is accessible from my phone but does not meet the “ease of use” condition I mentioned earlier. I usually only use it to check student schedules.
Here are a few screen shots of my first couple pages as well as the Google App:
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Here’s a short list of the apps I use the most:
If you have any questions about what I use my iPhone for in my positions please feel free to contact me or post a comment below.
Sean Martinson
Hello and welcome to Principal Thoughts. My name is Sean Martinson and I’m your “host”. I’d like to take a moment in this first post to let you know a little bit about myself and the purpose of this blog. First of all, as I mentioned already, my name is Sean Martinson. I am currently an Elementary School Principal in Northern Minnesota. Previously I was an Activities Director and Dean of Students at a 7-12 High School. I’ve also spent time as a Technology Integrationist (concentrating on Staff Development K-12) as well as teaching in the classroom at the Kindergarten and 4th/5th grade multi-age classroom levels
My varied background also leads into the varied purposes of this blog. First of all this blog is intended to share thoughts from a Principal that other may benefit from. Either by learning from my mistakes or picking up some hints/tips from my experiences. I wish I could say I was a prolific blogger unfortunately I’m not. However, when I have something worth sharing I will post it online for others to look at.
As my writing progresses my hope is that you’ll find:
The blog will grow with where I’m at in the year and what’s going on. I hope you can gain something useable from my ramblings and writings.
Sincerely,
Sean Martinson
Principal Thoughts
