tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85116951682373304822024-03-05T03:19:36.519-08:00From Effective to Excellentryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-75580789658618367322018-09-25T18:26:00.000-07:002018-09-26T03:06:00.237-07:00A Kid May Deserve An F, But Not a K.<div style="text-align: justify;">
My Facebook feed is blowing up with the story of the teacher who allegedly got fired because she refused to give a student a 50% for not turning in an assignment. She was adamant that those students deserved a 0%. And the people on Facebook are losing their minds.</div>
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Oh, where to begin?</div>
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There are many assumptions we must make when getting to the heart of this story. I will assume she did, in fact, get fired because of this. I'm also going to assume that the school in question was trying to implement a standards-based grading philosophy in a traditional grading world. I will not make an assumption on the level of training the school provided this teacher on the concept.</div>
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Let me back up. When I was a novice teacher, a neighboring district had implemented such a philosophy, and I thought it was a lousy one. I didn't agree with it at the time because I believed the district was simply trying to reduce the number of kids receiving failing grades, so they were giving the kids something for nothing.</div>
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Then someone explained it to me. And it made sense.</div>
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The reason schools do this is not to reduce the number of F's students receive. The reason is that an F should hold the same weight as any other grade, (A, B, C, D). Except for the letter E. I'm not sure what the letter E did to be banished from academia. Take a look at the traditional grading scale below.</div>
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<b>A: 90-100</b></div>
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<b>B: 80-89</b></div>
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<b>C: 70-79</b></div>
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<b>D: 60-69</b></div>
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<b>F: 0-59</b></div>
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But what if we continued the 10-point scale, so that an F had the same amount of pull as any of the other letters?<br />
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<b>A: 90-100</b></div>
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<b>B: 80-89</b></div>
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<b>C: 70-79</b></div>
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<b>D: 60-69</b></div>
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<b>F: 50-59</b></div>
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<b>G: 40-49</b></div>
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<b>H: 30-39</b></div>
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<b>I: 20-29</b></div>
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<b>J: 10-19</b></div>
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<b>K: 0-9</b></div>
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If you look at it this way, does a kid really deserve a K? I mean the NFL is protecting quarterbacks more than we are protecting the academic success of some students. If we give a kid a K, we are just piling on (football pun intended). A student does not recover from a K. Did you ever have a D when you were in school and think, "Wow, it will be almost impossible to end up with an A in here"? Now look at that scale above and imagine you are at a K or a J. What is the likelihood you are going to recover?</div>
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Schools that implement this practice cut it off at 50 because that is what an F is. There is no need to give a kid a K.</div>
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Anyways, just my two cents.</div>
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<i>Ryan is the Director of Special Education in the West Muskingum Local School District and principal of West Muskingum Elementary School in Zanesville, Ohio. He is also the co-author of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Your-School-Rocks-Passionately-Positives/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532096687&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks+so+tell+people">Your School Rocks...So Tell People!</a></i></div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-68310107322139515402018-07-20T08:10:00.000-07:002018-07-20T08:10:28.431-07:00Still Looking For a Teaching Job? Here's 8 Tips.<div style="text-align: justify;">
We are about a month away from the start of the 2018-19 school year. Parents cheer at that, kids groan, and educators are probably somewhere in the middle.</div>
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Finding a teaching job can be such a crapshoot. Sometimes we receive hundreds of applications and resumes for a single position and unfortunately, we do not have the time to interview hundreds of people. Obviously, we are missing out on some quality candidates if we don't bring them all in for an interview.</div>
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Whether you are a recent graduate, or you have relocated to another state, you may be stressed and/or disappointed you have not landed that teaching job yet. Below are 8 tips for getting your foot in the door and landing that first job.</div>
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<b><i>1. It's not over yet.</i></b></div>
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In districts that are seeing growth in enrollment, especially at the elementary level, there is still a chance they will need to add a position to accommodate class sizes. Some districts have specific class size agreements with the teachers' union that are addressed in the negotiated agreement, while others have aspirational size limits. Regardless, there is still a chance for a late opening. Be on the lookout and apply quickly.</div>
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If you are not currently employed as a teacher, that actually gives you an advantage at this time. In Ohio, once July 10th passes, teachers currently employed by another school district must be released from their contract by their board of education. Many schools who are adding a late teaching position do not want to deal with that red tape.</div>
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So keep your eye open for late postings, all the way up to the start of school.</div>
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<b><i>2. Apply for tutor positions within a school district.</i></b></div>
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Many large school districts will hire teachers as reading and math tutors. But there is a catch (there's always a catch). These positions are typically not full-time which will be reflected in the pay and benefits. The positive of accepting a position like this is it is a one-year audition for you. Do a great job and perhaps it could lead to a full-time position the following year. </div>
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Ok, so let's say the school year has started and you did not land a spot. Time to start your path as a substitute teacher. While it is not the ideal situation, you have the opportunity to use it to your advantage.</div>
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Principals know who the good subs are and who are the ones we wouldn't hire. I'll assume you are going to do a great job. With that being said, here's what I would do.</div>
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<b><i>3. Get to know the office staff. </i></b></div>
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I'm going to be blunt here. There is a difference between being the needy or talkative person who is always in the office chatting with everyone and the person who stops by in the morning to check in and doesn't come back until checking out at the end of the day. You don't want to be either one. Find that balance in between.</div>
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<b><i>4. Get to know the principal. </i></b></div>
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Again as previously mentioned, find that balance in getting to know him or her. It could eventually lead to receiving feedback on what you can do to improve and to find out if you have a future with that school or district.</div>
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<b><i>5. If you are a regular sub, seek feedback from a building administrator. </i></b></div>
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You need to take the time to build that relationship with the building administrator. However, if you have been a semi-regular sub, it doesn't hurt to ask. I have observed lessons, provided feedback, and had honest conversations with some of our substitute teachers. Honest doesn't always mean good, but at least you'll know where you stand. This doesn't typically happen if you have only been in our building a handful of times throughout the year.</div>
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<b><i>6. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket.</i></b></div>
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Don't just sub in one building or one district. Unless you know you are a shoe-in for a job, don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Whether you realize it or not, every time you sub is an audition. By taking substitute positions in multiple buildings and districts, you are putting yourself on the radar of multiple people who will be hiring for the 2019-20 school year. </div>
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<b>7. Don't spread yourself too thin.</b></div>
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Again, balance is the key. If you are taking substitute positions in too many districts and too many different buildings, you risk people not getting to know you, which makes it difficult to build those relationships and give yourself the opportunity to get your foot in the door.</div>
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<b>8. Long-term sub.</b></div>
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There are many benefits and risks to taking a long-term sub position. The stability, pay and benefits, and practical experience are obviously huge positives of the position. However, the potential negative is you are putting all of your eggs in one basket.</div>
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Am I saying you shouldn't take a long-term sub position? Not at all. Just know it will be the biggest and best audition you will have for a full-time position. Do a great job and it could lead to a job within that district. At the very least, you will come away with a great recommendation and some practical experience as you go through the interview process next year.<br />
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<i>Ryan is the Director of Special Education in the West Muskingum Local School District and principal of West Muskingum Elementary School in Zanesville, Ohio. He is also the co-author of the book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Your-School-Rocks-Passionately-Positives/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1532096687&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks+so+tell+people">Your School Rocks...So Tell People!</a></i></div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-44799124154593023502018-07-16T09:09:00.000-07:002018-07-16T09:09:20.642-07:00Using Instagram to Hook Your Students.<div style="text-align: justify;">
How can you use Instagram to build anticipation? How about using the platform to hook students. It can lead to kids running <b><u>TO</u></b> your classroom.</div>
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A team of teachers I previously worked with used Instagram in this way very effectively. The lesson and activities were pretty engaging, but what took it to the next level was the anticipation they built with their students using Instagram. You can see a photo below of how they hooked their students. The teachers posted this on Instagram the day before the lesson.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzytf4LTYm_4e6KGrBjggJAb7RyOuYGM_ofaH2UkU85S3VYUhjA2vc4onGagGcGaUNzv4i5Fsd5gTf0Ok9BDIeFdGEACAB135cVa1H7oVXTsTjkOjYJF3I_3Vt_hpw2TkNKoLdsvUwY5sL/s1600/instagramhook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzytf4LTYm_4e6KGrBjggJAb7RyOuYGM_ofaH2UkU85S3VYUhjA2vc4onGagGcGaUNzv4i5Fsd5gTf0Ok9BDIeFdGEACAB135cVa1H7oVXTsTjkOjYJF3I_3Vt_hpw2TkNKoLdsvUwY5sL/s640/instagramhook.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Did you look at the comment section? The first comment was from a current student who was curious about the activity. The next two comments were from former students. Not only are they still connected to those teachers, but they are helping to build excitement by their comments.</div>
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It was always fun to be in the halls on a day like this because kids were hustling <b><u>TO</u></b> class. No one was late. The kids were the ones bugging the teachers by saying "Let's go, let's go."<br />
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<i>Ryan is the Director of Special Education in the West Muskingum Local School District and principal of West Muskingum Elementary School in Zanesville, Ohio. He is also the co-author of the book Your School Rocks...So Tell People!</i></div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-17970939164062320882018-07-10T07:54:00.001-07:002018-07-11T05:44:30.296-07:00Luck of the Irish<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ryan Patrick McLane. You could say my parents went all-in with our family's Irish heritage.<br />
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About a week and a half ago, my family and I were heading home to Ohio from a weekend trip to a NASCAR event in Chicago (my first one ever, from the pits, probably a future post) and stopped in South Bend, Indiana. I am a huge Notre Dame fan. My dad went there, as did my younger brother. I would like to say the reason I didn't attend school there was because it did not have an education program, but in reality, it had more to do with my SAT scores and unimpressive class rank. Anyways, I never held a grudge and always appreciated what the university stood for.</div>
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As we checked into our hotel a little after 10 PM, everyone was tired and ready to go to bed. Everyone except for me. I was like a kid on Christmas Eve. I told my wife I was going to drive over to the campus and walk around. I really wanted to see the Grotto at night. I'd be back by 11:30 PM (although they would all be asleep, so it wouldn't matter).</div>
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I hit most of the typical spots, Touchdown Jesus, the stadium, the Golden Dome, and the Grotto. It was really nice being there, at night, in the summer, on a non-football weekend. Pretty quiet and peaceful. </div>
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I walked back to my car, hopped in and started to drive away. Thump, thump, thump. I got out, looked around, and sure enough, my rear passenger tire was as flat as a pancake. Now when I say car, I really mean van. I also know my limitations and changing a tire at 11:41 PM on a Saturday night in South Bend would meet those limitations.</div>
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My initial (and very brief) reaction about the whole situation was like "You've got to be kidding me." I mean who really wants to deal with a flat tire, let alone while coming back from a vacation?<br />
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I hopped back into the van, got out my wallet and phone and called AAA. As I gave the nice lady my information I noticed my membership expired in exactly 19 minutes.</div>
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As a principal, I talk with kids and adults about having a positive attitude. Our positive behavior program is based on the equation E + R = O. The Event plus our Response will greatly influence the eventual Outcome. Time to put my money where my mouth is.</div>
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I said to myself, "This could be worse." Yes, I was stranded, but I was stranded in a parking lot on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. I was not on the side of a highway. The weather was perfect. My family was not stuck in this situation, as they were fast asleep in our hotel room. And my AAA membership was still valid for a few more minutes. I was also a block away from the Gug (athletic complex). Again, there could be worse places to kill an hour.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdMXk_slefWezd5vP3LVgmvHS2tUu00qH9Zwh7gyk_SSL91twn9Fsv5fKZW-p-Js7FBsa8vTQlI5_-7Us-kFFYvfNw1rbu6Z7oJ-1uTCBhHxM5VH3P8cR1lxvomdzSQUjxZ319hB8wSpq/s1600/IMG_2039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjdMXk_slefWezd5vP3LVgmvHS2tUu00qH9Zwh7gyk_SSL91twn9Fsv5fKZW-p-Js7FBsa8vTQlI5_-7Us-kFFYvfNw1rbu6Z7oJ-1uTCBhHxM5VH3P8cR1lxvomdzSQUjxZ319hB8wSpq/s320/IMG_2039.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Robert from the local towing company showed up at about 12:45 AM, changed my tire, and I was on my way. Instead of being miserable and upset for an hour, I just smiled at how lucky I was. Like we tell the kids, we are going to experience adversity in life, how are we going to handle it? In the grand scheme of things, I cannot even consider this event adversity. Just a little inconvenience.<br />
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<i>Ryan is the Director of Special Education in the West Muskingum Local School District and principal of West Muskingum Elementary School in Zanesville, Ohio. He is also the co-author of the book Your School Rocks...So Tell People!</i></div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-88326916923125471382017-02-12T10:32:00.001-08:002017-02-12T10:32:13.597-08:00Take Your Time, You Won't Get A Pass.More and more schools are using social media to share their stories with their community stakeholders. When Eric Lowe and I wrote <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Your-School-Rocks-Passionately-Positives/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486923041&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks">Your School Rocks</a>, part of our purpose was propose a compelling argument for why schools should use social media, and ways they could do it.<br />
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As the number of schools that use these powerful tools increases, we want to make sure we continue to give you tips so that it can continue to be a positive experience and you can be as successful as possible.<br />
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Tweets from the U.S. Department of Education began to flood my timeline this morning, and I could only wonder what happened. It did not take too long to notice not one, but two facepalm moments (DeBois and apologizes).<br />
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Whether you are sending a tweet, Facebook update, or posting on Instagram, if it is coming from your school or district account, spelling matters. Do typos happen? Absolutely. Especially when you are using a smartphone. However, it is important to make sure you catch them before you publish those posts or tweets because they are coming from your school and people will not give you a pass.<br />
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<li><b>You have to proofread</b>. Yes it will take you a few more minutes, but it will save you from some major embarrassment.</li>
<li><b>Autocorrect is not always your friend</b>. This is probably where I catch most of my mistakes. I am not suggesting you disable this feature, but be aware this can change some things you didn't want changed.</li>
<li><b>Don't hit send/post/tweet right away</b>. You will see or capture a moment in a classroom that is truly amazing and you will immediately want to share it with your community. That's great, but just slow down before you hit the button. This is where many errors occur.</li>
<li><b>If you make a mistake, own it. </b> Just don't misspell your apology.</li>
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<i>Ryan is the principal of Big Walnut Intermediate School in Sunbury, Ohio and co-author of Y<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Your-School-Rocks-Passionately-Positives/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486923041&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks">our School Rocks...So Tell People!</a> Dave Burgess Consulting.</i></div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-20039108134104671242016-11-28T17:38:00.000-08:002016-11-28T17:38:02.729-08:00We've Gotten Ourselves Into This Mess, It's About Time We Get Ourselves Out<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've intentionally given myself a few days before I commented on Donald Trump's selection of a new Secretary of Education. Many people, especially those associated with public schools, were very concerned when he met with Michelle Rhee before Thanksgiving to presumably discuss the position. What many of us in education did not expect is that he would actually bypass Rhee, and select Betsy Devos, a staunch supporter of vouchers and school choice, and someone, if you were to question their experience as an educator, you would actually struggle to come up with what question to ask.</div>
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Whether we want to admit it or not, we as public schools got ourselves into this mess. For years, we were the only show in town. Play by our rules and if you didn't like it you could pay tuition somewhere else. If not, too bad. There was virtually no competition, thus no real reason to go out of our way to promote the positive things happening in our schools or to have acceptable customer service. Then that all changed. Charter schools, vouchers, and open enrollment brought a capitalistic mentality into education, a real life survival of the fittest. </div>
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Here's the thing. It's up to us to get ourselves out of this mess, and I hate to break it to you, but it is not going to be a quick fix. I am not just talking about public schools either. Charters schools have been branded by many as a waste of taxpayer money with little to show in terms of student growth. I'm talking to you too. Your school doesn't fit the stereotype of being a bad school? THEN IT IS TIME TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE. We need to change our actions as well as our stories. We cannot neglect customer service in our schools. It is actually an easy thing to correct. We need to improve what we are doing instructionally. Finally, we need to change the perception of our schools by sharing the positive stories. Not bragging about our school. Brag about the accomplishments of your students and staff. It is time to share those stories.</div>
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Our President-elect, Donald Trump said the following when talking about school choice:</div>
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"Their parents will choose the finest school. They will attend that school."</blockquote>
Is that your school? Is your school the best choice available? Many people aren't sure. It's time to change the narrative and let them know.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r5fgGkUqXTCSA08DK_hM-bTKBpMTGrNbpNMg1oLimCJsJjKaZGTTr9pCbD5h8Zx2fVj_Kj6fVpkW9IpMUwO0p5UjlIW39XEDRYjofRaFKw7sIiA_vB5aBBXVaT60TNVBrmRDM9FgcAfE/s1600/It%2527s+time+to+change+the+narrtive.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0r5fgGkUqXTCSA08DK_hM-bTKBpMTGrNbpNMg1oLimCJsJjKaZGTTr9pCbD5h8Zx2fVj_Kj6fVpkW9IpMUwO0p5UjlIW39XEDRYjofRaFKw7sIiA_vB5aBBXVaT60TNVBrmRDM9FgcAfE/s320/It%2527s+time+to+change+the+narrtive.1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Ryan McLane is a principal in Ohio and the co-author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/School-Passionately-Promote-Positives-Happening/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480383172&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks">Your School Rocks...So Tell People.</a></i>ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-24283260541554093152016-09-19T15:10:00.000-07:002016-09-19T15:12:37.163-07:00The Barge and Jet Ski of Education<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our district was fortunate enough to have Matt Miller, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ditch-That-Textbook-Revolutionize-Classroom/dp/0986155403/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474311628&sr=8-1&keywords=ditch+that+textbook">Ditch that Textbook</a>, come and talk to and work with our teachers today. Any time I attend a conference or PD day like this, it is my goal to come away with one thing. If I can come away with one thing that is going to have a positive impact on kids, it made the day or training worth attending. </div>
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Matt shared many things, some of which I did not know existed (Gone Google Story Builder). Earlier in his address, he talked about how change in education was like a barge that needs to change direction. Once a barge gets going, it is very difficult and very time consuming to change its course. I would say that is a perfect analogy for education as a whole.</div>
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But it was something he closed his keynote address with that really stuck with me. He said the best part of teaching is that your classroom is like a jet ski. Just as a jet ski can turn on a dime, so can you, whether you are a teacher or a principal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSaAGedC7Uk0vXAhtVdmVvbTsq17ArKjmDB4AOCakwf837y10ag6fGNzcVpskeGcuD0BjIjW5HIPGgWPmABusddQSBTIdwf9dCCc1LQ4JFuRMKwxHvCZJAy0iu1Z_MltAZf7Yw20oWZNY/s1600/JetSki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSaAGedC7Uk0vXAhtVdmVvbTsq17ArKjmDB4AOCakwf837y10ag6fGNzcVpskeGcuD0BjIjW5HIPGgWPmABusddQSBTIdwf9dCCc1LQ4JFuRMKwxHvCZJAy0iu1Z_MltAZf7Yw20oWZNY/s320/JetSki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I fall into this trap all too often. I see the many things that are wrong with education as a whole and become frustrated when the "barge" takes too long to change course. I needed to be reminded of this:<br />
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<i>Control what I can control.</i></div>
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As educators, we still have a great amount of control over what happens in our classroom. If we want to personalize and engage students in an innovative way, we can begin working on that tomorrow. As a building principal I cannot lose sight of this. I have a great deal of control over what happens in our school regardless of how slow a state or federal agency is. I have the ability to share the great and innovative things that our kids get to experience in our school thanks to our staff members who are willing to be innovative and to take risks. We share photos and videos on Facebook, we do a weekly video newsletter, we engage and inspire our kids on Instagram, all in addition to engaging them with learning experiences in school. It is easy to become frustrated with education as a whole but we need to remember that we still have a great deal of control, and we are much more like a jet ski, than we are the barge when it comes to education. </div>
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Ryan McLane is a principal in Ohio and co-author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/School-Passionately-Promote-Positives-Happening/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474323122&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks">Your School Rocks...So Tell People.</a>ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-55816459140666749832016-05-20T14:09:00.000-07:002016-05-20T14:09:14.896-07:00Teach Like A PIRATE Day 2016...Yes You Read That Correctly<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMQEW1sw-unPD2IqBX3vnZ6FPAygwiJ3jVcatklFtWimF8OWhwIHPK-5GoAcmx4M3rE0qn-w0eoyp4L1jC_MIQXVDBiHgxZjBUuli1M2AFzLdziEItuc-LUQDHncATMUP_wSnW4yGSicu/s640/blogger-image--1600445667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxMQEW1sw-unPD2IqBX3vnZ6FPAygwiJ3jVcatklFtWimF8OWhwIHPK-5GoAcmx4M3rE0qn-w0eoyp4L1jC_MIQXVDBiHgxZjBUuli1M2AFzLdziEItuc-LUQDHncATMUP_wSnW4yGSicu/s400/blogger-image--1600445667.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Teach Like a PIRATE Day is a day in which we put educational author Dave Burgess' question to the test -- if kids didn't have to be there, would you be teaching to an empty room? Our kids come to school, attend homeroom for attendance, and when the bell rings, they run to any class that is of interest to them. Yes, you read all of that correctly.</div>
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Our teachers create "experiences" based on their content areas and we compile them in a guidebook which we hand out to the kids a few days before the big day. One student was walking to homeroom with his guidebook and he said to me, "Mr. McLane, this might be the only time a teacher has given me a piece of paper that I was told to bring back to school that I actually brought back to school."</div>
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We had a drone, singing, black light science, the Amazing Race in which kids ran around our campus solving math problems (find the circumference of this bicycle tire) and 25 other amazing experiences that the kids could choose from. They didn't just choose, they were virtually running to the next class. Yes, you read that correctly again.</div>
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I had a parent contact me last night, TLAP Day Eve, to tell me her high school daughter was jealous of her two younger brothers, because they got to experience TLAP Day and she didn't when she was in 6th grade. I found out this morning that the high school was on a 2-hour delay schedule today and she had pleaded with her mom to allow her to come to school early, spending the first two hours at our building participating in the amazing activities and then go to the high school two hours later. High school kid. Chance to sleep in. Last week of school. Wanted to come to school early. Yes you read that correctly.</div>
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In an era in which there are so many experts who have so many opinions on what is wrong with our schools and how they can be fixed, we constantly overlook the simplest of things. Do the kids want to be there? It is a simple thing to overlook, but a major mistake if we do. At our school, we don't try to make school awesome once a year, we strive to do it 180 days a year.</div>
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Ryan McLane is the principal at Big Walnut Intermediate School in Sunbury, Ohio and co-author of the educational book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Passionately-Promote-Positives-Happening/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463007543&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks">Your School Rocks...So Tell People</a>.</div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-33114215889835186012016-05-11T15:59:00.001-07:002016-05-11T15:59:53.599-07:00Social Media...The Tool.<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to talk to college students, young educators, and those who have been in the game much longer than me. I enjoy doing this because it always gives me an opportunity to learn something and I often self-reflect based on the questions I am asked. And here is what really hit me lately. It's not about Twitter, and Facebook, and Instagram.</div>
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Now you may be thinking, wait a second, you just wrote a book on using social media, is he jumping ship? Not at all. The point that may be getting missed, and perhaps I've done a poor job emphasizing this point, is the "why" of social media.</div>
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You see, we use all of those tools I mentioned in our school. We use them on a regular basis. But we do not use them because they are cool, or neat, or different. <b>We use them because they are effective ways to communicate with our students' families and our community. </b> Social media is the tool, and right now it has been the most effective and efficient tool in making sure the message and communication we are trying to establish, not only happens, but is mutually beneficial.</div>
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Back in the day, email and school websites were all the rage. Gary Vaynerchuk, a social media expert, talks about how when email first came out, everyone opened every piece of email they ever received. And they read it. Things have changed. Think about the number of unread emails in your inbox (mine is higher than I'd like to admit). It is no longer the most effective method of communication. I also hate to break this news to you, but your school website is not the first place people are going to when they are looking for information about an upcoming school event.</div>
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Here's my point. If all of a sudden people went back to opening and reading every single piece of email, guess what I'd be using to communicate with our families? You got it. I don't love social media because it is social media. I love it because it is the greatest vehicle we currently have to engage our communities. Right now that is Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube (sorry Twitter). And when that changes to something more efficient and impactful, I'll be moving right along and adapt. But don't forget why you are doing this in the first place. You are trying to build relationships, keep your families informed, and have opportunities for two-way communication. That's the point that can't get lost.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRx5Fp8iGw3tJYYfwEM7_8_B_av7AOzD0Mt1gVCN44_PuV74-Nw1pPZ3s1vuzuX_LaFvOdLJp06Ug7qy-z3RFk8G-DnlYpE0XwLw68u9v4UVOx0SpehI-L1CZRjYsr-vCgr9CWQyzTA7dv/s1600/blogger-image--1147672002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRx5Fp8iGw3tJYYfwEM7_8_B_av7AOzD0Mt1gVCN44_PuV74-Nw1pPZ3s1vuzuX_LaFvOdLJp06Ug7qy-z3RFk8G-DnlYpE0XwLw68u9v4UVOx0SpehI-L1CZRjYsr-vCgr9CWQyzTA7dv/s320/blogger-image--1147672002.jpg" width="271" /></a></div>
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Ryan McLane is the principal at Big Walnut Intermediate School in Sunbury, Ohio and co-author of the educational book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Passionately-Promote-Positives-Happening/dp/0986155527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463007543&sr=8-1&keywords=your+school+rocks">Your School Rocks...So Tell People</a>.</div>
<br />ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-84884108057149993632016-04-10T18:21:00.000-07:002016-04-10T18:21:16.945-07:00So You Have A Facebook Page...Now What?<div style="text-align: justify;">
So you have finally taken the plunge and created a Facebook page for your school or district. Now what? Here are a few simple steps to get the most out of your school's social media tool.</div>
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<b>CREATE COMPELLING CONTENT</b></div>
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If you are a school leader, this should not be that difficult. If it is, there is your problem, start there. Social media is good, but it is not THAT good. If you do not have great things happening in your schools, you really don't have anything to share. However, I find that hard to believe. There are so many stories happening in your school each and every day just waiting to be shared. Share those stories on your school's Facebook page.</div>
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<b>TYPES OF CONTENT</b></div>
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From my experiences, here are the four most common types of Facebook posts in order of highest user engagement (meaning they like, share, or comment) to the least engaging content.</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Video</i> - Doesn't have to be long. We had the Columbus Zoo come to our school, and a 6 second clip of an animal jumping from a rope was watched over 7000 times. This is video uploaded directly to Facebook, not a link to YouTube. A link to YouTube is a website link (read below). Our weekly video newsletter is uploaded to Facebook and then separately to YouTube.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Photo</i> - A simple photograph of students engaged in learning will engage your audience. Have 11 students qualify for the state science fair? Even better.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Website link</i> - Even if this is a link to something on your school's website, your families are more likely to see it on your Facebook page than on your school website.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><i>Plain text</i> - This is usually the least engaging type of content. If you need to share some important information about an upcoming event, you are better off including a photo.</li>
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<b>WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT</b></div>
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Okay. I am going to let you in on a secret here. Facebook uses an algorithm to determine what content shows up on your fans' Facebook News Feed. Wait, do you mean that all of my content is not showing up on all of my fans' News Feeds every time I post something? Bingo! Based on the user's previous engagement with your content, the algorithm will determine if it will show up on their News Feed. The more you provide engaging content, the more fans you will reach. </div>
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<b>USE IT</b></div>
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You would be amazed, or maybe not, how many schools have created a Facebook page and then rarely use it. Ideally, you should be sharing at least one piece of content each day. A photo with a brief caption is considered content. I see schools that have a Facebook page that have not posted in months. You are not building a great relationship with your school's fans by doing this. Can't do a post per day? No worries. Even if you are posting content three times per week, you are giving you audience a glimpse into the positive things that are happening in your schools. Isn't that one of the main reasons you created a school Facebook page in the first place?</div>
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<i>Ryan is the principal of Big Walnut Intermediate School in Sunbury, Ohio and the co-author of Your School Rock...So Tell People!</i></div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-77629121833686075292016-03-20T10:48:00.002-07:002016-03-20T10:48:50.560-07:00Schools Face A Perception Problem<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXtjYy7Kr-mfVbBzcHpS8elrgHkcz1Lfz9VD2kLzFQYMkvJkxVPEhicEeo7c6Mt2DuLM8W9fMbrRbTG9V1BlPSRuqaM1I80Ues7AzQ3vXqv3SH3-6J8nhd96M8QiEE1GunkOGEV7vA0yd/s640/blogger-image-501179156.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXtjYy7Kr-mfVbBzcHpS8elrgHkcz1Lfz9VD2kLzFQYMkvJkxVPEhicEeo7c6Mt2DuLM8W9fMbrRbTG9V1BlPSRuqaM1I80Ues7AzQ3vXqv3SH3-6J8nhd96M8QiEE1GunkOGEV7vA0yd/s400/blogger-image-501179156.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When you read about education in the news, it is usually about something negative. It's unfortunate, but it's not just education. Watch the evening news and it is predominantly negative information. Here's the thing. I often hear that society loves to hear about negativity, but I don't completely buy that. People LOVE a great story. We just have to tell it.</div>
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Part of the reason schools have a perception problem has nothing to do with the bad things that are happening there. They just get lumped in with the few newsworthy schools that do have bad things happening. But we can change that. More importantly, YOU can change that.</div>
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Do your families and community know about the great things happening in your schools? Are you using story telling tools that engage them?</div>
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Just this past weekend, students in our school district competed in the Central Ohio District Science Fair. I was there and when I noticed two of the first three "sponsored" awards went to students from our school district, I shared that information on our school's Facebook account. No photo, no video, just these simple statements:</div>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">"The Big Walnut kids are cleaning house in the awards at the Central OH District Science Fair."</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">51 "likes" and reached 336 people in 24 hours.</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">"BWI qualifies 12 to the state science fair."</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify;">57 "likes" and reached 730 people in under 24 hours</li>
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Did 336 people and 730 people actually see these two "stories?" Potentially, but probably not. However, I can assure you more that 51 and 57 people saw each of these two posts. In those two posts, 51 and 57 people respectively enjoyed that "story" so much that they took action. They hit the "like" button, essentially sharing the good news with their friends. This is the positive power in social media. It wasn't just parents who saw these stories. Aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas saw it as well.</div>
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If your schools are currently using social media to engage your community, share the great things happening in your schools, not just information or the next upcoming meeting. Share the stories. If your school is not currently using social media, talk with your decision makers before you start. You can change the perception.</div>
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<i>Ryan McLane is the principal of Big Walnut Intermediate School in Sunbury, Ohio and the co-author of <b>Your School Rock...So Tell People. </b> You can order it on</i> <a href="http://amzn.to/1UdZug0">amazon.com</a> or <a href="http://bit.ly/21GaSBV">barnesandnoble.com</a></div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-42816244440835431732016-01-24T18:35:00.000-08:002016-01-24T18:35:37.947-08:00Don't Just Be A Firehose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When Eric and I wrote <u>Your School Rocks...So Tell People</u>, it wasn't just about trying to hustle some books. We have witnessed a tremendous positive impact on our schools by using different social media platforms and we wanted to share those strategies with anyone who was interested. Now that the book is out and in the hands of educators, we want to continue to provide ongoing tips that will make your use of social media that much more effective. The one point I want to really hammer home is this: do not be a firehose.</div>
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Often times, when we talk about communicating as a school, it happens to be one-way communication. I don't think we do it on purpose and we do it with the best of intentions. We want our community to be informed. Just as much as our communities appreciate being informed, they also want something else. They want to be heard.</div>
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As you are using the various forms of social media to share all of the great things that are happening in your classrooms and schools, don't forget to listen. Two-way communication does not have to happen in the comment section of Facebook. If it is appropriate, then go for it. If it is not, pick up the phone and have a discussion. But don't just use social media to disseminate information. Use it to build relationships and have meaningful conversations. That is what is going to benefit your school </div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-71058553409836824742016-01-10T12:12:00.001-08:002016-01-12T05:29:00.370-08:00Video Trick for InstagramOur school does a weekly video newsletter each week (Chapter 2 in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0986155527/ref=s9_simh_gw_g14_i1_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1MW7VJS5KP75T6WMBWJ8&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop">Your School Rocks...So Tell People</a>) and we distribute the link via a variety of platforms (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, email, and our school website). That hits pretty much everyone except our students. <br />
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The social media tool of choice for our student demographic is Instagram. The problem we have encountered is, a video on Instagram is limited to about 15 seconds and you cannot put hyperlinks in your Instagram posts (well played Instagram, well played). With our video newsletter usually being 2-3 minutes in length, it has been difficult to use the tool our students use most as a method of distribution.<br />
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Many of our parents have told me they watch the weekly video newsletter together as a family. That is great, but how can we reach our students in which that does not occur? How can we reach them on Instagram?<br />
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I'll admit, this is not the most seamless way to do it, but it is a fairly simple work around.<br />
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<li>Edit your Instagram profile and insert the link to the designated video where it allows you to enter a website.</li>
<li>Post a screenshot of the video or a short clip of the video itself as you would normally do when posting to Instagram.</li>
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Our plan is to change the video link on our profile page each week. Here is a quick video that will walk you through the process.</div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Jtlju4TokO4/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jtlju4TokO4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
Are you using video newsletters or Instagram to connect with your families? If so, we'd love to hear about it.<br />
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-2575978157713498742015-12-19T07:41:00.000-08:002015-12-19T16:16:31.892-08:00Your School Rocks...So Tell People<div style="text-align: justify;">
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As we approach the closing of another year, and to think about beginning 2016, I'm still surprised by the number of teachers and schools that do not use social media. The consistent rhetoric of how poorly schools are preparing our students, many people truly believe nothing great is going on in our schools. If we do not do anything to change that perception, well that is our fault as educators and educational leaders. I am aware some districts have forbidden the use of social media, but it seems as if that number is consistently declining. That is a great sign.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Eric Lowe (principal at Beaver Local Middle School) and I have presented at numerous conferences about how our two schools have used social media to build strong relationships with our students, families, and our communities. The majority of the people who come up to talk to us afterwards are ready to take the leap into the world of social media, but do not really know where to begin.</span></div>
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After reflecting on these conversations, we decided to expand our presentation into a book, <b><u>Your School Rocks...So Tell People</u></b>. We wanted to create a resource that would guide the novice as well as the expert in social media with regards to how to leverage the various platforms as an educator. With the help of Dave and Shelley Burgess and their small educational publishing company Dave Burgess Consulting, I am pleased to announce that this resource will be available to help guide you and your school as you begin to examine how you can use social media to promote the positives that are happening on your campus. As always, feel free to connect with the two of us on Twitter, and if you purchase the book, we'd love to hear what you think.</div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Passionately-Promote-Positives-Happening/dp/0986155527/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Your School Rocks...So Tell People</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Passionately-Promote-Positives-Happening/dp/0986155527/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8">Pre-order on Amazon.com</a></div>
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Release Jan. 2, 2016</div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-49452444841251375202015-10-29T11:11:00.001-07:002015-10-29T11:11:19.697-07:004 Tips for Productive Parent-Teacher ConferencesHere a four tips to make Parent-Teacher Conferences as productive as possible.<br />
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<b>1. We are on the same team. </b></div>
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As teachers, parents, and students, we all want the same thing, which is for the student to reach his or her maximum potential. While it is easy to start pointing fingers at each other, what is that really going to solve? The sooner we realize and embrace this idea, the more productive our conversations will be.</div>
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<b>2. Don't focus on the grade.</b></div>
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The grade is simply a letter, or a number, and it is supposed to correlate to how well a student is doing in school. It will not necessarily correlate to how intelligent or how hard of a worker the student is. If you are a parent, do not ask the teacher "Why does my child have a bad grade?" Instead ask, "In what area is my child struggling and what can WE do to help?" If you focus your conversation on grades, you will not be productive and will leave the meeting feeling frustrated.</div>
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<b>3. Time is short</b></div>
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Some teachers see over 100 students in a day. In order to meet with as many families as possible, you may only have a 10-15 minute window. As a parent, have a game plan on what you want to talk about. You may not get through all of the topics you would like to discuss, so prioritize your list. Have no idea what to ask? Here are two questions to consider:</div>
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<li><span style="text-align: justify;">What does my child struggle with and how can we help?</span></li>
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As a teacher, you may be tempted to point out 10 issues that the parent needs to be aware of. Don't do it. Prioritize your list and focus on those.<br />
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<b>4. Don't be afraid to follow-up</b></div>
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You likely did not get through all of the topics you wanted to discuss during your conference, so don't hesitate to follow-up with the teacher in a week via note, email, or phone call. I suggest waiting a week, because teachers are human beings, and they likely just worked two straight 13 hour days when you consider the normal work day and evening conferences. Almost all teachers are going to be more than willing to continue the conversation.</div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-89118018744218693472015-10-14T16:48:00.000-07:002015-10-14T16:48:56.911-07:00When It's OK to Fail...and When It Isn't<div style="text-align: justify;">
I'm sure if you search the internet, listen to a motivational speaker, or talk to most teachers, you may have heard the phrase "It's ok to fail." With the recent resurgence of Carol Dweck's book <u>Mindset</u>, it has become fashionable to say and promote this philosophy in school. This post is not to tell you to embrace or abandon this philosophy, rather, if you say it, you better clearly communicate what you mean.</div>
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Recently, I have had conversations with multiple people who have an expertise outside of education that have come to me dumbfounded with what their children are being told in schools all around the country. They say, "Ryan, my child's teacher told them it's ok to fail. It's ok for them to not try their best, because they will have the opportunity to re-take a test or re-do an assignment."</div>
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I respond by asking them, "Are you sure that's what the teacher told them or what they meant?"</div>
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If you are telling your kids, "It's ok to fail" because you are promoting risk-taking, or you do not want to see them put unnecessary stress on themselves over a class assignment or assessment, or you are promoting the process over the product, then go for it. </div>
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But this is what many of them are hearing: "It's ok if I slack off because I can do it again." </div>
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I am a proponent of standards-based grading practices, and also believe in the process of re-takes because I believe it is far more important THAT they know it than WHEN they know it. However, as educators, we must be extremely CLEAR when we communicate this philosophy to our students. While it may be ok to fail, it is NOT ok to give a subpar effort.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SzTTZ3qUl5VUr0PZ98OJnieb0lns_r2EHXdslBLSKC_L-r6J6IiA-CHqxq6b-kNa_FMEWmx-9GFa8ZtgPRAgrMpuM9nWXovZjhMYhps3DGNvTy9g8fu9WSJh8riwRaTUAKc4P37PmY7f/s640/blogger-image--295397448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SzTTZ3qUl5VUr0PZ98OJnieb0lns_r2EHXdslBLSKC_L-r6J6IiA-CHqxq6b-kNa_FMEWmx-9GFa8ZtgPRAgrMpuM9nWXovZjhMYhps3DGNvTy9g8fu9WSJh8riwRaTUAKc4P37PmY7f/s640/blogger-image--295397448.jpg" /></a></div>
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-70703133428531696432015-10-04T07:31:00.000-07:002015-10-04T07:31:01.244-07:005 Ways Ways to Use Canva in Your Classroom or School<div style="text-align: justify;">
Canva is a free graphic design app for the iPad (they also have a web version) that is pretty simple to use. As a school, we have used it in a variety of ways to assist us in keeping our community informed and sharing the great things that are happening. Here are five ways you can use it in your classroom or school.</div>
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1. You can create your own digital posters.<br />
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2. We post positive messages on our school's Instagram account. The kids actually love it. Canva allows us to customize these messages for our kids rather than just taking them from the internet.</div>
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3. It is an easy way to create a visual for information you want to share with families. We have a school Facebook page that many families "like." By using a picture or graphic, families are far more likely to be engaged than just using simple text.</div>
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4. We actually stopped doing paper/email newsletters because no one was reading them. We started doing weekly video newsletters two years ago and use Canva to design our background. As you can see, our "green screen" is a cinder block wall with green paint. We use an app called Green Screen by DoInk. Below you can see the "before" and "after."</div>
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5. Canva is a great tool to make presentation slides a little more visually appealing.</div>
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You can get as creative as you want, but Canva is a tool worth playing with.<br />
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-91615134742589684332015-10-01T06:53:00.000-07:002015-10-01T06:53:17.181-07:00#BWLS2020<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you are a parent of a Big Walnut student, you may have heard about our BWLS 2020 vision. In short, our goal as a district is to transform education by providing each child a personalized education. We want to get away from the idea of school being a place where teachers are simply providers of information to a model in which they are assisting each student in reaching his or her maximum potential.</div>
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One of the questions I have heard is, "Wow, that sounds great, but why are we waiting until 2020 to do this?" That is a great question and here is my answer. We are not waiting, but that is our deadline. Many of the things I see happening in our classrooms at BWI have shown me this shift is happening. We are not there yet, and it will take some time. Time to get more technology, time to provide our teachers with more resources and training, and time to completely transition to this shift. This model is not built entirely on technology. Technology in the classroom has been a great tool, but is simply that, a tool. It will not replace the teacher. Your child will not be sitting in front of a Chromebook for seven hours each day. That is not my definition of personalization.</div>
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This goal fits well with our district's mission of inspiring and guiding each student to his or her maximum potential. We also feel it aligns with BWI's mantra of making sure kids are learning AND having fun.</div>
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The video below was created by Jen Wilson, our Coordinator of Instruction and Innovation. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.</div>
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Ryan McLane</div>
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<br />ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-89785236116444607952015-09-19T07:29:00.002-07:002015-09-19T07:29:50.166-07:00There's A Disconnect <div style="text-align: justify;">
If you have read my blog before, you know I am a proponent of the proper use of social media by schools and teachers. I have tweeted recently that according to the PEW Research Center, <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2015/07/Parents-and-Social-Media-FIN-DRAFT-071515.pdf">75% of parents use social media</a>. To me, this is a pretty good reason to at least explore the possibility of using social media to connect and communicate with your parents. As a school leader, when is the last time you have had 75% of your parents in any one place?</div>
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Just yesterday, I came across another statistic. According to a <a href="http://www.phoenix.edu/news/releases/2015/08/87_percent_k-12_educators_not_integrated_social_media_into_classroom.html">survey conducted by the Harris Poll for the University of Phoenix</a>, 87% of teachers have not incorporated social media into their classrooms. That is an incredible disconnect, and quite frankly, a missed opportunity.</div>
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Our school, Big Walnut Intermediate, located in Sunbury Ohio, has embraced the use of social media with the support of our central office staff and school board. We have seen amazing results in the past two years because of it. Great things were happening in our schools, but I am not certain that message was getting home to our families. Through the use of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, that message is now being delivered, and our parents are appreciative. In has made it down to the classroom level, as we now have teachers doing their own video newsletters, class blogs, and Instagram pages. These are tools that not only inform our families about what is happening in their child's educations, but also serves as a hook to get the kids excited about coming to school the next day.<br />
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Again, the statistics are pretty mind boggling, and at least warrant a conversation about using social media. </div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-53765022408354696002015-09-09T17:03:00.000-07:002015-09-09T19:12:37.926-07:00Not Getting Rid of the Teachers' Lounge<div style="text-align: justify;">
Ohio's Governor, and Republican Presidential candidate John Kasich was recently quoted as saying the following, "If I were not president, but if I were King of America, I would abolish all teacher's lounges, where they sit together and worry 'woe is us.'" Now his spokesperson quickly dismissed the statement as simply a metaphor, and was shocked educators took it literally.</div>
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Now in full disclosure, I was not an English teacher, so I cannot say with 100% certainty that the statement would actually be classified as a metaphor, perhaps grandstanding would be a better description, but I digress. </div>
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I walked into our Teachers' Lounge this afternoon and saw the following posters made by our students. Our students, 5th and 6th graders at Big Walnut Intermediate, made inspirational posters for our teachers. Where better to hang them than in the Teachers' Lounge?<br />
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Perhaps they heard Governor Kasich's comments and decided to help him to inspire our teachers. Our kids know who he is as our school has been the recipient of the Governor's award for excellence in STEM education in Ohio for three consecutive years. They certainly must feel a bond (If I had a spokesperson, they would be proclaiming my use of satire right now).</div>
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I will not get rid of our Teachers' Lounge literally or metaphorically for the following reasons:</div>
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<li>Our staff talks about how to help kids in that room. </li>
<li>Our staff gets to know each other as people in that room which leads them to working harder for each other because they CARE about each other. </li>
<li>Our teachers share great ideas in that room. </li>
<li>The next great "thing" may very well come from that room. </li>
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John Kasich may become POTUS, or VP, or maybe just remain Ohio governor. However here is what he did with his statement. He further motivated a group of positive educators to be even MORE positive. </div>
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I agree that no one likes to hear anyone play the "woe is me card." However, what is even more annoying is when some politicians play the "teachers are the bad guy" card. I do not think John Kasich is a bad guy, but I KNOW my teachers are not as well.</div>
<br />ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-3305900516244728392015-05-18T15:34:00.002-07:002015-05-18T16:12:47.554-07:00Teach Like A PIRATE DAY 3, In The Books<div style="text-align: justify;">
In Teach Like A PIRATE, the author, Dave Burgess, asks what would happen if the kids were not forced to show up to a teacher's class? On Teach Like A PIRATE Day, we put that question to the test.</div>
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This morning, we allowed 514 5th and 6th grade students to go wherever they wanted for an entire day. That is always a scary thought, and this is the third year I have been a part of such an experiment, and the results have been consistently amazing.<br />
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<li>Our attendance rate was near perfect (98.3%)</li>
<li>Our discipline referrals were almost non-existent (had two today, both were from recess).</li>
<li>Our kids ran TO the next class because they were so excited</li>
<li>Our kids are excited about learning in the last week of school</li>
<li>It is exhausting</li>
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Kids will run to your class if you give them a reason to. They will do this in September, November, March, and even May. Kids will be so engaged in their learning they will not have time to think about doing things they should not be doing. If you are struggling with classroom management, consider the activities of your lesson rather than adding more restrictive rules.</div>
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When I first put this idea out to my staff three years ago, I really had two purposes. One, I wanted the teachers to see that kids could be excited about their classes. Secondly, and more importantly, I wanted the teachers to create these experiences on an ongoing basis. My hope was, we could make school exciting more often, not just on one designated day.</div>
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I have changed districts since that first TLAP Day in Utica, and we have already accomplished these two goals at Big Walnut Intermediate. I see phenomenal, engaging, Teach Like A PIRATE activities going on all throughout the school year, not just one out of 180. However, this is not the end of TLAP Day. It continues to become bigger and better each and every year. Once again, we had educators from around the state travel to Sunbury, Ohio to witness this educational/social experiment and I am not going to lie, I take great satisfaction in knowing we are influencing schools around the state and even around the country. School does not have to be a miserable, oppressive place.</div>
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Three years ago, we were the only school in the world to try TLAP Day. Today, we Skyped with a school in Missouri who was doing their very own TLAP Day. The idea is spreading, which means our kids are benefitting.<br />
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Today our kids had a videoconference with employees at Google, created their own art, participated in science experiments, learned about Chinese culture, used critical thinking skills in solving problems, flew to the moon, faced the Shark Tank, built their own roller coaster, went on multiple scavenger hunts, and made their own bouncy balls. They should sleep well tonight.<br />
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This has been such a successful endeavor because our teachers are on board. They put in their own time and their own money in creating these experiences. Without their hard work and dedication, this would never happen, and I cannot thank them enough. We also have a great community who is supportive of some of the crazy things we do. You have no idea how nice that is.<br />
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Check out our hashtag on Twitter for photos of the day. #tlapday3</div>
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156 kids in Mystery Skype</div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-78944389066005569942015-04-27T17:44:00.001-07:002015-04-27T18:36:12.985-07:00Teach Like A PIRATE Day, 3 Weeks Away<div style="text-align: justify;">
Our Teach Like A PIRATE Day will take place on Monday, May 18, 2015. This will be the 3rd one I have been a part of. I have to be honest, this one has the potential to be the best one yet. The main reason for this is because of the enthusiasm of our students and our staff.</div>
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When we did the first TLAP Day back in 2013, no one really knew what it was. I did not let the kids know about it until a few days before it happened. Last year we began to hype it well in advance, and now, new students enter our school asking about it. The secret is out.</div>
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Our community has embraced this day and local businesses are beginning to put their money behind it. While we are far from going corporate, local businesses are offering a helping hand. Our art teacher spoke to the manager at the local Wendy's fast food restaurant to ask if they would donate salad containers for an art project. Once our teacher explained TLAP Day and how kids run TO the next class, the manager could not say yes fast enough. The question to my art teacher was "How many do you need?"</div>
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I have worked in schools in which it seemed like the community did not support the schools. When I reflect back, I ask myself, "Did the schools give the community a real reason to want to support them?" </div>
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I hate to make blanket statements. I cannot say that if you do this in your school that suddenly the community will have your back. This community supported the schools long before I came to Big Walnut, but TLAP day gives them one more visible reason why they should.<br />
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ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-61671467798980256422015-04-15T14:13:00.001-07:002015-04-15T14:13:12.494-07:00Teach Like A PIRATE Day 3, A Month Away<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two years ago, we put the essential question in Dave Burgess' Teach Like A PIRATE to the test: if kids didn't have to be there, would you be teaching to an empty room? On May 22, 2013, we gave 270 7th and 8th graders more freedom than they had ever had in their educational lives. We let them go wherever they wanted for an entire school day. Teach Like A PIRATE Day was born.</div>
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Since then, it has grown and spread. I have changed districts and brought it with me, other brave educators have tried it and have experienced similar success. If you create extraordinary experiences for your students you will see extraordinary results.</div>
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So for the next month, my blog posts will be dedicated to sharing the process. I have been contacted by so many educators who wanted to do this in their schools, but just have so many questions. I have emailed, Skyped, and talked to several people on the phone to help them through the process. It has been great to connect with so many people and to see this phenomenon spread.</div>
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Hopefully these posts will guide you to do this yourself. At the very least, it may be entertaining reading to see what a crazy school in Ohio is going to do on May 18th.</div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-63756238435631939522015-04-12T08:04:00.000-07:002015-04-12T08:37:51.626-07:00Why We Are Here<span style="text-align: justify;">I recently read an opinion piece in Education Week about a Teach For America teacher hanging it up after six years. I'm not taking a shot at TFA, because quite honestly, that piece could have been written by anyone regardless of their training. That piece could have been written by me at some point in my career. </span><br />
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Teaching is hard, and we often hear that it is a thankless job, and sometimes it is. Sometimes in life, regardless of our profession, we will feel unappreciated, undervalued, and begin to question ourselves and our own abilities. However, sometimes, that is not the case. Sometimes parents send notes of thanks, provide food for our staff during conferences and Teacher Appreciation Week, give gifts around the holidays, and even make cookies with your school's name on them.</div>
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Before I left my building on Friday, there were two teachers still there celebrating, legitimately joyous over the fact that two students had reached levels of success in their classrooms that was unprecedented for them. For me, as a principal, you do not know how powerful and meaningful that is. More importantly, these moments are exactly why we are here. As teachers, you are changing lives every day, for the better or for the worse. We have no idea what some of these kids are going through in their lives, and if you think, "Oh kids are not experiencing that in our school" you are wrong. As teachers, we have to remember that is why we got into this profession in the first place.<br />
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This week, you will do many things in which no one will thank you. However there will likely be a time when someone does. Don't forget to remember those things as well.</div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8511695168237330482.post-69528419271830640892015-03-30T17:00:00.000-07:002015-03-30T17:00:57.627-07:00Periscope For Education, Part II<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yesterday, I wrote about this new app called Periscope (<a href="http://ryanpatrickmclane.blogspot.com/2015/03/periscope-for-education.html">Periscope For Education?</a>). I experimented with a few broadcasts today during school trying to determine if it had a place in education. I believe it has the potential to be a very powerful learning tool, but at the same time, inappropriate comments that show up on the screen made it too big of a risk. Or so I thought.<br />
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I filmed a few minutes of a <a href="https://www.periscope.tv/w/Vvq-IzQwNDI3M3wxMjIzMjI5gTq7MmdtAamE-MKbdlY9S2iSP8xEMO8bfY6nBwsLfdo=">6th Grade Math</a> class that uses individual pathways for student learning. I had some educators interact with me, no inappropriate comments were made and I think a few educators got an idea or two from watching.</div>
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Sure this could be leveraged as a PD tool, and that would be a great benefit, but I still thought there could be more. For example, last night I was watching someone stream live video from the WTC Memorial in New York. How cool would that be to show your kids in class? The problem was that someone decided to make a racist comment to which the person videotaping made a verbal comment back. An unbelievable learning opportunity for our kids, poof, gone.</div>
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But as my man Lee Corso from ESPN would say, "Not so fast my friend." Periscope allows you to hide the comments of a video. When you click on a video, and as it is loading, swipe up, and there is an option that says "hide comments." Click on that and poof, all of the comments, inappropriate or not, will disappear. One problem solved. However that will not do anything to prevent the person who is broadcasting from verbally responding to the comments on the live stream. To solve this problem, simply mute the volume.</div>
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In my opinion, the power of this app is the video and images it provides. Sure the commentary by the broadcaster is an added bonus, but not a necessity. I do not need the broadcaster to explain what is going on, I as the teacher can do that. And sometimes, there is no commentary needed.</div>
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The safest bet would be to use broadcasts that are saved and not live, because you never know what images could appear on a live video stream. If you have previewed the video, you can use this app to take your kids to places they never thought they could see.</div>
ryanpatrickmclanehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17119809603395588942noreply@blogger.com0