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ODIE Tips of the Month - Brian Schanbacher

Brian Schanbacher — Sat, 01 May 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Finding all of your Workshop Registrations

You can look at all your ODIE registrations (past and future) in one list. Under the workshops tab, there is a "My Registrations" link that will take you to a page that lists all workshops you've ever registered for.

Advanced Search Techniques in ODIE

We're making searching in ODIE faster, more powerful, and more intuitive. You can search through all your district's helpdesk tickets, through upcoming workshops, or through the online media catalog. You can search for a single word to find what you're looking for, but did you also know the following:

If searching for one word returns too many results to look through, you can narrow your search by including several search words. I.E. searching for 'President Lincoln' will return fewer and more precise results than searching for just 'Lincoln'
You can use the keyword 'or' to search for two or more different possibilities. I.E. searching for 'President Lincoln or Roosevelt' will search for the word 'President' as well as either 'Lincoln' or 'Roosevelt'
You can also exclude a word from your search using '-'. I.E. searching for 'Abraham -Lincoln' finds everything with 'Abraham' but excludes anything with 'Lincoln'.
You can also search for phrases by using double quotes. I.E. 'President Lincoln' searches for results with both words in any order, but '"President Lincoln"' searches for the exact phrase (those two words adjacent and in that order)

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What is your philosophy, and where is it taking you? - Julie Everett

Julie Everett — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Where does the philosophy of an educator originate? Is it a matter of opinion? Facts gathered through research? Experience gained by teaching and being with children? Beliefs in perspectives or practices of a current educational guru? Data collection that has driven changes in thoughts, opinions, and ideas? Administration-lead introduction of new concepts or ways of thinking? Peer pressure? Community perspectives?

Where exactly does an educator's philosophy originate?

Throughout my tenure as an educator, I have found each one of these facets as various 'philosophies' of educators. As I listen, learn through workshops and conversations, read and research, I have observed that every educator has a different idea, thought, opinion, or philosophy about teaching. I have pondered how all of these philosophies have evolved, and what paths each educator has taken to conclude what they have to this point in their professional career.

I have discovered that some educators currently believe what they believed when they first became a teacher. Their belief systems have not changed with the times. They may have encountered profound higher education experiences that were embedded in their early career as an educator, and have been difficult to let go of. In their eyes, their practices continue to be highly functioning, and these educators often use these practices with all students, each and every year, even when the practices may not meet the individual needs of students.

I have also noted that some educators do not have a philosophy at all. They are unable to pinpoint their direction, interests in education, or how to impact learning and student performance. These individuals go with the flow, seldom question change, and seem to be content with the status quo.

I have also found educators who are reinventing themselves, their classrooms, and their philosophies each year, with each new set of students they encounter. They are always looking for ways to stretch themselves, and their students. They do not settle for the status quo. These individuals have high expectations for themselves, and equally high expectations for their students. They never let down, and they never allow failure. If a student of theirs fails, they internalize the failure as their own, and find a way to assure success with that student.

As I look at these three unique scenarios, I am somewhat saddened. Not all of them are child-driven. Two of them are almost 'me' driven. In the first scenario, best practices taught in higher education grounded instructional foundations through the years, rather than children centering instruction. This philosophy, in my opinion, is disaster waiting to happen in the lives of children. I base this opinion on my presence in classrooms, as well as my past as a student. It is hard for me to admit, but I had more teachers than not who fell into this category throughout my childhood years, as well as my higher education years. I honestly did not flourish as much as I believe I could have under this scenario.

In the second scenario, with the educators who don't have a professional philosophy, I become instantly discouraged for their students. How will a child learn, grow, or reach his or her full potential when the assigned teacher does not have a foundation for learning, teaching, developing themselves as professionals, and nurturing their students as individuals? This scenario seems the most 'me' centered. Maybe these educators don't need a philosophy? Or perhaps they believe that they function at a higher level than others because they don't have a philosophy to be accountable to?

In the third scenario, those educators who strive to continuously improve, tend to have an innate need--a passion--to learn, grow, and change with the needs of their students. These are the educators that I see "Making Their Mark" on a daily basis. They believe all children can learn, and they often re-teach things again and again until a child has learned and internalized a skill or new concept. These are the educators who go home at night, assess their students' work from the day
and make sound instructional decisions based on individual student needs. If a child has failed, or hasn't learned a new concept, these educators look within themselves to see where they need to improve the following day to change a failure into a success. These educators look for celebrations, the smallest steps in improvement, and they accentuate these strengths to help students discover their full potential. At the same time, they forfeit their role as a 'teacher', and become a facilitator in their classrooms, enabling kids to make instructional decisions that meet their individual needs as learners. These educators are the forces that drive change in the world of education. They take risks. They ask questions. They demand answers--answers that are child-centered, not ‘me’ driven. They want more-for themselves, but most importantly, they desire more for their students. At all costs, these educators journey on, even when paths become mucky, or they reach a dead end. Their foundational philosophy is the map in the journey of achieving the unthinkable, and igniting that same level of achievement and passion in every child he or she may encounter.

So I guess I have to ask...what is YOUR philosophy, and where did it come from? Which scenario is the path you are currently taking? And where exactly is it that you want to go from here?

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Giving Students Their Paycheck - Carol Smith

Carol Smith — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

By Melissa Trautman, M.S. Ed, Southeast Region ASD Coordinator

As adults, we all look forward to that one or two days a month when we are handed that little rectangular piece of paper - our paycheck! For some it’s accompanied with the slight hum of the Hallelujah chorus while for others it’s accompanied by a sense of achievement and self-worth. For most adults, their paycheck is their reward for working hard and for doing the job that they are hired for. Without that reward most of us would start looking for a different job that comes with that monetary reward we need. If we are lucky enough, we have a job that also gives us internal reinforcement—that feeling that we are doing something good for someone else and contributing to the world.

Our students, especially those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), need paychecks just like adults. Most students on the spectrum are not driven by the internal desire to do their best or to please others when they are completing a task at school. Just as adults need some sort of reward to keep working, we need to create paychecks for our students with ASD.

Positive reinforcement is anything that will increase the future occurrence of a behavior. If you are struggling with a student being off-task or refusing to do work, then giving positive reinforcement for doing work without refusing will help increase the desired behavior.

Here are five things to consider when developing a reinforcement system.

1. Choose the reinforcement according to the child’s preferences. What is motivating for other students may not be motivating for your student with ASD.

2. Reinforcement needs to be delivered by more than one person in more than one environment.

3. Continually assess the effectiveness of the reinforcement—this may be after every task, twice a week or once a month.

4. Choose reinforcements that match the level of behavior you are trying to change. For instance, having a huge party to reinforce a minor behavior may not be the best approach.

5. Make sure that the access to the reinforcement is delivered by an adult or peer.

Types of Reinforcement

There are different types of reinforcement that can be used with students. Almost all types of reinforcement can fall into four main categories.

1. Social/Attention

2. Tangible (item that you can touch)

3. Activity

4. Escape

Using a reinforcement inventory is a great way to find items or activities that are reinforcing to your student. Sample reinforcement inventories are posted on the South East ASD Network webpage and blog for your use.

Reinforcement Schedule

Another question to ask yourself when you are developing a reinforcement system for your student is how often you should give the reinforcement. Typically, adults are stingy in giving reinforcement and/or reinforcement that the students with ASD truly want. As a basic principle, the more frequently you reinforce an appropriate behavior, the quicker the results.

Adults can deliver reinforcement in two ways—immediately or delayed. As a rule, the younger the student, the quicker the reinforcement needs to be. If you want to increase an appropriate behavior quickly, immediate reinforcements are the best strategy. This may mean reinforcing a student with something tangible after every single response and then systematically adding more time between the reinforcement being given.

Benefits of Using Reinforcement

Besides the obvious benefit of increasing behaviors that you want, there are other benefits of using reinforcement.

- It creates a more self-motivated atmosphere where the child wants to complete the task to get his or her reinforcement.

- It creates a cooperative environment. If adults and staff are using a reinforcement schedule, it will lessen power struggles.

- It creates a habit that often leads to increasingly greater cooperation.

- It teaches your students valuable lessons that may help him or her realize the benefits of other types of reinforcement. They might actually end up liking tasks that they are asked to do.

As a final note, positive reinforcement can make a huge difference with our students on the spectrum. Try it and you’ll see!

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5 Great Tools for Marzano’s Strategies: Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition - Deanna Stall

Deanna Stall — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition are two strategies that don’t really have a lot to do with engaging students directly. However they play a major roll in creating good relationships and confidence building and that is why they are the third most effective strategy from Marzano.

Students don’t necessarily relate effort to success and as teachers we sometimes forget this. That is why showing students this visually is a very powerful tool. If you have ever come to an L to J training, you will have a pretty good idea of how to do this.

On the opposite end of this effort, students don’t always get the recognition they need to continue their learning. Sometimes the stickers and candy work but most of the time it is the instant feedback and the personalization of that recognition that makes it most effective. Here are a few ways to get the most out of these two strategies from our favorite technology tools.

1. Use a Spreadsheet or a Table: Give students a visual so they can better understand the relationship between their efforts and their success by using a spreadsheet or a table. For some teachers, I was one, spreadsheets are the ultimate of “techno-geekiness” and they seem almost scary! But spreadsheets are no different than the charts you draw on your wall except Microsoft makes them a lot neater than I can and they make the process a lot less work. In MS Excel you can create such a spreadsheet that will calculate your results at the end of each day. MS Word contains a tool where you can create tables as well if you feel more comfortable in MS Word. Google Docs also has a spreadsheet tool. The great part about Google’s spreadsheets is that you can share those spreadsheets with others including your students so they can fill in the chart themselves.

2. Rubrics: Creating a rubric has always been a great way to grade student projects. They are also a great way to show students the relationship between effort and success. An online tool to help you search for or create your own rubrics is RubiStar (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/). Getting an account gives you more creative power but you can just search for a rubric for any project that may already be created there. Search for “effort” and you will find a long list of rubrics already created for measuring student effort. Rubrics could also be used as a student self-evaluation!

3. Response Systems or Clickers: Students will develop their own intrinsic personal recognition when they get instant feedback with a clicker or audience response system. One system that teachers
in our area have found to be easiest is from eInstruction (http://einstruction.com). You can also get responses from students by creating quizzes and tests on Exam View and posting them online. Poll Everywhere (http://www.polleverywhere.com/) is a great online tool where students can text their answer from their phone right to the website (just like Dancing With The Star)! They can use the website to post their answers if they don’t have a cell phone.

4. Create Certificates: Personalizing recognition for students is a great way to give students feedback! MS PowerPoint, MS Publisher, and MS Word are great tools for creating certificates. There are templates available for these programs for certificates at http://tr.im/mscertificatetemplates. A site you should check out for online certificates is 123-Certificates (http://www.123certificates.com/). They have free printable certificates!

5. eCards or eMails: One of the simplest ways of giving students personalized recognition is to send them a note. This might be a handwritten note or it could be an email. Try sending an audio email by using Vocaroo (http://www.vocaroo.com/). Have you ever sent a friend a birthday card online? Try sending a student or the parents of that student an ecard! You can find several different websites for sending ecards. One example is American Greetings (http://www.americangreetings.com/). Hallmark also has some free ecards (http://hallmark.com). Check them out!

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Quantum Learning for First-Time Participants - Denise O'Brien

Denise O'Brien — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Quantum Learning will be offered July 5-9 or July 12-16, 2010. In this workshop, participants learn new ways to maximize the impact of their teaching efforts through the development of relationships, orchestration of learning, and delivery of curriculum.

Quantum Learning is a multi-sensory, multi-intelligence, brain-compatible practical approach to learning. It is founded on educationally sound theories of Multiple Intelligences (Garner), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (Grinder and Bandler), Experiential Learning (Hahn), Cooperative Learning (Johnson and Johnson), and Elements of Effective Instruction (Madeline Hunter). The methodology is based on over 20 years of experience and research with over 35,000 students and the synergy of thousands of teachers.

Three hours of college credit will be available for this workshop. This 5-day Quantum Learning workshop is open ONLY to first-time participants. Registration will open on Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

This workshop is being sponsored by the ESU 10 Title IIA and Career Education Consortiums. To register go to: https://odie.esu10.org. For more information, please contact Denise O’Brien dobrien@esu10.org

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Quantum Learning for Past Participants - Denise O'Brien

Denise O'Brien — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Teachers who have attended a Quantum Learning Workshop have an opportunity to come back for two days to deepen their knowledge and refine their skills. During the weeks of July 5 and July 12, 2010, teachers may choose to register for two topics from the list below.

Participants must register for each day they plan to attend. There will be a $15.00 registration fee for each day. No contracted services pay will be offered to participants of these sections. No previous Quantum Learning participants will be allowed to register for the full 5 day training.

Registration will open on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. To register go to https://odie.esu10.org.

Quantum Learning Daily Topics                                                            Date to Attend
Day 1: Building the System                                                                      July 5 or July 12
Day 2: Purposeful Design and Community                                                 July 6 or July 13
Day 3: Resourceful Learning and Teaching                                                  July 7 or July 14
Day 4: The Role of Relationship in Learning                                               July 8 or July 15
Day 5: Crafting the Big Picture                                                                   July 9 or July 16

For more information please contact Denise O’Brien @ dobrien@esu10.org

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PARENTING SOLUTIONS – SPECIAL THOUGHTS ON RAISING KIDS - Carol Smith

Carol Smith — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Room to Grow

One of the more glaring problems faced by teenagers in today’s world occurs when their parents become determined to control every aspect of their lives.

This control can be seen as a symptom of a larger problem which actually belongs to the parent. It is a problem that many of us face. We feel insecure when we have little control over others, especially our children.

Since we never like to admit to ourselves that we are insecure, we build a case for being concerned about the youngster’s well-being at an unconscious level. This is a very natural thing to do.

As we state our case, it comes out as, “I need to control my youngster’s actions or he will do something that will be bad for him, and my love for him just won’t allow me to do otherwise.”

The way we identify insecurity is by watching the amount of control a person needs to have over others. This is seen daily as parents attempt to control sleeping and eating habits, the amount of learning that takes place, the language used by the child, how he or she is treated by others, the kind of clothes he or she wears, and who his or her friends are.

We don’t hear a person say, “Well, actually, I’m a very controlling person because I feel like an inadequate parent when my child makes decisions for himself and chooses to be something different than what I have designed for him.” Our minds work for us as a protection from these kinds of thoughts.

Instead we hear, “I care about my children. I can’t let them hurt themselves by making bad choices.” Or, “I just don’t want my children to close any doors for themselves that will limit their opportunities later in life.”

In other words, controlling people unconsciously disguise their attempts to feel more adequate by saying that they are caring, concerned, involved, etc.

The question is, “Do I feel secure enough to allow my child to become what he or she wants to be?”

CONTROL – Helps parents satisfy unconscious needs to feel more adequate as adults.

DEMANDS TO GET YOUR WAY – Help youngsters learn to be stubborn and demand to get their way.

CHOICES – Help children learn to become decision makers and learn to become adults in the real world.

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NETA - Creative Journeys to Learning - Deanna Stall

Deanna Stall — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Looking for the finest education conference in the midwest? Go no further than Omaha for NETA (Nebraska Educational Technology Association) Conference!

When: April 29-30, 2010
Where: La Vista Embassy Suites & Conference Center, Exit 442, Harrison Street
How Much: Full Conference Registration (2 days)-$115; One-Day Conference Registration-$80; Half-Day Workshop Registration-$50

To register for the conference or for more information go to http://netasite.org!

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BURWELL 6TH GRADE CLASS WINS CONTEST - Carol Smith

Carol Smith — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Congratulations to Joy Schott and her 6^th grade class at Burwell Public Schools who entered and won the eInstruction Classroom Makeover video contest! Burwell, a town of just over 1,000 beat out schools with cities of no less than 11,000 people! On January 25, 2010, all of Burwell Public School celebrated with cupcakes and punch. Joy was presented with a giant check for $30,000 by two eInstruction directors from St. Louis and Denver along with Nebraska’s very own eInstruction sales representative, Dustin Frank. To see the winnings, winning videos, and contest details go to http://eimakeover09.shycast.com!

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MANILA ACCOUNTS MOVING TO WORDPRESS - Carol Smith

Carol Smith — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

I want to take this opportunity to give you a brief update on the state of Manila and to share the opportunities teachers have to build their web presence at ESU 10.

A brief history: In 2002 we were awarded a grant titled "A Web Page for Every Teacher." At that time we knew the value of teachers having a web presence and were committed to providing the resources needed for teachers to have an easy to use and accessible online presence. We purchased a server and license to install and run Manila, the only real viable content management system for us at the time. We also provided professional development and other resources for teachers to help with development of their web sites.

In those eight years we have had over 3,000 accounts on our Manila servers and, at it's peak, three servers supporting this service. We have been elated at the popularity and through the years updated and upgraded as needed.

Which brings us to the present. About three years ago we knew the impending fate of Manila. We saw the writing on the wall. Support for the product was getting scarce and we started having more trouble with the service. At that time we announced we were planning to look for other possible solutions to replace Manila. We formed several teams and surveyed our customers to find out what would best fit our needs. We tried several products, and after much testing and comparison came up with our current solution: WordPress.

In the last two years, we have been moving accounts over to WordPress and in this last year have had a major push to get everyone off of Manila by June 30th of 2010. Teachers, LAN Managers, Tech Integration Specialists and Administrators are doing a wonderful job in helping with the transition process. They see the value of moving away from a dying technology to a more modern and capable system. They see the value of teachers and districts having a web presence and providing online learning resources. We appreciate the support in providing time, resources, personnel, and help in this process, and for that I thank and commend each and every person who has been a part of this journey.

ESU 10 is dedicating many resources to make the transition as seamless and painless as possible for individuals wishing to make the change. From our dedicated team of programmers who make sure the servers are running like a top; to our training team and helpdesk staff fielding and directing questions - we are here to help you with your web presence needs. We look forward to helping you build your online presence to meet the needs of your students and constituents.

If you are in need of a WordPress site to build your web presence, feel free to visit our blog and request an account: http://blog.esu10.org/wordpress/

Training opportunities are available in many forms including onsite professional development, full day workshops at ESU 10 and webinars throughout the month. For more on these opportunities, visit Odie for a current listing of WordPress titles or contact our training team to schedule an onsite training. https://odie.esu10.org/workshops/SearchResults.aspx?q="wordpress"&swn=1&swd=1

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Summer Enrichment Experience Camp 2010 – Back to SEE the Future - Trina Shaw

Trina Shaw — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

June 7-18, 2010
Held at WALNUT MIDDLE SCHOOL, Grand Island, Nebraska

Teachers--encourage your 3rd through 8th-grade students to embark on a fun-filled, educational experience at this two-week camp. This year the theme will have them looking to the past and imagining the future through academic courses including science, math, history, cooking, computer, music, art, and drama in a fast-paced, fun-filled atmosphere.

Summer Enrichment Experience (S.E.E.) Camp exists to meet the diversified needs of academically minded students presently enrolled in grades 3 through 8. Students who are interested and meet the eligibility criteria (through participation in a high-ability learners program or by recommendation from a teacher) are invited to become part of an experience that will create friendships, memories, and learning which will last a lifetime. Nominations for the program may be initiated by teachers, parents, or others who have knowledge of a student’s abilities.

The S.E.E. Camp 2010 theme is Back to S.E.E. the Future. Some exciting classes you may experience at SEE Camp 2010 include: Back to Black Holes; Gargoyles; Math on the Big Screen; CSI SEE Camp; Holidays Around The World; Choir Tribute to Michael Jackson; MegaLOGOmania; Blast from the Past--Dance Crazes; Kulinary Kids; Crack That Code; S.E.E. Hunter; and Mission to Mars.

Brochures will be sent to principals or High Ability Learners teachers at schools in the ESU 10 area. The brochure is also available at http://admin.esu10.org/SEECamp. The deadline for students to apply is April 15.

For more information contact Trina Shaw at Educational Service Unit 10 at (308) 237-5927 or email tshaw@esu10.org.

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5 Great Tools for Marzano's Strategies: Nonlinguistic Representation - Deanna Stall

Deanna Stall — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Because we adults haven't been educated this way, using visuals is sometimes a task we don't do often enough. I know for myself, I love to add images, graphics, or pictures to my presentations but don't always get that far because I am more concerned about getting the "words" right. I am reading Brain Rules by John Medina, which by the way is an excellent, easy to read book for any teacher. He talks about twelve rules to follow in order for your brain to work at its optimum level. This Slide Share show touches on three of those rules that presenters should pay attention to and these certainly apply to teachers in their own classrooms! http://www.slideshare.net/garr/brain-rules-for-presenters.

Sometimes we ask, "do I need to draw you a picture?" and the answer to that according to Marzano is emphatically, "yes!" Pictures speak a 1000 words and there is no exception for students. How many times in your early teaching have you drawn a picture on the board regardless of your skills? Do you still do that? The great thing is that technology can take care of those pictures for you! Most teachers have projectors in their classrooms so including a picture in your presentation is a fairly easy task. Here are some sites that you might like for finding or creating those nonlinguistic representations for YOUR classroom!

1. Google Earth/Maps (http://earth.google.com or http://maps.google.com) - This is one of those tools that I can't say enough about. This application is being improved all the time. Maps add to every aspect of a student's education. Teachers often think that this is only something for the social studies department but every teacher can find a way to use this. Google Earth is a free downloadable program. It is very robust! If you are looking for something a little quicker, try Google Maps. It features almost the same functionality only from the web (no download necessary). Zoom into the globe, the ocean, the sky, or anywhere you need!

2. Digital Photos - This is such a powerful tool that I have included more than one link! Grab a digital camera and get to snapping! Digital pictures even from your own camera are priceless tools for classrooms! Send your students out to take pictures of something that represents the Constitution of the United States. Or ask them to snap a shot of geometric shapes in nature then use their pictures for the next quiz. Add your own photos to your presentations, take student pictures and use them to send postcards home to parents titled "Wish you were here!" telling them all about your latest class project.

Spend some time learning about your digital camera because you won't regret it! For those quick classroom shots, the $100 cameras work just fine. Next, find a place online to keep your photos such as Google Picasa (http://picasa.google.com). Once you have them saved there, you can share the link with others including students, parents, and colleagues or print them to a book. Blurb (http://blurb.com) is a great site to create and print books of any kind! Create your own yearbook or text book and use your own pictures! You can also use those great shots in slide show or movie by uploading them to Animoto (http://animoto.com)!

3. Glogster (http://edu.glogster.com/) - This site is a great site for student created or teacher created materials. Create an online poster for any subject. Include links, videos, audio files, pictures and text! These aren't the kind of posters that you print but the kind you set up as a presentation or a "jumping off point!" Create these and send them out to students for notes or review.

4. Flickr (http://flickr.com) - Flickr is a great site to store your digital photos. It can also work as a social network where you post a photo and get comments on them. One of the ways I like to use Flickr is to search the photos that are already there for a slide show in my own presentations. For example, you may be teaching about the Great Depression so you go to Flickr and search for the Great Depression. Your results may include all kinds of images with those keywords associated with them. Mark them as your favorites and use them as a slide show during your lesson! If students have no previous knowledge on a topic, it is great to select just the right images for them.

5. Google News Timeline (http://newstimeline.googlelabs.com) - Teaching about the race to space and want to see what other things were going on in the United States? Take a look at Google's News Timeline! Search by date and then by different types of media to see all the happenings of that particular date. Share the link with your students for a well rounded discussion.

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Nebraska ASD Network’s 7th Annual Conference - Carol Smith

Carol Smith — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

The NE ASD Network will hold its' 7th Annual Conference, A Framework for Success: Supporting Individuals on the Autism Spectrum. The conference will be held at the Kearney Holiday Inn and Convention Center on April 8 & 9, 2010. Reduced registration fees are available until March 15. To register and for more information on the featured speakers go to:

http://asdconference2010.eventbrite.com.

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5 Great Tools for Marzano's Strategies: Cooperative Learning - Deanna Stall

Deanna Stall — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Cooperation. Collaboration. Teamwork. Communities. Personal Learning Networks. These are all buzzwords in education that we have heard many times in the past. Now these buzzwords are coming from the rest of the world telling educators that these are skills that our students need to be able to enter the work force. Mazano found this to be the sixth most effective strategy in educating our students. With recent books like "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman, we are finding that this is a little more than just a strategy for education; it is a vital piece for 21st century students. To find out more about how to make Cooperative Learning happen in your classroom, check out this Slide Share presentation (http://www.slideshare.net/h3rt1k1/cooperative-learning-492163). Here are some links that might help with organizing, planning, and building a cooperative classroom!

1. Angel/My eLearning (http://www.myelearning.org/default.asp) - You have probably heard of Blackboard from taking college courses. Angel is a product that is similar to Blackboard and works great for the K-12 arena. Angel is a course management system allowing teachers to go from a paper classroom. to a digital classroom. It is a MUST for schools using distance education programs and with laptops! Angel allows teachers to deliver and collect materials, give assessments, and give students
space to collaborate and share. This is a subscription web based program. Call the ESU 10 Network Information Services for more information!

2. Google Docs (http://docs.google.com) - Google Docs has been listed before in my "5 Great" lists because it is a great tool for all kinds of strategies. This web-based program contains documents, spreadsheets, and presentation tools. Because it is web-based, it allows you to use any machine with internet access, anytime. One of the best features is the sharing feature. As many as ten people can work on the same document at the same time without emailing it back and forth to one another. You can keep track of the changes in the revision history so there is no losing your information with the larger group of editors. This is ideal for student projects! You will need a free Google account and a buddy to try it out!

3. Project Based Learning Checklists (http://pblchecklist.4teachers.org/) - This web site has the tools you need to create your own checklist ensuring students' achievement and success in all your classroom projects. These checklists will help you support the project as well as evaluate the student's project in the end.

4. Global Schoolhouse (http://www.globalschoolnet.org/index.cfm) - Looking for a project to do with another classroom around the world? This web site includes lists of global projects. Sign up and find a project that works for your students and classroom. Along with cooperative learning, this is a great way to work on those 21st Century Skills!

5. The Jigsaw Classroom (http://jigsaw.org/) - To find out more cooperative learning skills and techniques, visit the Jigsaw Classroom. This gives some nice tips and tricks to this strategy.

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The Results Are In - Wayne Bell

Wayne Bell — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

The external visitation team members have come and gone from ESU 10. They found that we do indeed “partner with our customers to meet changing needs through professional expertise, training, and support”. This group, led by the fastidious Freida Lange, did an excellent job of understanding this organization in a short period of time. We appreciate their efforts. The information received from this team will be used for serious discussion and study as the ESU 10 organization strives to meet your many and varied needs in the years to come.

You will soon be receiving the annual survey that asks specific questions as we try to gauge how to serve you better. Some of the questions will reflect findings from external team members. In this article, however, I would like to briefly touch on the main findings that were reported. There were three commendations and two recommendations for next steps in the overall improvement process.

The first commendation cited that ESU 10’s technology service and expertise are effective, progressive, and well staffed – on “the cutting edge”. It is always our intent to serve a wide variety of publics. One of the most important publics served is the ESU 10 staff. That learned expertise pays exponential dividends when working with school districts. Technology allows the ability to provide quality visionary and cost-effective activities to all publics.

The second commendation noted that collaborative partnerships within ESU 10 boundaries and beyond are noteworthy in their diversity and growth. This organization sees that these partnerships are critical for future success. Some publics feel services become client/provider situations. That is never the intent at ESU 10, but it is a role we have reluctantly accepted in some cases if it creates new opportunities for participating entities.

The third commendation highlights the knowledgeable staff and diverse areas of expertise at ESU 10 which allows it to readily meet the needs of our publics. I have often remarked about how fortunate I am to work with a staff that is so dedicated to service and quality. We are just beginning to better discover how to work with the strengths of others to promote individual growth.

The first recommendation centered around the thought that we need to select and adopt a model of continuous improvement to provide a uniform structure and process to be used by all ESU 10 departments.

More action planning will be formalized. Short range planning will continue, but more emphasis will be placed on long term planning as we prepare for school district needs 5-10 years in the future.

The second recommendation suggests that we analyze and use multiple sources of data to establish target goals and objectives from which action plans will be developed. This organization will work on more consistent methods of data collection. There are some deep philosophical differences that come into play concerning this topic that will need to be resolved, but that introspective thought process will only strengthen this organization in the future.

There are many predictions that could be made concerning this study. The staff at ESU 10 will need to sort through the facts to make rational decisions. We would hate to be as overly optimistic as some have been over the years. We wouldn’t want to make mistakes similar to that of Arthur Summerfield, the 1959 US Postmaster General, when he predicted that before man reached the moon that mail would be delivered by guided missile; or Dr. William Clark, 1966 president of the Arthritis Foundation, when he predicted there would be no arthritis by the year 2000.

Whatever decisions are made, be assured that "Our Focus is on Serving You!"

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Maintaining and Improving Student Achievement - Bob Lungrin

Bob Lungrin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

In the latest American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) update presented by Dr. Marilyn Peterson of Nebraska Department of Education, we learned that all schools will want to work at staying away from the bottom of the Tier of Schools' list. To remain successful in providing the best possibility for growth in student achievement, I recommend a well-designed endeavor to assist educators with learning and implementing research-based strategies consistently across curricular areas. I encourage you to develop a plan to meet the needs of your students by enhancing the skills and knowledge of your staff.

As you plan a comprehensive professional development program for your school or district, here are some important things to keep in mind.

Effective professional development is...

Directly focused on helping to achieve student learning goals and supporting student learning needs.
A collaborative endeavor - teachers and administrators work together in planning and implementation.
School-based and job-embedded.
A long-term commitment.
Differentiated.
Tied to the district goals.

The content of professional development programs is based on organizational needs. Research and best practice show that for continuous improvement, schools should focus on the following categories and the connections among them:

Instructional Leadership Curriculum Development
Instructional Practices Understanding the Learning Process
Assessment

Professional development must be directly focused on helping to achieve student learning goals and supporting student learning needs. A good question to ask frequently while planning staff development is “How will this improve student learning?" Just as students need to see connections in what they’re learning, teachers in an effective program clearly see the connection of professional development to classroom practice.

Professional development must be intensive and sustained. It will involve observing good practice, practicing good practice, being coached in good practice, reflecting on good practice and repeating the process. Professional development will be structured so that it does not rely on sitting occasionally at the feet of experts in workshops. It will emphasize building skill and knowledge teacher to teacher, being informed from time to time by both the opportunity to observe exemplary practice and to benefit from experts.

ESU 10 stands ready to assist you with developing a plan to meet the needs of your students. Feel free to contact me at any time.

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ESU 10 HOLDS FIFTH ANNUAL BUILD A COMPUTER DAY - Carol Smith

Carol Smith — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

ESU 10 was host to 15 area high schools involving 90 students at the Fifth Annual Build a Computer Day on Monday, January 18, 2010. The ESU 10 technology training team along with technology majors from UNK provided assistance to students as they built their computers. Participants gained a better understanding of the working components of a computer and became familiar with Web 2.0 tools that support both education and personal use.

Schools that attended include: Arcadia, Brady, Burwell, Cozad, Dundy County Stratton, Elm Creek, Gibbon, Gothenburg, Kearney Catholic, Loup County, Pleasanton, Ravenna, Sargent, Shelton and Wood River.

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Brain Injury School Support Teams - Patrice Feller

Patrice Feller — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

ESU 10 is a part of the Central Region Brain Injury School Support Team (BIRSST). This team is available to provide consultative services to schools that teach students who have sustained a brain injury. The teams can provide Nebraska educators with information, materials, training and consultative services to support those students.

Brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability for children in the U.S. (Dise-Lewis, Calvery, & Lewis, 2002). Brain injuries can be acquired or traumatic, and may involve loss of oxygen to the brain, bleeding in the brain, tearing of brain cells, or neurochemical disruptions. “Acquired” brain injuries occur as a result of acute health difficulties, such as stroke, substance inhalation, near drowning, or illnesses such as meningitis or encephalitis. Common causes of “traumatic” injuries include motor vehicle accidents, auto/pedestrian accidents, child abuse, falls, or sports related injuries.

About 85% of traumatic injuries are classified as MILD, and up to 80% of these are not initially identified (Terryberry-Spohr, 2007). Mild traumatic brain injuries include concussion, brief loss of consciousness, or amnesia without loss of consciousness, but only 15% of mild injuries involve obvious symptoms, and those often result in negative routine neurological evaluations. On the other hand, 85% of mild injuries involve microscopic injuries that do not appear on CT scans or MRI reports (Terryberry-Spohr, 2007). MODERATE traumatic injuries include loss of consciousness for less than 24 hours, while SEVERE injuries involve loss of consciousness for longer than 24 hours.

Unfortunately, the strongest predictor of a head injury is a previous head injury, and 90% of repeat injuries occur within ten days of a previous injury due to subtle changes in balance and reaction time (Terryberry-Spohr, 2007). Recovery time for a mild injury with no loss of consciousness may last four to eight weeks; while for a more severe injury, the recovery time may extend a full year or longer.

Observable changes in students who have experienced brain injury include changes in attention, memory, and personality. Sometimes students become more restless, more easily confused, or more easily upset. Sometimes they experience physical symptoms, such as headache or fatigue. They may have more difficulty learning, completing school work, and maintaining interest in school. Students who have suffered a brain injury may benefit from a variety of instructional strategies and accommodations, dependent on their particular symptoms. Students who have suffered a brain injury may be eligible for accommodations and instruction through an Individualized Education Plan or through a Section 504 Plan.

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Additional information for educators and parents is available through Nebraska’s Brain Injury Resource Network: NEBrainstorm at http://www.braininjury.ne.gov/ or on the Central Region BIRSST website http://sites.esu10.org/BIRSST. Your Central Region BIRSST contact is Patrice Feller, ESU 10 School Psychologist. You can email her for information about available supports at pfeller@esu10.org.

References:

Dise-Lewis, J. E., Calvery, M. L., & Lewis, H. (2002). BrainSTARS Brain Injury: Strategies for Teams And Re-education for Students. Denver, CO.

Terryberry-Spohr, L. (2007). Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Sports Related Concussions. Nebraska Brain Injury Conference. Grand Island, NE.

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ESU 10 Regional Invention Convention - Kelly Clapp

Kelly Clapp — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Connecting the Pieces…Solving the Problem…Creating the Invention

Plan to attend the ESU 10 Regional Invention Convention scheduled for April 22, 2010. The goal of an invention convention is to provide students with an opportunity to learn about inventions, inventors, and the inventive process. Students use both their creative and critical thinking skills to develop an invention.

The purpose of the ESU 10 Regional Invention Convention is to provide a forum for schools across the region to showcase their students’ best inventions. School districts host an invention convention at their site. The top ten inventions are then chosen to be brought to the regional convention at ESU 10. Students participating in the convention should be in grades one through eight.

Inventors prepare a display of their inventions which includes a model of the invention, a log book of the invention process, and a display board which includes: 1) name of the invention, 2) a statement of
its purpose, 3) a diagram of the invention, 4) a description of how the invention works, and 5) a statement of how the invention would improve the quality of life now or in the future. During the convention, the inventors and inventions are judged in four areas: novelty, usefulness, appeal, and presentation. First, second, and third place medals are awarded at each grade level. Information packets will be available by contacting Kelly Clapp at kelly.clapp@esu10.org.

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Winter/Spring Featured Webinars - Deanna Stall

Deanna Stall — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Classroom Instruction That Works - Teaching with Marzano's Strategies

This semester we are featuring nine webinars on Marzano's instructional strategies. Each webinar will focus on the how to use specific instructional strategies in your classroom as well as technology tips and tricks to integrate along the way! Each webinar is a one-hour session from 4-5PM. To attend, all you need to do is register on ODIE (https://odie.esu10.org)! A day or so before the webinar, you will receive an email with instructions and the website for the webinar. There is no driving or weather worries, all you need is a computer! Choose just one webinar to attend or choose them all! These are great refreshers if you attended Classroom Instruction That Works this last summer! Even if you don't know anything about these instructional strategies, please join us and find out all the easy ways of engaging and reaching your students.

Similarities and Differences, January 5, 2010
Summarizing and Note Taking, January 19, 2010
Reinforcing Effort/Receiving Feedback, February 2, 2010
Homework and Practice, February 16, 2010
Non-Linguistic Representation, March 2, 2010
Cooperative Learning, March 23, 2010
Setting Objectives/Providing Feedback, April 6, 2010
Generating and Testing Hypothesis, April 20, 2010
Ques, Questions, and Advanced Organizers, May 4, 2010

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Winter/Spring Curriculum 2.0 Workshops - Deanna Stall

Deanna Stall — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:00:00 GMT

Make plans to attend one of the following curriculum 2.0 workshops at ESU 10! These are designed to be different each time they are hosted. The main purpose is to collaborate, share, and come together with other professionals in the ESU 10 area who are working on and struggling with the same things you are. Please join us for this professional development opportunity! Don't forget to register on ODIE (https://odie.esu10.org)!

                Science 2.0 - February 3, 2010
                Fine Arts 2.0 - February 16, 2010
                Language Arts 2.0 - February 24, 2010
                Elementary 2.0 - March 10, 2010
                Math 2.0 - March 23, 2010
                Social Studies - March 25, 2010

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ODIE Tips of the Month - Brian Schanbacher

Brian Schanbacher — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Registering For a Workshop

ESU 10 hosts a plethora of workshops on a variety of subjects. To view or register for upcoming workshops, simply point your browser to ODIE (http://odie.esu10.org) and click on workshops. You will see this list of upcoming workshops with the soonest on top. You may also change to a Calendar View using the menu on the left side of the page.

You can register for a particular workshop section by clicking on the name of the workshop section. On that page there will be a link that says "Click here to register for this Section" just below the workshop name. If you're not logged in yet, you'll be prompted for your ODIE username and password.

If you have any questions about any upcoming workshops or about how to use ODIE, let us know!

The Community Toolbar

When you are visiting any of ESU 10's online communities, you will see the community toolbar across the top of the page. This toolbar lets you easily jump to any other online community. It also provides a link to your Community Preferences. Use this page if you want to start or stop receiving email notifications about new articles and comments in any community in which you're a member. To become a member of any community, simply log in with your email address and existing ODIE password.

If you have any questions about ODIE Communities or how they work, let us know!

2 Comments

ODIE Tips of the Month - Brian Schanbacher

Brian Schanbacher — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Searching the Library

To begin searching though the video library, point your browser to ODIE (https://odie.esu10.org) and click on the 'Library' tab. Simply enter a search phrase and click on 'Search'. You can click on 'Show Filters' to filter your search results by subject, age group, standards, or media type.

ODIE remembers your filters for you, so if you go to the library and don't see anything in your search results, click on 'Show Filters' and make sure that you aren't filtering out any subjects that should be displayed!

What are those ODIE Communities?

A community is a framework that allows an online group of people to stay in touch and share resources. This technology allows groups to collaborate, contribute information and ideas, participate in discussions, upload files, and other activities with each other. There are already communities for such groups as:

Elementary Teachers
Fine Arts Teachers
Language Arts Teachers
Science Teachers
Social Studies Teachers
Media Specialists
LAN-Managers
Administrators
Title 1
TECHS
Distance Education
PowerSchool
Laptop (for those supporting a high number of mobile computers)
and more!

You can use your existing ODIE account to log into any of these communities. If you do not have an ODIE account, you may request one. To see the list of all communities, or to get more information on them, go to ODIE (https://odie.esu10.org) and click on the 'Communities' tab.

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ODIE Tips of the Month - Brian Schanbacher

Brian Schanbacher — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:00:00 GMT

by Brian Schanbacher, Systems Engineer

What is ODIE?

So this isn't really a tip, but if you've never used ODIE before, you may well be asking yourself, "What is ODIE?" ODIE (Open Door Information Exchange) is the web-based application that ESU 10 uses to help manage information and communication between ESU 10 and the school districts we serve. ODIE allows us to easily manage helpdesk tickets, the status of devices in for hardware repair, support contracts, and other miscellaneous items. All of the new ESU 10 Communities (including the Online Connector) are built on ODIE. ODIE is also the means by which you as a teacher can register for workshops or check out videos from the media library. You can access ODIE at https://odie.esu10.org.

Changing your ODIE password

If you already have an ODIE account and need your password reset, there are several ways this can be done:

If you know your current password, logon to ODIE and then click on 'My Account Info' on the ODIE home page. On that page, click on the 'Change My Password' link just below your email address. This takes you to the page where you can change your password.
If you do not have your password, don't worry, you can still change it! On the ODIE logon page , click on the link to 'Reset My Password'. On that page, you will be asked to enter your email address. ODIE will send you an email containing a link that will take you to a page where you can change your password without needing your old password!
Your district's LAN-Manager(s) should also be able to assist you with changing your password.

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Online Connector - About Us - Brian Schanbacher

Brian Schanbacher — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the Online Connector! As you have probably noticed, the Connector, ESU 10's print newsletter, has taken on dramatic changes in look, organization and content. With these updates, we have also rethought how the online version of the Connector would look and feel. What you are seeing is the result of a years worth of meetings with input from teachers, administrators, and others we serve. We hope you enjoy and participate in this new Online Connector Community.

How it works
Upon visiting the Online Connector, you will be greeted with the most current articles written mostly by ESU 10 staff. You may wish to view articles by topic, date, author or just search for keywords. You will find each of these options in the left navigation listed under Current Articles. Topics are organized as "Tags" with the following labels: Assessment, Even More Fun, Focus on the Student, Curriculum & Instruction, Administration & Leadership, News, Technology and School Improvement. Just choose a tag for a list of those related articles.

Ways to participate
Not only can you read articles on the Online Connector but you are encouraged to make comments as you read. To make a comment, you can either click on the title of the article, or the "Post Your Comment" link at the bottom of the article. This will take you to the Article's webpage, where once you are logged on you will be able to enter a comment at the bottom of the page.

Who's on the Connector Team?

Alan Reigenborn - areigenb@esu10.org
Bob Lungrin - blungrin@esu10.org
Brian Schanbacher - bschanba@esu10.org
Denise O'Brien - dobrien@esu10.org
Deanna Stall - dstall@esu10.org
Graci Gillming - ggillmin@esu10.org
Jason Everett - jeverett@esu10.org
Jody Suchan - jsuchan@esu10.org
Marcia Carmann - mcarmann@esu10.org
Melisa Dobish - mdobish@esu10.org
Nathan McClenahan - nmcclena@esu10.org
Paula Mellinger - pmelling@esu10.org
Rosemary Cervantes - rcervant@esu10.org
Ron Cone - rcone@esu10.org
Stacy Peters - speters@esu10.org
Sue Rains - srains@esu10.org
Susan Sandoval - ssandova@esu10.org
Wayne Bell - wbell@esu10.org

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Parenting Solutions - Getting Ready for School - Jody Suchan

Jody Suchan — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT

"How many times do I have to call you? You get yourself moving! You're going to be late for school!" These are the desperate sounds of a frustrated parent trying to hurry a youngster through the morning ritual called "getting ready for school." Unfortunately, this child is moving at a snail's pace. This drama, played out in many homes every morning, starts the day off with a battle.

Children find creative ways to tell their parents how they feel. They seldom use words. Most often they use actions to let them know they don't like the way things are being handled. Nothing is more confusing or frustrating to parents.

It would be much easier to be a parent if children would talk to us and say things such as, "I want to be able to think for myself. I'm dragging my feet so you can see that reminders won't work with me." But, they don't do this. Their way of getting us to understand is to use actions such as slowing down when we push.

Parents aren't mind readers, so it's natural to misread their child's actions and assume that they are lazy or don't care. The natural reaction is to then push, punish, or remind them to change their behavior. The child then increases the actions to show that the parent is wrong, and the battle is on.

The first hour of the day is the very best time to teach children to be responsible by allowing them to do most of their own thinking. It's also the time when parents can let their children do most of the work, since most jobs at that time of the day really belong to the children.

Guideline 1: Decide which jobs belong to the parent and which belong to the youngster. Jobs like setting the alarm clock the night before, waking up to the alarm, choosing clothes, dressing, washing, watching the clock, remembering lunch money and school supplies, and even deciding how much to eat really belong to the child. That doesn't leave much for the parent.

The only person who should suffer consequences if these jobs are neglected is the youngster. Let the school provide the consequences when the child is late.

Guideline 2: Stay out of the reminder business. Reminders rob children of the opportunity to make mistakes needed to learn the lessons.

Guideline 3: Don't rescue! In other words, we don't put them in the car and take them to school and we don't write an excuse to the teacher. Rescuing children robs them of the opportunity to learn lessons at emotional times when they will be best remembered.

Guideline 4: Replace anger with sadness when children make mistakes. A wise parent , seeing their child is going to be late, says, "Oh, Honey, I'm sorry you're going to have a problem with your teacher. I sure hope you can work it out."

Loving parents have difficulty watching children learn from life's natural consequences. It's far easier to yell, threaten and punish than it is to remain quiet and let children learn from experience. It is a strong parent who can allow a child to learn from his or her mistakes.

Use Consequences Instead of Threats and Anger.

1 Comments

MEDIA SERVICES INFORMATION - Susan Sandoval

Susan Sandoval — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 05:00:00 GMT

MEDIA ROUTES
This is just a reminder that the Media Routes will begin on MONDAY, AUGUST 18TH.

MEDIA SERVICES
In order to use the ODIE Media Library, and receive the following services, you must have an ODIE account to

            Free online catalog - Enables you to order videos, DVDs, kits, etc for your classroom

            Free Power Media Plus video streaming site

            Free Lamination Bags

        Here are just a few things to remember when using our services:

Please have a designated pickup and delivery area for our route driver, Michael Miller. He will appreciate having your items waiting for him so he does not have to disturb your class-time.

Order your items online at lease 2 days before delivery. If you miss that time-frame, call or email us at mediacenter@esu10.org to place your order.

Lamination Order Forms: Please be sure to fill out the Lamination Order Form before sending in your material to be laminated. If you do not have order forms, write your name & school on a slip of paper to identify your items. Always use the large blue bag that is provided free of charge to your school. If you do not have a blue bag, ask Michael or call Susan Sandoval at 308-237-2280.

DID YOU KNOW....Other FREE Media Services.
In-services for the ODIE online media catalog and PowerMediaPlus are available to you. We also provide “house-calls” to help you understand how to use the online catalog.

We will travel to your school or...
Hold an in-service at ESU 10 or...
Instruct over Distance Learning or...
Instruct over the phone...

...the choice is yours. Call us now and set up a day and time that is convenient for you.

          MEDIA TRIVIA
            Statistics for 2007-08 Media Usage:
                    How many items sent ?  What was sent out?
                          5530.......................VHS, Kits, Models, etc
                          3305....................... Power Media Plus downloads
            Miles Driven: 35,625. Thank you for using our services and products!

Remember, we're here to serve you!

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