Friday, April 30, 2010

What Leaders Tweeted This Week (Week of 4.26.10)

Here are what ed leaders have tweeted this week. Thanks for leading and learning.

@jorech Thanks for your input on "What Blogs Should Administrators Be Reading" http://tinyurl.com/edadminblog
@jeffekirby Courageous Leadership http://viigo.im/3iYY
@ericconti RT@angeliqueinva Teachers Ought To Tweet http://bit.ly/9qKA1N
@Ed_Leadership Read the Digital Edition of EL's provocative May 2010 issue on changes to the teaching profession: www.ascd.org/digitalel/
@kycommissioner Interesting article from AASA daily brief concerning minorities enrolled in charter schools in NYC http://tinyurl.com/2v3fnsq
@ACinIowa:#WINS Blocking SM sites like FB, YouTube, Twitter, etc., is like teachng kids n shop class about hammers w/o giving them nails.
@RonnieGonzalez @NMHS_Principal If schools don't take the opportunity 2 teach our students about social media and digital citizenship, then who will? #WINS
@WiscPrincipal In Shake-Up, Principals May Get More Say Over What Is Taught - http://nyti.ms/c96CQa
@mwedwards RT @mjgormans: Stdnts won't solve 2morow's probs with tools of 2day, but 2days tools do faciltate skills stdnts will need in their 2morrow!
@pjhiggins Steven Covey's foray into the crisis in education: http://huff.to/cd4ksI
@tgwynn @edtechsteve Makes me sad when people end things instead of taking the time to understand it, or even join in.
@dpeter From Google Reader: Aren't Schools Supposed to Help Students Change the World? http://bit.ly/9IFPPT
@phsprincipal The need for personal glory while folding oneself into the "what is best for the good of all" is the downfall of many! That Brutus! #mrogle
@chuck_Bell_ The Window: Here's to Teachers or How to Improve Education: http://bit.ly/cgawTU via @addthis
@fliegs @EduTechSmith @averyteach I do believe we as principals need to model and share with our staff. @bhsprincipal may be doing this #edchat
elem_principal How can Admin do better? RT @akenuam: need quality admin, my principal made everyone feel at fault instead of empowered to change. #edchat
@baldy7 New Post: The Personalization of my PLN (with mobile tools) http://bit.ly/b7Mj6Z
@johnccarver @DeronDurflinger Oregon DE signs landmark deal w/ google http://bit.ly/99GgN9 #vanmeter #i11i #edchat #education #google
@edReformer What we're talking about when we're talking about learning on @edreformer these days: http://bit.ly/aBKTKi
@clindhol Superintendent using blog to support PLC work in the community. http://trunc.it/7maw0
@21stprincipal Poster makes sense, "Running schools like business is not the answer." http://bit.ly/bzKjjq
@ChadRatcliff Excellent piece by @pammoran: "Learning Leadership Lessons: Culture, People, Determination" http://bit.ly/8ZaoVh
@bjnichols Leadership 2.0 http://diigo.com/0aoia #leadership
@principaldavies Innovative joint venture between my school and local college to support students: http://bit.ly/bPLSFx email me 4 info
@principalwells VT not applying for "Race to the Top" Commissioner Vilaseca states "The focus of Race to the Top is not aligned with our statewide approach"
@8Amber8 used wth k-5, its GR8!! RT @aaallain: CyberSmart! Education Company also offers a free K-12 Student Curriculum http://www.cybersmart.org/
@tee62 I was reminded today just how energizing, rewarding and exhausting a first grade classroom can be! http://bit.ly/bMNxLw
@NMHS_Principal Thanks PLN! Banning NOT the answer: my interview w/ 1010WINS in response to NJ MS Principal http://bit.ly/9X6RMm
@sfree23 Had fun skyping with one of my 4th grade classes today! Can't wait to get more classes on board!
@bestofclass @dlourcey if leadership does not embrace there is little hope. We will not get different results if we continue with the doing the same
@kylepace Building a Strong Network Starts with a Foundation: http://bit.ly/c5yGYV (by @hrmason) #edtech #edchat
@innovativeEdu The Innovative Educator discusses harnessing the power of cells even when they're banned happening in 5 mins http://edtechtalk.com/live
@web20classroom Another Great @CommonCraft Video I'm using today: Protecting Reputations Online: http://is.gd/bOvhW
@tomwhitby PLN : When standardized test scores assess TEST PREPARATION and not learning, the students may pass, but the system FAILS.


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Leading by Example (Pt2): Blogging with Purpose and Meaning

Two weeks ago, I began a series of posts for district and school leaders called Leading by Example, strategies and tips to become models in chief and to engage in conversations that promote 21st century skills, themes, and concepts. This became even clearer to me when I spent some time this week with my daughter's principal. I have been volunteering to meet with the school's administrative team, helping them develop an innovation roadmap, to strategically plan and implement integration of technology--in short, a learning by doing approach. Mr. H. said to me, "I need pushing and accountability. There is such a gap between what my teachers can do and what I can do. I need to set the bar and lead them rather than my teachers lead me." After having this conversation, I went to the only place I knew that would provide insight, advice, suggestions, first steps--My PLN. I created the followingWallwisher that captures some compelling advice from best in class 21st century leaders. Please add your own strategies that work:



My first Lead by Example post dealt with principals beginning with understanding the 21st century framework and being intentional with 21st century conversations.

For this second post in this series, I want to focus on developing a purposeful and meaningful blogging strategy as an initial step for building and maintaining a Professional Learning Network. I have written a couple of posts relating to the power of the PLN: Building Your PLN: Not Just Another Acronym and The Power of the PLN: What Administrators Should Know and Be Able to Do. Here is a recent blended training I conducted with a district in our state, which is part of the work they are doing with North Carolina Virtual's GO LIVE Approach: Getting Organized to Lead Innovatively for Virtual Education. This district is committed to integrating e-learning communities within their current learning structures. This training focused on the power of community. Use these slides in relation to the activities on this Just In Time training module (I owe many thanks to my PLN for activity suggestions and ideas)



This statement by leading edge Principal, Eric Sheninger (@NMHS_Principal), captures the purpose and intent of not only why we do what we do, but the value of district and school leaders leading, modeling, and connecting with those they lead: "Administrators and teachers need to begin to embrace the effective use of social media for their own professional growth, to create authentic learning environments that engage students, and to utilize the expertise of professionals in a variety of content areas. The one thing that Twitter and social media have taught me is that people truly want to share their ideas, knowledge, and experiences for the collective good." In addition to Twitter, Facebook, Ning, I see blogging accomplishing the same thing--sharing knowledge, ideas, and experiences for the collective good.

Mr. H. confessed (And I so appreciate not only his honesty but is transparency), "I know what blogs are, I have read many blogs, and have even begun my own, but I truly don't know what to write about and how to use my blog for strategic learning purposes." So, how can district and school leaders, lead by example though blogging?

Getting Started:
Okay, this is going to be a shameless add for Blogger (since this is the blogging platform I use). Watch this short video tutorial on how to create a blog with Blogger:



Here are some other resources to help get leaders started:


Blogging Ideas and Strategies:
  1. achievements and spotlights of district, school, classrooms, teachers, students
  2. how to use a blog, modeling for teachers just getting started,
  3. interpretation of particular board policy or district initiative for a needed change and its impact on district and school
  4. a schooling issue like closing the achievement gap, digital citizenship, social responsibility with social media, virtual schooling options
  5. catching principals, teachers, and students doing actions committed to the mission, vision and values of the district and/or school
  6. branding and marketing district, school or a special program (video casts working nicely here using Schooltube, Teachertube, or Youtube)
  7. thoughts on leadership and learning
  8. a weekly Principal's Corner, a video message to stakeholders, setting the learning targets for the week (or some other weekly focus)
  9. thoughts related NCLB, National Tech Plan, ISTE National Standards for Administrators, Teachers and Students
  10. academic successes
  11. videos that capture a compelling thought
  12. thoughts on e-learning and e-leadership strategies
  13. data analysis
  14. suggestions for district and school improvement planning
  15. a community perspective inviting guest bloggers
  16. something that happened at the school that seems contrary to the mission and vision of school and the leadership perspective of the situation. Invite feedback through commenting
  17. week in review with key days and events
  18. definition of 21st century learner (and leader)
  19. what it means to be literate in the 21st century.
  20. reflecting on a conference and its value-add to the work you do
Readings about blogging:

Blogging in Action (Examples of leadership blogs to add to Google Reader or any other RSS Feed):

The following list offer leading edge examples of how blogs can be used with meaning and purpose by implementing many of the blogging strategies mentioned above
  1. Moving Forward (a wiki dedicated to itemizing examples of classroom, school, and leadership blogs)
  2. #Vanmeter's School s Transforming the Educational System
  3. A Principal's Reflection
  4. PHSDirector Blog
  5. The 21st Century Principal
  6. Principal Thoughts
  7. The Principal Blog
  8. The Next Generation of Educational Leadership
  9. Practical Principals
  10. Georgetown Elementary
I hope these tips, strategies, and examples will help each leader reading this to develop the habit of blogging. For Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit." Be excellent as you lead by example. For you, your teachers, and students will reap the rewards.
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New Resources for Leading and Learning 04/30/2010


Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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Thursday, April 29, 2010

New Resources for Leading and Learning 04/29/2010


Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

New Resources for Leading and Learning 04/28/2010


Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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Saturday, April 24, 2010

New Resources for Leading and Learning 04/24/2010


Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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Friday, April 23, 2010

New Resources for Leading and Learning 04/23/2010


Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
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