One of my favorite projects-- Copycat Magazine

Every year in Photoshop, I challenge my students to find a magazine cover layout (I have a collection of about 150 for them to choose from) that is more than just simple text and words. They have to evaluate the fonts (serif, sans serif, narrow, slab, script, etc.) to try to match them with free/open source fonts, examine the use of shapes/line/color, and then recreate the cover with new content (different words, their own photos, etc.). There are some parameters that allow them to change color schemes, but they must try to font match (even down to bold, italics, etc.) and keep the same feel (may change the exact shape, but keep layer styles--strokes, shadows, etc.).

It's honestly one of my favorite projects. Students don't realize the power of a good layout until they apply their own content into one. I have many colleagues who have their kiddos do magazine covers, but students tend to create "simple" covers and this exercise helps train their eyes to look for creative layouts, so hopefully they can then better create their own in the future without need for duplicity.

Here's my example (I try to do one each year along with them):

And here is the magazine layout I used:

Scoring guide--  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LX1ur5ty1W3dby5K6sZHv31vacDbsrYerZcbAxcUmGc
 (Links to an external site.)

My example reflection post (I don't have them turn in printed scoring guides, so this is how they address the requirements)--

 http://skindawg17.blogspot.com/2017/12/copycat-magazine-cover-project.html 

Typing Practice... for Web Design! #busedu

Today, while looking for a typing racing game for my early finishers in Computer Apps (which, btw, they can add friends on and race friends when it shows they are online), I ran across this interesting Google integrated login typing site called SpeedCoder. If you teach a coding, programming, or web design class, it has various languages:

So, they are typing code! I am much slower (50 wpm) at typing codes!

Another cool thing is you can paste in code (Upload Custom Code) and then type your own code as practice. So, they could be typing code from an activity they already did in class to reinforce their knowledge (or an excerpt you provide on your website or a Google doc that they can paste in). Check it out!

Back to School...How's it Going? #busedu

I saw this meme online today and it made me chuckle. Most of my classes are "pretty okay" so far this year. However, one class has already had to have a seating chart redo and I need to consider moving a few in one other class this week.

But, for the most part, it's been a good start! We are on Day 13 tomorrow and this will be, for the kiddos, a 4 day week followed by a 4 day weekend! (but teachers report Friday for PD)

As I mentioned on my Facebook page, I decided to revisit my cell phone policy this year. Essentially, I wanted to stop wasting my time constantly looking to catch kids (come on, you know they are on their phones even if you or your school have a policy against it... I know... my daughter was at a zero tolerance school last year) or dealing with discipline regarding phone use. So, my policy is this:

• During lecture times or exams, phones must be on the computer tower, out of reach. 
• During work times and bellringers, phones may be on the desktop. Light use is acceptable provided you are remaining on task and not taking more than about 30 seconds of "brain break" phone time. 
• If your phone becomes a distraction, I will place it on your tower for the rest of the hour.
• Finishing work early is not free phone time; free time is still subject to the "30 second rule" and should be used helping others, reading, homework, or reinforcing skills in my subject.

And.... I've only had to tell two students that they "were pushing the 30 second limit" so far. I feel like that's pretty good progress. Most of them have accepted the freedom and rarely interact with their phones. Some look at them periodically during work time. Some will say, "I need a quick 30" and pick them up briefly and then get right back to work. And, they are getting used to "tower time" when prompted. It works for me. And, it's finally not a headache that I felt I was constantly policing.

How's your year going so far? :) I'm already ready for Labor Day and a short little break, but it's been a good start!

Technology Poem Activity (Multimedia Example)

Listen to a reading of Technology Park by Philip B

Created an Interactive Web Design activity today! Check it out! #busedu

I love drag and drop activities as they are good bellringers, so I used Google Slides to create a drag and drop activity that students can use to practice their HTML codes. They won't use all of the codes, but I did that so I can use the template over and over to create more bellringers for practice.

If you wish to use it, just give them the URL (they will need to go to File> Save a Copy to be able to edit it and drag around).

The long link-- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fXZyOCywaWDN5n9D8W9M51k6nyWBnfdfZb77AozD84Q/edit?usp=sharing

Here's the "answer key" if you need it.

Or, a simple printer-friendly version is here, too.

Updating my Multimedia Curriculum... Gonna try Adobe Audition! #busedu

As I am starting school Thursday and will need to give a pre-test shortly thereafter, I am trying to nail down exactly what I intend to cover in Multimedia this year. My Multimedia class is a mix of mostly vector graphics, audio editing, video editing, and animation. They also maintain a blog.

Though I try to teach some free programs, with the "1 for 1" initiative (aka Chromebooks for everyone), I am having to move into more industry programs just because many other classes are starting to use the free media programs (such as Powtoon or Prezi) earlier in the game.

Why free? Well, I want students to learn how to "transfer" knowledge. For example, starting with Audacity, they will understand audio files, formats, waveforms, amplitude, etc. And, then when we move to an industry-based software, it will be easier to learn AND they still know a free way to do it at home if they have a computer. I'm not going to be concerned with my free software being Chromebook compatible this year, though. Most free audio and video Chromebook programs are barebones or limited.

So, my plan this year is to try:

• Audio:  Audacity (free), Soundtrap (online and free, but I am buying a license to use the full version since it's like $250 for a year), and Adobe Audition CC. They will record a podcast with a partner (hopefully).
  **A few good tutorials I found today, since I just started playing with Audition this summer-- PDF Tutorial    YouTube Tutorial
• Illustration:  I do some logo design work in this class every year and we create some lower thirds graphics to use in Premiere. I will begin with a free online vector program so they get use to a few tools, like Pathfinder and Pen tool. Then, we will use Adobe Illustrator CC. (NOTE: If you don't have Adobe, they have an open source vector program called Inkscape you could use)
• Graphics: I usually start with something really simple, and will likely stick to that again this semester, such as Canva. I will also do a little bit with infographics using Infogram online. Then, we will do a very basic Photoshop unit (like 5 days; I want them to know how to cut out images so we can bring them into Premiere). We will create some blog and YouTube channel headers and such using Canva. 
• Animation: I honestly don't have time for this, but I want to at least introduce Adobe Character Animator once they know how to edit characters in Illustrator. I think they will enjoy it. Last year, we did a Powtoon animation, but I will probably skip it with some of the new stuff we are doing. 
• Video: Not sure if I will start with a free option. I used to do Windows Movie Maker but haven't since it was removed from Windows Essentials. There are some free ones out there, but I haven't downloaded and decided on one yet. Kdenlive is an open source editor I have dabbled with; I don't want "freeware" or anything trial or limited, so open source is the way to go. I'll with do that or use the YouTube built-in video editor. Then, I will move on to Adobe Premiere Pro CC. I plan to do a little bit of Adobe After Effects this year as well. But, I only have a semester, so it's a lot to cram in!

Well, what do you think of my plan? If you have any great ideas, please share! 

Got ADOBE CC? Try Character Animator with these FREEBIES! #busedu @graphicmama

A few days ago, I posted a video of my first attempt at Character Animator. Today, I started searching for instructional materials and found a few amazing resources!

Graphic Mama has a great blog where there are numerous puppets for this program that you can download, edit and use! Check out this blog post!  One of her links is Okay, Samarai and he has several ready to use puppets (for whatever reason, my CC didn't want to play nicely and I had to scroll all the way down to the old one).

Here are a few examples of puppets available:

Here is my very short example. Now, let me just say that these are provided as is, but since I teach Illustrator in Multimedia, I will provide them with a starter puppet and ask them to edit the puppet in Illustrator so that all of them begin the same but have to be customized with their Illustrator skills. 

Teaching Multimedia with video? Check out these tips! #busedu

I ran across this 6 minute video from some YouTubers that goes over some tips for making videos more interesting. I think I am going to show this early in my Multimedia class after I ask them to brainstorm some ideas for making videos more interesting! I'm thinking doing an easy edit the second week of class when we go over using the cameras would be good timing.

And, they do a really nice job of showing tons of B-roll on their video. My students tend to not cutaway as much as they should, so I am hoping this explanation that uses the techniques will really help get that message into their brains.

They give these tips--

1-- Go outside
2-- Record during the Golden Hour
3-- Collaborate with people
4-- Find interesting locations or events
5-- Shoot more B-roll

Learning with YouTube Day 31: Vector Portrait in Google Drawings @pomeroyjoshua #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

I did it! I met my 31 day challenge! Today is July 31 and I have successfully blogged with an educational YouTube lesson review every day this month! I'm pretty proud. Blogging is something that was really hard for me to "get around to" as much as I wanted and I did it! :)

Today, I looked for some sort of activity I might be able to do in one of my graphics classes (Photoshop or Multimedia or maybe even Web Design since you can pick colors using Hex codes) for the first week of school. We have lots of schedule changes, so we don't really start deep content for a few days. And, as a Google school, we have all the Google tools at our disposal. ENTER: Google Drawings!

I found this guy (who is way better than I am) who did a sped up process of creating a vector illustrated portrait (video below) using drawing tools. He talked about his process, so I thought, why not? I'm not saying mine is great, but I tried! There is my screenshot with my "trace" layer and my drawing. I'm not great with shading... I guess everything should be darker but you live and learn.

And if you really want to be impressed, watch Joshua Pomeroy's 50 minute long walkthrough of him creating a Justin Timberlake drawing. This guy is impressive! 

Learning with YouTube Day 30: Simon Says Jigsaw Idea #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

I've been trying to figure out "new ideas" for this fall. I found this long demonstration (though it was surprisingly an interesting watch) of using Simon Says as a teaching tool. I kept thinking they would incorporate questioning or something into it, but they never did. However, it did get me to thinking of a potential way to try to use Simon Says as a review tool. In particular, I thought about how I can apply a Simon Says game into a Jigsaw activity.  Follow me on this brainstorm...

I was thinking I'd assign the students a Jigsaw activity in my Web Design class.

My steps:

1-- Find an article that isn't a long read that has some "tips" or clearly stated main points. I'm using this one for my relatively simple jigsaw the third day of school in Web Design-- 5 Killer Web Design Tips that Will Make Your Websites Awesome.

2--Print and cut apart so each group has only THEIR PART and only ONE COPY (so they will have to read aloud or be involved).

3--Assign each student a number; if you have "5 tips" then you need to assign them one through five. I'm thinking I will provide each student with a notecard that they can jot ideas on from the article and I'll ask them to each bring a pencil with them. For my activity, I intend to go outside. :)

4--Do a standard jigsaw; all the "1's" will get together and read "Tip 1" and discuss it. They should decide what is important and make notes on the cards. NOTE: My example is very short. They will get 2 minutes to read and discuss.

5--SIMON SAYS BREAK:  We won't do anything fancy here (watch the video below for an idea of the process; I plan to do simple Simon Says with a few fun things thrown in... like "Simon Says if you like Google Chrome better than Internet Explorer, put your hands up."). Just play some Simon Says to get them to relax. No one's out, though. Everyone stays.

6--Then, divide them so you get 1 of each number per group (so 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 will join up). They will "teach" their group about their "tip" and then they can all add additional notes to the notecard. I'm thinking 3 minutes ought to be enough, but maybe more...

7--SIMON SAYS INTEGRATION: Okay, so the fun! Now, we play Simon Says. We'll do a version of the more complicated game but we will include some "topics" from the article so students will be doing some True/False response using Simon Says.  Here's my list to go with the article (and I'll probably put this on a notecard to make it easier)--

• This game of Simon Says has officially begun. Simon Says, Smile!
• Simon Says shake out your arms. 
• Stop shaking; Simon says stop shaking. 
• Listen carefully..."Body text should be 12 pixels at a minimum." Simon Says cover your ears if this is false. (false--16px)  It should be 16px, which is actually 12 points. 
• "Headlines should be bold and easy to scan on a website." Simon Says touch your nose if this is false. (true) You got it!
• "When picking a font-face, stick with something super easy to read and a little bit whimsical." Simon says hands up for false and down for true. (true) Yeah, it's hands-down true!
• Put your arms out in a T. 
• Simon says squat. Simon says stand tall. 
• Touch your head.
• Simon says hands on your hips.
• "When picking a color palette for your website, stick to how many colors?"  Simon Says clap the number of colors on go... GO! (clap--3 colors)
• Hands back on your hips; Simon Says hands on your hips.
• "Making photos the right size is important. If the image is too small, just resize it." Simon Says right arm up if false. (false)  Actually, if it's too small, don't use it!
• "Too much text can be overwhelming. Use these as alternative ways to communicate your point." Simon says... left arm up for images, right arm up for icons. (answer--both!). If you have both arms in the air, you're right!
• Now that your hands are in the air, wave them like you just don't care! 
• SIMON SAYS wave your hands in the air like you don't care. 
• Simon Says, shake someone's hand and say your name. 
• Snap your fingers.
• Simon Says, let's end this game! The game of Simon Says is officially over. 

Let's hope they like this "low tech" idea for fun in Web Design!

Learning with YouTube Day 29: Google Slides Shortcuts #slidesyearbook #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

Headed out of town to a wedding today, so watched a short video this morning (after participating in some #ECG2017 sessions) related to Google Slides. The presentation I saw talked about using Slides to create simple yearbooks for cheap. But, what I saw and thought was pretty cool was a slideshow to help learn Google Slides keyboard shortcuts.

This is a very short video that just demonstrates the keystrokes, but you can actually download and allow students to try the shortcuts with you! This is from the SlidesYearbook page where you can download the starter file. BTW, this is a great website if you teach yearbook and includes some other information and links to videos about writing captions and other journalism-related topics.

It gives students a way to learn how to rotate by 1 degree or even paste without pasting the formatting onto a slide. Good tips, especially if you are a Google school!

Learning with YouTube Day 28: Adobe Character Animator #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

As an Adobe Education Trainer, I'm sometimes asked to help with certain activities and today I was working on reviewing AET Train the Trainer course feedback. I must say, the course changes each time they offer it and this time it integrates different areas of the Adobe suite, so this has been super cool to be a part of. The Spark portfolio reflections I've been reviewing have given me lots of ideas for my Multimedia class this fall!

Anyway, Week 6 of their trainer program focuses on Adobe Character Animator, a new program in the suite that I haven't used. So, today my goal was to find a YouTube tutorial that showed me how to use this and to try it out. I think my students will enjoy this.

It's kind of hard to write a "review" or summary of this; if you haven't been in the program, it won't make much sense. But, in a nutshell, you create layered artwork in Photoshop or Illustrator. The layers must be in a folder named something specific. Then, you import those into Character Animator and, using your webcam, it learns your facial features and allows you to talk, blink, or move your head and the character moves, too. You can also use your mouse or keyboard to move the character's body parts, too.

Here's the video tutorial:

And here's my attempt! It's not perfect, but at least I tried!

Have you used Character Animator yet?

Learning with YouTube Day 27: Fun Group Name Game @markcollard ‏ #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

Today, my daughter and I (she will be a sophomore this fall) were discussing first day activities. She indicated to me that she absolutely despises the "stand and say your name and share a fact" thing that many teachers do. Though I tried to tell her we do that because we don't want to mispronounce names, she said it just feels too on the spot. Hmm.

So, I asked for an alternative idea. I did come up with a variation of the "two truths and a lie" game (I've used it for myself and they try to guess which statement is the lie) using Google Slides. I could share the slideshow with them, each of them has a slide to put their name, and they would list their two truths and a lie. Then, I would stand at the front, when their slide comes up on display they say their name and I repeat it and then I read the three statements and the class can "vote" to see which they believe is the lie and then it would be revealed. She actually liked that idea!

But, I refuse to use the same icebreaker for each class (since I have some kids more than once a day) so I need more ideas. Thus, tonight's YouTube search was team builder activities for learning names. I ran across this simple, non-threatening video (again from @markcollard) called Name Impulse. The beautiful thing is they only have to say their names. That's it. You go around the circle saying the names, trying to beat the previous time, and then eventually in reverse... and then eventually at the same time! Anyway, check it out.

It's DAUGHTER APPROVED. She said this would work, so now I just have to decide what class to try it with this year. I plan to go around the circle twice with first and last names SLOWLY so I can hear their names really well (and so I can make notes on my sheet about pronunciation) and then move on to first names for speed as shown.

What do you think?

Learning with YouTube Day 26: Simple Ice-Breaker That Builds Community @markcollard ‏ #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

As I had a full day of sessions to attend and three presentations to give at Missouri Business Education Association conference, I am worn out tonight barely squeezing in my YouTube PD time before midnight! As it is, I decided to pursue ideas for icebreakers or team activities I might be able to try the first week of school. I landed on a video by Mark Collard, founder of PlayMeo. He demonstrates an interesting ice breaker that he calls Making Connections.

You can read the detailed description of the game here. Be sure to watch how he executes the activity in the video below! In a nutshell someone shares something they are/do and then anyone in the room who has that in common will come up and connect arms with that person (but only one person at a time can connect; note that he doesn't tell them that in advance). So, I might say, "I love horror movies" and someone in the room can come over (or run over!) and connect to me. The goal is to get the entire room connected into the circle. And, he encourages saying your name so people can learn names.

Simple, easy, effective. Check it out!

Learning with YouTube Day 25: 5 Best Tips for Logo Design @Will_Paterson10 #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

In keeping with my "lists theme" this week, I reviewed the video 5 Best Tips for Logo Design with Logo Designer Will Paterson. This isn't on his channel, but he does have a great YouTube channel as well. There are some great tips here and I'll give you the rundown. These are some great tips for sharing with students in graphic design classes... they tend to just want to "go in there and do it" and not plan.

1. Sketch on paper first. You have more creative freedom on paper, even if you can't draw. My students fight me on this, but when doing logo design, I often have them to sketch out ideas and tell them that no idea is a dumb idea. Brainstorming is key to creativity. 
2. Design in black and white first. He suggested color is key to branding, not the logo itself. Worry about the color after the design. Great point! I don't typically do this, but I will for here on out. I think it's important that a design work in multiple media, and starting black and white is a great way to accomplish that. 
3. Don't expect to get it the first time. Though we want it now, these things take time. It's a trial and error process. Rough sketches are fine. 
4.  Hmm... he said 5 tips, but I am not sure I found point 4... :)  Maybe spend time getting inspiration from other sources? Will, what was the fourth one?  I am going crazy!
5. Change your routine.  We often can hit a creative block or just can't move past frustration. He suggested changing your routine that day to try to get yourself thinking a different perspective (having lunch elsewhere, work in a different environment, take a walk, etc.).  I would love to come up with a fun "brain break" for my students when they are struggling to create. I've heard bouncing balls and things can be helpful?

NOTE: Will has a series on this channel where he critique's logos from other people. That might be a great watch for your students before they create logos, both to see ideas and to get an idea of the good and bad of logo design.

Learning with YouTube Day 24: 10 Rules of Student Engagement @Getumotivated #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

It seems that this week has focused on videos that provided top ten lists, so I went with it again.

"10 Rules of Student Engagement" is part of the No Teacher Left Behind training series delivered and developed by Bryan Fiese.

He said (but didn't cite the research...I'd like to see the study) that a TV program geared towards this lost generation (who have grown with technology) will have 95 flips or transitions pop up in one minute to maintain their interest. He used the all too common "edutainment" phrase that many believe is required of teachers today.

As always, I will just recap a few of the highlights and you can decide if you'd like to watch the rest. Two of the "rules" for engagement that I felt were right on par where:

1. SMILE at the door: If you create a positive environment for kids, it will make a difference. This is a great point. I was impressed with a student teacher I had a few years ago who was SOOOO good at remembering student names. He would greet them (and I had 140 of them!) at the door and try to remember their names (without the seating chart) each day. It was like a game to him. I loved that (and I am terrible with names). And, they appreciated his smile and engagement daily. 
2. Deliver lessons with ENTHUSIASM: Teachers must be able to stand and deliver and present content in a way that gets students involved. We can tune in for about 15 seconds if we are not engaged. So, I agree that if you cannot muster up the energy and enthusiasm for the topic, the students can't be expected to want to listen. He said you only listen to 7% of the words; 38% is tone of voice and 55% of body language.

I do believe that some teachers are so stagnant or they are so "obvious" when there is a topic they don't absolutely love. But, it's important that students feel that the content is important or they may not feel the need to learn it.  

And, for goodness sakes, smile at the students. Daily. Even if you have a headache. As Annie said, "You're never fully dressed without a smile." 

Learning with YouTube Day 23: 10 Essential Illustrator Tips @juicefoozle #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

I spent 5 hours on the road today, so I watched this video poolside at my hotel upon arrival in Springfield. :)  As I am getting back into Adobe mode for back to school, I decided to see what I could learn new about Adobe Illustrator today. That led me to JuiceFoozle's YouTube page!

Honestly, I try to learn as much as I can about Adobe Creative Cloud programs, but it's so much! And, I teach so many programs so I feel like Illustrator is probably one of my "least mastered" programs. Nonetheless, I knew I would probably learn quite a bit on this video!

My favorite two topics (he lists 10, so totally watch it to get the rest!) are:

1. Join Tool: This was new in one of the CC releases and since I moved from CS5 to CC2017, I wasn't aware of it. This tool allows you to merge lots of random drawn lines into one path, so you can stroke it or fill it. This is super handy!
2. Adding Used Colors to Swatches: Loved this tip! You just select everything on the canvas, click the New Swatch Group in Swatches panel, and create a global swatch! Then all the colors you've already used will show in the panel. 

Check it out. Excellent information. 

Learning with YouTube Day 22: 10 Life Saving Adobe Premiere Tips @JustinOdisho #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

As I am getting into Adobe mode for a presentation at MoACTE coming up this next week, I decided to head over to Justin Odisho's YouTube channel for some education today. I am a super big fan girl of this guy... he is awesome. :)

If you are using Adobe Premiere Pro CC, this tutorial is gold. Essentially, this 10 Life Saving Adobe Premiere Pro CC Editing Tips, Tricks & Shortcuts Tutorial is jam packed with little tidbits to make editing easier. I was aware of most of these tips, but as always, I learned a few new things:

• Alt+drag to copy for making duplicates; gosh, why I didn't think of that, I don't know. I use that in many other programs, but haven't in Premiere. Useful for duplicating audio if you are looping, for example (yeah, I was still copy/pasting).
• Targeting timeline tracks: There is a blue box on the tracks and if you turn those off and turn on only the one you want, when you paste a clip, it will paste at the scrubber on that specific line. 
• C is "chop" (razor blade) and V is quick access to Move tool (just like the other Adobe programs, duh). But, had I thought of it? Nope. I do believe in keyboard shortcuts for making life easier. Oh, and up arrow and down arrow to go to the beginning or end of a clip. Genius.
• Nesting: He talked about this and I have done this before (just in the past year) and it's really a great tip. Nesting clips allows you to apply an effect to the entire clip all at once (helpful for a fade out when you need 5 lines to all fade out at the same time). I like it because I can just pick up and move a section really fast. 

Anyway, if you haven't been using Premiere for too long (or even if you have) give this a watch! 

Learning with YouTube Day 21: 10 Crazy Websites @GumboNet #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

Well, maybe today wasn't "real" PD with YouTube, but I fell hard down a rabbit hole thanks to TechGumbo YouTube channel and watched 5 of their videos, mostly on useful websites or free software. However, the one that intrigued me most was the fun site... so that's the video I'm sharing today! It's called 10 Crazy Websites That Will Blow Your Mind!

That might be a bit of an extreme statement, but I'll pick my top two from the list and talk about them.

First, is Radiooooo. At this website, a world map appears. You can pick a decade and a country. Give it a click and you'll hear music from this part of the world from that time period. I'm listening to some current Bolivian music right now. But, I was listening to 1950s Algerian stuff... which is pretty different. It's kind of interesting for a change of pace.

Second, is PointerPointer. Yes, it's pointless (or is it pointing?). Regardless, you point your cursor and they find an image online that is pointing to that exact spot on your screen. After about 20 tries I've learned that people point a LOT when they are drinking alcohol or partying. Fact.

Anyway, it's not a long watch. Take a look. And, if you are daring, click here. Go ahead, I'll wait. Happy Friday!

Learning with YouTube Day 20: 100 Days of Rejection @JiaJiang #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

I watched the first 3 minutes of maybe 7 videos today to find one that I really wanted to watch and accidentally came upon this one. And, you know, I love it! You need to watch it. This is a TED talk called What I learned from 100 days of rejection by Jia Jiang that you (and your students) should take 15 minutes to watch. 

I won't do a lengthy review because I don't want to take away the impact of his stories. But, Jia Jiang was an entrepreneur who decided that he was not facing fears and things needed to change. So, he began a journey, termed his 100 Days of Rejection Therapy. He would ask someone to do something for 100 days straight, expecting to be rejected. He blogged and did videos of the experience, which you can check out here!  Tasks ranged from asking a random person to borrow money, racing someone on foot (on a track), hugging a Walmart greeter, planting a flower in someone's yard, and asking a waitress to dance with him.

After I watched (and looked him up on Twitter), I discovered he actually wrote a book about his experience--Rejection Proof: How I Beat Fear and Became Invincible Through 100 Days of Rejection. In his words, he did this because he wanted "to desensitize myself from the pain of rejection and overcome my fear. Three criteria I set for myself: 1. Ethical (no lying or marriage-undermining) 2. Legal 3. Doesn’t defy the law of physics."

His main point is that a whole other world of opportunity exists if you can get over rejection. It's strange how many things we miss in life simply because of fear of rejection or failure. He encourages us to turn rejection into opportunities and not to run away when things get tough. Great message (and now I'd love to read his book!).

PERSONAL NOTE: Okay, you might say that this experiment didn't have real meaning. It wasn't high stakes, no job was on the line, nothing was super scary... perhaps. However, as a school teacher, my students worry about rejection and failure daily. They worry about letting people down, not knowing the answer, not understanding how to do things, and many times they just give up. They run away from conflict. They refuse to ask questions. They answer me with IDK instead of trying because giving up is easier than being wrong. I believe this type of experiment, maybe on a smaller scale, might help students to realize that you can't take life so seriously. You can ask people for things and maybe you will hit a wall, but maybe you won't. Maybe you will have success. But, more importantly, you will begin to understand that it's okay to take small risks, whether that be answering a question the best they know (even if it's wrong) or trying something that they might not immediately be good at. Failure and rejection lead to growth if you move on and do not let it set you back. Good stuff, Jia!

Learned How to Zoom on my Windows Laptop! #busedu

So, I don't have a Mac and was having "computer envy" today during the EdTech Google Summit I attended this morning watching my presenter zoom in to the toolbar on the screen.

I was giving a presentation about Google Sheets and the display screen I had to use in the room was pretty small. But, other than a Chrome Extension (Zoom) which works great but is "fixed" to the top left corner, or the built-in Magnifier in Windows 10, which just looks nutty with bars all around my screen, my Windows 10 laptop just doesn't have a great option (especially when typing in formulas!).

Enter my quick Googling to locate a freeware program called Zoomit (and it's not new; this is from 2013). Anyway, it has a dynamic zoom feature... simply run it in the background and use Control+4 to zoom up and press it again to zoom back to normal.

I will say neither my Chrome Extension Nimbus screen recorder nor Screencastify would record the screen zoom (odd). But, Screencast-o-matic.com did, though. You can see how it looked here:



Hope this helps someone! :)  If you know a better way, let me know, but this was easy, breezy, beautiful!

Learning with YouTube Day 19: Three Myths of Behavior Change @drjenicross #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

After watching a different talk about behavior, I went further and found this TEDx CSU Talk from Dr. Jeni Cross called Three Myths of Behavior Change - What You Think You Know That You Don't. 

She began by showing two poster campaign about reducing waste/disposing of litter. One had a bunch of trash all over the place and the other had an Olympic athlete who "loved" the city disposing of waste; two different strategies to try to encourage a specific behavior to make a change.

Myth #1: Education Will Change Behavior
Just giving people information does not necessarily change behavior. She gave an example about some research on home efficiency and home "cracks" around doors, windows, etc. The study showed that just telling people how many cracks they have and such only affects about 20%.

1--How you present the information can make a different--it must be TANGIBLE.

2--Making information PERSONALIZED helps affect change.  If you take all the cracks and the "total gap" is as big as a basketball, now it seems like a real issue to people. They don't want a basketball sized hole in their homes! Frame the loss in a way they understand.  Different audiences respond to information presented differently.

3--SOCIAL INTERACTION is one of the most important tools for making change. Hanging up posters isn't nearly as effective as speaking to someone.

With all three of these elements added, 60% of people were incited to act (according to the study).

Myth #2: You Need to Change Attitudes to Change Behavior
You don't have to change attitudes to change behavior; attitudes follow behavior, but they do not predict it.  Just set some behavioral expectations (such as a sign above a light switch). Knowing others care about something encourages action. Understanding values has more impact--deal with behavior by understanding what people's underlying values are. One might value the environment and another might value frugality, but both of these might unite to both support green initiatives.

Myth #3: People Know What Motivates Them to Take Action
Social norms heavily influence behavior; for example, street performers put money in the hat so that others might follow. But, the greatest predictor of giving is walking behind someone else who gives. So, if you ask people (design a campaign around their priorities) that doesn't really mean it will initiate change.

She came back to the beginning and said that the second poster, the positive modeling, was actually a more effective poster. Creating a campaign that uses social norms in an ineffective way can actually cause the wrong behavior.

She finished by encouraging us to think about making meaningful change.

PERSONAL NOTE: I think this was an interesting talk centered around research, which can often be boring, that was really engaging. As a teacher, I think some of these same "myths" are worth exploring. We often believe telling students something will cause a behavior change, but making it tangible, personal, and communicating to them is much more effective. Trying to get students to embrace positive behaviors instead of focusing on negatives is another great note. And, certainly, we know that social norms drive behavior. As a teacher, it's important to put those to work FOR us and not against us in the classroom.

Learning with YouTube Day 18: Challenging Students @Kryftina #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

Today, I decided to find a YouTube archive from the 30 Goals Conference (which I participated in online last summer). I hadn't watched this one, but it's from a teacher in Greece named Christina on the topic Challenging Students, An Ongoing Journey.

She talked about how she decided, based on something she'd participated in through 30 Goals, to have her 5 ESL online students create a video introduction of themselves to start the class. She gave them a bunch of technology tools to choose from, many that they'd never used (Powtoon, Animoto, etc.). This was their challenge, one that she feared they might not be able to do to, especially through distance learning. They were encouraged to help each other, collaborate and communicate online, and come up with a product to share a week later. She simply called the project "And You Are?" (here are the student examples).

She discussed how they began using the tools they played with after the project--compiling photo albums, doing family projects, or for other assignments. As she put it, the JOURNEY CONTINUES. Once we give students a taste of something, give them positive attention to nurture their potential,  they often will rise to the challenge and will discover more about their talents.

PERSONAL NOTE: As a technology teacher, nothing pleases me more than when current or former students come back to my lab wanting to use the programs I have taught them for a contest, family project, or for another class. I've had students want to use my equipment and programs to edit a video for Spanish final projects or do an audio mix for a pep rally.  Just this past year, one of my Advisory students asked to learn content (I didn't even have him in the applicable class) so he could edit a video of something that he'd done in social studies class. This "need to know" knowledge is what drives all of us to learn. We need to find more ways to challenge students in a way that enhances their knowledge and ignites their passions.

Conditional Formatting Fun with Google Sheets! #gafe

Back in the day, I was a typing teacher. Around holidays we would sometimes do the "Typing Mysteries" where you had to spacebar so many times and then type certain letters to create "art" (ASCII art, they call it now).

In preparing for my Google Sheets session later this week, I decided to come up with a fun way to reinforce two spreadsheet concepts-- cell references and conditional formatting. This, a pixel art constructed from conditional formatting was born!

I think students (especially middle level) would love doing this for each other. They'd need to create a legend/key for their colors (and since I wasn't sure what I was making, I have colors I don't need so if they plan further ahead, they won't need extras) and set conditional formatting for the entire spreadsheet (range 1:1000) to have that condition with that text AND fill color. In the example at right, notice I have a pale green text and fill color when the cells are equal to 10. You do this so the numbers won't show up.

Then, create the artwork! Instead of using a fill bucket and trying to click over and over, you simply type in the number for your color. I find it easiest to make the key in the first column next to the row number to keep it straight when trying to create-->

You will also need to resize the columns so they are squares, like pixels. Press the button at the intersection of the rows and columns to select all, and then drag one cell and it will resize them all. Like this:

The "mystery" page for this sheet is here! You could do this with Excel as well, but I used Google Sheets. I think it would work best in a classroom if they created their own, wrote/typed the instructions, and then switched and read it aloud to a classmate. It's easier to do if someone reads the input to you (and makes them talk to each other!). 

Learning with YouTube Day 17: Finally Equal? #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

Today, I didn't choose a TED Talk. Rather, I accidentally ran across this interesting story and subsequent video that I think any technology teacher can use in the classroom!

In looking for spreadsheet activities (seriously, that's how I magically got here!) today, I found someone who mentioned an old story (from 1961!) called Harrison Bergeron that has a video adaptation posted on YouTube (or you can order the DVD free from Izzit). In the words of someone who posted this video version--called 2081 (it's nearly word for word of the text for the first two pages from Harrison Bergeron and then it is different from the short story)-- "2081 depicts a dystopian future in which, thanks to the 212th Amendment to the Constitution and the unceasing vigilance of the United States Handicapper General, everyone is "finally equal...." The strong wear weights, the beautiful wear masks and the intelligent wear earpieces that fire off loud noises to keep them from taking unfair advantage of their brains."

The video is nearly 27 minutes long (reading the actual short story would not take that long) but a really interesting watch. This person essentially rebels against the forced disabilities of society to make everyone equal and shows the world how beautiful a world with differences can be. But, it also brings about conversation about how technology could be used to leverage such an initiative.

I absolutely loved it. There is a fabulous teaching guide at Izzit (if you join, free) that has discussion questions (namely for LA or Social Studies, but you can pick and choose).  Also, if you wanted them to read it, you can let them listen to the audiobook while they follow along online (less than 14 minutes long).

I'm just going to end with a quote (from the teacher's guide) from Aristotle. I think it's interesting given some of the one size fits all education quandaries. Just food for thought:

 “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal”

This is probably a super old thing I should have known about... but I didn't. The short story is quite old, so I am sure some students have read it in a Social Studies or English class at some point. If I was a Social Studies teacher, I would have them read it! But, the video is different and probably an interesting talking point for a technology class! Here is a panel discussion about it from some literary folks as well as a curriculum guide. It doesn't really address the technology, but the philosophy. I still think if we get students thinking and talking that it would still be worth it. 

Learning with YouTube Day 16: The Case for Divergent Thinking @EAkcali #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

I was thinking about the trend for "divergent thinking" today so searched for a talk about that. This is by Elif Akcali who teaches an innovative 'Divergent Thinking' course at UF from TEDx UF.

She began by talking about asking people to create an image of a women with some specific qualities (which she has done in her classroom, providing magazines and scissors for the visualization of this) and showing some examples. She talked about writing a six word memoirs, looking at a photograph for 15 seconds and sketching, doing a subject/actor/coach activity... things where thinking is unfamiliar and doing is uncomfortable to encourage them to open themselves up to new experiences.

Elif discussed a time in her life when she decided to "go for it" and say yes to new things for a year. She went to an art workshop where she learned that if she continued working on this art that unfamiliar became familiar. She learned new ways of thinking and doing and embraced a new "tribe" of people.

Each yes put her in an uncomfortable experience and put her in an uncomfortable place. Each yes lead her to question her own ways of doing and thinking. So, she starting asking her engineering students to do divergent things... interpretive dances, poems, mind maps, etc. Certainly, they questioned WHY, often because there was not a right answer. She wanted them to have new experiences and to think outside of the box.

PERSONAL NOTES: She invited us to be uncomfortable. This is obviously not something most of us embrace. In the classroom, a teacher never really wants to feel that way, but we need to push students to want to think (as opposed to "just" wanting to get done or just get a grade). I discovered this great article with 30 ways to inspire divergent thinking, including fast, frequent failures, finding connections, brainwriting, starting with provocative statements, and disproving. They also mentioned the "Six Thinking Hats" that I've read about before. Much to think about. I'd really like to push students out of the comfort zone to think differently this year.

Learning with YouTube Day 15: Changing the Game in Education @gzicherm #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

I'll be honest. I really love this guy. I watched three different TEDx talks of his before deciding which one to write about today. And, I am interested in gamification in the classroom but just don't really know how to do it. So, that's my story for today! Here's my review of TEDx Berlin of Gabe Zichermann called  Changing the Game in Education.

You have to enjoy a guy who begins a talk with a Yoda reference (yay, Star Wars!). But, he talks about the famous quote--"Do or do not, there is no try." He explains how we are DOERS by nature. And asking students to sit and stare and read most of the day is in opposition to the DO nature of humans.

Games affect motivation in ways reading and lecture do not. Games increase educational outcome by 1000%.

He discussed some great teachers who have embraced this. One teacher used Monopoly to raise test scores. Another used Nintendo DS to improve reading comprehension in 18 weeks.

He also mentioned fluid intelligence, the ability to problem solve in situations where you've never experienced it before--raw problem solving skills. Crystallized intelligence is using the things you already know. He mentioned lots of websites with gaming elements that help improve thinking.

Towards the end, he talked about how "feedback, friends, and fun" are key to harness the power of games to create engagements. He said we can use this to drive the love of learning forward.

This was an interesting talk, though I still don't have a great epiphany about how to get going with it in my classroom. I can find so many interesting discussions on this topic, but I need an action plan! Still, very worth the watch.

PERSONAL NOTES: So, our school started this Badge program for teachers this past year. I am relatively motivated by this type of game thing, leader boards, and so forth. However, I have a friend who has zero motivation by this (as a matter of fact, her perspective is one of those that upsets me of "I don't get paid for that and I am not doing it"). Even this year, a different teacher friend essentially refused to participate in a hands-on Breakout activity because she didn't see the point (I won't be using this in my classes; most kids would hate it). And, if I tried to gamify learning, I know I would run into that with students as well. Teaching is hard. It's like being so many things at once and trying to keep people interested in topics they truly have no connection with. We teachers are magicians. Be proud of that, but never be stagnant. Find new ways to engage and be open to the ideas of others in the process.

Learning with YouTube Day 14: Let's Teach for Mastery, Not Test Scores @salkhanacademy @khanacademy #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD

Today, I decided to watch this specific video based on a rather heated (eh, active) discussion on the Business Educator group I follow in Facebook. We were talking about "late work" policy, zeroes, meeting deadlines, etc. It seems my philosophy (which has changed drastically over the years) doesn't mesh with the majority of business teachers. So, Let's Teach for Mastery, Not Test Scores was my obvious choice for today, featuring Sal Khan, the one who started Khan Academy.

I watched this THREE times. Seriously. This is important stuff. And, I am proud to say that the school where I teach is forward thinking and ahead of the game when it comes to this stuff, so I am fortunate to work there. I am not forced to take a certain number of grades per week or required to jump through a bunch of meaningless hoops for no reason.  We are encouraged to connect with students and to help them to learn. 

Khan said his philosophy is based on MASTERY and MINDSET.

He discussed how he started sharing videos online mainly to help his family. Someone needed help, he was great at math, and he was recording videos to help them. And, eventually, others watched and it became something that was filling a niche desperately needed by many students.

He talked about mastery. How when we learn an instrument or martial arts, we have to master something to move forward. Traditionally, academia groups students together and moves them all at the same pace. Teachers lecture, they go home and do homework, come back, repeat a few times, and take a test. Regardless of how well you do (regardless of your gaps) you move on to the next thing....often without a proper foundation to build on.

Then, he compared this with building a home. They hope part of it's done in two weeks, but if it's not done or up to code or the inspector doesn't approve it, they can't move on. The inspector can't say, "Eh, 80% so go ahead and build on top of this. It's not great, but just go ahead and build on. Move on."

He says what is variable should be when and how long they have to work on something and what should be FIXED is that they actually mastered the material. This would reinforce the right MINDSET muscles. You teach them grit, perseverance, and agency over their learning.

He said with today's technology, we can better prepare students to embrace a growth mindset. We have the technology available to provide various levels of instruction to different students. We just have to "flip things" and use this technique.

He challenged us to help students to participate. Let them tap into their potential by mastering concepts and having agency over their learning to help them get there.

PERSONAL NOTES: Let me be honest. I was GREAT at playing school. I made straight A's. I stressed about school. I worked hard (in sports, school, and work). I did not embrace failure or see it as part of learning. I did not embrace learning (just wanted the grade). I did not really "like" school, but I was good at school. As a teacher, it seems few students are like me, and those students who are will learn regardless of how great a teacher is or what they truly get out of it for the long term. I wish I would have had teachers who tried to get me to think and appreciate the process of learning (don't get me wrong, I had a few). But, I was too worried about failure and bad grades. I cannot imagine what students who are NOT as motivated, who do not fear (usually because they have done poorly in the past, so what's to lose), and who do not have support systems in place to help them succeed do! As a teacher, I have to reach all students and we must use the technology and other resources at our disposal to do so. We cannot just leave learning in the hands of kids because it's "their job" or "their loss" if they don't do well. 

BONUS:  See the graphic at the right? It's from something else! Another great video about him from Evan Carmichael--  Salman Khan's Top 10 Rules For Success. Also a great watch.


Let's Teach for Mastery, Not Test Scores!

Learning with YouTube Day 13: The art of first impressions — in design and life #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD @chipkidd

Today, I listened to the TED talk from graphic designer, Chip Kidd: The art of first impressions — in design and life. 

He discussed two ways to communicate: clarity and mystery.

Clarity just makes it clear and concise from the beginning. Mystery involves using a different way that demands (hopefully) to be decoded.

He showed several visual examples of book covers he did artwork for and discussed how different people look at different "art" and get meaning. He even talked about graffiti (and editorial graffiti)

To try to summarize this speech is difficult; you have to see his visuals and his thought process in developing ideas as a graphic designer (and as a teacher of this type of thing I found it quite fascinating!).

He discussed what happens when clarity and mystery get mixed up (un-useful mystery) and showed a made over transit sign that was more clear. Then, he contrasted to "useful mystery" and a fun example of a Diet Coke can where you get just enough information--the black D and the red K part of a can (I'm not going to ruin it... you just have to watch) with "un-useful clarity" using a Coke can with an unusual phrase. :)  

He encouraged us to consider being more clear about certain things and perhaps more mysterious about others in our lives.  We can apply this in many ways as teachers. My initial thought was that we often just want to cut to the chase with students and use the clarity route, but now we are urged to try the "mystery" element more often--having students seek out their own answers, pursue passions, BreakoutEDU, and the like. I am spending time this summer trying to create a new digital BreakoutEDU and some game board Hyperdoc activities, hoping that this mystery will draw them in and help them to be more interested and engaged.

SIDE NOTE: He did another TED talk that was also very good that I watched afterward, so it was NSFW, so don't have the students watch!


"Hardly anyone knows how much is gained by ignoring the future." --Fortune Cookie

Pinterest Win! Flexible Seating for my Business Lab! #busedu

I saw these cute "Pinterest" milk crate seats at one of my daughter's classroom open houses a few years ago. Earlier this year, I decided I was going to do that but just never got around to it (and I'm not too handy or crafty).

This summer, I'm trying to be productive, so I finally went to Wal-mart and bought some black crates ($3.47 each), Hobby Lobby for some ribbon and fabric, found hubby's staple gun in the garage, and then ran to the basement for an old "eggshell mattress pad" for the padding. The hardest part? Getting some plywood cut to the right size! I was told Lowe's does it, but seems ours has a broken saw or something. So, I finally found someone to do that part (a sheet of plywood was less than $20). In the end, I made 8 create seats for my classroom. Check it out!

I'm just so proud! I have overload during our Advisory time and occasionally end up with more students than seats. So, my kiddos won't have to sit on the floor as much this year, I hope. And, we are going 1 for 1 (Chromebooks) this year, too. So, there might be times when students want a break away from the big computer desks in the room or need to go to the hallway for recording privacy and they'll have any easily portable seat.

What do you think? Hope summer is going well, teacher friends!

Learning with YouTube Day 12: Reimagining Classrooms #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD @TopDogTeaching

Today, I selected the TEDx Fargo talk called Reimagining Classrooms: Teachers As Learners and Students as Leaders by Kayla Delzer.

This gal seems like a pretty fun teacher in North Dakota. She talks about trying to get classrooms to stop looking like the classroom of 70 years ago to better give students ownership in their learning and where students take a leadership role.

She gave these suggestions:

1. Release the POWER in the classroom. The teacher does not have to know how to do everything. Allow students to select and "play" with apps and figure out how to learn from it  in pursuit of education.
2. Embrace PURPOSEFUL technology. Embrace their knowledge and they will embrace their learning. Don't just replace a written assignment with a typed assignment or a paper book with an iBook. Make it have meaning--project-based or collaborative elements are great.
3. Don't FEED the FEARS! There is so much power in their tech that is in their hands. She talked about some schools having "cell phone hotels" or blocking YouTube. It's the number one used search engine among students in grades 5-12 (at the time of her 2015 talk). 
4.  If it's RIGHT for kids, it's RIGHT. These kiddos have not lived without Wi-fi, don't know T9 texting, didn't have dial-up internet... technology is the language today's students speak. 
5. 93% of employers now use social media in some way to either recruit or hire employees. So, if students have a negative or neutral digital footprint, they are behind. Teachers must help students learn how to be "well-googled" when they graduate high school. 
6. Make GLOBAL connections. 
7. REINVENT the skills of today. Assess creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication skills... their grit... digital literacy. 

Are our classrooms as engaging, responsive and dynamic as the world around us? 

Man, this talk was so on point. I have been proud that recent leadership in my school district has very much embraced technology, YouTube, social media, and are allowing us to work with these tools with students. 

She also mentioned Genius Hour again (I'm hearing it all the time and it's hard in a content specific classroom at the high school level, in my opinion) and when I followed her on Twitter, she had this nice little share that has some steps for helping students to find their passions:

I wrote not long ago about how I want to "figure out" cell phone use "rules" for my classroom. I want to embrace technology. I want to help students learn the right and wrong way to use technology in groups (without hiding or fear of getting written up). I am working hard on this for the fall! I want to find a "responsible cell phone use" policy (and trust me, my Googling has just not come up with anything useful!). I need a 30 second brain break here and there when working; so, I feel like they should be able to do that to. I know that if I am taking an assessment, that's a time I can't use my phone and they need to learn to self-police that, too. But, if teachers in staff meetings can use their technology, I feel like we need to instruct students on how to respectfully do it, too. Of course, in the same breath, I don't want students rushing through projects, doing a cruddy job, or not using extra time wisely (like for homework in other classes) just to have "free phone time" so there has to be a balance. I'd like to embrace "Passion Time" and find something they'd like to learn on their own when they have time (or when I give them specific days for it). I'd like to learn guitar, but I've failed miserably trying to teach myself.... but perhaps if I was given educational time to devote to that when I was younger, I might be able to do it now!

Thanks, Kayla, for this talk. 

Learning with YouTube Day 11: Leading with Lollipops #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD @DayOneDrew

Today, I watched a short video from TEDx Toronto from Drew Dudley called Leading with Lollipops.

I like to draw when I listen to talks, but I didn't draw much today. Today, I listened intently. Drew told a great story about a small act, one he didn't even remember, that was a life altering moment for a girl at a college he was at.

The general gist was that he was handing out lollipops in a bucket while this new student was at registration or something. She was second guessing coming to college. He apparently stared at her, gave a lollipop to a gentleman near her and said, "You need to give a lollipop to the beautiful woman standing next to you." He embarrassed the guy, told her parents she took candy from a stranger, and this broke the ice for her and helped her decide to stay in school (oh, and she was still dating that boy four years later and eventually married him!).

This moment--he doesn't remember it. It was a little blip on the event radar in his life.  His lollipop moment.

His points--

1. Anyone can be a leader. Do something nice. Reach out to people. You may be a leader to someone and not even know it. 
2. Tell people you appreciate them. If someone makes your life better, tell them. 

As a teacher, I get "big moments" here and there. Many students come back and thank their teachers or send a nice Facebook message later in life. But, this does remind me the importance of really reaching students. Telling students thank you. Making small steps to let people know they are important in the world. 

And, it makes me want to hand out lollipops when school starts. Perhaps I'll reward great work or great discussion or great improvement with a simple lollipop and a note this year. I think that's a way to at least start. :)

Learning with YouTube Day 10: Teachers Create What They Experience #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD @katiemorrow

Today's YouTube PD is Teachers Create what they Experience by Katie Martin at TEDx El Cajon Salon

We have the opportunity and OBLIGATION to change how students learn in school today. To do that, schools must create a culture where they inspire risk taking and opportunity for teachers to integrate new ideas for learning.

Katie explains this requires three things:

1-- A SHARED VISION: Teachers need expectations but autonomy.

2--Embrace learning as a PROCESS, not an EVENT. There must be modeling, safe practice, coaching, feedback and reflection.

3--Go OPEN.  Isolation is now a choice educators make; it's not necessary. There is so much access to info, ideas, and networks of people.

She asks schools if they are creating systems for teachers to comply and implement YOUR ideas and YOUR programs? Or creating systems to bring people together to learn and create better opportunities in the classroom.

Buying new things is fine, but if we fail to empower teachers to design better experiences, we could miss out on a great opportunity.

Great points, Katie. I will say, though, that we often are told that we should be more engaging, get students more excited, cultivate enthusiasm, provide good experiences... but teachers aren't "taught" how to do it. We do often do things similar to how we learned--which mostly was by lecture if you are in your 40s like me (thought I try to be very hands-on and try to relate to real life). Of course, just like this summer as I pursue an online book study, teaching myself After Effects, and 31 days of online PD, my learning NOW is much different than when I was in school. It revolves around seeking out answers. However, that works for ME in this situation. It doesn't work for everyone. A math teacher telling my daughter she should better seek out a way to do that math problem she doesn't understand...well, that can be seen as a teacher refusing to teach. And, as a computer teacher, I also have to walk a fine line between challenging students to want to seek answers and being judged as a teacher who "doesn't want to teach" as well.

It's a tough balancing act, but I very much agree that we need school buy-in and support. However, I also believe we need to be given resources to figure out HOW to create these opportunities Katie speaks about. I'd like to see more shared from actual classrooms--videos of classrooms in action--that demonstrate these great experiences we'd all love to provide if we only knew how.

Learning with YouTube Day 9: 365 Ways to Unlock Creativity #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD @KenHughesIE

For today, I watched another TED Talk-- Time bending -- 365 ways to unlock creativity and innovation by Ken Hughes at TEDx University of Nicosia.

The title of this talk caught my eye... 365 ways to do anything sounded like a lot to try to draw!  But, here's my graphic and then I will give you my quick version overview:

Essentially, a few year ago, Ken Hughes  (a European consumer and shopper behaviorist) decided he would experiment daily. Try something new. Do something he'd never done before every single day for a year. Some days were big things and some were small. He wrote down each day and committed to follow through. In doing so, he became more creative and he believes it was because he was more open to life and looking for more opportunities. To name a few, he-- got a tattoo, cut his daughter's hair, ran a half marathon, rolled naked in the snow, shopped in a towel, did a Zumba class, decorated his hotel room for Halloween, walked on fire, helped birth a newborn lamb, held a tarantula... and many more!

He asserts that becoming more creative and open is not something a business can "institute" but rather that it starts with the individual. And, one must adopt this as a philosophy; it has to last.

He ended with the phrase--"The world is a playground. Step up and play!"

As I have already committed to blogging for 30 days, I am not sure I am ready for a 365 day commitment (I have done 30 day workouts or read the Bible every day before!) but I love the idea of this. Making "play" a habit, saying yes more, looking for more ways to try something new and change your perspective... it all sounds great. I think I might challenge one of my classes this fall to do this very thing-- for a week. Five days. Make a list and commit to trying new things for a week.

Side note: Ken has a great blog with some interesting business content for my business teacher friends. Check out his post about Generation Z. Good stuff.

Summer Book Study #launchbook Week 3 @terryheick

Questions for this week:

Chapter 4--

1. Thinking of the last lesson/unit you taught try answering the questions listed at the end of the chapter. What did you learn of your awareness of your classroom?
2. How have you been able to encourage your students to tap into their awareness? Did you try any strategies in LAUNCH? If so, how was it? If not, what did you do?

Chapter 5--

1. How have you encouraged your students to wonder?
2. How do you help students ask better questions? Have you tried any of the strategies in the chapter?

As this is summer, it would be a stretch to remember the last lesson I taught in early May. But, the end of chapter questions asked about students' attitudes, commitment to the project/activity (reason), if students are creating their own measures for achievement, and if they are reflecting on that. I will say that for my Photoshop class, I do ask students to share their finished work on their blog and to reflect on work, indicating how pleased they are and what they wish was better. I don't grade these, but I think it's important to reflect. However, I don't know about their attitude towards this process (they like to learn the content but they don't like writing/reflecting). I don't think most of them really appreciate that piece. :)

To promote more "awareness" I guess I should just ask the students for their ideas! I ask for feedback and ideas on projects, but I am not sure they will go for some big "social awareness" Photoshop project. Most want to learn how to put themselves in a picture with a celebrity and it look real. As a business teacher, I do try to incorporate business concepts into our learning, but probably not social awareness if I am being honest.

I don't know that I've completely encouraged students to wonder... I mean, teaching Web Design coding doesn't allow much wonderment when they are learning linear coding. Same with my Microsoft Office class. Sadly, many of those classes direct more towards industry certification and that is more cut and dry. I guess that's an area I need to work on.

One area I'd like to improve on is questioning.

As always, I end up chasing a topic online and this week I focused on getting students to ask better questions. I ran across a great article from Terry Heick with tips and this infographic:

Learning with YouTube Day 8: Own Your Own Happiness #busedu #31daysofPD #personalizedPD @BishopJakes @IAmSteveHarvey

For Day 8 of my summer #personalizedPD effort, I selected a video shared by Steve Harvey of Bishop TD Jakes on his show. 

I first saw this video shared on Facebook, but felt compelled to make into a graphic. Powerful stuff about owning your OWN happiness and not letting life happen TO YOU.

He has a 5 step system to help people

1. Own your own happiness. Take that power away from other people or things. Be responsible for things that bring joy into your heart. Joy comes from the heart, not from stuff.
2. Challenge your own story. People torment themselves about how they see their life. Change the way you talk to yourself about who you are. 
3. Enjoy the journey, not the destination. Don't delay happiness "until" something happens. Celebrate every day, along the way. He said to put yourself on your calendar. If you don't see yourself as valuable, no one else will.
4. Make relationships count. First, with God. If you know someone else is in charge, you don't have to bear that weight. Enjoy the relationship with yourself. If you don't like you, others won't either. When others enter into your life, they join a party that's already started! Take time to enjoy relationships. There is no fruit without relationships.
5. Balance work with play. You can't do all of either one and be successful. If you work hard, play hard. 

This wasn't said in this video, but I loved this quote. This is a wise man!

(skip first 1:35 as that's where the good stuff starts)