Summer Reading List

What is on your Summer Reading List? Every year I set a goal to read a specific number of books each year. This goal is comprised of fun as well as professional books. During the summer I try to focus on professional books.

Here are a few books on my list to read.

1. Creative Confidence by Tom Kelly
2. Launch by John Spencer and A.J. Juliani

3. Innovator's Mindset by George Couros

4. Drive by Daniel Pink

5. Creating Innovators by Tony Wagner

What is on your Summer Reading List?

21st Century Skills...Buzzword or Necessary Skills?

What is up with the phrase 21st Century Skills? Is this just a buzzword or necessary skills we should be equipping students with in 2016?

My district recently defined 21st century skills as a high-impact instructional practice. We debated on how it should be defined and which strategies should fall under the 21st century skills umbrella. 

As the team was working on this, we asked ourselves the question, "What do our students need to know after they leave our district?" We know we are working to prepare them for jobs which don't exist and for skills we're not sure they will need. 

Our first strategy identified was making real-world connections. We wanted to make sure learning was connected to the world around us. We also wanted to note the importance of connecting not only around our state, but also our country and the world. We want learning to be relevant!

Another strategy we identified was multimedia. Technology is all around us and if we are not having our students use multiple devices, then we are doing a disservice to them. We also noted the importance of students creating projects to show understanding rather than taking multiple choice tests.

The last strategy I will note here is digital citizenship. Our hope was digital citizenship would become embedded in every lesson and every conversation rather than an "add-on" lesson or activity with no relevance. 

As educators, I believe, we all want to prepare our students for the future in whatever career they choose or path their future takes. By teaching the same lessons with the same strategies for 25 years is not preparing our students. We have to get out of our box (or even throw the box away) and our comfort zone and challenge ourselves as professionals to move education in a direction which is more rigorous and relevant.

Building Your PLN Through Twitter

This week is the official start of the OKCPS ETS Summer Ed Tech Learning Challenge. This is a four week, 100% online PD during the month of June. Each week a new ed tech challenge is presented to participants via the OKCPS ETS blog. Then participants have the entire week to complete the challenge and post an accountability post on Twitter. 

The first week's challenge was to create a professional Twitter account. We want to increase the number of district staff members engaged on Twitter. We also want them to experience the benefits of Twitter, especially related to sharing resources and ideas.

As an extension activity this week, we asked participants already active on Twitter to share 3-5 of their favorite people to follow. I chose to share @gcouros because I am reading the Innovator's Mindset (you should read it if you have not!) I also enjoy following @LeadUpNow and it's thoughts about educational leadership. Finally, I mentioned @ShakeUpLearning since her Google stuff is too cool!

Don't forget to follow the hashtag #OKCPSetlc to see all of the cool things our staff members are learning in June. Also be on the look out for the Back to School ETLC and School Webmaster ETLC, both in July!