Time Flies

It is hard to believe that we have been in school almost a month now. All grade levels have started working on at least 1 TechSteps project. It is unfortunate that we can't start creating class lists or entering assessments until the middle of this month. The 1st graders are working on the TechSteps project on drawing shapes. In our adaptation the students are creating pictures of a person or face and then they are typing their names complete with capital letters. This has been a great project to start with. I'm working with small groups at a time and I'm getting a very good idea of the skill levels of our 1st graders. This will help as we get ready to take on more complex projects.

Our county technician is spending afternoons with us and is slowly working his way through the computers getting them set up for use with Odyssey,TechSTeps, Acuity, and other programs. The school has purchased 3 network laser printers to be used with each cart. We have also re-arranged some furniture to create a lab in the library. We are planning to have one cart of the laptops set up daily in the library. This will save teachers some set up time and still leaves the other 2 carts that can be used in the classroom.

Moving forward slowly

This was a hectic week. All of the regular library classes (except kindergarten checked books out this week.) I worked with a 2nd small group of 1st graders on using drawing tools to create a picture of a person and learning to type their name with a capital first letter. I have 4 more groups to complete. I collaborated with the classroom teachers to use the 2nd grade TechSteps project on pictographs to compliment their school bus safety unit. I met briefly with 3rd grade to plan a project based unit built around the TechSteps Who am I project. I also met in extended planning sessions with the 4th and 5th grade teachers. In 4th grade we worked out a joint research unit on Native Americans and in 5th grade we discussed how to best to continue the project based unit on heroes in the library and in the small groups in the Intervention/Enrichment time. The PLC teams are working on data analysis and creating their smart goals.
On the equipment front, we are still waiting to hear from the technician on how soon the laptops will be ready for use and if they are going to be able to set ePearl up on the school server. I did rearrange some of the library furnature to allow 1 section of the space to be used as a lab with the laptops. The computers can be set up by 5th grade volunteers who will remove the computers from the charging cart and set them up each day. This will save teachers some time. They don't have to worry about moving the heavy cart and getting the computers out and then we still have the 2 carts that can be moved and used anywhere in the building.

Beginning to Collaborate

This week I participated in extended planning session with the 1st and 2nd grade teachers. I shared the progress in getting the equipment up and running and they share information about their upcoming units. In first grade we decided to start with the TechSteps lesson on shapes. We decided to let the student use the shape tools in Word to create pictures of themselves and then type their names. I will work with small groups once a week until all of the students have had a chance to complete the project. I will be matching story time in the library with the themes from their reading book to reinforce the concepts being taught. In 2nd grade, I am going to work with small groups of students on the TechSteps pictograph project. Students will be graphing how they get to school and we will be tying this into the 2nd grade school bus safety unit. I will also be matching library story time to the reading units. I attended PLC meeting with Kindergarten and the 3rd, 4th, 5th grade team. I already feel so much more connected with the curriculum than in previous years.
Progress is slowly being made toward meeting the grant requirement. The computers are now housed in their new carts. The tech. from the high school visited the school and took one of the computers with him to decide on what needs done to get them all set up. He also took the manual for ePearl so he can study the requirements and decide if he has the needed skills to get the program up and running.

First Days of School

During our first work days, I spent time unpacking the grant computers,recording the serial numbers and putting them in the new charging carts. This was a harder job than I would have guessed. Getting the power cords plugged into the back of the carts was no fun!

I helped several teachers troubleshoot their interactive boards to get them working for the first day with the students. I received a request from 2nd grade (via email) to help them locate appropriate resources for a unit they are planning to teach on on astronauts. This is the first time anyone has requested material using email, mostly they leave notes in my mailbox so this is a step in the right direction.

I introduced the topic of a project based learning unit on heroes to our 5th graders. I opened 6 word documents on 6 computers and put a different question about heroes on each one. I randomly assigned the students into groups of 3. Each group moved to a computer read the question and typed a response. I timed them for a minute and then they changed computers and answered the next question. This continued until they had a chance to respond to all of the questions. We will discuss the responses during our next session.

A technician from our local high school is hopefully coming next week to set up the laptops and wireless networks. He should also help with getting ePearl up and running.

ePearl -- The First Challenge

After some discussion, we decided to try and run ePearl from a server in our building instead to using the links that can be found on the WV Webtop. This will allow us to use it much sooner in the school year because we don't have to wait until the children have access accounts. Our own server also will help us control outside access while the staff is learning to use the program and we introduce it to our students. I have never set up a webserver so I asked our Resa Tech if this was something he could help me with. The response was Resa really is more involved with the equipment than the software. I then asked my new county Technology Coordinator for help. He is not sure who can help me but is still working on the problem. On Aug. 4th and Aug. 6th, I spent some time at school trying to turn one of the library computers into a webserver. I have not been able to complete the process successfully yet. I'm still working on it and so is my coordinator. ----Stay tuned..........

Computer Lab Scheduling Calendar

The grant requires that the computers be checked out using an online calendar. I spent some time looking at the available free options. I wanted something that would be simple for the staff to locate and use. I narrowed my choices to either Google Docs or a web hosting site called Bravenet.com. I explored all the options and finally decided to use Bravenet. I didn't have to invite the staff to be able to make entries and I could embed a link on the school webpage. I created the calendar and decided that it would be used to check out the school's exsisting netbook cart and the computer lab as well as the grant equipment. I introduced the calendar to the staff during the Teacher Academy on Aug. 6th. The calendar page I created can be found at: http://teacherweb.com/WV/WoodsdaleElementarySchool/SchoolHomePage/apt7.aspx

Introduction to Staff -- Aug. 6th

August 5th and 6th Woodsdale held a Teacher's Academy.  On the 5th they learned about the new math series and had some time to try out the activities and set up their classes.  On Aug. 6th I returned from the conference and gave a presentation to the staff.  I introduced the grant and the activites we will be completing this year.  I learned about Prezi's at the conference and I created a simple one to talk about the grant's components.  I also demonstrated how to use the school's netbook cart and showed the staff one of the grant laptops.