I’m always exhausted at the end of the summer. We work so hard to prepare all the training, equipment and materials like the webpage, email lists and more. And then our teaching staff returns and that is exciting, but also exhausting because we are needed to help many with all sorts of issues as everyone returns.
This year brings big changes to our campus – a laser sharp focus to change instruction and our learning environment and every student has a laptop!
I started 7 straight days of facilitating professional learning on Thursday with our Instructional Transformation Team and Instructional Council Retreat. These are our leaders and voices in the building and they were SO excited and positive! I felt so optimistic for the year at the end of this retreat! Everyone was engaged, participating in discussions and really showing they believe in the change we are making.
Friday was our first day back with our full staff. I offered 5 hour-long professional learning opportunities throughout the day. Since it was the first day back, I assumed most would choose to get their rooms in order… I had a full house all day long! Teachers came, they asked fabulous questions and engaged in their own learning.
The best part about my learning opportunities this week? I really worked hard to model student-centered learning. Instead of standing up at the front, showing & telling all day, I saw teachers engaged in conversation, working with their colleagues to learn and debate the value of new ideas and ways to teach and learn. I built in student choice, modeled how to use a Hyperdoc that I created and even BreakoutEDU!
I left both days feeling tired, but excited and ready for what is coming this year!
EduTechnicallySpeaking 
I so very much hope your 1-1 program leads to fundamental changes in the way students learn.
However, I think one of your greatest impediments will be the need that many administrators and teachers have to see near instant results. From all the literature I’ve read and people I’ve spoken to on this topic, it takes at least five years to see school-wide meaningful changes in the way both teachers and students approach the learning process. And, as the testing season arrives next spring, I expect there will be some panic and a return to a test prep mindset. Good luck and please keep posting.
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Thanks Tim! It’s something we’re talking about so that’s further than we’ve gotten before! We are acknowledging the challenges…and it will take longer than now to spring to undo the years of testing madness we’ve conditioned everyone around here for!! But we’re working on it!!
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