"Extra! Extra! Learn All About It!"

Summer is a great time to recharge as a teacher.  It gives us that "time" that eludes us during the school year.   It's also my favorite time to teach teachers.  A very important part of my job as the technology coach of our district is to provide multiple learning opportunities for our teachers in regards to the educational technologies that are available to them.  I want these opportunities to be relevant and free of stress, and I also want teachers to be able to take something away that they can immediately use in their classrooms.

Last summer I came up with the concept of summer tech trainings that I refer to as "The Breakfast Club."  They are only an hour long and are on a variety of topics.  Teachers can learn how to become a connected educator, learn how to app smash, use social media in their classrooms,  to activities to do on an iPad instead of a worksheet.

The Breakfast Club was a hit, but I also wanted to differentiate for our teachers to best meet their individualized learning needs.  Not all learn well in a group setting, some teachers wanted a "guide by their side."

Starting this summer I will be offering a new learning opportunity called "Individualized Instruction." These trainings are tailored for the teacher in an one on one setting.  They simply email me with the details of what they would like to learn about and we set up a time to meet.  

What are you doing to make yourself a better teacher this summer?

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Hone Your Craft!

School is out.  All of your students are gone.  Your schedule is packed until the last week of July running your kids to and from activities, taking classes and squeezing in a family vacation.

I really hope you added some summer learning opportunities for yourself.  No, I am not talking about that grad class you are taking.  I'm talking about an opportunity to make yourself better as a teacher. Taking the time to evaluate what you taught this year and how you taught it.  Is there something that you could do differently?  You bet there is! NOW is the time to do it!  Don't teach that same lesson. It would be really easy to do, but you will become bored with it. Imagine what your students think!

Take some time to find an app that will supplement that lesson.  Find some time to start blogging or to create a website for your class.   Take time to become a connected educator (a decision you won't regret). Have that coffee with the colleague that you wanted to start a collaborative activity with but never had the time during the school year to plan.  

Have you taken time to hone your craft?

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