To support your personal and professional learning journey during the remaining summer vacation this is a list of resources to explore.

“The 33 Digital Skills Every 21^st Century Teacher Should Have” http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/06/33-digital-skills-every-21st-century.html

This is a very rich resource describing skills we ought to have as 21^st century teachers.  Not only does it give a list of skills (perfect for those of us with little time or attention), but it gives a great list of digital tools and/or articles under each skill.  You can get lost in this link, believe me!

This article also contains a link to a free ebook by the same author that also provides great resources.
 “The 21^st Century Skills Teachers and Students Need to Have” http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2011/01/21st-century-skills-teachers-should.html

 Edutopia is just that!

If you don’t follow Edutopia, you’re missing a rich bank of resources and professional learning.  You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or just subscribe to their e-newsletters/email blasts.  Here are some awesome resources from their websites:

Tech2Learn: Success Stories of Technology Integration in the Classroom http://www.edutopia.org/tech-to-learn-classroom-technology-resources.  This page contains a new video series that goes inside teachers’ classrooms that are using technology tools in their lessons every day.  Currently, it highlights a fifth-grade teacher showing how she keeps her class motivated to learn with technology an provides lists of resources she uses in her class.

A Parent’s Guide to 21^st Century Learning
http://www.edutopia.org/parent-21st-century-learning-resource-guide.  This is a free downloadable PDF that you can distribute to your parents.  The guide has a selection of resources and projects for elementary, middle and high school.  There is also a link to a Home-to-School Connection Guide that can also be shared with families.

Project-Based Learning

PBL is one of the core strategies recommended by Edutopia.  They have amazing resources including a free professional development guide on teaching with PBL.  http://www.edutopia.org/project-based-learning

Pinterest

Who’s not addicted to Pinterest?  If you are, you’ve likely figured out that there is a bevy of classroom resources pinned out there between the clean/organized home tips and the someecards.  Here’s an infographic that gives you an idea of how teachers are using Pinterest.  http://www.onlineuniversities.com/ways-educators-use-pinterest

You might also pin this http://pinterest.com/erinklein/pinterest-for-teachers/

If you teach kids older than 13, you can also use pinterest with your students http://mashable.com/2012/03/22/teachers-using-pinterest/

Great pinners to follow (from this link http://erinpaynter.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/edu-pinning-pinterest-in-education/)

Vicki Davis, “Cool Cat Teacher” http://pinterest.com/coolcatteacher/

 Eric Sheninger http://pinterest.com/esheninger/

Karen Steffensen http://pinterest.com/kstef2/

Debbie Fucoloro http://pinterest.com/debbiefuco/

Shannon Smith http://pinterest.com/shannoninottawa/

Shelly Terrell http://pinterest.com/shellyterrell/

iPads

If you’re lucky, you’ve already got a classroom set.  If you haven’t, you’re probably hoping to get one. Here are some iPad resources you might be interested in having.

Great article from Learning and Leading with Technology by ISTE on how just a few iPads in a classroom can support and enhance individualized instruction.  “Less than a Class Set.” http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20111201#pg24

“Only 1 iPad in the Classroom?” http://eskymaclj.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/only-1-ipad-in-classroom.html

“40 STEM iPad Apps for Kids” http://imaginationsoup.net/2012/05/40-stem-ipad-apps-for-kids-science-technology-engineering-math/

“APPitic: A Collection of 1,800+ apps for education” http://www.appitic.com/

“Kathy Schrock’s iPads in the Classroom” http://blog.kathyschrock.net/#!/2011/09/ipads-in-classroom.html

“iPads in Education: Exploring the use of iPads and eBooks in Schools and Colleges” http://ipadeducators.ning.com/

“1,000 Education Apps Organized by Subject and Price” http://edudemic.com/2012/02/1000-apps/

 Apps by IEP Goals/Skills http://techinspecialed.com/

Common Core
And last but not least…

“All Things Common Core: Developing an Understanding of the Common Core Standards” http://allthingscommoncore.com/

 “Kid-Friendly Standards” would also surely be good for parents! http://omsd.omsd.k12.ca.us/departments/lss/standards/Pages/standards.aspx

From the New York City Department of Education is a list of web-based resources organized by discipline with the note that the content on the resources may or may not be aligned to Common Core.  It’s found on a page titled “The Common Core Classroom”!  Nonetheless, there’s good stuff here: http://schools.nyc.gov/Academics/CommonCoreLibrary/CommonCoreClassroom/TeacherResources/default.htm

“Bringing the Common Core to Life” is a webinar with a leading author and architect of the Common Core State Standards http://usny.nysed.gov/rttt/resources/bringing-the-common-core-to-life.html
Mastery Connect website has a free iPad app of the CCSS http://www.masteryconnect.com/
 
A Symbaloo collection of Common Core resources http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/commoncore

A Livebinder organized by states’ work on Common Core http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/52180

Knewton Infographics

A fellow graduate of the Teacher Leadership Institute gave me this website she found on Edutopia. These are informational graphics that explain new ideas in education. Thanks for sharing Erica!

http://www.knewton.com/infographics/

Motivation for Test Taking

As everyone is preparing for state testing in the upcoming weeks, I thought you could use some cute ways to motivate your students. We like to give our students a snack halfway through the test because they seem to do much better at concentrating and focusing. Here are a few things you could use as food items and cute sayings that might help! These are not my ideas at all. I borrowed them from this website: http://www.proteacher.net/discussions/showthread.php?t=32122.

Cheerios - Cheering you to success or I'm CHEERing you on
Super Bubble Gum - I know you will do a SUPER job
Lucky CharmsGood LUCK today on your test
Starburst - You are a STAR or Shine like a STAR today
Licorice Twists - Don't let the test TWIST your mind
Hershey Hugs - A HUG from me to you to do the best that you can do
Oranges - ORANGE you glad the tests are almost over????
Raisins - Keep RAISIN your head high
Pretzel Twists - (same as licorice above)
Day 1-Gum with a note that says: Blow the top off the test!
Day 2-Snickers-Let's not have any Snickers, just do your best!
Day 3-Starburst Candy- For a burst of energy to do a fantastic job
Day 4-Success all the way to the Milky Way
Day 5-Hugs and Kisses for putting forth your best effort!
Be a “smartie” and ACE this test! (smarties)
Blow the TOP off this test! (bubble gum)
A BURST of energy to do AWESOME! (starburst)
“KISS” your worries goodbye. Do great! (Hershey's kiss)
Don’t SNICKER !! Do your best! (mini Snickers)-----------------
TEST TAKING FIRST AID KIT:
1 pack of Smarties Candies - to boost your test taking brain power
1 pencil -- to help you record the knowledge you have learned
1 sticker -- to help you stick with the task at hand
1 eraser -- to use when you check over your work
1 Hershey's Hug -- for all the hard work you put into the test
1 highlighter -- to highlight all your success
1 pencil grip -- to get a grip on the task at hand
FOR BEST RESULTS, COMBINE WITH:
1 night of restful sleep
1 nutritious breakfast
1 positive attitude
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS:
Improved Test-taking Skills
Good Grades
---------------------

Awesome resource from one of your fellow teacher leaders

Here's a link to a Livebinder created by Michael Scott. Michael is a Social Studies teacher at Har-Ber High School in Springdale and a participant in Forum 22 of TLI.

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=308552


Mr. Scott got so excited about Personal Learnng Networks that he created a LIVEBINDER of technology resources for teachers!!!

Whoo Hoo! Go teacher leaders!!!

Teacher Leaders

A BIG THANK YOU to the TLCs and Julie for posting content to our little blog. They are wonderful examples of teacher leadership. On and off the mountain, they are helping us all be continuous learners.

One of my many many New Year's resolutions was to become a better user of electronic resources. Increasing my own understanding would help me be a better resource for the academy. Well, it's March... I'll just leave it at that.

I did want to share a blog you might be interested in-
http://www.boundlessangie.blogspot.com/

The author is Angie Miller, 2011 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year. I acutally found her via TED. She applied and was selected to give a talk at  the 2012 TED conference held last month. I'll let you read about her TED experience. It's a good story.

While I don't know her personally, many of her blog entries resonated with me, in particular one called "Seriously". Check it out. It may resonate with you as well.

Spring Break is coming! Thanks for all you are doing to support teaching and learning for students and adults throughout our state.

Amanda

Top signs of becoming a teacher leader

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/02/21/tln_ratzel_teacherleader.html?tkn=QUMFu2vyRe0z60QQwryTAOM0HcxYgpsR7Poh&cmp=clp-edweek

Sent from my iPhone

31 Storytelling Tools

Great resource!!!

http://ilearntechnology.com/#!/entry/31-of-my-favorite-digital-storytelling-sites,3190