"How to be a Common Core Instructional Leader"

Chat from 9/5: "How to be a Common Core Instructional Leader"

This is a summary from the September 5th #NCADMIN chat:

#NCADMIN Chat Summary

CS



The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith     and do not represent the school or district in which he works.

Summer PD and A Side of Formula

During the end of the year meeting with my teachers, I discussed how important this summer was going to be for every educator, not just in my school, county, or even North Carolina, but across the nation.  The implementation of the new Common Core curriculum standards in Math, Science, and Language Arts, combined with our Essential Standards for other subjects required time spent individually and collaboratively in preparation for the upcoming school year.

My Response to GCS Pinnacle Technology Integration

This is a response to the blog post published on the GCS Pinnacle Blogspot regarding Technology Integration

To the GCS Instructional Tech. Facilitators and Pinnacle team,

I hope you don't mind a member of the GCS administrative team sharing my thoughts:

Through the school-based recommendations and professional development, along with the fantastic collaborative opportunities our Pinnacle teachers receive, it would be safe to say the majority of you would "Meet" and/or "Exceed" on these essential conditions.  As I picture the teachers in my building who integrate technology regularly and effectively, positively impacting student-learning, I believe they would also be rated similarly.

I believe the primary issue is the lengthy gap between teachers meeting theses standards and teachers far from reaching the technology standard.  Consequently, this alters the essential standard rating for the entire school and, more importantly, limit the adequate 21st-Century based (sorry, we agreed to simply call this "learning") learning necessary for our students to be successful.

On that note, I challenge all of our Pinnacle teachers to be technology integration leaders in your grade-level teams, PLC/PLN's, and schools, both formally and informally.  The primary reason non-tech savvy teachers shy aware from incorporating these instructional strategies is fear.  Help eliminate the fear through proactive support and collaboration, ensuring EVERY teacher MEETS these essential technology conditions.

Thank you to our Pinnacle Leaders.  Keep up the great work!!

Thanks for reading and follow me on Twitter @CSmithGoBlue.

CS

The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.

Information Technology Essential Standards

The Instructional Facilitator's did a great job with their presentation on the Information Technology Essential Standards last month for both Principal's and Assistant Principals.  The link to the presentation can be found here:



ITES

The YouTube clips are great, demonstrating some of the strategies that allow teachers to incorporate these standards into their instruction.  I really like the young girl explaining how "QR Codes" work.  As a matter of fact, I created a QR code the day after the meeting and it is still on my office door.

Located in the presentation are five "Fast Facts" of the ITES:

• The ITES are to be embedded within all areas of the curriculum.

• Classroom teachers are responsible for teaching the new ITES standards beginning this current school year.

• Media Coordinators and Technology Facilitators, as ITES experts, will collaborate with teachers to plan, create, teach, and assess effective student instruction.

• The ITES must be taught in all North Carolina schools-in places where technology is prevalent, as well as schools with limited technology access.

• Technology and information tools and resources must be taught and used in authentic ways.

This is simply a small sampling of the technology needed to incorporate the new Information Technology Essential Standards into our classrooms.  It's important for school leaders to become familiar with these standards, as well as comfortable discussing their implement them into instruction.    


Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue

CS

The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.