New Life for Boring Powerpoint

We all know that when Powerpoint first came out it was the most wonderful tool in giving "speeches" or presenting reports by students.  Now, however, there are many new cool enhancements that will give you and your students new ideas that certainly will not be boring.  Be sure not to miss this article that will tell you all about it.


4 Tips to Breathe New Life into Your PowerPoint Presentations.  Vicki Davis. 01.08.15.  EdTech Focus on K-12
http://www.edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2015/01/4-tips-powerpoint

Qualities of a Good Mentor

If you want a mentor or are a mentor yourself, here are some qualities that are essential for a good working relationship.  This applies to coaching as well as a PD activity - mentorship under a different term.
Author, Kimberly Long lists describes eight qualities that are essential. I'll list them here but please read the entire article. 

1. Respect
2. Listening
3. Challenging
4. Collaboration
5. Celebration
6. Truth
7. Safety
8. Empathy

Share your experiences with your colleagues.  What do you remember most about your mentor relationship(s)?

Eight Qualities of a Great Teacher Mentor.  Kimberly Long. 9.30.14.  Education Week - Teacher

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/09/30/ctq_long_mentor.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS2

 

Your PLCs --- How Effective Are They?

Your school probably has professional learning communities (PLCs) to collaborate with colleagues.  This article presents some interesting views about different structures and time allotted for PLCs to meet on a regular basis.  The author asks important questions regarding your school's structure.  To me, the most important one is...."Does your PLC believe that teacher learning translates into student learning?"  Now I am a blogger and no longer in the classroom.  I would certainly be a transformed teacher today because I have learned so much by reading and reflecting on the many articles I offer you in this blog.


5 questions every PLC should consider. Paul Barnwell.  9.12.14.  SmartBlog on Education
http://smartblogs.com/education/2014/09/12/5-questions-every-plc-should-consider/?utm_source=brief

Teachers & Administrators - What Matters?

This article is about trusting relationships between teachers and their principals.  I would like to include all administrators in this "principal" group because depending on the school, responsibilities can be divided among several administrators.  This is an excellent article for both kinds of employees.  We should all be reminded of the essential 15 things described by the author, Ryan Thomas.
An extra bonus at the end of the article is a downloadable Principal Coaching Guide.

15 Things Every Teacher Needs from a Principal. Ryan Thomas. 8.14.  ASCD Edge.
http://edge.ascd.org/blogpost/15-things-every-teacher-needs-from-a-principal

Are You a Transformational Teacher?

What do you think a transformational teacher does?  I'll bet you have some of these traits, probably not all.  We all need to ask ourselves, "What can I do to make myself a better teacher?"  This article may help answer that question.  Todd Finley presents a wonderful set of characteristics that all of us can work toward.  Join the discussion and let us know what you think in Comments.

4 Big Things Transformational Teachers Do.  Todd Finley.  7.28.14.  edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-things-transformational-teachers-do-todd-finley

Teaching is a Tough Job

No doubt we all have days when nothing seems to goes right:  difficult students, rigid school rules, unresponsive parents,  interruptions, paperwork,  to name a few.  Allen Mendler, author of When Teaching Gets Tough wrote this article offering 4 strategies to "stay on top of your game."  Interesting read.  What do you do to stay on top of your game on those tough days?  Share your tips with colleagues in Comments below.

Four Tips to Stay at the Top of Your Game.  Allen Mendler. 11.25.13.  ASCD Inservice
http://inservice.ascd.org/books/four-tips-to-stay-at-the-top-of-your-game/

A Teacher of the Year Tells His Story

We all came to teaching from different histories.  Anthony Mullen tells his powerful and painful story as a child growing up and how he learned how life is unpredictable, sometimes awful and sometimes good.  Learning to persevere will get you through the hard times  Anthony still teaches, but with students whose lives mirror his own. He teaches in an alternative high school.  How fortunate are his students!  Not a story to be missed.  Wow!

National Teacher of the Year, 2009:  Why I Became a Teacher:  Why I'm Still Teaching.  Guest: Anthony Mullen.  11.18.13.  Education Week Teacher
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teacher_in_a_strange_land/2013/11/national_teacher_of_the_year_2009_why_i_became_a_teacher_why_im_still_teaching.html?cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS3

You Can Be a Teacher Leader

Wendi Pillars presents 7 verbs that constitute teacher leadership.  Ponder these powerful verbs and reflect on how you can develop them to the fullest...

• Invite
• Take Risks
• Grow
• Act
• Fail
• Catalyze
• Respect

We all have the potential to be better than we are as teachers; it is now our responsibility to our students that we develop more fully as teacher leaders.

The Seven Verbs of Teacher Leadership.  Wendi Pillars. 10.15.13.  Education Week Teacher - Premium Article
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/10/15/ctq_pillars_verbs.html?tkn=SNOFZCk9hLAYvcD7c6251Gs5fjIBISs7WAf9&cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

Mind-Sets for High Quality Teachers

This is a wonderful article and gets to the heart of what a high-quality teacher is all about.  The authors of this article identify and discuss five dispositions of mind, that if acquired, will foster growth not only for the teachers but for the students. The authors continue with a series of questions teachers should ask themselves as they employ these mind-sets.
This article is excellent and you, the thoughtful reader, will gain insight about yourself as a teacher of children. 

What Mind-Sets Drive Teacher Effectiveness?  Arthur L. Costa, Robert J. Garmston, & Diane P. Zimmerman.  11.2012.  ASCD Express Volume 8 Issue 3

Be a Teacher Leader!

There are teachers and then there are teachers.  Some do their job effectively and students achieve. Others merely put their time in.  And then there are some teachers who stand out above the crowd because they are teacher leaders.  What makes a teacher a leader?  This article defines those qualites in the form of verbs.  Excellent and worth reading and comparing those verbs to yourself and perhaps other teachers you might know.

The Seven Verbs of Teacher Leadership.  Wendi Pillars.  10.15.13.  Education Week - Premium Article
http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/10/15/ctq_pillars_verbs.html?tkn=SNOFZCk9hLAYvcD7c6251Gs5fjIBISs7WAf9&cmp=ENL-TU-NEWS2

Are you a teacher leader? Why?  Why Not?  Share your thoughts below in Comments.