Assignment 1

The first assignment of the class is to tell about your why, how, and what for your innovation plan.  We are wanting to speak directly to the heart of people and create a sense of urgency.  We are addressing the process and the results.

Here is the link to my assignment.

What's Your Why?

Discussion 1 - Change

Participate in a class discussion in which you begin by addressing the following
issues/questions:

• How does this change your thinking about how to promote change?
• Why do you think we traditionally targeted the mind and ignored the heart?
• Consider the role of personal decision and intrinsic motivation in moving toward change.
• Why is answering the questions of Why so important in change efforts?
• Consider how the Why statement can be used to create a sense of urgency.

Please remember the list of questions are for your benefit and are intended to help you
focus your thinking. We are not asking nor expect you to answer each question in your
discussion--rather you should use these questions to help focus on how the insights
gained through this discussion will help you to add another component to your innovation plan.

This assignment will be assessed as part of your course participation grade.

A lot of the teachers that I work with, feel like if it's not broken, then don't fix it.  They like
to do the same old thing, the same old way, even if it takes more time. They don't stop to
learn something new that will save them time in the long run.  I understand because we
are all pressed for time, so taking the time to learn is time-consuming.

Teachers are a creature of habit and they don’t like change.  I am the same way, but I know
we have to change with the times.  I am willing to change, but a little slow to make the
changes sometimes.  I love technology, so I am all about change in that area. I love
learning new things in that area.

Being in Pre-K this year, it has been a big change for me.  These 4 year olds are a different
groups of humans. They don’t seem to understand anything and it is hard to motivate them
to do things or make changes in their behavior.  It is a struggle because most of them are
free to do as the please at home, because the parents don’t really seem to parent. I have
had several of them tell me the reason they aren’t helping them at home is because the
kid doesn’t want to do it.  WHAT? They are children, you are the parent. (That is a whole
other issue.)

Now that the kids have been in school a while, a lot of them see that learning is fun and it
has helped them do other things that they want to do.  In the beginning, they all just wanted
to play. Some of them knew what was socially acceptable with others, and some didn’t.

Now, some of them want to learn to read, so for them, they are very interested in going to
the library center.  Others, just want to go to the dramatic play center because they can
basically just “play”.

When I was in school, teachers targeted the mind.  We learned things a certain way because
that is how it was done.  You did things a certain way because it had always been done that
way.  When I am teaching things, sometimes it will remind me of a situation and then I think
back about the way that we did it “back then”.  

I like making the connections with students and building those relationships.  It is amazing
when one of them come back years later and share their stories and their memories with
you.  Recently I had one come back that was in my second grade class about 10 years
ago. She mentioned some of the things we did when she was in my class.  It made me
happy to know she remembered the class so fondly.

I am glad that I made a good impression on her and it made me reflect on some of the
teachers that made a good impression on me.  I really liked my 2nd grade teacher and
decided at a young age I wanted to be a teacher too.

Starting Class #4 - 5304

It's that time again.....
Time to start a new class.  This is class 4 in the Digital Leading and Learning program at Lamar.  It is called 5304 Leading Organizational Change.

Here is the intro that I posted on our discussion board.

My Disruptive Innovation project is using ePortfolios in Pre-K.  The ePortfolio is an innovative way to track student progress, show their learning, and create ownership of their work. The students’ ePortfolio will follow them throughout their educational career with the district.  

While creating the ePortfolio for our students, I am also suggesting that we implement the COVA method of Choice, Ownership, Voice, and Authentic learning method.  This method will instill a sense of pride within the students, and they could use this ePortfolio throughout their educational experience in our district.

By starting in Pre-K, they will start to develop the skills needed to create, build, expand, and reflect on their work.  Technology is ever-changing and we need to change with it to best serve our students.

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I believe the most significant challenge will be teaching 4 and 5 year olds the necessary technology skills needed along with their attention span.  They are able to complete small tasks in the center rotations, but having them remember to take a picture and tell us they want it on their site, will be a challenge.  We will have to help prompt them as well as assist them greatly in putting it on the site.

My classmates can help me by suggesting ways to improve upon my ideas and strategies.  We can work together by bouncing ideas off each other, sharing successes, and struggles along the way.  I welcome all suggestions from everyone. I will help my classmates by sharing my ideas, experiences, and challenges.  I am here to collaborate on elementary activities as well as be a sounding board for them.