MRVED Update

MRVED MELT 2018 Call for Presentation Proposals

The MRVED Educators Learning Together (MELT) conference will be held at Lac qui Parle Valley High School on January 15, 2018. To help make this conference the best ever, we need your help. The MRVED is looking for enthusiastic people willing to present on something great happening in your classroom. This can be anything from Google Drive to differentiation techniques in your classroom. Technology or no technology proposals are welcome. Presenters will be paid a small stipend for your work. You may submit as many presentation proposals as you wish.

We are especially looking for any Pre-K teachers willing to present!


**By filling out this form you are not committing to presenting, just providing the MRVED with your name and topic.**
2018 Call for Presentation Proposals Link

October 18 Information

The October 18, 2017 day of professional development is set up slightly different this year.  It is being held at two different locations, the Kilowatt Center and Yellow Medicine East High School, both in Granite Falls.

Administrators have designated PLC leaders from their district who will attend an all day Solution Tree training at the Kilowatt Center in Granite Falls.  Your agenda is as follows:

7:15 - 7:55 a.m.     Coffee and rolls

8:00 a.m. - Noon    Solution Tree training

​12:00 - 12:30 p.m.  Catered lunch

12:30 - 3:00 p.m.    Solution Tree training continues

​Please note that your start and ending times are different then the teachers who are attending at the Yellow Medicine East high school.  You start earlier and end later.

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The remaining staff will be attending a day of professional development at Yellow Medicine East High School.  Your agenda is as follows:

8:00 - 8:35 a.m.  Coffee, juice, cinnamon rolls, yogurt in the YME gym

In the morning you will be split into 2 groups.  One group will attend Kayla Delzer's presentation first and then attend a breakout session.  The 2nd group will do the opposite.

8:40 - 10:20 a.m. Kayla Delzer presentation or breakout session

10:30 - Noon        Kayla Delzer presentation or breakout session

12:00 - 12:50 p.m. Lunch provided by YME Food Service

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.     District time - your district will be planning the afternoon portion of this day.

Only staff attending at Yellow Medicine East High School need to register.  Registration closes this Friday, October 6 at midnight.  Any questions on registration, contact Mary Brown at mbrown@mrved.net or 320-269-9297.

For those of you attending the PLC training, we are videotaping Kayla Delzer's presentation and will be posting it on a private youtube site.  Your district will receive information on how to access this presentation.

Tech Tip of the Week - PBS Learning Media

PBS Learning Media is THE destination for high-quality, trusted digital content and solutions that inspire students and transform learning. Developed in partnership with the WGBH Educational Foundation and supported by public media stations nationwide, PBS LearningMedia engages educators and learners at all levels with content from America’s #1 Educational Media Brand.

There are over 100,000 resources in this database for ALL grade levels.  From documents, to short video clips, to actual lesson plans and activities.  PBS Learning Media is a rich, FREE resource for any classroom!

Fire Prevention Week Resources

Fire Prevention Week is observed October 8-14 this year.  The theme is "Every Second Counts, Plan 2 Ways Out".  The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has some excellent resources to share with your classroom and with your community.  Even if you don't bring any of this into your classroom, it is good information for you and your family.

Innovator's Mindset

We continue our series on The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros.  This week we will talk about Chapter 2, which is titled, The Innovator's Mindset.

Couros starts by talking about one of the most impactful books I have ever read, Mindset by Carol Dweck.  Before I started the book, I anticipated, due to the title, Couros would bring Dweck's work into the conversation.  Dweck talked about the difference between a fixed and growth mindset.  With a growth mindset the learner believes that with hard work and practice you can learn anything.  Your intelligence is not "fixed", you are capable of learning anything.

Combine the definition of a growth mindset with that of what it means to be an innovator and you get someone that believes that they can learn anything and develop something that is new or better.  With this combination, you get the Innovator's Mindset.

Couros also talks about failure in this chapter.  He talks about failure being part of the innovation process, but cautions against focusing too much on failure.  Couros says, "Having the freedom to fail is important to innovation.  But even more important to the process are the traits of resiliency and grit."  This is so important!  Nobody will ever remember you for the 1,000 failures you have, they remember you for the 1 time you got it right.  The innovator still needs to persevere through the process and succeed.

Couros mentions many other things in this chapter, but I highly suggest you purchase the book and follow along.  Couros will be our keynote speaker for the common day this Spring!