MRVED Update - February 20, 2019

MRVED Business

Upcoming Meetings

February 21 - Teachers' Advisory Council
February 22 - Principals' Advisory Council
February 27 - Superintendents' Advisory Council

MRVED Did You Know

Did you know there are 9 school districts that are members of the Minnesota River Valley Education District?  The 9 school districts are Ortonville, Lac qui Parle Valley, Dawson-Boyd, Montevideo, Benson, Yellow Medicine East, Lakeview, Minneota, and Renville County West.  The MRVED serves over 600 teachers and and 5,800 students.

Science Standards - 2nd Draft & Comment Period

The second draft of the 2019 Minnesota K-12 Science Education Standards is now available. The public is invited to provide feedback on the standards during its Public Review and Comment Period, February 14-28, 2019.  The standards can be found on the MDE Science page (link below the article) and the online feedback form link can be found below as well.  Let your voice be heard.  The standards committee reads all feedback and makes adjustments to the standards accordingly.

MDE Science Page

Online Feedback Form

Tech Tip of the Week - All Sides

In the political climate of today, showing kids both sides of stories is important.  All Sides allows you to examine news headlines from all sides.  It will even tell you if the article is left or right leaning, or centered.  All Sides can be used as a great teaching tool to show bias in the media, and teaching kids to think critically while they read.  If you are not going to use it with your kids, take a look yourself and see how headlines and stories are spun based upon political bias.

Ditch That Textbook - Ditch That Mindset (Part 3)

This week we will look at chapters 19-22.  Again, this book is such a quick read and full of awesome ideas!  Below is simply my thoughts from these chapters, so please get Ditch That Textbook and read the chapters.  I can, by no means, do the book justice in my short couple paragraphs of a synopsis.

Matt Miller starts chapter 19 by talking about Daniel Pink's research on motivation.  You can see Pink's TED talk on Motivation on the TED website.  I have watched this TED talk numerous times and find something to take away from it every time.  Students need to feel as if they have a choice while learning.  This could be choice in the activities or even how they learn the new material.  Students must also see a purpose in why they need to learn something or do an activity.  If the purpose is simply to get the activity completed, that may not be enough motivation for many of your students.  Show them the purpose, talk about the purpose.  If you can't give them a good reason as to why you are doing something, then maybe you shouldn't be doing it.

Chapter 20 moves into embracing new technology.  Miller gives us a great quote in this chapter, he says, "Technology must be an inalienable right to students" (Miller, 112).  I love this quote and it really made me think.  Miller gives the example of a new technology that comes out in the medical field that can save lives or make surgery recovery quicker...we would INSIST our doctors learn the new technology.  I don't think we would give them a choice if they want to implement the latest device into their practice.  Yet, we do this as teachers.  Our students are INSISTING we use the latest technology to make their learning more relevant.

This idea of insisting we (teachers) learn new technology flows right into the premise of chapter 21.  YOU are your own best PD.  Miller talks about not waiting until the next staff PD day to learn or see how the new technology works.  Dig in and try to figure it out yourself.  YOU have the greatest minds at your fingertips with Twitter, the best tutorial videos imaginable on YouTube.  Not to mention, you probably have a classroom of 20+ "experts" in front of you every day!  YOU have full control over your own PD. YOU.  YOU.  YOU!

I get a little fired up over this topic.  Miller reaffirms many of the same thoughts I have about education, PD, and technology.  We are living in a day and age where we have access to SO much information, almost too much information.  There should be no reason in the world why we can't learn something new to be the best we can.  After all, our kids deserve your very best EVERY DAY!

MRVED Update - February 6, 2019

MRVED Business

Upcoming Meetings
February 13 - MRVED Board Meeting
February 21 - Teachers' Advisory Council
February 22 - Principals' Advisory Council
February 27 - Superintendents' Advisory Council

MRVED Did You Know: Why is the MELT Conference in January?

I was recently asked, "Why do you hold the MELT in January?"  The answer is simple, yet complicated.

There are 3 MRVED common days that fall within the school year.  One in the fall, winter, and spring.  The spring date is rather late to learn something new and implement it into your classroom, thus not a great time for an educational conference.  Plus, the SWWC Service Coop hosts their annual technology conference in the Spring and we would be competing for presenters.

The fall date, on paper, seems to be the best option.  Weather is better, it's early in the year, it coincides with MEA, etc...  However, taking a moment to think a little deeper about this date...it's so close to MEA (the day before), that many of the presenters from the cities are already presenting at MEA, on Thursday and Friday.  Also, the process of getting people to present takes about 3-4 months.  Presenters are sought after in September for the January conference.  If the conference was in October, it would mean June/July would be the time to solicit presenters...not really the best time to be contacting teachers :-)  With those two reasons alone, holding a conference in October, would present MANY obstacles to getting people to present.

In a nutshell, January seems to be the ideal time to hold the MELT.

8 Ways Teachers and Schools Can Communicate with Parents in 2019

I came across this great blog post by Kathleen Morris on 8 Ways Teachers and Schools Can Communicate with Parents in 2019.  Not only does the post provide ideas, but it gives actual examples as well.  So, if you are looking for different ways to communicate with your parents, this is the article for you.

Tech Tip - CollabraCam

CollabraCam is an iPad app that allows the user to see up to six other iOS cameras at one time.  It would be a great thing to incorporate into a class field trip or project.  You can then take the footage and edit it together for an awesome video montage.  The app costs $4.99 and is only available on Apple.  There are many uses for this from Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Ditch That Textbook - Ditch That Mindset (Part 2 - Chapter 14-18)

I've said it every week.  Ditch That Textbook is great playbook for your classroom.  Matt Miller provides so many GREAT ideas, not only for your students, but for you as a professional educator as well.  These next five chapters are about a variety of things, so once again, I will provide a short snippet of my learning from the book.

Chapter 14 talks about giving students control.  I love the analogy Miller provides about our students are just like tenants that rent a house.  Tenants simply live in the space and usually do nothing to improve that space, because there is no ownership.  Our students are the same way in the classroom.  They are tenants in our classrooms.  How do we get them to see ownership in the classroom and do something with their learning?  We have to make it real for them.  We have to get them invested into their learning.

Miller then goes on to talk about how we use our time.  He references Andy Stanley's sermon on "Choosing to Cheat".  If you have about 30 minutes, and don't mind a few religious pieces included, I highly recommend going to YouTube and finding the sermon.  In it he talks about how we choose to spend our 24 hours and often times find ourselves cheating the ones we love and care about out of time.  A teacher's' life is hard and busy.  Between teaching, correcting, lesson planning, coaching, supervising, meetings, etc... our hours can fill VERY quickly.  Pastor Stanley states in his sermon that "sometimes we need to give up on the good things we are doing to make way for great things".  Think about that quote for a minute.  It really hit home for me personally.

Miller also talks about being a connected educator and sharing the things that you do.  So often, especially in our small rural schools, we can become our own silos.  There are so many people that are willing to help and share, if you know where to look.  Find a platform for connectedness that works for you.  For many this might be Twitter or Facebook, but there are blogs, YouTube channels, Instagram, etc... for you to take advantage of as well.  If you don't think you have time for it, try it for 2 weeks and see if it works for you.  If you find value in it, you will make time for it.  Once you get comfortable becoming connected, learn how to share.  There is someone out there that can benefit from what you are doing or what you have to say.

MRVED Update - January 23, 2019

MRVED Business

January 23, 2019  Superintendents' Council

January 25, 2019  Principals' Council - CANCELLED

February 1, 2019    Title III Teachers

February 13, 2019  MRVED Board (6 p.m.)

February 21, 2019  TAC

February 22, 2019  Principals' Council

February 27, 2019  Superintendents' Council

MELT Recap
Once again we couldn't fully escape the cold and snow, but overall it was a great day of learning.  Around 650 educators participated in the day and great collaboration occurred all day.  The MRVED would like to once again thank Lac qui Parle Valley for being such a great host.  The custodial staff does a fabulous job in preparing the building for 650 people and the kitchen staff prepares a wonderful meal for everyone.  Dave works hard to make sure all the technology is up and running not only throughout the day, but spends a couple hours the weekend prior getting everything ready.  Thank you to the administration and staff for allowing all the educators in your building.  It's not easy coming back into your classroom at the end of the day to see it torn apart.  The MELT committee thanks everyone and even those not mentioned.

MELT Evaluation
The MRVED hopes that all your MELT experience was a great one.  There were some awesome sessions presented throughout the whole day.  Please take a moment to fill out the MELT 2019 Evaluation.  Any and all feedback is appreciated.  The MRVED Teacher Advisory Committee (TAC) looks over the evaluations and makes adjustments to the day based upon the feedback.  The MRVED Principals and Superintendents also look over the evaluations.

MELT Evaluation

Rethinking Time in Schools

This past week I read a Tweet that asked the question, "What if our schools rethought the idea of time and scheduling?  What would it look like in your school?"  This really made me think and I started researching alternative scheduling in schools.  I came across this article on Reimagining the School Day by Meg Benner and Lisette Partelow from the Center for American Progress.  The article provides examples from elementary, to middle school, to high school.  I also stumbled upon this interesting resource as well. unlockingtime.org.  I think school schedules would be a neat PLC topic to investigate.  How do schedules impact student learning?

Testing 1,2,3 From MDE

Testing 1,2,3 is created by the Minnesota Department of Education as a resource to help district better utilize the data they are given.  The quote from the website is this:

"Test data is an effective tool for informing instruction. This website is designed to help teachers harness that data by providing helpful ways to understand, interpret and ultimately use test data in the classroom."

A quick browse through the website will give you a better idea of what it is all about.  This site has been in the works for the past couple years and brings many different aspects of MDE's website into one spot.  Bookmark it today!

Tech Tip of the Week - Tilt Brush by Google

In the "this is unbelievable" category, the Tilt Brush by Google is AWESOME!  The Tilt Brush allows you to paint in 3D.  The Tilt Brush itself is not too expensive, but the 3D goggles can get to be a bit expensive.  Check to see if your school has a pair of 3D goggles and then you will want to check out and purchase a Tilt Brush.  Imagine putting this in the hands of our kids and the things they can create!

Ditch That Textbook - Part 2 (Chapter 8-13) Ditch That Mindset

Last time we looked at the first part on "Why Go Digital" in the book Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.  If you still have not gotten the book, I highly, highly, suggest it!  There are SO many great ideas in this book, it really can help you transform your teaching.

We will now look at chapters 8-13 in the section titled "Ditch That Mindset".  Miller talks about a variety of things in these chapters so I'll do my best to summarize my learning.

Miller talks about making learning personal for kids.  Find a way to connect the content to something relevant in their world.  There are many parallels we can make in almost every content area.  Think about events in their worlds such as, birthday parties, prom, homecoming, jump rope for heart, etc...  Anytime you can personalize learning and connect real-life to content, kids tend to retain that information better.  It also makes learning interesting for kids.

Chapter 9 talks about making learning fun. Miller mentions the works of Dave Burgess, which the MRVED had the awesome opportunity to see this past fall.  Basically, do what you can to involve your kids in the learning and make it fun for them.  Think how boring life would be if school wasn't fun!

Miller continues to talk about building relationships with kids.  He mentions that some days you do need to be a kids friend because you are all he/she has.  Building positive relationships with kids really does make everything else in the book so much easier.  If kids respect and trust you, they will take risks with you.  They will help you when you fail.  They will encourage you, much like you encourage them.

The last part to these chapters talks about integrating the technology.  Chapters 12 & 13 go hand-in-hand with what I have been talking about the past five years.  Choose task over tool and utilize the SAMR model.  I compare the task over tool portion to the "Golden Why" by Simon Sinek with the learning objective in the middle as the "why" the tasks in the second ring as the "how" and the tools on the outside as the "what".  Lesson plan from the inside out...What is my learning goal?  Then, what task do I need to do to accomplish that goal?  Lastly, what tool will I use to accomplish both.

MRVED Update - January 9, 2019

MRVED Meetings

January 11, 2019 - Title III Paras
January 21, 2019 - MELT
January 23, 2019 - Superintendents' Council
January 25, 2019 - Principals' Council

NOTE:  Gloria Stotesbery has resigned and Mary Brown will be filling in until we rehire for the position.  Should you have any questions or needs, please email Karen Jacobson (kjacobson@mrved.net) or Brandon Raymo (braymo@mrved.net).

MELT Information

The MELT will soon be here.  An email will be sent in the next week with all of the details of the day.

MRVED Region Map

Someone recently asked a really good question; "How big is the MRVED?".  Below is a link to a map of the MRVED region as well as a spreadsheet that provides information about distance between the MRVED school districts.

MRVED Region Map
Spreadsheet of Distance

MRVED region - Google My Maps

MRVED region

Tech Tip of the Week - Microsoft Translator

It's been all Google the past couple years, so it's time to take a look at an innovative piece of technology from Microsoft.  Microsoft Translator is a website and app that does exactly what it says, it translates.  The technology in the translator website/app is really amazing and has awesome reviews.  If you are in need of a translator, or teach a foreign language, check it out and let me know how well it works.

Ditch That Textbook - Part 1, Why Go Digital

If you have not picked up your copy of Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller yet, do so today.  It is a great read and one that you will find picking up time and time again.  There are so many great ideas in this book that you will want to keep it close by when lesson planning.  Matt Miller also has a blog/website for Ditch That Textbook (DTT) that has even more great ideas!

My synopsis, by no means should take the place of reading the book.  These are simply my thoughts, ideas, and questions about the chapters as I read the book.

Part 1 of the book is a super-quick read and lays the groundwork for why we need to change the way we "do" education.  It's also the reason why we need to "ditch the textbook" and go digital.  I won't go chapter by chapter through part 1, but will share my thoughts over the whole part.

The question that I kept asking myself as I read this part was: Are we really preparing our kids to be successful in the world in which they are going to work?  Our industrial model of education needs to change.  There is a disconnect from what our kids are going to do for work/life and what they are learning in school.  I'm not talking about the content we are teaching our kids (math, science, social studies, reading, etc...), I'm talking about the disconnect with other skills.  Miller says it best, "A disconnect exists between what the workforce wants from graduates and what schools teach them to be and do.  Math, science, social studies, and English are important, but employers are also looking for communication, digital literacy, problem-solving, and creative-thinking skills (Miller, 43).

Miller also made me think when he talks about comparing our educational experience as a child to that of the children we are teaching.  Even a 1st year teacher, fresh out of college, had a vastly different elementary experience than that of our kids today.  Miller talks about, and I can vividly remember, taking the walk to the computer lab for your 45 minutes of computer time for the week and playing Oregon Trail, Number Munchers, or printing large banners on an archaic word processor.  Our kids today don't have to leave the classroom to go to the mystical world of the computer lab.  They don't even have to have "computer time".  They can pull out their device right in the comfort of their own classroom and access a million times more information than we could have even dreamed of during our 45 minutes of "computer time".  Stop and think for a moment about everything our kids today have access to that we didn't as kids.
Kids today can:

• Video chat with an astronaut in outer space
• Watch actual footage of the JFK assassination or the moon landing
• Research any question they have within seconds
• Create multimedia presentations in a day

This list could go on and on and on.  Sure, we had access to actual footage of the JFK assassination, but think about what it took in order to watch it.  We would need to go to a library, look up where the video is located in the library in the card catalog, locate the video, locate a player and TV that could play the video, then rewind or fast forward to the part we wanted to see.  All this is assuming our library even had a video on the JFK assassination, because if they didn't, we would have to request it from a neighboring library.  Then we would have to wait at least a week to get the tape.  Our kids today can go to YouTube and find the actual footage in less than 30 seconds.  Think about that access and what it has done in how we can educate our kids.  Amazing!

 I'm really looking forward to reading the next couple chapters as Matt Miller will fill our toolbox and arm us with ideas to teach the kids of today.  Come along on the journey with me.  In the next update, we'll look at Part 2 - Ditch That Mindset, chapters 8-13.

MRVED Update - December 5, 2018

MRVED Business

MELT Registration

MELT registration opened on December 5.  The deadline to register is 4 pm on December 19th.  Reminder to register EARLY as sessions do fill up.

IF YOU WILL BE HOSTING A STUDENT TEACHER THIS SPRING PLEASE FORWARD REGISTRATION INFORMATION TO THEM PLEASE.

MELT 2019 Brochure

MELT 2019 REGISTRATION LINK 

Upcoming Meetings

December 13, 2018 TAC

December 14, 2018 Principals’ Council

December 19, 2018 Superintendents’ Council

January 11, 2019 Title III Paras
January 21, 2019 MELT
January 23, 2019 Superintendents
January 25, 2019 Principals

The Future of College Entrance Exams

U.S. News and World Report recently published a story on the future of college entrance exams.  The story talks about how some colleges are no longer requiring the ACT or SAT exam for entrance.  It's a trend we have been hearing about for the past couple years that seems to be taking hold.  There is concerns over whether the tests measure college readiness and are not equitable for all students.  This really is a great article for anyone in education to read, especially if you have children of your own going off to college in the next couple years.

#TIES18

Don't forget to follow the #TIES18 hashtag on Twitter to follow along with the great conversation at the annual TIES technology conference in the cities.  This hashtag is a great place to find session resources, ideas, interesting tidbits, etc...  I know I'll be following along!  Even though the event is over, you can still search the hashtag and see what people shared during the conference.

Tech Tip of the Week - GeoGuessr

This tech tool is for anyone with a love of Geography, or simply likes a good challenge.  GeoGuessr can be a single player or multiplayer game.  The point of the game is to be able to guess where you are on the Earth.  You get placed somewhere on the globe in Google Street View and have to utilize the images to make an educated guess as to where you are.  The closer you guess to the actual place, the more points you get.  This is a great addition to any geography class, or simply an activity to do with your class if you need to pass some time.

Ditch That Textbook

Earlier this year, I highlighted a book and blog titled, Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.  Starting after Christmas break, we will begin examining different sections of Ditch That Textbook, much like we did with Teach Like a Pirate.  I highly suggest purchasing this book and following along.  It's an awesome playbook to go back to time and time again for your classroom.  Ditch That Textbook is not a book you will read once and put away, you'll find yourself going back to it for ideas.

Order the book today.

MRVED Update - November 21, 2018

MRVED Business

The annual MELT is fast approaching and the MRVED has been busy making arrangements for the big day. The MELT will be held on January 21, 2019 at the LQPV High School.  Registration will open on December 5th and it will close on December 19th. Please remember to register early as sessions will fill up fast! There are new sessions offered this year as well as some popular sessions from years past.  Some groups will also have the opportunity to network.

Registration
Last year we sent out the MELT brochure a couple days prior to sending the registration link.  This allowed people to set their schedule and read through the descriptions prior to registering.  This seemed to work really well.  The process will be the same this year.  The brochure will come to you on Monday, December 3 from your Principal.  The link to register will come to you on Wednesday, morning from your Principal.  Principals, look for this information from Gloria please.

We cannot stress enough the importance of registering as early as possible.  Some sessions fill really fast, therefore the later you are in registering, the greater the risk of not being able to get into those sessions.

Upcoming Meetings

November 28, 2018  Superintendents’ Council

December 7, 2018 Title III Teachers

December 12, 2018  MRVED Board (6 p.m.)

December 13, 2018 TAC

December 14, 2018 Principals’ Council

December 19, 2018 Superintendents’ Council

January 11, 2019 Title III Paras
January 21, 2019 MELT
January 23, 2019 Superintendents
January 25, 2019 Principals

Minnesota Standards Updates (Physical Education & Science)

Developing a Shared Understanding of the 2018 Physical Education Standards and Benchmarks 2019 Training Schedule

In this training, actions and resources are recommended to help educator teams* develop a shared understanding of the 2018 Minnesota physical education standards and benchmarks, and initiate the curriculum review process. By attending this training, participants will develop a shared understanding of:

• The 2018 Minnesota K-12 Physical Education Standards and Grade-Level Benchmarks
• The shifts that drove changes in the standards
• The knowledge, skills and rigor represented in the learning progressions in the benchmarks within and across grade levels
• The curriculum review process and action planning as part of a continuous review cycle

*It is highly recommended that physical educators attend this training in school district teams.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. Training is from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants are asked to bring a brown bag lunch and beverages.

There is no cost to attend these trainings, but registration is required. Please register individually, even if attending as part of a school team.

To register, click below on the training you wish to attend.

Monday, January 14, 2019 - Minnesota Department of Education, Roseville, MN

Tuesday, January 15, 2019 - Minnesota Department of Education, Roseville, MN

Wednesday, January 23, 2019 - Metro Service Cooperative, Arden Hills, MN

Wednesday, January 30, 2019 - Minnesota Department of Education, Roseville, MN

Thursday, February 7, 2019 - Sourcewell-MN (formerly NJPA), Staples, MN

Tuesday, February 26, 2019 - Lake County Service Cooperative, Fergus Falls, MN

Thursday, March 21, 2019 - SW/WC Service Cooperative, Marshall, MN

Friday, March 29, 2019 - Resource and Training Solutions, Sartell, MN

Tuesday, April 30, 2019 - South Central Service Cooperative, North Mankato, MN

Friday, May 3, 2019 - Southeast Service Cooperative, Rochester, MN

Tuesday, May 7, 2019 - Northeast Service Cooperative, Mountain Iron, MN

Thursday, May 9, 2019 - Northwest Service Cooperative, Thief River Falls, MN

Tuesday, May 21, 2019 - Winona State University, Winona, MN

https://education.mn.gov/mde/dse/mde075000

1st Draft of the New Science Standards

Provide Feedback on the First Draft!

The first draft of the revised Minnesota K-12 Science Education Standards-2019 is now available (see below). The public is invited to provide feedback during its Public Review and Comment Period, November 9-26, 2018. Submit your feedback using the online form, or attend one of the Town Hall meetings (all have already been held) and provide your feedback in person.

Contact Terry Alvarado to request a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event. Please note: The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) requires a two-week advance notice to provide accommodations and 48-hour notice to cancel the request.

The date by which all schools must implement the new standards will be determined during the rulemaking process.

For more information about the standards review process, contact John Olson 651-582-8673.

2019 K-12 Science Standards First Draft

ReMoved

I came across this short film series entitled ReMoved.  It's a story, from the kids perspective, about being placed into foster care and then going through having a brother adopted.  It's a very touching short story, and one that will make you think about how trauma affects our kids.  If you have 30 minutes, give both parts a watch today, it is well worth it!

ReMoved - Part 1

ReMoved - Part 2

Teach Like a Pirate - Part III Building a Better Pirate & Conclusion

Part III of Teach Like a Pirate provides us with a challenge to be better, tips on how to get started, and advice to surround ourselves with positive people.

My biggest takeaway out of Part III  was in the chapter Where do I start? Burgess talks about the five most common reasons why we never get started with something.

1. The fear of failure - people won't start something if there is a chance they can fail.  We don't have to embrace failure, but we can learn from it and not be afraid of it.  He uses the example of if a lesson fails, nobody dies, it's OK.  You are a teacher, not a brain surgeon, failure is OK in our world!

2. Believing you have to figure it all out before you begin - In reflection on my own life, this is a tough one for me.  I want to know everything before I start something.  I have worked hard in my personal and professional life to fix this attitude of mine.

3. Perfectionism - Some people wait for the "perfect" time to start something.  It goes back to the analogy from one of the previous chapters about creative people walking around getting "struck" by brilliant ideas.  If we wait for the perfect moment to strike, we'll never get started.

4. Lack of Focus - It's all about prioritization.  Being able to prioritize the truly important things in our lives, and not allowing the small things to take up the majority of our time.  We lose focus on what truly is important.

5. Fear of Criticism and Ridicule - Starting something new is not only different for you, but different for the people around you.  The people around you might not be ready for the change, don't let those people get in your way of progress.

Conclusion
Teach Like a Pirate is a book chalk full of strategies you can implement in your classroom tomorrow.  You don't have to be a great performer like Burgess to take the strategies and implement them into your classroom.  I felt the book was much deeper than just the strategies though.  One of the biggest "aha" moments for me was really thinking deeply about ALL aspects of the lesson plan.  The analogy of the BBQ is spot on, we have to bring all elements to the table on every single day in order to have a successful BBQ.

The other part of this book that really got me thinking was the aspect of presentation.  In the chapter about the 3 circles, Burgess is absolutely correct.  We spend so much of our professional development time on best practices and content, but never focus on the actual presentation of the material.  Without proper presentation, there is no engagement, without engagement, there is no learning.  This book made me think more deeply on how I do my own professional development.  How do I engage the learners in the audience?  How do I make my content sizzle?  Do I bring enough passion and energy to the table every day?