MRVED Update - November 10, 2021

MRVED Business

MRVED Meetings

November 12, 2021 - Title III Teachers (Virtual)

November 18, 2021 - Teachers' Advisory Council and Principals' Council

November 19, 2021 - Title III Paraprofessionals

November 24, 2021 - Superintendents' Council

MELT Networking Facilitator Sign-Up

The MRVED is looking for people to be facilitators of networking sessions for MELT 2022. As a facilitator, you are not expected to be the expert or present on anything. Your job is to facilitate the meeting. Start and end the session on time and keep people positive. You will also have the ability to email the group prior to MELT to gather ideas and plan for the hour. Sign-up link is listed below.

NEW THIS YEAR: Networking facilitators will be paid a $100 stipend. Facilitators will also get priority registration for the MELT to ensure they get into the sessions they need and want.

Please sign-up by the end of the day November 19, 2021.

**Please note: Any networking group that does not have a facilitator, will NOT be held.**

MELT 2022 Networking Facilitator Sign-up

Resources

PBS Learning Media

PBS Learning Media is a great resource when looking for lessons & videos on a variety of topics. You can search by subject, grade level, or standard. Teachers have access to 1,000's of lessons and videos ranging from PreK to 12th grade. From Sid the Science kid to a Ken Burns documentary. From science, to reading to physical education. There is something here for everyone. There is so much in this database, you could get lost for hours searching. Everything PBS does is of high quality. Check it out today!

Professional Learning

2021 Learning Forward Annual Conference

One positive aspect to living in a COVID world is the ability to tap into high quality workshops virtually. The 2021 Learning Forward Annual Conference will be virtual this year December 5-7, 2021. Learning Forward has keynote and breakout sessions from some of the best & top minds in education. Breakout sessions from people like Thomas Guskey, Michael Fullan, and Jim Knight are just some of the few you can have access to. Registration is roughly $200 per day. Considering it would cost a district around $2000 per person to send someone to a National conference, $200 is a great deal. Registration for the conference can be found on the conference homepage linked above. If you don't feel you can make the conference, but want to see what people are saying about it, follow along on Twitter with #LearnFwd21.

Book Study

The Power of Positive Leadership - Chapters 7 & 8

I don't know about you, but reading this book a 2nd time has given me the ability to see so many things I didn't catch the first time. If this is your first time through the book, I highly suggest reading it a 2nd time with a pencil and highlighter in hand and marking up the book. If you don't have The Power of Positive Leadership by Jon Gordon yet, you won't be disappointed! It's a quick read, and you will have plenty of time to get caught up to where we are.

Chapter 7 is on uniting people and chapter 8 is all about relationships. I've had one thing stick with me throughout the reading of these two chapters. Jon Gordon says, "You can be the smartest person in the room, but if you fail to connect with others you will fail as a leader" (Gordon, 89). You can own all the businesses you want, but if you don't make connections & build relationships with the people, eventually you will have nothing. Many of the leaders that fail to connect with people are also the same people that put themselves before the team. Gordon calls it the "disease of me" (Gordon, 90) and it infects everyone in the organization. These type of "leaders" are easy to spot. They gloat about what they have, they are more concerned about money and fame, others in the organization don't like to be around them, & they often see themselves as great leaders.

Connection is so important, Jon Gordon says, "The more connected you are, the more committed you become" (Gordon, 91). If you, as a leader are connected to your people, they feel connected to the organization, and therefore will be committed to the mission and vision of the organization. Bottom line is that people are committed and loyal to other people. I'm not committed and loyal to a brand or organization...I'm loyal to my leader. We see this in action when a leader moves on in an organization and is replaced by someone that might have a different vision. Often times we see other people choose to leave the organization when the leader goes.

Chapter 8 is about relationships. As educators we know full-well the importance of relationships. Jon Gordon's first couple sentences of this chapter really resonated with me, "The first step in uniting people and being a leader is not saying, "Follow me." It's being someone your team wants to follow" (Gordon, 101). He then goes on to say, "...if you are not someone people want to follow, they are not getting on your bus. People follow the leader first and their vision second" (Gordon, 101). Reflecting back on my own life, I have had leaders in my life say "follow me", and I've thought to myself, "absolutely not!". Why is that? I don't trust you? I don't see your vision? You don't care if I'm there or not?

What does that tell us? A leader is someone that has earned the trust of the people they lead. They truly care for people. And they can clearly articulate their vision. To earn the trust of people, they truly need to feel you care for their well-being. So often I hear the phrase, "everyone is replaceable". Yes, this statement is true. However, why would I say that if I truly cared for you and valued you as an employee and individual. If people can feel you care for them, trust can be built. The feelings need to be genuine and real.

The last part of this chapter that really sunk in for me was the section on service. Gordon says, "A team feels a leader's commitment when the leader takes the time to serve them" (Gordon, 119). This is so true! I had a conversation with someone recently and the comment was, "He needs to become the president of the company so people can start serving him." I was appalled by this comment, even before reading this chapter. Getting a promotion shouldn't mean less work and less service, it should actually be more! It's the disease of me versus we. I'm curious to see how long this person either stays in power, or the company survives.

Think About:

1. Have you ever had a leader with the "disease of me"? How did that make you feel?

2. Can you name an example of a leader that really values relationships?

MRVED Update - February 24, 2021

MRVED Business

Upcoming Meetings

February 24, 2021 - Superintendents' Council

March 12, 2021 - Title III Paraprofessional 

April 1st Common Inservice Day

With warmer weather on the horizon, April 1st will be here before we know it. The MRVED will continue to work towards our Social Emotional Learning goals for our common days. Since we can't all come together again, the MRVED is creating a website that will include SEL activities, as well as a handful of webinars that teachers can watch with specific discussion questions. Teachers are encouraged to utilize the activities and/or videos in groups (PLC, Grade Level, Content Area). There are some excellent, high quality activities, and videos for teachers to access. Look for the website roughly a week prior to the event.

Also, as part of the April 1st date, the MRVED will be piloting an idea to try to effectively collaborate amongst our districts from a distance. The collaborative time will take place between 10:00-12:00 on April 1st. Instead of the MRVED controlling which virtual platform will be used, we are leaving that up to the teachers who wish to start a collaborative meeting. Teachers will have the power to decide what and when they want to collaborate, all you have to do is place a video call link into the document listed below. Please have your collaborative group and link listed on the document no later than Friday, March 26 at 3:00 PM.

If you wish to collaborate around a certain topic, or grade level, or even content area, please sign-up using the document linked below. 

Collaboration Zone Sign-Up

Look for more information from your district pertaining to a schedule for the day. The SEL videos and activities can take place at any time during the day or even after. The Collaboration Zone will take place from 10:00-12:00 on April 1st.

Updates

MN Social Studies Standards Update

Since releasing the first working draft of the social studies standards in December, the Minnesota Department of Education has received significant feedback from throughout Minnesota. To provide time to review all of the public comments, the department is building more time into the process of revising the standards. The Social Studies Standards Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 2, is canceled. The second draft of Social Studies Standards will be published later this spring. This will provide the time needed to thoroughly review the feedback received. The next Social Studies Standards Committee meeting will be held Thursday, March 25. Watch the social studies standards page for updates on the Social Studies Standards revision process, future public comment periods, and meetings. With the extended time period to provide time for feedback, review and revision, the final draft of the standards will not be completed until fall of 2021.

There are also two bills working their way through the MN House and Senate. One calls for the complete disbandment of the committee, while the other calls for a halt in activities until next year. There was also a bill introduced to completely stop ALL standards review. It is not known at the moment if any of these bills has enough support to make it to the Governor.

Online Relicensure Webinars

With the cancellation of MELT, I have had a handful of teachers contact me looking for places to watch webinars to meet relicensure requirements. Be mindful of any "free" professional development websites. Many are filled with advertisements and/or not good quality. I have been recommending the following resources:

ASCD - ASCD is one of the leaders in professional development for education.

MDE - Minnesota Department of Education offers training on a variety of topics throughout the year.

Learning Forward - Need to be a member to access, but membership is not too expensive

Always check with your local continuing education committee to ensure the webinars meet your local requirements.

Resources

Relationship Article

Many of our students are back in the classroom. One of the most prominent phrases I hear from teachers is, "The kids are so happy to back with their classmates." You can really tell the kids lacked peer to peer relationships throughout distance learning. Now that most are back, we also need to remember those that continue with distance learning. How are we creating relationships with those students? How are we helping foster the peer to peer relationships. Edutopia provided a great article by Liz Kolb, titled A Focus on Relationships When Students Aren't Together. The article provides some good activities for teachers to reach those students at ta distance. Give it a read today!

Editing Videos in Google Slides

I was recently asked about how to shorten a video that is stored in Google Drive. There are different options for this. You can upload the video to YouTube and use the YouTube studio editor. You could also use another web application like WeVideo. While researching the topic more, I also found another way to edit Google Drive videos; use Google Slides! Check out this post from Jeffrey Bradbury on how to do it. Sometimes the most complicated problems have the simplest solutions.

MRVED Update - March 28, 2018

Mary's Retirement Bash

Please join the MRVED staff on Friday, April 6th from 2:00 - 5:00 as we celebrate the retirement of Mary Brown.  Mary is retiring on April 6th from the MRVED after 24 years of service to the organization.  Please come wish her well in her retirement and offer your appreciation for the many years of service.  Refreshments will be served.

Mary Brown Retirement Flyer

MRVED Business

March 29 Information. The next MRVED Common Day is on March 29. It is going to be held in Dawson at the Dawson-Boyd School and George Couros is the keynote speaker. George Couros is the author of  The Innovator's Mindset. There will be over 500 staff attending on March 29. The schedule for the day looks like this:

8:00- Breakfast-compliments of the administrators
9-9:45- District Time-Staff Prep for George Couros
10-11:45-George Couros Keynote Speaker
11:45-12:30-Lunch
12:30-1:30-Elementary meet w/ George Couros
                   Secondary in District time
1:30-2:30-Secondary meet w/ George Couros

                 Elementary in District Time

Upcoming Meetings

March 2018
March 29, 2018     George Couros (Common Day)

April 2018
April 11, 2018  MRVED Board (Executive Committe prior to this mtg)-NEW DATE
April 20, 2018  Title III Teachers
April 25, 2018   Superintendent's Council

May 2018
May 23, 2018    Superintendent's Council

Unleashing the Positive Power of Differences with Dr. Jane Kise

Learning Forward MN is offering a workshop with Dr. Jane Kise.

Learn to examine new initiatives and strategies to manage polarities, which are conflicting sets of values that, over time, benefit from interacting with each other. Understand how to map the values and concerns of various stakeholders. Experience using that information to plan professional development, determine action steps, and identify potential implementation imbalances. Hear how polarity thinking minimizes pendulum swings in policies by addressing competing needs and setting common goals.

When: Friday May 4, 2018
8:30 am - 2:30 pm
Where: Roseville Skating Center
2661 Civic Center Drive
Roseville, MN 55113
Cost: $150 includes workshop, light breakfast, lunch and book

Registration Link

Tech Tip of the Week - Rocketbook

Rocketbook has been featured in the past.  Since the last time it was featured, there have been numerous updates to the app.  Rocketbook is "smart" notebook.  It allows the user to use the camera on their device to scan in a page of written notes.  The user can then interact with the written notes digitally and send them to a digital home.  There are different notebook options to choose from, one notebook requires a microwave to clear, whereas the others require moisture or dry-erase.  It really is a cool product, check it out today!

Rocketbook Website

The Innovator's Mindset - Chapter 13 & 14 & Wrap Up

We will wrap up the book The Innovator's Mindset by George Couros one day before Couros is set to be with MRVED teachers.  It's set to be a great day of learning and conversation.  Couros will make you laugh, cry, and reflect all in the same breath.

Chapter 13 & 14 Recap - Are We There Yet? & The Biggest Barrier and "Game Changer" to Innovation in Education
As I read chapter 13, I was reminded yet again that a standardized test can only measure certain things and not necessarily measure the things that Couros mentions in his book.  Yes, the test can measure how we are doing in math, science, and reading, but it can't measure creativity or the ability to problem solve.  Couros suggests surveying the students and asking these 3 questions:
1. Do you consider yourself as a successful, contributing member of society?
2. Why did you give the answer above?
3. What impact do you think school had on your answers?

You won't get a nice pie chart or visual graphic of these answers to measure, but the answers will tell you what you really want to know.  Did your schooling contribute to being an active member of society?  If one really thinks about it, do you ever look at someone and say, "boy, he's really bad at science.", probably not!  But we have looked at someone and wondered what role they play in society.  This little example should tell us what we value more as a society, and that maybe what our schools value and what society values are misaligned.

To get realigned we need a mindset shift - thus The Innovator's Mindset.  We need to create a culture in our schools that value the 8 characteristics of the innovator's mindset.  We need to let our legislature know what it is we value.  We also need to allow the pendulum to swing back from the focus on standardized test to creativity and problem solving.

Chapter 14 is a continuation of chapter 13, but does a nice job of summing up the book.  In chapter 14 Couros writes, "If we only teach students the curriculum, we have failed them. (Couros 223).  Insisting that there is more to school than just learning "the facts", there is a hidden curriculum.  This "hidden curriculum" is the 8 characteristics of the innovator's mindset that we have a difficult time measuring.

One of the most telling paragraphs in this book comes at the bottom of page 226.  Couros talks about a new app that came out and some people only focus on barriers of the new app, where others see the new app as an opportunity.  My favorite quote follows, "You choose your perspective.  It's okay to ask questions.  Just make sure your questions aren't really excuses in disguise." (Couros 226-27).

In closing the book, I will leave you with one last quote, "...the biggest barrier to innovation is our own way of thinking.  I am also reminded of the biggest game changer - and it isn't technology.  The biggest game changers in education are, and always will be, the educators who embrace the innovator's mindset." (Couros 227)

Growing Professionally

Growing Professionally

Are you looking for a way to grow professionally.  Here is a list of some organizations and websites that can help you learn about a variety of topics.  In most cases, membership to these organization is fairly reasonable or offer a portion for free.  If you are not a member, check out any conferences they organize.

• Learning Forward
• Learning Forward MN
• ASCD
• ASCD MN
• Edutopia
• PBS TeacherLine

Fall Conference Opportunities

Jim Knight- High Impact Instruction

Date: September 26, 2013
Topic: High Impact Instruction

Learning Forward Minnesota's Fall Forum will be with Jim Knight on September 26, 2013 at the TIES building in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. You can register by going to the Learning Forward Minnesota Website.

Jim Knight is a research associate at the University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning and the president of the Instructional Coaching Group. He has spent more than a decade studying instructional coaching and has written several books on the topic including Instructional Coaching: A Partnership Approach to Improving Instruction published by Corwin Press & NSDC (2007). Knight co-authored Coaching Classroom Management. He also edited Coaching: Approaches and Perspectives and his newest book, Unmistakable Impact: A Partnership Approach to Dramatically Improving Instruction is due for release in mid-November.

Minnesota ASCD Teacher Leader Institute

Date: October 2-4, 2013Location: Maddens Resort, Brainerd, MN
Topic: Motivating Reluctant and Resistant Learners

Information Link

Robyn Jackson will be the keynote presenter for these three great days of learning.

In this HIGHLY INTERACTIVE workshop, teacher leaders will learn how to:

• Motivate reluctant and resistant learners.
• Create a classroom environment worth investing in.
• Motivate 21st century learners.
• Identify what students’ currencies are and how to leverage those currencies in the classroom.
• Navigate the divide between your agenda and your students’ agenda and find a way to meet both in the classroom.
• Analyze your own practice and think through site-specific applications you can take back to your school.
• Develop an overall plan for motivating reluctant and resistant learners in your entire school.

Resources

Archived MRVED Updates

If you missed an update this year, they can all be found on the MRVED website, or by clicking here.  Please note that some of the information will be dated and some of the links may not work.  There are still many great resources and tech tips to dive into this summer.  If you have any questions about certain resources, please feel free to contact us.

http://mrved.com

MRVED YouTube Channel

The MRVED YouTube Channel also has all the updates archived as well as many other videos.  Look for the library of videos to expand over the summer.  Take a couple minutes to browse through the resources available to you.

http://www.youtube.com/mnrved

Learning Forward National Conference

http://learningforward.org

Don’t forget to register for the national Learning Forward Summer Conference to be held in Minneapolis.  It’s not every year that Minnesota gets to host a national conference, so take advantage of this great opportunity to hear from some of the greatest minds in education.

When: July 21-24

Where: Minneapolis Hilton

Minnesota Career Pathways Website

http://www.mncareerpathways.org/pathways/index.html

The Minnesota Career Pathways website was created to help Minnesota adult students create career and training plans that will prepare them for a fulfilling career. The website can prepare high school students, college students, and working adults to enter the workforce by providing them with both the academic and technical skills needed to be successful. We accomplish this by partnering with business and industry leaders, providing professional development to teachers and faculty, and connecting students to online career and college resources through our connections to local consortia.