Just a forewarning...this blog is going to go a smidge off topic, meaning it will not be all about my technology module for this week. I need to get some unbiased feedback on a scheduling issue I am having. In a nutshell, our Catholic School shares many things with our public school (busing, lunch, Title services, band, music, and PE). The latter is where I am having my issue. We only share band and PE for our 7/8 grade students, who are bused out to the high school near the end of the day to have these classes. This year they leave our school at 2:15 for the last 90 minute block of the day...IF they are in band or choir, they have that every other day for 45 minutes and then go to PE. Next year, they want to take our students a half our earlier so they can have band/choir for 30 minutes and then everyone can have PE for 90 minute A DAY! That is 360 minutes (our students only go out 4 days a week) of PE a week!! I have been told the reason for this is so they can have their sports practice at this time....okay, but I thought it stated in Rule 10 that sport practices could not be done during the scheduled PE time. I was quickly told by their principal that I was wrong. Anyway, that is not really my argument, if you want to have your practice time then..fine! My concern is our 7/8 grade students are getting 360 minutes (450 if they attend public school) of PE EVERY WEEK versus 210 minutes of their core subject areas...are we sending our children to school to be athletes or to educate them? Anyone want to give their two cents? Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill? Should I just be the quiet school leader and let this issue go? Thanks for any and all opinions...
Now...digital collaboration. In my comments from Dr. Mausbach on my research, she stated that I may be getting this idea confused with apps...and after rereading my paper, of course she is right! :) It is easy to say we are digitally collaborating at the student and teacher level; "We are using this app and that app to do this and that" but when I look at what digitally collaborate means, using digital devices, open source data and cloud technolgoy to share knowledge, manage information and contribute user-generated content to communities of people regardless of time or place (Wikipedia). In my brain, this sounds easy...I am finding it may be challenging, at least in the beginning. I really want to implement Google docs (or something similar) next year with my staff to help streamline meetings, have a central location for documents that need sharing. I know that is just a tip of the iceberg on what Google docs will do for us. Is there a good place to go for training, remembering we are a Catholic school with a tight budget?
I want our staff to be the best they can be when it comes to technology and for that to happen, I have to know how to help them. This class, your blogs and advice have opened my eyes to many things I hadn't thought of, so thank you. I will always work hard to help my students and staff succeed and technology is becoming a huge part of that, so with patience and practice we will learn new things and do great things!
Hello Jenn,
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have a case-in-point testimony to the challenges of sharing resources with public interests. I don't have any specific thoughts to offer, save that I do empathize with the difficulties and confusion that arises from such situations. My school is Catholic and independent (we have a sponsoring monastery, but are not diocesan), but we have a few resources that are provided by the State of Minnesota. They come with strings attached, and we have not the ability to work without them. But we do have a goal to be truly independent in the future, and allow ourselves the ability to operate in our best interests. Where you have a collision of interests in your school seems to be more troublesome, if it in fact forcing a modification of your curriculum and schedule. At least, in its present form. In my experience, sound legal advice is worth the time and expense in understanding your options. There may be more of them than you think.
We have sampled digital collaboration a bit, mostly from an enterprise-level solution in our campus intranet. Google has a broad and solid following with this, and seems to be everywhere you turn. That's another interest mix of private and public interests--but I'll save that study for another day.
When I say "sample," I mean that I have found the collaboration to be only as functional as any collaboration among colleagues. We have struggled to have meetings in which people engage and participate. It is not much different with cloud-based documents. Sometimes, it is further complicated, in fact. It is a place of growth for the whole school, in tandem with other efforts. If you have an open and free ethos of dialogue, I think digital collaboration can be built well on such a foundation. Patience and practice--you have the right ingredients. Good luck!
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteI can certainly sense your frustration with the P.E./sports practice issue. I think as a leader it is our job to understand every change with clarity. And, if it doesn't sound right, we must look deeper into the possible reasons. We owe that to our students to ensure we are providing them with the best, most comprehensive education possible! Sharing resources with the public school can be both an advantage and disadvantage....such a balancing act!
Digital collaboration is an area our school has attempted to improve. Early in the year we met and discussed Google docs and the capabilities. However, for many reasons the majority of collaboration is not done digitally. For this I have a few reasons. First of all, which seems to be a pitfall for many issues at our school, the professional development for digital collaboration has been inconsistent. Secondly, collaboration in general seems to be out of the comfort zone for many of our staff members. As a leader, I know time and guidance must be provided to help these teachers reap from the benefits of working together professionally. Finally, I think a review of our technology plan and usage needs to be defined. Without a plan, it is difficult to see a result.
Thanks for a great post and good luck with your current scheduling issue! :-)
Jenn-
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts on the PE issue-
1- If and I should highlight if here, PE was really about helping students life a healthy life the minutes may be justified. However, it doesn't sound like that is the case. If they are using as sports practice what happens to the kids who aren't out for sports, what do they do?
2- Could you go to PE 2 days a week instead of 4? I know that would mean the teacher would have a different group two days a week, but they should be able to differentiate.
3- You have to be the advocate for your students so I think you should question this. My advice would be to meet with administrators and propose some solutions / different ideas that may help solve this problem. Come to the meeting prepared-- Good luck!
Jenn-
ReplyDeleteIt really stinks that this big of a change for the PE program is just now being communicated with you and is seemingly being downplayed by the other school. With the amount of PE time increases, does the travel time also reduce the amount of core education students are receiving? It sounds like they are trying to work practice time in but in a sense cover that up so that they don't get in trouble with state rules/regulations. I think you have very valid concerns and should bring them to their attention and look for a compromise.
Secondly, collaboration with technology really has to be sold to the faculty and used regularly with accountability and expectation. Teachers have to be trained in the areas and held to some standard to help it grow and prosper. I created a shared Google folder with my department this year (its contents include: link to our department calendar, sub list, department meeting agendas, department chair notes, ILC documents, etc.) While the process seems streamlined and simple to me (put things you want all of us to see in there, go there when you are looking for a document), it has become stressful. The department members will not go and look at things on their own, I have to email and send links and reminders to look at things. I tried getting them into a routine to check it once a week, but that failed. Part of this, too, is that I am the only department chair trying to bring my peers together with technology and since there is no accountability or requirement from the administration, it gets to be where it is.
There are so many ways to share things and learn as it pertains to technology. We cannot be afraid to look at all areas and also to ask our teachers to share their consolations and desolations with their peers as they use technology.
Good luck!!!!