Great Storytelling tips from Pixar

Pixar's 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling from Gavin McMahon

BYOD Model Lessons

Over the past two years, Green Brook has been developing a Bring Your Own Device policy for our students to bring in their personal devices to use for learning. Part of the process of implementing this policy is to give sustained, professional development to our teachers so that they can see what BYOD is all about and how to use it in their classrooms. 

Mrs. +Sarah Diczok - Vajtay  and Mrs. Laura Philip, two amazing educators at GBTPS, became our model teachers and educators during this PD process. Laura and Sarah created model lessons in their classes. We then used a peer-to-peer observation model to invite small groups of teachers in to view the lesson LIVE and in person. The first groups were based off of content areas but the second groups were mixed. The small groups were also invited to participate in a group reflection period right after the lesson to talk about what they saw, issues with BYOD, and how to overcome the pitfalls of using devices in your teaching. 

The road to a BYOD pilot has not been easy and it has come with many challenges, some of which we have not even faced yet but so far since the pilot started in March, our network hasn't imploded, our classrooms are still buzzing, and our teachers are using BYOD ideas to help deliverer great lessons.

The results have been more than what anyone could have hoped for!! During the last two lessons, our educators learned about using devices as great learning and teaching tools in a variety of ways. 

1. Using Socrative or a QR code to start off a lesson or Do Now. 
2. Implementing a short video to provide notes. 
3. Device management using similar terms such as "show me" or "devices down."
4. Large and small group assessment 
5. Lesson closures via collaborative tools such as NearPod

The purpose of these types of lessons is to give our educators a chance to see what BYOD looks like to give a picture of what it can look like in theirs. While the pilot is just starting to finish up for our 8th grade students, the hope is to expand the pilot to other grades in our schools so that even more teachers and students can use these powerful devices as learning/teaching tools and to help their classrooms knock down walls and engage in true, 21st century learning models. 

Mrs. Diczok-Vajtay talking about Socrative with her students. 

Eager Listeners Pt. I 

Eager Listeners Pt. II

Engaged students. 

Devices down procedure. 

Listening to a video and taking notes. 

Just to be nominated...

Through ups and downs, highs and lows, I have always found solace and comfort in knowing that I was not alone in my journey in education. Whether it be my great colleagues at Green Brook Township Public Schools, my family, friends, or my ever growing PLN (personal learning network), I knew I could count on them for an ear, a hand, or a heart. 

After watching Frozen with my daughter for the first time on Sunday night (yes, I know, we are a little behind in our movie watching, jeez, just LET IT GO), I got an e-mail that I was nominated for a 2014 Bammy Award for School Technologist! My great friend and colleague, Jay Eitner, Superintendent of Lower Alloways Creek, had nominated me for this prestigious award. Even though the winning would be great, I am honored and appreciative just to be nominated!

Nuggling watching Frozen!

If you don't know what a Bammy Award is or what they are all about, take a look:

What the Bammy Award is, what it is not

"The Bammy Award is based on the notion that collaboration, making a contribution and making a difference is more significant than personal achievements. Consequently, a Bammy Award is not a statement or measure of the honoree’s superior professional performance, abilities, credentials, qualifications, certifications, professional accomplishments or personal achievements (though all of these may be relevant).  Ultimately, all individuals are being honored for their contributions. Consequently, making the short list or ultimately receiving a Bammy Award is a community-wide honor for being an exceptional contributor, not a statement of superiority or a badge of victory. The word "winner" is simply out of step with the spirit of the Bammy Awards.

Congruent with the spirit and intent of the program, all participants and honorees acknowledge that a Bammy Award  cannot be “won.” That the term “won” should not be used in referring to the Bammy Award, and that the use of the word “win”or "winner" when referencing the award or the recipient  is a breach of the spirit of the awards."

 
I urge YOU to nominate others who have contributed to education in a way that has helped change the game! 
You can certainty vote for me here, but take a look at all the other great nominees as well! Thank you so very much for your kind support! :)

http://www.bammyawards.com/