web conference

Thank you to Dr. Attaway for providing us an extra web conference tonight!  It was a small group and quite helpful as we 'pressed buttons' and tried to help one another to see/hear/communicate.  Much of the communication was by typing responses to each other, but we did get three faces going and were able to hear Dr. Attaway.  I believe it is good for us to try these applications and think of ways to use them with our students and their parents.  Whenever a particular application seems to 'stump' me I just remind myself how many things I do comfortably now that were not easy for me the first few tries!  I remember getting very dizzy when I first blew into a flute, and now I hold a Master's Degree in Flute Performance... Surely a  successful web conference is within my grasp too, as it is with all of you who truly wish to use these applications in your teaching! 

Recommended Instructional Technology Integration/Instruction Activities

Planned IT Integration (from week 3 assignment)	Staff Accountable	Role of Principal
1.  Implement  a three-to-one student laptop program across the campus.  Utilize a Mouse Squad of student leaders for maintenance and support.	District Instructional Technology Coordinator:  Plans the activity targeting the entire staff. Campus Administrative Team and Campus IT staff:  Instructs the staff during Fall Professional Development prior to start of school; organizes and trains the Mouse Squad; implements the plan; plans and implements the assessment and the appropriate timeline.	Assure appropriate staff training, using the campus IT staff and District Technology staff.  Assess and evaluate integration through use of lesson plan designs, student interactive use in classrooms, and Mouse Squad logs.
2.  Encourage/train teachers to establish active web pages and e-mail for communicating with students.  All teachers on campus should have a developed web page with updates.	District Instructional Technology Coordinator:  Plans the activity with the faculty as the target group. Associate principal interacts with staff via staff meetings and email communication to assure faculty compliance with this directive.  Campus IT team is available to assist with training as needed.	Principal will use sign-in sheets at faculty training to assure all faculty receives the information and instruction.  E-mail logs and web pages will be checked each nine week period for compliance.  Follow-up as necessary with staff.
3.  Conduct Project Based Learning (PBL) technology seminars/training for incorporation into curriculum and real world projects. Real world projects should include research projects requiring decision making regarding the validity of the sources found on the internet.	Instructional Technology Coordinator plans the activities to target all students and trains staff during Professional Development afternoon on monthly early-release staff development days. Training will include the use of the internet for research and how to validate sources.	Principal checks lesson designs every nine weeks, and checks faculty training sign-in sheets to assure all staff participates in  appropriate training.
4.  Research additional web-based tutorial programs that offer student access both at school and at home.	Instructional Technology Coordinator works with the Campus Department Chairs to select software appropriate to target all students.  Resources are the Region 10 Service Center  and the local IT staff.	Principal approves funding for software purchases.
5.  Utilize the Communications Master through Skyward to disseminate information to all RHS households and students.	Campus Administrative Team will use this first to target all students and their families. IT staff will assist and provide resource support as needed.  Faculty will be given the option to use the Communications Master to communicate with the parents/guardians of their students.	Principal will assess the number of postings and feedback from community members and students.
6.  Increase participation in the Media Fair to include representatives from all student groups.	District Technology Coordinator will work with the CTE Teachers to encourage participation from all students. Campus IT staff will be available as resource.	Principal will assess student participation and entries in the Media Fair and will make resources available for the CTE Teachers.
7.  Continue “In the Know…”  e-mail communication series to relay pertinent information and data.	Associate Principal will target all staff members with this e-mail as needed during the school year.  Resources for informatiion coming from district, community and campus.	Evaluation of successful communication will be made using staff surveys and copies of e-mails.
8.  Incorporate INOVA data analysis as a primary tool for decision making.	Campus Administrators will look at testing history every nine weeks to assess and evaluate current programs.  Recommendations will be made as needed.	Principal will lead the team.
9.  Post timely updates on the school website for increased communication between home and school.	Campus Administrators will work with the Media Coordinator weekly to communicate school news and information to all students and parents .  IT Staff will provide support.	Principal will observe parent feedback and work with Administrative Team to evaluate progress.  Changes will be made as needed.
10.  Conduct additional technology training during Technology Thursdays to assist teachers with newly retrofitted technology.	Instructional Technology Coordinator will plan the trainings; Campus Instructional Technologist will do the training for Campus staff on one Thursday each month.  Subjects will be announced by staff e-mail in advance of the training so teachers can make plans to attend. CIT will also make video of each class and post it online for Teacher use. Teachers are encouraged to request needed training.	Principal will conduct teacher surveys to assess need and receive feedback from staff.  Sign-in sheets will give indication of staff making use of the available training.  Principal will communicate with Campus Instructional Technologist for information regarding needs and successes.

RHS STaR Chart

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

RHS STaR Chart

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National Educational Technology Plan: Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology

The NETP  (National Education Technology Plan) calls for  ”revolutionary transformation rather than evolutionary tinkering.”[1]   Two goals are identified and the plan is developed with a sense of urgency.  Specifically,   goal one is to raise the proportion of students graduating from college with a two or four year degree from the current level of 39% to 60%, and goal two is to ‘close the achievement gap’ so that all students graduate from high school.  According to the NETP, technology is the key to providing engaging learning experiences, assessing learning and generating data, assisting teachers in collaborative strategies, and shortening the learning curve so that educators can learn from other kinds of enterprises to improve outcomes while increasing productivity.

The NETP says action must take place now with fine-tuning to take place in process.  Since education in the United States is primarily a state and local responsibility, NETP urges local institutions to ensure access to all students, especially those who are ‘underserved’.   NETP suggest a complete re-thinking of the education process, including challenging the concepts of ‘seat-time’, age-determined groups, learning in classes of the same size working at the same pace.[2]  The proposed model of 21^st century learning puts students at the center and ‘empowers’ them to take charge of their own learning, based upon a core set of standards-based concepts and competencies and work tailored to individual goals, needs, and interests.[3]

Teachers in the 21^st century will need to practice innovation, problem solving, creativity, continuous improvement, research, diagnostic use of data, and flexible and personalized approaches to meeting students’ diverse needs and strengths.  NETP recommends teachers be held accountable for student achievement but also supports teachers with the latest technology and enables the shift to a ‘model of connected teaching’. [4]  Improved assessment tools, better data, training, and support will be available.

In some ways this wide-reaching proposal is a bit un-nerving to this long-time educator.  At no time in my teaching career have I purposefully ignored the needs of any student, regardless of the student’s life circumstances, and while I don’t deny that there are those who might do so, I’ve never actually observed it.  Technology certainly has some positive applications, particularly in preparing and presenting engaging lessons and in assessing student progress,  and I would not quarrel with stronger teacher support.  To my eyes, though, this would be incredibly expensive, and in the RUSH to change before careful planning and study has taken place could cause all kinds of problems.  I believe fine teachers are already practicing innovation, problem solving, continuous improvement, etc. and with time, support, and community involvement student success will continue to rise. 

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[1] http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NETP-2010-final-report.pdf, p. 4

[2] http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NETP-2010-final-report.pdf, p. 10

[3] http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NETP-2010-final-report.pdf, p. 26

[4] http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/NETP-2010-final-report.pdf, p. 54

Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology

In 2010 the STaR Chart showed an improvement in the number of teachers at higher levels of implementation of the Technology Applications TEKS and for technology capabilities.  Check!

In 2009, the requirement to take a technology application class to graduate from a Texas high school was changed from a requirement for all students to an elective.  Check!

In other words, the original requirements outlined in the Long-Range Plan for Technology are already being revised in order to ensure alignment with 21^st century needs.  Some goals have been met while others are being refined as needed to assure student success.   Students are enjoying creating multimedia projects, using technology to communicate with one another, are collaborating on projects using Facebook, are communicating with their teachers online,  and are using online textbooks and courses.   However, even with these successes, data is also showing that some students are not acquiring the skills in technology they need to be successful.  Students with limited English skill and those who are economically disadvantaged are more likely not to succeed with technology applications, most likely because they do not have the availability of technology outside the school.  Overall, however,  the reports indicate that there has been a steady state-wide improvement in the technology infrastructure in the Texas public schools.

 Progress is the natural result of careful studies, planning, training, learning, and application.  The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology has been thoroughly and carefully developed and is a living document.  I believe that the Long-Range Plan will continue to assist Texas schools to meet the needs of Texas students because of the provisions for continuous updating, for assessing and making changes as needed.

Technology in Texas Schools

We all agree that students in Texas schools today require new skills, new tools, new knowledge, and new opportunities for when, where, and how learning takes place.  Because of this legislated requirement our schools must provide a wide array of learning communities, an environment demanded by today’s world and facilitated by today’s technology.   As reported by the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, school connectivity presents tremendous challenges and implementing that connectivity offers new and exciting opportunities for transforming schools.

The connectivity challenge includes issues of support and maintenance for existing and evolving technologies.  According to a 1998 study of eleven diverse Texas schools, “districts are developing a more formal support structure at the district level by adding support positions and defining the support process and procedures.”[i]   According to data published by TEA the state of technology in Texas public schools is similar to the state of technology in public education nationally.[ii]

In the early days of technology use, most schools had computers in their libraries, a shared computer lab, and some schools (especially secondary schools) provided computers for teacher use.  Current trends in technology infrastructure includes  at least a few classroom computers in most schools, while some districts issue laptops all students and teachers.  Most districts in Texas have technology departments with technology specialists in hardware, software, and teacher training. Now the challenges lie in staying current, maintaining the infrastructure, and providing training for teachers.

I think one of the most important issues we face in technology applications now is to be discerning in selecting applications for use with students. Since we have limited time with our students the tools we use to teach them and help them learn need to be carefully selected.

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[i] http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/textbooks/archives/techstats.htm

[ii] Education Week, "Putting School Technology to the Test: Technology Counts ’98," October 1, 1998.

Senate Bill 815 requires Fine Arts TEKS

With the passage of SB 815, the TEKS are now required of all Texas school districts when providing instruction in art, dance, music, and theatre.


It is important to note that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) established the Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA) in 1995 to support effective and appropriate implementation of the Fine Arts TEKS in Texas schools. With the passage of SB 815, the potential and value of CEDFA’s mission becomes more significant than ever. Although no longer funded by TEA, CEDFA continues to provide a vast amount of TEKS-related information, products, and resources for fine arts educators, some of which are listed below:

• CEDFA website ( http://www.cedfa.org)
• Fine Arts Curriculum Frameworks for Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre
• Fine Arts TEKS Scope and Sequence Charts for Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre
• Two fine arts instructional video series entitled Portraits of Excellence: Fine Arts in Texas Schools and Proof of Performance: Fine Arts in Texas Schools
• Content Connections document (elementary, middle, and high school levels)
• Instructional video and correlating booklet entitled Fine Arts for All Students

Multi-year Music Training Can Enhance Reading Skills and Literacy

 
Children exposed to a multi-year program of music instruction involving training in increasingly complex rhythmic, tonal, and practical skills display superior cognitive performance in reading skills compared with their non-musically trained peers, according to a study published in the journal Psychology of Music. According to authors Joseph M. Piro and Camilo Ortiz from Long Island University, data from this study will help to clarify the role of music study on cognition and shed light on the question of the potential of music to enhance school performance in language and literacy.
     
The effect of piano lessons on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing
skills of primary grade students.
By: Joseph M. Piro and Camilo Ortiz, Journal Psychology of Music, March 16, 2009.

Please make comments!

Dear Classmantes,
     I truly would appreciate your comments and helpful suggestions regarding not only my action plan but also my blog.  If you see something you think could be improved.... suggest it!  If you read something which reminds you of something you have done, read, seen, or heard done well somewhere else, please share it!

If you see something you like, please say so! 

Sincerely,
Karen

Action Planning Template

College Audition Expectations for Entering Freshmen in the Performance Arts Action Planning Template
Goal: Prepare a document recommending a four-year plan for the course of study and extracurricular activities necessary to best prepare high school students desiring to study Fine Arts Performance Degrees in order to win acceptance  and scholarships in colleges which will prepare them to be full-time performers after college.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Contact department chairs/ audition committee members at UNT, TCU, Baylor, SMU, Texas Tech, OCU, UT to discover their audition/entrance requirements for incoming freshman performance majors.	KT	Beginning now, to be completed by October 15, 2010.	Time, telephone contact information, possible face-to-face interview appointments.	Compile the notes and determine if the information is sufficient to proceed with the next level of inquiry. If no, contact more persons or extend the amount of time needed to complete the interviews.
Research strategies to improve student preparation for college entrance performance auditions.	KT	Beginning October 15, continuing until December 1, 2010.	Interviews with college audition/entrance committee members.  Contact currently performing area artists for input. Contact professional performance coaches in the area for input. Check available research at TMEA, Cedfa, to see what has been published in this area.	Prepare a document with the findings.  Determine if further clarification is needed or if the information is sufficient for continuing to the next inquiry.
I will research studies which show the long-term failure/success rates for students in these fields to determine what kind of “back-up” plan these young people should also prepare while in college so they have a career path in the event the performance route doesn’t happen for them.	KT	Beginning December 15, 2010, continuing through January 2010.	Begin at TMEA and Cedfa.  Contact  area schools to see if they have any documentation on the topic. Do an inquiry for related career path ideas which could be studied in tandem with performance coursework.	Prepare a document with the compiled information gathered from the research and inquiries. Determine if more research is needed or if I can proceed to the next level of inquiry.
I will interview our campus Fine and Performing Arts staff, our Counselors, and our Principals to get their recommendations in terms of the best classes we can offer for these students while in high school. During the interviews I will share the documents already prepared and get their feedback and input to recommend best practice.	KT	January/February of 2011.	Conduct interviews with Mike M, Kara W, Michael J, Nancy D, Jim C, Jennifer S, Becky H, Jessica J, Anne F, Justin C, Linda D, Kimberly W, Mark L, Erika C.	Compile the responses.  Share the responses with the entire group of interviewed people for their additional response.  Arrange for a group meeting to make recommendations for a four-year high school course/activity plan.  Make a list of possible/definite conflicts and problems.
Using the list of possible/probable conflict and problems, begin a research inquiry to determine if other districts have already found ways to compensate for these issues.  Begin conversations with the Fine/Performing Arts staff to determine their thoughts for possible solutions to the identified problems.	KT and members of the Fine/ Performance Arts staff.	February and March 2011	Meeting times and locations, reports from other ISD Fine  Arts staff members. McKinney High School Counselor.	Compile the responses. Write a Recommended Four –Year Plan with compensation suggestions for identified problem areas.  Share with the RISD and seek approval for implementation with identified student population or for possible re-evaluation.

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

Thoughts designed to improve fluency on my inquiry project...

1. Examining the work: Setting the Foundation – I have determined to use an inquiry in order to provide a comprehensive four-year plan to assist students entering Rockwall High School (and other RISD students) who want to pursue a Performing Arts career. This plan should help not only the students who have this particular educational goal, but also should help our district to provide an exceptional curriculum in our Fine and Performing Arts Department.


2. Analyzing data – I will gather data from Texas colleges (and Oklahoma City University), from research sources like TMEA and Cedfa, from interviews with currently performing artists, and from brainstorming sessions with the RHS Performing Arts staff, counselors, and administrators. With the data, my colleagues and I will be able to determine our best path as we tweak our curriculum and make recommendations for our students to assist them in meeting their education goals.

3. Developing deeper understanding – I’m very excited to be able to convene the Performance Arts Staff, Counselors, and Principals into a focus group. These are all mature, seasoned professionals who have much to offer. Together we should be able to devise exceptional recommendations for our students.

4. Engaging in Self-Reflection – One topic of reflection I will undertake will be to maintain awareness that the goal is to benefit the students, not to impose my own ideas and preferences. I will continue to reflect upon the idea of servant leadership, the goal of proactive communication, and to receive new ideas as possible evidence of positive growth rather than as a threat to what has always been perceived as “the best”.

5. Exploring Programmatic Patterns – Before beginning to make interview calls, I will carefully plan the questions I want to ask, and will leave time in each interview to allow the person being interviewed to suggest ideas I haven’t thought to include. Before convening the focus group I will distribute the compiled notes and the list of interview questions so these professionals will have the opportunity to reflect on the topics before we begin to work together.

6. Determining direction – The focus group will be a very strong ensemble to evaluate the research data and formulate appropriate responses. This team will work collaboratively both within the meetings and in small groups between meetings.

7. Taking action for school improvement – I will use the action research template to help me maintain good organization and a timeline for action.

Sustaining improvement – One of my own goals is to continue to re-assess on a regular basis even after this particular project reaches its original conclusion. Just as curriculum should be regularly revisited, so also should the best practices for preparing our students for their lifework be continuously examined and improved.

Research Action Topic

I plan to conduct research in order to define a preparation plan for secondary students who desire to pursue a Performance (music, dance, theater, visual art) Degree in college in order to become professional musicians or stage performers. These students are required to audition not only for college scholarship opportunities but also for admission into these programs of study, so they must be prepared as incoming freshmen to audition before any college training has occurred. Our high school has been able to provide only “hit or miss” help for these students in recent years and the competition at the colleges is very strong, making it very difficult for an entering student to gain acceptance without a well-planned high school preparation experience.


I intend to contact the most prestigious area colleges (UNT, SMU, Texas Tech, Oklahoma City U, Baylor, UT, TCU) in order to discover their audition and admission requirements and expectations. This information is not always clearly defined in written form, but will come from conversations with the campus leaders. Even though many of our students will audition out of state, their chances in other states are often better than here in Texas because Texas has exceptionally strong high school music programs.

Then, I will research the best strategies for improving the chances of admission for our talented students, and for improving the chances of admission for our students with less natural talent but super work ethic. In addition, I will research studies which show the long-term failure/success rates for students in these fields to determine what kind of “back-up” plan these young people should also prepare while in college so they have a career path in the event the performance route doesn’t happen for them.

After I get answers from the first three areas of research, I will interview our campus Fine and Performing Arts staff, our Counselors, and our Principals to get their recommendations in terms of the best classes we can offer for these students while in high school. Using this information, I will write a recommended coursework and activity four-year plan (including performances, recitals, extra-curricular competitions, etc.) to best prepare these students for success.

It is highly likely we will discover that our students will need additional electives and training either not currently offered, or which will mean “more” classes than the students can get and stay within the current graduation requirements. If that is the case, I will recommend ways to achieve these goals by looking into some “creative” ways to provide the needed coursework. McKinney ISD is currently offering some very creative ways to make more courses available for high school students without their having to take summer school every year and should provide at least one resource for this question.

Literacy and Fluency

In my classes this year I am emphasizing the need for "fluency".  Thinking in terms of understanding music, I am encouraging my students to go beyond general knowledge and the basic "I get it" to building the necessary skills to be fluent in using the general knowledge and applying the understanding.  The AP Music Theory students are loving this concept!  As they work on major and minor scales, and on recognizing and naming intervals they are realizing that until they practice these skills and concepts they don't know them well enough to be able to move up to another level of applying these skills to building tonalities, to writing and analyzing scores, and to being able to "hear" with their eyes and "see" with their ears.  Our new mantra is "Hear, Sing, Notate"! and we are inspired to do more, to practice more, to become fluent.

As I reflect upon building these lessons for my students I realize that this is the very literacy  -- or FLUENCY --  which I desire for myself.  Building skill upon skill creates the very desirable state of being fluent in that discipline.

School administrators use blogs for personal expression, to gain insight, and to keep track of data.

Since blogs are a venue for expressing one's personal thoughts and reflections, creating a document to share with others is a powerful tool for modeling educational philosophy.  In a blog a school principal can chronical his thoughts over a period of time and then return at a later date to revisit those thoughts in the quest for insight into choices and decisions made.  It can also be part of the process to gain insight to link the blog to the blogs of  posters with similar material, or to open one's blog to comments.  Sharing one's blog with colleagues and students is very fine way to be visible within the learning community.

A blog can also be used to keep track of data by using questionaires and surveys.

Literacy defines a goal... what I've learned about advocacy research.

Grace Slick said, “Through literacy you can begin to see the universe. Through music you can reach anybody. Between the two there is you, unstoppable.”   In 1994 on International Literacy Day President  Bill Clinton said,  “Literacy is not a luxury, it is a right and a responsibility. If our world is to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century we must harness the energy and creativity of all our citizens.”   Both these statements give some insight into what I've learned about advocacy research.

According to Nancy Dana, in her book Leading with Passion and Knowledge : The Principal as Action Researcher,   principals who engage in administrative inquiry benefit in at least three ways.  They can encourage the use of best practices in their schools, become role models for learning to their staff and their students, and they surround themselves with other professionals in meaningful ways, which helps the principal to reduce the natural isolation of the role of being the principal. 

Using administrative inquiry wasn't always the way principals were allowed to function.  Historically, principals were expected to manage schools using someone else's directives, usually those coming from the upper administration of the school system.  As schools began transforming into the current model, leading researchers in the field of educational administration found that the increasing diversity in our society and in student characteristics required adjustments in the internal workings of school. (Ken Leithwood and Carolyn Riehl 2003)  Earlier principals did not have access to the tools available to current administrators.

As President Clinton commented about literacy, Dana agrees that Principal inquiry helps today's administrator take charge of something important he can own and control, helps calm the frantic pace of the school day, and  helps to make a positive impact upon the school's community.  Just as literacy is not a luxury, neither is time spent by the principal to develop insight, to nurture inclusion, and to contemplate the best path for helping teachers and students succeed.

Since most school administrators are already busy with "too much", the issue becomes one of finding time to engage in inquiry (research).  Dana recommends putting the concept of inquiry into the same category as "exercise" ... just as a healthy individual must find time to eat well and fit physical exercise into his day, so should an administrator plan ways to engage in  inquiry.

So, as an administrator, how will I use what I've learned?  Think of Bobby McFerrin singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy".  A change of approach to the school day, to the school's mission, to the school's patterns, and to my responsibilities to the students and staff opens countless ways to be creative, to schedule time for reflection, and to interact with others.  The nature of the daily challenges will define the topics for inquiry, and the leadership teams on campus will provide the co-workers.  We can engage in learning together, or as Senge said, "unless teams can learn, the organization cannot learn".