Creatively Teaching

Here's my story! I created a Prezi to answer a set of 5 questions: 1. What kind of educational leader do you want to be? 2. How does the use of technology fit into the vision of your leadership and what you want for your school, teachers, students, and community? 3. Summarize three main takeaways from this course and the accompanying activities/readings/videos/experiences in regards to technology & communication that changed the way you think about what it means to be a leader. 4. How will you embrace connected learning and digital tools in order to enhance your work as a principal? 5. What do you still wish to explore and learn? What are your next steps? Enjoy.... https://prezi.com/view/Acw6QMQNZcwlLSCOMU2M/

When researching the importance of digital citizenship this week, I chose to look at a blog post on the SMART Technologies page. http://edblog.smarttech.com/2015/12/the-importance-of-teaching-digital-citizenship/    I figured why not go with the people who create SMART boards they must know a lot about digital citizenship. Author Rebecca Penna Simon was an elementary school classroom teacher, she moved to New York in 2013 to become the Director of Educational Technology and Innovation at the Solomon Schechter School of Queens. Rebecca is a SMART Exemplary Educator, a SMART Certified Trainer in Notebook and Response, a SMART amp Champ, and a SMART Certified Lesson Developer. According to her blog she describes,  " Digital Citizenship is the understanding of human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and the advocating and practicing of safe, responsible and ethical use of digital information and technology. (ISTE, 2007)"   I liked her approach in the arti

Community Engagement Project https://anwhite7.wixsite.com/mathblastnight

     One of the idea in the book that stood out to me was the PLN personalized learning network. It may seem like we already do this on a normal basis. Teacher and people and in general tend to share and bounce ideas off of people/ teachers that have the same common interests as each other. Even more now since we have the use of technology, in ways like blogs or Pinterest and twitter, but I don't feel like schools use it to collaborate as much as it could be. Like I've said in other blogs as an Art teacher I would 100% support cross disciplinary themes. For example, if students are learning geometry or surface area of 3D shape, I would teach them how to construct one in real life so they could see that cube on their math worksheet in their hand. I feel like the only time I know what other teachers are using in their classroom or teaching around that time is when we run into each other at the copier machine and we say hey check out what I'm doing this week. Or they put up a

      I was reading  Hacking Project Based Learning  which is showing  a free webinar June 15, since our school is transforming next school year into a blended learning environment. I was searching things I can prepare for over the summer, and as I feel like I currently do most of these things, there are so many technologies that could be in my classroom that would help me achieve student based learning. I feel my principal falls short in this aspect when I don't even have a projector/ printer/ or student computers for my classes to even look at Art in color!! How are we going to go from straight chalk board classes to even close to technology implementation and project based learning in this building without a fight?  I feel like she need this video..       Tom Murray's blog I feel is more educational in its form. The colors the visual appeal. The benefits include, here are the resources...USE THEM! In my own opinion, I find this helpful more than just a reflective educati

Inspire and facilitate... When I think of this standard of the ISTE Visionary Leadership I think of a principal that I met today. I had an interview for the classes she is building. The position for the middle school level of animatronics and robotics and 3D printing. To walk through those halls today, I was inspired and I could see just by the student work in the hallways that she was facilitating her staff to bring the most to her students. " This leader has planned and implemented a districtwide technology initiative. "  *      I aspire to have my leadership style mimic traits of hers. I want technology to integrate into the children's lives the way it does on a regular basis outside of school. As I walked through that school today there were 3 students sitting in a circle on the floor right outside of the classroom door working together in a group. One was reading from a packet to the other, and one had a laptop open to search/type the answers to the question. Wh

           I am creating this blog to start a new chapter in my life. Hopefully I'll chat about things that happen that day or week at school and hopefully you will give me feedback or just pure motivation to keep blogging.       I’ve been teaching Art for nine years now. I live in NJ, but currently I've returned back to the Philadelphia Public School District, Which is part of what drove me to go back to reaching my goal.      Through my years as an educator, I have taught Art both 2D and 3D Fine Art, Ceramics, Graphic Design with and without technology directly in my classroom. From the simplest of materials, and not a single computer in my classroom, trying to teach Art by writing on a blackboard with chalk (yes this is my current placement). Though I've also had 33 computers, smart board and large color printer, 3D printer, a t-shirt machine and a decal maker.  Boy do I miss those things. I have taught grades K-12 and have been in over 5 different building with di