I was given a bit of exciting and unexpected news this week that has a correlation my summer graduate classes. Even more exciting is the fact that it will have a direct impact in my classroom next year. Let me set the scene.
During the final few weeks of school this year, we had a new principal begin working at the high school. (We went a majority of the year without a principal - but that is another blog post entirely.) Previous jobs had her teaching at a well known cyber school where she eventually became an administrator and principal. Needless to say, she is tech-minded and seems to have a clear vision of the direction she was to establish and maintain.
I was a little taken back last week when she interrupted our elementary basketball camp and asked to see me in her office. She told me that because of my involvement with technology in the building that the ninth grade would be piloting her 1:1 initiative this coming year! She had just received the green light from our superintendent and couldn't wait to tell me. Even now, a few days later, I'm still contemplating all the possibilities that exist.
First, one of my primary goals for the coming year was to create a paperless classroom, and with students each having a computer - my challenge to do so became extremely feasible.
The kids are going to get chrome books and we'll be rolling out google drive w an email address for each student as well. I think I'll be able to use google classroom to its full extent and should be able to integrate our grading system as well. My summer to-do list grew exponentially.
I'm excited to give this endeavor my full attention and hope to be a good case study to allow other grades to eventually become 1:1 as well.
Wow Mike, that's very cool news. Your principal must have a lot of faith in you, that's awesome... Congratulations! I'm impressed on your progress from never blogging to doing so while on the road... awesome. But remember, don't blog and drive. :-)
ReplyDelete~ John