I am one of many subscribers of Will Richardson's weblogg-ed and even had his blog as a required reading assignment during one of my grad classes. The title of his blog post tonight caught my attention. There are some interesting comments to the post and I shared through Facebook and del.icio.us. I always end up with a delayed response to comments I post to those using Wordpress. Later I receive a message that the comment appears as spam even though I fill out name, email, website. So I thought I would post my response here and encourage everyone to check out Will's post, It's the Parents' fault. Not.
Will Richardson's post tonight is based on a conversation with a principal. The blog post is titled, "It's the parents' fault. Not". The blog starts out, " Recently, during a Q & A after a presentation, I had an interesting exchange with a high school principal that went something like this:". Read Will Richardson's post, It's the parents' fault. Not.
My response:
Will,
Thanks for this post. I agree that this is a shared responsibility. The students do not think their principal, teacher, administrator....or anyone else would see their information because everything is blocked and no one wants to discuss Facebook, MySpace, Twitter with students unless it ends up in a legal issue. The students are aware when their teachers, principals, and any other adult figure in their life is active on the net. The information spreads fast in the student networked "out of school" grapevine.
I begin many of my computer workshops having everyone Google themselves and a family member, then review the results for the web, images, news, and maps, and then search again using http://cvgadget.com . Everyone is surprised by something they find out about themselves (or a family member or friend) on the net whether it is professional, personal, authored, or referenced.
Personal awareness and sharing knowledge strengthens the community connections, on and off line. Some first graders are learning to blog, some first graders will be embarrassed when they discover mom and dad have archived every baby picture since birth on a public photo site.
At least you have principals that are aware. We still have principals and teachers that have never been connected through the net, even if their employer provides the email and net access. The superintendent and the mayor both have Facebook pages and the Augusta Chronicle did an article on Copenhaver ventures into the online world .
I like sites like What Kids Can Do and Do Something (Not the only ones, just 2 of many that I reference in my assignments). Sites like these work with our youth and the sites provide tools and resources for them to convert ideas and energy into positive action.
Glad to see people taking more than the first step of a long journey. Keep on blogging!!! and sharing knowledge, experiences, and lessons learned.
Thanks again for an interesting post.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Asking for assistance...it is OK
Asking for assistance or help with a situation, a project, resolving world issues or working on a computer...is OK.
As a facilitator, a student, a soldier, a leader, a war vet, a parent, a child, a volunteer, a techie, whatever the role may be...if I never asked for assistance I would probably be stuck in a corner somewhere… maybe even stuck back in elementary school trying to grasp the concept of long division.
So how and what are we teaching our students, our children? The normal cycle of life means raising our children to survive outside of the nest and survive without us. How did your parents/grandparents/guardians/people in your life teach you? Was it acceptable to ask for help? How did you learn independence, interaction, and social skills? When did you learn to change a tire, cook a meal not in the microwave, how to think critically, how to write a resume, fill out a job or scholarship application, or how to balance a checkbook? Are you sharing computer skills within the family?
When I work with some of our young adults that will take our place in the world, I often hear “They just don’t listen” or “No one told me”. Sometimes they refer to their parents, sometimes they refer to their teachers or other important adults or peers in their life. Not listening to our students, our children, factors into their learning process.
So whether I am working with our service members or the young adults in the community, it is OK to flip the script and ask for their assistance. I make it point to learn something from everyone in my life, good, bad, or indifferent. Providing our young adults with opportunities to share what they have learned allows everyone to learn. These opportunities also provide a check on learning, which could be a light bulb moment for someone, whether it was a primary objective or not.
As we break down the sage on stage mentality that many people grew up with, learning to be the guide on the side can be done by the students as well as the adults. What have you learned and shared today?
It is OK to ask for assistance or help. It is OK to include exercises on how to use help functions and tools and incorporate error management training. This can be done in real life scenarios as well as on the computer, regardless of the age of the student. Sharing experiences about asking for assistance and how to react to a request for assistance is just another factor of lifelong learning.
So how have you learned to ask for assistance? Your comments are appreciated.
As a facilitator, a student, a soldier, a leader, a war vet, a parent, a child, a volunteer, a techie, whatever the role may be...if I never asked for assistance I would probably be stuck in a corner somewhere… maybe even stuck back in elementary school trying to grasp the concept of long division.
So how and what are we teaching our students, our children? The normal cycle of life means raising our children to survive outside of the nest and survive without us. How did your parents/grandparents/guardians/people in your life teach you? Was it acceptable to ask for help? How did you learn independence, interaction, and social skills? When did you learn to change a tire, cook a meal not in the microwave, how to think critically, how to write a resume, fill out a job or scholarship application, or how to balance a checkbook? Are you sharing computer skills within the family?
When I work with some of our young adults that will take our place in the world, I often hear “They just don’t listen” or “No one told me”. Sometimes they refer to their parents, sometimes they refer to their teachers or other important adults or peers in their life. Not listening to our students, our children, factors into their learning process.
So whether I am working with our service members or the young adults in the community, it is OK to flip the script and ask for their assistance. I make it point to learn something from everyone in my life, good, bad, or indifferent. Providing our young adults with opportunities to share what they have learned allows everyone to learn. These opportunities also provide a check on learning, which could be a light bulb moment for someone, whether it was a primary objective or not.
As we break down the sage on stage mentality that many people grew up with, learning to be the guide on the side can be done by the students as well as the adults. What have you learned and shared today?
It is OK to ask for assistance or help. It is OK to include exercises on how to use help functions and tools and incorporate error management training. This can be done in real life scenarios as well as on the computer, regardless of the age of the student. Sharing experiences about asking for assistance and how to react to a request for assistance is just another factor of lifelong learning.
So how have you learned to ask for assistance? Your comments are appreciated.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Report Card Day in RCSS
Report cards for the first nine weeks of school were distributed today (In the Richmond County school district). For parents and guardians who access iParent...there will be no surprises IF all of your student's teachers are using the electronic gradebook. Today should not be the first day that you learn the names of your student's teachers.
The school board passed a recommended iParent timeline for all schools to implement the iParent program starting with the 2nd 9 week period. This item was on the consent agenda for the Sept 2008 school board meeting. Does it mean the program is in place and operational in all schools? Have you received a notice for iParent orientation or an alternative appointment if you cannot make it to the school? Please come out when your school has iParent night and help other parents who may be new to using a computer or a student information system. Remember this is one step in bridging the digital disconnect.
Georgia School Keys PL 3.4 Partnerships to Support Student Learning’s operational strategy is to increase family involvement to support student learning through communicating with families about school programs and student progress.
iParent, a component of School Max, is an interactive web tool that allows parental access to a child’s attendance record, a list of grades along with the current average of each class recorded in the electronic iCue-Gradebook, and the current daily schedule of classes.
In the 2007-2008 school year, iParent was implemented in Davidson Fine Arts, Butler High, Westside High, Hephzibah High, ARC, C.T. Walker and East Augusta.
Currently, Cross Creek High, Morgan Road Middle, Tutt Middle and A.R. Johnson are in the process of implementing iParent. To fully implement iParent in the remaining Richmond County schools, the following actions must take place: (1) Family Information Sheets must be completed by parents, (2) teachers must be using iCue-Gradebook, and (3) a parent registration packet must be provided either through an on-site parent workshop or some other method of packet delivery.
OK...so parents are you accessing the electronic gradebook offered by your school districts? If so, are all of your student's teachers using the program? Do you know who to contact if you have problems with program? Is a system in place to resolve questions and concerns, such as course changes, teacher additions/replacements, grades, tardies, and absences?
Do you know your student's teacher(s)? Do you know your student's counselor(s)? The school administrators? School support personnel? Do you know who your school board representative(s) are? Have you ever attended a School Advisory Meeting or a School Board Meeting? If not, can you access the agendas, budgets, and minutes online?
While your student may be attending school, remember that we are our child's first and lifelong teacher. From home training responsibilities, learning to tie a shoe, brushing teeth, table manners, taking care of family members or pets, riding a bike, driving a car, to financial matters. We cannot forget that our children are always learning from us, because of us, or in spite of us which includes interacting (or lack of) other adults.
Many of us grew up with parents, educators, and administrators living in the same community. You knew your neighbors, schools were a central part of the community, parent nights were never scheduled on the same night because families had children in school at all levels. Of course, we didn't have cell phones (only 25 years old), computers, Internet access at home and/or through local libraries.
So are you a participative parent? Your lifelong learning skills will improve as you learn about your school, the school system, and how it impacts your student. Be involved, self educate, and get to know the people where your student spends at least 1/3 of their day (more if they are involved in after school activities) for the 180 days they are in school.
As always, your recommendations, shared knowledge and experiences are always welcome whether it is your experience with electronic grade books to parent involvement. Please share a comment.
The school board passed a recommended iParent timeline for all schools to implement the iParent program starting with the 2nd 9 week period. This item was on the consent agenda for the Sept 2008 school board meeting. Does it mean the program is in place and operational in all schools? Have you received a notice for iParent orientation or an alternative appointment if you cannot make it to the school? Please come out when your school has iParent night and help other parents who may be new to using a computer or a student information system. Remember this is one step in bridging the digital disconnect.
Georgia School Keys PL 3.4 Partnerships to Support Student Learning’s operational strategy is to increase family involvement to support student learning through communicating with families about school programs and student progress.
iParent, a component of School Max, is an interactive web tool that allows parental access to a child’s attendance record, a list of grades along with the current average of each class recorded in the electronic iCue-Gradebook, and the current daily schedule of classes.
In the 2007-2008 school year, iParent was implemented in Davidson Fine Arts, Butler High, Westside High, Hephzibah High, ARC, C.T. Walker and East Augusta.
Currently, Cross Creek High, Morgan Road Middle, Tutt Middle and A.R. Johnson are in the process of implementing iParent. To fully implement iParent in the remaining Richmond County schools, the following actions must take place: (1) Family Information Sheets must be completed by parents, (2) teachers must be using iCue-Gradebook, and (3) a parent registration packet must be provided either through an on-site parent workshop or some other method of packet delivery.
OK...so parents are you accessing the electronic gradebook offered by your school districts? If so, are all of your student's teachers using the program? Do you know who to contact if you have problems with program? Is a system in place to resolve questions and concerns, such as course changes, teacher additions/replacements, grades, tardies, and absences?
Do you know your student's teacher(s)? Do you know your student's counselor(s)? The school administrators? School support personnel? Do you know who your school board representative(s) are? Have you ever attended a School Advisory Meeting or a School Board Meeting? If not, can you access the agendas, budgets, and minutes online?
While your student may be attending school, remember that we are our child's first and lifelong teacher. From home training responsibilities, learning to tie a shoe, brushing teeth, table manners, taking care of family members or pets, riding a bike, driving a car, to financial matters. We cannot forget that our children are always learning from us, because of us, or in spite of us which includes interacting (or lack of) other adults.
Many of us grew up with parents, educators, and administrators living in the same community. You knew your neighbors, schools were a central part of the community, parent nights were never scheduled on the same night because families had children in school at all levels. Of course, we didn't have cell phones (only 25 years old), computers, Internet access at home and/or through local libraries.
So are you a participative parent? Your lifelong learning skills will improve as you learn about your school, the school system, and how it impacts your student. Be involved, self educate, and get to know the people where your student spends at least 1/3 of their day (more if they are involved in after school activities) for the 180 days they are in school.
As always, your recommendations, shared knowledge and experiences are always welcome whether it is your experience with electronic grade books to parent involvement. Please share a comment.
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