In keeping with the ITS Semester 5 assignment schedule, it is time for me to post to my blog. Yes, it is supposed to be on Blogs and Wikis, but I didn't even post my Semester 5 intro blog....so now I'm backtracking a bit (for those of you repeating my 5 rules for participating in Web 2.0 ITS activities, do as I say not as I do) and count this as my intro post for the Semester.
Since this semester not only focuses on Web 2.0 tools but also on teacher leadership, I thought I would share two teacher leadership moments which clearly are the result of teacher leader actions influenced by learning in the ITS program.
The first ITS teacher leader action came to light on Tuesday, February 14, 2012, when our Loudoun cohort ITSer, Lucy Shoop, spoke to the LCPS School board about the proposed cuts in the fiscal 2013 budget adopted Feb. 7. The Foreign Language in Elementary School program (FLES) was a major target of cuts, costing 35 current full-time employees their jobs. As reported in yesterday's LoudounTime.com, Lucy, a FLES teacher gave the school board a dose of ITS :
What is the goal of education? I think we can all come up with different statements of what we think the goal is for education. But, I think we can also agree that the goal of education is to create an educated person... If you’re not able to speak another language that is necessary in your community you are not going to get a job. If there are two people applying for a job and one speaks the language of the community and the other only speaks the native language of the country, the one that speaks the language of the community is going to get the job. We have a responsibility in Loudoun County Public Schools to prepare our students to not only obtain jobs in our community, but in the world.
In another moment, Fairfax cohort ITSer, Amy Bolvari, educated the Epals community about the 'worth it' value of her lesson, which led her students to be chosen as 1 of 10 global winners in the Smithsonian Institute's Invention Challenge:
The authentic nature of this project engaged students and integrated their learning. They had to access prior knowledge of simple machines in order to complete the project. By using multiple forms of media, the students were able to showcase their knowledge in a fun and meaningful way.
Add these actions to your list of teacher leader roles: advocate, ITS evangelist- whatever you want to call them
In both of these teacher leadership moments, the connection to ITS concepts is evident. What terrific portfolio reflections! I know that each and everyday ITSers are walking the walk. As the connections between the ITS semesters are becoming more apparent, you are all most likely talking the talk with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. The time has come for talking the talk to be translated into written reflections. Be very conscious of your conversations with others. Chances are you are writing brilliant reflections all day long!
