ISTE 2013 Helps Me Change the World One Student at a Time

After experiencing ISTE 2013, I’ve decided to take a leap of faith and completely change the way I teach.  (Hello – that’s a scary statement!)  I am headed into my second year of teaching technology and coaching teachers at St. James Academy in Lenexa, Kansas.  SJA is a seven-year-old Catholic high school within the Archdiocese of Kansas City Kansas, and we are a one-to-one MacBook school.  We receive students from a variety of feeder schools, both Catholic and public, so students come to us with a wide variety of technology skills and experiences. 

Tech I is a required class, so the majority of my students will be freshmen; however, I am certain to have a few sophomores, juniors, and even seniors sprinkled in.  Just like I put off that Speech 101 class in college, Tech I is something that gets pushed to the backburner by a few.  What that means is that not only do I have a huge variety of ages, maturity levels, and goals, but I also have an incredible range of technological experiences and abilities.  What direction do I take to best serve each of my students?

The first semester I taught this class, I was teaching opposite a colleague who had created the curriculum.  We wanted to keep the classes together, so I pretty much taught from her lesson plans.  The second semester, I had each of the Tech I classes, so I changed up my curriculum to focus on college and career readiness while integrating technology. Each semester, though, we taught basic Word, Excel, PowerPoint, iMovie, and Garage Band with a few trendy sites and apps added in.  Second semester, I added blogging with Classpress.  At year-end, I received excellent feedback from students and parents, but I think I can take this course in a completely different direction. 

One of the many meaningful points @AdamBellow made in his keynote address at ISTE 2013 really struck home with me: Each student should have an IEP.  Wow!  How would that look in my classroom, and how awesome would it be to model that for my colleagues?  Well, to be honest, I don’t have it all worked out in my mind, but I have some ideas.  First, I have created a pretty detailed survey in Google Docs.  Click here to view the survey.  This will be my students’ first assignment, and I will have them complete it the first day of class.  Once I receive the results, I will be able to see what each student brings to the table.  I want to group them based on ability, interests, and experience.  Within their groups, they will collaborate to create group goals for the semester, as well as work individually to set their own goals.

It’s going to be an interesting year! August will begin a semester where I am going to have to let go of my need for control and very detailed planning.  August is going to be the beginning of an experiment where I react to what my students need when they need it. I am nervous and uncertain, but I’m also excited.  I’m going to be learning right along with them.  And it’s okay if I fail, because I’ll know what not to do in the very next class.

I plan to blog weekly about my classroom experiment – the good and the not-so-good.  I need you – my PLN. I need your suggestions, prayers, ideas, and encouragement, and – more than anything – I want to make a difference in each of my students’ lives.

Teacher Discounts

Container Store

The Container Store provides a 15 percent discount on all items through the Organized Teacher Program. Register online for a free discount card to use for in-store and online purchases. If you visit a store, be sure to have your school ID.

http://www.containerstore.com/teachers/index.htm

Office Depot
The free Office Depot Star Teacher Program grants privileged educators (aka those who sign up) 10-percent back in rewards points on ink, toner and paper purchases. You also get 15-percent of the price of all copy and print orders placed online or at a brick-and-mortar location.

http://www.mystarteacher.com/home.do

FedEx
Fedex Office gives you 15-percent off nearly all products, including brochures, business cards and photos. Call ahead to be sure your intended purchase qualifies for the discount.

http://www.fedex.com/us/office/academic-edge/

Staples Teacher Rewards Program
Register for the Staples Teacher Rewards Program to garner 10-percent back in rewards points. The program covers a slew of products, from ink and paper to teaching and art supplies.

https://www.staplesrewardscenter.com/SORC/UserManagement/Login/Login.aspx

JoAnn Fabric & Gifts

The free Teacher Rewards Discount Card entitles educators to 15-percent off all purchases. New members receive a 20-percent off bonus for signing up.

http://www.joann.com/teacherrewardsform/?_requestid=4794114

Izzit

Join Izzit.org and receive one free educational DVD on your birthday. The company specializes in videos for older students, so only teachers of grades 6-12 can apply.
http://www.izzit.org

Michael’s
Receive 15% off your entire purchase every day. See a store associate for details as some exclusions may apply.

Barnes & Noble
Through the B&N Educator Program, teachers can save 20-percent off the publisher's list price on purchases for classroom use. During Educator Appreciation Days, receive discounts up to 25-percent.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/bn-at-school/educator.asp?cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-TnL5HPStwNw-_-10:1&r=1

ShopPBS

ShopPBS is one of the few book and media outlets to offer an online discount to teachers. Register for the PBS Teachers Program to take 10-percent off your first purchase through the store.
http://teacher.shop.pbs.org/home/index.jsp?clickid=topnav_teachershop_txt

Ann Taylor Loft

Educators are rewarded through the Loft Loves Teachers program. Register to get 15-percent off all in-store purchases, plus an introductory discount for new members.
http://f.mail.loft.com/i/36/1566646063/LOFTLovesTeachers.html

The Limited

Show a school ID or valid pay stub when you shop at any The Limited location and snag 15-percent off your entire order. The offer is good for everything. In-store only.

New York and Co.

New York and Co. grants any educator with a valid school ID 15-percent off every purchase at participating locations, keyword participating. Call ahead to be sure your favorite store honors the offer.

J. Crew

Visit the local J. Crew, flash your school ID, and be rewarded with 15-percent off. In-store only.

Banana Republic

Banana Republic offers a 10-percent off deal to any teacher with a valid school ID. Another caveat fiend, it's only good at participating locations. Call before you shop.

Apple Store

The House of Jobs is surprisingly generous to teachers, offering 5-percent off all in-store purchases with proof of employments as an educator.

Bose

Variable discounts are available on all music systems and accessories. Call the Customer Focused Development Team at 1-800-353-4027 for pricing and to place an order.

Cell Phone Companies (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint)

This discount is a tad tricky to redeem but can save loads on a personal cell phone bill, sometimes up to 20 percent a month. Visit your provider's business or discount portal and input your .edu e-mail address to check if your institution is registered. Example: Search "Verizon business discount" in a search engine and click on the first result to register or check an existing discount.

Adobe

Shop direct from the Adobe Education Store and receive discounts on select software, including bundles and suites. Adobe requires proof of employment as an educator before applying the discount.

Lenovo

Teachers earn 5-percent off any purchase from the computer connoisseurs at Lenovo simply for being, well, themselves. Call Customer Service at 1-866-968-4465 to apply the discount.

Pizza Hut
Feed your pizza monster for cheap when you dine at any Pizza Hut location. Show your school ID for discounts of 10- to 20-percent off any meal.

Starbucks
Deals at the world's most iconic coffee shop vary widely by location and the baristas working. However, they've been known to give discounts on request. Build a healthy rapport to up your chances.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel

Teachers are eligible for a variety of discounted rates at the Swan and Dolphin hotel, located securely in the center of Walt Disney World in Orlando. Availability also varies based on season and demand. Mention you're an educator when booking.

Marriott Hotels

Marriott grants teachers a discount at a slew of hotels across the nation. Whether you book on-line or in-person, show your school ID at check-in to receive the special rate. Rules on this discount are a bit vague -- they mention government employees, which would imply only public school employees -- but most hotel employees don't bite. Feel free to ask.

Regal Cinemas

Regal Cinemas regularly have discount tickets for teachers (and students), good for all show times. Call or visit beforehand, as not every location honors the discount or offers the same price.

National Park Service

Show a valid school ID at a slew of National Park Service visitor centers across the nation and receive 15-percent off any purchase. The discount doesn't apply to park entry fees, camping fees or Smoky the Bear petting zoo fees.

Art Institute of Chicago

Teachers at any level are entitled to free admission with a valid school ID. The Institute's extensive museum is at 111 S. Michigan Ave. in downtown Chicago.

Boston Children's Museum

Despite the name, the Boston Children's Museum isn't just for kiddos. See for yourself for free with a valid school ID, available year-round. The museum is at 308 Congress St., just across from the Children's Wharf Park.

The Field Museum of Chicago

Educators need only present a valid school ID for free admission at The Field Museum in Chicago, dedicated to all things historic and otherwise dug up. The museum is located at 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, only steps from Lake Michigan.

Museum of Science, Boston

Teachers of grades K-12 can register for the free Teacher Partner Program at the Museum of Science to receive a slew of exclusive benefits, including free individual exhibit passes, discounted annual memberships, and 10-percent off at the Museum Store. The museum is located at 1 Science Park just off Monsignor O'Brien Highway.

Shedd Aquarium in Chicago

Teachers are eligible for one free general admission ticket with a valid school ID. Present ID before purchasing at any box office window. The aquarium is at 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive in the same complex at The Field Museum.

Schlotsky’s

10% off with school ID – in-store only.

Bank of America: Neighborhood Champions Protected Mortgage (also known as Teacher Zero Down/Teacher Flex)

Neighborhood Champions Protected Mortgage is an innovative program designed to help teachers and other public servants overcome the high cost of home ownership with a fixed or adjustable-rate mortgage. There are no restrictions on where the house is, and you may not need an established credit history. You will need to verify that you have been teaching for 12 months when you apply. For more information, call them at 1 (888) 293-0264.

ELA Links

http://www.edgalaxy.com/literacy/

http://www.anenglishteacher.net/LessonPlans/MostDangerousGamelessonplan.htm

5-day plan for teaching “The Most Dangerous Game” to 9^th graders

http://www.scoop.it/t/creating-newspapers-in-the-classroom

http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79506162/chaucers-the-canterbury-tales-middle?ref=cat3_gallery_13

This would be a great project for English classes

http://busyteacher.org/11342-how-to-teach-english-punctuation-sustem.html

This is from a college professor who is combatting punctuation "myths" kids pick up in school. It's a nice article. I like the how the "commas go where you breath" myth is debunked.

http://secondarysolutionsblog.com/2012/03/attacking-the-common-core-standards-informational-texts-part-one/

Ideas, tips, and tools for the middle and high school English Language Arts teacher

http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/phrases-we-owe-to-shakespeare

Things we say today that we owe to Shakespeare

Math Links

http://www.edgalaxy.com/numeracy/

http://www.khanacademy.org/

With over 3,300 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and hundreds of skills to practice, Khan Academy is on a mission to help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.

http://www.wolframalpha.com/educators/

Using Wolfram|Alpha in the Classroom

Wolfram|Alpha is a free online computational knowledge engine that generates answers to questions in real time by doing computations on its own vast internal knowledge base. Our long-term goal is to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable and accessible to everyone. This can be valuable to educators in many ways.

All-School Links and Ideas

Great idea for those bothersome cords!

http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/ - Jeopardy generator that can be used with SmartBoard or projected from a computer.

http://www.classroomjr.com/3-creative-ways-teachers-can-use-pinterest/

Using Pinterest in the classroom

http://www.edgalaxy.com/teaching-ideas/

Mind Map

http://www.nicksenger.com/csc/101-essential-resources-for-catholic-educators

10 Essential Resources for Catholic Educators

http://www.ateacherstreasure.com/p/freebies.html

Freebies for Teachers

http://www.catholiceducation.org/

Catholic Education Resource Center

Use Wordle for class list and then frame to display

BEGINNING OF THE YEAR PROJECT! Give each member a puzzle piece to decorate... keeping the edges intact so it can be re-assembled. Use for a lesson in tolerance... how each individual piece is beautiful on its own. But what a masterpiece you get when you put them all together! Cute for decorating and getting to know you! – Great for House

http://www.giftcardgranny.com/blog/the-complete-list-of-66-teacher-discounts/

Complete List of Teacher Discounts

http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/12/30/tool-free-printable-goal-list-form/

Printable Goal List

http://edudemic.com/2011/12/15-flipped-classrooms/

Facebook Bulletin Board

http://www.upcyclededucation.com/2012/03/textbook-quote-activity-guest.html

Text Quote Activity – Great for Every Classroom

http://www.watchknowlearn.org/

Free Educational Videos for the Classroom

https://www.teachingchannel.org/

Watch teachers at work in their classrooms

http://teaching.uncc.edu/articles-books/best-practice-articles/goals-objectives/writing-objectives-using-blooms-taxonomy

Writing objectives using Blooms Taxonomy

Have one person sit on a chair in front of a white board while the others wrote a positive phrase about them. Take a picture to give to each person. A very creative and positive group activity!!

make magnets with teacher info for parents on back-to-school night

http://allthingscommoncore.com/

Developing an Understanding of the Common Core Standards

http://evernote.com/