Here is What We Do...

Over the years, the material I present has changed, matured, and expanded. Trying to put together a comprehensive catalog that is not out of date as soon as it is completed has been a challenge.

Clicking on the image to the left will take you to a virtual catalog. Feel free to browse. If something strikes your fancy, I hope you can join me the next time I am presenting that topic. If would like to bring me to your school or other organization for the one of choosing, click here and we can begin a discussion.

Looking for Your "Brand"?

There was a time when choosing a username was something to which you did not give a second thought. You typed in the first thing that came to mind. If that name was not available and the site suggested something else, you took it. Those days are gone, or at least they should be. Whether it's Twitter or YouTube or Blogger, we want something that identifies us, a single name that identifies us across the web.

I found very quickly that "Frank Buck" had already been taken on a number of fronts, not to mention the fact that I share that name with a famous wild animal hunter from days gone by. Happily, Blogger was a notable exception. I also discovered that adding a title in front of my name gave me something that no other "Frank Buck" seemed to have. So, "DrFrankBuck," with well-placed capital letters, became my "brand" across the web.

Are you struggling with the same question, trying to find one username you can use universally? If so, namechk is the site for you. There is no registration. Simply enter the username you are considering and click "chk." Namechk returns an "available" or "taken" result for up to 160 different sites.

Want to view a "taken" site? Click on its icon and you will be viewing the Twitter feed, Facebook page, or YouTube collection for the person with that name. Start your search with a short list of possibilities and in just a couple of minutes, you should have pegged a brand for yourself. If you are looking for a time-saver, this is one!

While you are at it, are you thinking about a website domain name? Take a look at Panabee. Enter the words you are interested in having in the domain name. Panabee shows you what is taken and what is not.

Deadlines and Toothpaste

What is the trigger that tells you it’s time to buy toothpaste? Is it when you’re squeezing the last little bit out of the tube? Or, is it when you take the last unopened tube from under the counter? How you answer this question speaks volumes about your entire approach to deadlines and either the stress, or lack of stress, they cause.

In the tooth paste scenario, the person who adds “Buy toothpaste” to the list when there is none left has created an urgency, and a trivial urgency at that. Buying toothpaste becomes a “must do” for the next day. There may be no other shopping items to get, yet we’re going to make a trip to the store for that lone tube. If our favorite brand is out of stock, we either settle for something else, or shop somewhere else. Needless to say, we will be paying the regular price for toothpaste.

What about the one for whom the “buy toothpaste” trigger occurs with the last unopened tube is taken from the cabinet under the sink? If toothpaste is bought tomorrow, that’s fine. If it doesn’t get bought until next week or even next month, that’s fine too, because there is enough to last. Surely there will be a great coupon for toothpaste along the way! If our favorite brand is sold out, no problem. Next time we go shopping, the new shipment will surely have arrived.

One of the keys to minimizing stress is to work ahead of deadlines. You work at a pace that is refreshing rather than frantic. You work on activities that fit together naturally – running a bunch of errands at once, or paying a whole stack of bills at once. You are driven by efficiency, what offers the most “bang for the buck," instead of jumping from one fire to the next.

Work ahead of deadlines, and you give yourself the gift of time. The “Julie Andrews Hour” ran during 1972 and 1973. Andrews closed each episode with the song “Time is My Friend.” The lyrics are as follows:

Time is my friend for ev'ry time we meet
The time we spend is tender and sweet
Sweet songs to sing
And pretty words to rhyme
And memories that cling thanks to time


Quiet parks to walk
And long talks to talk
And tall hills to climb
And mountains of time


Then time to go
For everything must end
I'll see you soon I know
Knowing time is my friend


It's time now to go
For everything must end
I'll see you soon I know
Knowing time is my friend

For the one who works ahead of deadlines, time is a friend!

The Importance of Being "On Time"

I have posted before on the book The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence written by Tom Peters. On page 363, he talks about the subject of punctuality:

A "couple of minutes" late is... late. Five minutes late is... late. One-point-three minutes late is... late.
Late is... Late. "Better late than never"? Never. Period.
Early is not late.
Early is respect.
Early = "I care."
It matters.
Arriving early for a meeting is not a sign that you are "anxious." It’s a sign that you are ... PUNCTUAL.
Late is rude.
George Washington was never late.

Online Egg Timer

I have seen different online timers, but this one is different because you can have three different timers going at the same time.It's free. Check it out.

http://my.online-eggtimer.com

Want to "Validate" Someone Else

Want to make a difference in someone's day? This fable illustrates the power in each of us to make someone's day better or worse.





To view the credits for this delightful video, go to the original post on YouTube.

What will you to today to validate someone else?

Wylio...Photos With No Attribution Worries

Photos are plentiful on the Internet. But...you have to be careful of copyright and Creative Common license restriction. Here is a website that handles that for you.

1. Go to Wylio and set up a free account.
2. Enter to search for a photo.
3. Select your picture.
4. Wylio displays a preview of the picture and asks you to decide whether to align left, right, or center. You can also use a slider to re-size the photo.
5. When you get the picture like you want it, click the "get the code" button.
6. You can now paste the code in your blog. The picture will appear with the correct Creative Commons attributions.

Reducing the File Size of Photos

The file size of photographs can get very large. Want to know an easy way to reduce the file size? This post provides the perfect answer. I tried it, and the reduction on file size was huge.

How Have You Grown in the Last 10 Years?

In this month's newsletter, we talk about remembering the tragedy of September 11 ten years ago, including both where we were at that exact moment as well as where we were in general at that time in our lives. We use that recollection as a springboard for how we can maneuver the next 10 years, 5 years, or whatever time frame in which we want to set goals.

I was a school principal and had just stepped into my office when a parent called with the news of a plane striking the North Tower. I walked into the library, where a television set was tuned to the breaking news. It was at that moment when a second plane struck the South Tower, thus beginning the challenge of how to explain the unexplainable to children who should not have to deal with this sort of tragedy.

My life has changed since them. I am sure yours has as well. We have taken advantage of opportunities, and perhaps watched other opportunities go by. We may be able to point to the exact phone calls, relationships, emails, books read, or events witnessed that opened doors. We may be able to point to the actions taken that turned opportunities into the realities that shaped the last decade of our lives.

Ten years ago, when you looked into the future, how did it compare with the reality of your life today? What about the next 10...or 5...or 1? Where do you want to be in the future? Opportunity will knock. What can we do today to be ready when it does? Here are three ideas to consider:

Clear the Decks
Take a hard look at your "to-do" list. What tasks take time yet give no return? Get rid of them. Who else could do it? Delegate it. Will it repeat? If so, make it clear, identify the details, and make it part of your repeating task system.

What Are Your Goals? 
 It's easy for day-to-day activities to consume every minute. The weeks and months click away, but nothing seems to change. As you look to the future, how do you want it to be different from the present? If you can articulate it, you have a chance to make it happen.

Connect the Dots
The opportunities which turned into realities over the last decade happened because of small events that worked together. Turning your present goals into future reality will happen in the same way. What knowledge do you need to acquire, relationships do you need to forge, or skills do you need to hone in order to be "ready"? What are the small actions you can take today to make it happen?

Today, we look back 10 years. We look at a national tragedy, but we also look at where we have come since that tragedy. Let's go a step further and ask ourselves where we want to go in the next 10 years, 5 years, or 12 months. Let's take the next steps towards turning opportunity into reality.

"You've got to think about the 'big things' while you're doing the small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction" -Alvin Tofler

Focused or Fragmented? The Choice is Yours

Thanks to Eye on Education for the opportunity to guest post on their blog. Enjoy "Focused or Fragmented? The Choice is Yours."

Locking Google Safe Search

Keeping students safe on the Internet is a constant challenge? Did you know about this one?



As a teacher, you can look for the colored balls even from across the room. Those tell you safe search is on. This is a great to know about whether you are a teacher or a parent.

Organization Starts Early

Foyer at Raymond L. Young

Good organization pays off at any age. It starts with developing the habit of writing down the things you have to do, and having one tool that holds everything you write. That was the message delivered to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders at Raymond L. Young Elementary School. Like many schools, the students have planners supplied by the school. Unlike many schools, the faculty realizes the importance of devoting time to how to use them effectively.

A packet of letters arrived in my mailbox, and here are some of the things students had to say:

• You gave me a lot of information and inspiration to make my life and my parent's lives a lot more organized.
• When I got home Friday, I got organized ASAP!
• I never thought you could stay so organized when you have so much to remember.
• My favorite part was when you told us we could write non-school things in our planner.
• I used to put school stuff in my planner. Now I put birthdays, holidays, when we're out of school, and lots of other stuff in there.
• Finally I cleaned up my room and closet and that's very unlike me. I also cleaned out my drawers and found out that's why I couldn't find my clothes.
• I'm writing down everything I need to know. I'm forgetting less now so that's a good sign. Life is certainly easier!
• School is a lot easier when you are organized.

A thank-you gift

Could You Write a Book? If You Blog, the Answer is “Yes”

With all of the digital information we read, there’s still something special about a book. Watching the “pages” go by, even if those papers are digital, provides comfort. Seeing a book with our name on it provides a sense of accomplishment.

If you have a blog, you can turn it into a book in a matter of minutes, and do it for free. As a great side benefit, you will be backing up your blog in the process, so that if something happened or you wanted to move your blog to another service, you have all of your data safely stored on your computer.

First, you will make a backup of your blog. In your Blogger dashboard, click on “Settings.” Then click “Export Blog.” On the next page, click “Download Blog,” and you will be able to save a file to your hard drive with all your posts and comments. I have a repeating task in Outlook which prompts me every three months to backup my blog.

Next, let’s create our book.

The site we will use is called BlogBooker. Once at the site, click on the icon for the blogging service you use. You will then be prompted to browse for your blog export. Upload it and the site will create your book!

Are you authoring a blog that you know will be temporary? When the time comes that the blog’s purpose has been fulfilled, what better way to complete the project than turn it into a book? Store it digitally or print and bind it. Either way, you have something you can cherish.

Thinking About the Getting a Doctorate?

Since earning my doctorate 15 years ago, many people have asked my advice for how to navigate the waters. While people often have horror stories to tell, I must admit, I have none. In fact, the doctorate was the smoothest of my collegiate programs. The time from the first day of class to the day of the dissertation defense was two years and two months. Thinking about going for that terminal degree? Here is my best advice...

Start the Inquiry Early
Start contacting the university you want to work with at least a year in advance. When I went through the program, the university took a new group only one time a year, and that time happened to be in the spring quarter. You don’t want to get fired up about starting and then find out you missed the deadline to apply by a few days, and now you will have to wait a full year to do anything.

My suggestion is to start by contacting whoever is the head of your major area and ask for an appointment. Yes, you are asking to talk to an important person, but at the same time, you are probably held in high esteem in your area of expertise or you wold not be at this point. With your years of experience, your success in the classroom and possibly in the administrative arena, your other advanced degrees, and your obvious drive, who wouldn't give up an hour of their time to encourage you to enter their program? Your face is now associated with the name they will see on the application, and you will have been able to share with a key decision-maker your successes and your potential for added impact on the world of education.

You will probably have to take a standardized test (GRE, MAT, etc.) to be admitted to the program. Find out where these tests are given and how often. I found out a local university (not even the one where I was applying) gave the MAT every single day!

The Dissertation IS the Doctorate
The first time I heard a professor say, "The dissertation is the doctorate," I didn't believe it. Believe it. You will take classes, and they won’t be so much different from classes you have taken in the past. People don’t wash out of doctoral programs for failure to be able to show up on Tuesday night from 6:00-9:00. They wash out because they get to the end of the coursework, see this gigantic wall called the "dissertation" and think, “There is no way I can do this!”

Decide on your dissertation topic BEFORE YOU START THE PROGRAM, or at least form a general idea for your topic. Go to a university library and spend some time looking through Dissertation Abstracts International. When I started my journey, Dissertation Abstracts had just begun coming out on CD-ROM, and people were able to search by topic. By this time, I am sure the technology is even better.

Who else has done something similar to what you are considering? What new twist could you put on an exiting study? Is there something about your population that is different from the one on which the previous study was conducted?  What big hole exists in the literature? You will be able to find a topic you like and approach it somehow differently than it has ever been addressed before.

Start Writing Now
You are going to write a paper for every class you take, just like you did for your Masters and Educational Specialist degrees. The idea is that every time you have to write a paper, you will find some way to link it back to your dissertation topic. Every paper you write feeds the dissertation. From the day of the appointment with my chair when we hammered out a title, research questions, and method for testing the hypotheses to the day of the dissertation defense was six months. That's because I already had a wealth of literature review accomplished through previous papers.

I have seen far too many people write papers which have no value beyond the class they are taking. When they finish their coursework, they are looking at a blank computer screen and wondering how to begin. Those who have been feeding the dissertation all along the way already have a wealth of research and are ready to write.

The Secretary is Your Friend
Get to know the secretary in that department. Doctoral programs are often ripe with ambiguity. The secretary is often the one who takes ambiguity and turns it into something concrete. If you want a straight answer, a secretary who has become a confidant is a life-saver.

Why?
I guess the last thing should be the first thing: Why do you want to have the doctorate? If it’s something YOU have always wanted to do, sort of a dream that would be the cherry on top of the sundae, then go for it! Are there some doors you want to open that a doctorate will help? Go for it!

Regardless of the reason, you meet people. You expand your network. You will step out of your comfort zone. You will put in some time, and in the process become a better manager of your time than you ever thought possible. You will grow and you will start to realize that you have more to offer than you originally thought. If you have read this far, the wheels must already be turning. Good luck!

What about those of you who have already gone down this path? What are your thoughts? What can you add to the conversation? Thinking about starting on your doctorate and have something you want to ask?

If the World Were a Village of 100

If the world were to be reduced to a population of 100, what would it look like? This video gives some insight:

What surprised you the most? Is there a cautionary tale somewhere in there?

So What's Google+ All About? (A Short Video)

I have been hearing lots of buzz but really didn't have a clue. What about you? Maybe this video will help some...

What is Wikipedia all About?

What is Wikipedia all about? Here is a short video which explains the concept.

Click here to view the video.

Cell Phones in the Classroom...How Do We Do It?

Depending on where you live, cell phones in schools have progressed as follows:

• A violation of state law
• Not against the law, but banned from being on campus
• OK to bring on campus, but must stay in the locker all day
• OK to use between classes, but must never see the light of day inside the classroom
• Maybe, just maybe something that can be used to promote learning and increase productivity

Over a decade ago, we were looking at handheld devices (primarily Palm) as being a significant breakthrough in how we could deliver instruction. At the same time, cell phones were becoming popular items in the backpack of students. Since that time, the two devices have merged, and they have merged with other existing devices as well. Now, you can make a phone call, keep a calendar, take a picture, and view a video (just to name a few) all on the same device.

The business world was finding the all-in-one tool to be a "must" for productivity. And if it makes adults more productive, we must ask the question, "Can it make students more productive as well?" More and more, people are beginning to feel the answer is "Yes." In an environment where we want technology yet lack the funds to purchase it, we also exist in an environment where students have purchased their own.

I would not for one second suggest we allow smartphones into classroom and then come up with ways to use them. That's a recipe for frustration and mediocrity. Instead, the question before us is what can be done best with a smartphone, and then loosen the restrictions that have kept best practice from becoming current practice.

I wish I had all of the answers, and I don't think any of us has them all. I do want to share one post that provides some of the nuts and bolts for moving from where we are with cell phones in our schools to where we could be. I recommend 10 Proven Strategies to Break the Ban and Build Opportunities for Student Learning with Cell Phones.

Importance of Organization with Technology and Teaching

Computers began to appear in classrooms almost 30 years ago. How best to integrate them into the learning process remains a popular topic. This guest post, written by Lindsey Wright, offers practical advice.

While the use of technology has been touted for awhile now as an essential part of the educational process, many teachers and administrators are baffled by how to integrate computers and other technological tools into the classroom environment and make them a meaningful part of learning. It’s not simply enough to say that you’ll designate time each week for students to work on computers or require them to type their papers. To truly integrate current technology with curriculum, you must be crafty, think outside of the box, and develop new organizational methods for classroom management.

Successful Models for Computer Integration

Science teacher Judi Heitz wrote an article way back in 1999 discussing the problems she encountered working with students. While some of her ideas are a bit dated, especially in an era in which the online school has become increasingly prevalent, her solutions for integrating computers into students’ academic lives still hold up. The first thing that is essential to successful classroom integration of technology is in making its use meaningful to goals of the lesson. Simply letting the computer be a means to an end is not enough.

As such, Heitz required students to communicate with each other via e-mail and use search engines to develop models for a genetically engineered product. While the computing requirements she set forth for the project might seem a bit lax for the current generation, the principles remain sound. Teaching students to work cooperatively across a digital medium is essential. So is teaching them to evaluate internet sources to broaden their knowledge base and develop original theory and thought. While genetically engineered products might not have been part of the basic science curriculum, by asking students to create their own genetically engineered products, Heitz introduced them to a new level of genetics and led them to explore it. Ultimately, as Heitz noted, the project taught the students to explore, to evaluate sources, and to work with one another to develop new levels of knowledge.

Another teacher, Kenneth Beare, who specializes in ESL, makes a number of excellent suggestions in his article “How to Use a Computer in Class” for successfully organizing a lesson that uses the computer. However, the primary thought to keep in mind when developing the lesson is to keep it simple. Having students dashing willy-nilly from the Internet to word processing to spreadsheets doesn’t help them or you. To create a meaningful lesson, the computer should be used as a facilitating tool. The goal should be to master a particular aspect of the curriculum while at the same time mastering a particular aspect of computing.

Beare also emphasizes that, as lessons are typically divided into warm-ups, introduction of materials, class work, and summary, it behooves the teacher to incorporate the computer aspect of the curriculum into at least two areas of the lesson. For an example, the teacher might begin class one day by introducing the topic and including a discussion of how the computer will be used during class work. During the introduction, the students will model the teacher’s use of the computer. Following this, the students will work to complete the class assignment, using the computer as a tool. The next day, a review of the previous day’s material might require them to complete a smaller-scale version of the assignment as a warm-up.

It is also essential that computers be integrated in such a way that students expect them to be part of the lesson. If it’s not possible for every student to have a computer at his or her desk, a computer work center is an excellent solution. As detailed on Scholastic.com, there are a number of solutions that will keep computer centers running smoothly and facilitate independent use and detailed investigation by students. For instance:

• Index cards or posters that provide computer instructions can help to keep students oriented as to the basic goals and rules of computer use.
• Developing activities or assigning students to research or work on a particular website that corresponds to the lesson keeps the computer center relevant and current.
• Lessons completed in one session tend to work best at computer centers, unless the students can work on the same lesson for several weeks.

By maintaining center organization and encouraging relevant study, the teacher can organize the computer center to foster creative thinking. These centers, due to their somewhat informal nature, are also great for encouraging group work. Keeping extra chairs at the computer center further encourages this, reinforcing the collaborative nature that characterizes good research and digital learning.

Computers don’t belong just in the school computer lab, nor should they be used only as word processors. Rather, the careful organization and integration of computers into the classroom means that students, regardless of their technological capacities at the outset, will learn valuable skills while broadening their knowledge of different subjects. Ultimately with careful lesson planning, a creative mindset, and a willingness to experiment in their organizational styles to discover what works best for them, teachers can integrate computer-based learning seamlessly into their classrooms.

Lindsey Wright is fascinated with the potential of emerging educational technologies, particularly the online school, to transform the landscape of learning. She writes about web-based learning, electronic and mobile learning, and the possible future of education.

Repeating Task System Revisited

I have spoken and written often about the importance of developing a repeating task system to take control of the tasks which must be completed not just once, but every year, every quarter, every month, every week, etc. In working with people one-on-one, I am finding more and more that the concept of repeating tasks is one which requires a great deal of review for people to truly "get it," and that is the reason for this post.

A couple of events forced me to dive into the world of podcasting literally overnight. I wound up putting together a podcast, less than 10 minutes in length, which not only explains the problem, but gives you three solutions.

To listen to that podcast, click here.

Anybody have their own repeating task system set up? Is it like one of these?

Website Moving to a New Server

My website is in the process of being moved to a new server and may be down for a couple of days.

Welcome Back to School!

I have no idea who assembled these clips, but I never cease to get a good chuckle from seeing the collection. We all need a good laugh, and often it's the ability to laugh that helps us get through the tough times and not take ourselves quite so seriously. Good luck to everyone as you start a new school year!

What Can Speakers Learn from "Do You Believe in Me"?

In the last post, you heard an inspiring message from a young man which has shared countless times over the last few years. As a speaker, what can you learn from this speech? Read "How can you inspire your audience? Ask 10-year-old Dalton Sherman."

Do You Believe in Me?

I certainly do...after watching this.



The speaker is Dalton Sherman, who at the time was a 5th grader. The audience consisted of 17,500 teachers and other employees of the Dallas Independent School District as they prepared to begin their school year in 2008.

As school systems around the country crank up again this year, there is no better time than now to review what this young man had to say.

As you prepare to start your own school year, what are the beliefs that guide your actions?

Helping Others Begin a Personal Learning Network

Renewing administrative certification in Alabama is done through the "Professional Learning Unit," acquiring a set of five over a five-year period. Thought retired from public education (although anyone who has kept up with me knows that I am not retired--just went a new direction ) I am still keeping this certification alive.

Six months ago, I participated in an online course on "personal learning networks." The "final project" is to come back six months later and show how I implemented what was learned. Because the course is designed for administrators, the expectations is that I show not what I implemented for my personal growth, but how the concepts impact others. Below is the "showcase" in which I give people a start (and firm foundation) into their own PLN.



What blogs are in my Google Reader? Here are 21 of my favorites and why. If you are brand new to the idea of an iGoogle page, click here for an introduction. If you like some of the links you see below, why not add them as subscriptions to your own Google Reader?

• Angela Maiers   Author of The Passion-Driven Classroom, Angela is an active speaker and has a great deal to offer on use of the technology in the classroom. She is very active in social networking.
• BlackBerry Cool   BlackBerry is my tool of choice when it comes to managing my life. This blog helps me keep up with new developments.
• Connected Principals   A group of authors write for this blog, sharing best practice in education. The blog received 6 Edublog Award nominations in 2010.
• Cool Cat Teacher   Vicki Davis is a technology teacher in Camilla, GA. She writes on the uses of technology in her classroom, her views on best practice for use of technology in general, and pioneered The Flat Classroom Project (for which her students have received much notoriety)
• Copyblogger   This blog is written for those who blog and wish to get better at it.
• Daily Motivator   This blog brings words of encouragement to keep your life moving in a positive direction.
• Educational Insights  Jennifer Malone is principal at Eaton Elementary School in Loudon County, TN. The blog is a collection of technology resources related to education.
• eduflections   Julie D. Ramsay is a 5th grade teacher and author of the newly-published Can We Skip Lunch and Keep Writing. Her blog is all about best practice, especially as its regards technology in the classroom.
• Eduleadership   Justin Baeder is an elementary principal in Seattle, WA. He writes primarily about productivity for the educational leader with much of it centering around use of technology.
• Eye on Education   This is the company which published both of my books. Morgan Dubin is the primary author for this blog in addition to her spearheading the company's communication through Twitter and Facebook.
• Free Technology for Educators   Richard Byrne is a teacher, yet somehow finds the time to write prolifically about just what the blog promises...free technology. This one is a must-read.
• Heights' Hilghlights   For principals wanting to communicate with faculty and staff via a blog, Robin Gilbert's example is superb.She uses Google Docs as a parking place for documents she wants her teachers to be able to access and places links to them on her blog. The blog often features polls for teacher input, provides timely news, and is a vehicle for giving positive recognition.
• Laura Stack-The Productivity Pro   Laura Stack is one of the most sought-after speakers in the country on the subject of personal productivity.
• Lifehacker   This blog is generally about making life more enjoyable. It is slanted heavily towards technology, but there is a good bit of non-tech stuff as well.
• Presentation Zen   If you speak before audiences with any degree of regularity, Garr Reynolds has a wealth of information on PowerPoint presentations in particular and any presentation in general.
• PS22 Chorus   This elementary school chorus from Stanten Island, NY has taken the Internet by storm. Visit this blog and you will understand why.
• Raymond L. Young   When it comes to capturing the warmth and character of a school, nobody does it better than Pattie Thomas. The audience for this blog consists of the parents and community that support Raymond L. Young Elementary School in Talladega, AL.
• RIMarkable   Research in Motion is the manufacturer of the BlackBerry. This blog contains the latest information about the company and its products.
• The Lettered Cottage   This blog is about home improvement. Moreover, it's a great example of how a blog can substitute for a website. The design is beautiful and can serve as a model for anyone.
• Middle School Notes   Kerry Palmer is the middle school principal at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, AL. This blog keeps parents informed about upcoming events. Parents are highly encouraged to subscribe through Feedburner so that they receive the latest information via e-mail.
• YoungTeachers   With this blog, Pattie Thomas has eliminated the need to produce a faculty handbook. Everything a teacher needs is digital and only a click away. Technology tips, best practice in the classroom, tips on parent relations, and positive recognition is all here

What are your favorite blogs? Leave a comment and let me know.

Can We Skip Lunch and Keep Writing?

Some questions are easy:
Is it important that kids write well?
Do we want them to write better than they do?
Would we like to use some of the technology available to help with the process?

Some questions are hard:
How?

A new book written by a 5th grade teacher answers that question. Can We Skip Lunch and Keep Writing? by Julie D. Ramsay walks us through a year in Mrs. Ramsay's classroom, a year in which students take the kind of ownership for their learning we wish could happen everywhere. The book is written in language even the techno-novice can understand, yet touches on such a wide variety of tools that even the most tech-savvy will learn something.

Can We Skip Lunch and Keep Writing? contains so much dialogue, I truly felt I was right there in the classroom with the students. I started reading one afternoon and found I was two-thirds of the way through before I could put it down. By the next day, I was finished. It's specific enough, a teacher can use it as his/her guide for improving writing, finally figuring out how to incorporate technology, and finally making learning irresistible.

If you are looking for a "how to do it" book that delivers, this one is a must-read! School's about to start. You need to pick up your copy now.

Organization Made Easy! Do You Have Your Copy?

Are you beginning your teaching career? Are you moving to another school, have inherited a room left in disarray, and need to know where to begin? Are you a veteran teacher who for far too long has been hampered by disorganization and are determined to turn over a new leaf? Do you know someone else who fits into one of these categories? 


Organization Made Easy! was written for just these people. Every good things we do for students happens through the dimension of time, and the productivity we get from the time we have is directly related to how organized we are.


As you begin this school year, I invite you to do so with a copy of this book in your hands. You can pick up a copy here. 

Hey Bubba...

I believe in routinely asking myself, “Hey Bubba, how are you going to make…the next 15 minutes…matter?

This quote is just one of countless pieces of advice and words of wisdom from Tom Peters in his book The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue Excellence. In short, what you see is an example of a blog turned into a book.

Don't let the thickness of the book, 538 pages if you count the index, scare you. You don't necessarily have to read every page or read the book in sequence. A very complete table of contents will let you find just what you are looking for from this off-the-cuff, straight-forward work.

My Vocabulary.com

While at the National Middle School Association convention back in November, I met the vendors for MyVocabulary.com.

The site is designed for upper elementary through high school. The whole site is free. Students do their work on computer. No login is needed. Their work is scored instantly. There is an option for students to e-mail their scores to their teacher. All they have to do is type the correct e-mail address.

I especially like this link:

http://www.myvocabulary.com/dir-general-school_calendar

The link puts the whole site in chronological order as the school year happens. So, when Constitution Day rolls around, and you are required by law if you take federal funds to do an activity related to the Constitution, you can do vocabulary activities instead of listening to the principal recite the Preamble or some of the other “just-do-it-and-get-it-done” type activities that take place all too often around the country.

The site is one well worth exploring. The price is certainly right and the content looks great.

"In the First Place"...Tricks to Help You Remember

It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention. A challenge sits before us, and none of the tools in our bags of tricks seems adequate to handle the job. That was certainly the situation for me in one particular college class many years ago. Meeting that challenge changed the way I approached studying for every test ever since.

The class was called "School and Society," basically a history of education. The professor was exceptional. The class was extremely interesting. It was also extremely intense. But one thing was odd. Class meeting after class meeting came and went with no mention of a test.

Finally, the day came when a test was announced, a test which would consist of one question. When the professor gave examples of questions from past tests, it was obvious that a general knowledge of the material would not be enough. To be prepared, I would need to be able to recite all of my notes from memory from beginning to end or from any starting point in the middle. I counted the pages. There were 57 of them, and the information was pretty detailed. While I had always been good at memorization, nothing had prepared me for this. I needed a new approach.

As luck would have it, I ran across a little paperback entitled The Memory Book. The first page of chapter one was designed to begin a discussion of memory systems throughout the ages. It took only one page to give me what I needed to approach not only this test, but every single exam I faced through every collegiate program thereafter.

Authors Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas talked about a technique used by the ancient Romans and Greeks when they delivered long speeches from memory. The orator prepared the speech by associating each part of it with a place in his home. The first point would be associated with the front door, the next point with the foyer, etc. As the orator delivered the speech, he would take a "mental trip" through his house, talking about each room as he came to it. This technique was called "loci," or "places." It is from this early memory technique that the expression "in the first place" originated.

I read no further. Starting at the beginning of the 57 pages, I began associating each major topic with a room. I visualized certain people in each room, people discussed at that point in my notes. I mentally placed pictures and posters on the walls, each reminding me of details about that topic.

As it turned out, I needed more than the rooms in my house. I included the music building and the church I attended at that time. But when all was said and done, I could literally recite the entire 57 pages as I mentally walked through each room in my house, the music building, and the church. Now I was ready!

The one-question test required me to discuss the history of American education from its beginnings to the point where our class discussions had stopped. That material turned out to be the final 10 pages of my notes. I was able to supply every detail about those 10 pages.

I made an "A," but more importantly, I had a technique that would serve me well through four graduate programs and all of the exams and "comps" that would accompany them. After learning about "places," the lowest I made in any class was an "A."

I have thought a great deal about The Memory Book since that experience 30 years ago. I was delighted to have found something so simple that made such a huge difference. Maybe it could make a difference for you as well.

SDE Midwest Conferences Wrap-Up

If you like the idea of using iGoogle as your browser's homepage and want to include some of the gadgets I have on mine, check out this post.

Want to setup a Dropbox account and not only get your free 2GB of storage but also get an extra 250MB? Click here to set up your account. Using that link gets you the extra 250MB (plus gives me and extra 250MB as well).

In a time where tablets are becoming popular, conducting classroom walk-throughs is an extremely practical use of collecting and organizing data.

As promised, this post gives the steps for creating a walk-through form using Google Docs and then getting that walk-through form onto your tablet.

1. Design your walk-through form on paper. You may wish to begin with a paper form you are already using. Only after you have thought through how you want the form to look should you go to the computer.
2. Log into your Google account and go to docs.google.com. You will see a list of all of the Google Docs you have already created.
3. Click “Create New” and choose “Spreadsheet.”
4. In Row 1 enter each of the questions that will go on the form. (Examples: Teacher name, Subject, Resources Being Used, Objective/Essential question posted?, Student activity, Number of students not actively engaged, Teacher activity, Level of questioning, Overall comments). Press the tab key to go from column to column. Note: You do NOT need to have a column for the date. The date and time of the walk-through will automatically be gathered for you.
5. From the “Tools” menu, choose “Form” and “Create a form.” You will now see a form with your column heading already listed. Below each item will be a short blank where you could enter a response.
6. While some fields lend themselves well to a short answer, for others, a drop-down list, series of check-boxes, paragraph text box, etc. will be a better fit. As you move the mouse down the page, each item will turn a beige color and display a series of icons to the right. Click the pencil icon to decide what type of response you want and create your list of checkboxes, items on drop-down list, etc.
7. Each question will display a “make this a required question” checkbox. It is a good idea to check this box. That will keep you from overlooking an item. Click “Done" when you have finished editing that item.
8. At the top of the form is a button called “Theme.” Click it, and you can choose from an array of attractive looks for your form.
9. At the very bottom of the form, you will see “You can view the published form here” followed by a rather long URL. This is a very important step! Highlight and copy that link.
10. By this time, Google Docs has probably prompted you to save the spreadsheet. If not, click “Save.”
11. Now we want to get this form on your BlackBerry PlayBook, iPad or other tablet device you will be using in the walk-throughs. You can also use the form with a Smartphone, although the size may be too small for you to use comfortably.
12. Open a new e-mail on your computer, paste the link from the bottom of the Google Docs form in the body, and address the e-mail to yourself. Send the e-mail.
13. Go to your PlayBook, iPad, or other tablet. Check your e-mail, looking for the one you sent to yourself.
14. Open the e-mail, and click the link. You should now be looking at your walk-through form.
15. Your tablet should offer you a way to save a URL as a “shortcut” on your home screen. For example, on the PlayBook, you will tap the hollow star and choose “Add to Home Screen.” You have now created an app for the walk-through form.

If you also wish to have the form on your Smartphone, you will repeat the process on that device. Check your e-mail on the Smartphone and open the one containing the link to the walk-through form. Click the link to display the form. Now turn that URL into a desktop shortcut. How this is done will vary from one Smartphone to the next. For example, on a BlackBerry running OS6, click the icon just to the right of the URL address bar. Choose “Add to Home Screen.” You have now just made the walk-through form into an app! You will find its icon on your home screen.

You are ready to start your walk-throughs! Each time you finish a form and touch “Submit,” the data instantly goes into the Google Docs spreadsheet. Each entry is date and time stamped for you!

No more filling out forms and then recopying that data somewhere else! Your data is neatly stored in rows and columns on your Google Docs spreadsheet. Less time spent on paperwork. More time spent on helping good teachers get even better. Life just got easier!

NextUp...Keeping Your Meeting on Schedule

Do you find it hard to keep your meetings on schedule? Do attendees tend to go on "birdwalks"? NextUp is a very simple online tool to keep you on schedule.

Simply go to the website. No account is needed. Name the meeting. List the agenda items. Assign a time limit for each one. Click to start your meeting and watch the timer count down the time remaining for the current agenda item.

Meetzi Helps Organize Meetings and Keep Them on Schedule

We know that a meeting should have a purpose.We know we should prepare an agenda and distribute it before a meeting. We know we should stick to that agenda.

With all of that knowledge, why are there still so many bad meetings? What can we do about it?

Meetzi is a free online tool that can help. Prior to the meeting, Meetzi allows you to do each of the following:

1. Define the purpose of the meeting
2. Build the agenda including the person responsible for each item and time allowed
3. Invite the meeting attendees
4. Attach documents to the meeting invitation
5. Establish a dollar per hour value so that you can see how much the meeting is actually costing in terms of people's time

During the meeting, Meetzi does each of the following:

1. Displays the agenda, complete with the presenter for each topic and allotted time
2. Keeps up with the time so that you can see if you are on schedule

After the meeting, Meetzi allows you to send notes to all meeting attendees. Not bad for a free resource. Give Meetzi a try!

Conducting a Classroom Walkthrough Using Google Docs Forms

Thanks to everyone who came to my sessions at the Differentiated Instruction Administrator Summit sponsored by Staff Development for Educators. In a time where tablets are becoming popular, conducting classroom walk-throughs is an extremely practical use of collecting and organizing data.

As promised, this post gives the steps for creating a walk-through form using Google Docs and then getting that walk-through form onto your tablet.

How Secure is Your Password?

In a digital world, keeping our data secure is essential, and a large part of that is password security. How secure is your password? Want to put it to the test?

At How Secure is My Password? you enter your password and instantly see an estimate of how long it would take a computer armed with the proper software to determine your password.

Coming to SDE Conferences in Las Vegas or Chicago?

Coming to the SDE Administrator Summit in Las Vegas next week? What about the Midwest Differentiated Instruction Conference in Chicago later this month?

If so, I hope ou will join me for the following sessions:

SDE DI Administrator Summit

• The 5 Keys to Successful Organization & Time Management
• A Day in the Life of the Digital Administrator
• Your Own Blog in 10 Minutes or Less
• Free Digital Tools That Increase Productivity

Midwest Differentiated Instruction Conference (Chicago)

• A Day in the Life of the Digital Administrator
• Your Own Blog in 10 Minutes or Less
• Get More Done! 5 Keys to Organization & Time Management
• Free Digital Tools That Increase Productivity

Fife and Drums for the 4th

This is the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) Fife and Drum corps (filmed in 2007). Enjoy their music on this Independence Day!

The 60-Second Recap

Don't have time to read the book? Or maybe you do have time to read the book but first just want a quick overview.

In either case, The 60-Second Recap is worth a look. The videos are entertaining, and the library contains the "golden oldies" we remember from our high school English class.