"NextUp" Keeps Your Meeting on Schedule

Don't you hate meetings which drag on and where people take their own little "bird walks"? NextUp is a very simple website designed to keep meetings running on schedule. To use the site:

1. Go to http://nextup.info.
2. Enter the name of the meeting.
3. Enter each agenda topic and the time being allocated.
4. Click "Create Agenda."
5. When it's time to start the meeting, click "Start the Meeting."

The timer starts, and you watch the time tick second-by-second on the first agenda item. When the timer reaches zero, it starts ticking on the next item. There is no buzzer to signal "time up." If one agenda item is finished early, there is no way to jump the timer to the beginning of the next item. The site simply runs on a computer screen somewhere in the room as a subtle reminder of how many agenda items are left and how much time is left on the current item and those to follow.

Oh, and best of all, the site is free. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

What are your biggest problem areas in meetings? How do you overcome them?

Blogs, Wikis, Google Docs: A Comparison Chart

Even though Web 2.0 tool have been around for a while, many still have difficulty with the capabilities of each. After all, there is considerable overlap in these capabilities. A recent post on Free Technology for Teachers pointed readers to an excellent chart which compares and contrasts blogs, wikis, and Google Docs.

That chart can be found here.

My personal feeling is that between the ease and increased flexibility afforded to blog users and the improvements to Google Docs, those two tools used in conjunction provide the benefits that a wiki would offer. I would be welcome to hear other sides of that argument.

With a blog, I don't have to have a "big picture" plan for how the site will eventually look. I just start, and through consistent use of tagging posts with subjects, I can easily see all posts related to a certain subject at any later time.

In addition, I am more concerned with maintaining a collection of my finished work than a collection of all of the various drafts. This point makes my blog the choice over a wiki.

Finally, Google Docs fills the voids I see with a blog. The first of  those being there is no place to post separate documents you have created and want others to access. Simply post them on Google Docs and provide links from your blog. Blogs allow collaboration through narrative comments, but do not allow readers to actually go in and make changes to a work in progress. Google Docs specializes in that sort of thing.

Technology has brought us countless new tools. From the standpoint of someone who likes to keep things simple, pick the few that give the most bang for the buck and really get to know those inside out. For me, that meant getting really good with my blogs. Before retiring from public education, I was actively contributing to three blogs. I did not venture out to learn all of the available hosts for my blogs. I have simply stuck with Blogger from the beginning, watched its capabilities grow, and tried to stay abreast of those capabilities. 

For those still a little hazy on what a blogs, wikis, or Google Docs will do, hopefully the chart presented here will help.

The Importance of the Blog

According to Tom Peters, "No single thing in the last 15 years professionally has been more important to my life than blogging..." Listen to what he has to say:



We all have something to say that's worth saying and can't come close to being fit into 140 characters. For those times, there is the blog. Today is the 6th anniversary of my first post on this blog. Of all of the the Web 2.0 tools available, the blog continues to be my favorite.

Would you like to start your own?

Click here for ideas on starting your own blog.

Is Social Media a Fad?

Another Look at AYP Data

For those who are involved with Alabama schools, I highly recommend this blog post, which points out some of the pitfalls of the way Adequate Yearly Progress is calculated. For example, when results were released this year, we saw that while 75% of the schools in Alabama made AYP, quite a few of our most prestigious schools failed to make it.

The reason? In very simple terms, the "40 makes a subgroup" rule. If your enrollment is large, you will have 40 or more in the special education subgroup or limited English proficient subgroups. The scores for those students counts as a separate group.And the bar for that group is the same as for any other students. If your enrollment is smaller, and you don't have 40 in those subgroups, the scores don't count against you regardless of how low they are.

For quick some time, I have felt we need to be looking at something else to determine how well a school is performing. For years, we have been giving the Stanford Achievement Test, comparing our students to a normed group from across the nation. Since AYP has become the accountability measure, the emphasis being placed on SAT-10 has been diminished. Schools are celebrating making AYP while at the same time their SAT-10 scores are in the 30th-40th percentile range.

The blog post I encourage you to read discusses the AYP issue further. It also points you to what I think are two valuable resources. The first is the Interpretive Guide. If you want to know exactly how AYP is figured in Alabama, this is the Bible, and it's updated yearly. That post includes a link to it, or you can simply use the one I just gave you.

The second valuable resource is a website that provides data for every Alabama school looking at percentages of students who scored at "Level IV" on the Alabama Reading and Math Test. For many schools, the AYP bar is pretty low. Principals are able to count on the fingers of one hand the kids in a grade that are not "proficient" and special plans are in place to target those kids. Just making AYP is not much of a challenge. When we look at the percentage of students who "exceed standards" (Level IV), the data becomes meaningful and can show some true reasons for celebration and some true areas for focus. The link to that website is in the blog post I recommend, or you can access it here.

Checklists Revisited

My recent post entitled "It's a Matter of Life and Death...Literally" elicited a very thoughtful comment which ended with this paragraph:

Checklist don't take the creativity away, they take the chaos away, and let's be honest, performing in chaos is not creative per se, but one of the surest ways towards a nervous breakdown, so why would you willingly get into that?

Beautifully stated...and right on target.

Setting the Tone for Student Success: What Can Principals Do?

Eye on Education has asked several of its authors to weigh in on what principals can do to set the tone for the new school year. My response centered around the initials "VIP."

To read the post on Eye on Education's blog, click here.

What things do readers suggest that principals can do in those first few days to set the tone for the year?

Thanks, Facebook! Now I Can Explain RSS

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication," and I seriously doubt that after reading that sentence you know more than you did before reading it. RSS, however is a really important concept in the world of blogging. Thanks to Facebook, I think I can explain in terms Facebook users will understand.

Suppose you have 200 Facebook friends and you want to read their latest news. You could accomplish this by going to the profile page of each friend one at a time. In many cases, you would find that nothing on the page has been added since the last time you looked. Secondly, the process of going to each page is very time-consuming.

Luckily, Facebook takes all of the new content your friends have posted and puts it in one place for you, on your "newsfeed."

Think of blogs as Facebook profiles and RSS as the newsfeed. When you come across a blog that you like, you don't have to actually go to that blog in order to see when there is new content. Instead, you can "subscribe" to that blog through your RSS reader.

How to Get an RSS Reader
Google Reader is my choice. First, I set up an iGoogle page. iGoogle is my homepage and serves as a "dashboard," putting many useful tools at my fingertips. For instructions on how to set up an iGoogle page, go here.

Once you get the iGoogle page established, click the "Add stuff" link near the upper right portion of the screen. Search for "Google Reader" and add it. This short video gives information from there on how to use Google Reader.

20+ Ways to Use the Flip Video in the Classroom

My last post was devoted to the Flip video. The Free Technology for Teachers blog featured more than 20 ways to use this tool in the classroom. The post is well worth reading. Click here to read it.

The Flip Video

Technology continues to get smaller, more affordable, and better. Such is the case of the Flip Video. I got mine at Wal-Mart for $50.
The Flip is probably the world’s easiest video camera:
Step 1: Turn it on.
Step 2: Push the big red button.
Step 3: There is no Step 3.
It’s that easy.

When you are finished recording, press the big red button again. The “Flip” gets it’s name from the way you download the material to your computer. Slide a button and a USB connection “flips” out from the device. Plug it into a USB port in the computer and store the video file on your computer.

For a sample of what the flip can do, here is a rendition of “God Bless the USA” sung by my friend, David Horton and recorded on my Flip at a high school commencement.

The March 2010 issue of the THE Journal featured an excellent article on the Flip. Click here to read the article.

Anybody have experiences with this product that you would like to share?

Leadership Day 2010: the Final List

Two recent posts have related to Leadership Day 2010. The list has been cleaned up and is now in its final form. For some inspirational, visionary, informative thoughts on the world of education, click here.

It's a Matter of Life and Death...Literally

I like simple concepts, because the simple things are usually the things which wind up working. I recently read The Checklist Manifesto, a book written by a surgeon and aimed at saving lives. The premise of the book? Develop checklists to be used in the operating room. Why would a doctor need checklists? Haven't they been trained and know what to do? Of course they do. You and I have been trained for the jobs we do, but do we always remember every step of every routine exactly at the right time? If you are like me, the answer is a resounding "no."

In January, I wrote a post entitled "I Do It When I Think About It" where I talked about developing a system which causes you to think about things at the right time. This book operates along the same lines. Borrowing from pre-flight checklists used by airlines, author Atul Gawande's idea was to devise simple lists to be used before the incision and during routines procedures. Instead of having everything rolling around in their heads and hoping they think about it at the right time, there is the list to use just before the incision. Would you want a system in place to be sure that nothing was being overlooked if you were on the operating table?

For a more in-depth review, you may this one or this one, both from the New York Times. You may also view an interview with the author on The Daily Show.

Personally, I did not think the concept justified the 200 page length of the book. I do think the book is significant in that it helps to hammer home the need to identify those tasks that we perform repeatedly and get them into a system.

As a principal, I used checklists to handle numerous routines. Closing out a grading period was one. Failure to run a "missing grades report" before running report cards could mean having to re-print them because a teacher had failed to post grades. Failure to e-mail our honor roll to the newspaper would mean that our students would miss out on that recognition. In fact, overlooking any one of the steps would cause a problems somewhere down the line.

I had a checklist for getting the students information system software ready for the next school year and even gave my checklist to other principals in the school system. On the first day of school, those who had followed it to the letter had no problems. Those who did not found their teachers could not take attendance because certain dates had not been entered in the office.

What are the routine projects that you have? How much time would it take to think through the steps one time and write them down? How much time would it save not having to redo work because a step had been skipped here or there? How much stress would be saved in not having to worry about whether something had been left out in the heat of battle? Set aside a little time to identify those activities in your life where a checklist would help. The tool does not inhibit your creativity. Instead, it takes care of the the mundane and allows more energy for the creative aspects of your life. Let's hear your thoughts on this idea.

The master thinker knows that ideas are elusive and often quickly forgotten, so he traps them with notebook and pencil. He heeds the Chinese proverb: “The strongest mind is weaker than the palest ink.”
—Wilferd A. Peterson in
Adventures in the Art of Living

Is This a Shapshot into Our Future?

What will technology look like in years to come? How will it impact our daily lives? This 5-minute video gives us a snapshot into our possible future. Go here, and then click on "Watch Video."

New Years Resolutions...How are Yours Coming?

It seems like only yesterday we were ringing in 2010 complete with its set of New Years Resolutions. How are yours coming? Anyone want to share one that is going well? Anybody want to share one that de-railed?

If something went well, why do you think this one is working while others have not? If one of yours has gone by the wayside, why do you think that happened?

Good to Outstanding

In the last post, we learned to "Watch the Game Film," in other words, learning what great teaching looks like by viewing videos of it. Today's post is a follow-up to that idea.

"Good to Outstanding" is a video series that does just what the name implies. They take good teachers and attempt to make their lessons truly outstanding. They accomplish this aim by bring in an expert to observe lessons and then meet with the teacher. During this meeting, the observer is very specific about what was good, what could have been better, and exactly how to make it so. We then see the same teacher in action again, still with the same observer in the room. We also here the feedback given to the teacher after that second lesson. Was the lesson outstanding?

Could your own teaching improve by watching? I really think so. I have been impressed with the quality and specificity of the feedback. To watch these videos, go to From Good to Outstanding.

What has helped you the most in perfecting your craft as a teacher?

Watch the Game Film

When I see educational topics discussed in a major business-related magazine, it tends to get my attention. If an editor felt a topic related to education was important enough for business executives to be familiar with, then I certainly need to be familiar with it. Such is the case with an article entitled "Watch the Game Film," which appeared in the June 2010 issue of Fast Company.

To illustrate the point they are trying to make to business executives, they examine the book Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques That Put Students on a Path to College. The title caught my eye because I had recently purchased and read the book. As its title suggests, the author identified strategies that great teachers use. Furthermore, the book contains a DVD of actual clips from classrooms where we see these strategies put into action. The book makes specific references to these clips at the appropriate points in the text, allowing the book and the DVD to work in tandem. It is a book that I enjoyed and heartily recommend to others.

The Citation Machine

For some, writing is sheer torture while for others of us, it's a passion. One thing we can most all agree upon is that we write papers, the citations are a chore. There is a website that takes all of the drudgery out of those citations. Take a look at The Citation Machine.

You simply enter the ISBN number into the website, choose whether your results are to be in APA or MLA form, and click "Submit." You will be presented with all of the information necessary: title, author, etc. You have the opportunity to correct any information which may be incorrect or incomplete.

Now click "Submit" and you will see the resulting citation in the correct format. Copy and paste it into your paper. Life just got a little easier!

Welcome Back to School

I have no idea who assembled these clips, but I never cease to get a good chuckle from seeing it. 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!

Tales from A Teacher's Heart: More Than Music

The last post spotlighted a young man who asks the pointed question, "Do You Believe in Me?"

This video illustrates why we need to believe in, and continue to believe the power of students to succeed. The story is very real and comes from my second year as a teacher. This past January, Eye on Education featured it in their "Tales from a Teachers Heart" series. You can view the video also at this link or access the entire series by clicking here.

Do you have a story from your own teaching background that needs to be told? I invite you to comment about it. As a child, was there a special adult who brought out the best in you? Let us hear about it.

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?

Leadership Day 2010

Just over 100 educational leaders from around the country used their blogs and responded to the challenge to participate in Leadership Day 2010.

Technology has change our world and has impacted in our schools in many ways. Best practice is being established and shaped by visionary leaders who realize the potential technology holds. To read the thoughts of some great educational leaders, click here.

Leadership Day 2010: Why Blog?

"Many of our school leaders (principals, superintendents, central office administrators) need help when it comes to digital technologies. A lot of help, to be honest. " Those are the words of Scott McLeod.

In an attempt to improve the situation, McLeod has invited bloggers around the country to step up to the plate with their suggestions, and for all of us to do so today. The initiative is being called Leadership Day 2010, and you can read about it here.

The Ant Philosophy

Over the years, I've been teaching kids about a simple but powerful concept: the Ant Philosophy. I think everybody should study ants. They have an amazing four-part philosophy. These are the words of author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker Jim Rohn. With thanks to Kerry Palmer for introducing me to it, read about The Ant Philosophy.

What I Did on My Holidays

I look forward to the day when the answer would be "yes." What if children were interested enough in writing that they chronicled the events of their lives? What if they chose to share their writing with the whole world? What if they developed a sense that if the world will be reading their work, their work needs to be quality stuff? What if children got interested in writing that is interesting?

Yes, young lad, instead raising your hand to ask, "How long does it have to be?" and scrawling down just enough to get by, please do e-mail me that link to your blog. Let me read the vivid details of the days as they are unfolding. Share with me the pictures you take on your vacation and fashion into an Animoto presentation. Explain to me why some of those pictures are significant, realizing that of all the things I could be doing, I am choosing to read your work. So, don't disappoint me.

And young lad, I dare you to write so well and make your story so interesting that I add you to my RSS feed and continue to read your work, because you have the creative spirit for which this world longs. Yes, please e-mail me that link...

Thanks to Jennifer Malone, Principal of Eaton Elementary in Lenoir City, Tennessee for bringing this cartoon to my attention.

SDE Conference

Thanks to everyone who attended one of my workshops at the Staff Development for Educators National Differentiated Instruction Conference! Please stop by this blog often. In addition, you will see an option on the right-hand side where you can subscribe to this blog and bring all new posts straight to your e-mail. Just below that is a button that will let you sign up for my free monthly e-mail newsletter.

Rubrics in a Fraction of the Time

Rubrics are great, but they are time-consuming to create. RubiStar is time-saving tool that makes rubrics easy enough you may actual use them! Check out this post from the Eye on Education Blog.

Cell Phones Revisited

Look in any school handbook today, and you are sure to see some type of policy on the use of cell phones. The devices are generally banned, being viewed as a distraction from the educational process.

On the other hand, cell phones have become part of our culture. A generation ago, a student who needed to telephone a parent to pick him up after athletic practice went to a pay phone. Just try to find a pay phone today. Many would argue that a cell phone is a necessity in today's world, yet schools continue to ban them, and kids find ways around to still use them.

I think the key is not banning the cell phones, but eliminating the interruptions that they can provide. A year ago, I encouraged people to read a post written by Vicki Davis on her blog. Vicki is a computer teacher from Camilla, Georgia. In her post, she explains exactly how students use their cell phones in her class. She goes on to explain how she handles inappropriate use of cell phones in her class.

The big picture to me, however, is not the distraction cells phones may cause. It's the opportunity either seized upon or lost to teach kids how to use a common tool in a productive way. That's why I thinking reading Vicki's article is a must. It sheds a whole new light on what is possible for kids now. We are trying to teach them how to function in the 21st century, and we are going to have to use 21st century tools to do it.

As a next step, I am not saying everyone should allow students to use cell phones anytime, anywhere, or however they like. What I am saying is that as a next step, read Vicki's article. In light of her thoughts and the thoughts of others like her, begin the discussion of what is going to best help our students to be productive in the 21st century. Right now, it looks like using cell phones as a productivity tool is a pretty good component.

The post I have referring to can be found here.

What are the policies on cell phones in your school? What are your feelings on how we should be using them?

Common Core: What States Have Adopted?

48 governors have endorsed the Common Core Standards, but how many states have actually adopted them? This map, courtesy of Education Week, shows the status of this movement as of July 9, 2010.

SDE Conference in Las Vegas

For those attending the SDE Differentiated Instruction Conference, I invite you to attend three sessions I will be presenting:


Get Organized!: Time Management for School Leaders     8:50-10:05
In this workshop, we will examine the five keys necessary for an organizational and time management system.

5 Habits to Help Students Get Their Act Together     10:35-11:50
We have the opportunity to go beyond personal and professional organization. We have the opportunity to give the gift of organization to our students. This workshop examines how.

Your Own Blog in 10 Minutes or Less     1:15-2:45
Blogs are easy, free, and a great way to get your message out to other people. Learn what they are all about and how you can create your own.

Education Grants

Tech &Learning has published a list of education grants available for the coming year. The list can be found here.

Quizlet...Helping Students Learn Material

Quizlet is a free site which helps students learn terms and their definitions. This demo walks you through the various capabilities offered.

Phone Numbers Available on Facebook...Good Thing or Bad Thing?

I found out today, through a post from a Facebook friend, that you can see the phone numbers of all your friends. Go to the top right of your screen, click "Account" then "Edit Friends." Go to the left side of your screen and click the link that says "Phonebook."

Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Personally, I think this is a pretty neat feature to have and will make getting in touch with my friends by phone easier. After all, publishing phone numbers is nothing new. If it were not for phone companies publishing those phone directories, what would people tear in half to show off their strength?

The thing for us all to think about is whether we want our phone number visible to others. To edit this information, go to "Privacy Settings." Click "Customize Settings." Scroll to "Contact Information." beside each drop-down menu, scroll to "Customize" and choose "Only Me" to completely hide phone numbers from everyone, if that's what you want to do. It's sort of the same thing as having an unlisted phone number in the directory. Of course, if you never put your phone number in Facebook to start with, Facebook is not going to be able to give it out anyway.

Actually the people I would really like my phone number from are all of the political candidates with their recorded messages, but that's another story for another day.

Help Needed

Eye on Education is planning a second printing of Organization Made Easy! As carefully as we proofread before the book went to press, there remains the likelihood that a typo slipped in here or there.

For those who have purchased the book, have you found any typos? We have a short window of time where we can fix them before the second printing. If you have found a typo, simply click here and let us know what you found. We have until July 22 to identify errors. Thanks!

Need Help With Memorization?

If you need help in memorizing a speech, a poem, or any other text, check out a great site called Memorize Now. It's free, and you don't even register.

The idea is that you paste the text you are trying to memorize into a box. Controls on the website allow you to hide progressively more and more words. You can scroll over the "blanks" it inserts to see the first letter of a hidden word or click to the see the entire hidden word. By clicking another icon, you are shown only the initial letter of each word. Here again, controls allow you to substitute blanks for those initial letters. In other words, you can supply yourself with just he right amount of memory jog.

Since there is no registration, each time you go to the site, you are starting fresh. The site provides instructions on how to download the project to your own computer as an html file, allowing you to review it anytime, even if you are not connected to the Internet.

Just one way to make memorizing those poems for high school English class a little easier! Have fun with it.

Receiving the Monthly E-Mail Newsletter?

One of the perks of attending a workshop I have conducted over the last several years is receiving my monthly e-mail newsletter. Twitter  users who follow Eye on Education are today receiving invitations to sign up for this free publication.


Would you like to sign up as well? Click here and complete the information.

Want to see a sample? Click here to download the July issue.

Eye on Education Insights

The article on this blog was listed as one of the top 8 posts on Eye on Education's blog this past month. Read more here.

Two Questions

I have enjoyed reading Daniel Pink's book, A Whole New Mind, as well as hearing him speak in person. This video is a promotion for his new book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

Daniel Pink asks us to ask ourselves two questions:

1. What's my sentence?
2. Was I better today than yesterday?

Both questions will make more sense after watching the video.


Two questions that can change your life from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

Understanding Facebook Privacy Settings

Facebook's privacy settings seem to be ever-changing, yet staying on top of them is naturally of concern to most of us. This video explains the latest in Facebook's privacy settings.

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!

Staff Development for Educators Differentiated Instruction Conference

For those attending the SDE Differentiated Instruction Conference, I invite you to attend three sessions I will be presenting:


Get Organized!: Time Management for School Leaders     8:50-10:05
In this workshop, we will examine the five keys necessary for an organizational and time management system.

5 Habits to Help Students Get Their Act Together     10:35-11:50
We have the opportunity to go beyond personal and professional organization. We have the opportunity to give the gift of organization to our students. This workshop examines how.

Your Own Blog in 10 Minutes or Less     1:15-2:45
Blogs are easy, free, and a great way to get your message out to other people. Learn what they are all about and how you can create your own.

Configuring Outlook

Throughout Organization Made Easy!, we refer to Outlook as a tool to help the teacher with the calendar, to-dos, e-mail, contacts, and reference information. Appendix B in Organization Made Easy! provides a concise guide for setting up Outlook so the teacher can make maximum use of this software.

Join the Conversation

Blogs provide an easy way for a person or a group to have a web presence and move from from the role of observer to the role producer in our digital world. In this particular case, a nationally-known composer and an eager group of middle school students find each other through a blog. Posted below is an e-mail I recently received. the author of the e-mail is Danielle Todd, band director at Zora Ellis Jr. High School in Talladega, AL:

Hi Dr. Buck,


I wanted to share this with you. This just shows that a small place like Talladega can get out there in the world through use of Technology.


Below is an email that I received from Kevin Mixon. He composed the 2nd piece, Dancing the Skies that we played at MPA. How random for him to find our blog and then in turn email me. I am sharing this info with you because he would have never found us had you not encouraged us to start a blog. I am also sharing it with our students and Mr. Bailey. They will love it.


Danielle


----- Original Message -----


From: Kevin Mixon
To: Danielle Todd
Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2010 6:00 PM
Subject: Dancing the Skies


Dear Ms. Todd and the Zora Ellis M. S. Band Students--


I came across your band website and Ms. Todd's description of your recent festival appearance. I was honored that you performed "Dancing the Skies". I hope you enjoyed the piece and that it helped you grow as musicians--that's why I wrote it, of course!


I was very impressed that you did so well at the festival and that you have advanced so much in such a short amount of time. This is because of your hard work and Ms. Todd's great teaching, so applause to you all!


As you continue to perform in band, consider composing. I began composing band pieces in middle school, and though they were not good then, just like with practicing on instruments, my pieces got better as I continued to write. I love to play music, of course, but there is a particular form of expression that I love most with composing. Give it a try, you might feel the same way!


But in any case, please continue to excel as performers as you have done so far! Best wishes! --Mr. Mixon


Kevin Mixon
National Board Certified Teacher, Early and Middle Childhood/Music
Fine Arts Administrative Intern, Syracuse City Schools
Composer, Alfred Publications and Carl Fischer Music

Ms. Todd is right. Technology is the great equalizer. Someone who has something significant to say is no longer at a loss for a medium through which to say it. The internet is the same whether it's being accessed at the Library of Congress or the library of a rural school. The opportunities to participate in significant conversations are available to us.

What do you have to say that other people might just want to hear? Could a blog be just the answer? Why not get started right now?

Top 5 Leadership Tips of the Year

Eye on Education logged the top 5 most clicked-on leadership tips from e-mail newsletters for this year. One of those five was from Get Organized! Time Management for School Leaders. Read about it and the others that made the list.

Making a Case for Music Education

Economic times are tough, and education is certainly feeling the crunch. Budgets are being cut and cut again only to be re-visited again for more cuts. Every area of the educational arena must be prepared to make its case or face elimination.

Today begins Music Education Week in America. There is perhaps no better time to introduce a site designed to help supporters of music the case for the importance of music in our schools. "Support Music: Make Your Case" provides a database of materials that may be just the thing to get the point across. Whether you want to talk about budgets, are in search of quotes, or need to address scheduling, this site provides help.

Database of Award Winning Childrens Literature

Looking for children's literature for a particular age? What about literature which has won a certain award or belongs to a certain genre? Whatever your need, the Database of Award Winning Children's Literature is your answer. Using the tool could not be easier.

Try your hand at a search.

For those who work in elementary schools, this one is a keeper!

E-Mail Newletter

If you attended a recent workshop and signed up to receive my free monthly e-mail newsletter, you should have already received something by this time. If you have not received anything, check your spam filter to make sure your newsletter has not been caught. Want to sign up to receive the newsletter series? Have a friend who could benefit from this resource? This link will allow you to begin your free subscription.

Successful Week in Troy and Montevallo

There is an easier way to organize our lives, as educators from a number of school learned at workshops sponsored by the regional inservice centers at Troy University and the University of Montevallo. Some of the comments on the evaluations were as follows:

• Great seminar!! Energetic, informative, and practical!
• Speaker was engaging as well as knowledgeable.
• Great workshop--excellent ideas that can be used immediately.
• Very thoughtful and professional; addressed all areas of time management and organization--very applicable!
• Amazing!!
• As a new teacher and over-organizer, this presentation was life changing for me!
• Absolutely wonderful!

It was fun to work with groups that were so interested in the tools and techniques presented. The presentations are meant to consist of "nuts & bolts" ideas that can be put into practice immediately and refined over time. Every time one workshop ends, I can't wait for the next one.

Eye on Education Blog

Thanks to Eye on Education for featuring my blog on their blog. The post can be found here.

Dealing With Small Spaces

Just because you have a small office or live in a small apartment does not mean you must live in clutter, nor does it necessarily mean you have to throw away all of your stuff. Check out what some ingenuity has done for this Hong Kong resident.

Red Skelton's Pedge of Allegiance

In school all across America, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is part of the daily routine. In this video, Red Skelton recalls a teacher who took this recitation a step further, and explains the words contained in the pledge.

As we celebrate Flag Day, this is the perfect time to revisit the meaning behind the words we say.

Montevallo Presents "Get Organized With Your BlackBerry"

The one-hour workshop at AETC was enough to show that there are some easy-to-learn techniques that make a difference in your ability to use the BlackBerry. We were able to scratch the surface. Several people have asked me if a do a longer workshop, and the answer is "yes." This coming Wednesday (June 16), the University of Montevallo Regional Inservice Center is sponsoring a three-hour BlackBerry workshop.  

A growing number of people are opting for a cell phone which can do far more than make a phone call. The BlackBerry has the capability to be a total life organizer that fits neatly in your pocket. However, a lack of training exists on how to use its capabilities. Contents of the workshop include:

• Enter it once and forget it—The magic of repeating appointments and repeating tasks.
• When do I want to see this again?—Make that decision as you create a task. Watch it disappear and then re-appear on just the right day.
• How convenient! —Program the two convenience keys to open your calendar and task list.
• The one and only address book you will ever need—E-mail, address, phone number, birthday, and a wealth of personal information. “Contacts” will handle it all.
• The “Fab Five”—Making sure what’s really important gets done.
• Stress be gone—The crystal clear, organized task list.
• A wealth of information at your fingertips—What to keep in “Notes.”
• “In” to “empty” every day—Becoming the master of e-mail.
• Taking your data anywhere—How to synchronize Outlook with a smartphone.
• reQall here—From your voice to your e-mail on the fly.
• The Devil is in the details—How to store and access all of the details related to an appointment, task or contact.
• Find it fast—Take advantage of the tremendous search capabilities of the handheld.
• Tricks and tips—Use these timesavers to make handheld experience more productive. 

The workshop will be held June 16 from 1:00 to 4:00. Registration is free and open to the entire state. Registration is done through STIPD. Search for PD title number UMINS10. The Inservice Center is located at2790 Pelham Parkway in Pelham.

John Wooden from 2001

Few figures in coaching have had the lasting impact of John Wooden. I found this TED Talk from 2001 to be fascinating in terms of his approach to teaching others not just the game of basketball, but the game of life.





After listening to Coach Wooden on this video, I invite you to visit his official website. It is a virtual treasure trove of wisdom from one of the great leaders of out time.

Update from Yesterday's Workshops

Thanks again to everyone that came to one or more of my workshops at AETC. I have made the revisions I needed on the "Data That Matters" spreadsheet. It is ready for you to download and use. You can click here to go to the Free Reources page on my blog, 

I have removed the password from New Alabama Graduation Rate Calculator. Just below it on the Free Sources page, you will see the "New Alabama Graduation Rate Help Document." It will serve as a guide for how to use the calculator.

Instant Grader

For those who attend "The End of Paper Forms" session, this post is a follow-up to that session. Our last example was the use of the form aspect of GoogleDocs to allow students to take a test on a GoogleDocs form, have the answers appear in the GoogleDocs spreadsheet, have the individual answers marked correct or incorrect, have the spreadsheet calculate the individual student scores, and have the spreadsheet conduct item analysis on each question.

If you would like to take the sample test, click the link below:

View a sample test here.

You may wish to make up a name, since I have set this example up so that anybody can see the results for everyone's work.


After you have taken the test, want to see how you did? Click this link:
Here is what the teacher sees.


You will see two tabs at the bottom of the screen. On the tab marked "Enter Answer Key," you will be able to view your answers. On the tab marked "View Results," you will see your work graded. You will also see the graded work of others, and an item analysis for each question.

The End of Paper Forms

For readers on Alabama, you are invited to join me on July 10th at the Alabama Educational Technology Conference. Among the four sessions I will be presenting that day is one I am premiering entitled "The End of Paper Forms." Here is a look at what you will learn:



In addition, we will be giving away a copy of one of my books at each of the four sessions. Hope to see you there!

Upcoming Workshops

There is still time to register for upcoming workshops. Click on the links for addition information.

June 14—Southeast Alabama Regional Inservice Center (Troy University) "Get Organized With Outlook" and "A Day in the Life of a Digital Administrator"A drawing will be held for a free copy of one of my books at each session.

June 15—Southeast Alabama Regional Inservice Center (Troy University) "Get Organized! The Five Keys to Organization and Time Management" (4 hour session)(Registration on STIPD) Those who are within the Southeast Alabama Region will receive a complimentary copy of my original book.

June 16—University of Montevallo Regional Inservice Center (Pelham) "Get Organized! The Five Keys to Organization and Time Management" (1/2 day session) Attendees will receive a complimentary copy of my original book. "Get Organized With Your BlackBerry" (1/2 day session) A drawing will be held for a free copy of one of my books. (Registration on STIPD for both)

June 17—University of Montevallo Regional Inservice Center (Pelham) "Managing Digital Data With Ease" (1/2 day session) A drawing will be held for a free copy of one of my books. (Registration on STIPD)

Dual Monitors Revisited

In the pencil and paper world, how often do you find yourself referring to one book or document while working on another? Hand-copying a recipe from a book onto a piece of paper is one example. How would you arrange your materials? My guess is that you would lay the book and the paper side by side. Never in a million years would we consider placing one on top of the other and constantly swapping positions as we read from the book and copy to the paper. Why should things be different in our digital world?

How many times do you find yourself copying from document and pasting into another? How often do you work on one electronic document while referring to another? Are there times when you need to refer to two websites simultaneously? How to arrange your work in these cases?

If you are like most people, you wind up minimizing and maximizes one window, then the other. You may reduce the width of each window in an effort to view both on the same screen. What happens far to often is that we simply print the document we are referring to and lay it beside the monitor as we work on our other document. There's got to be a better way, and there is.

If placing our documents side-by-side works in the pencil/paper world, then its logical counterpart in the digital world is to place two monitors side-by-side.

After having read of the benefits offered by a dual-monitor arrangement, when I changed positions from the principalship to a central office position, the one thing I requested was a second monitor. I could not believe the productivity boost this arrangement offered. I found myself printing far fewer documents. I could work on a document while referring back and forth e-mails or my calendar or a website.

After retiring from the school system and setting up my home office, a new computer system featuring dual monitors was at the top of the list. After tasting what's it like to operate with two monitors, I would hate to work any other way.

If you want to make the move and need to know the next steps, here is an excellent article.

Microsoft Office 2010

Want to know what's coming up in Office 2010? Check out this post from Lifehacker which provides a series of short videos previewing the upcoming program.

A Salute to the Class of 2010

As a salute to high school graduates across America. Seniors, this is your life...in rap…the last 18 years condensed into 4minutes.

The Last 18 Years In Rap from Week in Rap on Vimeo.