Health & Fitness
Teachers as Lifelong Learners: It's Fun to Work with Students of Any Age!
Do you know that feeling when you plan, work, and then finally implement a project? It's so wonderful to see one's plans roll into action...I give thanks for being able to do work that I love...
We finally had the first "Tech Tuesday" of the year at Mildred E. Strang Middle School yesterday. Tech Tuesdays are a series of technology-focused training sessions that the Yorktown Central School District has put into place over the past three years, thanks to the grant-writing skills of Deputy Superintendent Florence O'Connor and Director of Pupil Personnel Services Lisa O'Shea. With a focus on differentiating education for all students, including those with special needs, the district has made this unique training available for teachers at all schools, most Tuesdays from October to April.
I remember that about five years ago, when I was teaching at Brookside, the Board of Education and administration said, "Let's get interactive whiteboards in nearly every classroom, and empower teachers to use these tools to help educate students." It reminded me of Kennedy's "man on the moon by the end of the decade" rally. Now, we continue to train with interactive whiteboards, as well as
eChalk, our web-based social learning management system. Now students in grades 6-12 and teachers are able to collaborate online using blogs, discussion groups, email, homework dropboxes, Intranets, Google Drive, etc.
It sounds like a lot and it is. It will take time for us all to learn how to use these tools. Teachers will test and see what works best in supporting their lessons. Students will test and see what works best in building skills and responses. Bottom line, it's exciting to see seasoned teachers try something new for the first time, and to think that soon their students, will too.
Find out what's happening in Yorktown-Somerswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The other neat thing we did yesterday was film another edition of "Superintendent's Studio," which will be on the www.yorktown.org website in early December. Four teachers from MESMS shared some of the neat lessons they have led, from Skype distance learning to geocaching, and beyond!
Thanks to Dr. Donna Baratta, Mario D'Auria, Megan Kalogris, Mary Lou McIntosh, Mark Grote, Darrell Nansen and Dr. Napolitano for a truly informative session. We have just published "The College Application Process" and there is more to come! Visit this link if you are interested in seeing previous editions.
