We are in!

Despite union politics and me being a temp, our application to the academy was accepted and I am in! We had our first meeting and got our teacher iPads and MacBooks on the 26th.  Needless to say, my kids were very happy!

iPad Academy Background

So to catch up, a few weeks ago our superintendent, Dr. Deborah Blow, announced an iPad Academy. Our district! Cambrian Union in San Jose, CA, has implemented a hybrid Professional development(PD) model where teachers who are interested in an area of study can apply to an 'academy' where they will learn a lot and get the tools to use what they learn.

Here is a description of the academy:

Purpose: To provide Cambrian teachers with a collaborative learning opportunity to develop their use of technology as a powerful teaching and learning tool for the integration of 21st century skills.
Requirements of participants
•Completed application for the iPad Action Research Academy•Commitment to integration of technology into instruction•Participation in the 21st Century Learning iPad Academy Kick-Off Event – Monday, March 26 from 3:30 to 7:30•On Time, required participation in monthly sessions (2 hour sessions, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm) on Monday, April 23 and Monday May 21. Additionally there will be monthly meetings next school year, dates TBD.•Maintenance of a digital journal/portfolio•Attendance at end of year Colloquium in Spring of 2013
Components of Professional Development/Areas of Study•Through action research, investigate the use of iPads to individualize learning forall students•Components of instruction necessary for our 21st Century Students•Building upon the integration of technology into standards based instruction that leads to measurable student achievement gains•Challenge-Based Learning•Increasing student creativity and innovation•How to increase student collaboration and problem-solving skills•Fostering the use of engaging learning environments
Each participant in the academy will receive:•A class set of iPads•An iPad for teacher use•An iPad Cart for storage and charging•An Apple TV, which will allow you to project from your iPad to the White Board•Opportunity for further incentives in technology if participating in 21stCentury Learning Academy in future years.

Here is my application.


As soon as the iPad came out, I knew I wanted them for my classroom. They bring a level of student motivation, engagement and learning possibilities that was unprecedented before. I have used my own iPad as a productivity tool and have let students use it to play educational games and to make teaching videos (that is, students teaching other how to do something – like a mini-khan academy). I have also had BYOT days where I had 2:1 “iThings” (touches and pads) for math and literacy centers. I am interested in the iPad Action Research Academy as a way for me to learn new ways to harness this tool but also as a way to find out what works and what doesn’t. Some teachers are apprehensive or unaware of the benefits of using technology in the classroom. I’d like to be able to share tools, procedures and apps that will help allay some fears of implementation in their own classrooms. I see the role of teachers in the iPad Academy as being tech evangelists. Learning with an iPad provides additional opportunities for differentiation and compacting as well as an opportunity to present information to students in a variety of modalities. They provide access to information and research that is too expensive to do with books and hard to access with only seven old PCs or even the C.O.W., including access to regularly updated core content, without waiting for the next textbook adoption. With iPads, students can create their own learning opportunities and teach each other. I would love the opportunity to bring this technology, and these opportunities, to my students.

Ideally, Ms. +sheila monger and I will both be accepted into the academy. S. and I both are impressed with the apps we have used in the classroom individually and would love to collaboratively work on implementing some projects within our co-teaching structure.

I believe I am a good candidate for the iPad Action Research Academy because I am an open minded, tech-savvy, and extremely enthusiastic. I have taught other teachers how to use technology on my own time, including a summer website building workshop. Once I learn how to use something, I want to share it with anyone. I am also committed and organized which will help as we explore and establish ways to manage iPads in the classroom going forward. It is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the early stages of this project with the district and even though I am a temp, I hope you will seriously consider my application.

In what other profession indeed!

Just a little mini rant.  I have been thinking about David Reber's article in the Topeka Examiner.

In what other profession are the licensed professionals considered the LEAST knowledgeable about the job? ...In what other profession is experience viewed as a liability rather than an asset? ...In what other profession is the desire for competitive salary viewed as proof of callous indifference towards the job? ...And if teachers dare ask for a raise, this is taken by many as clear evidence that teachers don’t give a porcupine’s posterior about kids. In fact, some say if teachers really cared about their students they would insist on earning LESS money....If that entire attitude weren’t bad enough, what other profession is legally held to PERFECTION by 2014? 

In what other profession indeed.  However, as a 6th year teacher in California who has been laid off every single year of my teaching career (after enduring only one layoff in my 20 years in hi-tech), I've been thinking about adding a few more..


In what other profession so people get laid off three months before their last day, while expecting them to be productive, inspiring, and engaging, working long hours and weekends, all the while knowing they don't have a job soon? While I don't want only two weeks notice, I do expect some appreciation for the fact that I come to work with a smile on my face every day.

In what other profession are employees retained almost solely based on seniority while passionate, talented and in many cases excellent "young" employees are let go? I am not saying experience doesn't matter, it does! I am a better teacher now than I was 5 years ago.  But there are some people who are in the profession that simply shouldn't be, but our system is broken.

In what other profession would someone question whether you know how to do your job?  Do you see the credential, the hours of continuous professional development, the masters degrees?  Yes, I am qualified and quite good, thank you.  Now, if I just knew where I was teaching next year.

iPads in Education

My district is rolling an an iPad Academy, the purpose: To provide our teachers with a collaborative learning opportunity to develop their use of technology as a powerful teaching and learning tool for the integration of 21^st century skills. I am thrilled to have been accepted to this program and wanted to share the concept. The use of iPads in education seems a no brainer to many, though I wholeheartedly agree it is not a one size fits all solution.

Components of Professional Development/Areas of Study

• Through action research, investigate the use of iPads to individualize learning for all student
• Building upon the integration of technology into standards based instruction that leads to measurable student achievement gains
• Increasing student creativity and innovation
• How to increase student collaboration and problem-solving skills
• Fostering the use of engaging learning environments

Each participant in the academy will receive a class set of iPads & cart, an Apple TV, to will project from your iPad. We will have to attend monthly meetings and keep a digital journal.

I am hoping to compile lists/links what have you of iPad resources for educators in my district. For example, CUE pointed me to Sample Lesson Plans

My application provided justification for my participation in the iPad Academy. I jointly applied with our Special Ed teacher (grades 3-4-5) as we see the iPads as another way to provide engaging and creative ways for our students to learn and demonstrate learning.

As I was writing my applicaiton, I thought, sure others have applied or will apply to something similar, so to pay it forward, following are excepts from the application:

As soon as the iPad came out, I knew I wanted them for my classroom. They bring a level of student motivation, engagement and learning possibilities that was unprecedented before. I have used my own iPad as a productivity tool and have let students use it to play educational games and to make teaching videos (that is, students teaching other how to do something – like a mini-khan academy). I have also had BYOT days where I had 2:1 “iThings” (touches and pads) for math and literacy centers. I am interested in the iPad Action Research Academy as a way for me to learn new ways to harness this tool but also as a way to find out what works and what doesn’t. Some teachers are apprehensive or unaware of the benefits of using technology in the classroom. I’d like to be able to share tools, procedures and apps that will help allay some fears of implementation in their own classrooms. I see the role of teachers in the iPad Academy as being tech evangelists. Learning with an iPad provides additional opportunities for differentiation and compacting as well as an opportunity to present information to students in a variety of modalities. They provide access to information and research that is too expensive to do with books and hard to access with only old PCs or even the computer-on-wheels (with netbooks), including access to regularly updated core content, without waiting for the next textbook adoption. With iPads, students can create their own learning opportunities and teach each other. I would love the opportunity to bring this technology, and these opportunities, to my students.

I believe I am a good candidate for the iPad Action Research Academy because I am an open minded, tech-savvy, and extremely enthusiastic. I have taught other teachers how to use technology on my own time, including a summer website building workshop. Once I learn how to use something, I want to share it with anyone. .... It is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the early stages of this project with the district...

Wait til Next Year

Well, it happened again, I knew it would and I knew it all year and it still made me cry!  I was hired as a temp status by my new district. I tried not to get involved, to stay distant.  But it still hurt like hell on March 15 when they told me I won't be hired back. My cousin had dinner with my superintendent this week (it is a small world) and I asked jokingly, "did she say good things about me?"

"Actually, yes. But she still pink slipped you any way!" he ribbed back.  Funny but not.

Why is it good employees get laid off? The system is broken and I wish I knew how to fix it.

 Of course there is a strong likelihood they will call me back in August to offer me another temp contract for a year.  Yeah - I'll get to keep teaching...Boo - I still have to pack and move  and move and unpack

Questioning our Mania for Technology

I love technology as much as the next teacher, but I do wonder about the one size fits all, we must have it because it is technology, and so what if we can pay our teachers this year approach. Thought provoking article from the Committed Sardine blog

If money were no object, it would be hard to take a position against educational technology. Especially in less privileged neighborhoods, students do benefit from hands-on experience with the kinds of tools that are standard in white-collar workplaces. At worst, kids like new gadgets, and it doesn’t hurt to give them what they like once in a while.

This, however, is a zero-sum game in which money that goes to technology could just as easily have been spent on other approaches that, though perhaps not scalable, are directly connected to the processes of teaching and learning. Funding projects to improve teacher training, development, and retention, for instance, is less sexy than cutting the ribbon on a lab full of lightning-fast computers. But it’s also more likely to help kids learn.

A desire for meaningful teaching and learning

Anthony Cody interviewed Alfie Kohn who urges us to "take back our schools." They discussed the new and improved standardized tests that the DOE is designing to measure complex thinking. There is not a lot of confidence in the system that any test that is standardized one-size-fits-all, created and imposed by distant authorities -- is inauthentic and is likely to measure what matters least. Teachers want to teach well. Almost every student I have ever taught wants to learn. I have thought a lot about how to provide appropriate assessment methods to determine whether both of those things are happening.

There is no easy answer but I keep coming to a holistic approach. New York City has gotten rid of essentially automatic tenure. Under the city’s new standards, teachers are rated on a four-point scale as highly effective, effective, developing or ineffective, based on students’ tests scores, classroom observations, feedback from parents, and other factors. (Previously, they were simply rated satisfactory or not.) I am not saying that NYC's method is the best (I still resist using test scores for a variety of reasons I will discuss later), but I admire them for taking a step to make the profession more accountable.

Kohn says, "Actually, "holistic" education -- along with other adjectives such as "progressive" or "learner-centered" or "constructivist" -- isn't just a vague slogan. It denotes very specific and, in my opinion, sensible and research-backed practices. Of course it takes awhile to explain what they are and why they make sense, so we'll always be at a disadvantage compared to people who speak in sound bites about "bold reform," "raising the bar," "accountability," "tougher standards," and so on."