Principal Walder's Monday Memo
For the week of October 20th
Technology to Enhance the Classroom
My first year teaching was the first year of the 1:1 technology initiative in my new district. The summer before I started, the MS Math Teacher received 100 hours of curriculum time to scan in all of the worksheets for Math. Her goal (which was approved by the administration) was to go completely paperless. While I believe paperless is a very admirable, green goal, scanning in every worksheet did not accomplish anything in terms of actual technology integration in terms of teaching. Instead, our (massively heavy) Gateway 285 computers became very expensive pencils for students in Math.
As schools throughout the State of South Dakota started moving to 1:1 initiatives, there was a lot of talk about what real technology integration looked like. Change is hard (understatement of the century) so we all did what we could to get this new technology to work for us within what we already knew.
Luckily for me (or perhaps unlucky) I had never taught without 1:1 devices within my Middle School or High School classroom. I had no reference points.
So, as I read every book my intrepid and forward-thinking superintendent handed me about the classroom in the 21st century, he shaped the way that I now think about technology integration. During our PLCs this week, we are going to talk about technology integration into the classroom and the vision as we move forward with our technology supports at Legacy.
Here is what you can expect to review this week:
- How does technology enhance our current instructional practices to increase student achievement?
- What does Hattie's research say about technology-enhanced instructional practices?
- How do we check ourselves as educators to make sure technology is always being used to enhance the curriculum?
- What competencies are we already teaching or technology habits are we reinforcing by how we use technology in our classrooms?
Dr. Walder's Schedule
Monday:
- 9:20- 10:10 5th PLC
- 10:15- 11:05 4th PLC
- Noon Teacher Observation
- 1:00 Instructional Leaders at DEC
Tuesday:
- 11:00 IEP Off Campus
- 1:00 IEP Off Campus
- 3:30 Individual Teacher Meeting
- Staff Flu Shots at HS Nurses Office
Wednesday:
- 7:40 TAT Meeting in Meeting Room
- 8:00 All Elementary Grades Due
- 10:50 Individual Teacher Meeting
- 11:50- 12:40 2nd PLC in Meeting Room
- 12:45- 1: 35 1st PLC in the Meeting Room
Thursday:
- 7:40 Legacy Teacher Meeting in the Meeting Room
- 1:35- 2:25 3rd PLC in the Meeting Room
- 2:25- 3:15 JK/ K PLC in the Meeting Room
- 3:30 IEP at Legacy
Friday: Send out Sign-Up Genius for P-T Conferences TODAY
- 12:30 Intervention PLC
Contact Dr. Walder
Email: Samantha.Walder@k12.sd.us
Website: https://www.teaschools.k12.sd.us/
Location: Tea, SD, USA
Phone: 6058817381
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeaAreaLegacy/
Twitter: @swalder7