What's in Your Toolbox?

I've been thinking a lot lately about the variety of tools that we need to offer to our students in order for them to be successful. There are 1:1 computing initiatives across the country right now where the focus is sometimes more on the cool new device rather than the instructional purposes. Students are being given devices and teachers are working hard to design activities to fit the device. We need to reverse this trend.

My husband gave me a great analogy that I've been using a lot lately. He talked about having a saw as your only tool and how that would cause a lot of trouble around the house. You can't hang a photo with a saw.  Maybe you need a hammer in your toolbox. And a screwdriver. Even a pencil. You get the idea.

There is no 1:1 device that is going to meet all the needs of a student. There are arguments for and against all 1:1 devices that districts can afford, so we have to realize that we still need a variety of tools in our schools. One idea is to have sets of other devices in the media center for checkout to students or teachers as the need arises.

I recently read a paper entitled, "Education in the World of Choice."  The authors talk about how districts can move forward by offering choice while avoiding chaos. The illustration shows four models that districts sometimes follow: Cafe Fixed Menu, Cafeteria Buffet, Private Dining Club, and Sit with the Cool Kids. The paper gave me "food for thought" as we face crucial decisions about the tools and resources that we make available to our students and teachers. We don't want chaos with too many tools that can't be supported or sustained, but we also don't want to leave our teachers and students with a fixed menu that won't give us enough tools in our toolbox.

I would love to hear your thoughts on what tools you make available in your school and how you manage choice while avoiding chaos. What's in your toolbox?

ePortfolios and the Power of Reflection

In early September, I was fortunate to spend two days with Dr. Helen Barrett, the guru of ePortfolios. My district was able to bring her to Columbia to teach a group of teachers and district staff about ePortfolio creation. The timing was perfect - all the stars were aligned with our adoption of Google Apps for Education and our 1:1 computing initiative. Google Docs and Sites makes it possible for students to collect artifacts and share them through a showcase ePortfolio. As we move to 1:1 computing in our classrooms, students will  have easy access to the technology tools that they need to store and collect documents as well as reflect on the importance of their work.

One big idea that I came away with after the workshop is that there are levels of ePortfolio development. I went into the workshop thinking of ePortfolios as a showcase of a student's best work. I learned that the most important level of portfolio development is actually Level II, the portfolio as workspace with a focus on process and documentation of learning. Reflective journals are an important part of Level II. Students can use Blogger or other blogging and social networking sites to continuously reflect on their work.

As educators, we know the importance of reflection. I just received notice of my National Board for Professional Teaching Standards renewal which involved many hours of reflecting on my professional growth. The NBPTS renewal portfolio, while a showcase of my work and achievement over the past eight years, was most importantly a profile of my continuous learning as an educator.

One of my favorite college professors, Dr. Dan Barron, always used the phrase, "Grow or Die" to stress the importance of continuous reflection. A few days ago, I gave myself a few hours without Internet access, e-mail or phone calls to reflect on my work and think about improvements that might be needed. Over the next week, take time out of your busy schedule and reflect on where you've been and how you need to improve as you move forward. I hope you will feel renewed and ready to face the next challenge.