Throughout my career as an educator I have had the incredible good fortune of working with many master teachers--teachers who knew how to inspire learning and personal achievement, going well beyond just teaching a required curriculum. This post will highlight the work of one such teacher who graciously agreed to participate in this interview.

I would like to introduce you to Mrs. Glenda Glenn*, who currently works as a 7th grade Social Studies teacher working with students who demonstrate high academic ability and achievement--children who are indeed a challenge to challenge. At the beginning of every school year every teacher in the world probably starts with the list of expectations for the class: "Thou shalt not... and Thou shalt...". And while Mrs. Glenn certainly has very high academic and behavioral expectations that focus on a culture of personal best, she goes well beyond the reading of any rules. In fact, I always loved how Mrs. Glenn begins the school year! It's just powerful! Everything she does in the classroom is research-based, best practices. Learn about this and more in our interview.

1. Mrs. Glenn, you were an instructional lead teacher** who taught teachers for many years, and then you chose to return to teaching students in the classroom. I'm curious why you chose to return to the classroom?

I had developed such a repertoire of strategies that I was anxious to apply them in the classroom myself. I also missed the energy of adolescents, their curious minds, their thoughtful responses, and their creative essence. I have not regretted returning; I have rejoiced in it!

2. Of the many instructional best practices you have taught teachers and personally used in your own classrooms with students, which one(s) have become some of your personal favorites and why?

My favorite strategies are those that bring the real world into the classroom… and all integrate technology. Currently I’m taking an online class that involves “Mining the Internet” for Social Studies resources. Streaming video, primary documents, audio files, virtual field trips and simulations…these are rich resources to add authenticity and visual power to my lessons--to connect my students more deeply to the content.

I employ strategies in broad strokes, preferring to plan in units so I can ensure I develop plans that offer effective note taking, reading and writing in the content area, higher level thinking skills, and appeal to a variety of styles and interests. UBD, Understanding By Design, is an effective vehicle for accomplishing this goal. To sum it up, I’d say, plan deep and wide…flavor with variety, infuse technology. (And authentic and varied assessments should accompany the authentic and varied strategies used to teach.)

3. What best practices do you recommend all teachers implement at the very beginning of the school year to establish expectations for high levels of student success in their classroom throughout the school year? And would you share why you are elevating these to this level of importance.

Teachers MUST practice differentiation to meet the various levels of readiness, interest and learning styles of their students. In order to effectively accomplish this, the foundation for a learning community must be established in the first month of school. Students need to understand from day one that they have a strategic role in the learning environment. See: Carol Tomlinson

While others may post rules and emphasize the behavior management plan, I’m teaching “intelligent behaviors”. These strategies place students as the key players at the helm of their success. It’s empowering for them, and energizing for me as I don’t intend to spend my day talking “at” them and correcting infractions, but facilitating and engaging them in the learning process.

4. You are a very creative teacher, I would love for you to share with our readers how you have gone about implementing the above in your classroom.

Well, I am the CEO (Chief Educational Officer) of the GIA ”Glenn Intelligence Agency”. We conduct global investigations and practice intelligent behaviors! I prefer to be proactive rather than reactive, so I teach my students these behaviors, or habits of mind, that I learned two decades ago when I heard Arthur Costa speak. See: Habits of Mind

Learning styles and multiple intelligences follow as students take a variety of surveys that eventually shape a learning profile. Not only does this assist students in developing meta-cognitive skills, but it is invaluable as I plan flexible grouping for differentiation.

5. From your vantage point as a master teacher who gets amazing levels of academic achievement from students, where have you seen technology fit into the classroom in ways that really empower learning?

Blogging is such an effective way to showcase your classroom and map your curriculum plans. I’ve been adding streaming video to mine. Importing photos or even simple midi-files such as the national anthem of the country you’re studying encourages students to visit the blog to see “what’s new”.

I design student projects with choices of products that effectively utilize software: creating professional brochures in Word, constructing tables and charts in Excel that examine statistics for deeper meaning, Keynotes or PowerPoints that add the visual dimension, two-minute i-Movies on social issues such as world hunger or child labor. Students need to master basic technology skills, and the 21st century educator must think way beyond PowerPoint.

Our classroom is equipped with Promethean Boards, Video/DVD players, overhead projectors and two student computers. We have a fabulous new version of ActivBoard that allows me to create flipcharts with graphic organizers, import photos, audio and video, and create assessments that allow students to immediately respond with their handheld “eggs”.

The temporal factor is one that challenges us as educators. But, I don’t ever want to defer opportunities to implement technology when I'm pushed for time. Differentiation is always a beautiful option: I put a student who’s mastered the pretest “on assignment” to create an i-movie or podcast to expand knowledge for the entire class. Students can also design ActivBoard flipcharts, websites or webquests. I put their minds to work when mine is busy!

6. This blog focuses on practical practice and empowering classroom teaching and learning. What final thoughts would you like to share with our readers?

I’m approaching sixty, and I’ve found that I never quit learning. Learning motivates me and keeps me vibrant. Modeling lifelong learning for my students is paramount to helping them develop their own thirst for knowledge--a thirst I hope is never quenched.

__________
* Professional Bio

Glenda H. Glenn, Ed.S., entered the teaching profession as one of the first certified gifted teachers in the state of Georgia in the mid-seventies. She taught gifted resource classes and now Advanced Content classes, but in between she spent a decade as an Instructional Lead Teacher**. Her teaching never ended at 4:00, because she has been an adjunct professor at three Atlanta-area colleges over the years and taught a number of staff development classes in Cobb County. Mrs. Glenn is a certified Blackboard instructor and enjoys the online environment, both teaching and developing online classes.

Her career has enabled her to travel extensively with students as well as participate in four international teacher exchange programs, including a Fulbright to Japan. Her passion is creating deep and meaningful lessons that connect the classroom to the real world. Mrs. Glenn has received numerous state and national awards for writing innovative curriculum, including the prestigious Leavey Award from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, and the Sidney P. Marland Award from Johns Hopkins University Center for Policy Studies.

** Instructional Lead Teachers in Cobb County teach professional development and work to support and empower teachers as they learn and implement best instructional practices in the classroom

Close to my heart are those kindred souls that have a vision for making our world a better place and who make that vision a reality one meaningful act at a time. This post highlights two such people: Julene Reed* and Dr. Jane Goodall.

I met Julene several years ago and immediately identified with her kind and gentle spirit. The more I have come to know her and the work she quietly does, the more I have been astounded at the scope and quality, the substance and depth of her contribution to humanity, a contribution made through our profession--made through the lives of children. She sets a glowing example for all educators to emulate.

A few months ago, I asked Julene if I could highlight her work here on drTimTyson.com. I wanted to post this interview with Julene as a celebration of Dr. Jane Goodall's birthday** and her amazing contribution to humankind. You will see why as you read further. I know this is a long post, but my hope is that Julene's interview will give educators ideas about how to center the educational experiences of students on the gift of meaningful contribution--empowering students with the knowledge that they actually have within themselves the very real capacity to make our world better.

So set aside some quality, quiet time to read and reflect on the entire interview. View the videos of Julene's students working in Africa with Dr. Goodall's organization. And as you read, keep foremost in your thinking, "How can I do this, or something just as significant, with my students?!" Because, ... I believe you really can!

I invite you to click the link below to read the interview with this extraordinary educator!

*Julene Reed is the Director of Academic Technology at St. George’s Independent School in Collierville, Tennessee
**Dr. Goodall's birthday is on April 3rd.

Several months ago I had the opportunity to work with the awesome teachers at Lakeside Elementary School. We explored ways to setup and use a blog for learning. I am not easily impressed, but I must confess to having been very impressed with these teachers' positive, boundless energy and enthusiasm for their work with children--even after a long hard day "at the office." These teachers love their work.

After a couple months, I received an email from Mrs. Cockrell with a link to her new class blog. While having only had the class blog for two months, her initial efforts with third grade students have really been impressive. And since I have numerous questions from elementary teachers about how to leverage Web 2.0 technologies on the elementary level, I was delighted that Mrs. Cockrell agreed to be featured in this spotlight interview series. I'm sure all of our elementary colleagues will want to follow her work next year as she says she's just getting started!

1. Gayla, I understand that you have been blogging personally for about 7 years, since 2002. How has that personal blogging experience in any way informed what you are doing with your professional, classroom blogging?

Probably more than anything, it just prevented me from being wary about starting a classroom blog. I feel like a lot of teachers are unsure if they would be able to "figure it out," when in reality, it's quite simple once you just get started. So honestly, I feel like blogging is SO easy that it didn't even make much of a difference that I had been doing it personally for a while. Which is to say, if you haven't been blogging as long as I have (or at all, for that matter), it makes no difference. It is very user-friendly!

2. You just started blogging for your classroom this school year. There are so many ways a blog can be used by a classroom teacher. What are the different ways you are using your blog, and what results are you seeing from having a classroom blog?

In addition to the obvious uses (communicating upcoming dates and events, reminders, project due dates, test dates, etc.), I have found several ways to use our class blog to get the parents and students interested in it.

Some of my favorites:

• Posting videos of class performances (readers' theater, presentations, etc.) so parents can watch them at home (even students have told me they watch themselves many times!)
• Polling students and/or parents about a specific question
• Homework assignments (Usually to read an article and then answer a question in the comments section of the blog entry--I want to keep assignments short & simple for my 3rd graders so they don't get discouraged)
• Posting a game where students can actually practice their multiplication facts ON my blog without going to another website—check it out!
• Posting links to websites for specific holidays or topics
• Recording videos of “how-to” step-by-step directions on my Smartboard and uploading them to the blog so parents and students can view the directions at home. (Obviously not everyone has a Smartboard, but you can also find videos on You Tube or Teacher Tube and do this same thing.)

I know there are many more ways to use the blog, and I plan to incorporate it a lot more during the upcoming school year, but I didn’t even start my blog until April this past year! There are so many possibilities.

3. Would you share with us how the students are reacting to this new adventure in their classes?

They love it! They have their own class website, how cool!? It’s similar to how they love to look at pictures of themselves and how they love to watch the videos of their performances. I don’t know how to explain it, but they are so open to technology. Of course, they are part of a new era where they’ve never known life without technology, so it’s only natural that they would be more open to new technology than we are.

There’s something about kids wanting to feel important, and I feel this is another way to do that. Giving students the chance to respond via comments gives them a voice; the opportunity to participate and contribute to their learning. I want them to feel like their opinions and ideas really matter, because they do.

4. What do the students' parents see as the advantages of your blogging for the classroom?

For parents, I can tell it is just another way to forge positive communication between parent and teacher. I work at a school where a lot of parents are involved in their children’s education, and they really want to know what goes on in the classroom. I think they really appreciate that extra effort to include them in your classroom activities. If you think about it, it’s really great; when parents know more about what their children are learning daily, imagine what great conversations they can have at home to further develop that knowledge. Not to mention that we are essentially preparing these kids to grow up and enter a workforce that requires a sophisticated knowledge of technology. The more practice they can get, the better.

Also, parents (or students) can choose to “follow” your blog so that they receive email notification each time you update, which makes it even more convenient for parents so they don’t have to continually check back to see when you have added something to the blog.

5. As an elementary school educator, do you have any issues, concerns, or words of caution you care to share with other elementary teachers who might be considering beginning a blog for their students?

I think you definitely want to consider the safety of the students first and foremost. Keeping in mind that my blog links back to our school’s homepage, I make a point to not put their names on any pictures, and if I do include names with a video, I put the names in random order. I don’t want any stranger off the Internet to be able to drive up to the school and call my students by name!

If you find that several of your students do not have access to the internet at home, you would want to give them the opportunity to explore your class blog during computer lab time or free time.

There is also an option you can choose that requires you to “okay” any comments before they are published to the blog if you are concerned about the appropriateness of student comments.

6. Time is a huge factor for educators. How much time, above and beyond your normal teaching duties, does your blog require of you, and how do you measure this cost with the benefit of having the blog?

It depends on how much time you WANT to spend. The initial creation and set-up of my blog is what took the most time, but you only have to do that once. If I am just adding upcoming dates or writing an entry to remind parents of an upcoming field trip, etc., it only takes me about 5 minutes to update my blog. Even adding a poll to the sidebar only took me 5 minutes!

I added some music to my blog that would play whenever you visit the site (through playlist.com), and that took a while longer, but that is in no way a necessity! Also, I only had to do it once. If you want to upload a video or photos, that will take a little bit longer, of course, but I definitely feel the reward is worth the extra time. The time I spend on updating our class blog is NOTHING compared to how much time I spend creating lessons for my Smartboard! =)

7. Anything else you wish to share?

If you consider yourself a novice at new technology, ask around; there are bound to be at least a few teachers you work with who are familiar with blogging now that it has gotten so popular. I bet they wouldn’t mind helping you get started until you’re familiar with how to post an entry, etc. Just think of the possibilities. How much more fun is it to read an article on the internet and then answer questions as a comment on your class blog than to read a piece of paper and circle a multiple choice answer? It really speaks for itself!

Special thanks to Mrs. Cockrell for sharing her experience with us! And I hope she has given our elementary colleagues some ideas for putting their classrooms on the grid!