Educational Impact

Online Educator Professional Development

Back to School with a New Look

Written By: Educational Impact - Oct• 13•11

It’s been awhile since our last post.  I’m sure you’re all wondering what we’ve been up to.  We have spent the entire summer getting our new learning platform up and running.   So much for a relaxing and rejuvenating summer….

We’re back to school with a whole new look and feel.  It was time for a makeover!!!

The EI 4.0 online platform starts every learner out in their Learner Dashboard.  From here you can access EI’s online Program Library and join User Groups.  When you belong to a user group, you can write blogs, participate in discussion boards and interact with your own community of users.  Customized courses can be created by group leaders who want to create a common play list of videos and assignments for their learners.  Those of you in professional learning communities and study groups will absolutely love these new features!!

Our Program Library now consists of 40 online professional development programs for educators; teachers and administrators.

Recently released programs include:

RTI: A Leadership Primer – designed by the NEA and administrators at the state, district and school level

Curriculum Mapping – created to show educators exactly how to deconstruct state or common core standards.  Learn how to create a solid standards-based instructional program and hear from Jay McTighe as he discussed big ideas and essential understandings.

We build 3-4 new programs every year.  Now that the dust has settled, we’re ready to start working on new programs.  Send us your topic ideas – we want to hear from you!

www.educationalimpact.com

Posted in Educational Impact, NEA, Online Education, Online Learning, Online PD, Online Professional Development, Professional Development, RTI, Response To Intervention, Standards Based Instruction, common core, curriculum mapping, jay mctighe | No Comments »

Stressed Out!

Written By: Educational Impact - Mar• 30•11

Are you stressed out? Springtime often brings thoughts of summer vacation, and sometimes unwanted behavior from students.  It can stress teachers, school administrators, students and parents to the max! Schools focusing primarily on discipline in terms of punishment will find constant disruption a way of life.

Schools focused on rewarding good behavior may have reduced discipline referrals, but it’s not always easy to stay focused on “thanking” kids for doing the right things. Constantly rewarding good behavior can also have a long-term adverse effect.  Kids can become accustomed to and expect the rewards for behavior that should simply be expected.

Joe Clark,  urban principal from New Jersey, said, “Structure is not the enemy of enthusiasm.”  Dr. Harry Wong teaches that schools embracing  “procedures” instead of  “rules” stand a better chance of becoming well organized places of continuous learning.

If things aren’t working well for you right now, your classrooms seem to be out of control, and office referrals are on the rise; it doesn’t have to be that way.  You can start right now, right where you are and establish the structure you need so that you will breeze through this spring and right up to summer break without being stressed, overwhelmed, and on edge!

Here are some simple tips that can help you focus on teaching and learning while easily maintaining control.

1.  Get rid of the rules.  Establish procedures. Instead of constantly referring to the “rules” kids break, remind them of what the procedures are.  When a procedure isn’t followed just ask the student or students to tell you what the procedures are.  It becomes much less confrontational and much more collaborative.

2. Practice the procedures. Even if you’re in the final quarter of school, you can establish and practice procedures.  Habits are formed over consistently applying procedures and are firmly engrained after 21 days.  Having signs up with the procedures to help you and your students remember them is a good way to go.  Procedure + Routine = Structure

3.  Structure is the key to success. Even if your have a school focused on informal education, structure is still key to the success of your students.  Having the self-instilled structure of good work and study habits will create life-long learners.

Schools wishing to improve academic achievement and help students become contributing adults will have the structure in place to create an environment and culture of continuous improvement.

Another incredible resource is to engage in Positive Behavior Support training.  Click on the picture here to watch a video that will offer you great tips on creating and keeping a culture of continuous improvement in your school.

For more information about what Educational Impact can do to help your teachers, school and community visit our website at www.educationalimpact.com

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Posted in Alen November, E-Learning, Educational Impact, Online Education, Online Learning, Online PD, Online Professional Development, Principal, Professional Development, School Administration, classroom management, discipline, disruptive students, student learning , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »

More On: Teacher Evaluation

Written By: Educational Impact - Mar• 09•11

I remember way back to 1987 when I landed my first school administrator’s position and had to start evaluating teachers.  I was all of 28 years old and proud that I was now a school principal, but it suddenly dawned on me that this was for “real.”

I was responsible for evaluating teachers who worked at the school and it scared me.  I remember talking to my father one weekend and telling him about my concerns.  He told me to remember, “Don’t tear them down. Build them up.”  That was great advice that I still believe in. However, building them up was more or less subjective.  I had to use a union approved form that gave the options of “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” in whatever areas the district and union agreed were important.  Anything beyond that was my opinion and observation.

There was very little science to the process.  I wanted the process to be meaningful, but in the end I couldn’t honestly say the evaluation process was a meaningful growth experience.  And, ultimately I couldn’t say that the evaluations resulted in better teaching and improved learning.  It was a process mandated but not meaningful.

Much has changed over the past 24 years.  Research, practice and implementation of best practices have become the norm.  Frameworks are employed to help create a meaningful process.  Standards of practice are widely accepted and the evaluation process is much more meaningful.  The Charlotte Danielson Teaching Framework is widely adopted and creates the ability to conduct meaningful teacher evaluations and allows for a growth process that benefits teaching practice.

The ultimate goal for teacher evaluation is to improve student learning.  What was missing when I started in administration was a structure.  Teacher evaluation was based on the whim of those who held authority and not really based on research and best-practice.  Take a look at the video below to view an introduction of the Danielson Framework as it relates to teacher evaluation.  Then, if you will, please share your thoughts below as comments.

For information about how you can get this valuable training on the Danielson Framework for your school visit our website at www.educationalimpact.com or email rstebelton@educationalimpact.com

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Posted in Alen November, Charlotte Danielson, E-Learning, Educational Impact, Educational Leadership, Leadership, Online Education, Online Learning, Online PD, Online Professional Development, Principal, Professional Development, School Administration, Teacher Evaluation, Teaching Domains, Teaching Framework, teaching , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »
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