The Student As Historian - DBQ Strategies and Resources

Check out this presentation by Peter Pappas, recently featured on SlideShare. Many of you worked with Peter at his fall presentation. This SlideShade a great review, full of ideas, resources, and links for engaging student thinking. Enjoy.

The Student As Historian - DBQ Strategies and Resources

View more presentations from Peter Pappas.

Teachers Textbooks Technology

At Monday's Board meeting we presented to the Board an update on three of the district's processes: assuring quality hiring practices, providing texts and materials, getting technology in every classroom. These three components are part of West Clermont's Strategic Plan, approved in 2010. Click here to see the PowerPoint slides that accompanied our presentation.

How lovely are your branches!

"Necessitie, the inventour of all goodnesse."
Toxophilus, 1545


"Neccesity is the Mother of Invention."
Richard Franck, 1658








Not much time.

Not many materials.

And we're responsible for decorating a huge evergreen for the 1st Annual Union Township Civic Center's Tree Lighting! Yikes!

Actually, there's no need for alarm. With the West Clermont Art Department, these kinds of situations are everyday fare. When the clock is rapidly ticking and supplies are in short supply, our talented art teachers take the reins.

In record time, West Clermont K-12 art students created festive, colorful, large-scale weatherproof ornaments. Hundreds of kids. Hundreds of decorations. We did it up on a grand scale!

And the 1st annual tree lighting was a success. Hot chocolate, cookies and carols added to the cold, clear night. But the tree took center stage, and her branches were indeed, very lovely.

Quality PD on A Shoestring

Thanks to the Board members and school administrators who joined us for a demonstration and conversation about low-cost, no-cost web applications to help create quality professional learning. As promised, here is your "paperless" handout:

Voicethread: Share images & text, collaborate & comment 

Ning: Share within a members-only network

Skype: Free audio or video conferencing

Google Docs: Share documents, spreadsheets, calendar

Animoto: Easily create dynamic slide shows

Blogging: Share text, images, & links

Screencasting: Teach & talk about what’s on screen

Twitter: Learn & share with fellow educators

Wallwisher: Easily collect & post comments


Bonus: See also Jing for easy screen capture capability


Click here for November 9 PPT slides.
Click here for November 9 handout. 

Presented to the Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference, November 9, 2010

West Clermont Local Schools Department of Teaching & Learning
4350 Aicholtz Road Cincinnati OH 45245 | 513.943.5017
M.E. Steele-Pierce PhD Assistant Superintendent skype: steelepierce1
Cheryl Turner MEd Instructional Supervisor skype: cturnerr
Tanny McGregor MEd Instructional Supervisor skype: tanny744

Halloween 2.0

Source: Comics.com 10-30-2010

edcamp Cincy

W-T Elementary School was the host site of Greater Cincinnati's first edcamp, Saturday, October 9.

Learn about edcamps here.

Learn about edcamp Cincy here.

Follow the updated edcamp Cincy wiki here.

More photos and interviews here.

Sixty educators from around the Greater Cincinnati region gathered to create their own personal learning agendas and networking conversations. West Clermont participants included Julie Schneider, Tammy Marcotte, Cheryl Koehler, Kathy Stemmer, Joan Stear, Jeff Riel, Kendra Herdtner, LeAnna Webber, Joe Stahl, Alicia Walls, Scott Morgan, Matt White, Cheryl Turner and M.E. Steele-Pierce. Ask them about the day!

A (Brief) History of Learning: How Do You Learn?

At last Friday's kick off of Powerful Learning Practice, Will Richardson asked the 75 educators in the room, "How do you learn?" He challenged us that no conversation about educational reform can begin unless the focus is on LEARNING. He challenged us to consider our own learning systems and styles.

This morning I ran across this Prezi with commentary by Dallas McPheeters, entitled, "A 5000 Year Timeline of Learning Theories" (don't worry, it's 5000 years in 13 minutes). It begins and ends with the question, "How do you learn?"


5000 Year Timeline of Learning Theories from Dallas McPheeters on Vimeo.

One other thing, you'll find this Prezi and many, many other resources, videos, topics, and conversations on The Educator's PLN. It's a wonderful site for those of you building your own personal learning network. If you haven't toured it yet, please do. I invite you to join the conversation, or just lurk and learn for a while.

M.E.

PS And thank you to Tom Whitby, a member of my PLN, for posting the tweet that led me to the video.