The iPad Guy is Dead!

The iPad Guy is dead! Ok, maybe not dead but he doesn’t come around as much as before. And that’s just fine by me. A month into our 1:1 iPad rollout and I am hoping that guy is gone and the new guy; Instructional Technology Coach is born. The thing is….I’m both those guys. But from the beginning I have been dealing with many issues such as permission slips, Apple IDs, connection issues, insurance, apps not working and iPads not working just to name a few.

Officially I am an Instructional Technology Coach and not iPad Guy. Ultimately, the job is to work with the teachers creating and enhancing their curriculum with technology infusion. I feel that I am starting to be able to work with the teachers and be in the classroom teaching, co-teaching and supporting both teachers and students in the education process not IT. The good news is that iPad guy has some progeny. He has created some amazing students that have taken on the role that iPad guy filled.

I was in Ms. Figueroa’s 6th grade math class where the students were showing their mastery of dividing fractions. The students could show it any way they wanted. Some chose to create a movie while others used a recordable whiteboard. What was amazing was that the teacher gave them the space to show their mastery and they were teaching each other both math and technology. After watching a couple of these, I think I understand how to divide fractions.

The iPad guy comes still comes around, sometimes just to visit the iPad kids or even lend a hand. But I am hoping to see him less and less. No hard feelings but sometimes we just need to say goodbye. Things change (for the better)!

Long Live the Instructional Tech Coach!

Sherlock Holmes to the Rescue

One of my fears came to fruition today.  A student came to me and said that her iPad was stolen. Immediately I needed to know: Who, What, When, Where and How? She told me that it happened after PE class.

During PE the students go down to the gym and they are all assigned a space in a lock box. They don’t use the iPads everyday in PE and we came up with a safe and easy storage solution.  She said that she put her iPad in her assigned slot and after gym it was not there. She thought that someone might have taken it. We checked with the other 6th grade classes and no one had her iPad.

After talking with our IT staff we decide to see if “Find My iPad” would work. I wasn’t sure how accurate it would be able to tell me where in our school it was or only that it was at this address? I had her log into her Find My iPad on my iPad and I sent her back to class.  It found the iPad and as I zoomed in I was able to see that it was at the other end of our school in the gym. I was able to see about where it was located. The best thing about find my iPad is that you can send a sound or message to the iPad. I sent a sound and it will ring for 2 minutes. Immediately I was able to hear the sound and began to look for the missing iPad. I narrowed the sound down to the lock boxes. I had to get on my hands and knees to finally find the iPad in the back of the lock box.

The word is out that I was able to find the missing iPad. Ultimately, I don’t think anyone was “behind” the iPad caper. I think that it was inadvertently pushed to the back of the locked box and was she overlooked that it was pushed to the back. Our iPads have a dark Lifeproof case and the inside of the box is black. But it is good to know that if it was taken, that I might be able to find the culprit and return the iPad to rightful owner.

Case solved.

Let the Fun Begin

Photos courtesy of
Marco Torres

It’s been one week since we rolled out close to 300 iPads to our 5th through 8th graders. The rollout night was actually a blur to me. I had spent so many hours planning to make sure that it went as smoothly as possible that when it was actually happening I didn’t relax until it was over. It’s always hard to enjoy your own party when you’re the host.

I had an amazing group of teachers who pitched in and made the event run without any major problems. The event culminated with a performance by our Middle School Rock ON-semble.  It was a great way to finish the night watching the principal doing (more like attempting) the moonwalk.

I had a parent tell me that I made Christmas come early this year! The students are very excited about having the iPads in their hands while the teachers are trying to figure out just how to implement them into their classroom.

We have had some great victories this week. I have watched students working and helping each other get familiar with their iPads. Teachers have been pushing themselves to create and implement new lessons to showcase the iPad’s versatility.  Many students are starting to be more organized using iCal and Google Drive. It is a joy to see.

But it hasn’t been all roses. there are some needs and concerns that we are addressing. The biggest problem that we have is that not all students have Apple IDs. We use Apple IDs with our MDM to push out the apps we want our students to have. The issue is that students under the age of 13 need their parents to follow some steps to set up their Apple ID and we working to get all parents on board. Teachers are working out guidelines and language that is consistent across our school community to make the iPad use most effective and efficient in all classes.

No matter how much you plan, everything is not always going to go smoothly. I am one of those people that worry about every possible problem so I am thrilled at how well it has gone so far. I know that we will encounter some unexpected things with the iPads but I am now confident that we will figure it out and come out smarter and strong because of it.

Let the fun begin! I am excited to start working with my teachers on awesome curricular implementation. Here we go….

Are We There Yet?

I see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We are two weeks away from rolling out our students iPads and I feel like I am being pulled from every direction. Parents and teachers and students (oh my)!  

When the school year started I wasn’t sure what my days would be like. I thought that since the students wouldn’t have iPads for the first month or two that I would have time to get acclimated to my new position. No such luck. From day one I hit the pavement running and haven’t looked back.

My teachers have been great! They want to be prepared (as much as they can be) for the students getting their iPads. I have also been overseeing the teaching of our digital citizenship lessons. I meet with all of the teams and work with individual teachers.  Besides getting my teachers and students ready for the iPads I also have to get the parents ready. I have had 5 parent information sessions, 2 at night and 3 during the day. This is the first time that we are undertaking a 1:1 pilot program so the parents have many questions. There are forms to sign, papers to collect, Apple IDs to create, roll-out details to manage, just to name a few.

It’s been crazy but I wouldn’t change a thing. The access for our students to technology is exciting. Think of the possibilities at their fingertips. We are also not so naive to think that we won’t have some bumps along the way. We all know that the iPad is just a tool and

we are all excited to see what we can build with this tool.

I feel like I am getting close to the finish line...or is it just the starting line?

No Man is an Island!

HELP!

We all experience that helpless feeling. Where do we go for the needed pick-me-up.  Most of us go to the person next door or down the hall. That’s great, we all need that someone we can go to for the emotional support. The one that gives us a hug and tells us that everything is going to be ok. But there are times where that is just not enough. Now what?

Most of us feel that we are in this alone; if we are lucky we have a mentor or even a group of colleagues that we can go to for help. We are all burdened with so much to do and so little time. We need to be efficient with our time and that is where expanding your personal learning network (PLN) comes in handy.  For most of us our PLN consists of the colleagues in our own building. a few of us have reached out to others who teach the same grade or subject across our district.  If you are one of these people you are missing out.  There is a Great Big World Out There!

We are in a new age of connection. We can talk and collaborate with almost anyone in the world. to be more effective are PLNs need to expand. Twitter, Google+ communities, wikis, Facebook, Linkedin, blogs, Triberr & Pinterest just to name a few. The connections that are available are unlimited. There is no reason that we cannot get help from people across the globe.

The first step is up to you. Reach out and you will find that there are so many people out there that are willing to help. The best thing about PLNs is you find like minded people that become your support group, your go to for help and answers. It just really means that your circle is now a lot larger and there is probably someone out there that has an answer to your question.

It may seem like it is a great big (scary) world out there but the internet and PLNs make it a whole lot smaller. Your PLN is alway there, always on. Just remember what the Beatles said, “Yes I get by with a little help from my friends”. Now go on and get out there.

Is there a one-size fits all PD?

Professional development falls into many categories. There are so many ways that you can gain knowledge within your profession from traditional to nontraditional types of PD. The traditional that most of us are familiar with is when everyone sits in a room together and someone with an expertise dispenses information to the group; with or without activities to strengthen that knowledge.  

Since I have taken on this new role as an Instructional Technology Coach I have really been focusing on my own professional development. I want to learn as much as I can so I can provide my teachers with a valuable resource. I have become involved in multiple PD opportunities that all offer different styles of learning.  They all approach their goals from very different angles,agendas, and goals.

The first professional development opportunity I have become part of is an Edmodo training group. At the end of the class I will be a Certified Edmodo Trainer; I joined this group because many of my teachers use Edmodo and I wanted to learn as much as I could to better understand Edmodo to better help my teachers.  The course is very structured with weekly online webinars, a syllabus with project due dates, quizzes, and assignments. There is also a leader who is an expert that guides us through the course content. It is similar to a traditional online class where there are grades and assessments where someone is monitoring your work.

The second PD growth opportunity that I have involved myself in is a MOOC (massive open online course). Wikipedia describes a MOOC as "an online course aimed at unlimited participation and open access via the web."  The course description states, “the MOOC-Ed is a self-directed learning experience. Therefore, the amount of benefit will reflect the amount of time and effort you spend on the course.” The course designed into six one-week units. Each unit has tasks to complete but they are not graded. Each section builds upon the last one to create a final takeaway from the MOOC. In this MOOC we are building an Instructional Technology Coaching Action Plan. At the end of the course a certificate of completion for 20 hours of professional development if we submit proof that we completed the course.

The last professional development that I participated in was an EdCamp. An EdCamp is billed as an “unconference”, meaning that it is participant driven.  Our edcamp had four hour long sessions broken down into 9 different topic groups.  The way an unconference works is that anyone attending can come up and propose a topic that they want to talk/learn about. As people start pitching their ideas the board fills, when the board is full the conference begins.  As a participant you choose which sessions you want to attend. You vote with your feet. If you don’t like the session you’re in, get up and try a different one. No ones feelings are hurt and everyone gets what they want. Each session has no leader or expert, everyone can be an expert. It is an open conversation that goes in the direction of the group discussion.

All have their own strengths and benefits. Each one offers a different style that fills a unique role. For the Edmodo course I need an expert leading and teaching me how to use Edmodo and become knowledgeable to teach it to others. In the past I have tried to teach myself Edmodo but never got too far. I would always run into a bump and I would get too far off course and just give up. This keeps me on track. The MOOC style of PD works well because it lays out a topic of learning and gives you all of the tools to learn and be successful. The challenge is to stay on top of the work since there is no real pressure to complete it. You have to be self-driven and organized. The Edcamps are a great way to surround yourself with other very passionate people that have a lot of knowledge and are willing to share. I left the Edcamp with a lot of ideas to pursue and many new contacts that I can seek out their help.

There is no “one size fits all” for professional development.  As teachers, we understand that about education. Each person needs to find what works for their own needs, as long as they are always learning! We need to model that for our students in our own lives.  

Break over, now it’s time to get back to my homework….

Teacher Buy-In

We are just a couple of weeks into the school year and the teachers are settling into their routines. The teachers have had their iPads now for just over two weeks and we are still about a month away from the student rollout of the iPads. I have met with every team and my initial meetings were mainly to answer any questions that they had and to help them get started with a couple of apps.  

Many of my teachers have embraced the ClassDojo and Remind apps to start the year off.  The teachers veered toward ClassDojo because it aligns with our schools use of PBIS.  The teachers felt that they could implement Class Dojo before the students receive their iPads and use the app to establish their class routines.

Along with Class Dojo many teachers are also implementing the Remind app to keep the parents informed.  Parent communication is always an important aspect of an effective teacher and this app offers a quick way to keep parents informed of what is going on in the classroom.  Email has been the choice of parent communication but now the teachers have another option to add to their toolkit.

Ms. Figueroa is showing her students Class Dojo

My teachers have really impressed me!

Since our initial PD with Digital Promise the teachers have been thinking “big” picture when it comes to using the iPads in their classroom. When we first learned that we would be a part of 1:1 iPads with our students many teachers first thoughts were; “what apps would work for my subject?” There are definitely wonderful apps out there for every subject and the teachers first thoughts were very subject centered.  

The more they use the iPads and see the possibilities, their conversations with me have changed.  Our conversations don’t start with the question, “what app will do this?” Instead, the conversation starts with ideas like; “here’s what I would like my students to accomplish”, or, “I would like to figure out a different way for my students to look at this problem”.  They are no longer concerned about which app will work best. They are more interested in how this is going to enable deeper learning or meaning for the project or task. Many teachers are not sure how to accomplish what they are dreaming of. (that’s where I come in) They are just thinking about how to really get the students motivated to find answers and take action.

In the past, many of our teachers have been willing and wanting to collaborate with each other; but the way our schedules are designed many of us never have common planning time. What has been amazing is to hear teachers in the Fine Arts Department talking about what is going on in the Language Arts class and trying to figuring out how to better collaborate with each other. They are thinking that the iPads may be the bridge that can cross the curricular gap and have students work collaboratively between disciplines.

It is great to have so many teachers thinking BIG! I love that their ideas are very transformative in how they envision their classrooms to be.  I just need to reel them in (just a bit) and remind them that Rome wasn’t built in a day.  We need to start with a solid foundation for both the teachers and students!

But you can’t help but love the enthusiasm that they are showing. “Go Big or Go Home!” 

We are certainly going big!

“Mr. Cipinko, are you teaching a “legit” class this year?”

My first Week and New Role

The first week of school is over and was very hectic.  I am trying to define my new role within our school. This is a new role for our school and district by having a tech coach in just a single building.  Our district has math and reading coaches that work across multiple schools, so being in one building is a privilege.

I feel lucky to be in my school working with the teachers that I have known for 10 years. Even before I became the tech coach many teachers asked for my help with technology.  It has made the transition easier for both of us.  My teachers are very comfortable asking me for help or with me walking into their classrooms and being apart of their team meetings.

I am still thinking about the comment that one of my eight graders said to me on the first day of school; “Mr. Cipinko, are you teaching a “legit” class this year?”

The first couple of days I found it strange not having a classroom and having kids come to me.  That feeling is passing now that I am immersed in my new position.  I have been very busy this week with multiple projects.  Since we are apart of Digital Promise’s 1:1 initiative I have been in constant contact with Krista Moroder, Jim Beeler and Marco Torres from DP; and the other coaches around the country from the eight schools that are participating in this pilot program.  We are working together on creative ideas and solutions to help our teachers, parents and students with the rollout of 1:1 technology.

Here I am talking with other coaches around the country!

The second part of this job has been working with my counterpart, Regina Colquitt at Chute Middle School in Evanston, she is “the me” at Chute.  We are the two Midwestern schools in this pilot. Along with Patty Tzortzis, who is our districts’ Instructional Technology Coordinator, we are working together with the district to create Pd for our teachers and parents so they will be ready when the students get their iPads.

The third part of my job, and the most important, is working with my teachers to help them understand the possibilities that technology can do in and out of their classroom.  I have been meeting with every team and talking to the teachers about what they want technology to look like in your classroom.  Many teachers have come to me with questions and ideas and I am trying to work with them to figure out solutions to fit their needs and goals.

So maybe I don’t have a “legit” class in the traditional sense of the word. But I do feel that I will be apart of all of the students education.  To me, that makes my job legit!

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school and it felt different to me.  After 10 years of being a classroom teacher I am assuming a new role as an Instructional Technology Coach.  We are apart of a very wonderful pilot program with Digital Promise and the Verizon Foundation and are one of only 8 schools around the country that are included.  Our middle school students and teachers will be given an iPad to use at school and at home for the next two years.  It will provide an amazing opportunity for many of our students that didn’t have access outside of the classroom.

But I digress, usually the day before school starts I am all wound up with the excitement (and fear) of the new group of students that I will be teaching.  After 10 years there are many students that I know or have taught one of their siblings.  But this year is different, I do not have a classroom of my own, instead I will be working with all of my teachers and will be in every classroom helping, modeling, co-teaching or supporting.  It is very exciting and I am looking forward to all of the great possibilities.  That said, it was a little strange not to have a group of students coming into my room this morning with the curiosity, eagerness and dread that all students feel on the first day.

We started last week with our teacher institute days and I was crazy that week.  I was preparing for our teacher roll out of the iPads and our Digital Promise professional development.  In the past I just show up to those days and take it all in, but now I am on the other side creating the opportunities for our teachers to learn during the PDs. I didn’t catch my breath until Friday night when I was able to slow down for a little bit.

This morning an eighth grader that I taught came up to me and asked, “Mr. Cipinko, are you teaching a “legit” class this year?” From her perspective she isn’t sure what my role is going to be, having a tech coach in the school is a new thing for our district.  I guess we are all going to figure out my role this year and how I can best support my teachers and students; so by next year she won’t ask me what I am doing. She’ll know!

Today though I feel like I am in the “eye of the hurricane” because there is an eerie quiet for me.  The teachers have started with their students and setting up their classroom routines.  We will be starting with Digital Citizenship very soon and getting ready for the student iPad rollout. I foresee the craziness picking up again for me and probably won’t slow down again until the end of the year.  I am looking forward to all of the amazing things that we can accomplish this year!  

Different is good!!!

QR Code PD

Today we had our second day of PD with Digital Promise.  The teachers were issued their iPads yesterday and today we explored some of the possibilities to think differently about technology.

The first thought that usually comes to mind when you talk about students getting iPads is, "What apps are we going to use?"  Marco Torres, Krista Moroder and Jim Beeler from Digital Promise pushed my staff and myself to think about what we want our students to learn and accomplish.  Then, figure out if technology can make that outcome easier, more efficient and more engaging.

We started with an activity that used QR codes to send the staff on a scavenger hunt.  On the tables that they were sitting at there was a QR code with no explanation. I gave no directions other than you have a task to complete with your table partners and a short time frame to finish the task.

What was amazing to watch was how the teachers at their tables collaborated and helped each other to figure out what the objective and goal was for the exercise and how to accomplish it.  The staff used their iPads for a variety of tasks and had to figure out what the best way to accomplish that task.

Teachers collaborating to solve the problem at hand 

Teachers completed the QR challenge

Upon reflection with the teachers, they were able to see the "big picture" and not just the apps that they needed to use.  Many started to think about how they could create tasks and lessons that make the students think, collaborate and engage.  Many of the teachers began to realize that just because the students will have an iPad that things like test scores are not going to magically shoot through the roof. The iPad is a tool to help transform their already great teaching into something even better for their students.  No one ever created a great lesson around a pencil. 

Students start on Monday...........Welcome to the new school year. It is going to be an exciting adventure!

And so it begins....

Here we go!  Today was the start of schools for teachers. We have today, Thursday, and Friday to get everything done before the students arrive on Monday, August 25.  Our teachers received their iPads from Digital Promise this morning.  It was a very hectic few hours for Yoomi and me.  Yoomi is our school's (and a few other schools in our district) tech support.  She spent the day at King Arts helping the teachers with their iPads and setting them up in our districts enrollment plan. Sorry to the other schools that she may have neglected!  Overall, I think it went quite smoothly for our teachers.  I felt like I was running around like a chicken without its head for most of today.

King Arts Teachers setting up their iPad

Krista Moroder, Marco Torres and Jim Beeler from Digital Promise are at King Arts to provide PD for our amazing journey with them. The teachers were very engaged considering all that they have to still do to be ready for the first day with the students.  Storyteller Marco Torres weaving an engaging tale for our teachers this afternoon.

I was very impressed with the King Arts teachers (I always am) with how they are invested in creating a great learning experience for our unique diverse population of students. The really instill our new District 65 slogan: "Every child, everyday, whatever it takes".

And so the adventure begins.....

"Why?"

“Why?” is the question that keeps coming up.  As we move into our 1:1 iPad pilot with Digital Promise, we are prompted to really understand WHY we are undertaking this endeavor.  On the surface it seems rather an easy question: Why not?  As teachers we are always trying to push our students and the answer why not, offers the student an opportunity to try.  

For example if they ask: There are tryouts for the school play (or sports team), should I tryout? Why not offers them that freedom to give it a go and expand their comfort level.  The child's inevitable answer is: What if I fail?  But what if you don’t?  Either way there’s growth. Isn’t that what every teacher wants from their students?  So simply put, why not?  It will offer us as teachers a chance to grow and look at how we teach and different ways to get our students motivated to learn.

In the past, we used terms like digital natives and digital immigrants but I don’t think those terms apply anymore.  It only applies to the teachers.  For our students, they have never been alive without technology.  They were born digital!  We “old folks” are the only ones that remember a time before technology.  They have grown up with technology as a part of their lives and we need to learn and be apart of their world or we will be left behind.

During our student’s lifetime: (Brief Milestones)

So getting back to the why question we can look to our school’s policies and mission statements which will help guide us through this iPad pilot.  But when we really boil it all down it comes down to creating a culture of learning.  Whether we learn in or out of the classroom we want to give all of our students an opportunity to have access to knowledge when they need and want it.  The students will have an opportunity to dream. We can help students to see their future / see that they have a promising future.  This program provides all students with the same opportunities, regardless of their background or history.

ISTE Reflection

Now that ISTE is over an I have had a couple of days to reflect (and sleep) I found that this was one of the most amazing transformative adventures of my teaching career.  Being a new technology coach and partnering with Digital Promise I went to Atlanta for ISTE, without really knowing what to expect.

I was very fortunate to have an amazing friend that I met a few years back while getting my masters degree in instructional technology.  The moment that I found out that I was apart of this iPad pilot as a coach I reconnected with my friend who gave me tips and ideas about what to expect at ISTE.  She also introduced me to so many wonderful people with so much knowledge to share.

I found that most of the time I was overwhelmed by all of the information that was out there and how willing everyone was to share.  The energy that was flowing through Atlanta’s conference center was invigorating.  After a long year of teaching it was rejuvenating to be with all of these like minded individuals.  All of these people here for the same reason and the conversations were enlightening.  I learned many tips and have new ideas; I did see some amazing seminars and heard awesome speakers but I found that the most amazing thing was the connections I made with these amazing people from everywhere is the key to me being a successful tech coach.  So many people that I met said that if I ever need anything to reach out.  I hope they meant it because I will…….soon…….

The Beginning

The Tech Coach position became “official” yesterday with the school board’s vote to participate in the Digital Promise two year pilot program.  I am very excited to undertake this new adventure with my teachers and students.  There is so much to do before the start of school that at times it feel overwhelming.  I am looking forward to the ISTE conference for five days of tech immersion and meeting other tech coaches.  I think it will be very enlightening and will help me really focus in on what we need to do here in District 65 with our one to one iPad pilot.