Vison - a rough draft

I was asked to share a vision for technology at my school. This probably comes off as a little one sided and somewhat simplistic, but it is only a draft ;)

My Goals:

1. Work with Administration to better incorporate technology into the classroom, making it as important as desks, chairs, and text books.
   
   
   
   1. Technology is a commitment. It isn’t something that can be done a few minutes at a time twice a week. I really believe that we either need to choose to make use of the tools technology affords us, or walk away entirely. To be in the middle is to do nothing.
   
   
   2. This means that we must be willing to encourage and allow students to bring the technology that they are comfortable with. If this means cell phones, so be it. Stop being so tied to the test and students using technology to cheat! Rethink the lesson and the objectives to prevent the cheaters. Tell me what you think is a pretty simple way to get around that. Do work that matters!
   
   
   3. Burn the books. Find quality sources online and use them. Books are static and expensive. Finding, creating, and nurturing online resources is cheap and builds ownership.
   
   
   4. Tear down the factory. Kindergarten students aren’t simply cogs that come out as high school graduates. They are people, with desires, passions, and interests that aren’t the same as their peers. Teach them to pursue their passion and creativity, don’t institutionalize it out of them through standardized tests and strict graduation requirements.
   
   
   
   

1. Work with teachers to begin putting their lessons online so they are accessible any time, anywhere. This includes readings, lectures, labs, etc.
   
   
   
   1. Start publishing. Create a blog, publish once a week.
   
   
   2. Start producing. Record lectures or videos during class, before class, after class. Publish them, let students access them at home. Demand students access them at home so you can help them understand further the next day.
   
   
   3. Find and connect with experts in the field. Be the conduit between your students and the experts.
   
   
   
   

1. Wireless Access in every inch of the school system.
   
   
   
   1. Immerse every inch in high density wireless and the hurdles to accessing information is gone.
   
   
   
   

1. 6-12 students with mobile tools and fewer textbooks. K-5 students with more access to mobile labs.
   
   
   
   1. Ban textbooks and make the students pay for a laptop or other device. Then provide the same information from text books, to their device.
   
   
   2. This learning tool is accessible at home, school, the bus, the library, anywhere!
   
   
   3. By finding alternative resources to replace textbooks it keeps incremental cost increases to a minimum.
   
   
   
   

Time

When my wife puts my two year old to bed she asks her what she is thankful for.

Today my daughter said "daddy".

Earlier we had met a friend at work to help her find some lost jewelry, run around in the gym bouncing basketballs for a while, fill up the tank, and then make a quick run to the grocery store. In between stops we sang songs and I think the highlight was my daughter's loud and off-key sing along to Jason Mraz.

We just had a very blessed Christmas holiday, but nothing is as valuable as the time I spent with my daughter this afternoon. I hope to be able to continue making time to spend with my kids. Thirty years from now I hope that they would still enjoy an afternoon of errands with the old guy.

Relaxing

Just sitting on the couch relaxing with pops.

Breakfast with Kayleigh

She wants more juice, I want her to stop growing up so quickly. I think she's gonna win this battle though.