2.2 Conference Time

Title: If You Give a Kindergartner an IPad
Presenters:  Karen Brady, Amy Kennedy
Length of video:  41:18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPpsIw0OiGI&t=0s&list=PLIgAnl6l23ewfWL_oHYRFSBqwZ9ITfQqf&index=26

Summary and Analysis:
     These presenters shared tips and ideas as well as the kindergarten teachers first hand experience with beginning to use IPads in her classroom with her Kindergartners.  

• One of the first tips was to just jump right in and get the technology in their hands.  While it is important to take some time to get comfortable with the technology before you implement it, the message was clear that we have to get going with the technology.  It is what children and students are using in our world today and it will instantly engage them.   
• Set up expectations right away for the students.  How will the IPads be used and what are the rules surrounding that use.  Setting these expectations sets the stage to make the use of technology in the classroom look more seamless. 
• Be purposeful in your planning of how you're going to use the IPad just as you are purposeful in planning all other parts of your day.  

     When using technology, collaboration is key.  All of the following can be collaborators in the success of your implementation and use of technology; technology specialist, instructional specialist, other teachers that have tried different apps as those are more likely to be a great choice b/c you know those apps have been tested out by other professionals, parents, and students can offer feedback too. Collaboration doesn't have to be a 30 minute meeting.  It can be a quick 3-5 minute conversation, it can be an email conversation, or it can be a google doc conversation.  All of these could be quick, easy ways to share about technology that's been happening in their classroom or home.  
      Once you're ready to get started and you've spent some time getting comfortable with the technology, remember to put your hands in your pockets when teaching the students.  As adults, we are so quick to push the buttons for them.  But, it is important that the students know how to do it.  
In addition, when problems do arise and the technology isn't working, it's good to allow the students to work through problems.  This teaches problem solving and perseverance in the moment. 
     The following apps and website were suggested; First, you can simply start by just using the camera app.  Let the children take photos and videos of their work and then they can share what they were doing and the teacher is able to see their thinking and learning.  They also shared apps called Animoto, Tellagami, Totomath, Book Creator, Wet Dry Try, and www.commonsense.org.



Title: Digital Village:  Using Technology to Increase Parent Involvement 
Presenters:  Nancy Blair Black
Length of video: 41:08
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFkrZeb8c8E&t=0s&list=PLIgAnl6l23ewfWL_oHYRFSBqwZ9ITfQqf&index=19

Summary and Analysis:
     What happens when we involve and communicate with parents?  It strongly impacts student achievement.  Graduation rates increase.  Student behavior is better.  It has to be a goal of every school to find ways to connect with parents for the best of every student.  Nancy says in her presentation that there are three major factors of parent involvement:

1. Parents belief about what is important, necessary, and permissible. 
2. Parents believe they can have a positive influence.
3. And parents perceptions that their children and their school want them involved.  

At the same time, it is important that there are still boundaries for safety. We can create an openness through other avenues.  To start, it's important to know family demographics and meet them where they are with technology and involvement.  This will make a difference in what types of activities you offer to you families.  One of the most common ways to connect is email.  With that being said, consistency matters.  They have to know they will hear back in a certain amount of time.  Other ideas for sharing are:

• Teacher or school website to share resources, homework, announcements, feature student work with parent permission.  
• Twitter  
• School or class blog.  Students could blog if age appropriate.  
• Audio and video chatting, conferencing.  This could be having a parent video conference where they work as part of a project learning opportunity or the parent could read to the class.
• Collaborative Google Docs.  A great way to learn from and gain ideas from many others.  It could be used as a way to sign up for projects or events.  
• Other sites to utilize and connect with parents suggested were, Voicethread.com, flockdraw.com, volunteerspot.com,  remind.com, and storybird.com.

What steps would need to be taken in your classroom or school in order to implement such a strategy or idea?  Where I work, we have weekly meetings as well as staff development days that we are always looking for topics to be presented on.  Many times, we have our topics in mind, but we don't have the presenter.  So, we end up either researching it ourselves or just putting on the "to be done later" page.  I simply need to share this idea with my administrator to get it implemented as I really think she would be on board with trying it.  

A PLN would be helpful as it would connect you to a variety of conferences that any member of the teaching team are either interested in or going to and can share worthwhile links to conferences they felt are worthwhile for others to see.  I could see using these during staff development days when a live presenter isn't available for topics of interest.