As you are wrapping this year up and beginning preparations for next year, hopefully bootleg technology is on your agenda. If not, let’s put it there. Below, I have created the first draft of a bootleg technology checklist. Hopefully, this will aid in your planning. If I missed anything (and I know I have), send me your inclusions.
_____ Review and revise district / campus policies relating to student owned, internet capable devises.
_____ Increase Wi-Fi access, speed and coverage.
_____ Provide an internet filter for student / guest Wi-Fi access. Set filtering at a reasonable level.
_____ Identify and remove damaged and outdated computers from campus.
_____ Increase student access to school owned computers.
_____ Create a technology device loan program for students (limited time, check-out system).
_____ Schedule a regular time and place where teachers can share their bootleg technology knowledge, practices, success and failures with each other.
_____ Create a bootleg technology support system. This could be a dedicated staff member, a staff member with expertise, a specific class, a student club, etc.
_____ Create a campus PLN. PLNs can be campus-wide, or can be organized be grade-level, content, or specific interest.
_____ Connect the school with students, families and the community through social media.
A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using your own bootleg technology devices to follow Twitter. If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us. To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of May 13, 2012.
1. What if parents and society in Texas were as passionate and willing to spend as much money on education as they do on athletics? (private account)
2. Our “Me First” society has forgotten that prior generations paid for the schools that they went to and now it’s their turn to pay it forward.
3. I’m OK with removing barriers for innovation. I’m not OK when you handcuff me and then blame me for being handcuffed.
4. When your Internet filters block everything, you reduce connectivity back to zero.
5. Saying that a Principal shouldn’t be evaluated based on student performance is like saying that a head coach shouldn’t be evaluated based on wins
6. The art of Principal Performance Evaluation is the understanding that 9 wins at UT is subpar, when 9 wins at Rice is exceptional. All campuses are not equal.
7. I know it sounds crazy, but the Fundamental 5 solves your differentiated instruction dilemma. Trust the process and implement at full speed.
8. There’s a reason why veteran teachers are cynical. Years of blame, criticism and negligible support will do that to you.
9. If you are already collecting textbooks and library books, why are you surprised that teachers and students are shutting down?
10. In the long run, system issues are always at some level, leadership issues.
Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…
- Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/4ydqd4t
- Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation
- Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
- Confirmed 2012 Presentations: TASSP Conference (multiple sessions); Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote)
