Here are some tips for getting your campus and/or district to embrace the use of bootleg technology in the classroom.

1. Sell the need for change.  Remember you are dealing with people who are OK with the current situation.  To get them on your side you are going to have to “Show and Sell.”  Show people how student performance and engagement is improved when teachers embed the use of bootleg technology. Constantly talk up the benefits and ease of use.  The more you do this, the more staff that will join you.

2. Start small.  Create a pilot project.  Pick a class, set some parameters, collect some baseline data and then introduce the bootleg technology.  Take lots of notes to speed up the learning curve for others. Track progress, collect end of the project data and then share your results.  The success and/or knowledge gleaned from the pilot project will lessen the risks involved with a larger rollout.

3. Manage expectations.  Bootleg technology is not a silver bullet.  It won’t transform your campus overnight. It does however have the very real potential of making the classroom more efficient, extending leaning beyond the classroom and saving the school money.  Just a slight uptick in any of these three areas should be considered a win.

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 September 16, 2012.

1. Each initiative added creates a decline in organizational effectiveness. Adopt the Foundation Trinity. (By @brandyjbaker)

2. Going to Frame the Lesson and use the rest of the Fundamental 5 in my Sunday school lesson to 1st-6th graders next Sunday! (By @mike_metz)

3. Cain’s critical writing rubric: The brain moves the pen; forced connection; forced cognition; illusion of accountability.

4. Meeting tip: When you show up late, just grab a seat. When you walk around looking for the sign-in sheet, you are now late and inconsiderate.

5. Discipline is just choosing between what you want now and what you want most. (By @DavidLeeOrr)

6. At ‘Munch & Learn’ with elementary principals. Just finished an activity describing importance of framing. Now elements of learning objectives. (By @LindaHenrie1)

7. At HCDE Legal workshop and look at what I found in the educators resource catalog – The Fundamental 5! (By @mike_metz)

8. When dealing with complainers keep in mind that the loudest barks seldom come from the smartest dogs. (By @ToddWhitaker)

9. Closed campus has greatly improved attendance and has become routine. (By @fletcherturcato)

10. Secondary school teacher/parent agreement: I agree to only believe 1/2 of what your child tells me about you, if you agree to do the same.

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/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook 
• 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)
• Upcoming Presentations: Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote), Advancing Improvement in Education Conference (Multiple Presentations), TASSP Assistant Principals’ Workshop (Featured Speaker), North Dakota Association of Secondary School Principals (Keynote), American Association of School Administrators Conference (Multiple Presentations), National Association of Secondary School Principals Conference (Multiple Presentations)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation