For the 21st Century Educator

21st Century

Communication/

Collaboration

This was our agenda for our PD break-out session.  What a great day of learning and excitement, as they discovered the power of the PLN!

• From PLC to PLN: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-do-i-get-a-pln-tom-whitby

• Starting a PLN:

How do I Build a PLN?

Spend 20 minutes a day interacting and collaborating (it’s not just about the technology, it’s a new way to form professional relationships). Here's how:

• Start a Twitter account that focuses on following educators.

• Build a circle of connected educators on Google+.

• Follow education blogs (read and comment).

• Follow education chats that are specific to your content area.

• Join and participate in education groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.

• Accept invitations to collaborate.

• PLN potentials: http://cybraryman.com/plnstars.html

• To do: Follow 5, Find 5, Take 5*

1. Identify 5 new educators to follow that will help you learn, grow and evolve as a connected educator.

2. Add 5 new resources or tools to add to your toolbox.

3. Develop 5 action steps that will get you started, or help you continue your journey, on your path to becoming a connected educator!

* From, “What Connected Educators Do Differently”

“In a technology-driven society, things change at a faster rate than ever before in history. Educators who are connected use that technology to maintain relevance in the fast-paced, changing world of education. Being connected is not an add-on or a luxury for educators; it has become a necessity. We must have digitally literate educators, if we want digitally literate students.”-Tom Whitby @tomwhitby

Summer Love of Learning

Another successful school year has come and gone and it time for kids to relax, unwind and put their brains in neutral for the summer…or is it? If you look at any research regarding student learning you will see that there is an achievement gap present. This is true in all schools, including ours. A recent study out of Johns Hopkins University states that a significant contributor to the achievement gap in reading is the lack of access to summer learning opportunities. Additional research demonstrates that this problem actually compounds over time, and that attempts to remediate this learning loss during the school year is both frustrating and unsuccessful for students, parents and teachers!

In order to help combat what is deemed the “summer slide”, my school offering a FREE summer reading program during the month of July. Children will receive breakfast, lunch and reading instruction, all at no charge! I guess you can say we are feeding the mind and body! Last summer our program was incredibly successful, as every child who attended our four week program not only avoided learning loss, but actually improved their reading skills!

There are learning opportunities outside of the school, as well. For example, The Library Company of Burlington is offering a reading program titled, “Every Hero Has a Story”. It's good to take some time to relax and enjoy the “dog days” of summer, but please don’t forget to get your children involved in a summer learning opportunity, ”dog gone it”!

It's been awhile...for any newcomers, here's a bit about me...

My name is Robert Shappell, and for those of you who do not know me, I am pursuing a doctorate in Organizational Leadership with a focus in Special Educations and earned my Master of Science from Drexel University in Education Administration. My Bachelor of Science is from Rowan University in Biology/Secondary Education and I have an Associates in Applied Sciences in Ophthalmic Science from Camden County College. I was a licensed optician for a number of years before leaving the optical shop for a classroom.



I fashion myself to be a bit of a tech-nerd. I am on multiple social media forums, like Twitter, Facebook and Linked In (please feel free to hit me up). I am now in my seventeenth year as an educator, which includes ten years as a high school science and technology teacher, three years as a curriculum director for mathematics, science and integrated studies, two years as an assistant principal and now as an intermediate school principal (grades three through six). I have been blessed to work with and learn from some amazing people. Each new experience has provided me opportunities to grow and evolve as a professional, and a person.



This past St. Patrick’s Day marked my fourteen year anniversary with my amazing wife, Bridget. We have two high-energy and fun-loving boys (Nathan, age ten and Spencer, twelve) and live in southern New Jersey. We spend summers down the Jersey shore, and no, it is nothing like the annoying television show. Proudly, I have never met “Snookie”! In all seriousness, I credit my wife and my youngest son for inspiring me to concentrate in Special Education, as they both struggle with learning disabilities. My goal is to help struggling learners find success in the classroom so that they have the opportunity and desire to further their education as life-long learners.

Please feel free to collaborate through this site, any one of the social media outlets listed above, or via e-mail at robshappell@gmail.com. I welcome any blog posts, articles, You Tube or Ted Talk videos, or any other interesting learning resources. My dissertation will focus on narrowing the achievement gap between regular and special education students, so feel free to send information my way! Also, I welcome all suggestions for future posts.

Thanks for checking in!
Rob

Review My Review

So I was asked to write a book review from the National Association of Elementary School Principals. This is my third assignment (two other pieces were published on the website) but the first to possibly be published in their magazine. I am obviously "stoked" at this opportunity! As far as the book goes, I immediately connected with it, as it is in-line with my leadership style (which is still and probably always will be evolving). Give a read and let me know what your think. By the way, the book is worth the read!

Education, now more than ever, is driven by a myriad of forces, such as the Common Core State Standards, 21st Century Learning Skills, College and Career Readiness, school safety and security, parent partnering and community connections, and the list goes on and on. To say that the responsibilities of the school principal are endless is an epic understatement, and there are just not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything with a “business as usual” approach. Author Michael Fullan explains in his new book, The Principal: Three Keys to Maximizing Impact, that the role of the principal needs to be redefined if there is any hope of achieving any level of effectiveness.

Fullan goes on to say that this is a “Watershed Moment” for principals, as the roles and responsibilities of the principal have been constantly evolving from a building manager to an instructional leader. “The principal is second only to the teacher in terms of impact on student learning”, explains Fullan’s colleague Ken Leithwood. How can the school principal effectively balance the day-to-day responsibilities that come with running the building, lead the staff through the new initiatives (some mentioned above) and, most importantly, ensure student achievement? Fullan explains that the usual methods, such as teacher evaluations that focus on accountability, are the “wrong drivers”. Instead, the principal need to build the capacity of others. The development of what he calls, “professional capitol” is key.

“Having high expectations, investing in capacity building, increasing transparency of results and practice, and maintaining a relentless focus on progress in the end works because people become increasingly committed to results, to their peers, and to the system as a whole”, Fullan states.

This is an easy, yet impactful read that offers wisdom, examples and elements to help guide principals to foster true, organic, positive change. There is a downloadable PD Training Kit listed in the Preface, and each chapter ends with bulleted lists of “Action Items” and “Discuss with Colleagues” points that help guide the process. At only 160 pages, it is a weekend’s worth of time investment that could very well lead to the sustained growth and achievement that every school leader yearns for.

You Will Cry

A good friend and former colleague sent the following story to me.  I do not know if it is, in fact, true or not, but it is beautiful nonetheless.  It reaffirms my passion for working with children, and I hope it does for you as well.

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves children with learning disabilities, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its

Dedicated staff, he offered a question:

'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does, is done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do.

Where is the natural order of things in my son?'
The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, who was mentally and physically disabled comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and I had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but as a father I also understood that if my son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

I approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning..'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt.. I watched with a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart. The boys saw my joy at my son being accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three.

In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as I waved to him from the stands.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again.

Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the

Plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact.

The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.

The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over.

The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman.

Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates.

Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first!

Run to first!'

Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base.

He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!'

Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base.

By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball . The smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team.

He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.

Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'

Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third!
Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!'

Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making me so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

So I had to share this post from Dan Callahan, one of my Twitter follows, who blends two of my favortie things: education and superheroes! True, it is a little quirky and cheesey (then again so am I) but the take-home message is pretty powerful. I hope you enjoy it!

https://mailaccess.burlington-nj.net/owa/redir.aspx?C=44b07a698f484f6e9e9ff21d86bcbb23&URL=http%3a%2f%2fremixteaching.com%2f2013%2f08%2fteach-like-batman%2f

Share a Blog & Share the Love!

Okay, so I am VERY excited to set up a blog for my two boys Nate & Spence so they can share their adventures with everyone! As both a parent and an educator I love to see kids using their imagination, creating and sharing. We are using Dragon dictation software, which makes things very easy! The cool thing for me is that after they create their post they must proof read and make corrections by typing...PLUS, they think the technology is pretty awesome and that makes it fun! Check out the wonderful things that I'm sure my boys are going to post at www.NSShap.blogspot.com and please feel free to leave some comments! Thanks and enjoy!