Technology in the Classroom

Ah, the good old days--

 

Remember your excitement when the door of the classroom opened and someone from the AV crew wheeled in a cart with a film projector?  Can you also remember watching the complicated process as your teacher skillfully threaded a film through the projector? 

Film Projector - Early 1960s - Courtesy of Peter Parish/Redwood High School



As a student back in the day, I was grateful for the change of pace that "technology" provided, and I recall the disappointment when a film or projector broke mid-viewing.  It seemed so luxurious when we finally had TVs and VCRs in classrooms--it was less likely for the technology to malfunction, plus, we had a greater variety of videos to watch!  We may remember those days with nostalgia, but our own children cannot imagine a world where the extent of technology is a VHS player.

 

Although the types of technology available to teachers and students have changed rapidly over the past few decades, one fundamental question about schools remains the same.  How do we ensure that every student in every classroom receives high quality instruction, and how can the available technology support learning?  In other words, in our current world of gadgets and unlimited access to information, we must recognize that learning is still a function of teachers and students working together towards a shared outcome.  Technology enhances but does not replace great teaching and successful learning.

 

At the Tamalpais Union High School District, we have taken a very thoughtful approach to the roll-out of technology in classrooms.  For at least the last decade, our technology plans have been based on the premise that our first responsibility is to provide high quality instruction and that technology is a tool to support learning, rather than something we distribute and then hope for the best.  Two examples of our technology approach are the Classroom 2020 project and the Instructional Technology Teacher Collaborative.

 

Classroom 2020

During the process of modernizing our schools, we created innovative classrooms at Redwood, Tam, and Drake that are modeled after Wallenberg Hall at Stanford University.  These rooms are referred to as "2020 classrooms," and are outfitted with a variety of high tech teaching tools, such as interactive whiteboards, laptops, HDTVs, and large video screens.  2020 classrooms also have wheeled furniture that can be easily moved and can be converted into as many configurations as the teacher can imagine.  2020 classrooms are available for our teachers to use on a one-time basis or for a semester so that they can experiment with a variety of high- and low-tech tools to enhance their instruction.

 

Instructional Technology Teacher Collaborative

TUHSD has implemented a two-year professional development program for our experienced teachers to provide training and time to collaborate in order to create project-based instruction in alignment with the new Common Core standards as well as the district mission.  Teachers work together to create experiences where students will use skills and information to solve real world problems.  34 teachers are participating in this program during the 2013-2014 school year, and 38 more will begin the program this summer.  Participating teachers receive a classroom set of iPads after about six months of training.  In fact, over the past two weeks, 1,080 iPads have been delivered to participating teachers who are now ready to begin to use them to support their instruction.  This professional development program demonstrates our commitment to train teachers prior to the distribution of technology.

Students at work in Ms. Tucker's classroom at Tam High

As I visit our classrooms and watch our teachers and students engage thoughtfully with technology, my nostalgia for the simple days of the movie projector wane, and I imagine the possibilities that technology will provide for our students of the future.  Whatever the future holds, and no matter the latest technology trend, it's great to live and work in a district where the first priority is learning, and where students have access to a variety of technology to enhance their experience.

State Aid to TUHSD will not Increase with New State Funding Formula

 

For the past several years, about 96% of Tamalpais Union High School District revenue has been generated locally through property taxes, parcel taxes, and foundation fundraising.  Community members are sometimes surprised to find out that roughly 3% of our district revenue comes from state aid.  This very low percentage is the result of cuts from the state of California during the years of the recent recession.

 

It is important for our parents, staff, and community to understand that despite reports in the media about increases to school funding because of a new law known as "Local Control Funding Formula," or "LCFF," the Tamalpais Union High School District will not receive an increase in state funding.  The state revenue cuts we experienced during the recession will not be restored and our district will continue to rely almost exclusively on local funding.  About 90% of the school districts in California will experience increases in state aid over the coming years due to the rather complicated new formula, which increases the amount of funding for low-income and English Language Learner students.  However, TUHSD is one of about 10% of school districts in California that will not see an increase in state revenue as a result of the "Local Control Funding Formula."

 

One positive aspect of the new formula is that TUHSD will be "held harmless" at our 2012-2013 state aid level.  In other words, the state cannot cut our funding even lower than they already have.

 

Another very interesting aspect of the "Local Control Funding Formula" law is that all districts, including those who receive no additional money, will be held accountable to the state laws through the creation and submission of "Local Control Accountability Plans."  Although the State Board of Education has not yet released the specific template, TUHSD will need to create a written plan that will include details of how we are spending locally-generated money to increase the achievement of our low income and English Language Learner students.  Fortunately, our district strategic plan addresses issues of student achievement, and we already have plans in place to assist all students--including those from low-income families and English Language Learners.

 

As more information about the "Local Control Accountability Plan" becomes available from the State Board of Education, it will be posted on the TUHSD website at www.tamdistrict.org.

Exams + Holidays = STRESS!

 

Photo courtesy of Adriana Perez

Every family feels the crunch this time of year.  Our students are busily trying to finish the semester with assignments, lab reports, and papers, while simultaneously studying for exams.  Meanwhile, many parents are engaged in all things holiday:  cards, shopping, decorating, planning outings and vacations, or preparing for visits with family and friends.  When you put it all together, the inevitable sum of exams and holidays is stress.  In fact, for some families, we can add a few more stressors to the equation:  seniors waiting for early college admission decisions, the start of the winter sports season, students returning home from college, and young children buzzing with holiday anticipation.  The list could go on and on.

 

Mid-December is almost certainly the season of stress for families with high school students.  As parents, we often wonder how we can help our students prepare both mentally and academically for exams when we are so busy ourselves.  To help answer this question, I turned to the experts on the subject, who, as it turns out, are nearby and easy to contact.  You guessed it!  I called the parents who have had a few students go through the exam process in previous years, and who always seem to have their acts together.  As it happens, they are eager to pass their ideas on to others.

 

The advice I received from fellow parents was simple, easy to follow, and really just a matter of common sense.  Here are some of the tips I received:

•  Stay positive and try not to add stress by focusing on grades.  Avoid questions like, "How many points do you need to get an A?" and instead focus on the study process and learning with questions like, "What section will you review first?" or  "Which course outcomes will be included on your exam?"
• Know your child and follow his or her cues.  Does he or she want help from you?  One parent talked about working quietly on her own project near her studying child so that she was easily available but not hovering.
• This next tip is a classic but one that is especially important at exam time: have a comfortable study space away from the TV, computer, and family noise.  Make sure it's not too comfortable though--studying while lying in bed has obvious drawbacks!
• Encourage regular breaks--studying for hours on end is not helpful.  Snacks during breaks can help too!  Another way to have an effective break is to add physical activity.  Even a little exercise will increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain and will reduce stress. 
• Encourage study groups and studying with friends.  Many parents offer to host these study groups; others encourage "virtual" study groups via FaceTime.
• Offer relief from regular household chores for a week or two.  This one will be popular in my house!
• Ensure that your child is using the study guides that many teachers provide.
• Encourage your child to contact his or her teacher for a little extra help.  Teachers go out of their way to help students all year, but this is especially true at exam time.  Help is available in person and sometimes via e-mail as well.

Above all, it's helpful to remind our teens that stress is a natural part of life and can actually be beneficial if managed well.  As parents, we can work to be models of effective stress management, and we can help our students to feel  confident and well prepared as they head into exam week. 

 

I'm going to take the advice of my fellow parents and try a few things on this list.  What will you try?  I would love to hear back from you with your tips and advice.

Strategic Plan Update

One of the primary responsibilities of a school board is to set a direction for the district.  In order to fulfill this responsibility, there are several specific jobs that effective boards must carry out: 

1. Collaboratively develop a mission focused on learning and achievement of all students.  A mission describes a future toward which the district is moving.
2. Establish priorities, which are the major areas that must be addressed in order to make progress toward the mission.
3. Set strategic goals in each priority area.

Several years ago, the Tam District Board of Trustees worked through focus groups of parents, students, teachers, staff, and community members to set a mission for the district.  Strategic priorities and goals were then set with the intention of deliberately moving toward a future in which the mission is true for all students.  Because setting direction is not a one-time event, progress toward the strategic goals is reported to the board regularly, and goals are updated annually to reflect new data and changing circumstances.

 

To read the recently updated TUHSD mission, priorities, and strategic goals click here.

 

As you can see, this TUHSD direction-setting document is a visual reminder that all work in the district is in service to our mission.  This document, which is sometimes referred to as the, "mission map," allows us to have one foot in the present and one foot in the future.  As we focus on what is working, we can move from where we are toward an even better place through strategic thinking and supporting risk-taking and innovation.

 

You will also notice that our direction-setting document differs from other organizations in that it is self-contained on one page rather than a multi-paged booklet format.  To help you understand the format we have used, the diagram below points to where the essential elements of mission, priorities, and strategic goals can be located on the mission map.

 

Preparing Learners & Leaders for the 21st Century ~ Unveiling the Tam District Video

At the Tamalpais Union High School District, we are committed to providing our students with a myriad of educational opportunities to prepare them for life after high school.  We have been working diligently toward this goal for the last few years, and we recognize the importance of sharing our work with our stakeholders--because an informed community is an invaluable partner in the success of our students.  To this end, we have created a short video highlighting some of our work of the last three years.  

 

We chose the video format as a means to address several of the district's "Community Relations" strategic goals: 

• Utilize most effective means of communication with the district's internal and external stakeholders
• Develop an understanding of the school district by providing a flow of information about policies, programs, and progress of the schools
• Bring about community understanding of the need for continuous improvement and what must be done to facilitate that improvement

 

The video features staff and students who volunteered for this opportunity.  They either spoke extemporaneously or developed their own script. 

 

The full-length video is about eight minutes long, but for your convenience, I have linked the three-minute "Sneak Peek" preview here. 

The short promotional video is featured on our website, and the full-length version will be used as a basis for discussion with staff, parents, and community members throughout the 2013-2014 school year. 

 

Tam District parents will have multiple opportunities to view the full-length video at meetings of the PTSA, Foundation, advisory councils, and the like.  If your school or community organization  is interested in delving further into the work of the Tam District, please contact me at feedback@tamdistrict.org to schedule a time for a trustee and I to share the video and discuss our efforts with your group. 

Welcome New Trustees!

I am excited to announce that after what seems like a long wait, the election is over and we now have our new Tamalpais Union High School District trustees.

 

The successful candidates in yesterday's election were Laura Anderson, Chuck Ford, and Sheri Mowbray, shown below:

All three of the new trustees will be able to hit the ground running because of their understanding of the day-to-day work of our schools.  Laura and Sheri are parents of current students, and Chuck recently retired after 18 years as a TUHSD teacher.

 

We are lucky that we had an election in which all five candidates were well qualified.  I will reach out to the other candidates and invite them to stay active and involved in our schools.

 

Our new trustees will take the oath of office at the December 11 Board of Trustees meeting.  They will officially begin their board service that evening.

 

Well-deserved congratulations to Laura Anderson, Chuck Ford, and Sheri Mowbray!

Photo courtesy of the Marin Independent Journal

Helping Homeless Teens in Marin County

It's such a luxury to be able to work and live in the beauty and abundance of Marin County.  At first glance, it often seems that all our teens are healthy, happy, high achieving, and well on their way to a bright future.  But if we really pay attention, we know that what is true for most is not necessarily true for all.  It can be easy for us to forget about those who don't have a life of plenty, and in fact, do not even have a family or a home to return to at night.

 

It is hard to even visualize what it must be like to be a homeless teen in Marin.  Can you imagine waking up every day:

• Not knowing where you will be living
• Feeling alone, lost, anxious, depressed, angry, and hopeless
• With no medical or dental care
• Mistrusting the systems and adults who haven't been there for you
• With the stress of carrying all your personal items from one place to another
• With no financial reserves for emergencies
• Overwhelmed by lack of skills and resources to earn a living wage

These are the daily realities for a homeless teen!

 

Part of the beauty of Marin is the willingness of its residents to help others.  There are many organizations that help the homeless, but there is a very special organization called "Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity," or "AHO," which is dedicated to assisting Marin's homeless teens.

 

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity started in November 2007, when Kevin Ippolito, age 22, Amy Phelan, age 23, and Mario Rangel, age 21, conceived of finding a way to "give back" for the help they had received.  AHO was created as a non-profit organization focused solely on providing a safety net of stable housing, guidance, and community connections for young adults, ages 16 to 25, who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Marin County.  AHO is a relationship- and community-based model that engages youths who have been previously homeless in the solution as youth outreach advisors, peer mentors, program advisors, board members, and spokespersons of their experiences.

 

As superintendent of the Tamalpais Union High School District, I am aware of many helpful and well organized community agencies, but as I learn more about the work of AHO, I am in awe of its mission and its model to engage former homeless youths in the solution to help others.  If you would like to learn more about the work of Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity, visit their website:  www.ahoproject.org. 

 

For those of you who would like to see an example of the good work of this organization, there is an art show of AHO work that will be at the Corte Madera Community Center from November 10 through December 1.  Also, the whole community is invited to a reception at the Community Center hosted by the Corte Madera Lions Club on Friday, November 15, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  I will certainly be there to meet some of the artists and learn more about Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity.  I hope you will join me in support of this fine organization.

IF YOU GO:

What:      AHO Reception Hosted by the Corte Madera Lions Club

Where:    Corte Madera Community Center

When:     Friday, November 15, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

The majority of information included in this post is from the AHO website.