Holiday Countdown - 15 Days

Spreading Holiday gifts with my staff and faculty at Marshall HS cost me a couple of hours and so many challenges as "What will they find most helpful?" ; "What will they have time to try?" or "What will they feel is worthy of their time in Benchmark and EOC land?"  So, I submit that I just put out there what I think is useful and hope some of it is filtered and used by our great and time-challenged teachers, staff and administrators.  

As a Google Edu school district we are barely scratching the surface of all the features that Google hosts and the web is streaming 500x more than can be digested in our lifetime, much less than a day. There are amazing tools, apps, blogs, tweets, features, et al that could stimulate our student learners to find their switch for self learning. It is just finding the key!

The format is a daily email with the following structure. 

Starting a Holiday Countdown - 15 Days of Apps, Websites & Tech Tools to share with MHS teachers & staff

Google Tool : Personalizing your email account - signature with pic, quote or links - link 

Wedsite : Edutopia  subscribe to or friend on Facebook a collection of blogs, essays, etc on education in our digital age. 

Evaluate these tips form

The form is Google that lists the daily primary sources mentioned and asks them to comment. I modify the form each day to include the newest suggested information. I also included a blank to submit something they might recommend. Very little feedback has come through, one comment from a teacher was

"My students and I at Willoughby Juvenile Detention Center are truly enjoying recitethis.com. We have just started to work on it today and intend to use free time next week to compile a large collage to place in the classroom. I am enjoying all the tips you are giving us all. Thanks."   Shirley Royal, Teacher

While another said: "You inspired me to put my Google Mail in folders." 

Small steps, baby steps but always on the move.

I share with you my journey because I have learned so much from journeys you have shared. 

Day	Google	Website or App
15	GMail signature & picture, quote	Edutopia
14	GMail : View & Print & Save	Jing
13	GDrive	Webinars Web Conferencing
12	Print to the Cloud	Livebinders
11	Google URL	Graphic Organizers - Educanvas, Symbaloo
10	GCalendars event in email	Photobucket
9	Google Folders - Mail & Drive	Fonts: Flickr
8	Google+ share, podcast, record	Recite It
7	GSearch - 50 tips	Word Clouds
6	Google Books	Holiday Cool : too good to miss
5	Google Sheets new features	AnyMeeting
4	Google Scholar	Search Engines  & Creative Commons
3	Google Maps	Evernote
2	Google Lesson Plans	Edublogs Awards 10th Year -  2013
1	Google Apps	Time Best of Web 2013

Michelle Cooper gifted her Henderson HS with Twelve Techie Gifts...via SMore format so attactive and simple: https://www.smore.com/kzp6 @_MichelleCooper. Another take on the same idea was shared by Whitney Jones, Van ISD Tech - iTeach U Techmas Challenge Day. As technology coordinator she created must do list for her teachers requiring them to respond with an example. If you missed the countdown then create a "Best of 2013" for a few days in January or "Sweethearts of the Stream" in February. Just don't miss an opportunity to explore some awesome online content to promote life learning experiences for our students.

Really, who learned the most? The links and ideas keep flowing, not exhausting them yet.

Merry Christmas

"Jazz 4 Lunch" an experiment in Lunch & Learn

A series of unexpected occurrance united in the most amazing day we have ever had at Marshall HS Library. A discussion about speaker quality with Kasey Brown, Assistant Band Director developed into an invitation for the Jazz Band to use the libray for our first Lunch and Learn. Thus "Jazz 4 Lunch" was born. Student Council join in to help with seating and  clean up.

We smiled all day - for 5 hours they played jazz music from band hall, through the large main staircase, streamed out of our library, through the halls and into the heart of MHS.  It was a  positive energy among our students and adults as they enjoyed the sounds of music filling our space.

Asethical experience blending the acoustical quality of the library and massive windows overlooking the trees with Jazz Band’s “Autumn Leaves” playing while watching the falling leaves.  A moment of respite in the hectic pre-holiday of high school.

MHS Student comments:

"I really enjoyed the performance that the Jazz Band put on for lunch! The music was great and it was obvious that the members of the Jazz Band are talented and that they knew what they were doing!"

"The Jazz Band's performance was phenomenal, and such an unexpected surprise. My friends would pass by the library dropping comments occasionally such as "Groovy" and "far-out" then smiling and heading to class. "                                           

"The jazz was a very nice and unexpected experience, and they played so beautifully that I couldn't help but dance as I digested."

I enjoyed it very much, could have sat and listened to it for hours, It was so refreshing to witness such talent in a group this young. Would love to see them in a setting other than the school. Like the MLK banquet which has a more diverse audience. I would love to have a copy of the CD."                                                                     Thanks C.Bell -school nurse

"The Jazz Band did an outstanding job!  I was very impressed with the performance and I cannot wait to see them again!" Academic Dean, Melissa McIntosh

By the 3rd lunch there was a real buzz in the cafeteria about the event in the library. AP
Tiffany Best

Amazing! Why didn't I host this before! This is the beginning of something really big for our MHS Library!
Always evaluating the events - next time I'll have Post-Its & pencils for comments immediately after the event.