Chrome Camps

There is such excitement in the air this year as our students are walking into a really sweet deal.   Every third, fourth, and fifth grade student gets their own Chromebook to use in school.  And they are (literally) squealing with delight.

My job this week has been to run "Chrome Camp," where I go into each of the twelve classes using the Chrome books and to teach them the ropes.  It's been both fun and exhausting!  It's great to joke with them, walk through all the icky rule stuff, and help them get started.  I've also enjoyed photobombing their profile pictures.  The great thing is that these kids see me as "the keeper of the Chromebooks," so I walk into their room as a superhero before I even open my mouth.

However, it's exhausting work too. I'm not used to not having my own classes.  I'm really just a visitor in these classrooms.  I don't know the kids, their teachers, or the class culture yet. And I'm well aware that there is more on display than the wonderful Chromebooks I'm talking about.  There have been numerous with login info, and it's been hairy getting the students off and running

Overall, it's been awesome to get into classrooms and start the process of moving my school toward blending learning.  Setting up the Chromebooks is understandably one small step in the process but it's been an important one.  And I'm feeding off the students' enthusiasm.

Here are some main themes of my Chrome Camp talk.

• What 1:1 means and who really owns the Chromebook.
• How to take care of your Chromebook.
• Things to do and not to do with your Chromebook (both the physical machine and digital content).
• Parts of the Chromebook.
• Log in and make a profile picture.
• Sign the Chromebook Contract. 

The contract is a Google Form where students read and agree to statements about treating the Chromebook correctly while being good digital citizens.  This can be used if a student displays improper use of the technology and we need to have "an uncomfortable conversation" with them.

Since I am not the originator of the presentation or the contract, I need to create an original version of these before I can post them on the blog.  Hold on tight.

How are you kicking off your year with Chromebooks?

Starting Out

I was told that we would get a slow start to the year.  While I fully believed that statement, I had no idea how slow the start would be.

Like most teachers, I'm used to the first few days of school being exhausting.  You're on your feet more than you're used to.  You're talking more than you're used to.  You're thinking more than you're used to.  Then you go home and collapse.  This year... not so much.

The first three days consisted of impromptu meetings with my RTI and blended learning teams and projects that came out of those meetings.  I never thought I would become adept at stringing power cords in charging carts, but after three Chromebook carts and one iPad cart, I feel like I could do that in my sleep -- over and over again.  I helped out with first grade math screenings, and I got to know my team members.

I have to laugh, because people will ask me how I like my new job.  "So far, I haven't done anything.  I like it a lot!" I laugh then add that things will start to pick up soon.

Wait... Let me back up a bit for those of you who don't know who I am or what I'm doing.

I am a 22 year teaching veteran.  For those first 22 years, I taught in three different private schools in three different states.  I have taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grades and spent a good chunk of time as a computer teacher and tech lead in a PreK-12 setting.  My main foci were on iPads, OneDrive, and Renaissance Learning.

For Year #23, I am in my first year at Yealey Elementary School in Boone County School District (Kentucky).  I am the blended learning teacher. My main thrust will be helping third through fifth grade teachers and students learn to use Chromebooks in their classrooms.  I will certainly help in other capacities, like iPads in 1st grade or collaborating with our art teacher, but the Chromebooks are what got me here. I certainly hope to post often and show you what we are learning here at Yealey and how we can incorporate these machines into a PBL setting.

It's going to be a long process, changing the trajectory of a school, but I'm excited to see what's going to happen around here.  But for now, I should take a stroll down the hall to try to figure out more teacher names.