tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75496529456110695642024-03-13T23:41:02.617-07:00Roxi ThompsonRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-26025381662954763302022-04-22T21:26:00.001-07:002022-04-22T21:51:52.574-07:00Virtual EdTech Coaching Sessions I'm really enjoying these virtual tech coaching sessions with teachers across our district! Here are some takeaways about coaching virtually:🤝 Building relationships is still key to effective coaching. I try to look for things a teacher has on their desk or wall that I can see in the camera. This helps start a conversation about something meaningful to the teacher and starts our session onRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-37776197414747124862021-10-12T12:44:00.000-07:002021-10-12T12:44:50.231-07:00Google Classroom - Effective Practices for Distance Learning This is the first year that our district is running an official K-8 Distance Learning Program (DLP). We currently have 17 teachers and just over 400 students enrolled. We had intended to start with a much smaller program, but circumstances with COVID led us down a different path. It has definitely been challenging. However, we just wrapped up our first quarter this past Friday and it Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-7758139038489108402021-07-15T16:07:00.003-07:002021-07-15T16:07:29.968-07:00Educator Spotlight - Amy MarpleMs. Amy MarpleMs. Amy Marple is a 5th-grade math teacher at Sunset Elementary. She shared the following quote:“Being the TTL for my school has given me the opportunity to help others overcome their fear of technology and find new and exciting ways to make their teaching more effective. I look forward to learning more technology skills in the coming months and sharing them with my colleagues and Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-6298910314306002982021-07-14T21:13:00.000-07:002021-07-14T21:13:50.892-07:00Differentiating PD - Skill ChecklistsIn a previous blog post, I shared three areas where I want to improve when designing and leading PD sessions. One of those goals was the following:Try new strategies to differentiate and support individualized progressionI want to share one new way I am trying to address this goal in an upcoming PD session for a group of first-year teachers. One of the things I was asked to do in this session wasRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-57266373882060390372021-07-12T20:49:00.000-07:002021-07-12T20:49:25.239-07:00Technology Integration Frameworks "...technology is here to stay in education. When teachers take time to reflect on where they stand with technology and how to best integrate it into their practice, they’re better prepared for post-pandemic instruction." I really enjoyed this Edutopia article, "Different Ways of Looking at How to Use Edtech," from Katie Nieves. She explains how using technology integration frameworks can Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-35212792762740063562021-07-09T16:23:00.002-07:002021-07-09T17:47:07.007-07:00Tech Integration - Multimedia Text SetEarlier this week, I wrote a blog post about my goals for improving how I design PD and how I am trying to work toward these goals in an upcoming PD session I am planning for a group of first-year teachers. My plan is to introduce them to Google Workspace for Education skills using the question and three themes below to guide our conversations and activities. Guiding Question: How can we useRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-82353013303967399802021-07-08T16:33:00.002-07:002021-07-15T16:08:07.534-07:00Educator Spotlight - Shauna Callahan Ms. Shauna CallahanMs. Shauna Callahan is a 7th/8th grade STEAM teacher at Palo Verde Middle School. She shared the following quote:“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world."Thank you, Ms. Callahan!This is the seventh post in a Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-33563284348373448902021-07-07T19:25:00.000-07:002021-07-07T19:25:20.932-07:00Shifting from Tool-Focused to District Goal-Focused PD For the upcoming school year, I'm focusing on three areas where I want to improve when designing and leading PD sessions:Shifting from tool-focused to district goal (or pedagogy) focused PDTrying new strategies to differentiate and support individualized progressionProviding more time for meaningful collaboration to promote active learningI was recently asked to lead an "Intro to Google" PD for aRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-90913341502175166892021-07-05T22:34:00.001-07:002021-07-05T22:38:35.285-07:00Script the Critical Moves "Ambiguity is the enemy. Any successful change requires a translation of ambiguous goals into concrete behaviors. In short, to make a switch, you need to script the critical moves." (p. 53)I just finished Chapter 3 of the book "Switch," and I've been thinking a lot about how I can do a better job at "scripting the moves" to better support our teachers as they try new strategies and tools inRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-81614662833148300962021-06-30T21:00:00.041-07:002021-07-01T17:16:51.396-07:00#ISTELive 21 - Day 5I can't believe it's the last day of ISTELive!My favorite session today was "It’s About How to Pivot: Teacher Educators, Teacher Candidates and Twitter" with Dr. Sam Fecich, Dr. Susan Poyo, and Dr. Sumreen Asim. I love how they designed their Twitter challenge to support teacher candidates as they learned how to effectively use Twitter to develop their PLN. My district has a Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-8310049871515720162021-06-29T09:00:00.001-07:002021-07-01T17:01:57.958-07:00#ISTELive 21 - Day 4It's Day 4 - we're getting close to the end of ISTELive! I loved the talk from Richard Culatta about our relationship with technology. I spent the morning reflecting on how I can help shift our conversations away from being narrowly focused on what NOT to do and instead model how we can use tech for good.I learned so much in "Beyond COVID: Preparing Preservice Teachers to Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-74977709396901400702021-06-28T21:00:00.011-07:002021-07-01T16:38:42.339-07:00#ISTELive 21 - Day 3Day 3 of ISTELive! I started my morning by listening to Leslie Odom, Jr. on the Mainstage. He encouraged leaders to give people permission to fail, described the positive impact of his 5th-grade teacher, and then he sang "Room Where It Happens"! It was an amazing Monday morning! 🤩Later that morning I had a great time attending "Connect, Create and Collaborate: Edtech Coaches PLN Best Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-70381779328356459622021-06-27T09:00:00.082-07:002021-07-01T14:26:11.568-07:00#ISTELive 21 - Day 2 That's a wrap on Day 2 of ISTELive! It was another day of great sessions, and there was definitely a central message running through all of them - the importance of collaboration.The day started with a message from Noelle Silver on the Mainstage. I love her passion for the power of AI as an inclusive tool to help students thrive. She had so many great messages, including the need Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-88445426244628787732021-06-26T21:00:00.128-07:002021-07-01T14:33:17.001-07:00#ISTELive 21 - Day 1 Day 1 of ISTELive was fantastic! My brain is on overload, and I'm still trying to process all the learning today. The morning started with an amazing talk from Cornelius Minor on the Mainstage. He shared a powerful message about making school and education accessible to ALL students. Here is one of my favorite quotes from his talk:"Innovating is about more than changing technology. It Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-42045308701778079132021-06-24T15:09:00.000-07:002021-06-24T15:09:08.798-07:00Educator Spotlight - Jared BowyerMr. Jared BowyerMr. Jared Bowyer is a general/instrumental teacher at Manzanita Elementary. She shared the following quote:“I have been amazed this year to see how all of our teachers and students have adapted to EVERYTHING that has happened this year!"Thank you, Mr. Bowyer!This is the sixth post in a weekly series celebrating the hard work and dedication of the WESD Teacher Technology Leaders Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-17376103322006392892021-06-23T19:23:00.004-07:002021-06-23T19:23:31.850-07:00The Meet-Visit-Meet Cadence In Google's 5-Step Coaching Model, the majority of coaching time is typically spent in Step 4: Implement. This is when teachers are implementing the chosen strategy in their classroom. During coaches camp last week, we talked a lot about the "meet-visit-meet cadence" that should happen during this stage. This includes three types of interactions:Goal Setting Meetings - Meet to Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-39719091415245343062021-06-14T20:07:00.001-07:002021-06-14T20:10:28.832-07:00Finding the Bright Spots "To find bright spots, we need to ask ourselves: "What's working, and how can we do more of it?"" (p. 45)Chapter 2 of the book "Switch" has me thinking about how my team can do more to seek out bright spots and use those to spark change throughout the district. Here are some ideas for next school year:Celebrate examples of teachers using technology in impactful waysWhen we ask our Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-17861582976040417602021-06-10T16:26:00.004-07:002021-06-24T15:09:04.279-07:00Educator Spotlight - Anna Lanuza Ms. Anna LanuzaMs. Anna Lanuza is a 6th-grade writing and social studies teacher at Moon Mountain Elementary. She shared the following quote:“Integrating technology into the classroom sets a foundation of real-world expectations for our students’ futures while supporting the needs of diverse learners."Thank you, Ms. Lanuza!This is the fifth post in a weekly series celebrating the hardRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-45235786393357934592021-06-07T17:05:00.003-07:002021-06-07T19:42:17.711-07:00Questions to Better Understand a ChallengeThe first step of the challenge-based coaching model is to identify and understand the teacher's challenge. The Google coaching curriculum provides some questions coaches can ask during the initial meeting. I really like the following question:⭐ What strategies have worked and what have not? Why? A few reasons I find this question really helpful:It provides teachers the time and space Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-88463990848077526972021-06-04T16:32:00.005-07:002021-06-04T16:32:34.541-07:00Don't Use Coaches as "Fixers" "It is tempting to ask coaches to work only with teachers who seem to be having difficulties with instruction or classroom management. We discourage this "fixer" approach to coaching for several reasons. First, if coaches are perceived as working only with those who struggle, other teachers may not reach out to coaches for support. Second, the coaching relationship becomes less about Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-45960729153224185882021-06-03T13:02:00.005-07:002021-06-03T13:02:48.127-07:00Educator Spotlight - Sonia Hornbaker Ms. Sonia HornbakerMs. Sonia Hornbaker is a 4th-grade teacher at Ironwood Elementary. She shared the following quote:“Technology will not replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational.” - George CourosThank you, Ms. Hornbaker!This is the fourth post in a weekly series celebrating the hard work and dedication of the WESD Teacher Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-34798583426244991312021-05-31T21:05:00.009-07:002021-05-31T21:17:23.360-07:00Elements of Effective Coaching - PartnershipWhat are the elements that make coaching an effective form of professional development?The Google for Education Certified Coach Curriculum identifies four main elements:PartnershipActive LearningPersonalizationSustainedHow might you build a coaching partnership?So, let’s look at the first element, partnership, along with some suggested strategies from the curriculum.🙋♀️ Make coaching Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-34915691085823190392021-05-28T10:40:00.003-07:002021-05-31T13:32:35.016-07:00New Adventure - Distance Learning Program Tech CoachNext year, my district will be launching its first "Distance Learning Program," and I am super excited that I will be taking on a new role as the Instructional Tech Coach for our DLP teachers! I'm a little nervous, but I know this is going to be an awesome opportunity to learn and grow. My goal this first year is to focus on the following advice I have received from experienced coaches:Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-52585107687599590302021-05-27T13:44:00.006-07:002021-05-27T13:47:58.567-07:00Educator Spotlight - Morgan Kerley Ms. Morgan KerleyMs. Morgan Kerley is a 7th/8th grade Science teacher at Mountain Sky Junior High. She shared the following quote:“This school year, the forced integration of technology has opened the eyes of educators to create meaningful and engaging lessons for concepts that cannot simply be researched by students. With this challenge, teachers have been more flexible than ever to Roxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7549652945611069564.post-1098237743696752382021-05-20T11:28:00.001-07:002021-06-03T13:03:34.131-07:00Educator Spotlight - Gillian Baumener Ms. Gillian BaumenerMs. Gillian Baumener is a 6th-grade Writing and STEAM teacher at John Jacobs Elementary. She shared the following quote:“Don’t ask your students what they want to be when they grow up. Ask them what problem they want to solve.” - Jaime CasapThank you Ms. Baumener!This is the second post in a weekly series celebrating the hard work and dedication of the WESD TeacherRoxi Thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05311333092155748932noreply@blogger.com0