Landing at the Philadelphia, Penn. airport wasn't such a big deal, but when I crossed the Delaware River I realized that I was really in New Jersey. Riding down the highway toward Atlantic City was not at all what I had imagined. I had visions of black Cadillac sedans and graves lining the forests and some big brute saying "forget about it"; that's what I saw in the movies. Actually, it looked a lot like KY, except there were tall pine trees and a lot of sandy soil. I arrived at beautiful Stockton College and had an amazing time with some great educators from all around New Jersey and Pennsylvania. William King and I presented several sessions and we were overwhelmed by the favorable reception we received. So...why am I telling you all this stuff? Bowling Green City Schools has some of the most innovative and talented group of teachers whose experience and talent are second to no one. As I travel around the country to various conferences, it is clear we are doing some exceptional work in our district. We are leaders in tools such as: schoolpointe, turning point, edmodo, dropbox, animoto, intelligent classrooms, ipads, flipped classroom concepts and more. We have a number of teachers who are truly "Rock Stars" when it comes to technology. We also have a number of teachers who still need to consider using technology more effectively as a means to engage students. Please contact me or your school integration specialist to assist in any of your projects.
Here are some upcoming events available for you:
Google in the Classroom 9-4-2012 3:30-6:30 The Academy
Microsoft Innovative Educator 9-25-2012 3:30-6:30 The Academy
Teachmeet KY 10-05-2012 8:30-3:30 WKU
Follow me on twitter: @allenraymartin
Monday, August 27, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Tips for BGISD Educators - "A Must Read"
Welcome Back to School. I would like to share some links and thoughts with you I believe will be of interest to you this year.
- Follow Me on Twitter @allenraymartin - if you have not signed up for twitter, I highly recommend you sign up and get your PLN (Professional Learning Network) On. Many of our schools have accounts and are sharing great resources with each other. Remember you do not have to get all of the tweets, think of it like a waterfall and grab a drink when you need it or have the time. I recommend Hootsuite. Hootsuite allows you to categorize your tweet feeds and follow specific hashtags.
- Edmodo has been a great success for our students and teachers. I believe all of our schools have at least one teacher using this tool. Veteran teachers who are slow adopters of technology are already raving about how they appreciate the tool. Sign up using the shortcut on your desktop or by going to my edmodo page. You will also find how to's for you and your students.
- BG Schools participates in E-Rate discounts from the federal government, as a result we save 70% on our communication costs (approximately $80,000 a year). Part of the requirement is to teach Internet Safety to our students. We have a couple of recommendations:
Below are a couple of websites that your STIS can help set up and account for you. Should you need any assistance, let me know:
- www.atomiclearning.com (username: "your email") ask your STIS for the password
- SchoolPointe Website (All teachers should have an active website)
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