"That" Teacher!

     Because this is my first year as the principal at Newell-Fonda High School, I am in the process of hiring my first teacher.  As I pulled out my interview questions that I had used in my previous school, I made the startling realization that these questions just wouldn't work at Newell-Fonda.  Being a 1:1 school has made me realize that the standard interview questions just aren't applicable anymore for our school.  I realized I wasn't concerned about how much the candidate knew about American Literature or proper grammar.  Don't get me wrong, I still believe content knowledge is very important in hiring a new teacher.  However, as I developed questions for the interview I wanted to know how my new teacher was going to think outside the box.  How he or she was going to challenge our students beyond just knowing who wrote The Scarlet Letter or where to put a comma.  I wanted to know what online resources he/she had used in his/her classroom.  I wanted to know how he/she used Professional Learning Networks to find innovative ways to teach American Literature or essay writing.  I wanted to see that he/she was excited about the possibilities that the 1:1 environment creates for a teacher and a student.  Ultimately, I wanted him/her to be able to articulate how "special" this 1:1 learning environment is.  I needed to know that he/she understood that in order to truly prepare our students for THEIR future, our teaching strategies have to meet our students' learning styles - and that is where technology fits in.
     In the end, I'm not sure I'm looking for a "new" kind of teacher, but I am looking for a different skill set.  Just as we are expecting from our students, I am looking for a teacher who is willing to collaborate and create.  One who can communicate and network.  One who is willing to take risks and go outside his/her comfort zone.  I want to hear about Twitter and Facebook, blogs and wikis, Google Docs and digital portfolios.  I want to know that he/she is willing to try new things, and I certainly don't expect him/her to have all the answers or know every American author (that can be Googled if someone really wants to know).  I also wonder if our universities have prepared these new teachers for my interview questions because I won't be asking them for their strengths and weaknesses or how much they know about Walt Whitman or Edgar Allan Poe.  Yes, I still want to know about their ideas or experiences with classroom management and assessment.  However, what I really want to know is how they plan to use technology to enhance learning, and how they will use their classroom to produce digitally articulate, creative, collaborative students who are prepared for THEIR future!
     Finally, after all this reflection, I realize that I am definitely excited and encouraged about the challenge and the opportunity to find "that" teacher!!

Looking forward

As many of you know, the high school recently celebrated the honor of being named the first Apple Distinguished School in Iowa.  Although this is a noteworthy accomplishment, it is only valuable if it continues to motivate us to work harder to provide the best quality education for Newell-Fonda CSD students.  This brings me to the question, what does the "best quality education" look like?  Our teachers have spent the first part of this school year exploring this question by reading and discussing The Global Achievement Gap.  However, at some point these discussions and beliefs have to be put to the test in the classroom and for many of us that means changing the way we have always done things.
     I recently read a blog post written by Nick Sauers that really made me think.  In the beginning stages of our 1:1 laptop initiative, it was OK to experiment and use technology for the sake of using technology.  And although I'm certainly not saying we do not need to continue to experiment with technology in our classrooms, as educators we need to start using a "purposeful" approach to technology integration.  One way our teachers can do this is by answering some simple questions during their lesson planning.  Does this technology being used in my lesson advance student learning?  Does the use of technology in my lesson give my students a deeper understanding of the content?  Are my students using the technology to problem solve or collaborate?  Can I easily explain the benefit the technology brings to my lesson?  Overall, I think Nick Sauers said it best, "Technology must be used as a tool to enhance learning.  When used appropriately, that tool will drastically change teaching rather than just doing the same thing in a flashy new way."  This is our challenge for the future!!!

End of Semester

It's hard to believe the end of semester is almost here!  Here are a few important reminders:

• Winter Concert - December 17th at 7:00 p.m.
• Semester Exam Schedule
•  Monday, December 21st (9:00-1:45) = Periods 1, 2 & 3
• Tuesday, December 22nd (9:00-1:45) = Periods 4, 5, & 6
• Wednesday, December 23rd (10:00-1:30) = Periods 7 & 8
• All students will have Open Campus during semester testing, except students who are on the Down List or who have outstanding bills.
• Dead Week (no school activities) = December 23rd thru December 29th
• All second semester schedule changes must be done by January 6th.  All changes require a parent signature.
  

Enjoy the Holiday season!!!