I'm excited to be back at ASCD this year. The warm weather alone is something that makes this event awesome for this frozen Michigan kid. Here some of the takeaways form the first day.
Vibe: There seemed to be a different vibe on the first day than I remember from last year. A high energy and connected feeling that Chicago did not have. Maybe it was the weather that added an extra bounce in each step, but it was something I could sense. I don't want to understate the value of this vibe though. I think it helped the participation level in the sessions I attended. People were wide awake, full of energy, and ready to learn. The open spaces that ASCD utilized allowed people to connect and feed of the energy. This was very nice to see and something I hope continues for the next couple of days.
Connected: There seemed to be more connected educators at the conference this year. I have watched the #ASCD14 stream and it is filled with great resources and comments from people that are attending the various sessions and those jumping in with ideas from home. I helped out +Elana Leoni and +Kyle Pace with their #SavedByTwitter session and helped a small group of educators start using Twitter for the first time. I showed them how to use hashtags, take and send photos, create lists, and search for amazing educators to follow. Having more connected educators is always a good thing. The more that people can be exposed to good ideas, the more that those good ideas can lead to great ideas. ASCD has done a great job at promoting the value of connected educators this year. I hope it is something they continue to support in the future.
Authors: I was able to meet some of the authors of ASCD books and pick up a copy of their books. Here are some of the books I have started to thumb through that you might be interested in reading.
The 5-Minute Teacher - Mark Barnes
Mark Barnes writes a nice book for the "arias" series about maximizing classroom instruction for teachers. Mark provides some simple ideas that any teacher can implement in their classroom right away. I recommend this book for teachers looking to tighten up their class time.
Short on Time - William Sterrett
This book focuses on making the time to lead and learn as a principal. This short book from the "arias" series from ASCD offers some great tips for principals that are looking to grow as a professional. There are always good books out there for teachers on how to make time for learning, so it is nice to see something that can support those administrators that want to grow, but cannot find the time.
Causes & Cures in the Classroom - Margaret Searle
I had a great conversation with Margaret about dealing with students in the classroom and really looking at what the root of classroom issues were. Her book provides great resources and flow charts on how to handle various issues with students that are acting out in class. The book breaks down the various types of issues and how to address them.
Day one was a great day and I really look forward to seeing what the next day hold. Make sure to follow #ASCD14 for more tweets and great ideas for the next two days.
Vibe: There seemed to be a different vibe on the first day than I remember from last year. A high energy and connected feeling that Chicago did not have. Maybe it was the weather that added an extra bounce in each step, but it was something I could sense. I don't want to understate the value of this vibe though. I think it helped the participation level in the sessions I attended. People were wide awake, full of energy, and ready to learn. The open spaces that ASCD utilized allowed people to connect and feed of the energy. This was very nice to see and something I hope continues for the next couple of days.
Connected: There seemed to be more connected educators at the conference this year. I have watched the #ASCD14 stream and it is filled with great resources and comments from people that are attending the various sessions and those jumping in with ideas from home. I helped out +Elana Leoni and +Kyle Pace with their #SavedByTwitter session and helped a small group of educators start using Twitter for the first time. I showed them how to use hashtags, take and send photos, create lists, and search for amazing educators to follow. Having more connected educators is always a good thing. The more that people can be exposed to good ideas, the more that those good ideas can lead to great ideas. ASCD has done a great job at promoting the value of connected educators this year. I hope it is something they continue to support in the future.
Authors: I was able to meet some of the authors of ASCD books and pick up a copy of their books. Here are some of the books I have started to thumb through that you might be interested in reading.
The 5-Minute Teacher - Mark Barnes
Mark Barnes writes a nice book for the "arias" series about maximizing classroom instruction for teachers. Mark provides some simple ideas that any teacher can implement in their classroom right away. I recommend this book for teachers looking to tighten up their class time.
Short on Time - William Sterrett
This book focuses on making the time to lead and learn as a principal. This short book from the "arias" series from ASCD offers some great tips for principals that are looking to grow as a professional. There are always good books out there for teachers on how to make time for learning, so it is nice to see something that can support those administrators that want to grow, but cannot find the time.
Causes & Cures in the Classroom - Margaret Searle
I had a great conversation with Margaret about dealing with students in the classroom and really looking at what the root of classroom issues were. Her book provides great resources and flow charts on how to handle various issues with students that are acting out in class. The book breaks down the various types of issues and how to address them.
Day one was a great day and I really look forward to seeing what the next day hold. Make sure to follow #ASCD14 for more tweets and great ideas for the next two days.
Thank you for the book tips! I am going to try out Short on Time by William Sterrett. As a principal it is all about instructional leadership as opposed to managing the building these days. It is now assumed you will manage the building effectively but focus most of your time on instructional leadership. Needless to say...a book on tactics to find the time is great! Cheers, Dean
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