Module 6 - Laura Funk

1.    As you explore the resources, reflect on the role teacher leaders can play in the strategies of engaging school community resources.

I am trying to start-up a health conscious link between my school (South Middle) and the community.  Many times there is such a disconnect between teachers, school staff, and the outside world.  Many of us (me at least) don’t live in the same county that we teach, so there is even more of a disconnect.  It is hard for me to develop relationships with my students or support the local community and make connections not being a local resident.  I took it upon myself to sign my school up for the 100 Mile Club, which is a program organized to encourage students to seek a healthy lifestyle habit through running and regular exercise.  I joined the free portion of the program, where we, as a school document the miles that teachers or students run at school in a given school year.  This endeavor is fairly new in the making, as I just learned about this program and am trying to decide the best way to begin implementing it.  I have begun to get teachers on board with participating, and now just need to motivate others to log their miles for the cause, so that as a school and COMMUNITY, we can foster healthy habits to motivate and encourage our students.  I would like to host a community-wide event in the spring to serve as a relationship builder in efforts to promote and sustain the program and its ideals - so a lot is “to be decided.”  I believe I am on the right track in having the motivation to make a difference, so I am sure I will in no time. 

Our school has “back to school” nights and we are starting to offer events at the school to bring in the community.  The idea is to bring in people to speak, do crafts, host group exercise classes or art sessions, anything we can think of to support and encourage community outreach.  South is working on this aspect of our school identity, it is all new territory and we are weeding out what would be most effective and influential in our demographic area.  Wish us luck! 

South’s other current community involvement includes:

1. Girls on the Run, 2.  Boys and Girls Club 3.  Americorp Community Volunteers

2.    Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times (Chapters 11-12)

Chapter 11 Discovering Opportunity  

This chapter focuses on the various partnership opportunities available to schools and districts and the many positive results these partnerships can achieve for the school and community and a whole.  Partnerships take time and cultivation, but are extremely valuable in setting a precedent of excellence and advancement in any school and educational system.  Progress and advancement takes innovation and motivation, so leaders of schools and communities need to foster such partnerships and sustain them to be effective and impactful in the long term. 

Chapter 12 A Call to Action

This chapter discusses briefly our need to evolve and advance - but in order to do so leaders must make connections, establish long-term plans and goals and gather willing and motivated team members.  These leadership teams must sustain and develop the advancements of the technologies and spearhead integrations in the classroom in effective ways for real-world and impactful teaching methods for their students and staff. 

“Digital leadership is about transforming schools into exciting and stimulating institutions of learning where students are actively involved in applying and mastering concepts both in traditional ways and through the use of educational technology”(pp. 190-191 of our text in Chapter 12). 

“The job of the digital leader is not just to model the art of being connected; it’s also to model the art of human conversation and unplugging the devices” (p. 190 of our text in Chapter 12).   

This quote stuck with me as something to always remember as we move forward in support of technology advancements in our leadership roles.  We need to make sure we are modeling the positive behaviors that demonstrate we are “with it” in our technology integration personally and in our own usage, but not so much so that the “devices” become all that we are.  We should not be modeling behaviors that suggest to the students “we would just die without our iphones.”  Or be constantly staring and checking our messages, email, etc.  I use my phone very little at school.  When in class with students, I have it out on my podium, but it is not a distraction.  I do not give it any attention.  Students know my cell phone is there, but just in case of emergency or some such school-wide communication necessary for me to be aware of.  I mentioned before we started the “Remind 101” texts when we are having drills or any pertinent information that teachers need to know is happening or soon to occur.  That is the only reason my phone is out and visible.  Otherwise, it is a non-issue and is the farthest from my main focus.   In that same frame of mind, I have taken up running this year, and one of my favorite motivations I’ve received from my “running life inspiration” app is to “LOG OFF, SHUT DOWN, GO RUN!”  We humans need to be reminded to disconnect and “log off” from our smart phones and the “intersweb” as I like to call it sometimes jokingly with my students.  We need to “disconnect” to recharge or in many cases to “reconnect” with ourselves and the relationships we have in our lives.  This is hugely important to keep in the forefront of our minds as technology is propelled into even further “smart-ness.”  Don’t lose sight of what is outside your screen and the people and things in life that make it all worth living and breathing each day.  Be the cultivators of change to inspire, not just to become another mindless drone.  Haha!  Ok, serious face off now, I know you all can relate and understand my message.  I apologize for all the quotation marks in this posting.  I guess I got a bit carried away.  Warm thoughts sent to each of you this holiday season.  Congrats to us all for being so close to the finishline!  Whoop whoop!