With the “roll out” of our 1:1 laptop program last August, and bringing our Virtual Reality system “on line”, the rate of change for teaching and learning at Van Meter is accelerating exponentially. Our thinking has forever been changed. We are now connecting and networking in the classroom, with the other 11 Iowa 1:1 schools, nationally and globally. We have had over 130 visitors “come to see” and more are on the way. This is an exciting time!
#vanmeter goes to the State Capital
Iowa State Senator Brian Schoenjahn, co-chair of the joint House/Senate Education Appropriation Committee, has invited Van Meter and Superintendent Allen Nelson from Clayton Ridge Community Schools (IA), to give testimony before the entire committee. The focus will be on “educational transformation.” Iowa Legislators truly care about Iowa youth however many are “digital immigrants.” Our mission is to show them the connectedness of learning and give them a glimpse of what could be (or perhaps of what is).
Be a part of the presentation
We are scheduled for THURSDAY, January 28 with testimony beginning at 10:00 am Iowa time. (That is 11:00 am New Jersey time and 8:00 am California time) Our plan is that the presentation be interactive, with Twitter “shout outs” being displayed, video streaming and a “back channel.” Van Meter Secondary Principal Deron Durflinger and District Teacher Librarian Shannon Miller are working on the “back channel.” We want to include as many people as possible and are hoping for 500+ tweets! The ThinkLeadServe Wiki has been created and we invite you to post ideas and artifacts. The intent is that the ThinkLeadServe Wiki will give committee members and their staff a starting point for carrying the conversation forward into action!
What is our core message: We need to transform education
We have before us an opportunity to rethink and redesign teaching and learning. Leadership and dialogue need be established so as to build consensus and direction for education in Iowa. Our current educational structure has served us well for 100 years, but the World has changed. It is crucial to our State, and to our Nation, that a new educational system emerge so as to empower our youth to THINK, LEAD, and SERVE.
Please join us on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 10:00 am (CST).
Send your "tweets" to #vanmeter. Keep them coming from 10:00am to 11:00am
Count me in! @TheNerdyTeacher
ReplyDeleteAs a former Iowa teacher who founded an ed-tech. company in Iowa, I will be happy to participate. I believe our state has the opportunity to lead the nation in transforming education.
ReplyDeletecount me in, i have it marked on my calendar. let's make one powerful collective and connected message!
ReplyDeleteI sat there today thinking that one day we may be able to point back to January 28, 2010, and say it was the turning point—-the day a couple seventh graders and a fifth grader swayed the Iowa legislature and forever changed education as we know it. I know, the high schoolers were impressive too, but those representatives and senators nearly fell off their chairs when you said “fifth grade”. I don’t know how her dad kept from bursting his buttons. Oh, and you did a great job too.
ReplyDeleteI will forever be proud to have witnessed it!