Last evening I attended the 7th Annual Marci Resnick Teacher Fund Award Ceremony at the Philadelphia Writing Project. After Diane Waff, Director of Philadelphia Writing Project, welcomed everyone, Vanessa Brown, Former Director, gave a brief history of the program.

These MRTF awards were established in memory of Marci Resnick, an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia, who also served as director of the Philadelphia Writing Project and associate director of National Writing Project. Four awards of $500 each support creative classroom projects, professional development, and resources needed for innovative classroom practice. In the seven years since its founding, the Marci Resnick Teacher Fund has presented 24 awards to K-8 teachers in Philadelphia schools totaling $14,000. 

Presentations from last year’s recipients wowed us with the amazing work accomplished with their grant funds.

• Lisa Hantman: Service learning project focusing on littering and clean water advocacy (McCall Elementary)
• Connie Henkel: Adding a dose of digital to a love of literacy teaching and learning (Gompers Elementary)
• Delilah Haines: Professional development to honor immigrant cultures (Francis Scott-Key School)
• Hayley Harrison: Sustain and expand the 8th Grade Debate Club (Huey Elementary)

The evening is always bittersweet. Remembering Marci’s leadership and legacy is both heartening and heartrending. Her commitment to supporting teachers and lobbying for social justice especially in our public schools rang out loud and clear.  Marci’s husband, Steve, and her sons, David and Daniel, presented the awards to this year’s recipients with commentary reminiscent of Marci’s love of literacy learning, cultivating students’ voice, and inviting parental involvement and outside resources into the classroom.

The 2014-2015 Awardees are:

Andrea Gray and Marguerite Holliday: Support for school wide Reading Olympics Team (John H. Taggart Elementary)
Tamar Maddovitz: Collaborative literature inquiry using Eric Carle books & Artist in Residence (Shawmont School)
Angelique Darcy-McGuire: Using eReaders to meet needs of diverse learners (J.H. Brown Elementary)
Jennifer Lyn Woods: Bilingual Lending Library/Chinese-English books (Spring Garden Elementary and Ludlow Elementary School)

We look forward to hearing how these grants will be implemented in the coming year.  Many thanks to all who continue to make the MRTF an exciting spark for staff and students in our Philadelphia schools, especially during this time of drastically shrinking budgets. Dina Portnoy, longtime friend and colleague of Marci, read comments from family members unable to attend. We discovered how Marci’s sister, Debbie, requested donations to the fund in lieu of gifts at her recent retirement.

I enjoyed the wonderful evening with PhilWP family and friends. I intend to pay it forward. Will you join me? Donations can be sent to the Marci Resnick Teacher Fund, c/o Philadelphia Writing Project 4201 Spruce Street, Building 1921, Philadelphia, PA 19104. For more information, call 215-898-1919.

Today, March begins hosting a tug-of-war event.  Even though the calendar officially announces the arrival of spring, winter has a hard time of letting go. March’s lion-lamb struggle curbs our enthusiasm for immediately shedding winter coats, donning shorts or rolling down car windows to cruise. Yet, the perils of this winter will yield to the coming of spring. New life, hope, and promise are on the horizon.
Here are some reassuring signs in my neck of the woods:
·      Sprouting crocuses advertising soon-to-come flowers
·      Unsightly snow piles melting away from our driveways and parking lots
·      Patches of green grass growing after shouldering the weight of winter snow
·      Birds chirping sweetly and skunks spraying offensively
·      Weekend home improvement projects on the rise
The spring equinox, when day and night are roughly the same length, prompts me to think about balance, not just for this astrophysical phenomenon, but for my own personal well being. How do I strive for balance in aspects of my own life? What tends to tip me off balance? Do I recognize and acknowledge that the darkness of night is a prerequisite to the light of day?
When the weather warms, I’ll tidy up my tiny garden to show respect for the earth that patiently persevered through this harsh winter. I know the tulips and daffodils are also waiting to explode their perennial presence to adorn our spring. As the seasons change today, I’m reminded of the late Pete Seeger’s song, "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)": To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. He set these biblical verses to music with  added title and refrain: “Turn, Turn, Turn.”  To turn, we must move away from and toward. Be assured spring, I am moving toward you in body, mind and spirit.

Kitty waits patiently for the door to open so she can sit in a sunny spot and keep her eye on the comings and goings of Woodland Avenue. She often reminds me  of the lyrics from  “Memory”( Cats): 

    Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise I must think of a new life, and I mustn't give     in. When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too, and a new day will            begin.

Even in my retirement, there are  busy days/weeks. Sometimes, Kitty has to soak up some rays by the window and wait until I come home to let in the late-afternoon light by the door. This week we appreciate the lingering light courtesy of daylight saving time. Kitty has her nine lives to live. I'm trying to take one day at a time remembering that each day begins  a new adventure in living and learning !

Although I dribbled a little basketball with neighborhood friends, I never played organized sports and I never won a trophy. Back in the day, there weren’t that many opportunities for girls participating in sports. I pursued other interests. No regrets!

Fast forward! Winning a trophy for the first time became a reality last evening at my retirement celebration. How surprised and humbled I was when Robert Karl, from the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Educational Technology, presented me with a beautiful "Excellence in Podcasting" trophy in recognition of using this form of digital publication and communication with students.  Engaging in this work has been a joy for me. Robert Karl, fondly know as the “podfather,” spearheaded this initiative and has kept it going with his expertise and encouragement. Thank you, Robert, for guiding me in this digital direction to celebrate the voices, interests and talents of my students.

I am grateful that the School District’s Office of Educational Technology continues to offer training and support for using this tool. Podcasting provides students with an opportunity to not only develop literacy skills of reading, writing speaking and listening, but also to enhance their technology skills as they put the pieces together. Researching topics, writing scripts, practicing narration, and selecting pictures and music require decision-making skills, which prepare them for responsible digital citizenship. With the approval of principals (Michele Hayes-Flores and Kathleen McCladdie) and the enthusiasm of students and staff, Overbrook Elementary School produced around 100 episodes posted on the School District of Philadelphia’s  Server since 2006.

For the next two weeks, I will proudly display my trophy in the computer lab so students will know they are the reason for this accomplishment. On June 24th my beautiful trophy will find a place of honor in my home to remind me that my teaching life has been blessed with many opportunities, wonderful colleagues, ongoing learning experiences, and now cherished memories. Then I will begin to “pay it forward” as new avenues and new opportunities unfold in the life of a retiree.

On Monday June 3,  I attended the Marci Resnick Teacher Fund Award Ceremony at the Philadelphia Writing Project. Each year selected teachers receive $500.00 to enhance their teaching practices and provide extended learning activities for their students.

Dian Portnoy welcomed guests from the National Writing Project and Marci’s family who were there to both honor Marci’s memory and attest to the legacy of her commitment to public education.  Her role in supporting teachers and lobbying for social justice especially in our public schools rang out loud and clear throughout the evening.

Last year’s winners treated us to their amazing projects. Sam Reed from the Beeber Middle School got everyone enthused with Live Scribe pens and how he uses technology to engage writers, especially middle school boys. Rebecca Horner from Solis-Cohen Elementary shared her “Books for Breakfast,” a multilingual family literacy program to support cultural connections and literacy learning with parents, students, and staff.

Marci’s husband Steve and sons David and Daniel presented the grants to the 2013 awardees whose projects focused on using literacy skills for cultural awareness, debating teams, and writing clubs.

·      Haley Harrison from Samuel B. Huey Elementary School is using her grant to continue developing debating teams at Huey school. Several team members from Huey were in attendance and they proudly showcased theirs kills and their medals. Harrison’s award was in partnership with PhilaSoup, a social gathering of educators that funds projects for classrooms at their monthly micro-grant dinners.  

·      Delilah P. Baines Washington from Francis Scott Key Elementary School is educating staff and students about the different cultures in their school community.  She will be doing training for parents to help them keep children involved in summer literacy activities. In the fall, they will be doing self-portraits with written commentary to boost confidence and help others learn about who they are.

·      The students in Lisa Hantman’s third grade class at the McCall Elementary School will continue their service learning projects. Each year they take on a local or global issue, do the research and take action. What a positive learning experience for our future leaders!

·      Connie Henkel from Samuel Gompers Elementary School will be using her grant to start a Writers’ Hangout to give her first grade students opportunities to explore many types of writing both in traditional and digital environments.  Students will have opportunities to stretch their writing ability with new genres and new forms of composing and sharing.

The presence and commentary from Marci’s husband and sons transformed our gathering of educators to a vision of 21 Century teaching and learning. They appreciated how the grants are giving students early exposure to critical thinking and preparing them for the future by developing confidence, leadership and public voice – ingredients for responsible citizenship.

In this era of doomsday budgets, the grants provide a haven of hope and possibility. The Philadelphia Writing Project supports the professional develop of teachers and continues to seek grants to fund this important mission.

I enjoyed the wonderful evening with PhilWP family and friends. As a past recipient, I intend to honor Marcie’s spirit by contributing to the fund. Donations can be sent to the Marci Resnick Teacher Fund, c/o Philadelphia Writing Project, 4201 Spruce Street, Building 1921, Philadelphia, PA 19104. For more information, call 215-898-1919.

I snapped this photo to remind me that Winter and Spring's tug-of-war will soon be over. Both March and the Groundhog veered away from their predictions. Winter has outstayed Punxsutawney Phil's early departure announcement and March is not going out in its customary  lamb-like fashion. But the crocuses bravely announce the eventual triumph of spring over winter.  The green shoots of these tough plants promise vivid blooms soon to come. As the weather warms, I’ll tidy up my tiny garden to show respect to the earth that waited patiently through this year's mixed share of snow, ice, rain, and wind. I know there are tulips and daffodils waiting to explode upon the scene. I’m glad they take more time  increasing my anticipation.
The peril of winter and the promise of spring are a good message for the remainder of this time of year: endings, beginnings, death, new life, hope, and promise. The looming PSSA testing season clouds over the arrival of spring this coming Wednesday. Today I will make a valiant effort to focus on the present moment, giving attention to the students who need extra help realizing that they, too, will have their time to bloom.

On Saturday I felt very “smart.” Why? I attended a terrific conference at the Tatnall School in Wilmington, Delaware, which focused on SMART Board technology and classroom applications. The 21st Century classroom was alive and well as a K-12 range of presentations covered new ideas, online resources along with tips and techniques for teachers and technology specialists. I was impressed by the many ways the presenters integrated other products and web based tools to make classrooms lessons and activities connect seamlessly. But it was not just about technology. Content is always more important than the device. Teachers made decisions based on the what, why and who of pedagogy before designing interactive lessons to help focus attention and improve skills.

Bret Ginsburg wowed the crowd with his Keynote Presentation, “Connecting Technology to Learning.”  With humor, fast-talking and insightful comments, he put the address in the context of looking at the Why, Who and How of Technology in the classroom. You can view his slides here. I liked the distinction he made between professional exposure, professional development and profession maintenance. Tech integration is largely dependent on good training and support.

Taking a page from Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers Who Use Technology, Gisburg presented “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teachers Who Use Technology.” They are as follows:

1.    They start with the WHY: they have a real reason for using technology.
2.    They are malleable and can easily adapt: they see the big picture and realize how quickly change happens.
3.    They embrace change: they do not fight change; are early adopters and innovators.
4.    They share: they share best practices, which benefits everyone.
5.    They think win-win-win: they believe in technology and seek to prove its value to administrators, students and parents.
6.    They are extremely thorough and think two steps ahead: they develop their craft
7.    They actively care: they are constantly thinking of ways to engage students and embrace technology because it allows them to make an impact. 

It will take me several days (or weeks) to go through the rich resources that were shared in morning and afternoon sessions. Here are some links to explore:

• Mike McGowan: Using Widgets on Smart Boards

           http://www.mikestechnologycloset.com/

• Harvey Almarode: Math and much more

            http://harveyshomepage.com

•  Matt Ringh: 20 Coolest Things with a Smart Board  
  

            www.teq.com.blog   (click on Educators Resource Center  and Teq Resources on right  

•  Robert Muskett: Prezi  and the Smart Board were made for each other.  (Link to follow)          

I am so grateful to the Tatnall School Community for hosting the Conference and sorry I missed the previous four. However, with the Twitter hashtag (#TatSmart), Blogs, Wikis and Prezis that are available, I have a lot to keep me occupied as I plan to utilize Smart Board technology more effectively for lessons and assessments.

Weather-wise and otherwise, the winds of change were blowing in Philadelphia on March 7.

Yesterday, nearly a thousand people attended the Rally at 440 North Broad Street joining the efforts of unions and activist groups to Stand Up for Our Schools and save public education in Philadelphia. The rally preceded the School Reform Commission’s meeting to vote on school closures.

Shortly after addressing the crowd Randi Weingarten, President of AFT, was arrested along with 18 others. Weingarten believes the “school closures are a plan to siphon money away from public schools, since the SRC’s plan doesn’t touch charter schools.”

Upon her release Weingarten said, “You use civil disobedience when you have no other choice.” Neither the Mayor nor the School Reform Commission was willing to meet with Weingarten.

The SRC voted to close 23 schools. PFT President Jerry Jordan said that these “school closings disrupt students' lives and disenfranchise our poorest communities … and will do nothing to improve education in Philadelphia.” Jordan pledged the PFT support to “demand that the SRC, school district, mayor and governor reset their priorities from cutbacks and concessions to reinvestment in our public schools.”

From the energy and enthusiasm of protesters to the anger and frustration of parents, school staff, and community members, March 7 has left its mark on public education in the city of Philadelphia.

 I came across this new type of conference called PLAY DATE. People Learning & Asking “Y”: Digital Age Technology Exploration. It was held this weekend in Chicago and Portland but postponed in Boston due to storm. The idea is to create a space for educators to come together and collaboratively explore tools and apps. No agenda. No presenters. Time to tinker. Time to play and explore. This type of participant-driven conference is similar to EdCamp, an unconference where sessions are flexible and come together based on participants’ input.  In both instances, these conferences are raising the bar on professional development and providing educators high-quality opportunities to share, support and make connections for sustaining a personal and professional learning network. So if you are ready for a play date or a day camp, check out some of these amazing resources:  Play Date, Smackdown Edcamp Philly 2012.

EduCon turned 5 this weekend. While there was no ceremonial singing with cake and candles, there was plenty of professional partying - connecting with others near and far, exploring big ideas, doing lots of deep thinking, and enjoying some of the food and fun Philly has to offer.  This year there was a lot of attention to entrepreneurial and design thinking toward innovation in education. If we continue to put the new wine in old wine skins, the change needed for 21st Century teaching and learning will reach a dead end. This year’s conference once again modeled the invitation to engage in sustained conversations that lead to deeper understanding of needs and next steps, including the push for expressions of creativity, caring and citizenship. The hospitality of SLA never ceases to amaze me. Their school community provided a welcoming atmosphere to the school and the city.  According to the Twitter chat, Out-of-Towner’s sampled some local fare with a skeptic or two about the “scrapple.”

In his Keynote, Dr. William Hite remarked,  “We need to grow from our individual and collective work. Educating the whole student is more than test taking.  Thinking and learning begins with newborns.”  Since becoming a grandparent, Hite is more aware of finding ways to let kids use the tools that they have had since birth, and engaging them in extending their learning beyond the school walls and the school day.

My take-aways from the Panel Discussion: How can we work within the system to bring opportunities to kids; we are not here to say that charter schools are the answer, rather good schools are the answer; kids need to be great today and greater later; self advocacy is a needed skill for today’s learners; sometimes success is paralyzing – brings you to a stopping point; can teachers “start/charter” their own classroom where teachers apply to repurpose their rooms with innovation for engaging students?  I was happy to have a colleague, Tammy Stets, from my school attend, so there is more likelihood to keep conversation going. We are seriously thinking about the concept of chartering classrooms within the school to foster inquiry and project based learning in elementary school.  

With so many sessions to choose from, I am grateful to those who tweeted links to slides and/or wikis.  These plus the archived tweeter feed for #educon25 will keep me exploring, thinking and staying connected until EduCon turns 6! (January 24-26, 2014)