 REad Letter from TAd
Dear eMINTS family and friends, I am very excited to be joining the eMINTS family as the new director. I want to thank Christie Terry and every member of the eMINTS staff for working hard every day to make a difference in the lives of students and teachers. I was attracted to this job because of the mission of eMINTS, the dedicated staff, and the future opportunities that exist for all stakeholders. My background is different than that of the eMINTS team. I am not a certified teacher but have spent the last 18 years in higher education after an 8 year corporate career. I also spent 4 years teaching at the middle school level at several public schools in Japan, so I can appreciate the impact teachers make in the lives of students. I approach this position at eMINTS with more of a business perspective than has existed in the past, but I am still firmly committed to the eMINTS mission. Technology and students have changed greatly in the last few years and we will need to change as well. Over the next several months, I will be listening to and learning from all our stakeholders – from students to corporations – to understand what our operating model should look like and to search for future opportunities that will allow us to continue operating long into the future. I hope to connect with many of you in the next few months and start that process of defining our future together. Please feel free to reach out to me as well with your thoughts, ideas and innovations. Email: brinkerhoffc@missouri or cell phone 801-319-4692. Thank you. Sincerely, Tad C. Tad Brinkerhoff
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eMINTS National Center Staff This eMINTS Affiliate newsletter is designed to share information about what is happening with the eMINTS National Center and in the many districts nationwide that are a part of the eMINTs Affiliate family. We are looking for our next contributor for this column. What are you doing in your district? What have you learned as you implement eMINTS professional development in your situation? Contact kuehnlej@emints.org to discuss how you can be our next featured Affiliate. We can't wait to hear your story!
REaD Carmen's Words of Wisdom:
Relationship Building is Key to Success This year I started a new adventure. After years of providing professional learning, I stepped back into school as an educational technology specialist. My work is mainly in a K-5 building. Our teachers share a technology toolkit of iPads, Chromebooks and MacAirs. The carts provide almost a 1-1 environment and allow teachers to choose the device which best meets their students’ needs.
Along with managing these devices, a big part of my position is coaching teachers in effective uses of technology. It is key to build relationships first. Teachers are very passionate about what they do. Teachers take great pride and responsibility for their learners. There must be a deep level of trust to be vulnerable about your craft with someone else. To help build relationships, I took whatever opportunity there was to connect and show people that I was willing to jump into the deep water and support them. At the start of the year I helped set up a SMART board and did tons of printer troubleshooting, this helped me get to know people and the culture of the building. Through these interactions trust began to form and I was slowly invited in to be a second pair of hands or to help plan a lesson. I utilized my skills of listening, staying positive and paraphrasing to make sure I was meeting the teachers’ needs. I also tried to be very transparent. If I didn’t know an answer, I was honest, did some research and responded in a timely fashion. Following through on what I said I would do was key. I continue to build relationships on a daily basis and depend on my coaching skills to set goals, plan, reflect and when needed collaborate and consult. I wanted to find a way to celebrate and share all the great things happening in our building so I created “Tech Tidbits”. This is a monthly newsletter sharing what teachers are doing in their classrooms and other quick tidbits and reminders. Since email is often overlooked, I send out a digital copy of the newsletter and then post a hard copy in high traffic areas-by the copier and on the back of the restroom doors. Then I added a little sign saying you have a digital copy with live links in your email. The feedback has been very positive, teachers are aware of the cool projects taking place and I continue to build relationships as teachers read what is happening and inquire about trying out new things in their rooms. Here a few examples of “Tech Tidbits:” September,October, and November. How do you build relationships? What are some ways you share projects and resources across grade levels? Get Your eMINTS Fix with #eMINTSTips What educator doesn’t love quick tips, tricks, and shortcuts to help increase creativity, expertise, and productivity? Since July 2018, eMINTS has been publishing #emintstips every Tuesday on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ eMINTS communities.
Tip cards are color-coded by the eMINTS Instructional Model (eIM) and/or eMINTS Facilitator Model (eFM). Cards range in content from designing materials to maximizing the use of favorite tech tools. You will also find facilitation strategies that can be instantly incorporated to engage learners. There is even a set of Tip Cards that summarize the foundational elements of the eMINTS Comprehensive PD program. Watch for upcoming Tip Cards overviewing the eMINTS Facilitator Model. Next July, eMINTS will share a Tip Card Mini eBook that will include all Tip Cards posted throughout the year! As an eMINTS Newsletter recipient, you have exclusive access to view all Tip Cards published to date. Do you have the perfect and idea for the next #emintstips? Share your ideas with either Brooke Higgins (brooke@emints.org) or Debbie Perkins (debbie@emints.org). eMINTS Receives $22.4 in New Grants Photo by Sam O'Keefe/University of Missouri University of Missouri College of Education officials announced October 24, 2018, that the college’s eMINTS National Center has received two U.S. Department of Education grants, including the largest one in the history of the college. The grants total more than $18.6 million in federal funds and $3.8 million in private sector matching funds. The money will be used to expand a successful educational technology professional development program into rural schools in Missouri and Kansas.
The $22.4 million total includes:
“At eMINTS, we strive to help schools and educators bring together technology and effective teaching practices,” said Christine Terry, director of eMINTS. “Students use the knowledge and skills they are learning to solve problems that are meaningful. That means technology is not an “add-on” to learning but a tool for communicating ideas, collaborating with peers, collecting data and analyzing information.” |
