Final reminder

Hi all...just a reminder that all posts are due today.

I have enjoyed working with you and reading all your wonderful posts all summer.  I hope that you have found the book and discussions useful and plan some innovative new activities for your classroom in the years to come.

Feel free to share what you learned and your ideas with others. Encourage them to investigate this innovative movement on their own.  Please know that I am willing to help you make your ideas reality...you need only to ask.

I will make a final list of all participants and PGPs later this week - remember..you must post in all chapter discussions in order to get the PGPs.   The PGP letters will be available soon.

Have a great start to the school year.


Angy

Pure Genius Final Post: Coming Together and Conclusion

After reading this book, what are your plans for your classroom? Do you see an opportunity to start a genius hour or do you now have a goal of teaching an innovation class? Or are you thinking about some small steps that you can take to add more innovation into your classroom?

Just a reminder that this is the last post of the summer book group. I have enjoyed our summer of innovation discussion. I hope that you have generated some ideas to use in your classrooms. I would be happy to help if you need. Just let me know:-) 

Pure Genius Chapter 10: Moving Forward

Hi Folks...sorry I forgot to post on Monday.  I was in Phoenix and the 3 hr time difference messed with my head.  I'm going to go ahead and post our last 2 discussion questions.

 Well, we are down to the home stretch. Only 1 more post left in the book club. If you are behind in your reading and/or commenting, now is the time to catch up. In order to be eligible for the PGPs, you will need to have commented in every post either to the blog post or to comments by other participants. All comments must be made by Monday,  July 27th at 5pm. 

We are nearing the end of the book and getting some last thoughts from Don on how to get started with innovative projects. The three practices he discussed in this chapter were: giving yourself permission, transparency, and trust. How do you see any or all of these practices helping you as you move forward to more of an innovative culture in your classroom?

Next week we will read the supporting materials at the end -- Coming Together: Speaking the Same Language and Additional Resources -- and share what you're going to do moving forward.

Pure Genius Chapter 9: Student Voices

I've really enjoyed this book, but this chapter was really powerful. I was impressed with all of the students, but especially the ones who did projects on their own, not for a class or a grade. Share any thoughts that were sparked by this chapter, ideas you might have, student experiences you know of, maybe even an experience that you had.

Next week we will read the next chapter, "Moving Forward." We've only got two more posts left in the book club. Now is the time to catch up on your reading and commenting

Pure Genius Chapter 8: Opportunities are Everywhere

Don shared some really great examples of finding opportunities in unexpected places. Do you seek out opportunities to get your students some out-of-the-ordinary experiences or encourage them to find those opportunities? After reading this chapter do you have some ideas of untapped resources that you and your students can utilize?

Next week we will read the next chapter, "Student Voices," and learn about student experiences firsthand

Pure Genius Chapter 7: Getting Started with Social Media

This week, we have the chapter that encourages you to get started with social media for either your own professional learning group or for student interaction.  Since we have spent the last few summer discussing the merits of Twitter...several of you have exhausted that route.  So...for this week, you can choose...either explore Twitter and report your findings. Tell us your Twitter handle, tell us who you are following and what you have learned OR explore the world of educational blogs. I have tried both and tend to get more out of blogs since they tend to be less of a "time hog" than Twitter.  Two of my favorites are http://www.weareteachers.com and http://www.edutopia.org (though these may qualify as blog catalogs rather than actual blogs).  You can take a look at these two or go to http://www.cybraryman.com/0_teachers1.htm and browse your grade level or subject area to find various blogs.  Choose one and start following.  Report back with the blog URL and let us know how you might benefit from following it in the future OR you may choose to start your own blog. If you start your own, share the URL and let us know how you are going to use it in the future.

Pure Genius Chapter 6: Social Media and Students

Sorry folks...I had internet issues yesterday and didn't get this one posted.

Social media use by students can be a slippery slope. Are you encouraging your students to utilize social media to enhance or expand their learning or to share things they are creating? How are you or how is your school helping students learn how to use social media safely?

For next week we will be reading the next chapter, titled "Getting Started with Social Media."  (Don't worry...the question next time will not be about Twitter:)

Pure Genius Chapter 5: Social Media and Teachers

This week we are reading about teachers' use of social media. How are you all using social media? To share what your students are doing? To ask questions of your PLN? To read about what other educators are doing and get ideas to use in your classroom? Also, what is your preferred social media tool and why? And if you're not utilizing social media, are you seeing reasons why you should jump in and try it?

Next week, we will read the chapter titled "Social Media and Students."

Pure Genius Chapter 4: Six Building Blocks of Innovative Learning

I'm a firm believer in "sharing the wealth".  So...how you will share your ideas with your colleagues? Was it helpful to read the three real-world examples of genius hour that Don shared? How have those changed or confirmed your thoughts about genius hour?

For next week we will read chapter 5, "Social Media and Teachers."

Pure Genius Chapter 3: There Is No Plan

Although Don says that there's no plan for an innovation class, he shares a great description of how a typical week in his classroom runs and the expectations he has for his students. After reading this chapter, do you have ideas of how you could implement an innovation project or genius hour into your classroom? Or maybe you have ideas of some baby steps to adding innovation to your classroom. Please share those.

For next week, please read "Six Building Blocks of Innovative Learning."

June 24th Conference on a Couch

Hi all...I attending an EdCamp yesterday and while I was there one of the participants told us about Danville Community High School's Conference on a Couch event taking place on Wednesday June 24th.  Several of the sessions address our topic of Innovation and the closing keynote speaker is Don Wettrick ... the author of "Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level."  I would love for a group of us to get together to attend the conference. I could get a school van for the trip and lunch is provided...so it would only cost you $15 each. 

Please take a look at their website http://couchconference.org/ and let me know if you are interested in attending. You will need to register on your own, but I can make arrangements for the school van. 

Since it takes a little over 2 hours to get to Danville, we would need to leave the school by 6:30 am to get there on time. 

Pure Genius Chapter 2: Creating a Culture of Innovation and Leadership

Could you relate to Don's story about giving his students freedom to decide what to study, but a majority of the students not knowing what to do? Have you given your students opportunities to have some freedom in your classroom? What about opportunities for students to be leaders? Or what ideas do you have for doing this in the future? Do you think freedom and leadership for students in your classroom will lead to innovation?

If you know of others who would like to participate in the book club, it's not too late. Just remind them to start with week one so we all have a chance to meet them.

For next week, please read the next chapter, "There Is No Plan."

Pure Genius Chapter 1: Why Innovate?

Before we start, I wanted to discuss the schedule with you. I looked at the chapters and our summer and we will have to double up some weeks to get finished before school starts. Here is the schedule I propose:

Discussion questions will be posted on the following dates:

Chapter	Date
Chapter 1: Why Innovate	June 8
Chapter 2: Creating a Culture of Innovation and Leadership	June 11
Chapter 3: There is No Plan	June 15
Chapter 4: Six Building Blocks of Innovative Learning	June 18
Chapter 5: Social Media and Teachers	June 22
Chapter 6: Social Media and Students	June 25
Chapter 7: Getting Started with Social Media	June 29
Chapter 8: Opportunities are Everywhere	July 6
Chapter 9: Student Voices	July 9
Chapter 10: Moving Forward	July 13
End notes and wrap up	July 16
All posts must be complete	July 27th

Let me know if these dates are agreeable. I am open to suggestions, but past experience has shown that trying to complete the discussions after school stars is never a good idea.

Also...I want to admit that I will be using several of the discussion questions posted by the IDOE when we used this book during their spring book discussion. I read this book and participated in the discussion and felt that it was a great book and had something to offer our community.

I know that some of you have out of town plans, so if you can’t post on a particular week, just catch up when you can.  All posts must be complete by July 27th.

Pure Genius Chapter 1: Why Innovate?

Let's get started with -- what is innovation to you? And why do you think it's important to innovate?

Please discuss the posted question and/or respond to a comment by another participant each week. The more interaction there is between participants, the richer and more beneficial the conversation will be.

If you are just entering the conversation this week, welcome! Be sure to scroll down to last week's post and introduce yourself. Remember….in order to get the PGPs, you must post a comment for each chapter of the book.

For next week, please read chapter 2, "Creating a Culture of Innovation & Leadership."

Summer 2015 Discussion Group

This summer we will be discussing: Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation and Taking 20% Time to the Next Level by Don Wettrick 

Discussion of the book will begin the week of June 8th. 

Before we get started, please join this blog and introduce yourself to the group.  Let us know what you teach and what you expect from this group. Since our book is about "innovation teaching", share 2 your favorite "innovative teaching stories"  with us.  Also..include anything of interest you want to share with the group. (anything that will help us know you a little better). 

Please order your book now so that we are ready to start on June 8th. If you already have the book, you might read the introduction before you post your introduction.

If you know anyone who would like to join our group, please feel free to invite them to join. (They don't have to be Southwestern folks...everyone is welcome...as long as they join us before the week of June 8th). 

Please note...we won't have any weeks off this summer. Past summers have shown that folks want to work through the entire book before school starts. I will be sending out a specific schedule via email, but we will start discussing Chapter one on June 8th. 

If you have any trouble joining the group...let me know. We always have to work out glitches at the beginning of each summer. 
My contact information:
Angy Northern
812.866.6237 (W)
812.866.2149 (H)
anorthern@swjcs.us
angynorthern@gmail.com