Yesterday was Stop Cyberbullying Day.  I encourage each student to really think about how they treat each other in cyberspace.  You may think that words written on your computer won’t hurt someone, but they really do.

Here are some hints. 

• When you are angry or hurt, don’t write an email, send an IM, post to MySpace, etc.  Step away from your computer and give yourself some time before responding to something.
• Write as if the person you are talking about, their parents, or your parents are sitting beside you reading what you are writing.  If you don’t think any of these people would like what you are writing, don’t.
• Remember, you can’t take back words that you have written. 
• Don’t write something that you might be sorry for writing in the future.
• Respect!  Always be respectful of others.  This doesn’t mean that you have to like everyone, but you should always be respectful of others.

We live in a time of great access to tools (Internet, blogs, MySpace, etc) that expand our world beyond Trussville.   There is a great deal of positive information and opportunities because of these tools, but we all must learn how to use them appropriately and for good.

One of our 7^th grade math classes had a discussion today about technology and student’s ability to think.  The teacher asked students if technology was causing people not to have to think.  A student replied, “Do you have to think to use technology?”  What are your thoughts? How is technology changing the way we process information, make decisions, and think?

I read another principal’s blog this morning about some of the ways technology has changed life for non-digital natives.  I would love to hear some of the ways technology has changed in your life time.  How has it changed?  How do you learn new technology?  What do you think is coming?

Here are some of mine–The television in our home when I was a child did not have a remote control–except for me,  as the youngest child, I was the one nominated to get up and change the channel.  I was in elementary school when desk top computers first entered classrooms.  The monitor was not colored or even black and white.  All text was bright green on a green screen.  Floppy disks were about 5 inches squared and really were floppy.  My parents got our first computer in 1983–an Apple IIE.  It did not have a printer and had 128K of memory.  It cost $2,300.  My first mobile phone was a bag phone that only worked in my car.  My parents gave it to me so that I could contact help if something happened when I was driving back and forth to college.  I had to type my high school papers on a word processor–a step beyone a typewriter but not a full-fledged computer either.

I can’t wait to read what you can come up with…Dr. Williams

I recently read an article in Time about what students need in the 21st century. Recommendations about the skills and disciplines needed included technology and exposure to world cultures. The term “portable skills” was a new term to me. Portable skills are critical think, making connections, and the ability to continuously learn. The article also discussed the importance of teaching students how to assess the accuracy of information read on websites. Did you know that in a recent study of 6,200 high school seniors and college freshman only 50 percent could accurately judge the quality of content on websites?
I would be very interested in hearing from you what you think you need to be well educated in the 21st century. I would also like to hear how you learn when you are away from school. Do you see similarities or differences between HOW you learn at school and away from school?

Students,
I wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading your responses to your teachers’ discussion boards. I go from laughing at your obvious humor to being totally amazed by the deepness of your thoughts. I can tell by the time listed when you post, and I have to say that it thrills me to see you posting as soon as you get home and later into the evening and even on weekends. This is a great example of work that is engaging for students. It isn’t the computer that makes it engaging, but the “conversation” you are able to have with your peers and teachers. Keep up the good work!

When I was in Atlanta this past weekend, I took a trip to my favorite bookstore and spent several hours looking over the shelves at the books.  I came across a book whose title, Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, intrigued me.  I haven’t finished it yet, but it addresses the impact of the many tools available today for collaboration on leadership, businesses, research, and life in general.  The authors stress that the world is becoming a place where only the connected will survive.  They also say, “We must collaborate or perish-across borders, cultures, disciplines, and firms and increasingly with masses of people at one time.”  They talk about the use of Web 2.0 as being the “Wisdom of Crowds.”  I love that term and am excited about all it implies.  Even though I grew up with computers in my home and in my classrooms and feel pretty confident that I can do about anything with a computer, I am learning terms that I have never heard of by reading the book–peering, tagging, “new public squares,” and blogosphere.  

In talking with students, it is obvious that they are more comfortable with these concepts than we realize, but as a school and as a system, we are stretching ourselves so we can meet the changing needs of our students.  We have time built into our schedule for classroom teachers to collaborate with each other daily to design lessons for students.  We have SharePoint which allows students to collaborate via discussion boards in a safe environment.  We are developing the Middle School Resource Room wiki so our teachers can collaborate with others world-wide to improve what we are doing with students. We have many conversations brainstorming ways to integrate technology more fully into our classrooms.  Professional learning opportunities on technology integration are provided regularly.  I read the blogs of other principals to find out things they are doing with their students that we might also do or to find out what other schools are struggling with.  We then have ongoing discussions via our blogs. 

I have to say that I am very proud of our teachers at HTMS who are stretching themselves in the area of technology.  Many face the challenge of not only integrating technology into their classrooms but also learning the technology themselves.   

After our technology conference on Thursday, I decided I was going to try to add a blog to our school’s web site.  This will be a learning process so please be patient.  I know that the students can do it so hopefully I will be able to also.