Solon Schools use Social Networking Sites as Tools

Image: tungphoto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Social media in schools has been a hot topic lately.  Some schools and states are blocking sites and discouraging teachers and students to interact online.  However, our school embraces social media as a teaching tool and we plan to revise our policy to encourage that interaction.  It takes the classroom outside the "four walls" of the building.  Thanks to KCRG news for running the story and highlighting the progressive practices at Solon CSD.   

If you have questions, concerns, or comments, I encourage you to leave your thoughts below.  

Week of Sept. 19

POW/MIA Recognition Day

Solon High School was the site of POW/MIA Recognition Day on Friday, September 16.  Nine veterans and their guests attended an event at the media center sponsored and organized by the VA Medical Clinic in Iowa City.  Their stories of inspiration were amazing to hear!  Students in history class got to hear firsthand accounts of imprisonment from the veterans.

Here are some pictures from the day.

No Office Day

I was working late yesterday when our custodian came in and asked if I would be staying all night.  I told him that tomorrow was my "No Office Day" and he thought that meant that I would be on the golf course for the day.  While spending the day on the course would be a nice respite from the hectic life of a school principal, I informed him that I would be out in classrooms all day.

I came across on Twitter that several principals and other school administrators would have "No Office Day" during the week of September 12.  I jumped at the opportunity to spend time in our classrooms.  My goal as an instructional leader is to ensure high quality instruction occurs on a daily basis.  In my experience, I have found that it is nearly impossible to do that while sitting in my chair in my office.

So, I look forward to spending my day in the halls, classrooms, and common areas talking and working with students.  We have a group of veterans coming to school today to work with history classes and I will be teaching 1 block of PE.

Most importantly, I won't be in my office.

Are you a teacher, or an educator?

Thanks to Eric Sheninger, Principal at New Milford High School in New Jersey, for posting this video on his blog http://esheninger.blogspot.com/

Week of September 12, 2011

Teaching 9/11

For those of us that watched in horror the events that unfolded ten years ago, remembering the victims and tragedy of 9/11 brings back strong emotions.  But what about teaching remembrance?  How do help students understand the implications of such an historically important topic?

Most of our students were young when the event happened and had little connection with world events.  Today students are having the chance to relive history in a meaningful way.  Students in history class are looking at iconic images from September 11, 2001.  The link for the photos can be found here.  Their task is to write a caption for the photo, explain their emotion, and state why the photo is significant to historians.  As I sat in class, I was proud of the discussion and reflection of our students.  The anger emotion was evident.  However, it is important to remember the needless loss of life.  Our hope is to teach future generations about incidents in the world and learning how to be tolerant of each other's differences.

From the Desk of Mr. Wear- Week of Sept. 6, 2011