The Daily Find: Feb. 25, 2010- Conference Day 1

NAIS CONFERENCE BLOGGERS: LIVE FROM SAN FRANCISCO

Demetri Orlando

Writing for an Audience Not in Stone: “For many years I’ve been touting how technology can make students’ writing process more authentic because putting writing onto a website provides an audience beyond the teacher. Before computers (i.e. my high school experience) students would write a paper, the teacher would read and grade it, then return it to the student, who would shortly deposit it in the trash can [this was also before recycling.] With the web, writing can be published and revised online. It can be published in “walled…MORE

Ruth Huyler Glass

Getting There: It starts long before reaching NAIS, this process of being a part of the annual conference. First, there’s the online registration for conference and accommodations, both of which are easy enough and somewhat in the distance. Next come the round of emails with colleagues from around the country: Are you attending? Can we get together? Sure, let’s meet up in the lobby…. Forgetting how big the lobby has become and how many colleagues, known and unknown, are in the process of assembling.…MORE

Tony Featherston

Making a Plan: Technically, I’m not sure if I’m really blogging since I’m on a plane from Charlotte to San Francisco – in case you wondering, yes, that’s the scenic route from Buffalo. Anyway, because I’m being held captive by US Airways, I figured it was a perfect opportunity to check out the conference program. Every year I seem to forget just how many…MORE

Tony Featherston

Connecting: The conference officially kicks off tomorrow morning, but it already seems that every independent school administrator in the world has descended on San Francisco. It’s been fun to catch up with old friends and make new ones. We’re all talking about enrollment, tight budgets, and difficult decisions, yet there seems to be more optimism than last year. And those of us from the northeast were talking about the restorative power of a…MORE

Gordon Rode

The Headmasters Scoop: Why do I find myself always picking up the trash on the ground that others have stepped over?  Why have the students and/or teachers stepped over it?  Didn’t they see it?  Are they too preoccupied?  Why do I see it and always perform the Headmaster Scoop? MORE

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OTHER COMMUNITY BLOGGERS: LIVE & VIRUAL FROM SAN FRANCISCO

Jason Ramsdon: A Live Blog Transcript from 3-hour session

Be Like Google: As the economy began to slow, Google continued to post positive quarterly earnings. The New York Times headline in 2008 declared, “Google defies economy.” Maybe the truth is that Google defines the economy and leaders have much to learn about acting “Googley.” The workshop explored Google’s Nine Notions of Innovation and how to apply them to your school environment…MORE

Peter Gow

Treating Teachers Like Grown-ups: “It’ll take me a while to collect all my thoughts on the “Leading Toward A Sustainable Future” workshop this afternoon at the NAIS 2010 Annual Conference. I led off with some collective wisdom on school leadership that I amassed for the “Alive & Well” online advisory, then Pat Bassett spoke in detail on financial modeling and how schools need to prepare to face “The New Normal” of limited resources. The interactive part for the good-sized audience (about 63 for a session originally planned for 40) was a panel presentation featuring school heads Vance Wilson of St. Albans (DC), Merry Sorrells of St. Paul’s Episcopal School (LA), and Katherine Dinh of Prospect Sierra (CA). Paul Miller of NAIS moderated, and I filled a seat at the far end…MORE

Jonathan Martin

Excellent CWRA Info. Session at NAIS: True 21st– This was a great session, and my kudos and appreciation to the presenters:  CWRA (College and Work Readiness Assessment) is a powerful tool for educational reform, and an important vehicle for bringing problem-based learning into our classrooms.  It isn’t just a measurement device, I increasingly realize, but a tool that stirs the entire…MORE

Vinnie Vrotny

Finding time to Play: While not at NAIS this year, Vinnie has been following the tweets and found his latest post to be a match with some of the discussion from the first day sessions. He write: “Yesterday, in my post about the lessons learned from the production of the Funky Snowman, I raised questions about how we can introduce “play” into the curriculum. I have been thinking about the last time that I felt that I was able to immerse myself within my own productivity. This occurred nearly two weeks ago on during a faculty work-day, when I was able to work on my own time free of the 45 minutes segments that a normal day brings. Also kicking around my mind are the ideas that I have gotten from reading the new Daniel Pink book, Drive. In this book…”MORE

Sarah Hanawald

Irshad Manji Friday, 6pm Eastern:-Courage in a Time of Corruption: The New York Times calls Irshad Manji “Osama bin Laden’s worst nightmare.” Oprah Winfrey gave her the first annual Chutzpah Award for “audacity, nerve, boldness, and conviction.” Manji, director of the Moral Courage Project at New York University, accepts both as compliments. The project develops young leaders who will challenge conformity and champion creativity, including…MORE

Daoist56

NAIS: Wednesday: Coming to this conference must be getting me fired up. In response to Chris Bigenho’s blog about helping students become self-regulated learners, I had this to say:…MORE