Angela Maiers Educational Services

Teacher Boot Camp - Coming Near You?

Teacher Boot Camp.  That’s what educators have called the Angela Maiers Literacy Workshops for seven years running. And no, we don’t make teachers do push ups.

We equip them. We train them. We inspire them. Regardless of grade level and content area, we arm teachers with strategies, lessons and conversations that help them prepare students for independent, 21st century reading and writing.

We’re excited about our theme this year – From the Classroom to the Boardroom. And while many would think that’s perfect for High School, it’s imperative for all teachers, especially for Early and Elementary educators.

“Angela's workshop in 2006 has transformed my district's focus of student expectations and learning for the 21st century. I had teachers from all levels; elementary, middle, and high school who became the core of my district literacy teams attend Angela's institute …This is the best professional development that you could attend if you are interested in moving your district forward in literacy!”
–    Deb Olson, Clinton Community School District

We begin our week-long workshop with a panel of local business and educational leaders discussing what skills are necessary to thrive in the workforce of today AND tomorrow.  On Day Two, we work on key methods teachers can immediately use to move from student instruction to student independence.

Our kids are continually bombarded with messages: Marketing; peer-to-peer, and education. The amount of daily infosumption is growing rapidly. Day Three looks at how we can teach separation of signal vs. noise in today’s world of info overload.

And what of the digital age?  Day Four looks at how to utilize the tools and strategies of online media in a safe and studious manner.

Tomorrow’s knowledge worker – and they’ll all be knowledge workers at some level – will need the behaviors and attitudes – the habitudes necessary to be employable in tomorrow’s workforce. Day Five is dedicated to The Habitudes.

“(Angela) is in one word, "amazing" and I recommend her to any district seeking  quality, expert, professional development that will actually make a  difference for student learning." Amy Sandvold, co- author of Fundamentals of Literacy Coaching, ASCD, 2008

Each day will begin with a discussion on innovation and end with an exercise in creativity.

There are group discounts available. Additionally, administrators and leaders get in at a huge discount (they may have to do pushups, though)...just email me!

Here is a file you can print and share: Share this with your superintendent, principal or curriculum director (pdf)

How many teachers are you bringing this year? Register today! Limited seating available.

Hope to see you at Boot Camp.

Flickr photos by Urban Mixer and SoldiersMediaCenter

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Did Your State Make the Grade?

The 2008 State Technology Grades have been released. This State Technology Report is a joint project of Education Week and the EPE Research Center. Each state was surveyed to assess the status of K-12 educational technology across the nation in the areas of access, use, and capacity. The report assigned "grades to the states" for their technology performance overall and in those three categories.

Individual Reports with State-specific findings are available and can be downloaded. Click here for a more detailed analysis of your state.

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Congrats to Dan Meyer, Principal of the Year

It is exciting to read about any educator that gets recognized for the hard work that they do. It was a double pleasure for me when I opened The Des Moines Register recently, and that educator is one I know.

My friend and colleague, Urbandale Middle School Principal, Dan Meyer was recently selected as Iowa's Middle School Principal of the Year. There are few more deserving of this award than Dan. His motto: Failure is not an Option at UMS!

Dan, I am so proud of you. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of your mission! Congratulations!

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Chalk Talk - 4/25/08

Chalk Talk Friday represents conversations and brilliance I've discovered traversing my way through the Blogosphere.  From professional to personal development, these  are the posts and links have in some way touched my head or my heart.

The finds were EXTRAORDINARY this week! Enjoy!

• Are your students Cyber safe? They will be after these resources. Get your questions about cyberbullying, identity protection, social networking, and much more at the Cyber Safety Project.
• No money to take fieldtrips with your kids? Not a problem-take them on a Virtual Fieldtrip at Meet Me At the Corner.
• I is for iWalkthrough - no more assessment paper work! Teachers and administrators can collect classroom data, analyze,and record it in the palm of their hands. Little tool with BIG capabilities!
• Dippity Do da!...Dipity is an easy and interactive way to create and share timelines. Think of the possibilities for your students, big or small, fiction or nonfiction, reader or writer!

Together We Are Smarter. What's Your Take? Comment Here.

Dreaming Big-Big Dreaming

I wrote yesterday about a fascinating conversation about Dreaming Big and Big Dreaming. I posed the following question:What can you do NOW to begin moving towards something you dream about or believe in?

I am proud to share my answer with the world, let me introduce you to Support a Local Teacher (S.A.L.T.) :

I believe that nothing will change or improve in education without teacher support and support of teachers.  It is the goal of Support A Local Teacher (S.A.L.T) to find funding to further the professional development of local teachers. Without question: Smart teachers will produce smart kids. 

Teacher expertise matters. But who pays for the expertise? As districts struggle with dwindling budgets, it is often left to the individual teacher to initiate and support their own professional growth. S.A.L.T. was born out of many conversations with teachers who were eager to learn, hungry for tools and training, but strapped because their district did not have the money to support their learning.

S.A.L.T. works towards Building and Preserving Excellence in Education by finding and helping provide corporate sponsorships to further the professional development of local teachers.  We hope this becomes a nationwide effort, we are starting in the MidWest.

For years, the business community has cried out how education is not preparing the right kind of workforce necessary. Here, we have teachers willing to learn -- and it's our hope that an organization like S.A.L.T. can bridge the gap between business and education.

More to come...

UPDATE: I'm going to post this on the Big Dream Gathering board on May 13th. I'll let you know what happens.

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Little Ideas- Big World Changes

If you were given $10 million dollars (tax free, no strings attached, no rules or regulations)...what would you do? This was the subject of last night's conversation with Liz Strauss at her weekly Open Mic Night over at her  Successful Blog.

The discussion started off with fantastic, out-of-the-world dreams of mansions, yachts, private island properties, and jet planes to fly all your friends there! But, things turned real world as our passions came out for making the world we live in a better place.

Many words of wisdom were shared:

gotta remember a lot of your dreams CAN actually come true :) even without the “lotto cashout” strategy for the first 10 million.

Just work on the path to get there. You just might find it at the end of that road.

Follow your passions! Go do what you love!

So... new question, friends: What can you do NOW to begin moving towards something you dream about or believe in? (Even w/o the $10 mil!)

Here's my response to Question One: (When I had the $10 mil)

On a serious note, I would open a teacher training institute. Teachers from all over the world could receive first class professional development-FREE! When they leave the institute, they are smarter, more passionate, and motivated to change the world! Each students they touch would be infinitely impacted. A much wiser use of $10 million dollars than the current educational spending policy-don’t you think?

Stay tuned for my response AND action to Question #2! (What I am doing now w/o the $10 mil!)

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Follow the Rules-The Brain Rules!

Everyday,we tell kids to "follow the rules" and good things will come. Now, it is our turn! So says molecular biologist John Medina, in his new book, Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School.

According to Medina:

"If you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a classroom. If you wanted to create a business environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a cubicle. And if you wanted to change things, you might have to tear down both and start over."

Medina explains, with a nice blend of science and common sense, what the brain is "good at doing."  He calls these principles, the "Brain Rules", and yes, if followed, good things will come in many aspects of our learning and lives. See if you agree:

The Twelve Brain Rules according to John:

What do you think-is the list complete? What would YOU add?

For more info, check out John's new Teachertube Video on Using Brain Rules in the Classroom and recent talk at Google Video.

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Need A Little Inspiration?

Do share-what keeps you going?

(Hat tip to Mike Sansone-for this gem!)

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Chalk Talk - 4/17/08

Chalk Talk Friday represents conversations and brilliance I've discovered traversing my way through the Blogosphere.  From professional to personal development, these  are the posts and links have in some way touched my head or my heart.

So little time, and so much to share-Enjoy!

• Girls and Technology-Heck Ya! Check this out: Aint Gonna Hold Us Back (D-I-G-I-T-A-L)
• Another Fabulous Flick, Tip of the Hat to Scott McCleod at Dangerously Irrelevant for this gem: We Think
• Teaching Nonfiction Writing with Tony Stead, international researcher, writer, and educator. Miguel at EduWrite shares with us his wonderful experience with Tony. Lots of resources, links, and commentary!
• Technology Integration Matrix - Love this Tool! "The TIM is designed to assist schools and districts in evaluating the level of technology integration in classrooms and to provide teachers with models of how technology can be integrated into instruction in meaningful ways."

Together We Are Smarter. What's Your Take? Comment Here.

Thought for Thursday - Infosumption

Books, Newspapers, Public Radio, Television, Research, Blogs, RSS Feeds ... How do you consume (and digest) the info you intake?

Together We Are Smarter. What's Your Take? Comment Here.