WeVideo is a phenomenal tool for video creation. It is web based so it can be use on any device. I currently work for a district that is 1:1 K-12 with Chromebooks so this was beyond exciting. The possibilities are endless with this tool and with the paid version you have access to an extensive media library, music, sound clips, and screencasting.

Currently in our district we have 180 seats that teachers can check out either for themselves or for their students. This is done by a code and then once the students have finalized their projects, we can give that code out to the next person in need. We offer a HyperDoc tutorial and/or teaching a model lesson to ensure teachers are comfortable with the tool. We have seen it used to analyze experiments, review/discuss books, flipped classroom videos, opinion writing pieces, morning announcements, STEAM project reflections, newcasts, and cooking demos just to name a few.

As coaches, we love the screen cast tool. You can record your screen and give a tutorial for students/teachers. I recently have been using it to recap Elementary Writing Instruction Committee meetings for teachers who were unable to attend. They can watch the summary and not feel left out when we meet again.

We have used with students as young as 2nd grade. While it looks different depending on the grade level, it is all about setting students up for success. We have found that having students make a practice video is a great start. We usually give them a checklist of about three things they have to try which allows them to explore the tool in a risk free environment.  The teachers is there to guide and support as needed but the project students are creating is just for fun! This way when it comes time to use WeVideo for a project, they can focus more on the content they are creating vs. the content AND learning a new piece of technology.

Here are some resources to explore if you are new to WeVideo:

https://www.wevideo.com/academy

https://www.wevideo.com/education-resources

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZaf5q7k27M02OSgLTkS4Zg/videos

Greenscreen with WeVideo

WeVideo Everyday

Just as in teaching, instructional coaching can be a rollercoaster of emotions. One day you feel invincible. The next day you are trying to pick yourself off the floor. One of our biggest jobs I feel is to be that sounding board for teachers to vent, process, and reflect. Voices need to be heard and sometimes it just feels good to have someone listen and allow you to talk. Once all of that is out, you are more capable to reflect, pick up the pieces, and begin moving forward. Then as an instructional we can advocate while maintaining confidentiality.

While my feelings heart loves being able to listen and be someone’s voice who maybe isn’t as confident, I would be lying if I said that didn’t take its toll on me personally at times. Today is one of those days of carrying all of the feelings. While it is my job to listen, advocate, and support, I am allowed to need a moment to have someone listen to me vent, process, and reflect too. <— this statement is hard to admit outloud but I’m here to tell you, it is ok to feel and say that. You are not a failure. No matter your role in education, the rollercoaster is real. It isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Working through difficult times is ok and it is ok to lean on those around you to lift you up.

One thing I am working on is admitting when I need help. As educators, often times admitting you need support and help is associated with failure. While we know that isn’t true, I sometimes think we don’t really embrace that. Growth mindset is hard. Easier to teach, harder to do.

At the end of the day, find your people who can be there to listen. Show yourself grace. Tomorrow is a new day!

Here comes the part that is one of the hardest things for educators, or anyone for that matter, to admit. Here it goes, I’m not meeting a goal. Phew. There I said it. At the start of this year, I wanted all of my goals to deal with the number 50 since my school district was turning 50 years old. I also wanted to blog more. I really do love to write and I thought by making it a goal to write 50 blog posts this would motivate me to make it happen. Alas here we are, February 11th and I have only written 2 out of the 50 posts.

I needed to ask for help. I reached out to the two other instructional coaches I work with and expressed frustration in this goal. The discussion of abandoning said goal came up but I just can’t wrap my mind around that. While I know sometimes you have to abandon things, my personality is to make it work. I might have to change the approach but I really want to make this goal happen. Especially this year. This year I am leading our Elementary Writing Instruction Committee and once a month expressing how important it is to be writer’s to model for our students. I need to walk the walk and talk the talk. I also really want to rekindle my love of blogging. I love to write and want to figure out what it is that caused my writer’s block.

One of the suggestions my teammates made was to think about structuring it in terms of small chunks. Think of the goal as chunks of time, so writing for 5 minutes straight every day for the next 50 days. That got me thinking, I could do that. I could reflect, chat, share for 5 minutes a day.

Today I am going to share a 5,4,3,2,1

5 Things that Made Me Smile this Week
-cutting out lamination for a teacher (seriously one of my absolute favorite things is cutting out lamination)
-discovering a bold new resume template (after letting 11 years pass without updating my resume, I make a point to revisit it every few months)
-finalizing a Google Drawing HyperDoc for evidence collection
-having reflective conversation about what I need to work on with my boss
-model writing lessons with a kindergarten class (when you need a pick me up in life,you visit a kindergarten classroom)

4 Words to Describe My Week
reflective, rewarding, prepared, tired

3 Things I Plan to Do This Weekend
-read something I enjoy
-play in the snow we are supposed to get with my boys
-get closer to finishing Season 1 of Friends

2 Things I Learned This Week
-another strategy to try when dealing with uncomfortable or difficult situations with a teacher
-it doesn’t hurt to try

1 Goal I Have For Next Week
write at least 5 more blog posts

This year is already off and running and I’m trying to figure out why August feels like it is already slipping through my fingertips. I spoke in my last blog post about my goals for this year. My next step has been to figure out a tracking method so I could hold myself accountable in reaching those goals. Google Slides for the win! Enter the HyperDoc.  For those of you who don’t know a HyperDoc according to Carrie Wilson is,“Transformative digital lesson delivery that shifts the focus from teacher led lecture to student driven inquiry based learning through exploration.”

I loved the idea of using this in the professional world, where I can hyperlink goals and tracking methods in a fun and engaging way. I have set up the slide deck where each goal has its own slide. I can then add links for the evidence that supports each goal. I wanted everything in one place so that I could not only access and enter in the milestones along the way, but my evaluator has access too. Everything is in one place. At a glance now, they can check in to see how I am doing and I can easily track and upload evidence as I go.

I was then further inspired by my friend and fellow educator Don Sturm who is the Tech Integration Specialists for Morton School District. He has an amazing blog post you can find here all about personalized hashtags. Every educator should read it as it lays out a plan for how you can create personalized hashtags aligned with the Danielson Framework. When you tweet out something that aligns with an item within the Danielson Framework, use the hashtag you have created so that you have an ongoing place to collect your evidence. For example: if you want to share something from 3C, use your last name and then the domain it applies –> #Pitzer3c. No more trying to remember what you named the image or what folder it is in because you can simply link to that hashtag. I decided to add this to the last 4 slides of my Goals Slide Deck. Each component is then linked to the Twitter feed of that hashtag. My thought being again it is all in one place AND I can collect ongoing feedback throughout the year. 

You can check out my Slide Deck here: http://bit.ly/PitzerGoals19-20

I’m curious about what you use to collect your evidence and or track your goals for the year?