Microsoft Educator Network

Leadership and Strategic Innovation Enhancement teaching capability through ICT, New Technology Training In Naziria Naymia Mahmudia Madrasha (Microsoft Mentor School Bangladesh) The Training helping teachers to enhance their capability through ICT, New Technology and enable them to juxtapose ICT with common core subjects. This will make the teachers to provide effective teaching in the class. By using ICT the teachers can prepare and present his lesson in such a way that will make teaching and learning interesting. It will provide the students with motivation to learn effectively and help them ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Baradene College - Our ICT journey Baradene College – ICT journey May 2014 Over the last 5 years, Baradene College has moved from offering computers in labs and a few specialist classes to a 1:1 environment where all Y7-10 students have a device to use in each lesson On the first day of school this year all Year 7 – 10 students were asked to come to school with a device. In 2013 our Year 9 students were asked to bring the HP Envy x2 to school as a trial. The trial taught us some valuable lessons and we felt confident that we ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation La Devesa Bilingual School: Unique students, unique teachers. In La Devesa Bilingual School we have already started the change from traditional to an adapted new methodology, where students become the main actors of the learning process instead of the teachers. In order to foster this transition we have bet for some methodologies that perfectly match with the development of 21st century learning. We are talking about the M.O.R.E approach, CLIL, Bimodal curriculum and LEAP 21. In this new paradigm the learning process is student centered and our mission is ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Leadership, innovation and constant collaboration Since 2005, Fundación Salvador del Mundo (FUSALMO) has made several contributions to the impact on strengthening the quality of education in El Salvador, with their support they have received directly from Parnerts In Learning Some of the programs which have been implemented: -Support the creation of a free citizen certification based on Digital Literacy View: -Support the creation of computer programs for high school in El Salvador using Microsoft tools. -Training of more than 10,000 ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Our school and develop the capacity of teachers and students and the local community We begin doing sport exercises in the morning accompanied by music in order to motivate students to activity and high morale Our school participate in many activities and methodology which associated with reality and students' real life and the curriculum like recycling and utilization of waste for the manufacture of useful materials, and the contribution of our students in the school wall paint, and the drawing on the walls, designing slogan for the school. And also we Participate in ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Taroona High School is Leading the Way in Building Teacher Capacity and Leadership Taroona High is leading the way around building teacher capacity and developing systems and structures that will enhance student and teacher outcomes and prepare them for the 21st Century (A full outline of all covered in this article can be found at ( "Taroona High School's Building Capacity Overview Film"). Our goal is to build a community of learners that all work together and who trust and respect each other along the way. We want to have a group of people (teachers, students, parents) who ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation “Great School, Great Teachers, Great Staff… Making Great Things Happen” Any great leader knows that it takes great people to make them a great leader! I have been in education for over 20 years and I am proud to say that Great Falls Elementary School is a great place to be! The faculty and staff at Great Falls Elementary are some of the most dedicated and selfless educators that I know. They are here when I arrive in the mornings and here when I leave in the evenings continuing their daily drive toward creating a better tomorrow by educating the children of today!...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation The Heart of Teaching and Learning As the Estabrook School Principal in Lexington, Massachusetts (United States), I am honored and humbled to lead 80 expert faculty and staff, who teach me everyday about their wise and wonderful gifts for students. I am profoundly inspired by their exemplary content knowledge, and in awe of their sophisticated pedagogical skills. At the heart of our strong school culture, sustained high achievement and progressive instructional practice, are three core teaching practices that continually ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation “May You Have Enough Determination to Make Each Day Better than Yesterday and Successfully Face the New Challenges” It goes without saying that the quality of education depends on the careful selection of those who might become better teachers, and provide them with excellent training, and continuous improvement of their skills and knowledge. It is we the teachers who are building the future. Our future depends on our work. The most important aspect is the vocation, enthusiasm and knowledge that we are part of the big world picture. For this we must “think globally and act locally.” In such a big ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Everyone is a leader! Hi All! I truly believe that everyone is born a leader and leads in one form or the other. I have been a strong advocate of the student leadership along with a stable and visionary leadership of the head of the school. I spent an amazing day yesterday a Global Leadership camp for students, entirely designed and led by students. I came back charged and energized to make the change that I want to see in this world. Students had put up amazing talks, workshops. I was astounded to see the amount of...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Who are leaders? Hi dear friends! It has been a month since Barcelona. I am really looking forward to reading your innovations and your leadership experiments. I just saw a video of a Ted talk where the presenter so beautiful talks about the challenge of making extra extra-curricular to curricular in schools, with technology at our disposal this is not so difficult! It reminded me of days when I was a young teacher always trying to do something like this. I am sharing the link to this Ted talk with you I look ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Innovation after Barcelona! Dear School leaders and educators, What an amazing week we all spent together in Barcelona! Lots of learning and networking; I am sure when you reached back you must be beaming with ideas and follow ups. Now that you have rested and discussed it with teachers and students in your school, I look forward to hearing what your future plans are. How are you planning to take technology a step further in your school as well as in your communities? What are the next steps after learning so much about ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Excellent Education Technology Thought Leader Interview Series. Get Informed and Inspired by These Visionary Thinkers! Each month this year, I am conducting an interview with an innovative thought leader in the education technology arena. These interviews are packed with powerful insights, and a glimpse at the way in which today's leading voices and practitioners see technology opening new directions, new possibilities for teaching, learning, and serving their constituents. , CIO at Seton Hill University, an institution of higher education that has been well ahead of the curve on meaningful integrations of ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation What will it take for school districts to make the Training Top 125? Every year, Training Magazine honors the winners—organizations with the most successful learning and development programs in the world. Missing from the list? School districts. Districts are the biggest employers—but apparently not the best when it comes to training. Yet every district has plenty of professional development, and every district is focused on teacher effectiveness through the teacher evaluation push. Perhaps the focus is too much on evaluation. It’s not that we’re not spending ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Reciprocal Accountability: How Effective Instructional Leaders Improve Teaching and Learning So much has been written about school leadership, what can possibly be new? Truthfully there is little “new” in the school leadership concept of reciprocal accountability. However, reciprocal accountability is largely absent in the daily practice of many school and district leaders. Simply stated, reciprocal accountability means that if school or district leaders are going to hold teachers or principals accountable for something, then those leaders have an equal responsibility to ensure that ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Innovative Educator As educators we are always striving to think of ways to innovate and making learning interesting for our students. I have been intrigued to see teachers work beyond their call of duty to make this happen and this has always left in wondering - ‘What makes teachers want to work beyond their defined work profiles? Is it Professional Development? Working Environment? Integration of Technology? I would love to hear from all PIL School leaders and educators. ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Leading in 2014 As 2014 dawns on us, we resume our leadership positions with some of us starting new academic years, new semesters, new quarters and others continuing what they started in 2013. I hope this blog would lay the foundation for the days and months to follow and become inspirational. I would like to start with my favorite quote by John Quincy Adams – “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” The most important assets of any institution are...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Technologist leadership is needed I think Leadership is similar to a wise director who is able to manage everything before him wisely and is able to overcome any blocks before him with wisdom.What helped him to achieve that his advanced learning of modern technology to directorate the mind and heart of his school ( students and teachers). So , a leader of school or school project or subject should be acknowledgeable and technologist....

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation What’s the difference? A reflection on professional development, professional learning communities, meetings and planning… The terms PD, PLC, meeting and planning often become confused. Each is very different with very different purposes. It is important to differentiate them so that the purpose of each is clearly defined and so that professionals can ensure effectiveness. Below, I reflect on what each term means through my experience of facilitating and engaging in each throughout my experience in education. Professional Development Also known as “PD”, these are sessions where there is one or more facilitators ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Delivering on the Promise of Equity Any discussion of leadership must start with a question of “leadership for what?” For school leaders in particular, we must be clear on the broader purpose of their leadership; for a quality education is not a privilege for a select few, but a civil right for all. In that spirit I believe school leaders must deliver on the promise of equity. In fact this is a guiding principle for the preparation of school leaders here at the . Ensuring a high-quality education for all students is the civil ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Embracing, Engaging, Energizing and Empowering Change in Education We never step in the same river twice. The fragmented words of Heraclitus from over two millennia ago still resonate. Today, the river moves faster, and future change is ever present. The question is -- do we manage it, or do we nurture it? I'd rather the latter, but this takes a growth mindset (Dweck, 2010). Fixed mindsets may need encouragement to value the importance of change. This is especially true in education, as knowledge should never be static. Pedagogy is dynamic process and ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Foundations: Collaboration and Love for Lifelong Learning If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. -Henry David Thoreau Picture this. It's a beautiful day at the beach where four children sit apart from each other, each building a sand castle. They are so engrained in their work, they forget to look-up. Each uses their own tools, abilities and skills, separately. A large wave comes crashes into their creations. They run to their parents, tearful because the ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Watch this amazing Video - How to Train and Retain Great Principals in Struggling Urban Schools Urban schools often face great challenges, low test scores and high dropout rates. Eddie Aruzza of WTTW in Chicago reports on programs that train principals to improve learning despite the odds. Ray Suarez continues the conversation on the importance of principals in troubled schools with Will Miller of the Wallace Foundation. ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Helping Your Staff Reconnect with Your School's "Purpose" “People will work hard for a paycheck, and even harder for a person. But they will work the hardest for a purpose.” Travis Bradberry Why do people come to work each day? Of course, at the most basic level they need to pay the bills and support themselves and their families. But why to people put their heart and soul into their work? What motivates a person to be creative, enthusiastic and go above and beyond in pursuit of the organization’s goals? The answer is purpose. How often do you talk ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Can leadership influence the quality of education? I strongly believe that strong leadership influences the quality of education in schools. Leadership not just among the administration but among teachers themselves. Now that schools have evolved from being a place where students are readied for university to centers of professional development for teachers themselves, teacher have this opportunity. In Lithuania, several regional resource centers are established within our schooling system for example, ETRC – English Teachers’ Resource Center, ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Three Key Moves to Launch a Successful School Year Let’s accept this fact: the way that the academic year begins sets the tone for the following nine months. For leaders, that’s a lot of responsibility and a tremendous opportunity. So how can we start the year in a way that will set us and our students up for success? Start with the Feelings Effective leaders have high emotional intelligence. (If you aren’t familiar with D. Goleman’s book, , check it out!) A key implication for the beginning of the year is that leaders tune into and respond...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Donald McGannon, a passionate agent of change and the former President of The National Urban League referred to ‘leadership as an action, not a position.’ We completely agree with him, yet in many of our schools leadership continues to be chained to those with the titles. Even with our students, we pin school captain badges on their lapels and expect their peers to follow them. The reality is having a title makes you a leader about as much having a steak makes you a cow. We define a leader as...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Practice Is Also Essential for Leadership Development In my last blog I described the role of reflection in developing strong leadership practices. This is the starting point for the leadership coaching I do. From there, I help clients identify the skills and capacities that they want to improve in. Finally, we move into the stage of activities to build leadership skills. In order for anyone to learn anything well, we need to practice. But contrary to the old adage, practice doesn’t make perfect. We need to practice and get feedback and refine our ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Reflection Is Essential to Leadership Development As a leadership coach, I support administrators to refine their practice. These educators are committed to changing the experience and outcomes for students and they feel a great urgency in their work. Every day, their lists of things to get done are extensive. So my message to them is often sometimes difficult—slow down, I urge, slow down for a few minutes and reflect on your leadership. But there’s so much to get done!, they contest. I know, I say, but without reflection, we can’t improve our ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Born in Another Time The National Association of State Boards of Education () represents the state boards of education that govern and design education policy at the state level. These bodies set the tone, agenda, and overall vision for their state. One area in which their leadership is urgently needed: education technology. To that end, NASBE recently commissioned a study group, whose core composition consisted of 18-20 state board members that produced . This report puts forth a vision for education technology ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation An Interview with Sita Ummaheswaran the Principal of PSBB in Chennai India. It is important for the head of the institution to believe that things can and should happen. The principal should be the complete guiding force and support. Mentor schools should be able to improve, be able to accept anything new, and be able to give anything a try. Mentor schools also need to be open, accepting. If a school is ready to take on a challenge, then it is a innovator school. ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation A Picture Tells 1000 Words In one weeks’ time, students will return to school in the Asia Pacific region to begin the 2013 academic year. Day one is always an exciting time with new students, freshly pressed uniforms and excited teachers. On this day your school will be also judged by many visitors to your school that you may not see again for the year. What picture are you presenting to everyone about your school and your leadership on day one? Impressions on day one I believe are initially created by the cleanliness and...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation Learning From The Best What can we learn from the most improved education systems in the world whilst embarking upon or reflecting upon educational change and increased performance in our school? The report entitled – Catching Up: Learning from the best school systems in East Asia highlights some very interesting points for school leaders to consider whilst implementing whole school change. The paper I believe correctly suggests that school change requires a change of behaviour by Principals and Teachers. Otherwise ...

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Leadership and Strategic Innovation I Reflect, Therefore I Lead As educational leaders, we lead incredibly busy lives. There is always a parent to see, or a teacher to assist. During our day though, how do we create space for reflection? Nielsen (2012) sums reflection up wonderfully by stating that any reflection is good for you; it does not really matter what you reflect upon, as long as you reflect. So how can we do it? Have you ever considered-? A. Time – Time is a key factor in reflective leadership. Do you factor time into your day for reflection? Do ...

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