My Visit to the Ron Clark Academy

I had the great privilege of being able to attend the Ron Clark Academy in October, and I must say it was hands down the BEST professional development training I have ever been to!

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase using one of my links, which helps to support the blog.  All opinions are my own and I only promote brands and products that I have used myself and truly love.  

I have been a fan of Ron Clark since I read his book The Essential 55: An Award-Winning Educator's Rules For Discovering the Successful Student in Every Child. 

It has been on my bucket list to go to the RCA Academy for their teacher training experience for almost just as long.  You can imagine my excitement when my principal started making plans for herself and several teachers to make the trip. Even more exciting was the day that she sent the email with this:

While I was there I posted several pictures to my Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and since then I have received many questions about the experience. 

 I plan on posting a series of blog posts sharing not only some of my experiences from the training, but also, some ways that I have used what I have learned in my own classroom.  I will post a link to all of the posts as I write them here for easy reference.

Questions I have been asked:

1. Which type of session did you attend, the one day or two day session?

The Ron Clark Academy offers a one day session and a two day session.  You can find the dates of both types of upcoming sessions here.

I was lucky enough to be able to attend a 2 day session.  We experienced so much during these two days, I can't imagine how they would squeeze it into 1 day!  

I would highly recommend going to a 2 day session if you attend, but I know that it depends on your time and travel budgets. 

2. Do they actually provide training sessions or do you just observe classrooms?

The experience provides a mix of both, which is amazing!  You attend some sessions with the instructors where they provide professional development, and then you get to see them in action as you observe actual classes with students.

3. Did Ron Clark provide any of the training and is he as amazing in person?

Yes and yes! Not only does Ron Clark provide several sessions, you get to peek into his classroom and even experience what his students do which is quite a treat!  You can get just a little taste of it in this video below: 

4. If I attend the training, what should I wear?

People wore a variety of different types of clothing from business casual to jeans and school t-shirts.  No matter what you wear, you will most likely be comfortable.  I would suggest wearing pants on the day that you get slide certified!

5. What if my school won't pay for me to attend? 

This experience is so worth it!  If you can't get your school to pay for it, I would figure out how to set aside some extra money each month to get there. You might ask friends or relatives to donate in lieu of gifts for your birthday or Christmas.  You can also apply to Donor's Choose for professional development  including this opportunity.

6. The Ron Clark Academy is a private school, can I really use their methods in my own classroom?

Yes!  Although you may not have slide in your classroom, you absolutely can do things a little differently and bring the RCA strategies into your classroom!

I have been using some of these strategies in my classroom since October and both my students and myself have benefited from them!  I can't wait to share them with you!

Ron Clark Academy Inspired Posts

• The Essential 55 - My First Step to Implementing Practices I Learned at the Ron Clark Academy            
• Teaching School-Wide Behavior Expectations

You can also find some additional Ron Clark Academy style ideas I have found pinned on my Ron Clark Academy Pinterest Board.

More Questions?

If you have additional questions I haven't answered yet, feel free to leave them in the comments below and I will answer them as soon as I can!

Periscope For Teachers

When I went to the TpT conference this summer, everyone was raving about Periscope.  At the time, I kind of brushed it off wondering if it might be the newest "fad" thing kind of like Tsu and other social media applications. I didn't really give it much thought honestly.

 

Fast forward to later this summer when I got an email from Kelli Alaina who I have been "friends" with on Facebook and Twitter for some time.  She asked me if I might be interested in being interviewed via Periscope about my 5 tips for teaching math.  I agreed, but then had to quickly figure out how to download the app and check it out a bit. 

I am SOOOOO GLAD that I did!  One month later, and I am literally a Periscope addict!  I have followed some amazing teacher friends and I LOVE getting a glimpse into their classroom!  It is almost like being able to observe a colleague without having to get a sub!  I have even broadcast my own scopes with ideas that I use in my classroom.  If you haven't joined yet, what are you waiting for?

What Is Periscope?

Periscope is a live streaming app from Twitter that allows you to share and view live video broadcasts right from your phone!

There are two basic things that you can do on Periscope:

1. Broadcast

2. Watch other broadcasts

I love the fact that I can see all of my favorite educator live on the screen!  I get a glimpse of their classrooms, learn new strategies and ideas, ask them questions, and even get a peek into their personal lives!  I love seeing everyone's fun sides full of kiddos who interrupt them or weird addictions to Batman. 

 I keep a notebook by my side as I watch and take massive notes full of ideas that I can implement in my classroom the next day!

You can watch scopes live in real-time or as a replay with the one caveat - you only have 24 hours to watch it before it is gone.  Some periscopers save their scopes to Katch or YouTube.

While you are watching live, you can comment, ask questions, or just show the broadcaster some love by tapping the screen and making hearts run up the screen...  When you watch the replay you can't comment, but you can still heart it up so that the broadcaster knows you like what you see.

Getting Started - Who Should I Follow?

Here are a few accounts that I think you should follow on Periscope based on the scopes I have watched. 

1. Kelly Malloy  (@kellys3ps)

OK, ok, I may be a little bit biased here, but I have to self-promote right?  LOL!  If you like following my blog, I am sure you will find my scopes helpful as well. I share math games, teaching strategies, differentiation strategies, classroom management, and more!

I upload my scopes to YouTube, so you can watch them at anytime.  You can also watch them on Katch.com here.  Here is my most recent scope.

 

2. Kelli  Alaina  (@kelliAlaina)

Since she is the one who got me started on Periscope, I have to give her the second spot here.  She is AMAZING at connecting teachers on Periscope to one another, so she is a great person to follow.  She is a former teacher who is currently out on maternity leave with her 3rd son.  Any mom of boys is amazing right?! She shares teaching ideas along with a great mix of social media advice, so if you are a teacherpreneur yourself, you will want to follow.

3. Jessica - The Whimsical Teacher  (@thewhimsicalteacher)

Jessica is a fellow Nevadan teacher on TpT!  She lives in an even smaller town then me, and the wi-fi bars are hard to find, so she broadcasts from her truck wherever she can get reception.  Often this is her local Wal-Mart.  I think she will be forever tied to Wal-Mart and BatMan in my brain!  Not only does she offer teacher tips, but she is HILARIOUS!  And yes, I am shouting, but she is just plain funny!  If you are ever in need of a pick me up, catch her scopes and be prepared to be instantly perked up.  And.... if you spit your soda out of your mouth while you are watching, don't blame me, because I warned you!

4. Brooke Browne (@brookebrownetpt)

Brooke Browne has a wide variety of scopes including everything from

Sheila Jane also has a list of teachers to follow on Periscope here.

*Search the hashtags #teachertribe and #periscopeteachers on Twitter.

* Look through your favorite teachers' follow lists.

I absolutely love this app and I hope you will join me!  Leave your user name in the comments below and I will follow you!  Also, be sure to comment with anyone else I should be following!

5. Brynn Westwood (@Brynnsteacherbag)

Brynn teaches first grade and often shares lots of great teaching ideas and games.  Her most recent scope was about getting your students to write more in their journals.

6. Amy Harris (@amyadapts)

Amy is a special ed teacher.  During her scopes she shares not only lots of ideas for differentiation, but also inspirational things and lettering tutorials.  Her lettering tutorials have inspired me to take up a new hobby.  Can't wait to see my anchor charts after a few more of her tutorials!

7. Chandra from PowerPoint Gaming (@PPTGaming)

Chandra has been an online friend for awhile now and I was finally able to meet her in real life this summer in Vegas during the TpT conference.  I was excited to see her scoping too!  She shares lots of techy and PowerPoint tips during her scopes.  She is also amazingly organized, so I am hoping that she will share a bit of her tips in that area as well too!

8. Sheila Jane Teaching (@sheilajteaching)

Sheila Jane is just plain awesome!  She is all about teacher happiness.  What is not to love about that?  She shares not only positive messages, but also ideas for keeping stress free - again what is there not to love about that?

9. Hope King (@hopeking)

Hope is a sixth grade teacher at the Ron Clark Academy and she always has AMAZING ideas for engaging your students in their learning.  She has so much passion and energy you can't help but finish her scopes ready to take on the world.  And speaking of the Ron Clark Academy, you will also want to follow the founders @ronclarkacademy and @kimbearden.

      

10. Ashley Schroeder (@schroedershenan)

Ashley is a 2nd grade teacher who shares TONS of ideas and PowerPoint tutorials.  She is another bundle of energy who gets you pumped to bring exciting things into your classroom.  

11. Sarah Meador (@meadorscience)

Sarah is a 6th grade science teacher who also happens to be on the Executive Board for Whole Brain Teaching.  She has shared tons of ideas for using Whole Brain Teaching from lesson planning, to gestures to more!

Are you on Periscope yet?  Who do you follow?  Leave a comment below with your user name so I can follow you as well!  

Sharing My Stack - Professional Development Summer Reading List

I know that I am not the only teacher to be getting my geek on with PD reading this summer!  I am sharing my stack of reading this summer along with the 3rd annual #CyberPD hosted by  Laura Komos at Our Camp Read-a-Lot, and  Jill Fisch at My Primary Passion.  CyberPD is an event in which educators read and discuss a shared professional book over a three week period in July

They kick-off the event with this Share Your Stack event where bloggers (and non-bloggers for that matter) share the books that are in their reading piles.  They then choose a book from amongst the stacks to host a book chat in July.

You can also participate in July's #cyberPD event by:

• Blog Reflection:  If you have a blog you may join us each posting date with your reflection of the chapters read.  Then link your blog to the host blog by leaving a comment and your link.  If you don't have a blog, but have been considering getting started this is the perfect opportunity.
• Blog Commenting:  If you do not have a blog, you are welcome to comment on the host blog to join the conversation.
• Twitter:  You can also participate by commenting any time on Twitter using the hashtag #cyberPD.  
• Other:  Last year we had people participate using other sites as well.  If you can link, they will come.  :o)  We love a little creativity.  

 

So here is a picture of my stack for the summer (so far - I have a terrible addiction to new reading material, so it is bound to grow :)  )

 

 

Sorry the picture is so dark, I don't know why...

 

If you can't see them, here are the links:

 

The Together Teacher

 

What Readers Really Do

 

Minds on Mathematics

 

What's Your Math Problem

 

 

 

What is in your stack of reading material?

 

Upcoming Giveaway!!!!

 

On another topic - My one year blogaversary is coming up on June 28th and I will be giving away one of these books, a TpT gift card, Mr. Sketch markers, a Starbucks gift card, a Target gift card, and some items from some great TpT sellers - so stay tuned!

 

If you would like to donate an item to the giveaway please email me at kellys3ps@sbcglobal.net