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So You Want to Be a Doctor When You Grow Up: Tips for Educators Considering Doctoral Work

2012-02-09T09:45:00.002-06:00

By Douglas W. Green, EdD

I find that have a number of Twitter friends out of 1500+ (as of this writing) involved in doctoral work or considering it. For educators contemplating this adventure, I offer the following guidance.

Know What You are Getting into: It is important that you do your homework on any program you are considering. Typically you will have to take some number of courses with a mix of requirements and electives. Try to download syllabi of required courses to get some idea of what is expected in terms of reading and writing. Some schools make it easier to get this degree but in general, the better the school’s reputation, the more work you can expect to do. Try to get to know some of the professors and see if you can sit in on some classes. At some point you will need to find a dissertation advisor and members for your dissertation committee. These need to be people you can work with and take criticism from.

Full-Time or Part-Time: I did mine totally part-time and it took nine years. I viewed it as a hobby and it meant that I had to give up some of my other hobbies. Just don’t give up attention to your family and friends and keep up with your exercise plan. The part-time approach wasn’t a problem when it came to taking courses, but it was trickier for collecting data during the research phase of my dissertation. You will need understanding colleagues and superiors. As a principal, my work slowed down in the summer, which is when I did the bulk of my dissertation writing. If you can afford to go full-time you can get this done a lot faster, but you should plan on at least four years.

Dissertation Topic and Approval: For most people this is the most difficult part of the process. Be sure to pick something you are passionate about. If you don’t you are less likely to enjoy the process. You might get some tips from your professors, but you might have to find your own topic as I did. Once you find a topic you will need to come up with a research plan and get it approved. Don’t be shocked if your first ideas aren’t accepted. Your proposal will include the questions you want to answer and the research methodology you plan to use. Be sure to take more than one research course along the way and pay attention. You will need to use what you learn. Once your committee gives you the go ahead, its time to do what you said you were going to do. It’s now time for the perspiration part once the inspiration part is finished. It can be difficult coming up with a big data set for a quantitative study so don’t be surprised if you do a qualitative effort. This is what happened to me even though I am good with numbers. The closer you work with your advisor, the less likely you are to get shot down.

The Support Issue: Don’t be surprised if you feel like giving up somewhere along the way. There are lots of people with ABD (all but dissertation) on their resumes. This where support from the people closest to you is essential. I might have packed it in were it not for the support I received from my wife.

Money, Money, Money: It shouldn’t be too difficult to determine the cost of tuition for your degree. Don’t forget to add in the cost of continuing enrollment during the time you are working one your dissertation, which in my case was five years. Look for scholarships and check your contract to see if your school district will chip in with tuition or enhanced pay for the additional coursework and degrees. Start by assuming that your new degree will gain you nothing more in the way of future compensation and you won’t be disappointed. Your doctorate can pay off if it allows you to move up the food chain towards the superintendent’s office. For me I was happy being a principal so my salary only went up a few thousand due to the impact of the coursework and the degree in my union contract. It has allowed me to teach college level courses and do consulting that probably wouldn’t have come my way, but if money is your motive, you may not be thrilled with where you end up.

You Better Be Intrinsically Motivated: The topic of motivation is one that all educators should attend to. I suggest you start with Daniel Pink’s book on the subject (“Drive”) or at least read my summary at http://bit.ly/jl7ara. If you are not into learning for its own sake, the grind of doctoral work may not be for you. Ideally you aren’t solely motivated by the idea of having EdD or PhD after your name, but I must admit it is pretty cool when people call me Dr. Green. I never introduce myself that way, but when it came time to pick a domain name for my blog, I found that variations of my name were taken but DrDougGreen.Com was available. By the way, EdD degrees tend to be more practical but I wouldn’t worry about which title your university uses. In addition to becoming a better educator, the experience should also make you a better person, which can enhance your life and those you touch in many ways. If you do take the plunge, I applaud you, I wish you the best, and I’m here for you if you want my advice. Good Luck.

If you find that you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to send an email to Doug@DrDougGreen.Com or you can find me on Twitter @DrDougGreen.

DrDougGreen.Com is all about Bite-Sized Self-Development. It focuses on book summaries that present the main concepts of important books in about 15 paragraphs. More than an expert online resource, Dr. Green has been an educator since 1970. After teaching chemistry, physics, and computer science, he became an administrator for the next 30 years with experience at the secondary, central office, and elementary levels. He has also taught a number of leadership courses for The State University of New York at Cortland and Binghamton University and authored over 300 articles in computer magazines and educational journals. In 2006 Dr. Green gave up his job as an elementary principal to care for my wife who had Lou Gehrig’s disease. After her death in March of 2009 he decided to see how he could use my expertise to help busy educators and parents hone their skills and knowledge.

MECA 2012

2012-02-08T15:53:00.005-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Today marked the first time I presented at a state conference. There was a good vibe in the air, and the attendees were actively engaged and eager to learn. I was surprised to see so many people up at 8:30 in the morning to sit through and hour and twenty minute presentation.

The presentation focused on teaching the attendees how to use Twitter as a professional development tool. I covered the features of Twitter as well as walked the attendees through creating an account and sending out their first few tweets. We discussed hashtags, the weekly live-chats, and how to find and follow people according to the subject or content areas of their choosing.

Overall, I had a great time at the conference. I attended workshops on Using the Ipad to Reach all Learners, 40 Free Tools for Educators, Skype in the Classroom (Presented by my wife, Elvira Deyamport, Ed.S.), and I connected with other teachers whom I hope to be able to build lasting relationships. I had a blast. I hope to be able to present next year.

Here is a snippet of video from the presentation:

Here is the actual PowerPoint presentation:

Twitter as a professional development tool

View more PowerPoint from peoplegogy

The entire video of the presentation will be posted on Youtube.

The Great Doctoral Degree Hunt: Part III

2012-02-08T12:01:00.000-06:00

By Leah MacVie

Photo by cesarharada.com

I feel great that I am at this stage. Some things I've learned from a few weeks ago:

Tips and tricks from people you know can make a huge difference. Whenever people would ask me what I was up to, I always answered that I was working on narrowing my selections to apply for my doctorate. I received so many helpful tips and pointers- way more than if I simply responded with 'same old, same old'.
Don't be afraid to ask people for help. I work at a college so it was pretty easy to find people to help with specific issues I was unclear on. I knew exactly the right person to talk to when it came to figuring out accreditation and getting a second opinion on my final selections.
Testimonials are invaluable when it comes to really learning what the program is about. Someone I work with is a Ph.D. candidate at one of my final choices. Her comments about the program were invaluable in finding out more about the general program atmosphere.
Look for tips in unlikely places. (Or possibly not so unlikely.) William and Matt Eventoff recently wrote an article, The Best Defense ..., their advice for defending a dissertation.

Mission 6: Final Choices

I continued to work on the spreadsheet I mentioned in Part II. I found that I really didn't need to formally rank the rank the schools as mentioned in Mission 5, as a lot of the schools eliminated themselves: the program was too narrow, the program was too expensive or too long, and with one, I couldn't really figure out if the exact concentration I was looking at was indeed a hybrid program. I found that the final two selections were a great fit in academic and college atmosphere, had a reasonable price and reasonable credit hours, and had a solid hybrid structure.

Mission 7: Work on Application Pieces

Next, I realized that in order to apply to these schools, I really needed to have a separate spreadsheet to organize the information. I also decided to work on an 'application press kit' to hopefully make it easier for the selection committees to make a decision. It's helping me to keep all of the information organized. I also have a little pile going at home for each school. I am choosing to send some things in that are not required, for example, a brief bio with photo and a link to a video I record for each school. I think it's important to help the committees to get to know my passion for learning and my commitment to attaining this degree.

I am still searching for more individuals who have documented their hybrid Ph.D. searches and hybrid programs, but this info is not easy to come by. If you know of anyone or programs not currently listed, please send me the info. I will be very grateful!

Leah MacVie is a blogger, instructional designer, photographer, and former graphic and Web designer. She possesses a BFA from the University at Buffalo and a Master’s in Educational Computing from the SUNY College at Buffalo. In her spare time, she is focusing on finding out more about DIY and informal learning. You can read more at www.leahmacvie.com.

Peoplegogy Profiles: Eric Sheninger

2012-02-06T06:43:00.028-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Eric Sheninger is a school leader, published author, conference presenter, digital media leader, and awesome family man. The principal of New Milford High School in Bergen County, Eric uses a multitude of social networking sites to develop a more engaging and connected school community. From Twitter to Facebook to Youtube to Fliker, social media has become a central part of his mission and practice in leading and creating 21st century schools.

Since following Eric on Twitter, I have had the pleasure of expanding my knowledge-base about the educational applications of social media. I was so inspired by his work that I began to focus my doctoral coursework on the ways digital media can have a positive impact on changing education. There is no doubt that there are some amazing school leaders out there, but for me, Eric is the example of what a reflective educator is and what is missing in K-12 leadership.

For this profile I asked Eric 5 questions:

What inspired you to become an educator?

For the longest time I never had any aspirations of becoming an educator, even though my mother was a first grade teacher and my father an elementary principal. My heart was set on establishing a career as a marine biologist. I followed my dream through undergrad and began to work on a Master’s Degree in fisheries biology. While I was snorkeling in streams making observations on a small fish called a darter I was also serving as a teaching assistant. This experience, helping students learn and succeed, showed me that all along my heart and soul was meant for a career in education….and I have never looked back.

Who was your favorite K-12 teacher and why?

My favorite teacher was Mr. South, who I had for 7th and 8th grade science. What set him apart from other teachers I had was his passion for students to succeed in learning science. He possessed a great sense of humor and would spend countless hours working with students outside of the instructional day on learning activities that were problem and inquiry based. I still remember how we converted the entire classroom into the surface of Mars complete with a Martian lab station. His enthusiasm and passion is what made learning fun, meaningful, and relevant. Mr. South inspired me to be a science teacher.

What would you say is the biggest obstacle to changing the educational system?

This is a tough one as I feel a combination of factors contribute to a lack of educational change. I blogged a while back on what I thought were the top 10 roadblocks to change.

What have you seen as the greatest benefit to educators using social media?

There are so many benefits, but the greatest centers around learning. Social media is a human-powered conduit for professional growth that is available 24/7 from anywhere at anytime. The inherent value is that we can learn from the success and failures of practitioners that are in the trenches working with students on daily basis. This is real, raw, and unedited learning based on each individuals specific interests and needs. Best of all, it is FREE for everyone!

What is your favorite book?

Catcher in the Rye

Check out one of many Eric Sheninger's empowering presentations:

SLJ Summit 2011: Eric Sheninger from School Library Journal on Vimeo.

Don't Forget the Social part of Social Media Part 2

2012-02-04T05:10:00.007-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

I am on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn and a few other social networking sites. I not only run and manage this blog, I am also a regular contributor to a college and career advice and information site. And the one thing that still baffles me is how so many companies, individuals, and so-called experts have no clue about what to do with social media.

Even after being told that social media is about engagement, empowerment, relationship-building, and collaboration, folks still get on Twitter and the like and do nothing but try to sell their crap. The worst offenders are those who fill their feeds with scripted autotweets.

Social media isn't the traditional form of internet communication. Don't treat it that way. If you must address customer complaints, do so in a way that involves people in making changes to how complaints are handled at the company. If you must send out autotweets, set aside some time to actually build relationships with people. And if you must focus on selling, then create chats on Twitter or stream live chats on Youtube or create a group on LinkedIn. The point here is to get your "customers" intellectually and emotionally involved in what you do.

When I worked as the Chief Social Strategist for StrengthsFactors, there was nothing more important to me than informative content and creating a space for sharing. I didn't want the site to be just another one-way conversation; I wanted it to be a community of ideas.

My 2 1/2 years researching and consulting in social media has made me a believer. Through back-channeling, I've been able to keep up with conferences, follow debates, and keynote addresses. By being actively involved in conversations, I've also been able to connect and collaborate with folks like Robin Roffer, Kristan Cunningham, and Shelly Terrell. By focusing on connection over self-promotion, I've been able to develop an inspiring Personal Learning Network, comprised of educators, journalists, tech enthusiasts, leadership junkies, doctoral students, and social media geeks. That's what makes social media so dynamic and so much more than the one-dimensional website.

I hope companies, individuals, and marketing execs understand that social media can't be coddled and controlled like traditional media. Yes, social media can be used for marketing, but social media isn't a marketing tool. Just like movies, journalism, and the arts can show us the best within ourselves, social media can connect us in ways that facilitate real change and movement.

My advice is simple: Forget about Return on Investment; start thinking about Return on Engagement.

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, a social media leader, and digital academic. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, was born out of the idea to curate expert voices. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using Personal Learning Networks to support the individual professional learning needs for teachers.

The Great Doctoral Degree Hunt: Part II

2012-02-01T12:00:00.001-06:00

Photo by Weedah

By Leah MacVie

A few things I have learned so far:

Although I started out searching for 'hybrid' programs and had some decent results, I found out another applicable search term is 'low residency', which is a term I have never heard of before.
You have to specifically search for Ph.D. or Ed.D. if you want one or the other. 'Doctoral' can be used for both types of programs.
I am surprised to see how much the credit hours range with the programs. Most are 60, but one in my search is over 100.
I plan on having a colleague help me out with the accreditation category because I'm not sure how to easily rank the results.

Great resources: Curtis Bonk's list of Instructional and Ed Tech Programs: http://www.trainingshare.com/resources/Instructional_Technology_and_Educational_Technology_Programs.php

Mission 4: Organize Results

For the past few weeks I have been collecting Ph.D. programs in my Google bookmarks list. To organize the information, I started a simple Google Spreadsheet to compare the programs. This will make it easy to order the programs when it comes down to the final ranking.

Mission 5: Ranking

I believe that I should first rank the categories by order of importance to me, and that will help me to attribute the scores. These are my top categories:

Accreditation
Degree
Cost
Credit Hours

I am still searching for more individuals who have documented their hybrid Ph.D. searches and hybrid programs, but this info is not easy to come by. If you know of anyone or programs not currently listed, please send me the info. I will be very grateful!

The Great Doctoral Degree Hunt: Part 1

2012-01-25T12:00:00.001-06:00

Photo by ~John~

By Leah MacVie

Hello everyone! My name is Leah MacVie and I'm going to be guest posting on my 'Great Doctoral Hunt' over the next few weeks. This is a cross-post series from my site www.leahmacvie.com. I'd love to hear about your experience, so please feel free to comment here on Peoplegogy or at www.leahmacvie.com.
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Going back to school and 'finishing up' has been something on my mind for a while. I was the first on both sides of my family to complete even a Master's, but I still don't know if that's enough. When I've asked great people like Gardner Campbell or Scott Chadwick this question, they usually reply with "Well, what do you want to do?" and my answer always is "I'm not sure." Their eyes get quizzical and then they usually reply with "That's actually OK, and probably better." Though I don't know what my future holds for me, I don't want to be in a situation where I'm limited if I don't have a doctoral degree. After countless conversations with my hubby about what is the best cost and time choice for us, I've decided to start narrowing down my search, but to keep it open to different degree options. This series will document my progress over the next few weeks.

Mission 1: Identify an Ideal Situation

Because I am employed full time, my ideal and preferred situation is to enroll in hybrid program where I visit the campus at least once a year to connect with peers and instructors in the program and attend the rest of the classes online. Because attending classes outside of my institution is in no way covered by my employer, I will be cost-conscious during my search. I will also be on the lookout for other financial-coverage perks, such as applying for scholarships or financial aid opportunities. As for the subject, I am looking for a topic that combines all my interests (education, informal learning, social media, technology) or allows me to customize my degree. Although I would prefer a Ph.D. program, I will also be on the lookout for exceptional Ed.D. programs as well.

Mission 2: Connect with Individuals Who Performed Similar Searches

I thought it would first be helpful to read first hand accounts by individuals who have gone through this type of search before in order to see what search methods they used. These are the resources I found:

Rukshan Fernando is a doctoral candidate in Community Economic Development at Southern New Hampshire University. He blogs atBricks and Mortar and started a series on his reflections of a Ph.D. student. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. I'll be reaching out to him this week on Twitter. You can follow him as well: @RukshanFr
April Niemela is a Ph.D. candidate at the Educational Psychology and Educational Technology Pr ogram at Michigan State University, one of the programs I've had my eye on. She blogs on her site, April Niemela. She's actually in the first cohort to go through the MSU program and she has documented a lot of her experiences on this blog.

Mission 3: Begin to Collect Programs

I am using my Google Booksmarks to collect hybrid programs in the states and programs I am interested in abroad. Although the list is public and you can search for it ("doctoral programs" by leahmacvie), Google has not built in the sharable URL feature yet which prevents me from linking it here on the post. However, here is a bit of the list I have going so far: My goal over the next few weeks is to keep accumulating options. Then I will compare them in spreadsheet so that I can dwindle it down to the final 3 that I will apply to. I am still searching for more individuals who have documented their hybrid Ph.D. searches and hybrid programs, but this info is not easy to come by. If you know of anyone or programs not currently listed, please send me the info. I will be very grateful!

Doing it Big in 2012

2012-01-22T16:56:00.008-06:00

This year is starting out to be awesome! Not only will I be presenting at a state conference next month, I will be Skyping into a university in the U.K. to conduct a talk on using social media to develop Personal Learning Networks. To top that off, I have been making great strides with my dissertation, and your boy was featured in an article on Jobs.aol.com. I also have a piece posted on PhD2Published.

Everything is beginning to fall in place. I am positioning myself to become an expert in the educational applications of social media, while gaining the academic credibility needed to teach at a university. As more opportunities become available, I will share them on this blog. I feel psyched.

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using Personal Learning Networks to support the individual professional learning needs for teachers.

Interview with Makeup Artist, Blogger and Beauty Editor Melissa Rich

2012-01-08T18:48:00.006-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Melissa Rich is a beauty editor, correspondent and make-up artist from the Washington, DC area. As the saying goes, "when you look good, you feel good" and Melissa's passion is to encourage and help women recognize and utilize their full potential. Connecting with women worldwide, Melissa has become the must-have girl in the online beauty community.

Through her experience with modeling and as an on-air talent for a local news and entertainment portal, Melissa became a self-taught artist and the go-to-girl for beauty advice amongst, family, friends and coworkers. Melissa felt there was a need of simplicity for everyday women looking for beauty advice and trends online, so in April of 2009, she launched VanityRich.com.

Will: Tell the readers about yourself. Where did your passion for makeup come from?

Melissa: I have always loved makeup since I was little. I used to love watching my mom put on her makeup and transform from beautiful to even more beautiful. I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup outside the house, but my mom allowed me to play dress up at home. As I got older my mom became more relaxed with the rules, so I could wear lip liner, lip gloss, and eye shadow. Once I started college, I started wearing more makeup and after a while I became the go-to-girl among my friends, family and coworkers for makeup tips. That’s what inspired me to start my beauty blog, www.VanityRich.com in spring of 2009, to share my knowledge of beauty and hair products and tips with women worldwide.

Will: Did you go to school or were you self-taught?

Melissa: I’ve never gone to school for makeup artistry. I’ve been self-taught through trial and error – what works, what doesn’t work and I’m still learning. I go through magazines, books, watch tutorials on Youtube and practice on myself and others.

Will: What do you like most about what you do? What are the drawbacks?

Melissa: When it comes to makeovers, I love how women react when they see themselves beautified. It makes me feel good, that they feel great. With blogging, I love feeling connected to my followers and other bloggers. I wouldn’t say it’s a drawback, but, blogging is a 24/7 job -- I find the content, edit, manage the blog, promote on social networks, respond to all comments/emails, produce and publish the videos, monitor stats, and so much more. So at times, it can be a lot, but, it’s my passion.

Will: Describe your approach to make up and skin care? Walk me through your beauty regimen.

Melissa: If you don’t take proper care of you skin, no amount of makeup will ever help, so skin care is essential. I used to work at Sephora, and working there taught me a lot about skin care. Before I would just wash my face in the morning and at night and that would be that, but now, because I experience acne from time to time and I’m in my late twenties, I have to consider products that help fight acne and that are anti-aging.

My beauty regimen in the morning consist of: Cleansing my face with a cleaner that fights acne, applying correcting serum to my face – helps fade post-pimple pigmentation and evens skin’s tone and texture, applying an oil-free moisturizer to my face to keep my face hydrated, I apply eye primer to my eye lids to keep my eye makeup from creasing, oil-free face primer which helps my makeup last longer. As far as makeup, I usually go with a natural look, neutral eye shadow, black eyeliner and mascara, bronzer, highlighter under the eyes for a glow, lipstick and finishing powder.

In the evenings, I remove my makeup with wipes, apply cleanser, toner, serum and finally apply moisturizer. I exfoliate twice a week.

Will: Are the most expensive products better than the more affordable ones? What products are you most ardent about?

Melissa: I can wear L’Oreal, Milani, and CoverGirl and also wear the more expensive brands, like Make Up Forever, NARS or Laura Mecier. I think it all depends on the product, the look you’re trying to achieve, and what works for you. The only thing that I won’t go cheap on is skin care products. I have oily skin and as I mentioned earlier, I break out from time to time, so the products that I like usually more expensive than drugstore brands.

Will: What are some of the biggest mistakes you see women doing?

Melissa: One of the biggest mistakes I see women doing, is wearing the wrong color foundation, and I’ve been guilty of that myself. The proper lighting is key. Also, since we tan more in the summer, you should have a different color foundation for the summer than for the other seasons. Sometimes you have to do a little mixology to find the right color foundation.

Will: What tips do you have for work? Can those looks transition to evening?

Melissa: For a work appropriate look, going neutral is always safe. Try warming your cheeks with a peachy or bronze blush, a neutral or pink lipstick, mascara and a thin line of eyeliner.
To transition to evening, apply a thick line of eyeliner and a darker shade of lipstick.

Will: For women of color, what are the challenges you see?

Melissa: The biggest challenge for women of color is finding the right color foundation. We come in some many different beautiful shades and unfortunately, a lot of brands don’t offer a great variety for us.

Will: Give me a 5 minute makeup routine women can use in the morning.

Melissa: Five minutes isn’t enough time if you’re doing full face makeup (foundation, blush, eyeliner, mascara, blush). I actually did a video titled, “10 Minute Makeup Tutorial” for the working woman on the go. I think it’s important for women to invest in themselves, whether it’s spending more time in the morning to apply makeup, working out or reading a new book every month. I always like to put my best face forward, you never so know you might run into or meet. So if I don’t do anything else, I will take my 15-20mins in the morning to beat my face.

Will: What do you want women to know about makeup that I didn’t cover in this interview?

Melissa: It’s funny, when I meet women who don’t wear makeup, the inclinations that they have about it, but slowly but surely, they convert over. Wearing makeup isn’t about covering up your flaws or being “fake”, it’s about enhancing your features. Just as we wear bras and handbags, it’s an accessory. A pretty inexpensive accessory, compared to the trendy handbags and shoes, if you ask me. Believe it or not, looking natural requires makeup too. Of course, you don’t have to go all glammed out like Beyonce, you can still keep it minimal. Try something new for a change, and I promise you, you’ll look and feel amazing. When you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you do good.

Will: Final thoughts?

Melissa: Be good to yourself.

Making Dreams Reality

2012-01-08T07:06:00.007-06:00

By Abdul-Rahmaan I. Muhammad, MSW

My name is Abdul-Rahmaan I. Muhammad. I am the Dream Chaser #1 and the founder of The Dream Support Network, an organization created to support, encourage and inspire Dream Chasers to live the life of their dreams. Through membership in The Dream Support Network, I provide daily written Dream Energizers (affirmations to inspire Dream Chasers) and motivational videos. I also conduct the Dream Chasing 101 workshop and individual Dream Consultations to his members. On January 8, 2012, The Dream Support Network will open their first location in Rockville, CT. The purpose of the location is to provide an incubator for dreams through workshops, trainings and events; as well as, providing a positive space for start up businesses, individuals and most importantly Dream Chasers.

I believe everyone has dreams but most of the time individuals aren’t held accountable to making their dreams reality. I challenge anyone that wants to live a more fulfilling life to create a Dream List and from the Dream List to chose 12 dreams they will accomplish in 12 months (12 for 12) and email it to me at arim@neverstpdrming.com or come in person to the location in Rockville.

Muhammad received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Tougaloo College, in Tougaloo, MS and received his Masters in Social Work degree from Clark-Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is also a brother of the Beta Sigma Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Muhammad is married to his beautiful wife, Dayeshell and is the proud father of three children, Aminah, Amirah and Amir.

The Dream Support Network isn’t Muhammad’s first business endeavor. He is also the Executive Director/Founder of My People Clinical Services. My People Clinical Services was founded in 2005 and is currently one of the leading community based agencies in Connecticut. My People Clinical Services has served over 4,000 children and families through their six core programs: Father to Father, Therapeutic Services, Therapeutic Support Staff, Supervised Visitation, Supportive Apartments and Female Empowerment Program.

For more information about the Dream Support Network, visit our website neverstpdrming.com or visit our location at 29 West Main Street, Rockville, CT. For more information about My People Clinical Services, visit our website at www.mypeople-ct.com.

A Review of The Connected Educator

2012-01-07T18:15:00.013-06:00

In her book, The Connected Educator, co-written by Lani Ritter Hall, Nussaum-Beach illustrates what being a connected educator is all about. In addition to learning about the latest research and trends relating to social media and professional development in the 21st Century, readers get a glimpse into the authors’ own experiences and journeys through their vignettes. This adds a personal element to the text, which shows the reader how becoming, “connected” is, to some extent, an individual journey. On that same note, the authors put the power into the reader’s hands to start or enhance their own journey with a variety of social media tools. It is refreshing to see authors guide readers in trying new tools and actually take part in connecting and collaborating with others. This is a powerful way to get their message across.

As an educator with an interest in personal learning networks, there are several aspects that I appreciate from this book. First, the sections on different tools that promote connected learning and building a connected learning community are both concise and informative. They also offer excellent guidelines for those who are new to social media and PLNs. Finally, I really like how The Get Connected sections offered step-by-step instructions on different social media tools that encouraged application of the concepts mentioned throughout the book. I highly recommend The Connected Educator for any educator who is interested in taking control of their own professional learning as well as who seeks collaboration and connections with other educators.

Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach is a veteran twenty-year educator. She has been a classroom teacher, technology coach, charter school principal, district administrator, university instructor, and digital learning consultant. Currently, she is completing her dissertation for her doctorate in educational planning, policy, and leadership at the College of William and Mary.

She is the owner and founder of 21st Century Collaborative, LLC, a digital learning consulting business through which she regularly delivers keynotes and workshops, along with supporting nonprofits in their grant work. Through Powerful Learning Practice, which she cofounded with Will Richardson, she works with schools and districts from across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and Australia to re-envision their learning cultures and communities.

Sheryl is a sought-after presenter at national and international events, speaking on topics of 21st century reform, teacher and educational leadership, community building, and educational issues impacting marginalized populations such as the homeless.

Sheryl lives near the Atlantic Ocean and spends her spare time playing on the water with her four children and dachshunds Itchy, Bane, and Abby.

Interview with "The Sexademic" Jessi Fischer

2012-01-05T15:48:00.000-06:00

Jessi Fischer is a writer, academic dilettante, public speaker, and sex educator for universities, high schools and outreach organizations. She is the proud 2009 Jim Brogan Teaching Scholarship recipient, the runner up for the 2008 John W. Kinch Humanitarian Award and a fund raising organizer for San Francisco Sex Information. Her educational background is a blend of academic theory, sexual biology, research training, cultural analysis, product knowledge, and sex education for the general population. She has completed over 120 hours of sex education training and holds a Master of Arts in Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University.

Will: Where did your moniker “The Sexademic” come from?

Jessi: One of my friends was coming up with career-related one liners following this format: [Job Title]s Do It [Funny Related Adverb]. We decided that while Scientists Do It Repeatedly, Sexademics Do It Theoretically.

Will: Sex is still very much a taboo topic. When did you know that sex education would be the field for you?

Jessi: I took an introductory university course in human sexuality and I realized what a contested and taboo field it was. Sex education is about much more than getting people to use condoms because sexuality is about much more than orgasms and genitals.

Will: How long have you been a sex educator?

Jessi: Not counting my teen years as a renegade, condom-thieving, sex-advice giver? About five years.

Will: What are the greatest challenges you’ve encountered in your work? What are the greatest rewards?

Jessi: One of the greatest challenges for any sex educator is learning to detach personal preferences from public advice. Anyone can (and many often do) rationalize their desires and make an argument for why their brand of sexuality is superior. The truth is, sexual expression is incredibly diverse and desires are so varied. Providing quality sex education means recognizing this and setting judgments aside. The other big challenge is simply being able to handle others’ anxieties around sex; not just those you provide information to but dealing with media outlets and groups that reinforce the ideas that stoke the public’s anxieties.

This line of work often feels like a never ending struggle, but there are moments that lift you up. During my undergraduate, I was working or in class seven days a week with 10-14 hour days for a little over a year. I ended one particularly long day speaking to a group of young female college students about sex. In my delirious, sleep-deprived state I ended up on a long rant about female sexual identity development and the way cultural norms restricted female desire.

By the time I was finished, I was chastising myself for treading such theoretical waters. To my surprise, one of the young women insisted on walking me to my car afterwards. As I packed everything into the trunk the young lady said, “We’ve never thought about any of this before. Everyone is back there talking about what you just said. Thank you so much.” That moment taught me how much more people can understand when you bother to explain and the joy of helping another person break through cultural barriers.

Will: How would you describe your teaching or sexuality philosophy? What do you specialize in? Who is your target audience?

Jessi: My sexuality philosophy is essentially: your sexuality doesn’t need to fit into whatever tiny box you’re being sold. Sex has the potential to be so wonderful and pleasurable but the restrictive ideas and moralizing create a shameful environment. So instead of communication and acceptance we end up steeped in predation, disappointing sexual encounters and overwhelming anxiety. I base my information and advice on scientific evidence that illuminates the sheer diversity of sexuality while presenting complicated information succinctly.

I’m interested in everything and anything having to do with sexuality, but I tend to write most about gender, orgasms, physical pleasure, sexual anxiety, STIs, safer sex and clarifying research findings. I am also a total nerd when it comes to historical constructions and representations of sexuality. You should see my art book collection.

My target audience is anyone who wants to listen. Certain groups request my services more than others (primarily women) but I really want to work more with heterosexual men. So many groups have undergone a massive conceptual change over the past few decades and straight men have been left in the dust.

Will: Looking back at the workshops you’ve conducted, the blog comments you’ve received, and any feedback you’ve gotten, what surprises you the most about people and what they don’t know about sex? Especially, the young people you work with?

Jessi: With adults, the surprises have to do more with what they think they know about sex. The older we get, the more set we are in our ways. Our ideas about sexuality, no matter how steeped in sexist paradigms or silly stereotypes they are, tend to cement. You can see this in the way journalists report on sexuality research, not to mention how some researchers interpret their data. Articles about the benefits of sex are a great example of this. We’re so entrenched in the idea that sex equals penis in vagina, that any research demonstrating the health benefits of an orgasm (something that can be attained without a partner) is interpreted as the health benefits of heterosexual sex. I remember a study done on male prostate health and ejaculation. The findings were that frequent ejaculation was associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. But when media outlets brought this information to the public, they framed it in terms of “frequent sex”.

With youth, they are less entrenched in their ideas and much more curious. The information given to them by some adults is what shocks me. I had a couple of students ask me if unprotected anal sex could create or somehow “wake-up” HIV in the body. Their teacher at a previous school had told them this.

Will: Where do you get your information from? I was surprised to see you tell men to put water-based inside the tip of the condom to make wearing a condom feel better.

Jessi: Studying. Reading. Talking to other sex educators. Constantly thinking about sexuality, questioning what I know about it and trying to find acceptable explanations. To a certain extent, much of the practical information about sexuality is common knowledge among sex educators, such as the lube in the tip of the condom. (Wondering what the purpose is? A latex barrier not only dulls sensation but can chafe. Putting a few drops of lube, water or silicone based, decreases friction and enhances sensation. Also be sure to put some lube on the outside as well. And, no, the condom will not fall off unless you dump several spoonfuls inside.)

Will: How important are discussions and teachings about values, respect and morality to sex education? Should sexual orientation, love, relationships and marriage, be part of any sex education curriculum?

Jessi: Essential. How can we talk about the body without discussing the mind that controls it? How can we suggest (or in the cases of some sex ed programs, proscribe) sexual behaviors without critically discussing values or morals? I find the omission of these conversations to be flat-out irresponsible.

When it comes to sex education curriculum in schools, I often question their overall efficacy with regards to behavior modification. Several years back I looked at data on birth rates and contraception use among young people over the past 60 years (data for contraception use was only available for the past 40 years). When I compared the rates to funding and sex education availability in schools, no strong relationship appeared between the two. Pregnancy rates were already dropping before we started really establishing programs.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have the programs or that the high frequency of sexually active youth using contraception has nothing to do with sex ed in school. I think what it demonstrates is that youth don’t live in a vacuum of school and home. The sexual messages they encounter (for better or for worse) are conflicting and complicated, especially when the sex education youth receive is so limited and often out of touch with their daily experiences. We need to be more creative in how we teach them and expansive in the curriculum. Paul Joannides wrote a great piece on this recently in Psychology Today.

Will: What are your top three frequently asked questions? Do women ask different kinds of questions than men?

Jessi: Am I normal? That seems to be one of the biggest concerns people have with sexuality. People ask all kinds of questions, though young women have asked me far more questions about their bodies and young males tended to ask me far more questions about relationship dynamics.

Will: You have a blog called The Sexademic. What topics do you cover? What is the process like for deciding what issues or topics you write about?

Jessi: I most often write about media, gender, STIs and behaviors with a tendency towards to be in-depth cultural explanations and analysis. I have a notebook on my computer with pages and pages of links and ideas for articles and on a given day I browse through that or else trawl the internet to see the current conversations happening in sexuality.

Will: What are your thoughts on the reach of the social media for sexual information and images? What are the possibilities and the dangers? And how are you using social media in your work?

Jessi: Social media is both a blessing and a curse for sex education. On one hand, sex information and advice has never before been so easy to provide and encounter. Not only can we publish information with the click of a button, we can engage in conversations about a taboo topic with relative anonymity. Same thing with sexual imagery.

On the other hand, people tend to seek out information that reinforces their preexisting worldviews. (Study on that phenomenon here:). This makes changing minds more challenging and I sometimes find I am preaching to the choir. While it is certainly wonderful to find solidarity around sexuality issues, my end goal is not to confirm what people already think.

One of the biggest challenges I see with social media is the divisiveness it can create. People crave drama. We love the excitement of a good smack-down or argument. Sometimes I see people so focused on bull-horning their own messages that they miss an opportunity to consider another person’s point of view.

But as a tool, social media is fantastic. The proliferation of ideas this technology allows is amazing, although overwhelming at times. I am able to connect with people I might never meet in my day to day life, collaborate on projects and ideas over long distances instantaneously, and bypass a publishing world whose structure has become limiting and stogy. This is especially true in the world of academic research: by the time your study is published, chances are it is already irrelevant.

Will: I can’t end this interview without asking you to offer the readers a few tips.

Jessi: Tip #1: The two biggest sexual organs are the brain and the skin. The skin receives sensation and the brain translates it before responding with any number of electrical and chemical impulses. Sexual pleasure is far more than just genital stimulation.

Tip #2: Get tested for STIs every 6 months to a year if you are sexually active with new partners. The most common STIs are curable and many more are treatable. It’s best to find out early on so you can deal with them. If you feel anxious about going, visit a clinic just to visit it. Bring a friend. Go in and talk to the clinicians or staff, tell them you’re nervous and wanted to check it out.

Tip #3: Figure out your own sexual desires. All the time? A few times a year? Gender? Actions? Settings? Time of day? Kind of person? Type of relationship? Sometimes we never give thought to what turns us on. In order to understand the ‘NO’ you need to also understand the ‘YES’

What to Expect in 2012

2012-01-05T15:18:00.002-06:00

How to Be Professionally Fashionable: 10 Do’s and Don’ts for the Workplace

2011-12-28T01:08:00.002-06:00

By Huong Vo

I’ve worked in the corporate world and know what it’s like to wear dress pants, pant suits, and skirt suits with buttoned up shirts constantly. If you’re tired of the monotony of grays, navy blues, and blacks, take the following tips to add a little fashion fun to your professional wardrobe all while keeping in mind for what’s appropriate and not appropriate for the office.

DON’T WEAR…

- heels so high that you look like are coming from or going to the club. If you want height, four inches should be the maximum. Do you really want to “walk gracefully” while trying to catch an elevator? Didn’t think so!

- skirts that are too short. Bending over or sitting down might be a huge issue at your conference meeting. This applies to dresses as well.

- flip flops. Your office is NOT the beach. Embellished sandals are cute, but be sure and refer to your company’s dress code.

- spaghetti straps in tops or dresses. Limit your skin exposure. If you must, add a little bolero sweater or a crop jacket with a sparkly brooch. You can look just as sexy covered up too.

- hoodies. It doesn’t matter how cold the office is. Hoodies are meant for home and those trips to the gym.

- tennis shoes. If your preference isn’t heels, tennis shoes are not a viable plan B. Again, they are meant for those trips to the gym.

- jeans. If it isn’t casual Friday, leave these in your closet. You can always wear them out for meeting friends after work hours and weekends.

- shorts. No matter the length, shorts convey the message that you want to relax. Save your favorite pair for going out on your own time.

- see through clothing. Unless your shirt is long-sleeved and you’re wearing a matching colored tank underneath, save your transparent garments for nights out. Opaque tights with your skirt or dress are acceptable. Note: Pairing tights with a short skirt or dress does not make up for the lack of fabric.

- hats. Take off your hat when walking into a building. Beanies, fedoras, and baseball caps work for your look only when you’re outside.

DO WEAR…

- dark jeans with a nice blazer for casual Fridays. Dark washes says sophistication and works with all kinds of tops and jackets. Show that you can still be and look professional, even in jeans.

- layers. Yes, even during those hot summer days, the temperatures in offices can freeze you out. The great thing about layers is that you can shed them and still look professional and be comfortable should you get a little hot.

- a cardigan, a must-have staple in any woman’s wardrobe. Invest in short lengths and boyfriend, otherwise known as long lengths in different colors. You’d be surprised at how many outfits you can make with cardigans.

- no-show socks. If you want to wear flats and still keep your toes toasty, go for skin-colored no-show socks. You can still wear flats during those cold months and stay warm!

- ballet flats. If you’re not a heels kind of gal or want to change things up a bit, ballet flats are a cute alternative to dress shoes. A neutral color with embellishments, leopard print, hot pink, orange, cobalt blue, or red pair will have your feet do the talking at those meetings. They look great with skinny pants.

- bracelets. If you feel like being a gypsy, wear bangles, but pile them on. The more, the better! If you’re going for a cuff, choose one that makes the outfit special for you whether it is leather, sparkly, or has an Egyptian feel to it.

- necklaces. Nothing can dress up a plain white t-shirt under a blazer better than piling on lots of necklaces to dress them up. If you’re not a multiple strands kind of girl, opt for a long dainty necklace with a pendant meaningful to you or a statement necklace that will pop against your top.

- scarves are a nice way to add a burst of color and keep warm during those winter months. You can never go wrong with a leopard or neon paisley print scarf against a neutral-colored outfit.

- belts. If you haven’t worn belts before, try a skinny belt over your tunic or wrapping a thick patent one over a dress. Belts pull the outfit together and show off your waist.

If you haven’t noticed, I ended the DO WEAR list with accessories. If you don’t know this, accessories highlight your outfit. Instead of throwing a bag on your arm, give yourself a workout. Why not carry a bright over-sized clutch? You can fit everything you need and still add that pop of color.

Who says you can’t look fashionable at work? If you’re unsure of the dress code at your company, re-read their Code of Conduct manual. Nothing is more embarrassing than being called into the boss’ office for a dress code violation. Clothes are a part of nonverbal communication so next time you put an outfit together, think about what you want to say to people.

Huong Vo is a recent communication studies graduate from the University of North Texas. While pursuing her degree, she worked in the education and non-profit industries. A big fan of social media and blogging, Huong shares her love for fashion through her That’s My Kind of Style! blog and being a first-generation college student, she also helps college students and recent graduates through Grenty Nation, her college and career blog. When she’s not writing, Huong spends her free time at Texas Ranger games, traveling, reading, playing video games with her girlfriends, volunteering, and drooling over anything fashion-related.

What Schools can learn from Successful Sports Teams

2011-12-26T07:55:00.003-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Successful sports teams have an identity, a vision, and a culture of learning and being that permeates throughout the entire organization. The Pittsburgh Steelers, for example, is the most success team in NFL history. They are a common man’s team without flash or "Hollywood" status. The ownership believes in loyalty (up to a financial point), “blue collar” hard work, good people, and it shows in the way the team plays, the players they choose and the personnel they hire. The Steelers aren’t a glamorous ”new media team.” They are old school like the rotary phone. And, unlike most of the professional sporting world, the Steelers have only had 3 head coaches in the last 40 something years. Which has resulted in every one of the 3 coaches playing in the Super bowl more than once and winning at least 1 championship.

How does that relate to school success?

Often public schools have no direction, no meaningful mission, and very high turnover rates – especially at the leadership positions. This results in learning programs constantly changing, new philosophies being handed down, and a teaching corps who doesn’t know what will happen next. As such, the school just hovers. It can’t move forward because it’s in perpetual flux.

No organization can be successful without an identifiable, mission, vision, and culture of learning. Everyone from the superintendent to the TA to students should be able to clearly and succinctly communicate what the school stands for, believes in, and is doing to achieve its stated goals. No organization can be successful when high turnover is as certain as death and taxes. And no organization can be successful when its members are not hired and developed according to the organization’s needs.

If public schools continue to throw stuff at the walls to see what sticks instead of developing a sustainable learning organization, they will reach the point of no return. They will become the LA Clippers or the Cleveland Browns of education.

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

How To Dress Like A Teacher - Male Edition

2011-12-25T20:21:00.005-06:00

By Pernille Ripp

Cross- posted from the Fashion Blog of Pernille Ripp; Poor og Rich

Dear male teachers,

The time has come for a little fashion discussion as requested by some of you. So before I begin you may wonder what makes me any kind of an expert on male teacher fashion? To which I answer; Nothing! However, I am a spectator of the male teacher fashion sense, or lack of, and therefore would like to offer just a few pointers.

First the Dont's:

Enough with the khakis! There is a khaki epidemic in America, one that I was blissfully unaware of in Denmark where khaki doesn't exist and our male teachers still manage to get dressed every single day. Khaki's signal boring, old, and no effort. Khaki's usually do not fit well and do nothing for anyone. There are plenty of other pant options out there. How about investing in a nice straight leg dark wash pair of jeans or two? They look much crisper next to a button down and don't signal I am male teacher a mile away.
Say no to the cargo! As the number of shop teachers dwindle, so should the pockets on your pants. Whoever invented cargo pants with all of their nifty pockets should be given an award for fooling us all into thinking they were somehow cool. They are not, and no you don't need that many pockets.
No more polo's. If I had a dollar for every teacher I have seen wear khaki's and a polo shirt, I would, indeed, be rich. Polo shirts are like a mullet - a little bit of fun and a little bit of serious. If you are going to go short-sleeve why not a shirt with buttons all the way down the front or a t-shirt? This is another staple of America I am glad never was part of my upbringing.
Umm do your sneakers have to be so white? Or really male teacher shoes in general...how about those tassled loafers I spot in the hallways, or shoes that are so worn you couldn't donate them to Goodwill? What shoes you wear send a message about whether you care or not, so get some decent sneakers (they can be funky ones) or some better leather shoes. You would be surprised at how many people judge you on your footwear.
Don't dress like your students. When parents walk into a school they should be able to tell that you are a teacher and not someone from 21 Jump Street. So although you may think it makes you more relatable when you wear baggy jeans; it doesn't. Set the tone and get the respect.
No more dad jeans. A good pair of jeans really elevate your look, so enough with the mid-blue-wash tapered jeans that I see so many males wear. Jeans shouldn't go in at your ankle no matter you age. Ad skinny jeans? Maybe if you are a rock star in disguise.
A shirt, a tie, and slacks - really. For how many imaginative male teachers there are in the world, I am perpetually dumbfounded by the lack of ingenuity in their wardrobe. If it is an ordinary day you know the khakis are coming out. Dress up calls for black slacks, button-down and a tie - done. How about gray slacks or brown ones? How about a really nice fitting pair of dark wash jeans?

Now the Do's:

Do know your size. Just like with female teachers, fit is everything, so while you may not have noticed that those pants are a little too tight, you bet your students have. Whether you gain or lose weight; be aware of it and dress accordingly.
Do care. Male teachers are some of the most boring dressers I know. Whether this comes from male fashion ineptitude in general or some sort of notion that male teachers should just blend in, I am not sure. The truth is though that it is ok to actually care about your appearance and it may even send a nice message to your male students that being a dapper dresser is a desireable trait that gets you places.
Do stay current. And with that I don't mean go after the latest fashions, but if your outfit screams cirka 1972, perhaps update it a little bit. Yes, that suit or whatever may have served you well all of these years so how about you give it some time off and invest in one or two more current pieces?
Do the bend over test. Just like women shouldn't be showing too much, neither should you. Whether it's belly or butt, no one needs to see it. An old physics teacher of mine wore sweaters that were too short in the front. As a 9th grade student trying to focus on physics it was insanely distracting to see the bottom part of his stomach hang out. Ask someone's opinion of unsure.
Do wear deoderant. I am not accusing male teachers of all smelling, but when I went to school a lot of them did. Males just tend to sweat more, so stash a dedoderant in your classroom and re-apply during lunch. Your students will thank you for it (and so will the other teachers).
Think color. Male teachers seem to be afraid of color for no apparent reason. You do not have to embrace pink or any shade of red to incorporate color into your wardrobe but just a pop of green and blue goes a long way. Even a tie in an opposite color of your shirt will be a step in the right direction.
Think 50's and 60's chic. And I don't mean all Mad Men here, but vests and cardigans will substitute nicely for an suit jacket. Why not add some fun to your wardrobe? You are after all a role model for all of those boys you teach.
Do find your style. Whether it's bow-ties or tweed jackets, v-necks or ties; find something you like and then perfect it. Make it you and do it well. Being stylish does not have to mean spending a lot of money or being self-obsessed, it just means you care about your job and the signals that you send to the community. So take as much pride in what you wear as how you teach; it is all part of the package.

So there you have it; a little fashion sense from someone who is not an expert. While I know the "no khaki" rules will not make me popular it had to be said. But I do wonder, what did I forget?

Pernille Ripp is a 5th grade teacher in Middleton, Wisconsin, proud techy geek, and honest to a fault. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project and believer in all children. She has no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in her students' heads every day. Follow Pernille on Twitter @PernilleRipp and read her teacher blog to be found at mrspripp.blogspot.com.

so you want to dress like a teacher

2011-12-16T19:20:00.007-06:00

By Pernille Ripp

Cross posted from the fashion blog of Pernille Ripp: Poor og Rich

Teachers have a certain fashion ideal to live up to. We certainly have been portrayed in either one of two categories; hopeless dork with mid-shin skirts and white sneakers or vampy vixen dressed more like 60's secretaries. While both ideals are endearing in a way, here are some ideas on what to wear to school.

Think stylish yet comfortable - many of us get on the floor during the day so that pencil skirt better have some stretch in it. Yes they are available, I have some in my closet.
Think layers - My schools goes from oven to tundra in the course of a day so think about how your layers will look separated. I have had some pretty crazy get ups revealed because I had to peel off a blazer or a cardigan.
Check your pant length. There is a stigma with teachers that our pants are too short, and not the good kind of too short. So check that your pant length actually touches the back of your shoe, otherwise they are too short.
Nix the theme shirts/jewelry. I know the kids sometimes thinks it is cute when we wear fun Halloween sweaters or tinsel from our ears but I always wonder if they think we are fun or just funny looking. You can still embrace the festivity of whatever holiday by wearing shades of the color and not actual the whole theme.
Go ahead do the heel but make sure you can stand in them, I love my heels but they have to be super comfortable; after all, I am there to teach not strut my stuff. So wear them around a whole day before wearing them to school, or in the worst case event, stash emergency shoes somewhere.
Know your size. This is so important; if you want to appear heavier than you are wear too tight of clothing or way too large of clothing. Instead, figure out your size and then embrace. better fitting clothes means a better looking you.
Wear a smile - this will always be your best accessory as will a heartfelt hello to whomever you meet. Everybody wants to be appreciated and welcomed.

And some don'ts:

Sweatpants are not appropriate for school and neither are pajamas unless it is pajama day. So even though your favorite sport team may be doing incredible and you really want to show your team loyalty, don't add the comfy pants to go with the shirt; this is not your living room.
Do the bend over test - and that means chest and back. Trust me; no one wants to see too much skin.
Don't dress like a student. If your students think something is super funky chances are you shouldn't be wearing it. You may be young at heart but this is not the time to show off your weekend look. Dress like a professional to get more respect.
Flip flops are for the beach, not for school.
Don't overdo accessories. I once knew a teacher that had to take off extra jewelry before she could work with certain students - that is crazy. If it is in your way or potentially dangerous; don't wear it.
However, that doesn't mean be super boring. I always try to wear something interesting as an accessory (some days more successfully than others) but you don't have to pile it on.
If you're tugging - take it off. I am a massive perpetrator of things not being the right fit, or rather I used to be, until I realized how much I tugged at it all day. If you are fiddling and adjusting just get rid of it or get it tailored.
Don't be something you are not and take baby steps. Wahoo to you if you want to overhaul your fashion sense. Figure out what you like to wear and feel comfortable in then take it from there. Ask other people's advice too, they usually have great ideas.

I hope this helps a little bit or at least gets you thinking. I may come back and do some more concrete examples if anyone would be interested in that.

Why Choose an Online Degree

2011-12-16T00:50:00.014-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Since earning my master's online, I've been fascinated by online education and the different kinds of universities and degree programs available. Though online education still has many skeptics, the truth is many people are flocking to online universities or online degree programs. In fact, more and more working professionals are choosing online degrees, because of the flexibility of online degree programs, their growing reputation, and their focus on teaching.

In addition to their focus on teaching, online degree programs curate talent in ways that traditional schools and degree programs don't. What I mean by curate is pooling together talented students and professors for the purposes of meeting the professional needs of the students and for addressing the demands of the field. Often in traditional programs, theory is the driving force of the curriculum. However, in online education, theory is used as the starting point for solving actual real-world programs. What's more, online degrees allow students to draw upon the collective knowledge and experiences of each individual, without being limited by a zip code, state line, or country of residence.

Personally, I've had professors who work as consultants in New York, accreditation specialists in Minnesota, teachers in California, and higher education professionals in Illinois. I've also had classmate who taught in New Orleans, a superintendent in California, a college coordinator at a medical school in New York, etc. Together we were able to go beyond the text and the courseroom discussions and learn from each other about how problems were being addressed in a multitude of situations.

The world is changing. The problems of today are even more connected and entrenched in slow-changing systems, and talent is needed know more than ever before. Check out a few online degree programs and discover how they can assist you in cultivating your individual talents.

Watch what USC has to say about their online Master's of Art in Teaching program and see how Walden University is meeting the needs of its learners:

Master's of Art in Teaching at USC

Walden University

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

Kindle Fire: It's Not Supposed to be an iPad

2011-12-15T06:19:00.001-06:00

By Mary Beth Hertz

Photo Credit: Digitaltrends.com

I just recently became the owner of a new Kindle Fire. I am probably one of the few people I know who doesn't have (read: can't afford!) an iPad. As someone who is tech savvy and well informed on tech trends, I just can't dig that deep into my pockets. My school has a first generation iPad that I use now and again, and using it never convinced me that I needed one. I have a netbook, Macbook, iPhone 4 and an iPod touch. I think I've got my bases covered.

When I saw the new Kindle Fire was only $200, that it had apps from the Android market, that I could check Twitter, Facebook and my email from it, and that I could sync up my whole Kindle library with it, I was sold.

I've been happy with it so far. It's not perfect (customization is a bit tough for the home screen, though you can put apps in your 'Favorites' for easy access), and it is small (a 7” screen) but it does all the things that I wanted it to do. It is also super fast and responsive when opening apps and navigating the device.

The apps

I have used the Evernote app to take notes at meetings, I can send and receive emails (though the messages that are threaded don't show up that way), I can read my Instapaper items, and the Hootsuite app is pretty good. Typing on it is no more difficult (in my opinion) than on an iPad, though the keyboard is slightly different. What is neat is that as you are typing, the Kindle offers word suggestions for you to tap on to complete the word you're typing. It also has auto-correct. I have also used the Pandora app while I'm reading a book, which is a nice feature.

The app store is easy to navigate and it seems to hold a lot of the traditional Android market apps, though not all are optimized for the Kindle.

Video

I didn't buy the device expecting to use it for watching movies and TV shows as other users might, but the movie store is easy to navigate and has some good titles. If you pay for the Amazon prime membership, you have even better options. The screen has good resolution, so I can imagine video-watching would be a good experience. The volume button does require you to open an on-screen settings menu, which for some people is not acceptable, but it doesn't bother me.

Books

I already have an original, white Kindle that I LOVE. I will keep it for times when I want to read uninterrupted by email and Twitter. The Library on the Kindle is easy to peruse and I don't mind reading on it since you can easily adjust the brightness of the screen. Highlighting and note-taking is easy, too. The only thing I see missing that I really like on my phone and on my original Kindle is the capability to tweet out selections of the text that you are reading. I really like doing that, but haven't seen that option on this Kindle. As an Amazon Prime member, you can also borrow one book a month from their member library, which is how I was able to read the second Hunger Games book without having to buy it.

The Web

The browser isn't super fast, but then I've never used an iPad that loaded like lightning either. It does support Flash, which is always nice, and I find pretty easy to copy/paste a URL when needed. Due to the small size of the screen, I do have to zoom in sometimes to accurately tap on a link, but I do that on my phone already. One downside I did find recently was trying to edit my Wordpress blog online was wonky and there is no Wordpress app (yet?).

The Bottom Line

If you are looking for a cheap iPad, this is not it. With no camera and no microphone, this is truly a consumption device. It does not sync up with a computer, (though you can sync up items through Amazon's cloud services, which I haven't explored yet), and I haven't explored putting photos on it. If you like your Kindle but want an upgrade, or are looking for an all-in-one e-reader for ½ the price of an iPad, this is for you. With its simple, intuitive navigation, it is a great device for someone who is not interested in managing a complex device or has simple needs.

Mary Beth Hertz is a Technology Teacher in North Philadelphia. She began teaching in 2004 and have since then been a Science teacher for grades K-6 and a Technology Teacher with her own computer lab, where she still is today. Students in her lab complete units on research, digital citizenship, basic programming, digital video and story writing among others. Mary Beth started blogging in 2007 as a way to share with the world the deplorable conditions in which her students learned. To learn more, check out her blog Philly Teacher and you can find MB on Twitter as @mbteach.

The 411 on Google+

2011-12-14T11:40:00.016-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Google+ is a social networking site developed by, of course, Google. It works by allowing users to set up Circles or different social groups where people can target specific groups to share news and various other content. For example, instead of sharing links, pictures, and videos to everyone like Facebook, the circles allows users to share certain videos with family, others with classmates, as well as a different forum for co-workers.

Google+ also allows user to control and edit multimedia. With the the photo tab, users can take all of the photos they've shared, as well as the ones they're tagged in and edit them with the image editor, which comes with an Instagram-like photo effects), privacy settings and sharing features.

The Hotness of Google+ is the Hangouts. It's a group chat feature, which allows the user to set up a video chatroom. Once in the chatroom, a notice goes out to everyone in that user's circles letting them know that that individual is “hanging out.” To gain entrance into the video chatroom, a user must be a part of the circle the notice originated from.

I am on Google+ but must admit that I haven't gotten into it as much as Twitter. What I do like about it is the ability to aggregate content to specific groups. I also love the Hangouts. Video is always my preferred method to connect online.

Check out this video by ROCKETBOOM on Google+

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

iBio Returns

2011-12-13T13:15:00.004-06:00

I am now accepting submissions for the iBio series. The iBio series is where people share their stories, their lives. I created the series to highlight how people are succeeding or failing on their own terms - how they meet the challenges in their lives as well as the dreams they have for themselves.

Check out some of the past iBio videos:

Vanessa G.

Shelly Terrell

Jenny Blake

Leah MacVie

Mary Beth Hertz

The length of your iBio video is up to you. What you say, as long as its not racist, sexist, antisemitic, or homophobic, is up to you. I am looking for what inspires you and what excites you about your life. If you're interested in submitting an iBio video, please feel free to leave a comment here or contact me on Twitter.

How to Choose an Online Degree

2011-12-10T12:26:00.025-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

If you've been to this blog before or have seen me on Twitter or have just happened to see one of my Youtube videos, then you know that I am a doctoral student at Capella University. And like those unfamiliar with for-profit universities or online degrees, I was skeptical about the quality and reputation those programs provided. But that all changed when I called Capella about their master's programs in Non-profit Management. Once I did the research about their accreditation, I applied and have never regretted my decision.

A for-profit online university has worked well for me. Not only have I been able to build a knowledge-base in educational philosophy, classroom assessment, leadership and numerous other educational theories, I've been able to tailor my coursework around the growing field of social media, becoming a budding scholar in the process. Add my internships with J.T. O'Donnell and Ingrid Stabb, along with my dissertation on how social media can be used to individualize professional development for teachers, and I feel confident in my ability to lead a social media institute, as well as teach a couple of classes as an adjunct. But for those unsure about online degrees or even how to go about choosing one, here are some things to look for:

- Check for the school's accreditation. Regional accreditation is good, but subject or field accreditation, such as NCATE or ABET is better.

- Ask about the modules used to teach. Are they asynchronous? If so, how are they structured? If they're synchronous, what kind of video conferencing tech will you need? If it's a hybrid program, how much time will you spend on campus?

- Be aware of time. This points to the length of each quarter or semester as well as the due dates for coursework.

- If it doesn't make dollars, then it doesn't make sense. Compare the tuition rates. No need to rack up a mountain of debt if the degree program or school's reputation won't make you a credible candidate in the eyes of HR.

- Know what you are going to learn and whom you'll be learning from. Ask for a syllabus of the classes you're interested in taking. Also, talk to a professor or two. You have to feel confident that you are making the best decision for your needs.

As much as I've enjoyed being a student at Capella, you'll never find me pushing an online program on anyone. Everyone's needs, learning styles and career interests are different. Also, be sure to note that not all online degrees are offered by for-profit universities. Many state and private universities are offering online degrees now. Going to school online has its advantages as well as disadvantages, depending on the individual needs of the person. But if you're interested, I hope those tips will be helpful.

The New School

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

We Teach by Our Presence: The power of practice merged with presence in cultivating and flourishing compassion in our children and our world

2011-12-07T15:34:00.011-06:00

By Molly Rowan Leach

The foundation of compassion’s growth in our world starts with our children—but even before that, with ourselves. Although I am a strong proponent of pedagogical practices and the power of education, I would also like to invite us in this blog to consider that it may be our presence and quiet actions that have equal if not greater value to our children. In this blog I’d like to cover what I have discovered in both realms with this in mind.

Just a few years ago a few of my close friends were integral in hosting His Holiness The Dalai Lama in Seattle, for a week-long event called “Seeds of Compassion”. As with most of HHDL’s events people turned out in the hundreds of thousands to hear dialogues and receive practical insights in a specific set of key modules, including a panel on raising healthy, compassionate children. The Dalai Lama and the panel emphasized “seeds” such as:

• Listening
• Nonviolent Communication
• The Power in Storytelling
• Presence
• Boundaries & Clear Guidelines
• Providing positive reflection and reinforcement

There is much use of the adage “Be the change you wish to see in the world” that was coined by Gandhi, and we know that underneath this koan of sorts is a much deeper relevance than may first meet the eye. So the practices/principles above—for which there are others but for the purposes of our sharing here together today I’m focusing on these—must be both understood and conceptualized and then brought fully forth into being. We know that people—especially our children—have a sixth sense about them that can immediately detect when there is not authenticity in the room. We know that our nonverbal realm is much more rich and robust with constant communication than the verbal. So in principle in order for us to convey to our children what we wish to see out-pictured in our world, we must essentially start with ourselves.

How does that apply to teaching our children, you might ask? If theory and practice do not merge, there is lessened authenticity. Truly understanding ourselves and where our own buttons get pushed and charges are helps us gain a much greater scope of qualities that add to a powerful wisdom and centeredness that we can bring to our children. In fact, it is often our children who are waiting for us to catch up to them. And I’m not saying that we don’t have a responsibility to ourselves and to them to learn and teach, to continue to learn, and never stop learning and implementing best practices. I’m saying that our children ultimately are our guides back to the place where compassion and empathy already flourish and are simply waiting for us to regain that space within our own conscious awareness; and thus, in daily life and our teaching practice and presence.

Listening

There is an egregious underestimation of the power of true listening in our Western culture. We are so eager to be right, prove ourselves, get our point across and win an argument that many miss the jewel within the great stream of human interaction: that true listening opens up windows and actually shifts the biochemistry of the brain in each participant of a conversation. When I am listening deeply to you, my biofeedback and resonance, as measured by recent scientific studies, is the exact same frequency as the Earth’s. It’s called the Schumann Resonance. What does this mean? It gives striking evidence to the fact that when we are present in a way that allows the other to transmit their view, story, or whatever it is that is “up”, we optimize the other’s sense of being heard, and not only that we uplift the possibility of mutual connection and thus, if conflict is present, deep resolution. In the case of parents and teachers relating this way to children, there is no difference. When a parent pauses from all the ‘ten thousand things that rise and fall’, all the distractions of the days that seem to pass so quickly, and truly stops to listen—mind you while also emptying his or her mind of what my friend and colleague Leroy Little Bear calls “tacit infrastructures”…magic happens. From that “ground of being” that my colleague James O’Dea so eloquently speaks to, one can set the framework for clarity, resolution, empathy, and even healing to occur. And what is so key and critical for our children is that unspoken direct and deep connection that silently says, “I hear you, you are safe and you are truly seen.”

Now in this practice I am not saying we should let our children streamroll us or that we do not have boundaries especially when engaging with them in charged situations—however, it is almost inherent that if we are coming from a space of deep listening we will likely be disarming any defenses built up—especially with our teen youth.

Deep listening requires again a tending of our own inner garden and invites us to get in touch ever more closely with what might prevent us from feeling and experiencing our own inner peace. It is helpful if we can engage this process with, of course, self-compassion and as Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron so simply states, “start where you are”. This helps us become malleable and open to our own wounds or blocks and allows us to also remove judgment of ourselves in preparing to bring our best foot forward when working with, and parenting, our beloved children. And thus it also in turn disarms the charge of judgment of others and capacitates a clear perception of what really is at hand.

Nonviolent Communication

Marshall Rosenberg is well-known internationally for his incredibly relevant work in creating and offering Nonviolent Communication (NVC) practices. The core and heart of nonviolent communication is based in recovering our own natural humility and reverence for life itself while creating a safe space for there to be clear dialogue. Rosenberg was once in a very tense situation in a war zone, and in order to diffuse the situation carefully, he made even his physical form humble to this aggressor by turning his head to the side and asking, “what do you need me to understand?”

When we invite understanding into the room and allow that to foundation our verbal exchanges, it shifts the whole ‘game’ of communication and listening. NVC is a rigorous and practical program that provides practical tools that support the clear verbal cues that support the unfolding process. Often a person will reflect back to the other what he or she has just heard, to convey a deep sense of understanding and to invite any further clarification. With children we can employ this practice in a joyful way, engaging the imagination and allowing our discourse and sharing with them to also feed creativity and as parents to send silent and powerful messages that, indeed, we are there with them, and that they are encouraged to flourish and open. This is also a powerful practice of course when there are fights or disruptive behaviors, as it allows the child to understand that he or she will be given a full opportunity to share his or her story and view, and be fully heard, while the parent or teacher takes part in turn and directs the course of the dialogue towards resolution.

I cannot emphasize more the power of the non-verbal realm in our conveying compassion and empathy to our children, and in the verbal realms, NVC is one—if not the most—powerful practices that rearranges the entire landscape of how we communicate in just a few simple, refined and very successfully practiced ways.

The Power of Storytelling

Although this “seed” was not, as far as my knowledge goes, covered specifically in the Dalai Lama’s time at Seeds of Compassion in Seattle, I added it because it is one of the most powerful platforms for conveying compassion while also eliciting the other qualities mentioned such as deep listening, presence, and so on. We know that our children love stories, and we know that reading to and with them has a great influence on their inner world and beyond. Storytelling allows us to step away from the thousands of other distractions in our world and come back to the original evening news: the campfire and the verbal traditions. When we share with our children either by reading a book with them that exemplifies the power of peacemaking or by inviting impromptu “made up stories”, we give them a window into a world that is filled with the great gift of diversity, with the power of differences, with the unity of our interconnectedness, and this helps keep our children’s “gateway to imagination” open, which is a powerful thing to keep.

It also provides a creative platform to discover commonalities—to realize our “inescapable web of mutuality” as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., so beautifully put it. By hearing others stories we realize we are not alone, and quite in fact, share very common and similar experiences of our world. This facet of discovery is one of the primary factors that melts unforgiveness, hate and the cycles of violence. By allowing stories to be shared, and by combining this with true authentic listening, many experience a new sense of interconnectedness which affects their consciousness in a very expansive, calming, “a-ha moment” kind of way. For children, it helps augment the foundational safety they need to feel in their world and helps them to feel a greater sense of empathy for others when they are hurt or wronged-because they can venture into the greater story behind why that person may have hurt them or another. Storytelling is one of our world’s most powerful platforms for understanding and compassion for these reasons.

Presence

So much has been said and studied about presence—so what is it, really? Is it possible for us to be truly present with our children when our minds are elsewhere, concerned about bills or tasks, distracted by again those feisty ten thousand things that rise and fall? My son once said, “Mom, your computer is not your son.” That statement hit home to my core and woke me up to the fact that I was doing the very thing I so wanted to not do for my own children: to be physically present but mentally elsewhere—and thus not fully present. Now this is a constant vigilance that gets more and more subtle the further you go into committing yourself to Presence with a capital “P”. Isn’t that ironic? It’s no wonder that so many turn back—we have been so infiltrated by surface distractions and patterning that tells us not to dive into our own ‘stuff’ that it is no easy feat to commit to this—and yet, it is the most powerful gift you can give to your child and youth in your community. We often say the greatest gifts are not things. This is what I am getting at here with presence. And to not stop at the surface but to dive in, again with that self-compassion and non judgment of where you are on your journey, so that you can better serve to exemplify this very state of being for your beloved child and children.

When we talk about the basic steps that bring you back to essence or true presence—and you may know that feeling that I’m talking about—it’s that sense of such calm, centered trust and great love—it’s a deep and complete peace that rises up from a source that is so a part of each and every one of us. It is joyful and grounding all at once. Perhaps it is elicited when you are with someone whom you know on the very core levels sees you for who you truly are, or perhaps it surfaces when you are near the ocean. In our day to day lives, naturally this feeling will disappear from our experience, and is brought back to the forefront by simple practices that we can share with our children—regardless of spiritual inclination and/or affiliation:

• Breath as a tool to connect us to our hearts.
• Heart-awareness; placing attention on one’s heart (Check out The Institute of Heart Math for some great science games and tools that measure your heart’s resonance.

• “Keiki Reiki”: affirmations coupled with EFT therapeutic practices (“Keiki” means children in Hawaiian; “Reiki” is energy, life-force)

• Meditation pauses throughout the day. Simply sitting with a candle (children love, with close supervision, to light the candle and this empowers and draws them to this simple yet profoundly helpful practice), watching your heart and breath. If you are a teacher, consider starting the day with this practice.

• Read a book about peace. There is such a great array of “peace books” for all ages available in our libraries. By telling the stories of compassion and love in our world we counterbalance the heavy attention to its opposite by our culture, government, and media. (Check out “Peace and Pancakes”, a wonderful story that illuminates the victim behind every perpetrator, and gives children a powerful conveyance of the power of courage, compassion, and hearing all the stories)

• Re-engage daily with Mother Nature/Outdoor education and awareness. (My personal favorite here is Jon Young’s program based in the NW that has curriculum for K-12 plus adults in naturalist and wildnerness awareness www.wildernessawarenessschool.org)

Ultimately the journey here is more important than the destination, and yet by employing these consistently one might find less and less gaps between true presence and a feeling of losing it. The journey of Buddha, Jesus and many masters has always had this quality: to strive to stream only that consciousness of true presence.

So these are a few ideas that I’ve seen employed in classrooms and that I do my best to employ myself as a parent. The things in our lives that could be most helpful to us often seem the hardest to enact—so starting simply, and with compassion for oneself and not feeling a rigid grip on “having to do it that way” is a good plan.

With each of the above ideas we weave a fabric that is a powerful mirror for our children. Nobody can argue that we have too little coming at us every day—from media to video and television to the quality of the news and its choice to focus on the contracted and darker parts of the world—we truly and actively counteract these effects by making choices to place our energy and focus on exploring activities such as the above that naturally deepen our ability to be present. I like to think of life as a benevolent warrior’s or hero’s journey back to this place and ideally, that if we are skilled enough, we can lessen that need for a long journey back to that center for our own children.

----After-thought---

I hope that this blog has been insightful for you and although I am not an expert in much anything I have enjoyed sharing my humble wisdoms gained from experience and teachings from some great beings I’ve had the fortune to know on my own journey.

Molly Rowan Leach has lived a life that she hopes has left both a subtle and not so subtle imprint for the better upon the heart of humanity. Working at IONS (Institute of Noetic Sciences) and overseas at the Center for Graduate Research and Education/Economics Institute in Prague, she began to set in motion the independent and activist voice that resides within her quite deeply.

Her publicity and production company, Mali Rowan Presents, was founded in 2009 after it became clear that she was already broadcasting, connecting, and sharing good works and great people and organizations for over a decade. She is currently hosting leading-edge dialogue series for Evolutionary Lawyers and a series on Restorative Justice and Social Healing in the US and beyond, featuring the powerful work of colleagues James O’Dea, Dr. Judith Thompson, ABA Bestselling Author J. Kim Wright, Riane Eisler, Sharif Abdullah, Matthew Albracht and many others.

She has produced major conferences, “Living in the Fire of Change: Sacred Activism and Social Transformation”, which she co-founded with James O’Dea, a colleague and fellow voice in Restorative Justice and Social Healing. She has worked closely with O’Dea over the past 3 years on production of his first published book, Creative Stress: A Path for Evolving Souls Living through Personal and Planetary Upheaval (2010) and is his Events, Outreach and Production Manager. They also are collaborating in creating a Social Healing Institute with Dr. Judith Thompson, Belvie Rooks, and others.

Upcoming for 2012 Molly will be writing a book based on her background and experiences in Restorative Justice and human-based Prison Reform, as well as continuing to move forward the great works of the Social Healing Institute and rolling out virtual training opportunities with leading voices in these respective fields.

For more info please visit her official website at:
www.malirowanpresents.com twitter: @malirowan | facebook: Mali.rowan1

The So-called Brain-drain of Teacher Education Programs

2011-12-07T07:56:00.010-06:00

Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

The assault on teachers is never-ending. Aside from being called incompetent, there are politicians, journalists, and profiteers saying that teachers come from the least gifted pool of college applicants. If that is so, please explain how the so-called most gifted college applicants go on to become doctors, scientists, lawyers, etc? Weren't they educated by the so-called least gifted among us?

This jabbering about the lack of quality teachers has to stop. Not only do teachers earn less than any profession requiring a four-year college degree, teachers are expected to perform miracles like no other. It doesn't matter if the student is in ESL or in Special Ed or come from a home and community where violence and poverty are pervasive, teachers are expected to will those students to make an arbitrary score on a standardized test.

No one becomes anything without the assistance of a teacher. Bill Gates had them. Steve Jobs had them. President Barack Obama had them. Even Mark Zuckerberg had them. We've all had that teacher who lit our souls on fire. And if we're lucky, we'll have a series of them.

Teachers should be celebrated and commended for the work that they do. They do more in their classrooms than most do with a lifetime. Teachers are the standard-bearers and the dream whisperers. What they do has an impact on the world. Please remember that when you want to call out a teacher.

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

Dissertation Update

2011-11-28T18:04:00.002-06:00

Education in the Digital Age

2011-11-27T12:03:00.011-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Let me be clear. I am not a K-12 teacher or administrator. I got into the ed game via out of school learning programs, so I have a different perspective. I was also trained as a Family Life Educator, which has had an undeniable impact on what I believe education is and what it should be.

For me education is about experience and how those experiences shape or inform how people see the world. And it is about exposing students to people, places, and ideals beyond what they see everyday. What this does is raise the expectations students place upon themselves.

In this digital age, that means understanding that learning is not insular and that ideas are bigger than the school, the neighborhood, the state, etc. Using Skype and various other emerging technologies, schools have a responsibility to students to provide them with opportunities to work in partnership with other students here in the U.S. and across the globe. It is with this type of engagement and interaction that students develop into critical and creative thinkers and global citizens, who have an appreciation for the commonality in the human experience.

It also means connecting with students and developing learning programs to address many of the issues students face in becoming free-thinking adults. This involves teaching students about dating, decision-making, identity, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, as well as sexuality and sexual orientation. Openly and honestly addressing those issues is not only relevant to the experiences and educational needs of young adults, it “allows for [students to have the space] to develop their own beliefs and values” (Gutek, 2004, 284).

Education in the digital age is not about reading, writing, and arithmetic. It is about unleashing students creativity and creating spaces where students are free to be themselves, free to explore the subject-matter, and free to discover who they are and what they believe. This is no longer a world divided by distance or cultural segregation. And the way we educate our children should reflect that reality.

Reference

Gutek, G. L. (2004). Educational Philosophy and Changes. Boston: Pearson CustomPublishing.

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

The False Education Debate

2011-11-23T11:34:00.014-06:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Innovation is all around us. From the cars we drive to phones we use to even how we watch movies. That is why the debate we educators are having about education reform should not be about traditional schools versus charter schools or cyber schools versus face-to-face instruction or public funding and control versus for-profit funding and control or unions versus non-unions. The real issue at hand is whether or not schools are going to remain factories or become talent incubators?

As of now, most of public education is built on a model that prepares students for a world that no longer exists. Instead, we need learning centers that prepare students for the ever-changing future. That means ditching rote memorization and a rigid curriculum designed around subject-areas. That also means designing schools that look and feel like communities centered on design-thinking and interdisciplinary project-based learning.

These kinds of schools, excuse me, learning centers, spur creativity, collaboration and allow students to take greater ownership of the learning process. They also allow for the free exchange of ideas and the making of meaning far beyond the learning of just facts and dates. Ultimately, what these learning centers will do is blur the lines between what is considered a classical education and the skills and knowledge-base needed to be competent in the digital age.

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

Teachers and Life-long learning

2011-11-13T10:02:00.005-06:00

By Anastasia Scott

Just as it is a generalization to assume everyone can be sorted into digital natives and digital immigrants, it is impossible to say that all grass-root teachers shun technology. However, in my previous school, I could identify a handful of classroom teachers who embraced technology to the extent that I think society would expect of a 21st Century teacher. Some teachers at my school resisted technology completely: put their iPad in a cupboard; refused a digital camera to blog with; made phone calls instead of booking labs online. This year a deputy offered me a folder of school policies, all printed "because teachers can't find them on the server." I'm talking about experienced educators with a lot to offer any school environment.

I want to teach through technology. In fact give me a classroom without technology and I'll feel like a fish out of water. This isn't because I'm a 'digital native'. I don't think I'm a digital immigrant either. Whatever I am, I started my education degree without knowing how to use Microsoft Word. I was 24 years old and couldn't format a simple document. I've spent the last three years teaching ICT and helping those that want to learn, teach through technology. I taught myself and continue to seek out new ways to engage students in learning. Every teacher should be interested in the way education is changing and want to adapt. What good is a teacher who has forgotten how to learn or worse, refuses to?

South Korea is moving towards a fully digitized curriculum by 2015. This excites and intrigues me. Not just because it's a win for 21st Century learners but because it makes me wonder about teachers in Korea. Do they have better ICT skills than teachers in my school? Do they consider themselves 'life-long learners'? Do they have a choice? And it's the final question that puts a smile on my face. Evidently, they don't. Their digital curriculum is coming whether they like it or not. And that's what I wish teachers in my school had to face. A big announcement; a definitive moment in time when 21st Century classrooms become the norm. Because most grass-root teachers just don't believe it's here already. The future is now. We will always need good educators that use effective pedagogy - of course the learning comes first. But have they considered what a classroom will look like in 10 years? In 15 years? The changes we see in our classrooms: web 2.0; 1:1; flipped classrooms; the need for students to learn digital citizenship, are here to stay.

So how do we get resistant teachers on board? Ask them five questions:

• Are you a life-long learner? (Really?)
• How do you model the qualities of a life-long learner in your classroom/staff room?
• What do you think classrooms/learning will look like in ten years?
• What are you doing today, to transform your pedagogy to suit the future?
• Can I help/show/guide you?

And if they say no, ask them again. Are you a life-long learner?

Anastasia Scott is an Australian educator with an interest in ICT, robotics and 21st Century learning. Previously an ICT teacher and mentor, Anastasia is Senior Account Manager for Intrepica, an online English literacy resource, providing professional development, mentoring and pedagogical support for teachers. Follow on Twitter @AnastasiaScott

Unpleasant realities from your friend . . . in theory

2011-09-28T13:32:00.006-05:00

By "The Guest Teacher" LaRon Carter

Our students suffer from your insecurities, your lack of integrity, and your lacking courage to fight for what’s right when the odds are stacked against you.

That tone in a message is far beyond the norm of what one professional tells another let alone sends in an email, even if you’re thinking it. And that shoe tends to never slip onto the other foot. But what if we were to embrace a reality that far too many of our students are not succeeding?

Would you be willing to accept accountability for your student’s failures more easily if it were a team effort – If it were written to address behavioral flaws instead of a character issue? How would you rewrite the introduction of this article to communicate a vested interest without all the finger pointing or being so controversial?

The revisions might sound something like this: Students are suffering from our weaknesses that have turned us into the very bullies we once ran from. Our students suffer from our inability to overcome the very fears that hold them back from dreaming bigger. Reality is many of our students are living below the principles needed to succeed because we are not modeling the excellence they need to see daily. And most of all not one valuable life lesson has been taught from our inability to take on those difficult problems no one else wants to deal with. We have all failed as a team and we will win as a team.

Sounds better, right? But more importantly how do you plan to contribute in solving our problems now that we are all part of the same team?

[No reverting allowed, true reform only.]

Stay focused, stay confident, and play on the other side of theory.

LaRon Carter is a K12 education behavioral strategist and author of Stop Crying in the Restroom [it ain’t that deep]: A Guide to Your Best Year Teaching With Smart K12 Goal Setting Methods. Follow Carter “The Guest Teacher” @laroncarter on Twitter.

Education Speak with Mike Buttry of Capella University

2011-09-28T10:39:00.010-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

Capella University is an accredited online university (accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)) that has built its reputation by providing quality education for working adults. Nearly eighty percent of Capella students are currently enrolled in master’s, specialist, or doctoral degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, nursing, psychology, public administration, public health, and public safety. Capella also offers bachelor's degree programs in business, information technology, public administration, and public safety. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 135 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 17 certificate programs. More than 38,000 learners were enrolled as of June 30, 2011, from all 50 states and 59 other countries.

The mission of Capella University is to extend access to high quality bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and certificate programs for adults who seek to maximize their personal and professional potential. This mission is fulfilled through innovative programs that are responsive to the needs of adult learners and involve active, engaging, challenging, and relevant learning experiences offered in a variety of delivery modes. Capella is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Founded in 1993, Capella University is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company, headquartered in Minneapolis (Facebook, 2011).

Mike Buttry joined Capella Education Company in July, 2010 as Vice President for Corporate Communications. He was drawn to Capella by the organization’s shared sense of mission to transform learning and maximize human potential. Prior to coming on board at Capella, he worked on education issues as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel from Nebraska and was Managing Director of a Communications firm in Washington D.C. In addition to Capella, he's interested in Kansas City Royals baseball, fly-fishing and Bob Dylan, so feel free to ping him on any of those topics (Capella.edu).

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Lost in the Documentation Abyss

2011-09-25T12:30:00.005-05:00

By Stephanie Shouldis

After spending the past five years as an Intervention Specialist, I’ve come to one realization. Those who teach early childhood education, do so because they have a true love for children. Those who teach special education, do so because they have a passion for paperwork. There have been times when I have felt like I was spending more time documenting than I was teaching students. The most frustrating part for me was that nothing every happened with the documentation, no one ever looked at it. I would file it in a three ring binder, and then put it in a filing cabinet to collect dust. A former special education director told me to keep it for seven years in case the school was audited. I had to question that practice. Is that why I am collecting documentation, in case we are audited? Shouldn’t documentation guide our teaching and IEP writing? I needed to find a way to make my documentation authentic, guide my practice and be available for parents in a way that they could understand.

While browsing through comments on Twitter, I noticed a large amount of people tweeting about the site www.livebinders.com. At first I was intrigued, but dismissed it thinking that it would not be an authentic fit within my classroom. Then as I was reading Fair Isn’t Always Equal (Wormeli) the author explains the use of portfolios to collect records, accomplishments or reveal areas of needed growth within the student’s work. Finally, I found a use for the tool that was so intriguing to me. I decided to create ePortfolios, using LiveBinders, for the use of documenting student’s progress on their IEP goals and objectives.

During the last half of the 2010-2011 school year, I piloted this ePortfolio idea for my own use. I created a binder for each student’s current IEP. Within the binder I created a tab for each student’s goals and objectives. For any evidence of growth or area of weakness, I would upload my documentation into a new subtab, under that particular goal or objective. Now I was able to access documentation for any of my students, no matter where I was, as long as I had a computer with an internet connection. In the past, I would take notes for everything. For example, student’s reading fluency or noted areas of weakness within their process of completing math problems. I don’t know about you, but that takes too much time, and takes away from actually teaching. Now that I am using an ePortfolio, I am able to upload a recording of the student actually reading, me conferring with the student or a SMARTboard recording of a student actually completing a math problem. This has saved me so much time, when documenting, and increased my one-on-one time spent with students.

After I discovered how much time an ePortfolio has saved me, in the world of documentation, I decided to use this as a transparent tool for parents and general education teachers. I started at a new district for the 2011-2012 school year, and explained my idea to the administration. They loved my idea, and asked me to pilot this program for the district. However, they were concerned about the confidentiality part of the IEP. I assured them that I restricted each ePortfolio as private, and only people with the access key could view the ePortfolio. Since this was a new idea, within the district, we decided that it would be best for me to send a letter to the parents explaining my use of the website. Here is an excerpt from the letter that I sent home to the parents, explaining our confidentiality concerns.

I wanted to provide you with some background information about the internet site that I am piloting for the school district. As per federal law, all IEP information is confidential. I want to make you aware that the information that I am placing into this internet site is not housed within our school’s technology department. The internet site where I will be housing your child’s information is www.livebinders.com. Live Binders posts the following as their stated security policy:

"We have implemented reasonable measures to help protect your Personal Data from loss, misuse, or unauthorized access or disclosure. Unfortunately, however, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee its security."

I then asked parents to approve my use of LiveBinders as a form of IEP documentation. 100% of the parents responded that they were okay with the use of the website. The administration, general education teacher, paraprofessionals and parents were provided with an access key for the IEP ePortfolios, for each student, with whom they directly work. This has become an amazingly transparent tool in terms of documentation. No more binders collecting dust, while waiting for that audit that may never happen. The lines of communication between all people on the IEP team have gone from that of a basic rotary phone to a Skype video conference call, all because of the ePortfolio system.

Finally, I have found a form of documentation that has helped me go from overwhelmed and under productive, in the area of documentation, to highly organized and thoroughly engaged. I still am doing the same amount of documentation, if not more. However, there is a purpose behind why I am documenting, besides waiting for that mysterious audit. General education teachers can use this information to guide their teaching, even if we do not have a common planning time. Parents can use this information to follow their child’s progress and hold authentic discussions with their child about their progress. The IEP team can use this information to guide the decision as to what the best goals, objectives and services may be for the child. For once, I am excited about the IEP meetings that will be held in the spring. I can’t wait to pull up the ePortfolio, and be able to discuss the progress that the child has made, and everyone is on the same page because the entire IEP team has had access to this information, literally at any time, within the past school year.

References:

Wormeli, Rick. Portfolios. Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom. Portland: Stenhouse, 2006. 43-44. Print

Stephanie Shouldis is an Intervention Specialist at Cassingham Elementary, an International Baccalaureate World School, in Bexley, Ohio. She graduated from Bowling Green State University in 2006 with her B.S. in Education, as an Intervention Specialist. An avid twitter user and participant in educational social media @WizardOzTeacher.

My Advice to New Educators

2011-09-15T09:09:00.005-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

This video was inspired by A Message to New Teachers by Mary Beth Hertz. In my video I talk about my own journey as an educator, as well as give a few tips based upon my own personal experiences.

Education in the U.S.A.

2011-09-07T01:40:00.012-05:00

By Eric Sheninger

All across the country, education is under attack on numerous fronts. No matter where you look, educators are to blame for the economic woes in many states. This is extremely puzzling to me, as it is well known that this downturn in our economy was a result of misguided, unregulated, or greedy practices of the private sector. Educators then became the scapegoats as a message of “shared sacrifice” swept the country.

How this makes sense to anyone is beyond me. Consider that the average starting teacher salary is $40,000 and may approach $85,000 after 25 years of service, nearing retirement. So now, as states cry foul about their unprecedented budget gaps, educators are made to look like kings and queens because of their pensions and health benefits. Isn’t it funny how everyone made fun of educators for choosing a profession that paid so little when the private sector was raking in the cash from the late 90’s through 2006? Like virtually every educator in our country, I didn’t go into this profession to become wealthy. I wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of students and hopefully inspire them, like so many of my teachers did me, to be life-long learners and pursuers of dreams.

Recently NJ was the latest state to pass landmark employee legislation curtailing the collective bargaining rights of state employees, including educators. It was an extremely sad day for me personally, as I saw my grandmother and parents, retired educators who dedicated themselves to helping all students learn, have their pensions targeted by politicians who have never stepped foot in a classroom. Is this how we now treat people that made one of the most important decisions of their lives to make less money in the field of education as opposed to more lucrative positions in other lines of work? How do we not value the work that these retirees did for our schools and children to help catapult our country to such an elite status?

What concerns me even more is how the work of educators is being devalued to the point that no one will want to pursue one of the most rewarding careers available. More than ever the field needs passionate individuals who have the drive, patience, and character to work with students that have diverse learning needs. As the seemingly relentless attacks continue, the incentive to become a part of the noblest profession decreases to a point that might be irreparable.

One might ask why I refer to education as the noblest profession. My answer stems from the fact that education is what makes all other professions possible. Take a minute and think about other career paths – doctors, lawyers, engineers, mechanics, scientists, politicians, entrepreneurs – and ask yourself if any level of education has had a impact on that person’s ability to perform and succeed in those jobs. I think your answer would be a resounding yes. It is time for the negative rhetoric, demonizing, and punishment of the education profession to stop. If anything, we need to work harder to establish education as one of the most esteemed career paths as other countries have done. We have to treat those people who are, or were, in the classrooms with respect and dignity. In my opinion, blaming teachers for economic turmoil caused by others will continue to have an adverse effect on the quality of those entering the profession as well as a domino effect on every other profession. I see something wrong with this picture, do you?

Eric is the Principal at New Milford High School located in Bergen County, NJ. He is passionate about establishing and fostering learning environments that are student-centered, collaborative, flexible, and prepare all learners to succeed in the 21st Century.

Photo Credit: write-to-learn.tumblr.com

As an educational administrator he firmly believes that effective communication, listening, support, shared decision making, and the integration of technology are essential elements necessary for the transformation of school cultures. Eric has emerged as an innovative leader in the use of social media and web 2.0 technology as tools to engage students, improve communications with stakeholders, and help educators grow professionally. Eric is a Google Certified Teacher, ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar, co-author of "Communicating and Connecting With Social Media: Essentials for Principals", writer for the Huffington Post, and was named to the NSBA "20 to Watch" list in 2010 for technology leadership. He now presents and speaks nationally to assist other school leaders embrace and effectively utilize technology. His blog, A Principal’s Reflections, earned first runner up in the Best Administrator Blog category in 2010 from Edublogs.

Eric began his career in education as a Science Teacher at Watchung Hills Regional High School where he taught a variety of subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Marine Biology, Ecology) and coached several sports (ice hockey, football, lacrosse). He then transitioned into the field of educational administration as an Athletic Director/Supervisor of Physical Education & Health and Vice Principal in the New Milford School District. During his administrative career he has served as District Affirmative Action Officer and is the current president of the New Milford Administrator’s Association. For more information on Eric visit http://ericsheninger.com.

Photo Credit: Todd Plitt, USA Today.

iBio: Debbie Miller

2011-09-07T01:12:00.003-05:00

By Debbie Miller

The iBio series is where people share their stories, their lives. I wanted to create a series focused on how people are succeeding or failing on their own terms - how they meet the challenges in their lives as well as the dreams they have for themselves.

Debbie Miller is a self-proclaimed social media addict whose acquaintance with the hospitality industry commenced in 2007 when she began working for a Visitor Bureau in Orange County, California. She now does search and social marketing for HyperDisk Marketing where she manages social media accounts for numerous hospitality clients, writes copy for their websites and optimizes content for SEO. She is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine and, enhanced by her degree in English, has an oddly-persistent knack for copywriting, editing and analyzing. And as the founder of @SocHospitality, she outlines ways businesses in the hospitality realm can use social media to strategically market, expand brand awareness, increase consumer interaction, etc.

Gates Foundation's $500,000 to Harvard a Sham

2011-09-04T09:11:00.014-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, Ed.D. Candidate

The Gates Foundation's 500 million dollar grant to Harvard's School of Education to "re-imagine" education is a sham and a joke! That money should have gone to HBCU's, which produces 50 percent of the country’s Black teachers and to the thousands of state colleges and universities whom actually prepare most of the country's teachers - including those in higher education.

Of course, Bill and Melinda can do what they want with their money. But they missed out on a real opportunity to "re-imagine" public education. Harvard, like many of the ivies, is dominated by White professors who come from the Ivy League and don't have extensive teaching experience in urban and rural K-12 schools. Nor do they have the real-life experiences with people of color needed to prepare future educators to become change agents in many of the country's worst schools. What they have is the "pedigree" for the media and policy-makers. But they don't have the educational street cred to be taken seriously in the real world.

Had I been consulted, I would have suggested the money be used to set up partnerships between Microsoft and Education departments at the best state teacher preparation programs in the country. In those new partnerships, pre-service as well as graduate level students would be taught not only how to use technology in the classroom, but how to take technology to transform their schools into global learning centers. What is more, I would have advocated for the money to fund exchanges or trips overseas for students to see first-hand what teachers are doing in their classrooms abroad. Lastly, I would have created Microsoft computer labs in as many urban and rural schools as possible - with a Microsoft Education leader on loan for a year to teach the existing teachers how to effectively use the technology.

To give the money to a school that already has a 27 million dollar endowment is a waste of the foundation's money and a failure to put innovation in the hands of people who are actually doing the bulk of the work. It is news like this that makes me want to buy a Macbook.

About the author -

Will Deyamport, III, is an Ed.D. Candidate, an education thought-leader and online content creator. His blog, PEOPLEGOGY, focuses on life and career developments. In addition to his 11 years of experience in education, he has interned with the likes of Ingrid Stabb and J. T. O’Donnell. Currently, Will is working on his dissertation, which focuses on using social media to individualize professional development for teachers.

My Anti-Bucket List

2011-09-01T09:42:00.013-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

This posting was inspired by Robin Roffer's latest blog post: My Anti-Bucket List. After reading hers, I decided to write my own.

I will never:

1. Hold on to negative emotions, memories or relationships.

2. Work with people who don't believe in me or my vision.

3. Listen to naysayers and haters.

4. Be bullied into doing something I don't want to do.

5. Take the Greyhound.

6. Work to steal someone else's dream.

7. Vote Republican.

8. Go back to school. This doctorate is it.

9. Complain about what I don't have. I've been blessed with so much.

10. Treat people like crap. Karma is a b****.

11. Give family members advice.

12. Not believe in myself and what I am capable of accomplishing.

13. Compromise on what I believe in. Some things are not negotiable.

14. Get romantically involved with a woman who has kids. By the way, I am married with no children.

15. Eat something Alfredo. Yuck!

16. Live in a ghetto neighborhood.

17. Watch Fox News.

18. Think I am bigger than my britches. It's Southern thing.

19. Buy an Apple computer. 2k for a laptop is robbery.

20. Work for less than I am worth.

What’s on your anti-bucket list?

Aspirin, Highlighters and Starbucks: Reflections on the Doctoral Journey

2011-08-27T16:47:00.003-05:00

By Ann Marie Klotz

Have you thought about obtaining a terminal degree in your field?

There are about a million reasons not to do so including, but not limited to, financial constraints, time away from family, the struggle of balancing school and work (if you choose to do both at the same time), and an overall increase in personal stress.

However there is one important reason to contemplate taking the plunge: It will qualify you for serious consideration for most jobs in your respective field. In short, obtaining a terminal degree is viewed as the new “membership card” for upper level positions. Just like American Express, I don’t want to leave home (or job search) without it.

I do not think everyone has to go back to school and obtain a doctorate. But I have always known that my field (Higher Education) and my age (currently 32) was going to require me to have additional academic qualifications in order for me to reach the upper levels of administration. This was not necessarily the case for the generation (or two) above me but as universities are increasingly looking to demonstrate the “legitimacy” of professionals in Student Affairs, a terminal degree can begin to even the playing field between faculty and staff.

When I applied for admission to doctoral programs there were three colleges to consider that would allow me to continue to live and work in my preferred geographical location. In the end it came down to one factor—finances. I was accepted at the institution where I am employed and therefore I would receive full tuition remission. For my partner and I, it was a “no-brainer.” I am still paying back loans from my undergraduate and graduate degree so this seemed like a good opportunity to complete a degree without incurring any more debt.

This is an excerpt from my blog post (www.annmarieklotz.wordpress.com) about my early experiences as a doctoral student:

“I have never found myself saying/thinking “I can’t do this” more than the past two years in my doctoral program in higher education. The amount of reading/analyzing/producing is exhausting and progress is slow towards even getting close to being able to START the dissertation process.
It’s isolating. Only people who are in doctoral programs or have completed them understand this. Your social life takes a major hit. All of the tricks that I employed to successfully complete other pieces of my educational journey don’t apply. It’s you and your books.”

As I start my third (and final!) year in classes I am reminded of something a member of my dissertation committee once told me. She said “When you complete classes you will be 20% finished with the degree.” I hear those words in my head all the time. While I am excited to finish classes this spring I am reminded that the true test will occur when I am not held accountable by homework and grades. It will be just me and research.

There is a reason why the barista at Starbucks knows my name, the cashier at the drug store smiles at me as I buy more asprin and I get excited when Staples has a sale on highlighters. I ‘m a doctoral student and these are my tools to survive/thrive this process.

I would say more about this I’m off to get an iced grande soy chai.

Till next time!
Ann Marie

Ann Marie is a third year doctoral student at DePaul University where she is also employed as an Assistant Director in the Department of Residential Education. Follow her on Twitter @annmarieklotz.

iBio: Will Deyamport

2011-08-27T10:22:00.006-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

The iBio series is where people share their stories, their lives. I wanted to create a series focused on how people are succeeding or failing on their own terms - how they meet the challenges in their lives as well as the dreams they have for themselves.

Will Deyamport, III, MSEd is a teaching and learning scholar-practitioner and online content creator with more than 11 years of experience in course and workshop design, program development, and experiential learning. In addition, he is the founder of Peoplegogy.com, and he is a thought-leader with a keen eye for innovation, trends, and the educational applications of digital and social media. You can find Will on Twitter as well as on Youtube and LinkedIn.

iBio: Leah MacVie

2011-08-25T01:04:00.005-05:00

By Leah MacVie

The iBio series is where people share their stories, their lives. I wanted to create a series focused on how people are succeeding or failing on their own terms - how they meet the challenges in their lives as well as the dreams they have for themselves.

Leah MacVie is a blogger, instructional designer, photographer, and former graphic and Web designer. She possesses a BFA from the University at Buffalo and a Master’s in Educational Computing from the SUNY College at Buffalo. In her spare time, she is focusing on finding out more about DIY and informal learning. She loves everything DESIGN: instructional, identity, graphic, Web, and educational technologies like Softchalk. Find her on Twitter at @leahmacvie.

HBCU’s: Relevant or Relics?

2011-08-24T17:08:00.008-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

HBCU’s or Historically Black Colleges and Universities graduate over half of all Black professionals in the U.S. They produce over 50 percent of the country’s Black teachers and 70 percent of the Black dentists. Even more, most Black folks who go on to earn a Ph.D. have earned their bachelor’s degree at an HBCU (United Negro College Fund, 2011). Yet, with those statistics, critics of HBCU’s argue that their time has come and gone, and that they are no longer needed.

As someone who attended an HBCU, Tougaloo College, I can speak from personal experience the great work being done at those institutions. When I arrived on campus in August of 1992, it was the first time in my life; I was surrounded by so many driven, determined, and forward-thinking Black minds. I was forever changed by that experience.

You see, HBCU’s do more than prepare students for the academic rigors of one’s chosen field of study. They teach students to love themselves and that they come from a people who are more than side-notes, side-kicks, and stereotypes. What is more, they instill in its students a sense of pride and confidence, and empower them to take direction over the course of their own lives. Now that may seem irrelevant or something out of a James Brown song. But when you are the first in your family to go to college or come from a community in which the only people who get out of the neighborhood are rappers or ballplayers, being in an environment where you are nourished and your sense of self is nurtured and your intellect cultivated is life-changing. There aren’t any words for what that means to your future success.
I left Tougaloo after 2 years to go to Film School. Still, to this day not graduating from there is one of my biggest regrets in life. I know that I wouldn’t be who I am and where I am without my time at Tougaloo. The people I met there had a profound impact on my life.

To those who think HBCU’s are inferior or not necessary in this multiracial, multilingual global marketplace, consider the success of such notable HBCU alumni: Oprah, Tom Joyner, Dr. Ruth Simmons (president of Brown University), Tanika Ray (Designer and Host on HGTV), Spike Lee, Shaun Robinson (host on “Access Hollywood"), and Jacque Reid (journalist), just to name a few. And consider that the enrollment of White, Latino, and Asian students (around 20 percent) have been on the rise at the 105 HBCU’s (BET). In fact, a couple of years ago, Morehouse’s Valedictorian was White.

So check out an HBCU and see what they have to offer. You never know. One just may be the right fit for you.

iBio: Mary Beth Hertz

2011-08-20T18:20:00.011-05:00

By Mary Beth Hertz

Welcome to the second installment of the iBio series. The iBio series is where people share their stories, their lives. I wanted to create a series focused on how people are succeeding or failing on their own terms - how they meet the challenges in their lives as well as the dreams they have for themselves.

Mary Beth Hertz is a Technology Teacher in North Philadelphia. She blogs at Philly Teacher and can be found on Twitter as @mbteach.

Career Talk with Robin Roffer

2011-08-17T16:52:00.004-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

Robin Roffer is a Branding Expert and Reinvention Specialist. She is the author of Make A Name For Yourself: 8 Steps Every Woman Needs To Create A Personal Brand Strategy For Success and The Fearless Fish Out Of Water: How To Succeed When You’re The Only One Like You. She’s also CEO, Big Fish Marketing, Inc.

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Life Changing Event

2011-08-14T02:47:00.006-05:00

By Diahann Boock, MBA

When I was first asked to write on this topic, I was somewhat intimidated. Such a big topic and seemingly very personal. My mind raced from BIG events that were as game changing as the invention of the telephone to daily events that occur somewhat unnoticed, like what you missed because you were 10 minutes late due to the fact you arrived in your garage and found yourself wearing two different shoes. Something that you must remedy immediately. Movies seem to capture these dichotomies well. Obvious life changing events captured on film captivate our attention. Think about the movies It Could Happen to You, or Home Alone. Winning the lottery or forgetting your child will certainly leave a mark on your life. Conversely, Sliding Doors demonstrated a life’s path if they had just caught the noon train…or not. Each option creates a new branch of life.

But what life changing event would I be able to write about? Did I have any? Were there some of which I had control? I admit it took some thought, as when you are the one changing, it’s almost evolutionary and somewhat unconscious. But yet, there was a choice I made consciously that changed my life. I got a passport.

First, I never had any desire to travel where I needed a passport. I’d ventured throughout North America, where you could travel freely with your birth certificate. That seemed exciting and worldly. By comparison, it was far more travel than most people entertained. Someone asked me if I’d consider Europe and I responded “Why would I want to go somewhere that I’d have to spend 8 hours on a plane? That would take up two days of vacation, just traveling”.

Then it happened. While studying for my MBA the University offered an international study trip. A group of class members decided to take Europe by Storm. France, UK, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. School would last about 1 week and we’d bum around Europe for an additional two weeks. This is where it started: I needed a passport. I needed a backpack. I needed to plan. A lot of planning (very difficult for a non-detail oriented person).

The flight was uneventful, all you can really ask for in a flight. I slept like a baby. But, it took me about 10 minutes out of customs to realize there was a whole other world out there. I had been limited by my experience. Everything was different. I was visiting one continent with 5 different currencies, 5 different languages, 5 different histories, 5 different architectures, 5 different scents and 5 different tastes. The different list goes on and on. Every place I went was strikingly different than the place before. After this taste, I was hooked. Traveling is now my drug of choice. Something I had no desire to do became the thing I desired most.

Each destination has so much to offer. My most recent trip is always my favorite or best trip. These doses of others realities change my life before, during and after.

Before: I am made aware of ‘all’ there is in the destination. By studying, I have an idea of history and economy. I learn the cool vs. interesting. I sometimes have to go through rigorous pre-trip heath checks and shots to ensure my safety. The lesson is to be informed about your destination and understand their conditions.

During: Seems obvious, but it is easy to go places and do nothing. When there, one must take advantage of every minute of the opportunity. Some good, street festivals; some not to good, bull fights. The lesson is to be open to a different experience than you experience in the life you lead on a daily basis.

After: Photos. I relive every trip though thousands of photos. These help me determine where I must return some day. It also enables me to document great itineraries for others. I share my experiences with those who may never get to go and with others in comparison. Travel stories are always a welcome addition to most conversations and are often a great ice breaker when meeting new acquaintances. The lesson is to share the experience with others.

At this point, I do not remember not traveling to new, different and exotic destinations that require a passport. My goal is to explore all our continents; some over and over again. This is a life lesson that has made me aware. This is a life lesson that has thankfully taught me tolerance and acceptance. This life changing event is continuously giving with each travel experience I choose to make.

Diahann Boock, MBA is the President and founder of Women's Ally, Inc. Diahann is a career management strategist who is passionate about helping people realize their full potential. Considering we spend more than 100,000 hours of our lifetime working, succeeding beyond measure is an achievable goal with dedication, resources and allies to help you get there. She consults with employers and employees on how to be successful in the ever-changing workplace environment. You can reach Diahann directly at dboock@WomensAlly.com or 847.630.9901.

Career Talk with Angela Maiers

2011-08-12T14:23:00.004-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

Angela Maiers is an award-winning educator, speaker, consultant and professional trainer known for her work in literacy, leadership and global communications. She is a consistently energized and recognized worldwide speaker greatly impacting leadership through not only the education field, but the international business community as well. Challenging educational philosophies and business ethics, Angela strives to achieve total synergy and unstoppable energy by reconstructing the thought process of many dated ideologies. You can find Angela at Angela Maiers Educational Services (515.554.2004) and at @angelamaiers.

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Check out Angela's TED Talk here:

Education Speak with Shelly Terrell

2011-08-09T15:48:00.006-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

Shelly Sanchez Terrell is a passionate educator and author of The 30 Goals Challenge. Shelly is also the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E, and she is the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, Edchat and the Virtual Round Table conference. You can find Shelly on her blog, Teacher Reboot Camp or on Twitter, @ShellTerrell.

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What Happens on Google Stays Online Forever: My RSCON3 Presentation

2011-08-08T12:13:00.008-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

On July 29, 2011 at 12:30pm CST, I conducted my first presentation for the Reform Symposium at RSCON3. I was nervous, excited, scared, and exhilarated. So many thoughts ran through my mind as I saw people entering the room. As the numbers grew, the reality of what I was about to do set in. I was about to present for an online conference for the first time and that my presentation had the opportunity to be viewed by thousands or even millions of people worldwide. I smiled and joked, and I tried to shake off the nerves. Before I knew it, Chris Rodgers, my moderator, told me it was time.

Presenting at RSCON3 was something I'd never felt or experienced. I was a part of an international movement - an almost non-stop 3 day global ed carnival. There were 80 Presenters, 12 Keynotes, and 4 Panels. It didn't matter what you taught or what grade level or academic specialty, RSCON3 had something for everyone.

Aside from my own presentation, I attended several other presentations, including my wife's, and a few of the key note addresses. It was a powerful and rewarding experience - a confirmation of the reach the effectiveness of online learning and collaboration. It's a model I support every state department of education adopting. There is nothing better than a conference for teachers designed by teachers. And I could absorb it all from the comforts of my living room.

I look forward to presenting at RSCON4. You can see my presentation below. Please feel free to leave a comment.

Will Deyamport, III, MSEd is the former Chief Social Strategist for StrengthsFactors. A filmmaker and Family Life Educator by training, Will has interned for J.T. O'Donnell and has worked in the field of education for 11 years. He has a B.A. Film Production, a B.S. in Child and Family Studies and an MSEd in Professional Studies in Education. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management at Capella University.

The Value of my Online Graduate Degrees: It’s an Intense Journey and worth Every Penny

2011-08-06T19:39:00.007-05:00

By Natasha L. Foreman, MBA

I was asked to write about my experience as a graduate student attending for-profit online universities, and why it has been one of the best investments in my life so far. It is important to see where I have been, see where I am going, to understand why I made the decision to transition from a traditional brick and mortar non-profit university to a controversial, yet highly competitive online learning environment ten years later.

Some people question why I did not attend my alma mater, California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) when I pursued my MBA. My answer is simple…CSULB had a waiting list up the wazoo and I would have been waiting for what would seem like forever just to be admitted into the program. So then why didn’t I apply to an Ivy League school? Well, for three reasons. First, if the waiting list at a prominent state university was ridiculously long, how long of a wait do you think I would have had applying for an MBA program at one of these other universities? Second, other than maybe a thirty-five minute commute to the University of Southern California (USC), there was no way that I was going to relocate to another part of the state or across the nation just to attend an Ivy League school. Lastly, and possibly most importantly, have you checked out the cost of tuition at those schools?

I have always been focused and concerned with getting the best education, but to pack my bags and move two to three years so that I could have bragging rights and tuition two to three times what I was accustomed to, was and is ridiculous…for me and what I need. I began to search for universities that spoke to me, provided me with the education and knowledge that I desired as a business consultant and future educator, and that would challenge my mind. I don’t like the easy road, I don’t like short-cuts, and I don’t want an easy “A”; I want to earn everything I receive, and the blood, sweat and tears that goes along with the hard work. So after searching high and low for a competitive university that would be worth every penny invested my search was narrowed to about four schools.

I was at a time in my life where I was also contemplating relocating to another state as I was preparing myself for marriage and family. I needed to attend an accredited school where units were transferable, and I would have the flexibility in my schedule to balance school, my career, and my family life. The answer was clear…Kaplan University. I was nervous about taking online courses, but was confident that my limited experience with online classes at CSULB along with my passion for the Internet would be sufficient enough. I fell in love with Kaplan, my advisory team, my instructors, and the intense workload. Kaplan University has an intense MBA program that requires those students passionate about excellence to invest the most time and energy to succeed.

The easiest part of the program was attending my graduation, and I love that. Kaplan’s online program spoke to my needs as a night owl, so I could work aggressively in my career as a business consultant for half of my day, and focus like a soldier in my academic program the other half of the day. I didn’t have to commute, didn’t have to worry about traffic or finding a parking space on campus; I was able to create and navigate my schedule my way. But even this was no walk in the park. Taking online classes requires outstanding time management skills, dedication, determination, and a can-do attitude. If you are a procrastinator or have poor time management skills, online learning may not be right for you. If you can barely juggle your responsibilities with work and home obligations, online learning may not be the best fit. You literally may have to devote 30-40 hours to research, studying, working on projects and assignments, and participating in discussion threads and in learning team activities. It can feel like a full-time job, but without the bi-weekly or monthly paychecks.

So what possessed me to apply to Capella University soon after my MBA graduation with Kaplan University? Honestly, there are two reasons, the first being that I hadn’t married and had children yet so I decided that this was the best time to earn my PhD, before family became an excuse to not follow through with that dream. Secondly, many of the colleges I wanted to teach business courses through were now requiring instructors to have terminal degrees. I want to teach business courses online and in face-to-face environments, and I didn’t want to waste moments contemplating whether to pursue my doctorate while life past me by…so I began researching brick and mortar, and online doctoral programs. I made contact with Capella University and they knew Kaplan’s system, had a respectful relationship, and would accept many of my MBA units that would apply towards my PhD electives. Even after taking MBA courses, I didn’t know what I was up against when I began my doctoral program with Capella.

There are times I literally stop and burst out into tears as the overwhelming feeling of intense stress seizes my body. The amount of research, course work, and studying has most definitely doubled or even tripled from the work I was expected to do and master in my MBA program. To look back at my Bachelor’s Degree, I could repeat that work with my eyes closed- and that is no knock to my awesome alma mater, CSULB or their fabulous professors. What I mean by that is that earning your PhD is no cake walk. There are no laugh and giggles, partying, and moments of joy while trying to keep your eyes open at 4am and 5am. No, soon after you begin your program, you realize that the only time you will truly be laughing, giggling, partying, and having fun is when you are completely done with your work, and you have crossed the stage at graduation as a Doctor of Philosophy in your area of specialty. No one knows what you are going through except other doctoral learners, and those warriors who have already earned their degree. At times it can be a very lonely space to live within.

Kaplan University and Capella University are in the ranks with those same Ivy League schools that people thought I should have attended. These two universities mean business, provide a level of education that can’t be messed with or logically challenged, stand for excellence and expect excellence from their learners. I was told that a couple of months ago a Harvard Business School professor attended a Capella University event and declared that after much research, digging, comparing and analyzing, Capella University’s online business and technology program is the equivalent to Harvard Business School. This professor expressed his level of respect for what Capella has done, is doing, and plans to do; and the level (and intensity) of the coursework provided to students. He was beyond impressed.

Kaplan and Capella’s professors are not just academics who sit back reading about (and then regurgitating to students) what is going on in their industries; our professors are members of and work within these industries- so as students we are getting knowledge from those professionals who have hands-on experience and expertise in these fields. Who better to learn from and bounce ideas off? They are not just PhD’s they are PhDO’s- they are doing what they teach. I have learned a great deal from both of these institutions, and have applied my learning to my business consulting practice, and I look forward to teaching business courses in the very near future. I thank CSULB, Kaplan, and Capella for helping to guide and mold me as I have developed and grown as a woman and entrepreneur of excellence. My investment in my education has been worth every penny!

Natasha is currently pursuing her PhD in Organization and Management with a specialization in Management Education, and a Post-Master’s Certificate in College Teaching through Capella University. She plans to teach business courses to students and individuals on the collegiate and community-based level. Natasha is also the CEO, Managing Consultant, and woman behind the business consulting firm, Foreman & Associates, LLC. Her company works with prospective, new, and existing business owners who need assistance with start-up, management and operations, research and development, administrative support, and training services. Natasha can be reached at natasha@foremanandassociates.info.

For more information about Foreman & Associates, LLC visit: www.foremanandassociates.info

How to Prepare for a Conference

2011-07-31T08:52:00.008-05:00

By Eva Lantsoght

You’ve selected a great conference in your field, had your abstract and paper accepted, and are now wondering on what’s coming up next. Writing a paper takes a serious amount of time, but don’t underestimate the other parts of your preparation for the conference. If you’re interested in the amount of time every single step takes me as a PhD student in civil engineering, you’re most welcome to check out this post:

Here’s a list of steps you typically need to take before heading out to the conference.

1. Your presentation
I read that a minute of public speaking takes an hour of preparation. In fact, after giving a few similar presentations on my research topic, I still need enough time to compose a good presentation. Keep the following guidelines in your mind:

- Know your audience
Are you presenting to researchers or people from the industry? Are you presenting to people from your niche only, or is the audience broader? Determine this before you start making your presentation.

- Know all the requirements
Before you start making your slides, take a few moments to check the guidelines of the organizers. Check which material is available at the conference for your presentation. Check the requirements with regard to time.

- Slides
There’s plenty of information online on how to make clear slides. Don’t write entire sentences on your slides, make sure the font is large enough and make sure present your slides in a visually attractive way.

- Practice
Practice makes perfect. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to practice. If possible, practice your presentation before the conference with some colleagues or your advisor. Keep track of the time you need for your presentation, and if necessary, increase or reduce the amount of slides you have.

2. Networking
Your presentation is not your only chance to talk about your research during the conference. Make sure you can describe the topic of your research in less than five sentences and have your business cards ready.

Identify a few speakers or persons from the organizing or scientific committee with whom you’d like to talk. You can look at the abstracts or titles of the presentations to determine with whom you’d like to share thoughts. Alternatively, you can check the names of the organizing or scientific committee. If none of these names are familiar to you, you can try to find some papers by these scientists, so you have a starting point for your conversation.

However, avoid talking exclusively to people you planned to talk to. Let yourself be guided by surprise, you might end up having the most interesting conversation with the person who was standing in front of you in the line to the lunch buffet. Break out of your comfort zone, and avoid the safe option of only talking to fellow PhD students and young researchers. If you are traveling with colleagues, make sure you take the time to meet people.

3. Prepare for the sessions
Don’t wait until the conference has started to determine which session you would like to attend. Print out the schedule, and identify which talk you definitely want to attend. Highlight these, and then plan your conference. With planning your conference I mean the following:

- Look for a topic with which you are completely unfamiliar, and attend a session on it to broaden your perspective.

- Check when you will be taking the time to visit the exhibitors.

- When will you be checking out the posters, and will the same posters be available for the entire conference or will they change daily?

Make sure your planning is possible – you don’t want to be running from one building to another and get completely exhausted by lunch. Allow yourself and your brain time to process everything.

4. Prepare for traveling
To avoid getting stressed out right before catching your plane, make sure you have everything ready. This includes: train tickets, flight tickets, hotel reservation, confirmation of your registration at the conference. Definitely check on that last one – it happened to me this year that I arrived at a conference, finding out that I was not registered and had to spend the first morning of the conference filling out forms, rushing back and forth and trying to get in touch with the administration services of my university at 9 hours time zone difference away.

Don’t forget to check visa requirements if you’re traveling abroad, and check the expiration date of all your important documents. All this should make sure that traveling itself does not take up too much of your energy to avoid that you arrive at the conference exhausted from traveling.

How do you prepare for a conference? I’d love to read your stories in the comments section below.

Eva Lantsoght is a structural engineer currently pursuing a PhD at Delft University of Technology on the topic of shear in one-way reinforced concrete slabs. Originally from Lier, Belgium, she received an Engineering Degree from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and a MS from Georgia Tech. At her blog PhD Talk, she blogs about her research, the process of doing a PhD, the non-scientific skills you need during your PhD, living abroad and her travels.

Don't Forget the Social part of Social Media

2011-07-30T08:57:00.008-05:00

By Will Deyamport,III, MSEd

There are a lot of social media gurus, evangelists, experts, strategists, and savants on social media. Some really engage and interact with folks. Others just post and post and post and post without a single interaction with anyone else.

Their mission is to sell you something. But social media ain't a space for selling your trinkets or listening to customer complaints. It's about engagement, empowerment, networking, and collaboration. I, for one, find it annoying that anyone would get on Twitter and/or Facebook and just try to sell me their crap.

Those spaces are for posting good content - for sharing ideas, interests, and passions, for building relationships, and for discovering ways in which those ideas, interests, passions, and relationships can develop into future projects. Maybe I am just a simple educator. But I don't see the point in just sending out autotweets or bombarding your feed with spam - hoping and praying you'll drum up some business in the process.

The main idea and the greatness of social media is that it is social. Conversations and events happen in real-time. I can keep up with conferences or follow the president's address or hear about what's unfolding at the site of a natural disaster. Additionally, I can meet and develop relationships with people I would have never met without the opportunities afforded to me via social media. I can also interact with colleagues or experts across a multitude of fields. And if it fancies me, I say hello to @onlysarahshahi .

Whatever your reasons for being involved in social media, don't forget to be social. It's a dialogue - not a monologue!

Will Deyamport, III, MSEd is the founder of this blog. With over 11 years of experience in the field of education, he held the positions of Chief Social Strategist for StrengthsFactors and Campus Outreach Coordinator (intern) at CAREEREALISMcampus.com. Will has a B.A. in Film Production, a B.S. in Child and Family Studies, and an MSEd in Professional Studies in Education. Will is currently working on an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Management from Capella University. Will’s future plans include leading a center or institute at a university and teaching as an adjunct at an HBCU.

Technology is Not New

2011-07-29T10:12:00.005-05:00

By Tammy Brown

Technology is not new. When I taught fourth grade I taught those nine years olds about the technological advances and new technology developed by the Archaic Indian culture. Throughout history humans have made their lives easier and, for the most part, better by thinking outside the box and developing tools to make those changes.

Now, flash forward to the 21st century. Today hundreds of new technologies are developed by the day. Each year when I teach my sixth graders about the industrial revolution of the United States and the time of the great inventors it is so very easy for them to grasp the idea of all the new advances that were developed because they live in such a time now. We as the adults in the classroom, in the front office, and up the street at the board offices are the ones that can’t quite grasp this idea of new technologies and just how it’s supposed to make our lives better.

We view these as nuisances, distractions, and “just another thing we can’t afford”. School systems are paying technology directors, technology integrations specialists, and technicians for their technology departments and I do applaud them for that effort. My question is, “why?” We’ve said we’re striving to make sure our students will be ready for the world that lies outside of high school, but are we? How can we be when we view new things in such negative ways? How can we prepare them for their world when we want them to conform to our current world and we can’t even grasp the current one?

Our technology departments have become nothing but a department that a lot of schools systems have given over to the operations department. Maintenance…we’re maintaining the status quo. If we truly believe it is our job to prepare our students we need to quit maintaining technology and embrace it, look for new ways to use what we have, expect more out of the lessons being taught, expect more out of the professional development opportunities offered to teachers. The adults in schools should look at technology like the Archaic Indians did; technology is a tool not a different subject matter. If we viewed technology for what it is instead of thinking “I don’t have time to teach it” then we could embrace it and use it to teach our lessons about the Archaic Indians.

The “digital natives” in our classrooms, all 30+ of them, see technology today just as the Archaic Indians viewed the atlatl. It’s a tool to be used to do every day activities, to make things easier, more efficient, faster, with more creativity and fun. We need to begin to embrace their future and speak their language and move from being “digital aliens” into the new world of “digital immigrants”.

I believe that if we truly care about our students’ future technology and all the tools will become part of our everyday life and we’ll learn to use these things to the fullest potential.

Tammy Brown is entering her 19th year of teaching in the Madison County School System where she teaches American History to the sixth graders at Central School. She began her career teaching first grade and has also taught fourth grade. She has a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with a focus in Technology Integration. She is a Microsoft Master teacher, a certified SMART teacher, and the 2011 recipient of the Alabama State Department of Education’s Marbury Technology Innovation Award in the middle school division.

All Things Considered with Elisa Doucette

2011-07-22T11:58:00.003-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

Elisa Doucette is a freelance writer and editor based out of Portland, ME. She writes kick-ass sassy and direct pieces about relationships, life lessons, activism, young professionals and women for magazines, websites and anyone looking for a little truth on Ophelia's Webb.

Her work has been featured on Brazen Careerist, iGrad, The Middle Finger Project, MaineToday, Portland Press Herald, The Boston Globe, Current Publishing, and many others. Additionally, she is a featured contributor at Forbes.com and Forbes Women, where she writes the blog Shattering Glass.

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Invitation to RSCON 3

2011-07-21T15:38:00.008-05:00

By Shelly Terrell (SEO) and Will Deyamport, III, MSEd (Video)

In a few days, nearly 8000 educators from over 40 different countries are expected to attend a free 3 day virtual conference, The Reform Symposium, #RSCON3. This free award-nominated e-conference is going to take place on July 29-31st, 2011. Participants can attend this online conference from the comfort of their homes or anywhere that has Internet access. This amazing conference provides educators new or currently active on social networks the opportunity to connect with educators and professionals in the field of education worldwide. With over 12 Keynotes, 80 presenters, and 3 keynote panel discussions you are bound to be inspired!

- View the schedule to plan which presentations you will attend!
- Download the flyer to share with your school!
- Watch this Youtube video of January 2011's conference!
- See if your school will count this as continuing education credit!
- Consider hosting a viewing party!

We would like to thank the incredible organizers- Shelly Terrell, Kelly Tenkely, Chris Rogers, Lisa Dabbs, Melissa Tran, Clive Elsmore, Mark Barnes, Ian Chia, Cecilia Lemos, Jerry Blumengarten, and Kyle Pace- and Steve Hargadon of Classroom 2.0 and The Future of Education online communities for making this incredible conference possible.

We hope you can join us for this incredible professional development experience!

The Business of You with A. Lenise: Publisher and Editorial Director of Kouture Magazine

2011-07-21T11:52:00.026-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

"Kouture magazine is the premier publication that exclusively showcases fashion and beauty by today’s top designers and brands. Kouture converts exclusive access enjoyed by celebrities and socialites into real time information that our readers can use for themselves– giving them the confidence to buy straight off the page.

A. Lenise is the Publisher and Editorial Director of Kouture Magazine.

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Blogging Cafe with Noel Rozny

2011-07-20T11:41:00.008-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III

Noel Rozny is the Web Editor and Content Manager at myFootpath, a career and education resource for students of all ages. Noël writes and edits the career and education blog, myPathfinder and is passionate about using these technologies to help students and job seekers find the degree program or career that’s right for them.

Find her on Twitter or on her personal blog at French Christmas.

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Twitter Dinner Party: My Top 7 People on Twitter I want to Meet

2011-07-18T16:45:00.017-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

Photo Credit: http://www.wwrepcamh.org

For those who don't know me, I am a huge fan of dinner parties. I love everything about them - the food, the community, and the conversation. This blog post is inspired by my ultimate dinner party list, comprised of the people on Twitter I'd most like to meet in person.

The people on the list come from different fields, educational backgrounds, and are at different stages in their lives. Some are major players in their field, while others are a move away. They each represent what I like best in guests: ambition, intelligence, warmth, and a positive outlook on life.

Welcome to my ultimate Twitter dinner party.

1. Dr. Teesha is a highly trained and experienced Sex Therapist, based in Vancouver, BC. Her honesty, insight and academic background have helped to transform the lives of countless men and women who have struggled to overcome their personal issues and achieve the kind of sexual satisfaction they have always dreamed of. Her background is based in the psychological sciences – as she obtained a Bachelors of Science with a Major in Psychology, a Masters of Counselling specializing in Sex Therapy, an Associate in Sex Education and Clinical Sexology certificate, and a Doctorate in Human Sexuality. Dr. Teesha is one of the few Sex Therapists and Clinical Sexologists in Vancouver

2. @opheliaswebb - is Elisa Doucette. She is a freelance writer and editor based out of Portland, ME. Her writing is honest and real as she tackles an array of issues and topics related to relationships, life lessons, activism, young professionals and women. Elisa's work can be found on Brazen Careerist, iGrad, The Middle Finger Project, MaineToday, Portland Press Herald, The Boston Globe, Current Publishing, as well as her blog and the Shattering Glass at Forbes.com and Forbes Women.

3. @DianaAntholis is a Strategy Consultant for Performance Advantage Inc, a training and consulting firm dedicated to making people feel better about work and work smarter in the workplace. With an MA in Organizational Management, she focuses on researching organizational behavior and work/life management issues. Her career experience is in advertising and fashion marketing at top New York City and San Diego agencies. She is also the founder of Enter: Adulthood, a blog dedicated to young adults who are transitioning into the world. Her ebook: The Conquer Your Career. It covers developing yourself, enhancing your image, getting hired, managing your future... Use the code "peoplegogy" and receive $10 off (so the ebook will be $15 instead of $25).

4. @RobinRoffer is a reinvention and personal branding specialist. She is the author of Make A Name For Yourself: 8 Steps Every Woman Needs To Create A Personal Brand Strategy For Success and The Fearless Fish Out Of Water: How To Succeed When You’re The Only One Like You. She’s also CEO, Big Fish Marketing, Inc.

5. @ShellTerrell is a passionate educator and author of The 30 Goals Challenge. Shelly is also the VP of Educator Outreach for Parentella and the Social Media Community Manager for The Consultants-E, and she is the co-organizer and co-creator of the award winning educational projects, The Reform Symposium E-Conference, Edchat and the Virtual Round Table conference. You can find Shelly on her blog, Teacher Reboot Camp.

6. @amydbarnett is Editor-in-Chief of EBONY Magazine, former Editor-in-Chief of Honey Magazine. And she is the author of GET YOURS: How to Have Everything You Ever Wanted and More.

7. @noelrozny is Web Editor & Content Manager at myFootpath, a career and education resource for students of all ages. Noël writes and edits the career and education blog, myPathfinder and is passionate about using these technologies to help students and job seekers find the degree program or career that’s right for them.

For dinner I am thinking of Italian. Who would be on your top 7 Twitter dinner party?

Word Games: The Case for Big Words

2011-07-14T11:29:00.004-05:00

By Chanelle Schneider

The use of big words should not be an indication of quality writing. Incessant use of multisyllabic terminology within the context of a narrative has the potential to signify logorrhea. In short, don’t be douchetastic.

Douchetastic, in the context of this narrative, means, simply, don’t use words solely because they sound intelligent. Doing so indicates elitism. Elitists, with their inclination towards closed-mindedness, have fostered the division we see between those who debate the journalistic standard of writing on an eighth grade reading level and those who believe writers shouldn’t underestimate their audience. Intelligence need not be a hallmark of the exceptional writer. Intelligence can be normal, too.

When a society divides itself into the exceptional and the normal, it leaves itself room for excuses. These excuses show up in phrases like “Real people don’t talk like that,” “Them big words ain’t cool,” and “Only people with small minds use big words.” You’ll find the latter phrase in The Cosby Show episode embedded below.

In a society where we converse in 160-character texts and 140-character Tweets, concision and clarity are key. However, must we sacrifice language’s innate complexity for clarity of message? The two can coexist. When a thought is clouded by words planted just to make it sound good, the message loses its simplicity and its ability to impact the broadest possible audience. A simple, easy to understand message can contain complex language, though. Only in the case of a clouded thought do we get the following example of douchetastic writing:

Theodore Huxtable, used to receiving A’s in high school English Composition but getting D’s in his college-level course, is thrown by his professor’s feedback on an essay he wrote: “I have never read such muddled thinking in all my life. You use too many words to express your thoughts and don’t understand the words you use.” His younger sister and her friend try to help him through his mental block in the following scene. The transcript of the relevant portion follows.

Carolyn: What are you writing about?

Theo: You wouldn’t understand. It’s college-level material. It’s not for infants.

Rudy: It was a haunting, cloudy day – one that conjured up images of destiny. Huh?
…
Carolyn: It sounds like you’re trying to impress your teacher with big words. Well, that never works.

Theo: How do you know?

Carolyn: My dad’s an editor of a newspaper. He always tells the new reporters when you write, keep it simple. Only people with small minds use big words.

If only people with small minds use big words, are college English professors small-minded? If so, why are we sending our children off to universities to be taught by small-minded people? As adults, the supposed mentors of young people and models of proper behavior, our actions should align with our teachings. We are teaching our children to value education, so we must value it ourselves. Valuing education includes teaching children the value of a well-placed phrase or well-chosen big word. We have nothing to fear from language, only from its improper use.

Chanelle Schneider, also known as @WriterChanelle on Twitter, is a Freelance Social Media Manager. The creator of There From Here, she writes insights into career development and life management for Generation Y with a specific focus on those older GenY’ers who have yet to graduate from college. Chanelle founded and moderates the cross-generational Twitter chat, #GenYChat, serving as community manager under the @GenYChat account.

30 Things About Me

2011-07-09T08:35:00.004-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

1. I am a Doctoral Student.
2. I am a huge fan of romantic comedies.
3. I have seen ever episode of 24.
4. When Harry Met Sally is in my top 10 movies of all time.
5. I drink coffee, but I am more a tea guy.
6. I am 37, and I am a PC.
7. I love traveling - especially to the east coast.
8. I cook. My specialty is spaghetti.
9. I love sweets - especially anything chocolate and key lime and pecan pie.
10. I had a root canal and it hurt like hell!
11. I am addicted to the internet - especially digital and social media.
12. I have a slight obsession with TV and movies - hence my B.A. in Film Production.
13. I don't make the bed.
14. I can't stand noise. In fact, I am hoping to move into a retirement community.
15. LOTR are my number 1 movies of all time.
16. I have seen all of the Twilight movies, and I love them.
17. I don't want any children. They make noise, cost money, and take away from me time.
18. I almost drowned.
19. I played drums in the Junior High Band.
20. I wear Versace Au Fraiche, Bulvgari Pour Homme, and Polo Pony #1.
21. I hate it when a burger is not cooked well.
22. I have a fondness for Sarah Shahi, Sanaa Lathan, and Yvonne Strahovski.
23. I have never been outside of the United States of America.
24. I want to visit London, Toronto, Vancouver, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Mecca.
25. I go to sleep with the TV on. I need it to keep my mind still.
26. I prefer to read business books written by women - except for Al Ries. Women tend to focus more on the self than on competition.
27. I don't drink white milk. I only use enough to wet my cereal.
28. I am afraid of heights, snakes, spiders, and scorpions.
29. My number 1 pet peeve is inconsiderate people.
30. I am going to dance on stage at my doctoral graduation.

The Teacher's Life Coach

2011-07-08T11:12:00.005-05:00

By Katie Hellerman

If there were one thing I could wish anyone in life, it would be clarity. The funny thing is that I don’t need to wish this for people. About 90 percent of life’s clarity comes from the individual. The thing is that most people spend the majority of their lives without any idea of where they are going or what they really want. I’m as guilty of this as anyone. I just took opportunities as they came to me. I figured fate was leading me somewhere. I went to a certain college, I became a teacher, I lived next to the ocean in a yurt, I learned how to create landscape designs, etc. Each place that fate took me was interesting and fun, and oftentimes I was very good at what I did. But I never found things to be satisfying. It wasn’t until recent years that I understood that I would only feel satisfied if what I was doing was connected to a deeper purpose. I had been living my life in a way that was a lot like putting on a blindfold and trying to hit the bowling pins. How could I ever expect to win the game if I didn’t know where or what the goal was?

Asking myself what I really wanted in life was actually pretty terrifying. I kept writing goals down and thinking, “I can’t do that! I shouldn’t even write it down. Everyone will think I’m crazy.” At one point, I broke down into complete sobs. Despite a great story I had told myself about my life thus far,I felt like I had wasted so much time in life by just floating around. As Jack Canfield said, “[I] got to the top of the ladder only to find out [I] had it leaning up against the wrong wall.” Even though it was terrifying to find out what I really wanted in life, it actually worked to my advantage. Now every project I do is connected to a deeper purpose. Even when I’m doing something totally boring like my taxes, all I need to do is figure out how it will get me to my ultimate goal and I find the energy to finish.

My lack of long-term personal vision was one of my biggest mistakes as a teacher. It caused me to get worked up about … well, everything, including what the summer reading was going to be or the gossip that was being spilled in the teacher’s lounge. I was winning the battles but losing the war. I didn’t have a perspective on life that was bigger than what was going on in school. What was my vision for my life? Where was I going? If I’d had a bigger vision for myself, I could have more carefully expended my energy.

The world needs people who live with passion, purpose and vision. No matter what your profession, I encourage you to take some time to really reflect on whether you are truly walking your path.

Katie Hellerman is a success coach for elementary and secondary school educators. Her work with them focuses on setting short-term goals that lead to the achievement of long-term life goals. Katie credits her deep understanding of the educational system to her three-year investigation under the guise of a substitute teacher. She observed and interviewed more than four hundred public and independent schoolteachers about their ability to be successful in their school system. Katie’s personal breakthrough in the discovery of the Teaching Game came about as she struggled and later succeeded in her second year as a high school Spanish teacher. She is a graduate of Smith College and holds a MEd in Secondary Education from Vanderbilt’s Peabody School of Education.

Best Practices for Gen Y on LinkedIn

2011-07-05T17:23:00.008-05:00

By Ed Han

If you’re like the vast majority of people, you probably are not getting the most out of the website that had the biggest technology IPO since Google back in 2004: LinkedIn.

As a LinkedIn trainer, when I begin any training session, I start by surveying attendees’ familiarity with the site. Without fail, at least 95% of responses are something like, “I’ve heard of it but haven’t really done anything with it”. And I know why: it’s because you haven’t seen a whole lot of reason or benefit in it.

Well, I’m here to tell you the reason and benefit in using it. It all comes down to one word.

Branding
A brand can be a very powerful thing.

When we talk about brands, it’s only natural nowadays to think both of household names such as Coca-Cola® but also of people like Apple CEO Steve Jobs. But this wasn’t always the case: most people needed to learn about personal branding in 1997 from Tom Peters in an incredibly influential Fast Company article, The Brand Called You.

When you Google (or search via Bing) for anything, very few people go beyond the first few links, never mind the first page. There may be millions of search results that extend for thousands of pages—but the 3rd page might as well be the 103rd page, for as often as people see it. And the truth is that very often, those first few results are all that you need. People put great trust in those first few links.

What happens if someone searches for your name? Try Googling yourself right now. Are you on the first page? For the vast majority of people, the first few results will be for someone else with the same name. That isn’t a desirable state of affairs.

LinkedIn provides a great way to place higher in the results—and in a way that not everyone is using. Social media is a great way to do so and you probably have heard that Facebook’s got nearly 700 million users. But this doesn’t mean you should invest more time in Facebook, because everyone is on it already. Using LinkedIn will help you stand out from the crowd.

As for how to do that, we need to start with your…

Profile
The basis for any LinkedIn account is the profile: the information you put out there about you. It goes without saying that you should add your educational and employment details, but the reason for doing this isn’t just for completeness: you can usually invite people to connect on the basis of having been classmates or colleagues. Therefore, more complete details make it easier to build a network.

There are three simple but often missed ways to make your profile stand out:

Profile pictures
A massive amount of the human brain is devoted to recognizing faces and interpreting what it sees there. I suggest leveraging that by giving them something to remember: your face. The LinkedIn Terms of Service require your profile picture to be a photograph, and specifically a headshot. Just remember to smile: a smile is engaging.

Headline
On the LinkedIn site, your name and picture will always be accompanied by this text. In short: it’s a billboard that appears with your name and face in highly-visible space. Treat it accordingly.

Status updates
You can post them on Facebook, Twitter, and you can do so on LinkedIn. I recommend posting at least once every two days, because it’s the only way to show someone viewing your profile how often you might be visiting. However, please note that people on LinkedIn expect updates no more than once or so per day. Updating your LinkedIn status as fast as some people use Twitter is a sure way to make sure people stop reading your status updates—or anything else you may post.

Groups
LinkedIn will let you join as many as 50 groups. It should go without saying that you should join groups for your alma mater and where appropriate, any other groups or organizations that apply. But also be aware that many large employers also have LinkedIn groups for current and/or former employees. This matters because you can usually invite someone to connect or send someone a message on the basis of shared membership in one (or more!) groups.

But groups aren’t just useful for broadening your list of connections. Indeed, groups are a great way to network. Industry or job-specific groups allow you to stay informed about new developments—or in some case, changes in legislation or major legal decisions that significantly impact the operating environment for anyone in that industry or performing that role. HR is certainly one field heavily impacted by legal decisions or legislation and it’s far from alone.

For as helpful as reading these discussions may be, it isn’t enough. A LinkedIn group allows any member to post a discussion or participate in one, and activity here can be tremendously helpful in raising one’s visibility. So become visible and participate in these discussions. If you can establish a reputation in a few groups for consistently providing insightful observations, that absolutely adds to your personal brand.

Summary
LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for branding and there is so much more that could be said about it. But don’t forget the most important lesson of social media. Social media differs from traditional media because it’s a two-way street: talking and listening. When you talk a lot, it’s hard to do a lot of listening.

Ed Han is a wordsmith with a passion for networking and helping job seekers optimally leverage opportunities. The holder of a B.A. in English literature from Albright College, Ed is a collaborative client champion with particular expertise in online communities, relationship management and influencing skills. As a veteran of several industries, including publishing, financial services and fashion, Ed has honed these skills and traits in many environments, from a major Wall Street firm to a small financial services start-up to a sales office for an overseas fashion brand.

Active in the community, Ed is serving as one of several facilitators for a confidential job search group in Princeton and as the Executive committee chair for the Professional Service Group (PSG) of Mercer County. Ed is also a LinkedIn trainer.

Lastly, Ed is active in major social media such as Twitter and LinkedIn, and writes a monthly column for the PSG of Mercer County newsletter geared towards job seekers, Staying Focused. You can follow Ed on Twitter here, see what he is doing on LinkedIn here or check out the weekly updates to his blog.

The Arrogance of the Academy

2011-07-01T07:01:00.023-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

I've been told by several folks in academia that my doctorate (expected graduation date: June 2012) will not count. That it is worthless and not credible to earn me a post for a tenured-track teaching position. I've heard that from people on The Chronical.com, The HigherEdJobs group on Linkedin, as well as folks who attend or teach at traditional brick and mortar universities. Some have gone so far as to say that, if they were on a faculty hiring committee, they would throw a for-profit university graduate's resume in the trash. Huh?

The truth is the "top tier" research schools are made up of a small list of schools. The ivy league is made up of an even smaller group of schools. That means that the majority of people who earn college degrees in this country, according to the academy, graduate from "inferior" universities. Throw in for-profit universities and the academy is off to the races to point out how "deficient" of an education I am receiving.

I earned both my bachelor's degrees in Radio, TV, and Film as well as Child and Family Studies from The University of Southern Mississippi. With such notable alumni as Cat Cora, Jimmy Buffet, Natalie Allen, Bruce Aust, Nan Kelley, and David Sheffield, to name a few, USM has produced some talented folks - people who have gone on to shape and define the industries they're in. But by the academy's standards, The University of Southern Mississippi was considered a waste of my time.

That kind of mindset is beyond arrogant. It's sanctimonious and way off base. To say that about doctorates from for-profit schools or schools outside of the "top ranked schools" is ridiculous and doesn't reflect the real world accomplishments of their graduates.

Capella University's School of Education has an excellent reputation. Not only is its teacher and school administrator preparation programs NCATE accredited, its School Counseling program as well as its programs in Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy (though not a part of the School of Education) are CACREP accredited.

The students in my doctoral cohort are professionals from across the country. They are principals, college coordinators and administrators and there is even a superintendent from California. Each of them bring their unique personal and professional experiences to the courseroom. I, for one, have learned a lot about the different issues and concerns facing both K-12 and higher ed professionals at every level. Likewise, I've heard about their triumphs and successes. And if they are indicative of the kind of student and education Capella has to offer, then I am honored to be counted among them.

We live in an ever-changing, technologically-driven world. Breakthroughs and innovations in ever sector (except for maybe public education) is a way of life. Yet, the academy and its followers are more focused on its elitist cast system, than recognizing and providing the kind of educational and professional experiences needed for the 21st century. Well, the academy can have their rankings. I have work to do.

My Aha Moment

2011-06-29T06:09:00.020-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

Photo Credit: realestateforeclosuresinvesting.com

For the past 2 years, I've immersed myself in social media. During which, I've had the opportunity to exchange ideas, resources, network, and even collaborate on a few projects. With one group in particular (K-12 educators), I've developed a close bond with these unappreciated heroes. But, something has been brewing and I've finally accepted it.

As much as I know teaching and learning and/or how to work with young people, I am not a K-12 educator. I had a great run with GEAR UP. But, my time working with young people is over. To acknowledge this scares me because I don't want to loose the community I'm so fond of. However, I can't ignore the signs and the feeling in my gut.

I am invigorated and renewed by digital and social media. I marvel at how each has the power to produce images, conversations, connections, and collaborations that can change the world. The issues or topics I am most passionate about revolve around life and career developments. Whether it is personal branding, which college major to choose, listening to one's inner voice, or how to have a sexually fulfilling life, I am drawn to those topics related to individuals living their best lives. And, it's time I get to the business of living my own.

This is a new and exciting next chapter in my life. I've already connected with Diana Antholis - author, blogger, and career and work/life consultant at Performance Advantage,inc, and many, many other thought-leaders and experts across several fields and disciplines. I am also in the process of building a different community - which I hope to be able to develop the same kind of bond I have with K-12 educators.

I'll let you know how everything goes.

Web-Based Education and the Obsolete Four-Year Degree

2011-06-24T12:17:00.004-05:00

By Lindsey Wright

The traditional structure of a four-year degree program is one with which all college-bound students are familiar. Yet with the growing reliance on technology in today’s society, such a rigid program may no longer be necessary. Completing part or all of a college degree online is now a viable option as more and more schools embrace the innovations of Web-based education.

The Future of the Four-Year Degree

The idea that a degree program must be completed in four years is slowly becoming obsolete. As the prices of gasoline, food and other basic commodities rise, more people are finding it necessary to work in order to sustain themselves through college. If you’re in such a situation, you may discover that you need more than four years to tackle the courses necessary for your degree.

On the other hand, some students work at a faster pace than that set by their professors. People with a true passion for their major may wish to move more quickly and finish their degree ahead of time. Likewise, some high school students may want to consider taking additional classes at an online school so they can complete prerequisite courses while they are still in their junior and senior years of high school. This allows gifted young people more leeway in their studies when they officially begin college.

Web-based courses may also help solve another problem that all students face when heading into a four-year degree program. As Will's recent post “The Outdated Academy” mentions, most traditional college degrees include a number of liberal arts classes and other non-major courses as part of the requirements for completion. In many cases these classes take up a great deal of time, money, and energy that could be better devoted to coursework that actually applies to a student’s major.

By utilizing online classes, both students and the colleges they attend can turn the traditional four-year degree into something more focused and streamlined. If colleges turned to internet-based classes to fulfill the current requirements for general subjects, the whole landscape of degree programs could change. Students could use their time on campus to focus solely on classes that are relevant to their majors while fulfilling general requirements online. This would allow for a more targeted approach to studying that immerses students in their major right from the start.

Making Online Courses Work for You

Undoubtedly, the advent of web-based education enables the process of obtaining a degree to become more streamlined than in years past. Even better, there are many options when learning online. In addition to combining online courses with traditional ones, students may also be able to opt to pursue a degree entirely online in order to better fit their daily schedules. This is especially helpful for people returning to college later in life who may have to juggle school with a family and a full-time job.

Whatever course of action students take, web-based learning can help them achieve their academic goals on their terms. Students truly committed to a four-year degree can use the flexibility of online learning to fit the experience to their needs and interests. Rather than spending the majority of their time on campus stuck in general education classes, students should investigate whether they can get the basics out of the way online. This gives them a way to finish liberal arts requirements outside of their daily college schedules, freeing up time for courses that are truly of interest and that will help them move more quickly towards the completion of their majors.

Web-based college courses are changing the way that college students of all ages approach their degrees. Although it may be awhile before some traditional institutions embrace the idea of a flexible, web-enhanced degree program, the landscape of college education will no doubt continue to change as technologically-based approaches to learning grow and evolve. Whether your schedule requires you to take a little extra time to finish a four-year degree or you’re itching to finish coursework in less time, online education can offer the necessary tools.

Lindsey Wright is fascinated with the potential of emerging educational technologies, particularly the online school, to transform the landscape of learning. She writes about web-based learning, electronic and mobile learning, and the possible future of education.

Interview with J's Everyday Fashion

2011-06-23T11:50:00.018-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

I first "met" J. via a webinar by J. T. O'Donnell on CAREEREALISM.com. J. is awesome at making great looks accessible to those without big budgets and fashion stylists. She is the "Stacy London" of generation Y. But, instead of telling people what not to wear, J. shows people how to put together affordable looks inspired by the big label ones. Meet J's Everyday Fashion.

Will: Everyone has that aha moment. That flash of inspiration and clarity about what they want to do in life. What was your aha moment? What is J's Everyday Fashion? Where did the moniker the “Rachel Ray of fashion" come from?

J: My aha moment came a few months after starting my blog. It was originally a hobby, but then the style questions started rolling in and I realized that there is no one out there to help these women with their questions! That’s when I got the idea of being the “Rachael Ray of fashion” – she is so relatable, down-to-earth and makes cooking seem easy. I am seeking to do the exact same thing with fashion! I want to break it down for people, show them that fashion doesn’t have to be expensive and inspire them to give it a try.

Will: For those who don’t know, you take pictures of yourself in the outfits you coordinated based on high-end looks. What got you modeling those looks?

J: My blog is meant to be a how-to blog that helps women with their fashion questions and inspires them. I think the best way of doing that is to lead by example, so I show different outfits from my closet as a way to illustrate different fashion “lessons” each day. The idea to use inspiration photos came into play because I was looking for ways to come up with new outfits, and thought it would be fun to show where I was getting my ideas from.

Will: What do you love most about your job?

J: Feeling like I was born to do this. J’s Everyday Fashion is my absolute passion and I wake up everyday excited to work! I hope everyone gets the chance to feel that way at some point in their life!

Will: What are the 3 fashion must-haves that every woman should own?

J: I get asked this question all the time, but I really think that “basics” means something different for every woman depending on her occupation, climate and personal style. One thing every woman should own though – a great pair of jeans that makes them feel really good about their body.

Will: From doing the work you do, what have you learned about style that you didn’t know before?

J: I have learned so much! I have learned that it’s possible to anyone to be creative if you just give yourself some space and time to do it. I’ve learned that it’s fun think outside the box and go for the unexpected. I have learned that style is definitely something you can learn, and that you don’t have to be born with it.

Will: What is your favorite outfit? Describe your personal style?

J: I like to dabble in all styles and I love trying new trends, but my staples are usually preppy and girlie. And I love color. Mixing colors in an outfit reminds me of mixing paint for art class and it immediately brightens my mood!

Will: You have your website and a new online TV show coming. How do you see your career evolving in the near future?

J: My dream is to do anything and everything that helps women with their style questions –take my show national, write a how-to book, have a column in a magazine and continue to blog.

Will: How are you using social media to build your brand?

J: In some ways, my brand is social media. I made the decision early on to use Facebook as my main blogging platform – which is something I don’t think many other bloggers are doing. I love that it makes blogging more of a two-way street, and the ease of sharing things on Facebook definitely helps with getting the word out! I also use Twitter to network with other bloggers and companies, and talk to my fans.

Will: Thanks for taking out of your schedule for this interview. Do you have any final thoughts?

J: Thanks for having me! Please check out the pilot episode of my show and visit my blog to join in the fun!

J's Everyday Fashion shows women how to bridge the gap between fantasy fashion and clothes for real life! J. is on a mission to help woman everywhere with their fashion questions! J’s Everyday Fashion was started as a how-to blog to prove that fashion doesn't have to expensive, to inspire women everywhere to give fashion a chance, and to addresses the serious lack of practical style advice in America. Most people can’t afford a personal stylist, and fashion magazines and blogs are full of fantasy fashion that is too expensive and not obtainable for 99% of women. Where does a woman go who loves fashion, but has questions on how to put things together? Or the girl who only has $50 to spend on clothes, and can’t figure out how to make the most of what she has? Enter J’s Everyday Fashion. Check her out Facebook or on Twitter.

For-profit Colleges and Universities

2011-06-22T09:31:00.020-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

We've all seen the congressional hearings, read news articles, blog postings, etc about the dangers of for-profit schools. Hell, even PBS ran a special on them. According to everyone, for-profit schools are the devil and prey on the poor and people of color. But, I haven't seen the reports on why students choose for-profit schools over the traditional ones.

I had to go to a for-profit institution. I say this because I was trained as a family life educator, and I needed a master's degree program that would give me a solid foundation in the best practices of teaching and learning. Unfortunately, at traditional schools that meant getting a degree in Adult Education. However, until a few years ago, I worked with young people in after-school programs, and I needed a more flexible degree program, a program in which I could focus my coursework on my individual professional needs. And, I found such a program at Capella University.

It's Professional Studies in Education master's program "is designed for educators working in a variety of educational, business, and community settings" (Capella.edu, 2011). Not only was I able to build a knowledge-base in educational philosophy, classroom assessment, and numerous educational theories, I was able to take other courses and further develop the skills most relevant to me as a family life educator. In addition, I was able to lay the groundwork for the next phase of my career.

There are different kinds of for-profit institutions. Some are career colleges that prepare students to enter the workforce as massage therapists or medical coders. While others have academic missions similar to those of traditional 4 year colleges and universities. Each for-profit school is different. Just like each traditional school is different. Some do a great job at educating its students and some suck. The same can be said about traditional schools as well.

It's important that each person who considers attending a for-profit institution do their homework like they would with a state school. Conduct the same kind of research they would when looking at a traditional school. It may turn out that a career or technical degree is the best fit for their career aspirations. Or maybe going to school online better fits their lifestyle. Either way, they must do their due diligence.

I couldn't be happier with my experience at Capella. What I learned there has been invaluable to my growth and practice as a family life educator. Capella may have been my only option in the beginning, but in the end it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made.

Interview with Reel Grrls

2011-06-17T12:52:00.032-05:00

By Will Deyamport, III, MSEd

Some people don't know this about me, but I went to film school. Yes, I have a bachelor's degree in Film Production. And, before I got into education, I had dreams of winning an Oscar for Best Director.

Movies and television are passions of mine. Over the years, I've wondered if I'll ever be able to combine my love for film with my love for education. Then, I came across Reel Grrls on Twitter. The work they're doing is amazing, and I had to interview them to find out how they were combining education and multimedia production. I haven't seen anything like them. Lights, camera, action, meet the Reel Grrls.

Will: What is Reel Grrls? What is your mission? Why do you believe it’s so important to teach young women how to be in charge of producing media content?

Lila: Reel Grrls is a unique non-profit after-school program that teaches media literacy and filmmaking to grrls ages 9-19. Our mission is to empower young women from diverse communities to realize their power, talent and influence through media production. There’s a couple of big reasons why it’s important for young women to have access to producing media content: First of all, women are terribly underrepresented in the media industry (they make up just 3% of cinematographers in Hollywood, and only 3 women have ever been nominated for Best Director Oscars). Secondly, young women are heavily targeted by the media industry, especially advertisers, and the images of women in mainstream media are overwhelmingly negative. For these reasons, we believe it is essential for young women to learn to interpret the media messages they consume and talk back by creating their own media.

Will: Digital video has changed dramatically since I went to film school. Cameras are a lot cheaper and there are a host of editing programs available. Even the access to other forms of digital media production has reached the masses. What sorts of programs or courses do your offer? What age-ranges do you work with?

Lila: We offer a very wide range of programming. Some of our courses last a week or a weekend, others meet every week after school for several months. We want to give young women different entry points for getting into media; for some it’s just a way to be creative or something fun to try out over spring break, for others it’s a career track or a pathway to confidence and self-esteem. We teach courses in general video production as well as specific skillsets like animation, scriptwriting and working with clients. Until recently we were a teen-serving organization, but in the last two years we’ve started offering classes for the 9-12 set, by popular request. In terms of technology, it’s important to us that we offer skills training in high-end hardware and software so that our students can actually go on to work in the film industry and know what they’re doing. To that end, we use prosumer cameras and teach editing on Final Cut Pro. Even 9-year-olds catch on incredibly quickly!

Will: Who is the average Reel Grrl? What is she like? What's the significance with this age group?

Lila: One thing that’s really cool about our organization is that there is no “average Reel Grrl.” About 65% of our participants receive scholarships (no one is turned away due to lack of funds), but an average workshop/program might have a girl who goes to private school or is homeschooled working alongside a girl who is in foster care or is in the probation system. It’s a great chance for our participants to step outside their comfort zones and hang out with people they might not otherwise meet.

In terms of the age range we serve, girls hit a huge dip in confidence around 12 or 13 years old. This is the age where they really need mentorship, guidance and the chance to succeed. Video is a great way to gain confidence and self-esteem by making your voice heard. And we think Reel Grrls is a great place for young women to gain a community that is centered on respect, and where it’s okay to ask questions and be yourself.

Will: What has surprised you the most from working with the young women?

Lila: Their ability to create powerful, brave work. And the transformational power of media on the lives of young people.

Will: What has the organization learned from the young women who’ve walked across its doors? And what have you learned personally?

Lila: We are constantly shifting our programming to meet the needs of the young women who walk through our doors. We’re always learning more about what skills are most useful to our participants and we ask for feedback from them frequently, particularly from the youth who stick around and serve on our Girls Advisory Board. Personally, I learn a great deal each time I teach a Reel Grrls class. Some of the best tech tips I’ve gotten (in dealing with editing software, cameras, lights, audio) have been from my students, and the best part is learning alongside them when a question comes up to which I don’t have the answer.

Will: What’s next for Reel Grrls? How has your organization evolved since its founding?

Lila: This year we’re turning 10 years old as an organization, which is amazing! We’ve changed a lot in that time. We became our own non-profit in 2004 and hired our first staff member besides our Executive Director the following year. We’re now in our own programming space (as opposed to having to rent spaces in the past), which has changed the capacity of what we can offer. We’re now serving almost 200 girls a year, where we used to serve about 50. What is most important for us in the immediate future is to grow mindfully, all the while keeping the needs of our participants and the fulfillment of our mission at the forefront of everything we do.

Will: What do you do with all of the content created at Reel Grrls? Do you host film festivals? Where can the public see the work being done?

Lila: We host almost all of our content online: Our main channels are Youtube and Vimeo(this last one houses only the short films created in our week-long or weekend camps). We also have a TeacherTube channel so our films can be watched in classrooms where other video sharing sites may be blocked. We don’t host film festivals of our own, but we submit our students work to many different festivals. RG films play in dozens of film fests a year throughout the country and world, and they have won numerous awards over the years.

Will: How are you using social media? What platforms or sites can Reel Grrls be seen?

Lila: We use our social media sites to form and sustain connections with like-minded people and organizations, and to voice our values as an organization to the world. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and Myspace.

Will: I think what you are doing is awesome. Is Seattle your only location? If so, do you have any plans of branching out? I know my state of Mississippi would be a great place.

Lila: Thanks! Currently, Seattle is our only location, although we do sometimes partner with programs or schools outside of the city so that we can reach underserved rural populations. We would love to expand to other cities but are not in a hurry to do so. At the moment we just want to focus on serving our community the best way we can.

Will: Thank you so much for granting the interview. Any final thoughts?

Lila: Thank you! We really appreciate your support.

Check out the great work the Reel Grrls are doing:

Lila Kitaeff is an award-winning filmmaker and video editor. She has been with Reel Grrls since 2003 working as a mentor and instructor, and currently serves as Technical Director for the organization. She has worked with independent media centers throughout the US and Mexico, and can also be heard on the radio playing funk music on Friday nights.