Editor’s note: As part of the ExploreEDU event series, schools are working with Google for Education Premier Partners to throw open their doors and invite neighboring educators to learn first-hand from their own experiences using Google tools to innovate and improve. To see if there is an event near you, visit the ExploreEDU site. For those who can’t join in person, we’ll also share the schools’ experiences here. Today’s guest author is Shanna Schwarzer, assistant principal from Jefferson City High School. The district is hosting an event on December 8 with Tierney Brothers.

We use the word “professional” often when we talk to students about their performance and behavior. We want them to view classrooms as workplaces, and take their “jobs” as students just as seriously as employees in the corporate world do – that is, the job of learning. Today, technology plays a larger role in helping our students become enthusiastic and curious learners.  Now that we’re a 1:1 school, with every student using a device, we make sure every teacher is prepared for guiding students in using technology. Here’s what we’ve done to support students and teachers on this journey.

1. Creating an in-house help desk staffed by students

We’ve created a class called “Help Desk,” in which students learn how to make basic repairs on our devices or help fix Wi-Fi networks. They also learn business communication skills, like how to greet fellow students and teachers who visit the help desk. Teachers use lesson plans from the nonprofit group GenYES, which promotes technology training for students.

Not only does our help desk educate students on understanding technology, it saves time for our IT team, since students make minor repairs and solve simple tech issues in our classrooms.

Help desk image; [Caption] Students learn how to solve common IT issues in Jefferson City High School's "Help Desk" class.

2. Scheduling monthly “tech summits” for teachers

We help teachers keep their tech skills sharp with required monthly tech summits. These 45-minute sessions focus on a specific topic, such as how to organize files in Google Drive and the SAMR (substitution/augmentation/modification/redefinition) model for understanding how technology can impact teaching and learning. Some summits are roundtables, where teachers can discuss current tech and learning challenges. After one summit on blended learning and setting up station rotations, teachers felt confident to set up these rotations in their own classrooms, based on their lessons plans.

3. Go all in and embrace occasional failures

Not all students will learn how to use technology at the same pace. We decided it was best for us to go all in because both students and teachers can reap the benefits right away. For example, some students may resist using Google Classroom at first, because they’re more comfortable with completing assignments on paper. If you allow their hesitation to delay implementation, students will miss out on the opportunity to get feedback from teachers or share ideas with classmates.

When we try to change student learning and our efforts falter, we talk about it – we don’t cover it up. Teachers and students will learn from the failed attempts and improve next time. One big obstacle teachers have to overcome has been grading. When they are trying to use Classroom and grade electronically, it becomes a hurdle. Early on, we found many teachers weren’t using Classroom for grading, because they were used to paper. We recognized that we had to go back and “teach the teachers” why grading within Classroom made sense. Now they understand how online grading frees them up from the hassles of mounds of paperwork!

4. Allow teachers to create their own paths with technology

We recognize that teachers will use technology differently based on their preferences and subjects. For instance, some teachers simply use Classroom to supplement their teaching with online articles posted in the “About” stream. Others may use Classroom as a place for students to turn in homework assignments. Teachers’ comfort level can grow throughout the year as they gain confidence and share ideas with their colleagues.

Don’t throw out good teaching methods just because they don’t fit into what’s expected in a 1:1 program. Let the technology complement the teaching.

Preparing students to become lifelong learners isn’t an overnight process, and it certainly isn’t easy. When you hit rough spots, remind yourself that you’re positioning students for success in college and the workforce, where they’ll use technology to collaborate and learn every day. You’re preparing them for the real world.

Editor’s note: As part of the ExploreEDU event series, schools are working with Google for Education Premier Partners to throw open their doors and invite neighboring educators to learn first-hand from their own experiences using Google tools to innovate and improve. To see if there is an event near you, visit the ExploreEDU site. For those who can’t join in person, we’ll also share the schools’ experiences here. Today’s guest author is Shanna Schwarzer, assistant principal from Jefferson City High School. The district is hosting an event on December 8 with Tierney Brothers.

We use the word “professional” often when we talk to students about their performance and behavior. We want them to view classrooms as workplaces, and take their “jobs” as students just as seriously as employees in the corporate world do – that is, the job of learning. Today, technology plays a larger role in helping our students become enthusiastic and curious learners.  Now that we’re a 1:1 school, with every student using a device, we make sure every teacher is prepared for guiding students in using technology. Here’s what we’ve done to support students and teachers on this journey.

1. Creating an in-house help desk staffed by students

We’ve created a class called “Help Desk,” in which students learn how to make basic repairs on our devices or help fix Wi-Fi networks. They also learn business communication skills, like how to greet fellow students and teachers who visit the help desk. Teachers use lesson plans from the nonprofit group GenYES, which promotes technology training for students.

Not only does our help desk educate students on understanding technology, it saves time for our IT team, since students make minor repairs and solve simple tech issues in our classrooms.

2. Scheduling monthly “tech summits” for teachers

We help teachers keep their tech skills sharp with required monthly tech summits. These 45-minute sessions focus on a specific topic, such as how to organize files in Google Drive and the SAMR (substitution/augmentation/modification/redefinition) model for understanding how technology can impact teaching and learning. Some summits are roundtables, where teachers can discuss current tech and learning challenges. After one summit on blended learning and setting up station rotations, teachers felt confident to set up these rotations in their own classrooms, based on their lessons plans.

3. Go all in and embrace occasional failures

Not all students will learn how to use technology at the same pace. We decided it was best for us to go all in because both students and teachers can reap the benefits right away. For example, some students may resist using Google Classroom at first, because they’re more comfortable with completing assignments on paper. If you allow their hesitation to delay implementation, students will miss out on the opportunity to get feedback from teachers or share ideas with classmates.

When we try to change student learning and our efforts falter, we talk about it – we don’t cover it up. Teachers and students will learn from the failed attempts and improve next time. One big obstacle teachers have to overcome has been grading. When they are trying to use Classroom and grade electronically, it becomes a hurdle. Early on, we found many teachers weren’t using Classroom for grading, because they were used to paper. We recognized that we had to go back and “teach the teachers” why grading within Classroom made sense. Now they understand how online grading frees them up from the hassles of mounds of paperwork!

4. Allow teachers to create their own paths with technology

We recognize that teachers will use technology differently based on their preferences and subjects. For instance, some teachers simply use Classroom to supplement their teaching with online articles posted in the “About” stream. Others may use Classroom as a place for students to turn in homework assignments. Teachers’ comfort level can grow throughout the year as they gain confidence and share ideas with their colleagues.

Don’t throw out good teaching methods just because they don’t fit into what’s expected in a 1:1 program. Let the technology complement the teaching.

Preparing students to become lifelong learners isn’t an overnight process, and it certainly isn’t easy. When you hit rough spots, remind yourself that you’re positioning students for success in college and the workforce, where they’ll use technology to collaborate and learn every day. You’re preparing them for the real world.

Editor’s Note: Every year during Computer Science Education Week, partners and educators come together to help encourage millions of students to try computer science (CS). This year, Google is focusing on improving perceptions of CS while making it more accessible for underrepresented students. Follow along here throughout this week (Dec 5 - 11) to find out what we've learned from the latest research about CS education, what we're doing for CSEdWeek and how each of us can help champion #CSForAll.

Since Computer Science Education Week started in 2009, it’s become an important event we look forward to every year. And as one of the CSEdWeek founding partners, we're excited to help more students learn computer science (CS) principles, build confidence with technical skills, and have fun, too!

From our research, we know that narrow perceptions and stereotypes about computer science and who can succeed in CS can create barriers to engaging all students.  For example, many girls today don’t think it’s relevant to their passions (and parents and teachers don’t think girls are interested), don’t think they would be good at it and don’t see other women and girls in the field.

We want to break those stereotypes and help students reimagine who computer scientists are, what they look like, and what they can accomplish.   

Here are a few fun ways you can you can encourage positive images of computer science during CSEdWeek:

Explore the magic of coding with YouTube stars

YouTube Kids has partnered with model Karlie Kloss to show that CS can be a superpower! Popular creators Grace’s World, ActOutGames, Talking Tom and Friends, Amy Poehler's Smart Girls, and SciShow Kids have also made videos encouraging kids to explore CS. You can find the latest CS-inspired content on the YouTube Kids app homepage starting today to see how coding opens countless doors to creativity and fun.

Code your own festive emoji

To  help more girls try coding for the first time, Made with Code is inviting teens to create festive emoji that are as diverse and unique as they are—with variety of skin tones, hairstyles, and holiday and career accessories. Launched in 2014, Made with Code inspires teen girls to explore the things they love through code, while showing them cool careers with CS and positive role models.

Learn about coding careers in sports, fashion and more

To help students discover how CS can help them find a dream career in any field including sports, fashion, and social impact, we’ve partnered with Refraction Media to launch Careers with Code, a magazine for 14-18 year olds. For CSEdWeek, we’re debuting a new computational thinking activity with an educator guide so teachers can help their students see how their passions and computer science intersect.

We hope you'll join us in celebrating the power and possibilities of computer science during this CSEdWeek! And stay tuned for more ways you can get any student involved.   

Editor’s note: At Education on Air, Google’s free online conference tomorrow, December 3, we’ll be celebrating educators and exploring the future of education and technology.  During the event, Jennie Magiera will be moderating a live panel featuring educators who have pioneered technology at their schools, along with two students who have benefited from these teachers’ work. Register now to hear from the panelists live tomorrow, December 3.

“Too often, teachers are the last people to sing their own praises, even though they’re constantly inspiring their students, their colleagues and their students’ parents, ” says Jennie Magiera, chief technology officer at Des Plaines School District 62. “We’ve all had at least one teacher who inspired us to become who we are today.”

Tomorrow, December 3, Jennie will be moderating a live panel during Education on Air featuring educators who have pioneered technology at their schools, along with two students who have benefited from these teachers’ work. The panel will include:

• Kevin Brookhouser, teacher at York School
  
• Maria, Kevin’s student
  
• Rafranz Davis, executive director of professional and digital learning at Lufkin ISD
  
• Andrew, Rafranz’s student
  

Jennie shared a few questions with our panelists to learn more about the teachers who helped shape them into who they are today. To hear from the panelists live, join us for Education on Air tomorrow, December 3.

Jennie: Our theme for this panel is “It takes a teacher.” When you were a student, who inspired you and how?

Kevin: I took a video writing class in high school with Jim Talone, who is now retired.  For our final project he asked us to go into the community and find stories that we would then produce and distribute to a real-world audience. This was the first time a teacher gave me creative autonomy, allowing me to pursue what I thought was meaningful and share that project with a real audience. It motivated me to invest more time and work harder than I had ever worked. That experience has stuck with me.

Rafranz: I was inspired by Dr. Vanessa Huse, a professor of  math education for pre-service teaching (education provided to student teachers). She was an important mentor to me and is still part of my life now. She was one of the only people who understood the struggles that I’d face as a teacher of color, even though she doesn’t come from the same background that I do. She made sure I had mentors who were veteran teachers — people I could learn from and collaborate with. She even introduced me to Dr. Evelyn Boyd Granville, the second African American woman to hold a degree in math. She invited Dr. Granville  to speak to our class and share her story. In many ways, Dr. Huse knew what I needed before I did.

Jennie: We couldn’t invite every teacher that inspires us to be on this panel, though I’m sure you would agree that we wish we could. If you could have brought along one colleague, who would you have picked?

Kevin: There are so many teachers I’d pick. The first colleague who comes to mind is our high school art teacher, Logan Parsons.  She has all of her students create self-portraits. She guides the students to think about how they want to portray themselves, whether in an abstract way or something more realistic. The results are unique and reflective of each individual. I’m inspired by how much students seem to get out of this project and from working with Logan.  

Rafranz: It’s so hard to pick one teacher! One of our first and second-grade teachers, Jamie Mayhan, stands out to me because she has such a passion for her students and really thinks outside of the box. She overcomes every challenge in her way. For example, she personally took on the cause of creating better access to technology for her students. She started a BYOD [bring your own device] program in her classroom, which required working with parents to get students devices. To make sure every student had access, she even gathered extra devices on her own by helping students to borrow devices from parents and coordinating device loans from digital learning department.

Jennie: We’ll be talking a lot about what it takes a teacher to do, but what does it take a student to do? How have your students inspired you?

Kevin: My students inspire me with their ability to take risks and try new things before they know whether they’ll succeed. Their willingness to experiment, learn new skills, and participate in new activities motivates me to do the same. That bravery is how real learning happens. I’m also inspired by my students who have a deep desire to help others. They request to work on projects that will  positively impact on other people. Their optimism and generosity gives me a lot of hope for the future.

Rafranz: We put a lot of emphasis on teaching kids grit and resilience to help them overcome adversity, but if we listen, we might be surprised to find out how much strength they already have. I’m inspired by our students who have come from difficult backgrounds — whether they were raised in poverty or affluence — and have been able to rise above challenges and pursue their dreams. Even though they may grow up with circumstances they can’t control, they show up to school and work hard, learn new things and think creatively.

To hear more from Jennie, Kevin and Rafranz live, join us for Education on Air tomorrow, December 3.

We invite you to join this movement by sharing what teachers mean to you with #ItTakesATeacher and seeing your own and others’ stories re-shared at google.com/edu/teacher.