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"If you are a site or district Administrator, Teacher Leader or a Technology Leader at a district or school site this series is for you. You can register for one or all. In these 45 minute sessions, there will be nationally recognized guest speakers and resources including NetSmartz, and Common Sense Media. We will also leave time for questions from our participants. Resource Links are included if you cannot attend. "

"Rolling out a 1-to-1 technology program can be a daunting task for any school or district. After talking to some of the most forward-thinking 1-to-1 administrators and teachers, we've got the inside scoop ... and we're here to share it with you! 1-to-1 Essentials offers the guidance you need in order to proactively, rather than reactively, address issues that schools commonly face when going 1-to-1. We encourage you to explore, customize, and choose the resources that will best support your school community."

Sometimes teachers and administrators need a kick in the pants to see what they perceive as problems re-framed in a different way. Adam S. Bellow, author of The Tech Commandments, and founder of eduTecher, spoke to a roomful of receptive teachers at the recent ISTE 2011 conference, and demonstrated some of the ironies and contradictions the education system is mired in. And he had some advice.

"Classroom observation documents tend to be revised from year to year based on the needs of individual buildings and groups of teachers. Because of this, it is critical for evaluators to be knowledgeable of the tools that they can use, and most importantly, revise so that their work is current and relevant each year. Many principals are on the lookout for a perfect observation "tool" or "app" that will instantly tell them what to look for during a classroom observation. The real task is for the evaluator to reflect and be knowledgable about what they need to look for and THEN find a tool that can be customized to fit their needs and make their work easier. With the help of an iPad, I believe I have found just the tool."

"The conventional wisdom in education is that any school reform--be it curriculum, instruction, assessment, or teacher professionalism--is most likely to take hold in schools that have strong leadership. The same holds true for technology. Any educator will tell you the most successful implementation of technology programs takes place in schools where the principal sees him or herself as a technology leader. "

I know we don't often connect this way anymore, but this was a great article! Thinking of all of you!