Required info includes:

• Session title
• Session type
• Clear and catchy description (PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR CONTACT INFO)
• URL: This can be the Presenter’s name(s) & email – [This is in the Extended Field section]

Are you interested in presenting at the PreCon Day of Discovery at PETE&C or participating in the Educator Showcase Poster session? *We are now accepting ideas and proposals. Just go to: links.discoveryeducation.com/petec12submit and follow the simple instructions below.

*Submissions deadline for Educator Showcase extended through Monday, February 6th, 2012. 

The keynote speaker, PGCPS Superintendent, Dr. William R. Hite, Jr., gave a very compelling address to the audience. He charged all teachers with creating conditions wherein their students can be exposed to multiple opportunities to access learning resources. In his view this is essential because students are engaged by success, curiosity, originality, and satisfying relationships.

Moreover, they are surrounded by and strongly influenced by an ubiquitous world of digital media. The actual brain development of our students is different because of our technologically saturated world. Therefore Dr. Hite opposes school as a place where kids who are metaphorically “running at 100mph” are forced, when they come to school, to “slow down to 5mph.” If the utilization of digital media is an indicator his vision of a 21st century school system, then his philosophy has obviously taken root throughout the county. Discovery Education was proud to present Dr. Hite with a Visionary District Award in celebration of their 2 Million views from Discovery Education STREAMING! A large part of this accomplishment is due to the excellent work of the many DEN Stars in the district. It’s amazing what STAR power will do!

In addition to a compelling keynote address from Dr. Hite, attendees also heard from Discovery Education’s own Lance Rougeux and Matt Monjan, the featured speakers for the conference. Lance shared his most recent collection of educational goodies gathered from the Discovery Educator Network in his presentation, The Collective Brain. In Matt’s session, Consumer to Creator – The Student as Both the Learner and the Teacher, he modeled ways for teachers to get their students actively involved in constructing their own learning experience.

The electric buzz was tangible even at the end of the day and will surely keep teachers energized this school year!

As promised, here is the revised version of our Collective Brain session. Thanks to everyone who attended!

Why stay at home in your PJs when you can come out to share in the learning with the Maryland Leadership Council? It is always better to learn together, to ask questions, and share ideas. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Come in costume to compete in the contest, but it is not a requirement.  I will be coming as one of my favorite apps. You do not have to be a STAR educator to attend. Seats are filling up fast, so sign up today. It should be a fun, spooky Saturday!

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Place:

Center for Technology Innovation
4 Choke Cherry Road, Suite 120
Rockville, Maryland 20850

Click here to sign up for the event.

DEN STARS should register for the pre-conference here: http://links.discoveryeducation.com/petec2012

The Discovery Educator Network (DEN) is pleased to present a special full-day pre-conference event. The day will provide educators with an exciting and enriching day of professional development focused on creative and effective ways to use digital media in the classroom.
This year’s thematic sessions will help you answer the following questions:

• How do I engage my students with content and resources that interest them while maintaining a focus on my instructional goals and standards?
• How can I transform my instructional practices to take my students beyond the classroom walls?
• How do I help my students achieve in the context of 21st century student outcomes? And, how do I measure their success?

Why should you attend?

• Customize your own schedule as you select three breakout sessions out of nearly a dozen choices that match your specific interests and needs.
• Mix and match your session choices or focus on a particular topic including Digital Storytelling, Instructional Leadership, and STEM.
• Learn from Discovery Education’s experts including our DEN Gurus.
• See over 25 examples of what other educators are doing in their classrooms during our interactive lunch and learn session.
• Meet this year’s PETE&C keynote speaker, Reed Timmer, TVN lead storm chaser and meteorologist from Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers.

Participants will have multiple sessions to choose from including the following featured sessions:

iThink iNeed iPads in the Classroom
with Steve Dembo
Sure they’re bright and shiny, but are they really learning devices? We’ll take a close look at how exactly these technologies are being leveraged in the classroom and what the best Apps are for educational purposes. We’ll also explore some creative ways that you can fund your own i-initiative!

Taking Leadership in the Digital Age: Linking Engagement, Assessment & Achievement
with Hall Davidson
The benefits of the digital world have arrived. State legislatures recognized dynamic teaching and assessment environments match 21st Century learning styles. As a result, laws changed in states across the country, enabling digital supplementary materials to replace traditional texts. Suddenly, differentiated instruction became more effective, along with accountability and sharing. Leaders can now build an education that lifts their students into the world where they succeed.

The Collective Brain (AKA Things I’ve Learned from 5,000 Teachers)
with Lance Rougeux
Leverage the power of community and learn effective ways to engage and inspire your students. During this session we will explore the ten latest, greatest and most effective resources and strategies shared by teachers of the Discovery Educator Network. You’ll leave the session with a ton of new ideas, tools and resources to start using tomorrow in your classroom.

Creating an Integrated STEM Curriculum
with Patti Duncan
Historically, the STEM concepts of science, technology, engineering and math have been taught independently of each other. Students travel from class to class with little understanding of the connection between each and struggle with making the connections. Being able to solve real world problems is a skill that requires the ability to see how these concepts work together. By creating lessons that integrate the concepts together we expose students to situations that help them develop problem-solving skills. During this session we will explore examples of integrated lessons as well as investigate how to turn traditional lessons into ones that help build our critical thinkers of tomorrow.

Lunch will be provided. Registration for this full-day pre-conference event is limited so save your spot now:

http://links.discoveryeducation.com/petec2012

Note: This event is free for STAR Discovery Educators.
STAR Discovery Educators should contact Max_Brooks@Discovery.com for more details.

1. There are some things you can’t control. A simple concept that most educators don’t want to except. Once you know that you can’t change a current challenge, then you can use your energy to adapt.

2. Time frames need to be flexible. I know we all like everything to be running perfect by day one of school, but some times that just can’t happen. You might consider prioritizing needs to give yourself more time to get everything done.

3. Find helpful allies. Educators tend to want to do everything, but if help is available take it. Think about connecting with allies that can help you bring new equipment or get a site unblocked. Also think about the allies that will help with the smaller things like updating Flash on a set of computers.

4. Put it in perspective. At times we get so caught up in one problem, that we can’t see the big picture. Will students still have the opportunity to learn even if this problem is not solved? More than likely, the answer is going to be yes. It may not be the way we wanted students to learn that concept, but educators are fantastic with developing Plan B.

So relax, it will be okay! You are the best tool your students, parents, staff, and school could have.

Below is their story….

Thank you, Tonya, for sharing this!

Never heard of Geocaching? Here is a little intro video….

http://youtu.be/-4VFeYZTTYs

Fred Delventhal is leading the Maryland Geocaching Day with a fantastic theme! Here is more information from Fred’s blog:

Please join us in Clinton,
MD on May 21 for the Discovery Educator Network Geocaching Day.
We will look for caches located in Cosca Regional Park.  We will meet
at the Clearwater Nature Center at 9:00AM. While there we can visit their
raptor and birds of prey exhibit.

Please visit this page for directions to the Clearwater
Nature Center

After exploring and looking for caches in Cosca Park we will
make a very short drive to The Surratt House. The Surratt House was one of the stopping
points of John Wilkes Booth on his escape route after murdering
Abraham Lincoln. There is a cache at The Surratt House that we will look
for.

Fill out this form if you plan on attending