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Motivation to lead

With Back to School season around the corner, it’s time to start reflecting on classroom leadership. We have heard the phrase “Be A Leader.” It’s fairly common, actually. Most people would rather be considered a leader than a follower. In schools, it is imperative that the administrators and teachers are leaders. The creators of Lead Like A Pirate, Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf, saw that effective leadership had many facets and introduced a new system of leadership training. They want you to lead…

 

Classroom leadership like a pirate: a pirate ship on the ocean with stormy skies above

 

…like a pirate.

So what exactly does that mean? What does it mean to Lead Like A Pirate?

The purpose of being a pirate leader is to make schools amazing with engaged students and empowered educators who know they are making a difference. The goal of being a pirate leader is to create a school environment where students are knocking down the doors to get in, rather than out. 

 

Do you have what it takes to be a Pirate Leader? 

Passion – both personal and professional

A willingness to Immerse yourself in your work

Good Rapport with your staff, students, and community

The courage to Ask and Analyze what is and isn’t working

The determination to seek positive Transformation

And the kind of Enthusiasm that gets others excited about education

A man in a suit makes a thumbs up.

To learn more about what it takes to Lead LAP, follow the conversation on Twitter (#LeadLAP), visit the website or read the book.

Teaching with technology

Here are some of our favorite new ways to incorporate technology into your teaching.

 

Create a Virtual Field Trip in Google Earth

Engage students by showing them the places they are learning about in real life. With the internet and a little bit of preparation, it is possible to take your students on a “trip” anywhere in the world! The Teacher’s Prep writes about how to create a class trip via Google Earth here. Take it into VR with a Google Cardboard for less than $15!

Make Students Content Creators

Have a class website or blog? Let students contribute articles of their own! Younger students can write about simple topics such as their day or submit pictures, while older students can publish reflections on their learning or creative writing. iClass Content Management System provides the perfect platform for this. Students submit articles on their own and teachers can moderate with one click!

Use a Virtual Assistant

Many teachers are incorporating Amazon Echo or Echo Dot into their classrooms. Alexa can help teachers in many surprising ways, including spelling words, putting students in random groups, solving math problems, or playing ambient music. This saves valuable learning and prep time! Alexa can be set up to respond to only one voice – yours! Read more here.

Game-Based Learning
Students in 2018 have grown up playing video games. Game-based learning is a fun way to incorporate video game technology to engage your students and help them learn. Teachers can create their own games, access educational games online, or even use pre-existing video games as texts. Learn more here.