I recently received a request about how I do my principals podcast.  I would love to share this info with you.  I do not claim to be an expert in podcasting, but what I do works for me.  I create a podcast that I call Principal’s Podcast.  It is geared toward the parents of my school.  The podcasts contain a variety of information about the happenings around campus.  I plan on stepping it up a bit this year, both in quality and variety.

Currently, all of the podcasts I have done are audio only.  I am planning on creating some vodcasts.  I would also like to interview various stakeholders on the “show”.   I will review the steps I use to create a podcast.  Once it is created, I simply post it on a blog.  This blog is dedicated to my school and again, is aimed at the parents.  It includes both podcasts and written entries.  Here is the link (it is also linked from our school website):

http://sullivanms.edublogs.org/

I have also recently used google docs to conduct a survey on the blog.

In order to podcast you only need a minimal amount of tools:

Computer, of course!

Some type of microphone.  I have a headset with earphones and an attached microphone.  I think I purchased it at Best Buy for around $15.

You will need some type of software.  I use audacity, mostly because it is free and I was able to figure out how to use it!  I am sure there is easier/better software out there for a price.

You will need somewhere to post your podcast.  In my case, I post it to the blog mentioned above.

Here are the steps I follow to create a podcast:

Go to audacity.sourceforge.net (first time only)

Click download audacity 1.2.6 (first time only)

Click on audacity installer (first time only)

Click save, follow directions (first time only)

Download LAME MPS Encoder (you need this to convert audacity files to mp3’s)(first time only)

Follow directions for windows (first time only)

Open audacity

Write script for podcast or wing it!  I have done both.

Record the podcast – click stop when done

Go to file, click export to mp3

It will be in libmp3lame…..folder

You can use podbean.com for free to host a blog, where you can post your podcasts.

It is really easy to do.  The hardest part is finding the time to keep producing the podcasts.  I do not know how many parents listen, but I know there is an audience because I usually embed a trivia question for a prize.  At least this lets me know someone is listening.  As I mentioned earlier, I plan to add video on occasion and conduct interviews as well.  I hope these directions are clear, but remember I do not claim to be an expert!  However, if you give it a try I think you will be hooked!

Over the past two years I have been exploring Web 2.0 tools.  I see the need to create a school environment that is applicable to the lives of our students.  They are so connected at home and I am working to make sure they can be connected at school.  You have probably heard the saying that kids are required to unplug when they cross the threshold of their school.  While this is true in many regards, it is important to infuse as much technology as we can.  At the same time, I think it is important not to simply “do” technology.  There should be an objective that ties into the curriculum.  Fortunately, with so many tools out their it is becoming easier and easier each day.

I want to share with you some of the top tools I see that can make an impact in schools.  I will then share with you some of these that I have seen used effectively in schools.

Blogs-I have been writing on this blog for almost two years.  It has been a great way for me to express my thoughts and organize my thinking.  Of course, I do not post as much as I should, but it is always a work in progress.  There are many classroom uses for blogging.  Blogs give students an audience while they write.  They are no longer just writing for the teacher.  This almost always leads to quality writing.  One of the biggest benefits of blogging is it allows the shy student to participate.  Many students that are hesitant to engage in a classroom discussion find blogging as a way to participate in class.  Blogging led me directly into twitter.

I am sure mot of you reading this are on twitter.  If you are not, go directly to twitter.com and sign up!  I have learned more from my PLN on twitter than almost any other professional development resource.  You get to learn and interact with others who are working in your field.  I started by following a friend in education and followed the people he followed.  It grows from there.  I try to share as much as possible with them and they definitely return the favor.  I have also created a twitter feed for my school.  This is an easy way to send out updates on the happenings of the school.  You can see me on twitter at @mwaiksnis.  My school’s account is @smfalcons.

Podcasting-This is another way to communicate with your school stakeholders.  I have a principal’s podcast.  The audience is still growing and I plan on continuing it this year.  To gauge the amount of interaction, I always include a trivia question for a small prize.  We always get parents calling in, so I know someone is listening.  There are many direct uses of podcasts in the classrooms as well.  I have seen them used as a culminating activity on a research project.  I have seen them used in conjunction with photo story.  There are many other uses as well!

It seems like there are an endless array of Web 2.0 tools out there today.  Blogging, podcasting and twitter are my favorite.  They are all easy to learn.  If you are attempting to integrate technology in your school, I would reccomend these as a starting point.  I taught a Web 2.0 class at my school and the teachers seemed to love it.

Other tools that I use include:

Google Docs - Tons of possibilities.  I recently created surveys using google docs.  The best part is the results are sent into a spreadsheet so you can easily sift through your data.  This is a great way for a teacher to get to know their students.

Mind meister (online mapping tool)

Glogster

Wikis - We have a staff wiki.  It is a great place to store resources.  We also post important forms and documents.   I used wikispaces when I created the wiki.

Poll Everywhere-you can create polls that students or teachers can use via computer or cell phone.  Results are displayed immediately for instant feedback.

Wordle

This list would go on and on, but these are most most used tools.  What do you use on a regular basis?

This is the time of year when it really starts to get hectic.  Our teachers return this week and the students will follow next week.  Our administrative team has been busy all summer getting ready for this week.  Actually, it began last school year.  We still have a few finishing touches to complete before Wednesday, but we will be ready.It is hard to describe what we do all summer.  My father asked me, “What do you do all summer?  Is there really work to be done?”  I am sure most people not in education probably feel the same.

Scheduling is always a mammoth task that begins the previous school year and often finishes very close to the start of the new year.   However, there are many, many things to be done in the summer.  We started a google doc this year with everything we had to work on.  This helped us stay focused as we worked throughout the summer.  Here are SOME of the things we did over the summer:

Interviewing and hiring - the most important job for a principal in my opinion

Scheduling - we joked when we were 75% completed that if we were professional baseball players with a batting average this high we would be rich!!

Curriculum - began laying the foundation for the school improvement.  We will be ready to get to work on it as soon as the teachers arrive.  Created framework for new gifted and talented program, worked on professional development plan, analyzed data - lots of it!, created observation forms, created lesson plan templates, moved to electronic referrals, had discussion on observations and our role in assisting teachers, met with professors from Winthrop University to set up a tutoring program for our ESOL students, installed Promethean boards, continued to develop our remediation program, talked about upcoming data conferences.

Professional Development - Admin team attended our district conference, discussed articles and learned about new technology, attended week long district leadership retreat, discussed best practices,trained other administrators in data gathering….

Facility Needs- painting, tile work, bulletin boards in common areas, strip and wax floors, repair a million things, added digital picture frames for each grade level to showcase student work, added a few touches to spruce up the office area, added “educational traffic” signs in the parking lot, and more.

Community-created schedule for our Parent University series, met with local businesses in hopes of creating partnerships

Completed all sorts of things like duty rosters,  lunch procedures, bell schedule, assigning supplements, hiring coaches, BUDGET

Discussed books and our goals.  Held a leadership retreat  to set our course for the year, went to many meetings.

These are just what comes to mind as I sit here and type.   I know there was so much more.  Once you start putting it on paper it makes you realize how busy you are during the summer.  It is a different kind of hectic than the school year, but busy none the less.

I am ready for the teachers and students to return!

I always look forward to watching a motivational movie right before the start of the school year. I have put together a few of the most popular movies in a poll below. I want to hear from you–what movie gets you excited for the return of school?