Shawn is a principal in British Columbia and is doing some
amazing things with technology at his school, including having
kindergartners use iPads to create amazing projects. In this
interview, we discuss the following:
What Shawn is most excited about relating to technology in his
school.
Why do we use technology in schools?
Learning as scaffolding and focusing on learning first, and
technology second.
Blended learning as having digital and physical tools in front
of the student at the same time.
Powerful for learning are situations that capture what a
student is thinking.
Shawn’s role as principal to teachers regarding technology in
the school: Permission to try, permission to fail.
How to gain trust from your faculty. We are in a relationship
business.
They need me to support them when they need support and
challenge them when they need to be challenged.
Reflecting in front of your teachers and being vulnerable in
front of them.
H/T to @ChrisWejr about 5 things to roar about blog posts.
Positive blog posts went from no big deal to students finding
those positive events in the school.
Key elements to 5 things to roar about posts: celebrate success
(student and staff successes) and give parents an idea of what
learning looks like in our school.
What can we do to be a transformative principal? Mindset, tell
the story of your school and do it wherever you are
comfortable.
What reminds him about why he is doing this great work? For his
own kids.