FTL Newsletter

Please look for our FTL Newsletter on Friday, May 18, 2007!

Freedom to Learn Closeout Survey

As the Freedom to Learn program comes to a close, we would like to capture the lessons learned and best practices that you have developed over the life of the program. We ask that you complete the survey at the following link, http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB226GZAS2CT9, to help us collect this important information. Please also make your colleagues aware of this survey and ask them to complete it as well. We will appreciate any and all responses from FTL participants.

Sustainability

Some districts are facing funding problems as they continue to continue to grow their one-to-one programs. Other schools and districts have come up with approaches to sustain one-to-one programs in their district. How is your district doing, could your district benefit from learning about sustainability? What steps are currently being taken to continue the one-to-one program in your district?

PD Opportunities

Please remember that the FTL program continues to offer many professional development opportunities. These opportunities are listed on the FTL calendar at www.ftlwireless.org.

If you have specific PD that you or your teachers are in need of, please, let us know!

MACUL Conference

Today kicked off the 2007 MACUL Conference in Detroit, Michigan. This year Freedom to Learn (FTL) provided scholarships for registration and hands-on workshops for FTL participants. Many FTL participants registered and are scheduled to present. Are you attending or did you attend MACUL this year? How was your experience? What were some of the best workshops or events? Tell us about your experience!

A helpful hint from one of our bloggers

Below is a post from that provides suggestions to new teachers beginning to integrate technology into the curriculum :
'Don't be afraid to have students use the technology and learn from their technological projects. For example, develop a lesson plan using Microsoft Frontpage, Powerpoint, or Publisher. Create a rubric that is comfortable for you to implement but add "extra credit" for sound, slide transition or movement, or hyperlinks. Students will be teaching you as well as others who want to add "spice" to their project.'

What are some other hints or suggestions to get teachers started?

On a recent post one of our bloggers briefly discussed concern with financing and continuing the one-to-one program in his/her school. Many of our districts are coming up with ways to fund one-to-one programs beyond what the FTL program has provided. What types of innovative ideas is your school or district using to sustain your one-to-one program?

Connected Tech Opportunities

In the last post we discussed some professional development opportunities the the FTL program has offered and will continue to offer. We are also working to schedule the following PD workshops:

Project-based learning
Internet: Taking Learning Beyond Classroom Walls
Designing Webquests
Using Technology to Enhance Learning for At-risk Students
Using Multimedia to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Does your school need any specific help, or do you have ideas for PD opportunities? If so, share them here by posting and contact Kate Kennedy at katek@one-to-oneinstitute.org to get them scheduled.

Freedom to Learn has the ability to offer a wide range of professional development opportunities. These include ATA meets FTL Academy, ClassServer, Integrating Technology into the Classroom, Connected Tech, as well as several others. Most of the teachers participating in FTL have participated in some PD event. How are the teachers in your school doing? Is your school in need of specific PD?

Student 2007

This afternoon Microsoft presented, through Live Meeting, the new features of Student 2007. Student 2007 has many great features, providing powerful tools for students to use. Do you use specific programs or tools in your classroom while integrating technology into your curriculum? Do you use PowerPoint, Class Server, Classroom Connect, or some type of multimedia tool? If so, what makes these tools great for your classroom?

One-to-One Program in your school

We're still looking to hear from you.

Do you have any experience to share from your one-to-one school? Please use this post as an opportunity to comment and share some of these experiences with the rest of the FTL community. Feel free to share your school building's story, a student's story or even a specific highlight of one-to-one learning in your classroom.

Your One-to-One program

Freedom to Learn (FTL) is a statewide initiative aimed at improving student achievement and engagement in our Michigan schools. Nearly 30,000 students are currently learning in a one-to-one environment, from one of the 100 participating school districts around the state. Each school has had many of their own unique stories experiences.

Do you have any experience to share from your one-to-one school? Please use this post as an opportunity to comment and share some of these experiences with the rest of the FTL community. Feel free to share your school building's story, a student's story or even a specific highlight of one-to-one learning in your classroom.