October 2014 - In This Issue:

Virtually Bringing the World into Your Classroom

Upcoming Events

ICE Leader You Should Know

There's good news in education - make time to share yours!

UPCOMING EVENTS

EdCamp Chicago

November 1st, 2014

Deadline for ICE15 Poster Proposals

November 3, 2014

Quad Cities STEAM

November 8th, 2014

1:1 Summit in District 211

November 15th, 2014

Deadline for ICE Educator of the Year Nomination

November 18th, 2014

IllinICE Coffee and Tech Talk

November 19th, 2014

DeICE Winter Mini-Conference

December 6th, 2014

CORPORATE PARTNERS

Virtually Bringing the World into Your Classroom

Caroline Schaab

One of the awesome things about being an Instructional Technology Coach is the ability to research engaging and innovative ideas for teachers who already have very full plates. By far, one of the coolest things that I've done is introduced Virtual Field Trips to my teachers and students. We've been around the country on various field trips, giving students an unforgettable experience without even stepping outside of their classroom.

About two years ago, when my district adopted Google Apps for Education, I wanted to try to do some outside the box thinking about how I could bring the world into the classrooms at Roosevelt School. I had heard of virtual field trips, but had never really done anything to try to make it happen. I was luckily given the name of a Google employee who I connected with on Google+, then I started hunting down how I could take a class on a virtual field trip. Continue reading...

Reach out and Blog with Someone

As the use of digital resources in classrooms grow and grow, it's important to not neglect the unprecedented ability to connect with other classrooms in meaningful ways. Arguably, one on the most promising tools for this is the blog. In a blog, teachers and students can both post ideas and comment on one another's post. On the surface, blogging can create great opportunities for in-class collaboration for many tasks and activities such as journaling, sharing current events or essay writing.

However, communities like Google+ Connected Classroom, QuadBlogging, and #comments4kids are a great way to open up your students' work to other classrooms around the country and around the globe. Middle school students can then peer edit elementary students' reading responses, or one class can write Math word problems for another classroom to solve. This creates authentic audiences for students, which can boost both reading and writing fluency. Blogging can easily create online learning communities for all students.

ICE Leader You Should Know: Nadine Norris

Nadine Norris is the Director of Technology, Teaching, and Learning for Community Unit School District 201 in Westmont, Illinois. Nadine has been in education for over 12 years in positions including classroom teacher, technology coordinator, integration specialist, and professional development provider. Nadine has implemented 1:1 iPad program with approximately 1000 students. She is supporting the implementation of Chromebook 1:1 and BYOD for Junior High and High School. Nadine is committed helping students use creativity, develop higher order thinking skills, and demonstrate their learning through multi-media. She is an Apple Distinguished Educator, class of 2013.

You can connect with Nadine at on Twitter at @nnorris

What can ICE do for YOU?

Margaret Johnson, Executive Director of ICE

Beyond the ICE Conference and ICE Chapter events that are so closely identified with and tied to ICE, you may not be aware that we offer some career-building opportunities for recognition and significant support for individual members' professional growth that are available only to ICE members who take the time to apply.

ICE Educator of the Year awards - there are separate awards for classroom teachers and for non-classroom educators such as administrators, tech directors, media specialists, tech coaches, and higher ed faculty. The deadline for nominations is November 18, and we've streamlined the process with an easy Google form. Time is running short, so visit the ICE awards website and submit a nomination now!
TECH 2015 Student Showcase - You and your students can represent your legislative district at our annual student showcase held at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield in May. This event helps showcase the impact of technology and digital learning for the legislators who vote on funding and set policies for our schools. Model civic involvement for your students and get recognition for your school at the same time. The deadline to submit an online application is February 3, 2015.
ICE Scholarships - ICE members are eligible for up to $1,000 in the form of scholarships for graduate coursework, registration fees for conferences such as ISTE, and for t heir children who are enrolled in teacher education programs. ICE awarded over $13,000 in scholarships in 2014. The application for 2015 ICE Scholarships will open in early December and the deadline to apply is April 1.

These opportunities are open to all ICE members, and being selected for one of these special programs provides new opportunities to learn and connect. To tap into these special opportunities, you must ACT and take the time to apply. We hope to get a record number of submissions for all three programs - let yours be among them!

info@iceberg.org

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