iSquad+Follow+up+2008

Return to iSquad =**iSquad 2008 Next Steps**= To: Anello Scott (28Q217); Arvelo Heriberto; Aversano Silvio (12X129); Azaria Maritza (07X151); Burwell Christine (32K162); Bynum Sandra Y (75K140); Barreau Marie (75K140); Ceparano Gina M (24Q093); Conquest Marva (05M195); Deninno Vinna (27Q202); Leopoldi Clorinda (27Q202); Lebron Domingo; Downs Dan (13K266); Dubois Pierre (17K189); Gallagher Kelly (27Q202); Garcia Evelyn (17K189); Gordon Joan (75X000); Busumsi Awo (75X017); Gray Patricia (24Q093); Guy Christopher (16K035); Hernandez John (18K211); Marshall Gordon (18K211); Hoggard Marlin (75X017); Jenkins Christina (09X339); Job Haashim (18K211); Kievsky Galina (06M052); Korzan Edith (75K140); Joseph Joan (75K140); Martinez Daniel (75X017); Conquest Marva (05M195); Page Bonnie; Olavarria Edwin (07X151); Perskin Brenda L (24Q093); Ramirez Dawn G (13K266); Reyes Pedro P (10X118); Roth Arnold (21K281); Rothkin Frani (28Q217); Powers Michael; Goldstein Michael (28Q217); Simms Gail (32K162); Campanelli Jessica (32K162); Smith Wilburn; Nelson Gloria (29Q268); Sorocco John (20K223); Telford Laurette (16K035); Tineo Felix (05M195); Yung Steven (02M131); Natuzzi John (02M131) cc: Levy Jason (09X339); Lawrence Elizabeth (10X118); Vargas Jeanette (08X192); Beasley Yvette (12X129); Burns Patrick (28Q217); Grant Stewart Lissa (29Q268); Santos Edward (24Q093); DeMartino Barbara (32K162); Costa Joseph (19K218); Moore William (27Q202); Simmons-Peart Buffie (18K211); Okorafor Fidelis E (18K211); Faustin Berthe; Adduci Gertrude (20K223); Rosenblum Stephen (21K281); Robinson Michele (13K266); Charles Jacqueline (16K035); Piazza John (07X151); Tam Phyllis (02M131); Rivera Aura (05M195); Fernandez Sal (06M052); Cohen Robin; Mineroff Martin (75K140); Mazza Christine; ted@mouse.org Subject: Launching and Maintaining iSquad 2008!!!

Hello iSquad Colleagues, We had two terrific iSquad classes last week. It was great to hear all the exciting ideas each of you have for your iSquads as we gear up for deployment. Below are highlights and reminders to help you prepare for continued success. Participants had a variety of innovative plans for determining times to meet with their iSquads. Several schools are incorporating iSquads into their schedules as electives or talent classes that meet regularly while others have a lunch period set aside throughout the week. Some schools are using extended day and many of you are scheduling iSquads that meet before school or after school. Some of the more innovative plans included Saturday academies, Spring Break Institutes, iSquad Field trips and collaborating with your colleagues to provide additional opportunities for your iSquad students. See what your colleagues are doing by visiting [|iSquad Plans]. Many iSquad Faculty Advisors discussed all the smart ideas they had for recruiting iSquad members from requesting nominations from teachers, to posting a job application in schools and having students apply and interview for positions. Participants also discussed the many perks they provide iSquad members so that it is an esteemed and coveted school club. These included having them responsible and recognized for the special projects that take place at a school such as hosting school technology fairs, creating the yearbook, making movies that feature the great work occurring at schools and showing them at a film festival, providing iSquad members the ability to go to lunch a few minutes early, arranging for release from class once a week (as schools often do for clubs such as bands), and arranging exciting field trips. Schools discussed using recruitment flyers, letters to teachers and parents, interview forms, ticketing forms and more and agreed to post those at http://oit.wikispaces.com/iSquad. In addition to school-based meetings, there is an online community for iSquad members who can get started by creating an account at http://mousesquad.org/user/register/role?destination=user%2Fregister which enables students to access all the online materials and activities, and participate in certification modules. iSquad Faculty Advisors also learned how to set up online communities for their iSquads by visiting MOUSE at http://mousesquad.org/node/add/mousesquad where Faculty Advisors are able to create an online Squad that establishes your own area of the site to manage and coordinate your squad members. Once you create your squad and have your students subscribe to it, you will be able to create Squad Posts to make announcements and share information with the squad members. It is like having your own squad blog. The discussions about your successes and challenges were lively and robust. Many of you were able to give and take great ideas back to your school and think about ways to overcome challenges. Some particularly good ideas include:  ·  Setting up mentorships between the grade 8 students and the grade 6 students.  ·  Having an iSquad Olympics where students show off their skills at stations with various challenges (collaboration across schools in encouraged!).  ·  Having a separate girls iSquad to support and foster the development of girl’s participation. I look forward to continuing the conversation at http://groups.google.com/group/iteachilearn. Participants spent time writing additional lessons to be used by iSquads around New York City and beyond. I was happy to hear that there were lessons being written for nearly every topic people could think of. Please remember you must have at least two lessons completed upon submission of your next timesheets. As you know the lessons created by iSquad Faculty Advisors are specific to the iTiL environment and address multiple issues as well as teaching students how to assist peers and colleagues with using software and addressing iTiL specific needs. I hope you will also utilize the ten terrific MOUSE modules and the trouble-shooting simulator, both of which lead to printable certification. As you saw these materials are robust, include video and other multimedia and enable you to track student’s results. Also, don’t forget the pre and post tests you can deliver to your students. Links to all these materials can be found at http://oit.wikispaces.com/MOUSE. Please make sure you keep your iSquad lessons recorded at http://oit.wikispaces.com/iSquad+Curriculum+Rollout. Lessons posted should come from the iSquad lesson bank http://oit.wikispaces.com/iSquad+Lessons or the MOUSE materials. Upon return to your school please take some time to investigate the many MOUSE Activities available to you and your students at no additional cost including: þ [|MOUSE Squad Fieldtrip to the Moon! APPLY NOW!] þ  [|Educators Conference, May 2nd: New Date!!] þ [|The BEST BUY/MOUSE Geek Squad Summer Academy: A Summer Camp that sparks passion for technology] (July 14 - 18 or July 28 - August 1) **// Games and Activities Include: //**
 * iSquad Meetings **
 * Membership has its privileges **
 * iSquad Successes and Challenges **
 * iSquad Lessons **
 * MOUSE Activities – Register Now **
 * // Classes include: //**
 * **PC Build:**// Kids learn computer hardware skills, get an overview of PC components, practice building their own computer, and troubleshoot basic hardware problems. //
 * **// WEB Wizards: //**// Kids explore the Internet and how websites work and then develop a Junior Agent “website”. They also gain awareness of Internet security, safety and ethics. //
 * **// Networking: //**// Lays the groundwork for setting up and managing a computer network including: router installation and setup, wireless networking and troubleshooting, etc. //
 * **// Multimedia: //**// Kids gain experience with digital imaging, digital video, podcasting, streaming video and other multimedia recording and storytelling devices. //
 * // Battle //// of the Bands (Rock Band) //
 * // Wii Olympics // Wii Olympics Wii Olympics
 *       // Jewelry Making (from computer parts); // Jewelry Making (from computer parts); Jewelry Making (from computer parts);
 *       // Dance Off (Dance Revolution) // Dance Off (Dance Revolution) Dance Off (Dance Revolution)

iSquad Planning and Budget ** Thank you so much for your time at the iSquad class last week. ** We look forward to seeing the great work you do with your iSquads this year and beyond. **  Sincerely, Lisa Nielsen and Christine Mazza OIT PD Services
 * Please remember that school’s participating in last week’s class are eligible to receive reimbursement for facilitating their iSquad by ** following the procedures outlined at http://oit.wikispaces.com/iSquad+Timesheet and ** proper submission of the **[|iSquad Coversheet.xls]. Additionally schools who participated in the training are eligible to receive additional iSquad shirts after fulfilling the requirements outlined at the training.