Now Classrooms Leader's Guide: Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through Technology (a School Improvement Plan for the 21st Century)

Part of the NOW Classrooms series.

With a clear vision for action, school and district leaders can establish a creative, collaborative school climate that equips students with the 21st century skills necessary to thrive in the connected world. Part of the NOW Classrooms series, this guidebook outlines a flexible framework that school leaders can use to drive instructional innovation and create an engaging, student-centered learning environment using technology.

The guide will help school leadership and management create 21st century schools:

• Understand that real transformational change results from teaching and learning, not ever-changing digital devices.
• Learn how to bring communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity to the center of classrooms in grades K-12 and increase digital citizenship.
• Review education tech tools, digital platforms, and other online options for managing building- and district-level changes now and in the future.
• Explore how to address varied leaders' and staff members' willingness to shift the school culture.
• Follow a school improvement plan designed to lead real, systemic change in a school.

Contents:
Chapter 1: The Why: Creating and Communicating a Vision for Change
Chapter 2: The What: Planning the Launch
Chapter 3: The How: Defining and Deploying Essential Resources
Chapter 4: The Then What: Providing Professional Development and Sharing Your Story
Chapter 5: A Shifting Vision
Appendix A: Grade-Band Books at a Glance
Appendix B: Technology Tools, Apps, Terms, and Resources
References and Resources

Books in the NOW Classrooms series:

• NOW Classrooms, Grades K-2
• NOW Classrooms, Grades 3-5
• NOW Classrooms, Grades 6-8
• NOW Classrooms, Grades 9-12
• NOW Classrooms, Leader's Guide

Meg Ormiston partners with school systems that have committed to 21st century learning experiences for everyone. Meg creates a unique partnership in each district, reflecting the mission, vision, and direction that local leaders identify. Her districtwide projects include guiding teams through the visioning process, designing and delivering professional development, facilitating classroom modeling, developing student leaders in technology, and educating parents.

Cathy Fisher is the director of teaching and learning at Maercker School District 60 and provides leadership to all aspects of its K-8 instructional program. She is a former middle school special education teacher, dean of students, and professional development coordinator who believes strongly in continuous improvement and enjoys leading systems change.

Jamie Reilly is a retired teacher and administrator who consults with the Consortium for Educational Change, where she continues her own learning while serving other educators.

Courtney Orzel serves as an elementary school superintendent in the suburbs of Chicago. She is a former principal, middle school teacher, and high school teacher. Courtney's educational interests are focused on continuous improvement models, principal and teacher leadership, dialogue, and issues of equity and access in schools.

Jordan Garrett is the iDirector (instructional director) for Berwyn South School District 100. She oversees 1:1 deployment, district iCoaches, site visits, the district's iEngage Conference, and the Students Involved in Technology (SIT) Conference. She joined the district in 2010 as a first-grade co-teacher, where she eventually taught fourth grade and then became one of the district's iCoaches, traveling throughout the district to instruct and coach staff on the use, applications, and capacity of technology in the classroom.

Robin Bruebach is a principal in a K-6 building in Downers Grove School District 58. A former teacher, curriculum director, and assistant principal, Robin worked with gifted students, remedial reading students, fifth-grade students, and eighth-grade students. She coached basketball, cheerleading, and Odyssey of the Mind. Her passion is working with teachers, students, parents, and administrators through collaboration, differentiated instruction, and professional development. She is interested in developing growth mindsets and facilitating ownership of learning for all community members.

Steven M. Griesbach is a retired teacher and administrator who works with other superintendents and principals and consults in the EdTech world. Steve served students, families, and staff at all grade levels in public schools in Illinois, first as a high school history and social sciences teacher and later as a middle school assistant principal, elementary school principal, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and superintendent of an award-winning school district in a suburb of Chicago. Along the way, Steve learned that the primary role of an educator is to bring out the best in those he served.

Becky Fischer is the director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment at Skokie School District 73 1/2. A former middle school science teacher, department chair, and sixth-grade team leader, Becky began her administrative journey as a science curriculum coordinator and then served as a middle school assistant principal. As a district leader, she derives great learning and joy from leading the district through its initial stages of adopting instructional technology with an aim toward providing staff with meaningful opportunities to understand change and the part technology tools play in teaching and learning.