District Administration - June 2009 - (Page 53)

I am a work in progress! I AM A Wife I Am A Role Model I Am Financially Wise and Set Empower Students The completed pilot videos were shared during school community gatherings, as well as on the Tel.A.Vision Web site. This gave teachers, parents and peers new insights into each filmmaker—and often brought adults to tears during public viewings, Johnson says. One after another these imagined life stories were told as if they had already become reality: Madison, a horse lover, saw herself as an equine vet who would “adopt a starving child.” A boy named Nate would earn a culinary arts degree, open a beach restaurant, marry a pop star and teach skydiving. A seventh-grader named Haley charmingly shared multilayered plans for a happy, healthy life that include family and career goals. And then there was T.J. “T.J. was a little kid with really skinny legs who was on my son’s basketball team,” says Johnson. “His whole video was about playing basketball for the University of Wisconsin. After seeing his video at a parent night, T.J.’s mom contacted me to say, ‘Thank you. I have always known that that was his vision, and I have always told him why it’s not possible. What I realized after watching his video is that it doesn’t matter if he ever plays basketball at the University of Wisconsin. What matters is that I support him in his vision.’” It’s now a year later, Johnson continues, and “T.J. is the best player on my son’s team. His mom and dad and sisters and brothers come to every game. The www.DistrictAdministration.com The 5th grade class at Lake Elmo Elementary School in Lake Elmo, Minn. was the first to create Tel.A.Vision videos as part of the pilot programs in spring 2008. Artist Adam DavisMcGee addresses students, educators, business and nonprofit leaders at the Tel.A.Vision launch event at Minnapolis North High School in October 2008. dad is at every practice, always talking to the coach. T.J. has found his spark.” Johnson credits his use of the word “spark” to Peter Benson, president and CEO of the Minneapolis-based Search Institute, which works with leading researchers to improve the lives of young people. “Peter Benson says the key to a healthy upbringing of any young person is to help him find his spark, and then have at least three adults that will support him in bringing it to reality,” Johnson explains. Shelly Landry, lead counselor for Minneapolis Public Schools, was at a Search Institute conference last fall when a presentation on the potential use of Tel.A.Vision sparked her interest. Landry, who is also the president of the Min- nesota Counselors Association, realized how easily this new video Web tool could dovetail with a career-planning initiative already underway in Minneapolis for the start of the 2009-2010 school year. “Our district has a new requirement for graduation that we call ‘My Life Plan,’” Landry explains. “It’s a curriculum framework for college and career planning, with students needing to meet certain milestones in grades nine through 12, whether writing a resume, researching colleges, doing mock interviews or participating in real internships.” To graduate, seniors will need to complete a capstone project that reflects back on their high school career and clearly communicates their post-high school goals to others. “Tel.A.Vision June/July 2009 53 http://www.DistrictAdministration.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - June 2009

District Administration - June 2009
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Stimulus Monitor
District Profile
Admin Profile
Crisis Response
Tech Disruptions
A Deeper Shade of Green
The New School Lunch
Business Brings Sustainable Lessons to School
A Netbook for Every Student
Vision Videos Empower Students
New Books
How Well Does This Web Site Work?
New Products
Problem Solution
Online Edge

District Administration - June 2009