Montgomery Township Assessment for Learning Community

An Interview with Erin Peacock, Director of Science Education
Montgomery Township School District, Skillman, New Jersey

It's a private ACP program that is licensed by the state of Texas. It's actually called an Educator Preparation Program (EPP), but most people are more familiar with term ACP. Applicants must have a 4-yr degree and an acceptable GPA to apply for the program to become a teacher.

The business of education is so minute-by-minute, run by bell schedules. We deal with the needs of so many people, so many pressing demands. There is no time to think and write. I need to document the work I'm doing. It's like a diary for me in an electronic format. It's a very friendly format, like the kids have discovered.

I know it's early in its development, but I can see that the edWeb can help me access the information that I need efficiently. It's already solving my internal communication needs. It's a very friendly blogging tool. I can't stress that enough. There is more than blogging, too. I'm about average in my knowledge of technology, and I'm able to fully utilize all the tools the edWeb provides.

I started a networking community for our district to discuss "assessment for learning" so we can work together to improve student motivation and learning. I've started a blog where I post on a regular basis. I've invited other teachers and administrators in the district to join the group. I also travel to a lot of conferences. When I return, I can write up the new ideas and information I've learned and easily spread those insights to others in the district. I can get their thoughts on how we can apply new ideas and strategies in our work. When I travel, I also invite educators I meet to join our community. It opens up our dialogue to include educators who are working on similar issues all around the country. It's so beneficial to be able to stay connected to people you would normally only meet once and then lose track of. Staying connected enables us to continue the work we began at the conference and build on it over time. There's nothing else I know of that makes staying connected this easy.

It's been great. It really helps me take time to reflect and organize my thoughts-but in a very easy way. It also ups the ante and challenges you more since everyone in the community will read the blog comments. The peer feedback is so valuable.

It's also a place where I can put all my thoughts, references, files, and links in one place. Now, when a teacher asks me where they can find some information I've mentioned, I tell them to just check my blog! It's all there like my own personal archive.

As a communication tool, it is great. Somehow blogging lends more legitimacy to the issues. It's great for reinforcement, and it's through reinforcement that we will be able to effect change.

Well, that's very interesting. Our interim superintendent, Sam Stewart, has been a big supporter of the edWeb and has been part of our group. And this spring, Earl Kim, our new superintendent, was appointed. Mr. Kim joined our Assessment for Learning Group several months before actually arriving in the district. He was able to join in our discussions, ask questions, and begin to understand the issues and workings of our district even before his arrival! We have all been impressed by his thoughtful and in-depth comments and questions. It's wonderful for us to get to "know" him a bit in this way.

I don't get as many comments as I would like from teachers in the group, but I know the group members are reading the blog because they talk about it. They'll say, "I read your post." I think they are a bit shy about making a comment, particularly knowing that the superintendents are in the group. Most of our principals and vice-principals have joined, too, because they have heard that teachers are using it to communicate about issues. I hope everyone becomes more comfortable posting comments as time goes on.

For now I'm very happy everyone is reading the blog, and it's sparking real-life conversations that would not be taking place otherwise. As more and more members of the district join our group, the word is spreading about the edWeb. It's getting buzz!

For the most part, I am inviting people inside and outside the district to join the edWeb by sending them an email invitation to join our Assessment for Learning community. As teachers and administrators hear about our edWeb group, they are coming up to me and asking how they can join, and I'll send them an invitation. The principals and vice-principals are asking to join because they're hearing about it from the teachers. If the teachers are talking, they want to be in on the conversation. And you've never seen more things start happening than when the superintendent joins the blog! It's so good... so good.

With the edWeb we can move forward faster with any initiative. I love it! I wouldn't want to live without it.