My Application Video For Apple’s Distinguished Educator Program

I use a lot of Apple technology in my curriculum development + I like the people in Apple’s education group + My doctoral interests include communities of practice online = I applied for membership to the ADE program.

They required a video, which I’m posting because a) it’s a 90-second summary of my curriculum adaptation process and b) I introduce Apple to you folks somewhere around the 1:15 mark. I have plenty more remarks – most grateful! – about what the education blogosphere has done for me as a person, as a teacher, and as a worker, but I can summarize 90% of them by reminding you that last week a reader e-mailed a tip about a product which I turned into a WCYDWT math activity which caught the eye of the brand manager of that product who eventually supplied all of us with the company’s internal data on that product.

I don’t really understand that, but I love it.

ADE Application Video – Dan Meyer from Dan Meyer on Vimeo.

2011 Mar 01: I’m in.

2011 Aug 27: If this is something you’d like to show around, let me link up a download for you [hi, lo].

About 
I'm Dan and this is my blog. I'm a former high school math teacher and current head of teaching at Desmos. He / him. More here.

41 Comments

  1. Great application video Dan. I like how you’ve summed up your teaching style and how the technology helps you accomplish your goals.

  2. Great job on the video and good luck with your application. I think you did a good job of distilling your methodology into 90 seconds and explaining the tech tools as secondary to your curricular needs.

  3. Great summary of what you do. As an added bonus it is another example we can share with teachers to demonstrate how to take textbook problems and make them more engaging. Appreciate the explanation of how you used technology to make this happen. Good luck with your application!

  4. Dan,

    Great video.

    TIP: You should improve your mic setup. I assume you have a simple mic or a headset/mic combo. I can hear lots of pops and not-so-good audio distortions when you talk.

    Buy a Shure vocal microphone and an AudioBuddy pre-amp. The voice quality will be vastly improved. About $150 total.

  5. I haven’t taught math in over a decade and I’ve got to admit that the technology you’re using here makes me drool. I love how you can take a real world shot, bring it into the classroom, and slow it down to talk about it. And the applets… that’s where the drool really kicks in. *stops to wipe the corners of mouth*

    Back in the day we had overhead projectors that gave you headaches to use, mimeograph machines that left you smelling like chemicals, and textbooks that were very clear on the fact that the real world and math rarely if ever intersected (unless there was a north bound train heading for a south bound train…).

    I love seeing the stuff you come up with, even if I no longer have the opportunity to use it in a classroom. Well done.

  6. As everyone already stated, you are definitely going to get in. I have always wanted to be an Apple Distinguished Educator. They get a lot of perks. Unfortunately, this year, I don’t have the time to apply for things. Between math department chair, yearbook sponsor, technology development co-leader, national board process and a few other things I remember only when someone tells me, I have very little time to apply for some of my goals. ADE, google certification, Texas instrument instructor and smart educator are on my list. And yes just in case anyone is wondering, I do know how to say no just some things didn’t work out like I thought. Working on changing that now!

  7. Good luck Dan…from what I’ve seen, ditto to the commentary above. Apple would be lucky to have you.

    I’ve only found you recently but your blog and posts have truly been inspirational. I was a teacher for 12 years, left, and am headed back to the classroom in the fall. I look forward to reading more and just wanted to say thanks for being an inspiration to educators.

    Lastly, this was passed along to me from our Assistant Superintendent today…if you haven’t already seen it, thought you might enjoy, although I’m not sure that’s the right word.

  8. If you should lose, I would love to see your competition. I look for your kind of stuff all the time and rarely find anything even remotely resembling it. So if Apple (aka Lakers) don’t sign you there’s always the Heat.

  9. Hi Dan – I really liked your video for the application. Do you have a tutorial anywhere on the process for undertaking the basketball mapping recording?

  10. Well worth the 5+ year wait to see this vid produced, Dan.

    If ADE has its game together, they’ll just leapfrog you into the ‘adjunct faculty lounge’ and call it a day. Clearly you represent the best of what ADE stands for regardless of the application process, but it certainly does seem as if they’d be well served to bring you into the mix.