Welcome to my online portfolio!
I created this page to share more about my approach to staff development and community building. On this page you will learn about my training philosophy, training experience, innovative professional development plan for my school site, popular blog posts, leadership of a local CUE affiliate as the Board President, event planning experience, and my current certifications.
I would welcome the opportunity to participate in a personal interview to answer any of your questions and better present my qualifications. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
-Ryan
Director of Technology and Integration Highlights
Below are some of the highlights from my first year and a half as a Director of Technology and Integration.
- Deployed 450 laptops in under 20 days.
- Brought on Alludo, an on demand professional development platform. Designed and manged four conference games (YPICS Game On!) and a leadership game.
- Implemented a new help desk system.
- Created an online hub for organization wide professional development days (tpd.ypics.org)
- Implemented a solution that allowed us to finally unblock YouTube for our students.
- Reduced organization cell phone bill by 50%.
- Publshed a weekly technology newsletter for teachers during year one. During year two our teacher technology newsletter became bi-weekly because I added a leadership focused technology newsletter.
- Collaborated with Technology Team to start documentating our process to ensure that our department becomes evergreen.
- Designed and delivered online professional development webinars for teachers and staff.
- Shared our organization’s great work at six different conferences.
- How to Slack at School – SGVCUE Innovation Celebration, October 27, 2018
- Google Sheets for Administrators – #CUE19, March 14, 2019
- Elevating Instructional Practices by Applying the T3 Framework – LAUSD Charter Operated Programs, May 16, 2019
- Let’s Get Organized – CUELA Mini Palooza, June 1, 2019
- G Suite for School Administrators -Arcadia Innovation Summit 2019, June 21, 2019
- Google Sheets for Administrators -Arcadia Innovation Summit 2019, June 21, 2019
- Increasing Productivity and Communication with G Suite – Fall CUE 2019, October 19, 2019
- Transform School Site Communication with Slack – Fall CUE 2019, October 19, 2019
- Managed the installation of cabeling and wireless access points at a brand new site.
- Managed the implementation of Trello for project management, School Mint for student enrollment, and Clever for Single Sign On.
- Established systems and timelines for ensuring that important deadlines were met. Here is an example of the timeline and deadlines for setting up our SIS system for the 19-20 school year.
CUE Los Angeles Board of Directors – President
In July of 2015 I was elected to the CUELA Board of Directors. During the 2015-2016 school year I assisted with the planning and organization of various professional development opportunities for our 1000+ members. In July of 2016 our board President tragically passed way. In August of 2016 I was elected by my fellow board members to be the co interim President along with another board member. As the co interim President my responsibilities included being the lead organizer for our professional development opportunities as well as making sure that my affiliate was in good standing with our parent organization CUE. In July of 2017 I was elected to be the President for the 2017-2018 school year. I have served as President for the 17-18, 18-19, and the current 19-20 term.
Training Philosophy
I believe that an effective training session or resource needs to have the following:
- A connection to best practices and pedagogy.
- Relevance to participant’s current work.
- Engaging hands on activities instead of long lectures.
- Time for participants to play with what you are sharing.
- Materials that participants can take with them to get them started.
I believe that when all of these criteria are met, participants will be motivated to go back to their classrooms and implement what you have taught them.
Presentations
Transform School Site Communication with Slack
In this session I presented about the YPICS implementation of Slack. We discussed the why, what, and how of using Slack in a K-12 setting. Participants rated this session as 5 out of 5 at Fall CUE 2019.
filler
From Padawan to Jedi Master: Getting Started with Technology Integration
In this session my co-presenter and I focused on how a teacher can shift their mindset from traditional teaching methods to incorporating technology into their lessons. We also shared instructional models and tools that the participants could start using immediately in their classrooms. Participants rated this session as 5 out of 5 at the 2017 LAUSD Charter Operated Programs Summit.
Tech Tools for Real Time Formative Assessment and Feedback
In this session I presented various tech tools that teachers can use to get real time data from their students. We also discussed what a teacher should look for when selecting a formative assessment tool. Participants rated this session 4.76 out of 5 at the 2017 LAUSD Charter Operated Programs Summit.
Create.Design.Engage.
This session focused on how teachers can create effective slide decks for their classrooms. During the session we discussed best practices for creating slide decks as well as the research behind effective slide design. At the Ventura County of Education TSS Teacher Technology Integration Day, 63% of the participants rated this session as 5 out of 5 and 21% rated it as 4 out of 5.
Using Mobile Photography to Enhance Learning
In this session I shared how a teacher can use mobile photography in their classroom. During this session I shared tools, lesson plan ideas, and photography techniques. Participants had an opportunity to engage in various photography based activities and brainstorm how they could use mobile photography in their classroom. At the Ventura County of Education TSS Teacher Technology Integration Day, 62% of the participants rated this session as 5 out of 5 and 34% rated it as 4 out of 5.
Presentation Testimonials
Below are some quotes that I pulled from various forms I have used to gather feedback about my presentations.
I love all the ideas! I love getting away from the standard way of teaching. Loved this session!
I always look forward to Bradford’s sessions. He is organized, engaging, and introduces really interesting resources.
Mr. Bradford is a very good presenter. This training was interactive and enjoyable. I enjoyed being able to work collaboratively with my co-workers.
I’m not great with technology. This lesson gave me the confidence to successfully implement the activities in the classroom.
I find that Ryan is for me is the best instructor to help me relax, be myself, ask questions and learn a lot of useful tools at the same time.
Great and simples ideas were provided. Instructions were clear and simple. It incorporated videos, slides, collaborative work, it was very good.
A Bradford session is always an awesome session.
You were very helpful & approachable.
This session was worth the whole price of admission!!!!! 🙂 Seriously, though, thank you this is very helpful.
Awesome session! I would take this session again to get a better grasp of the great tips and resources covered.
Certifications
My current certifications include:
Training Resources
In addition to my in person trainings, I have created videos and electronic guides that people can use to asynchronously learn from me. Below are two examples of videos and electronic guides I have created.
Illuminate GradeBooks FAQ – A text based walkthrough of how to set up and use my school’s grade book.
How to Slack at Work – A guide that explains how to use Slack for workplace communication.
Professional Development Innovations
Differentiated PD Based on Teacher
Interests and Organizational Initiatives
Choose Your Own Professional Adventure (aka CYOPA) is an attempt to differentiate my school’s Monday professional development meetings. The idea is based on the three keys to human motivation that Daniel Pink shares in his book Drive. In Drive, Pink shares that that the traditional carrot and stick method of motivation does not work and that leaders should instead focus on providing opportunities for employees to have autonomy, develop mastery, and have purpose. CYOPA tries meet these elements by providing teachers with the choice of series they participate in, opportunities to develop mastery through deliberate practice, and the opportunity to make a difference in their classroom. For more information about CYOPA please visit our CYOPA resource site.For more on the design behind CYOPA please click here for the guide I send to potential session leaders.
Event Planning Experience
Below are professional development events and conferences that I am either currently involved in or have helped organize in the past. All of these events have focused on how teachers can use technology to innovate in their classroom.
2015 CUE LA Tech Fair Organizer 2015
Blog Posts
I established this blog in January 2013 to curate my presentation resources, share my learning, and connect with others. Below are a few of my favorite blog posts that I have made on this site and my school blog.
How I use Spotify in My Classroom – One of my most popular blog posts with over 1250 views. I still receive emails from teachers asking for the playlist I curated.
The Inbox Escape Plan – Avoiding the Ping of Email – The first post in a series about how to regain control of your inbox.
Five PD Suggestions – An early draft of my training philosophy.
Be Like Water – A reminder that when working with technology we need to be flexible and adaptable.
Blended Learning: the Two Station Rotation Model for Direct Instruction and Independent Practice – A breakdown of how to use a two station rotation model at YPI Charter Schools.
Blended Learning: the Two Station Rotation Model for Collaboration and Independent Practice – A breakdown of how to use a two station rotation model at YPI Charter Schools.
Resource Sharing
YPICS Technology Newsletter September 2018 – Present- A weekly during the 18-19 school year and now bi-weekly newsletter that is sent to all staff. The newsletter contains ideas for integration technology, important Google Updates, and a way to use technolgy to work more productively.
YPICS Leadership Technology Newsletter August 2019 – Present – A biweekly newsletter sent to the YPICS leadership team. The newsletter contains important tech updates, ideas for simplying workflows, and tips on how to use YPICS technology tools.
BCCS Staff Portal August 2016 – Present – Created and maintained a Google Doc that serves as my school’s resource center for staff.
mrbradfordonline.com January 2013 – Present – My blog where I share my learning and reflect on my growth as an educator and leader.
@mrbradfordtech May 2011 – Present – My professional Twitter account where I share resources and help promote local education events.
Tech Tip Friday August 2012 – June 2014 – A weekly email sent to teachers in my CMO. In the email I shared a quick tech tip that they could use in their class.