Pulled from the December 2013 PIIC (Pennsylvania Institute for Instructional Coaching) site...
Instructional coaches are positioned to encourage ongoing conversations about teaching and learning in ways that are reflective, deliberate, and challenging.
It means that coaches and teachers work together and “walk the talk” about innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking.
They need to work together to focus on authentic issues and problem-solve to gather the collective wisdom of the group.
Time and conversations...building trust, building understanding, putting pieces together over time...
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 30, 2013
Faux Flipped
This post is a reminder to an idea that I came across in my travels...
It's called Faux Flipped. One of these days, I'll remember where I found it and properly give attribution, but in the meantime, here's the idea.
Faux Flipped - intended for an elementary experience...
Basically, since many students do not have internet access at home, they (and everyone) watch any video or screen-casts at school. But, both are accessible online, where parents can also go to watch with children to help with any homework questions that may arise outside of school.
Students complete a checklist associated with the content, which is used as a "ticket" to move to a group in class.
Another excellent idea on the same note sheet!
Here's the concept
Students work toward TEST OPPORTUNITIES - students earn the right to test...
And finally, Flip-charts in Promethean can be saved as a PDF and imported into Nearpod.
Formative questions can be interspersed throughout. (e.g. 2 questions - less than 5 minutes)
What a lesson enhancement!
It's called Faux Flipped. One of these days, I'll remember where I found it and properly give attribution, but in the meantime, here's the idea.
Faux Flipped - intended for an elementary experience...
Basically, since many students do not have internet access at home, they (and everyone) watch any video or screen-casts at school. But, both are accessible online, where parents can also go to watch with children to help with any homework questions that may arise outside of school.
Students complete a checklist associated with the content, which is used as a "ticket" to move to a group in class.
Another excellent idea on the same note sheet!
Here's the concept
Students work toward TEST OPPORTUNITIES - students earn the right to test...
And finally, Flip-charts in Promethean can be saved as a PDF and imported into Nearpod.
Formative questions can be interspersed throughout. (e.g. 2 questions - less than 5 minutes)
What a lesson enhancement!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
A series of answers
An older post I came across...found it in drafts...
Quite a question...Thinking about thinking again...came across this post from The Core Knowledge Blog
If we only...view school work as a series of answers.
Sometimes I think that we are so eager to get to answers, that time for students to develop questions is overlooked.
But it’s the question that draws interest; draws action; draws thinking.
Simply supplying answers to questions someone else devises, is it enough?
So, how do we design learning for students to frame questions that extract desired content with enough difficulty to keep students engaged, but not frustrated?
Daniel T. Willingham - Why Students Don't Like School
Intro to Comp - Parody Projects
Students in Mrs. Rasmus' Introduction to Composition classes read and analyzed the book "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier during the late fall of 2012.
To broaden the scope of understanding and in addition to other curricular assessments involving the novel, it was decided to use a specific scene from the novel to teach process skills using a genre of literary composition - parody.
Often students are given project assignments that span over several days and involve several necessary components to be successful. We structured this project to be "different" in several ways.
First, the concept of parody was introduced by showing examples of parody from popular culture. Students compared and contrasted the parodies to the original versions. Next, the overall project goal, as related to "The Chocolate War" was shared on this day.
The following day, we started class with an invented "game" called "What's My Passion: The Process".
Student groups were given a folder that contained visuals of each step of the process, along with labels for each step. Their first task was to align the visual representations with the label, then put the steps in a logical, sequential order.
Pictures/photocopies included:
Labels included:
Once the groups had labeled and organized the pieces, the class revealed their sequence choices by having mates line up according to a consensus as to what comes first, second, etc... Some of the steps were obvious, while other steps required some discussion about WHY you might do one step before another.
Once we came to a general agreement on "the steps", they were taped in order on a large sheet of paper that spanned the wall.
The following day, student groups selected their parody characters and selected their end product medium, either a PowerPoint or a GoAnimate video. BEFORE they could get a laptop, they had to run through the process steps posted on the wall WITH US and checkmark the ones they had already completed. By doing this, they could "see" which ones they still needed to do.
This activity provided an opportunity for them to make choices about how to proceed, not only for that moment but also as a means to decide what they needed to accomplish during that period and where to start the next day. The visual sequence created a workflow for them to reference. It also provided us an opportunity to conference with them about their progress. We shared an understanding of what each step "meant" and a language to use as we worked through the process.
A second piece was added to the process wall the following class day: a series of boxes depicting the school days allotted to complete the finished product. The first box read, "You are here".
We spoke of how many days remaining, as aligned with what needed to be done. Again, students had the opportunity to "see" process components, "see" the due date and all the date boxes leading up to the "bulls-eye". The visual helped them to plan, to self-direct.
We did insist that the groups needed to complete one set (six slides) of a storyboard before they could move the process to create using PowerPoint or GoAnimate. We felt it was important for them to do some planning first before adding the technology.
From that point on, in each empty date box, we plotted progress as we approached and passed the class time.
On the Monday of the week the project was due, each individual was asked to answer the following 4 questions using a sticky note to post their replies on the process wall as they left class that day.
Again, the feedback helped us to target students who needed a bit of guidance and also gave them an opportunity to frame their own progression to this point.
The remaining classtime was spent
GoAnimate.com: The+Chocolate+War+Parody by 2500550
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!
To broaden the scope of understanding and in addition to other curricular assessments involving the novel, it was decided to use a specific scene from the novel to teach process skills using a genre of literary composition - parody.
Often students are given project assignments that span over several days and involve several necessary components to be successful. We structured this project to be "different" in several ways.
First, the concept of parody was introduced by showing examples of parody from popular culture. Students compared and contrasted the parodies to the original versions. Next, the overall project goal, as related to "The Chocolate War" was shared on this day.
The following day, we started class with an invented "game" called "What's My Passion: The Process".
Student groups were given a folder that contained visuals of each step of the process, along with labels for each step. Their first task was to align the visual representations with the label, then put the steps in a logical, sequential order.
Pictures/photocopies included:
Labels included:
Once the groups had labeled and organized the pieces, the class revealed their sequence choices by having mates line up according to a consensus as to what comes first, second, etc... Some of the steps were obvious, while other steps required some discussion about WHY you might do one step before another.
Once we came to a general agreement on "the steps", they were taped in order on a large sheet of paper that spanned the wall.
The following day, student groups selected their parody characters and selected their end product medium, either a PowerPoint or a GoAnimate video. BEFORE they could get a laptop, they had to run through the process steps posted on the wall WITH US and checkmark the ones they had already completed. By doing this, they could "see" which ones they still needed to do.
This activity provided an opportunity for them to make choices about how to proceed, not only for that moment but also as a means to decide what they needed to accomplish during that period and where to start the next day. The visual sequence created a workflow for them to reference. It also provided us an opportunity to conference with them about their progress. We shared an understanding of what each step "meant" and a language to use as we worked through the process.
A second piece was added to the process wall the following class day: a series of boxes depicting the school days allotted to complete the finished product. The first box read, "You are here".
We spoke of how many days remaining, as aligned with what needed to be done. Again, students had the opportunity to "see" process components, "see" the due date and all the date boxes leading up to the "bulls-eye". The visual helped them to plan, to self-direct.
We did insist that the groups needed to complete one set (six slides) of a storyboard before they could move the process to create using PowerPoint or GoAnimate. We felt it was important for them to do some planning first before adding the technology.
From that point on, in each empty date box, we plotted progress as we approached and passed the class time.
On the Monday of the week the project was due, each individual was asked to answer the following 4 questions using a sticky note to post their replies on the process wall as they left class that day.
Again, the feedback helped us to target students who needed a bit of guidance and also gave them an opportunity to frame their own progression to this point.
The remaining classtime was spent
GoAnimate.com: The+Chocolate+War+Parody by 2500550
Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!
Two new terms...
Came across two new terms...
Crystallized intelligence - knowledge and skills students acquire in school
Fluid intelligence - describes the ability to analyze abstract problems and think logically
Schaffhauser, Dian. "Research: Improving Test Scores Doesn't Equate to Improving Abstract Reasoning." THE Journal. 1105 Media, Inc., 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 29 Dec. 2013..
Crystallized intelligence - knowledge and skills students acquire in school
Fluid intelligence - describes the ability to analyze abstract problems and think logically
Schaffhauser, Dian. "Research: Improving Test Scores Doesn't Equate to Improving Abstract Reasoning." THE Journal. 1105 Media, Inc., 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 29 Dec. 2013.
Preaching to the choir...or sharing another perspective?
Merina, Anita. "Managing the Technology Takeover." NEA Today Summer 2013: 21. Print.
Initially approached iPads as supplements to lessons
Didn't realize that what needed to do was rethink lesson plans from an integration perspective
As a creation
Teaching like it 2999 - Blog - 32 iPads in class - initial failure was relying on traditional pedagogy
QUESTION - What can I do w/these devices that would be impossible to do without them?
Increased student as creator experiences - moved from paper to math app games, to students creating own math videos and writing math blogs, to conducting Challenge Based Learning math projects
Also, found apps to assess student learning
TECHNOLOGY IS JUST A CATALYST FOR LEARNING. IT'S STILL THE TEACHER THAT'S KEY.
With tech, the goal is to create projects that do more than deliver info - but also prompt students to THINK and SOLVE
AND for teachers to ASSESS
Use tools for PB approaches - and don't be "afraid" to reexamine teaching
Initially approached iPads as supplements to lessons
Didn't realize that what needed to do was rethink lesson plans from an integration perspective
As a creation
Teaching like it 2999 - Blog - 32 iPads in class - initial failure was relying on traditional pedagogy
QUESTION - What can I do w/these devices that would be impossible to do without them?
Increased student as creator experiences - moved from paper to math app games, to students creating own math videos and writing math blogs, to conducting Challenge Based Learning math projects
Also, found apps to assess student learning
TECHNOLOGY IS JUST A CATALYST FOR LEARNING. IT'S STILL THE TEACHER THAT'S KEY.
With tech, the goal is to create projects that do more than deliver info - but also prompt students to THINK and SOLVE
AND for teachers to ASSESS
Use tools for PB approaches - and don't be "afraid" to reexamine teaching
This is nice...Kudos to Thinkfinity and the ReadWriteThink Printing Press
ReadWriteThink's Printing Press is a tool to create online brochures, newspapers, and posters.
An added bonus is that students can save a draft and return to their work anytime to continue where they left off.
As Recommended via an EdSurge list - Dec. 2013
An added bonus is that students can save a draft and return to their work anytime to continue where they left off.
Let's ask the kids...
This post is in response to a December 2013 EdSurge post written by Sho Ota, a 9th grade student at Lynbrook High School in San Jose, CA. Sho is a member of a school organization called Virtual Vikings that "informs teachers about current technological innovations in the educational space".
One of his recent assignments was to attend the Tech for School Summit sponsored by EdSurge and held this past November. The goal of the summit was to have participants (educators, students, entrepreneurs, et. al.) "Play, Listen, Explore, and Share" at intersections where technology and learning meet.
As I read the post, several things jumped out at me.
First, Sho mentions that he struggles with language skills. He also mentions that being able to watch videos of the products in actions were of great benefit to aid in his understanding. HE articulated and self-actualized his realization that visualization is a method that improves his ability to learn.
I wonder how often we, as teachers, solicit feedback from students asking them about what works for them and design learning experiences based on that feedback?
I wonder how often students are asked to think about their personal strengths / challenges when it comes to their own learning experiences?
I wonder how often students are allowed to or encouraged to make decisions about how to drive their own learning based on those understandings?
Which leads me to my second revelation...how Sho was able to recommend several products that addressed gaps HE recognizes from s student perspective based on his own curricular / learning experiences.
The first is a tool called Curriculet (formerly Gobstopper), which allows for digital annotation, a dictionary, and progress reports for both educator and learner. The reason it appealed to him was that he sees a connection between interactivity and reading. According to his assessment, Sho states that "literature teachers would be able to highlight specific passages from a novel and have students respond to the close reading assignment" with the benefit of tracks for performance and completion.
A few other recommendations included Ellevation, NoRedInk, The Answer Pad, and Zaption.
As for me, I find that I am often overwhelmed with the sheer number of tools developed / recommended on any given day. But, this is one article that contains recommendations that I am going to take a second look at and push forward to the local experts for what works at the "front-lines" of learning...classroom teachers AND their students.
It would be well worth the time to develop a system to structure pilot learning options based on Sho's experience.
My instinct is that our students who could provide great insight on teaching and learning as well.
PS - On a quick assessment, NoRedInk is the only recommendation that is currently free. All the other recommendations above have cost associated with use. How to strategically allocate funds for these and other tools, I'm sure is on the mind of many educators and administrators out there...since dollars do add up quickly...
One of his recent assignments was to attend the Tech for School Summit sponsored by EdSurge and held this past November. The goal of the summit was to have participants (educators, students, entrepreneurs, et. al.) "Play, Listen, Explore, and Share" at intersections where technology and learning meet.
As I read the post, several things jumped out at me.
First, Sho mentions that he struggles with language skills. He also mentions that being able to watch videos of the products in actions were of great benefit to aid in his understanding. HE articulated and self-actualized his realization that visualization is a method that improves his ability to learn.
I wonder how often we, as teachers, solicit feedback from students asking them about what works for them and design learning experiences based on that feedback?
I wonder how often students are asked to think about their personal strengths / challenges when it comes to their own learning experiences?
I wonder how often students are allowed to or encouraged to make decisions about how to drive their own learning based on those understandings?
Which leads me to my second revelation...how Sho was able to recommend several products that addressed gaps HE recognizes from s student perspective based on his own curricular / learning experiences.
The first is a tool called Curriculet (formerly Gobstopper), which allows for digital annotation, a dictionary, and progress reports for both educator and learner. The reason it appealed to him was that he sees a connection between interactivity and reading. According to his assessment, Sho states that "literature teachers would be able to highlight specific passages from a novel and have students respond to the close reading assignment" with the benefit of tracks for performance and completion.
A few other recommendations included Ellevation, NoRedInk, The Answer Pad, and Zaption.
As for me, I find that I am often overwhelmed with the sheer number of tools developed / recommended on any given day. But, this is one article that contains recommendations that I am going to take a second look at and push forward to the local experts for what works at the "front-lines" of learning...classroom teachers AND their students.
It would be well worth the time to develop a system to structure pilot learning options based on Sho's experience.
My instinct is that our students who could provide great insight on teaching and learning as well.
PS - On a quick assessment, NoRedInk is the only recommendation that is currently free. All the other recommendations above have cost associated with use. How to strategically allocate funds for these and other tools, I'm sure is on the mind of many educators and administrators out there...since dollars do add up quickly...
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Hour of Code - Ephrata Participates
December 9th through the 15th is recognized as Computer Science Education Week. During that time, students throughout Ephrata Area School District had the opportunity to participate in various Hour of Code events to highlight math and computer science applications.
Jon Mattingly and Gretchen Huebner, who developed one of the iPad Apps featured on the Hour of Code site, were available virtually, to share their first-hand knowledge and experience as young entrepreneurs in this emerging field.
Jon states, “He and Grechen started Kodable last summer because they wanted to make it easy for kids to learn one of the most important skills of the 21st century”.
Jon Mattingly and Gretchen Huebner, who developed one of the iPad Apps featured on the Hour of Code site, were available virtually, to share their first-hand knowledge and experience as young entrepreneurs in this emerging field.
Jon states, “He and Grechen started Kodable last summer because they wanted to make it easy for kids to learn one of the most important skills of the 21st century”.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Better using resources we already have access to...
I've attended several tech sessions in the last few weeks and realize that several resources we already HAVE access to, offer MANY updates and interactive options to enhance learning designs.
We really just scratch the surface for many of these.
With that in mind, one of my present goals is to take the time to consider how to best communicate what's new and how we might be able to best build this into our teaching practice.
Let's start with this one...
BookFlix
BookFlix now works on iPads and iPhones.
BookFlix has also added five new pairs of books (Fall 2013):
Hi! Fly Guy and It's a Good Thing There are Insects
I'm Fast and Train
The Red Hen and This is the Way We Help at Home
Show Way and Harriet Tubman
A Sick Day for Amos McGee and Animals in the Zoo
BookFlix is part of the POWER Library bundle and can be found via Destiny.
We really just scratch the surface for many of these.
With that in mind, one of my present goals is to take the time to consider how to best communicate what's new and how we might be able to best build this into our teaching practice.
Let's start with this one...
BookFlix
BookFlix now works on iPads and iPhones.
BookFlix has also added five new pairs of books (Fall 2013):
Hi! Fly Guy and It's a Good Thing There are Insects
I'm Fast and Train
The Red Hen and This is the Way We Help at Home
Show Way and Harriet Tubman
A Sick Day for Amos McGee and Animals in the Zoo
BookFlix is part of the POWER Library bundle and can be found via Destiny.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)