Goals- Summer Institute 2014

I'm going to follow the directions bullet by bullet so I stay on task for this post!  It probably doesn't make for compelling reading

Things to think about as you create your post:

A.  Current Classroom Learning Environment

1. I'm really at the mid-point on the scale of teacher-directed and student-directed.  While I'd love for my classroom to move farther toward student directed as the year progresses, I struggle with the feasibility of that with middle school kids (their ability to have enough background knowledge to make it work well, differing levels of motivation/discipline, etc.).  Perhaps, I really need to look at how I structure the first half of the school year in order to ensure success in my classroom. 
2. My use of my classroom Wikispace really helped move my students and I toward a student centered learning environment.  
3. I don't know if "they should be" as 12 and 13 year old students who need explanation and direct instruction on some topics.  I really struggle with their ability, developmentally/cognitively, in order to learn "on their own."  I think, at the 7th grade level, it might always have to be more of a  50/50 in order to set kids up for future success and help lay the necessary foundation. 
4. No, they wouldn't describe it the same way, but I think we'd be on the same page.
5. It means to give them the tools to succeed in my class.   

B:  Summer Institute Project Work - 80% Time

1. a. Develop proficiency in iTunes U   b.  Structure my class using iTunes U for next year  c. Develop at least one unit on iTunes U prior to the school year
1. **** I'm currently reflecting on the pros/cons of iTunes U vs. Wikispaces.  Perhaps my project will be based on the Wikispace or iTunes U.  Stay tuned.
2. The work on iTunes U will be the proof of moving/working/achieving my goal.
3. Colleagues can help me by reviewing my ideas and providing feedback.

C:  Technology Integration

1. I feel that my lessons are completely technology dependent now.  I feel that I do use technology as a "substitute" for paper/pencil (or traditional materials), but naturally my integration as become more authentic and able to modify and redefine (SAMR terms).
2. Wow, looking at the TIM model is really humbling, but exciting.  Of course, I want my project to move toward the transformation end of the spectrum while being active, collaborative, constructive, authentic, and goal directed.  I should create my own rubric/checklist to keep me focused on this!  

Goals- Summer Institute- 2013

Classroom Learning Environment

1. My classroom is 60/40- teacher directed/student directed.

1. I do believe that there are many benefits to a student centered classroom.  I'm not convinced that it's appropriate to be at 100% student centered in 7th and 8th grade.  I think that most 7th and 8th graders need some percentage of teacher/direct instruction in order to "grab" the content and understand how to be a learner.  If we don't provide kids with the tools to self-motivate, self-pace, scaffold, and build meaning, then we're setting them up for failure.  
2. I need to use my Wiki for a more systemic approach to this.  It will be obvious throughout the year what units are more student centered. 
3. I did make some movement on this continuum by using my Wiki and training the kids from day one that's where they refer to for daily agendas, units, etc.  
4. Reflect on learning and instruction in your classroom. In your opinion, are a majority of your lessons:
   • Personalized- No
   • Individualized- No
   • Differentiated- Yes
   • Whole class- No
   • *** I feel that, through the course of a lesson in our 85 minute block, that I use more than one approach.  Some days are better than others.  
5. I feel like differentiated can best describe most of my lessons because I try to reach different kids/learning styles through the block. Yes, I have used varied web resources and iPad apps to enhance teaching and learning in language arts. 
6. Perhaps, but I'm not certain our kids have that kind of self-awareness/meta-cognition to really describe the learning environment.  We haven't trained them, by and large, to think this way about school YET.

Summer Institute Project Work - 80% Time

1. Describe your project work for the Summer Institute. You'll want to define goals for your learning path this summer.
1. Re-do my Wikispace which means re-creating it which is unpopular with Lisette, but it's how my brain works.
2. Goal 1- 2-3 Special Units (literature, grammar, writing, etc.) ready on the Wiki with links, resources, pre/post assessments by the end of the Summer Institute (SI).
3. Special Units- They will have pre and post assessments planned.  
4. They will connect to the Common Core Standards for LA.  
2. What module will be the focus of your study?
1. Learning Environment, but my wiki should reflect a strong digital backpack. 
3. What types of tools will you be incorporating into your digital backpack?
1. Apps, collaboration tools, Google Forms, possibly Quia, ???
4. How will you know you are making progress toward reaching your goals? (What form of data will you collect?)
1. My wiki should demonstrate the work. 
5. How could your colleagues support you in your Summer Institute goals?
1. I'm open to great ideas about how to use as many available resources as possible. 

Technology Integration

1. Determine and describe where you (and your lessons) are in regards to technology integration (shown below) in your classroom.
1. I'm between augmentation and modification.  At times, I'm substituting technology, but often it really re-shapes how the kids work and collaborate/communicate with me.  
2. Develop a goal related to technology integration.
1. I will use technology (iPad, wiki, Google Forms, Quia, websites, apps, etc.) to track student achievement around reading and writing (Common Core Standards). 

Final Reflection

Final Reflection- August 15, 2012

• Overall Description of the Project
  • My project was a combination of improving my Wiki, designing curriculum, exploring resources, practicing skills with my Wiki, and using iBooks author.  

• Did you achieve your original goals set for this course? Explain your journey.
• No, I didn't' achieve my original goals.  iBooks author was too cumbersome for my purposes.  I decided by the end of June that my Wikispace is a better place for the type of content that I want to share with kids for now.  I ended up wasting a ton of time on the minutiae of the Wikispace and re-inventing the wheel.  I have no idea if this will pay off.  I barely touched planning a PBL/CBL unit from the ground up.  I really wanted to have the whole unit blocked out on my Wiki including resources, etc. by now.  I still intend to plan my Digital Citizenship/Literacy unit using this type of format.  

• Share how someone's work influenced your learning (in or out of this class).
• I learned a lot from the discussion forums and blogs about others' progress.  I think I was influenced in a variety of ways by other people's struggles and successes.  The collaboration piece was great, but it was a lot bigger (time consuming) than I first thought.  

• How did feedback from a peer shape or think your design?
• Feedback from Vi about iBooks authors vs. using the Wiki helped me let go of needing to use iBooks for now.  
• Feedback from Shaunda and Lisette helped me become more interested in Evernote.
• Feedback from Shaunda and Lisette helped me explore Socrative more.  
• Information from Jaclyn and Shaunda helped me really become interested in quad-blogging this year.  I haven't signed up yet.
• Lisette's constant reminders of the power of blogging have given me the impetus to make this a regular part of my weekly work with kids.  

• What steps will you take to find out if your design is effective for student learning?
• I will try to use authentic assessments, blogging, and other evaluative methods to help discern the quality of my content.  

• How could you improve the project if you were to start over?
• I would like to say that I would try to be more focused in my goals from the beginning.  Essentially, that wasn't possible.  Because I did use the resources, articles, etc. available to me, I kept changing my ideas and priorities in this project.  
• I should have taken several of my digital Word files and transferred them completely to my Wiki.  For example, I want to have all of my "Power Paragraph" writing topics accessible at the beginning of the school year so kids can choose instead of me dictating the topic.   I will have to mine through two years worth of files in order or this to happen.  That would have been a great task to finish during this project. 

• How will know if your new curriculum is more effective than what you were doing?
• I think my experience (going into my 13th year) will help me know when real learning is taking place versus "activities" that waste time.  My students will read, write, and think better. 

• How could your colleagues help support your curiosity with the data you collect in the future related to your new curriculum?
• I think PLC's will be instrumental in this part of the journey and I have blogged about my hopes for this.  

Some of the work that I've done:
*** My content is really disappointing, if you ask me.  I felt like I bounced between ideas so many times that I didn't finish as much content as I wish I did.  Granted, I have a start to develop as I move into the school year, but I didn't do as much "real" work as I'd hoped.

Link to Wiki
- It's important to ignore the plainness (boy did I struggle with this and still might change it) and use the navigation to the right.
- I am struggling with the fact that it looks so different from a computer to the iPad.  I like how clean it is.
- I worked on using tables of content on my pages and started to play with that.  This link will show an example as I still add content.

Table of Contents- example on Wiki

Here's what the homepage looks like on the Wiki:

Here's what the links look like:

Standard 6- Professional Growth

August 14, 2012

I feel like this standard encompasses what the Summer Institute has been about this year.  The model of the Wiki and self-exploration has given us opportunities to grow through the use of technology and the better understanding of our options (yet they change as we speak!).

Here's my dream PLC for one day per week this year:

- Gather with like-minded staff who want to read and explore what other teachers are doing.
- Sit in a quiet room (with good coffee- sounds like Starbucks, except the quiet part) and just READ articles, links, other blogs, Wikis, news, research, etc.
- Possibly, once a month or so, engage in a discussion forum about reading, but I actually don't want to do that.  I just want to be able to take approximately an hour of time a week that I'm not pulling from planning and grading (and life) to just read all that we have access to already.

I do hope that I demonstrate some leadership through how I incorporate technology into my teaching.  I hate to even admit this, but I still feel some trepidation about the amount of time it takes to teach technology skills (WELL) vis a vis how much time I should be devoting to my content in all of its complexity.  I know the masterful teacher weaves this together, but I'm still a little daunted by the enormity of this task and my responsibility for kids' learning how to read, write, think, and speak.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

• Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:

• participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.
• exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing the leadership and technology skills of others.
• evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning.
• contribute to the effectiveness, vitality, and self-renewal of the teaching profession and of their school and community.

Practicing What I Preach- Digitally

August 10, 2012

I think I'm on my way with this standard.  I have totally embraced complete digital communication of expectations, assignments, units, hand-outs, etc. to students (and therefore parents) through my Wiki.  Last year, I adapted to collecting work digitally 99% of the time and after six weeks had it mastered.  I look to tweak this system by using Evernote in addition (or as a replacement) for e-mail and Google Docs to collect and evaluate student work.  I also look forward to sharing content with students via Evernote and letting them use notes as a working (living?) document where they can add examples and images thus making them richer and more meaningful.

I will have to commit myself to having the necessary fluency as our Digital Age constantly changes.  I become comfortable with what I know and probably tend to lose sight of current innovations.  I would love PLC time to become a time to really teach each other about new Apps, etc.  I know we have used Tech Tuesdays as this type of forum before.  I think extended PLC time will really encourage me to try new ideas sooner.

Using our district's FB/iPad page, teacher blogs, Edutopia articles, etc. etc. will encourage me to stay current also.  I think I need to re-embrace Diigo for its ease in seeing these resources.

Ultimately, working digitally makes me more efficient when I stay focused.  My downfall is falling prey to the abundant distractions on the internet (even when I start with professional intentions).   The fruits of self-discipline always do seem to pay off.

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:

• demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.
• collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation.
• communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital age media and formats.
• model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning.

Creativity, Power, PBL, and Beyond

August 10, 2012

I think that inspiring student learning and creativity is a lot harder than it seems on the surface.  One would think that language arts and the sub-areas of this subject would easily inspire creativity- literature, poetry, writing, responding, speaking, acting, etc.  On the surface, there is a ton of room in my classes to promote these ideas.

I think as I develop parts of my Wiki and writing instruction this year, I will focus on a few "real world" PBL/CBL type writing topics.  I think I can use different platforms like Google Docs and Evernote to have students collaborate on ideas and provide each other with feedback in addition to seeing the world globally (and flat).  At the same time, it's important for me to teach about planning, drafting, editing, and publishing these pieces.  Obviously, blogging is the natural platform for publishing this type of work.

I think it's most valuable to start this journey with a problem that's "real" to the student.  On our first day of the Summer Institute, our small group discussed the idea of POWER as an over-riding theme.  I keep coming back to this because I can cite several pieces of literature that I already read with students where themes can be discussed from this word and concept.

Onward and upward to planning a PBL chapter or unit around a student chosen issue (maybe in small groups, maybe not) that facilitates and inspires student learning and creativity.

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1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:

• promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
• engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources.
• promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes.
• model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments.

Digital Citizenship

Veering Off ...

I think I'm veering off my original goals a little bit, but as I've been evolving during this Summer Institute, I realize that I need to explicitly (possibly with some elements of PBL) teach several topics around Digital Citizenship this year.

This blog post will reflect on these standards (to some degree):
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:

• advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
• address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies providing equitable access to appropriate digital tools and resources.
• promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information.
• develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures using digital-age communication and collaboration tools.

I will have a page on my Wiki devoted to certain digital behaviors.  These will promote some elements of digital citizenship.  Topics that I've included already (but still need information) on my Wiki are: e-mail (general), using e-mail, composing e-mail, replying to e-mail, open apps on iPads, phones, sounds,  today's meet etiquette, digital footprint, language, blogging, Google forms, and PowerSchool.  I know I'll add other topics like Evernote, etc. as I figure out how I'm going to use other platforms this year for collecting work and collaborating.

Some of these topics are more about the systems unique to how my classroom functions, but some will encompass areas of digital citizenship.  I'm thinking of using the curriculum that someone posted on the MS Facebook page (YouTube's six part curriculum).  It seems to have a lot of potential.  

I'll try to post the link to my Wiki once this part has been developed more.