Reflection on the G-A-M-E Plan

I must say that throughout this course I have gained a wealth of knowledge regarding the implementation of technology in various content areas. I have enjoyed reading about what my colleagues who teach other subjects and grade levels have done to implement technology in their classrooms. I also feel that I have grown professionally through the development and implementation of my personal G-A-M-E Plan.

To recap, the goals I have identified for my G-A-M-E plan are as follows:

1. To increase my collaboration time with a colleague outside of my PLC. 2. To engage in collaborative conversations with students (both seniors and fifth graders) and other teachers to facilitate increase proficiency in my students' writing skills. As a side note, I will strive to ensure that the comments I leave for students are constructive in nature. I will avoid statements such as "Nice job" or "Good Work". My feedback should be specific (Goemaat, 2015).

I have learned that when collaborating with a colleague who is outside of your building, communication is very important. There were many times in the past 6 weeks that things had come up that prevented the senior writing teacher and I to collaborate face to face. Whether it was changes in her schedule, sickness, field trips, etc. It just seemed that it was hard to find a time to talk. We had to get creative with our time and found that using email and even an occasional phone call over lunch was enough just to touch base with each other. Even though this class is ending, this collaborative partnership will not. We are planning to continue just as we are now through at least this school year. We will reevaluate in the spring to see if there is benefit for all stakeholders to continue collaborative writing partnerships. 

My second goal was to engage in collaborative conversations with both my fifth graders and their senior partners. I must say, this is probably an area that I have not done as well in. I have not been nearly as consistent as I had hoped and planned for. Many time, I would meet with my own students while they were writing and gave them verbal feedback, when I did that, I failed to go back online and give feedback within the document itself. I think that is important, because I could also collaborate with the senior as well. This is something that I will have to address. I may not have to adjust my plan, but I do need to adjust my practice. A possible way to do that could be to have a no talking writing period. So, if they need help on their writing, they should send me a message asking me to get on their doc. This might help me to increase my online presence and also allow students to experience more of this type of feedback. 

I had hoped to find some support from other educators by posting about collaborative writing partnerships on a discussion board, but found that those who responded had never done anything like it before and were asking me questions. I was happy to oblige and we, of course, still had thought provoking conversations. I was also disappointed in the book that I had found and ordered for giving productive feedback. It really wasn't what I thought it was going to be, and found it did not give me the tools and/or resources I had hoped for. Again, I don't believe I need to adjust my plan or goals because of this roadblock, I just need to keep searching and eliciting suggestions and guidance from other colleagues. 

Because my plan is based around social networking, I believe that I have a good grasp on how to implement that into my teaching. Problem Based Learning and Digital Storytelling are also two things that I am looking to incorporate more as the year goes on. I would really like to look at using them specifically in Science and Social Studies. They could both make for great final projects in an independent study that students work on over an extended period of time. As I have stated before, I work with some amazing educators in my PLC and I plan to bring some of these ideas to the table to see how they can best be utilized and monitored to create the richest, most engaging environment for our students.

References

Goemaat, A. (2015, September 9). Mrs. G's G-A-M-E Plan. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://frivolousreflect.blogspot.com

G-A-M-E Plan In Progress

Recap of my goals:
1. To increase my collaboration time with a colleague outside of my PLC. 2. To engage in collaborative conversations with students (both seniors and fifth graders) and other teachers to facilitate increase proficiency in my students' writing skills. As a side note, I will strive to ensure that the comments I leave for students are constructive in nature. I will avoid statements such as "Nice job" or "Good Work". My feedback should be specific (Goemaat, 2015).

I have met with my colleague already this week to discuss our students' progress. We have had some great conversation and she shared that her students are really loving helping out my fifth graders! I have yet to begin my collaborative conversations with the students but I plan on beginning that in the next few days. I am just fearful that if I begin commenting on the student's work before their seniors do, the seniors might get too relaxed in their responsibilities. So, I'm trying to figure that part out.

As far as resources, I have not heard anything on my post in the ProTeacher Community. I am fearful that I may have done something incorrectly when I submitted it, so I may have to check on that. I am still trying to track down the book I had mentioned. I am curious to know if anyone knows of any good blogs out there about collaborative partnerships between grade levels? I would also like to find some more information about giving good, quality feedback to students. If anyone has any resources they'd like to share, please let me know!!

So far, I think my plan is going well and I am really excited to continue. I don't foresee myself having to make any changes, but there maybe some that arise at a later date. 

References

Goemaat, A. (2015, September 9). Mrs. G's G-A-M-E Plan. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://frivolousreflect.blogspot.com

Baby Steps in the G-A-M-E...

To recap, the goals I have identified for my G-A-M-E plan are as follows:

1. To increase my collaboration time with a colleague outside of my PLC. 2. To engage in collaborative conversations with students (both seniors and fifth graders) and other teachers to facilitate increase proficiency in my students' writing skills. As a side note, I will strive to ensure that the comments I leave for students are constructive in nature. I will avoid statements such as "Nice job" or "Good Work". My feedback should be specific (Goemaat, 2015).

I have begun the process of engaging in collaboration time with the Senior English teacher. We have met one time and have set up a time to meet on a bi-weekly basis. We will also correspond through email when necessary.

The students have only begun their collaborative partnerships with the senior writers this week, so not much has been done by myself. I am waiting for the students to begin conversations before I get involved. 

I have become a member of the ProTeacher Community and plan to post a discussion forum regarding collaborative partnerships between high school and elementary students to gather feedback from other educators who have "gone before me". I am eager to read about what others have done and possibly avoid pitfalls that others have struggled with. 

Another resource that I plan on obtaining is the book 100 Trait-specific Comments: A Quick Guide for Giving Constructive Feedback on Student Writing by Ruth Culhum. I hope to use this book as a resources for honing in my skills for giving useful, specific feedback to my students in regards to their writing. 

References

Goemaat, A. (2015, September 9). Mrs. G's G-A-M-E Plan. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://frivolousreflect.blogspot.com

Mrs. G's G-A-M-E Plan

Cennamo, Ross, and Ertmer have created a tremendous acronym to help guide self-directed learning (2009). The GAME plan is such a great way to break down the steps needed to ensure that learning is taking place. It has really caused me to stop and think about what I am doing and why I'm doing it. I am excited to get this plan started and see where it takes my own learning as well as the learning of my students!

The two ISTE Standards that I would like to focus on for my GAME Plan are Standard 1d, Model collaborative knowledge construction by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and virtual environments, and Standard 3b, Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student success and innovation (ISTE, 2008). 
Both of these standards, I hope to strengthen through a project I have started with the high school English teacher. We have set up a collaborative partnership between my fifth graders and her senior writing students. 

Goals

1. To increase my collaboration time with a colleague outside of my PLC. 2. To engage in collaborative conversations with students (both seniors and fifth graders) and other teachers to facilitate increase proficiency in my students' writing skills. As a side note, I will strive to ensure that the comments I leave for students are constructive in nature. I will avoid statements such as "Nice job" or "Good Work". My feedback should be specific.

Actions

In order to achieve these goals, I have set up collaborative time with the senior English teacher to meet on a weekly basis to discuss the projects that are going on between our students. We have set up expectations that our students will respond to each other concerning the weekly project on at least two separate occasions. Because I have 19 students to review, I will respond to each partnership at least once throughout the week.

Monitor

I will keep a weekly log of my collaborative time with the senior English teacher to keep record of what has been discussed and to also keep expectations clear. This will be done on a google doc that will be shared between the both of us so we both have total access. I will also set up a feedback schedule to keep myself on track with collaborating with partnerships. I will make it a point to review 5 partnerships collaborations per day, with one day per week being left open if there was a group that needed to be checked in on again. 

Evaluate & Extend

I will evaluate my progress by reviewing my logs and feedback schedules to determine if I have been consistently working toward the goal. I will also seek out other professionals who have used collaborative partnerships with students, and glean from their experiences. I hope that by researching collaborative partnerships throughout this process, I will be able to bring some ideas to the table that could enrich the experiences for myself, my collaborative partner, and the students.  

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-   based approach. (Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.


ISTE Standards - Teachers. (2008). Retrieved September 9, 2015, from https://www.iste.org/docs/pdfs/20-14_ISTE_Standards-T_PDF.pdf 

Bridging Theory, Instruction, and Technology - A Reflection

Our first application paper for this class was to write about our theory of learning. How did we feel students learn the best? I expressed my belief that students learn the best by playing an active role in their learning (Goemaat, 2015). Throughout this course I have come to believe this even more so than before.
I had written about how technology could be integrated in to a classroom to support the constructivist learning theory (2015). Now, more than ever, I feel that it is imperative for teachers to find a way for students to use technology as often as possible. Our society is driven by technology. As teacher, we must provide opportunities for students to explore and use technology. I believe we must look at our current curricular resources and change or alter their expectations in order to align with standards for 21st Century learners. For example, if your language arts curriculum guides students to use a dictionary or thesaurus, teach them to use the online versions. The likelihood that they will ever use a physical dictionary is slim. The same is true in a math class. What is the likelihood that they will ever physically create a bar or line graph to report data? It would be more applicable to teach them to use a program to input the data and then customize the graphs.
This brings me to the first of the two goals I am setting for myself. We are looking to upgrade our math curriculum to the next version of Everyday Math. I have not had a chance to explore this resource, but having experience with the current version, I know there are ways that instruction and application can be changed to be more technology-rich. There are many times in which students should be using technology to complete tasks, but instead are using pencil and paper and working in their math journals. Over the summer, I would like to map out the first quarter's lessons and make any changes in instruction or student application to allow students to use technology in ways that will be applicable as they move forward in their education. Depending upon how involved I get in the first quarter, I will continue to move through the curriculum until I have identified as many ways as possible for my students to be using technology in mathematics. A roadblock that I can foresee is that we are not one-to-one. This could present difficulties in getting students through practice and application. However, it will open the door to collaborative learning. I will just need to get creative on how I will assess students.
The second goal I have for myself is something I mentioned in this week's discussion post. I would love to use a tool such as VoiceThread to flip my classroom in small ways. I would like to take our research and inquiry projects for Language Arts and create VoiceThreads to introduce them to my students, rather than taking class time. I would also like to explore the possibility of using VoiceThread to do mini lessons that I could link to my class website for parents and students to use at home. By using VoiceThread, this would also allow students or parents to make comments or ask questions. I am hoping to implement this gradually throughout the year next school year.
In conclusion, I still believe that students learn the best by doing. As our society changes, so must our teaching. We have to look at what will make our students the most successful in society. That means that we must be willing to look at what and how we teach in order to create the best possible active learning opportunities for our students.

Resources

Goemaat, A. (2015). Learning Theory. Unpublished Manuscript, Walden University.

Cooperative Learning, Technology, and the Classroom

Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec (1986) defined cooperative learning as "students working together to attain group goals that cannot be obtained by working alone or competitively" (Johnson, et al, 1986 as cited in Orey, 2001). Cooperative learning is an instructional strategy that can be very beneficial when used in conjunction with the ideas presented by Vygotsky's ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) and MKO (More Knowledgeable Other) (Laureate Edu, Inc., n.d.).
Dr. Orey describes a child's zone of proximal development as that space where learning happens. It falls just below what is beyond their comprehension/abilities, and just above what they already know and can do. This is where the social piece comes into play. The MKO or more knowledgeable other is the person or tool that allows the student to make meaning and build knowledge with new information (Laureate Edu., Inc., n.d.).
There are two collaborative tools that I'd like to explore this week. One is something that I am familiar with, as are my students. The other is one that I have used, but may consider using in a different way.
The first tool that is one I use almost daily in my classroom is KidBlogs. Students love this tool and it is a great choice for collaborative or cooperative writing. The difference between collaborative and cooperative is that collaborative activities engage students in producing a product or solving a problem. Cooperative is when students engage in work together in the same way, but they are also held accountable for individual aspects as well (Orey, 2001). Students use this as more of a cooperative tool that collaborative. They write their own entries, but then students can go in and comment on their peers blog. They use the acronym NOW as a reminder of how to leave feedback. N stands for "I noticed...". Students may comment on use of colorful words, figurative language, or any number of aspects of their peer's writing. O is "offer positive feedback". This is where they say something that they liked about the writing. W is "I wonder...". Students give constructive feedback such as, "I wonder if you could help me visualize your setting by adding more sensory details?" I have found that by giving this format, it allows students the direction they need to help assist each other in becoming better writers.
The second tool that my class uses regularly, but I'd like to explore some ways to use it differently to expand our social connections, is Google Docs. I think it would be really fun to collaborate with a classroom in another state or country to create a report or presentation on the same topic. I'm not entirely sure how I could make this work, but it would be fun to try!
We live in a collaborative society, so it is important that we allow students to collaborate together and learn from and with each other.

Resources

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Social learning theories [Video file]. Retrieved from  https://class.waldenu.edu

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

My VoiceThread: http://voicethread.com/share/6686718/

Image Sources:

www.amazon.com

http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/environment

http://www.leadershipinstitutekc.com/?page_id=137

http://www.cwu.edu/~woodmanb/resourcepage.html

http://healthyhempoil.com/cannabidiol-research/

www.poweryoupractice.com

www.rodneyellis.com

Constructionism, Technology, and the Classroom

This week we took a look at the constructionist learning theory which suggests that the best learning happens when learners are engaged in the construction of a physical artifact that can be shared with others (Orey, 2001). This artifact can be anything from a written or typed paper to model of the solar system.

In looking at the instructional strategy of "generating and testing hypotheses" as presented in chapter nine of Using Technology with Classroom Instruction that Works, it is evident that constructionism is a tremendously valid theory to support this strategy (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). The first thing that came to my mind when I read this chapter, was the strategy that we use for science. SWH or Science Writing Heuristic approach engages students to act and think more like scientists. The SWH approach was actually developed in 1998 at the University of Iowa, a mere hour and twenty minutes from my front door. Here is a quick video introduction to the SWH approach.

I do not teach science, but I could in the future. I am working with the other fifth grade teacher who has had this training to learn more about how to conduct the claims and evidence. Students make their claims about a certain topic, and then find evidence to support their claims. What may happen is the assimilation and accomodation that Dr. Orey discussed in the media segment about the mechanisms for learning in the constructionist theory. Students may find that the schema that they posses is supported by their research, or they may find that their schema must be altered based upon what they have discovered.
Currently, our science teacher has students do their claims and evidence using large poster paper and their science notebooks. It would be very easy to use organizing and brainstorming software that was discussed in the text (Pitler, et al., 2012). For example, the organizers they mentioned, kidspiration or inspiration could be a great tool to organize their research. They could also use spiderscribe.net, which is the tool I used last week for my concept map, and I loved it.
In summary, there are so many great ways to allow students to really take charge of their own learning. By using the constructionist theory as well as an approach like generating and testing hypothesis, students really get a chance to pull in and make connections like never before. Technology offers those tools that will allow students to grow in their knowledge, understanding, and creativity like never before.

Resources

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. 

University of Iowa College of Education. (2014, May 6). The Science Writing Heuristic Approach [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vaA-Nt_Ahc.

* For more information on SWH visit http://www.education.uiowa.edu/projects/science-writing-heuristic

Cognitivism, Technology, and the Classroom

The cognitive learning theory explains how the brain makes connections and networks information. It not only makes connections, but it also allows a person to retrieve information through those networks. As I was watching Dr. Michael Orey's video segment on the cognitive learning theory, I appreciated the visual representations that he presented to show how the Information Processing Model works. I even took a screen shot to put in my notes. His use of visual representation, auditory, and text are a great example of the use of the cognitive learning theory. He stated that if you integrate multiple senses into your instruction, there will be a greater chance of retention (Laureate Education, Inc., n.d.).
The two chapters we read this week in Using Technology with Classroom Instruction That Works (Pitler, Hubbell, and Kuhn, 2012) were full of fabulous strategies that truly exude cognitivism. I'd like to focus on one resource from each chapter to explore more deeply.
In chapter 4, Pitler, et al., introduce the reader to the idea of using graphic organizers as a tool for organizing and brainstorming. Using this type of a tool is a great way to build those connections and networks within the brain. The more connections a student has to a certain piece of information, the more ways he/she has to retrieve the information when need. A great free website for building online graphic organizers is from ReadWriteThink.org. There are also lessons below for teachers to use with the tool.
Chapter 6 focuses on note taking. This is a very applicable skill that students will need as they progress through school. I really liked the Rule-Based Summarizing table (Pitler, et al., p. 148). Those give some great tips on how to help students take effective notes. I especially like tip #3, "Replace a list of things with a word that describes the things in the list (e.g., use the word trees for elm, oak, and maple). This allows students to build connections with in words and vocabulary. I think a great strategy to for the use of technology with note taking would be collaborative note taking using a resource such as GoogleDocs, Evernote, or even a wiki. This would allow students to not only contribute, but to review the material that they have heard, thus elaborating on the instruction and notes they've already taken. The down side to this would be figuring out how to manage contributions. It would be important for the students to know that the teachers can track the changes made to the document and who made those changes and contributions.
Both of these strategies would be very useful when engaging students in a virtual field trip. I know our assignment is to use a graphic organizer, but I also think students could engage in collaborative note taking. It would be very powerful to see what kind of a summary students could build in a wiki after engaging in a virtual field trip that they may never have the opportunity to see in person. Building those experiences helps to strengthen the connections in the brain. I would have loved to have read what one of the groups from the virtual field trip that we watched in the second video segment could have come up with on Ford Theater and the assassination of President Lincoln (Laureate Education, Inc. n.d.). What an amazing experience.
To conclude, it is important for teachers to go to whatever lengths possible to increase the frequency of exposure to new information, by making sure it is represented in multiple ways. Also, it is important that students have the opportunity to connect their learning to prior knowledge and to elaborate upon that knowledge to create stronger connections and networks within their memory.

Resources

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Cognitive learning theories [Video file]. Retrieved from     https://class.waldenu.edu

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu 

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Behaviorism, Technology, and the Classroom

It was interesting to me this week to think about behaviorism in the classroom and then pairing it with technology. Many times I believe that teachers mistakenly view behaviorism only in correlation with classroom management and student behavior. While this is one facet of behaviorism in education, it is important that we also take a look at how behaviorism affects learning.
Pitler, Hubbell, and Kuhn give some great ideas on how to reinforce effort and the importance of "teaching students about the relationship between effort and achievement" (2012). I really love the idea of using a spreadsheet to help students make a connection between effort and achievement.
Pitler, et al., also mentions providing students with recognition. While they caution the use of praise, recognition under the certain circumstances may prove to make more of a positive impact. For example, promoting goal mastery. Our fifth and sixth grade classes provide recognition for students who are reading and earning Accelerated Reader Points. This comes in the form of their name on the wall in the hallway under the appropriate point level achieved. I did some research on how I might incorporate technology in this recognition system and found www.classbadges.com. The great thing about this website is that I can create badges for anything I choose. I think I will start with just A.R. points and go from there. I don't want to do too much and not be able to follow through with it. Here is a short video introducing class badges.

              

Dr. Orey mentioned that programmed instruction is another instructional strategy that is used quite often today with the use of online tutorials. My school uses a wonderful program called SuccessMaker. Students are given a placement test to know where to start them in the program. Then the program guides them through tutorials based upon their needs. If a student watches a tutorial on adding fractions and then practices but answers incorrectly, the program then reteaches and gives the student prompts step by step on how to solve the problem. This is much like the resources that were shared this week. It does not immediately default to the correct answer, but rather prompts and guides to scaffold learning. Here is a introductory video for SuccessMaker.

There are countless other examples of ways that the behaviorist theory is influencing instructional strategies. However, like many other instances in education, what is essential is that teachers look to their own students' needs to drive their instructional strategies and content. 

Resources

ClassBadges. (2012, October 8). Introducing ClassBadges. [Video file]. Retrieved from   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30sMTPO5cAs

Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.). Behaviorist learning theory [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Pearson North America. (2008, July 3). SuccessMaker for measurable success in grade K8. [Video file] Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wphG4ry0OFc

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD. 

Time to Reflect

     For one of my masters classes, we've been asked to write a reflection on our learning throughout the course. To say that I've enjoyed this class would be an understatement. It got to the very heart of what I love. Using technology in the classroom.
     While I still am not completely comfortable with wikis, I feel that is what I learned the most about in this class. Even though we only spent a short time working with wikis, I was extremely unfamiliar with them to begin with, but now, I feel a little more at ease. I am in the process of trying to develop a simple way to use a wiki with my fifth graders. I want to start with something simplistic as they are learning to use the tool, but I also want it to be purposeful so that they see value in the process and product.
     The idea of using technology as a purposeful tool is what had helped to deepen my understanding of the teaching and learning processes. It is so easy just to use technology as just a different way of doing the same thing. Dr. David Thornburg brought this to light in one of our very first media segments for this class. There is a difference between doing different things and doing the same things differently. A PowerPoint presentation is no different than a poster presentation. However, it can be different if we think outside the box. Make it interactive, incorporate audio, video, etc. Students have to be allowed and encouraged to do things differently! If our goal when assigning a student project is to assess students on what they know and can do, does it matter what vehicle they use? No! Technology gives innumerable opportunities for students to show us what they know and can do. As teachers, we need to get out of their way and let them show us.
     This leads directly into the shift from teacher-centered classrooms to student-centered classrooms. In order for technology to be used at its full potential, it is imperative for this shift to take place. Teachers can no longer stand in the front of the classroom and expect students to open up their minds and have a transfer of knowledge just happen. As a former biology teacher of mine used to say to his students, "The learning process does not happen by osmosis. You can sleep with your biology book under your pillow and pray for the knowledge to transfer, but you'll never learn anything unless you get off your duff and do something." He was quite the character, but there is a nugget of truth to his statement. As teacher's we must adopt that mantra as well. We can't expect learning to take place if we just try to transfer our own knowledge over to students. Until they act, and until teachers encourage and coach them to act, learning will be come stagnant.
     As I look forward toward expanding my knowledge to help increase student achievement, I will continue to use blogs as a resource for instructional tools and ideas. I want to search for resources to help me improve my usage of wikis and blogs in my fifth grade classroom.
     The first goal I would like to set for myself and my fifth grade classroom. I would like to incorporate wikis into two of the four units I teach in reading/language arts. I would also like to start a wiki for fifth grade math. I'm not entirely sure how I will do this, but it is something that I would like to look at over the summer and hopefully begin implementation in the fall of next school year.
     The second goal is to help our elementary go 1:1. Right now most classrooms are around 2:1, but with a mixture of tools. For example, in my room we have 8 macbooks, 3 iPads, and to iMacs. I'd like to see each student in grades 4-6 have a macbook and in K-3 have iPads. I will work with our Technology coordinator to see if there is a grant that I could assist in writing to help aid with the purchase. Also, I would like to offer myself to help lead professional development in the uses of technology in the elementary classroom.
     When I look back to my checklist from week one, I feel that I have moved from "sometimes" to "often" in a couple categories. The first two go together. I feel I have done a better job of modeling reflective practices and also enabling student to take responsibility of their own learning. In the past eight weeks, I have really encouraged my students to look at their work and their effort. I've been better about offering the rubric for grading as they are working so that they have a clear understanding of the expectation, and I can say that the quality of work that I am seeing from them has improved! Then next category in which I've made some gains is seeking out other professionals to further my professional growth. I have greatly enjoyed and gained insight from searching out and following blogs, as well as the discussions I have had with my colleagues within our discussion forums.
     This has been an incredibly informative and transformative class for myself and I am excited to continue to further my education.

P21...

     The Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Oh, to be an exemplar school... I am lucky, however, to at least be in a state that has partnered with the cause. Iowa currently has two schools that have been "crowned" as being exemplar schools for their work with 21st Century Skills. In the class I took through the University of Northern Iowa called "Technology in Education", we talked about and briefly reviewed this website. I was fortunate, in that, one of my classmates taught at VanMeter as they began their work as an exemplar school. The insight he gave to some of the things that they were doing was fabulous.
    I love the idea of the 3 R's (Reading, Writing, and Math) and the 4 C's (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation) working together to cultivate our students into the type of citizens we want them to be. What I can't get my brain to wrap around, is the time factor. How am I supposed to find the time to allow students to be creative and innovative when it seems like there aren't enough hours in the day?
     I would love the opportunity to sit down with an educator from an exemplar school and just ask questions. Find out what their day looks like, their curriculum, their assessments, their schedule. I see the value and I desire the shift, I just need help in seeing the vehicle and the path.

Blogging in the Classroom

I have to admit, I have in the past been leery of blogging in my fifth grade classroom. I just assumed that students weren't ready or that it would just be more work for me. I have to say though, I was very inspired by Kathy Martin's clip on blogging in the classroom. I thought she made some great points about how much more "aware" students were with their writing when they knew other people (besides the teacher) would see it. I liked the idea of giving them a rubric to help them self-assess their writing before posting. In fact, my colleagues and I are in the process of creating a universal rubric for all fifth and sixth grade students to use with their writing. We feel that by having the exact same expectations for writing, no matter which class or subject, that we will be creating stronger writers.
When I think about how to use blogging in my fifth grade class, I really like the idea that was given in the video. I like the prompts and then the expectation that students respond to at least two peers. I'd like to try to post a prompt on a weekly basis. The topics covered in those prompts could range from content areas to hypothetical questions regarding character traits. (Kind of like that TV show, "What Would You Do?"). Blogging would be great as a formative assessment in content areas. Not only could initial posts be used, but their responses to peers could also be great data to indicate understanding.
I actually have a fifth grade blog already started, but we only use it in the summer as a way for students to share books they are reading. Nothing more than a quick description of the book and peer responses of "I read that!" or "I loved that book!". They never really dug deeper. I tried to invoke more discussion, but it was summer and it was hard to engage them. I am excited about the prospect of bringing it into the classroom to use on a regular basis!

Introducing...

     Welcome to my blog, fellow Walden students! I started this blog a couple of years ago, however, I will admit, I stink at blogging. I should say, I don't stink at blogging, I stink at making/taking time to do it. :-)
     Just a quick introduction about myself, I am 33 years old and have been happily married for 12 years (will be 13 in June) to my husband, Dan. We have three sons. Trace who is 10 years old and loves to play football and wrestle. He played his second year of tackle football this fall and is competing in his 3rd year of wrestling. He is doing very well this year and so far has posted a 21-4 record with 18 of those 21 wins being pins! Needless to say, he is growing up and we are very proud of him! Our middle son, Cory, is 7 and LOVES his Legos! That kid will spend hours just building wonderfully creative "things". He has just started Tae Kwon Do this fall and is really enjoying that. He broke his first board and was incredibly pleased with himself. Let's be honest, mom was, too. He is looking forward to this fall as he will be able to start playing tackle football just like big brother. Dawson is the youngest and is 4. He is full of energy and spunk! There is never a dull moment with that child in the room. He loves his brothers with all his heart, but also loves to antagonize and annoy them, too. He loves any thing with a motor and loves being on the farm with Daddy.
     As for Dan and I, well our time is spent chasing these boys. We also love the Iowa Hawkeyes, New England Patriots, and Dale Earnhart, Jr. If the TV is on in our house there is probably some sort of sporting event being televised.
     I teach fifth grade in a small school in rural Iowa. We are a small and very tight-knit community. Where we may lack in numbers, we make up for in enthusiasm and school spirit! I look forward to this class and learning all sorts of wonderful tips and tidbits from all of you!