Reflections of the Week:
Education is a lot more than a school building. It's more than test, essay papers, assignments that you don't want to do, and it's more than teachers. Education is about responding to adversity. Education is about being happy and growing. Education is about understanding that you can't stop learning. Our health, our mental state, our prosperity, and our happiness depends on education. So what is education? Education is about using tools to improve your life. Jobs, growing vegetables, curing an ailment, writing a better essay, using technology to study for a test that helps you get into a better college which helps you get a better job, reading books that give you a better understanding of the human experience, and you learn to bring happiness to you and your family.
Below are three videos I think are worth your time. The time is by each one.
The PISA test and how to improve education with data - not at the classroom level about 17 min.
Mapping the world with twitter - just very interesting 5min
Harvard Edcast - How to improve what we do? a little over 50 min.
Blogging is a real challenge because I do so much everyday how to focus can be very hard. Social media integration, BYOT, Common Core, Reading Cafe, math instruction, teacher feedback, special education, social work, RTI, testing coordinator, and of course lunch duty are just a few of the issues I will deal with tomorrow. So I have to go back to Balance. I've been going to Apple workshops for free at Lenox and hopefully the calendar sync through icloud is going to help with balance at the house.
Goals of the week:
1. Do a check up on Cafe Reading throughout the building - walk-through all classrooms during reading cafe - check on goal setting - Designed a quick Google form to collect data for this.
2. BYOT projects
3. Complete Access testing
4. Do a feedback meeting with a teacher
5. Work on digital storytelling with Will and Susan.
6. RTI - move progress on students who need testing and who need better interventions. I need to develop a plan for a third grader for math.
7. Reward 3rd grade readers for meeting goals.
8. I almost forget Social Media for the classroom teacher on Tuesday Tech. - Need to fine tool the Edcanvas board.
8. And for me, work on narrowing my vision and focus to improve my career. Check on Phd at Kennesaw this week.
If you haven't seen Lincoln, the movie, I recommend it.
I'm excited about the possibilities that lie ahead next week.
Be the Change you wish to see in the World! Ghandi
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Learning and MOOC
Since I'm a student of education I think it is very important to continue learning and one way I've been attempting to do that is through Coursea. Coursea is a MOOC. If you are unfamiliar with Massisve Open Online courses you should familiarize yourself because they are probably the future of education. I'm taking an college algebra course through the University of California and if I pay a small fee 79.00 I would get credit for the course. However, I'm not sure I will pass. My point of taking the class was to stay ahead of my daughter so I could help her with high school math if she had a question, but I also wanted to test out a MOOC. First, polynomial functions are not something I remember, but the teacher is doing a great job of convincing me that I should be using these at work. However, I can't remember all of the exponent rules and I'm having trouble entering my answers on the quizzes correctly. Bottom line, I'm like the smart kid in your class that is trying to do the three chapters of work on one weekend and passed last year doing this but now It's not working.
1. The class is challenging.
2. The quizzes aren't multiple choice.
3. The video instruction is good, but some of the quizzes are way above my skills.
I recommend trying a MOOC. Try Coursera or Udacity for course offerings.
My other goal is to be a learner. Learning is not always easy. I spent an hour trying to learn the concepts and thought I had it. If I really needed this class I would be very frustrated because I would have to backtrack for hours to learn the material. The feeling of not understanding is not pleasant. When students in your class are acting out or finding something else to do there is a reason. I think it's good for every educator or anyone to feel that frustration or that experience because it gives us a perspective so we can help. When you are working with children focus on telling them what to do next, not what they did wrong.
1. The class is challenging.
2. The quizzes aren't multiple choice.
3. The video instruction is good, but some of the quizzes are way above my skills.
I recommend trying a MOOC. Try Coursera or Udacity for course offerings.
My other goal is to be a learner. Learning is not always easy. I spent an hour trying to learn the concepts and thought I had it. If I really needed this class I would be very frustrated because I would have to backtrack for hours to learn the material. The feeling of not understanding is not pleasant. When students in your class are acting out or finding something else to do there is a reason. I think it's good for every educator or anyone to feel that frustration or that experience because it gives us a perspective so we can help. When you are working with children focus on telling them what to do next, not what they did wrong.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Learning Targets
Over the past several days I've attempted to write a post about a really good professional development presentation in our county, but it just isn't coming together. As I have stated before I'm more of an editor for opinion pieces than a evidenced based writer like the common core wants us all to become.
Professional learning can be an oxymoron many times, there's nothing professional about it and no one learns anything. Last Tues at our district level monthly professional learning meeting professionalism and learning actually took place for me. Sarah Jacobs, Common Core Georgia Performance Standards ELA, spoke about learning targets and balanced assessments. She was energetic, quick witted, heavy with knowledge, and used all the techniques that model a good lesson. Her focus was on learning targets and balance assessments. Her presentation was mostly pep-talk about why we use targets and balanced assessments.
NINE ASPECTS OF LEARNING TARGETS
• First principle of meaningful learning and effective teaching
• Each lesson (target) serves a purpose in a larger, overarching learning goal (standard)
• Teachers and students understand and aim for a common goal
• Teachers and students make learning visible to maximize progress
• Goals are appropriate, challenging, and increase motivation
• Lessons intentionally develop assessment-capable students
• Focus is on what students are actually doing during a lesson
• Everyone in the school (teachers, students, administrators) have
specific targets and “look-fors”
These are all very simple ideas that I think everyone would agree on, but it's not being implemented in a day to day basis. Targets are daily goals for all to see, hear, and understand.
• Knowledge- I can identify a
metaphor
• Reasoning – I can make a
prediction
• Performance/skills- I can read
with expression
• Products – Write a clear thesis
The targets are written in clear I can statements or show and tell statement, listen to my poem I wrote today. Setting targets this way puts the responsibility back on the learner and off of the teacher. Our school has a huge problem with this concept. Our teachers are working as hard as they possibly can and they become frustrated all the time by the performance level of their students work. The kids are lazy, the kids don't care, but my response is the kids don't know what you truly want from them and you haven't sold your product well. Yes, we do have a very difficult population of students to reach, but you knew that from the start. Why this professional development was perfect for me is because I'm walking our building daily thinking of ways to buy everyone in to essential questions and it's not working. Learning targets is perfect and I've already seen one teacher with I can statements in her room. If you want to learn more about learning targets Sarah Jacobs was using the book, Learning Targets.
My targets:
1. Explain idea to admin team
2. Get feedback from IEP teachers
3. Talk with three teachers about learning targets - Wade, Hanson, 3rd grade
4. Read book noted above
This week at school we've been discussing writing and the common core. Topic sentences, closing sentences, and all the problems students have with writing. I think I have all those problems too. I'm planning to get better by writing and having someone else read, I hope. If you take the time to read please give me a comment, feedback is always great.
I'm attempting two new things on my blog a link and a link to a google document - please tell me if they work.
Learning Targets Presentation
Good luck setting targets!
Professional learning can be an oxymoron many times, there's nothing professional about it and no one learns anything. Last Tues at our district level monthly professional learning meeting professionalism and learning actually took place for me. Sarah Jacobs, Common Core Georgia Performance Standards ELA, spoke about learning targets and balanced assessments. She was energetic, quick witted, heavy with knowledge, and used all the techniques that model a good lesson. Her focus was on learning targets and balance assessments. Her presentation was mostly pep-talk about why we use targets and balanced assessments.
NINE ASPECTS OF LEARNING TARGETS
• First principle of meaningful learning and effective teaching
• Each lesson (target) serves a purpose in a larger, overarching learning goal (standard)
• Teachers and students understand and aim for a common goal
• Teachers and students make learning visible to maximize progress
• Goals are appropriate, challenging, and increase motivation
• Lessons intentionally develop assessment-capable students
• Focus is on what students are actually doing during a lesson
• Everyone in the school (teachers, students, administrators) have
specific targets and “look-fors”
These are all very simple ideas that I think everyone would agree on, but it's not being implemented in a day to day basis. Targets are daily goals for all to see, hear, and understand.
• Knowledge- I can identify a
metaphor
• Reasoning – I can make a
prediction
• Performance/skills- I can read
with expression
• Products – Write a clear thesis
The targets are written in clear I can statements or show and tell statement, listen to my poem I wrote today. Setting targets this way puts the responsibility back on the learner and off of the teacher. Our school has a huge problem with this concept. Our teachers are working as hard as they possibly can and they become frustrated all the time by the performance level of their students work. The kids are lazy, the kids don't care, but my response is the kids don't know what you truly want from them and you haven't sold your product well. Yes, we do have a very difficult population of students to reach, but you knew that from the start. Why this professional development was perfect for me is because I'm walking our building daily thinking of ways to buy everyone in to essential questions and it's not working. Learning targets is perfect and I've already seen one teacher with I can statements in her room. If you want to learn more about learning targets Sarah Jacobs was using the book, Learning Targets.
My targets:
1. Explain idea to admin team
2. Get feedback from IEP teachers
3. Talk with three teachers about learning targets - Wade, Hanson, 3rd grade
4. Read book noted above
This week at school we've been discussing writing and the common core. Topic sentences, closing sentences, and all the problems students have with writing. I think I have all those problems too. I'm planning to get better by writing and having someone else read, I hope. If you take the time to read please give me a comment, feedback is always great.
I'm attempting two new things on my blog a link and a link to a google document - please tell me if they work.
Learning Targets Presentation
Good luck setting targets!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Sick Day
7 hours ago I started writing a blog post trying to make sense of some of my normal thoughts. I was home because I was sick and settling in for a medicine induced coma. When Langston, our 3 month old puppy started barking and making a strange crying sound almost like a child. At first I thought it was the medicine but I then headed to check on Langston. He had bowel movement all over the cage and it was on him, never before had this occurred with him. Being who I am I just started cleaning- took everything outside and sprayed with the hose - stretched out to dry, but then I noticed that Langston was all wet. He was drooling from the mouth. It was like someone put three times too much washing powders in the washing machine and bubbles and all were coming out his mouth. Being Mr. Calm I wiped his mouth and dried him off a little thinking this would stop. Remember I almost in a legal medicine induced coma. The foam doesn't stop and then diarrhea hits. He's a puppy it just shots out like a fire hose. A this point I'm thinking parvo, my puppy is going to die. Ok, clean him up again and get ready for the vet. I just remembered the doctor said many times don't drive after you take this medicine. Sorry, I've got to drive. Off we go to the vet, throw up comes next and I start sinking lower and lower. How am I going to tell Dinara about her puppy on the day before Valentine's. Luckily the vet is closed until 2:00 for lunch!!!! Not today, open up! The vet scares me a little and then we all settle down for an IV. Langston stays I drive, again, home and try to sleep, which is rather hard sense I'm thinking how to tell Dinara. I finally slip into the coma, but not for long and thankfully the vet calls and says my puppy is back to acting like a puppy it must have been something he ate in the yard, which it probably is since he eats everything. So back to my title balance. Why did I get sick and go home today? To save my puppy!
I hope I had a topic sentence and closing sentence.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Thoughts of the week!
Why do we learn? Do we continue to learn? What is school all about? As someone that tries to lead a school, these are thoughts that ring through my head daily. How do we close the achievement gap? How do we address the digital divide? How do we engage our brightest students? How do we engage any of our students? Why would anyone want to help someone that doesn't want to be helped? What is a learning disability and do you inherit it or is it something preventable? What is our society suppose to do with unwanted children? How can children learn when they are not loved?
Education is a different practice to different situations. When I read blogs and my twitter following I'm feel like I'm reading about schools and school leaders that don't have to deal with some of the issues I'm dealing with daily. Some days curriculum is the last thing I get to think about and it should be the first. However, Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is true. Because daily we have students that have psychological problems and they take a lot of our time and energy. But the worst part of the story is their parents have the same issues and I just have to throw up my hands on some days.
The positive, by creating a weekly schedule which focuses on observations, interventions, and helping teachers with BYOT, and other curriculum issues helps me maintain my sanity. This Friday, I helped second graders create spreadsheets and within the same hour dealt with parents with psychological problems. I didn't let my focus stray and I always keep my vision on what I can change. I can't always change parents but we can change children.
BYOT progress - I'm proud of my BYOT teachers because they keep pushing forward. Every failure is a learning opportunity. I'm hoping one teacher is going to keep the spreadsheet idea going with lunch choices and collecting data from that adventure. Both teachers are experimenting with Remind101 and I think we need to share that with the staff once we have a few messages and get some feedback from users.
Goal this week is to survey some students to see what they think of technology and does it improve their engagement.
How can we use technology to improve learning outcomes? I think we have to constantly remind ourselves that this is our goal with BYOT.
Goal during the break is to get Goodreads on my blog and to introduce that to the staff. Ahead of schedule, you should see it tonight.
I'm excited about next week because it's a week before a break, and I get to work on my garden. However, I'm really excited to see how many third graders read over this weekend, what project Mr. Larkey's class will come up with and continue over the break, and what Mrs. Cline and I can figure out to do with spreadsheets and second graders. I can't wait!
One more thought - Last week going over intervention data with a parent, I noticed as I was explaining to Dad he was focused on the dates of the up and down data. He wasn't listening to me but he was focused on the dates. He saw something I didn't know the inconsistency was caused by his daughter going between parents and they weren't being consistent with her. When you actually have enough data points you can really show trends that you don't anticipate.
Balance - two sleeping dogs and a rainy afternoon - ordering seeds for the vegetable garden.
Education is a different practice to different situations. When I read blogs and my twitter following I'm feel like I'm reading about schools and school leaders that don't have to deal with some of the issues I'm dealing with daily. Some days curriculum is the last thing I get to think about and it should be the first. However, Maslow's Hierarchy of needs is true. Because daily we have students that have psychological problems and they take a lot of our time and energy. But the worst part of the story is their parents have the same issues and I just have to throw up my hands on some days.
The positive, by creating a weekly schedule which focuses on observations, interventions, and helping teachers with BYOT, and other curriculum issues helps me maintain my sanity. This Friday, I helped second graders create spreadsheets and within the same hour dealt with parents with psychological problems. I didn't let my focus stray and I always keep my vision on what I can change. I can't always change parents but we can change children.
BYOT progress - I'm proud of my BYOT teachers because they keep pushing forward. Every failure is a learning opportunity. I'm hoping one teacher is going to keep the spreadsheet idea going with lunch choices and collecting data from that adventure. Both teachers are experimenting with Remind101 and I think we need to share that with the staff once we have a few messages and get some feedback from users.
Goal this week is to survey some students to see what they think of technology and does it improve their engagement.
How can we use technology to improve learning outcomes? I think we have to constantly remind ourselves that this is our goal with BYOT.
Goal during the break is to get Goodreads on my blog and to introduce that to the staff. Ahead of schedule, you should see it tonight.
I'm excited about next week because it's a week before a break, and I get to work on my garden. However, I'm really excited to see how many third graders read over this weekend, what project Mr. Larkey's class will come up with and continue over the break, and what Mrs. Cline and I can figure out to do with spreadsheets and second graders. I can't wait!
One more thought - Last week going over intervention data with a parent, I noticed as I was explaining to Dad he was focused on the dates of the up and down data. He wasn't listening to me but he was focused on the dates. He saw something I didn't know the inconsistency was caused by his daughter going between parents and they weren't being consistent with her. When you actually have enough data points you can really show trends that you don't anticipate.
Balance - two sleeping dogs and a rainy afternoon - ordering seeds for the vegetable garden.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Technology in Action
Video is from Edutopia and Digital Learning Day.
What is educational technology?
Balance today is about vision for the future. Today, BYOT isn't perfect. It's not exactly how you want it to work, but it's a work in progress. Goals only happen with vision and the article below does a great job of explaining it for me. Please comment!
BYOT shout out idea - Remind101 - It let's you create a group of people, students, parents, etc... and then you can send out texts to them without having to share phone numbers. It's like they are following you on twitter but they can't respond back. I'm trying it with teachers this week so far it's working. Thanks to Susan for taking the time to give it a try and she said she may even try it with her students.
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