A few months ago, I played around with present.me as a tool for sub plans: record myself teaching a lesson, have the sub press play, and all students receive the same message from me.
I tried to use present.me about a month ago when I took a sick day. It was slow. My powerpoints wouldn't upload. It locked up my computer twice and I was forced to restart twice. I gave up. I left written plans. And my students acted like wild carnivores after a baby gazelle. Not ideal.
In planning this past week to be out for Vertical Team, and in light of the fact that my PLC cohort, Bridget, was sick and practically voiceless, we decided to try a new way of recording lessons: http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
(The math department has been using Screencast-o-matic to record lessons for their flipped classroom and we decided to try it. Sidenote: those math folks are so awesomely brave!)
It was so easy!
Within 10 minutes, Bridget and I had watched the introductory video, downloaded the program, and had done a few trial runs. We learned that not only will Screencast-o-matic record your voice and what's happening on the screen, it can also record video of you (which pops up in the corner like picture-in-picture). I decided to record myself in the video because I wanted to gesture to books and make my kids feel like I was in the room with them. Bridget did solely screen/voice because she wasn't feeling well and was recording from her apartment. Either way, it was so easy.
PROS for Screencast-o-matic:
So easy!
Not web-based, so you can do it whenever, wherever.
Can save files (mp4) to your computer/GoogleDrive/etc.
Because you can save, it's easy to share with others without needing a username/password.
Can record anything and everything on the screen.
Can add video of yourself.
CONS for Screencast-o-matic:
Can't edit while you record; must start over (or at least I couldn't figure out how to edit).
Friday, February 1, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Poll Everywhere
I've tried yet another tech tool to get my students talking and discussing the book they just finished:
Poll Everywhere.
Our school has used Poll Everywhere during faculty meetings as a way to quickly get teacher feedback, but I was hesitant to try it because of my own BYOD fears. But no longer! For my lesson, I wanted to try a similar approach to Poll Everywhere like I did with WallWisher. I wanted to play around with the inside/outside circles for discussion. Inside circle= live talking. Outside circle= electronic communication.
Here's what I like about Poll Everywhere:
1. Students with regular phones can text in responses even if they do not have a Smart Phone.
2. The web address is SUPER easy for students to access if they do use the internet: http://pollev.com. Simple.
3. Responses filter on to the screen in chronological order, so kids' responses can remain more organized.
4. Kids liked it!
5. Many of the kids had tried Poll Everywhere in another class, so I didn't have to pre-teach much in order to use it.
6. Students were engaged!
7. Teachers can just go to www.polleverywhere.com and instantly create a question/prompt to gather responses. No username and password needed!
Here's what I don't like about Poll Everywhere:
1. At a certain point, there is a limit to how many comments can be entered. You need to clear out the comments in order to continue. This limits the ability to go back to earlier posts.
2. Contrasting #7 above, if you don't make a username and password, everything you do in a session is lost when you close the window.
Poll Everywhere.
Our school has used Poll Everywhere during faculty meetings as a way to quickly get teacher feedback, but I was hesitant to try it because of my own BYOD fears. But no longer! For my lesson, I wanted to try a similar approach to Poll Everywhere like I did with WallWisher. I wanted to play around with the inside/outside circles for discussion. Inside circle= live talking. Outside circle= electronic communication.
Here's what I like about Poll Everywhere:
1. Students with regular phones can text in responses even if they do not have a Smart Phone.
2. The web address is SUPER easy for students to access if they do use the internet: http://pollev.com. Simple.
3. Responses filter on to the screen in chronological order, so kids' responses can remain more organized.
4. Kids liked it!
5. Many of the kids had tried Poll Everywhere in another class, so I didn't have to pre-teach much in order to use it.
6. Students were engaged!
7. Teachers can just go to www.polleverywhere.com and instantly create a question/prompt to gather responses. No username and password needed!
Here's what I don't like about Poll Everywhere:
1. At a certain point, there is a limit to how many comments can be entered. You need to clear out the comments in order to continue. This limits the ability to go back to earlier posts.
2. Contrasting #7 above, if you don't make a username and password, everything you do in a session is lost when you close the window.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Using WallWisher for Discussions
As I mentioned in a previous post, I was looking for an additional conversation piece for Socratic seminars and discussions. I often feel that a few students tend to lead discussions, but the majority of kids like to shrink into the background. I wanted a way to keep everyone as involved and engaged as possible. In order to keep this high level of engagement, I tried Socrative and really liked it, but it didn't fulfill what I was looking for. My ideal plan was that an inner circle of students would be talking/discussing/debating while the outer circle of students commented/participated on their own devices.
I decided to try WallWisher. This website allowed me to create blank message boards/walls that students could visit and post comments on by simply double clicking anywhere and typing. I created a different wall for each of my five classes and modified each of the addresses to be something simple to remember (see below).
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer2nd
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer3rd
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer4th
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer5th
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer7th
My hope was that students in the outside circle could post comments tied into the live oral conversation. As the day progressed, I constantly tweaked the procedures I used to get students with devices to comment. The three consistent procedures were that students orally discussing used their homework assignment and their book Night to generate conversation. Also, half way through discussion, the inside and outside circles swapped roles. Finally, each student was required to comment at least twice both orally and with a device.
2nd Hour I had students with devices comment a minimum of two times. I gave suggestions and some sentence starters to get them thinking. I had a few students with technological difficulties, but the one issue I realized most was that the smaller devices (i.e. phones and iPods) placed all the students' comments in one location. They overlapped a lot and created kind of a mess. I later learned that you can scroll within the window and expand the area of the wall.
Later, I tried assigning partners: an inside and an outside circle person together. Students were responsbile for responding to what their inside circle partner said. That made it easier for students to focus on a task, but I think it made them less focused on the conversation as a whole.
I also realized that I didn't always know what the Wallwisher comments referred to. As a class, we decided that students could use tags like Twitter or Facebook and say "@ Sarah" before a response to Sarah's comment.
Overall, I think Wallwisher kept students engaged and interested in the discussion--which was my main goal for students in the outer circle with devices. However, the disorganized manner in which comments posted made me think that there was not a fluid outside circle conversation. However, students enjoyed seeing their own comments appear on screen, and inside circle students enjoyed seeing the comments their discussion generated.
I decided to try WallWisher. This website allowed me to create blank message boards/walls that students could visit and post comments on by simply double clicking anywhere and typing. I created a different wall for each of my five classes and modified each of the addresses to be something simple to remember (see below).
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer2nd
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer3rd
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer4th
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer5th
http://wallwisher.com/wall/Pfeffer7th
My hope was that students in the outside circle could post comments tied into the live oral conversation. As the day progressed, I constantly tweaked the procedures I used to get students with devices to comment. The three consistent procedures were that students orally discussing used their homework assignment and their book Night to generate conversation. Also, half way through discussion, the inside and outside circles swapped roles. Finally, each student was required to comment at least twice both orally and with a device.
2nd Hour I had students with devices comment a minimum of two times. I gave suggestions and some sentence starters to get them thinking. I had a few students with technological difficulties, but the one issue I realized most was that the smaller devices (i.e. phones and iPods) placed all the students' comments in one location. They overlapped a lot and created kind of a mess. I later learned that you can scroll within the window and expand the area of the wall.
Later, I tried assigning partners: an inside and an outside circle person together. Students were responsbile for responding to what their inside circle partner said. That made it easier for students to focus on a task, but I think it made them less focused on the conversation as a whole.
I also realized that I didn't always know what the Wallwisher comments referred to. As a class, we decided that students could use tags like Twitter or Facebook and say "@ Sarah" before a response to Sarah's comment.
Overall, I think Wallwisher kept students engaged and interested in the discussion--which was my main goal for students in the outer circle with devices. However, the disorganized manner in which comments posted made me think that there was not a fluid outside circle conversation. However, students enjoyed seeing their own comments appear on screen, and inside circle students enjoyed seeing the comments their discussion generated.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Results! BYOD and Socrative
Today's BYOD lesson using Socrative went well! I felt like playing around with Socrative over the weekend really paid of when it came to implementing it in class today. And I'm glad I started with just a few small, easy questions with a variety of response types so that I could see the differences as the results came in.
I had about the same numbers of students BYOD in each class as I did last time--about two thirds of all students overall. Students were allowed to share devices and work together or work independently on laptops/classroom computers. This made up for the kids who did not have their own devices.
Almost all students were successful in getting into the Socrative "room" quickly and easily. I posted the web address on my Powerpoint agenda and on the side board so students could easily access the information. Logging on to Socrative was only a problem for two different students, and these individuals were able to easily join with another students to continue working.
I liked my multiple choice self-assessment question because it gave me a very quick idea of who was understanding mood/tone and who needed some reteaching. The bad thing was that I didn't know that information until after they'd submitted the "quiz" and completed the mood/tone questions. I'd rather know first, group appropriately, and then give them the questions. I could easily do two separate quizzes in the future to determine this.
For my open ended questions, students were quick to find text support/examples of mood/tone and type them into the space. I wish I would have made my prompts in the questions more specific. Some students were simply recalling (sometimes poorly!) from memory different pieces of text rather than finding specific quotes from the book like I wanted. As the day went on, I realized this and had students get more detailed, specific, and use quotation marks plus page numbers.
I liked that as soon as I clicked "End Activity," I could select "Send Email Report" and the results would come immediately to my email in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. I could save these (which I didn't this time) if I needed to take grades on the assignment. It's also handy that you could set Socrative to GRADE the quiz for you! Since it's in Excel, you can sort and alphabetize or rank/order. So handy! I could also just create a folder in my Inbox and shoot them all over there for later, if needed.
It seems like there are many instructional implications for Socrative without having to do a ton of work on the part of the teacher. EXCELLENT! I would definitely use Socrative again, especially now that the kids are familiar with the process.
I had about the same numbers of students BYOD in each class as I did last time--about two thirds of all students overall. Students were allowed to share devices and work together or work independently on laptops/classroom computers. This made up for the kids who did not have their own devices.
Almost all students were successful in getting into the Socrative "room" quickly and easily. I posted the web address on my Powerpoint agenda and on the side board so students could easily access the information. Logging on to Socrative was only a problem for two different students, and these individuals were able to easily join with another students to continue working.
I liked my multiple choice self-assessment question because it gave me a very quick idea of who was understanding mood/tone and who needed some reteaching. The bad thing was that I didn't know that information until after they'd submitted the "quiz" and completed the mood/tone questions. I'd rather know first, group appropriately, and then give them the questions. I could easily do two separate quizzes in the future to determine this.
For my open ended questions, students were quick to find text support/examples of mood/tone and type them into the space. I wish I would have made my prompts in the questions more specific. Some students were simply recalling (sometimes poorly!) from memory different pieces of text rather than finding specific quotes from the book like I wanted. As the day went on, I realized this and had students get more detailed, specific, and use quotation marks plus page numbers.
I liked that as soon as I clicked "End Activity," I could select "Send Email Report" and the results would come immediately to my email in the form of an Excel spreadsheet. I could save these (which I didn't this time) if I needed to take grades on the assignment. It's also handy that you could set Socrative to GRADE the quiz for you! Since it's in Excel, you can sort and alphabetize or rank/order. So handy! I could also just create a folder in my Inbox and shoot them all over there for later, if needed.
It seems like there are many instructional implications for Socrative without having to do a ton of work on the part of the teacher. EXCELLENT! I would definitely use Socrative again, especially now that the kids are familiar with the process.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
While looking around, I found...
The internet is such a vast place. I blocked out some time to just sit and search. Google topics. Look in familiar places. Search for new ideas. Here's some stuff I found while looking around. All of it connects to using technology in the classroom in some capacity.
1. Steve Fulton's blog "Teaching with Technology in the Middle." I'm now following him on Google Reader (which I love). It's awesome to get updates regularly, especially since I rarely return to blogs independently. This way Reader reminds me that there's great stuff out there. Fulton has some cool ideas about incorporating technology into the writing process.
http://stevefulton.blogspot.com/2011/02/writing-research-in-record-time.html
2. Promethean Planet's pre-made Flipcharts. I searched for resources about the Holocaust, and specifically Night. By using the filters (Night, Holocaust, 6-8, English, and Social Studies), I located a ton of resources. Some of them were terrific introductory pieces (it's too late for me to use these this year) and some were great quizzes to use with clickers (which I can't use quite yet). I like that I can download them and tweak them for my class. I'm not starting from scratch.
3. The survey NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conducted about technology's influence on writing:
NCTE conducted a survey about 21st century writing and what teachers, parents, and students see changing/remaining the same in writing processes. They call these changes writing "between the lines." I like this phrase. I often think of "reading between the lines" when I talk about making inferences. Writing between the lines, to me, is all the extra "stuff" that can now go into writing. The resources available that you don't see on a written page. The work that goes into a piece that can't be seen in the final product. The revisions that take place "between the lines" that are no longer visible (i.e. comments, interactive revision, etc.). It's a new way of framing writing.
Here is an excerpt from NCTE's survey--
"For the most part, teachers in this poll did not see student technology access as a major barrier to learning. Eightythree percent said that their students had Internet access at home, and 86 percent said that most of their students have daily access to an Internet connection at school that can be used for literacy learning purposes. . . Still, 84 percent of NCTE poll respondents agreed that while their students had excellent command of technology for entertainment purposes, they need to know more about the use of technology for the purposes of creating and understanding texts."
69% of parents agree that technology assists their children and helps them to become better writers because both writing and revising are easier. 59% of students agreed.
I think it's interesting that this survey points out the technological strengths of students in the realm of entertainment, yet their continued need to find ways to turn these skills into valuable ways of contributing to English class.
http://www.ncte.org/topics/betweenlines
1. Steve Fulton's blog "Teaching with Technology in the Middle." I'm now following him on Google Reader (which I love). It's awesome to get updates regularly, especially since I rarely return to blogs independently. This way Reader reminds me that there's great stuff out there. Fulton has some cool ideas about incorporating technology into the writing process.
http://stevefulton.blogspot.com/2011/02/writing-research-in-record-time.html
2. Promethean Planet's pre-made Flipcharts. I searched for resources about the Holocaust, and specifically Night. By using the filters (Night, Holocaust, 6-8, English, and Social Studies), I located a ton of resources. Some of them were terrific introductory pieces (it's too late for me to use these this year) and some were great quizzes to use with clickers (which I can't use quite yet). I like that I can download them and tweak them for my class. I'm not starting from scratch.
3. The survey NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conducted about technology's influence on writing:
NCTE conducted a survey about 21st century writing and what teachers, parents, and students see changing/remaining the same in writing processes. They call these changes writing "between the lines." I like this phrase. I often think of "reading between the lines" when I talk about making inferences. Writing between the lines, to me, is all the extra "stuff" that can now go into writing. The resources available that you don't see on a written page. The work that goes into a piece that can't be seen in the final product. The revisions that take place "between the lines" that are no longer visible (i.e. comments, interactive revision, etc.). It's a new way of framing writing.
Here is an excerpt from NCTE's survey--
"For the most part, teachers in this poll did not see student technology access as a major barrier to learning. Eightythree percent said that their students had Internet access at home, and 86 percent said that most of their students have daily access to an Internet connection at school that can be used for literacy learning purposes. . . Still, 84 percent of NCTE poll respondents agreed that while their students had excellent command of technology for entertainment purposes, they need to know more about the use of technology for the purposes of creating and understanding texts."
69% of parents agree that technology assists their children and helps them to become better writers because both writing and revising are easier. 59% of students agreed.
I think it's interesting that this survey points out the technological strengths of students in the realm of entertainment, yet their continued need to find ways to turn these skills into valuable ways of contributing to English class.
http://www.ncte.org/topics/betweenlines
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Socrative and BYOD
I recently created a Socrative account.
After listening to Amber talk about it in our last ELITE session, I thought I'd create an account and try it out on my own first: laptop on my left, newly acquired hand-me-down iPhone on my right. And can I just say, it's pretty cool!
Since my students are currently tackling the book Night, a book that I feel can only be used in classrooms if large amounts of discussion are occurring, I have been wanting to use some Socratic seminar techniques. So I thought: Socratic, Socrative. Perfect! But then I logged in to Socrative and realized it was much more quizzy with results coming to the teacher in a spreadsheet. I'd forgotten about that.
So maybe it won't work so much for contributing online to real time discussions as much as I'd hoped, but I totally see the value in other aspects.
So, I created a quick quiz/survey. Something that would be quick and easy for the kids to do on their own devices, but also quick/short enough that they could share a device with a classmate and finish quickly (even if quizzing independently).
The first question, multiple choice:
Do you think Elie Wiesel carefully selects words to convey tone and mood?
a-Yes, absolutely. (this should be the correct answer)
b-No, not really.
c-I'm still confused on Tone and Mood.
Answers to this simple question gives me a great idea of how my students are thinking and reading the text--and who I need to reteach/revisit tone and mood with. And they can be honest with me without having to do so in front of a classmate.
The second and third questions involve responding with examples of words/phrases that support either mood or tone.
I'll be giving this quiz/survey on Monday and will report back.
Again, I'm starting small and will build from there. It's pretty exciting!
After listening to Amber talk about it in our last ELITE session, I thought I'd create an account and try it out on my own first: laptop on my left, newly acquired hand-me-down iPhone on my right. And can I just say, it's pretty cool!
Since my students are currently tackling the book Night, a book that I feel can only be used in classrooms if large amounts of discussion are occurring, I have been wanting to use some Socratic seminar techniques. So I thought: Socratic, Socrative. Perfect! But then I logged in to Socrative and realized it was much more quizzy with results coming to the teacher in a spreadsheet. I'd forgotten about that.
So maybe it won't work so much for contributing online to real time discussions as much as I'd hoped, but I totally see the value in other aspects.
So, I created a quick quiz/survey. Something that would be quick and easy for the kids to do on their own devices, but also quick/short enough that they could share a device with a classmate and finish quickly (even if quizzing independently).
The first question, multiple choice:
Do you think Elie Wiesel carefully selects words to convey tone and mood?
a-Yes, absolutely. (this should be the correct answer)
b-No, not really.
c-I'm still confused on Tone and Mood.
Answers to this simple question gives me a great idea of how my students are thinking and reading the text--and who I need to reteach/revisit tone and mood with. And they can be honest with me without having to do so in front of a classmate.
The second and third questions involve responding with examples of words/phrases that support either mood or tone.
I'll be giving this quiz/survey on Monday and will report back.
Again, I'm starting small and will build from there. It's pretty exciting!
Friday, January 11, 2013
BYOD: Attempt #1
I recently got brave.
I don't know why it took me so long.
I developed/tweaked an assignment that was very loosely structured and allowed for choice, and I encouraged students to bring their own devices. Two days prior to the lesson, I explained to the kids that we could be starting a unit in which research would be very important. If they had their own devices, then they could work independently on reliable technology and easily continue their work at home. I explained that I knew they'd probably received tech-saavy gifts over the holidays, and if their parents would allow them, they could be very useful in the classroom. I also posted reminders on our team Facebook page.
I asked my students to bring their own devices.
And.
They.
DID.
Here are the totals from all of my classes:
2nd Hour: 10/21
3rd Hour: 19/27
4th Hour:12/17
5th Hour: 17/27
7th Hour: 20/27
I was astonished!
In all cases but one, students were able to log on to the internet from their own device. In all cases, students had a device to use on their own OR share with a friend. I had enough classroom computers (4 of my own and 4 borrowed from another teacher on team) to fill the void of students without their own devices or students who didn't want to partner with a friend. No devices crashed. No one was left out.
The activity I created was simple. I started simply on purpose. I didn't want to get stressed out about the activity if the devices weren't a success, and I wanted it to be something kids could easily do at home-- just in case. The task: research and report back on the meanings of 12 terms that deal with the Jewish faith and/or Holocaust OR create a timeline of ten events contributing to the Holocaust. Both of these tasks served as "before you read" activities for the book Night by Elie Wiesel.
I was very excited about how well this went! The kids worked so diligently and so effectively. They helped eachother log on to the internet. They assisted eachother by sharing devices. I didn't see any game playing (but even if they had been, it didn't really matter because they were getting their work finished).
Success!
The first step is always the hardest. Now I'm ready to do it again.
I don't know why it took me so long.
I developed/tweaked an assignment that was very loosely structured and allowed for choice, and I encouraged students to bring their own devices. Two days prior to the lesson, I explained to the kids that we could be starting a unit in which research would be very important. If they had their own devices, then they could work independently on reliable technology and easily continue their work at home. I explained that I knew they'd probably received tech-saavy gifts over the holidays, and if their parents would allow them, they could be very useful in the classroom. I also posted reminders on our team Facebook page.
I asked my students to bring their own devices.
And.
They.
DID.
Here are the totals from all of my classes:
2nd Hour: 10/21
3rd Hour: 19/27
4th Hour:12/17
5th Hour: 17/27
7th Hour: 20/27
I was astonished!
In all cases but one, students were able to log on to the internet from their own device. In all cases, students had a device to use on their own OR share with a friend. I had enough classroom computers (4 of my own and 4 borrowed from another teacher on team) to fill the void of students without their own devices or students who didn't want to partner with a friend. No devices crashed. No one was left out.
The activity I created was simple. I started simply on purpose. I didn't want to get stressed out about the activity if the devices weren't a success, and I wanted it to be something kids could easily do at home-- just in case. The task: research and report back on the meanings of 12 terms that deal with the Jewish faith and/or Holocaust OR create a timeline of ten events contributing to the Holocaust. Both of these tasks served as "before you read" activities for the book Night by Elie Wiesel.
I was very excited about how well this went! The kids worked so diligently and so effectively. They helped eachother log on to the internet. They assisted eachother by sharing devices. I didn't see any game playing (but even if they had been, it didn't really matter because they were getting their work finished).
Success!
The first step is always the hardest. Now I'm ready to do it again.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Flipchart Tutorials x 3
I'll be honest.
I haven't used my ActivInspire/FlipChart/Promethean software much since our last Elite meeting.
I don't really know why. I understood it during the meeting. I thought I could see many practical applications. But I guess I just didn't find the time. Teaching a new unit and having some materials from the previous teacher has made it tougher to branch out. Really, that's all the more reason TO branch out. Nevertheless, I felt that by watching the assortment of YouTube videos, I might get re-inspired to attempt to implement this software more.
Video #1: Turning a PowerPoint into a FlipChart.
I started with something close to my comfort zone. PowerPoint. These I have! I don't want to get rid of my usable PowerPoints, but I'd like for them to become more interactive. I didn't realize that there were two ways to make a FlipChart from a Powerpoint. I thought they all had to be imported as images and then, as a result, were un-editable. Not so!
Video #2: Advanced Text Techniques--Drag a Copy
Moveable text. This seems so helpful for grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and writing assignments. One step I know I'm going to forget: selecting "Drag a Copy" when creating moveable text that doesn't disappear from its original location.
Video #3: Working with Text
This video actually made me feel pretty confident/competent because I knew most of the tips. This made me feel even more guilty for not working in ActivInspire sooner... so, a 4th video is in order!
Video #4: Profiles--ActivInspire
I had forgotten about all the tools in Profiles already. It seems like there are some very handy math tools. I want to spend more time investigating these...
Video #5: Custom Profiles
I think this video is a bit advanced for my current ActivInspire level... I do think I'd like to return to this and get ideas about adding Excel to my Profile once I get the clickers. I would also like to know how Colin got the hovering highlighter orb for presenting. It's so easy to follow him as he talks.
I haven't used my ActivInspire/FlipChart/Promethean software much since our last Elite meeting.
I don't really know why. I understood it during the meeting. I thought I could see many practical applications. But I guess I just didn't find the time. Teaching a new unit and having some materials from the previous teacher has made it tougher to branch out. Really, that's all the more reason TO branch out. Nevertheless, I felt that by watching the assortment of YouTube videos, I might get re-inspired to attempt to implement this software more.
Video #1: Turning a PowerPoint into a FlipChart.
I started with something close to my comfort zone. PowerPoint. These I have! I don't want to get rid of my usable PowerPoints, but I'd like for them to become more interactive. I didn't realize that there were two ways to make a FlipChart from a Powerpoint. I thought they all had to be imported as images and then, as a result, were un-editable. Not so!
Video #2: Advanced Text Techniques--Drag a Copy
Moveable text. This seems so helpful for grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and writing assignments. One step I know I'm going to forget: selecting "Drag a Copy" when creating moveable text that doesn't disappear from its original location.
Video #3: Working with Text
This video actually made me feel pretty confident/competent because I knew most of the tips. This made me feel even more guilty for not working in ActivInspire sooner... so, a 4th video is in order!
Video #4: Profiles--ActivInspire
I had forgotten about all the tools in Profiles already. It seems like there are some very handy math tools. I want to spend more time investigating these...
Video #5: Custom Profiles
I think this video is a bit advanced for my current ActivInspire level... I do think I'd like to return to this and get ideas about adding Excel to my Profile once I get the clickers. I would also like to know how Colin got the hovering highlighter orb for presenting. It's so easy to follow him as he talks.
"Launching Learning"
I recently did just as I was told--I leaned back, stopped thinking, and just watched Kevin Honeycutt's Pre-Conference Keynote address, "Launching Learning." http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=1129
Upon learning of his childhood space passion, as well as his students' project, the first thing I thought of was my childhood love/obsession with the movie Space Camp. A real cinematic gem! A group of scrappy teens get accidentally launched into space during a simulation activity at their summer space camp. What's not to love?
At first, I just thought of Space Camp because maybe I wanted to reminisce about my former crush on Joaquin Phoenix, who plays the obnoxious kid in the flick. But really my memories of Space Camp directly connected to what Honeycutt spoke so passionately about. Just that one movie made me want to go into space, or at least learn more about it and feel the adventure of those squirrelly kids being launched into the orbit. But also, those kids in the movie were doing exactly what Honeycutt said--learning to love to learn through hands on, direct applications of their interests.
In listening to Honeycutt talk about the nay-sayers of learning pioneers like himself, I had to admit that some of their thoughts echoed in my own head. Who has the time? The money? The resources? The kids with drive? The energy? And all of those are valid issues to address when planning a major project like his, but with the right group of kids or the right unifying project, anything is possible, right? We need to be teaching students to think, learn, love, and live real true education. And one thing he said really hit home--"If we don't role model this, how are they gonna get it?" How dare I be a nay-sayer. If learning from me, then my students would be nay-sayers, too.
I can't say that I could throw myself into an Apollo 13 project with as much gusto as Honeycutt and his students, but maybe my students could. And I can't say that I have a strong idea of what I could/would do in place of that genre of study. But that's the beauty of what Honeycutt is saying: it doesn't matter what I'd want to learn about. It matters what students would find interesting.
And with the internet at their fingers, anything is available and possible.
Upon learning of his childhood space passion, as well as his students' project, the first thing I thought of was my childhood love/obsession with the movie Space Camp. A real cinematic gem! A group of scrappy teens get accidentally launched into space during a simulation activity at their summer space camp. What's not to love?
At first, I just thought of Space Camp because maybe I wanted to reminisce about my former crush on Joaquin Phoenix, who plays the obnoxious kid in the flick. But really my memories of Space Camp directly connected to what Honeycutt spoke so passionately about. Just that one movie made me want to go into space, or at least learn more about it and feel the adventure of those squirrelly kids being launched into the orbit. But also, those kids in the movie were doing exactly what Honeycutt said--learning to love to learn through hands on, direct applications of their interests.
In listening to Honeycutt talk about the nay-sayers of learning pioneers like himself, I had to admit that some of their thoughts echoed in my own head. Who has the time? The money? The resources? The kids with drive? The energy? And all of those are valid issues to address when planning a major project like his, but with the right group of kids or the right unifying project, anything is possible, right? We need to be teaching students to think, learn, love, and live real true education. And one thing he said really hit home--"If we don't role model this, how are they gonna get it?" How dare I be a nay-sayer. If learning from me, then my students would be nay-sayers, too.
I can't say that I could throw myself into an Apollo 13 project with as much gusto as Honeycutt and his students, but maybe my students could. And I can't say that I have a strong idea of what I could/would do in place of that genre of study. But that's the beauty of what Honeycutt is saying: it doesn't matter what I'd want to learn about. It matters what students would find interesting.
And with the internet at their fingers, anything is available and possible.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Classroom Observation: 7th grade Science
Today I visited Melissa Nussbaum's class. Her goal was to have students participate in an online virtual lab.
Mrs. Nussbaum linked all of the necessary resources (all found on United Streaming) on her website and distributed a handout for the students to complete while working online. Students were instructed to complete the virtual lab three times and experiment with different variables. The website provided all the needed instructions and students could work at their own pace. Students appeared excited to have the opportunity to work on the computers.
At 8:06, 26 minutes into class, the majority of students were still attempting to log on to their computers--at no fault of the students or teacher. At 8:15, with only twenty minutes left in class, the final student got logged on to the computer and could begin.
Observing these frustrations with laptops and the internet connection reassured me that I am not the only person dealing with these frustrations. The internet and computers at Truman run so slowly that these issues have actually prompted the creation of a technology committee. We really don't know who to turn to get help or answers. The district level technology support staff seems to overworked that there is no physical way for them to be in all places at one time.
I don't want to be a snarky, negative teacher in commenting on these issues, but it's difficult to observe a technology lesson without recognizing the very large issues at hand. Plain and simple: lessons with technology are difficult to teach when the technology does not work effectively or efficiently.
Mrs. Nussbaum linked all of the necessary resources (all found on United Streaming) on her website and distributed a handout for the students to complete while working online. Students were instructed to complete the virtual lab three times and experiment with different variables. The website provided all the needed instructions and students could work at their own pace. Students appeared excited to have the opportunity to work on the computers.
At 8:06, 26 minutes into class, the majority of students were still attempting to log on to their computers--at no fault of the students or teacher. At 8:15, with only twenty minutes left in class, the final student got logged on to the computer and could begin.
Observing these frustrations with laptops and the internet connection reassured me that I am not the only person dealing with these frustrations. The internet and computers at Truman run so slowly that these issues have actually prompted the creation of a technology committee. We really don't know who to turn to get help or answers. The district level technology support staff seems to overworked that there is no physical way for them to be in all places at one time.
I don't want to be a snarky, negative teacher in commenting on these issues, but it's difficult to observe a technology lesson without recognizing the very large issues at hand. Plain and simple: lessons with technology are difficult to teach when the technology does not work effectively or efficiently.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
A reflection on "Writing Re-Launched"
A Reflection on "Writing Re-Launched"
Lines that stuck out to me while reading:
"Digital writing assignments match the real world."
It's so apparent as I teach, coach, and grade standardized essays how rare and unique the strict essay format is. Why do I teach it? To prepare them for high school and college. But if this a format that they won't need there, should I be teaching it at all? Digital writing assignments do make a ton of sense for real-world prep, but do they for high school? How do I find this out from hs teachers and their expectations? Or, how can I incorporate the two? I love the idea of using GoogleDocs, which I have used before, but I do get a bit nervous about having kids make accounts.
"As part of their oral presentations, students were required to include a technology-based visual aid, such as an interactive poster made through Glogster or a word cloud created with Wordle."
I recently used Glogster in Elite and really liked it. I think this would be an awesome addition to a presentation, especially since it's more interactive. Wordle is fine, but it lacks the depth of Glogster.
"Historically, collaboration is 'thought to be cheating' in schools, says Eidman-Aadahl. But outside of the school setting, in higher education and the workplace, she says, 'collaborative writing is huge.'”
True! Though I really don't enjoy collaborative writing, it is one way that I've written more as a professional. It's so valuable to recognize other writing styles and how they coincide/overlap/differ.
"Another distinction between the two types of writing is that while traditional writing formats, such as journaling, are frequently used for private reflection, digital writing is almost always meant for an audience. Once published, digital pieces, such as blogs and YouTube videos, are often widely available and searchable on the Web."
It's so funny that even though I don't always enjoy collaborative writing, I have witnessed kids love it! They really do appreciate having an audience. They are more clear, more focused on details, and happier to revise. I love when they take their writing seriously.
"Digital writing, by showing students how writing can be used, often enhances the drive to learn the basics."
Ah! Yes! Showing HOW writing can be used. I love this idea of finding a variety of ways that students can learn how writing is used.
A snarky comment, just because I'm dork and I have to:
"A friendly letter is more likely composed on a smartphone than on stationary."
Hmm. I wonder if this author realizes that one of the beauties of technology, spell-check and grammar-check, can't catch mistakes like this one with a common homophone. Not all friendly letters are less likely composed while standing still...
Lines that stuck out to me while reading:
"Digital writing assignments match the real world."
It's so apparent as I teach, coach, and grade standardized essays how rare and unique the strict essay format is. Why do I teach it? To prepare them for high school and college. But if this a format that they won't need there, should I be teaching it at all? Digital writing assignments do make a ton of sense for real-world prep, but do they for high school? How do I find this out from hs teachers and their expectations? Or, how can I incorporate the two? I love the idea of using GoogleDocs, which I have used before, but I do get a bit nervous about having kids make accounts.
"As part of their oral presentations, students were required to include a technology-based visual aid, such as an interactive poster made through Glogster or a word cloud created with Wordle."
I recently used Glogster in Elite and really liked it. I think this would be an awesome addition to a presentation, especially since it's more interactive. Wordle is fine, but it lacks the depth of Glogster.
"Historically, collaboration is 'thought to be cheating' in schools, says Eidman-Aadahl. But outside of the school setting, in higher education and the workplace, she says, 'collaborative writing is huge.'”
True! Though I really don't enjoy collaborative writing, it is one way that I've written more as a professional. It's so valuable to recognize other writing styles and how they coincide/overlap/differ.
"Another distinction between the two types of writing is that while traditional writing formats, such as journaling, are frequently used for private reflection, digital writing is almost always meant for an audience. Once published, digital pieces, such as blogs and YouTube videos, are often widely available and searchable on the Web."
It's so funny that even though I don't always enjoy collaborative writing, I have witnessed kids love it! They really do appreciate having an audience. They are more clear, more focused on details, and happier to revise. I love when they take their writing seriously.
"Digital writing, by showing students how writing can be used, often enhances the drive to learn the basics."
Ah! Yes! Showing HOW writing can be used. I love this idea of finding a variety of ways that students can learn how writing is used.
A snarky comment, just because I'm dork and I have to:
"A friendly letter is more likely composed on a smartphone than on stationary."
Hmm. I wonder if this author realizes that one of the beauties of technology, spell-check and grammar-check, can't catch mistakes like this one with a common homophone. Not all friendly letters are less likely composed while standing still...
"An Idea Whose Time Has Come"
This past month has been crazy.
Between collecting 120 essays and attempting to grade them in a timely manner (how long is "timely" anyway?) and trying to buy a house (eeeeee!), I have unintentionally shirked my blogging responsibilities. For shame.
However, just because I haven't been blogging doesn't mean I haven't been reflective. Oh, I have!
1. I forgot that I used to do audio comments while grading papers. The kids loved this! Why did I ever stop? I only did one class at a time. Could I do 120? Hmm. I need a microphone...
2. A co-worker grades papers using her "pen" and her computer as a tablet, then she saves them to Moodle. I have no idea how she does this, but I want to learn. This allows her to keep a copy of the paper she graded. Brilliant. All my graded and returned essays are floating in an abyss of binders/lockers/recycle bins.
3. I used stations/centers once in the last month. It was a beautiful mess. By that I mean, the kids were all engaged but it was a bit of a chaotic scene. I want to do this again, but better.
And so, on to my official reflection on "An Idea Whose Time Has Come":
The article opens with an illustration about how much access kids have to technology and how they utilize it. I couldn't help but think about some friends of mine who recently had a baby; he's now 4 months old. The mom mentioned that she is getting the new iPhone and they're going to keep her old one and give it to Fletcher to play with. At 4 months old, this kid is getting an iPhone. I don't even have an iPhone! So, for him, he could begin the BYOT initiative as early as daycare. But seriously, how many other kids are in this same position? I bet more than I realize...
I appreciate the positive, can-do attitude of this article on students "Bringing Your Own Technology." It is so easy to get hung up in the nitty gritty details of programs like this because we are scared. Yes, scared. I am well aware that my students, at least the ones with regular tech access, probably know more about their devices (and technology in general) than I do. It's not because I don't try; it's because it's second nature to them and they spend way more time acclimating themselves to it. But it's scary to relinquish control and not be exactly sure how a lesson will go. I like that Sheninger says that his school, "did not let excuses, such as equity, stop us from moving forward with an initiative that is turning out to have real value to our students and teachers." While I think the word "excuses" should be changed to "realities," I get his point. Move forward. At the very least, TRY.
Between collecting 120 essays and attempting to grade them in a timely manner (how long is "timely" anyway?) and trying to buy a house (eeeeee!), I have unintentionally shirked my blogging responsibilities. For shame.
However, just because I haven't been blogging doesn't mean I haven't been reflective. Oh, I have!
1. I forgot that I used to do audio comments while grading papers. The kids loved this! Why did I ever stop? I only did one class at a time. Could I do 120? Hmm. I need a microphone...
2. A co-worker grades papers using her "pen" and her computer as a tablet, then she saves them to Moodle. I have no idea how she does this, but I want to learn. This allows her to keep a copy of the paper she graded. Brilliant. All my graded and returned essays are floating in an abyss of binders/lockers/recycle bins.
3. I used stations/centers once in the last month. It was a beautiful mess. By that I mean, the kids were all engaged but it was a bit of a chaotic scene. I want to do this again, but better.
And so, on to my official reflection on "An Idea Whose Time Has Come":
The article opens with an illustration about how much access kids have to technology and how they utilize it. I couldn't help but think about some friends of mine who recently had a baby; he's now 4 months old. The mom mentioned that she is getting the new iPhone and they're going to keep her old one and give it to Fletcher to play with. At 4 months old, this kid is getting an iPhone. I don't even have an iPhone! So, for him, he could begin the BYOT initiative as early as daycare. But seriously, how many other kids are in this same position? I bet more than I realize...
I appreciate the positive, can-do attitude of this article on students "Bringing Your Own Technology." It is so easy to get hung up in the nitty gritty details of programs like this because we are scared. Yes, scared. I am well aware that my students, at least the ones with regular tech access, probably know more about their devices (and technology in general) than I do. It's not because I don't try; it's because it's second nature to them and they spend way more time acclimating themselves to it. But it's scary to relinquish control and not be exactly sure how a lesson will go. I like that Sheninger says that his school, "did not let excuses, such as equity, stop us from moving forward with an initiative that is turning out to have real value to our students and teachers." While I think the word "excuses" should be changed to "realities," I get his point. Move forward. At the very least, TRY.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Student Feedback from Present.me
Well, the results are in!
Present.me was a hit!
My first class of the day is a co-taught English course. My co-teacher said that when Present.me opened and my face popped up, our students got silent immediately. Ms. Marks said that the kids were quiet and paid attention the entire time I spoke. Hurrah!
The kids said I was like "the Wizard of Oz" and thought my mistakes were hilarious. One student felt like I was "staring into his soul" from the screen. Another wished I'd called them out by name and told them to be good. I guess they just wanted some more entertainment.
When I asked students if they preferred listening to me on Present.me or just listening to a substitute, they said they didn't care either way. This made me feel good about it because I'd prefer the kids listen to me give instructions and hear them exactly how I want. I am a control freak, I guess.
Success!
Present.me was a hit!
My first class of the day is a co-taught English course. My co-teacher said that when Present.me opened and my face popped up, our students got silent immediately. Ms. Marks said that the kids were quiet and paid attention the entire time I spoke. Hurrah!
The kids said I was like "the Wizard of Oz" and thought my mistakes were hilarious. One student felt like I was "staring into his soul" from the screen. Another wished I'd called them out by name and told them to be good. I guess they just wanted some more entertainment.
When I asked students if they preferred listening to me on Present.me or just listening to a substitute, they said they didn't care either way. This made me feel good about it because I'd prefer the kids listen to me give instructions and hear them exactly how I want. I am a control freak, I guess.
Success!
Friday, October 5, 2012
Present.me: Waiting for Feedback
Today's a Vertical Team day for me, so I am out of the classroom today.
Or am I?
I said I wanted to experiment with present.me for a day I was out. I wanted to leave my lesson or instructions for my students. It's the controlling I-love-my-job-but-I-enjoy-getting-away-every-now-and-then-but-it-stiiiiiinks-to-create-sub-plans part of me. Could present.me just be the answer I've been waiting for? Tell a sub 'press play' and then the students watch the rest unfold before them?
We'll see.
Present.me was super user friendly. I created the Power Point I wanted to run during my presentation, created my account, and then uploaded the slides quickly to the website.
Then I was ready to record. I saw myself appear on the screen. It's always a horrifying experience seeing yourself bob about on the screen in front of you. Do I really have that many chins? Sweet Pete, has my hair looked like that all day? My students must be absolutely incapable of comprehending what I say if my eyebrows do that all the time and my voice sounds this appalling! Get over it, right? If this actually accomplishes what I want it to, present.me will be worth it, chins and all.
I recorded about five minutes of footage. I'll admit: I didn't even take the time to re-record my goofs. It's more authentic that way, right? The kids will stay tuned in to chuckle at me. And I'll say, parts are funny. Watching myself attempt to gesture at the Power Point I know is hovering close to my head is humorous. I never did get that part down. Oh well.
https://trumanmslibrary.present.me/private/8EAA23C3-334B-413E-BDA7F15EC5D0E68D
So now I sit and wait. Will it work? Will a sub actually show up to press play? If a sub didn't show up, could someone else hypothetically press play and let the class go? Would they actually work feeling my 'presence' from the screen?
Or am I?
I said I wanted to experiment with present.me for a day I was out. I wanted to leave my lesson or instructions for my students. It's the controlling I-love-my-job-but-I-enjoy-getting-away-every-now-and-then-but-it-stiiiiiinks-to-create-sub-plans part of me. Could present.me just be the answer I've been waiting for? Tell a sub 'press play' and then the students watch the rest unfold before them?
We'll see.
Present.me was super user friendly. I created the Power Point I wanted to run during my presentation, created my account, and then uploaded the slides quickly to the website.
Then I was ready to record. I saw myself appear on the screen. It's always a horrifying experience seeing yourself bob about on the screen in front of you. Do I really have that many chins? Sweet Pete, has my hair looked like that all day? My students must be absolutely incapable of comprehending what I say if my eyebrows do that all the time and my voice sounds this appalling! Get over it, right? If this actually accomplishes what I want it to, present.me will be worth it, chins and all.
I recorded about five minutes of footage. I'll admit: I didn't even take the time to re-record my goofs. It's more authentic that way, right? The kids will stay tuned in to chuckle at me. And I'll say, parts are funny. Watching myself attempt to gesture at the Power Point I know is hovering close to my head is humorous. I never did get that part down. Oh well.
https://trumanmslibrary.present.me/private/8EAA23C3-334B-413E-BDA7F15EC5D0E68D
So now I sit and wait. Will it work? Will a sub actually show up to press play? If a sub didn't show up, could someone else hypothetically press play and let the class go? Would they actually work feeling my 'presence' from the screen?
Friday, September 28, 2012
UnConference
Today is the Lindbergh UnConference. With a glorious Starbucks pumpkin spice latte (a true sign of Fall, warmth, and comfort on a drizzly day away from students) in my hand, I had the pleasure of attending the librarians' session: Cool Tech Tools & Tips.
Wow, those ladies had a wealth of information to share. It was great that they put all of their resources on one wiki; I could easily bookmark it and return to it later. No keeping track of handouts in file folders--huzzah!
http://cooltechtoolstips.wikispaces.com/
My Truman pal, Vicky Stanford, presented on present.me. I am totally interested in this new resource! The basic idea: upload slides and video to a website, record yourself, and have these two things play simultaneously. So groovy. One thing Vicky discussed as a possible use (which I actually thought about while she was talking!) was to use this for days when you are away from the classroom. Perfect for ELITE 3 days.
The free subscription allows you to use/create three 15 minute presentations a month. I always panic about being away from my classes; I never feel like I can convey my ideas and lesson plans appropriately to a substitute teacher. Enter present.me. I could easily (or at least I think easily) upload a Powerpoint that goes with my lesson, and then I could record video of myself actually teaching the lesson. All a sub would have to do is press Play. They could even go back, replay, and then go on. The negative: a 15 minute time limit. I'd have to limit myself to a mini-lesson. But I could do it! It's as close as I could get to actually being there with my students. AND then I could post the link to present.me on my website or on our team Facebook page. Pretty. Awesome.
My hope: test this out before our next ELITE 3 day.
Wow, those ladies had a wealth of information to share. It was great that they put all of their resources on one wiki; I could easily bookmark it and return to it later. No keeping track of handouts in file folders--huzzah!
http://cooltechtoolstips.wikispaces.com/
My Truman pal, Vicky Stanford, presented on present.me. I am totally interested in this new resource! The basic idea: upload slides and video to a website, record yourself, and have these two things play simultaneously. So groovy. One thing Vicky discussed as a possible use (which I actually thought about while she was talking!) was to use this for days when you are away from the classroom. Perfect for ELITE 3 days.
The free subscription allows you to use/create three 15 minute presentations a month. I always panic about being away from my classes; I never feel like I can convey my ideas and lesson plans appropriately to a substitute teacher. Enter present.me. I could easily (or at least I think easily) upload a Powerpoint that goes with my lesson, and then I could record video of myself actually teaching the lesson. All a sub would have to do is press Play. They could even go back, replay, and then go on. The negative: a 15 minute time limit. I'd have to limit myself to a mini-lesson. But I could do it! It's as close as I could get to actually being there with my students. AND then I could post the link to present.me on my website or on our team Facebook page. Pretty. Awesome.
My hope: test this out before our next ELITE 3 day.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Reflective Practitioner
Ever since I started teaching, my mother has told me that I need to write a book.
A book including the kid who fell asleep in class and only woke up when he heard a bag of Chili Cheese Fritos opening. A book including the noble, popular 8th grader who stuck up for a class geek and put his friends in their place. A book including the "Mad Pooper"--the kid who decided school waste baskets were for his personal waste. Oh, I have stories.
A book.
Here's how many pages I have written in that book:
Zero.
So, let's start small, shall we?
A blog. A place to keep my ideas, reflect on my classes, and plan for improvement.
A reflective practitioner.
I will be a reflective practitioner.
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