Week 8: Final Reflection

I began this class with hopes of learning about a few Web 2.0 tools and how to implement them into my classroom.  What I gained was far more than that.

Before this class I felt like I was pretty knowledgeable in the area of technology.  The first thing this class showed me is that I have a lot more to learn.  Prior to this class I knew how to e-mail, navigate my way through a computer, and use different software programs like Keynote, Powerpoint, Garageband, and iMovie to name a few.  I had begun dabbling in Twitter and Diigo.  However, it was just dabbling.  I had used Glogster twice, but never really viewed it from the standpoint of "Is this the best tool to use for this lesson?".   It was more like, "Wow, this is cool and students will enjoy this new avenue of showing what they have learned."  Now, I see the difference.

Throughout this course I was forced to actually stop and take the time to learn about different applications as well as to think about 21st century students and how we need to change our teaching to reflect changing society.  I had to read and watch videos that were thought provoking and made me reflect on my own classroom and how I teach.  This, I think, has been the most valuable part of the class.  Reflection.

To begin, some tools I hope to implement into my class are blogging and wikis.  As part of my class project I created a blog and I have created a wikispace for communication to students and parents.  I hope to continue to extend my PLN and help my co-workers see the benefit of this.  Interestingly, I received my "Back to School" letter from my principal and one whole afternoon of our first workshop next week is devoted to PLNs.  I will now look at this differently than I had in the past. I can see how it is already working from me in this class and I am excited to see how he plans on integrating them into our school.

Moving forward, I know I will look back and see this class as a launching pad for changes that I will make.  I will look at my lessons more closely. I will think about the students that sit in front of me and try to figure out the best way that I can help them on their path to becoming integral members of our future society.  Thank you Kim, Theresa, Kirsten, Mel and Diane for sharing this learning experience with me and helping me to become a better educator.  I wish you all success and I hope we will be able to stay in contact... maybe even perhaps become part of each others digital PLNs. Farewell!

Week 8: A Flatter Me

In one sense I have become flatter this summer.  In other ways,  not so much.

Thomas Friedman coined the term, "The World is Flat",  with his new book that conveys the idea that the global playing field is becoming level; the world is becoming flat.  With the advancement of technology, work and collaboration can occur without regard to geography, or language for that matter.  Our society must stay at the forefront and to do so, we must educate our children to compete in the new world.  This is where teachers are important in needing to become "flat".

Over the course of the summer I have learned a multitude of tools and ways of incorporating them into the classroom.  I have expanded my professional learning network and feel better equipped in leading my students into the 21st  Century.  In this sense, I have become "flatter".  Unfortunately, my figure wouldn't say so.  Completing this class has definitely caused me some time that would normally be spent exercising. It was too easy to get wrapped up in links within links and the next thing I knew it would be 1:00am and I was 10 websites deep.  I guess I will work on flattening the rest of me out later!

Week 8: Thougts on Inclusion Video

In a prior post I touched on this particular part of Brian Crosby's other video.  It reminded me of a time not so long ago when I had a student in my homeroom diagnosed with leukemia.  He did not make it back to school after February and the district hired a tutor to go to his home and keep him up with the curriculum.  I found it difficult to send readings and worksheets home in hopes that the tutor would be able to get across what I wanted her to.  He also missed out on many labs and hands-on activities.

More importantly, he missed the daily interactions with his peers.  He was no longer part of our homeroom or science class.  He simply disappeared and students soon thereafter stopped asking when he would be coming back.  This is where I think Skype could have helped.  It could have made the student feel like he still belonged and was part of the class.  Being able to interact with the class may have made him feel better about himself and not so isolated. Perhaps he would have felt like a normal teenager, if only for that 45 minutes.  I only wish I had thought of something like this when he was in my class.

Week 7: My PLN

I think about how easy we have it as teachers now in regards to the wealth of information available at our fingertips. No longer are the days of getting ideas strictly from the textbook or from teachers within your building.   With the stroke of a key, you can get information from many teachers, in many places throughout the world.  The tricky part for me is narrowing down that wealth of information and finding ideas that will specifically help enhance my own learning and teaching. This is where PLNs come in.

A Professional Learning Network can be defined as:   

"a reciprocal network that you create to learn from, connect with, gather information or resources, create with and finally share what you have learned.  A PLN can occur in your school, face-to-face, online, at conferences or through reading, reflecting and sharing."

My experience with creating a professional learning network is growing with this class.  I follow people on twitter, use Google Reader to subscribe to other teacher's blogs, belong to a few nings like Classroom 2.0 and belong to some science listserves.  While I have mainly used these tools for gathering information and ideas, I have yet to actually join in and share my knowledge.

Often times I feel I have nothing to share.  I don't have moments where I think, "Wow, I should share what I have just done. Others would like to hear about it." I feel that there are others out there with much more knowledge and better ideas than me.  I guess this is a hurdle I will have to overcome.  I need to get comfortable with sharing ideas and feeling like my ideas are, at least, good. 

This is a site I found helpful in understanding what a PLN is and where to begin with all of the different tools: What is a PLN and why do I need one?

Week 7: Thoughts on Chapter 5

At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, our principal began our first workshop day by giving us all a book to read.  No pressure. No timeline to read. Just a book to "browse" through at our own leisure.  The name of the book was "Revisiting Professional Learning Communities at Work: New Insights for Improving Schools".  I'm going to be honest.  I didn't even pick it up.

This was the first thought that came to my mind when reading chapter 5.   What was the overall goal of my principal? Was it simply to introduce us to PLCs? Was he planting a seed for the following year? In the end, I am unclear as to what he was hoping to accomplish and this, in the end, could be why it was not a priority (for me anyway).

It must be a struggle as an administrator to get all teachers to have a shared understanding and commitment to the purpose of the school.  Better yet, to get all teachers to implement the practices essential for the change to take place.  Whatever the course, it is imperative to guide teachers and provide continuous support for them.  Simply providing a one-day workshop is not enough.

In our school we meet by discipline one to two times each week.  We are supposed to be using this time to talk about our curriculum and share or develop ideas together.  Unfortunately it does not work out this way.  Teachers often spend the time complaining about something that happened and little about how we can help each other in the classroom.  How do I help other teachers see the value to working together, rather than in isolation?

After reading chapter 5 I have a better appreciation for my administrator.  I think I will pick the book up and take a look!

Here are a few sites I found devoted to PLCs.

AllThingsPLC
Annenberg Institute of School Reform
Engage Today 2009

Also, here is a video demonstrating how teachers work together.

Webinar on Blogging

The blogging webinar I attended was frustrating to say the least.  I can certainly see the benefits of it, however, my benefit to time ratio was fairly low for this learning experience.

First, I want to begin by saying I do see the benefit of a webinar .  To be able to have educators from all over the world together in one virtual place, sharing ideas, is fantastic.  That is, of course, if everyone attending the webinar provides useful information.

Unfortunately this did not happen for me.  I was excited to learn more about the benefits of blogging in the classroom.  The webinar was titled, "Blogging with Students" with special guest Kathy Cassidy.  While she did show her blog and how she applies it in her classroom, there was not a lot of information from others in the webinar.  Therefore, it was mostly based on one teacher's experience with blogging.  I also found my attention wandering and had to refocus myself often to stay tuned with what was being said.

I would have enjoyed this more if there were more people interacting (24 participated but only a few spoke) and sharing their ideas of the usefulness of blogging in the classroom.  Perhaps another webinar will provide me this experience.  All in all, it was a good experience and I am looking forward to participating in more.

Week 6: Thoughts on Chapter 8

Two things stood out for me in chapter 8.

The first thing that stood out to me that also brought me back to Brian Crosby's class was using Web 2.0 tools for those learners who miss time in the classroom due to things such as sickness or family.  Brian Crosby used a Web 2.0 tool to incorporate and involve a student with leukemia into his classroom.  Chapter 8 discusses using technology for students who are absent for an extended period of time to help them avoid the disruption of their education.  Both of these situations have happened to me and I only wish that I had had the forethought to think of using technology to keep the kids in the classroom.  Three years ago a student in my homeroom was diagnosed with leukemia and he missed most of the last half of the school year.  This past year I had two students with families from India and Pakistan who traveled for over two weeks for family issues.  Moving forward, I will be better prepared to look into this for my students.

Another issue that stood out to me was using authentic assessment to prepare students to be successful in standardized testing.  This is a question I continue to struggle with, how to intertwine and balance it all.  Over the past few years teachers in our district have had more pressure placed upon them to not only master the curriculum, but incorporate reading, writing, and technology into the core curriculum.  In addition, the science coordinator is pressing science teachers to do more labs and project-based activities with students.  Initially, I took these all in isolation.  I would do a separate lesson on different aspects, rather than incorporating them all into one authentic assessment.  This has been my aha! moment for this class.  You don't need to add more to your plate, you just need to learn to mix all that is already there.