Thinkin’ Thoughts

School has begun…

Yes!!!

I love going back to school. I have so much fun looking through my “First Days of School” Folder.  Every year, I  try to find the perfect blend of teambuilding, teaching  procedures, and content. One activity that is always a must is finding out how my students learn best.

The route I take to discover their learning styles may change.

There are a variety of methods available.  This year, I used a quick online questionnaire for students to submit at Edutopia.

Students answered 24 questions and received a breakdown in percentages in the Learning Style Categories.  After learning a bit about their own learning preferences, students designed their “name” to showcase their styles and added the names to the graph. A “Shout-Out” needs to happen here to my friend and colleague, Julie Chambers, for sharing her graphing idea!

I like the visual representation of how the Team learns.  As a teacher, I now have a wealth of information at my disposal.

I wonder what this means to my students?  I’ve posted a Discussion Question at our class network, Patriot Place.  My goal is for students to become cognizant of how knowing their learning style preferences can help them academically.

I’m not sure how they will respond, but it’s a starting point.

What are you doing to discover the learning preferences of your students?

It’s that time again.

School is just around the corner. As a mom, I’m heading to the discount stores to stock up on notebooks, pencils, and such. New clothes are purchased and hair is trimmed.

As an educator, I’m thinking about how I want to start the year. This year, my “first days of school” may actually be BEFORE school actually starts. You see, last year, I began using a social network to facilitate conversations in my class. With my change in school assignments, I’ve got a new place, Patriot Place.

I wanted to have something up and going at Patriot Place for students to get to know me and how our class will operate. I just wasn’t sure what I needed or wanted.

I decided to follow the teacher motto:

BEG, BORROW, AND STEAL!!!

I borrowed from my PLN.

First, Harry Wong for his truly inspirational First Days of School book. I’ve discovered a new reading before every school year is a fabulous way to become energized and reflect on what it takes to be an effective teacher.

The Seven Things

One section from his book discusses the seven things students want to know on the first day of school:

1. Am I am in the right room?
2. Where do I sit?
3. Who is my teacher as a person?
4. Will they treat me as a human being?
5. How will I be graded?
6. What are the rules of the classroom?
7. What will we be studying this year?

Another member of my PLN, Janelle Wilson (@janellewilson) shared her classroom sneak peak. She had placed a slideshow on her class blog showing pictures of her classroom from different angles.

Aha!

I have a plan.  I’ve created a movie for Patriot Place sharing the seven things students want to know for our 8th grade science class.  The students can see our social network and learn about the class. It’s the start of our school without walls…

Here is what developed:

How will you help your students know the Seven Things for the first days of school?

Artwork Thanks:

Image: ‘Support “Set For Success” School Supply Drive‘

This all started with a hot summer day and a science investigation.

We ALL needed to be outside of the school building.

After finding a ton of different sunscreens and ultraviolet beads, we were set!. When I say we had sunscreens, I am not exaggerating. We had different brands, types, SPFs,  ages, waterproofness… You name it, and I most likely had a kid or two trying to learn which protected the best against ultraviolet light.

When we finished the experimentation, we needed to share what we learned. In our science class, that generally includes writing up a conclusion as a scientific explanation.  My ultimate objective was for students to be able to create a scientific explanation.  The explanation needed to include making a claim, citing evidence from their experiment, and justifying their claim using scientific reasoning.

This can be so hard for kids to accomplish!  I decided this time to try something new.  Let’s make a movie! We set the explanation in a public service announcement.

Xtranormal.com is a free site that allows the user to create 3-D movies simply by typing.

Here’s what I got…

Emma looked to see how the age of the sunscreen affected how well it protected against UV.

Mikel looked to see which brand of sunscreen worked the best.

Aren’t they fantastic!?!

And the text-to-movie feature had an unanticipated bonus.  Students discovered what they wrote down actually mattered!  The literacy help was done by a website and fellow students.  Students quickly learned that punctuation matters!  It was so funny to hear the kids laughing instead of grumbling when they realized they spelled something wrong or forgot a period. Some of their characters never paused for a breath!

Xtranormal.com will definitely be included as a literacy tool for me in the upcoming school year. It should for you as well.

Communication Arts teachers, take notice!  And any science teachers…  And social studies… Math too!

Photo credit: Thanks to snikolhaus’ photostream for Day 2 011.

Xtranormal video credit: Thanks to Emma and Mikel.

I take my hat off to Todd Williamson and Kelly Hines.  They each have taken the time to list on their blogs the five things they would do if they were brave. I started to think about my job as an instructional coach.  What would I do differently if I were truly brave?

1. Summer Book Study.

I love to read! I know there has to be other teachers and instructional coaches out there that would be interested in learning a new learning strategy during our summer vacation.  If I were brave, I would set up a fabulous book study where we could meet either online or on my deck throughout the summer.

2. Individualized Meetings with Downtown

In our district, I report as an instructional coach to my principal first. I am fortunate, as I highly respect and enjoy working with him.  I also kind of report to administrators in the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Office.  After two years as working as an instructional coach, I still get a little nervous when I speak to them.  Because of this, I sometimes wonder if they really know me, my strengths, what I do as I coach…  If I were brave, I would suggest that instructional coaches would get a chance to meet with the CI&A department every once in a while in a smaller settting–so everyone could get to know each other a little better.

3. Find an online community

If I were brave, I would fight to ensure the instructional coaches developed a social network, such as a Ning, to facilate communication and collaboration between us all.

4. Paperless

Many teachers have tried to go paperless this year, myself included. While I wasn’t completely successful, I will say that I reduced the amount of paper I used in my classroom by well over 90%. I had originally planned to challenge our new technology committee to reduce their paper use by 50 percent.  If I were brave, I would ask the entire school, not just the committee of 8.

5. Accept My Mistakes

When I started coaching, I was so worried about being perfect. I had this vision that a great instructional coach had unparalleled wisdom on matters of content knowledge, pedagogy, learning theory, technology–you name it.  That wasn’t me.  If I were brave, and I think I am on this one, I will acknowledge that I will make mistakes, and to know it is ok. Thanks to Heather Radar for her great blog post on Learning from Coaching Mistakes.

How will you be brave?

Mance Lipscombe… Pink Shirt Day… Cancer Research… Diigo… Beef and Pork Meatloaf…T-PACK… Counting Grains of Sand… Evilution….

What do all these things have in common?

My Personal Learning Network (PLN) , that’s what!

A Personal Learning Network, or PLN, is not a new concept. It’s basically who is in your “go-to” circle when you need and want information to learn. Personally, I will always have my mother as a part of my PLN. She reminds me daily how important it is to give back to my community. I have friends from my days at PRISM-Promoting Reasoning and Inquiry in Science and Math-as part of my PLN. I know I can and will rely on them for their grasp of all things science.

As this school year has progressed, I’ve added branches into my PLN. It started with a Vision–my school’s vision to be exact. As a building, we developed the following:

Preparing all students for success through thinking, technology, and teamwork.

I remember thinking, what a great idea! We want kids to use higher order thinking, use technology, and collaborate while learning. In my mind, I could see exactly what it should look like. (T-PACK) I also realized I wasn’t completely sure on how to help other teachers (or me ) get there.

I made a decision to seek out like-minded people to enhance my Personal Learning Network. People who could and would help me improve my skills in content, technology, and teaching in general. People who could make me smile as well as learn. People who made me want to be better.

Guess what? I found some! I went to some technology classes within the district, and away I went! As I’ve gained confidence in my abilities to use Twitter and social networks such as Classroom 2.0 and The Synapse, I have enhanced my PLN. It’s fun to realize my network can house people from England and Canada just as easily as someone from St. Joseph, Missouri.

So…

Mance Lipscombe… Pink Shirt Day… Cancer Research… Diigo… Beef and Pork Meatloaf…T-PACK… Counting Grains of Sand… Evilution….

Lessons from my Twitter PLN

• @JRowing from Essex, England had a great evening listening to some Blues, including Mance Lipscome. As a result, I played tracks by the same artist while working around my house. Oh, and he also happens to like science, technology, and teaching.
• @teachmescience from Fredericton, Canada shared Pink Shirt day with our school to prevent bullying and suggested a fabulous recipe for a pork and beef meatloaf. Yes, she also likes science, technology, and teaching.
• @lancearmstrong Yes, that Lance Armstrong. He has tweeted some good articles that explains how the Stimulus Package is affecting Cancer Research. I’m betting he likes science, technology, and teaching. But, he’s mostly into cycling. Imagine that!
• @nashworld from St. Joseph, Missouri! He’s the tech guy–the one that I ask a zillion questions too. Currently, I’ve getting better at T-PACK (to be explained to the rest of my school soon) and am learning about Diigo (to be explained to me soon)–I hope! Oh yeah, he likes science, technology, and teaching.
• @porchdragon and @WillyB tweeted an interesting lesson looking at Exponential Numbers by counting grains of sand. What a great inquiry approach. Science, technology, and teaching… Check…
• @missbaker and @ehoffman These ladies always seem to be on the cutting edge of what’s going on in… you guessed it… science, technology, and teaching! They also made me laugh this week by the comments students left on papers. Evilution speaks for itself.

I mention these tweets to show the vast array of learning that can take place by taking a chance and learning something new. Last year, I had absolutely no idea of the concept of a social networking site, Twitter, or even a PLN. I would have laughed at the notion I would speak with someone from another country on a daily basis.

Now, I would be hard-pressed if the conversations ceased.

Are you using Twitter?

Another social networking site?

If not, give it a try! Start with me @terri_science! Let your journey begin.

Artwork thanks: Rythym Guitar by thornj on Flickr

Prezi…

A little background… About a month ago, I started using Twitter. Twitter is a fabulous on-line tool that allows me to communicate and stay connected with like-minded people. I’m still a newbie and am still learning the lingo. Recently, I’ve been seeing links with Prezi in the tweet. Now, not wanted to sound stupid, I did what any inquisitive person would do…

I googled it.

After clicking and reading several links, I discovered Prezi was a new on-line zooming presentation tool. The tool looked intriguing, so I applied for a membership. Several days later, I received confirmation from the company to have access to Prezi.

I decided to take my last blog post, and transform the same information into a Prezi Presentation. (If you haven’t clicked the link on Prezi Presentation, do it now to check it out!)

Prezi was fairly user friendly, with what seemed like gears in the upper-left hand corner to help you navigate. I’m pretty sure the teachers around me enjoyed hearing me laughing at all my mistakes as I learned. I’m a button-pusher–I like to think of it as “constructivist learning”. There were moments when I added so much white background, nothing else could be seen. Then there were a pile of objects I couldn’t figure out how to delete off to the side.

But, in an hour, I was able to create a potentially powerful presentation. iLearn Technology has some excellent suggestions for teachers wanting students to use Prezi.

Try the demo yourself at prezi.com and tell me if you agree.

This post has been awhile in coming…

Ever since Nashworld posted about the Art and Science of Questioning, I’ve been thinking about the moves teachers can use to facilitate classroom discussions. In Sean’s post, he described his role as a coach in gathering questioning behaviors of students and teachers.

I loved it. I’m hoping my teachers will too. We can really see how our questioning techniques can enhance and also hinder student learning. In my role as a coach, there are a myriad (Sidenote: I’m sorry, but I’ve loved that word ever since the movie Heathers) of ways we can tackle the art and science of questioning.

My Five Faves

When we start looking at questioning, here are my personal top five favorite questioning strategies.

1. Write out questions you plan to ask while preparing your lesson.

As silly as this seems, having a set of questions written down can ensure the path of learning you want to take, stays the course. You most likely will want to have the essential questions to be answered as well as clarifying questions you will ask throughout the activity to guide the discourse.

2. Make sure you have a variety of questions prepared.

Think of the process skills (compare/contrast, summarizing, inferences, etc.) and scaffold questions to build your learning goals.

3. To help move away from ping pong responses (teacher to student to teacher to student questioning), create prompts to promote student to student conversations.

In Classroom Discussions: Using Math Talk to Help Students Learn, Suzanne Chapin describes several methods to promote “Talk Moves”. You may want to have students summarize what someone else said, extend or expand on a topic, or see if a student may agree.

• Can you repeat what Maggie just said in your own words?
• Do you agree with Trevor’s reasoning? Why or why not?
• Who thinks they can explain why this happened?

4. Provide opportunities for structured student to student social interactions.

There is enough research out there on how cooperative structures can foster increased retention of information. Pepper a discussion with sidebars. If you ask students to “Think, Write, Pair, Share” prior to beginning a classroom conversation, many students will be more willing and comfortable with responding.

5. Wait time… Wait time… Wait time…

Since college, we’ve been drilled with, “Wait two seconds before you call on a student.” But did you know, I’ve been hearing about additional wait times?

• Wait Time One–Some research states wait at least 10 seconds to allow students to think before calling on a student. This is especially important for questions that require deeper thought.
• Wait Time Two–Once you call on a student, give them at least the same amount of time to allow them to organize their thoughts.
• Wait Time Three–yes THREE– After a student responds, wait some MoRe before responding or asking a question. In the book Checking for Understanding by Fisher and Frey, they describe several gains that occur if you give this 3rd wait time. Students will expand on their own responses, they will go deeper and reflect more, and other students will respond and continue the conversations..

Questions, let’s ask’em to get’em thinkin’!

Artwork Thanks: Hand by Thomas Hawk on Flickr

Thinking Beyond by Carf on Flickr

Well, technically yesterday was my birthday… I’m now 38 years old! Closer to 40 than 35. I thought I’d be sad about it. Yet, I couldn’t be happier.

How could I not be happy? I woke up to my mother leaving me a voice message singing me happy birthday… Sending me beautiful pictures of me as a child.

My sister e-mailed me the happy birthday song and two friends from college I haven’t heard from in ages sent me e-mails. I love technology!

My daughter convinced my friend to take her shopping for a present for me, but failed to mention she had no money–until they got to the store. (Smart girl–got me a present!)

And best of all, my friends and family met me for pizza before we played volleyball. Yes, we lost, but it was fun!

What I’m trying to say is birthdays can be great! Make sure to smile and enjoy your day. I did!

I have a confession.

Sometimes I do something in class…

 Then I think, “that was stupid…”

The Before

I believe in science notebooking. I will always believe in science notebooking. Students need a place to articulate their thoughts. A place to create, to think, to reflect, to change, to grow… In science, notebooking is an excellent way to journal understanding of scientific principles.

In my class, we use a composition notebook.

These notebooks can house a plethora of jewels. You can see the beauty of a well thought out inquiry. Observations can be described, drawn, and labeled. Borders and colors can help form a blueprint to understanding. Ah, the simplicity in thoughts.

Lines of learning can be drawn. As the teacher, I can participate in the journey. I can scribble a comment or two along the way to guide, focus, or reroute thinking.

The science notebook… an intimate dialogue between the student and I or the student and themselves. Unfortunately, it takes time to comment in EVERY notebook.

The Between

In the not too distant past, I wanted students to look at the role of decomposers in an ecosystem. We looked at the top, middle and bottom layers of the pile of leaves. As any good science teacher would do, I had students describe their observations in their notebooks. They were to draw detailed pictures of each layer. To get a better look, we used Proscopes, a hand-held microscope, to magnify the surfaces of the leaves.

So, as I walked around my room, my students were watching, snapping photos (see below), drawing in their notebooks, snapping more pictures… snap… draw… snap… draw…

Click.

“What am I doing???”

Look at this fantabulous photograph? I see leaves in various forms of decomposition. There is a little white something growing in the middle. In the time it would take my students to DRAW one of these layers, they could have captured a MULTITUDE of layers using the digital photographs, and had the time to reflect and learn.

Actually, the students had the photographs. These were stored away on the classroom computers. I had just given them busy work to draw it in their science notebooks.

“…that was stupid…”

The Now

Today, I have initiated the shift. I’ve turned to a more digital form of notebooking. Conversations are stored in a Discussion forum in a private social network. We still have the inquiry, the reflection, and the learning. Now, I can provide feedback whenever I can get to a computer and an internet connection. Links can be included to guide students. Photos can be uploaded.

With the click of a button, students can shift their way of thinking.

Conversations can still be between me and the student. But, there is oh so much more! What about a wider audience?  Now, our reflections can impact others. There are the other students in the classroom, the parents, the community members… And sometimes, the world!

My class is beginning the marriage between digital and manual notebooking. There will be times where the need will exist to physically write and reflect on paper. Other times, a virtual medium will be more appropriate.

Where should we write?

Where it helps us to learn!

Where will your students write?

Artwork Thanks:

Godsey, J. ” .97 comp notebook from walmart.” jgodsey’s photostream. 04 JUNE 2008. Flickr. 26 Nov 2008 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/jgodsey/2551404001/sizes/s/>.

Hartz, William. “Email Checkin’.” williamhartz’s photostream. 07NOV2007. Flickr. 25 Nov 2008 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/whartz/1914209727/sizes/s/>.

In our school district, the current buzz is Web 2.0. Specifically, several colleagues have developed and are maintaining blogs. These blogs have different purposes and audiences. We have student blogs, blogs for book studies, and yet others geared for school-wide professional development. This is our group of adventurers.

However, we have others that aren’t quite ready. A few teachers wonder how blogging is relevant to their job. Several teachers wanted to blog, but a lack of knowledge over how to do it is a concern. Many have expressed concerns about time. Where would they find the time to read a blog? (Let alone comment or post.) A few of these people see blogging as a waste of time. Tony Karrar writes about Web 2.0 tools when he says:

Do people have enough time to use these tools? If so, does that mean that they are somehow not the people who are already “too busy” at their jobs? Are the only people who will use the tools exactly those people who the organization views as time wasters, tinkering about, etc.

So, if there are are roadblocks to blogging, should other teachers join the blogosphere? My answer, “Yes!” My reasons, see below.

Top Ten Reasons Why I Blog:

1. A blog is a website that is so easy to manage, even I can publish it.
2. Blogging enables me to learn skills many of my students use informally.
3. Reading and writing blogs improves my communication skills.
4. Being able to blog enhances my classroom instruction.
5. A blog can be used as a tool to showcase other Web 2.0 features we can use to instruct.
6. A blog can help me connect and learn with other educators.
7. I can be sitting in my bed, in my jammies, and still collaborate with someone in Australia.
8. Using a blog can save time by being a place to disseminate information.
9. A blog gives me an opportunity to discuss and reflect on topics important to me.
10. Most importantly, blogging is addictive and fun!

Why do you blog? Or, if you’re not blogging, which of these would make you consider blogging?

Artwork Thanks:

Hawkins, Jessica. ” Week in the Life: Monday Relaxation.” jessica.hawkins11’s photostream . 29 SEP 2008. Flickr. 21 Nov 2008 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmhawkins11/2899870367/>.