As hard as it is to believe that it's a brand new year, the celebration continues in the journey we are on in our lives as educators. I wrote an article for our ESU 10 newsletter, asking teachers to write down three things they love about being a teacher, and to celebrate those things day after day, until celebrating their love of teaching again. I received the following email in response to the article this evening:
Hi Julie!
I wrote down my three things and it is right where I can see it again tomorrow!
Your article was positive and uplifting. Man we need that once in a while!!
I will try to celebrate myself more often.
Thanks,
Angie O.
I was thrilled to know that Angie was celebrating herself as an educator today, as it is indeed something worth celebrating! It is not often that we take a moment to breathe in deeply, close our eyes, envision the children we are gifted with, and smile about the impact they have on our lives.
On some days, it is easy to get discouraged. Our plates are full, with more and more expectations being placed on us each and every year, and yet we forge on, knowing that we have THE MOST important job in the universe--educating young minds! I'm sure there are those out there would believe their job is the most important, but let's be real here...most individuals could not have a job without some sort of an education. And who is it that provides the learning environment in which to be educated? Us, of course! How truly fortunate we are to be on our current journey.
Today we may not know exactly what tomorrow will bring, in terms of the conditions along our journey's path, but rest assured that it will be filled with fun, laughter, thinking, and learning. What a celebration of the role we have been called to fill in this world.
Happy New Year, and never forget that your job can never be taken lightly.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Sir Ken Robinson, November 17, 2009
Today I had a rare opportunity to be a part of a day with Sir Ken Robinson. What a delightful man!
Here are a few notes from my morning with Sir Ken:
Creativity is not a synonym for the Arts! You can be creative in Science, Social Studies, or whatever content area that is out there.
In relation to creativity, we need to ask ourselves, and our schools:
1) What is creativity?
2) Why is creativity essential in education?
3) How do you do it? (especially with curriculum, standards, and standardized tests!)
With NCLB, millions of children have been left behind. There has been huge drop out rates in the United States. We can NOT blame the kids. We make excuses, but really, it is not that kids can't be educated! It is a systematic issue!
The current education system as we know it was built in a different age. We are living in a REAL revolution, with no historical precedence, or nothing to compare it to! We must start thinking differently about the revolution and what we can do to help kids see what they are good at!
People have jobs that they don't love, but they stay because they have to pay the bills. Others have jobs they love and don't ever want to quit--but those are a minority. Why? Because education as it is drives kids away from their gifts and talents. They do not get to CREATE their own learning!
Sir Ken spoke about how his college degree was merely a passport to something else. Our life is not single-tracked. Think of a resume. A resume looks like life was all planned out, but it was not! We have all responded to opportunities we have had! In our communities, lives, the economy, we depend on our commonalities AND our differences! We are all smart, but test scores often make us feel dumb.
So how do we change this? We need to reinvent education--NOT REFORM IT, but REINVENT it!
America has dominated the world over the past 100 years, just as Europe did in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Life is unpredictable. It's actually quite organic!
Kids spent 26 hours a week with television. And t.v. was what transformed American culture! We must begin to think differently! Educators feel the pain. We know there are things that are currently wrong, but we must reinvent education to make the changes necessary!
Sir Ken then spoke about imagination. His thought went to Las Vegas. He said this city is there for a reason. But there really was no reason for it in the beginning! Really...a city created in the middle of a dessert? Las Vegas was created by what we need to do today--bring to mind things that are not currently present. Imagination came from creating Las Vegas.
No one is locked into their biography. We all have alternatives! Our future is yet to be! We must use the power of imagination!
Sir Ken quoted Presendent Abraham Lincoln's 1862 Address: Is it doubted, then, that the plan I propose, if adopted, would shorten the war, and thus lessen its expenditure of money and of blood? Is it doubted that it would restore the national authority and national prosperity, and perpetuate both indefinitely? Is it doubted that we here--Congress and Executive--can secure its adoption? Will not the good people respond to a united, and earnest appeal from us? Can we, can they, by any other means, so certainly, or so speedily, assure these vital objects? We can succeed only by concert. It is not "can any of us imagine better?" but, "can we all do better?" The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise -- with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.
What Sir Ken believed Abraham Lincoln meant was that we have obstacles in innovation--one of which is common sense!
It is difficult to know what we take for granted because we take it for granted! Sir Ken gave the example of a wrist watch. Many adults wear a wrist watch because it is what they have done forever. They take it for granted. When they forget to put it on, they realize that they have taken it for granted, and wonder how they might make it through their day without having it on. Children, such as his daughter, never wear a watch. There really is no point to wearing a watch! Children have clocks available anywhere and everywhere they go? iPods, iTouch, cellular phones, computers, etc. They have access to a clock far more than most adults even realize, or utilize themselves!
This is because of children being digital natives. They have been raised in a technology driven world. As adults, we are still learning 21st Century skills, but are not, and may never be where our students/children are! Technology is not technology if it happened before you were born!
To be your own, you have a natural capacity. You must find 1) Something you are good at, and 2) Something you love!
When you realize things that you are passionate about, and very good at, LIFE CHANGES! Obstacles often come from friends, family--even teachers in our lives who say we can't do something! So we need to find our Element (Sir Ken's book The Element), which is about talent and passion.
Asian cultures look at the whole picture, where we are very filtered in the West. Sir Ken showed us a picture of a tiger, standing in the middle of luscious green trees and plants. He asked what we saw, and several people said "a tiger". He said that tiger is the typical response to Westerners. But in Asia, or Easterners, most respond with a tiger in a jungle, or a jungle. Why is it that the Easterners give more information? Sir Ken went on to share that Easterners give a different perspective because of the collaboration that is so much a part of who they are! They think far more collaboratively that us Westerners do, seeing the WHOLE picture, not just a piece. Easterners tend to be more solo focused. We do things on our own, rather than seeing the need and use of collaboration.
Education is still living in the Industrial Age, because educators now were not raised in the digital age. We still teach the same way we were taught.
Some people believe they are creative. If we reinvent education, we must put creativity at the forefront. It is imperative--socially, educationally, and economically!
We then did a creative and intelligence rating. With creativity, we were to rate ourselves on a scale of 1-10 on How creative are you? Many people raised their hands and the average was around 7. Sir Ken then asked, How intelligent are you? Many raised their hands again, but we discovered that we did not see ourselves as high on the intelligence test as we did with the creative test.
People give themselves different rating, due to misconceptions:
1) Creativity is about special people, but that is not true! Everyone has creativity!
2) Creativity comes in the Arts, but that is not true! Creativity comes from anywhere: Science, Arts, Music, Math, Language, etc.
3) Creativity is either there, or it is not, but that is so untrue! Creativity can be taught!
Sir Ken's definition of creativity: "The process of having ORIGINAL ideas that have value."
It is challenging what we take for granted! Having original ideas is the hardest thing you have to do!
When asked about their divergent thinking, 1,500 kids were asked how smart they are. The findings are scary! They tested the kids at age 3-5, then again 5 years later at ages 8-10, then 5 years later, when they were 13-15 years of age, and this is what was found:
3-5 year olds 98% 'smart'
8-10 year olds 32% 'smart'
13-15 year olds 10% 'smart'
25+ 23% 'smart"
Sir Ken's discussion on this was that the way kids are educated has profound impact on motivation, and finding out what they are good at and passionate about. There is clearly a reason that the 3-5 year olds started out believing they were brilliant (at a 98%), but then a few years later, believed far less of themselves in terms of intellect.
Sir Ken believes we must move from an Industrial Model of education to an Organic Model. Developing a 'culture' of change is an organic shift.
Sir Ken's analogy for this is that things are so standardized. For example, when you enter a McDonald's, anywhere in the world, you experience the same food, same taste, same service. The company prides itself on standardization. This is because standardization always give you bare minimum, but it is uncustomized. Each patron gets the same, no matter what. And that is kind of like education. You can't get the whole country to shift-it's what happens tomorrow morning on our job that will begin to make differences. We must make learning personalized to children we teach! We can not afford to be standardized in our efforts as educators.
However, Sir Ken cautions that creativity needs a plan! We do not drop off calculators at the door of a school and hope that kids figure out how to use them. We have to have a plan when we leave those calculators! Same thing with creativity! What do we want kids to do with creativity, just like what do we want kids to do with the calculators?
Sir Ken then talked about an upcoming meeting with Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, where he plans to address creativity, and the need for reinvention of education.
In order to reinvent, Sir Ken divided us into teams at our table to discuss the following:
1. If you were to reinvent education, what 15 people would be part of your dream team?
2. What are the most urgent needs for your group--that will be taken seriously with creativity?
Interesting conversations were had, and the ideas were shared out with the entire group. (If you would like to see these, please contact me at julie@jeverett.org, and I will forward the collection to you.)
After this discussion, Sir Ken went into how we reinvent education:
1. Personal--make it personal for EVERY child. Engage them individually. Teacher-student, just like actor-audience.
2. Group--engage the community, creating a culture of habit and habitats.
3. Cultural--culture creates community AND individual possibilities, almost as if you are reclaiming humanity in education.
Educators must become personally aware of their element, or passion, in order to make it personal to their students. When this happens, the entire group benefits, and that leads to the cultural change as well.
Instead of Sir Ken's earlier questions: How creative are you?, or How intelligent are you?, he said the better questions are:
What are you creative at?
How are you intelligent?
These above two questions allow for more personal reflection. It is also easier to take risks in sharing what are you creative at, and how you are intelligent, than ranking yourself in these areas, like we did earlier in the day. When Sir Ken posed the questions earlier, there was much hesitation. Some people did not put their hand in the air at all! It was uncomfortable, with all of the peers/colleagues in the room! The same may be true with students. However, if we ask our students what they are creative at, or how they are intelligent, they may be able to look within and share those things with the rest of their peers and teachers.
It is funny how rephrasing those questions can change the entire outcome! I know I was way more comfortable in thinking about how I was creative and intelligent than I was in ranking myself in creativity and intelligence!
What an incredible day, with an incredible man. And I found out that Sir Ken was on his way to meet with one of my other favorite people, Peter H. Reynolds! Oh, how I would have loved to have been a mouse on the wall when the two of those inspirational, creative, out of the box thinkers met! The two of them DEFINITELY want to make some changes in the world of education as I know it!
As educators, we must create our own cultures of innovation. Schools need to make their walls their very own place to educate. But we must remember to tread softly--kids spread their dreams below our feet, so we must tread oh so very softly in the places we create!
Sir Ken's books:
Out of Our Minds, Learning to Be Creative
The Element
Here are a few notes from my morning with Sir Ken:
Creativity is not a synonym for the Arts! You can be creative in Science, Social Studies, or whatever content area that is out there.
In relation to creativity, we need to ask ourselves, and our schools:
1) What is creativity?
2) Why is creativity essential in education?
3) How do you do it? (especially with curriculum, standards, and standardized tests!)
With NCLB, millions of children have been left behind. There has been huge drop out rates in the United States. We can NOT blame the kids. We make excuses, but really, it is not that kids can't be educated! It is a systematic issue!
The current education system as we know it was built in a different age. We are living in a REAL revolution, with no historical precedence, or nothing to compare it to! We must start thinking differently about the revolution and what we can do to help kids see what they are good at!
People have jobs that they don't love, but they stay because they have to pay the bills. Others have jobs they love and don't ever want to quit--but those are a minority. Why? Because education as it is drives kids away from their gifts and talents. They do not get to CREATE their own learning!
Sir Ken spoke about how his college degree was merely a passport to something else. Our life is not single-tracked. Think of a resume. A resume looks like life was all planned out, but it was not! We have all responded to opportunities we have had! In our communities, lives, the economy, we depend on our commonalities AND our differences! We are all smart, but test scores often make us feel dumb.
So how do we change this? We need to reinvent education--NOT REFORM IT, but REINVENT it!
America has dominated the world over the past 100 years, just as Europe did in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Life is unpredictable. It's actually quite organic!
Kids spent 26 hours a week with television. And t.v. was what transformed American culture! We must begin to think differently! Educators feel the pain. We know there are things that are currently wrong, but we must reinvent education to make the changes necessary!
Sir Ken then spoke about imagination. His thought went to Las Vegas. He said this city is there for a reason. But there really was no reason for it in the beginning! Really...a city created in the middle of a dessert? Las Vegas was created by what we need to do today--bring to mind things that are not currently present. Imagination came from creating Las Vegas.
No one is locked into their biography. We all have alternatives! Our future is yet to be! We must use the power of imagination!
Sir Ken quoted Presendent Abraham Lincoln's 1862 Address: Is it doubted, then, that the plan I propose, if adopted, would shorten the war, and thus lessen its expenditure of money and of blood? Is it doubted that it would restore the national authority and national prosperity, and perpetuate both indefinitely? Is it doubted that we here--Congress and Executive--can secure its adoption? Will not the good people respond to a united, and earnest appeal from us? Can we, can they, by any other means, so certainly, or so speedily, assure these vital objects? We can succeed only by concert. It is not "can any of us imagine better?" but, "can we all do better?" The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise -- with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.
What Sir Ken believed Abraham Lincoln meant was that we have obstacles in innovation--one of which is common sense!
It is difficult to know what we take for granted because we take it for granted! Sir Ken gave the example of a wrist watch. Many adults wear a wrist watch because it is what they have done forever. They take it for granted. When they forget to put it on, they realize that they have taken it for granted, and wonder how they might make it through their day without having it on. Children, such as his daughter, never wear a watch. There really is no point to wearing a watch! Children have clocks available anywhere and everywhere they go? iPods, iTouch, cellular phones, computers, etc. They have access to a clock far more than most adults even realize, or utilize themselves!
This is because of children being digital natives. They have been raised in a technology driven world. As adults, we are still learning 21st Century skills, but are not, and may never be where our students/children are! Technology is not technology if it happened before you were born!
To be your own, you have a natural capacity. You must find 1) Something you are good at, and 2) Something you love!
When you realize things that you are passionate about, and very good at, LIFE CHANGES! Obstacles often come from friends, family--even teachers in our lives who say we can't do something! So we need to find our Element (Sir Ken's book The Element), which is about talent and passion.
Asian cultures look at the whole picture, where we are very filtered in the West. Sir Ken showed us a picture of a tiger, standing in the middle of luscious green trees and plants. He asked what we saw, and several people said "a tiger". He said that tiger is the typical response to Westerners. But in Asia, or Easterners, most respond with a tiger in a jungle, or a jungle. Why is it that the Easterners give more information? Sir Ken went on to share that Easterners give a different perspective because of the collaboration that is so much a part of who they are! They think far more collaboratively that us Westerners do, seeing the WHOLE picture, not just a piece. Easterners tend to be more solo focused. We do things on our own, rather than seeing the need and use of collaboration.
Education is still living in the Industrial Age, because educators now were not raised in the digital age. We still teach the same way we were taught.
Some people believe they are creative. If we reinvent education, we must put creativity at the forefront. It is imperative--socially, educationally, and economically!
We then did a creative and intelligence rating. With creativity, we were to rate ourselves on a scale of 1-10 on How creative are you? Many people raised their hands and the average was around 7. Sir Ken then asked, How intelligent are you? Many raised their hands again, but we discovered that we did not see ourselves as high on the intelligence test as we did with the creative test.
People give themselves different rating, due to misconceptions:
1) Creativity is about special people, but that is not true! Everyone has creativity!
2) Creativity comes in the Arts, but that is not true! Creativity comes from anywhere: Science, Arts, Music, Math, Language, etc.
3) Creativity is either there, or it is not, but that is so untrue! Creativity can be taught!
Sir Ken's definition of creativity: "The process of having ORIGINAL ideas that have value."
It is challenging what we take for granted! Having original ideas is the hardest thing you have to do!
When asked about their divergent thinking, 1,500 kids were asked how smart they are. The findings are scary! They tested the kids at age 3-5, then again 5 years later at ages 8-10, then 5 years later, when they were 13-15 years of age, and this is what was found:
3-5 year olds 98% 'smart'
8-10 year olds 32% 'smart'
13-15 year olds 10% 'smart'
25+ 23% 'smart"
Sir Ken's discussion on this was that the way kids are educated has profound impact on motivation, and finding out what they are good at and passionate about. There is clearly a reason that the 3-5 year olds started out believing they were brilliant (at a 98%), but then a few years later, believed far less of themselves in terms of intellect.
Sir Ken believes we must move from an Industrial Model of education to an Organic Model. Developing a 'culture' of change is an organic shift.
Sir Ken's analogy for this is that things are so standardized. For example, when you enter a McDonald's, anywhere in the world, you experience the same food, same taste, same service. The company prides itself on standardization. This is because standardization always give you bare minimum, but it is uncustomized. Each patron gets the same, no matter what. And that is kind of like education. You can't get the whole country to shift-it's what happens tomorrow morning on our job that will begin to make differences. We must make learning personalized to children we teach! We can not afford to be standardized in our efforts as educators.
However, Sir Ken cautions that creativity needs a plan! We do not drop off calculators at the door of a school and hope that kids figure out how to use them. We have to have a plan when we leave those calculators! Same thing with creativity! What do we want kids to do with creativity, just like what do we want kids to do with the calculators?
Sir Ken then talked about an upcoming meeting with Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, where he plans to address creativity, and the need for reinvention of education.
In order to reinvent, Sir Ken divided us into teams at our table to discuss the following:
1. If you were to reinvent education, what 15 people would be part of your dream team?
2. What are the most urgent needs for your group--that will be taken seriously with creativity?
Interesting conversations were had, and the ideas were shared out with the entire group. (If you would like to see these, please contact me at julie@jeverett.org, and I will forward the collection to you.)
After this discussion, Sir Ken went into how we reinvent education:
1. Personal--make it personal for EVERY child. Engage them individually. Teacher-student, just like actor-audience.
2. Group--engage the community, creating a culture of habit and habitats.
3. Cultural--culture creates community AND individual possibilities, almost as if you are reclaiming humanity in education.
Educators must become personally aware of their element, or passion, in order to make it personal to their students. When this happens, the entire group benefits, and that leads to the cultural change as well.
Instead of Sir Ken's earlier questions: How creative are you?, or How intelligent are you?, he said the better questions are:
What are you creative at?
How are you intelligent?
These above two questions allow for more personal reflection. It is also easier to take risks in sharing what are you creative at, and how you are intelligent, than ranking yourself in these areas, like we did earlier in the day. When Sir Ken posed the questions earlier, there was much hesitation. Some people did not put their hand in the air at all! It was uncomfortable, with all of the peers/colleagues in the room! The same may be true with students. However, if we ask our students what they are creative at, or how they are intelligent, they may be able to look within and share those things with the rest of their peers and teachers.
It is funny how rephrasing those questions can change the entire outcome! I know I was way more comfortable in thinking about how I was creative and intelligent than I was in ranking myself in creativity and intelligence!
What an incredible day, with an incredible man. And I found out that Sir Ken was on his way to meet with one of my other favorite people, Peter H. Reynolds! Oh, how I would have loved to have been a mouse on the wall when the two of those inspirational, creative, out of the box thinkers met! The two of them DEFINITELY want to make some changes in the world of education as I know it!
As educators, we must create our own cultures of innovation. Schools need to make their walls their very own place to educate. But we must remember to tread softly--kids spread their dreams below our feet, so we must tread oh so very softly in the places we create!
Sir Ken's books:
Out of Our Minds, Learning to Be Creative
The Element
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Celebrate YOU!
To be an educator is to be someone that no one else can be. Each year, we are gifted with a new set of students, and what we do with them is different than what anyone else might do with them. We are not cookie cut by design. We are instinctively different. We are molded from our own educational backgrounds and experiences. We are knowledgeable from our college experiences that have come and gone. All of these things make us unique--and almost alone in our independent ways. We have struggled. We have questioned. We have cried. We have worried. We have been challenged. We have challenged. We have taken risks. We have dusted ourselves off and celebrated that our failures have made us better...stronger..and more passionate about who we are, and what we aspire to be in this ever-changing world of education.
And really, it is that passion that ignites our dedication--a renewal of our faith in our chosen career path. Not all can be an educator. It takes a strong-willed, change-driven, risk-taking, passionate individual to make learning happen for children. You are all of these things and more in your very unique and experienced way.
What have you done to celebrate YOU lately?
Take a few minutes and write down three things that you love about being an educator. Now put it in a place where you will see it tomorrow, and every day after that, until you celebrate YOU again another time! Don't wait for another minute to pass without celebrating YOU as an educator.
And really, it is that passion that ignites our dedication--a renewal of our faith in our chosen career path. Not all can be an educator. It takes a strong-willed, change-driven, risk-taking, passionate individual to make learning happen for children. You are all of these things and more in your very unique and experienced way.
What have you done to celebrate YOU lately?
Take a few minutes and write down three things that you love about being an educator. Now put it in a place where you will see it tomorrow, and every day after that, until you celebrate YOU again another time! Don't wait for another minute to pass without celebrating YOU as an educator.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Teacher, Teach Thyself: Make your own Professional Development plan
Kenneth Shelton, Walter Reed Middle School, with networking colleagues: Meg Griffin, Ginger Lweman, Sylvia Martinez, Lisa Parisis, Adina Sullivan, Paula White
The premise:
Networking, collaboration, making connections, and contributing to networks you build.
How would you define PLN?
PLN is a personal or professional learning network, which helps you grow both personally and professionally. (Twitter is a great example!)
What tools do you use to Connect?
Twitter is the easiest way to interact with others, who will help you with projects, workshops, ideas, etc.
Plurk (has limits, however)
Classroom 2.0 (ning network of people)
Skype
What are some of the networks in which you are a member/active?
(the following is a list from around the room:)
Apple Distinguished Educator
Discovery Educator
SMART educator
Twitter
Reading blogs, and making comments on other peoples’ blogs to develop relationships
Ed Tech Talk webcaster (edtechtalk.com) to use for webcasts every night, and there are also archived webcasts
With all of the above tools, there will always be someone out there who is like you, or has the same issue as you, that you can share experiences with, or solve problems with.
Free Tech for teachers blog, Richard Burns
Be selective about checking on Tweets or Plurks….might be too much information, but don’t give up! Know WHO you want to really follow, and look for them, or their ideas.
1-9-90 rule: when it comes to networking, there’s a rule. …1 person posts content, and 9 people repost it (the content)..then 90 people consume it!
Itweet.net (will auto update for you where Twitter will not)
The premise:
Networking, collaboration, making connections, and contributing to networks you build.
How would you define PLN?
PLN is a personal or professional learning network, which helps you grow both personally and professionally. (Twitter is a great example!)
What tools do you use to Connect?
Twitter is the easiest way to interact with others, who will help you with projects, workshops, ideas, etc.
Plurk (has limits, however)
Classroom 2.0 (ning network of people)
Skype
What are some of the networks in which you are a member/active?
(the following is a list from around the room:)
Apple Distinguished Educator
Discovery Educator
SMART educator
Reading blogs, and making comments on other peoples’ blogs to develop relationships
Ed Tech Talk webcaster (edtechtalk.com) to use for webcasts every night, and there are also archived webcasts
With all of the above tools, there will always be someone out there who is like you, or has the same issue as you, that you can share experiences with, or solve problems with.
Free Tech for teachers blog, Richard Burns
Be selective about checking on Tweets or Plurks….might be too much information, but don’t give up! Know WHO you want to really follow, and look for them, or their ideas.
1-9-90 rule: when it comes to networking, there’s a rule. …1 person posts content, and 9 people repost it (the content)..then 90 people consume it!
Itweet.net (will auto update for you where Twitter will not)
Raising the Bar: Differentiated Learning with Stacy Bodin
Raising the Bar: Differentiated Learning
Think of this presentation as “confetti”--brush off what you don’t want, pick up what you want to keep, or just leave it on the ground...
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. (Henry Ford)---perfect quote for technology…you plan, prepare and are ready for teaching, and the next day something happens with technology that you can’t do it. Just walk away from it today and try it again tomorrow.
Goal of Differentiation:
1. To get away from lecturing 100% or the time or to alleviate children sitting idle, which many of us grew up with.
2. To meet the needs of the students which accommodate learning for all.
3. To touch on differentiated learning centers using computer centers and more.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
Management is the biggest challenge for teachers. Try things, and rework as needed.
Have to model how to get kids to move from center to center in your room. What EXACTLY do you want them to do at each of their learning centers? You, as their teacher, must model expectations and procedures before they experience each learning opportunity.
Listening centers (slide 22)-hold kids accountable for the listening they are doing. Have them reenact their listening, or tell someone else about their center time.
What do you when they finish their center? Provide a list for kids so they have PLENTY to do! They need lists of what to do to keep them learning!
Independent centers at the technology centers
How do I do this?
1. Start slow. Be prepared with materials before class begins.
2. Have a routine that students can understand.
3. Get a cheap timer. Have students go to a center. Ring the time and have students move in groups.
4. Make sure kids are aware of tasks—printed directions in each center, clear expectations set, and of course MODEL those expectations!
Stacy Bodin, Vermillion Parish
16007LA Hwy 685
Erath, LA 70533
stacybodin@aol.com
smbodin@vrml.k12.la.us
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/smbodin
Think of this presentation as “confetti”--brush off what you don’t want, pick up what you want to keep, or just leave it on the ground...
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. (Henry Ford)---perfect quote for technology…you plan, prepare and are ready for teaching, and the next day something happens with technology that you can’t do it. Just walk away from it today and try it again tomorrow.
Goal of Differentiation:
1. To get away from lecturing 100% or the time or to alleviate children sitting idle, which many of us grew up with.
2. To meet the needs of the students which accommodate learning for all.
3. To touch on differentiated learning centers using computer centers and more.
THINGS TO CONSIDER:
Management is the biggest challenge for teachers. Try things, and rework as needed.
Have to model how to get kids to move from center to center in your room. What EXACTLY do you want them to do at each of their learning centers? You, as their teacher, must model expectations and procedures before they experience each learning opportunity.
Listening centers (slide 22)-hold kids accountable for the listening they are doing. Have them reenact their listening, or tell someone else about their center time.
What do you when they finish their center? Provide a list for kids so they have PLENTY to do! They need lists of what to do to keep them learning!
Independent centers at the technology centers
How do I do this?
1. Start slow. Be prepared with materials before class begins.
2. Have a routine that students can understand.
3. Get a cheap timer. Have students go to a center. Ring the time and have students move in groups.
4. Make sure kids are aware of tasks—printed directions in each center, clear expectations set, and of course MODEL those expectations!
Stacy Bodin, Vermillion Parish
16007LA Hwy 685
Erath, LA 70533
stacybodin@aol.com
smbodin@vrml.k12.la.us
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/smbodin
Keynote with Erin Gruwell
Erin Gruwell's father scoffed when she decided to become a teacher. His words for her were
"Please don’t eat the apples!" (Which was how she began her presentation!)
On Erin's first day on the job, her very FIRST teaching job, she found the following:
No textbooks
No technology
No enthusiasm for learning in her students
No love of reading
Derius, a student who came in first that day, came from a horrible background. Had already buried two dozen friends who died from violence. Derius' father had died when he was five. His brother was killed by a gang. Really good rapper, though! (In the Freedom Writer's film, he is known as "Marcus".)
Maria also entered the room, with an ankle bracelet and a probation officer with her! (She is known as "Ava" in the film.)
Erin knew that her year was going to be a tough one. Shortly, she asked her kids to write about something, to give them a voice. She strayed from her syllabus. Maria wrote about hating Erin Gruwell, her teacher!
So Erin decided to ask them to tell about their journeys thus far in their lives because of what she saw in their early writing.
Maria wrote about her journey with her background…dad in and out of jail, mom who did all sorts of jobs to make ends meet. Her mom quit school at the age of 7! When Maria went off to Kindergarten on her very first day, her cousin got shot 5 times right in front of her that morning. Right there she learned that the good guys don’t always make it! But she went off to school that a.m., even after the event, but she was different. Her teacher laughed at her that year. So she gave up on school. Her father became her teacher when he got home from prison. He bought her boxing gloves so she could get up swinging…and he taught her to never cry, never give up…..to be a woman warrior. She learned to make more money in one day on the streets, so she became a gang member. And she loved it, even though she was beaten, abused, treated terribly….because her father in San Quintin was her model. She thought it was her fate! Maria thought this kind of life was her fate as well.
Erin had to figure out how to tell this little girl how to live a ‘regular’ life. So she had a success toast day. She bought champagne glasses to toast, and Maria said, "I don’t want to be pregnant by the time I’ve 15 like my mama, and I don’t want to be in jail like my father. I want to change!"
Erin realized Maria wasn’t so tough after all……..
At this point, Erin showed a video clip of her old classroom, Room 203, and The Anne Frank video with Maria and Erin.
Derius realized the power of writing, just as Anne Frank did, which was the focus of Erin's study with the class. They learned that a legacy can be left behind through writing…that even though Anne died, they didn’t have to! They can leave a legacy and live on.
Derius found out the librarian from Anne Frank was still alive, and he wanted to write her. And they hoped she would cometo the U.S. if they wrote to her, telling her how their lives were like Anne's. They wanted to know what the librarian was a witness to!
Derius put coins in a jar and asked others to put coins in to raise money for the lady to come……but they had very little money…..and Erin told them that if she DID come, their lives would NEVER be the same. They sent 150 letters to her! And the woman planned to come!
This little woman saw hope, and likenesses to Anne. Derius organized food for the woman’s visit, with their families made goods! The community center they were to use was graffiti covered, so Erin and Maria told two of their graffiti artists at the school to make the room beautiful. It was an incredible experience of hope. Maria told Erin that she wanted to order Anne Frank in Spanish. Maria's mother wanted to read it--the book that changed her daughter’s life. The librarian told of the journey...and Derius cried….and told her she was his hero. And the librarian said, "No, I’m not a hero…..I did what I had to do…I delivered hope to Anne’s attic. I never gave up."
So never give up!! Never ever give up!
Here is Erin's website:
http://www.freedomwritersfoundation.org/site/c.kqIXL2PFJtH/b.2286935/k.AD6E/About_Erin_Gruwell.htm
"Please don’t eat the apples!" (Which was how she began her presentation!)
On Erin's first day on the job, her very FIRST teaching job, she found the following:
No textbooks
No technology
No enthusiasm for learning in her students
No love of reading
Derius, a student who came in first that day, came from a horrible background. Had already buried two dozen friends who died from violence. Derius' father had died when he was five. His brother was killed by a gang. Really good rapper, though! (In the Freedom Writer's film, he is known as "Marcus".)
Maria also entered the room, with an ankle bracelet and a probation officer with her! (She is known as "Ava" in the film.)
Erin knew that her year was going to be a tough one. Shortly, she asked her kids to write about something, to give them a voice. She strayed from her syllabus. Maria wrote about hating Erin Gruwell, her teacher!
So Erin decided to ask them to tell about their journeys thus far in their lives because of what she saw in their early writing.
Maria wrote about her journey with her background…dad in and out of jail, mom who did all sorts of jobs to make ends meet. Her mom quit school at the age of 7! When Maria went off to Kindergarten on her very first day, her cousin got shot 5 times right in front of her that morning. Right there she learned that the good guys don’t always make it! But she went off to school that a.m., even after the event, but she was different. Her teacher laughed at her that year. So she gave up on school. Her father became her teacher when he got home from prison. He bought her boxing gloves so she could get up swinging…and he taught her to never cry, never give up…..to be a woman warrior. She learned to make more money in one day on the streets, so she became a gang member. And she loved it, even though she was beaten, abused, treated terribly….because her father in San Quintin was her model. She thought it was her fate! Maria thought this kind of life was her fate as well.
Erin had to figure out how to tell this little girl how to live a ‘regular’ life. So she had a success toast day. She bought champagne glasses to toast, and Maria said, "I don’t want to be pregnant by the time I’ve 15 like my mama, and I don’t want to be in jail like my father. I want to change!"
Erin realized Maria wasn’t so tough after all……..
At this point, Erin showed a video clip of her old classroom, Room 203, and The Anne Frank video with Maria and Erin.
Derius realized the power of writing, just as Anne Frank did, which was the focus of Erin's study with the class. They learned that a legacy can be left behind through writing…that even though Anne died, they didn’t have to! They can leave a legacy and live on.
Derius found out the librarian from Anne Frank was still alive, and he wanted to write her. And they hoped she would cometo the U.S. if they wrote to her, telling her how their lives were like Anne's. They wanted to know what the librarian was a witness to!
Derius put coins in a jar and asked others to put coins in to raise money for the lady to come……but they had very little money…..and Erin told them that if she DID come, their lives would NEVER be the same. They sent 150 letters to her! And the woman planned to come!
This little woman saw hope, and likenesses to Anne. Derius organized food for the woman’s visit, with their families made goods! The community center they were to use was graffiti covered, so Erin and Maria told two of their graffiti artists at the school to make the room beautiful. It was an incredible experience of hope. Maria told Erin that she wanted to order Anne Frank in Spanish. Maria's mother wanted to read it--the book that changed her daughter’s life. The librarian told of the journey...and Derius cried….and told her she was his hero. And the librarian said, "No, I’m not a hero…..I did what I had to do…I delivered hope to Anne’s attic. I never gave up."
So never give up!! Never ever give up!
Here is Erin's website:
http://www.freedomwritersfoundation.org/site/c.kqIXL2PFJtH/b.2286935/k.AD6E/About_Erin_Gruwell.htm
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Best Practices for Encouraging Learning 24/7: Models that Work
Monday, 6/29/09
Michael Searson's Best Practices for Encouraging Learning 24/7: Models that Work
Using cameras on field trips to connect their learning, AND to go back to the classrooms to write about their learning.
Audio books for kids with dyslexia, to improve their motivation and learning.
Using Read Naturally and Lexia, where teachers are seeing huge results from both programs.
Robotics: available to students from early elementary through high school—offered in after school program. Middle school students can take these as an elective.
Entrepreneurs in Residence: kids meet with other kids as mentors for projects, and they are required to work with others, and it is up to them to schedule times to work to carry out goals of the project(s).
Global Challenge Project (David Gibson)
www.globalchallengeaward.org
Kids register with a partner (team of 2) and an adult (parent/teacher/sponsor, etc.) who they are core units for challenge. Trying to reach HS students world wide, using global teams with a problem to solve. “Save the World” with global warming before they graduate college.
What to expect on this site:
-use open-ended problem solving
-study together in teams
-spread awareness-take action/design a solution
-schedules, collaborators and products
-game and simulation-based online learning experiences
****ALL of this work is evaluated by scientists and educators
This site also offers:
Curriculum enhancement (easy to implement with flexible units of study)
Elective courses (Interdisciplinary: Natural Science Social Science, Entrepreneurship, Economics, digital arts, communications)
Independent studies (self-directed, open-ended, problem=based, guided inquiry)
Productivity Centered Service Learning )action oriented, authentic, community, engagement)
The great thing about this site is that it goes along with standards!
Andrew Gardner (Northern Manhattan) Game Design and Social Networking—Learning outside school walls
Content: what interests students?
1) PLAY!
2) New Media tools (Gamestar Mechanics, a web-based video program that teaches you about game design)
Andrew wanted to use this for after-school classes
Skoolaborate (virtual worlds and learning across the globe)
Develop ‘stuff’ that works globally such as units on drinking/driving, etc.
Ning.com for doing a T-bird Times newsletter to express kid’s personalities and thoughts
tbird times.org (an after school club)
Wix.com (building interactive websites) that kids can do on their own—kids erupted with creativity
Presentation: http://tbirdtimes.wiwispaces.org, kevin_jarrett@yahoo.com
Michael Searson's Best Practices for Encouraging Learning 24/7: Models that Work
Using cameras on field trips to connect their learning, AND to go back to the classrooms to write about their learning.
Audio books for kids with dyslexia, to improve their motivation and learning.
Using Read Naturally and Lexia, where teachers are seeing huge results from both programs.
Robotics: available to students from early elementary through high school—offered in after school program. Middle school students can take these as an elective.
Entrepreneurs in Residence: kids meet with other kids as mentors for projects, and they are required to work with others, and it is up to them to schedule times to work to carry out goals of the project(s).
Global Challenge Project (David Gibson)
www.globalchallengeaward.org
Kids register with a partner (team of 2) and an adult (parent/teacher/sponsor, etc.) who they are core units for challenge. Trying to reach HS students world wide, using global teams with a problem to solve. “Save the World” with global warming before they graduate college.
What to expect on this site:
-use open-ended problem solving
-study together in teams
-spread awareness-take action/design a solution
-schedules, collaborators and products
-game and simulation-based online learning experiences
****ALL of this work is evaluated by scientists and educators
This site also offers:
Curriculum enhancement (easy to implement with flexible units of study)
Elective courses (Interdisciplinary: Natural Science Social Science, Entrepreneurship, Economics, digital arts, communications)
Independent studies (self-directed, open-ended, problem=based, guided inquiry)
Productivity Centered Service Learning )action oriented, authentic, community, engagement)
The great thing about this site is that it goes along with standards!
Andrew Gardner (Northern Manhattan) Game Design and Social Networking—Learning outside school walls
Content: what interests students?
1) PLAY!
2) New Media tools (Gamestar Mechanics, a web-based video program that teaches you about game design)
Andrew wanted to use this for after-school classes
Skoolaborate (virtual worlds and learning across the globe)
Develop ‘stuff’ that works globally such as units on drinking/driving, etc.
Ning.com for doing a T-bird Times newsletter to express kid’s personalities and thoughts
tbird times.org (an after school club)
Wix.com (building interactive websites) that kids can do on their own—kids erupted with creativity
Presentation: http://tbirdtimes.wiwispaces.org, kevin_jarrett@yahoo.com
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