This is a test of how to use Amazon affiliate links in a blog. Christmas time is coming up...I have cameras on my mind. This is a test of my Amazon affiliate links.

Lynda.com

My school district has purchased a school subscriptions to Lynda.com. This is a website that plays online video courses. Each course is broken down into managable 3-8 minute clips on each subject. The site reminds me of how Udemy.com is set up. On that site, you have to purchase each lesson individually but the delivery format is about the same.

I have watched a couple courses that were suggested by the technology department. One was about how to influence people and the other one was about how do a presentation. Both were pretty interesting and informative given by experts that knew the topics well. Although the videos didn't have very much to do with teaching in the classroom, I can see the value of knowing how to do both.

I have spend some time browsing the education section and have found some clips that interest me. One was on using PowerPoint in the classroom. I use Noteability a lot but I am not against setting up slides in PowerPoint and projecting them with my iPad. A google search for powerpoint presentations and what ever topic you are interested in presenting should result in plenty of results. I googled "Metric system powerpoint" and found a pretty neat .ppt on metric system conversions that I am going to use tomorrow. The PowerPoint App on iOS actually works pretty good to display a presentation. I can use my wireless keyboard to progress the slides also.

RLK

First attempt at using Google Classroom in a 6th Grade Science Class

Since I had the computer cart for ELA PARCC testing, I decided to finally get my science class onto Google Classroom. I created an assinment last Firday which was a shared Google Spreadsheet. My goal was for each student to log on and fill in their own data about their pulse (an activity that we did last Thursday) and by using some nifty spreadsheet functions, we would have averages neatly displayed.

I also created an assignment during my prep today that was a graph created in Google docs that would reinforce concepts learned in 3rd period Math class (they are my same students). Graphing independent and dependent variables was my goal for this assignment.

So how did it go? Lets just say that half of the students were more or less focused while the other half could not stop commenting in the comments section. I will have to say that I want to walk them through this together so I failed to write detailed instructions about what I specifically wanted to happen. When we were all on the same google doc, entering data, a few students were deleting and changing other kids' numbers, which everyone found to be very annoying. This feature will be used in the future amongst small groups that are working together.

The second assignment, the one with the graph, had some redeeming features. Primarily, it was because I used Google Classroom to assign a Google Doc to each one of my students, creating a new seperate, private document only for them. This cut away from everyone being on the same page which was actually good for this set of students. The graphing didn't get too far but I did get to introduce Google Classroom to the students. Next time, I will include clear instructions and assign only one assignment at a time, as the 2 different assignments caused some confusion.

RLK

The First Days of PARCC

These first days of the ELA PARCC test haven't been too bad from a technical standpoint. It all has been a learning experience for everyone. In my classroom, the tests have started pretty much on time and the children seem to be able to maneuver the computers pretty well. After the test, some students thought that it was "easy". Hopefully, this version of "easy" that they speak of translates into "easy-and they know the answers" vs "easy-and they don't know the answers." You never can tell with Middle School students.

Tomorrow is the last day of ELA testing and I am going to be happy to resume regular class schedules for a week. Next Thursday and Friday will be the beginning of the 6th grade Math test so I will have a week to teach and review past concepts.

The Tale of 2 Fleas

I found a book at the Westfield State University library that I thought looked interesting. I was there looking for picture books for a class and came across the teacher education area and started browsing. I picked up a copy of "Understanding Middle School Math" by Arthur Hyde and others. After reading the first part of the book, I felt that author(s) had really great approaches to teaching. They focus on a technique used in ELA call KWC. When a student is approached with a problem, they answer three questions: What do you Know? What are we trying to figure out? Are there any special Conditions?

Their approach to teaching is more along the lines of a constructivist philosophy, where the student figures out new information based on what they already know. This is also involves students working in small groups, communicating, and figuring stuff out together. This makes it so the teacher has to keep kids on task, help and guide stuck groups, and be constantly moving. The teacher does not show the student how to do a task, then they practice in groups. The students actually figure out the solution as they go, reinforcing problem solving skills and perseverance.  

Dropbox link to "Tale of Two Fleas"

It actually went great. I supplied each student with the paper and a ruler. Then I had them work in small groups. The kids really had to think and had good questions. And yes, I did have to guide a lot. But it was such a relief not to push a worksheet on them and drill them to death. 

Curriculum. What is it?

Curriculum. There is a word that I thought I knew the definition of: a course of study or the subjects taught in a school. Even though I have heard of the word before, I never really thought about what it meant until I started teaching. Over and over again I hear curriculum being uttered by educators without really questioning it too much. These were old-school educators who did things the traditional way; since they had more experience than me, I viewed them as professionals who had the answers. A few years ago, when I started teaching at a public school, I was immediately shown the math curriculum guide, designed by a former math coach. I just assumed that that is what I am supposed to do. It was so specific that it had the amount of days that it would take to teach a certain topic; 2 days on this, 3 days on that. This was curriculum, I had what the state expected the students to learn in the form of standards, and I had this guide thing. All the other math teachers followed it and I was much too inexperienced to go against the grain. I was all set, now I had to figure out how to make these lessons meld with the grey matter of young adolescents. 

What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know, 3rd Edition by Dave Brown and Trudy Knowles is helping to rewrite my own personal definition of curriculum. They view curriculum not as scripted lessons, standards, or textbooks, but more of students’ total experience at school, “from the moment they walk into the building until they leave at the end of the day.” (P. 128). It is not what is taught but rather what is learned. Educators who focus on the needs of developing adolescents can use this idea of curriculum as way to address and engage students in learning. 

The traditional subject-oriented curriculum is what I have been doing for a while. My middle school is set up where I am a math/science teacher on a two-teacher pod (the other teaches ELA/geography), within a larger team which is composed of 3 pods, within 2 separate houses. In math class, I teach math, and in science class, I teach science; a single-subject approach that is very common. Some things that are missing from this approach is the experiences of democratic ideals and the interactions with the social world. I try very hard to mix things up by using video clips, having students practice at the whiteboard, and working in small groups. What is missing is most students’ passion for learning the subject matter.

What blew my mind was the practice of an alternative curriculum called curriculum integration which is engineered by the students to answer questions on topics they feel are important. Having them ask questions and recognize what they are interested in gives them ownership and hopefully passion to find a way to answer these questions. Through a process of self-reflection, question asking, developing themes, and action, students are driving there own instruction. This will engage them in cognitive, social, emotional, and physical learning, speaking to multiple types of intelligence, ethnic backgrounds, and different abilities. This seems like a great way to engage students by including them to design their own course of study. 

In a city public school, this approach could work well for many students. With administrators and parents on board, a group of teachers could implement something like this. Or, a single teacher could try and borrow ideas from this method while still requiring students to satisfy state standards. Teachers who teach math, such as myself, would have a hard time connecting all the dots and staying a step ahead in making sure that the students have all the necessary skills they would need. But then again, what is the difference? It is hard enough to plan regular lessons, at least with curriculum integration, the students are using the subject matter to answer and solve questions that they are interested in.

Equations

Today, during a double block of sixth grade math, I tackled equations. First, there was a DO NOW that comprised of simplifying 4 expressions using the distributive property. The students had to show me the solution 3 different ways. I had them draw and model algebra tiles, the rectangular area model, and the regular way (with the arrows). 

Secondly, I briefly went over and reviewed the Properties of Mathematics with them. We went over how these apply to algebra.

And finally, we dove into Equations. This involved using the algebra tiles one more time. I went over the Golden Rule of Algebra about 5 times throughout the day. I explained a few problems, we all did the problems together, then they worked in small groups to practice the new skill. I then pulled them all back together and demonstrated how to use INVERSE OPERATIONS  to solve a few more problems. The students returned to their groupwork to finish the rest.

I really enjoy and like working during a math block. It seems that during a regular period, once the class gets rolling and picking up steam, it is time to stop. Even if they are only a couple of times a week, it is better than nothing.