Please scan the above QR code an analysis of the software I am using for my unit. If you successfully scanned the above QR code then you were able to hear a little bit about my struggles with this technology and the successes. I am starting to consider doing all my blogs like this because of how easy it is to record and post my voice :)
A little bit more about my experience with this technology: The benefits of using this with my students is that it gives students who have a lot of trouble writing to freely express themselves without any barriers. It gives students who thrive in writing a chance to experience a different medium in expressing themselves. The benefits of it in my classroom as a whole is that I can bring a new experience to the entire class-- one they have never done. As we all know, new and exciting strategies engage students which ultimately equals more learning. My unit starts with students learning about button blankets in the Tlingit culture. Then, students will take two weeks to sew their own 12 in x 9 in blanket. The final production will be to record their voice as they talk about the project, the importance of button blankets in the Tlingit culture, and an explanation of how they created it. These will then be in a public cafe displayed for the public to see and scan their QR codes. As mentioned in my recording, to see the spreadsheet that will compile all my students recordings click this link---- https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15S24roNdRO32uBZrnfC3tPnfbzoG1KIeBhnUWH7haAs/edit?usp=sharing
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Gerald talked a lot about using math technology games in the classroom and had few good suggestions for secondary education. When I think of math games, I immediately think of real-world tangible games using manipulatives and other people. My opinion is that math concepts are easier to learn when the student is hands-on with the concept. I am curious if using games online delivers the same result? I know personally I benefit more from real life when it comes to math. Heather and Mariah both shared an interest in either Pokemon Go or Minecraft and expressed some feelings about the difficulty they find in tying those games in a realistic way. They see the potential, but when it comes to certain barriers in their hometown, using those programs as a teaching tool isn’t viable. Twitter offered a great discussion this week and I felt like with all the suggestions being thrown out I kept missing the actual discussion because I was busy looking at various sites/programs/software. It was a great way to see what else is out there and what works for other people. Going into the next few weeks, I am going to slowly try and use coding in my classroom. I want to see if I can get students to code at least a few animations and then do a narrative on what they made. Like I mentioned in my blog, coding is rather intimidating, but I hope to start to feel comfortable the more I use it with my students. My challenge with this is that we don’t have many computers nor a lot of time to use the available computers. When I do have them I only have enough time to use them for an online test. Despite this challenge, I am excited for the short 20 minutes I may get to start implementing coding in my second grade classroom! For my unit project I am doing a Tlingit studies art project combined with technology. My students are going to learn about Tlingit button blankets and their importance in one of our most prominent cultures in Sitka. They will then make their own (mini) button blanket. I am tying technology into this by having my students do a voice recording of their project and an explanation of what they did and why. We are then displaying these blankets and will put a QR code next to their blanket that leads to their voice recording. I also hope to tie in technology by having them create a folk tale using Puppet Pals Pocket app. The folk tale will be about how the button blankets came to be of great importance. This will serve as their performance assessment along with their QR voice recording. They will also do a self-assessment periodically.
Just the other day I watched 16 second graders engineer and construct a scale model of their town on Minecraft. From the roads to the building placements the model they collaboratively built was nearly identical to their hometown. This project required math skills, communication skills, science, social studies, and a plethora of other authentic learning experiences. It is gaming software like Minecraft that is changing the culture, standards, and expectations in education. Minecraft is able to reach and engage students from 1st grade to high school (Herold, 2015). These, “virtual reality learning spaces” are shaping a new wave of teachers. Though these softwares are abundant and attainable, it is the way we, as teachers, use them in our classroom. We first should evaluate their usefulness and purpose. In Assessment in and of Serious Games, games are redefined into two categories- serious games and non-serious games (2013). Serious games are both educational and fun. I believe it is important to know what learning objectives the game meets, and in order to do that teachers should look at how the assessment will drive the gaming experience. A game in an educational setting should measure their level of understanding, but as discussed in Bellotti’s article, this can be hard to attain from games. A few suggestions are questionnaires, quizzes, in-game assessments, or performance assessments. Not only are students able to learn through a different medium, but they are also being assessed beyond the paper-pencil format. Other important factors to consider are how this game can be cross-curricular. Pokemon Go is a great example of taking one gaming objective and combining a variety of subjects within it. Pokemon can turn into a social studies unit, a thematic unit, a math, science, or writing unit simply by the way a teacher designs the learning objective (differentiTECH, 2016). I have found coding to be a rather challenging learning curve, but it is something I would love to make a part of my classroom. Coding opens many new experiences for students as they create their own game or simply make characters move and interact. You can view my screen cast for a quick look at Code.org and what coding looks like (see bottom of post). Bellotti, F. (2013) Assessment in and of Serious Games: An Overview. Retrieved from file:///home/chronos/u-364f63ef4d5fa9f21f60ce2e42a6ff95d163add1/Downloads/136864.pdf DifferentiTECH. 2016. 12 Ways to use Pokemon Go in Your Classroom. Retrieved from https://differentitech.com/2016/07/19/12-ways-to-use-pokemon-go-in-your-classroom/ Herold, Benjamin. (2015). Minecraft Fueling Ideas, Analytical Thinking in K-12 Classrooms. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/08/19/minecraft-fueling-creative-ideas-analytical-thinking-in.html
This week I was able to look into programs that I have been interested in using in my classroom. A lot of the assistive technologies are great for students who may not necessarily need them, but would benefit from the extra support. My group met during the week via video chat and assigned 2 or 3 technologies. We then independently researched these technologies and then collaboratively posted them to our wiki space.
The technologies I researched were Read Naturally a reading intervention software. I also researched Head Mouse which is a mouse controller that is placed on the user’s head. This week’s group project was an interesting challenge, to say the least. Communicating with three others via e-mail and video chat proved to be more confusing than productive due to our lack of understanding the project. Looking back, I feel if we had all understood the requirements of the project we would have had a more smooth experience. Despite the communication and confusion, I think our research and teamwork was done well.
Our group’s Wiki can be found here http://ed637wk4group1.wikispaces.com/Using+Assistive+Technology+for+ESL+students Our first meeting was on Thursday where we had a long chat on Google Hangouts video chat. We established roles and divided up the work. However, to our dismay, we weren’t on the right track with the essential question. On Saturday, we had another meeting and clarified the confusion. From this meeting, we were able to divide into different categories. One person looked at A.T. for dyslexia, another was dyscalculia, and then I did ESL. We all researched how these groups need assistive technology in school and compiled our findings onto our Wiki page. My overall thoughts are that collaboration can happen in any setting with any type of person. The challenge is making sure everyone does their part in understanding the objectives and goals for the project. There was a lack of understanding in the project requirements, which created unnecessary confusion. I did not understand what was expected before our first meeting, so my input was unhelpful. It wasn’t until I understood what we needed to do that I could help my group move in the right direction. My learning curve this week was adjusting to collaborating via video chat and email. This was a new experience for me. As for the research, it was hard for me to only think about why ESL/ELL need assistive technology and not look into the tools. Nonetheless, I gained a much deeper awareness/understanding for those with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. One thing just these two weeks have made me realize is that words are not necessarily our students first language. They are digital learners. They see the world through vivid pictures, videos, text, and audio. Some of my 7 year old students can navigate three different browsers, search for a video, and play a videogame-- but cannot form a thought into a proper sentence out loud.
This isn’t to say that they are behind or too focused on technology, but it is just their societal surroundings shifting the way they express and communicate. As teachers, it is our job to bridge curriculum with their style of learning. Differentiating with technology is not a question of who or when, but a necessity for all students. Helping parents understand that we are using technology to inspire, innovate, engage, communicate, and create, is an area I haven’t been as involved with. The twitter discussion helped me realize that it isn’t necessarily something I have disregarded, but that a lot of our parents are already on board with the use of technology. However, I still feel like I have not expressed to parents the immense importance of using technology in the classroom. We can have 7 year olds analyze paintings and recreate with audio and video editing programs. They can produce films and stories with an ipad, invent and engineer using Maker’s Space, or use coding to produce a game. These aren’t technologies you can reproduce at home. My students are bored. They get worksheet after worksheet and I can tell their minds aren’t being stimulated. Although my classroom is far different from the one I grew up in, the opportunities that I am giving my students to create and innovate is not where I want it to be. A few tips and techniques I gained was in this week’s reading. Both Chelsea and I really liked the idea about surveying parents at the beginning of the year about their child’s firsts and then using this data to visually show that we all learn at different rates, but eventually get to the same place. Wonderful Wednesday is another idea that I am going to start doing with my classes. I love that it is open, welcoming, and flexible. Taking these techniques and bringing their importance back to parents brings me to the answer of our essential question. After reading through blogs we all had a similar response. Rachelle talks about creating a mutual respect between teacher and parent/adult learner. Kendra gave a real-life example of her communication with parents to support DI. Her involvement immediately inspired me to reach out to parents in the next two weeks about supporting their student at home with my math curriculum. Still, the amount of parental involvement is lacking in my district. As Jim eloquently wrote in his post, “How do we involve and engage parents more?” As technology exponentially grows, how can we use this to our advantage to also connect parents to the classroom and their child? My professional goal for the next few years is to find a platform (blog, class dojo, text app, etc.) that is best for communicating with parents electronically. Since I moderated the twitter discussion this week, I will start this question off with my observations from that conversation. I expected to hear some people talk about struggles between parents and use of technology in their classroom. Not surprisingly, everyone has a supportive group of parents or adult learners. The "preparation" needed to build a bridge between parent and technology isn't very applicable to our current classrooms. However, the readings and further study on why parents would feel uneasy about the use of technology truly opened my eyes. I realized that I am the middle man between parent-student-technology-education. As teachers, we need to effectively manage a healthy balance and partnership between all sources. It never occurred to me that I would have to justify why I am sitting a 7 year old in front of an Ipad during school. Perhaps, this is because of my age and grew up understanding technology can be used as a tool. Still, it was insightful to read the tips from How to Differentiate Instruction in a Mixed-Ability Classroom. It outlined the conversation format for talking to parents of advanced learners, parents who are pushy, and parents who stay away ( ). Across all three I found a commonality. We must create a partnership or in any way make it known that we are here to work with the parents and support their child. As we explain to parents the why's and how's of differentiation we can rely on a few methods for ensuring a positive conversation. In the Iris Center, it outlines helpful tips for communicating with parents about differentiation. It is recommended to give parents flexible time to talk, be open to different communication styles, and allow time for them to respond (2016). Involving parents in differentiation can start by having them be involved in the classroom. From the article by Jordan Capatano, he wrote that the National Coalition for Parent Involvement reported that parent involvement greatly improves student performance in school. When parents are involved in the classroom, they can see first-hand how the use of technology benefits the learning of all students. Of course, this is more applicable to the younger years. The CDC website has a great document about how to effectively talk to parents. I often refer to this for a variety of situations. It has many tips that can be used when talking about differentiation with a parent. Some suggestions include highlighting the child’s strengths and using milestone checklists to back your decision with research and not just feelings. A milestone checklist can be found herehttps://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/middle.html As we discuss differentiation with parents, it is important that we make it explicit that our goal is to keep students moving on from their starting point (Tomlinson, 42-43). In my opinion, we will often find that parents who question the level of challenge in their child’s classroom will be the ones of advanced learners. As Tomlinson states, these parents want the challenge without the failure. It is our responsibility to make it clear that, “Risk-free talent development, painless challenge, and growth without tension are anomalies, if they exist at all (Tomlinson, 42)." References: Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-ability Classrooms. Alexandria, Va: Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Cdc.gov. Tips for talking with parents about developmental concerns. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/parents_pdfs/tipstalkingparents.pdf. The Iris Center. Retrieved from: http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/di/cresource/q3/p09/#content http://www.clipartkid.com/11-pictures-of-men-fishing-free-cliparts-that-you-can-download-to-you-1AfamL-clipart/ As I was trying to think of a way to represent the idea of the teacher being the middleman between parent-student-technology, I kept picturing a fishing pole (I must be from Southeast AK). I am the support for the parent trying to pull in a successful educational experience (or the parent who distances him/herself from their child's education). Just as the pole is the connection to where the fisherman can’t go-- deep under water with a fine hook-- I am the connection to education, to technology, and differentiation. As I bring these ideas closer to the parents, their ability to see the success is more likely.
This week's blog was a much more productive and reflective blog-- and it's only week two! I felt that the responses I received from my cohorts were meaningful and created more thinking. There was some disagreement, which I love because we all teach different ages and subjects so what I experience isn't always the same as someone else's-- eye opening. Gerald disagreed that we can't always skimp the details in our curriculum because of mandated testing. The unrelenting pressure and high-stakes testing makes him feel that there is no room to be idealistic and focus on the bigger meaning. Is this true for just the higher grades, or am I sugar coating the idea of differentiating at the elementary level too much? As I read through everyone's blogs I noticed a lot of similarities. Mariah and I related on the importance of classroom environment. Creating a foundation for differentiation begins with the environment. There were moments of reflection and being open about ways we can improve as educators. Cherie brought up the point that she finds herself being too directive with her students. This is an innate part of us-- it appears-- and she made me really think about how directive I can be in any given day. I was glad to gain a lot of insight from the blogs this week. Based off of the feedback I received from my blogs, there was a lot that people agreed with. A significant point in my blog was that I differentiate based off the needs of my students THAT day, and a few really appreciated that point. Differentiation in my classroom includes a lot of centers or task cards and a few people asked me to further elaborate on this. I thought it was neat we all shared that common interest and they were wanting to know more about my methods. Through our blog’s and twitter discussion, I gained an even deeper awareness of differentiation. We go through school and teacher programs with this as a forefront of our learning, but applying it in the classroom is something that can’t be taught. I am going to go into this next week (starting small) with the goal to differentiate every lesson with a conscience effort. What I mean by this is that I differentiate every week for most lessons. However, sometimes I get lazy and I do enough to “just get by.” This week, I am going to be differentiating so that there is a meaning and purpose behind each tweak and addition. My student’s deserve to have well-thought out lessons. My dream teaching style is to be the teacher who facilitates all student led learning. To be the teacher who asks all the right prompting questions that gets students engaged in their own learning. Create an environment where students are encouraged to ask questions and then explore how to find the answer. The ideal teacher who gives them hands-on learning opportunities where they learn without realizing it. This is differentiation at its finest! With all the demands surrounding a teacher day in and day out, I have realized that this ideal teaching style is really, really, exhausting. Truth is, I am the teacher who will slip and ask questions that don't allow students to critically think. I can be lazy and expect them to learn content from rather mundane material. I create fun innovative lessons only to find that I ran out of time and only finished half of the lesson. Despite all these obstacles that are making it a slower process to becoming the teacher I dream of being, I know that I am doing what I can on my end to differentiate lessons for my students. Differentiating isn't something I decide to do on certain lessons or certain days. I am constantly incorporating differentiation and assuming that some students will need a lot of support, some won't need any, and some will need more of a challenge. Starting with the environment, I set-up my classroom to encourage communication and teamwork. I allow students to move around the classroom as they wish so that they can freely refocus themselves as they need. As for discussions, I do my best to ask guiding questions that lead them to the objective. I pull information out of them that will move them in the direction I want-- without me explicitly saying what they are to learn. I do a lot of small group work. Students are grouped on level/ability or strategically (ex: group students who struggle with a math concept or by a phonetic skill they aren't getting). While I do small group work, students are given similar work that will challenge them even more. In the Edutopia.org article (2014), he suggests having processing time every 30 minutes or so to help students digest the information they learned. This is a great tool that I do in my classroom every 15 minutes. However, I want to incorporate more/different experiences for my students this semester. It is important for me to make my classroom meaningful as I differentiate. In the text How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-ability Classrooms it explains, "Covering information takes a back seat to making meaning out of important ideas." This mindset is absolutely true at any age. We never should worry about whether they are comprehending each piece of information. Our goal in differentiating should be to give them the tools necessary to understand the meaning. When they just aren't understanding the main idea, that is when I play more of a role and intervention comes into play. As seen in the TeachingChannel.org video, the ideal differentiating setting is when all levels of learners are actively engaged in meaningful learning. In this video, Pronovost shows how using the math software Planet Turtle and DreamBox challenges his at grade level/above grade level students while he can simultaneously work with low level students. Splitting students into appropriate skill level groups does wonders for targeting the areas that they are struggling with. I love to do centers and after reading an article on Scholastic.com, I want to incorporate this more on a daily basis. The article from Scholastic.com "4 Proven Strategies for Differentiating Instruction.", highlights the importance of task cards. Task cards allow independence and for students to move at their own pace. They allow for intervention/accommodation while also promoting learning to happen. A few strategies that were mentioned in the article, 15 Ways to Use Task Cards in Your Classroom, were self-pacing, games, and a method of assessment. My personal favorite method is using them as games. The competition aspect in a classroom is a great way to make students forget they are learning. Additionally, you can pair students according to their ability (2014). Ultimately, my decision to differentiate stems from knowing my students and their needs. Every day I may get a different version of the same student, and I need to be ready to accommodate their daily needs. Sources:
Kesler, C. (December, 2014). 15 Ways to Use Task Cards in Your Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.keslerscience.com/15-ways-to-use-task-cards-in-your-classroom/ McCarthy, John (2014). 3 Ways to Plan for Diverse Learners: What Teachers Do. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/differentiated-instruction-ways-to-plan-john-mccarthy Pronovost, R. Differentiating in Math Using Computer Games. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/videos/differentiating-in-math Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-ability Classrooms. Alexandria, Va: Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum Development. White, J. 4 Proven Strategies for Differentiating Instruction. Retrieved from https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/4-proven-strategies-differentiating-instruction/ Differentiating is something I constantly struggle with. It was really nice to hear from others their experience and how they interpret DI.
I will be reading more on this topic because I feel like I can greatly improve in this area. I feel like I have put a lot of attention towards my low and above grade level students.. but am I also thinking about my at grade level students? How can I make my lessons a little more challenging for them? How do I know all of them are really understanding my lessons when I am so focused on differentiating for the lower and advanced students? I think they are often forgotten about and this is the ultimate task-- being able to give them the attention they deserve. I am constantly thinking about DI, but I feel like I am not always the best teacher because of it. I always feel like I am not doing enough, or that I could have done something else. It is my first year teaching, so I think these are insecurities that will (hopefully) vanish with time and experience. However, it is all a balancing act and I hope that while I work hard at improving DI, I am also dividing my attention equally among other areas. |
Author2nd Grade teacher at Keet Gooshi Heen in Sitka, Alaska Archives
April 2017
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