New Year, New You!

I am currently in week eight (yes, eight!) of the 2018-2019 school year. 

My students are currently engrossed in our blogging project. They are reading real blogs from kids their age, the inspiring blog from Braeden's Art, and my own.

Sadly, I haven't updated my blog since this past March. MARCH.

I am not entirely sure why. I could blame the ending of the school year, my family's move, my constant feeling of yuck for the curriculum (which isn't that bad this year), or just the lack of desire to write.

It may be a combination of all of these things or none at all. In any sense...

The start to this year was awesome. I got to continue the use of Jon Corippo's Smart Start. Students are emersed in all the tech, sites, and protocols that will be used throughout the year. Sure, it takes about two weeks of the year, but I gain it back two folds later. You see, when I assign a project I don't have to go over the tech or how to use or create using a tool. It has already been covered and students have the example and steps saved in their Drive. 

Last year, I struggled quite a bit with our new curriculum, supplementing grammar and writing where the curriculum lack, and holding steadfast to not assigning homework. I failed. Failed with grace and style. But I still failed.

I have come back to the wonderful world of #FlipClass. Grammar and writing is lacking in our curriculum, so doing Flipped Class with my students coordinated with The Writing Revolution (a district given text I actually like!) has worked wonders! I am using Edpuzzle for housing my videos as well as using videos already added to Edpuzzle. I get a great overview of what students know, what I need to cover the next day (if needed), and that frees my time to have students put the subject matter into practice. 

I think this year I have found a better balance with the new curriculum, my student's needs, and my time. As flexible as I am, I thought this would have come sooner, but at last, I am here. I feel good. And I can help my students the best way I can. 

Here is to my eighteenth year! 

Fitting it all in....

The new school year is upon us and off and running! I can hardly believe that we are already in the new year!

This year, thankfully, I am able to ease up on the new curriculum and do what I know is best for students. This is and was AMAZING news! Last year my department was given new curriculum and told to follow pretty closely....I am thankful we have been given some leeway. More about that struggle here. 

Although I get to bring back some #eduawesome stuff, I still am lacking the amount of time I have had just two years ago. So I feel as though I am back to the drawing board, AGAIN. How do I teach all I need to in just fifty-five minutes when I used to have eighty-eight?

Our new curriculum is missing grammar and writing. I tried to supplement last year as much as I can. It's difficult as English is one subject, and then literature is another; that is how I used to break down my block periods. Now I have to find a way to bring in the grammar and writing throughout the readings. That shouldn't be difficult, and yet it very much is.

I feel that my seventh graders (and looking at the dismal scores I just received) need a healthy dose of grammar and sentence structure. Doing grammar here and there when needed last year didn't work. Students, although they have had grammar throughout elementary school, don't always remember the rules or even what the parts of speech are. I use and LOVE 8 p*ARTS from Jon Corripo and Cheryl Morris, but once a week isn't cutting it. Plus, if a lesson runs over or the class needs more time on something, the first thing that is moved is grammar.


So how do I do it?

I had to reach out to my AMAZING PLN on Voxer.

I seriously love the ELA peeps on our Flipped Learning Voxer group. They are always inspiring, passionate, wonderful listeners, and full of perfect suggestions and advice. Without them and all of my PLN, I would be lost. They told me what I already knew.


As I am still struggling with fitting it all in. I had to ask my Voxer group "How do I fit grammar, writing, reading, research, listening and speaking all in one period?!"

They said:

You don't.

They are right. I don't. I put things together. Cover topics in multitudes. And perhaps the most important, I do what is BEST for my students.

But as we have entered 2018, I am STILL feeling stuck.

I am still struggling. 

It feels as if I am a brand new teacher all over again. I second guess myself, my lessons, and what I should do next. I keep thinking back to my incredibly low scores from this past year. I NEVER stress about scores! They are a moment in a student's life! But this year, they have crept into my brain, returning over and over stressing me out. They are a part of me know.

Ugh.

In moments like these, I am thankful that I can reach out. That I can talk to other educators that lift me up. Those that remind me that I can do this. That I have before and I will again. 

It's moments like these, that I know I will make it. Sure, it's difficult and I have been down on myself, but colleagues near and far are here helping me along. I have students that make me smile daily. And it is all my students, who remind me why I am here. For them.

Engaging Students in Digital Learning-TeacherCast

When you get the call to chat with Jeff Bradbury, you take the call. 

I was fortunate enough to be contacted by Sarah Richards of SMART Technologies, Shane Jordan from Spark, and Jeff Bradbury of TeacherCast to talk about the digital learning my students are doing in the Duckpond. 

Needless to say, I was honored. Like many educators, I am a subscriber and listen faithfully to TeacherCast. This was going to be...

As a SMART Exemplary Educator, I had the opportunity to see and use SMART amp before the masses. To tell you the truth, I didn't get it. I DIDN'T GET IT! I saw SMARTamp for the math classroom, the science classroom as they are more "hands-on" with problems, experiments, and solutions; these subjects simply lent themselves to easy collaboration. English is more conversation, more written word etc. 

Additionally, there are FREE products and webtools that students could use to collaborate on (ahem, Google), so I didn't quite get jus how SMARTamp would be better. 

While at a SMART Summit, I had the chance to work with fellow English teachers to create a SMARTamp workspace. Being ELA teachers, the only thing we could come up with was a collaborative writing piece. Once the ideas began to flow, we could see the power in SMARTamp. 

SMARTamp was MADE for education. It was made for the ease of use for students. This wasn't about the teacher, this product is for the students. In an infinite space, students (and the teacher creating the space) are not locked into a "type" of assignment. It is not just a presentation, a digital worksheet, a collaboration tool. It can be any and all of those things and SO much more. SMARTamp has the power to give students the power to take charge of their learning. To direct it. It also brings the world much closer to our students. 

Needless to say, I have used SMARTamp ever since. I LOVE it. My students LOVE it. It has endless possibilities. 

Does that mean I have given up all other tech tools and products? 

NO! I will use whatever tool that will benefit my students and their learning. 

But going back to the interview/vodcast. It was great to share the awesomeness that my students do in the classroom. Students need to collaborate, to share, to take on learning in meaningful ways. Students need to think outside the box and take challenges head on. For years now, it seems students only know how to see tasks as black and white, right or wrong. It's time to bring back free thinking and creativity!

Jeff was super easy to talk to and share with. He even welcomed my son, Hunter, to the show. We discussed collaboration, tools, student engagement, and, of course, SMARTamp. TeacherCast rests solely on educators reaching out and sharing with Jeff, so contact him! Share your knowledge! #BetterTogether. I hope to share again with Jeff and the TeacherCast crew real soon.

2015-New year, new Experiences

This school year has been a whirlwind! I am a new mom, starting a new class, and haven't blogged in what seems like forever!

Time to get back to it!

This year is nuts! I have been teaching for fifteen years now, but this year feels brand new. I was given a new section of eighth grade English students. I have never wanted to teach eighth graders. Never. As much as I have always liked my former students to visit as eighth graders, I have known how "high and mighty" they feel on top of the junior high totem pole. However, the numbers needed it.

In my new class, I only have five students that were in my class as seventh graders. Keeping this in mind, I wanted to keep some of the same aspects that I have in seventh: rules, flexibility, choice, technology integration, etc. But I also wanted to make my eighth grade class like no other. How would I do that without truly knowing the curriculum?

As we all know, teachers set the tone the very first day of school. So I wanted to do something special, something different with my eighth graders. I have been successful with a first day scavenger hunt with my seventh graders, but since the eighth graders knew the campus well, I needed to up my game.

Enter the "Instagram Scavenger Hunt".

Because my students knew the school and knew who I was (even though I didn't know them!) they were comfortable and ready to explore. As students entered, I played Weird Al's "Word Crimes" and welcomed them to the Duck Pond. 

Once the bell rang, I introduced myself and told them we were now going to go on a scavenger hunt. They were floored! They were ready for the challenge.

Even the staff on campus were excited and involved! Here is our principal, Mr. Webb with students taking a "groupie".

A student example of one of the challenges of making "OJHS" in nature.

Students had a great time and loved using their phones and Instagram accounts or the classrooms. Definitely worth doing again!

Now my challenge is creating a photo challenge that is content oriented OR have my students create one!

What could you create as a photo scavenger hunt? I would love to hear!

Starting Off on the Right Foot: Success in the Classroom

Back-to-School
All around the country, school is beginning for students and educators. We are buying supplies, prepping classrooms, and gearing up for a great year. 

Teachers plan and plan for the first day. Over the years, my first day activities have evolved to less talking, more student action.

The Early Years
When I first began teaching, the first day of school was my day of talk. A day the focused solely on me, who I am, my class expectations, and more. It wasn't until day two that I would ask about my students. 

This, of course, was boring. It told my students that this class was boring. That I was boring. I am anything, but boring! Beginning the first couple days on paperwork and procedures was not setting up my students or my class for success. It didn't show how much I care about them. And it certainly didn't showcase what our learning environment was about: THEM. 

Now
Since connecting to other teachers through Twitter, I have changed my stance on the first days of school. The first days of school need to be about welcoming students. Teachers need to make students feel safe and cared for. We need to be creating a community of students and staff. 

How did I begin?

I first read Teach Like a Pirate (TLAP). This was a needed read for me at the time of test scores, an implementation of Common Core, and feeling lost and redundant at my site. This book reminded me of the kind of teacher I wanted to be and what my students needed. So, I changed how I started school. I began with a QR code scavenger hunt for my seventh graders to get to know the campus and to learn how to work in teams. Secondly, I did the TLAP Island Activity. This, of course, intrigued my students, but elicited conversations and dynamics between students that helped me learn who they were. I still do these activities today. Read more about it here.

OJHS found in nature!

This year, I have a class of eighth graders. I can't do the same things! Thus, I created an Instagram Challenge. I don't think I've seen students so excited! Doing this challenge inspired me to continue using technology that students are already using and to make it interesting to students. I got to learn so much about who they are through the pictures they took and the comments they shared. Feedback from my students were so positive that I will have to create more.

In addition to these activities, I am pushing back starting curriculum an entire week so that I can do what Jon Corippo calls "Smart Start". For students to achieve academically, they need a place that is truly caring and welcoming. This is where Smart Start begins. In both my seventh and eighth grade classes, we (yes, including me!) are doing a series of activities to A. Get to know each other, and B. Use and get to know the technologies, including SMART amp, that we will be using throughout the year. Win win! Students have the opportunity to be creative through different technologies and to get to know one another through different topics given. It's fun, fast paced, and builds a caring community.

What I have learned
I have learned so much through my many years of teaching and being a connected educator. One of the best is tossing the traditional talk and paperwork start of the school year. Students need connections. They need it and crave it. 

By cultivating those connections and a safe environment, students will not be afraid to fail, make mistakes, and thus learn even more. Students will give you all they can and succeed because YOU believe they can. It's those little things that make a HUGE difference.

Just remember: 

Be that teacher.

Connect Parents to your Class with Class Story!

It's the time of year...

The Back-to-School commercials and sales are here. Parents are taking their children to the mall for new clothes and supplies, while teachers prepare their room, syllabi, and lessons. Schools are having their Round-ups with students checking out the campus, seeing their classrooms, and getting their books.

Even I have been in my classroom prepping for the year. Organizing desks, updating my blog and website, and generally getting PUMPED for the year.

Who else is getting pumped? ClassDoj!

I love ClassDojo! ClassDojo is a great way to encourage students, engage parents, and, importantly, save time! Students of all ages love it! Trust me, my seventh grade students even love it! The love the "ping", the rewards, and the instant feedback they receive. Okay, and they can customize their monster avatars too! Parents love it for the same reasons!

But ClassDojo has ANOTHER new feature for us educators! First it was groups, now it is.....DRUM ROLL PLEASE....

A Class Story!!

Yes, you heard correctly, now parents and guardians can feel like they are in the action of your classroom!

PARENTS CONNECT WITH A WALL YOU SHARE!





Now you can share with parents all that is #EduAWESOME in your classroom with text and picture updates! Unlike other social media sites, ClassDojo only shares with those parents and guardians that are connected to you and your classroom. Plus, YOU can see when parents see your wall as they can "like" your posts.

Have an idea for Class Story? AWESOME! ClassDojo will be asking YOU for what features you would like to see for Class Story, including video and audio notes.







LOVE what you are reading? Starting August 5th, you can sign up to be a beta tester of ClassDojo Class Story. 

Genius Hour-Introduced!

It's here! Genius Hour has been introduced and I can't even begin to describe how excited my students are!

To hook my students, I had to show The Kid President:

The Kid President had them. They laughed! They understood when he said, "We were made to be awesome." We were! Now it is time to "Create something that will make the world awesome."
 

 

"Create something that will make the world awesome."

After the talk that got my kids talking....I asked them, has there ever been a time in school when YOU got to learn about something you truly wanted? When you chose what to learn?

The room erupted into chatter, laughter, and a resounding "NO!" by all students.Then came my moment to say, "Well guys, that is exactly what is going to happen."

I have three classes (we have a block English schedule) and for a moment the room stood silent.

They didn't believe me...at first. I then went and described the Passion Project. Each student would have Genius Hour to research their passion. That even I would join them on this journey. We were going to discover our genius because as the wonderful and inspirational Angela Maiers says:

They were floored! Excited! Ideas began pouring forth! Discussion, empowerment, pure excitement....about learning!
Here is a screen shot of our Wonder Wall on Padlet with just a sample of ideas for projects:

Our journey begins next week! Our first hour of Genius Hour. I can't wait and more importantly, neither can my students!

I have always known the importance and power of student choice in the classroom. But to give students the ultimate choice of directing their learning?! Even more powerful, important, and inspiring of all!

Here's to next week!

The Great idea....that wasn't.

Like every teacher who hears a brand new and great idea....I wanted to try it out. IMMEDIATELY.

And like many out there....I don't always think my actions through.

Today, that happened. 

During a #Smartee chat, I heard of a great idea of using dry erase markers...on the student's desks. Genius! This way students won't have to waste paper when working out problems in math, combining sentences, or simply completing some review or practice questions. Why hadn't I thought of that?!

Of course I wanted to try this with my students!

So today, during my interjections and conjunctions lesson, I asked my students to take out their dry erase markers. "Our boards too?" a student asked. 

"Nope!"

My students were SO excited to be doing such a taboo thing as writing on their desks! They were into the lesson and their desks. Little did I know....that my desks were not the easy to wipe off kind of desks, but  the kind that literally soaks up the marker!

Epic. Fail.

All I could do was laugh! I made a mistake. I tried something new and it did not work. 

But at least we had fun in the process!