Putting a plan into action is easier said than done. Though it is easy to sit and brainstorm and consider, it is much more difficult to carry out that plan and do it well. As I begin to put my plan into action, there are some things that have gone well, perhaps even better than expected, and other areas that have not gone as planned.
When I began to set goals for myself, the first part that I realized was that I needed to become more of an expert in choice boards and cross-curricular planning and projects. One of the resources that I have found for myself is a book called "Teaching Beyond the Test: Differentiated Project-Based Learning in a Standards-Based Age." Though I am still waiting for this resource to arrive, I feel slightly more confident knowing that I will have a research-based resource to help me if I need suggestions in either the process or product. I have spoken with a few other teachers about beginning a cross-curricular activity. The one that I am going to begin is with the math teacher. Coincidentally, and luckily, my students have been invited to participate in a program called "Sounds of Learning." This is a partnership between my school district and the Philadelphia Opera Company which is trying to make a connection between literacy and the arts. While we are preparing to go to this opera next month, there are several activities that we'll be completing to feel ready. One activity that we are going to do as a cross-curricular activity with math is plan our own opera. The company has provided us with estimates for the various components of an opera budget. The math teacher will be working on the budgeting portion, and I will be working on teaching about the importance of the various components. This way, students understand the decision to use an unknown singer will be more likely to decrease their profits, and so on. I feel rather confident currently that I am gaining all of the information and resources that I need. However, I am also paying attention to what might not be as easy in the future. For example, this cross-curricular project came at such a perfect time. If I plan on making this something I would like to do going forward, my team (other subjects) and I need to be more aware of each other's curricula. That way, we are able to communicate and create ideas together rather than crossing our fingers that it all works out.
Another cross-curricular activity I might try after the opera is to have my eighth graders plan and execute a K-2 lesson. On Dr. Seuss' birthday, the reading curriculum coordinator had eighth grade students complete a prepared lesson in each of these classrooms. The eighth graders, essentially, became the teachers. While both sets of students loved it, I thought it would be wonderful if these same students were given the opportunity to choose their own lesson, create, plan, and execute it. Students would be assessed not on the lesson and its' success but more on the mastery of the content from my classroom (for example, understanding theme or main idea).
Based on what I have learned so far, there are some small modifications that need to be made. One of the biggest problems that I am guilty of during these types of projects is not making the connection between my content objectives and the work we are doing (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). Therefore, in order to keep my on track and check my students' understanding of this connection, I am going to have them complete a daily reflection or check-in at the end of the class period. This will simply involve a question about the objective or the day and how or if the student feels that objective was reached through the lesson and/or the product created. Furthermore, I need to make it an additional goal to create and maintain and fair and equitable scoring system. When using choices (we have not worked our way up to an entire Choice Board yet), I often feel as though certain products are more difficult than others and wind up being slightly more lenient with the scoring. I am struggling in two ways here: how do I determine whether all of the options are equal (or at least fair)? Secondly, I understand that I need a general rubric, but it also needs to remain fair and consistent. How do I make my brain take the product at face value?
Some of the other realizations that I have come to is the old adage that time flies when you're having fun! I assumed planning would be simple and quick. Boy, was I wrong. I need to keep the math teacher up-to-date with what I am teaching so that he knows and understands the content as well as the students. He needs to do it for me as well. We also need to address the needs of any students who are going to struggle throughout the project. Since we both have infants to pick up at the end of the day (and mornings are a joke for me!), we have taken to using iChat once or twice a week as needed. We both have Macs, so it is amazing to be able to talk in real time to plan without having to be in school! This way, we can share an visual aids, and it goes by much quicker than emailing. Also, I am noticing that my students are extremely engaged. I am not sure whether it is because we are delving into this odd world of opera that they had never even considered, they finally have a say in what they are producing, or if they are amazed by this cross-curricular idea, but that are into it! It's nice to see students disappointed to leave your classroom.
There are also some new questions that have arisen since beginning my GAME plan. It's interesting no matter how much you anticipate the details of something, things that you never consider come up. I have two major questions/concerns. The first one is regarding engagement and learning. My students are definitely becoming more engaged in the classroom, even though we are just beginning. However, just because they are more engaged, it does not mean that they are gaining the necessary knowledge. My question, which will be answered in time, is are students gaining the intended content and knowledge through these activities? My original GAME plan has checkpoints and assessments built in to check whether or not students are learning, but of course, whenever I do anything new in the classroom, I always question whether or not my intent is being understood. My second question is am I making the appropriate connection between the activities and project to the overall content? I know that I am weak in this area, which is why I have decided to create a daily check-in exit slip of sorts. I would appreciate any other suggestions in these areas though!
Caitlin
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009).
Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach.
(Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage
Learning.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Resources and Information
Beginning this GAME plan takes a lot of planning before any actual work with students is really done. In order for any lesson to be successful, planning is the most essential component of my plan.
The resources that I will need are laptops for students with the proper technologies, graphic organizers for planning and completing the various checkpoints of the project, materials and resources for creating Choice Board options, and a general rubric that matches the outcomes expected from the project (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I also need to get myself and my classroom organized in such a manner that will be conducive with project-based learning. Students will need space to work with a laptop, as well as books all at once, and possibly meet in small groups at various points during the project. Lastly, I need to get organized with paperwork so that it is easy to track and help students in their progress and work.
Before I begin to use Choice Boards and create a cross-curricular project with another teacher, I need to take some personal steps as the teacher and facilitator in order to help my students best. In order to be able to guide and model new technologies for my students, I need to have some training in them myself. Though I know a good amount about the ins and outs of Power Point, Excel, and a few other programs, there are other programs that I have not used before, such as Garage Band. I will either seek out other teachers (or even students), ask/visit with our regional technology director, and/or attend a training session through my district. Furthermore, I will begin to attempt to use the different programs and software independently to get used to the different aspects and components of the various programs.
The other key aspect of my planning stage is that I need to choose and work with a fellow teacher to create and plan the cross-curricular project. As I mentioned in my previous post, I do not want to force this project. Therefore, we need to spend some time looking at both curricula in order to have the project make sense. We also need to plan the objectives of the project, the resources we need to make available, the deadlines and checkpoints that need to be put in place, and the general outline and expectations of the project as a whole. Furthermore, we need to be definitive in what both of our own roles will be within and throughout the project.
My biggest weaknesses are organization and tracking. I tend to procrastinate with everything in my personal and professional life. I realize that this weakness does not mesh well with project-based learning. My procrastination also effects my organization. I would love any suggestions people have for how they are organized (especially during project-based learning). I am new to the idea of tailoring learning to individuals and there being so many different "lessons" going on at once, I would love to hear how other people make it work in their own classrooms!
Caitlin
References:
The resources that I will need are laptops for students with the proper technologies, graphic organizers for planning and completing the various checkpoints of the project, materials and resources for creating Choice Board options, and a general rubric that matches the outcomes expected from the project (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009). I also need to get myself and my classroom organized in such a manner that will be conducive with project-based learning. Students will need space to work with a laptop, as well as books all at once, and possibly meet in small groups at various points during the project. Lastly, I need to get organized with paperwork so that it is easy to track and help students in their progress and work.
Before I begin to use Choice Boards and create a cross-curricular project with another teacher, I need to take some personal steps as the teacher and facilitator in order to help my students best. In order to be able to guide and model new technologies for my students, I need to have some training in them myself. Though I know a good amount about the ins and outs of Power Point, Excel, and a few other programs, there are other programs that I have not used before, such as Garage Band. I will either seek out other teachers (or even students), ask/visit with our regional technology director, and/or attend a training session through my district. Furthermore, I will begin to attempt to use the different programs and software independently to get used to the different aspects and components of the various programs.
The other key aspect of my planning stage is that I need to choose and work with a fellow teacher to create and plan the cross-curricular project. As I mentioned in my previous post, I do not want to force this project. Therefore, we need to spend some time looking at both curricula in order to have the project make sense. We also need to plan the objectives of the project, the resources we need to make available, the deadlines and checkpoints that need to be put in place, and the general outline and expectations of the project as a whole. Furthermore, we need to be definitive in what both of our own roles will be within and throughout the project.
My biggest weaknesses are organization and tracking. I tend to procrastinate with everything in my personal and professional life. I realize that this weakness does not mesh well with project-based learning. My procrastination also effects my organization. I would love any suggestions people have for how they are organized (especially during project-based learning). I am new to the idea of tailoring learning to individuals and there being so many different "lessons" going on at once, I would love to hear how other people make it work in their own classrooms!
Caitlin
References:
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009).
Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach.
(Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage
Learning.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
My GAME Plan
It is obvious to me at this point that I need to make a more conscious effort to incorporate technology into my classroom, as well as in to my students' learning and lives. It is not so important that there is technology involved in every lesson that I create, but more important that technology is incorporated seamlessly into my classroom (Laureate Education, 2009). However, just saying that is a lot different from making the effort to actually accomplish it. Below, I have set forth my GAME plan (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009) for two technology standards that I feel will benefit my students the most right now.
The first technology standard that I would like to work on is "develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become
active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress" (ISTE, 2008).
My Goal is to incorporate more Choice Boards in to my classroom to allow students to choose their own process and products for learning the content and the curriculum. Within those Choice Boards, I will always include a free choice square, as well as several options that offer technology as a part of process, product, or both. Currently, I understand the use and purpose of Choice Boards, but need to open my mind regarding the creation of options. I am often not very creative when it comes to creating choices for students' activities, as I fall prey to the challenge of assigning what works for me as a student. I also need to address my urge to be the giver of information and become more of a facilitator. Any tips for keeping organized within the classroom and/or paperwork are greatly appreciated. For example, how do I grade twenty different products with fairness?
In order to take Action,I need to model the different options that are being offered within a Choice Board. Furthermore, students need to understand what it means to be the leader of their own learning. I will use graphic organizers to help students track their own progress and information throughout a Choice Board assignment. Furthermore, I will have various checkpoints in which I will conference with students and discuss their questions, needs, and successes. I will also assess what needs my students have regarding the various technologies we might use and address those.
To Monitor my progress, I will use students' progress. Are students struggling too much? Do I need to offer more guidance? What issues or challenges do I need to address through mini-lessons or directed instruction (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009)? What is the quality of the students' products? I will also use summative and standardized assessments to monitor my progress. I will use the reading level test that we use every semester, benchmark testing, and overall classroom grades. If these grades are not improving, I need to scale back and do a better job at helping students address their needs within the curriculum.
After completing one unit while using Choice Boards, I will Evaluate my GAME plan. First, I will survey my students on their opinions of the Choice Boards: did it help to choose your own process and product? Were you more vested in the outcome of your work? Did I do a quality job at modeling and guiding throughout the process? If Choice Boards are not successful, this does not mean that I need to give up on this standard, simply that I need to change my strategy at achieving it.
The second technology standard that I would like to address is "participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learnings" (ISTE, 2008).
My Goal is to complete one authentic cross-curricular project (with at least one other teacher or subject) by the end of the year. Too often, students believe that each subject stands along. In the real world, we know that this is not true. The first challenge that I need to address is getting together with another teacher and determining and figuring out the logistics of running a project like this, such as the timing, what work will happen where, the topic, the process and products that students will complete, and more. It is most important to me that this project does not feel forces, but flows naturally within the curriculum. It is key that I understand all expectations and information for all components of the project not just my requirements. Being on the same page with the other teachers is key to having a successful cross-curricular project. Any ideas for a first collaborative topic?
To take Action, I need to create a plan with other teachers. Furthermore, I would like to complete a sample project first so that students are able to see a model and sample at every checkpoint rather than just explaining it to them. Again, organization is essential. I will provide students with many graphic organizers and tools in order to help them track their information and progress.
I will Monitor my progress by conferencing with the other teacher. I will reflect with the other teacher at various points of the project in order to ensure that I am effectively working towards my goal. Students' work will also serve as an indicator to my progress. Have I provided students with enough information? Are students understanding the purpose and goal of the collaboration and the project? Are students experiencing success in their work or are they struggling? If students are struggling, I need to modify my plan in order to benefit them.
My Evaluation will, again, come in part from the students. I will have students complete a survey as to whether or not they believed the collaboration and project was successful. Furthermore, I will ask the other teacher to critique my progress and success towards my goal. The students' scores and grades on their typical assessments will also guide my evaluation. Students need to be making progress towards their grade standards in order for this strategy to be worthwhile. If this method is successful, I would like to expand to collaboration with an outside resource of some kind.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated for content or method!
Caitlin
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009). Enriching content area learning experiences with technology [Webcast]. Integrating
technology across the content areas. Baltimore, MD: Author.
The first technology standard that I would like to work on is "develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become
active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress" (ISTE, 2008).
My Goal is to incorporate more Choice Boards in to my classroom to allow students to choose their own process and products for learning the content and the curriculum. Within those Choice Boards, I will always include a free choice square, as well as several options that offer technology as a part of process, product, or both. Currently, I understand the use and purpose of Choice Boards, but need to open my mind regarding the creation of options. I am often not very creative when it comes to creating choices for students' activities, as I fall prey to the challenge of assigning what works for me as a student. I also need to address my urge to be the giver of information and become more of a facilitator. Any tips for keeping organized within the classroom and/or paperwork are greatly appreciated. For example, how do I grade twenty different products with fairness?
In order to take Action,I need to model the different options that are being offered within a Choice Board. Furthermore, students need to understand what it means to be the leader of their own learning. I will use graphic organizers to help students track their own progress and information throughout a Choice Board assignment. Furthermore, I will have various checkpoints in which I will conference with students and discuss their questions, needs, and successes. I will also assess what needs my students have regarding the various technologies we might use and address those.
To Monitor my progress, I will use students' progress. Are students struggling too much? Do I need to offer more guidance? What issues or challenges do I need to address through mini-lessons or directed instruction (Cennamo, Ross, & Ertmer, 2009)? What is the quality of the students' products? I will also use summative and standardized assessments to monitor my progress. I will use the reading level test that we use every semester, benchmark testing, and overall classroom grades. If these grades are not improving, I need to scale back and do a better job at helping students address their needs within the curriculum.
After completing one unit while using Choice Boards, I will Evaluate my GAME plan. First, I will survey my students on their opinions of the Choice Boards: did it help to choose your own process and product? Were you more vested in the outcome of your work? Did I do a quality job at modeling and guiding throughout the process? If Choice Boards are not successful, this does not mean that I need to give up on this standard, simply that I need to change my strategy at achieving it.
The second technology standard that I would like to address is "participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learnings" (ISTE, 2008).
My Goal is to complete one authentic cross-curricular project (with at least one other teacher or subject) by the end of the year. Too often, students believe that each subject stands along. In the real world, we know that this is not true. The first challenge that I need to address is getting together with another teacher and determining and figuring out the logistics of running a project like this, such as the timing, what work will happen where, the topic, the process and products that students will complete, and more. It is most important to me that this project does not feel forces, but flows naturally within the curriculum. It is key that I understand all expectations and information for all components of the project not just my requirements. Being on the same page with the other teachers is key to having a successful cross-curricular project. Any ideas for a first collaborative topic?
To take Action, I need to create a plan with other teachers. Furthermore, I would like to complete a sample project first so that students are able to see a model and sample at every checkpoint rather than just explaining it to them. Again, organization is essential. I will provide students with many graphic organizers and tools in order to help them track their information and progress.
I will Monitor my progress by conferencing with the other teacher. I will reflect with the other teacher at various points of the project in order to ensure that I am effectively working towards my goal. Students' work will also serve as an indicator to my progress. Have I provided students with enough information? Are students understanding the purpose and goal of the collaboration and the project? Are students experiencing success in their work or are they struggling? If students are struggling, I need to modify my plan in order to benefit them.
My Evaluation will, again, come in part from the students. I will have students complete a survey as to whether or not they believed the collaboration and project was successful. Furthermore, I will ask the other teacher to critique my progress and success towards my goal. The students' scores and grades on their typical assessments will also guide my evaluation. Students need to be making progress towards their grade standards in order for this strategy to be worthwhile. If this method is successful, I would like to expand to collaboration with an outside resource of some kind.
Any suggestions are greatly appreciated for content or method!
Caitlin
Cennamo, K., Ross, J. & Ertmer, P. (2009).
Technology integration for meaningful classroom use: A standards-based approach.
(Laureate Education, Inc., Custom ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage
Learning.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx
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