Elementary Methods: Chapters 8, 9,&11

I thought/ I remember….

While reading Chapter 9 I definitely remember doing this when I was in school, and I still do it now. I always found that when teachers gave me verbal and written feedback on my progress or what I needed improvement on, I felt like I was more on track with my own learning and what I needed to work on, or didn’t need to worry about. This was a super helpful learning tool that I still use and appreciate. Come on, everybody likes feedback!

In the field…

Based on my reading in Chapter 8 on personal communication assessment, I totally felt a connection- effective usage of words is the number 1, first thing you learn as a teacher. In other words, if you can’t word it in kid language, or understandably, they will ask questions not really having anything to do with what you’re asking them, or in most cases stare off into space until you come up with something better. Communication skills are vital in life for these kids both at home and at school; so if we can teach them effective language to communicate with, we are doing it right! Having the ability to communicate both efficiently and effectively is one of the single most important skills to have. This can be in the form of questions outright or discussions on topics to test the student’s knowledge and engagement with the subject.

I believe…

Based on my reading in Chapter 9 on Record Keeping (tracking student learning) I was refreshed that this could include anything from practice work, projects, quizzes, homework, and many other pieces of work. And that inevitably those scores contribute to the Summative assessments of their learning. I believe that can either be motivating or not, depending on how you present the record keeping to your students. If this is used correctly, students will have the ability to:

·         See their growth

·         Set Goals for themselves

·         And Self-Assess 

A connection I can make is…

A connection I can make to Chapter 11 about portfolios is the portfolio I have been building at JSC for the past 3 years. Similarly to in school, grades and test scores are not always the most accurate interpretation of our knowledge, and going the extra step farther, can sometimes make the difference.

Technology: KAHOOT IT!

Phases of the Moon Kahoot

Here is the hyperlink to my Kahoot Quiz made for my 1st grade class. This Kahoot quiz would be given as an exit ticket into another subject or if they were gettting ready to line up and leave the the classroom. We are working on the moon unit coming up in the early weeks of October and this quiz will be a great way to integrate technology into my lesson, and well as as assess their knowledge of some basic things they should know after we've researched and read a bit. 
This quiz could definitely be expanded or changed based on if they were really getting it or needed further instruction or help with wording. 

I think it's a good idea to keep it pretty basic at this age, and only give them 1-3 questions on an exit ticket. The idea is not to frustrate them, its just to test a few very important things before they leave. 

Some considerations that I might think about are students that don't know the answers, no matter how simple(maybe the ones that have trouble focusing), and just being there to walk around the room and make sure they are actually doing the exit ticket and offer up some helpful hints. This could be showing them the book, or probing thoughtful questions. For students that struggle with technology, or aren't able to use it independently, being present and monitoring this process in a friendly way will be a big thing. 
This will be a good tool to assess my teaching and see what I am missing or need to work on as personal growth- What do I really want these kids to get out of this unit? -And if I am meeting my goals.

#GOALS

My goal is to be more understanding. 
I feel that I often have trouble being an understanding individual. This naturally involves Patience, Listening skills, and being more Flexible to new ideas... 

Technology: Mapping and take-aways from the Podcast

Take Aways...
When I was watching this Podcast, I saw this and loved it! It's totally helpful for seeing what's super important and what is the eye-catching items on your maps that grab kids attention! Although this is not helpful for the students directly. This will help me organize my brain so that I can make my maps and displays the most engaging and useful.

How could this be useful in my classroom, you ask?
I think this would be an awesome tool for our Heroes in the community unit! We are touring and traveling main street in our community at the end of the year. I think it would be awesome to have a map to give each student that would "Lead us" through our tour. 

"Where is the Library on our journey? Where will we end up last?"

Here I was working through some steps to make a Main Street map for our 1st grade class to follow along with on our Community Tour. This could potentially become a helpful tool!

I learned something new!!
I typed in my location, and then followed the directions to "search for places" nearby. I searched my school and then businesses and Main Street. This brought up different stops on our tour- this is already helpful! 

Our Classroom

Yes, we are SUPER!

This is our workspace!

This is our Class Quilt displaying our expectations!

Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Chapters 5, 6, and 7

I thought/ I remember….

Based on my reading of Chapter 5: Selected Response, this kind of assessment is very familiar of course- this is the kind of assessment that we all know SO well from our time in elementary, middle, and high school.  These tests come in the form of multiple choice, True/False, matching, and fill in the blank. These are generally scored by how many a student gets right and are worth a certain amount of points each. I remembered doing these as a kid and liking them because they were fairly straight forward. I knew that these were what I really needed to know, so if I didn't know the answer, I was missing something. I also remember matching being one of my favorite parts of this kind of exam, because other answers could help you get some you weren't sure about, and the material worked together. 

In the field…

In the field we have definitely already started using these kinds of assessment already. Currently for my General Education placement, I am in first grade, and the selected response technique has been very common. We do a lot of matching exercises, and asking very specific and select questions with simple one answer responses. A good example of this is the Cuisenaire Rods. The students have mentally matched numbers 1-10 to these woods rods and can now identify them and can use them as addition and subtraction

tools. 

I believe…

 Based on my reading of these three chapter, I think that each of these kinds of assessments are important and should be used simultaneously. WE should not be relying on just one type of assessment and should be asking students to show their knowledge in multiple ways. Whether this is through multiple choice, a  written response or their performance, we should be providing variety as educators. 

A connection I can make is… 

Based on the reading in Chapter 7 I can relate to performance assessments the best. I am still tested this way with lab reports, portfolio entries, and other performance based tasks. My fondest memories with this kind of assessment was learning to play the clarinet and performing, writing scientific lab reports, and learning another language well enough to speak it. 

Assessment

Write about a time you yourself were assessed and it was a negative experience.  What made it negative? 
I think a good example of a time when i was assessed and it was a negative experience was taking my Praxis exams. Both I and II, I think I struggled with because of how much stress is attached to these exams. I have a really hard time with standardized testing, not because I don't know the material, but because from the minute I start I feel like I am failing. For me, testing has always been an uncomfortable experience, I have never felt prepared, and I detest the feeling that I am being judged solely based on answers A, B, C, and D. They teach you, from the time you are enrolled in school, to "just try your best" and that "there is always another way to look at the answer". Naturally, 2+2 will always equal four, but when you are asked to choose between 4 very plausible options, and it really could be 2 of the four, it's a frustrating feeling. 

Now think of a time you were assessed and it was a positive experience. What made it positive? 
One form of assessment I always see to be positive is physical endurance. I have always been athletic, and tested well physically. In this setting, I'm not stressed, I am excited! I love being part of a team and challenging myself to run faster and do better, and have that count for something. Exercise whether it's weight lifting or endurance has always been challenging for me, however I love the rewarding feeling of being 'that much faster', or that much stronger. 

Technology Integration: TPACK Butterflies

I chose the document Butterflies and Their Beauty for grades K-2. In this particular scenario, as you could have maybe gathered from the title, the kids are learning about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, their migration south, their habitats, and what they eat. Another part of this study for the students was showing them the impact humans had on the butterflies.

"Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) is a framework that identifies the knowledge teachers need to teach effectively with technology. The TPACK framework extends Shulman’s idea of Pedagogical Content Knowledge." (http://www.tpack.org/)

TPACK is the way teachers’ help students use the medium of technology to further extend their learning experience of a subject in a way other than paper and pencil, or other forms that don't involve technology. TPACK is a structure made up of three different "knowledge's": Content (CK), Pedagogy (PK), and Technology (TK). TPACK goes beyond only seeing these three knowledge's in isolation, it likes to use and show that they are indeed used together in all different ways. This emphasizes new kinds of knowledge that lie at the intersections between them, representing four more knowledge bases teachers applicable to teaching with technology. Examples of this are, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), or Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK).

Some things that the students were doing that feel under the TPACK boundaries was drawing butterflies with the Paint program on the computer and used Monarch Watch website to participate in global activity. These two activities could be seen as substitutions for something the students could have done on paper, and also seen as an enrichment through the use of the technology. Another things that could not really have been possible without technology was the students taking videos of the butterflies and how they changed over time. This could not have been done without such technology because this was the actual and real proof for these students that there was real change happening.

Although some of these ideas were really beneficial for the students, I don' think some of them were necessary. Kids should actually be coloring and producing something with their hands; balance is key.

Understanding by Design: Essential Questions: Doorways to Understanding

I thought/ I remember...

This is sometimes hard to wrap our heads around, because for so long, we have had to give and receive the simple one answer questions, which, sometimes realistic. Sometimes giving more flexibility isn’t a bad thing at all- it provides breathing room for thought and growth on the subject.  Who woulda thought?? Most things are not cut and dry in this world, so if we express this idea early on, these kids will not necessarily be ahead of the game, but right on track.

Starting with big ideas is a good thing, it gets the basics on lock.

“How do we more deliberately stay focused on big ideas? How do we take a mass of content knowledge and shape it into engaging, thought provoking and effective work?”

Thought provoking is key here…

·         What is a true friend?

·         Must a story have a beginning, middle, and an end?

·         Must heroes be flawless?

·         What is the difference between scientific fact, theory, and a strong opinion?

I believe...

It’s not only important to have a plan when working with small kiddos, but it’s also critical that we let them explore the idea of actually thinking for themselves. It’s one thing to almost feed them the answer, but it’s another thing to really make them work for it? “What does good look like?” Really think about it- pull right from the heart and their morals, ask them to prove it. As them why? How? Really do you think so? Tell me more. It’s so important to start with these big ideas because the kids need a basis. They need to test themselves for and with each other before you can do it too.

A connection I can make is...

What makes the question essential…

When does something become essential? After you’ve hit the nitty gritty, it comes time for us to wrap it up in the package and make the connection. Essential questions can go to the heart of the subject, topic, or problem. Honest pursuit of such questions can lead to deeper understanding, BUT also more questions.

I can relate this too my classroom I am in right now, and many other experiences I’ve had. Start with something broad and big, and bring it in and really grab their attention with some focus and clarity. 

Understanding by Design:Gaining Clarity on Our Goals

I thought/ I remember...

“Backwards design is goal directed. We aim for specific results and design backward from them accordingly. ” (page 56) I think the big idea here is not only clarity in our goals as educators and what we are teaching, but the clarity in what we want the students to grab and run with. You can feed them as much information as you want, but you really need to clarify want you want them to take. Feed them the information, but really engage the topics and ideas you wish for them to keep long term. It can be overwhelming to look at the standards and feel like you need it all, but it’s unrealistic to think you can get it all in ALL of their brains. Pick the big stuff (the important stuff) make it exciting and attainable, and really engage the topic.

I believe...

The big idea here is all about BIG IDEAS. It’s about making connections from one area of learning to another. It’s about making connections to everyday things in the kiddos lives. BUT most importantly, it’s about making the right connections. Expose and engaging kids to exactly what you want them to engage themselves in, is the key.

“The big ideas at the core of a subject are arrived at, sometimes surprisingly slowly via teacher-led inquiries and reflective work by students.” (page 67) Make it reflective, kids’ needs to see those connections.

In the field…

In the field this is seen commonly. I think everyone can say they have seen this and it is vital if you are watching a teacher that has any path or focus at all. It’s the idea of clear and clean goals being set, and then working towards these goals. 

I like this chart because it provides a visual on what we should be shooting to address. you've got the big picture at the core, and then the surrounding aspects based on importance and familiarity.

Understanding by Design: Understanding Understanding

I thought/ I remember….

I enjoyed reading about the distinction and differences between understanding information and ideas and knowing information. The educational world is taking this big swing, with the idea that kids should be understanding what’s going on, rather than just knowing and memorizing with the ability to regurgitate what they “learned”. There’s something to be said for teaching for understanding. When a kiddo is able to come at the subject from multiple angles and see the connections from each, there is some true understanding there. It’s all about making connections, not about regurgitation.

In the field…

 You see the old and the new; meaning you see what teaching once was and what it could be, is hoping to be, and what it will hopefully end up as. We all see the teaching still that involves regurgitation, and a child not learning for understanding, but learning for memorization, which can be somewhat discouraging. But none the less, I have seen this in the field- understanding and applying it to the big picture. Educators give kids the information and the tools so they can approach the information from different angles and then hopefully find some understanding and start making connections.

"The aha moment: the moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension"

I believe…

 I believe this is what it’s all about. I think that the goal in every classroom, regardless of the outcome is teaching for understanding. Teachers teach in hopes that students are making awesome connections to prior experiences or things they’ve learned in years before. The hope is that some things are connected to their lives and things around them, and that they can recognize that!

A connection I can make is…

 I think a connection I can make to this is (and maybe already did) was towards the beginning. It’s all about making connections, not about regurgitation. I see it most days while I’m at school. Kids are really getting things when they’re making connections to other things going on, whether that’s in their everyday grind, something they remember from the year prior, or the simple things, like “Oh yeah 6+4=10 and 5+5=10!”

Knowledge in the body of connection

Understanding by Design: Backwards Design

Based on my reading of…

The chapters in the Understanding by Design textbook, I now have a firmer understanding of the backwards design, and how I see it at school now, and how I have seen it before throughout my career. I have never heard, or if I did, did not recognize that this was what backwards design was.

Backward design is the act of crafting the educational curriculum by setting goals before choosing instructional methods and forms of assessment. From my understanding, backward design typically involves three steps: identifying the results you desire, determining acceptable levels of evidence supporting the desired results, and designing activities that will make desired results happen.

I thought/ I remember….

I am just thinking to myself when reading this, “yeah, pretty much… keeping them on track, avoiding trailing off, and getting the important stuff on lock”

In the field…

I have definitely seen this executed in the classroom on multiple occasions. A good example of this is when an educator is teaching the expectations at the beginning of the year. They probe with questions and scenarios that will generate the answers they was to hear.

I believe…

That backwards design challenges the traditional method. I believe that it really involves taking a step back, and looking at the big picture. Traditionally, a list of content that will be taught is created and selected. But rather with this design, the educator starts with goals, creates or plans out assessments and finally makes lesson plans.

A connection I can make is…

The connection I make with this seems too simple. With this curriculum design, the destination is chosen first and the trip and adventure of learning is destined for a specific place. Comparatively, with traditional curriculum planning there is no formal destination identified before the journey begins.