Monday, August 22, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
A Mix of Session Material
There were a few sessions I went to that didn't provide enough information in them to do a full post on, so I figured I would cram all of the random things here...
1) Are these two figures both quadrilaterals?
ACTUALLY, YES THEY ARE!!! Weird Huh?!?! They aren't when you consider what we teach at the 7th/8th grade level as the definition of a quadrilateral, BUT, the higher in math you get, you find out that they are. They are quadrilaterals because if you take the very middle of each line and connect them to form quadrilaterals, then they are quadrilaterals. See below.
2) STAAR Gazing:
TABS, TEAMS, TAAS, TAKS, STAAR - It's all about "Closing the Gap" and making students more and more intelligent as the test gets harder and harder each time.
Go to the TEA website for all updated STAAR information.
3) It's not what YOU know, it's about asking better questions and getting more and more information from the students. Helping them achieve what you want them to achieve.
Thanks everyone!!! :)
1) Are these two figures both quadrilaterals?
ACTUALLY, YES THEY ARE!!! Weird Huh?!?! They aren't when you consider what we teach at the 7th/8th grade level as the definition of a quadrilateral, BUT, the higher in math you get, you find out that they are. They are quadrilaterals because if you take the very middle of each line and connect them to form quadrilaterals, then they are quadrilaterals. See below.
STRANGE TO ME!!! But I had to share! :)
2) STAAR Gazing:
TABS, TEAMS, TAAS, TAKS, STAAR - It's all about "Closing the Gap" and making students more and more intelligent as the test gets harder and harder each time.
Go to the TEA website for all updated STAAR information.
3) It's not what YOU know, it's about asking better questions and getting more and more information from the students. Helping them achieve what you want them to achieve.
Thanks everyone!!! :)
Math Curriculum Make-Over
Dan Meyer
@ddmeyer
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/
dan@mrmeyer.com
http://camt11.mrmeyer.com/
First off I just want to say that I got to see his original speech during lunch and it was AWESOME!!!! I want to be him when I grow up! LOL! :)
There are 3 Acts to a Movie/Play, you should have 3 Acts to your Lessons too...
The Three Acts Of A Mathematical Story
Act One - Introduce the central conflict of your story/task clearly, visually, viscerally, using as few words as possible.
Leave no one out of your first act. Your first act should impose as few demands on the students as possible — either of language or of math. It should ask for little and offer a lot. This, incidentally, is as far as the #anyqs challenge takes us.
Act Two - The protagonist/student overcomes obstacles, looks for resources, and develops new tools.
So it is with your second act. What resources will your students need before they can resolve their conflict? What tools do they have already? What tools can you help them develop?
Act Three - Resolve the conflict and set up a sequel/extension.
The third act pays off on the hard work of act two and the motivation of act one.
If we've successfully motivated our students in the first act, the payoff in the third act needs to meet their expectations.
Conclusion - Many math teachers take act two as their job description. Hit the board, offer students three worked examples and twenty practice problems. As the ALEKS algorithm gets better and Bill Gates throws more gold bricks at Sal Khan and more people flip their classrooms, though, it's clear to me that the second act isn't our job anymore. Not the biggest part of it, anyway. You are only one of many people your students can access as they look for resources and tools. Going forward, the value you bring to your math classroom increasingly will be tied up in the first and third acts of mathematical storytelling, your ability to motivate the second act and then pay off on that hard work.
He explains in a little more depth: http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=10285
Take a Photo or one minute video & show it to your class & get them interested!!! They will want to know what the end of the story is, or what it is all about!
Try it out on your PLN first...Post to Twitter with #anyqs - tag = This means people will ask you questions, it's the same thing for the classroom. You want the students asking the questions. Lead them, don't tell them. Let them DISCOVER!!!
Example:
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=8153
More examples: http://camt11.mrmeyer.com/2011/06/11/three-act-math/
This guy is AWESOME!!! Definitely following him now! :) You should too! :)
@ddmeyer
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/
dan@mrmeyer.com
http://camt11.mrmeyer.com/
First off I just want to say that I got to see his original speech during lunch and it was AWESOME!!!! I want to be him when I grow up! LOL! :)
There are 3 Acts to a Movie/Play, you should have 3 Acts to your Lessons too...
The Three Acts Of A Mathematical Story
Act One - Introduce the central conflict of your story/task clearly, visually, viscerally, using as few words as possible.
Leave no one out of your first act. Your first act should impose as few demands on the students as possible — either of language or of math. It should ask for little and offer a lot. This, incidentally, is as far as the #anyqs challenge takes us.
Act Two - The protagonist/student overcomes obstacles, looks for resources, and develops new tools.
So it is with your second act. What resources will your students need before they can resolve their conflict? What tools do they have already? What tools can you help them develop?
Act Three - Resolve the conflict and set up a sequel/extension.
The third act pays off on the hard work of act two and the motivation of act one.
If we've successfully motivated our students in the first act, the payoff in the third act needs to meet their expectations.
Conclusion - Many math teachers take act two as their job description. Hit the board, offer students three worked examples and twenty practice problems. As the ALEKS algorithm gets better and Bill Gates throws more gold bricks at Sal Khan and more people flip their classrooms, though, it's clear to me that the second act isn't our job anymore. Not the biggest part of it, anyway. You are only one of many people your students can access as they look for resources and tools. Going forward, the value you bring to your math classroom increasingly will be tied up in the first and third acts of mathematical storytelling, your ability to motivate the second act and then pay off on that hard work.
He explains in a little more depth: http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=10285
Take a Photo or one minute video & show it to your class & get them interested!!! They will want to know what the end of the story is, or what it is all about!
Try it out on your PLN first...Post to Twitter with #anyqs - tag = This means people will ask you questions, it's the same thing for the classroom. You want the students asking the questions. Lead them, don't tell them. Let them DISCOVER!!!
Example:
Burning Man
October 6th, 2010 by Dan Meyer
Click the image for full size. You have to see it full size.
1. What questions perplex you about this photo?
What's the perplexity score here?
3. What information would you need to answer the question?
Nevertheless, here are two images that are interesting, if not useful also:
4. Submit your work.
I knew we wouldn't have time for this. Here's the Evernote page, though, where Colin Graham posted his work:
5. Show the answer.
[BTW: Though the photo is clearly timestamped 2009, various commenters have outed themselves as serious Burning Man attendees to tell me that this is 2010's photo. I have adjusted the news clipping accordingly.]
1. What questions perplex you about this photo?
What's the perplexity score here?
davidwees: How many people there?We went with:
Peter: how many people are there?
Roz: How many people?
schwartz: is it bad that i want to know the area of the shaded regoin?
JG: How many rows can be added until the circle touches the pentagon?
Colin (@ColinTGraham): How was it built and measured out?
Sam Critchlow: what/why is the gap between the pentagon and the circle
JG: How much area is added on with each additional concentric circle?
Sam Critchlow: or what is the total open space area
Chris: how many more people to complete the circle?
Colin (@ColinTGraham): what's the significance of the pentagon
Nick Hussain: how many more people/dwellings (?) could be added if the circle was completed?
JSR: what's at the center?
Colin (@ColinTGraham): how many sectors if the circle was complete
davidwees: How many people are there?2. What is your guess? What is a number you know is too high / too low?
JG: Average number of people in each rectangular regionDavid's response is right on point:
schwartz: people per square something
davidwees: I think we can estimate people per square
schwartz: radius of part circle?
Barb: Was admission charged? If so, who sold the tickets? They could give a ballpark figure
Colin (@ColinTGraham): is each sector evenly divided and how many sit in each of the eleven concentric rings?
davidwees: and get the scale from the size of the tracks shown
Roz: we definitely need scale
davidwees: so I think we could get a pretty good estimate without much more informationYou don't need anything more here. (I wonder what it takes to get students comfortable with imaginary units, as in "the radius of the circle is 500 burningmans," etc.)
Nevertheless, here are two images that are interesting, if not useful also:
4. Submit your work.
I knew we wouldn't have time for this. Here's the Evernote page, though, where Colin Graham posted his work:
5. Show the answer.
[BTW: Though the photo is clearly timestamped 2009, various commenters have outed themselves as serious Burning Man attendees to tell me that this is 2010's photo. I have adjusted the news clipping accordingly.]
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=8153
More examples: http://camt11.mrmeyer.com/2011/06/11/three-act-math/
This guy is AWESOME!!! Definitely following him now! :) You should too! :)
Smart Phones / Smartboard
Irving ISD
Danielle Clements
Danimclements@gmail.com
Check out "Technologic" by Daft Punk - It's pretty cool. She had it playing while people were walking in!
TEACH - Savy!
Technology
Enhansing
Academics from
Classroom to
Home
Pre-Lesson (Collaboration)
Interactive Presentation
Post - E-Learning
Follow-Up
Google Docs / Calendars:
Living Breathing Documents
Collaboration Tools
Can be used anywhere in the world
Great SmartNotebook Features for the Math Classroom:
Dual Page Display
Screen Capture
Eraser
Lines
Shape Recognition Pen
Magic Pen
Properties
Pin Page (great to use with dual page)
Measurement Tools
Record Video (great to leave for a sub, ISS Students, or a way to differentiate)
Math Tools (have to purchase, but check out YouTube Videos on them...they are awesome)
Gallery Essentials in the Math Classroom:
Pictures (graphs, circles, 3-D Figures)
Tools (Protractor, Compass, Ruler)
Games (Manipulate Graphs, Battleship to Learn, Timer)
Activities (Multiple Choice Questions, Categorize/Match with Vortex, Flip Tiles to find answers)
Google Voice: (I'm SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS)
You can create a text/calling phone number that you can use from your own cell phone without giving out your cell number to parents and students.
You can text students reminders, give them a number to text when they have questions, you aren't tethered to your desk in the afternoon to use the school phone to make parent phone calls to.
Goes to regular cell phone though!!!
Want to create my own permission slips though for the beginning of the school year based on all the technology that I want to use in and out of class for the school year. ANOTHER "TO DO" in the short time between now and school....Need to make myself a LIST! :)
Here's Danielle's Permission Slip...
Danielle Clements
Danimclements@gmail.com
Check out "Technologic" by Daft Punk - It's pretty cool. She had it playing while people were walking in!
TEACH - Savy!
Technology
Enhansing
Academics from
Classroom to
Home
Pre-Lesson (Collaboration)
Interactive Presentation
Post - E-Learning
Follow-Up
Google Docs / Calendars:
Living Breathing Documents
Collaboration Tools
Can be used anywhere in the world
Great SmartNotebook Features for the Math Classroom:
Dual Page Display
Screen Capture
Eraser
Lines
Shape Recognition Pen
Magic Pen
Properties
Pin Page (great to use with dual page)
Measurement Tools
Record Video (great to leave for a sub, ISS Students, or a way to differentiate)
Math Tools (have to purchase, but check out YouTube Videos on them...they are awesome)
Gallery Essentials in the Math Classroom:
Pictures (graphs, circles, 3-D Figures)
Tools (Protractor, Compass, Ruler)
Games (Manipulate Graphs, Battleship to Learn, Timer)
Activities (Multiple Choice Questions, Categorize/Match with Vortex, Flip Tiles to find answers)
Google Voice: (I'm SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS)
You can create a text/calling phone number that you can use from your own cell phone without giving out your cell number to parents and students.
You can text students reminders, give them a number to text when they have questions, you aren't tethered to your desk in the afternoon to use the school phone to make parent phone calls to.
Goes to regular cell phone though!!!
Want to create my own permission slips though for the beginning of the school year based on all the technology that I want to use in and out of class for the school year. ANOTHER "TO DO" in the short time between now and school....Need to make myself a LIST! :)
Here's Danielle's Permission Slip...
Mini-Projects That Tap Into The Right Brain's Creativity
A&M Consolidated Middle School
Left Brain vs. Right Brain
Math & Science are usually Left Brain, but so many students are BORED in class because they are RIGHT BRAINED!!!
Let them CREATE...Think on their own!!!
Neumonic Devices:
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally could become
Please Eat More Donuts At Shipleys
Integer Project:
Have the students DRAW their own picture and then WRITE a story about the picture.
Very RIGHT BRAINED!
Fractions & Decimals POETRY?!?!
Really? Poetry in MATH??? Why Not? You don't have to create it! THEY DO!!! Have your students write poetry about a math topic. No, all poetry doesn't have to rhyme either. Just make sure that their final product is actually correct math. Just because it rhymes doesn't make it correct math! :)
Coordinate Graphing Calculator Project:
Why not have them take a drawing of their own or a picture of THEIR choosing and create it on the calculator? It's a great way for them to get more familiar with the calculators and with graphing. If they don't do it correctly....the picture won't turn out correctly either. This can be a very time consuming project though, so make sure to either allow them time in class OR let them come after school and use the calculators for those students who don't own their own (since they are pretty expensive).
The Pythagorean Spiral:
I really think I will be doing this one this year because they turn out pretty amazing looking!!! I think they would be a great addition to the hallways at GJHS and there aren't a TON of projects that you can display out in the hallways in the math department.
And yes, they have to do the MATH & they get to DESIGN it and COLOR it!!!
Linear Equations in SONG:
Slope Intercept form of y = mx + b to the tune of the YMCA??? "Y" Not? Or why not create a song to any of the other concepts in math? Have your students make their own song, record it and present it. http://www.lassmath.com/y-mx-b-song
Quadratic Formula in SONG:
Another Song?!?! Why YES!!!
http://youtu.be/79F2QxpjBz0
The Quadratic Formula as Pop Goes The Weasel! :)
Analogies:
Analogies aren't just for the SAT & English classes anymore!!! Why not have students come up with Analogies for MATH!!!
Have the students not only come up with the analogy, but also with the pictures to support it.
Any other ideas? Why not tap into that unused area of the students' brains and make them think outside of the box. It will make it way more FUN for them AND get them to learn ideas that they might not have! :)
Left Brain vs. Right Brain
Math & Science are usually Left Brain, but so many students are BORED in class because they are RIGHT BRAINED!!!
Let them CREATE...Think on their own!!!
Neumonic Devices:
Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally could become
Please Eat More Donuts At Shipleys
Have the students DRAW their own picture and then WRITE a story about the picture.
Very RIGHT BRAINED!
Really? Poetry in MATH??? Why Not? You don't have to create it! THEY DO!!! Have your students write poetry about a math topic. No, all poetry doesn't have to rhyme either. Just make sure that their final product is actually correct math. Just because it rhymes doesn't make it correct math! :)
Why not have them take a drawing of their own or a picture of THEIR choosing and create it on the calculator? It's a great way for them to get more familiar with the calculators and with graphing. If they don't do it correctly....the picture won't turn out correctly either. This can be a very time consuming project though, so make sure to either allow them time in class OR let them come after school and use the calculators for those students who don't own their own (since they are pretty expensive).
I really think I will be doing this one this year because they turn out pretty amazing looking!!! I think they would be a great addition to the hallways at GJHS and there aren't a TON of projects that you can display out in the hallways in the math department.
And yes, they have to do the MATH & they get to DESIGN it and COLOR it!!!
Slope Intercept form of y = mx + b to the tune of the YMCA??? "Y" Not? Or why not create a song to any of the other concepts in math? Have your students make their own song, record it and present it. http://www.lassmath.com/y-mx-b-song
Quadratic Formula in SONG:
Another Song?!?! Why YES!!!
http://youtu.be/79F2QxpjBz0
The Quadratic Formula as Pop Goes The Weasel! :)
Analogies:
Analogies aren't just for the SAT & English classes anymore!!! Why not have students come up with Analogies for MATH!!!
Have the students not only come up with the analogy, but also with the pictures to support it.
- Border = Perimeter
- Land Mass = Area
- Box = Surface Area
- Puffs Cereal = Volume
Turn a topic into a Picture:
Dr. Rich Allen & Wayne Logue have a WHOLE BOOK of these ideas. Here are TWO.
#1: DOG
#2: Quadratic Equation in Pictures
Any other ideas? Why not tap into that unused area of the students' brains and make them think outside of the box. It will make it way more FUN for them AND get them to learn ideas that they might not have! :)
Having Difficulty with Behavior? Fix It By The Book
Donna McCune
To start the year off, she has them fill out the cards below. This is to help her with the monthly birthday's and to get to know them & get their contact information.
The information below is another Student Information Sheet that encompasses everything. It helps the team when doing parent teacher conferences.
Here are their rewards & discipline plans. It is laid out for them at the beginning of the school year so that they know what to expect.
This is her Policies & Procedures. It's very well arranged and is easy to read. (great graphics too). Mine right now is VERY BORING!!! - I'm a little jealous and am thinking about doing something more like this one for this year.
Here are the Rules & Procedures for Class. This is helpful so that students know exactly what is expected.
Here are copies of her two "BOOKS". No Zero Book & Discipline Book - Some students call it the "Sad Pad". :(
This is what goes inside of the Discipline Book. It would be in alphabetical order per class period, broken up by class period tabs. The student has three times to be corrected and then a discipline happens. Everyone has "their days" which is why the students get 3 chances. Unless the behavior is too extreme of course.
Then when the student reaches the 3 chances and a Discipline must occur, the information is written down in the Discipline Action Process Record Notebook - This is kept behind her desk where only the student who is signing their sheet and her can see.
Each student who has had some sort of Discipline would be put in the Discipline Action Process Record Notebook on one of the following pages. It even has what the discipline actions are and has the student sign them so that they know what they did and it's in their own handwriting. This is to help the students take responsibility & so that if mom or dad asks...it's right there!
Ms. McCune also has a No Zero Policy. She gives homework 2x's per week - Mondays & Wednesdays Routinely. The information is posted on the wall and online so that the parents always know. If the student does not have their homework, they have the opportunity to sign the book and get another copy or to bring it the following day. This cuts down dramatically in the amount of zero's that the students have.
She does PAT Time (or Preferred Activity Time). It done by checking each period at the end of the period to see if anyone has signed either book. If no one has signed, they get 1 minute per book, plus another minute for perfect attendance. They have a card system (cards labeled 1-20 on a ring on the wall to be flipped). When their card gets to 20 they get 20 minutes the following day (unless there is a test), to do a preferred activity of their choosing. She usually has them do board games or electronic games. She never takes away any minutes.
I have used several of these techniques in my classroom, but I think I might adopt the way that she is doing some of them for my class next year. What do you think? Any suggestions?
8th grade Mathematics
Lufkin Middle School
To start the year off, she has them fill out the cards below. This is to help her with the monthly birthday's and to get to know them & get their contact information.
- No Zeros Book for Homework:
- Monday (homework)
- Tuesday (due)
- Wednesday (grade / homework)
- Thursday (due)
- Friday (grade)
I have used several of these techniques in my classroom, but I think I might adopt the way that she is doing some of them for my class next year. What do you think? Any suggestions?
TEA Mathematics Update
Everly Broadway, Ed.D., Director of Mathematics
The whole presentation is posted on the TASM Website: http://www.tasmonline.net/Documents/CAMT2011TEAAssessment.pdf
Graph Paper will be included in the test, with perforations so that it can be torn out.
Math Reference Materials will also have performations with rulers - Customary on one side and Metric on the other. All reference materials will be updated to follow the same format all the way through all math levels.
In 2 weeks the 3-8 Reference material should be posted to the TEA website. www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/
Sample questions are supposed to be posted to the TEA website at the end of August / September. Modified questions will be posted at a later date.
4 Hour Time Limit
New Make-Up Test Policy
Dyslexia Accomodations to include students on all tests 3rd - High School
There will be two score cuts:
- Unsatisfactory - Satisfactory - Advanced
ONLY RAW SCORES 1ST YEAR FOR GRADES 3-8!!! No standards will be set until October 2012. There will not be any May or June administrations for any of these grades.
SSI is limited in 2012. Retention will be based on the districts thoughts - teacher recommendations, grades and any other district recommendations.
All 12 EOC High School Tests will be available online and on paper.
Students entering in High School this year will be the first students to have STAAR has a requirement on the graduation plan.
Testing Calendars: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/calendars
TEKS Revision - There will be MAJOR CHANGES!!! - COMING SOON!!!
Committees will meet in May, July & October
Check out Project Share
Check out iTunes U - TEA (lots of great information)
And once again, the information reviewed here can be seen at: http://www.tasmonline.net/Documents/CAMT2011TEAAssessment.pdf
The whole presentation is posted on the TASM Website: http://www.tasmonline.net/Documents/CAMT2011TEAAssessment.pdf
- For grades 3–8,tests are in same grades & subjects as TAKS.
- Grades 3–8 mathematics
- Grades 3–8 reading
- Grades 4 & 7 writing
- Grades 5 & 8 science
- Grade 8 social studies
- For high school,
- Twelve end-of-course tests replace Ten grade-level tests.
- Readiness Standards
- Encompass 30–40% of the eligible TEKS
- Will make up 60–65% of the assessment
- Supporing Standards
- Encompass 60–70% of the eligible TEKS
- Will make up 35–40% of the assessment
- Griddable Changes:
- Grade 3 - 3 Griddable Questions - same grid - plus one griddable field tested question
- Grades 4-5 - 3 Griddable Questions - same grid - plus one griddable field tested question
- Grades 6-8 - 4 Griddable Questions - same grid - plus one griddable field tested question
- Algebra I, II & Geometry - 5 Griddable Questions - NEW GRID - plus one griddable field tested question - can be positive or negative answer, floating decimal point, graphing calculators to be used on all three tests.
Graph Paper will be included in the test, with perforations so that it can be torn out.
Math Reference Materials will also have performations with rulers - Customary on one side and Metric on the other. All reference materials will be updated to follow the same format all the way through all math levels.
In 2 weeks the 3-8 Reference material should be posted to the TEA website. www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/
Sample questions are supposed to be posted to the TEA website at the end of August / September. Modified questions will be posted at a later date.
4 Hour Time Limit
New Make-Up Test Policy
Dyslexia Accomodations to include students on all tests 3rd - High School
There will be two score cuts:
- Unsatisfactory - Satisfactory - Advanced
ONLY RAW SCORES 1ST YEAR FOR GRADES 3-8!!! No standards will be set until October 2012. There will not be any May or June administrations for any of these grades.
SSI is limited in 2012. Retention will be based on the districts thoughts - teacher recommendations, grades and any other district recommendations.
All 12 EOC High School Tests will be available online and on paper.
- High School EOC Tests:
- English I, II, & III
- Algebra I, Geometry, & Algebra II
- Biology, Chemistry, Physics
- World Geography, World History, US History
- There will be different types of graduation plans, just like before, but updated to reflect these new tests.
Students entering in High School this year will be the first students to have STAAR has a requirement on the graduation plan.
Testing Calendars: www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/calendars
TEKS Revision - There will be MAJOR CHANGES!!! - COMING SOON!!!
Committees will meet in May, July & October
Check out Project Share
Check out iTunes U - TEA (lots of great information)
And once again, the information reviewed here can be seen at: http://www.tasmonline.net/Documents/CAMT2011TEAAssessment.pdf
Print, Cut & Fold - Creative Technology Projects for Middle School Math
- www.printcutfold.com
- Plan in advance before they start using the computers
- Download the templates from the website. Share them via your website, a shared folder, or on jump drives. That way the original template is never messed up.
- The actual book has more activities and has the whole lesson with lesson plans and worksheets to go with them, but you can start here without having to buy the book. Also, the book comes with a CD that has all of the templates
- Copyright-friendly Photo Websites for Educators & Students(usage agreements may change in these sites, so check the user agreements at each before using)
- Open ClipArt
- Pics4Learning
- Free Foto
- Flickr (Creative Commons)
- P D Photo (public domain)
- Photo Home
- Photos 8
- Stock.xchng
- WP Clip Art
- Student Clip Art
- Free Pixels
- Karen's Whimsy
- PublicDomainPictures.net
- Stock Vault
- Morgue File
- Library of Congress American Memory Museum
- National Archives
- PowerPoint Tutorials (Free)
- PPT 2007 Tutorials by Microsoft
- PPT 2003 Tutorials by Microsoft
- www.msoffice-tutorial-training.com
- PPT 2007 by Baycon Group
- PPT 2002 by Baycon Group
- PPT 2000 from Learning Electric
- Citation Generators
- Other Stuff
- A Way to Share Your Ideas
Day of Discovery - Larry Lipman
Larry Lipman www.funteambuilding.com
FORMULA FOR LIFE:
E + R = O
Events in life
+
Reactions we chose to make
=
Outcome - our mood for the day, our reputation, or our destiny
WORDS FOR SUCCESS
(need to blow this up and post it on my wall at school)
Problem Challenge
But And
Pissed Off Tinkled
Lazy Storing Energy
No Problem Happy to, You're Welcome
Lonely Available
Exhausted Recharging
Failure Learning Opportunity
Mistake Feedback
I should I will OR I won't
I failed I learned
I messed up I recommit
Icebreakers / Re-Energizers:
CARDS:
When people walk in the room hand them a card from a deck of cards. Have them walk around the room with the card you gave them on their forehead (without them ever looking at the card), and have everyone treat them the way that the card says to treat them. If they are an King, you need to bow to them, a Joker - laugh, Queen - Bow, kiss hand, BUT if they are a 2 - treat them as such. It really gets everyone thinking about the way that you treat others. No one MAKES you treat people like that, you treat them like that already without the cards on people's heads. Think about that the next time you talk to someone.
FINISH THIS SENTENCE:
If I had 5% more...
- Courage
- Integrity
- Confidence
- Wisdom
What would I do?
(5% is attainable, What could you do? TRY IT!!!)
FACE TO FACE:
Grab a sheet of paper, then find someone in the room that looks as smart as you know you are. Stand facing your partner. Without looking down at the paper draw their face. When you are finished, show your partner.
- Shows your attention to detail
- Recognizing your intelligence
- It's ok to laugh at yourself
- Everyone is on the same page
- Walls come down
FORMULA FOR LIFE:
E + R = O
Events in life
+
Reactions we chose to make
=
Outcome - our mood for the day, our reputation, or our destiny
WORDS FOR SUCCESS
(need to blow this up and post it on my wall at school)
Problem Challenge
But And
Pissed Off Tinkled
Lazy Storing Energy
No Problem Happy to, You're Welcome
Lonely Available
Exhausted Recharging
Failure Learning Opportunity
Mistake Feedback
I should I will OR I won't
I failed I learned
I messed up I recommit
Icebreakers / Re-Energizers:
CARDS:
When people walk in the room hand them a card from a deck of cards. Have them walk around the room with the card you gave them on their forehead (without them ever looking at the card), and have everyone treat them the way that the card says to treat them. If they are an King, you need to bow to them, a Joker - laugh, Queen - Bow, kiss hand, BUT if they are a 2 - treat them as such. It really gets everyone thinking about the way that you treat others. No one MAKES you treat people like that, you treat them like that already without the cards on people's heads. Think about that the next time you talk to someone.
FINISH THIS SENTENCE:
If I had 5% more...
- Courage
- Integrity
- Confidence
- Wisdom
What would I do?
(5% is attainable, What could you do? TRY IT!!!)
FACE TO FACE:
Grab a sheet of paper, then find someone in the room that looks as smart as you know you are. Stand facing your partner. Without looking down at the paper draw their face. When you are finished, show your partner.
- Shows your attention to detail
- Recognizing your intelligence
- It's ok to laugh at yourself
- Everyone is on the same page
- Walls come down
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Get Techy In Math - Presentation! :)
Here is our presentation for GET TECHY IN MATH! :) I hope you enjoyed our session and I hope that this information is helpful in your classroom.
Please let us know if you have any questions at all. We would love your feedback, so if you could comment below OR fill out the Testmoz test that would be great.
Thanks! :)
Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
@dakretschmer @C_L_Chapman
Saturday, July 16, 2011
CAMT 2011
Ok, I am headed to CAMT tomorrow morning. Driving up to Dallas/Grapevine, TX with two co-workers/friends (Mrs. Kretschmer & Mrs. Harris). We are going to be coming home Wednesday afternoon and will be home Wednesday evening.
What is CAMT though?
CAMT is the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teachers.
How Long Is It?
Monday morning 8 am - Wednesday afternoon 4:00 pm
Why Attend?
To make sure I'm up to date on all of the most AWESOME Math Teaching Ideas that I can be. PLUS...Mrs. Kretschmer and I will be presenting at 3 presentations (each being 1 hour long). :)
What Are We Presenting?
Wednesday: 1:00 - 2:00
Room: Mustang 4
Presenters: Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades: 6-8
Get Techy In Math!
How much richness does your curriculum provide for the digital learner? Learn about exciting, free Internet programs and apps that will have your students creating, analyzing, remixing, and sharing with rigor and relevance, as they build relationships.
Wednesday: 2:15 - 3:15
Room: Mustang 4
Presenters: Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades: 6-8
Get Techy In Math!
How much richness does your curriculum provide for the digital learner? Learn about exciting, free Internet programs, and apps that will have your students creating, analyzing, remixing, and sharing with rigor and relevance as they build relationships.
What is CAMT though?
CAMT is the Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teachers.
How Long Is It?
Monday morning 8 am - Wednesday afternoon 4:00 pm
Why Attend?
To make sure I'm up to date on all of the most AWESOME Math Teaching Ideas that I can be. PLUS...Mrs. Kretschmer and I will be presenting at 3 presentations (each being 1 hour long). :)
What Are We Presenting?
Tuesday: 10:30 - 11:30
Room: Appaloosa 1
Presenters: Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades: 6-8
Smart Choices For The Interactive Classroom
Come discover exciting INTERACTIVE PowerPoints and lessons already available for your SMART board. These lessons are focused on the STAAR readiness standards and will be available for you to start using as soon as you upload them!
Room: Appaloosa 1
Presenters: Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades: 6-8
Smart Choices For The Interactive Classroom
Come discover exciting INTERACTIVE PowerPoints and lessons already available for your SMART board. These lessons are focused on the STAAR readiness standards and will be available for you to start using as soon as you upload them!
Wednesday: 1:00 - 2:00
Room: Mustang 4
Presenters: Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades: 6-8
Get Techy In Math!
How much richness does your curriculum provide for the digital learner? Learn about exciting, free Internet programs and apps that will have your students creating, analyzing, remixing, and sharing with rigor and relevance, as they build relationships.
Wednesday: 2:15 - 3:15
Room: Mustang 4
Presenters: Deborah Kretschmer & Casey Chapman
Grades: 6-8
Get Techy In Math!
How much richness does your curriculum provide for the digital learner? Learn about exciting, free Internet programs, and apps that will have your students creating, analyzing, remixing, and sharing with rigor and relevance as they build relationships.
I hope to post from CAMT while I am there. I am taking my iPad, so hopefully I will have internet access and I can let you know what all the awesome presentations I go to teach me. :)
Wish me luck in my adventure & hopefully I will bring back LOTS of great information for my fellow teachers and for my classroom & kids. :)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
T3 Technology Retreat!
There will be presentations on:
Promethean Board – from using textbook materials to enhancing your PowerPoints
SMART Board – both math and science specific sessions as well as troubleshooting sessions and using your SMART Slate
iPad – the best apps, using it to teach
An intro to Edmodo
Moving into Moodle
Project Share Introduction
And more!!
This is going to be a great day for teachers from all over the area to get some great ideas for integrating technology in their classroom next year!
I really hope to see you there! :)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Professional Learning Network
Do you have a Professional Learning Network, or for short a PLN? Of course you do!!! You have it in the people you talk to at work, the people you have met at trainings, and the endless amount of people you have gone to when you "googled" something to get ideas. Those people all make up your PLN.
What are great ways to learn about new people to add to your PLN?
Twitter & Blogs are two great ways to add to your PLN. Your co-workers are probably following some really interesting people on Twitter. You could be following them too. Then, those connections are now a broader part of your PLN. I have started following some of those people's Blogs too. While Twitter can only use 140 characters, people like me sometimes need more room to write, which is why we have blogs. Actually, the Blog came before Twitter. Twitter is a micro-blog, basically, it's people blogging without having to type as much, but still get great information out there.
Who do you follow? Who should I be following? I have listed a few below. I would love to add to my PLN. You should check out my list and see if you would lke to add to yours too.
Great Math Technology Sites
Great Twitter People to Follow
What are great ways to learn about new people to add to your PLN?
Twitter & Blogs are two great ways to add to your PLN. Your co-workers are probably following some really interesting people on Twitter. You could be following them too. Then, those connections are now a broader part of your PLN. I have started following some of those people's Blogs too. While Twitter can only use 140 characters, people like me sometimes need more room to write, which is why we have blogs. Actually, the Blog came before Twitter. Twitter is a micro-blog, basically, it's people blogging without having to type as much, but still get great information out there.
Who do you follow? Who should I be following? I have listed a few below. I would love to add to my PLN. You should check out my list and see if you would lke to add to yours too.
Great Math Technology Sites
Great Twitter People to Follow
Twitter In The Class / To Extend the Class...
I just ran across Chad the Teacher's Blog about Tweeting to your students OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL...
http://chadtheteacher.com/blog/how-about-a-tweetudy/
His thought is to help them study, but what are your thoughts? Are there other ways to use Twitter in your classroom? Could you tweet with your students during a class period?
Some Ideas:
1) Have a computer or a few iPod Touches set up to Twitter to Tweet during class about interesting topics, ideas etc. that learn. This would help not only students who are absent that day, but also possibly students throughout the school and beyond.
2) Tweet ideas that you don't want the students to forget, tweet the homework assignment, they could then go and look it up later if they forgot or needed some review. This would also help parents, grandparents etc. that need to keep up with what is going on in the classroom.
3) Easy notifications on changes to class content, schedules, venues or other important information. Let the students be informed. When you find out something that is upcoming in your schedule, let the students know about it. Will there be a change because you have a visitor coming to class or maybe there is an upcoming play/band concert etc. Let the students know so that they can ask their parents about it. Remind them that there is a bake sale going on and to bring their money.
4) "Sum"ming Up...Maybe there is someone that really understood the assignment and can rewrite it in 140 characters to help the other students. Have them sum it up. (yes, this was supposed to be a silly play on a Math Term).
5) Sharing information that students have found with other people. If the students are able to get online, either at home or during school, let them share their finds. Sometimes they find really neat stuff that you would have never taken the time to find.
6) Is there some mathematician that you could follow? Maybe you are learning something in math about a specific topic. Find a person in that field you could follow. Math is in the real world...this would be one way to help let the students recognize it.
7) Collecting Data for Geometic Analysis is a great example from: http://www.teachscienceandmath.com/2009/04/16/using-twitter-in-science-and-math-class/
•Students collect information from students located in other schools regarding the dimensions of their classroom, desks, number of students, and other objects in the room which take up floor space.
•Then students develop geometric representations of these classrooms, to determine which classroom has the greatest and least amount of square footage per student.
•Students then share their results with all participants.
I'm going to have to come back later and post some more ideas. The juices are just starting to flow...
http://chadtheteacher.com/blog/how-about-a-tweetudy/
His thought is to help them study, but what are your thoughts? Are there other ways to use Twitter in your classroom? Could you tweet with your students during a class period?
Some Ideas:
1) Have a computer or a few iPod Touches set up to Twitter to Tweet during class about interesting topics, ideas etc. that learn. This would help not only students who are absent that day, but also possibly students throughout the school and beyond.
2) Tweet ideas that you don't want the students to forget, tweet the homework assignment, they could then go and look it up later if they forgot or needed some review. This would also help parents, grandparents etc. that need to keep up with what is going on in the classroom.
3) Easy notifications on changes to class content, schedules, venues or other important information. Let the students be informed. When you find out something that is upcoming in your schedule, let the students know about it. Will there be a change because you have a visitor coming to class or maybe there is an upcoming play/band concert etc. Let the students know so that they can ask their parents about it. Remind them that there is a bake sale going on and to bring their money.
4) "Sum"ming Up...Maybe there is someone that really understood the assignment and can rewrite it in 140 characters to help the other students. Have them sum it up. (yes, this was supposed to be a silly play on a Math Term).
5) Sharing information that students have found with other people. If the students are able to get online, either at home or during school, let them share their finds. Sometimes they find really neat stuff that you would have never taken the time to find.
6) Is there some mathematician that you could follow? Maybe you are learning something in math about a specific topic. Find a person in that field you could follow. Math is in the real world...this would be one way to help let the students recognize it.
7) Collecting Data for Geometic Analysis is a great example from: http://www.teachscienceandmath.com/2009/04/16/using-twitter-in-science-and-math-class/
•Students collect information from students located in other schools regarding the dimensions of their classroom, desks, number of students, and other objects in the room which take up floor space.
•Then students develop geometric representations of these classrooms, to determine which classroom has the greatest and least amount of square footage per student.
•Students then share their results with all participants.
I'm going to have to come back later and post some more ideas. The juices are just starting to flow...
Twitter As A Teacher
Twitter...Tweet, Twit, T-WHAT?!?! Ok, So I haven't been the biggest fan of Twitter even since I got on it. I never understood how it could really help me be a better teacher and I definitely didn't understand why we would want to Tweet about school stuff. I do Facebook and I am going to get better about writing Blogs and I text and and and...it seems like Twitter was just another one of those things to keep up with, but really, it's such an amazing resource. And the best part about it...you don't have to read a TON or write a TON...it's only 140 characters.
Again, I did some searching and Richard Bynes at http://www.freetech4teachers.com/ has come through for me.
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First real questions...
Twitter is FREE. You need to sign-up for an account. Go to http://www.twitter.com/
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Again, I did some searching and Richard Bynes at http://www.freetech4teachers.com/ has come through for me.
First real questions...
What's Twitter Anyway?
Twitter is an information network made up of 140-character messages called Tweets. It's a new and easy way to discover the latest news (“what’s happening”) related to subjects you care about.How is it Useful?
Twitter contains information you will find valuable. Messages from users you choose to follow will show up on your homepage for you to read. It’s like being delivered a newspaper whose headlines you’ll always find interesting – you can discover news as it’s happening, learn more about topics that are important to you, and get the inside scoop in real time.Twitter is FREE. You need to sign-up for an account. Go to http://www.twitter.com/
How to Start Using Twitter:
If you remember one thing after perusing this page, it should be this: reading Tweets and discovering new information whenever you check in on your Twitter timeline is where you’ll find the most value on Twitter. Some people find it useful to contribute their own Tweets, but the real magic of Twitter lies in absorbing real-time information that matters to you.1. DISCOVER SOURCES: find and follow others
It’s best to begin your journey by finding and following other interesting Twitter accounts. Look for businesses you love, public service accounts, people you know, celebrities, or news sources you read. (Click here for help finding interesting accounts.) Tip: One great way to find more interesting accounts is see who those you know or admire are following.2. CHECK IT OFTEN: pay attention to what’s happening
Messages from others you follow will show up in a readable stream on your homepage timeline. Once you've followed a few people, you'll have a new page of information to read each time you log in. Click links in others' Tweets to view: images and videos they have posted, the profiles of users mentioned in their message, or Tweets related to a hashtag (#) keyword they used. Tip: Try hovering your mouse over a user's name anywhere on your homepage. You'll see a pop-up box called a "hovercard" containing information about that user.3. TAKE IT WITH YOU: connect your mobile
One of the best things about Twitter is that it’s portable. Connect your account to your mobile phone (see below for instructions) or download a Twitter application to begin reading Tweets on the go. Now you can get updates about traffic problems in the middle of your commute, find out what the players are saying while you’re at the game, or catch up on the buzz about an event you’re about to attend. The possibilities are endless! Tip: Using Twitter via SMS allows you to pick and choose which updates you want from those you follow, so you can get mobile updates from the accounts that matter most to your life on-the-go.How to Start Tweeting:
Many users find it fun or exciting to contribute their own content to Twitter (we call this “tweeting”). If you’re one of them, here are some good ways to get started posting your own Tweets. People you know and people you are interested in what you have to say may follow you and they’ll see all the Tweets you share with them.1. BUILD A VOICE: retweet, reply, react
Use existing information (other people's Tweets) on Twitter to find your own voice and show others what you care about. Retweet messages you've found and love, or reply with your reaction to a Tweet you find interesting. Tip: If you're a new user, others are more likely to find your messages if they are retweets or replies.2. MENTION: include others in your content
Once you're ready to begin authoring your own messages, consider mentioning other users by their Twitter username (preceded by the @ sign) in your Tweets. This can help you think of what to write, will draw more eyes to your message, and can even start a new conversation. Try posting a message mentioning a celebrity or person you admire – they often respond to fans. You’ll see their response on your Mentions tab. Tip: Can’t think of anything to write? Don’t worry! Like I said, the real magic lies in locating and reading content on Twitter.3. GET FANCY: explore advanced features
As you become more engaged on Twitter, others will begin to find and follow you. Once you're familiar with Twitter basics, consider exploring the site’s more advanced features: lists, direct messages, and favorites. Learn how to include images or videos in your Tweets, or consider connecting your Twitter account to your your blog, Facebook, or website to show off your updates across the web. Tip: The best way to gain followers on Twitter is to regularly engage and contribute in a meaningful way.Tips and Tricks:
Need help finding interesting accounts?
Click the “Find People” tab at the top of your Twitter page. You can find and follow other accounts in these three ways: 1) browse accounts by subject, 2) import your address book contacts to find out which friends are already on Twitter, 3) search one-by-one for people or groups of interest.
Some Recommended People To Follow that I follow & Other Math Teachers Follow:
Please check it out and see what awesome ideas are out there and what ideas you can share to help others too. Great People To Follow
Using Blogger
Wow, so, I have been researching Blogger. There is alot of information out there about it. I found a really helpful website by Richard Byrne called Free Technology for Teachers . I used a few of his slides out of a slideshow to create some helpful information about Blogger...Thanks Richard Byrne for the post and helpful information so that I didn't have to recreate it. This information came directly from: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/p/free-downloads.html
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I commented here about Google Accounts being FREE!!! They are a GREAT Asset because there are so many GREE Google pages you can go to. If you don't already have a Google Account. Please, take a few minutes and create one.
This is the initial creation of the blog. You can make a name for your blog here and create your website link. I named mine Mrs. Chapman's Class because I want to use mine for my class, but if you are going to use yours for things other than just your class, name is something fun and creative.
This is why I like Blogger so much. It's very user friendly for those people who aren't very tech. savy. There are other Blog-Sites out there. Wordpress is another very popular FREE Blog site. I have heard it is more popular among High School Math Teachers who blog. If you are a bit more tech savy, this might be the way to go. If you aren't... you might want to try Blogger first.
Everything below here inforamtion about more Tech Savy Teachers.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Blogger
Blogging -
Repost from Chad the Teacher: http://chadtheteacher.com/blog/3-tech-tools-for-your-class-3/
If I could recommend you take on one tool this next school year, it would be blogging! I am a HUGE fan of blogging…obviously (see Chad's Blog http://chadtheteacher.com/blog) …and I think you should too! For your classroom, blogging really can change the amount of reach you have with your students and how you interact with them.
Reach
Blogs are really cool, because kids can access them from anywhere…anytime!
Students wondering what they have to do for homework tonight? They can check your blog!
Do they need to see all the requirements for this weeks project? Guess what…it can be on your blog!
Want to share some ideas or notes that go beyond the basic lesson you covered in class? Hmm…sounds like a blog might be the answer!
Depending on what level you teach, you may have your students most of the day or just for 45 minutes, but no matter what level it is, you probably don’t get to cover al the material that you like to…or need to…in the course of time that you have those students in class. A blog allows you to reach those students after school hours to give them additional knowledge, resources, or simply remind them that your class still exists outside of the normal window of time they are used to thinking about it!
Start it Right
Here’s the key…you can’t halfway do a blog! If you aren’t committed to updating it or putting meaningful information on it, students aren’t going to check it. How do you do that? Well, start by scheduling the time that you are going to put your updates up on the web. Make sure you schedule 20 minutes each day to sit down and write 150-200 words to keep your students up to date.
Second, put some “prizes” in your post! This will help your students learn that they need to check your blog! What does this look like? It can be as simple as posting something like, “Come in with a red piece of paper tomorrow and get extra time at your favorite center.” Or “Come in with question #34 done (which I didn’t assign!), and you can get a free homework pass!” Use these “prizes” every few posts as you start the year, and it will train students to go home and check it out!
Third way to keep it going…have the KIDS do the writing! Why should you be updating your blog every day? Have a station in your room where a student sits down at a computer everyday and the post what that day’s homework is. Have them write what things you covered in class today. Is it going to be incredible writing? Probably not, but it will get better as the year goes on, and it will be a huge help in you managing your posts!
Student Projects
Blogging doesn’t just have to be for you though. It should be for your students as well! Have them create a blog for a character in the book you are reading or from the perspective of a historical figure you are reading…or a math formula! With a little bit of creativity, you can get your students to start thinking out of the box and really start to understand the concepts you’re covering in your class! One idea that I love is Blab Reports for the science classroom! If you think of blogging as a way to post notes and ideas in a central place to look back upon, it can be a very valuable tool!
The Point
My love of this tool is that it is FREE and can have a HUGE impact on your classroom. We always need more time to keep students thinking about our class or learning more and more, and having an online presense can be a huge part of that!
For tools that you can use, both Blogger and WordPress are free…and VERY easy to use!
If you have a teacher blog that you would like to show off to help us get ideas of how we can use one in our class, please share it in the comments section below.
This is something that can have a huge impact next year, so start mapping out your blog and get ready to start writing!
Here are some comments Chad got from his Blog-Post:
Comment 1: I like the ideas. My blog basically went dormant last year. It was just too stressfull of a year (Teammate left to be a specialist at another campus, then we had a sub, then a teacher that lasted 10 days, finally a great teacher but the kids had lost so much time and trust of the situation).
I would need to figure out a way for students who don’t have access at home to earn prizes for reading the blog, because last time we did a survey 60% of our kids did not have access at home.
I’m going to be teaching 2nd grade Science/Social Studies/Writing or self contained 2nd grade next year. I had kids blog some last year, I want to do more this coming year and using blab reports is definately going to be a tool I use.
My kids bought into blogs more after I did two things. One was twitting their blog posts with the hash tag #comments4kids. After I started doing that, they recieve a good deal of very positive feed back. The class was over the moon when a post one of them wrote about a game Coach Lucky taught them got a comment from a class in Austraila. Their teacher used the information from our post to teach her kids the game. THey had a couple of questions about the rules – and my students answered.
I also used the hash tag to find blog posts that I had the students read and comment on.
The other was I started using several blogs that really interested them in the mornings as part of our warm up. The two they like the most were:
http://zachaboard.blogspot.com/ A family of four (Zach 7, Naia 1 and their parents)living on a boat on the East Coast of US
http://savannahsails.blogspot.com/ Family of 3 (Jake 6 and his parents) doing the puddle jump across the Pacific ocean – they have fantastic pictures of the islands they visit and underwater pictures of coral and fish – even sharks.
The kids would ask me if Zack’s Mom or Jake’s Mom had posted anything.
My kids asked questions via comments and they answered with very detailed answers. Zack’s mom e-mailed us great information about how they secure the boat during a huricane. That lead to a great conversation about how hurricanes work and the different forces would effect the boat.
When peer editing they started to say things like “You can’t just say blue. Remember when Jake’s Mom said the water under the boat was crystal clear and navy blue – what kind of blue is your car”
Comment 3: I set up a blog for the first time last year. I had many positive comments from parents. I included videos of experiments and pictures throughout the school year. It was difficult to keep up with it towards the end of the school year, but I felt I did a pretty good job for my 1st time. I hope to do even more this year. I like the idea of the contest, and I like having kids create a blog for story characters. Great ideas to try next year! If you would like to check out my class blog, go to rychlikscoolcats.blogspot.com.
Repost from Chad the Teacher: http://chadtheteacher.com/blog/3-tech-tools-for-your-class-3/
If I could recommend you take on one tool this next school year, it would be blogging! I am a HUGE fan of blogging…obviously (see Chad's Blog http://chadtheteacher.com/blog) …and I think you should too! For your classroom, blogging really can change the amount of reach you have with your students and how you interact with them.
Reach
Blogs are really cool, because kids can access them from anywhere…anytime!
Students wondering what they have to do for homework tonight? They can check your blog!
Do they need to see all the requirements for this weeks project? Guess what…it can be on your blog!
Want to share some ideas or notes that go beyond the basic lesson you covered in class? Hmm…sounds like a blog might be the answer!
Depending on what level you teach, you may have your students most of the day or just for 45 minutes, but no matter what level it is, you probably don’t get to cover al the material that you like to…or need to…in the course of time that you have those students in class. A blog allows you to reach those students after school hours to give them additional knowledge, resources, or simply remind them that your class still exists outside of the normal window of time they are used to thinking about it!
Start it Right
Here’s the key…you can’t halfway do a blog! If you aren’t committed to updating it or putting meaningful information on it, students aren’t going to check it. How do you do that? Well, start by scheduling the time that you are going to put your updates up on the web. Make sure you schedule 20 minutes each day to sit down and write 150-200 words to keep your students up to date.
Second, put some “prizes” in your post! This will help your students learn that they need to check your blog! What does this look like? It can be as simple as posting something like, “Come in with a red piece of paper tomorrow and get extra time at your favorite center.” Or “Come in with question #34 done (which I didn’t assign!), and you can get a free homework pass!” Use these “prizes” every few posts as you start the year, and it will train students to go home and check it out!
Third way to keep it going…have the KIDS do the writing! Why should you be updating your blog every day? Have a station in your room where a student sits down at a computer everyday and the post what that day’s homework is. Have them write what things you covered in class today. Is it going to be incredible writing? Probably not, but it will get better as the year goes on, and it will be a huge help in you managing your posts!
Student Projects
Blogging doesn’t just have to be for you though. It should be for your students as well! Have them create a blog for a character in the book you are reading or from the perspective of a historical figure you are reading…or a math formula! With a little bit of creativity, you can get your students to start thinking out of the box and really start to understand the concepts you’re covering in your class! One idea that I love is Blab Reports for the science classroom! If you think of blogging as a way to post notes and ideas in a central place to look back upon, it can be a very valuable tool!
The Point
My love of this tool is that it is FREE and can have a HUGE impact on your classroom. We always need more time to keep students thinking about our class or learning more and more, and having an online presense can be a huge part of that!
For tools that you can use, both Blogger and WordPress are free…and VERY easy to use!
If you have a teacher blog that you would like to show off to help us get ideas of how we can use one in our class, please share it in the comments section below.
This is something that can have a huge impact next year, so start mapping out your blog and get ready to start writing!
Here are some comments Chad got from his Blog-Post:
Comment 1: I like the ideas. My blog basically went dormant last year. It was just too stressfull of a year (Teammate left to be a specialist at another campus, then we had a sub, then a teacher that lasted 10 days, finally a great teacher but the kids had lost so much time and trust of the situation).
I would need to figure out a way for students who don’t have access at home to earn prizes for reading the blog, because last time we did a survey 60% of our kids did not have access at home.
I’m going to be teaching 2nd grade Science/Social Studies/Writing or self contained 2nd grade next year. I had kids blog some last year, I want to do more this coming year and using blab reports is definately going to be a tool I use.
My kids bought into blogs more after I did two things. One was twitting their blog posts with the hash tag #comments4kids. After I started doing that, they recieve a good deal of very positive feed back. The class was over the moon when a post one of them wrote about a game Coach Lucky taught them got a comment from a class in Austraila. Their teacher used the information from our post to teach her kids the game. THey had a couple of questions about the rules – and my students answered.
I also used the hash tag to find blog posts that I had the students read and comment on.
The other was I started using several blogs that really interested them in the mornings as part of our warm up. The two they like the most were:
http://zachaboard.blogspot.com/ A family of four (Zach 7, Naia 1 and their parents)living on a boat on the East Coast of US
http://savannahsails.blogspot.com/ Family of 3 (Jake 6 and his parents) doing the puddle jump across the Pacific ocean – they have fantastic pictures of the islands they visit and underwater pictures of coral and fish – even sharks.
The kids would ask me if Zack’s Mom or Jake’s Mom had posted anything.
My kids asked questions via comments and they answered with very detailed answers. Zack’s mom e-mailed us great information about how they secure the boat during a huricane. That lead to a great conversation about how hurricanes work and the different forces would effect the boat.
When peer editing they started to say things like “You can’t just say blue. Remember when Jake’s Mom said the water under the boat was crystal clear and navy blue – what kind of blue is your car”
Comment 3: I set up a blog for the first time last year. I had many positive comments from parents. I included videos of experiments and pictures throughout the school year. It was difficult to keep up with it towards the end of the school year, but I felt I did a pretty good job for my 1st time. I hope to do even more this year. I like the idea of the contest, and I like having kids create a blog for story characters. Great ideas to try next year! If you would like to check out my class blog, go to rychlikscoolcats.blogspot.com.
So, I'm re-learning Blogger....
Ok, so it's been FOREVER since I have posted something here and I feel terrible. I have vowed to do just a few new things this summer Technology wise and I am starting here. Partially because I already have set it up and why not continue something you "sort-of" already know, and Partially because I am going to be teaching a training on it at T3 and CAMT. I probably should not only be well informed on how to set-up a Blog, but also should probably actually post a few. :)
So...the next couple of blogs will be about Blogger, Google Tools that are great for the classroom & Twitter. :)
STAY TUNED!!!
So...the next couple of blogs will be about Blogger, Google Tools that are great for the classroom & Twitter. :)
STAY TUNED!!!
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