Author: Admin

Science Camp

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Every year the 5th graders attend Science Camp at a local park, and the teachers each choose a station to teach – over and over and over, 8 times over 2 days. So keeping it fun for you, and the students is important. Okay, really keeping myself entertained was my primary goal. My partner teacher and I taught about solute, solvent, and solutions via bubbles.

Sounds fun right, the kids got to make a bubbles solution and be ‘mad scientists’ experimenting with what made the best bubble solution for them. In the process, the students made ‘bubble wands’ out of pipe cleaners. And in the name of keeping myself entertained, and seeing exactly what I could make kids do, I made them repeat after me – before creating their wands – “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Yeah, nothing to do with science, but totally fun to do. I was impressed that a few students could ‘Name That Movie’.

Then there was some ADHD moment early on when we talked about separating water and salt which led to a tale of Gilligan’s Island. So I went into a whole shpeil about this show just to say that if you boil salt water the result will be salt (as the water evaporates). Yeah, I had a good time. Hope other did as well!

Minecraft EDU

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Um, OMG!!!!

minecraftSomehow John Miller arranged for the #awesomesauce folks at Minecraft EDU to come to our tiny little town on their TeacherGaming Tour 2015. So this afternoon I sat in a packed room with eager teachers – waiting to find out what the buzz was about – and some really great tutors – 6th and 7th grade students.

For a few years now, my students have begged me to include Minecraft in our classroom. They know they can hook me with most things tech. And for years now, I keep telling them that I don’t get it. I’ve tried it, and quickly get bored, or in the case the other night, die within 5 minutes. The ‘regular’ Minecraft isn’t for me. I’ve seen some of my students create some great worlds during Genius Hour, I just don’t have the patience for that. So when John shared the opportunity to do this, I jumped on it. I mean, this many kids can’t be wrong!

So there I sat, between 2 tutors. Apparently, I looked like I’d need more than one. Axel and Lauren were a great help. In 2 hours we were taken through maps and tasks. First we started off with just getting use to the controls and how to manuver our people. On a side note, I was glad NOT to be Steve! I got to pick out a character.

Once we were use to manipulating our people, we were given tasks to complete. We navigated through mazes, built structures with partners, and coded turtles – which could help us navigate through the map. See, it is pretty cool!

You know it’s a good training when they have to ‘freeze’ you in order to get your attention! Yeah, we were frozen a few times so that we could learn how to operate things from the teacher end, and talk about how to use it in our classrooms. At one point I was frozen right in the middle of my turtle running the program I coded. It was then that I made some strange unintelligible sounds. I really wanted to see if I programmed the little guy properly.

So clearly, I’m beginning to ‘get it’! Boy will some of my students be happy. Formers will say something like, “Sure, now you get it AFTER we’re gone”. I’d like to explore this more and see how I can incorporate this into my 5th grade classroom. I think, and it’s been proven, that there are great possibilities with this. I’d also like to explore some of the maps (worlds, mods) that are available.

It was a great workshop, my only complaint: we only had 2 hours. Wish we had more time. Thank you to everyone!

Lauren helping me, yet again!

5 Things We Have To Stop Pretending

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This challenge was given to me by Alice Chen. This is a part of the #MakeSchoolDifferent Challenge. This couldn’t have come at a better time. I have been thinking about all the things that we do to sabotage ourselves as teachers. How can we change education?


flickr photo shared by schoschie under a Creative Commons ( BY ) license

5 Things To Stop Pretending:

  1. “I have a paperless classroom” – Oh, how we love that phrase. But let’s face it, if you’ve recreated that ditto in a digital format, can you really claim to be paperless? Literally, yes. But I believe that ‘paperless’ refers to transformative. That ditto is NOT transformative.
  2. Using any technology is innovative. We need to stop pretending that just because we can claim to be 1:1 or 2:1 does NOT mean we are using technology to it’s full potential. Playing games, or taking AR quizzes, is not innovative.
  3. Stop jumping on every new theory (aka bandwagon). Trends come and go, stop falling into the trend of the moment.
  4. Policies that are created from the top and pushed upon educators are the best practice.
  5. Isolation is good – No need for PLN.

Solutions:

  1. You want to be paperless? Then be innovative. Create lessons and assignments that require deeper thinking. Will all your lessons magically become innovative and ‘rigorous’? No, but little by little you will change the landscape of your classroom, and the learning of your students. Go ahead, try it with just one lesson this week.
  2. Too many times I have seen districts, including my own, get class sets of computers or iPads, with no training. Technology requires a shift in how we view teaching and learning. Let’s focus on good pedagogy rather than the trendy new techie device. Once this shift happens, the cool techie devices are much more relevant in your instruction.
  3. As a whole, education has too often fallen pray to the ‘latest research’. The truth is, good teachers know what works and integrate new teaching practices that are more conducive to their goals. I’m not saying don’t change, just be selective and know WHY you’re doing what you’re doing.
  4. Education policies need to stop being mandated. Whether it’s NCLB or district policies. Conversations with educators, from all levels (admin to para educators), need to be had. We are all in this together. No one group should be dictating policies.
  5. Share! Seriously, what’s the big deal? Some districts/sites have cultivated a culture of singling out teachers for great work. This is fine done in moderation. However, many (like in my district) refuse to give up their best ideas because someone else might do it better. I say if you can make my idea better, do it, then share! Again, we’re all in this together. We’re here to educate our communities, not some egocentric ‘make you feel good’ trip.

I will now challenge 5 #awesomesauce educators to tell us what we should stop pretending. Let’s here from: Kevin Ashworth, Pam Hernandez, Andy Losik, Rea Fearing, and Travis Phelps.

3D Printer Fun

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I believe in thinking BIG! That’s why when I decided I wanted a 3D printer for my class, I wrote a proposal and placed it on Donors Choose. Honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do with it. I figured I would allow students to create objects during Genius Hour. In addition, I was going to have THEM figure out the programs and printer – within reason, it is an expensive item.

So when I was notified that my project was funded by Chevron, I was beyond thrilled. Just after Spring Break our printer arrived. The following Genius Hour a group of students and I set it up. Fortunately, one of my girls had gone home and done research on the type of printer we received (Dremel). She knew more about the printer than any of us. After setting it up, we printed out a die. It was a pre-fab file on the SD Card. That was pretty cool. Then came the following week…

We discovered Tinkercad! Since then we have been creating, creating, creating! The early attempts were simple, but fun. I have students coming to school early wanting to create objects for their moms, brothers, selves…

They work together to solve design issues, and talk about new creations – there is a chicken in the making. I have another girl who went home and taught herself (with the help of the provided lessons on Tinkercad), how to use the program. She is our ‘Go To’ person. She is teaching us some of the ins and outs of the program.

It’s fun to see girls leading the way with this technology. It’s also interesting to watch the students watch the printer. It reminds me of the 1950 ads for TV, where everyone sat around as close as they could. Yeah, that’s what’s happening in my class.

I can now see how I can incorporate this into my curriculum. How fun would it be to have students working together to create the digestive system? Fun right?! Or create geometric shapes based on specific dimensions. Or create an object with a specific volume. Or create a topographic representation of a state. The possibilities are endless. This is just the beginning, I can’t wait to see where this takes us!

Google Classroom: Save Draft Assignment

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You now have the ability to upload an assignment in Google Classroom and ‘Save Draft’; and assign when necessary.

Create an assignment as usual, but instead of ‘Assign’ choose ‘Save Draft’. It will then appear on YOUR wall as ‘Draft’. When you are ready to ‘Assign’ either click on ‘Draft’ or the arrow on the right. Then click the name of the assignment, a pop-out window appears where you can see the settings of the assignment and have the option to ‘Assign’ or ‘Save Draft’. This time ‘Assign’.

Google Classroom: Invite Another Teacher

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Today Google Classroom has made yet another improvement! Teachers have been wanting to share their Classrooms with other teachers. Today, Google has given us this opportunity.

Invite Another Teacher

Choose the Classroom you would like to share with another teacher. Once in the Classroom, navigate to the ‘About’ page (1.). Once there the teachers the Classroom have been shared with are located on the left (2.). Notice that the owner of the classroom is listed first. Below the teachers is an ‘Invite’ button (3.). Once this is chosen, you find the teacher you would like to share the Classroom with – within your domain. It will send an Invitation to the teacher. All they have to do is accept.

Testing: Then and Now

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flickr photo shared by albertogp123 under a Creative Commons ( BY ) license

This week my 5th Graders started taking the new State Test – SBAC. This got me thinking about how I did things this year as opposed to how I did things just a few years ago.

Then

  • At least 1 month of test prep AKA No actual teaching occurs.
  • Bribery – If you come every day you’ll get… (Make ups were grueling).
  • More Bribery – If you are ‘caught’ working hard you’ll get… This ‘helped’ with the ‘I don’t care’ attitude; which was really focused on schools getting money that we desperately needed.
  • Pep Rallies – Everyone goes into their multi-purpose room for a ‘You’re awesome, you’re smart, you’re gonna do great’ cheer/dance/chant…
  • Test Taking Skills – These were drilled during the month long test prep period.
  • Tricks – During the days of the test ‘Here’s a pack of Smarties, cuz you’re so smart’.
  • More Tricks – Chewing gum helps you focus. You get to chew gum during the test!
  • Snacks – Some years, the school provided snacks so kids had food in them to… yup you guessed it, do better on the test.
  • Paper/Pencil – Teachers freaked if a kid erased, and they didn’t do it well enough. The state might think we were cheating or mark it wrong – EEEK!
  • I had a MAJOR case of anxiety one year – full on tears, couldn’t breath, and ‘flappy’ hands. This went on for WEEKS!
  • Stress, Stress, Stress!

Now

  • Me to my principal- Wait, when is the test?
  • The Friday before the test to the class – Oh, by the way, we start State Testing on Monday.
  • My students – Can we chew gum? Can we bring candy? What about…?
  • Me to my Students – I expect you to try your best and work hard.

Looking back, I can’t help but wonder how much undo stress our well meaning ‘encouragement’ gave students. THEN, there was a month long build up with the focus on doing well. A student’s efforts or growth was of no interest. The only interest anyone had were the numbers. What percentage of students are Proficient or Advanced? Did we meet AYP? API? All our Subcategories? AHHHHHHHH!

Currently, I am happy to report that I haven’t had 1 anxiety attack this year. I am so NOT stressed! I’m a much happier teacher. I think my students are still a bit worried, but I would gather to say that it has more to do with past pressures – flashbacks if you will. I have jumped off the ‘Testing Wheel of Insanity’. I am proud of my students. They all tried their best and took their time. Honestly, I don’t care how they do. I know how far they’ve come this year; and how hard they’ve worked. They are amazing!

I’m sure in a few years that some – okay probably many – will choose to go back to the ‘Testing Wheel of Insanity’. I will wave to them and continue doing what I do. I will focus on growth, their perseverance, and efforts. In the long run, those qualities will make them better prepared for the future than an arbitrary stamp of approval by some legislator.

I dare you to join me in celebrating something other than a number, and avoid the ‘Testing Wheel of Insanity’.

Rock Star Lineup: CUE RockStar Google Edition

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This summer marks the first time that CUERockStar will host an all Google Edition!

How is this RockStar different?

This RockStar will focus on Google and Google related applications. In addition, all faculty members are Google Certified – either Google Certified Teachers or Google Educators.

Why attend the Google Edition RockStar Camp?

Like all RockStars, there will be 3 days of direct hands-on learning. The ratio of faculty to attendee is 10:1 per session. Each session is 2 hours; with only 2 sessions per day. This means attendees can really dig deep, and receive individualized attention.

There is also a 2 HOUR LUNCH! When was the last time a teacher got a 2 hour lunch? The 2 hour lunch allows you to network, ask questions, share your learning, and relax! Oh, and there will be ice cream at each lunch. The last day features HOMEMADE ice cream cookie sandwiches! (Note: for those with dietary needs, non-dairy products are available).

flickr photo shared by vasta under a Creative Commons ( BY-NC-SA ) license

In true Rock Star fashion, each day will begin at 9 am (yes, this means you get to sleep in!) with a ‘Shred Session’ by the faculty. The faculty will try and woo you to attend their session. These are fun, light-hearted, and show off each faculty member’s passion. These are a must-see!

You will end your day with the option of extending your learning and networking with other attendees and faculty members. After days 1 and 2, there will be a meet-up at a local place of interest.

The amazing faculty:

Dan BennettDan Bennett is an EdTech Coach and Science Teacher at Los Alamitos High School. He is also a Google Certified Teacher and Education Trainer. Within the classroom he has supported student learning in 1:1 iPad, Chromebook and PC laptop environments. Beyond the classroom Dan provides professional development and support to teachers across his district and at conferences. Above all Dan’s passion is helping others discover new and more powerful ways to learn.

Jed Butler is a groupie of the math and tech community (#MTBoS, mathbutler.wordpress.com). He specializes in visualizations for relationships and numbers (making sense of math with pictures). You can see more at transformulas.org. You’ll find him playing with Desmos, Geogebra, and Google Apps most days of the year.
He’s taught nearly every math course and grade for the secondary classroom. Throughout his careers he’s found that leading, facilitating, and supporting groups has been a natural position for him. He’s lead successful small PLC groups and is now the Math TOSA/coach for Perris Union High School District.

Ed Campos grew up in Earlimart, CA. He’s been teaching high school math for 11 years in Central California. Before he started teaching, he was an IT consultant in the Bay Area for 3 years. He knows first hand what an education in math and technology can do for a young person and has dedicated his life to sharing what he’s learned and what he’s continuously learning. Ed has successfully incorporated 360 Degree Math into his classroom.

Robert Hochberg is a content specialist for Teacher Support Services at the Ventura County Office of Education. He is a Google Certified Teacher, a Microsoft Innovative Educator, and holds a Master’s Degree. He is member of the Gold Coast Cue Board of Directors and an organizer of #edcampvc. He has been in education for 10 years and formerly taught middle school history. He was also the Director of Technology for his school and introduced a 1:1 “BYO Laptop” program in the middle school. In his spare time he adjuncts for Concordia University Irvine in the Masters of Educational Technology program. He is passionate about technology use in education and tries to make learning engaging and enjoyable all at the same time.

Eric Jarvis is sixth-grade ELA/STEAM teacher at Los Osos Middle School where students work in a one-to-one laptop environment using Google Apps for Educators to demonstrate their knowledge of content by CREATING products that require a multitude of twenty-first century skills. Eric is a Google Certified Teacher. Eric has been an innovative ed tech leader for over a decade.

Joe Keays has an inescapable passion to create a learning environment that is timeless, physically boundless, nurturing and empowers students and parents. He desires every student to live passionately, think creatively, expect excellence from themselves, recognize the beauty to look, see and be seen, and to control their lives from their position of authority. Joe has taught high school mathematics for the past 17 years at Agoura HS and has been a natural leader integrating technology, creative methodology and modeling risk. Joe is also a Google Certified Teacher and 2014 Edublog Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tara Linney is a Google Certified Teacher, and Google Education Trainer, currently working as an Instructional Technology Coach for a K-8 district in Crest Hill, IL. She has worked in education for 5 years. She holds an M.S. degree in Instruction from Drexel University and is certified as an Instructional Technology Specialist. Her primary background is grounded in helping educators incorporate meaningful technology experiences into their instruction.

Nancy Mincozzi has been teaching in one way or another most of her life. She holds several degrees, including a Master’s degree in Educational Technology. For the past 3 years, she has worked in the Las Virgenes Unified School District as a media specialist, helping teachers integrate technology into their classrooms. She is passionate about helping other educators to innovate their practices and has presented at local CUE events and at the annual CUE conference. A firm believer in collaborative professional development, Nancy is the founder of PLAYDATE Los Angeles and is a member of the EdCamp Ventura County organizing team. She blogs at http://www.coffeenancy.com. She is a former attendee of CUE Rock Star.

Lisa Nowakowski is a Google Certified Teacher & Trainer, and has presented at CUE RockStar events in California. She was in the first cohort for Innovative Educators Certificate and a Leading Edge educator. In 2010 Lisa was awarded the Crystal Apple Award sponsored by the local NBC affiliate. She has been an Ed Tech innovator in her district for over 15 years. Lisa currently teaches 5th grade at King City Arts Magnet. As a district technology leader, she has brought 1:1 Chromebooks to her classroom with great success. As a 3rd grade teacher, she incorporated GAfE into her classroom.

Teresa Ozoa is a lawyer turned educator, credentialed for both primary and secondary school, now teaching AP English Language, American Lit and a Contemporary Lit elective at University High School in Irvine. An edtech early adopter with a lifelong fascination with tech, from a Kaypro II to an iPhone 6+, she is also an energetic professional development presenter in tech for Irvine Unified SD, SGVCUE and the UCI Writing Project.
Her CUE RockStar Manhattan Beach experience inspired this year’s motto and a new approach to student creation: “Make Good Stuff and Share!”

Amanda Steinacher is a Teacher on Special Assignment in Technology Integration for the Redondo Beach Unified School District. Before her job on special assignment she taught 4th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st grades in elementary schools for 15 years. As a teacher on special assignment, her job has been to “Googlify” her district. Through the roll out of 7,100 Chromebooks in grades 3rd-12th grade and a pilot of 650 Android Tablets in TK-2nd grades, Google has become her new language this school year. If you peek into Amanda’s day, you’d find her creating support documents for teachers in docs, building sites that support the common core standards, answering questions on all things Google, blogging, growing her PLN on Twitter and Google+, and HAPPILY supporting the teachers of RBUSD. She is a new blogger, new Tweeter, and a new Google Educator.

Springtime: Countdowns & Reflections

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This week’s #youredustory prompt:

Spring can be a tough time for teachers (with a stretch until spring break and then after it before summer). How do you help morale on campus as tiredness sets in and the kids get squirrely?

Many teachers and students look at springtime like a big count-down. I’ll admit I do too, but I also find it a time of renewal, invigoration, creativity, and exploration. While I too am tired and really looking forward to my summer plans – mainly the sleeping in kind; I also get that weird little bug that says, “Hey, try this” or “Try that.” And that’s exactly what I do.

Spring is my favorite time of year to start something new, rearrange the familiar, and get a little crazy! A few years ago, it was in the spring that I started ‘Genius Hour’. It’s become a staple in 5th grade at my site. I find spring the perfect time to experiment with new ideas. By this time in the year, I know what my students can handle, what I can push on them, and what is completely wrong for them. We know how to work together, what sets us off, and ultimately work as a cohesive unit. Now is the perfect time to try that idea you saw, read, or thought about. Work out the kinks with a group you know. That way,  by the fall it’ll be ready to go with a batch of newbies.

For me, spring is also a time of reflection. I look back at the year and think, “Where did the time go? October and Halloween seem like a distant memory.” I also think, “Wait a minute; it took me this long to break them in, now they leave? This is so unfair!”

I guess I keep morale up in my classroom by being happy and looking for the good. Sounds strange, but as they say, “Change your perspective, change your life.” Look for the amazing in your students, staff, and self. Yes, our job is hard. We are burnt out by the time spring hits. The students have a bad case of ‘Spring Fever’ (and yeah, we teachers do too). But look at how far we’ve all come in just a few short months. In the end, our job is truly amazing! Spring should be a time of celebration of all our accomplishments.