A little learning with lots of pieces...

We wrapped up our learning about Great Americans by putting a little creativity in the mix! I brought in a bunch of "stuff" that kids and pulled it from a bag. Kids were able to match the items with the person. Later we turned the special items into features on the people. We finished by using chatter pix to bring the people to life telling about their life! I am so proud of these kids for the great job they did!

Are you a difficult student?

Yesterday, I was a difficult student. I was frustrated, upset, even angry at times. I'm sure my attitude was difficult and I know I didn't make my "teachers'" lives any easier. Why was I difficult? I was asked to complete some inquiry learning...you know, the kind where you're given a task to complete, but you don't know what it should look like, how to get it finished, or what process to use to complete it. Ooooohhhhh, was I frustrated!! Let me take a moment to apologize to my "teachers" - Karen, Krystal, Amy - for any stress or difficulty I caused them yesterday as well, and then share a few reflections and takeaways I have from that experience:

• Learning is messy. Ever wonder why learners act the way they do during activities? Learning is messy...maybe they don't understand how to do what you're asking. Maybe they just want the end result. Maybe they just want structure. Maybe they've been spoonfed. Maybe, just maybe, they're like me and take longer to process something and later that day or even the next morning, they'll have their AHA moment and understand what to do and how to accomplish it.

• Everyone is a learner...even the adults! Have you ever been to a PD training session and wondered why the adults were worse than your students or were working with your team and realized that you have just a difficult person in the group? We forget that adults are learners too with similar needs as the kids. They'll get frustrated, bored, upset, difficult, stressed, etc and will act - like me - just like the kids!

• Maybe, I need to remember that teachers, administrators - well really all of us adult-types - are learners too. I need to treat the adult learners around me in a similar manner to the kids I work with. They think learning is messy and frustrating too. They need time to process, adjust, and figure out how to work through the "projects" they are given. They may be difficult, frustrated, and stressed, and I need to not take that to heart so much. It may have everything to do with me, or it may have nothing to do with me...it's just the process!

In the end, am I going to stop asking learners, kids or adults, to do "messy learning"? Of course not, because messy learning is one of the best places to go deeper, reflect, and learn so much more than simply "sit and git" teaching. I just have to give myself and others more grace in the moment!

"Go Slow...to Go Fast..."

6 weeks of blended learning with eight year olds. 6 weeks of blended learning with eight year olds. SIX WEEKS OF BLENDED LEARNING WITH EIGHT YEAR OLDS.

If that doesn't scare you, you probably haven't experienced it yet. At this point, my third grade class has been a blended learning environment for six weeks and it has, quite honestly, been the most thrilling, nerve-wrecking and challenging experience of my entire life (like...crazier than that time I decided to study abroad for a semester in West Africa and missed every flight from the U.S. to the African continent). Let's see how it's been going:

Successes (and yes, there have been many)!

1. Open House
This year for Open House, students participated in their first Project-Based Learning opportunity. Given the driving question, "Using Google Slides, can we design a classroom tour for our families that highlights the most important and exciting parts of our class?" As preparation for this project, and in an effort to integrate curriculum content into this project, we celebrated Freedom Week by going on virtual tours of both the 9/11 Memorial and Pentagon. We charted, discussed, discussed some more and discussed lots more the components of a tour, aka, "How can we show our families evidence of all of the awesome learning we've been doing?" In the end, we developed a class tour framework and success rubric and they were off! "How scary," thought their teacher...."I'm not going to say one word on Open House..." *breathes into paper bag* As I opened my door for Open House I was met by not one...not two...but about six excited kiddo's who practically ran me over to get their Chromebooks and take their parents on the classroom tour they had developed. Parents loved it. Students loved it. Teacher loved it. #PerfectWorld #StudentOwnership

Take a look!

Student Uno: https://goo.gl/sj0OQq
Student Dos: https://goo.gl/hv7axT

2. Google Classroom LMS

What can I say, Google Classroom has won my heart. While there are many phenomenal LMS' floating around out there on the interwebs, when introducing third graders with Chromebooks to the concept of a LMS for the very first time, it doesn't get better than a system that integrates EVERYTHING they use! In a blended environment, students are expected to develop BOTH deep content knowledge AND 21st century skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity. As a GAFE district, our access to other Google Apps such as Google Slides and Docs is extremely helpful in this process as students are easily able to digitally co-create and collaborate on a variety of content-based deeper learning challenges. Then Google Classroom wraps everything up for them in an easy-to-navigate package with an accessibility-for-all bow on top! #GAFEAddict

3. Culture, Happiness, Culture, Student-Engagement, Culture, Relationships, Culture.

"But Ms. Roberts, this class is HARD." 

--Anonymous Student, Week 2 of Blended Learning

One of the greatest realities I've had in the past few weeks has been the importance of shifting student mindsets, behaviors and actions in preparation for the self-driven work required to be successful in a blended environment. By creating Character Exploration Hyperdocs and engrossing students in the Class SMART Goal Development Process, it's been exciting to see them become more accustomed to, and take ownership over, the process of turning in quality work and re-submitting it if/when it doesn't meet our class SMART goal. #kidgoals

Challenge

But, as with any new project, the past six weeks have also had their challenges. The single-greatest challenge I have experienced is explained below: (keep reading if you're wondering, "Will my students ever be able to independently complete quality work?!")

****Student Agency****

Education's most magical unicorn!

If you asked me two weeks ago if I genuinely believed student agency was possible with third graders who had never experienced a self-driven classroom or environment, I might have uttered a doubtful, "Yes," knowing that's the "Innovator's Mindset." Yet, in the back of my mind, I also would have been furiously grappling with an internal cloud of doubt. In order for my blended learning model to be successful, it is imperative that my students are able to work independently for a minimum of 20mins and complete assignments it in a timely manner so they are able to receive feedback. Despite this, as I've worked with my students and seen them grow, I've learned that, if we genuinely expect this of our younger students (and probably any students), we have to be willing to take the time and scaffold, design, model, support and reinforce this notion in everything we do. From tasks as simple as putting students in charge of checking in their own library books to greater ones like following written instructions, this concept will not be fully developed in one day, week or even a year (I know, for us Type-A folks, this is challenging to accept, trust me). Rather, it must be developed, refined and personalized to meet the needs of all students which...will...be...tedious...and...challenging BUT by gathering a strong team of thinkers and doers, your kiddos too can become more self-directed agents of action who are passionately and fervently on a mission to achieve a rigorous goal! #staystrong

Joys and Challenges...or should I say Challenges and Joys!

OK...I admit it...it's totally true...I'm a self-professed nerd and geek and I LOVE it! I can't turn off my curiosity and zeal for finding and trying new ideas and activities with my students. I am an educator who is constantly trying out ideas (even on just my library aides), running ideas by others, and working to collaborate and improve student achievement and engagement.

I think conceptually, with PBL and design thinking at the forefront of my brain at ALL times. It is virtually impossible to turn it off and see things in reality, but these past couple of weeks, while I've seen some absolutely AMAZING innovative steps being taken, I've been forced to consider reality quite a few times. It's been extremely frustrating to think big only to be forced back to earth...so what to do...what to do? I feel like I've hit the wall of limitations and "inside the box" thinking one too many times and my creativity/innovation/idea making is crying out for attention !

I truly understand having to fulfill district and state requirements in education, but at the same time, my brain ponders the question..."What is best for my students?" Yes, they need to pass tests and improve their skills, but can't that be done using engaging, innovative activities? Do we as educators and classroom experience designers have to be the same as everyone else? Where is the balance between what is proven to work with others and innovative practices that move students forward and provide authentic real-world engagement that not only improves skills, but also requires more critical thinking, engagement and creativity from them?

I don't have the answer, and that bothers me to no end! 

So the hunt begins for answers...and one of the biggest joys of thinking big has to be the hunt. I've been stymied by reality, so what's the next step? Find ways to think big AND innovate within the boundaries (and then go beyond outside of class hours!!!). I'm on a hunt for a place to try some of the innovative ideas I have to help students better engage with their learning and begin to cultivate their own curiosity to learn and grow independently and within a community. I will hunt for opportunities to try new things - no matter how many baby steps I need to take - and work to improve my educational practices, my growth, and affect change for my students! Because in the end, as I read and learned from one of my eduheroes, Todd Nesloney, #KidsDeserveIt! They deserve my best each and every day and that involves THINKING BIG!!

#first4weeks

Over all the beginning of the year has been a great success!
Some highlights/events to note:

• Implementation of itsLearning- it has taken some getting used to but I feel as if my students have finally learned how to (mostly) navigate though the platform and find information as needed. Although I do not feel it is entirely user friendly for middle schoolers, I think it can serve as a great starting point for many things. I hope to receive more training and become more versed in this resource.
• First menu project for the year- I was really able to get a feel for the learning styles of many of my students by starting the year with a group project. I can see what type of projects they are more comfortable with, gravitate to, who is more tech savvy and who is more hands on. I feel like I will be ale to adjust and cater to kids who need more support in the future.  

• Flexible Seating- I have encouraged my students to embrace flexible seating but I am not sure if it is quite taking off. Some are eagerly grabbing a clip board and sprawling out on the ground where as others are still afraid to get up from their chair without asking. I do have a few that prefer to stand at the back table to complete their work. I think if I add a few more options or model myself, I may have a few more takers. :)
• Padlet- This was a fun resource we have used in our meetings and I wanted to try it out with my kiddos as an introduction activity. It was very user friendly and they immediately took to it!

• QR codes- I have played around with QR codes and my students seem to love them! I hope to find others fun uses for them soon. 

• Nearpod- After going to an informational during the summer, this looks like it could be very awesome! I would consider this like a presentation on steroids. If I had the resources for my students to each have a device, it would be a very interactive way to get immediate feedback and assessment of students. I plan to try this out in table groups to start but it will not have the same interactions as I would like the kids to have. 

Thanks for reading and I love all the ideas that I am able to get from everyone in this group.  Thank you again!

"You must go slow to go fast"

After attending ISTE & Tots for Tech this summer I had a vision and numerous ideas of things I wanted to implement in MY dream classroom ... then I remembered, it is not my classroom.  With my change in position (which I LOVE), I had to change my mindset from the start.

Me, being me, I wanted to share all of my ideas with my collaborating teacher and have her incorporate everything on day one.  Quickly learning this wasn't going to work, I learned the most important coaching lesson thus far: "You have to go slow to go fast"

Four weeks later, we are making progress!

Step 1: Alternative Seating.  So far we have purchased exercise balls and core seats.  The kids absolutely LOVE it!  It makes a world of difference for our students who are now more attentive and focused on their learning.  Other teachers on our campus have followed suit and have also seen a decrease in behaviors and an increase student learning.  Who knew something so small could make such a big change in the classroom environment?  At open house, parents were so excited to try our new seating options!  Their one complaint: "Why can't we have alternative seating for ALL of the kids?"  

Step 2: Flexible Grouping.  Each week teachers on our 4th and 1st grade teams are regrouping their students based on student needs.  The goal is to meet each student at their level and provide focused instruction.  Stay tuned for our results!

Step 3: It's Learning.  I am currently working with a few teachers, including my collaborating teacher, to get everything set up for student use.  Hopefully we will be rolling this out with the kids soon!

Now that my mindset has changed, I can see one of the best parts of my new position: I have the opportunity to see a lot of classrooms, obtain new ideas, collaborate with a lot of people, and share my knowledge with everyone on our campus!  We are off to a great start & I can't wait to see where we go from here!

Give Me a Vanbreak!

Well it is week 6. I have been in school with my kiddos for 6 weeks! I have been running on all cylinders for 6 weeks and I need a Vanbreakthrough! In my classroom this year I have been challenged to be innovative and I have taken that to heart. I have googled, pinterested, twittered, and read, all to find the magic pill for innovation. Guess What...There isn't one! It's all up to me to figure it out... what my kids and I need to be successful. So I have narrowed my focus to creating self directed learners, teaching in small groups based on data collected, and students having some personalized time and collaborative time (PBL) in the classroom. (Yes those are some big ticket items, but that's how I roll.)  My saving grace is my class! I love my little learners. They are loud and love trying new stuff. They are willing to jump in and try. We spent a couple of weeks at the beginning really focusing on relationships and building character. It is great to hear them using words like "you need to show self control" or "you have to show gratitude to others". I also felt it was important to put a system in place for helping each other. It really is starting to pay off. Instead of coming to me for everything, they are slowly beginning to check with each other or offer help if they see someone struggling.
My biggest reflection is that I need to go slow to go fast! I don't and can't do everything right now (although that is my make-up!) I had some great things in place before, and I have to remember that. I need to get more input from the kids as to how they want their experience to be, and I would like to go to bed before 3am. So as I said before...I am ready for my VanBreakthrough!!