IEP Results

I had to make a slight modification to my IEP; after playing around in Excel for a while, I realized there was more than enough to get me going on the project. So I discarded the Powerpoint part.

While I had fun playing around and using new tools, I know there is still much that I want to do but didn't have time. I want to be able to create forms with option boxes and drop down menus and make forms for student data.

Here is a little bit of my playing around and my reflection and lesson plans. Some of the functions didn't carry over into Googledocs. Sorry about that; if anybody knows how fix that, let me know.

IEP

I've learned a few new tricks in Excel and Powerpoint in the last year, but I'd like to know more. I will learn at least ten new features of each program that I can use as a teacher, using the help menu, manuals and others more experienced than myself. As evidence, I will list these and show 3 of the most important ones.

In addition to creating lesson plans, I will use my newly learned Excel knowledge to manage student forms and create charts.

The above will be completed by 16 May.

Storytelling Rubric

Ever since that fateful day in Sitka when the class tried to come up with a rubric I have had an unhealthy aversion to creating these devils.

I went to rubistar.com for help in creating it and then I inserted my own touches. I'm sure I missed something but I think the basics are there. I hope making rubrics is something that becomes easier and less painful with practice but I really don't enjoy them right now. You can view mine in googledocs here.

Digital Story Posting

Well, this was a fun little project. I think the hardest part was thinking of a story line. Thanks to my colleagues for ideas. I also read a children's math book titled "Among the Odd and Evens" that sparked some thoughts as well.

If I wasn't overdue on this project I would have spent more time creating at least two other scenes and sharpening the images with a different medium. Several of the pictures are up there way too long. I also wonder how clear or unclear it is what actually happened. I purposely left out the details for people to be able to read through the lines a little, but does it work? I'll appreciate comments. The story is called Something in Common.

My Story (as yet, untitled)

Beginning
-> One half and one third meet at Science Camp and immediately dislike one another. They are soooo different.
-> During an outing, they become separated from the group and their hatred for one another grows.
Middle
-> After a cold night on their own, the two fractions realize they must get along and work together to find camp.
-> That night, they make a fire together and find food.
End
-> Best of friends now, they find camp and everyone is relieved to see them. They are unrecognizable to some of their peers, but soon all of the campers realize that underneath it all, they are still the same but by making compromises and working together, they can get along with anyone.

Overall Theme
The fractions realize that to get anything done, they must be a team and work together even though it seems at first as though they have nothing in common.

Useful Web Resources

NCTM Rocks!!
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics is a must for a math teacher at any level. Membership includes legislative updates and opportunities for e-workshops via email. The Illuminations section of the website has fantastic lesson plans for all grade levels and all strands. Check it out. www.nctm.org

The Shodor Foundation is a non-profit organization devoted to advancing math and science education through modeling and technology. They have some awesome interactive activities. A Hilbert Curve Generator? What could be better? Their website has other good resources, but I put the link directly to the fun activities. For a good time, click here.

I'm not sure this website will be useful to anyone else, but for me it has become invaluable. www.interventioncentral.org has a wealth of information for administering and managing math CBMs (Curriculum Based Measures). I am in the process of implementing CBMs for multiplication, division, equivalent fractions and adding/subtracting fractions.

Article Summary #5

Overview
In "Assistive Technologies for Reading," Ted S. Hasselbring and Margaret E. Bausch describe several reading programs that provide support and interventions for struggling language learners. Assistive technology provides ways for students with disabilities to function at or near grade level. The authors concede that technology isn't a magic bullet and the main focus should be on providing quality instruction. But technology coupled with good instruction will produce dynamic results.

Reference Points
1. Reading support programs like Read & Write Gold allow students to hear text read aloud in varying gender, speed and pitch.
2. The word prediction feature of Read & Write Gold provides the student several word choice options based on context and the first few letters typed, making composition much quicker.
3. Students are more likely to listen to the text being reread by the program than by the teacher.
4. Reading intervention programs like Read, Write & Type, Read Naturally and READ 180 have led to gains in reading fluency and comprehension.
5. READ 180 is designed for older students, those in grades 4-12; it allows them to watch a short video on the background of the text they are about to read.

Reflection
Getting students to read at grade level is major issue in schools. The district I teach in has spent much time and money on programs and experts. Reading First targets K-2 and is not an assistive technology program. According to the experts hired, younger students do better with more face-to-face contact. We play lots of phonics and phonemic awareness games with them. However, READ 180 sounds like it would be an ideal program for the older students. It seems as though there are too many computer programs targeting younger students when really they just need more one-on-one time. I would like to see the results of a human doing the same thing a computer is doing in these programs.

Article Summary #4

Overview
In "The Overdominance of Computers", Lowell Monke suggests saving the intense use of computers for the last two years of high school when teenagers have developed the proper tools to deal with the responsibility of computer and internet usage. He argues that while technology can and should enhance learning, too much use at an early age can be detrimental. He sites a 2004 study showing test scores among fifteen year olds who had more access to computer use were lower than their less techie counterparts. Before being let loose in cyber space, children should be taught ethics, moral judgment, compassion, trust and respect.

Reference Points
1. Young students should have more face-to-face interaction, especially when learning to read.
2. As students spend more time on computers and watching TV, they have less real experiences, making it even harder to filter through what they see on the internet.
3. We need to teach children what a spreadsheet cannot: commitment, loyalty and tradition.
4. We need to make their world more real by engaging them in physical activities.
5. Students need to know and respect nature and the living world around them.
6. If educators and parents focus on the things that endure in the early years, children will be much better prepared to face the world of computers later on.

Reflection
While I understand the author's concern about the level of technology use at a young age, I believe it is nearly impossible to turn around what has already begun. This is a school as well as parental issue and even if schools made a change, homes would continue to be a place where children have access to mind-numbing television and video games. Waiting until high school to address technology, as the author suggests, would be a disservice to our students. Learning computers is like learning a different language and the earlier the skill is learned the better. I agree more with Burns' article "Tools for the Mind" in that we should focus on the higher order thinking skills technology can provide than focus on how to minimize their use in the classroom.

Educational Philosophy Movie

From a technology perspective, I completely enjoyed the movie making process. There are so many options, but they are simple and intuitive. I can actually help my students complete their Technology standards now; every level has a movie making component.

I am surprised by how much my philosophy of education has changed and continues to change. I'm also certain I would have differing views if I was teaching elsewhere. You can see pictures and hear a brief version of my philosophy of education here.

Energy Presentation

Yikes, I talk fast. My host teacher keeps telling me this but until I heard it for myself, I just didn't realize. I don't talk fast through the whole presentation but there are little spurts of information even I can't understand. SLOW DOWN!!!

Other than my fast talking, I had a few ums and I got lost once or twice in my thoughts so I repeated myself, which I did not notice while delivering the presentation. Something I realized halfway through presenting was that my feet were planted firmly in place. I hadn't shifted or taken a few side steps or anything. I used my hands and arms alot to make up for lack of movement in my feet.

In the video you can hardly see the information on the screen because we had to use the ELMO to take a screen shot and project onto the wall. Apparently we don't have the proper cords to hook up to a Mac and when I tried to pull up my presentation on a PC I got an error message, so bummer. Other technical difficulties include not being able to retrieve the audio from this little device Dr. Marvel loaned to me. Sorry to disappoint, but I am unable to post the video.

Nondalton School Electricity Savings

Saving electricity is on everyone's mind at Nondalton school, particularly when we have a resident light switch nazi who goes around turning off all unnecessary lighting. (Thanks, Ron!) The presentation describes a summary of our electricity-saving quest and the spreadsheet shows our potential savings of over $2,000. If all schools in LPSD are saving as much as we are, this equates to $2,500 in our student account at the end of the year. Woohoo!!

The 9th and 10th graders helped with the recording for the gym lights and of course the next day we made a math lesson out of our data. I noticed that 10th grade is the ceiling for cool school involvement, so I'll be presenting the slide show to the junior high group. We are still practicing good energy saving practices, but last week our efforts were to no avail when the dental staff stayed for the whole week! Good thing we saved so much already.

Article Summary #3

Tools for the Mind
by Mary Burns

Overview
The impact of technology on student learning is a widely debated topic. The author argues in favor of using computers for higher level thinking skills instead of lower level applications. Eureka moments are few and far between. Computer programs designed for analytical thinking are either not used at all or used in a way that does not challenge the student. Professional development should focus on teacher training that includes analytical application of software with a focus on core areas of teaching.

Reference Points
1. PowerPoint works for younger students, but at middle and high school levels it does not encourage deep thinking.
2. Too many students use information on the internet without questioning the source and accuracy.
3. Spreadsheets and databases can challenge a students' higher order thinking, but are generally used for show and tell.
4. Computer programs such as GIS, computer-aided design and simulation programs are rarely used but a rich resource for higher level thinking.
5. Educators are rarely trained in applications that promote analytical thinking.
6. Two strategies for change include (a) teaching critical thinking skills before technology and (b) professional development focusing on curriculum, instruction and assessment.

Reflection
The theme of the article that struck me the most was the need for teachers to have the proper training to pass on the higher order thinking skills that technology offers. I feel like this problem is already starting to plague me; I want to use data and manipulate spreadsheets in math class, but I lack the knowledge and confidence to do so. GIS applications are particularly intriguing to me, but I haven't a clue where to begin. As the article suggests, PowerPoint requires low order thinking appropriate at an elementary level and I cringe when high school or college assignments involve a PP presentation. As an educator, how can I move my students to think beyond the copy-paste-present mode to a level of creativity resulting from analytical and critical investigation?

Article Summary #2

The Educator's Guide to the Read/Write Web
by Will Richardson

Overview
The author suggests that with the advent of web publishing tools, educators must be willing to adapt their curriculum and lessons to accommodate the "Read/Write Web." Literacy is no longer a matter of reading and writing in the traditional sense. Those skills are certainly necessary but students must also be able to filter through the flood of unedited material they find on the web. Educators must be willing to step aside and let the students use the wealth of resources on the internet. Students have access to scientists, researchers and other content area professionals. The author goes on to warn that educators must monitor use and teach students how to use the new tools to their advantage.

Reference Points
1. Blogs allow students and teachers to create an online diary, communicate with other students worldwide and present an interactive portfolio of their work.
2. Wikis offer collaborative resources and links to course curriculum.
3. Podcasting gives students the chance to share audio clips of museum tours, interviews, classroom news and more.
4. Web publishing skills are a must for both teacher and student.
5. Teachers must be aware of and embrace their shifting role as the Read/Write Web offers expertise and ideas from around the world.
6. The benefits of using the Web outweigh the manageable risks.

Reflection
I agree with much of the author's ideas about letting students publish their work online. Knowing their work could be read by students or teachers on the other side of the globe is an incentive to do better.

However, the situation at the school I am in now is quite different. Many times students are not allowed to use the computer because they have not completed two standards. The author's comments on the risks of using these tools is very real for us. When the students get to the computer they have a hard time focusing on what they are supposed to do and get lost in cyberspace. This would be ok, except that they are so far behind and a little wasted time every day equates to graduation when they are 21. So, the bottom line becomes getting standards and levels passed in order to graduate when they are eighteen.

In a different school, I would love to try the author's suggestions. The internet has so much to offer and secondary generalists need quality resources and content-area experts. The idea of finding scientists or researchers who would be willing to guide a student's study sounds extremely appealing. Maybe I'll try next year.

Energy Conservation Plan

Lake and Peninsula School District has given each school in the district an incentive to reduce electricity usage. My plan is to see how much our school saves by turning off the gym lights when they are not in use. I will leave them operating normally for one full week, then turn them off in the morning when no one uses the gym, and find the difference.

Since the district as a whole must save 5% for any of us to get money, I would also like the students to create a blog and make sure the other schools have access and can post what they are doing to save electricity. Our students here are really into it, mostly because they like working in the dark, so hopefully students from other schools are already doing their part. The student involvement idea might be scrapped but I'd like to try. I'll let you know how it goes.

Nondalton's Technology Culture

I lucked out with the timing of this project. The week I was collecting most of my data for my report happened to be the week we got new computers installed. I was able to pick the brains of the District Technology Coordinator and his assistant at length. While researching, it was discovered that the students and parents had not signed the computer use agreement. Since then, the students have read through the document as a class and have gotten the proper signatures.

The Technology Standards set in place are quite comprehensive. In Levels 5, 6 and 7 the students find the standards challenging because most of them do not have the luxury of playing around on computers at home. Most every student enjoys computer work, though, and we use the lure of extra computer time as an incentive for students to work on their standards. I have found that I need to work on the standards as well. What are the basic principles of a Local Area Network and a Wide Area Network, anyway? (Level 6, standard 2)

Article Summary #1

Overview
In the article, Listen to the Natives, Marc Prensky encourages educators across the country to step out of their comfort zone, abandon the old ideas of content oriented teaching and let the "digital natives" learn from the technology they are so adept at using. He argues for the inclusion of modern technology in every level of learning, pointing out that other countries are already using cellular phones as learning tools while we are banning them in public schools. Prensky goes on to say that effective teaching must include collaboration with the students since they have a stronger grasp on current technology. Doing so would give flexibility and adaptivity to instruction, thereby capitalizing on every student's individual needs.

Quick Reference Points
1. Students generally have a far better understanding of current technological advances than do their teachers.
2. Letting students learn electronically would provide the engagement and motivation that is lacking in present day schools.
3. Since computers, calculators, MP3 Players, camera phones and the like are extensions of a student's brain, evaluating them without these tools does not make much sense.
4. Programming is a key skill that most students already possess but should be allowed to have their knowledge expanded through a peer-led or expert taught class.
5. Most of the real learning happens after school, when students are allowed uninhibited access to technology.
6. Students are becoming more active consumers of their education and their voice is resoundingly clear - the old ways are unacceptable. A technology oriented classroom and curriculum is needed if students are to remain engaged within the confines of a school building.

Reflection
I found this article quite interesting and some valid points were made. However, teaching in rural Alaska, the meaning of native issues is quite different. Students out here would hardly refer to themselves as "digital natives." Most do not have computers at home, some do not have phones and, of course, there are no mobile phones. But their desire to use computers is obvious, even though they lack many of the skills mentioned in the article. I am glad for this, because even though I continue to be amazed at the innovations in technology, I still have a tendency to keep it at bay. One of the reasons I moved out here. I am the educator the author kept generally referring to. I do not think a computer can compensate for the human connection and I do not think that students should have unlimited access to anything they want. They would have a hard time integrating into the working world, where that is hardly the case. Much can be learned and accomplished using the tools of technology, but a balance must be in place between learning from people, books and nature and the new ways of technology.

Podcasting

Not so long ago, little more than a decade, I remember thinking that cell phones were for rich people and I would never own one. Ha! Now I’m watching videos on my MacBook (via wireless connection) of the major technological changes in store during the next couple of years, and…wow! I never cease to be amazed at what the human mind has accomplished and how much our society has changed because of these feats.

As a teacher, I am well aware that my students know as much or more than I do about technology and I must keep up, especially working in a standards based school where students are continually asking me how they can fulfill their technology standards. I have no choice but to stay ahead.

• Podcasting - To help answer the question of how podcasting will impact my classroom, I asked several students if they knew what it was. Blank stares. So I'm guessing podcasting won't have much of an impact out here. Until a teacher, administrator or the district decides it is something that might benefit the students, podcasting could be much farther in the future than 2015.

• Online News – Unlike podcasting, online news is already impacting my life and possibly my student’s lives. With no print version readily available and a limited, outdated library, we are constantly seeking online information sources. It’s a little scary, but exciting, to think that we could have personalized news. Perhaps in several years, the new technology standards will include the following: Creates personalized news site and posts links to relevant information on classroom blog.

Futuring - Student Videos

After two weeks in Nondalton, I am fully immersed in the Standards Based System. So my first thoughts after watching the videos and contemplating the assessment of Hannah and the students from the School Train are as follows:

• What am I assessing? Was this a technology, cultural or employability standard?
• At what level were these tasks completed? There is a big difference between level 6 and level 8.
• How much involvement did the students have in the video production?

Hannah – She did an awesome job memorizing and acting out her story. If she was nervous the camera didn’t pick it up. Her body motions and voice inflections were those of an experienced storyteller. Hannah displayed self-confidence and mature composure as she told her story. I’ll take a whole classroom of Hannahs. Proficient/Advanced

School Train – I found the music a bit distracting and had a hard time focusing on the content. (As did the bona fide older people that saw the show) The students understand the metaphor of school train, but do they understand metaphors in general? Was that the goal? I’m sure they had great fun making the video and by default, probably learned something. Proficient