rmliechty
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rmliechty
ParticipantThe tech tool you found most engaging or fun to use
One challenge you had while developing activities using the tech tools
A link or screenshot of an activity you developed using one of the tech toolsI used Blooket, Kahoot, and tried out Loom and Powtoon. My students really like Blooket, but for teaching purposes, I like using Kahoot because it allows me to see misunderstandings and address them right away, rather than waiting until the game is over. Loom and Powtoon looked interesting, but I found they did not seem to be as user friendly as other tools I have used. I used the AI feature on Powtoon, which generated a good script, and had a description of the slides, but when it played, it did not show any images on the slides. It would take some research to learn them, and it appears that one would have to pay to get the most use out of both Loom and Powtoon. It was not part of my 3-in-a-row, but I also tried out Formative. I think it has potential for real time feedback, which I really liked at a previous district that paid for the full version of Pear Deck.
ParticipantShare a link to or a screenshot of your digital home base, briefly explaining what resources you included and why. Your post should include:
A link or screenshot of your digital home base
A description of at least two resources you included
An explanation of how these resources help improve distance learning and student successI created a Google Classroom page at the following link:
https://sites.google.com/d/1eWJLyhxYrySkZa4cIv4XK14oFpFjjhXr/p/1nyx2hD1Ghy8xZsVejqJ9SjQl6S8Pk69D/edit?pli=1I include a links (not live at the moment) to daily warm-ups related to the current content, as well as access to the class schedule, assignments, and resources (websites, videos, notes, articles) that will help with understanding content. These resources can improve distance learning by helping my students stay up to date with our schedule and will give them multiple ways to access content. They can choose which options work best for their personal learning style.
ParticipantA description of what you find most challenging about online teaching
A possible solution to your challenge, using a tool, tip, or strategy you learned
A link to the tool, if applicable
An explanation of how this tool, tip, or strategy can help you improve your experience as an online teacherI have not actually taught digitally yet, so I’m going to discuss what I imagine would be a challenge for me. I think that I would find myself spending a lot of time answering emails and responding to student questions. So often, even in the classroom, after I’ve given what I feel like are concise and straightforward instructions, I find myself spending much of the class repeating instructions to students. In person, that time is limited to the 55 or so minutes I have in class, but with digital instruction, I can see that those questions could take up so much more time. I like the idea of establishing office hours and providing a list of FAQ’s. Then I could direct students there, and if their question still isn’t answered, they can join speak with me during office hours. This would encourage students to take responsibility to find their own solutions, and then come to me if they still have questions. This mindset could probably help me in my in-person classroom as well.
ParticipantA description of a specific organizational tool or tip that you use
An example of how you’ve integrated this tool or tip in your own teaching workflow
A link to the tool, if applicable
An explanation of how this tip can help improve instructional or student outcomesI have my email organized into several different folders. Among others, I have a folder for email to and from parents, a folder for technology tips and information, and a folder for curriculum resources. If I am planning a lesson and want some new ideas, I go to my “biology resources” folder and there is usually something there that I came across previously and stored there so that it wouldn’t get lost in my inbox.
ParticipantI think your “end game” goal is so important to remember every day. It is easy for me get caught up in the stress of lesson planning and everything that goes along with being a teacher, that I sometimes forget that my ultimate goal is not just to teach science, but to help students learn how to learn.
ParticipantHow will you prioritize relationship building?
Like many teachers, I start the year with a questionnaire to learn about my new students. I intersperse those questions with a science assignment to set a foundation of learning while I get to know them. I keep these questionnaires and refer to them throughout the year as I get to know my students better. I find that maintaining an overall pleasant demeanor and a healthy sense of humor helps a lot with relationships. I also value student feedback and make an effort to let them know if I am changing something because one of my students had a good idea.How will you establish a positive learning community?
I try to establish a positive learning community by setting expectations for a culture of respect. I also think that having a solid classroom management plan and enforcing it fairly will help students feel secure and respected. I admit that I struggle with consequences for bad behavior in high school. I would certainly like something other than assigning detention, so any ideas on how to hold high school students accountable would be appreciated! That being said, having good relationships, as discussed above, definitely helps with classroom management.How will you bring your curriculum to life for your students?
I am looking at how to bring storytelling into my curriculum. I am also always looking for ways that students can apply science lessons to real life and to help them see how what we are learning affects our lives and community.How do your assessment and grading practices align with your vision for learner engagement?
I value mastery more than completion, so I allow resubmission of assignments, as well as test corrections. This is all in the hope that students will learn from their mistakes.ParticipantI have found that, due to different learning styles, sometimes my students are better able to help their peers than I am!
ParticipantHow might utilizing a peer feedback routine increase student engagement?
I don’t feel like I do a lot in biology that would facilitate peer feedback in the same way it might in an class like language arts, but one thing that I’ve been thinking about as I have gone through this lesson is using a strategy I’ve heard about where you have “experts” in the class. These would be students who have gained an understanding of the topic, and they can be called on to help other students. This could be tied into feedback by having students check their work with a key, and then the teacher and those students who understand it can work with other students to correct misunderstandings. Some students might be more comfortable discussing with a classmate and seeing that their peers can understand could give them more confidence that they can also learn the material.What is the connection between feedback and student agency in learning?
Students can choose to use feedback to improve. Recognizing misunderstanding and doing the work to correct it is a great way to learn.ParticipantI explored Formative. I like the possibility of assessing prior knowledge, as well as understanding of new content, in real time and the possibility of being able to give feedback quickly. It seems like there are a lot of possibilities for different assessments and data collection with Formative. It was a little overwhelming looking at it initially, but I can see that I could use it for students to practice new content and get immediate feedback.
ParticipantI used Pear Deck at my former school district and I really liked the ability to see student understanding in real time. My former district paid for a subscription. I have not had much success with the free version.
ParticipantAn activity that my students always enjoy is to write three things about themselves on a sticky note. The first is something that about them that they think is also true for every other student in the classroom. A common one is “We are all in Ms. L’s bio class.” The 2nd is something about themselves that they think is also true of some others in the class. For example, I have brown hair. The third is something that is true only for them, like “I have a scar above my left eye.” I start with them all standing, and after reading each statement, have only the people that it applies to remain standing. After the 3rd statement, there is usually only one person left standing, and then I can learn a bit more about them by asking something like, “How did you get the scar?” I read 3 or 4 sticky notes at the beginning of class every day until we have gotten through all of them, and my students almost always beg me not to stop after just three, or, if I forget to start class out that way, they are quick to remind me.
ParticipantThis is a great idea. I have certainly found that there are some students that, by the time they get to high school, are so ingrained in bad learning habits that it seems impossible to reach them, in spite of all my efforts. If they learn good habits early, they would be more likely to be interested in learning for learning’s sake.
ParticipantHow might you create new opportunities so that each student begins to actively drive their own learning?
This is a question that I am always asking myself. We actually had a discussion in one of my classes this week where the students shared some frustrations that they feel about school. This helped me to have a better idea of where they are coming from and what I can do to better support them. So, I think that one thing that I can do to create new opportunities for students to drive their own learning is to seek to understand what is hindering them, or causing them to feel disengaged. My students expressed that they were feeling overwhelmed, and rather then motivating them, this overwhelm was just leading them to feel discouraged and even less motivated. My students shared some ideas for things that I can change in my teaching that could help them, and they had some good ideas! I’ve been adjusting some things in ways that they recommended, which I hope is helping them to feel validated, and that they have a voice in the classroom. I think that if they can see that their concerns are heard, they will be more motivated to take responsibility for their learning.
What connections do you see between John Hattie’s advocacy for teacher learning communities and Amy Berry’s Engagement Continuum?
When working together teachers could share strategies or lesson ideas that have worked well for them and their students. If teachers are familiar with the engagement continuum, they are better able to recognize whether engagement is present or not, and share those ideas that increased engagement, or work with the PLC to find new strategies if engagement is not optimal.
What is the connection between collective teacher expertise and empowering active student engagement?
As teachers meet together, they can brainstorm strategies to increase engagement, and as student become more engaged, they become more successful. As they become more successful, they feel empowered and in control of their learning.
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