543: Webinar-Introduction to bundling the NGSS

I participated in the webinar, Introduction to bundling the NGSS.  Essentially, the webinar discussed the reasons behind bundling the NGSS and different ways to do it.

The presenters explained that the standards are referred to as Performance Expectation.  The performance expectations are three-dimensional.  They are made up of: practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts.

Before, most teachers taught the standards one-by-one.  So why would they want to bundle them?  Three reasons: 1-students can show connections between connections between ideas, 2-facilitate phenomenon-driven ideas, and 3-save instructional time.

The presenters stressed that the NGSS document is not a curriculum and is a resource.  It is a living document and is not perfect.

There was not a lot of back-channeling, but there was a little bit going on on Twitter.

Here is the recorded webinar:

543: Webinar-Diverse Strategies for Communication with Dual Language Learners

I participated in a webinar by Jennifer Chen, Associate Professor of Early Childhood-Family Studies at Kean University in New Jersey. She discussed Dual Language Learners/English Language Learners.  These are learners who are learning two languages simultaneously or learning a second language while maintaining their home language.  ELLs lag behind other students academically, especially in reading and math.

Here are some of the strategies that were discussed in the webinar:

• Observer, engage, model, and use contextual clues
• Teacher modeling---this is SO important
• Assessing and incorporating DLLs linguistic and cultural knowledge
• Exposing DLLs to new vocabulary and language structures
• Communicating and teaching academic content through means other than language 
• Word walls and word banks
• Have more proficient peers partner with DLL in decontextualized activities
• Engage DLLs in readings and discussion
• Provide plenty of writing activities
• Model language use

I took a screen shot of some of the important slides that I wanted to include.

There were some great conversations going on, but it was very scattered.  I prefer Twitter much better for the back channeling.

543: Webinar- Maven: Read Write Explore

Tonight I participated in the webinars: Maven Read Write Explore.  This webinar was hosted by John Weis, and Educational Specialist for NASA.  Here is the link to the PowerPoint from the webinar:
Link to PowerPoint.  Mr. Weis first discussed the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN).

Then, Mr. Weis explains how this information can be used in the elementary classroom.  He gives a link to six lessons, books to read, and activities.  These lessons can be used for informational writing, sequencing, argumentation, compare and contrast, and more.  I really liked how the activities can be used to just complete a science unit or it can be implemented across the curriculum.
Here is a link for elementary lessons for Mars exploration.
Red Planet Read Write Explore

 I asked if they post MAVEN updates to Twitter and Mr. Weis said that they do to #askNASA.  Students can Tweet with this hashtag and get answers to questions.

543: Twitter Chat #21stedchat

I participated in the #21stedchat today.  The topic today was about questioning strategies and making discussions engaging.  There were a lot of great resources provided and many great statements to think about.  Here are the questions that we discussed and some of the great responses.

Q1a. How do you use discussion questions effectively in your classroom? How do you know it is effective?

• Allow students to share with a partner or small group before they share with the class
• Cooperative learning groups
• Students get tokens to "spend" when they want to talk so everyone can have their own time
• Set the parameters for the discussion so everyone feels they can be heard
• Variety of questions to keep the students engaged
• Need to give time for the actual discussion to develop

Q1b. WHO does the questioning you or your students?

• I model my thinking and questions, and then the students come up with questions
• Both should actively question to guide learning
• Best discussions are when the students lead the questions
• Ask questions that foster student questions

Q2. What strategies do you use to improve classroom discussion? Any books/resources that have helped you?

• Table texting, love reading their thoughts https://t.co/G5QUq6jnuA
• Collaboration strategies from Fischer and Frey:https://t.co/1tFkmkKIv1
• Book Questioning for Classroom Discussion: Purposeful Speaking, Engaged Listening, Deep Thinking https://t.co/GOLtlRaeM4
• https://t.co/TsUyv4odER , Building Better Conversations
• Classroom Disscusion Strategies

Q3. Why are classroom or group discussions important in a classroom? Is this something you grade or assess in your room?

• Yes, because communication is one of the 4C's, so it should be assessed, 
• It's important to feed off of each others thoughts and have positive feedback and debates.
• Listen in, but don't score it
• Students learn more from each other than they do from the teacher. This gives the teacher a chance to assess understanding
• Discussions allow students to share thoughts and practice social skills. Teacher as facilitator, using to guide future instruction
• They learn to work together and communicate well
• I use it to help guide my teaching, if they don't understand then I need to reevaluate a delivery

Q4a. How do you make sure ALL Ss participates in a discussion? Do discussions need to be whole group or can they be small group?

• Teach students the rules of discourse where they have to share and speak in small groups-preferably groups of 3
• Small group, partners, large group, triads, all combinations are important & necessary
• Prefer small groups. Give each a role or a goal or even a symbol & all have to be in pot by end showing all contributed

Q4b. How do you move discussions beyond the classroom?

• Twitter and Edmodo
• Google Classroom, Docs, and Slides
• Current events
• LMS Canvas; I have students respond to questions with articles linked; they reply to classmates; love it; especially the shy ones 
• Padlet is fun to use to share thoughts and ideas

Q5. What is a take-away that you had from tonight’s #21stedchat?

• Table texting and recapthat!
• There are so many tools to use to help my students communicate and collaborate with each other! 
• Communication is key!
• We all question, I model my thoughts aloud and they also question each other. Everyone is involved
• So important to be diligent that EVERYONE participates in discussions! Questioning strategies & tech work hand in hand!

543: Twitter Chat #Satchat

 I participated in the #satchat this morning.  The topic was about helping first year teachers.  I think this chat was very powerful and applied to all teachers, not just first year teachers.  This was especially interesting to me, because I am moving from teaching second grade in Wyoming to teaching fifth grade reading in Florida.  It will be like being a first year teacher all over again.  Here are the questions and answers from the chat.

Your First Year: How to Survive and Thrive as a New Teacher 

Q1: How can administrators support new teachers?

• Set them up with a mentor, provide PD, let them know it's ok to make mistakes, building relationships with new teachers, be visible and approachable, getting into the classroom and actually supporting the teacher in a non-threatening way.

Q2: What are some classroom management tips for first year teachers?

• Build relationships with your students, take the first 20 days to set your classroom routines and procedures, learn to set limits when it comes to extra duties, be clear about your expectations from students,engaging lessons engage students, over-planning is ok, contact parents with a positive phone call or note home in the first two weeks-then the dreaded behavior call is easier to make.

Q3: How can first year teachers prepare for and respond to discipline issues?

• Build relationships with students and set clear expectations, make positive phone calls home before a negative one is made, don't take conflicts personally, learn what needs to be address immediately and what can wait, pick your battles, have clear discipline rules, give specific feedback, students have a good sense of classrooms that are structured, have value, and prioritize relationships.

Q4: What are some lesson planning tips for first year teachers?

• It is better to plan too much than too little, plan your talking points and questions- 70% of unplanned questions have closed answers, it is ok to steal ideas and lessons from other teachers, let the students make some decisions about the learning, plan brain breaks, use music and movement, plan with your team, 

Q5: How can we help first year teachers use tweaks and resets?

• Remind new teachers that Rome was not built in a day, encourage them to reflect honestly every day, model for them how you reflect on what went well and what did not, make sure they do not feel ashamed when a reset is needed, discuss data and formative assessment with them, show them that a reteach is ok, show them that tweaks and resets are good for us all.

Q6: If you could give one piece of advice to first year teachers, what would it be?

• Never give up, be reflective, always try to be better than you were yesterday, take care of yourself, take time to disconnect, don't be afraid to say "no" when you are getting stretched too thin, you are having a positive impact even when you botch a lesson, get connected-form a PLN, ask for help, show your students when you make mistakes.

543: Curated Topic-Educational Technology

Educational Technology Scoop.it

I used Scoop.it to create my curated topic.  I chose educational technology.  I curated topics about using educational technology in the classroom, using it for professional development, and tips and resources for students and teachers.  It was actually a lot more fun that I anticipated it to be.  It was really neat being able to add my opinion to each of the articles or resources that I shared.  Let me know what you think.

543: Twitter Chat #Nt2t

I participated in the New Teachers to Twitter Chat session this morning.  It was very insightful and many of the members shared great resources for using Twitter.  We discussed six questions:

1. Why should I create a Twitter account for educational purposes?
• Following experts and subjects, to make connections, to give you a professional presence, create effective networks, and learning.
2. Why have a Twitter account if it's blocked in my school or district?
• Lever for eventually unblocking the site, finding resources at home, connections outside of school time, enhance digital comfort/literacy, grow and learn on own time, professional development on own time.
3.  What if my colleagues are unwilling/unsure to integrate Twitter in their classroom?
• Model, lead by example, your enthusiasm will show and they will become curious, give them a reason to envy your success, show them the value of using it, show colleagues how they can connect globally.
4. How can I use Twitter to mobilize students, teachers, and parents?
• Post student projects, seek feedback from other classes/experts, remind of homework, important dates, meetings, assignments, classroom Twitter accounts.
5. What are the benefits/risks of connecting with students on Twitter?
• Students being followed or tagged by someone posting something inappropriate, giving out personal/private information, unable to pre-approve tweets, loss of authority, teach netiquette/digital citizenship.
6. How can I use Twitter to maximize my learning and that of students?
• Great for networking, new ideas/resources, keeps you enthusiastic, collect specific information, model sharing resources for students, chats, skill building.

There were so many resources shared during the chat.  I made a Twitter folder and bookmarked so many! What a great chat to start the morning!

543: Digital Footprint Plan

Digital Footprint Plan - Created with Haiku Deck, presentation software that inspires

543: Twitter for Professional Development

The hashtags that I am following are: edtech, flippedlearning, edapps, elemchat, and Google.  #Edtech discusses technology that is used for education, #flippedlearning discusses a lot of ways to implement flipped learning in the classroom and different ways to get at the content you want.  #Edapps discusses a plethora of topics including apps and tools to use in the classroom, resources to create lessons, advocating for technology in the classroom, and much more.  #Elemchats are geared toward elementary teachers and classrooms and include topics ranging from student engagement to apps for primary students.  The last hashtag that I am following is #Google.  #Google has a wide variety of topics covered.  It had more than education resources, and also includes business and personal uses.

There are many things that I have learned from following these hashtags.  One is that there is a method for created flipped lessons called the Fizz technique.  This is a "low-barrier" method to creating video content.  I also learned different ways that students can use dry-erase tape in the classroom, including labels, check-ins, objectives, and daily schedules.  One last fact that I found out is that Google is releasing a new Al-powered assistant called Springboard and that there will be changes coming to Google Sites.  This is very exciting.

I think Twitter, especially Tweetdeck will be a very powerful tool for professional development.  You have access to so much information in such a short amount of time.  You can follow hashtags to personalize the kind of professional development that you want or need.  You can hear what the experts say and stay up-to-date with current events and trends.  Twitter is such an amazing tool, and my goal is to keep using it during the school year and not let it fade away once the school year starts again.

543: Creative Expression: Connectivism, CoPs, PLNs

Here is my creative expression of Connectivism, Personal Learning Networks, and Communities of Practice.  I used Glogster to make a collage of images that I think represent the three concepts. I tried to leave enough space to show that these are three separate concepts, but also allow them to flow together to show how they overlap.

I started in the upper left-hand corner with Connectivism.  According to Education 2020, Connectivism is a learning theory for a digital age, that takes place in a rapidly changing social world.  Learning takes place through connections within networks and transfer occurs by connecting to and adding nodes that grow personal networks. I tried to show this through the computer, phone, and hands making connections through digital means and flowing into the middle with the notes, lightbulb and idea.

Next, in the middle of my collage, I wanted to represent a Community of Practice.  A Community of Practice is not just an interest group.  "It involves a shared practice: ways of doing things that are shared to some significant extent among members" (Bates, 2014).  I tried to show this by using the brain, idea, and megaphone.  When someone is part of a Community of Practice, they don't just get an idea and sit on it. They share it with the community and it affects the community.  

This blends into the next part of the collage, in the lower left-hand corner.  The megaphone represents a Community of Practice sharing information and acting on it.  It also represent the collaboration of a Personal Learning Network.  This network can be the way that communities develop their long-term goals.  Tom Whitby states, "A PLN is a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with connected colleagues anywhere at any time.  Participating educators, worldwide, make requests and share resources."  I chose the picture of the world to represent the collaboration among educators that can be reached world-wide.  It breaks down the walls of only collaborating with individuals in your school or district.  This opens the eyes of educators everywhere.  In order to be an active participate in the CoP or PLN you must be connected.  I tried to make the second lightbulb close to both the Connectivism section of the collage and the PLN section to represent that even though they are all separate concepts, they flow and mesh together.

References:

Bates, T. (2014, October 1).  The role of communities of practice in a digital age.  In Online learning      and distance education resources.  Retrieved from http://www.tonybates.ca/2014/10/01/the-role-        of-communities-of-practice-in-a-digital-age/

Education 2020. (2016).  Connectivism.  retrieved June 6, 2016, from http://education-                               2020.wikispaces.com/Connectivism

Whitby, T. (2013, November 18).  Hod do I get a pln?. In Edutopia. Retrieved from                                   http://www.edutopia.org/blog/hos-do-i-get-a-pln-tom-whitby

543: Social Network Learning

I am excited about using these social networks in this class.  I already use Facebook daily, so it will be interesting to see how to also use it professionally.  I have used Twitter in the past, but I tend to ignore it after I am finished with a course that requires it.  I'm hoping that won't happen this time.  I have also used Diigo and Blogger before, so I am excited to learn new ways to utilize these resources.

In the past, I have used Twitter to share education or technology articles that I have found through Feedly.  I have also used it to follow experts and read their recommendations.
I have used Diigo to bookmark articles that I want to come back to later and read.  It is very helpful to use tags and groups to search for the article that you want.
I have used Blogger to reflect on assignments, create discussions among classmates, and present my findings.

I have not used social networking as an instructional strategy, yet.  I'm hoping that I will learn ways to implement it in my classroom.

My expectations for this class are to learn ways to implement social networking into my instructional strategies and also to learn how to better utilize it for professional development.