Differentiation Via Technology

Differentiation is something that is vital in every classroom.  As educators, we are challenged with a wide variety of learners in our classrooms, which change each year.  We are always looking for ways to teach more effectively and meet the needs of each individual student.  When reviewing the articles for Voice Thread this week, it became apparent that it is an excellent tool to help students who were not eager to learn or have a distaste for school.  These articles led me to research in regards to using technology to differentiate instruction.  I found an article that lists multiple websites which can assist teachers in helping students of all learning abilities by engaging the students in new and creative ways.  The websites are broken up by subject area and each have a brief description listed.  I found this literature helpful in my continued search for new resources for my classroom.

Are there any sites that you recently learned about?  Do you use technology to differentiate instruction in the classroom?

Social Media In and For the Classroom

Social media can create a lot of controversy in any school.  Many administrators and even parents are reluctant for teachers to incorporate these types of websites into daily classroom assignments and routines.  Today posted an article that discusses social media within the classroom.  The article presents ideas and examples that show the positive aspects of social media- there are many interesting and convincing points in this piece.

Additionally, the article introduces the reader to a teacher's blog.  Her blog is full of great ideas that other teachers can tweak to fit their own classroom needs.  I can't tell you how many ideas I have gotten from Pinterest and Instagram- why can't we encourage our kids to use these sites as an outlet or creative place to find and alter ideas to serve their own specific purposes?

Benefits of Using Glogster

While googling Glogster I found a librarian's website which listed some benefits of using this learning tool.  Her site provides a detailed explanation of how Glogster can help students and teachers in a school setting.  The writer discusses increased literacy, implementation of standards, and engagement as some positive attributes.

As I continued my search I found Glogster's blog.  I think this is a great resource for finding ideas on how to creatively and effectively implement this site.  There is an impressive list of ideas that are very interesting- I have to say I would have never thought of many of them myself!  Isn't it always nice to see a group of people work together to build ideas for the learning and school communities around them?!

Banned Books

Our weekly readings really got me thinking about banned books.  I am appalled by how many books are deemed inappropriate for school.  I googled "banned books" and the results are endless.  Some of the justifications are ridiculous.  Additionally, it is discouraging to see how many people are okay with ignoring so many social issues that are displayed in these texts.  I found an article posted by the New York Public Library which details several books that are currently banned in a variety of locations.  The explanations are interesting.  It appears as though some people want children to believe we live in a society where nothing can go wrong.  We cannot discuss past failures or anything that can cause others to feel uncomfortable.  I think it is sad that the solution being presented is to shelter students from this material.  What happens when they discover that society has its ups and downs?  That the world is not always perfect?  That people experience hate and discrimination?  Though these are not things we must dwell on constantly, shouldn't they be aware that these things exist?  Are we properly preparing them for "the real world" if we are safeguarding their every move?  I do think there needs to be a common ground that is met and that many curriculum building decisions should be based on age, location, and "appropriateness," however I also think we can be shortchanging our students by pretending certain elements of our society don't exist.

Do you incorporate any frequently banned books in your classroom?  If so, how do you handle the challenging material at hand?

All About the Kids!

I just scanned some of my older posts and realized that my topics are turning into reflections.  Reflections of my week, how students respond, and my Pitt projects.  I like to have an outlet to step back and see what I accomplished and struggled with throughout the week.  Additionally, all of those things are a big part of my life right now!

That being said... I reflect.  I decided to incorporate my students into my podcast project.  I planned on completing my own podcast project on "Holes" as it is a book I love and currently teach in my 6th grade reading class.  However, we are working towards incorporating these technologies into our own classrooms- so why not give it a shot, right?!

I spoke with my principal to get the okay, sent permission slips home, and wrote a script.  Each day my students were getting more and more excited.  They wanted to know who got what part, what the script was like, etc.  This class is made up of 13 kids, there are several students with multiple diagnosis who need additional support, and they have been traditionally judged by other teachers in the school as being "difficult to teach".  I love them.  I see them once a day and their enthusiasm and energy is infectious.  They want to be in reading class and I love having them there.

When recording day arrived they couldn't contain themselves.  They were so excited and mature about the process.  I had them for three periods that day instead of one.  Is my podcast perfect? No.  Did everyone speak as well as they did during practices?  Absolutely not.  However, we all learned something from this experience.  I don't have the best podcast.  I probably would have a "better" project if I worked on my own, but I incorporated the tool in my room.  I took the commonality of school that I share with my students and created an experience for all of us to share.  Nothing beats the excitement of a child willing to learn.

Screencasting Experience Part 2

In my last post, I discussed my experience with screencasting for my Pitt class.  I also focused on how I could incorporate this resource into my classroom.  I decided to talk about this project with my students.  As I have said before, I am really open with my students and I think they like hearing about what is going on in my world.

On Monday, in English, we discussed what a screencast is and how it could be helpful for the students. I wanted ideas of topics, programs, etc. which they felt they would benefit in having a screencast example.  Would my students gain anything from me modeling formatting in Word?  What about Power Point?

As the discussion continued it was clear they didn't have a full understanding of what screencasting actually was.  They wanted to see my project!  I decided there was no harm in sharing.  As I was turning on my laptop and Smart Board I thought it was a good time to discuss the importance of audience.  We focus on audience a lot when thinking about writing.  The class came to an understanding that my screencast was developed for my professor and peers, rather than for my students.  I think this was a valuable discussion-- they finally saw a real life example of the importance of knowing and understanding your audience!

After watching the screencast their reactions were awesome!  They had several suggestions for topics they need help with when working at home.  I will produce screencasts focusing on these topics and post them on my school blog so they have the resources readily available.  Additionally, they begged to have their own projects based around screencasting.  I can't wait to continue to implement these new ideas into my curriculum!  I plan to have another follow up post with how the students react to screencasts made specifically for them!

Have you ever shared your work with students?  If so, how did they react?

Screencasting Experience

This week was my turn to complete a screencasting project for my grad school class.  I was a little anxious about this project.  As much as I love technology I am not the most tech savvy person out there!  I was amazed with Jing and how it is so user friendly and easily accessible.  Anyone can download Jing and start using the program within minutes.  After I completed my assignment I started thinking about ways I could incorporate this into my classroom, which led to a google search.  I found a blog entry that discusses one teacher's experience with screencasting.  She used Jing to leave directions for her students when she knew she would be out of school.  This method insured that the students and the substitute teacher had clear instructions.  So, what are other ways I can incorporate screencasting throughout the school year?

After reflecting these are some ideas I came up with:

• I like Terie's idea of leaving detailed instructions for a substitute and your students during planned absences
• Helping students navigate new websites- pointing out features that could be helpful
• Assisting students with common formatting issues such as outlining in Word, using PowerPoint, and graphing in Excel (all things my students are working on now)
• Modeling assignments
• Provide student feedback on work submitted online
• Differentiating instruction for students of all needs- educators can provide additional screencasting resources for students who may be in need of additional support

Additionally, I think Jing opens the opportunity to allow students to teach educators something, too!  Why not have students introduce new websites to the classroom/teacher?  Or have the student provide a summary of a research source via screencasting.  Lastly, they could explain their thoughts on a poem, short story, etc. while navigating the text.

The possibilities are endless!  I plan to make a few formatting tutorials for my students to introduce them to screencasting.  Once they are more comfortable, I plan on incorporating some type of student based project which will allow them to sit in the driver's seat!  I can't wait to see how they run with this type of creative freedom!

Modeling Multimodal Compositions

I am so intrigued by the creativity in our field.  Teachers consistently come up with unique and engaging lessons that leave the students wanting to learn more!  Additionally, the readings for this semester have provided many ideas which can be integrated into a variety of classroom settings.  In my last post I discussed trying some of these ideas (updates to follow!).  I started to think: other teachers are doing the same things we are doing, right?  Someone must be documenting this.  In a simple google search, this is what I found:  Documenting My Multimodal Creation.

This site was created by Jason, a teacher who is looking to integrate mutimodal compositions into his classroom.  Instead of jumping into the idea he decided to research and try a project on his own.  The site has a variety of sections in which you can see Jason modeling each step of the assignment, including a finished project that will be used as his example.

This is a great idea!  Instead of jumping in blindly, Jason educated himself and tried it out.  I am sure his successes and short comings will provide him with a great list of "tips and tricks" for his students.  Furthermore, Jason will be able to more effectively answer his students' questions.  This site is a great example of a teacher who is willing to go the extra mile to ensure he is providing exemplary education to his students, as well as staying current within his field.

Trying New Things

I have been very open with my students about graduate school.  They know that I am enrolled, how many classes I have left, and what my goals are.  I think it is important that they see I am working hard in school, too.  They will even ask me about classes!

That being said, I have told them to prepare to try new things with me.  If I am trying a new activity, I am open to telling them that I got an idea from class and want to give it a whirl.  The students are often excited that they are the first class to try something with me AND they are more understanding if it doesn't go smoothly.

A few weeks back Tim gave me a suggestion when seeking feedback from students.  I tried this activity with something small.  We had a bullying assembly and were supposed to talk to the students about it afterwards.  When we returned I had the students get into a large circle.  They had five minutes to write their honest opinions, reactions, and feedback about the assembly (while still remaining school appropriate and respectful).  One we were all done (I wrote one, also!), we crumpled the paper into loose balls and threw them into the center of the room.  Then each person, starting with me, got up and read someone else's response.  After the responses we had an open discussion.  The students LOVED it!  It was something different and there was less pressure because no one knew what responses belonged to what student.  I found that we had a very open, honest, and meaningful discussion.  Needless to say, I am frequently asked when we can throw paper in class again! :)

Now I am trying out evidence charts.  I have been teaching my research unit the same way for five years with a few minor changes.  I find that the examples, modeling, and practice really help my students understand each portion of the project.  However, I thought there was some very interesting discussion in our class and readings last week about sources and value.  I decided to carry that into my own classroom.  We discussed the value of Wikipedia and where/when it can be used appropriately.  I gave them a real life example of how I found Wikipedia useful in my own classroom.  My students were thrilled to hear they could use this site- it was more of an issue of time and place!  We had a rich discussion in regards to the value and validity of many different sources and they really seem to understand that it was a matter of appropriateness for each individual assignment or inquiry.

After our discussion, I explained what we would be doing with the evidence charts.  They were placed in pairs and given a broad research questions (How has Rachel Zoe impacted the fashion industry?  How has Michael Jackson influenced the music industry?  What type of impact has Mario Lemieux had on Pittsburgh? etc.).  The students then needed to come up with sub topics, which we discussed in class.  After, they needed to find two acceptable sources and two unacceptable sources.  By the end of day two in the computer lab almost every group was telling me they couldn't find unacceptable sources (they were not allowed to use Wikipedia as one).

This week we will move back and forth between direct instruction, modeling, practicing, and then working on the evidence charts.  So far the student seem to be enjoying this- they love working together and on the computers!  They are really excited about the upcoming gallery walk once the evidence charts are complete.  The 8th grade teacher even came to my room to ask what we were doing because the students were talking about it in her class!  I hope the enthusiasm sticks throughout the entire unit- I will keep you posted!

Technology: An Administrator's Response

I work in a very small school.  We have 9 full time teachers, 4 part time teachers, and about 150 students.  In this small setting I am lucky enough to have full conversations with my principal on a daily basis.  I know some teachers wouldn't necessarily see that as good fortune, but I do!  I really enjoy my principal.  She does a great job of staying current and wanting what is best for the students.  However, this week she took me by surprise.

My principal and I speak regularly about my grad school classes.  We discuss ways I can incorporate what I am learning into my own classroom.  She is always up for me trying new things and letting her know how they did or did not work for me.  This week I shared the Jing assignment we have in class.  Though I have not started my project yet, I think it is going to be a great tool for our school.  Many students struggle with formatting for Science Fair projects.  I think this would be a great way to model a raw date table through Excel or creating a Power Point presentation.  By utilizing this resource we can provide the students with a visual example which they can use at home.  She loved this idea!

Next I decided to tell her about Edmodo.  I have not had the time to fully dive into this site, however I am so intrigued.  I explained that I wanted to really look into Edmodo and hopefully incorporate parts of the website into my classes.  I even went into detail about how several classmates said their more reserved students are willing to express themselves in a greater way through this format.  She immediately handed me a printed out article, titled, "Digital Dementia".  She explained that we needed to create meaningful ways to include technology without over-incorporating such resources into the classroom.

At first, I was offended.  Seriously, there is absolutely no way we can over-incorporate considering we have next to NO technology in our school!  I took the article and went to my room.  The article sat on my desk, untouched, for the rest of the week.

Today, five days later, I have finally decided to read it.  In my opinion, the article displays a lot of bias.  However, there are some interesting points that are made.  Do I think that all students who have unlimited access to technology, at home and school, are going to be obese, have memory loss, or experience other health issues?  No.  Yet, I do find value on some restrictions.  As a child, I had a limit of TV time per day.  I had to carefully decide which shows were most important because once my time was up I was done for the day.  Some may say that is harsh.  I feel like the restrictions my parents placed have played a huge role as to why I am an avid reader, writer, runner, mover, etc.  There are times now,  even though I have no restrictions at this point in my life, that I won't turn on the TV for over a week or two at a time.  Am I disconnected?  I don't think so.

There is also an interesting part in the article that discusses the correlation between printing and literacy.  It discusses the amount of time (or lack there of in many situations) that is designated for printing in the classroom.

Though I think that article is extreme at times there are a few points that I found interesting.  After having a few days to decompress and think about my principal's message, I now have a different understanding.  I believe she was trying to get across the importance of meaningful connections between technology and our curriculum.  She doesn't want me to use a resource just because I find it interesting and it's available.  Rather, my principal want to ensure that there is real value in the incorporation of such resources.

Funding Technology

When I have discussions with other teachers regarding technology, especially limitations, it seems like funding is always an issue.  So many schools just don't have the resources to include state of the art technology in each classroom.  This week, a committee of teachers at my school sat down with our principal to discuss some ways we could improve the school at minimal cost.  Technology was at the top of our list.  We thought we could look for grants that may help add some necessary tools to our school.  The principal gave us the go and told us to begin researching.  Do you know how many resources are out there?!  Just googling "technology grants for schools" I found tons of programs, both government and privately led, that are in place to help assist with getting technology in the classroom.  While sifting through these sites an article from Scholastic.com popped up.  I opened it and found some very interesting ideas, which had never crossed my mind before.  The article not only provides other resources but gives you some ideas to step out of the box (which we are always encouraging our students to do!).  Though some points seem far fetched (like contacting Bill Gates), it makes you think, someone has possibly tried and succeeded.  Below is the link- maybe you will find something useful for your classroom or school!

Scholastic: http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3750588

Frank W. Baker: Media Literacy

This week's readings led us to Frank W. Baker's Medial Literacy Clearinghouse.  The time I spent sifting through this site sent me into a tailspin of thoughts, ideas, and questions.  There has to be even more information out there, right?  So, I went to youtube!  I looked to see if Frank Baker had a channel, and sure enough he did!  He did not have an excessive amount of videos, but enough to take up some time searching for more information.  I was really interested in the visual literacy demo.  Mr. Baker shows teachers how they can use visual literacy within their classrooms.  The video is particularly catching because he explains how effective this can be.  Students can rely on prior knowledge to begin analyzing the picture.  Then they do just that- analyze!  Additionally, this type of discussion leads to a higher order of thinking.  The discussion that can stem from a single picture could essentially lead an entire class lesson.  The visual representation can be the root of a lesson.  It is notable to see that a picture can create just as much, if not more, discussion and analysis as a piece of printed text.

What types of visuals have you used in your classes lately?  Does this spark ideas for upcoming lessons?  I plan to discuss the anniversary of September 11th using pictures, audio, and video materials.