Connectedness, Belonging, Relevance, Autonomy
Circle of Power Model
Structure vs less structure
- big difference between 5-6 and 7-8
Student Voice
- student created agendas
How do we involve students in the work of Social Emotional Learning?
Sounds like all teachers are advisors...
Showing posts with label Reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reflection. Show all posts
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Creating Community Through Advisory - Session 3
Advisories with 8-12 students!
- how can we do this?
Structure
- A song to get people settled
- Greeting
- Share
- Activity
Student led advisory!!
Advisory vs Core
-
- how can we do this?
Structure
- A song to get people settled
- Greeting
- Share
- Activity
Student led advisory!!
Advisory vs Core
-
Redesigning Student PLPs - Session 2
Need to allow students more time to explore who they are before asked what their Hopes and Dreams are and what their goals are
Protean app for phones!
- giving students more positive ways to use their devices
Students wanted more activities and games
Students asked for HELP...how do we make that happen?
- What is expected?
- More personalization
- Less pressure and rules about how to do it
How have you made it more integrated?
- Can they work on this in Advisory? Can this be a work time?
Protean app for phones!
- giving students more positive ways to use their devices
Students wanted more activities and games
Students asked for HELP...how do we make that happen?
- What is expected?
- More personalization
- Less pressure and rules about how to do it
How have you made it more integrated?
- Can they work on this in Advisory? Can this be a work time?
Swift Sustainability Project - Session 1
Student Led is a messy process!
How will students have voice?
- this theme is so important in the middle grades for buy in and authentic work
Making time - it's not an option to try and fit it in
Embed this project throughout the curriculum!
- this must be a challenge when there are so many top down expectations regarding curriculum
- there is a dedicated work time but they try and connect across the content areas
Students are making connections to the Global Goals on there own in other classes!
Making the Sustainable Goals the priority
How has this impacted you as teachers?
- feels like the projects are making a difference in student thinking and engagement
Grumblings?
- It's new enough that students are buying in
- Important to revisit the reason for this project to reinvigorate students
Successes?
- Some students are realizing changes that need to be made in the school due to this work
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Workshop 6 - Assessment Shifts
Module
Formative Assessment is the key...
Assessment
- are we allowing for choice in the assessment?
- are we allowing for multiple opportunities?
- Learners need to monitor their own progress
Nearpod - both teacher and student led activities
When we ask students to be in charge of their reflections they need to know why! Not just a collection of work for collection sake
How do we keep students moving forward?
- Digital Playlists
- academic choices for students
Where is the best place to begin that would have the biggest return?
Formative Assessment is the key...
Assessment
- are we allowing for choice in the assessment?
- are we allowing for multiple opportunities?
- Learners need to monitor their own progress
Nearpod - both teacher and student led activities
When we ask students to be in charge of their reflections they need to know why! Not just a collection of work for collection sake
How do we keep students moving forward?
- Digital Playlists
- academic choices for students
Where is the best place to begin that would have the biggest return?
Workshop 5 - Teaching with Proficiencies
Module
How do we define it?
- standards based
- instruction and assessment
- targeted
- multiple opportunities to engage
What is the one place to start?
- formative assessments and reteaching after summatives
Video from Folklife Center
-
The power in this is the chance to be transparent. No secrets, revision opportunities are essential
Bill Rich - Red House Learning - Learning Scales
* The creation of posters around the 4 main parts of PBL was most helpful. It put the ideas that could seem abstract in a more realistic place because teachers were adding their ideas of what they see in the classroom.
How do we define it?
- standards based
- instruction and assessment
- targeted
- multiple opportunities to engage
What is the one place to start?
- formative assessments and reteaching after summatives
Video from Folklife Center
-
The power in this is the chance to be transparent. No secrets, revision opportunities are essential
Bill Rich - Red House Learning - Learning Scales
* The creation of posters around the 4 main parts of PBL was most helpful. It put the ideas that could seem abstract in a more realistic place because teachers were adding their ideas of what they see in the classroom.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Workshop 4 - Flexible Pathways
Module
Self advocacy...required for a student to be able to create a path
Transferable Skills
Equity
- do all students have the opportunity?
- flexible pathways should not be limited to extension activities
We must prepare them for the opportunities at the secondary level
Structures
- PLP exploration - My Next Move
- Geography section - mapping places they have been in the curriculum and where they have been or would like to go
- Digital Citizenship - managing their time on line
- equity issues need to be considered here as well
- Curriculum Development
- multiple pieces of evidence opportunities needed
Inviting community partners in and ask them to talk about how they got to that job - teaching pathways
- this is a nice twist on having "experts" into the classroom
The biggest takeaway for me was the idea of equity...keeping that in mind at all times so that students have equal chances at learning and the expression of it.
Self advocacy...required for a student to be able to create a path
Transferable Skills
Equity
- do all students have the opportunity?
- flexible pathways should not be limited to extension activities
We must prepare them for the opportunities at the secondary level
Structures
- PLP exploration - My Next Move
- Geography section - mapping places they have been in the curriculum and where they have been or would like to go
- Digital Citizenship - managing their time on line
- equity issues need to be considered here as well
- Curriculum Development
- multiple pieces of evidence opportunities needed
Inviting community partners in and ask them to talk about how they got to that job - teaching pathways
- this is a nice twist on having "experts" into the classroom
The biggest takeaway for me was the idea of equity...keeping that in mind at all times so that students have equal chances at learning and the expression of it.
Workshop 3 - Students as Partners
Students as Partners Module from MGI
Rachel's Module
The Continuum of Voice
- It's not about judging our location on it...we should be at different places at different times depending upon what our goals and needs are
More references from Bray and McCloskey
Do we even want our experiences to be all learner driven? Again, we are in two places at a time, working on training our students to be independent designers
Video - Role of students in personalized learning
- metacognition
- how can I improve?
- they know where they are and how to plan next steps
- consulting with teachers
- pacing
Negotiated Curriculum
- I need to remember this when designing ways to get students more engaged in their PLP posts!
- Present a choice framework that includes non-negotiables, but then offering student choice for what they want to learn and how they will present what they know.
Rachel's Module
The Continuum of Voice
- It's not about judging our location on it...we should be at different places at different times depending upon what our goals and needs are
More references from Bray and McCloskey
Do we even want our experiences to be all learner driven? Again, we are in two places at a time, working on training our students to be independent designers
Video - Role of students in personalized learning
- metacognition
- how can I improve?
- they know where they are and how to plan next steps
- consulting with teachers
- pacing
Negotiated Curriculum
- I need to remember this when designing ways to get students more engaged in their PLP posts!
- Present a choice framework that includes non-negotiables, but then offering student choice for what they want to learn and how they will present what they know.
How Might Middle School Students Be Involved in Classroom Curriculum Planning?
Article focuses on the idea of giving students say in a structured way so they are more invested
Giving them choice in the product may be the easiest way to start
Students are driving for their own independence so let's give them some say and control
Asking students for their input makes them feel like their ideas are heard
Choice of Content is the easiest place to start? I'm not sure I agree with that...how will this happen with math content that is coming from the top down
How much talking am I doing as a teacher? I appreciated this question
Try out the idea of a Genius Hour/Passion Project/Personal Interest Project
Try out the idea of a Genius Hour/Passion Project/Personal Interest Project
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Workshop 1 Redefining Engagement
- What does engagement look, feel and sound like? For you and for your students?
We want to build persistence and perseverance
What is our definition?
- excitement
- confidence
- persistence
Phil Schlecty - link on today's workshop page
- intrinsic motivation
Strong, Silver and Robinson
- SCORE
strategic compliance vs engagement
- does the content stick with them in later opportunities
- project based - can they carry out a complex task
- students that naturally extend and personalize the task
- are they asking more questions than answering?
Engagement to Empowerment
John Spencer - blog and YouTube channel
AJ Juliani - blog
How do we design engaging experiences? See checklist in slides
Creation of our own Quipu beads
This "chalk talk" intro was great because it was "student" created. We were not told the definition, but got to create it from our own experiences.
We want to build persistence and perseverance
What is our definition?
- excitement
- confidence
- persistence
Phil Schlecty - link on today's workshop page
- intrinsic motivation
Strong, Silver and Robinson
- SCORE
strategic compliance vs engagement
- does the content stick with them in later opportunities
- project based - can they carry out a complex task
- students that naturally extend and personalize the task
- are they asking more questions than answering?
Engagement to Empowerment
John Spencer - blog and YouTube channel
AJ Juliani - blog
How do we design engaging experiences? See checklist in slides
Creation of our own Quipu beads
I was glad to see this idea come back from a few years ago. Here's the rationale behind them:
Green Fuzzy - I found it on the floor on the way up to the bin. Perfect. Engaging students is a squishy and inexact task.
Silver Flower - student input in their learning is like watching a flower bloom!
Silver Prism - There are many ways to engage students, and teachers need to have a variety of options for a variety of situations. It's not rolling the dice, but having a set menu of options.
Saturday, January 27, 2018
Table Talk Day 5
Questions asked of me...
What is my purpose for this work?
What strategies will be rolled out to the students? What is the pace and what is the language that I will roll it out?
Listen to your body - identify what you need
"I don't know" is an ok answer but I need a thumbs up or down
We are conditioned to not listen to our bodies
Ideas for instruction
- non-fiction articles to get at the science
- people study of those that use mindfulness for success
Headspace
What is my purpose for this work?
What strategies will be rolled out to the students? What is the pace and what is the language that I will roll it out?
Listen to your body - identify what you need
"I don't know" is an ok answer but I need a thumbs up or down
We are conditioned to not listen to our bodies
Ideas for instruction
- non-fiction articles to get at the science
- people study of those that use mindfulness for success
Headspace
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Negotiated Curriculum
I'm choosing to highlight this conversation that I had with a staff member because of this unique name put to a topic that is not entirely new. Providing students with some academic choice, especially around project based learning, is something that I have tried to do in my classroom for years. My understanding of this idea of negotiated curriculum is giving students say in where this mindfulness planning goes. At first I was explaining how I was going to provide the list of techniques for students to draw from for mindfulness times. I was asked about how I could include students' current wonderings and knowledge? How could they help drive what is taught based on what they know and express the need for?
This use of current student knowledge can be a connection to the diverse experiences that students bring to class from their families. What do families already do that could be used in class? What conversations and language do families have already in place that could be connected to the learning in class? How can family needs be connected to the planning for this work?
This use of current student knowledge can be a connection to the diverse experiences that students bring to class from their families. What do families already do that could be used in class? What conversations and language do families have already in place that could be connected to the learning in class? How can family needs be connected to the planning for this work?
Thursday, June 29, 2017
MGI 2017 Reflection Day 4
Day Four at the Institute
To quote the good ol' Grateful Dead, "Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right!" After the Team Meeting I found myself feeling like I had learned from talking and sharing with my partner. I realize I am quick to take on something, only to find myself at some point later falling short of my vision that I started with. Out of fear? Lack of commitment? Because I took on something else interesting? I stop before taking the new task to a higher level. How does that relate to this project this year? Last year I fell short of being able to present my project in January. Sure there were lots of factors...but how can I do things differently this year? With the project and with my personal life? No answers at this point. Is that realization enough as a starting point?
Another "getting shown the light" time happened soon after that "a ha" this morning. I started talking with a teacher who works in the same SU. We spent a good deal of time processing the year and talking about what went down in our respective schools, celebrations and challenges. Eventually the conversation turned to our project ideas, and when I mentioned mindfulness she lit up! She said she has been intentionally doing that for several years in her classroom. I began asking lots of questions and summarize here:
- Yoga For Classrooms - This card deck has a large number and variety of mindfulness meets yoga activities. She swears by it!
- How does she build this intentional practice in? Morning Meeting. After recess. I see it happening after our snack and movement break.
- Sounds like we had a similar year with the dispositions of our students. What to do with the disengaged? They can desk rest or do another quiet mindful task
- Mindfulness in her classroom can be doodling, drawing, writing. That was refreshing and helps me understand the importance I realized yesterday that I need to let the students design this curriculum with me!
- Are other students distracting you? Ignore them and remind the others that is why we are practicing this! To be able to focus amidst the distractions!
- Books for resources! - Taming Your Dragons and other anxiety and stress reduction books for children
1:15 Workshop
I decided I needed some hands on time in the Maker Space so I went to Lucie's workshop. I had to take my foot out of my mouth first after yesterday when I shared out that I hated Maker Space stuff. That was surely me showing off my discomfort with the idea of working with such tools. It also was evidence of my fear in that I have no idea how to incorporate something like this into my classroom. Luckily at my school we have a whole room with a teacher dedicated to this kind of enrichment. But I realize after this session that Maker Materials, like technology or science, needs to be integrated and not a stand alone event. Well, this is not in the near future for me perhaps, but I see the need to meet the variety of learners in my classroom. Students with a variety of interests and means of expression of their knowledge should have this access. Students come from a diversity of backgrounds and learn in countless ways, so giving them access to makes sense, it's now a question of where to start. Lucie advocated strongly for having the "Makey Makey" kits if you had to start someplace!
Afternoon Work Session
I found yet another sweet nook to work in. It was quiet for most of the time...I feel I made good progress on my Research Plan. I decided to leave the reading and rationale part for now and really hash out a calendar of implementation. I feel very different from previous years in that I feel I have so many ideas of lessons and tools to implement for this plan. I didn't want to put all of it in September for fear of overload. I made a conscious decision to use some newer resources and instruction earlier, and then include the resources that I have used in the past later in the semester. I decided to do that because if I force myself to do the instruction that is new to me first, I feel that I will be more accountable to my plan.
Take a look at the Research Plan
To quote the good ol' Grateful Dead, "Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right!" After the Team Meeting I found myself feeling like I had learned from talking and sharing with my partner. I realize I am quick to take on something, only to find myself at some point later falling short of my vision that I started with. Out of fear? Lack of commitment? Because I took on something else interesting? I stop before taking the new task to a higher level. How does that relate to this project this year? Last year I fell short of being able to present my project in January. Sure there were lots of factors...but how can I do things differently this year? With the project and with my personal life? No answers at this point. Is that realization enough as a starting point?
Another "getting shown the light" time happened soon after that "a ha" this morning. I started talking with a teacher who works in the same SU. We spent a good deal of time processing the year and talking about what went down in our respective schools, celebrations and challenges. Eventually the conversation turned to our project ideas, and when I mentioned mindfulness she lit up! She said she has been intentionally doing that for several years in her classroom. I began asking lots of questions and summarize here:
- Yoga For Classrooms - This card deck has a large number and variety of mindfulness meets yoga activities. She swears by it!
- How does she build this intentional practice in? Morning Meeting. After recess. I see it happening after our snack and movement break.
- Sounds like we had a similar year with the dispositions of our students. What to do with the disengaged? They can desk rest or do another quiet mindful task
- Mindfulness in her classroom can be doodling, drawing, writing. That was refreshing and helps me understand the importance I realized yesterday that I need to let the students design this curriculum with me!
- Are other students distracting you? Ignore them and remind the others that is why we are practicing this! To be able to focus amidst the distractions!
- Books for resources! - Taming Your Dragons and other anxiety and stress reduction books for children
1:15 Workshop
I decided I needed some hands on time in the Maker Space so I went to Lucie's workshop. I had to take my foot out of my mouth first after yesterday when I shared out that I hated Maker Space stuff. That was surely me showing off my discomfort with the idea of working with such tools. It also was evidence of my fear in that I have no idea how to incorporate something like this into my classroom. Luckily at my school we have a whole room with a teacher dedicated to this kind of enrichment. But I realize after this session that Maker Materials, like technology or science, needs to be integrated and not a stand alone event. Well, this is not in the near future for me perhaps, but I see the need to meet the variety of learners in my classroom. Students with a variety of interests and means of expression of their knowledge should have this access. Students come from a diversity of backgrounds and learn in countless ways, so giving them access to makes sense, it's now a question of where to start. Lucie advocated strongly for having the "Makey Makey" kits if you had to start someplace!
Afternoon Work Session
I found yet another sweet nook to work in. It was quiet for most of the time...I feel I made good progress on my Research Plan. I decided to leave the reading and rationale part for now and really hash out a calendar of implementation. I feel very different from previous years in that I feel I have so many ideas of lessons and tools to implement for this plan. I didn't want to put all of it in September for fear of overload. I made a conscious decision to use some newer resources and instruction earlier, and then include the resources that I have used in the past later in the semester. I decided to do that because if I force myself to do the instruction that is new to me first, I feel that I will be more accountable to my plan.
Take a look at the Research Plan
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
MGI 2017 Day 3
Starting to feel the pressure a bit of getting some serious reading done. Looking forward to more student consults as yesterday really gave me some ideas about implementation of mindfulness in the classroom. Here we go...
Morning Work Session
I'm glad to have bookmarked articles from a module that I wanted to read. I feel that they supported my thinking about why I wanted to go in this direction with my research. It feels more comfortable to have dabbled in this previous years, and encouraging to think that I am going to be more intentional about it this Fall. I have written several paragraphs of the rationale and need to move into the Mindfulness module soon...student conferring is first.
Student Conferring
Kind of a different session... I think I went in looking for some specific answers from the students and I didn't get it. I am thinking that was information enough in the end! I was hoping to hear what those students had been taught about mindfulness and what tools they had to use when the need arose. One student talked about guided sessions, while the others didn't have much to add. That leads me to think that perhaps they hadn't been taught. More justification for my plan...?
I found it interesting that the students did have something to add about what they wanted. Breathing times, music being played by the teacher, listening to music of their own choice, a break table with relaxing options.
Short Conversation with Pete
We planned time for a quick chat. Hadn't shared my plan with him yet. I shared the evolution of my plan from mindfulness and resiliency towards my current plan of intentional mindfulness. I have been thinking of doing lots of direct instruction of techniques hoping that it would help them create a menu of options for use as needed. He came at me with the idea of starting the "unit" by asking the students to generate questions that would ultimately lead THEM to designing their own set of tools. I made this visual:
Lunch
No, this is not about the food. The usual "Where do I sit" feeling hits right after I filled my plate. I headed to a familiar face from the Team and got to meet another person. That seems to be the theme here and what keeps me coming back. The unexpected conversations you have that help add clarity. This time it was not just for me, but for helping others find clarity. We got on the mindfulness theme and I shared my idea, and it was so interesting to hear what the others had to say. I am thinking of mindfulness for my age group as a way to bring the energy down. That is still engagement, right? One of the other people was taking the stance that mindfulness was to CREATE energy. To help students look deeper at themselves. In the end...that's kind of the same thing?
1:15 Workshop - Using Digital Media with Pete
mediatools.vt.weebly.com
Path of creation - give many roles
What are you trying to say...
Storyboard...
Media...
Music...
Creation...
Edit...
I tend to gravitate towards video workshops. I have done a bit in my classes. I have done more using digital tools for students to create screencast videos that explain learning. How will I include video making next year? Can I branch away from familiar tools and go towards full video? Could they be creating video about their mindfulness tools and practice?
Project Status
I'm feeling in a good place about my project. I have a concise question to research and I'm believing that there is a concrete space for it next year in my curriculum. My teammates are on board, and we have made time in our day for this explicit instruction. I have been wading through the brain research readings, adding them to my rationale. I need to get moving towards the mindfulness work, using both the module and the presentation that was shared with me today (Thanks Life). Here's a link to the project plan
Take a look if you wish...
Morning Work Session
I'm glad to have bookmarked articles from a module that I wanted to read. I feel that they supported my thinking about why I wanted to go in this direction with my research. It feels more comfortable to have dabbled in this previous years, and encouraging to think that I am going to be more intentional about it this Fall. I have written several paragraphs of the rationale and need to move into the Mindfulness module soon...student conferring is first.
Student Conferring
Kind of a different session... I think I went in looking for some specific answers from the students and I didn't get it. I am thinking that was information enough in the end! I was hoping to hear what those students had been taught about mindfulness and what tools they had to use when the need arose. One student talked about guided sessions, while the others didn't have much to add. That leads me to think that perhaps they hadn't been taught. More justification for my plan...?
I found it interesting that the students did have something to add about what they wanted. Breathing times, music being played by the teacher, listening to music of their own choice, a break table with relaxing options.
Short Conversation with Pete
We planned time for a quick chat. Hadn't shared my plan with him yet. I shared the evolution of my plan from mindfulness and resiliency towards my current plan of intentional mindfulness. I have been thinking of doing lots of direct instruction of techniques hoping that it would help them create a menu of options for use as needed. He came at me with the idea of starting the "unit" by asking the students to generate questions that would ultimately lead THEM to designing their own set of tools. I made this visual:
Lunch
No, this is not about the food. The usual "Where do I sit" feeling hits right after I filled my plate. I headed to a familiar face from the Team and got to meet another person. That seems to be the theme here and what keeps me coming back. The unexpected conversations you have that help add clarity. This time it was not just for me, but for helping others find clarity. We got on the mindfulness theme and I shared my idea, and it was so interesting to hear what the others had to say. I am thinking of mindfulness for my age group as a way to bring the energy down. That is still engagement, right? One of the other people was taking the stance that mindfulness was to CREATE energy. To help students look deeper at themselves. In the end...that's kind of the same thing?
1:15 Workshop - Using Digital Media with Pete
mediatools.vt.weebly.com
Path of creation - give many roles
What are you trying to say...
Storyboard...
Media...
Music...
Creation...
Edit...
I tend to gravitate towards video workshops. I have done a bit in my classes. I have done more using digital tools for students to create screencast videos that explain learning. How will I include video making next year? Can I branch away from familiar tools and go towards full video? Could they be creating video about their mindfulness tools and practice?
Project Status
I'm feeling in a good place about my project. I have a concise question to research and I'm believing that there is a concrete space for it next year in my curriculum. My teammates are on board, and we have made time in our day for this explicit instruction. I have been wading through the brain research readings, adding them to my rationale. I need to get moving towards the mindfulness work, using both the module and the presentation that was shared with me today (Thanks Life). Here's a link to the project plan
Take a look if you wish...
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
MGI 17 Day Two
Town Meeting/Team Meeting
As I continue day 2 of thinking about this mindfulness and resiliency idea, I am happy that my existing structure in my classroom includes Morning Meeting. I have a personal love of music, and I have enjoyed the way each morning starts with music. I need to do more music in my classroom. As I ease students into the idea that mindfulness is not meditation (why do kids feel the need to get in the meditation pose?), music seems like a great way to start the process.
Growth Mindset Post from last year - I'm including this so I have the notes on Growth Mindset but I still really want to identify and focus on the word Resiliency. Ok, so now at the end of the day this has changed. I have addressed this at the end of this post!
Student Chat
I met with 3 students, Tulasha, Skylar, and Cameron about how mindfulness and growth mindset happened in their schools. Some highlights:
Resources they mentioned: Second Step, Mind Yeti, Class Dojo - I have used Mind Yeti though my class was more fond of GoNoodle which has a mindfulness channel
Sitting or lying down for mindfulness was most common. Music was used in some of the cases. I joked about how my students seem to have to get in a meditation pose, and only one of them joked about it, the others said their classmates don't do that.
One student talked about the benefit of music during assessments - that seems like a good extension to cue relaxation.
I asked them if they felt that it helped them or if they had even been given surveys or done writing about it. They said they hadn't. That led me to telling them that I was going to have to do that, so what should I ask?
Does it help you stay focused? Relaxed? Sleepy? Calm?
I need to do some survey creation later this week
I asked them if they used Mindfulness strategies when they felt frustrated about work or friends. They said they did not.
I asked them what they knew about Growth Mindset. I got the response that I had been expecting since it is so commonly used in schools. They had the answers about it but not the interest and enthusiasm about it helping them through stuck points.
Sooo...does that support my idea of using resiliency? They didn't even know what it meant!
I think that connecting mindfulness strategies to their social and academic world would be a good next step since it seems they hadn't internalized that.
1:15 Strand Session - What Young Adolescents Need Most
Nancy started with having us recall specific memories from Middle School - all but one of us shared social interactions and social stressors
There is no such thing as a 12 year old...meaning the growth and development is so drastically different and incredibly asynchronous
The importance of building relationships
Article from Session - Listening to the voices of young adolescents
- don't single us out
- get to know how I learn and how I want to present what I know
- not ready to think of others and the greater community yet
- create trust and safety for us
- hands on learning
I feel that my work in Elementary School has me understanding this idea of meeting students where they are and building relationships very well. I take great pride in my ability to build relationships with children and their families and meet their individual needs. I realize there are big differences in where the students are developmentally, but I was struck by how the voices of the students in the article match what I strive to do in my class.
Closing Team Meeting
The Table Talk really helped me narrow my thinking for my Action Research. I was thinking big as I usually do when it comes to these things, and combining two big topics. I was thinking that I would teach mindfulness strategies in an effort to increase the "menu" of tools students could use to refocus. I was then thinking of connecting that to resiliency, in hopes that mindfulness activities could be used to help a student be more resilient. Thanks again, Life, for helping me narrow my focus to one topic that can be researched. I have now changed my question to be how mindfulness can improve student engagement. I hope to connect it to the Growth Mindset work I do, but it won't be included in the research.
As I continue day 2 of thinking about this mindfulness and resiliency idea, I am happy that my existing structure in my classroom includes Morning Meeting. I have a personal love of music, and I have enjoyed the way each morning starts with music. I need to do more music in my classroom. As I ease students into the idea that mindfulness is not meditation (why do kids feel the need to get in the meditation pose?), music seems like a great way to start the process.
Growth Mindset Post from last year - I'm including this so I have the notes on Growth Mindset but I still really want to identify and focus on the word Resiliency. Ok, so now at the end of the day this has changed. I have addressed this at the end of this post!
Student Chat
I met with 3 students, Tulasha, Skylar, and Cameron about how mindfulness and growth mindset happened in their schools. Some highlights:
Resources they mentioned: Second Step, Mind Yeti, Class Dojo - I have used Mind Yeti though my class was more fond of GoNoodle which has a mindfulness channel
Sitting or lying down for mindfulness was most common. Music was used in some of the cases. I joked about how my students seem to have to get in a meditation pose, and only one of them joked about it, the others said their classmates don't do that.
One student talked about the benefit of music during assessments - that seems like a good extension to cue relaxation.
I asked them if they felt that it helped them or if they had even been given surveys or done writing about it. They said they hadn't. That led me to telling them that I was going to have to do that, so what should I ask?
Does it help you stay focused? Relaxed? Sleepy? Calm?
I need to do some survey creation later this week
I asked them if they used Mindfulness strategies when they felt frustrated about work or friends. They said they did not.
I asked them what they knew about Growth Mindset. I got the response that I had been expecting since it is so commonly used in schools. They had the answers about it but not the interest and enthusiasm about it helping them through stuck points.
Sooo...does that support my idea of using resiliency? They didn't even know what it meant!
I think that connecting mindfulness strategies to their social and academic world would be a good next step since it seems they hadn't internalized that.
1:15 Strand Session - What Young Adolescents Need Most
Nancy started with having us recall specific memories from Middle School - all but one of us shared social interactions and social stressors
There is no such thing as a 12 year old...meaning the growth and development is so drastically different and incredibly asynchronous
The importance of building relationships
Article from Session - Listening to the voices of young adolescents
- don't single us out
- get to know how I learn and how I want to present what I know
- not ready to think of others and the greater community yet
- create trust and safety for us
- hands on learning
I feel that my work in Elementary School has me understanding this idea of meeting students where they are and building relationships very well. I take great pride in my ability to build relationships with children and their families and meet their individual needs. I realize there are big differences in where the students are developmentally, but I was struck by how the voices of the students in the article match what I strive to do in my class.
Closing Team Meeting
The Table Talk really helped me narrow my thinking for my Action Research. I was thinking big as I usually do when it comes to these things, and combining two big topics. I was thinking that I would teach mindfulness strategies in an effort to increase the "menu" of tools students could use to refocus. I was then thinking of connecting that to resiliency, in hopes that mindfulness activities could be used to help a student be more resilient. Thanks again, Life, for helping me narrow my focus to one topic that can be researched. I have now changed my question to be how mindfulness can improve student engagement. I hope to connect it to the Growth Mindset work I do, but it won't be included in the research.
Monday, June 26, 2017
MGI 17 Day 1
It's nice to be local this year, although it has a different feel than the "college-like" institutes of the previous years where I was staying in the dorms. It will be nice to have my own bed! I look forward to continuing the connections that have evolved over the past few years.
My strand this year is Nature and Needs of the Young Adolescent. I chose this one because of the Vision work we did as a evolving Team this spring. Having come out of a very difficult year with a large number of socially and emotionally needy students, I brought up to my teaching partners that we put in our Vision/Philosophy to explicitly teach movement, mindfulness, and resiliency strategies. So much of the work I did last school year was in managing that aspect of my students, even more than the academic content. I successfully brought intentional movement into the classroom, but bringing students down in preparation for learning proved more difficult. I tried a number of resources, some I learned about at the MGI share out in January, but with a lack of structure, plan and approach. I found that it is easy to get children moving, but how best to get them mentally and physically ready remains a challenge. I had a large number of students who were new to my classroom, which was different for me in a multi-age classroom. The amount of social anxiety was large, and these situations often interrupted learning. As a result of the challenging year I had, I have decided on this strand and want to focus on investigating the effect of intentional teaching of mindfulness and growth mindset on children's ability to move through uncomfortable learning situations, both socially and academically.
I started my thinking here at MGI by visiting the Brain Based Learning module and quickly found these articles:
Brain Science 1 - Tweens' brains are just that, in between with too little control over what they get to do in their lives. Teach them about brain science and give them some control!
Brain Science Article 2 - this was the article linked in the module but it quickly took me to the two others. This is the science. The vocabulary that identifies the regions and what they do.
Brain Science 3 - this article gives a number of interesting strategies for keeping the brains of students ready
I can see making a map of the brain and labeling...
I can see creating flowcharts that show the path of information - where could it go? Where do you want it to go?
I can see pushing the idea that the brain is malleable - like a car we can style it out! What will we make your brain look like?
This is not my first time getting into this concept, and I do look forward tomorrow to doing more reading and starting to hash out a timeline of how to teach this. Then next step is to find out more about how to build flexibility and resiliency.
My strand this year is Nature and Needs of the Young Adolescent. I chose this one because of the Vision work we did as a evolving Team this spring. Having come out of a very difficult year with a large number of socially and emotionally needy students, I brought up to my teaching partners that we put in our Vision/Philosophy to explicitly teach movement, mindfulness, and resiliency strategies. So much of the work I did last school year was in managing that aspect of my students, even more than the academic content. I successfully brought intentional movement into the classroom, but bringing students down in preparation for learning proved more difficult. I tried a number of resources, some I learned about at the MGI share out in January, but with a lack of structure, plan and approach. I found that it is easy to get children moving, but how best to get them mentally and physically ready remains a challenge. I had a large number of students who were new to my classroom, which was different for me in a multi-age classroom. The amount of social anxiety was large, and these situations often interrupted learning. As a result of the challenging year I had, I have decided on this strand and want to focus on investigating the effect of intentional teaching of mindfulness and growth mindset on children's ability to move through uncomfortable learning situations, both socially and academically.
I started my thinking here at MGI by visiting the Brain Based Learning module and quickly found these articles:
Brain Science 1 - Tweens' brains are just that, in between with too little control over what they get to do in their lives. Teach them about brain science and give them some control!
Brain Science Article 2 - this was the article linked in the module but it quickly took me to the two others. This is the science. The vocabulary that identifies the regions and what they do.
Brain Science 3 - this article gives a number of interesting strategies for keeping the brains of students ready
I can see making a map of the brain and labeling...
I can see creating flowcharts that show the path of information - where could it go? Where do you want it to go?
I can see pushing the idea that the brain is malleable - like a car we can style it out! What will we make your brain look like?
This is not my first time getting into this concept, and I do look forward tomorrow to doing more reading and starting to hash out a timeline of how to teach this. Then next step is to find out more about how to build flexibility and resiliency.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Mindfulness Matters - Winter MGI Conference Session 1
In an attempt to find something that may be immediately useful in my current teaching with my current class, I have passed over the PLP session and ended up here.
Secular Mindfulness - not attached to religion and religious practices?
Mind Full vs Mindful!
Mindful Schools - http://www.mindfulschools.org/
Create Space! Stop and Breathe!
Emotional Traffic Jam!
Calm.com
Students reported they liked the guided mindfulness better than self directed.
Do it a min or so at the end of each class to assist with the transition
Secular Mindfulness - not attached to religion and religious practices?
Mind Full vs Mindful!
Mindful Schools - http://www.mindfulschools.org/
Create Space! Stop and Breathe!
Emotional Traffic Jam!
Calm.com
Students reported they liked the guided mindfulness better than self directed.
Do it a min or so at the end of each class to assist with the transition
Monday, July 11, 2016
Reflective Memo
The Tale of Two Kinds of Goals
When thinking back upon MGI 2016, it seems to be the perfect storm of having to do a great deal of reflecting, and having focused my Action Research Project on reflection! I'd better walk the walk here and practice what I am going to be asking my students to do this year. When I say two kinds of goals, what I mean is that I approached the blog writing/formal post goals one way, in the academic way, but realize that I also had personal goals that did not get expressed or reflected upon in a post. So here it goes...
Academic Goals
I was much more confident about what to expect academically from MGI this year. Last year having been my first year, feeling out of place as an elementary teacher, and not having done the action research kind of work before, I was swimming in a place of discomfort. When the time came this year to write goals I though only of the academic part. Wasn't that why I was here? I jumped right into it with goals for my project, even written in the SMART format! Such a good student.
Here is the link to that first formal post:
Formal Post 1
I didn't change much about these goals over the course of the week. They seem to match what I hope to accomplish this year and I feel confident about the way they were written. The work towards those goals was the part that was pleasantly surprising as I look back on the week. "Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right", sings Jerry Garcia, and I think that I saw light that I did not expect to include in a discussion about my academic work.
The Quipu Beads
Clear = I'd like to think it was all clear as the week neared it's end, which it wasn't, but it seemed like a fitting bead to put. I had gained clarity on how to phrase my Action Research question and clean up my abstract. I did have an excellent conversation with Life about my idea and how to begin structuring my thinking about writing the meat of the work. What is the academic benefit of reflection? Are there more than one? What is significant about how students communicate their thinking. All of these were part of my thinking this day. Connecting with colleagues, just like connecting with students, really matters. That was some clarity.
Green = It's go time! That was an easy choice. I really enjoyed sharing the beads at the closure parts of each day because it forced me to face the fears of talking about something I had never made before. It forced me to talk about myself. Wow, it really is about where you end up and not where you started. It really is about the process of reflection, and maybe not so much about the specific content of what I am reflecting on.
Personal Learning
I have to include this part as MGI has been as much about taking personal risks for me as it is about academic work. Personal meets content. That's the beauty of teaching. It's super scary being in a place with such amazingly talented people. For the second straight year I found that the growth and risk taking in that area is directly connected with the work I will ask students to do. Walk the walk.
When thinking back upon MGI 2016, it seems to be the perfect storm of having to do a great deal of reflecting, and having focused my Action Research Project on reflection! I'd better walk the walk here and practice what I am going to be asking my students to do this year. When I say two kinds of goals, what I mean is that I approached the blog writing/formal post goals one way, in the academic way, but realize that I also had personal goals that did not get expressed or reflected upon in a post. So here it goes...
Academic Goals
I was much more confident about what to expect academically from MGI this year. Last year having been my first year, feeling out of place as an elementary teacher, and not having done the action research kind of work before, I was swimming in a place of discomfort. When the time came this year to write goals I though only of the academic part. Wasn't that why I was here? I jumped right into it with goals for my project, even written in the SMART format! Such a good student.
Here is the link to that first formal post:
Formal Post 1
I didn't change much about these goals over the course of the week. They seem to match what I hope to accomplish this year and I feel confident about the way they were written. The work towards those goals was the part that was pleasantly surprising as I look back on the week. "Once in a while you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right", sings Jerry Garcia, and I think that I saw light that I did not expect to include in a discussion about my academic work.
The Quipu Beads
I don't make jewelry or do much art. I'm a word kind of guy, especially in writing. I can get all twisted up when speaking at times, so I rely on written word. This Quipu bead task was unexpected and provided some anxiety. But I went with it, just like I would expect students to do. Each day adding a new set of beads provided some well needed breaks but also a chance to try and showcase what I was feeling in a different way. Professional readings about the multiliteracies was not something I thought much about during the week, yet here I was, forced to communicate in a different way. I think the symmetry of the beads is noteworthy as that is the kind of brain I think I have. Make a random collection of beads? No way. So what do the beads mean for my week?
Purple = wishing our new team name, Tenacious D, had something to do with Prince. It's the anchor of my Quipu though, just like my Team would prove to be. A place where new connections were made, old ones reestablished, and chances could be taken.
Blue stars = the multiple pathways I had learned about early on in the week. The 3 Pillars, PLPs, and student led goal setting. If I was going to focus on having students reflect on goals, I'd better embrace this fact they might not focus on what I wanted them to. Sitting with students and having them wish they had more say in their work, more time to make it their own, and more relevance to themselves. As I heard numerous times during the week, it's not where you start, it's where you finish. It's about the process of reflection, not simply what the goal is!
Silver = Lots of jumbled and bumpy significance. Multiple pathways are not clear cut, nor is the work going to be easy. I met with two students who came to talk about their PLP work with me. Here's the reflection post:
I was surprised by the lack of enthusiasm in the students and was fearing for my own teaching pitfall of starting something and not giving adequate time to do it correctly and well. So I found myself wanting to stick to my academic goals, yet feeling a bit unsure of how to go there. Which digital format do I use? Do I have students reflect on new goals each week? How much does the goal matter?
Pink = Cloudy yet round. Signified an evolving clarity in what I was thinking about at the end of this day. Abstract was written. My goals had not changed. What continued to change was my thinking about students and forming relationships with them. Now I think I am particularly good at the relationship with student part, at least on a personal level. Academic level? Hmmmmm...not so sure. Last year I did a lot of goal setting but it was rather directed from me. "Be the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage" said a professor of mine. Ok, but can I do that with goals? What if they pick something I don't feel is worthy?? See the second part of the reflective post:
Particularly the part where I was reminded to listen to your students, and don't be afraid to let them suggest changes in your practice. Many MGI staff helped me begin to see the significance in focusing on the reflection process, and not so much on my thoughts on the goal.Clear = I'd like to think it was all clear as the week neared it's end, which it wasn't, but it seemed like a fitting bead to put. I had gained clarity on how to phrase my Action Research question and clean up my abstract. I did have an excellent conversation with Life about my idea and how to begin structuring my thinking about writing the meat of the work. What is the academic benefit of reflection? Are there more than one? What is significant about how students communicate their thinking. All of these were part of my thinking this day. Connecting with colleagues, just like connecting with students, really matters. That was some clarity.
Green = It's go time! That was an easy choice. I really enjoyed sharing the beads at the closure parts of each day because it forced me to face the fears of talking about something I had never made before. It forced me to talk about myself. Wow, it really is about where you end up and not where you started. It really is about the process of reflection, and maybe not so much about the specific content of what I am reflecting on.
Personal Learning
I have to include this part as MGI has been as much about taking personal risks for me as it is about academic work. Personal meets content. That's the beauty of teaching. It's super scary being in a place with such amazingly talented people. For the second straight year I found that the growth and risk taking in that area is directly connected with the work I will ask students to do. Walk the walk.
Take a chance and walk through the door. If you don't take the chance, then you never can get the benefits of what is on the other side. This applies academically, from taking chances to meet with students and ask them about their work, to really listen to them as they make their next steps. It's also personal, like asking others to throw a frisbee or sing in front of a crowd. You never know, and getting past that door is the first part.
Sometimes you take a risk and you actually succeed! Put your best foot forward, be brave, be silly, work together, and you may just win even when you thought there wasn't much of a chance. In the classroom I can tell students that I tried, and I hope they will too. In the classroom I can have students just begin with one step, and then they are off and learning. Who knew how that scavenger hunt would turn out!? Who knows what students will realize if given the chance. Coffee and donuts may await!
Colleagueship. Yes, take time to listen to your students and take time to get to make those relationships. Making connections with colleagues is just as important. What you learn from others is as strong as what you can learn in class. Sometimes, though, you won't be feeling so successful and you will watch others shine. Others will always be better. It's ok to watch, but it may have been better to give it a go with what you have to offer. Again risk taking.
And sometimes what you have to offer can make you feel good. Bring yourself, your own set of skills, your own talents and participate. Do it your way but make sure it's your best effort.
Two kids of goals, academic and personal. I guess it shouldn't be surprising now that it's happened but the interconnected nature of this year's experience really is special. This blogging has been what I want it to be for my students as they dive into collecting evidence and reflecting on it. A natural place of individual expression of thinking and work. Let it evolve, let it represent you.
Friday, July 1, 2016
Formal Reflection #3
The biggest feeling of success that I feel as this year's institute wraps up is that I was more comfortable with the process of creating an Action Research Project. Last year I was a fish out of water, not sure how an elementary teacher fit in to this Institute. Writing a researchable question and abstract was a foreign task to me. So this time around I was more familiar with the process and it allowed for more time spent in other ways. I really enjoyed the connection making time and the time to talk more big picture. Not something that I usually do as a thinker. I also found that I had more mental space to make sense of what Middle Grades is. I look forward to continue to connect with people from the Institute digitally and in my own building on the PLP thinking and work that I have done and that they are doing. I look forward to sharing the work that my class does on their blogs around goal reflection with colleagues and other classrooms.
Abstract:
Abstract:
I will research how student reflection on goal setting improves with the use of structured digital tools and intentional instruction around evidence collection and reflection. Students will use personal blogs to record content and transferable skills goals, collect specific evidence on their goals, and reflect thoughtfully upon their learning progress. Students will collaborate with each other through their blogs and the commenting process as well as share work with a wider school and family audience. Student data will be collected using a variety of means to allow for a broader range of student expression and ensure access to the work for all students. Instruments will include student surveys, individual student interviews, and student work analysis.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Learning Plan Revision 2
Today is indeed Moving Day. It's been enjoyable to continue collaborating with colleagues, reading and meeting with students. It's been easy to create reflection blog posts and think big. So it's time to move on for sure, with the destination of the Action Plan in mind. Moving isn't easy, but it's all about modeling the risks we hope that our own students will take so here goes...
Research Question: Does student reflection on goal setting improve with the use of structured digital tools and intentional instruction on evidence collection and reflection language?
See the screen of my revised learning plan below for the abstract and follow this link for the post that will house my Action Plan. The screen shot only has the most recent changes and the addition of the title and abstract.
I think the parts of my day that had the greatest impact on my decision to pose the above abstract was meeting with another group of students and my interview with Mark from Tarrant. I know that I wanted to build upon my work with goal setting from last year and move further into working on student reflection. The conversations with students and seeing their PLP work really helped me understand that digital collection tools are an excellent way of showcasing and cataloging student work and thinking. They allow for personal creativity, style and content. I also learned that without intentional instruction on how to collect quality evidence, the time to do it, and allowing for the creativity and individual choices of students, buy in and interest in the PLP process will suffer. That has led me towards the idea of structured use of digital tools and intentional instruction and scheduling of PLP work.
The second part of my day that had a great impact was meeting for an interview with Mark from Tarrant about my previous work with goal setting and reflection. It was good to reflect! His questions helped me see the parts of what I did last year that worked well and how my approach changed over the year to goal setting. I realized that reflection work was not nearly as intentional as my work with goal setting. That further pushed me towards this idea of reflection work. I realized that through this conversation I had learned to listen to the children and work with their ideas. Be a guide, not the one pushing down ideas upon them. I need to take that approach to this reflection work, allowing students to follow their own path and process. They DO need intentional instruction and tools though.
So my biggest Ah-Ha from the week so far comes from a combination of work and conversations. Perhaps Don summed it up best after he was listening to me talk with students about their PLPs - Listen to your students! If we listen to them, then we can start to understand their needs. We can start to understand their interests. We can start to understand their process and how they can become excited and invested.
Research Question: Does student reflection on goal setting improve with the use of structured digital tools and intentional instruction on evidence collection and reflection language?
See the screen of my revised learning plan below for the abstract and follow this link for the post that will house my Action Plan. The screen shot only has the most recent changes and the addition of the title and abstract.
I think the parts of my day that had the greatest impact on my decision to pose the above abstract was meeting with another group of students and my interview with Mark from Tarrant. I know that I wanted to build upon my work with goal setting from last year and move further into working on student reflection. The conversations with students and seeing their PLP work really helped me understand that digital collection tools are an excellent way of showcasing and cataloging student work and thinking. They allow for personal creativity, style and content. I also learned that without intentional instruction on how to collect quality evidence, the time to do it, and allowing for the creativity and individual choices of students, buy in and interest in the PLP process will suffer. That has led me towards the idea of structured use of digital tools and intentional instruction and scheduling of PLP work.
The second part of my day that had a great impact was meeting for an interview with Mark from Tarrant about my previous work with goal setting and reflection. It was good to reflect! His questions helped me see the parts of what I did last year that worked well and how my approach changed over the year to goal setting. I realized that reflection work was not nearly as intentional as my work with goal setting. That further pushed me towards this idea of reflection work. I realized that through this conversation I had learned to listen to the children and work with their ideas. Be a guide, not the one pushing down ideas upon them. I need to take that approach to this reflection work, allowing students to follow their own path and process. They DO need intentional instruction and tools though.
So my biggest Ah-Ha from the week so far comes from a combination of work and conversations. Perhaps Don summed it up best after he was listening to me talk with students about their PLPs - Listen to your students! If we listen to them, then we can start to understand their needs. We can start to understand their interests. We can start to understand their process and how they can become excited and invested.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Learning Plan Revision 1
Today has been quite helpful in sharpening my focus on my goals and project. I had been thinking that the digital platform that I would use was important, and while it is, conversation with two students and Life has changed my thinking. My students are proficient and comfortable with Kidblog. Why create a new platform for my goals of improving student reflection and documentation? No need and that has refined my thinking.
So how have I refined the project idea? Last year I spent most of my time on goal setting and improving the quality of the goals using the SMART model. This proved to be effective. I was having students set a goal each Monday, then reflect upon it Friday. Then students had the chance to set a new goal the following Monday. While some kept the same goal, they were in the minority. The majority just moved on and set a new one. I now realize with conversation with the students and Life that I need to try something different. Extend the amount of time that students have to work on one goal. Give them the chance to reflect, confer with them each week, have them document, but continue to use that same goal the following weeks to truly have documentation of growth over time. Then have a culminating task for them to post and summarize their thinking over that longer period of time. What difference does that make in students' ability to think critically about their learning and evaluate their progress? I see this working well within the structure of my multi age class because half of my class will be comfortable with goal setting after the work last year
Strengths this week so far for me have been colleagueship and taking risks to do work/play that pushes comfort level. If teachers do not do this, then how can we ask children to? Taking chances to ask others to come talk about blogs and for help refining my goal ideas, discussing social media tools, and talking to students candidly were areas of professional work this week. Playing music and connecting socially have been examples of personal risk taking. All of this matters as I will be expecting my own students to take risks with their learning and facing fears - we as educators need to do this!
A question I have as I continue to refine my thinking is about student goal setting. Can I guide them towards specific areas of learning? Does that defeat the purpose of student directed learning? Can they still create their own learning goals within a particular content area? Perhaps it's one content area at a time?
My updated Learning Plan:
So how have I refined the project idea? Last year I spent most of my time on goal setting and improving the quality of the goals using the SMART model. This proved to be effective. I was having students set a goal each Monday, then reflect upon it Friday. Then students had the chance to set a new goal the following Monday. While some kept the same goal, they were in the minority. The majority just moved on and set a new one. I now realize with conversation with the students and Life that I need to try something different. Extend the amount of time that students have to work on one goal. Give them the chance to reflect, confer with them each week, have them document, but continue to use that same goal the following weeks to truly have documentation of growth over time. Then have a culminating task for them to post and summarize their thinking over that longer period of time. What difference does that make in students' ability to think critically about their learning and evaluate their progress? I see this working well within the structure of my multi age class because half of my class will be comfortable with goal setting after the work last year
Strengths this week so far for me have been colleagueship and taking risks to do work/play that pushes comfort level. If teachers do not do this, then how can we ask children to? Taking chances to ask others to come talk about blogs and for help refining my goal ideas, discussing social media tools, and talking to students candidly were areas of professional work this week. Playing music and connecting socially have been examples of personal risk taking. All of this matters as I will be expecting my own students to take risks with their learning and facing fears - we as educators need to do this!
A question I have as I continue to refine my thinking is about student goal setting. Can I guide them towards specific areas of learning? Does that defeat the purpose of student directed learning? Can they still create their own learning goals within a particular content area? Perhaps it's one content area at a time?
My updated Learning Plan:
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