Identity to Reflection - Identi-tree and the PLP

I loved the idea of the imagery of a tree to build a student identity

Starting with the roots that support and nourish the tree - fill the roots with phrases and words that make them unique

Habits of Work and Learning (HOWL) - self assessing character goals

Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan (WOOP)  - a way of self assessing a goal

PLP in the Elementary Classroom

PLP Template
- I didn't use this!
- I was focusing on reflections and not as much a formalized PLP plan

Started with All About Me projects
- Multiple forms of presenting this

Goal Creation
- was not a new activity but there hadn't been the reflection part
- What are you good at?
- What is challenging for you?
- Academic and Personal goals

Reflection
- Proud moments and Epic Fails
- Designed some questions and sentence starters - was still challenging for this age group

Student led Conferences
- Using their sites as a guide for the conference
- Fall is goal sharing
- Spring is progress, reflection and evidence on those goals

There is a need to teach Reflection skills specifically!

Reducing the number of goals and the frequency of which they set new ones is a key

Self-direction and independence is the direction to head and that will bring about engagement!

Flexible Pathways in the Writer's Workshop

This interested me because I teach writing using Lucy Calkins. 

They noticed "teachers were working harder than the writers" and needed to move the responsibility back on to the students

Allowing students to self choose their persuasive pieces is giving more ownership.  What really impressed me was how the letters students write are actually mailed to their targeted audience!

How do we help students engage in the revision process?
- use shorter pieces and self generated topics
- "don't get too attached to your pieces!"

Hoping to see a change in student mindset around writing as Lucy get's implemented in elementary grades

What Do YOU Want to Know?

Pre Assessing the interest of students and the knowledge they have
- found lots of interest but not a lot of in depth knowledge

Survey to get at their common interests and how they like to work

Survey to assess the areas that wanted to work on, including content and work habits

Survey to assess the types of projects that they wanted to make
- not much interest in writing...

Needed to address student sense of identity to prepare them for going beyond their current world
- history of the town can help broaden their sense of self

Personalization in a 6th grade math class

Giving more voice, choice and personalization

How did this impact motivation and learning?

Surveyed students who would be coming into 6th grade
"I was looking for less talking and more hands on"
"I was looking to be able to work at my own pace"
"I was one of the smartest in my class and would get quickly bored"
"I hated blah, blah days.  Spacing out and not listening"

How does this work when you have a program to implement?

Homework
Offers self selected options as well as an assignment for students who don't want to have to choose

Reflection on Work Habits - self reflect using a rubric and a written question section
Perhaps useful before student led conferences

How do you motivate students to work and keep pace when it's self directed?
These seem like self directed students
"I want to work with a partner so I had to keep moving"
"I don't need motivation because I want to do the work I'm choosing"

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

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?