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!
Saturday, January 27, 2018
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
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
- 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"
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
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
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