Kitch's Blog

How do we start a new year like this?

2010-01-03T16:39:00.005-07:00

As I sit an think about heading back to work tomorrow and students on Tuesday I wonder how to start this new semester. How do I help heal the hearts of so many students, parents, teachers and friends? How do I help to make sense out of something that makes none? How can I lend support to those hurting the most? And my answer... I can't.
When I was 16 and a junior in high school I lost one of my best friends. It was October 14th, 1991. It was Monday, the Monday after homecoming. I found out at 6:05 pm. And not a day has gone by that I don't think about Nikki. It seems so ironic that those brightest stars seems to burn out far too soon. I remember the hole I felt in my heart, the hole that is still there. The hole that still brings me to tears when I hear certain songs, see certain movies, and experience big mile stones in my life.
We still celebrate her birthday, every year! August 14th (1975) we come together and share stories, memories, dreams, tears, everything. I still email her family and share in their lives as they share in all of ours. And when we say goodbye to her family we give each other that look. You know that look. The one that says I am still hurting and thinking about her, I still talk to her when I am driving in the car alone, I still miss her all the time.

So, as I wish I had the words to help my students, the families, fellow teachers, the truth is all I have is my support, listening and sympathy to give. I wish I had more that I could do.

In 2011 it will be the 20th year of my friends passing and I cry as I write this as I miss her still. May all of you warriors find strength, love and support from one another.

I may be stuck in the 20th century!

2009-04-22T08:51:00.005-06:00

Vocabulary, Vocabulary, Vocabulary

A big part of learning a new language is simply expanding your vocabulary in the language. To successfully learn Spanish I think there are 2 huge components. Learning grammar (how to use verbs, adjectives, etc to put the language together) and learning vocabulary.

To teach vocabulary I go over word meaning, try to make word connections (like comparing the word to an English word, or Spanish word they already know, or making a fun rhyme or joke with the word: my favorite being cebolla = onion in Spanish so we say, "-say boy a- breath smells" to remember it :) Anyway, we also use pictures and do as many in class activities as possible to also practice the vocabulary.

However when it comes down to it, learning Spanish vocabulary is nothing more than memorizing new words to add to your working vocabulary. And this goes back to basic rote memorization! Although I feel like I have come a long way in 21st century: I use conjuguemos to practice vocabulary, wiki with recordings to do speaking assessments and listening activities, I use voicethread, blogging and live blogging :) But if students don't know the vocabulary they are unable to do well on any activity! And I feel like it all goes back to whether the students study the words to memorize them and make them part of their working Spanish knowledge. Am I still stuck in the 20th century or are they some things that must be learned the old way?

By the way, do they still make floppy disks? :)

What is riding on the CSAP scores?

2009-03-10T09:00:00.011-06:00

The stakes for CSAP seem to be increasing. As we, here at AHS, are in the middle of our CSAP testing I did a little reading to catch myself up to date with the CSAP stakes today. I was surprised at some of what I found!

1. School Report Cards (this one has been around)

- In August, all of the compalation of scores from each school are published and each Colorado school is given a report card. These report cards usually get posted in local papers and magazines. The report cards are used to communicate to the community (parents) about how each school ranks.

The scores include all students tested (non English speakers, special educaiton students and any student that transfered into the school after Oct. 1st)

- 2% of the 16,000 Colorado schools will fail and be given 3 years to better their performance or be taken over by the state.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20010726/ai_n9991242

2. Now, some legislation is built in with the promise of progress (to be measured by CSAP)

Jefferson County passed a mill levy with a “performance promise” based on the original state law requiring schools to improve CSAP scores “by 25% over three years”. Jeffco's first CSAP scores were so high that a 25% improvement would be beyond the maximum score. Later the law was rewritten to require “reasonable growth” of one year’s growth each year. Jeffco has met the rewritten expectation, but the original “performance promise” limits the amount of district mill levy funds received.

http://www.lwvjeffco.org/csap.html

3. Schools adding CSAP to the students' report cards:

Greely-Evan's School District 6 (in Colorado) recently made the decision to post CSAP scores on each students individual report card. The District hopes this will help stop parents from excusing their children from taking CSAP and motivate students to do well on the test.
http://www.substancenews.com/content/view/377/81/

4. Texas and Florida imposing penalties (non graduation) for failure

Schools in Texas are now imposing penalties for failure for their standardized tests. A good idea? What these schools are doing is starting to require certain test scores for graduation. (Motivating?) In 2004 when Texas implemented the test score counting toward graduation, the scores jumped 20 points! In addition, many schools have started to post individual scores and include the scores on the student's transcript.

I wonder what will change in how we use CSAP scores in the next 5 years.

Completing My Technology Puzzle

2009-02-20T09:42:00.005-07:00

I have been part of 21 Century for 3 years now and I love learning all of the new technologies; however, I feel like each new piece of technology has been somewhat of a puzzle piece needing another piece to use the technology how I really wanted to use it. Now I am finally starting to feel that I have all of the technology pieces to complete the puzzle, and I can really start using technology to enhance the listening and speaking activities within my Spanish classroom.

Today my Spanish 2 students were able to do a listening activity on our Wiki page about my childhood (we are leaning childhood vocabulary and learning how to express what we "used to do") which was amazing because they could listen at their own pace: One time through, pausing when needed, two times through, 100 times through (great differenciation). Then the students had the headsets and recorded a speaking assessment about their own childhood :) Please feel free to check them out http://kitchespanol2.wikispaces.com/

I am so excited to be able to really use all of the technology that I am learning to increase communication of Spanish in the classroom, because ultimately, we learn language to communicate right?!!!!

Just thinking about teaching as the semester comes to an end...

2008-12-17T07:41:00.010-07:00

"Teachers are trained to deliver information to students who will sit still and listen --- and then they’re put in front of classrooms with students who won't sit still and listen!"

http://www.adhdsolution.com/teacherhelp/?gclid=CO_Nquvwx5cCFQolgwodzw-USg

This quote struck me with laughter as I was reading up on motivating students and getting them to "buy into" their own learning. I think this quote summarizes why many teachers feel drained, frustrated and like they are beating their head against a wall when it comes to students listening, taking notes, and studying the content in a course. I think it can all be summed up to student motivation. We can work our tails off every day creating integrated and hands on lessons, providing blogs, podcasts, online notes/lectures, and creating connections with the real world; however, let's face it, if a student doesn't want to learn, we can't MAKE him/her. And as a teacher who has been teaching for 10 years that is my biggest frustration. So my goal is to keep researching and try to figure out new ways to use positive reinforcement and continue to increase the engagement of my students in the classroom to increase student motivation to learn and succeed.

Most of the research that I have been reading are things that I have read/heard/seen before; however, there are some things that are little "ah-ha"s and helping me to remember life as a student (not a teacher) Two things I read that struck me were...

"How prevalent is the attitude, "I let 'em alone as long as they are doing O.K., but when they goof off, I bring 'em up short. They won't do that again." (http://bbll.com/ch15.html)

"I recall observing a recruit in the Army trying to disassemble and reassemble his M-1 Garand rifle. The Sergeant watching him got exasperated at how slowly the process was going, called the man a dummy, and grabbed the rifle from him.
"Let me show you", he said.
Having done it many times before, the Sergeant took it apart and put it back together with great speed and then said, "See, that's how you do it."
You can imagine how the recruit felt. (http://bbll.com/ch15.html)

When thinking about the first quote I thought about all of those B and C students doing the work and trying to understand and apply the knowledge and just needing a bit of extra guideness, reinforcement, help, pat on the back, and motivation. I think we tend to just let these students move along until or if they fall into that D/F range, then we try to give some motivation, but by then it is too little, too late!

The second quote reminded me of many of my own teachers that I remember (and could name, but won't). Of course I know how to conjugate a verb. I teach the concept all day every day. (I would be worried if I didn't know it back and front!) However to my first year students, this is their first time with the concept. Am I really taking the time every year to remember that all of this material is new to my students? It sounds ridiculously logical, "of course this is the material is new (or fairly new) to the students," but I think teachers often don't think about this.

As we look at constructivism in the classroom and new methodologies to engage students and put them in the center of their learning, I just hope to keep remembering simple human nature and things that work for me as a learner: Experience, hands on activities, having a voice, receiving respect and flexiblity when needed and deserved, and simple practice with feedback :)

Live Blogging in Spanish

2008-12-02T09:07:00.004-07:00

Thank you again to 21C for continuing to help me integrate new methodologies into the classroom. I tried live blogging in my Spanish classes last Monday (week of Thanksgiving) and it (for the most part) was fantastic. It was obviously a bit of a learning experience for me to figure out all of the features and stay on top of all of the comments (the participation was truly amazing). But what a great tool for language learning. The students were reading in Spanish, writing back in Spanish, taking polls in Spanish, COMMUNICATING. It was very fun and I think the students really enjoyed it. I am excited to try it again now that I am not such a rookie :)

2008-11-13T10:38:00.007-07:00

What is the Difference Between Giving Feedback and Evaluating Students?

I have been interested in this topic for some time, but I am just now getting into researching the difference between "evaluating" students and giving students "feedback". Understanging that "evaluating" refers more to judging and assigning a grade and "feedback" is assessing the progress of student learning. Reading various articles helped me realize that it is quality and prompt feedback that will help my students reach higher levels of learning and independent thinking. The articles discussed how feedback is something given daily and should be communicated between the teacher and the student and evaluation is done at the end of learning. (I guess you could compare it to formative "feedback" and summative "evaluation", as Natalie so nicely said, the check up vs the autopsy :) Feedback is (and should always be) CONSTRUCTIVE and intended to improve student performance. According to my research, feedback should not criticize; but rather give specific comments on skills dones well and skills needing further work, "Feedback should be presented as a method of improvement rather than as a punitive step and used as a method of building up the learner and strengthening the professional relationship between learner and mentor."

http://www.uab.edu/uasomume/cdm/feedback.htm

My question to myself now is am I continually giving my students the prompt, specific and constructive feedback they need on a daily basis to improve their ability to apply Spanish? My hope is that I am.
I would love to hear some students' thoughts about what they feel helps them improve their skills/performance in various subject areas. Does a unit test do this?

Almost all of the research that I read agreed upon one thing, "If faculty and students are less focused on evaluation, they can be more focused on learning."

http://www2.umassd.edu/CISW3/people/faculty/rupchurch/papers/feedback.pdf

2008-11-04T13:19:00.004-07:00

Reflecting on Articles

So I am finally catching up on some educational reading sent by Karl, "It's Not What We Teach; It's What They Learn" and "Put Understanding First" (I know, a bit late). Both articles were interesting and gave me some food for thougtht. I have a few favorite quotes from the articles that I cannot stop spinning through my mind.

1. "I taught a good lesson even though the students didn't learn it"

2. "What we do doesn't matter nearly as much as how kids experience what we do" -Alfie Kohn

3. "Every educator ought to make a point of trying somthing new in their own lives, something they must struggle to master, in order to appreciate what their students put up with every day" -Alfie Kohn

4. "It's not to help students get good at school, but rather to prepare them for the world beyond school-to enable them to apply whay they have learned to issues and problems they will face in the future."-Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

Reading these articles and thinking about the implications of my teaching of course lead me to more reading (that is what always happens). Here are some other interesting things I came upon that also made the wheels in my head spin:

1. Should be a teacher’s job to motivate students to learn. (Many teachers feel that it is not their job and students should come to class predisposed to learn.)

2. There is a tremendous advantage if teachers truly remember what is was like to be a kid (teenager).

3. I am teaching students first content second.

These quotes got me thinking about teaching. What is good teaching? What defines success within a classroom? Good quiz scores? When we think about learning do we simply analyze data? What am I doing in the classroom on a daily basis to deepen understanding? Am I bringing a passion for learning and empowering students to be able to apply new knowledge and realize how to become independant thinkers?

2008-10-21T11:00:00.005-06:00

Ay, ay, ay I guess I have to agree to disagree!

So once again as my 21c cohert is meeting to discuss the book Understanding by Design, my frustration about grades comes into play again!!! I consider my self an idealist yes, but I am also a realist (that is if it is possible to be both). I allow students to edit, re-submit, re-take, etc. I truly believe that if a student is willing to put in the work and learn, or re-learn to show me they can understand or apply language, I am here to guide that process. I also believe that not all students do or can learn the same content within the same time frame.

HOWEVER...

What about teaching deadlines? What about enabling instead of empowering? And, what about the comments that an "A" in Mrs. Kitch's class is easier because you have these procedures (of correcting) in place? Also many believe that if a student fails a test that they should go back an relearn the material for the sake of learning, even if no points are given back. (Are we talking about the same 16 year olds?) Teachers constantly say it should be about the learning and not the grade. Therefore they don't give points back for re-doing, re-assessing, or re-learning. However, I would have to argue the other way. If it is about learning, why wouldn't you give points back for a student doing just that...LEARNING?!

The bottom line is I have to just agree to disagree with many on grading practices. I guess there are worse things that being called an "easy teacher" although students constantly comment about how challenging their homework or assignements are in my class. I think maybe "easy" is being misused as their choice of vocabulary word.

And after all it could be worse, I could be known as the "smelly" teacher :)

2008-09-23T10:49:00.005-06:00

Thinking outside of the Book!

So my big problem lately as I start the new year and retake my roll as District World Language Chair is getting everyone to think outside of the book. In past years the argument in meetings would be what chapter we were going to get through and complete. The problem, of course, is that the curriculum guide for World Languages doesn't coincide with the book. So teachers were covering 5 chapters, but not getting to the essential grammar curriculum. I am trying to now focus on student ability to communicate and use the langugage, not focus on which chapter will we get to. This got me really thinking about the text books, how the text book adoption process went (which I was a part of) and how I feel the text books for Spanish are working now.
In general and in the past, I feel that text books can be a good tool and resource for language learners, but they should be the "core". Communication should be the core of any languge learning. This means students should be creating, applying, and using the languge daily. Not filling in blanks and spending more time figuring out what the book wants as the answer to be, than on practicing and applying the language to understand it. The teachers that I have been observing the past 2 year don't have a text book and have been creating their own curriculum based on students really engaging in the language to apply it (in all areas: Speaking, reading, writing, listening, and culture). The classrooms I have observed are amazing and the students language performance truly speaks for itself.
So...
My goal this year is to challenge our district to reach the same level of communication and application of the languge that I have seen. We need to create a new vision and the "text book" should not play the center role in our discussions.
Then my ultimate goal is to create a new non-text book text book!

2008-04-08T08:03:00.002-06:00

Home with the kids....

So, I thought it was time for me to get back on the blog after what seemed to me to be a very long 3 months. It is definitely a very strange transition to go from working full time to being a full time mom of 2 for 2 and 1/2 months. I just thought I would share a bit about my experience with my 4 year old during this time.

About 2 weeks after bringing my new son home I started to set my 4 year old up on the computer and started marking her sites under "Favorites". We started with Sprout Kids and Disney Playhouse and added; Littlest Pet Shop, My Little Pony, Barbie.com, Nick Jr., Noggin, Build-a-Bear, and more. What amazed me is how it took me 2 seconds to teach her the mouse, the arrow keys, space bar and how to work the "Favorites".

-By the way, the inventor of these sights was no dummy! When you favorite a children's site, a small icon (colored) is placed by it, so there is no need for children to be reading to go to the star and scroll down to the site they want to go to!

Anyway, I started her using the computer to try and get a little down time to spend with my son while she was occupied. I had no idea she would turn into a .com kid. She loves it and figures out how to do everything on these sites. I was truly amazed watching her figure out all the puzzles, games, coloring books, dot-to-dots etc.

She has since learned to spell: play, print, color, and more. She knows how to click the red X in the corner when she is done. She even taught her 6 year old cousin how to use the computer! I just couldn't believe the ease and speed that she picked it up. Why didn't I do this sooner???

Anyway, the other day Grandma came over to visit and my daughter said, "Hey Grandma, I want to show you all of my .com stuff on the computer. Grandma what do you like?" Grandma told her that she loved gardens and gardening to which my daughter responded, "Grandma, I bet they have a garden.com, let's go see."

At 4 she already realizes the Internet can offfer everything. It has been an awesome 2 months watching her mind work :)

2007-12-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

These made me laugh, especially the second one. Happy Holidays :)

2007-12-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

I am always inspired to evaluate myself when I read what you all wrote :)
Reading Ms. Davis's blog inspired me to do a semester survey with my students asking them to respond to 3 questions that I have been pondering. I asked them to name the class activities in which they feel they learn the most (e.g. feel like they walk away really knowing the material, how to use it, etc.) I also asked them to respond to late work and if it soely promotes laziness and the third thing was they had to write 1-3 thinks they would change about the class.

As usual, some of their answers made me rethink some of my procedures and some of the answers are just surprising. So... I wanted to share a little of what the students shared with me!

1. They love graphic organizers. All of the students responded that organizers help them connect information and put their thoughts and ideas together.
2. Songs and memory helpers. ALL students responded that those little chants/songs are life savers in memorizing necessary rules of language.
3. Almost ALL students responded that late work should not be accepted, or only accepted ONE day late! INTERESTING I know. (They said editing should be allowed if the assignment was turned in on time and good effort was put forth.)
4. A few students thought it would be helpful to do more "busy work" (and yes those are their exact words.)

21st Century has inspired me to constantly ask for feedback from the students and what they think about the LEARNING in the classroom. I think that checking in with students every sememster is a great tool in assessing my teaching. In addition to the others, I would also like to thank 21st Century for encouraging me to constantly evaluate myself, my classroom, my assessments, everything.

2007-11-07T14:50:00.000-07:00

Reviewing the Google Docs Vision Ideas
As I look at all of the ideas that the various groups have generated so far for the vision of what we would like AHS to be in the future, I have some conflicting opinions/views.
First of all, I still believe that school should expose students/kids to a variety of everything. (Again, this is just my opinion) But I truly feel that school should expose students to various ways of thinking, problem solving, and different educational atmospheres/situations. This allows students to try a great deal of different contents, styles, ideas, and classes and figure out where their true passions really lie and to learn stradegies to succeed in many different settings.

As I have said before, I think the key to a quality school and teacher is to engage students and get them active in their learning. However, I think that some of the ideas in the shared document could actually hinder learning and the facititation of learning.

Some of my concerns are with the following ideas from the shared document:
- No walls? Anywhere? - this seems like it wouldn't facilitate a good learning environment for anyone. Noise? chaos? Good discussions where we can hear one another?
- No bells? Again, seems chaotic. Just go by our watches? Come and go as you please? Finish just whenever you get done? I think we do need schedules (but maybe I am just old school?)
- Catering to students 19 and over? I do think there needs to be a limit to a "high school" there are other institutions and choices for students who need more time to get a GED or need to attend a vocational school. In other countries the students at 14 years of age either go to high school or go to do an internship or attend a vocational school.
- Classes more comfortable to create creativity? Do all jobs have murals on the walls and couches? Doesn't creativity come from within. Do couches, slouching and putting your feet up creat creativity or does it create more of a lackadaisical attitude and work ethic. When I go to work on the couch with my laptop I end of dozing off and relaxing.

I am not trying to be negative, but I just think that some things truly don't facilitate and increase learning. Does anyone else have questions about some of these ideas? Maybe I need to loosen up :)

2007-10-17T08:37:00.000-06:00

The shift of blame...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-03-07-forum-students_x.htm This is the Internet site of a recent article I read about placing work ethic back on the students. The article discussed the shift in attitude from the student being responsible when they don't learn the material (10-20 years ago) to the teacher now being responsible.

This article got me thinking a lot about our 3 questions.: What we want students to learn (our big picutre/essential learnings)? How we will know when they've learned it (common assessments)? And, what will we do when they don't learn it? The third question is what the article discussed in detail. And I must somewhat agree with the argument. When did the shift happen that it is now almost 100% on the teacher's shoulders when students don't learn material presented, practiced, applyed, synthesis and assessed?

"When asked to identify the most important factors in their performance in math, the percentage of Japanese and Taiwanese students who answered "studying hard" was twice that of American students." - USA Today

I think this is so interesting. Why do American studnets tend to blame or credit their success to the teacher, but in other cultures studnets credit their success to "working hard and studying"?

I would love to hear other's thoughts as to when this shift happened? Why it happened? And is it realistic that without the students effort to work we can assure that all students will learn?

2007-10-04T10:53:00.000-06:00

I want to tach them to dance in the rain, not just survive the storm...

So lately my struggle has been the ridiculous amount of excusses that teenagers can come up with. Excusses why they couldn't come in to see/talk to me, why they couldn't do the homework, why they can't study for a quiz on 10 words, why they couldn't complete a blog that they had two weeks to do, and why they don't know what is going on.

I truly pride myself on creating an active classroom where the students are continually engaged in their learning. However many of them see school as a struggle. A storm to get through (if you will :) My question is how do I get my many of my students to stop thinking about school as a storm to get through and create the intrigue, love for learning and self engagment to show them to enjoy the learning? So instead of just getting through their "storm" they can enjoy the journey and dance in the rain :)

I know that I am being completely idealistic to believe that I can truly instill the love of learning and self motivation in all of my students (especially the love of learning language), but isn't the love of learning and discovery what truly creates an autonomous, life longer learner. And ultimately isn't this our goal? (That students leave with the will and want to inquire and apply new knowledge and skills.)

So I guess I am continually struggling with how to light that fire for 35 kids, 5 different classes, all intrested in different things and at different levels. Yet maintaining some constistancy in vocabulary and skills so they are able to use Spanish to communicate with each other. (Without any of the same vocabulary conversation in the language is almost impossible.>)

I think what I am hoping for this year in 21st century is to learn new methodologies (preferable with technology) that get my students "dancing" so to speak. I think that PLNs could be a great start to get them personally involved in the world and their learning. I am hoping that cohort 2 can get some more information on integrating PLNs in the classroom with the students to get them engaged and creating their own learning. Is this in any of our upcoming agendas? Also I also would like to really dive into the logistics of having students construct their own learning and how it looks in a foreign language (or any classroom). What does the accountablity and assessment look like with a completely constructivist classroom. (I assume it looks nothing like A, B, C, D, F).

2007-09-26T14:46:00.000-06:00

Not much to say...
I know a huge suprise, but I haven't had a lot to share and blog about lately. Maybe it is because I am pondering too much information right now and am constantly reading other blogs and responding to them. I agree with what many of the others have been blogging wondering if my students are motivated, engaged and honestly somewhat having an enjoyable time in my classroom.
I try to constantly ask my students, "why, explain it back to me, explain your thinking, is this lack of understanding or lack of effort". I am really trying to give prompt specific feedback and take notes when I am grading on mistakes that the students (as a whole) are making. Doing this helps me see my holes in teaching and where to step back and review or practice more. I am trying to get to the core of who doesn't understand what and how I can really work on what I am doing if a student doesn't know what I consider to be essential. However I guess I am constantly struggling with how to ensure that all 110 year 2 Spanish students master the essential learnings and are truly ready to succeed and tackle Spanish 3.
Hopefully next time I can be a bit more thought provoking. Sorry :)

2007-09-06T11:18:00.000-06:00

Reality Check
I recently found this quote about the future of technology that really got me thinking (the entire article got me thinking).

"Education will become organically linked again into everyday life, not forced into schools and colleges where young people sink into an alienated youth culture, into compulsory idleness and irresponsibility." http://prayatna.typepad.com/education/2005/10/new_ideas_for_e.html

This quote got me thinking about the frustration I am feeling about the slowness of change. I would guess that the majority of people think of high school as it is stated in the second part of the satement. Many students would still probably describe a typical high school as an array cliques, long hours of homework (that is done, just to get it done), sitting through hours of teachers talking/lecturing, students fighting for the proclaimed "good teacher" or "easy teacher", and parents reminicing of, for the most part, the exact same experiences.
I know that here at Arapahoe we are diligently working toward active, engaged and autonomous learning. Where students are learning how to learn, analyze, and disect information for logic and valitity. However, I guess I am feeling frustrated about how to get more educators on board with what our students will need to be successful in today's world. A world where it is essential to be self motiviated, innovative and a critical thinker. Where facts can be found in the blink of an eye, but valitity and truth must be found through critical thinking and inquiry.
It is frustrating how difficult change can be. Even I have a hard time realizing the urgency of change. In the past 5 years computers have truly become our world (5 years). Everything I learned in my technology masters in 2002 is not old, and almost obsolete. So in this digital age how can we make vital structural changes to allow for this type of learning. And how do we integrate the technologies necessary to create 21st century learners with no money?

I guess I am just gearing up for what I see as an amazing uphill, bumpy, and winding road. I am just hoping that I find an expensive and durable mountain bike to help get me to the top where I can reach true constructivist teaching and create the type of engaged learning my students will need to be tomorrow's problem solvers.
I know that our thinking, discussions, PLCs, and our new mission and vision statements are definitely going in the right direction. I just hope that some of the implementation and changes start taking off. I'm ready!

2007-08-30T13:52:00.001-06:00

Is the textbook benefiting my students?

So this year I have stirred the water a bit in my classes and department because I made receiving a textbook optional for my students. I have a class set of books in every room I teach and allow students who want a text book to have one checked out to them for the year (and the entire text is online and located on my Web page). I, of course, use the text in my lessons and planning and cover all of the material within the text, but I wonder is learning how to speak a language best done from a textbook?
I remember learning Spanish and using premade questions about Juan y Carmen and where they go/went and what they do/did; however the bottom line was, "Who are Juan and Carmen? and Why do I care what they do and where they go?" The answer was simple. I didn't care (and still don't and neither do my students). I'm really am not sure of the value of constantly practicing fictitional dialogs about fictional people. I think you should use language to communicate and engage with others.
I hope that all foreign language teachers (myself included) will begin to take a more communicative and applicable approach (I actually think our office is moving quickly in this direction). My hope is that we can use some of the PLC time to create more authentic learning activities and assessments to engage students in creating the languge to communicate on a personal level. I don't think that it is a coincidence that the students who come to us from private schools that are well above the average language learner didn't use a text book.

2007-08-11T08:44:00.000-06:00

Questioning why the Gifted and Talented philosophy of education isn't just the "Philosophy of Education"??!!

I am starting to get back in the thinking mode after a nice summer break and after starting the PLC book.
First let me give you a bit of history about me. When I first got a job a Euclid Middle school in the Spring of 1999, one of the first teachers to befriend me was the amazing GT teacher there (Robin Carey). She was an incredible mentor to me. She gave me amazing ideas for lesson plans including various project grids, critical thinking activities, logic activities, socratic seminar methodologies, etc. Almost every lesson that I truly felt connected to students, individualized learning and engaged students, initially came from her.
This really got me to thinking... Why were these methodologies conisidered GT? Aren't these techniques just good teaching and what is best for ALL kids? What if all classrooms were designed like a GT class? -Small class size, autonomous learning, constant feedback and assessment, letting the students individualize their learning and using their unique strengths to show their knowledge and students having the opportunity on every assignment to use higher level thinking.
Recently I told my friend Robin that I really want to go to the next GT conference. In fact, maybe all 21st century teachers should go.
Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts upon returning to the new school year and thinking of my thoughts for a mission and vission statement. I think my would be that all classrooms run like a GT class. My favorite quote from all of the articles I read was the following...
"Would you have the cyclist who finished the race first continue to ride on a stationary bike until all others finished the race? Or give them the change to enter more races?" - http://www.gt-cybersource.org/
Why should this quote only apply to GT students?

2007-05-16T09:04:00.000-06:00

Be a Do-er Not a Critic
A non-doer is very often a critic-that is, someone who sits back and watches doers, and then waxes philosophically about how the doers are doing. It's easy to be a critic, but being a doer requires effort, risk, and change.
- Dr. Wayne Dyer

I have learned from 21st century to be a doer. I feel like there are many areas in teaching that I can (and have) risk a bit, change a bit and become a better teacher. As many others of you, I would like to say thanks for so much to think about and encouraging and helping me to be a doer.

2007-05-08T07:51:00.000-06:00

The survey says.....
Okay, so I'm not sure if it is okay to be blogging about this yet, but I was dying to see what the kids wrote on the end of the year survey for 21st Century. I'm not sure why I was anxious, I just wanted to read and start internalizing some of their feed back. So far, I have only surveyed my year 1 class (mostly freshman) and my year 4 class (an exact mix of senior and juniors). I felt like I wanted to hear from some other people who have read their surveys or read them from last year and get some other thoughts, opinions, and feedback.
I feel a littel disappointed from reading them. It is not that the students gave negative feedback about me or the class; however, I just feel like I don't really know what to think about some of their answers. For every student who said technology didn't help them, there was a student who said it did. For every student who said the class was to "easy", there was a student who said it was too "hard". For every kid who said they liked a certain activity, there was a kid who said they hated it. So where do I go from here???????
All I can think right now is "You can't please all of the students all of the time!" I guess I thought I would get more of an idea of how to improve myself.
(But don't get me wrong there was one little ah, ha's for me, but there were a TON of contradictions that made me a bit frustrated)

2007-04-27T14:42:00.000-06:00

What is a "hard" teacher?
Okay so as some of you heard me vent a little at the last 21st century meeting, I am sick to death of the adjectives "easy", "hard" and "fun" being used to describe teachers/classes. We need to expand the students vocabulary as to how they define classes/teachers.
The terms"easy" and "fun" usually give people an image of a ridiculous blow off class in which no "real" or "hard" work is required. And I truly believe that students, parents, other teachers, and administrators that hear these terms think that little to no learning is probably done in these classes.
This really bothers me. Are we saying that learning can't ever be fun? Or that the only definition on fun in a class equals playing games? Isn't it just possible that kids engaged in a class and motivated (due to their own ideas being integrated) is why they classify a class/teacher as "fun"?
Now lets take the adjective "hard". What does that mean? Boring? 20 pages of homework a night? Sheer lack of understanding of the subject matter?
I guess I get tired of people getting incorrect images about classes/teacher because of these types of adjectives being tossed around.
I loved Marlys' comment that we need to then ask the students, "What did you learn from that class/teacher or but did you learn alot? Or... What did you walk away with from that class?"
I guess I am just hoping that we can redefine some of these adjectives and replace them with other ones that really talk about the learning.

2007-04-19T11:38:00.000-06:00

Autonomous Learning to Graduate?
So once again I have been out on the Web reading everything I can get my eyes on. Lately I have become interested in many high schools that are implementing an individual project before students are able to graduate. What? Autonomous learning to graduate???
The districts that I have read about that are implementing this major independent project require students to integrate various "content" area learning/curriculum into their projects. Some students do some what of an intership/apprenticeship then create a presentation to share their observations, data, questions and insights to what they discovered. Teachers were available to answer questions, share ideas, brainstorm, help problem solve etc.
I am thinking about integrating this idea into my classroom. I would have each student do an independent project using Spanish to complete the class.
I could give them pretty much complete autonomy and just be there to help out when they need some guideness or assistance. I would need to create a rubric that I could use, but I think it is a fun idea to think about. Students could use Spanish to create a bilingual brochure for something, to create a bilingual webpage, to creat our own AHS Drumbeat in a bilingual format?
What are some of your thoughts? Should we have an independent learning project be a graduation requirement???

2007-04-10T12:39:00.000-06:00

Technology literate...Critically Literate!
So I started looking forward to the April 21st Century meeting I am looking a great deal at technology literacy and critical literacy. Both should be essential learnings for students. It seems to me that the two are almost one in the same. As I read on these topics I found myself becoming more and more confused about what we can actually accept as truths. It started to seem to me that everything (yes even school text books) have a certain bais and slanted views. One of the articles I read emphasised:
"Texts are social constructs that reflect some of the ideas and beliefs held by some groups of people at the time of their creation." http://wwwfp.education.tas.gov.au/English/critlit.htm
In general I think that teachers often spoon feed students information from texts that are selected for the students which are considered to be "reliable". However, learning to question what they read for logical thruths and gaps, and analyzing opposing view points to what they are reading enables students to truly internalize and understand the information. Today, with the incredible amounts of information available to us, I think sifting through information and questioning its validity is essential!
I like the idea of teaching students to be skeptics and always ask for the evidence. Every sight I researched said that students should be required to get two articles from each view point of a topic and look in at least one more factual reference book to get a basic idea about a topic. By continually requiring this type of referencing, maybe questioning the logic/truth behind something will become second nature to students. I don't think we have option to ignor the importance of becoming information analyzers.
I think that adults also need to be critically literate. There are millions of adults (many of whom I know well) who believe something because the read it or saw it on the news. It is sad to me that even adults don't understand that everything is slanted with a specific view point. "Aren't all stories a selective version of the truth?"

2007-03-20T09:07:00.001-06:00

So as I prepare for our next 21st Century meeting I have been trying to get my thoughts together about homework. What the purpose is, what types of assignments I value and what types of assignment I truly think will enhance student learning in my classroom. I think it is clear through research and data that the majority of fill in the blank homework is pointless (unless you are measuring compliance). I have also been reading a great deal about "Unschooling" and what that is/the theory behind it. Some common things that I have found are (these are from a recent Times article, but I have found the same information in various sources).

• The onslaught of homework comes despite the fact that an exhaustive review by the nation's top homework scholar, Duke University's Harris Cooper, concluded that homework does not measurably improve academic achievement for kids in grade school. That's right: all the sweat and tears do not make Johnny a better reader or mathematician.

• Teachers in many of the nations that outperform the U.S. on student achievement tests--such as Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic--tend to assign less homework than American teachers, but instructors in low-scoring countries like Greece, Thailand and Iran tend to pile it on.

This obviously leads me to believe that the amount of learning is not directly correlated to the amount (hours) of homework done a night. Also many parents have reported the concern of their kids completing homework to get done, not concentrating on the learning or the objective of the given assignment (shocker huh?!)

So questions then start floating in my head about my thoughts of homework and what the goal of it is. Ultimately (in my perfect world) a child would be required to take a concept being taught in school and apply it in a way that is interesting, fun, exciting to them. For example for me, it might be using mathmatics for gymnastics or knitting (my hobbies). For someone else, it could be applying mathmatics to skiing/snowboarding and configuring the best slopes in Colorado.

But how do we make this type of homework happen? How do we take the concepts that are our essential learnings and have kids really apply them to something they love and can use?

Just some of my thinking going on before Thursday :)

2007-03-16T14:34:00.000-06:00

Are you kidding me???

I recently have been catching up on my reading on all of the eduacional articles. This article was about a study on technology not increasing test scores. Here is the link if you want to read it. http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1264136.0.0.php
Do they really think that you can test techology literacy, logic, analyzation of content and synthesizing of content in a standardized test like the CSAP? And what exactly does "attainment in formal qualifications" mean? And if there is such concern over internet plagiarism then shouldn't we make that part of our curriculum so the kids are required to learn about it and be held accountable for knowing what exactly internet plagiarism entails? Ther were parts of the article that I agreed with like:

Where schools were using computers well, it helped pupils build effective problem solving skills, encouraged independent learning as well as communication and teamworking and improved the opportunities for teachers to collaborate.

If this is true how can anyone argue against the technology. I agree that it must be implemented correctly and staff needs to be trained; however if we are increase problem solving skills, independent learning, communication and cross-curricular collaboration and "standard test scors" are staying the same, maybe we need to revisit those tests.
I just thought it was interesting to read and it was just written March 16, 2007 (today) :)

2007-03-14T08:01:00.000-06:00

Are we really teaching responsibility with a zero or with a deduction of points?
I am often unpopular with my views on the whole responsibility issue. I allow students to retake, resubmit, or hand assignments in late. If an assignment is not turned in at all, obviously that student receives a grade of a zero. However, when that assignment is handed in I replace the grade with no deduction for tardiness of the assignment. Many argue and have argued that I am actually teaching irresponsibility. Am I?

Lets say that you assign something that is fill in the blank, one work answer, cross word, etc and you give a completion grade (for the most part). Now lets say that you have one student that was smart enough to copy crucnch that assignment right before class and another student that simple looks you in the eye and says, "I didn't do it, can I turn it in later?" Do you really think that that copy crunch student deserves the points (for practicing/learning) and the other student deserves an irreversable zero? Where is the logic in that?
Aren't we trying to teach integrity, communicaton, self organization and respect? By having extremely rigid rules and punishment for breaking those rules what exactly are we teaching? I would imagine that students in this ridgid setting are more liking to lie and cheat. Why? Because there is little to no alternative for them if they don't for some reason reach the bar the first time. They often aren't offered the chance to show honesty, ask for an extention, given respect or given the opportunity to be listened to.

As a parent I have read research after research that tells us over and over again that punishment cures the behavior short term, but does nothing to change long term behavior. And although punishment seems to fix the problem at that moment I would argue that if you look at a students behavior over time (that have been continually punished) their behavior is almost exactly the same. Please argue with me if you think I am wrong.
I think we teach respect by giving it an modeling it. My mom use to tell me, "Who you are speaks so loudly that I can't hear what you are saying!" Meaning we can tell kids 1000 times to be respectful, honest, to communicate their needs to us, etc., but until we live this theory and model it, they won't get it.

I realize that many will argue part of school is learning the system and what about the students who are just plain lazy Janes. I would argue first of all that isn't the system what we are trying to change to be 21st century and global? Why do they need to learn the loops holes in a system that we are questioning some of the logic behind (at least on certain things)?
Also what about lazy Janes? Let's find out what is really going on with them and discuss other stradegies because in my opinion, the zeros and punishments aren't changing their outlook, behavior, or motivation.
I am ranting a bit, but it is frustrating to see things implemented in classrooms that have been proven over and over again not to work for kids. Or maybe I am just way out there :)

2007-03-07T12:07:00.000-07:00

One step forward, three steps back...
Okay, so today in class today, before the bell rang I overheard some students talking. They were genuinely upset and confused. I asked them if everything was okay because they seemed pretty worked up. One of the students proceeded to tell me that he doesn't know what is going on in his classes, but he is all confused and frustrated. He continued to express his concern with how he didn't feel like he knew what was going on in class and what he was suppose to do/learn/know. His last comment struck me. He said, "I don't know why my teacher just changed his way of teaching. He just stopped explaining things to us, it is extremely frustrating and confusing."
Whoa, I thought, this isn't the feedback I/we want. I think that constructivism is an awesome methodology, but we can't make the change too drastic and not explain things to students as far as expectations and goals. Also I don't think that constructivism is complete discovery learning without explination/clarification of the content from teachers.
However, then I thought, thinking can be confusing and frustrating. And isn't that exactly what we want students to learn how to do? To have the logic, and criticial thinking skills to muddle through information and realize the logic, truth, and meaning behind it?
I don't know, I just think we do need to be careful about the students and how I have heard some of them percieving some of these changes. Again, just making sure that our expectations are clear to them. Because as we've seen on our blogs and the fischbowl thinking is often confusing, messy and frustrating right?!

2007-03-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

I wrote the following when responding to Stacie's blog:

When I think about 1st grade I think about reading in bean bags, math games, going outside after the rain to collect water and seeds and watch them grow, story time to just sit and enjoy someone reading me an adventure (not to later have to disect/defend my love or feelings from the story).

In high school I remember huge books that I could barely carry, lectures, lectures, lectures and notes, notes, notes. Huge scantron tests and a great deal of copy crunch homework I completed right before class to get credit. Not to say that that is how it is today, but those are some of my memories :)

Do any of you have those same memories? When I think about constructivism, I truly think back to my kindergarten and first grade years.

2007-02-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

Practice!
So I know that we all hate the word balance because it implies using things that don't work with things that do (at least that is what I am getting from alot of the conversation out there). Anyway, I partly agree with this. However, I still have a huge question with practice, practice, practice.
I recently read an article about constructivism where the author states that he believes that we can truly be awesome at whatever we choose. The answer/motivation lies within people and their will to be what they want to be. He states that we just have to want it enough to make it happen, it just takes a ton of effort, hard work, dedication and a ton of PRACTICE.)
So here is my question: Sometimes isn't practice just that? Practicing to truly perfect and know something so well that you can recall it without having to think about it? Just as if you ask anyone the first president of America, my guess is not many people actually have to think of the answer, it simply rolls off our tongues.
Just as I hope my students use some of Spanish enough that they start to be able to just answer with out a thought struggle. They heard something enough, used it enough and now it is just part of them.
Anyway, I am really rambling. I guess I still see practice as practice, even if it is meaningful and personal practice it is still repetition of material for the purpose of putting the information to memory. And don't we need this to learn something. Even if we discover something on our own I truly believe we still need to practice it to know/apply/synthesis and make it part of our lasting knowledge.
For some reason in some of our disscussions (not in 21st Century necessarily, but also just around the department) practice seems to have become almost a negative word that implies old school techniques. I hate this, because I think practice is part of constructivism and all learning. How did I learn to play the piano I practiced, even when I invented my own song (which I would constider very constructivist) I still practiced it!!! Can we redifine this word a bit?

2007-02-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

Same old discussions, different day.....
Okay so I love how much 21st century has me thinking about what is best for students, my grading, what I am doing in my classroom and what assignments I value enough to be taken home for homework assignments. However, sometimes I feel like the conversation train is on a circular track? Or maybe it needs to be on this track before it can finally veer in a different direction.
Even in my own head, my thoughts often seem to be on the same track, so how do I move on?
People who value responsibilty or work ethic vs people who value the content knowledge seems to be an ongoing controversy. And the same questions always come about. Doesn't work ethic make you successful as an adult? How can I not count off for tardies, having materials and turning in work? Aren't some of those non curriculars just as important, if not more in life? Others argue.... Don't we want our grades to reflect ability, understanding, and learning?
I would argue that when I was in high school and college I didn't learn to think a lot. I memorized a ton (mostly facts I could never remember today) and learned a ton of tricks/loop holes to taking tests and writing papers. I even remember checking out a book about how to pass an essay test without knowing anything. The book taught tricks like if you don't know a specific year say in the early 1900's, or if you don't know a specific state write on the western slope or in America.
Anyway, I got off topic. My point is, is it possible to move these conversations forward, or are these questions just something we need to be continually examining?
I give nor deduct credit for bringing a book, having a pencil, even turning a paper in on time. Wrong? Teaching irresponsibility? Shouldn't there be some insentive for the kids who turn it in on time? I still argue learning is the insentive. I still don't understand not allowing make up/late work. If your objective is to teach algera or whatever and a student does an assignment and wants to work toward learning/mastery of that content, I still don't understand why we (as teachers) wouldn't want that motivation and learning (even if it came a bit late).
I do believe that often greater learning comes from mistakes rather than successes. However, shouldn't we be able to learn from mistakes and create opportunities from them?
I am rambling a bit, but I still have a great deal of frustration of the circular track and how to keep moving the train (conversation). I am hoping that another dose of Tony Winger at 21st Century will help. Any thoughts from anyone else on where that pendulum should be?

2007-02-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

Connection, connections, connections...
One thing that I am excited about when I look forward to next year and having some planning times for PLCs in an Cross-Curricular PLC. When I read the Fischbowl and look at Clay Burell who is getting people all over the country to share a wiki, I have to ask myself why are more content areas not doing this here at AHS?
For example, I just read Allison McBride's blog about her wiki about the French Revolution as my year 4 students just studied Goya and his paintings and how they were effected by the French Revolution. How great if we could connect some of this learning.
Larry Kleeman and I spoke about this at the last 21st century meeting and I hope that the PLC will be able to be created. I also think that this type of integrated learning expands the big picture for students for an even better understanding of the world and the cause and effect of things within it.
I just think that we can promote so much critical thinking and inquiry through the integration of multiple curricular areas working together!

2007-02-09T08:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am no Oprah junkie, but I truly found yesterday's show on "The Law of Attraction" very interesting. I found so many connections between what they were saying and what we are discussing in the 21st century.
First of all, the law of attraction simply states that "like attracts like". The show talked about how what steers your thoughts and emotions is "contagious" so to speak. And your thoughts will attract like thoughts and like energy. For some reason, this all really got me thinking about education.
If our thoughts (and words) are continually, "kids, you need to know this, it will be on the test." What exactly are we attracting? The thoughts that this is only important for the test? Once the test is over the material/content is irrelevant? Is this what is our focus sometimes? I dare to say that every teacher (sadly including myself) has said this statement at one time or another.
The show stated that we must not focus on what is lacking, what is "wrong" or what isn't working, but rather our ultimate goal. "LEARNING". If "learning" is our constant thought and feeling the law of attraction states it should attract learning (and desire to learn).
I know this may sound "out there" and of course action must be taken in the direction of learning. However, as I also ponder the "balance", what has really been in my head is to let go of the old and hold in mind what you want and attract it to you.
So in my earlier post, what I should hold in my thoughts is learning and communication in Spanish. If all of my efforts focus on those goals then my students will too!?
Or maybe I just bought into the idea too much?

2007-02-07T09:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I think I might be making some progress with my "big picture". I want my students to communicate, communicate, communicate. And not just with me, but with eachother, with other non-native Spanish students, with native speakers, etc. So then my question becomes how do I make this happen. Well, the communication with me and with fellow students in Spanish is the easy part. Just make communication the center of my classroom. I think that this big idea on its own helps me create a constuctivist classroom. Because how can we possible communicate with eachother (I am not talking about memorized dialog, rather actual communication), if it is not personal to each of us?

The part that I am now trying to expand in my classroom in communication with others, other students in other classroom in the USA and around the world. This is where Skype would definitely be awesome to learn and incorporate into the classroom.

I am constantly trying to integrate that communication piece however possible. My students currently have epals from Heritage High School. In addition I have recently connected to a teacher in Missouri and a teacher in Cuernavaca Morelos Mexico that would also like to have our students communicate. However, I don't think I am very efficient at trying to set up all of the logistics with this communication. I am hoping that Skype may help with this.

While I was signing up for Skype and browsing it, I also found a guy who is doing Spanish lessons on there where you can ask questions live and such starting February 11th, that could be interesting to check out too.

Any great ideas out there for how to incorporate more authentic Spanish?

2007-02-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

As we continue exploring construcivism and looking at student learning, we often have conversations within our office about the methods that we are trying, the changes in our grading/assessing, and how constructism is taking shape in our individual classrooms. I think that this conversation is so essential to the chance and thought processes. And, I have truly loved the fact that so many of my fellow World Language teachers are part of the 21st Century Team and bring all of their ideas to the table.
With that said, I also want to address some hardship with this as well. It is inevitable that sometimes in our discussions of constructivism some people feel like their toes are being stepped on. I am wondering if this is a common problem. Sometimes I even find myself feeling this, then I remember, that is the exact reason for this committee to question and critically think about teaching and learning. How do you have these disscusions without people feel like you are criticing them, rather just having a discussion about new ideas about what is best for kids?

2007-01-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Fischbowl is updated so frequently that sometimes it is hard for me to keep up. (Karl you are single handedly changing education.) I finally got around to watching the Water Buffalo film and reading all of the comments. I also surfed around and got caught up on some of the other blogs and comments out there and I always feel like I have so much to learn as an educator.
I watch CNN and Fox New and constantly see kids who came up with a million dollar idea and used the internet to market it and are rich by age 10. So who am I to think that I can teach them things that they can't learn somewhere else?
Even my 3 year old daughter is constantly amazing me at the inferences she makes with concepts that I know have never formally been taught to her. I truly think we continually underestimate kids.
I know that this blog is a bit random, but I have been doing some "critical thinking" about what my essential learnings, "big picture" really is. My ultimate goal is to get students to question, question, question, and seek truth, answers, possibilities, and ideas. And of couse, use multiple languages to do so!
I often think that adults get so into the blame game or get overly bogged down with why something happened instead of being problem solvers on how to fix something or make it better. Why is that? I think right now I am just in a thinking state and I am trying to make sure that my methodologies in the classroom reflect these big picture importantcies I have (is importantcies a word? Oh well, I guess I can use it anyway).
This constant introspection is exhausting!

2007-01-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

After reading the Edutopia interview I was very inspirered. I have recently read a book titled, "Three Cups of Tea". The book is a nonfiction and the story of Greg Mortenson's life. He is traveling throught Afganistan building one school at a time. His goal is to bring education to people who either have none, or only have Taliban schools which concentrate on building the Taliban (of course). He is now the CEO of the CAI and I think has a great deal to teach all of us.
Anyway, I truly believe that education is the answer to world peace. (I happen to be an obsolute optimist that does believe in world peace, by the way.)
However, I worry about the individual freedoms of all of these children. Would they really have the freedom to become a buisness inovator for/with their parents and come out of poverty? Do they have the freedom to read all that is out there, make their own judgements and conclusions and discuss those possibilities without being punished or worse by their government, rebels, or extremists? I know this blog goes a little beyond my classroom (to say the least), but I don't know how we can insure that the students/children who receive these laptops have the real opportunity/freedom to be educated.

2006-12-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

After again getting on the Fischbowl and reading the article in the Washington Post I have other concerns/questions/ideas. (Of course you do Barb :) Anyway, the statement that the computers didn't improve student achievement bothered me. First of all we aren't testing all achievement. How do we know that it didn't increase technology literacy, reading for valitity, students' organization and ability to share note, ideas, and hypothosis with others, application of concepts, synthesis of content, crossculicular connections? What exactly do those achievent tests to which they are refering in the article test? Assessments are going to need some huge adjustments as this wave of 21st century takes form.
I agree with the article and Karl's comments on the Fischbowl that there will be a dire need for staff developement before lap tops become an essential school supply for all students. But we need to ask ourselves, when we are in our offices at our desks how much are we on our computers?
By the way, sorry that I may be the most annoying blogger ever :)

2006-12-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

After reading Karl's last blog on the fischbowl I have really been thinking and evaluating teaching and what I want my students to walk away with. The quote from the Time Magazine article that really got me thinking was the following question, "Whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can't think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, distinguish good information from bad or speak a language other than English." (Time Dec. 10, 2006) I think that as educators, we need to really start evaluating our world today, the jobs of tomorrow and the essential information (learning) for our students. I am extremely guilty of learning for the tests when I was in school.
As I work twice a week in the study center I am constantly saying, "I know I was taught that and received an A in that class in high school/college, but I have no idea how to do it." I realize that we won't remember everything that we are exposed to. However I think that we have got to figure out a better way to "teach". Not just an exposure to facts then a test on those facts. In high school I "learned" about the Hollocaust and in college I "learned" it again; yet I never really understood it until I spend a day at the Hollocaust museum reading, experiencing, seeing, and crying that I feel educated about the event and what it meant.
So my question becomes how do I help my students experience the content to help them internalize it, use it and synthesis it so they can apply it in future situation.
When I hear 90% of our population say, "I took foreign language for 4 years and can't say a word," I think somewhere something went terribly wrong.

2006-12-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the meeting on November 30th as we dicussed posing a problem to help the students start their thoughts/inquiry. Our group had a lot of good discussions on how to start implementing many of our constructivist ideas into the classroom. I am going to start approaching the vocabulary in each chapter in a different way. For example our next chapter in year 2 is shopping. Instead of giving the students the vocabulary for the chapter then continually drilling that vocabulary in different activities, I can pose the question, "what words would you need to know to successfully shop for a day in down town Mexico City?" Then in groups the students could construct a list of vocabulary. I bet that the words in each group would be incredibly similar, if not the same. In addition, I'm sure the vocabulary would be almost identical to the book. I could tell them to make sure they think of verbs, nouns, adjectives, and expressions. Then we could move on to finding the Spanish words for the vocabulary and using it in dialogs and other activities.
I think the by in to these words would be awesome, as the students themselves said this is what we need to know. I guess I could then approach every chapter this way as well.
To me, this part of 21st Century is exciting. To discuss how to change/tweak my classroom in incorporate more constructivist methods to allow the students to really be the center of their education and hopefully increse the metacognitive/critically thinking skills of the students at the same time.

2006-11-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if it is the fact that I have other things on my mind or if I have just been over thinking the topic of teaching, but I am really struggling with how constructivist learning/teaching will/does look in my classroom. In my content area I am most concerned about the students' abitility to communicate in another language (and for a variety of purposes). I am constantly asking my self why am I doing everything I do (and trust me, it gets tiring). I know that ultimately constructivist teaching should require more of the students and less of me (or so it seems); however, right now I am working my tail off. I need to understand how to look at cohesion as a class differently. Because if the ideas and studies of constructivism are true then the reality is that all of my students will be in different places with their learning and that is not only good, but more natural to allow each student to internalize the material.
I am constantly having my students produce authentic lanugage. I no long give out a fill in worksheet (ever). I have them free write on topics that they are interested in, that make them think and some that are somewhat controversial. Their writing definitely has more heart, but frustrates them. Expressing one's self is one of the hardest things in a foreign language because when we do this we want to use idioms, pronouns, and slang. I like the idea of having them create their own vocabulary lists (requiring they have verbs, nouns, expressions, and adjectives). This is my goal next semester. I'll guess I'll see how it goes.

2006-11-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

As I continue obsessing about where my middle ground is and my beliefs in education. I am wondering about the common knowledge of all students and letting the students get to this knowledge when they are ready.
Here is my question: When all of the students are learning the same vocabulary and/or reading the same book, isn't this common knowledge what then allows the students to have discussions (like Socratic Seminars) and speaking activities in a foreign language? (Even blogging together in a class on a specific topic?) If half or more of the students weren't there yet, or didn't do the reading, then wouldn't they be unable to participate in their learning? I am struggling with the logistics of some of this.
If I allow my students learn/use vocabulary that intrests them and not at least some (70%)common vocabulary (even if they are applying the rules of the language correctly in all of this). Wouldn't it be impossible to have my students do any speaking or communication activities with each other? They wouldn't have the vocabulary base to understand each other it would seem.
I feel like discussions, labs, and group work create a great deal of constructivist learning; however, how can these quality activities happen if students don't have a lot of the same base knowledge?
Am I the most annoying blogger EVER?????? (Don't answer that)

2006-11-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

The more and more I clutter my brain with thoughts of constructivist teaching, active learning, teacher just facilitator, discovery learning, grading, time, what's best for kids, PLC's, essential learnings, common assessments, etc. I need to step back for a minute. I truly believe that what makes a healthy person, or education is BALANCE. I have a strong belief in active learning and when students create their own understanding, that knowledge is imbeded much deeper for a long period of time (should I dare say "forever"?) However, I really do believe in a strong balance. A balance of teaching students to be strong listeners and obtain meaning from a mini lecture, teaching students work ethic/responsibility to turn that paper in on time so I can read it and give them the appropriate feed back, teaching the abiltiy of rote memorization and the study skills to really interalize facts and information, teaching them logic and to questions everything they read, see, and hear for validity.
I think I sometimes get too focused on one aspect and need to realize that learning is an awesome woven quilt that needs the thread and needle as much as the fabric and the design.
I truly have been feeling like we are going overboard with "there is never one right answer". Although I agree with this most of the time. There are commonalities that the students in my class need to know (as there are common things that we as adults need to understand.) Yes 2+2 may be able to equal a great deal of things; however, I want my daughter to understand and know why it equals 4 first. (And yes, I did use a semicolon.)

2006-11-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

I agree with Alan November in this article that we, as educators, don't share enough of what we do with the outside community/world. There are a great deal of people, especially in politics, that seem to think they know exactly what we do and how we do it and they are the ones portraying our image. We really need to ask ourselves why we aren't more public about what we do in our classrooms. November suggests that the question today about the possibility of web cams in every classroom is the same as the question in the 1990's about the possibility of computers in every classroom. I think this is very interesting to think about. Anyone can drop into our classroom at any time! I think we do amazing things and if parents, community members and the political leaders saw our classes their jaws would drop open and they would be truly astonished at the critical thinking and engagement of our students.
I also think November's thoughts on how to integrate techology are interesting. We need to focus on teaching students how to use technology to become innovators, problem solvers and critical thinkers continually in the pursit of the truth that often lies somewhere is an extremely large pile of other stuff.
Now my question becomes this: How, in my Spanish class, can I teach my students to use techology in this way?
http://www.anovember.com/Default.aspx?tabid=159&type=art&site=18&parentid=18

2006-10-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

"Researchers determined that grades given by teachers were neither valid nor reliable since what constitutes an "A" in one classroom or school does not constitute an "A" in another.This became one of the reasons that standardized testing became so popular" (http://www.middleweb.com/INCASEgrades.html). As I continue my search for grading and what my grades reflect, I continue to come accross articles that spur my thinking. Could the above statement be true that standardize testing is a direct effect of the unreliability of grades???? So we have put ourselves in this sea of CSAP, ITBS, MAP, etc. I now (sort of) see the thinking behind implementing these tests, if grades are not an accurate account of student learning/achievemnet, then doesn't something need to be? Is it not true that we tend to be more rigid with very intelligent students who we see as lazy; then, on the flip side, we tend to be overly leanient with students who struggle with the concepts but work incredibly hard? Is it also not true that an A in one class can be equal to a C in another?

I fully agree that assessments should be our focus and not grades. Assessments should tell us what students know and what concepts we need to continue to work on in class. How many times have teachers given a test to see where the learning/teaching fell short? In other words, instead of assessing who should receive an A, B, C, etc., what if teachers focused on assessing the content that the students learned and didn't so the teacher knows how to stear the next lessons?

Now, let me switch gears. I was sitting in a meeting about a student the other morning and really started thinking that this whole learning processes isn't rocket science. The student being disscussed is intelligent but doesn't put in the time to study. Studying, especially the rote learning (memorization of words/facts) either happens or doesn't. This type of learning of material doesn't have a great deal of "understanding" behind it. However, it is still an essential part of learning a content. How can you begin to study the human digestive system without knowing the names of the organs and the locations of them? How can you start speaking/constructing a new language without memorizing any new words of that language?

This then leads me to even more uncertanties. I have many types of assessments in my classroom. Assessments of understanding, and let's face it, assessments of memorization. And, aren't those assessments of memorization essentially grading on responsiblity? If a students studied and memorized those words they will perform well on the assessment, if a student failed to study, they probably did poorly.

So....... I have come to the conclusion that assessment of understanding and learning are the most important factors and grades should be able to fluxuate with a student's learning. Now I just have to make sure that my grading system directly correlates with this belief. I need to stop trying to separate responsiblity with acedemics and just focus on learning.

2006-10-25T06:52:00.000-06:00

So as I continue my research (what's new?) I have been finding more and more thought provoking ideas for me to ponder (as if I don't have enough floating around in my head already!). The most recent article that has me thinking is another article on grading. It talks about the illogical thinking behind letter grades (as opposed to just a percentage number).
The article intrigued my thinking because it talked about how two students could have a 9% separation in their grade and receive the same grade. (e.i. student one = 99%, student 2 = 90%, both receiving an "A" mark. But is their understanding/mastery the same?
On the other hand two students that have a 1% differences could end up with a different letter grades. (e.i student 1 = 90%, student 2 = 89%, each receiving a different grade).
This leads me to many questions: Is it fair to suggest that the 90% student has mastered the content that much better than the 89% student? If this happened in all classes, one would be a 4.0 student, one would be a 3.0 student. Fair? Accurate? Reflecting that one understands the material that much more? All questions I am trying to answer.
I think the more I research, the more confused I become!!!!!

2006-10-17T07:36:00.000-06:00

As I continue to think about my teaching, teaching in general, grading, assessing, etc. I am continuing to waver in my thinking, which always happenes. I am a true believer in grading on knowledge and that my job is here to help students learn new concepts and ways of thinking. In addition, I think that students should have the opportunity to make up work, re-take quizzes and have the opportunity to show understanding/proficiency of a topic to regain points.
With that said, I struggle because I also believe in a strong work ethic. I know that we can make a different category and put grades under it, and I like that, but I really hate the idea that this is a non-accedemic area (although many have renamed it). I think that this generation and mine seem to have less work ethic. Sometimes things are not glamorous, fun or exciting, but necessary to do. (And sometimes, believe it or not, these non glamorous skills help you succeed the most in your life.)
One of my biggest pet peeves is when you announce the need for taking notes of reading for understanding in class and you get the eye rolling from the students. 2 things about this frustrate me. 1. That students think it is okay to roll their eyes at adults, teachers especially. 2. that students don't see any need to practice these skills. These may be the skills that I use the most as an adult. After all, how do you think I research all of this information on constructivist teaching, good teaching practices, and what aspects of education are working in other cultures? I read for comprehension and take notes for myself!!!
I guess I am just still struggling with what a constructivist classroom truly is. Because I feel that reading for comprehension is a type of autonomous learning (constructivism) where students are constructing their own thoughts and knowledge from the text being read.

2006-10-05T13:49:00.000-06:00

So recently in all of my research (I actually don't have a life) I found an arictle that discusses world-class schools. The article did a great job of listing the differences and similarities between the United States and other schools. It discussed common traits of high achieving schools. I believe they studied 10 countries: USA, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Korea, France, and others. This was something interesting it had to say about homework, my favoite part is the end (could you image!?).

World-class students turn off television and turn on to homework.
World-class schools use homework--which is free—
to increase learning time.
(a difference of how families value homework and students do homework is obviously different!)

Historically, mothers in Japan and Taiwan
have been intensely involved in their children's
learning environment. Many Japanese mothers,
for instance, attend their child's school and take
notes when the child is ill.

2006-10-03T10:45:00.000-06:00

I agree that grades are in dire need of examining. I also agree that grades need to reflect understanding/knowledge and ability. For a great deal of time there has been an ongoing discussion of results vs effort. But the two should somehow converge to one in my opinion. I think that every teacher should ponder the following:
1. Effort vs results
2. Grading on a curve (big no, no)
3. Rigor isn't equal to work load (i.e. the number of workbook pages to be completed)
4. Grades should not be a consequence of inappropriate behavior (implying that is it then true to say they shouldn't be a consequence of appropriate behavior?)

The pendulum is definitely swinging. The most recent article I am reading (given to me by Karl of course) has a great deal of controversial ideas. It states that we need to throw out frases such as, "study this because it will be on the test". We need to steer students back to the value of learning and understanding new material to lead to a better understanding of the world. We need to tell them why the knowledge is important beyond the classroom. The articles suggests throwing out grades entirely to promote student learning. That everything that grades reflect (especially in the past) have nothing to do with learning (I do have questions about this).

I agree that the first step of this process (of grades reflecting true understanding), is eliminating the grading curve and ranking process. Shouldn't every student have the opportunity to learn from their failures to reach true understanding of a concept/topic? If we truly believe that learning is the center of education, we need to reflect that in our assesments (re-assessments). To me this means that a student should be able to re-write, re-read, or re-take to demonstrate aquired understanding/knowledge of the content and raise their grade/understanding of the material.
I do live in a real world with 30+ students, time restraints, and the truth that some students embody laziness; however, I would like to think my job is to teach students to problem solve, create, question and learn, not just give them a piece of the alphabet.

2006-10-02T09:04:00.000-06:00

Right now I am in a full out battle on how to get students to STUDY! Not just sit down and look at the new words to be memorized and not just having them be able to look at the Spanish word and know the English word, but internalize the material: Know what the word means and how to use it, spell it, and manipulate it out of thin air! We work on all types of methods in class like word associations, connecting the word to prior words learned that are similar, and study techniques like flash cards and word webs to help them, but the students don't seem to be putting in the time. I am finding that whatever the approach (rote or constructivist) there is still a need for studying and looking at the new material many times to learn it. I would love to hear any suggestions for improving this. I realize the students have more on their minds than Spanish, but I think they can all spare 10 minutes a night for my course!

2006-09-26T14:50:00.000-06:00

As I continue researching the constructivist approach to teaching (including the article for 21st Century) I am finding more helpful information and ideas. I don't think any of us thrive as passive learners. I think we learn the most from our actions. Especially when they turn into mistakes! I read that the average attention span, once someone has sat down in a lecture type setting, is 7 minutes. Then the mind begins to wander and turn off. 7 minutes!!! The research says that at the very least, after 7-10 minutes you should have the audience/students find a friend and share something they've learned. Anyway, back to finding something in the article I can/will/do use. I think I am extremely constructivist in my homework. Usually I have the students construct their own homework based on mistakes they made/are continually making, or based on something that intrests them. Also, I often have students write 10-20 question using the new vocabulary in open ended questions (no yes/no answers) then trade with a good friend. The homework is then to answer those questions in complete sentences. They suddendly become more invested in answering the questions and tend to anwer in more detail (hence using more Spanish!) You gotta love that!

2006-09-20T08:51:00.000-06:00

Throughout our department we have been discussing the constructivist classroom and what that looks like. Most of us have the idea that in a constructivist classroom students are autonomous learners that "discover" all of the essential learnings. Where the teacher is only a facilitator. In some reguards, this is true. However, the more that I research the constructivist classroom, the more I am finding that it really is just "good teaching". I feel that although most articles on constructivist teaching state that the teacher is a facilitator, they continue to add that our role is much more. Even when we use direct teaching to give them essential facts or information, we need to then give the students an opportunity to digest, disect, use, analyze and internalize that information to create connections and meaning. Again, this is just good teaching and always has been. I liked this quote I found from one of the articles I recently read on the constructivist classroom:
"Constructivist classrooms are structured so that learners are immersed in experiences within which they may engage in meaning-making inquiry, action, imagination, invention, interaction, hypothesizing and personal reflection," Audrey Gray.

2006-09-13T09:24:00.000-06:00

So, I think I may have answered my own question, "Is there a place for "rote" learning". I have been researching the constructivist approach to teaching and have been finding some thought provoking things for me to think about, ponder and hopefully use to integrate new teaching methodologies/lessons into my classroom. Here are some of my findings:

1. "We have at least two different types of memory: a spatial memory system, and a set of systems for rote learning" (p. 85). Teaching that heavily emphasizes rote learning does not promote spatial, experienced learning and can inhibit understanding.
2. "The brain processes parts and wholes simultaneously" (p. 83). People have difficulty learning when either parts or wholes are overlooked.
3."Emotions are critical to patterning" (p. 82). Learning is influenced by emotions, feelings, and attitudes.
There were more at this web site and others, but for some reason, these three struck a cord with me. Do I incorporate spatial and rote memory? Parts and the whole simultaneously? And am I promoting emotions and attitudes that drive students to critical thinking and the motivation to learn in my class?
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/drugfree/sa3const.htm

2006-09-07T11:22:00.000-06:00

This week in the Critical Thinking PLC we decided to look at education throughout the world, consentrating on those countries that are the highest achieving. I thought that it might be interesting to get some of your feedback on some of the things I found. I'm not sure if any/all of these facts I found are relavant individually or not, but it is definitely some food for thought. These are some factors that I found to be true in Sweden, Norway, and France, some of the highest achieving countries in language, math, and physics.
1. Average paid maternity leave 1 year
2. Average age to start school 61/2 years old.
3. No school affiliated athletics. (although almost 60% do club athletics)
4. Second language stared first year of primary school, third language started in about 4th grade, the 4th language often starts after compuls0ry school (grade 9).
5.School is only required until age 15 (10 years of school required on average).
6. At the age of 14 the students decide which field they would like to study and schools becomes specialized (there are even sports schools).
7. Almost no students have jobs or cars.

Anyone have any great insights or comments?

2006-09-05T10:53:00.000-06:00

Take 5: I would like to get into learning and discussing the constructivist approach in our 20th century cohert. I want to start integrating more activities using this approach/methodology. I have a great deal of questions. Many of my lessons lend themselves well to this approach and I have had an abundance of success having the students truly "create" their learning. However, there are some areas of my content in which I seem to greatly struggle with how to use this approach (for example an extremely confusing new grammar point). At some point, I feel like a direct instruction (even if only for a few minutes) is essential. Do I just have enormous growth ahead of me, or are there times for direct instruction?

2006-08-31T08:18:00.000-06:00

Class Blogs: I am enjoying the class blogs that I have set up this year. What I am finding is that the blogging is a lot more successful for my students and myself when the blog contains something that provokes strong emotion, opinion and thought (imagine that). Especially in Spanish 4 I am able to use the blogs as a sound off for them to really think and reflect upon something controversial. I am finding that their language becomes more authentic and they take bigger risks on the blog (than in the classroom). I would like the blog to continue to be a positive thing for my students. My hope is that they get excited to read and respond to the next one.

2006-08-29T07:30:00.000-06:00

This week I have been (and in the office as a whole we have been) reflecting on the spiral of learning. Because let's face it, when you don't use it, you loose it. So how can we ensure that students are continually reusing the concepts taught the year before and the year before that? I am not suggesting that we teach the same things over and over again every year; however, I must spiral in previously taught concepts/vocabulary in all of my new lessons to ensure connections with the material and hopefully transition those concepts into their long term memories. Of couse, the issue then becomes time for everything! I have always used warm ups as a way to bring in previously taught material, but I would like to really imbed those concepts into the new learning. I am hoping that learning more about the constructivist approach may help me think of some new amazing ways to spiral student learning!

2006-08-24T09:03:00.000-06:00

August 23 (5 minutes to reflect)

This year I am using the blogs and assigments and not just enrichment/extra credit. It is definitely more work for me and a learning experience (200 kids now blogging to me!). I really thought I would save paper, and I do a little, but I do need to print them and comment, because I want to give them feedback and how else can I do that? I am also finding that the new projectors are AMAZING. I think our department will save a great deal of money because we are all using the projectors instead of overhead transparencies/copies for most assignments. Hey Lindsay, we might just save a forest or two this year!

2006-08-11T08:13:00.000-06:00

Reaction to "The World is Flat"-
As I read this book, I definitely had a huge range of emotions. The first emotion, was one of shock. I was shocked at how quickly the world "flattened" (about one decade). Like Jessica pointed out in the meeting, I also remember barely using computers in high school. Really, I just used them for simple word processing, to now when I get on the Internet daily, email daily, and now blog. Fear was another emotion I felt. Fear as to how quickly the flattening seems to be changing the world that my daughter will one day enter. The competition for the next generation will be different and quite competitive as children from all nations essentially will be trying to get the same job. With this fear, also came the emotion of anxiety. I feel that there is an urgency to examine the way we teach and make sure we are pushing our students to "learn to learn", critically think, problem solve and have a strong work ethic. I truly feel that without these essential things, our students will not get and keep the jobs of the future. This then points the finger at me, the teacher. How am I going ensure that the students that enter my classroom leave with these essential abilities? What are some strategies that I can use in my classroom to create "self thinkers" that have the ability to use the resources in their world to find truths, expand their thinking and become innovators.