This week's discussion on the IDOE site (http://elearningbookclub.blogspot.com/2014/06/thrive-week-4-keep-your-work.html?showComment=1403981849122#c9055136367591420180) asks the generic question....what spoke to you in this chapter? The responses are pretty good. This simple question led to some pretty in-depth thinking/soul searching. Take a look and think about how you would answer this question.
My question for you is a little simpler. Look at pages 46, 47 & 48. Choose one (or more) section Autonomy, Mastery and/or Purpose. How would you use/answer the questions listed in the sections to keep your work intellectually challenging?
*** The IDOE group is taking this week off...so they won't be commenting on Chapter 4 until the beginning of next week. I would like to make a little change next week so that we can read the IDOE discussion along with our discussion. So...I will wait until next Wednesday to post the chapter 4 question. If you need something to do earlier in the week....here is an alternative assignment: I know that several of you have voiced your reluctance/dislike of Twitter....so find an alternative that works for you (blog, website, webinar...) Follow it for a while and when you report your Twitter chats in a couple weeks...report on your alternative as well.
Have a great and happy 4th of July!!
Hi all.. Have you missed this post? No one has posted this week.
ReplyDeleteHa! I saw it, but I've started setting up my classroom this week as well as serving on the "Lunch Bus" a couple of days. So, time has raced away.
ReplyDeleteLet's see...
Autonomy:
1. In the area of science and social studies, I feel pretty autonomous in my work. As long as I can connect a lesson, activity, idea to a standard, I have no problem incorporating it into my instruction. In social studies, I only use the "text" as a background reading resource and create most of my activities/curriculum in order for it to be more engaging and hands-on.
2. In Language Arts' this past year, I felt obligated to "get permission" when I wanted to vary from the adopted curriculum. So, book clubs and author studies, which aren't a part of the National Geographic curriculum, were avenues I wanted to travel with my class, but I sought out permission beforehand.
3. Due to the answer for #2, I went from August through November without varying from the given curriculum. I would have loved to do a quick author study or genre focus at the conclusion of the first nine-weeks to "change it up" some, but the stress put on "all of us using the same curriculum" kept me from "seizing" the opportunity.
Mastery:
1. What I'm trying to master is "planbook", which we will be required to use for our lesson planning. I created a template for my lesson plans which I've used for years. I never do the same plans two years in a row, but the set-up of "my template" worked with how my brain thinks. This year, I will have to reprogram my "methodical personality" to fit into the mold of "planbook". That's not really a curriculum/instruction area, but it touches both.
2. Since we are not "leveling" in language arts, the process & practice of differentiating during language arts instruction will certainly make me feel like I've accomplished something. I'm excited to be able to teach "all" of my students during LA instead of just the ones at & above grade level, as in the previous several years.
3. Intellectual joy will come on two fronts. First, I want to be reading both a personal-choice and a professional book throughout the year. This summer, I'm blending them together and reading more of Jon Gordon's books on positive attitude and impacting others.
Purpose:
1. My purpose this year will come from my third grade teaching assignment, my 19 (currently) third graders, my student teacher, and any other college student or cadet teacher that finds themselves landing in 302.
2. I've hand a handful of years (maybe 5) where classroom management for a very challenging group stole some of my purpose. Even in the midst of the "RISE" valley, I am able to maintain my purpose, but I believe that is because I believe I teach because I was "called" to teach...helps me to keep m focus.
3. My purpose is "crystal clear" at the beginning of the year and off & on throughout the journey. Around March & April is when it becomes cloudy due to stress of ISTEP & I-READ. High stakes testing tries to war against my God-given purpose.
Well, there you go...Enjoy your weekend! Still a bit confused on the flipboard (?) thing. Downloaded it, but it's a bit overwhelming. Oh well...
ill help you out. When I get an extra minute I will post specifically what I do.
DeleteI am going to concentrate my response on the topic of mastery. I am always trying to improve my teaching and I am willing to try new ideas to provide my students with the best math education possible. I’m always asking “What can I do to make this better?”.
ReplyDeleteMastery
1. What am I trying to master this year? How am I challenging myself?
This year my goal is to master the art of teaching problem solving, especially in the AP Calculus course. In the past, I have focused on the “basic skills” needed to do Calculus. I like to call it the “day-to-day” material. Of course students must know these skills, but I spend too much time on these and neglect the problem solving until the end of the course. By the end of the year, it is almost too late to start the problem solving. I am going to challenge myself and my students by doing problem solving from the very beginning. It is a challenge for students because most are intimidated by problem solving. It will be a challenge for me because I will need to redesign my curriculum to incorporate the problem solving throughout the course. I must also be patient and understanding as I try to get students feeling comfortable doing more problem solving.
I tried starting the harder AP test style questions earlier this year. They are questions that require students to apply several different skills in solving a real-world type problem. It was struggle at first, but it was worth the effort. The scores on the AP exam were great and showed introducing these questions earlier helped them to prepare for the exam. My goal is to start with these questions right away.
2. What will make me feel stronger for having accomplished this year?
Nine out of 10 students will tell you they “hate story problems”. To them any math problem with words in it or more than a couple of steps is something to be feared. I think that many math teachers (including myself) fail students when we only teach them a skill but we don’t show them how to apply it in a meaningful way. I will feel accomplished this year if I can help students overcome this fear in mathematics. I want them to feel strong and confident that they can take the basic skills and use them to solve problems. Calculus is a great class for me to work on teaching problem solving. Students must take the AP Calculus Exam at the end of the year. For example students learn how to integrate various functions. The majority of the exam does not test whether they can integrate a function. Its tests how well they can use integration to solve various problems. My goal is for students to approach these type of problems with enthusiasm and confidence not with fear and loathing.
3. How am I finding intellectual joy in the work that I am doing this year?
I love challenging myself and learning new things in mathematics. As I am changing and adapting my curriculum to include more problem solving, I am learning along with my students. I am trying to connect with other AP Calculus teachers through online teacher communities. There is a great AP Calculus teacher community that I joined through the AP Central website. I have already shared some ideas on how to flip the Calculus classroom and making videos, and I have gotten great ideas on how to incorporate released AP test items throughout the school year. I have always loved being a student (I think most teachers do!). Trying new ideas and tweaking my curriculum keeps me learning and growing. .
Twitter Update: Last week I tried joining in several chat. I used Tweetchat. This log you into just the chat you are interested in joining. I didn’t have much luck. There were several chats I was interested in, but no one was there! I guess I must be the only one interested in these.
I did find a chat called #teacherfriends. There were a lot of people chatting, but most were K or 1st grade. So I didn't have much to add to the conversation. I’m going to try again this next week.
I too saw the post but if you read the paper this past weekend you would have read that I was a little busy with regatta festivities. I also snapped my glasses in half and am having difficulty reading. So here goes...
ReplyDeleteThis next year I will begin a new assignment as behavioral consultant for Southwestern. When looking at the three categories I decided to delve into Mastery.
1. What am I trying to master this year? How am I challenging myself? I believe just the job change alone is going to be challenging. I have worked with ED students my entire career but it has been in the classroom. This is going to be different for me, so honestly I believe that if I can continue to help the students who are on my roster to be successful in the gen ed classrooms then I have accomplished my goal.
2. What will make me feel stronger for having accomplished this year? I have made the comment to my director that I don't feel competent in being a consultant and I guess what i should say is that I dont feel confident. I am out of my comfort zone. I am used to having my own little classroom with my own group of students working with approximately 12-15 different teachers. Now I will be working in three different buildings with many teachers and three administrators. I will feel stronger at the end of the year when I have established relationships with my new students and their teachers.
3. How am I finding intellectual joy in the work that I am doing this year? Like Jody I am trying to read more this coming year. I have looked forward the last three years to see what books we were/are going to read for our summer reading group. I have also been reading books by Andy Andrews. These books help me to examine myself and challenge me to be a better person.
Mastery
ReplyDelete1. What am I trying to master this year? How am I challenging myself?
This year I am trying to accomplish development and application of skills. In geometry, I have many opportunities to help students development a logical thought process through proofs. Although students come into the room with a negative attitude towards proofs, I enjoy the challenge of teaching the students to write their own proofs from start to finish. A logical way to think helps with many of the application problems they will encounter in the various levels of mathematics.
2. What will make me feel stronger for having accomplished this year?
Last year I tried pairing students up with some challenging word problems. I rotated through the room and asked leading questions to get the pairs to solve the situations on their own. This worked with most of the pairs. I plan to incorporate this strategy earlier in the year so by the end of the year students can accomplish these challenges independently.
3. How am I finding intellectual joy in the work that I am doing this year?
I am reading more and finding more resources to help me invigorate my classroom. I enjoy finding new ideas and approaches to use in my lessons. I find I am trying to find ways to blend the more traditional approaches with technology. Finding ways to use technology with a purpose rather than just because we have it available will be both challenging and rewarding.
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ReplyDeleteMastery
ReplyDelete1. What am I trying to master this year? How am I challenging myself?
This will be my second year teaching at the middle/high school level. It will also be my second year teaching in a classroom with students of multi-disabilities. While last year went far better than I expected it to, this year I would like to feel more confident in my abilities to address vocational issues, and complete transition IEPs. Making the most of each students day, and keeping them involved in meaningful activities is a daily challenge.
2. What will make me feel stronger for having accomplished this year?
Creating a work shadowing program. I will have several students who are 14 years of age and able to work in the community. I will be contacting local businesses to see if they would be willing to host my students. For those not yet 14 but able to follow a routine, I will be looking for jobs in the school setting.
3. How am I finding intellectual joy in the work that I am doing this year?
Many of my students are not academic. I am continually looking for projects for them to do that align with their abilities, and interests.For many this involves art and cooking activities. The internet has made it very easy to search for any number of things for the students to do.