Day 5 - Tour of Room #133

Prompt:  Post a picture of your classroom, and describe what you see - and what you don't see that you would like to.


Alrighty ... Here's a photo of my room I took a week before school started because I was extremely exhausted at the end of school today that I forgot to take a picture of my lived in room.  I really don't like this picture, but it's better than not posting anything.

(Disclaimer:  I was in the middle of prepping the room, so it wasn't completely finished!)

Now for the critical analysis of my room...

I absolutely love that I now have tables in my room because it makes it easier for my students to collaborate on their assignment.  Ultimately, these tables are going to better facilitate the PBL class setting I'm hoping to achieve this year.  I had set up the room in a conference style for the first day of school so the students would be able to focus on the back-to-school presentation.  However, on any given day, the classroom furniture will be moved around.  I really don't like to maintain a stagnant layout because then the students become complacent because the room is so predictable (and these teenagers will not have that!).  Most of my students are picking up on the fact that it's a constant shift much like a seating chart.  Some have embraced it, others question my methods.  It will make sense when they actually get to move the tables themselves to better facilitate their learning environment.

Also, I'm so grateful that the department chair requested the massive world map that you see in the picture because I use it ALL THE TIME!  It makes it easier to pinpoint specific regions/places on the class map than trying to pull up a map on the document camera.  It allows me to jump around and allows the students to interactively use it.  Last year I actually had a student come up with a great exercise that we used to review for their final exams.  We made a large tape ball that the students would throw at the map, and wherever it landed, the students would be quizzed on material for that particular location.  I though it was a genius move on the part of this students, but he was always thinking out of the box.

This picture also shows that I do not use a "teacher desk" ... I chose to remove it from my classroom last year.  Best decision EVER!  I made the decision for both practical and experimental reasons. First off, when I switched classrooms last year, I felt that to make more room for student activities and so some things had to go, and my desk made the chopping block.  Without the desk as a barrier, I found myself interacting more with the students.  I would sit in empty desks or on the floor to work on assignments with my students.  I felt that I was a better teacher by being more present with the students when we were in the classroom together.  This year, I decided to keep the desk out of my room, and I feel like I connect and communicate better with my students because of it.  I jump around the room throughout the class period, and I can conference with various students at any given time.

You can't see my classroom library because I was standing in front of it when I took the picture, but I'm kind of proud of what it has become in the past couple of years.  This summer I went crazy at book and garage sales looking for books that would pique the interest of my students.  I also have old textbooks from my undergrad and graduate school (that are appropriate) mixed in the library.  Topics range from biographies of world leaders to pop culture, from social issues to international politics, and even novels.  I've had several students sneak over there when they've completed their assignments to check out the stash.  It's awesome seeing students who are often reluctant to read find a book that sparks their passion.  I believe that every child has the ability to love reading, it's just a matter of finding the right book.  I actually got that from my mom (you should see her classroom library ... it's what dreams are made of for little kids!).

Now for what I don't see in the picture that I would like to ... obviously, the students.  I adore my classes this year.  I feel like everyday is a roller coaster of emotions and styles of intelligence, and they keep me pushing my boundaries and limits in the best way possible.  

Also, if I could I would put white boards or interactive boards on every wall to allow students a chance to express themselves or visually plan out their assignments.  I've seen some teachers who have altered their rooms to include additional sites for student creativity, and I'm dying to get something of that nature in my room.  I'm contemplating using white butcher paper and draft paper (which my uncle donated when he was cleaning out his office ... score!) as a means of achieving this area.  

Lastly, I think it would be pretty cool to have a classroom large enough to facilitate varying collaborative areas.  It would be awesome to have reading chairs and a coffee table in an area of the room for students to plan out their ideas for PBLs.  Also, a technology corner where students to work on multimedia aspects of projects.  I just get so excited talking about classroom design.  I've spent countless hours looking up innovative classroom designs of schools (especially in Denmark and Sweden!).

Classroom design has a special place in my room.  I'm that teacher that spends her nights planning out her dream classroom in her head.  Call me crazy, but I think that a creative space can only invite creative thoughts from the students.  One day .... one day it will happen.

-A

Day Four - The Love for Teaching

Prompt:  What do you love most about teaching?

As a child growing up, people are constantly asking you what you want to be when you "grow up".  It's cute when you're in elementary school, and everyone thinks that they're going to be the president.  Most teachers and adults commend you on aiming for the sky.  As you move along in your education career you spend more time really considering what your skills are as well as your passions.  By the time you're a high school graduate, that's it ... you should know what you're going to be for the rest of your life.

In elementary school I wanted to be Indiana Jones (and then a aeronautical engineer, a paleontologist, then ultimately a foreign service officer).  Never did I tell anyone that I wanted to be a teacher.  This is coming from me, the child of an 2nd grade teacher and an 8th grade Math teacher.  Don't get me wrong, my parents love their jobs, but there were times that they told me that teaching is not for the faint of heart (I now get it!).  Seeing education from the perspective of two really dedicated teachers, I was absolutely sure I would never become a teacher.  The amount of money and time that my parents spent on their students made me question their sanity sometimes.  But now that I'm a teacher, I get it ...

I teach because it matters! 

(FYI - I'm actually getting emotional writing this ... oops)

The love that my parents had for their line of work and the work ethic that they instilled in me, makes me appreciate every single day I spend with my students.  Of course, every teacher has their stories of students who tell them that they changed their perspective of life.  As an individual, you probably came across your own versions of those teachers.  It all makes sense; teachers teach because there are always going to be students.  I teach because I love to learn, and I want every child that comes through my doors to leave with that same level of love for their education.

Funny story, today in my third period class, my students took the reins and taught me a thing or two. Now, you should know we're discussing/reviewing the basics of physical geography in my World Geo class (and science is not my "thing" ...), and I prefaced the unit by letting my students know that if I leave out something, they shouldn't hesitate to let me know.  Well, I began going over some reflections questions to open up a discussion about water accessibility around the world, and for some reason, the scenario I provided them was all wrong for them.  So, I sat down with my students, and we reworded the scenario until it encompassed everything that I was trying to convey with everything they needed to know.  Not going to lie, during this process, we became really frustrated because it just wasn't working, but we worked through it. Ultimately, the process was magical ... my students were teaching me how they learn.

So looking back to the days of wanting to be Indiana Jones, I realized something ... Dr. Jones was a teacher.  Deep down, the 6-year old me already knew that I was going to be a teacher.  Because passion, curiosity, and down right grit is what made Indy so great, and ultimately that's what makes teaching the best choice for me.

-A

Day Three - Improvement

Prompt:  Discuss one "observation" area that you would like to improve on for your teacher evaluation.

It only seems fitting that I break this post up into two sections because my school district is piloting the new appraisal system for Texas.  So, I'll post on which domains I would like to improve on in the old system (PDAS) and the new one (T-TESS).  Not going to lie, I was a bit apprehensive about the new evaluation system for teachers here in Texas, but after a successful PD session on understanding the system, I'm kinda stoked about it.  Well, here we go...


PDAS (Domain - Learner Centered Instruction)

I should start off by saying that I've just entered into my fourth year teaching within the school district that I graduated from a little less than 10 years ago.  So, my views about the appraisal system can be filed under the "newbie" viewpoint.  However, it still counts, right?

I found that out of all the domains, this particular one was very difficult for me in the first couple of years teaching.  I had recently graduated from college, and was taking master's courses at the local university, and it seemed that my professors clearly didn't understand this teaching style.  With very little exposure in the years before I began my teaching career, it was no wonder that this was difficult.  Over the first couple of years I was able to wade through all the curriculum and instructional strategies, and develop coursework that slowly moved away from me teaching from a podium or a computer screen.  Truth be told, the worst time for me was when my subject was had an EOC (end-of-course) exam at the end of the year, which the students had to pass as part of their graduation requirements.  I was so focused on covering all the material that I really didn't focus on my students' needs.

I think that this domain would have remained at the top of my list, and would always stay there.  Students need to be the sole focus of my job because without them, I would have no job.  Besides, students learn best when they are teaching each other and getting their hands dirty.  I will always concern myself with what is the best thing for my students.


T-TESS (Domain - Learning Environment)

Okay, so a couple of days ago I mentioned in my post about goals for the year that I wanted to create a more inclusive setting for my students.  It is challenging trying to find ways to reach students at a level where they feel that investing in their education is absolutely, positively worthwhile.  By the way, I teach ninth-graders (hormone-driven, always right freshmen).

Today on our campus, our principal met with us during our planning periods to establish our professional goals for the year because it was inclusive in the new appraisal system.  As I sat there going through the various examples of how to fill out the necessary forms, I actually started reflecting on what I want to accomplish and what I need to change to be a better teacher.  While some teachers were focusing on specific topics within their curriculum that they feel they could teach differently to reach their students, I found myself considering how I could create a more inclusive classroom.

In the past couple of years I found myself with students of all varying educational styles, levels of comprehension, and attitudes (which pretty much every teacher understands).  I tended to have more students that had IEPs and 504s than other teachers within my department, but I loved it because I was learning how to work with these students to better aid them in the classroom.  Now, I'm teaching students that belong to the Tech Academy, and are at the higher end of the achievement spectrum (in testing terms, so to speak).  I'm finding it a bit more difficult to create a classroom that nurtures their varying learning styles, and it's driving me NUTS!  These students are prone to take charge of their education, but when you have 15 students all charging at the same time, it's positively CRAZY!

I know that this is going to be a domain that definitely needs to worked on this year.  And as I prepare my professional goals for the new appraisal system, I definitely know that this is where I going to put some major emphasis.  It's going to take a lot of planning and reflecting, but a safe, honest learning environment will only make things more accessible for the students and myself (while keeping me sane).

-A

Day Two - New Technology

Prompt:  Write about one piece of technology that you would like to try this year, and why.  You might also want to write about what you're hoping to see out of this edtech integration.


I've decided that I'm going to use a loophole to this prompt ... only because I have two specific pieces of tech to talk about, but one of them is actually another attempt at trying a particular tool again.  Here it goes ...


My New Tech for the Year - SCHOOLOGY

I actually came across this on Tumblr one day this past summer.  A fellow teacher posted a screenshot of her Schoology homepage and discussed how this site really made it easier for her to collectively provide resources and course content to her students.  Her approach to this learning platform really piqued my interest, so of course, I set up an account to see what it was all about.  Boy was I excited to see how this particular platform really could be used in my course.  I was hooked; therefore I found a learning platform to try out for the new school year.

This past week was the first week of school for our district, and I made an effort to talk up the program before the students actually sat in front of a computer in the lab and logged on.  Some sections had already logged on in the BIM (computer) class, but were new to the set-up I had created for our particular course.  (Side Note:  I mentioned this site to other teachers at a Curriculum Integration PD, and they were willing to try it out with me this year ... so YAY to us!)

Not going to lie, I was concerned that the students were not going to like the learning platform, but lo and behold they liked it (like REALLY liked it).  I overheard students talking about how it was user friendly, or how it kind of reminded them of FaceBook; and still, others were talking about how it made their lives easier because they could access everything we were doing in class at home.  I was truly in awe of how willing the students were to start on-line discussions via this platform.  As a class, we discussed the importance of thinking critically so as to fully understand a situation in a rational sense, as opposed to jumping to conclusions.  This site allows students to hold on-line discussions amongst themselves on topics that I can introduce.  Also, as a teacher, I can choose to moderate their posts if it does get out of hand.

This learning platform has really superseded all the expectations that I had going into the school year, but more importantly, it has my students excited about the school year.  They can see how they will be able to collaboratively work on PBLs and on-line discussions.  The students are actually buzzing about working on their first discussion, because it's something they never had an opportunity to do in the classroom.  I can't believe that there was such a positive response, but then again, that's what happens when something just works!


My Tech Redo for the Year - Social Media

Social Media - the bane of every teacher's existence ... not really for this teacher.  Yes, at times I find myself having to remind a student that there is no need to check their social media accounts, because their friends are not allowed to use their electronic devices like them.  But, I truly think that this is a way for teachers to meet their students halfway.  If we really want to reach out to our students, we should be willing to think of exciting ways to present it to them.  So, last year I decided to take the plunge and create class accounts for Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.

Well, the accounts were created and then NOTHING!  I was so consumed with content and grading and yada yada yada, that I never updated.  Seriously, there is only one picture on our class Instagram page that I uploaded over 13 months ago.  My Twitter page went from class material to my personal PD, and I'm not going to even mention Tumblr (I don't even remember the login info).  So, it's pretty clear that this area of tech integration was a complete disaster last year.

This year I've decided to take another stab at social media.  I've created separate Twitter accounts for my school side - one for PD and the other for my students.  I'm constantly on my PD site, but I constantly have to remind myself to update our class account.  It's just going to take a lot of practice.  As for Instagram, I've already discussed with my classes that I'll be allowing different students the opportunity to use the school's iPad to take candid shots of their different groups when we hit the ground running with our PBLs.  As for Tumblr, I'm going to let that stay dead, because most of my students do not have a clue what it is at the moment.


Here's hoping that technology can be fully integrated into the course, and more importantly, that students don't just USE technology but INTEGRATE it into their daily lives.

-A

Day One - My Goals

Prompt:  Write your goals for the school year.  Be as specific or abstract as you'd like to be!

Goals ... The simplest way to start a reflective challenge, yet one of the most daunting tasks.  It seems that taking the goals/ideas from your mind and heart and actually placing them on paper for others to see is really difficult.  Well, here goes nothing!

1.  Achieve a sense of community within my classroom

• So many of my students have entered my classroom at the beginning of the school and leave without "knowing" anything about their fellow classmates.  I find this troubling because I know that each student has something to offer, and when I know that certain students will "click" yet never actually hold a conversation, my heart breaks a little.  This year I'm going to make more of an effort to reach out to all my students to show that it's perfectly normal to make friends outside of their inner circle.

2.  Take the plunge - try implementing PBL in my classroom

• Not going to lie, I'm terrified of trying out PBL in my classroom because I know that this could possibly just blow up in my face.  I've introduced the idea to my students this past week of school, and their enthusiasm in actually trying something completely different helped to soothe my fears.  However, I'm still concerned with the outcome of this implementation.  But with great risk, comes great reward, right? RIGHT?!

3.  Speaking of RISK ... take more educational risks

• I don't mean breaking any district policies, because I do actually love my job (and would love to keep it for a while longer), but trying things without allowing my fears to take hold.  I was definitely the student that loved strict guidelines, and was not much for pushing boundaries.  However, as I became more comfortable with my role in my education, I realized that taking risks allowed for beautiful work that I was absolutely proud of showing others!
• Also, I figure that by showing my students that risks are worth taking in our classroom, they too will push their educational boundaries and actually learn something! (What a thought!)

4.  Integrating Technology ... not just using technology

• After much reflection on the past couple of years, I realized that I was just technology in my classroom for the sake of using it.  I really was not maximizing the potential of technology in a classroom, and I feel like I dropped the ball.  This year the focus is going to be about creating and preparing my students for a connected world.  On-line discussions, distance conferencing, and in-depth research via contacts are up for grabs this year.  I'm so stoked about all the possibilities that are available for the kiddoes!

5.  Listening to my students ... not just "hearing" them

• Education is all about the students, so why not ask them what they value the most out of their education?  I figure that it only makes sense to include them in the learning process; therefore, they will gain not only a sense of ownership of their education, but they will gain a voice which they can use to demand the BEST education from me.  I do not like settling for mediocre work from my students, especially when I know they can give me so much more, so why should they settle for anything less from me?

Okay, so maybe it wasn't so difficult to actually write down what I want to accomplish this year, but I know that this year has the potential to the best ever.  I can only hope that I constantly look back at these goals, and remind myself when I start to waver in my faith in myself or my abilities.

-A

A Professional Blog

So with the start of a new school year, I've decided that I should try and document what's going on in my classroom.  My aim is to be able to reflect on the practices in/of my classroom so as to be the best teacher for my students.  I can only hope that looking back through these posts in the future, I will become a stronger, more developed educator.

Now that the introduction to this blog has been officially written, it only makes sense to say that I've accepted the blogging challenge that TeachThought has proposed for the month of September.  Using the trend #reflectiveteacher, I hope to learn from other teachers, but more importantly, from myself.  I feel like this will be a great start to the year, and will ultimately aid me in documenting my endeavors in being the best teacher for my students.