When you are taking on an endeavor to promote awareness of your program, it helps to have HELP. Some of you are blessed with entire departments of teachers in your language and possibly multiple other languages; they should be every bit as passionate about this week as you are! Delegate, brainstorm, and as soon as this week is over...start dreaming of an even better next year!
However, some of you are a courageous department of one. You PLC with no one. You swap resources online with whoever you can reach out to. Ideas and initiative fall to you alone.
Whichever boat you are in, there are ways of utilizing and equipping those around you to support you. But, there is a strategy to doing so.
Getting Volunteers:
I have had success getting donations of time, food and materials when I have asked well in advance. For example, my cultural breakfast always involved TONS of helpers, even outside of our language department. I suggest choosing carefully and specifically here: Don't send out a broad email of "help if you can!" Rather, email (or better yet, visit in person) specific people that you think would be good for a specific job. Keep it simple, keep it cheap and keep it focused on the STUDENTS that will benefit because of it. Also: it helps if you are known for returning the favor later on.
Involving Administration:
Each building is different, and each administrator has their own preferences on how involved they like to be. However, in my experience it can't hurt to inform and invite. I sent out handwritten or emailed invites to any activities we were doing throughout the day, including project presentations in class. If they come, thank them. Engage them with students so they can see the learning taking place and the value that your program has in the lives of your students. Take pictures of them interacting and print them to send with a thank you note in a week!
Other Teachers:
Don't assume that because someone teaches Math or Choir, they haven't had international travel experience. I found out (quite to my surprise!) that nearly 20 teachers in my building had studied abroad, gone on missions trips, taken vacations or studied a foreign language in another country. They had amazing stories of cultural misunderstanding, language bloopers and once-in-a-lifetime experiences that they were eager to share with students. I compiled them via email and made them into a scavenger hunt of sorts. Instead, you could video interview them during their preps and play them for your class throughout the week. Or, you could just orally read off statements about them and have students try to predict who you are describing. Another idea might be to have a map and paste teacher's pictures close to the country they have traveled to. The more people you can incorporate the more that students can realize these opportunities are for EVERYONE. Plus, who doesn't like reliving a crazy story from their youth?! :)
Follow-up:
Regardless of how many people you do or do not get involved this year, make sure to go out of your way to thank them for their level of involvement. I love picture thank-you cards so they can hang on walls and sit on desks for the following year, reminding the recipient of a great memory. Have a running Google Doc of people who were involved and people you would like to include in the future. Next year, it will make your planning process easier! In fact, include all kinds of ideas and comments there so you don't have to start from the beginning all over again next time.
These quick summaries don't even mention the world that is the staff at your school, parent volunteers, area schools, social media and the immense amount of communication that all play important roles as well. Don't limit yourself. You might be surprised by the way the right question at the right time can yield a huge reward for you. Reach out!
Who knows?! You might end up with a nice little video crew like my high school did...see the genius I came into?! I truly deserve little to no credit for any success of our program. Take a look-see:
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
#CelebrateMonday
¿Qué día es hoy?
Hoy es...lunes. *collective sigh from all students*
This is how many weeks in my classroom unintentionally started. I wanted to begin class each day with a few simple questions in the target language and use some choral response to really get the blood flowing. And yet, when the answer was "the first day of an impossible week and WHY ARE YOU REMINDING ME" it didn't always get the positivity I was hoping for.
That's why I have loved reading about the #CelebrateMonday trend going around. What a way to change our school culture of complaints and defeat to inspiration and encouragement!
I have also seen many educational leaders begin to post uplifting quotes and messages to inspire their colleagues as they start the week. Some of my favorite quotes come from scrolling through the #CelebrateMonday hashtag on Twitter and Instagram alike!
I challenge you all to participate today (and each Monday) in spreading a chuckle, a compliment, or something that inspires you and tag it #CelebrateMonday. Perhaps you can even challenge students to take a picture in your class on Monday morning and flood the internet with positivity!
Today I posted this:
Hoy es...lunes. *collective sigh from all students*
This is how many weeks in my classroom unintentionally started. I wanted to begin class each day with a few simple questions in the target language and use some choral response to really get the blood flowing. And yet, when the answer was "the first day of an impossible week and WHY ARE YOU REMINDING ME" it didn't always get the positivity I was hoping for.
That's why I have loved reading about the #CelebrateMonday trend going around. What a way to change our school culture of complaints and defeat to inspiration and encouragement!
Teachers (and students) around the country have taken to posting pictures from their classrooms that make them smile, even on Mondays. Young teachers have highlighted successful lessons, students have taken selfies with friends and administrators have boasted about the learning going on in various classrooms throughout their building. When these things pop up on your feed, you can't help but catch on to the contagious energy and optimism!
— Mrs. Abbitt (@AbbittsMonstars) August 17, 2015
So excited to hear about all the great things going on here @WCS_District during our Coaches' meeting today! #WCSmission #CelebrateMonday— David Robertson--CAO (@drobertson_cao) October 19, 2015
I have also seen many educational leaders begin to post uplifting quotes and messages to inspire their colleagues as they start the week. Some of my favorite quotes come from scrolling through the #CelebrateMonday hashtag on Twitter and Instagram alike!
What can you do in your classroom to intentionally focus on starting the week off in a way that students can look forward to? Can you implement a special ritual on Monday mornings to excite students? How might your negativity (even unintentionally) in the hallway, in first period or with your fellow teachers impact students on Mondays in a way that is counterproductive to what you stand for the rest of the week?
I challenge you all to participate today (and each Monday) in spreading a chuckle, a compliment, or something that inspires you and tag it #CelebrateMonday. Perhaps you can even challenge students to take a picture in your class on Monday morning and flood the internet with positivity!
Today I posted this:
To remind students that what feels like hopelessness on a foggy Monday morning might actually be the start of an important transformation in your growth. What can you post before the day is out?
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
#spanstuchat
It's the 3rd Tuesday of the month, so that means dozens of middle school and high school Spanish students from all over the United States (and a few other countries as well!) will be chatting tonight on Twitter from 9-10pm EST.
#Spanstuchat was created by teachers Rebecca Huls and Kara McNeese. The first and third Tuesday of each month throughout the school year, they allow other teachers and groups of students to "moderate" the chat (design the questions and tweet them out throughout the hour) by signing up on their website. As in most Twitter chats, there are a variety of questions (tweeted with Q1 in front and always with the hashtag #spanstuchat) and then everyone who wants to answer, tweets Q2 in front of their answer along with the hashtag. For more info on how to participate in Twitter chats, see this document. The unique part of #spanstuchat, of course, is that ALL of this is done IN SPANISH. #spanishteacherdream My favorite quote from their website where they have the moderator sign up sheet and archives of past chats, is this:
I started "lurking" in the chat (reading all the tweets without really contributing my own) in order to see the level of Spanish used and the topics. After a while it became obvious that it can be as easy or challenging as students want to make it: some students really think through each word and submit a simple one thought answer, while others add complexity, look up new words and comment on others' tweets.
I incorporated in to my classroom for the past two years by offering it as a choice homework assignment option (1 of 5 throughout the week) because I knew not all of my students had or were permitted to use Twitter that late at night. Each quarter I also used one chat as an extra credit assignment: you got 10/15 for answering all questions in Spanish in live time and to earn the other 5 points you had to engage in an organic exchange with someone about their tweet. Additionally, if I looked ahead and realized a topic would be beyond my student's knowledge, I made Google Doc help sheets and tweeted them out earlier that evening so they could prepare.
It was one of those cool moments where a handful of students who didn't always engage in other assignments RELIGIOUSLY participated in #spanstuchat and even promoted it for me among their classmates. I strongly encourage all Spanish teachers to check it out tonight and then brainstorm ways of using it in your classroom this semester!
Social media can be an educational tool...you just have to leverage it to YOUR advantage.
#spanstuchat Tweets
Have you participated? What did you think?
Read about fellow Spanish teacher Allison Weinhold's experience here!
 |
| Two promotional slides from when I moderated #spanstuchat last school year. |
Do your best with grammar, but we are not concerned about it in #spanstuchat, we just want you to communicate in the Spanish Language with us!
I started "lurking" in the chat (reading all the tweets without really contributing my own) in order to see the level of Spanish used and the topics. After a while it became obvious that it can be as easy or challenging as students want to make it: some students really think through each word and submit a simple one thought answer, while others add complexity, look up new words and comment on others' tweets.
I incorporated in to my classroom for the past two years by offering it as a choice homework assignment option (1 of 5 throughout the week) because I knew not all of my students had or were permitted to use Twitter that late at night. Each quarter I also used one chat as an extra credit assignment: you got 10/15 for answering all questions in Spanish in live time and to earn the other 5 points you had to engage in an organic exchange with someone about their tweet. Additionally, if I looked ahead and realized a topic would be beyond my student's knowledge, I made Google Doc help sheets and tweeted them out earlier that evening so they could prepare.
It was one of those cool moments where a handful of students who didn't always engage in other assignments RELIGIOUSLY participated in #spanstuchat and even promoted it for me among their classmates. I strongly encourage all Spanish teachers to check it out tonight and then brainstorm ways of using it in your classroom this semester!
Social media can be an educational tool...you just have to leverage it to YOUR advantage.
#spanstuchat Tweets
Have you participated? What did you think?
Read about fellow Spanish teacher Allison Weinhold's experience here!
Friday, January 15, 2016
How Can I Stay Involved?
Maybe you're like me.
1. Social Media: While teaching I created a "teacher account" on Twitter and Instagram. Even now, I re-tweet articles I have found about traveling, jokes in Spanish or resources for students. Sometimes I post pictures of my daughter or things I'm doing with Spanish captions to engage students in reading a bit...and often times they will comment me or message me, which keeps those lines of communication open, safely and professionally. Plus, I participate in Twitter chats where I'm still interacting with teachers and administrators in this area and learning what is going on in their classrooms.
Your life is changing directions very quickly.
You're a young wife and teacher. You are learning new things in the classroom and you love pouring your energy into getting better and trying new things.
You're looking for your first house and you search online for something that could be part of your future.
And BAM. One day you find out your pregnant. And your life priorities and energy and five year plan sorta kinda goes down the toilet...as you knew them, anyway. Perhaps you go back to work after having your baby. Or perhaps, like me, that wasn't a sustainable way to live for your family. So, for now, you are no longer the young wife and teacher who loves to learn new strategies for formative assessments and search for inventive new apps. Maybe you are now the young wife and mother who goes to baby music classes and says "please don't play with the trashcan/outlets/cough syrup/permanent markers" a lot lately.
Maybe, like me, you still feel like that young teacher. You still have a heart for teaching and learning and traveling and languages and students. You're not ready to be DONE but you are choosing something different (and better, for you) for now. You've been wondering things like How can I keep using and improving my target language? How can I keep a foot in the door in my local school corporation? How can I keep connected with students I've invested in? How can I stay involved?
I've been there. Actually, I'm still wandering around there a little bit. But, here are five ways I have found to stay connected to Spanish teaching, even while staying at home with my baby.
2. Group Tutoring Classes: I had heard people say before that companies might hire a tutor for their employees to learn Spanish, but I actually had better success within the church. A local church and organization sends missionaries to the Dominican Republic and they were looking for a teacher to help them learn what they need before going on short term and long term trips. One night a week, 1-2 hours at a time, and ADULT LEARNERS who are very motivated. Hello, dream job.
3. International Travel: I had planned and enrolled students in both my Peru and Spain trips before deciding to stay at home. So, I kept my word. Education First (EF) has been amazing at helping me prepare for meetings, communicate with parents and make a near flawless transition. One meeting a month, a few emails in between, and a bit of organization. EF does not require you to be a teacher to lead these trips, so if there isn't a program in your area...consider heading it up. I get to promote my tours in the schools, meet new students and travel. to. other. countries. So.
4. Individual Student Tutoring: I sent an email to all of my teacher/friends in the Spanish department at two middle schools and the high school, letting them know they could pass my information on to students and parents who needed additional tutoring. I meet one night a week for an hour at Starbucks and help the student re-learn what they missed. It's ideal for me (additional income & practice), the teacher (ain't nobody got time for that), and the student (additional reinforcement).
5. College Supervising Teacher: The Christian college in my area has a strong education program and sends many prospective teachers into the public schools to complete their student teaching. I get to observe them 5 times throughout the semester, evaluate them, mentor them and then eventually recommend them to pass student teaching if I feel they have earned that. It's entirely on my own schedule and allows me to not only know what is going on in the area public schools, but also keep up to date with what is expected of prospective teachers.
I didn't include the reading, ESL volunteering, conference attending and other ways I have enjoyed practicing Spanish and learning how to improve my teaching. Obviously, you find options that work best for your family and passions. I have loved my decision to step back from full time and even part time teaching "officially" and spend this time learning and growing "unofficially" as I soak up every minute possible with my precious daughter.
If you're like me, maybe you can find ways like this that you didn't know existed and enjoy some of your favorite aspects of classroom teaching...without the actual classroom, for now.
What ways have you stayed involved in your temporary, or long-term, absence from classroom teaching?
Thursday, July 30, 2015
E3Technology Conference: My Reflections (Day 2)
After a wonderful first day of learning about incorporating technology in education, I was looking incredibly forward to Day 2!
We began by listening to our keynote speaker, Shannon Miller. As a teacher librarian, Shannon has had so many interactions with so many different students...and in one way or another she has equipped each of them to go after even their craziest dreams. She had branded their school library "The Voice" because she kept reiterating how important it was for students to share their stories with their own personal voice. I loved that the students in her building truly embraced that motto! She showed us countless pictures, videos and news articles of students taking ownership of their education and making something unbelievable happen. One of my favorite stories she told was of a a student who showed great promise as a writer. Shannon reached out to friends on social media and asked how to get this young lady in touch with a publisher. Now, this girl spends lunch time skyping with her editor and publisher in New York City to discuss her four novels-in-progress. Thanks to Shannon I desired to dream bigger.
I then headed to what I knew would be a wonderful session by a Andy Streit. He has earned the reputation in our district for his work with reinventing his curriculum in his 20th year of teaching to incorporate the corporation's move to 1:1 and becoming nearly entirely paperless in that time. Obviously, he would be an ideal person to lead a session on Essential Apps for the 1:1 Classroom! And, we were not disappointed. Check out everything he taught us about here. My favorite apps he demonstrated were Nearpod & Reflector (more to come on their uses later!). Andy used the perfect blend of TONS of information but at a pace that allowed questions, real examples from the classroom and even some experimentation time. Thanks to Andy I desired to dive in with less trepidation.
At lunch I had the pleasure of becoming more acquainted with two of the new teachers hired at my beloved Lakeview. It was so encouraging to see experienced teachers already mentoring them, and also to see brand new teachers with the desire to learn, try new things and ask questions. Lakeview is undergoing a ton of huge changes this year (new principal, 1:1 for the first time, over 10 new teachers hired, etc) but I am so confident that our students are in great hands!
After lunch, I learned how to make Excel my BFF with Amy Mencarelli. Amy is the perfect person to teach me something intimidating like Excel. She is upbeat, she is relaxed and informal, and she is incredibly knowledgeable. That, mixed with a group of teachers who asked great questions, lent itself to a lot of applicable tips and shortcuts that I had never known before when using Excel. She showed me things like how to format multiple sheets at the same time (hello MUCH faster Cross Country Season Records!) and also how to concatenate (WHAT?! Excel is a genius robot!). My mind also really benefited from big picture things ("Think of Excel as a much smarter calculator"). Thanks to Amy, I desired to be more efficient in the little things.
The last session of Day 2 was my last presentation. I had the honor of teaching 12 educators about the "Vast World of Twitter Chats." You can read about the first Twitter Chat I helped to create, or some helpful resources I have found on Twitter as a teacher, as well as what my presentation description was at E3tech. We worked under the assumption that these educators were already on Twitter and knew the basics, but didn't feel like they were truly tapping into the resources others spoke of. So, I taught them the basic "how-tos" of Twitter chatting as well as some of the best education chats out there to date. But the last half of my presentation tried to focus on how student directed education Twitter chats are still few and far between. I challenged them to think of how student learning in their content could be amplified with regular Twitter chats like #spanstuchat or #scistuchat. I really hope that some of the teachers in that room experiment with reaching students via Twitter chats...I think they have huge potential! The Haiku Deck I used is here, as well as the Smore flyer I sent around with additional notes and links if you would like to look over exactly what we discussed. Below, I included the mock Twitter chat we participated in during our session. You'll definitely want to follow these new "Tweachers"!
And once again, no prizes won for this Maestra :( BUT I left with a huge smile on my face due to all the transforming conversations that were had and the electric encouragement that is spread when so many inspiring educators are in the same place.
(This professional development opportunity brought to you by the Indiana Department of Education's Summer of eLearning.) *Applause*
We began by listening to our keynote speaker, Shannon Miller. As a teacher librarian, Shannon has had so many interactions with so many different students...and in one way or another she has equipped each of them to go after even their craziest dreams. She had branded their school library "The Voice" because she kept reiterating how important it was for students to share their stories with their own personal voice. I loved that the students in her building truly embraced that motto! She showed us countless pictures, videos and news articles of students taking ownership of their education and making something unbelievable happen. One of my favorite stories she told was of a a student who showed great promise as a writer. Shannon reached out to friends on social media and asked how to get this young lady in touch with a publisher. Now, this girl spends lunch time skyping with her editor and publisher in New York City to discuss her four novels-in-progress. Thanks to Shannon I desired to dream bigger.
I then headed to what I knew would be a wonderful session by a Andy Streit. He has earned the reputation in our district for his work with reinventing his curriculum in his 20th year of teaching to incorporate the corporation's move to 1:1 and becoming nearly entirely paperless in that time. Obviously, he would be an ideal person to lead a session on Essential Apps for the 1:1 Classroom! And, we were not disappointed. Check out everything he taught us about here. My favorite apps he demonstrated were Nearpod & Reflector (more to come on their uses later!). Andy used the perfect blend of TONS of information but at a pace that allowed questions, real examples from the classroom and even some experimentation time. Thanks to Andy I desired to dive in with less trepidation.
At lunch I had the pleasure of becoming more acquainted with two of the new teachers hired at my beloved Lakeview. It was so encouraging to see experienced teachers already mentoring them, and also to see brand new teachers with the desire to learn, try new things and ask questions. Lakeview is undergoing a ton of huge changes this year (new principal, 1:1 for the first time, over 10 new teachers hired, etc) but I am so confident that our students are in great hands!
After lunch, I learned how to make Excel my BFF with Amy Mencarelli. Amy is the perfect person to teach me something intimidating like Excel. She is upbeat, she is relaxed and informal, and she is incredibly knowledgeable. That, mixed with a group of teachers who asked great questions, lent itself to a lot of applicable tips and shortcuts that I had never known before when using Excel. She showed me things like how to format multiple sheets at the same time (hello MUCH faster Cross Country Season Records!) and also how to concatenate (WHAT?! Excel is a genius robot!). My mind also really benefited from big picture things ("Think of Excel as a much smarter calculator"). Thanks to Amy, I desired to be more efficient in the little things.
The last session of Day 2 was my last presentation. I had the honor of teaching 12 educators about the "Vast World of Twitter Chats." You can read about the first Twitter Chat I helped to create, or some helpful resources I have found on Twitter as a teacher, as well as what my presentation description was at E3tech. We worked under the assumption that these educators were already on Twitter and knew the basics, but didn't feel like they were truly tapping into the resources others spoke of. So, I taught them the basic "how-tos" of Twitter chatting as well as some of the best education chats out there to date. But the last half of my presentation tried to focus on how student directed education Twitter chats are still few and far between. I challenged them to think of how student learning in their content could be amplified with regular Twitter chats like #spanstuchat or #scistuchat. I really hope that some of the teachers in that room experiment with reaching students via Twitter chats...I think they have huge potential! The Haiku Deck I used is here, as well as the Smore flyer I sent around with additional notes and links if you would like to look over exactly what we discussed. Below, I included the mock Twitter chat we participated in during our session. You'll definitely want to follow these new "Tweachers"!
(This professional development opportunity brought to you by the Indiana Department of Education's Summer of eLearning.) *Applause*
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
E3Technology Conference: My Reflections (Day 1)
What a wonderful two days of learning we have had! Every year this conference gets me energized and inspired to make differences in the lives of students by thinking outside the box. And this year, although I am for the first time not preparing to welcome students into my Spanish class in the next two weeks, was no different! We heard incredible stories, made unbelievable connections and drank in TONS of new possibilities.
Let's all take a moment to thank Indiana eLearning for this opportunity. *Applause*
Day One:
As our first keynote speaker, Todd Nesloney blew our minds with each story he told of how "students stop having limitations when we as teachers stop creating them." He challenged us to hold students to extremely high expectations. But something I heard repeated throughout his stories was the idea that we as teachers must hold ourselves to that same high level of expectation. Not in that our classrooms have to be perfect and all our papers have to be graded on time, but in that our students deserve our best effort everyday to blow THEIR minds. The part of his keynote that stuck out to me the most was how he opened: with a picture of children in mid-lurch at the start of an Easter egg hunt, with excitement flashing through their blurry movements. He posed this poignant question that really got to me: "How is it that children have such natural awe and wonder at things and yet often those same children, by the time they sit in our desks, have somehow lost that?" Thanks to Todd I desired to be more engaging.
Then, I had the privilege of presenting what I have done in my classroom with EDpuzzle in a small breakout session. You can read my first experiences here, or read what my session description was here. I was so thankful for the 18 educators who came to learn about this video editing tool and how they might be able to use it to enhance student learning. If you want to learn more about what we discussed, my Emaze Presentation is here as well as my Smore flyer with additional links and notes. Here are the thoughts and comments we exchanged on Twitter about my presentation:
Next, we had a delicious Panera lunch as we enjoyed further conversations with educators and companies we made connections with earlier that morning.
Two more sessions we available in the afternoon. I chose to see some of my former colleagues present (Dr. Chris Boyd & Mrs. Val Weinstein) about engaging apps to use in the secondary classroom. These two ladies have a reputation in our school for experimenting with new things, learning quickly and utilizing innovative technology for student learning in ways the rest of us only dream of. I knew I couldn't miss their session! Thanks to them, I learned about ThingLink, Pocket, and many others. Check out their presentation here! My mind reeled with the many ways these apps could have positively affected student learning in my classes the past three years. Thanks to Chris and Val I desired to venture outside my comfort zone to find new answers to recurring problems.
My last session of the day was spent learning from Justin Weaver about the best ways to go about blogging and using social media to advertise your school or classroom. He even taught us some best practices of photography (which I am clueless about!). Many times these conversations are a little over my head, and although I didn't get everything that was being discussed, I definitely benefited from tips that were mentioned (for example, how to interpret stats from your blog, some design suggestions, options for featuring student work, etc). Thanks to Justin I desired to be more intentional with my blog.
Great prizes were raffled away to finish up Day One, including a Chromebook, an iPad mini and a 3D likeness of yourself thanks to the 3D printer everyone was excited about. I'm decidedly NOT a lucky person when it comes to these types of things, but it was awesome to see area teachers get incredible things they could use in their classes or for themselves.
I left PUMPED to see what Day Two had to offer! I also left so encouraged and thankful for the school corporation we live in where the educators that impact students in our area are so motivated to be their best. Have I mentioned that this place is my dream job?! :)
Let's all take a moment to thank Indiana eLearning for this opportunity. *Applause*
Day One:
As our first keynote speaker, Todd Nesloney blew our minds with each story he told of how "students stop having limitations when we as teachers stop creating them." He challenged us to hold students to extremely high expectations. But something I heard repeated throughout his stories was the idea that we as teachers must hold ourselves to that same high level of expectation. Not in that our classrooms have to be perfect and all our papers have to be graded on time, but in that our students deserve our best effort everyday to blow THEIR minds. The part of his keynote that stuck out to me the most was how he opened: with a picture of children in mid-lurch at the start of an Easter egg hunt, with excitement flashing through their blurry movements. He posed this poignant question that really got to me: "How is it that children have such natural awe and wonder at things and yet often those same children, by the time they sit in our desks, have somehow lost that?" Thanks to Todd I desired to be more engaging.
Then, I had the privilege of presenting what I have done in my classroom with EDpuzzle in a small breakout session. You can read my first experiences here, or read what my session description was here. I was so thankful for the 18 educators who came to learn about this video editing tool and how they might be able to use it to enhance student learning. If you want to learn more about what we discussed, my Emaze Presentation is here as well as my Smore flyer with additional links and notes. Here are the thoughts and comments we exchanged on Twitter about my presentation:
Next, we had a delicious Panera lunch as we enjoyed further conversations with educators and companies we made connections with earlier that morning.
Two more sessions we available in the afternoon. I chose to see some of my former colleagues present (Dr. Chris Boyd & Mrs. Val Weinstein) about engaging apps to use in the secondary classroom. These two ladies have a reputation in our school for experimenting with new things, learning quickly and utilizing innovative technology for student learning in ways the rest of us only dream of. I knew I couldn't miss their session! Thanks to them, I learned about ThingLink, Pocket, and many others. Check out their presentation here! My mind reeled with the many ways these apps could have positively affected student learning in my classes the past three years. Thanks to Chris and Val I desired to venture outside my comfort zone to find new answers to recurring problems.
My last session of the day was spent learning from Justin Weaver about the best ways to go about blogging and using social media to advertise your school or classroom. He even taught us some best practices of photography (which I am clueless about!). Many times these conversations are a little over my head, and although I didn't get everything that was being discussed, I definitely benefited from tips that were mentioned (for example, how to interpret stats from your blog, some design suggestions, options for featuring student work, etc). Thanks to Justin I desired to be more intentional with my blog.
Great prizes were raffled away to finish up Day One, including a Chromebook, an iPad mini and a 3D likeness of yourself thanks to the 3D printer everyone was excited about. I'm decidedly NOT a lucky person when it comes to these types of things, but it was awesome to see area teachers get incredible things they could use in their classes or for themselves.
I left PUMPED to see what Day Two had to offer! I also left so encouraged and thankful for the school corporation we live in where the educators that impact students in our area are so motivated to be their best. Have I mentioned that this place is my dream job?! :)
Sunday, July 26, 2015
My Confession...and Resolution
I guess I have to come clean: for much of my adult life, I have been a thief.
Probably much of my student life, too, if I'm being honest.
In the name of full disclosure, my stealing was as a result of laziness, not intention. But, still. Even just this summer I was regularly in the practice of using images made by someone else and never never NEVER giving credit. My mind reels to the dozens upon dozens of PowerPoint presentations I have made teaching, the brochures and marketing that I did for our trip to Peru, the countless handouts and worksheets that I have tried to "spice up", and the hours upon hours that I have spent Tweeting or reTweeting something I liked.
So.
Many.
Images.
Used.
"Borrowed."
Stolen.
And no concern whatsoever for citing their origin.
Perhaps that lack of concern is rooted in the fact that I assume everyone feels as I feel. I have a laid back personality in this respect. I couldn't care less if someone knew my name or not. I despise being the center of attention. I can't think of a scenario where I would demand credit for anything. Most of the time, I do my best to push credit (even deserved credit in some instances) to others. I've always found humility to be an attractive quality.
And then Twitter rocked my world in SO. MANY. WAYS.
Recently I over-read (oversaw? eavesdropped? stalked?) a conversation I found to be rude and ridiculous. Five or six people were ganging up on one individual who had tweeted an image without citing who created it. They attacked like a flock of vultures who saw an opportunity to pick their prey apart. Did they have a valid concern? Probably. But it's hard for me to hear anything you are saying when you are obnoxiously rude and petty about it. My empathy is for the other person and you become the bad guy instantaneously. And then one apparent-vulture-lady Tweeted something to the same effect as the vultures, but with all the emotion removed and just the facts stated objectively. Not vulture-like after all.
How can I create projects where I require students to cite their sources if I'm not bothering to cite mine? How can I expect the librarian to co-teach with me for 2 days to correctly explain the difference between plagiarism and paraphrasing when the remaining 178 days I undermine what she just taught? How can I continue doing what I've been absentmindedly doing for the past 5 years if I want to improve in so many other areas?
I think the big "AHA!" moment came when one of my blog posts about "Tweachers" really took off. I mean, "took off" for me. I posted resources for teachers found on Twitter and all of the sudden some of my educational role models were posting my link on Twitter! Before I knew it, people I didn't even know were linking my blog post in articles they publish weekly. For those of you who have largely successful blogs, just pretend you remember what it felt like when you were first getting noticed :) It. felt. good. I liked seeing my name next to work that I had put effort into. I liked getting credit. I liked people knowing my name because of my work.
Wait, WHAT?!
And all of the sudden, it clicked. All of the individuals out there who have created visuals, photographed incredible scenes, and come up with ideas better than mine deserve credit for their accomplishments. And that doesn't make them self-centered or rude or demanding. They don't even have to care about it, to be honest. It is my responsibility as a professional and as a respectful human being to make whatever effort necessary to give others rightful credit. In word or in deed. And I'll be honest, I have very little clue of where to start.
Here are the links I am currently searching to find out more about how to be a more responsible digital citizen and how to teach students about digital citizenship as well. With more and more schools moving to 1:1, I am realizing how pertinent the need for teachers educated on this topic and actively modeling this topic truly is. So, feel free to browse along with me if you find yourself in the same boat as I am:
Probably much of my student life, too, if I'm being honest.
In the name of full disclosure, my stealing was as a result of laziness, not intention. But, still. Even just this summer I was regularly in the practice of using images made by someone else and never never NEVER giving credit. My mind reels to the dozens upon dozens of PowerPoint presentations I have made teaching, the brochures and marketing that I did for our trip to Peru, the countless handouts and worksheets that I have tried to "spice up", and the hours upon hours that I have spent Tweeting or reTweeting something I liked.
So.
Many.
Images.
Used.
"Borrowed."
Stolen.
And no concern whatsoever for citing their origin.
Perhaps that lack of concern is rooted in the fact that I assume everyone feels as I feel. I have a laid back personality in this respect. I couldn't care less if someone knew my name or not. I despise being the center of attention. I can't think of a scenario where I would demand credit for anything. Most of the time, I do my best to push credit (even deserved credit in some instances) to others. I've always found humility to be an attractive quality.
And then Twitter rocked my world in SO. MANY. WAYS.
Recently I over-read (oversaw? eavesdropped? stalked?) a conversation I found to be rude and ridiculous. Five or six people were ganging up on one individual who had tweeted an image without citing who created it. They attacked like a flock of vultures who saw an opportunity to pick their prey apart. Did they have a valid concern? Probably. But it's hard for me to hear anything you are saying when you are obnoxiously rude and petty about it. My empathy is for the other person and you become the bad guy instantaneously. And then one apparent-vulture-lady Tweeted something to the same effect as the vultures, but with all the emotion removed and just the facts stated objectively. Not vulture-like after all.
@justintarte @stumpteacher @surreallyno Need 2 note it's not yours. Don't share w/o making effort 2 track it down 1st. #digitalcitizenship
— Mirna Jope (@MadameMoodle) July 20, 2015
Their words specifically caught my attention because Justin was Tweeting exactly what I had done/felt before. I never claimed to create this. What is the big deal? Isn't it assumed that everyone "Google Images" what they need and comes up with something they didn't create? Mirna was Tweeting something so black and white, something I would tell students, and something I myself was not doing. Ouch. As I searched for more #digitalcitizenship Tweets, I came across this one:
Such a great point! If we don't model, how can we expect Ss to follow #digitalcitizenship #leadbyexample #FPSteach https://t.co/eUpIzGkCe4
— knives chau (@iwearthecrowns) July 7, 2015
OUCH. (Have I said that in this post yet?!)How can I create projects where I require students to cite their sources if I'm not bothering to cite mine? How can I expect the librarian to co-teach with me for 2 days to correctly explain the difference between plagiarism and paraphrasing when the remaining 178 days I undermine what she just taught? How can I continue doing what I've been absentmindedly doing for the past 5 years if I want to improve in so many other areas?
I think the big "AHA!" moment came when one of my blog posts about "Tweachers" really took off. I mean, "took off" for me. I posted resources for teachers found on Twitter and all of the sudden some of my educational role models were posting my link on Twitter! Before I knew it, people I didn't even know were linking my blog post in articles they publish weekly. For those of you who have largely successful blogs, just pretend you remember what it felt like when you were first getting noticed :) It. felt. good. I liked seeing my name next to work that I had put effort into. I liked getting credit. I liked people knowing my name because of my work.
Wait, WHAT?!
And all of the sudden, it clicked. All of the individuals out there who have created visuals, photographed incredible scenes, and come up with ideas better than mine deserve credit for their accomplishments. And that doesn't make them self-centered or rude or demanding. They don't even have to care about it, to be honest. It is my responsibility as a professional and as a respectful human being to make whatever effort necessary to give others rightful credit. In word or in deed. And I'll be honest, I have very little clue of where to start.
Here are the links I am currently searching to find out more about how to be a more responsible digital citizen and how to teach students about digital citizenship as well. With more and more schools moving to 1:1, I am realizing how pertinent the need for teachers educated on this topic and actively modeling this topic truly is. So, feel free to browse along with me if you find yourself in the same boat as I am:
- Curating vs. Stealing
- Why Digital Citizenship Should be on the Minds of Educators
- 6 Resources for Educators
- Teacher's Guide to Digital Citizenship
My "next step" for the moment is to read through these articles (and more!) for future change, but also change in small ways immediately. Recently, I have begun just tweeting someone and asking/checking if I have their permission to link something to my blog, Smore eflyer or even in a presentation in advance. They always say yes, but some do specify "please give credit." Which I no longer think is self-seeking, but rather a legitimate concern.
I should include that Justin (the man I mentioned who was attacked by vultures?) corrected his mistake for all to see. I was pretty impressed that someone with his platform for influence would admit an error and post the correction publicly, even when that correction came because of vultures. And the kind not-vulture lady? She kept being kind :)
@justintarte @betamiller Thanks for fixing it, Justin.
— Mirna Jope (@MadameMoodle) July 20, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Tweachers
Twitter. has. changed. my. teaching.
About a year ago, I began to hate Facebook for the unnecessary intimate details I read daily about everyone I knew. Around that same time, I began to enjoy Instagram for the simplicity of a picture with a caption. But now Twitter is becoming my new obsession for its combination of the strengths of other social media: simplicity (just 140 characters) and access to everyone and everything.
My school corporation (and especially my building principal) really encouraged all teachers to create a Twitter profile at the beginning of the year, "because it is leading the new wave of professional development in education." I was skeptical. I pictured all the celebrity twitter accounts that middle school students flock towards and I couldn't imagine what I would gain from participating. I had recently attended Lorinda Kline's presentation "Twitter 101" at the local (AND AMAZING) E3Tech conference where I learned the basics of what Twitter has to offer and I created my account. However, my principal really peaked my curiosity with his avid endorsement of using social media as a tool. I dove in.
What I found AMAZED me. I still categorize myself at the "AHA!" stage of the scale given above because I am still just dipping my toes in the incredible amount of resources and knowledge available for teachers on Twitter. Here is a list of the top 5 ways to use Twitter if you are a teacher (although there are countless more) :
Summer is a perfect time to get away from the paperwork, grading, phone calls, and late nights associated with teaching. Even while traveling, spending time with family, attending or ditching a conference here and there, and spending some time near the water everyone can still find some time to create a profile on Twitter and begin to use these suggestions to move from "denial" to "curiosity." Start now! You never know what you may find and how it may positively affect your teaching this coming fall. Tweet away future "tweachers"!
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| (Found on Twitter, ironically.) |
My school corporation (and especially my building principal) really encouraged all teachers to create a Twitter profile at the beginning of the year, "because it is leading the new wave of professional development in education." I was skeptical. I pictured all the celebrity twitter accounts that middle school students flock towards and I couldn't imagine what I would gain from participating. I had recently attended Lorinda Kline's presentation "Twitter 101" at the local (AND AMAZING) E3Tech conference where I learned the basics of what Twitter has to offer and I created my account. However, my principal really peaked my curiosity with his avid endorsement of using social media as a tool. I dove in.
What I found AMAZED me. I still categorize myself at the "AHA!" stage of the scale given above because I am still just dipping my toes in the incredible amount of resources and knowledge available for teachers on Twitter. Here is a list of the top 5 ways to use Twitter if you are a teacher (although there are countless more) :
- Twitter Chats: Join in all types of real-time online conversations taking place on twitter between educators. A chat will be scheduled ahead of time by a moderator who will then tweet out questions at specific intervals. You can "lurk" (read along without participating) or tweet answers back and reply to others. Chats are some of the best ways to get new ideas, share your observations and also connect with dozens of educators, administrators and educational gurus around the world. Read this to understand how to participate and look over this list to find some chats you might be interested in!
- Articles: Many educators will send out links to what they have recently read. Instantly, you have easy access to multiple books and articles that come highly recommended. Here is one that I have read recently thanks to Twitter.
- Inspiration & Encouragement: When you are feeling discouraged or frustrated, Twitter is full of funny pictures, quotes, and memes regarding our jobs and problems. There are also an unlimited number of quotes about education that serve as a great reminder in the midst of all the chaos. This one really stuck out to me.
- Blog Updates: If you enjoy reading blogs (she says on her blogpost...) then Twitter is great way to get notifications when your favorite bloggers write a new post. Many bloggers will tweet a link to a new post (like my favorite blogger, Maris, does). And many "Tweeps" (people on twitter) will have a link to their blog in their profile (like you see here on Allison's page), so you might even find brand new blogs to check out.
- Conference Snippets: Have you ever wished you could attend a professional development conference but you were stuck at home instead? Thanks to Twitter, many times you can follow what is going on by reading tweets with a hashtag that represent that conference. People who did attend might quote speakers, post pictures, or relay their reflections for the benefit of everyone who had to miss out. Search hashtags like #campmusicuentos, #iste2015, #allwrite and #e3tech and read what's been going on.
Summer is a perfect time to get away from the paperwork, grading, phone calls, and late nights associated with teaching. Even while traveling, spending time with family, attending or ditching a conference here and there, and spending some time near the water everyone can still find some time to create a profile on Twitter and begin to use these suggestions to move from "denial" to "curiosity." Start now! You never know what you may find and how it may positively affect your teaching this coming fall. Tweet away future "tweachers"!
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
De Vacaciones
Spring break is just around the corner! To encourage dialogue in the target language, even outside of school, I have come up with a short list of hashtags to give to my students. Last year I did a similar activity, but for a month at a time (you can see that post here). Usually, I give them a hard copy of the list and then I also post the daily hashtag and my contribution on Twitter and Instagram throughout the week. Students then take a picture each day that represents the given hashtag. They post a one sentence explanation in Spanish as well and then add the hashtag for the day, and our classroom hashtag. Since we've been practicing with seasons, colors and clothing...this seems like the perfect way to review and revisit familiar vocabulary and get a little insight into where everyone is over break.
Feel free to use these in your classroom, too, or make up your own list in your target language. I always encourage the kids to use our classroom hashtag #LMSespañol, but you could incorporate your school or program's hashtag instead.
I plan to give out prizes for students that participate. Usually I enter their names into a drawing, draw a few winners and then get 4x4 prints made to add to my "Beyond the Classroom" bulletin board in the hallway.
Feel free to use these in your classroom, too, or make up your own list in your target language. I always encourage the kids to use our classroom hashtag #LMSespañol, but you could incorporate your school or program's hashtag instead.
I plan to give out prizes for students that participate. Usually I enter their names into a drawing, draw a few winners and then get 4x4 prints made to add to my "Beyond the Classroom" bulletin board in the hallway.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
#WCSmission
This past Monday evening, many teachers, administrators and staff members across Warsaw Community School corporation participated in our first #WCSmission Twitter chat. It was from 8-9pm and it was moderated by myself, a fellow teacher from an an area elementary school and our corporation PLC Coach.
About 25 adults participated, including building principals, assistant principals, elementary, middle and high school teachers, special education teachers, technology directors and even our superintendent! It was so encouraging to learn from colleagues and to hear everyone's vision for our corporation.
I created a simple Word Document that walks through the basics of chatting on Twitter. Here is a link to our archived chat as well, if you are interested in reading through the questions we posed and the many answers we received.
Our plan at this point is to continue every other week. We have gotten lots of suggestions for future topics and more and more adults in our corporation have mentioned joining in future discussions. It is so exciting to see people work together across grade levels, content areas and even languages to better our students' educational experience.
Have you considered starting a chat within your school, community or corporation? I think you would be surprised at the number of people who still haven't tried Twitter or who haven't truly accessed all there is! Perhaps you could be the person to open their eyes to the world of resources available.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Frase de la Semana
I am always looking for ways to encourage students to incorporate Spanish organically into their daily conversations. Sometimes it happens, often it does not. So this year I decided to take a more proactive role in targeting one "frase de la semana."
Each Monday I introduce a brand new phrase that I think will be helpful for them to know. I have a spot on my front chalkboard where I write the phrase in Spanish and leave it all week for them to reference. I do my best to act out the phrase in Spanish using gestures, pictures and whatever else I can gather to express the meaning. Each time I hear the students using this phrase in context throughout the week, they receive a red "boleto." They write their name and class period on the back and place it in my little bucket by the door. On Fridays I draw out a name (or two or three, depending on how generous I'm feeling :) ) and the winner gets to choose from my highly coveted "premios" box. It was JUST refilled, so tickets are going hot!
This semester students requested the ability to use the phrase on social media sites and gain credit that way too. I think that still accomplishes our original objective...so I said yes! We will see how it goes this week. At this point, I love seeing tweets from my students using #valelapena, so I'm considering it a win.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
#LMSespañol
If you do not have a teaching account on Instagram or Twitter...you are missing out! I (finally) got on Instagram last year and only this year really started utilizing Twitter regularly. They have been game changers for me! Here is one way in particular that I have had success using Instagram:
Somewhere online I found the idea of creating an Instagram challenge. Students would be given a list of daily hashtags (words used to group or label photos) and asked to post pictures related to those topics. When done in the target language, this can be an effective way of assessing if students are understanding difficult vocabulary or possibly even getting them curious as to more challenging words not yet studied. My first challenge was to promote World Language Week at school, so I came up with these for the month of March.
I posted pictures daily and used #LMSespañol along with #marzo and the daily hashtag as well. This way, my colleagues and administrators can easily see what my class is doing by simply searching our class hashtag. I tried to think of spring-type word and I also used our school calendar to see when we had school-wide events they could incorporate. Students seemed to like seeing what I would post and coming up with their own creative ideas. During one of our homework choice assignments, I even let students choose to participate for seven days straight in this challenge and submit it for credit. Overall, it was a good start.
I tried a second challenge over the summer to encourage students to continue to use the language even outside of school. As fun as I thought it was, I didn't get much student involvement. Many of the teachers from my building who follow my school account jumped on board, however, so it wasn't a total loss!
My favorite Instagram challenge by far was our most recent one. This December I came up with yet another list and promoted it much better this time. I had it posted in the hallways, I posted a count down online and I even offered prizes. Many students participated between 1-5 days, a few did more than that...and three students posted every single day! It was a lot of fun to see their daily updates in Spanish.
Somewhere online I found the idea of creating an Instagram challenge. Students would be given a list of daily hashtags (words used to group or label photos) and asked to post pictures related to those topics. When done in the target language, this can be an effective way of assessing if students are understanding difficult vocabulary or possibly even getting them curious as to more challenging words not yet studied. My first challenge was to promote World Language Week at school, so I came up with these for the month of March.My favorite Instagram challenge by far was our most recent one. This December I came up with yet another list and promoted it much better this time. I had it posted in the hallways, I posted a count down online and I even offered prizes. Many students participated between 1-5 days, a few did more than that...and three students posted every single day! It was a lot of fun to see their daily updates in Spanish.
Upon further reflection, I realized that a month is probably too long of a time to keep up the excitement. I think a shorter challenge for one or two weeks will probably gain more momentum. Enjoy some of the goofy/creative submissions I received from our #diciembre challenge. How could you incorporate Instagram into your classroom? What suggestions would you have to improve this idea for the future?
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| #EnLaBiblioteca |
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| #emocionados |
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| #gemelas |
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| #gemelos |
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| #ComoSanta |
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| #Ciencias |
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