1. Include a conversation of what two new to you tools you explored for this challenge. I used Screencastify to make my “confessional.” I make videos using devices (like the video recorder on a tablet) for the students, but I’m always demonstrating something for them, never filming myself. What was your experience with each tool? Using Screencastify was a new-to-me tool, and being the subject of the video was also a new experience. It takes some getting used to if you are not accustomed to watching and listening to yourself on camera. I thought the app was easy to use, though it took several attempts to get the picture and sound the way I wanted it. Also, I’m considering upgrading the subscription to get more use out of the editing features. Would you use it again? Why/How? I will use this tool again, probably to make some short videos to send out to classroom parents. I think this format would increase engagement, as a video like this could include content and a bit of personalization. I’m hoping some of next year’s parents might be hooked in by seeing some videos of me and the students. Also, I’ll be able to be more specific when describing something I might need a parent to do, like be on the lookout for a form to return or an item to look for in a backpack, etc. Using this tool will also allow me to easily upload videos of student work and students working. Our district communication tool is Remind, which does allow for uploading of pictures and videos. What helped you make a decision about what you ultimately chose? I looked at several other video-making options (Adobe Spark, Screencast-o-Matic) but decided on Screencastify for its ease of use (both in making and editing the video) and the fact that it’s a Google extension, so I’ll be able to use it with district technology. I’m going to try to make a video with my phone next and see how it does with a downloaded video.
2. Talk about your plan to share your Epiphany. I will, at first, share this video with a couple of colleagues at Sheridan who I know have some of the same issues I had with a new device. Of the 9 of us in early elementary grades (K-2) 7 of us are “dinosaurs.” As a whole, we are a group that struggles with technology and its potential uses. I know I was not the only one who was disappointed with the transition from laptop to tablet. I even know of one teacher who really does not use the technology at all for this reason. I can understand this impulse, being an older teacher myself. I hope my short video can change a mind or two when it comes to technology in the classroom, as I think these devices hold a lot of potential to enhance student learning. Also, if sharing this video proves effective, maybe I’ll be able to share some of the great tools that I’ve discovered along the way. I’m a leader when it comes to complaining, but I always try to come up with solutions before I begin griping. If some of my colleagues hear my words (being familiar as they are with the issues of the device usage) maybe we can better utilize what we’ve been given. I hope so, because we aren’t going to be getting anything else.
What tools you picked and what criteria you used when choosing: I used a variety of digital tools for this assignment. The choice board is made with a Google Doc, not a new tool but one that I can easily push out to students using Google Classroom. The math lesson is the Google Slides presentation of an adaptive lesson, used as a whole class intervention, before the beginning of the first unit of second grade math. Our district has provided adaptation guides for each unit in each grade level, to be used when a teacher feels that students require additional instruction prior to the unit. Given that this is our district’s second year using the math curriculum, I feel it would be irresponsible of me not to teach these adaptive lessons, since our students are still less than familiar with the curriculum. This lesson, and its accompanying choice board, will actually be the first math lesson I teach during the 2023-24 school year. The new tools I chose for the board were selected on the following criteria: 1) Would my students have access to the resources on their devices? 2) Did the applications contain appropriate activities that supported the learning objectives? 3) Are these resources available for longer-term use through district subscription (or because they are free resources)? Each of the digital tools included in the choice board meets these criteria. Are there tools that you considered but decided against using because they did not meet a piece of criteria? Tools that were considered but not used did not meet all three criteria. I investigated a Scholastic product called Fasttmath, but it mainly deals in fact fluency with two single-digit numbers. Additionally, many of these resources contained lessons and activities that were not germane to meeting the learning objective, so it was vital that I chose relevant assignments. Several of these resources will allow me to assign activities through Google Classroom. How many of the tools were new to you (ideally all of them would be new to you but at minimum a majority of the tools on the choice board should be new to you)? The Missing Numbers game, Khan Academy, the Number Frames game, and Prodigy are all new to me. I have used Moby Max in the past, but due to rostering issues, I have not been able to effectively utilize this website recently. I have used Cool Math Games in the past, but never with second graders at Sheridan. Quick side notes: I plan on using the Prodigy website, but I cannot get access to any resources until I’ve rostered a class, which won’t be possible until August 11, when class lists are published. That is why there is no link. Also, there are three squares (in the middle row) that are paper choices. Our core math curriculum is entirely on paper, with no digital component as yet, so for practical reasons, I included these three options. Additionally, the summative assessment for the lesson/unit is the center square.
How the choice board helps you answer the three questions: 1. Is this occurring at the moment of need? These activity choices will be presented to students at the close of the direct instruction portion of this lesson but before the assessment is given. My thinking in making the summative assessment for the lesson the center square involved planning the lesson after evaluating the assessment. If a student receives the direct instruction and chooses to take the assessment first, this relays good information to me about a child’s readiness to move on to the initial second grade math unit. A student choosing to begin with the formal assessment who scores in the Progressing or Needs Improvement category (see RUBRIC, slide 14) would need to choose some different activities and then return to the assessment later. 2. Is there a caring human being behind this? As I am leading the lesson and facilitating the choices (both digital and paper), then I am that caring human being. Formative assessment will be possible with both digital and paper assignments. I’ve tried to limit the scope of the activities to support the learning objective, so feedback (feedforward, I should say!) will not be too time consuming. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to conference with each student one time during the independent work period. Additionally, I anticipate revisiting the lesson and activities more than once over the course of the first week. 3. Is this value-added?) I see these activities as engaging and relevant, and their addition to this lesson goes far beyond what the math program provides initially. The math program asks us to follow their script and move on after one day teaching one lesson. As an experienced instructor, I know this not a best practice.
What is the learning goal?A student will solve a word problem with three addends and show their thinking through written or visual explanation. How does this choice board support students in achieving the learning goals? The activities on the board should give each student multiple opportunities to explore and practice the several skills necessary to meet the learning goal. Students will be required to read, add, relate addition and subtraction, and explain used strategies after completing all the choices. What data do you hope to gain? My hope is to gauge student readiness to move forward into the second grade math program. Based on the results of these activities, I should also be able to identify students who will require further instruction at this remedial level. The math program assumes that all students are performing at grade level, but this has proven untrue, owing to our population’s already-present deficiencies in math skills and their (and my) lack of experience with the program itself. Illustrative Math is inquiry-based instruction, which takes time to implement. How will this drive instruction moving forward? I’m anxious to see the results of the additional components to this lesson I have already covered. Providing choices to improve engagement seems like a necessary step going forward, especially as we become more familiar with this math program and its inevitable shortcomings.
Have you considered the 5+Cs and are they are all represented (and an explanation if you don’t have all of them represented)? All 5 C’s of the Beckingham/Nerantzi framework are represented in this curation, though some linked articles could represent more than one of the components. Especially ambiguous were the categories of communication and collaboration. Several resources fit nicely in both collections. I suppose that parent involvement was the deciding factor, and although the parent-involved articles were included in the communication section, many of those ideas would seem to promote a collaborative effort between teachers and parents, as well as between students and parents.
Your problem(s) of practice and how the resources you found may help you solve the problem(s): Our problem of practice relates to students’ underdeveloped writing skills and how these deficiencies impact their abilities to demonstrate proficiency on constructed response questions. The current language arts curriculum has a vaguely specified writing component that teaches very little about the mechanics of writing (e.g. topic development, narrative focus, use of conventions, etc.). Additionally, teachers struggle to support student writing development using technology in the early grades (K-2) as student devices are tablets (iPad) with limited functionality in the areas of the mechanics of composition (read: keyboarding!) Beginning in third grade, students will be required to compose constructed response questions using laptop computers. Not only are writing skills underdeveloped (see above) but students also lack experiences with keyboarding, adding another layer of obstruction. In curating this collection for colleagues, I learned many features about our devices that should help me improve the quality of my writing instruction, while at the same time increase student engagement in writing activities.
Your takeaways from curating resources related to equitable access and culturally pro-active teaching: I’ve recently come to understand that ensuring equitable digital access involves much more than giving each student a device and a strong Wi-Fi connection. To this end, involving colleagues, parents and students in the process of developing digital literacy and its attendant skills is vital to this equitability. We must not only guide our stakeholders through the how’s and why’s of implementing technology in instruction, but also partner with each and develop together. As technology plays an ever-increasing role in education and in life, we all have much to offer and learn from each other.
What was your criteria for inclusion into your curation? Are there tools/resources that did not make it in? In all honesty, I had to stop myself from including more due to time constraints. I feel that this initial collection of resources is only the beginning of this exercise. I have much more to learn about implementing the information from these resources and I’ll require feedback from stakeholders (colleagues, parents, students, administrators, etc.) to refine this collection. I attempted to choose resources that would be useful to those who would act as guides to our students (teachers and special grown-ups), that explained the how and the why, and tried to make sure that I allowed for the fact that I may have knowledge (through my own experiences) that others might not.
How can this curation help you become a leader in your school/district (consider here connecting back to the text in the Teacher as Leader lesson)? By initiating a curative effort in an attempt to solve a problem of practice, I am positioning myself as a leading voice for improvement with respect to both the use of technology and the practice of developing student writing skills. This fits with the standard 1b: Pursu[ing] professional interests by creating and actively participating in local and global learning networks. Additionally, I hope to lead the way toward transforming the learning through a redefinition of how we might teach writing in early elementary education classroom, using the digital tools available to us.
Include a conversation of what new to you tool you explored for this challenge. What was your experience with this tool? Would you use it again? Why/How? What helped you make a decision about what you ultimately chose? Price-Dennis, Holmes and Smith’s article describing the repositioning of identified students “as.. competent and capable learner[s]” resonated strongly. Their use of Flipboard opened many possibilities by focusing instruction on student interest. I find that this approach works extremely well in fostering engagement with the writing process. Students will be more likely to practice and develop writing’s attendant skills by exploring areas of individual interest. Hopefully, adult stakeholders can also begin to benefit from this curation. I will continue not only to use Flipboard again, but also continue to develop this particular curative collection.
Extend/ApplyGrasp the ideas in the post to which you are responding and take them further. If the post is theoretical, pursue the implications of the ideas with regard to a specific situation or example.
Shelby Bayless’ Teacher as Collaborator post [link]
Connect/CompareConnect the post to which you are responding into “dialogue” with other texts we’ve read, posts, your experiences, or your expectations for the future.
Rebecca Schaefer’s Teacher as Facilitator post [link]
Agree/DisagreeIt’s easier to be interesting by disagreeing than by agreeing, but I believe the ability to agree creatively is also important. Make sure to expand upon why and how you agree or disagree.
Hannah Schaschwary’s Teacher as Citizen post [link]
Discover/InterpretTry to read (that is, make meaning of) the post in a way that will not be obvious to most readers. Try to notice something others might not notice.
ReviseLook back on a previous reading, post, or other experience, andsee whether the current post gives you a new idea or leads you to change your mind.
ISTE STANDARD: 1.3 Knowledge Constructor: Students critically curate and variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
DIGITAL TOOLS: Edpuzzle, ARC Bookshelf (American Reading Company), student device
GOALS:
Long-term: Choose and research a bug using the ARC Bookshelf and at least one other source. Create a labeled diagram of a bug’s body, showing the important parts and functions of 5 physical features. Make a short video showing us your diagram.
Short-term:
1) Explore the ARC Bookshelf, reading and gathering information about a chosen insect or arachnid.
2) Use Edpuzzle’s search menu to find more information about your chosen animal and its body parts and functions.
3) Choose your bug!
4) Choose a template. You can make your diagram on Google Classroom, or just make it on paper. Either way, I can provide a template for you to use.
5) Make a short video showing your bug diagram. You can use you’re the camera app on your device to film your paper diagram, or make a webcast if you made a digital artifact. Post it to our assignments page in Edpuzzle.
Above is the assignment page in Edpuzzle.This is a picture of the video search engine in Edpuzzle.Here is the location of the ARC Bookshelf on the student symbaloo.Here is the location of the thematic libraries on ARC Bookshelf.Here is the curated library for the research unit of which this lesson is a component.
REFLECTION
Why you’ve chosen this tool to accomplish your purpose. I chose Edpuzzle because it contains age-appropriate research materials, video upload capabilities, and a way to push the assignment out to students. As an additional bonus, some of my colleagues are already using Edpuzzle at our school, so I’ll have resources I can utilize in case I get stuck. What was your experience with the tool? I found Edpuzzle to be very user-friendly for a first-timer. I appreciated the multiple ways this tool was useful for our project. Combined with the curated ARC Bookshelf (which in the past has been a vital component of the bug research unit) and the video upload capabilities, this platform fit quite seamlessly into the unit. The best part is that I’ve only scratched the surface with this app. Would you use it again? (For this one, lets stick to a brand new to you tool–reach out to Dr. Falbe if you have questions about this). I will most definitely use this tool again.
How the tool helps you move along the Technology Integration Matrix, and how you are using it in light of the SAMR model.Edpuzzle moves me into infusion in each of the five characteristics. Especially gratifying is the jump up within collaboration. I’m most looking forward to watching what students can accomplish with the video reflection. I enjoyed my experience making my short video. I’ve modeled creating the bug diagram several times. Getting a chance to show it off also helped me reflect on my own process, which should give me more insight into the student experience.
How the instruction around this artifact supports students in engaging in one or more of the ISTE Standards for Students. This activity provides more student choice, both in subject and method (1.1), allows for the practice of positive digital citizenship (1.2), enables students to communicate creatively (1.6) and encourages more critical curation of available resources (1.3)
How this re-examined project is more student centered and helps you (the teacher) take the role of facilitator (refer back to the readings in the lesson). By providing more student choice in research material, artifact creation and reflection, I can de-emphasize the direct instructional components of bug anatomy and research, leaving me more time to assist students in exploring the various tools and methods available for their project.
PLAN FOR SETTING AND TRACKING STUDENT GOALS
Goal setting worksheet from Pearson Education, found on Pinterest.
I found this attractive goal setting page that works perfectly with the project. This document is easily shareable on Google Classroom, and can be updated by both teacher and student. Additionally, students can use the notes application on the tablet to record and share important information about their research. Directions for editing a Google document can be put into a short video and posted (I already have one made) and directions for using the Notes app will require a mini-lesson for students as well. Mini-lessons on making and uploading videos should be made available to students via Google classroom. With the completion of each goal, the teacher can respond on the goal setting worksheet when students have provided evidence.
Why you’ve chosen this tool to accomplish your purpose. Microsoft PowerPoint seemed to have more accessibility features than Google Slides, which was the original platform for this lesson. PPT has many of the same features as slides, and the ease of conversion allowed me to keep the same lesson while enabling improvements in accessibility. What did you find out from reading the accessibility statement? Did the accessibility statement play a role in what tool you used? “Accessibility Checkers, Accessible Templates, Autogenerated Alt-Text for images and Captions for audio are available in the Microsoft 365 apps to make it easier for everyone to make their emails, documents, presentations, and meetings more inclusive.” (Microsoft Accessibility Statement) This partial accessibility statement proves true when utilizing some of the accessibility features of Microsoft PowerPoint. The ‘Check Accessibility’ tab allowed me to monitor what was missing from the original presentation. This will also remind me to use the accessibility features contained in Google Slides, which, though differently presented, will prove valuable. Although Microsoft’s statement did not sway me specifically to use their product, I found that PowerPoint’s features were more user friendly than what I had found on Google.
What two new to you tools did you explore for this challenge? The new tools I used are contained in Microsoft PowerPoint. Specifically, the Check Accessibility tab and the Edit Alt Text feature were used most. What was your experience with each tool? I detailed in the above section some of my experiences with the Check Accessibility tab. The Edit Alt Text feature helped me to consider the possible experiences of a student using text-to-speech technology. Would you use it again? Why/How? Now that I know somewhat how to use these features, I will absolutely utilize them in the future. I have many slideshow presentations that I use perennially, so the additions of accessibility features will be an area with great possibilities for improvement. What helped you make a decision about what you ultimately chose? Since this lesson was built around a read-aloud activity, I felt that the use of closed captioning was somewhat unnecessary, as the text is contained in the images of the story I’m projecting. However, I may consider adding in captioning anyway, as the print in the book is small. Would the fact that each student has a personal copy of the storybook count as increasing accessibility? Also, probably during the revision of this presentation, I will need to investigate how to include captions on the video instructions on slide 14.
What intentional choices did you make around the POUR guidelines? To make the presentation more perceivable, I added text descriptions to images, provided more color contrast for print, and made that print more readable and legible. Using the Arial font was an easy adjustment. To make the presentation more operable, I used clear structure and headings, and avoided flashing content (which I have used often in the past). For content understandability, I provided clear directions, strove for consistency in the design, and used plain, grade-appropriate language. For robustness, students are able to complete the assignment on their devices. What worked well? What do you think might still need some work in terms of accessibility? The improvements to the presentation definitely add more access points. Considering my lack of experience using accessibility features, I would say everything I tried could be improved. I’m looking forward to the feedback on this particular assignment. Before I knew nothing about it. Now I know next to nothing.
How will this presentation of content fit inside of the context of the larger lesson? I hope to make our language arts curriculum more accessible to second-graders, even those who may not require assistive technologies. I read in several places that these technologies will benefit those learners who are developing literacy skills as well, which includes my entire class roster in most years. What would you imagine comes before or after this? Going forward, these assistive technologies will only become more prevalent in our classroom. Although I’m teaching general education, owing to LRE, it’s a good idea to be prepared to welcome learners who may require these technologies. Will you use this to flip your classroom? Yes, if our district will allow students to take devices home regularly, which is not the case at present. Will it be something students access independently or something you play for the whole class? This will be a whole class lesson, but the product that students work on (the ‘Comparing Animal Characters’ graphic organizer) can and should be accessed independently. Additionally, our reading program makes this story accessible online as well.
How do the tools help you move along the Technology Integration Matrix, and how you are using it in light of the SAMR model? Generally speaking, the tools help me move towards adaptation and infusion in each of the five areas. The limitations of technology choice (the fact that we are issued only 1 kind of device) makes entering the transformative areas more challenging. Hopefully, the addition of assistive technologies will enable students to access these activities on devices outside of the school environment. In terms of the SAMR model, this lesson allows the possibility of moving from augmentation to modification by changing the format of the students’ demonstrations of comprehension.
2. Students illustrate observations and formulate questions about their observations.
3. Jamboard brainstorm: Students post their observation questions to a shared Jamboard, also available to our collaborators at the Illinois Geographical Society and the Geography Department at ISU. Collaborators can answer questions and pose new ones for students to consider.
4. Using Seesaw, students engage with interactive videos to research more background information for their capstone projects:
5. Using National Geographic’s Mapmaker application, students create a map demonstrating an understanding of the interactions between land and water. Although students may choose different map formats, those choices will reflect the level of comprehension relating to the researched concepts, as many map formats on the application are not relevant to an understanding of land and water forms relating to the NGSS Science Standard.
REFLECTION
Which of the ISTE sub-standards does it connect to? This collaborative activity connects most closely with ISTE standard 2.4.c: Use collaborative tools to expand students’ authentic, real-world learning experiences by engaging virtually with experts, teams and students, locally and globally. Additionally, connections can be seen with standard 2.5.b: Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning. Combining the NGSS principles with ISTE standards should enhance (and hopefully transform) student learning by 1) letting student-formulated questions drive and guide the instruction, and 2) enabling collaboration outside the classroom to foster engagement, motivation and deeper, more active learning.
How does it connect to the two readings and/or video? “An affordance of modern digital technologies is that students can interact authentically with others beyond the classroom walls. As students communicate and publish online, they will undoubtedly have their intended audience in mind, but they must also consider unintended others that will also be privy to this content [Hull, Stornaiuolo, and Sahni 2010].” (Gierhart, Bonner, smith and Seglem, p. 89) I hope that this activity “can foster audience reflexivity…by engaging learners with a myriad of others, including the teacher, fellow peers, and others outside of the class, all the while facilitating students’ reflections on their choices.” (Gierhart, et. al. p. 89)
Questions to Consider:Are there community organizations or businesses that could enhance student understanding of the unit? Yes, I have found two promising organizations that no doubt contain individuals willing to collaborate with our second graders. When it comes time to implement this unit, I imagine that we will have willing collaborators. Can you better connect your curriculum to authentic experiences by collaborating with experts? This unit (and the associated learning) will no doubt be improved by the connections to the authentic experiences enabled by the digital tools available, as well as with the aforementioned collaborators. I have replaced (or am adding to, we’ll see) the capstone activity (a ‘landform flipbook) with the Mapmaker exercise in hopes of expanding student awareness of geography on a (literally) global scale. I will have to spend more time experimenting with the site myself to know its capabilities and to possibly guide student choices – though this would seem counter intuitive to encouraging student engagement, exploration and research… Is there a way to elevate student voice through this collaboration? Student-generated questions and the sharing of them with expert collaborators does just this.
What was your experience with each [new] tool?Mapmaker made the most distinct impression on me as I explored it. It contains components that are accessible to the second grade mind as well as many opportunities for expansion both within and without this particular activity. I’m excited to see what some student outcomes might be. Seesaw is a tool that our district makes available as an alternative to Google Classroom. I’ve not had an occasion to use it before, so I’m pleased to be able to explore it. I’m hoping that we can interface the new math curriculum with this platform as well. Jamboard, our old friend, seemed a natural fit for collaboration, especially with the connection to shared questions between students and outside experts. It’s not exactly a new platform for me, but I’ve only used it once before (TCH 411, I believe).
Where does this collaborative lesson land on the Technology Integration Matrix? Active=Adaptation, Collaborative=Transformation, Constructive=Adaptation, Authentic=Adoption, Goal-Directed=Adaptation/Infusion. What about SAMR? The Land and Water Forms unit falls under the modification sub-category, somewhat transforming the learning, within its current design. Hopefully, with more development, this unit can achieve redefinition, but I’d like to try it with students as it exists before making further changes.
My digital citizenship element, Digital Access, concerns “the equitable distribution of technology and online resources.” (Ribble, M. (n.d.). Nine Elements / Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship. Digital Citizenship. https://www.digitalcitizenship.net/nine-elements.html).
Digital access examines some misconceptions about the current involvement of technology in education, specifically the notion that providing each student with devices and connections ensures equitability. Teachers should be aware that it is the design and application of these technology tools that can and should not only enhance learning, but transform it as well. When students are given opportunities to communicate and collaborate, active and goal-oriented learning is more likely to occur. Here are some references which were most helpful:
Concerning the ISTE standard, 3a: Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community. Although this standard touches several of the nine essentials of digital citizenship, it relates with Digital Access by making learners aware of the importance of connection, on- and offline, and the role of teachers in designing and facilitating these access points with regard to devices, applications, connections and supports.
Two new tools were used to create this lesson: Whiteboard‘s Explain Everything and Mindomo. The experience with each tool had its frustrations, but the intuitive nature of the software made it possible to function and create. I’m especially interested to see how students are able to navigate the Mindomo application, as it provides many templates whereby student thinking can be illustrated and shared. The Explain Everything app was a bit more limited in terms of document manipulation, but had many more features that helped the presentation, including the audio recording, which was a new experience for me. I will probably use each application going forward, having had some experience with the features and tools of each. My decision was based on simple trial and error, as I did look into other apps that did not, on first glance, appear to meet my needs for the assignment.
Laptop, because state exams are becoming computer-based only, and if students don’t have a good grasp of using a keyboard to write and edit they’re going to be fucked.
As a teacher – I taught both 5th and 7th grade with no student devices.
As a parent – none of my kids use personal tech in school except for in the computer room where they learn Microsoft Word or do SuccessMaker. They had school-issued tablets for remote school from April until June 2020, and then for September of the next school year.
Ipads are easier but that comes with the problem of needing even more monitoring than a laptop. Laptops are more versatile, less prone to disconnect and never told me I could not use the required programs from the district.
Paper and pencil. Laptops in the classroom Is the worse thing that ever happened in my kids classroom. Her online HW is obnoxious and she has to have an internet connection to complete the assignments.
Chromebook. They are cheap, easy to control content as a parent, and kids can learn the crucial skill of typing. Edited to add, I see lots of comments about pencil and paper. Yes, this is important, learning handwriting. However, technology is reality. If kids aren’t using devices to solve problems and find information, they aren’t learning how real life works in our current world. It’s a disservice for them to not have devices. Devices are so easy to lock down and control what kids are able to see and access. Lots of people either don’t know how to do this, or are not willing to invest the time in learning how to do so.
PLN Document 2
I also revisited my Twitter account, which seems fitting in light of the two recent Supreme Court decisions involving affirmative action and student loan forgiveness.
And one of the first things I came across was this happy horsepoop… Are these two even aware of what the federal minimum wage is these days?
At $7.25/hour, a $20,000 student loan would only take 2,759 hours of work to pay back, if those earnings were spent on nothing else. That’s 69 weeks, or over a year of working full time (40 hours) with no other expenses. That’s about as realistic as their notion that “the power’s back in your life!” Neither of these two have students loans, I’m sure.My first tweet!Another tweet.
PLN Document 3
I subscribed to several podcasts as a way to build my PLN:
Thanks to Jill L. for this one! Huberman’s insights on neuroscience are very relevant to education, especially learning theory.As we know, Gonzalez’ content is so valuable for instructional delivery.The levity and positive vibe of this podcast really helps relieve anxiety about the job.
PLN Document 4
I joined a teacher forum:
I liked some of the discussion boards and posed a question of my own. I’m sure you’re tired of hearing that I don’t really like a tablet for a student device, but I had to ask!
REFLECTION
First of all, here are the screenshots of my PLN as it stands today:
…write a narrative talking about the growth of your PLN and how you will use it in your professional life.How do you plan to continue to connect with other educators? What sites do you prefer to use to make connections? Why? How do you currently or hope to collaborate with other educators? Until this assignment, I never really considered my network of people and resources. I certainly never plotted out what it looked like. When I see the people I’m fortunate to work and share with, the organizations of which I’m a part, and the resources available to me, I know I’m just getting started. In a further expanding PLN, I could include principals at other schools in the district, administrators and teachers from earlier in my career, past cooperating teachers from my own learning experiences, parents of current and former students. Anyone I’ve crossed paths with in this career could be a resource for me. My weakness is involvement (or lack thereof) with more organizational, online resources. There are limitless possibilities for involvement and engagement. Why do I not take more advantage? I think it speaks to my background in the days before we had these wondrous technologies. My strength has always been in person, and I feel much less vulnerable in a face-to-face setting. I’m hyper-sensitive to anonymous criticism given that anonymity is often accompanied by a loss of decorum and tact. That almost never happens in a personal setting, and I do prefer the civility. When you put something out there on the internet, anyone can and will comment. Most times it’s just easier to seek out help from the people who you know, who you trust. I’m not sure if my attitude towards social media is healthy or not… But I have tried to dip my toe in a little, and at times have gotten positive, constructive response (look at those Reddit responses!). Mostly, though, I rely on the people around me to offer guidance. Additionally, I’m prone to figuring it out myself, which I realize is less than ideal, given that the world is a shared place. The intelligent person is one who is aware of their shortcomings. I don’t know everything, but most times, right or wrong, I’m try to figure it out on my own. Going forward, I’m going to continue to cherish collaboration among co-workers, continue posting questions on Reddit (a site I’ve really enjoyed because of the anonymity and having lurked – consumed – for so long) and continue to look for organizations that can help me with problems or challenges I’ll face as a classroom teacher. A smart path for me would be to speak with the people I’m so fond of to find out where they go online. I can be phobic when it comes to using social media, so a little hand-holding, so to speak, will help me a lot.
