Poise in Blogging

       Initially, blogging seems like another "thing" to check off my ever growing To-Do List. I’m a type-A personality and it is very important to me to not only make lists, but to actually check off tasks on my list! So to add another task weighs heavily on me. Blogging seemed like I would have to spend lots of time that I may not really have just to post something, anything online in hopes that someone somewhere would actually find interest in something that I have to say. I even feel that blogging seems like another mode to bring unwanted attention inside my professional world of teaching middle school students. Over all, I have not been too excited about blogging regularly.

     Interestingly enough, this course on “Learning to Blog” has taught me more about the purpose and potential that blogging can bring to others. The technicality of actual blogging (i.e. composing a post, adding widgets, changing the layout, etc.) came very naturally; however the content of the posts seems to be my largest hurdle. If you read my initial thoughts on blogging, you should have noticed that it was mostly written in first person (I used lots of “I’s, me's, and my's”). Blogging seems to be about sharing and learning for others not just another task to check off the To-Do List. Once you have the idea/topic of your post, it’s pretty simple to just put your information out there and even ask for feedback! It’s about people helping people and who really does not need any help?!

    I plan on using my blog to highlight my classroom activities. I believe that the general public think that middle school is all about those awkward, uncomfortable years. By blogging, I can give a glimpse inside the middle school classroom to show that these students are more innovative, outgoing, and confident than what you could ever imagine.  My students take ownership of their learning and are excited for what their future holds! But posting classroom activities, I can help others grow their personal learning network (PLN) as well as grow my PLN as I follow and subscribe to fellow bloggers.

     The only limitation that I still see for myself is making time to publish posts regularly. I am beginning to see the importance of blogging and all its grandeur. All the while, I am wanting, hoping, anticipating following through with regular posts because I really do understand the impact and importance that blogging can and will have for my PLN and even my classroom. Typehe best way for my blog not to fall wayside will be to “make a date” every week in my planner to make sure that I publish something! Remember: I am type-A. Lists are wonderful, but checking of tasks on the To-Do list is even more fulfilling! 

Understanding Volume with Technology

One of the hardest concepts to teach in  middle school math is VOLUME. This topic generally sends all my non-math friends running for the door. Fear not my friends! Once you are able to understand a few basic concepts of volume, you will soon be on your way to mastering this mind boggling topic.

I am so fortunate to have wonderful staff support and coaches that locate all kinds of goodies for me to use in the classroom. So when my teaching partner and I began planning for our volume unit, we quickly asked for some web apps and sites that we could use that would help us to enhance the learning experience for our kids. The web app that we chose to use is from the National Library of Virtual Manipulatives called How High?. This is a great activity for all levels because you are able to cross compare volumes between different 3-D shapes! However, since 7th grade math requires our students to understand volume of prisms and pyramids, we stuck with the rectangular prism.

The Lesson

The first task we had for our students was to simply predict the height or "how high" the liquid would be if we were to pour the liquid from one take to the next. We allowed for exploration without much reasoning behind the task.

After the kids performed this task several times, their predictions began to be more accurate! They even began to get excited and explain to me how they were able to make more precise predictions. 

         

The second task was to make exact predictions of the volume. As a class, we discussed how several of the groups were were doing. Some well, others not so much. We then furthered our discussion to explain how the area of the base is important to finding volume. Upon completion of the discussion, we allowed for more time to make the most accurate predictions of "how high?" 

Lesson Reflection

The lesson went extremely well! Students were engaged and were surprised that they were acquiring an understanding of a topic that is generally difficult. After the lesson, my students were able to explain how to find the volume of prisms and they were more excited to move forward with the unit and felt at ease as they were moving into a difficult lesson. 

I enjoyed the lesson and would encourage this activity as an intro to volume. The only thing I would change is that I would probably set aside time prior to beginning the activity to have the students write about what they know and what they would like to learn about volume.

Lesson Assessment

To assess the progress of our students, we actively monitored the activity, viewed predictions make during each task phase. We then had students write reflections of the activity in their journals. 

I hope that you have a new activity that can help ease the tension on starting your unit on volume! If you use this activity, let me know how it went in your classroom. Do you have some activities or other web apps to help students conceptualize volume?

Day 3 Reflection

WOW...

Tough day. I spent time, again, trying to evolve my PLN. There really is some great ideas and other stuff out there. I'm just struggling with filtering and finding material that I need now. Of course I could spend hours searching...Pinterest has proven that true!

WHEW...

Really struggling with my first video for the flipped classroom. As of now, I do not have anything ready or even started. I hope that some last minute efforts will come through and that I am prepared for tomorrow's presentation.

YAY!!!

Of everything that I have actually accomplished is my lesson plan and my student sample for a technology infused lesson! I somehow managed to compile several components necessary for this activity: lesson plan, a project sample, peer review form, and even a form in Google drive to have the kiddos submit their final projects into!  I'm quite pleased with this section of work!

Day 2 Reflection

PLN Time

Throughout the day, I have found a few helpful and creditable resources including websites, youTube subscriptions, and following/created a new circle in Google+

      alternantiveTo.net  (a plethora of web apps that are similar. So if you know of an app, but either use it all the 

               time or maybe want something a little better or different, this is the place to go!)

      In youTube i have subscribed to a few different channels. For interactive math journals, I have subscribed to Jessica Smith Sloane. For brain breaks or Fun Friday options, I subscribed to list25.

      In Google+ i created a math circle and am following Maria Gonzalez for her amazing interactive math journals.

      

Flipped Classrooms Webinar

The webinar presented by Todd Nelsoney was amazing and inspiring! It is comforting to see teachers from similar teaching backgrounds be innovative and a leading force behind flipping the classroom. I am most impressed with the student responses and achievements. As teachers, we all want our students to have a deeper understanding for the material that we teach, a love for learning, and not be confined to teaching "The Test" AKA the STAAR Test. My eyes were opened to a new (and probably better) way of teaching! 

Your Lesson and Student Sample 

I will be using a lesson on lateral and total surface area and the students will be crating a PowToon to show how to solve for either surface area for one shape. Once they have created their PowToon, they will use peer review to edit and check for errors. The students will then share their presentation with another student that chose a different shape. Upon completion, I will have the students share their presentation with me through Google drive. I will choose one of each to post to my blog to share how amazing my students are!

Solutions to "Problems"

Yesterday, I posted four potential barriers to infusing technology in the classroom: time, network issues, felling inadequate, and students being responsible. I have always been told, "Don't mention problems unless you have a solution!"  Since I am the teacher, the one responsible for the each person that enters my classroom, my job is to identify solutions to these barriers so that all the students are able to go on a learning journey.

Problem #1: TIME
Solution: Everything takes time; however, the more you perform a task, the more proficient you become. I stumbled upon an article that talks about Gradual Release of Responsibility or GRR. Through implementation of classroom management, students will gradually know what to expect and has the potential for becoming second nature.

Problem #1: Network Issues
Solution: If it is an entire network issue, there is not much to do about that. Make sure that there is a Plan B and postpone the current lesson for another day. If it is an individual network issue, I know there are a few Technology Technicians that are just a phone call away! (Do not forget these co-workers: they are probably the best people to build relationships with and always ask with a smile :D)

Problem #1: Personal Inadequacy
Solution: The best cure for this is to grow and utilize my Personal Learning Network (PLN). By seeing how others have taught particular lessons, I can slowly but surely become more comfortable with new ways to enhance and transform the math experience for all my students.

Problem #1: Student Responsibility
Solution: I will let it be know that technology will be a reoccurring tool in the classroom. I will set and be consistent with the standards, expectations, and consequences for all the students at the beginning of the year. I will also include a new section under classroom management about "Netbook/BYOD Etiquette."

Here is a short video that incorporates just about all these barriers into one space. Although they are promoting an app, ExitTicket, the information is a starting point and valuable.

Day 1 Reflection (Tech Academy)

Day 1:

Amazing...Insightful...Little overwhelming...Thought provoking

I learned quite a bit today that I really hope will be beneficial to me and hopefully for my students. I feel that I have learned a lot about Google docs, but based on the video we watched, there is so, so, so, very much more that is available and ready to be learned and utilized. Of course we were introduced to some web applications like GoSoapBox.com and awwapp.com that will enhance future lessons. I was reminded that I am also responsible for integrating the Technology TEKS into my core lessons. I was also introduced to a newer way of teaching called SAMR.

How to use it with students: I can use SAMR in the classroom by evaluating how lessons are being delivered: am I "giving" all the answers or are the students "seeking" the answers. Self discovery leads to a bigger and better transformations within the students. The web apps (mentioned above) can be utilized in the classroom for instant, anonymous feedback from students to check for understanding and to help students analyze and apply information.

What Lessons for this week: Some lessons that I have been considering are in our Geometry and Measurement unit: classifying 3-D shapes, calculating volume of prisms and pyramids, and scaling. Another unit: Computations and Algebraic Relationships which involves unit rate, equations and inequalities, constant of proportionality.

Barriers of Infusing Technology

As a 21st century teacher, technology is an imperative aspect in daily lessons. So much is available for both teachers and students. Many great ideas and concepts that have the potential to enhance and transform our classrooms. Unfortunately. with the good comes the not so good. The good is clearly the technology and the ability to infuse it into seemingly "boring" or "uninteresting" topics and reactivate the minds of our students. The bad: well this takes the form of many barriers. Difficulties can begin with time consumption, network issues, inadequacies, and dealing with student responsibilities.

The barrier of time is a huge and common aspect while considering infusing technology in the classroom. Planning time. Teaching time. Student time. Time. Time. Time. All these times may have different origins, but in the end it takes precious time to prepare and even more time to make sure that ALL the students are ALL on the same site and are ALL experienced and equipped  well enough to perform the task at hand.

Oh boy! The things that we are unable to control! The network...oh the network can occasionally be a barrier when trying to infuse a little technology from time to time. It can be like a temperamental two year old! You may never know when the tantrum is coming, but you know it's been too long and it is bound to be right around the corner. Networking issues can be potential barriers simply for the fact of the bandwidth being too small or limited due to the amount of usage.

A personal barrier that I struggle with is feeling inadequate to put together a meaningful technology infused lesson. I am a thinker. Most of the time I over analyze a concept to the point where I make mountains out of molehills. Many times, we can create a seemingly fantastic lesson infused with technology that is fluent and works great at home and with fellow teachers, but completely bombs in the classroom.

Student responsibilities are quite possibly the largest barrier that I could face. Our students are required to sign RUP's (responsible use policy) annually; however, this does not always ensure that pre-teens and teenagers are being responsible. Other student responsibility barriers can include not bringing their netbooks, forgetting the charger at home, or simply letting their netbooks loose all its battery. This is a huge deal since technology is becoming such an immensely intrinsic aspect of the 21st century teacher and students will face the chance of not being as prepared as they could be.