Wk 4 topic: AR publication

After many reviews and edits and a helpful meeting Monday night, I am ready to send my publication to Educause or Edutopia. I am stuck on which one to send it to, but am leaning toward Edutopia because I used that site frequently this program and would love to have my findings posted there.

I have to say that at first I was not happy to have to make a presentation or a paper about my work, but then I thought about my research which showed that making learning authentic usually means have a real audience, like the world. Also that true scientific method includes sharing findings. Imagine if others did not share their findings, like the vaccine for polio.

On a whole I am glad to make my research real and official, it adds more meaning to all the hard work this year in this program and makes a stronger leader. Thanks!

image from creative commons

all other blog images from dreamstime.com

wk 4 topic: Response to Alicia Kalb

Alicia's post


My response:

I so agree!

We do need to take responsibility for why things are the way they are. As teachers, we often hear it is the kids fault, especially if the teacher has no classroom management. In my hallway, you can tell which kids are on which teams because of how they behave with adults, in the hall, and of course lunch.

The 2 other teams kids run up and down the hall, throw food at lunch, scream happy birthday everyday and have cupcake fights. All I have to do is look at my students and they know not to. Yet all I hear is how horrible their students are, never do they admit that they let the bad behavior happen because they ignore it, especially at lunch. They never even bother to look at their students unless administration walks over their first. Of course it is the horrid kids, not the lack of care or attention from the teachers.

wk 4 topic: Response to Deborah Cowden

Deborah's Post


This week’s project is to research where I want to publish or do a presentation, and formulate my research article or presentation.


My ARP critical friend, Enrique Ramos, suggested that I publish or present with the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME). I forwarded his encouraging email to leadership at ISKME and am waiting for their reply. (Here’s his email:)


On May 22, 2010, at 7:29 AM, Enrique Ramos wrote:

Deborah:

I saw you on the Big ideas fest videos, I could recall lots of feelings. By the way, I also found out that ISKME is announcing a Fest for 2010. And they also say something on their webpage, that they would like to know of links of work created after the 2009 Fest. I think there should be a report of your findings and accomplishments for the fest. I want to go back to Half Moon Bay, but I do not have money for that...Anyway, I think you should present your work and results.


As a Plan B, I plan to contact ISTE and Silicon Valley Computer Using Education (SVCUE) groups for publishing and/or presenting.




My Response:

Deborah,

Very encouraging remarks from Enrique, I agree with your plan to publish to ISKME and hope it works out for you. Would to present if they asked? That could be an exciting possibility for the fest.

I am glad they are having us publish our work, that makes it all the more real and valuable.

Wk 4: topic, The story of WE

When thinking about the story of WE, Zander mentions that people throughout history have fought over resources, territories, and "truth." I cannot help but remember what my mother used to say when my sister and I got into a fight. "There are 3 sides to every story; Yours, Theirs, and the truth." When I taught U.S. history, I had that posted on my board and as we learned, I presented materials from as many points of view as possible and let the students form their views of the world.

I like the idea of changing the WE that usually means, I plus others, to Everyone working together, for the greater good, without trying to make themselves important...remember rule 6. Too often in life, even when thinking of WE, people are concerned with what they will have to give up, let go, or have to do. I see this a lot in faculty meetings where people are more concerned with how the changes will impact them and not the students.

WE is a hard concept because human nature wants to be singled out as special and important, and WE blends us all together. If we were more of a WE there would be less of the Us vs Them. Well I can hope!

wk 4 topic: free post, my dream classroom

My dream teaching environment would have a class desk section for discussions and notes, and a lab section for well, labs. I would have enough tools for each student to use rather than 1 for every 4, depending on the science subject being taught. I would have computers for every student so research and lab results could be immediately shared and disaggregated. Students would be able to text answers to spot checks and students would be able to check progress of class and find misconceptions. 1/2 of class would be spent out of the classroom working with real scientists to assist research and see how science is useful outside of school. Add in a secretary to grade checkpoints and deal with some of the tedious paperwork and meetings and this would be paradise.

Wk 3 Reading Topic: The way things are

Especially in my current situation, accepting the way things are has been necessary. I could be like the story of the trip to Florida and be angry about weather, or in my case the loss of my job, especially when there are teachers in my building who have negative feedback on their evaluations and yet get to keep their jobs. There is even a teacher who sneaks cigarettes during the school day and sneaks off campus, leaving her kids unattended, yet she keeps her job. I could be very bitter and angry, reveling in the fact that my principal told me he is not sure how they will survive next year without their department chair. I am not a bitter person and sinking in the misery is not really in my nature.

As Zander says in chapter 7, I would be stuck, "unable to go on from there."


If I just accept, "presence without resistance: You are now free to turn to the question "What do we want to do from here?" (p. 101) And that is a question I have asked myself, and I answered myself, time to pack up and head back to New Hampshire. Maybe this is a new path for me to head to HS, maybe this is the kick I need to get to the College level. I will just need to accept that this is how things are, and change my expectations to fit my new surroundings.

wk 3 Topic: Response to Ashley Burch's Post

Ashley's original post:

Time to start looking at where to post. Still foggy on what to do for the Publishing/Leadership project. I hope to know what I'm doing by the end of the week. One resource I would love to publish to would be Edutopia. I have gotten most of my information and references from the magazine and two Edutopia groups I joined called Middle School, and Arts/Music/Drama. I don't know what I would do without Edutopia.

The farthest I've gotten in acquiring a submission for publishing is downloading the submission release form. I cannot submit without one. Along with that, I just need to once again, organize, organize, organize!

I want to submit into the section for the Arts, possibly in a feature section. I'll work on it.

Image from Edutopia.org


My response:

I as well would love to post to Edutopia, It has been such a wealth of information and it would be fantastic to be able to post to them. I am planning on downloading the submission form today and get on to posting. I also feel foggy about getting everything done, and there is so much to get done. I am trying not to worry or stress. Sometimes I am successful, sometimes I am not.

Keep working hard and things will work out!

Good Luck

Wk 3 Topic: Response to Ali Baxendale

Ali's original post

The beginning of this week was a flurry of activity trying to finish my Action Research website. I feel as though I have a good base. I am sure that I am going to need to improve some areas of the website, but I am looking forward to improving the content. I know I will also have to improve my literature review. I am continuing the research. As soon as I receive the edits, I will continue with the next version.

As I see the program drawing to a close, I am a little overwhelmed with all that has to be done in the next two months. I know that some of this apprehension is due to the fact that this is the busiest time of the school year. My students are working very hard, but also needing a lot of help as the end of the school year approaches. I know that I need to step back, reorganize, and then I will be able to handle everything.

I have been looking into the publishing/ leadership project. I am going to have to do some more research as my first plan will not work due to the timing involved with this class. I can still try to present at the original conference, however it will not be for almost a year. In the next few days, I am going to talk to some of my colleagues to see if they are aware of opportunities that are available. I am also going to do additional research on my own. I am hoping to find a viable direction soon.


My response

I too feel the rush of not only the end of this program, but also the end of the school year. Trying to get everything done, and be everything to everyone has been crazy...

And silly me is adding in looking for a new job and moving back up to NH next month.

It is like the beginning of the program all over again, learning how to structure time so that things get done and done well, without slacking in the quality. I am now glad we had to discuss that in the beginning, because it is really helpful to reflect on that lesson now!

You are planning to present?!? That is awesome, I would love to hear your presentation.

Wk 3 Topic: AR publication

This week, while working on summing up my action research, I have also be writing my publication. I have been finding this fairly challenging, but rather interesting. I decided to do a publication instead of a presentation because I am thinking about going into the college world and am interested in possibly teaching teachers how to teach. Most colleges, when you are writing a CV want to know what you have published. So, this seemed like a great opportunity to knock both out in one swoop.

I have been struggling somewhat on the angle for my paper, I finally decided that I wanted it to be an advisory article for teachers who were wondering if adding tech and media to the class was hard and or worth it.

I am hoping that this does help some of those teachers on the fence about adding technology.

wk 3 topic: Resistance to change

Personally I think the biggest deterrent from technology in school is time and training. I know many who would not mind adding more, but where is the time, and how do they learn. In my old school there was volunteer training, after school and unpaid… Teachers are resistant to spending what little “free” time they have on volunteer learning, there is already too much going on.

In other fields, there is onsite and paid for training. My sister works in the IT field and whenever they want her to master something new, they send her on trainings, pay for the training and the room and board.

Schools do not have that kind of money, so the stubborn employees who want money if they “have to ” learn something new, will fight and fight because they see it as one more thing added to the list, without extra pay!

wk 3 Topic: Trying to introduce a new program

I was involved in my district’s science curriculum revision. Sitting with a buch of science teachers who were keen on the work was a piece of cake, and quite fun.

The hard part came when I had to sit with the 7th grade science teachers, 2 of whom had been teaching for 20+ years and inform them that the structure and focus of their units needed to change. It was no longer necessary for students to learn parts of a plant, they now needed to see how each organism is capable of reproduction.

They were not interested in change, both were almost retirement age and were burnt out, the last thing they wanted was to face change. It took a lot of convincing, and in the end, though they said they would follow the new standards, I became aware that they were not. Thankfully that problem went to the lap of the principal and not mine!

Wk 2 Topic: Response to Alicia Kalb's post

@Alicia

I have to say that you have very insightful comments. I too have seen teachers lie about typos or mistakes. I am one who has no problem admitting I made a mistake. The one thing I need to work on, is when a student has a tone...I tend to get a little ruffled. I admit that I am not perfect, but with 7th graders, sometimes they have this demeaning tone when they point out a mistake. So I need to remember to not react with tone as well, though sometimes I do.

I love the idea of having your students conduct, I do the same with having them teach the class. It is beneficial twofold. First, because they then become experts in what they are doing, learn it even better. Second, they get an idea of what we teachers go through, which is very healthy for them!

Wk 2 Topic: Response to Ashley Burch's post/AR publishing feelings

Ashley's original post
I was unable to attend the Wimba this past Tuesday largely in part because I had so much work to catch up on, there was just no time. My lit review was in shambles and I desperately needed to edit, revise, and email it in. I had a lot of trouble formatting the document in word. The headers were not numbering correctly. It has been very frustrating.

As I watched and listened to the archive, I was relieved to see that I wasn't the only one struggling with the lit review. I do appreciate having a form to fill out checking on what I’m doing. At times I felt alone when working on AR. I need structure or at least know someone is checking up on me. This is helping me get the AR site organized, something I struggle with (organization). So I am feeling much better about the site now.

As for the AR summary page, I don't think it is as daunting now that I have more of a grasp on all the pages of the site.

What I really needed was some clarification on the Publishing/Leadership Project. I'm still a little hesitant on starting a keynote because I'm not sure what to do just yet. That and writing a scripted speech will be a bit difficult. I usually never teach by a scripted speech as was mentioned of most teachers during wimba. Well, first step is figuring out where I want to publish, so that's on the agenda now, publishing on the web.

@ Ashley:
I agree on the stress of AR. I too have felt a bit behind, confused, and sometimes frustrated. Sometimes it all seems very overwhelming, like there was so much to do for each month that sometimes AR was pushed to the side.

I am so with you on the keynote. The idea of scripting something will be very hard to do. Like most teachers I too am a fly by the seat of my pants kinda gal. I am also not sure where to post and what to post. I do like the idea of a keynote presentation over just writing, I guess it all will need some thinking on.

wk 2 Topic: Chapter 6

As Ben Zanders stated on page 80: "Humor can bring us together around our inescapable foibles, confusions, and miscommunications..." He then goes into talking about how humor also prevents us from picking at each other, back stabbing, and attacking each other.

As a teacher I see the need to lighten up in many different ways.
The calculating self, the one Ben says wants to be noticed and appreciated really needs to take a back seat in education. This is not a job full of bonuses and thank yous every day. Many days are spent trying to get students to work, parents to understand, colleagues to listen and doing what you are told by admin. There are not many days where the stand up and notice how awesome I am self gets its acknowledgments. Instead of getting in a temper about it, laugh, sigh and sing some Jimmy Buffett for "if we didn't laugh we would all go insane"

The story about June leaving her husband, only to realize eventually that had she let that guard down, relax and just take the world as it is, she realized that she was part of the problem in her marriage and one she figured that out, things were better for her. I realized that when I was stressing out about things in life and getting all worked up, the people around me (husband, kids, students, co-workers) would feed on that down emotion. I understood that though stuff happens, if you let everything get you down, you will always be down. So I just keep telling myself: it is, what it is, and there is not point festering over it. So laugh and be goofy...it spreads and everyone around you will have a lighter mood as well.

Wk2 Topic Educational podcasts

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/epiosde-13-why-do-we-have/id203755907?i=16441000

Why? the science show for kids, is a great podcast that explains a lot of the whys and what ifs students think about in school. It covers all sorts of topics from space, to life, to evolution, to chemistry. A great resource for teachers too.

http://sciencemadefun.podbean.com/

science made fun is a British program that also covers all you need to know about science. There are video podcasts as well, making this site well worth the visit. Student and Adult friendly… though some students may have a hard time with the accent.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/kidcast-learning-teaching/id81662781

This is a great informational podcast on how to use podcasts in class, why to use them, and which are the best ones to visit. This one is a great place to get ideas, try stuff out, and find some other great podcasts.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-science-with-mr-noon-video/id256856710

This is for HS physics students, created by a teacher in Chicago. This is a great place to watch video podcasts, and he has even been on Jimmy Kimmel Live Show, so he has some notoriety. Obviously for HS students and Science teachers.

Wk2 Topic: The emotional level of music

I cannot think about the first song that ever touched me, but I can think of many that hit to the core. There are artists that write songs that almost always hit a cord. I would have to say, that the way my life have been lately, 2 songs that really speak to me on a emotional level would be Jimmy Buffet’s Pacing the Cage from Beach House on the Moon. My husband is a huge Buffet fan, and I only recently gravitated toward him. Pacing the cage talks about how sometimes we are trapped in situations trying to make the best of it, but really just pacing the cage.

The other one is Sarah McLachlan’s World on Fire. I am always trying to do more, and it usually is more than I can handle, but I keep on trying. It also speaks to me on a quasi spiritual level due to the fact that the song was linked to the mini series Into the West. I am part Native American, not a huge part, but sometimes you cannot help but be drawn to a part of your heritage, when I think of that song, I think about all the things people in this world go through, and that reminds me that as a teacher I want to try to ease or even just listen to my students to remind them that someone cares.

Wk 2 Topic: My music collection

I am a music lover from way back. My family has been into and collecting music for as far back as I can remember. My father has an extensive vinyl collection, and cd…over 400 at last count. He also has over 10000 songs on itunes.

With that kind of exposure, I have 4 magazines full of cds.. 150 a piece. I have itunes, I have books on cd. I have a select 500 songs on my iphone for whatever mood strikes. I am very much a mood listener, though I have favorite artists that I gravitate to.

I listen all the time…when I have time. One of the things thing that I love about my iphone is that I am carrying my music everywhere, the small bonus to itunes.

Wk 1 AR reflection

Life is turbulent, just when you think you have had all you can take, something new occurs to shake things up. As an educator I have tried every year of my ten years to shake things up and add new. The think about the AR that makes me thankful is that instead of just trying new things, I was forced to have more of a plan. It was still a process of trial and error, but this time I had a firm vision of where I wanted to go.

As this year has gone by I have been creating mad plans, pondering how in my district to add the changes and the concepts I want to add. My sciencylopedia plan, my weekly review blog, my students podcasts on concepts learned... all these things I wanted to add, but at my district, technology is shunned unless it is in the form of a powerpoint or video only. I struggled all year thinking about and hearing from my mother-in-law who uses all sorts of technology. Then the solution came in the form of economic cutbacks. MY district let go anyone who was hired at or after a certain date. Even though I am Department Chair, and I have 10 years of experience and have been in a leadership role, I have only been in this district for 2 years, tenure from another state does not count, so, I am without a job.

I was looking at this as a cruel joke and railed at the unfairness of the teachers with no classroom management and who hate students got to stay and I was out. Then I realized that maybe this was a sign and a gift. There will be so many cuts in funding next year that I would not have been able to afford. I also remembered that my happiest moments teaching have been in New Hampshire where I was treated with love and respect. So back home I go, taking my masters with me and being able to truly apply my new degree, rather than it just becoming a piece of paper, like it would if I tried to stay here in GA.

So thanks to my AR, I have true plans to implement and can prove my knowledge and abilities, which will help in getting that new job!

Wk 1 Response free choice, Response to Alicia Kalb

@Alicia

It have been stunned all year with how much we have in common. I have felt the same way, second best, since I was little. Part of it had to do with Mrs. Smith, the evilest teacher in the world, who would make me cry on a daily basis.

One year I was non-renewed as a teacher due to restructuring, and it had me second guessing my teaching. Then I got a job in Goffstown NH. They treated me not only with respect, but also with support and as a leader. I realized that in life, there will be people who make you feel great, and people out to try to steal your "first."

I also vowed that as I became a teacher I would never let my students feel hated. I also vowed to find those quiet kids who try to hide, and show them the attention and love that they need so they cannot try to disappear.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Isn't it amazing to know how our experiences shape us as teachers.

Wk 1 Response to Therese Josephson's post

Therese's Post

The Action Research process has not been without its frustrations, but I have to say that overall I am very pleased with the work that it has allowed me to do.

My goal with Action Research has been to create a website that provided resources for students and parents, thereby increasing the communication between my class and home. I am really happy with the results.

I feel like the site is serving its purpose. Informal communications and surveys have both provided me with a lot of feedback, mostly positive. Even though not all students or parents are using the site, it is a great resource for those who are--it has a calendar, announcements, and links to recordings, a tuner, and a metronome, among other things. And, as an added bonus, I’ve found that having all of these resources in one place has made it easier for me when I want to access them during class, as well.

I probably could have learned a lot by doing a thesis on using technology to improve communication between school and home. But Action Research has allowed me to learn, practice, and adjust, all within the course of this school year. And I have produced something that I will continue to use and adjust for the rest of my career.

nd adjust for the rest of my career.

@Therese

AR has been complicated, but I agree it has allowed us to grow and take risks. I am a firm believer that to be a good teacher, you need to take risks and that website you created was great.

I know one of the biggest complaints that we hear is that there is not enough communication in schools between teachers and students, students and parents, parents and teachers. Anything that can help ease that strain is always a good thing. You will never get 100% participation, but at least you can say that you tried!

Wk 1 Response to Deborah Cowden's post

Deborah Cowden: Wk 1: Blog 5, Free ChoiceStandardized Testing

Same season, different perspective. It’s that time of year when schools across the country are administrating standardized tests. The hallway discussions are not that different from previous years. I continue to be amazed by the differences in values, understandings, experiences, between the government, administrators, teachers, students andparents. Same situation, different perspectives. All might say similar words like engaging students to learn best, but not all hold the same perspectives.

For example, if engaging student’s is the problem or topic, then why are we being forced to discuss and prepare students to pass the test? Staff development at the site where I teach is being forced onto the staff and will be on “three of the six standards” for engaging ELL’s. Sounds good. Perspective: pass a standardized test with a score of 350+. What I’d love to see staff develop are ways to integrate using technology to engage their 21st century learners. Perspective: The research points toward engaged students doing well on standardized tests, too! Plus, it’s important to be teaching students music and art as mainstreamed courses because we know how it further develops the brain! (But, it’s not on the test...)

I have decided that the nine-dot puzzle presented in this week’s reading is a perfect analogy for where the possibilities of teaching occur: outside of the framework of “Passing the Test.” Cynically, I can’t help but believe that when our students do well on the test, though, that the “test demanders” will take the credit!

Never-the-less, with or without the pressures of being categorized as a PI-school, the need to engage our students outside of the framework of needing to pass the test is exactly where students will build the skills and knowledge to pass those standardized tests.

@Deborah, I could not agree more. I have come to the decision, after thinking long and hard about the disconnect between students, teachers, parents, admin, and the government. Students do not feel that learning for a test does not help them and so is not relevant. Teachers feel unappreciated, too many things added to our list of get it done and we still struggle with respect and money. Parents who think their children are blameless, or it is the teacher's fault, or the all the other kids who are preventing their child from that grade. Admin who flit in and out and every time there is a shakedown and the teachers adapt to new rules.

Finally the government, grand ideas not based in reality. Lets issue merit pay, give incentives for it, but not have a systematic and realistic way to measure it. Lets demand our students all get the best education possible, so if a school is struggling, lets pull funding and give it to someone else, compare different groups of students test results to each other to see if they make AYP.

I realized that most of this is due to the fact that people have lost the ability to understand each other. They no longer (if they ever did) try to walk a mile in someone else's shoes, see what they are really going through before adding or changing how things are done, or thinking about how it is going to affect people.

As I have been saying all week, it is what it is...not much we can do, except think about how every second of the day we are affecting our students and try to teach them life lessons along with the dreaded TEST.

Saturday, May 8, 2010 - 06:24 PM

Wk 1 Book Response: Its all invented

This section spoke to me in many ways. The most obvious one is that I am a science teacher and geek. I cannot help but be jazzed about scientific references in assigned texts. It was a thrill to read about the Me'en not being able to see a photograph because they were not trained in how to interpret it. I loved reading about Einstein saying that "it is theory that desides what we can observe." After all in our history the world was round in the days of the greeks, Eratosthenes determined the circumference of the world. It was then theorized that the world was flat, and now it is round again.

What spoke to me the most was the fact that the whole focus of the chapter is on how we perceive and believe. I teach my students all the time that what we are learning can change for new information or new experiences will change our beliefs. Witness the cruel expulsion of pluto from the list of planets because of its size, How Picasso sees a picture and how we see his. I love to post in my classroom the saying my mom used to say, "there are 3 sides to every story, yours, theirs, and the truth." How we look at life and interpret meaning around us is extremely subjective. Because each mind processes in slightly different ways, even if two people were brought up the exact same way and see the exact same things, their minds will still select different meaning and value to what they experience. We all make assumptions about meaning, but nothing, nothing is truly set in stone. Notice the preconceived notions that you carry and override them, do that and you can do just about anything.