Where ARE YOU?

Good morning colleagues! I know that it's been a few weeks since I've last blogged. I'm here to post that I'm not stopping my blog, but I am going on hiatus. Blogging weekly has long been very therapeutic and reflective, but recently it's become a nuisance. I have too much on my plate, and blogging is what I've chosen to let go of right now. In between starting my master's degree, the bomb cyclone that knocked out power in our house, starting track season, CMAS testing, and planning for the remainder of the school year... blogging is not happening right now.

I'm hoping to be back by the end of the school year, but I will definitely be back by the beginning of next school year. And I will continue my digital problems series because the reception has been so positive!

If I don't "talk" to you before the end of the school year, enjoy the time you have left with these students! Thanks for reading. I'll see you soon :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Digital learning problems - G is for Group Work

Good morning, colleagues! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "G": group work.

Group work can be a challenge when students are working digitally. You have to ensure that your students are working equally in groups, your students are actively participating, you are meeting the needs of all of your students, students are compromising and agreeing, and all students are meeting your lesson objectives.

What can you do to make sure this happens in your digital classroom?

1. Use Apple Classroom (or a corresponding application) to watch your students on their devices. Our building utilizes iPads through school carts and 1:1 classrooms. Apple Classroom has been a game changer the last two years. We connect our students to our "classrooms" using Bluetooth, and then we can see their screens. We can also force them in specific apps (if they go elsewhere) or we can lock them out of their iPads (if they need a break). Apple Classroom helps ensure that students are actively participating in class. I can walk around my room with Apple Classroom on my iPad while observing how students are collaborating. I can also see digitally what they're doing as well. It gives me four eyes to their work instead of just two.

2. Assign tasks/jobs for all of your students. Ensure the work is equitable over the various multiple intelligences. Many teachers who use collaborative work in their classrooms routinely assign students specific tasks. This should also be done with students working digitally, especially if they all have 1:1 devices. Depending on the assignment, have one student be a researcher. That is the only student who is searching the web. One student might be the citation maker in that they have to find the information on the website to be cited. A third student might be a note taker. That student writes down notes into a shared document in their own words (as the researcher talks to the group). And the last student can be the formatter. Their job is to take the notes and write them out into a paragraph or essay. These are four examples that work for a Language Arts or Social Studies classroom, but as long as every student has something to keep them busy, talking, thinking, and working, it's powerful. As a side note, I have found it effective in my broadcasting class to spell out what each job actually does on a rubric, and I have my students rate each other (using a Google Form) on how each kid did at their job. I do give group grades on a project, but individual grades on how their work. Usually I use the same total score for both group and individual grades.

3. Use collaborative friendly apps such as... 

• Google Docs: I like using Google Docs with my students because a) the Doc is collaborative, so all students are working on the same document. b) I can obtain the revision history and see who accessed the doc, when they worked, and what they completed on the assignment. c) I assign students in groups a color, so when they work on a task together, I can visually see who typed what. Students will rat each other out if someone changes the text color to "show" work that isn't theirs.
• GooseChase EDU: Do you need your students to have a fun, silly day? Do you want your students to learn important group work skills while doing a scavenger hunt? Check out GooseChase. It's an awesome, collaborative tool to use with your kids! 
• Padlet: I think Padlet is a great tool to use as a whole class, but it can be used quite effectively in small groups. Set up a digital "corkboard" for each group to use. Give them one class period to put resources on their board (notes, videos, pictures, resources, etc). The next day, the only information they can use is on the board. This forces students to divide and conquer on day one to get everything they need. They have to communicate and collaborate to be successful. It's amazing what happens when students work on a deadline!
• Explain Everything: Though EE is not a true collaborative tool (like G Suite apps), students can still work together on one device. One student can draw or type while another student talks. Students can work together to build the script ahead of time. Having students work on one device forces them to build a presentation together. Combined with assigned tasks, one student cannot complete the whole project (especially if the devices are not 1:1 or if the assignment is due at the end of one class period). 

What all of this boils down to is that you have to build a community in your classroom in order for group work to happen. Students need to trust each other and you (plus you have to trust your students). When the community is real, management issues are quite minimal. You can then address what you need to on a 1:1 basis because other issues are addressed among the students. This does not matter in a digital or tech-free classroom!

Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Digital learning problems - F is for Feedback

Good morning, colleagues! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "F": Feedback.

With everything else going on, it can be tough to provide timely feedback. But you need to ask yourself this question, what is a better use of your time... discussing feedback with your students in class (either in person or digitally) or handing back an assignment with feedback that they'll never look at? There are some great ways to provide timely feedback that require a little bit of upfront work from you, but it saves you so much time later!

Google Forms + Autocrat: My absolute favorite way to provide feedback for students is through Google Forms and the Google Sheets extension Autocrat. I use this with my students every week as they watch the broadcast. I design a feedback form in Google Forms (the skeleton is there, but not all of the details) which I then make a copy for each week (and update it as necessary with further information for the week). As students watch the broadcast, they fill out the feedback form. I also designed a handout that will get sent back to the students. The handout is designed to collect the information that I want students to see. I run Autocrat after students have finished, and their answers populate where the <<question>> marks are located. Once the document is created, I link the report to the students' hyperdoc for the week. You can also share the document directly from Autocrat. It's SLICK once you figure out the intricacies.

Google Forms, Schoology Quizzes, Socrative: These three programs are perfect for multiple choice quizzes, short answer responses, polls, and discussions. You can add in your m.c. and t/f answers so that these programs auto-grade for you. You can also add feedback if students get a response wrong. The Schoology discussions are helpful because you can reply back to the students, or have the students respond to each other. You can also hide the answers from the students so they can see which questions they got wrong, but need to spend time finding the right solution. Let the technology take the bulk of the work from you!

Screencastify: Screencastify is a free screencasting tool that I've raved about for quite some time. I use it to create video directions for students or how-to videos. But I've also used it to provide feedback for students. It can be a challenge to have a 1:1 conversation with students, so I found it sufficient to have my 1:1 conversation digitally. Students could watch my video as many times as they needed to make the changes necessary on a rough draft, project, or presentation.

ShowMe: I never used ShowMe with my Social Studies classes, but it seems like something great to use with your students. It allows you to write over your students’ work while recording your voice. I also read that even if they gave you a hard copy of their work, you can still take a photo of it and then add your comments. It's another way for students to have the opportunity to watch the video as many times as they needed to make changes. You could also do this with Explain Everything if you have iPads.

Google Docs: When students had a day where they spent the entire class writing, I found it useful to Airplay one student's work and "make suggestions" on their work. For the student whose assignment I was editing, they got feedback from me. The other students saw what I was correcting (writing out numbers under 100, adding citations, remove contractions, etc.) and made those changes to their own assignments. And I only had to open one document, not thirty! Catlin Tucker takes this a step further on her blog. She talks a lot about station rotations with helpful tips and tricks to use technology to provide great instant feedback for students!

Wordle (or any word cloud app): I never actually did this with my students, but saw this idea out there elsewhere. As you read through an assignment, type in the Wordle box all of the "issues" of "fixes" you want the students to see. By the end, you'll have a feedback word cloud for the student for their assignment. You don't even have to markup the activity - have the student check their document with the word cloud in their hand.

As always, I hope I provided you with some helpful ideas regarding feedback. The most instant the information, the more useful it is for students. Isn't that what we're always trying to do? Make our students better?

Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Digital learning problems - E is for Engagement

Good morning, colleagues! I apologize that I didn't post this blog last weekend. We had PTC Thursday night and Friday, and then I just thoroughly enjoyed my three-day weekend. This weekend, however, I am back to business! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "E": Engagement.

One thing I often talk to teachers about is that a digital device is JUST A TOOL! It's the same thing as using a pencil and paper. Is a digital device more inviting? Sure, but remember that "D" is for distractions. I mentioned in my last post that you have to engage your students in your classroom. You have to find a way to make your content appealing and authentic for your students. That will hopefully keep students involved in your class and free of distractions.

There are THE four Cs 21st century skills, but there are other skills that students should be learning. Utilizing skills will help with engagement as you can focus on teaching students "things" that they'll use in the future!

Collaboration and teamwork: Get your students talking to each other! The easiest thing to do in your classroom is to stop talking AT your kids, get them out of their chairs, move them around the room, and let them chat. I'm not saying don't lecture or let your students talk about anything all of the time, but don't let your students sit in their chairs for 65 minutes silently. That might be what they get in college, but I'm guessing if you're reading this blog, that you are NOT a college professor! When students are talking to each other, they aren't spending their time staring at the clock. If you ask students to discuss engaging content information, they will learn those face to face conversation skills that they need to be a well-rounded adult.

Creativity and imagination: I know that we have all standards and a curriculum that we need to get through, but as the teacher, you honestly can't decide exactly what your students focus on. You should find a way to provide your students with a voice and a choice. Give them a tic-tac-toe choice board where they can choose content pieces and options for projects.  Colorado's Social Studies standards are relatively open-ended, so I knew that I was having students meet a state standard even if they were covering a different topic than another peer. Students will buy in more if they have a say in their learning. They take ownership!

Critical thinking: One thing that surprised me the longer that I've taught is how willing students are to give their opinion. I was somewhat shy and introverted, so I never assumed anyone wanted to hear what I had to say. Surprise! Most people willingly give their opinion, and other people DO care! It's why critical thinking is crucial to every classroom. Students should have (and share) their ideas, but they also need to think critically about why they believe things to be true, where did they learn that knowledge, and what factual information supports those views? Because they're "essentially" talking about themselves, they are engaged in those tasks.

Flexibility and adaptability: When I taught Social Studies, I heard all of the time, "Is this for a grade?" If I said yes, students would often reply with, "But this is so hard!" I've realized that students need to be able to take risks without failing or punishment. You, the teacher, need to be flexible with due dates and be adaptable to your students' needs. Yet students also need to be adaptable when it comes to trying new types of assignments in the classroom. In broadcasting, students know that it is difficult to fail while also understanding that they can take risks as long as it meets the proficient criteria for the segment. I never hear "Is this for a grade" anymore! My students know that I am willing to listen and learn right along with them.

Social responsibility and ethics: A lot is going on in the world right now. It's so important to connect your curriculum to current events. We need our students to be well-rounded adults, and to do that, students must know what is happening, form opinions, and support their views with evidence. Don't we want students to think about their place in the world? I know that I want my students to be aware of what's around them, in Colorado Springs, the US, and the world. Awareness leads to empathy. Ignorance is "bliss." But I've also seen that students are more engaged with content when they make connections with their current world.

Technology literacy: WIth all this chatter about "digital natives," I've realized that students are not this. Technology literacy is the ability to use technology, EFFECTIVELY, to access, evaluate, integrate, create and communicate information to enhance the learning process through problem-solving and critical thinking. Students should learn what a valuable website looks like. Students should evaluate why a source is or is not reliable. Students should also be able to communicate with professionals in their field and receive advice to improve an assignment or project. Students shouldn't steal an image from Google Images but instead should learn how to find Creative Commons sourced work.

Again, these are just a few ideas to get your students engaged. You know your students best, so what stands out? Meet your kids where they are, then push them beyond their (and your) expectations. Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Digital learning problems - D is for Distractions

Good morning, colleagues! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "D": Distractions.

Have you ever gave a whole list of directions only to have your student look up and you and ask, "What did you say?" Digital devices have completely changed our lives and our students' lives.

Provide clear digital rules: Is technology going away? No, it's not. So we can't ban tech in our classrooms, but students don't have to be on their devices all of the time. Make sure you set rules in place and let students know WHEN they can use technology in their classroom. Are you direct instructing your students? Then no, students should not be on their devices. They should be taking notes (sketchnoting?) or answering questions. Are students researching? Let them use their phones to research (while providing them with "Googling" tips). Need to review? Use Kahoot (and students can use their devices as "clickers"). Need students to discuss and answer questions? Have them access Socrative! Students, though they may be "digital natives," they do not know how to use technology professionally. They can scroll Instagram and check Whatsapp, but they don't know about the educational purposes of their devices.

Hide the notifications: Most students think of their device as an extension of their body so it can be hard for students to put their devices away where they cannot see them. To remove the distractions, however, you don't have to have students put their devices away (or if you have a hanging sleeve "phone jail"). One effective way to get students less distracted is to have them put their device in airplane mode. At first, students will continually check their device (it's just habit), but if there are no notifications on the screen, the habitually checking will subside. Over time, eventually, students should put their devices away as studies have shown that just having their phone out IS a distraction. But teenagers are also teenagers... we have to respect that.

Change things up: I am someone who can spend the whole day on the couch reading. Most people can't do that (and I'll readily admit that I can't do that for more than a couple days). For our students... they can't sit still for more than 20 minutes! One way to prevent distractions in your classroom is to "chunk" your lessons. Sure, we want our students to write for a full hour or spend the whole class researching. Over time, they will get bored which then leads to distractions. If you want your students to write for the full hour, break it up so that you teach a skill and then have the students work on that skill. Do a "brain break" where students take a lap in the hallway and chat about something outside of school. When they get back into your classroom, they should be ready to learn about the next skill you want to teach. It may seem like you're wasting precious class time, but I would caution you to think about how much time is lost because a kid is off task (even when they look like they are focused).

Design engaging lessons: As a former 1:1 teacher (for five years), the most useful thing I found to prevent distractions was to design engaging classroom activities. None of my students wanted to sit and listen to me talk (as I am not a natural storyteller). I made it a curriculum goal to have students consistently speak with each other and move around the room. I never let students get comfortable enough because I switched things up. Think about using Kagan strategies as a starting point and remember to try to tie in what your students are interested in outside of school!

It is not difficult for our students to end up down a rabbit hole when on their digital devices, so I hope some of these ideas provide you with support. It really is essential to help students learn HOW to stay present with a device in your classroom, but it is also essential to be a good role model and stay off your own device. What are you missing when you are not on your personal device? Probably nothing. Facebook and Twitter will still be there when the day is over. So will your games, your to-do list, and your text messages. Model being present and talk to students about why "being present" is so important. They'll thank you in the long run.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and as always, thank you for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Digital learning problems - C is for Celebration of Learning

Good morning, colleagues! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "C": Celebration of learning.

When you celebrate your students' learning, I feel like it's pretty personal to you as a teacher and to your classroom. I am introverted, so being big and showy just wasn't in my nature. Students usually knew if I gave them any praise that it was a big deal! A little bit of recognition isn't enough either. How can you provide more for your students in the digital age?

Write a note. This one is pretty standard - sending a note home about how a student is doing in your class. This has existed as long as I've been in school (which is going on 30 some years, lol). If you want to "up your game" with sending a note home, send it through the mail! That's a pleasant surprise for both parents and your student! If you are incredibly busy and overwhelmed, an e-mail home works just as well.

Classroom assembly. I've found that whole school assemblies aren't super useful (unless it's a pep rally), so classroom assemblies work much better. You can set aside a time once a week, month, or quarter to give students kudos for their works. If you want to provide a certificate or small treat, that's up to you. Giving students high praise with extraordinary, meaningful words is often good enough.

Share on Twitter, YouTube, or your website. We ARE in the digital age so it can be just as beneficial to give your students digital kudos. I will tweet about how my students are doing or something exciting that I see in my classroom which I then display in my classroom. My students make video projects all of the time, so I share everything that they do on YouTube. We then watch their videos in class as a shout-out to the great work that they did. If you ever have a student project that is absolutely amazing, I would encourage you to share their work on your website or digital portfolio. As long as you continue to teach that unit, their assignment is displayed as the exemplary work. That's pretty powerful for a kid!

Have students guest write on your blog. I haven't done this (yet), but students are often willing to talk about themselves. If you have a student who produces excellent work, have them share their work and reflect upon it on your blog. Maybe only teachers read your blog, but they're likely to leave great comments that you can show your student. Your other students may want to read and comment on the blog post as well.

Let students "graffiti" your whiteboard. There are some reasons to have students "graffiti" your whiteboard. Is it a student's birthday? Was a student out sick for a while and recently returned? A couple of years ago, I was out sick for three or four days. When I returned, my student teacher had the students write welcome back messages. It was so meaningful! When I taught high school in Arizona, I had a class that needed some teambuilding work. I had them pair up and find something they had in common. They then had to write on the board their names and what they had in common. The kids loved getting to see their names on the board and what they wrote. It's a simple, yet powerful way to applaud learning (or just to celebrate).

I hope you find these ideas practical for your digital classroom. Making kids feel intelligent and powerful can go a long way with building relationships!

Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

The day before a break

Good morning colleagues! I hope you are all feeling rested, especially since many of you (myself included) have this whole next week off from school!

Yesterday I was thinking about how it was the Friday before a break. My broadcast students always watch the broadcast on Fridays so that a) they actually view their work and compare/contrast it to other students' work and b) they look critically at all segments and provide feedback. The broadcasts range between 10-25 minutes and this week timed at around 15 minutes. I knew that between watching the show and filling out the feedback form that the students would have about 15 more minutes of class. What could I have the students do during that time?

Isn't that a common problem... what to do the day before a break?

View this post on Instagram

Spending our last minutes before Thanksgiving break brainstorming ideas for future broadcasting segments. • • #broadcast #broadcasting #film filming #filmmaking #Mac #school #middleschool #education #students

A post shared by SMS Broadcasting (@smsbcast) on Nov 16, 2018 at 7:23am PST

I was lucky... Thursday afternoon I was digging through folders on Google Drive and stumbled across something I did with students last year: brainstorming ideas for future broadcasting segments. I knew that my current students are equally as creative, so I gave my students time to brainstorm in small groups and come up with ideas for the broadcast. They came up with some great ideas including new and exciting segments for the "Christmas broadcast."

Here are some other ideas for what to do the day before a break:

• Peer feedback. When I taught Social Studies, I was obsessed with DBQs. I would make the due date the day before a break so that I could grade their essays over break. The day before time off was perfect for the students to use a peer review day before turning in their compositions. 
• Educational game. I didn't particularly enjoy assigning a test the day before a break, but I never minded reviewing. Playing Scattegories or Taboo where the topic deals with what students recently learned (whether that week, unit, or semester) get them thinking about and discussing content information. At the same time, students are being competitive and (hopefully) having fun. 
• Blogging. Have students blog about what they will do over their time off. You could have students make a short video using Adobe Spark Video or post on Flipgrid. Get kids talking about their lives then have students talk to each other. Use the last day, when kids are often in an excellent mood, to build up your classroom community.
• Video writing prompts. Ask students a very open-ended prompt and have them answer using a video application. Adobe Spark Video works well with Chromebooks and Explain Everything works well with iPads. Students can be as creative as they want. Post student work on your blog, website, or YouTube. Offer extra credit over the break to students that watch and comment on others' videos.
• Sketchnote. Use the day before a break to teach students how to sketchnote. If you've already shown your students the basics, give them an open-ended prompt (or a topic like "Christmas") and have students design a sketchnote about the idea. 
• Podcasts. If you have a couple of days, have students write a creative story. You can make it about your content or about the holiday that students might celebrate. Students can then use Garageband (an example) to record their podcasts. If you want to take it up a notch, have students design their story like an "old-timey" radio show. 
• Goosechase/scavenger hunt. Get students up out of their seats and out of the classroom. Send them on a scavenger hunt where the clues are content (or holiday) based. 
• Reflection. Use the day before a break to have the students update their digital (or non-digital) portfolios. Give students time to study and think about their work, then post a reflection about what they've learned/how they feel about their work. 

These are just some ideas that I've done, seen, or heard about. Please don't just show a movie before a break... think outside the box and get your kids to be creative! 

Have a happy Thanksgiving! I'll be back on December 1st!

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Google Innovator Round 2

Happy weekend, colleagues!

I blogged a year and a half ago about doing something scary and outside the box for me: I applied to become a Google Innovator. And I was rejected. I'm not going to lie, it was a blow to my ego. And it took me a year and a half to be ready to try it again. I mean, I basically had to slap myself in the face and say, "GET IT TOGETHER!"

So I did it again. I applied to be a Google Innovator.

I will say that I feel less confident this time than last because the questions they asked were very open-ended. To be honest, I don't feel like the questions were written in such a way that the people reading my application will know much about me. But it is what it is, right? I'm definitely prepared to not be accepted this time.

So what is the committee looking for? I think they want passionate, driven, and hard-working teachers, but it seems like they also want teachers that are outside the box, creative, open to change, and forward-thinking. I know that I fit that mold, but so do a lot of other teachers! Am I more innovative than other teachers? Yes, but there are plenty of other teachers that are more innovative than me. I just hope that my passion shines through!

My submission responses
Question 1. If your life had a theme song, what would it be? Up to 5 words, 50 characters
“Don’t Stop Believing”

Question 2. Explain (1) how you came up with an idea for change, (2) how you went about implementing the change, (3) how others responded to the change, and (4) how you measured outcomes. In looking back, what things would you do differently? Maximum of 500 characters.
1. I was inspired by my PLN to start a tech tips newsletter. 2. I didn’t ask for permission; I made the newsletter and posted it in the staff bathrooms. 3. My colleagues are resistant, so it hasn’t made a recognizable shift YET, but innovation is happening in small pockets. 4. I’m measuring success through teachers moving away from “sage on the stage” teaching to providing choice and voice. I wouldn't do anything different. I’m taking measured steps to move the staff towards innovation.

Question 3. Give 10 examples of things you would put in a box to give teachers around the world to transform education.
1. An iPad
2. A Chromebook
3. Green fabric (for a green screen)
4. Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess
5. A Twitter account
6. A ticket to an EdCamp event
7. Motivational quotations
8. A blog
9. Pictures of non-traditional classrooms
10. A list of metacognition educational questions 

Question 4. Advocate: Link to a piece of content you've created that you think has inspired other educators. Show us a blog, a YouTube or webinar you've done, a poster or infographic, a presentation resource, or something you're really proud of online that you'd love to share. Include your link here!

https://sites.google.com/d49.org/historicalipad  

Question 5. Grow:  If you could choose any new talent to have, what would it be and why? Maximum of 500 characters. 

If I could choose a new talent, I would be more spontaneous. I can be spontaneous in my classroom, but most of the time, I am very deliberate and calculated. I am observant and well aware of my surroundings, but I feel like it would be nice not to worry so much. And when one is spontaneous, possibilities are endless. They don’t let anything pass them by, and they choose to live for each day. No moments pass them by, and they live surrounded by beauty and inspiration. It an exciting aspiration! 

Question 6. Brief description of a challenge that you’re facing. We are looking for big thinkers who are inspired and undaunted in tackling the most difficult challenges in education. Describe a challenge you’re currently facing and why it matters. Focus on the challenge and avoid posing any solutions at this point.  [Maximum of 250 characters]

An issue I've encountered is students’ lack of awareness of local, US, and world news. Students do not watch or read the news on a neutral platform, but instead, hear about news through hyperfocused social media (if that).  

Question 7. Focus on Your User: Who is affected by your challenge and how would addressing this challenge improve their experiences? [Maximum of 250 characters]

Students, teachers, and the greater community are affected by this problem. Addressing this issue improves student awareness of the local and global community. Students then discuss with their families to improve their awareness as well. 

Question 8. We are looking to have innovators who are tackling a variety of challenges across all seven elements of our transformation framework. Which element does your challenge most resonate with? Vision, Culture, Technology, Funding and sustainability, Community Engagement, Learning, or Professional Development.

Culture 

Question 9. Innovation Video: You have 90 seconds to creatively explain a difficult challenge in education, why it matters, who it affects, and why you are well-positioned to tackle the challenge in an impactful way. Please post a public YouTube link. This is also an opportunity to let your passion and personality shine. Don't forget to change the share settings so we can view your video.

Crossing my fingers! I'll see you next week! 

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Expectations vs. Reality

Good morning colleagues! Welcome back to the 2018-2019 school year! I still can't believe that I've been back in school for seven days (and have been reporting since July 27th). I feel like there's so much to talk about, but so little time to do so! So my focus for this week is expectations for you in your job. 

I started thinking about expectations sometime last week as I was preparing for the first (of three) iPad parent night. As I was putting everything together, I realized that some of the tasks were completed by someone else last year. I haven't heard anything from this teacher, and it was too last minute to ask for help. I chatted with my principal and said, "Is this now my job?" She said, "I think it is now, yes." 

I was STRESSED. This wasn't something that I was prepared for, but, knowing it was a non-negotiable item, I knew it had to be done by me. Did I get it put together? Yes. Did I do a good job? Of course because I have really high expectations for myself. I also know that having high expectations for myself leads to burn out.

Have you ever met a teacher that is really, really burned-out? Like they do everything but utterly despise their job? That was me a few years ago. I felt like there was an expectation that I must do a, b, and c. Later, I realized, I was putting that pressure on myself. There were no expectations placed on me. I've had to recognize that I am my own worst critic, I am often a perfectionist, and I set unnecessary stress on myself. 

Since identifying those behaviors, I've met with teachers to talk to them about their stresses and behaviors. I tell teachers that they need to decide what is integral to their job and their classroom and that they need to rank the importance. What is non-negotiable? What do you WANT but know you need more time? What is extra that you can look at later in the year? 

Giving others the same advice, I realized that I should make my own non-negotiables for my classroom and my job. Basically, I'm setting goals for myself for the school year. 

So I would ask you to ponder these questions... Are you putting a lot of pressure on yourself? Do you find yourself spending too much time at school or doing school work at home? Have you figured out what is most important so that you complete that first? 

If not... why not? 

Thanks for reading! I'll see you in two weeks (I'll be in New York City next weekend!) :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

#oneword2018

Welcome back, colleagues! How are we feeling after the first week back? Are you chugging coffee? Do you have a headache? Are you hoping for your first snow day of the year?

As I INHALE my coffee this morning, I'm reflecting on last year and setting goals for this year. Last year, my #oneword was self-care. I was really struggling with my then job. I was over-working myself, so I was not taking care of myself. I was having quite a go and found myself interviewing for jobs for three years. It made sense, then, that I needed to take care of myself. Thus I began blogging about self-care. It helped. It really helped that I got a new job (and desperately needed change), but I discovered how to relax and what I needed to do to take care of myself.

It was evident that my #oneword2017 was complete and I needed to pick a new word for the year. Which one did I come up with?

I've always been a pessimist, "negative Nancy." I am cynical. I look at a situation and scoff. I make jokes when I'm uncomfortable and make others laugh, at inappropriate times, when sitting in meetings. I'm the "bad" kid that people don't see coming. I know in this new position that I need to be better - I need to just, and I quote, "Look on the bright side of life." So how do I do this? How can I be more positive?

I can't promise that I will behave during meetings or when I'm uncomfortable. That's asking a lot of me.

But I need to find positives every day that can help me more optimistic and thankful for the good things that happen. I was inspired to do this when, of all things, I was trolling Buzzfeed. You know, sometimes, I just need to take another quiz to remind me that I AM a Gryffindor! Anyway, I was reading about new years resolutions and getting organized when I stumbled across a post about bullet journals. In my definition, a bullet journal is a way to quickly journal every day. You make it personal to you, whether you are tracking habits, food, health, or you need to vent or you want to doodle each day. It's keeping a diary but without a ton of writing each day. That's what makes a bullet journal something desirable to me... it doesn't take a lot of time or effort. I don't have time for that!

So I am committing myself to "journaling" once a day. Most of the time it will be me sketchnoting something positive that happened that day. It won't be much doodling as I love writing in different scripts with a variety of pen colors. It doesn't have to be anything significant - just something funny, cute, or happy that happened. The other day, for example, I was e-mailing a teacher back and forth about a student and parent. In the end, I e-mailed a rolling eye gif. That was the entire e-mail. How it became positive was when the teacher made a point to find me after school to tell me how funny she thought it was.








That's a positive!

Thanks for reading. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

5 most popular posts of 2017

Hello colleagues!

As I enjoy a hot cup of coffee in a quite cold Park City, Utah, I am reminiscing about this past year. I started blogging a year and a half ago, but 2017 was the first year that I had a full year of blogging! I still can't believe that I was able to come up with so many thoughts and be able to share them with all of you!

A few weeks ago, I was trolling Twitter. I came across a post from Catlin Tucker where she shared her top blog posts of the year. I instantly knew that I would do the same thing for my final "column" of the year, especially considering that this was my first year where I COULD share my top five posts of the year.

#5: Elevate. In this post, I wrote about how I was applying to become a Google Innovator and wanted to bring my idea into my classroom. I worked with my Language Arts counterpart to elevate and improve a long-standing project between the 8th grade Language Arts/Social Studies departments. Instead of doing another research essay (of which we had already done three that year in history alone), we had the students 1) research a Civil War figure, 2) participate in a Wax Museum project, 3) discover a characteristic that was best exemplified by this person, and 4) design and implement a community service project where they illustrate that same trait. We elevated the project and RAN with it!

#4: Taking risks. In this post, I wrote about stepping out of my comfort zone and applying to become a Google Innovator. Spoiler alert, I wasn't chosen. But I have another good idea for the application in the next round. We'll see! 

#3: Give the kids homework this weekend. In this post, I wrote about meeting kids where they are in the 21st century. This included trying to incorporate Snapchat into the classroom to have students tell stories. The end result is to try to build a comfortable community with your class. 

#2: #selfcare. In this post, I wrote about how I figured out what my #oneword2017 would be - self-care. It was the moment that I decided to make some changes in my life so that I was no longer overwhelmed by being a teacher. 

#1: Sharing My Love for Screencastify. In this post, I wrote about how I was using Screencastify in my new job. I love this app because it is SO easy to use and it is a good use of my time! If you haven't used Screencastify with your students, I strongly encourage you to do so.

Thanks for reading this post and all post over the last 18 months! I will be back in 2018 with a new post and a new #oneword2018! Happy holidays everyone :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

A day in the life...

Good morning colleagues! As part of my #sunchatbloggers group, we were tasked with creating this week's blog about a day in the life of an educator. I actually voted for this topic because I thought it would be interesting to look at my day versus another teacher somewhere else in the United States!

My day usually starts at 5:00 am. I am a morning person, but I am slow to wake-up. The first thing I do is get on my phone (SHOCKING, I know) and read through the news. I have a Google Pixel XL that has Google Now accessible when I swipe right. I've curated my "interest feed" there, so I am getting the latest political, tech, and local news. Then I go to Twitter and Palabre (my RSS feed app) and read updates there. Then I get up and get ready for my day.

School here starts at 7:45, but we are expected to be in the building by 7:20. I try to get to school between 7:00 and 7:20 because I like to read and respond to e-mails before school begins. I am also pretty lucky because 8th grade has morning plan. That allows me to eat breakfast and drink coffee during first hour while grading or setting up my room. I outline my curriculum in advance, so I am not "planning" for my day unless I come up with a brand new idea that I want to use.

That is my typical schedule, but on this day, I didn't get a plan because I had other things that I needed to do. Our district was having staff development the next day with various types of training. One of the instructors asked if I would put together a "passion project" presentation for a "speed dating" activity. I spent my plan time putting together a presentation on my most recent obsession: Boomerang for Gmail.

We actually have two plans, but, usually, the second hour is taken up by meetings. I had an IEP meeting that was also a transition meeting for the student going to high school next year. This conference lasted until right before my third-hour class.

In class, I taught students how to find primary source images for their digital stories. I spent my day walking students through Library of Congress, local libraries, and Creative Commons images. I literally spent my whole day talking "at" the students while they searched for pictures. It was a process, but the students learned a lot (and will hopefully think twice before stealing images from Google Images).

I've blogged about self-care quite a bit this year, and part of my self-care regimen is leaving school at school. I've been good this year about spending only an hour after-school working. It has taken me much longer to grade and get work back to the students (still trying to figure out real-time feedback in an efficient manner), but my stress levels have gone way down.

Another way to help my anxiety is by going to the gym or yoga studio right after my hour of after-school work. I've been pretty focused on going to the gym two days a week and the yoga studio four days a week. For the first time, I was able to do a difficult pose (camel position). I could tell my dedication to self-care is paying off!

The last two ways that I relieve stress after a long day of school is an hour of tv and a half hour of reading before bed (at 9 - I am a morning person, remember?). One of my favorite shows, Underground, just came back. If you are remotely interested in American history, it is a fantastic show, and the first episode was INSANE and unexpected! I haven't read any interesting books lately, but reading on my Kindle Paperwhite before bed has helped me read 14 of my 52 book goal for the year!

I finally feel like, after eleven years of teaching, that I am starting to figure out how to have a good day, both at school and home. Thanks for reading about my day as an educator. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Taking risks

Happy Saturday, colleagues! I am going to start today's blog post with a story.

I have to finally admit something scandalous (in the teaching world): I am an introvert. I always wondered what was wrong with me, but when I started taking personality tests over the last couple of years, I finally found the diagnosis: introversion. I am excellent at faking it, at pretending to be extroverted. I struggle with starting conversations with people, but I have a friendly Midwestern face, so people often start talking to me. I smile when I'm uncomfortable, so again, it's a conversation starter. For some time when teaching, my introversion has been met with hostility, rumors, and frustration. I don't like being the center of attention, I'm somewhat shy, and I keep my personal life private. Human nature is to be social and connected. Apparently not sharing much about myself means I'm a cold person. So I struggled with collegial relationships. And I struggled.

Cue to five years ago as I am having the worst teaching year ever when I become a part of a group called TAH (Teaching American History). I've mentioned these people before. They helped me become the teacher that I am now. These people, these complete strangers, accepted me (for what little they knew of me), encouraged me to share bits and pieces about myself, and assured me that I am an influential and capable teacher (as many times as I needed to hear it). It was what I desired in my young career. I had new colleagues (from different schools) that supported me and helped guide me to my first presentation at a national conference at the age of 29.

I am so grateful for those people. They helped me make a mind shift, and every teacher knows when they've had one of those, and how it affected their career. Even so, I am still an introvert today (duh). I am better at making relationships (maturity goes a long way), and I am slowly sharing more about myself with others. It puts me in a vulnerable position, but it's necessary to evolve and develop as a teacher.

In order to evolve, I have to take steps outside my "normal" introverted personality. I did just that: I just applied to become a certified Google Innovator.

That is one scary screenshot. I did it. My application has been submitted. There is nothing more I can do but wait.

But even if I am selected, or rejected, I am proud of myself for taking that step outside of "normal." My little-introverted self is growing up and becoming the teacher that I said I would become when I interviewed at Skyview eight years ago.

So here goes... here is my application.

If someone were to direct a film about your life, what would it be called? (Maximum 5 words, 50 characters)
Just a small town girl

Transform: Share a specific example about how you are fostering a thriving innovative culture within your own classroom, school, or organization. (Maximum of 500 characters)
Five years ago, I was handed 150 iPads and said: “go!” Without training or guidance, I designed a digital curriculum for my US history classroom. I created flipped learning for students to learn basic content at home. In my classroom, students are using a project-based curriculum. Through researching essential questions, students are traveling in time, telling stories about Colorado’s past, and are creating digital content to share with the world. Through it all, I facilitate their learning.

Advocate: Link to a piece of content you've created that you think has inspired other educators.Show us a blog, a Hangout you've done, a poster or Infographic, a presentation resource, or something you're really proud of online that you'd love to share. Include your link here!
http://historicalipad.blogspot.com/ (of course I am sharing my blog - I am proud of the reflections I've had this last year!)

Grow: If you could become an expert in something that you aren't already good at, what would it be and why? (Maximum of 500 characters)
One thing that I would love to become an expert at is composing music. Listening to music is one way that I meditate each day, and I wish that I could create music to which I meditate. As a teacher, I love seeing students’ faces light up when they come into my room or when they enjoy a lesson that I am teaching. I wish that I could make random strangers’ faces light up when they listen to music that I’ve created.

Your Vision: Title
Using the Past to be Present

Your Vision: Brief Description: (Maximum of 250 characters)
Students are lacking desirable qualities such as empathy, perseverance, and drive. I would like to create a curriculum that uses historical figures to nurture these characteristics.

Your Vision: Solution (We’re looking for projects that are new and innovative. Please explain how your vision is suggesting a new-to-the-world solution or offers a fresh take on an existing solution. Maximum 500 characters)
I will design character developing curriculum in which students examine historical figures who embody these absent characteristics. Through exploring the past, developing digital stories, and undergoing experiential learning, students will develop these attributes. They will learn about the past through authentic characters' stories, which enables them to rewrite their future.


Vision Deck: Link to your public vision deck.

Vision Video: You have one minute to creatively explain your problem and your vision for tackling it! Please post a public YouTube link. Think of this as a visual and interactive complement to your Vision Deck. This is also an opportunity to let your passion shine along with your vision.

Imagine you are able to have coffee with one person (currently living) who would mentor you in support of your vision. Who would you pick and why? (Maximum of 500 characters)
I would have coffee with Ken Burns. He is incredible at telling stories that people didn’t know that they even wanted to learn! He could take this curriculum and elevate it. Students are incredibly visual, and a “Ken Burns style” video would capture their attention entirely. Mr. Burns also has a way with wording stories that challenge people to think while looking deep within themselves. That would be the whole point of this curriculum!

So there it is my friends - my application out for the world to see! Now I'm hoping for an early birthday present on March 13th!

Thanks for reading. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

End of unit reflections

Hello, teachers! Sorry for the missing blog last week! I came down with a cold last Friday but felt the need to go photograph some beautiful frost in town that same day. I'm pretty sure I made myself sicker, so my mind was not ready for blogging last week :(

This morning I am reflecting on a unit that my classes completed on Friday. It was a four week unit over what I call the pre-Civil War era (1820s - 1859). For the first two weeks, students were put into large groups in which they "presented" a whole class lesson on a decade (purely giving content). For the last two weeks of the unit, the students worked individually in which they picked three events in one decade to dive "deeper" into. They used a tic-tac-toe board to pick the products that they wanted to create while also choosing the proficiency level that they wanted to demonstrate.

What worked: Most students enjoyed "teaching" for a whole class period (in a large group). They were nervous overall, but they shined in front of the class. This set them up for success in presenting in front of the whole class. I could tell that some students accessed their group presentation rubric as most students improved upon their eye contact and projection for their second presentation. I also liked that when students presented individually that they weren't required to show memorized content, but instead talked about what they created and how their events caused change (the essential question for the unit). This helped with their confidence and talking to their colleagues instead of just reading from the screen. I heard many students say that they enjoyed having a choice in their topic and product creation, and I felt having the tic-tac-toe board at this point in the year ensured the success as they were comfortable with choice (as opposed to the beginning of the year).

What didn't work: I liked the students taking on the class lesson piece, but I do not feel like I set up the students for success in their content presentations. This unit, more than any prior, made me realize how weak my students' research skills are. This could be a whole other blog topic - teaching students how to investigate on the internet. I don't feel like I train them well in this aspect, and to some extent, expect the students to come to eighth grade prepared with research skills. I know that this is wrong, and I know that my students don't know how to analyze and dive deeper online. Do I know how to teach the students to research on the internet? I'm not sure, but I feel like I need to scaffold their research better. Unfortunately, this means created focused research handouts for each topic. That is something I need to create over the summer if I want to do this unit again (and I know for sure that I do).

I need to, somehow, clean up my directions. I'm not clear if this was all on me, but my students were missing what they were supposed to DO for the second half of the unit. The students just wanted to regurgitate information, when I kept telling them to be persuasive; that they are trying to persuade someone to move to the historical location to ensure that the historical event happens (because, you know, they are time travelers). I know that when I go through their products that most of them will miss that mark.

One struggle (that I've dealt with in the past) is that the students want to make sure that they are doing the assignment "right," so they keep asking me how their product looks, they are checking in with me, and they are asking me questions. This prevented me from checking in with all of my students. I was also trying to get through their research handouts as they were working, but I could never find time. The missing feedback from me did not help the previous issue of my students repeating content instead of being persuasive.

And the BIGGEST problem with this unit is a student problem: time management. Even though I had checkpoints and due dates in place, they were not enough. The students put off their project until the last minute and then scrambled the night before presentations started. I told all of the students to be prepared to present on the first day, but in one class I had to go ask 19 students to present before I could find five students ready to go. I believe that next time I will have more stringent due dates and clearer time management strategies to ensure that their time management is on point. I heard many complaints that I gave too much homework, but it was evident that putting it off until the last minute meant that they had a lot of homework in one night! I wrote on the board how much time they had which effectively ended this complaint.

I had a frustrating week when it came to presentations, but in the end, I know that this was a solid first start to a new design for a unit. I am happy with what I created and am excited to "fix it" for next year!

Thanks for reading. I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Path2Empathy

Hello colleagues! I wanted to share with you a program that our school is currently participating in called Path2Empathy. It was co-created by a former SMS counselor Jennicca. The idea behind the program is that we are building empathy within our students and ourselves. From their website, Path2Empath says that this program should, "show students that seeing the world through another's eyes is essential to personal growth," that "practice and experience walking in another’s shoes demonstrates the importance of shedding at-risk behaviors in order to help others," and "students will build self-worth by contributing to a cause greater than themselves".

The first lesson of the program includes having the students take a seven-day challenge. The challenges include:

• Eat rice and beans for one meal a day
• Take a cold shower one time a day
• Sleep on the floor
• Drink only water (no other beverage)
• Wear only two outfits 
• Carry one gallon of water everywhere you go
• Walk to school
• No make-up
• No fast food
• No snacking or eating between meals

As part of the seven-day challenge, there are prompting questions to ask the kids. We are planning on having the kids blog about the challenges they chose and how they are feeling. Since us teachers are ALSO picking challenges, I thought it was apropos to answer the same questions as I blogged.

What challenge did you choose? I selected three challenges: eat rice and beans for one meal a day for seven days, drink only water for seven days, and wear no make-up. 

What do you expect to learn? I expected to experience the struggles of people in third world countries. I have to experience the struggles to empathize. 

What has been the most difficult part of the challenge? I honestly believed it would be a breeze to do these three challenges. I thought that wearing no make-up would be the toughest challenge. Even though I do not wear make-up when I do not go to school, I have always worn make-up in front of my middle school students. Shockingly enough, this has been the easiest challenge. The students finally said something on Friday - "Mrs. Jeffrey, you don't look all that different without make-up. You only look more tired, but it's because you're not wearing eye makeup."

The most difficult part of the challenge has been dealing with the weekend and real life with these challenges. I didn't have the best week, and I had some friends that had a rough week. One friend called out happy hour last night, and I was quick to join in. It wasn't until I was driving there that I remembered to only drink water, and boy did I have a little existential crisis! I relented and drank something other than water because I had a rough week, but I definitely realized my own privilege at that moment, and I even brought it up while we were sitting at the table.

It also was a challenge today to eat rice and beans. We had an Edcamp session today, and lunch is provided. I was going to eat rice and beans for breakfast, but then life happens, and I ran out the door with a quick and easy breakfast instead. I would love to go out to dinner tonight before a hockey game, but it is just not going to happen as I want to follow through on at least two of the three challenges! 

How has this experience changed the way you look at food and drink? These challenges made me recognize how easy food and drinks are available in America. Even though I regularly cook breakfast each morning, today I was able to grab a quick snack on the go. I can make coffee quite fast in the morning, or I have funds that allow me to stop at Starbucks. Our fridge is always stocked with food and drink to our delight, even when I say that there's "nothing" to eat.

Part of what is necessary to build empathy, instead of sympathy, is to show gratitude and be grateful for what I have. I think I need to start daily meditation is to demonstrate that gratitude each day.

Thanks for reading. I'll see you next week :) 

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

#selfcare

Good morning colleagues! A couple weeks ago, I posted my resolutions for the year. Carla, a fellow #sunchatblogger, commented on my struggles and burnout with my #oneword2017: self-care. I never would have come up with that term on my own, and I'd been toying with the idea. Then this week I went to Marzano training in Denver for supporting beginning teachers. Little did I know that Tina would bring up the importance of self-care for teachers, and then the idea was cemented.

Tina led some fantastic discussions with ideas for self-care. The one that stuck out the most to me was music. Music has always played a significant role in my life! I never really thought about the idea of music changing my mood, but it happens all of the time. My husband makes fun of me for having so many playlists, but they are all created around my moods and feelings.

All of these discussions made me decide that I needed to create even more precise playlists catered around "self-care"; playlists that will help change my mood when I am having a particularly bad or stressful day. So yesterday, on Inauguration Day, on a Friday, after a long week, I put together a happy playlist to share with you.

As I said in the description of the playlist, "In a bad mood? Give this playlist an hour!"

I think I want to continue with a post once a month (or every other month) with ideas for self-care for teachers. We all need to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves!

Thanks for reading and enjoy the music. I'll see you next week :) 

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

New Year's Resolutions

Greetings colleagues! Welcome back after what I hope was a restful and relaxing winter holiday!

This morning I received an e-mail from a colleague who was excited to share work from innovative teachers in the district while also linking an article about innovative teaching. It spurred my idea for today's blog post!

As I read articles like this, I am always reflective about how I can improve my teaching practices. I am a thoughtful teacher - it is one of my strengths as I have grown much as a teacher (while also a weakness; I take things too personally while being reflective). I see within my units ones that are more innovative than others, and that's due to the frustration of being an "island."

I have come to realize, after the last five years of "iPad teaching" that I cannot do it all. Even though I have a good idea of what I'm doing in my classroom, I still need training, support, and colleagues who are willing to be risk-takers with me. But after five years, I am still an island. And I believe that is part of what is stressing me out and burning me out of teaching.

Bloggers have been focused this last week with #oneword2017 blog posts. I am jealous that I don't have one of these posts because I a) cannot come up with a word for myself and b) am so stressed out and burned out that I haven't worked hard at coming up with a term for my 2017 goals. So I am going to blog about my New Year's resolutions that have absolutely nothing to do with school.

Goal #1: Read 35 books before the end of the year. For many, this may not seem like a lofty goal, but I have to be intentional about reading each night. There are times where I feel pressured about school and make a choice to grade instead of read. There is simply no reason for that. My job is teaching, but that is not the only thing to me. With that, I also vow to read whatever book I want - it does not have to be educational, it does not have to be historical - if I want to read some chick-lit, well, I am going to do just that!

Goal #2: Exercise three times a week. I already know that I will not do this EVERY week of the year. Sometimes there are just weeks where I should workout, but will find it difficult to make the time. I made a vow that my exercise does not have to be something I do not enjoy. I don't like running. I don't particularly like hiking. I do, however, enjoy swimming, yoga, walking in Palmer Park, and lifting weights. Exercise is about being intentional and supporting one's physical and mental health. If I am not at my best health-wise, then I cannot be my best as a teacher.

Goal #3: Be invested in photography. I take pictures. I actually take pretty good pictures. I bought a new camera last summer that helps me take awesome pictures. This year, I want to take more pictures. Sure, I sell my photography online. But I take pictures because I enjoy seeing the final results. I like studying new photographic techniques that allow me to take pictures like a pro. So I want to create a new set of photographs at least once a month.

I know that most of this blog was not school-related even though this is an educational blog. But I also know that I have interests, outside of school, that need to nurturing as much as my teaching practices.

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading! I'll plan on seeing you next week :) 

- Rachel
@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website