Finding a love of reading

Hello, colleagues! I recently digitally subscribed to the New York Times (they were running a promotion for $1 a week). I've been reading the news quite a bit in the last four or so years, so it only made sense to pay for a digital subscription for not only news, but opinion articles, recipes, and even a mini daily crossword.

I was reading last week when I came across an opinion article called "Why Are We Still Teaching Reading the Wrong Way?" As a teacher, I knew I had to read it. The article talks about how teaching phonics is the best way to teach students how to read, and because it's so intensive, most teachers ignore the best approach. Of course, there was a response article today in which readers wrote about how they learned to read with some responses supporting the original opinion article, and other responses refuting it.

Reading the original and response articles made me think about my own love of reading. I enjoy reading as much as almost anything. I don't remember learning to read, but my mother says that I picked up reading before I went to school. I know that she was a stay-at-home mom that read with me. I know we didn't have cable until first or second grade, so I the tv I watched was mostly PBS educational kid shows (Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, Reading Rainbow). Other than watching tv and playing outside, I remember reading... a lot! I grew up in a small town of 600 people with not a lot to do. My godmother (really my grandmother) was the librarian of our small town library that was two blocks from my house. I spent all of my free time there reading. I was reading well above my age since I eventually ran out of books to read that were "appropriate" for my age (e.g. reading John Grisham at age 12).  I fell in love with books at an early age, so I still love reading.

That is not, however, the case for most of our students. Why is that the case? I believe that part of it is due to students not knowing how to read, some of it is students not being able to read what they want, partly due to students being busy all of the time, and of course due to students being distracted by other things in their lives (e.g. social media, their cell phone, etc.).

So how can we get kids to enjoy reading again?

• Create a bedtime routine where you read every night. This is one of the biggest changes I made in my life within the last few years. I made the conscious decision to go to bed an hour before I wanted to fall asleep so that I could devote 30-45 minutes of time to reading. By reading this much each night, I read approximately one book a week. That is why, on my Goodreads reading challenge, I've challenged myself to read 52 books in a year. I've already read 48 books this year. 
• Let kids read what they want to read. I read what I want. I enjoy reading trashy beach novels and suspenseful thrillers. I don't always enjoy reading about history... I need a break from what I teach! My husband doesn't enjoy reading very much, but when his monthly Wired magazine arrives, he reads it cover to cover... sometimes more than once. I feel that should be the same for students. They should be able to read magazines, or story books, or a John Grisham novel that is well beyond their age. 
• Be a good example and read yourself in front of them. Part of the reason why I read so much as a child is because my parents read quite a bit when I was young. My dad would often sit in "his chair" and read at night. My mom would lay on the couch and read during the day. When my parents read, the TV was off. There was nothing else for me to do but read alongside them. 
• Limit technology. It was different when I was a child than what it is like for my students today, but as I said in the previous paragraph, the TV was off when my parents were reading. Now, if I read, I will turn off the TV and will silence my cell phone. Before bedtime, I will read and then post on Instagram right before falling asleep. It's become a habit over the past year. 
• Swap music for an audiobook. Install Audible on your child's phone so they can "read" while on the bus, or, if you drive them to school, turn on an audiobook instead of the radio. I'm not the biggest fan of audiobooks because I get distracted, but my husband loves podcasts and audiobooks much more than reading.
• Help bring books to life. I've always tried to read the book before watching the movie because a) I love spoilers and knowing what happens and b) I want to see how it comes alive. My sister and I recently saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. I hadn't read the screenplay yet, so I read it on the plane. I was so disappointed when I read it and was worried that seeing the play live wouldn't live up to my expectations. Boy was I WRONG. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Now I want to reread the screenplay AND go see the show again! 
• Stash books all over. Growing up, we had a huge bookshelf in the hallway that had a lot of books on it. Now, on my Kindle, I try to find free books to download (currently have 21 classics and 33 random books). It's all about having options and variety. That keeps me interested in my current novel because I want to finish it and start a new one!
• Conquer the log. This probably looks a little different for students, but I love logging my books on Goodreads. Because Goodreads is "Facebook for readers," I can see what my friends are reading. This has helped me find so many interesting books that I never would have found otherwise. Goodreads also recommends books based on what I've read, so the more I read, the better the recommendations!

I hope, through this list, that your students (or you, or your kids) will start to enjoy reading more. I want everyone to have the same love for reading that I do! 

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

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Google Expeditions

Good morning colleagues! I'm back after a luxurious two weeks off from school and ready to talk about a training session I ran this past Thursday with the staff.

I'm assuming that most people reading this blog have heard of Google Expeditions. If not, Expeditions is an application that allows students to travel the world using virtual reality. As the teacher, you can guide your students through these tour with pre-made, scripted text that helps you talk to the students about what they are seeing. In your classroom, you have six options for running Expeditions.

I will admit when I was asked to present to the teachers that I was nervous. Technology doesn't always go over well in my building, and I wanted to ensure that what I demonstrated was relevant and engaging for the staff. Initially I was going to present one application while providing teachers with an opportunity to learn about a different app if they so choose. But while I was designing the training, I realized how perfect Google Expeditions was for the staff. Basically, every content can be covered through the variety and quantity of expeditions available.

I've been obsessed with organizing information into hyperdocs recently, so I put together a hyperdoc for the teacher to access the materials. I also divided the hyperdoc into a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level (so that everyone was covered during the training).

I started off the training by having the teachers actually USE Google Expeditions. I received a grant from EdCamp last year and use the money to purchase Google Cardboards and inexpensive phones. I had the Cardboards and phones out, ready to use when the teachers walked into the library. I used the ultimate teacher tool - the hook. Yesterday I took the teachers to American Samoa, Mars, Hong Kong, and Machu Picchu. It worked "hook," line, and sinker. The teachers immediately responded positively because they, as adults, thought virtual really was SO COOL.

I briefly walked them through the hyperdoc: what Google Expeditions is, the six ways to access Expeditions in their classroom, and the available Expeditions. I then answered questions that they had, then gave them 20 minutes to play. The teachers were all over the app (whether by playing on Cardboard again or on their iPads searching the variety of Expeditions).

I knew that the training was a success when one very excited, but tech-resistant teacher checked out the Cardboards and cell phones to use in her class next week. I was STOKED! My former mentee also chatted with me about integrating the Gettysburg Expedition in his class by checking out the iPad card from the library and how excited he was for the students to "see" Picket's Charge.

If you haven't checked out Expeditions or how to use Expeditions in your class, please do. It's amazing what 15 minutes of virtual reality can do to change the environment of your classroom.

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

- Rachel
@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

What inspires me?

Good morning colleagues! I am back for one last blog before our two weeks of fall break (thank goodness - we're all exhausted). Well... once again, I was not selected as a Google Innovator. Was I surprised? No, not really. But it still feels like a low blow.

So to change my mindset, especially considering #oneword2018, I have to look forward and remind myself... why do I teach? Why am I still doing this after 13 years?

A quick side note, this is my tenth year teaching middle school. Whenever people ask what I do, and I say that I'm a middle school teacher, I either get a crazy look or a sympathetic look. I've never gotten anything else. And even though this job is sometimes insane, I don't need the wild look or sympathetic look because I enjoy my occupation. I still want to come into the building day after that. I do this because I believe that my job is integral.

I believe that education has a purpose in society, that our job is to educate future generations to be well-rounded, productive citizens. I think that my role as a teacher is to facilitate students learning. My goal every year is to make my students better people. I do that by providing students with a voice and a choice as often as possible. I want students to take ownership of their learning, and for that to happen, students have to "buy in" to what they are doing in the classroom.

What keeps me going? What makes me come back to my classroom every day? My students, plain and simple. I love seeing them grow and mature. As a broadcasting teacher, I now have students from 7th to 8th grade. It's incredible to see how much they change from August of the 7th grade year to May of their 8th grade year. The students start to look at the world differently and begin to understand their place and who they are.

What inspires me day after day?

• Conversations: On Wednesdays, I meet with a small group of teachers. We consider ourselves "coaches," but in different ways (interventionists, technology, English language, and our actual instructional coach). We discuss best practices and proven instructional strategies. We talk about how to move our colleagues and how to implement change. I also have great conversations one-on-one, randomly, in my classroom or a coffee shop. I love to talk about education and learning. It leaves me with my thoughts about how to implement change and growth mindset in my classroom. 
• Learning: I enjoyed school as a kid, so it's no surprise that I'm someone who loves to learn. I learn while reading Twitter, reading books, having conversations, or through taking classes. We have professional development through the district that has provided me with great ideas, but I've also done online mini-courses that have given me great ideas. It keeps my classroom "fresh" and different each day and every year. 
• Creating: I love learning and conversations that lead me to design unique curriculum. I do enjoy creating curriculum - thinking about what I want my students to know, which standards I'm covering, and how my students will use their learning in the future. I want to continually adapt and change my curriculum to meet my students' needs. Students will keep evolving... how can I keep up with them? How can I ensure that they become well-rounded citizens? 
• Taking risks: Using new technology and ideas in the classroom leads to failure. It is a risk. But the more you do something, the better you get. If you try once and fail, do you give up? Maybe I'm just stubborn, and that's why I continue to take risks as a teacher. I know that I need to meet my students' needs and that's not going to happen if you don't try something new. 

As you "fall into fall" (the days get shorter, and we get closer to winter break) try to remember WHY you teach. What happens when you "fall"... how do you get back up and keep going?

Thanks for reading. I'll see you back here on October 27th!

- Rachel
@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Reimagining Education

Hello, colleagues! Happy weekend!

Last Friday I was perusing Twitter, as I am wont to do, and I stumbled across an article from Singularity Hub. I had never heard of Singularity Hub before, so I went to their about page to learn more who they are. They wrote Since 2008, Singularity Hub has offered daily news coverage, feature articles, analysis, and insights on key breakthroughs and future trends in exponential technologies as well as highlighting how they’re being leveraged for social impact and utilized to tackle the world’s grand challenges. So... seems like something that's right up my alley! The article itself was focused on reimagining education in the exponential age. SH interviewed Rohan Roberts, the author of the book Cosmic Citizens and Moonshot Thinking: Education in an Age of Exponential Technologies.

Some highlights from the interview:

• Classifying the skills that machines should bring to the table and what humans should contribute to the partnership is key.
• Any curriculum worth its salt would focus not on content but on developing critical survival skills, such as leading by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative and entrepreneurship, effective communication, analyzing information, and curiosity and imagination.
• We’d need to focus on future fluencies that are based on problem solving, creativity, digital citizenship, media, and collaboration across networks.
• The days of the teacher as subject expert and fount of information are numbered. In addition to being cross-curricular specialists, teachers will need to be guides, counselors, mentors, and facilitators.
• If we acknowledge that human destiny is to become a multi-planetary species and that our future lies in the stars, then we’ve got to start training our students to have discussions about who we are, where we are headed, and what we want to be. 

I found the article interested as it entwined my philosophy of education with some futuristic science! It also got me thinking... what skills did I learn in school that I still use today? My answer is very little. I grew up while education was still very much listen, memorize, regurgitate, forget. There are bits and pieces that I still remember from school, but nothing of real value that I still use today. So what skills are we teaching students that they are going to use when they're 34? I'm hoping that the answer includes some of the bullet points above.

In my classroom, students:

• Choose different "occupations" each week: producer, director of photography, audio engineer, on-air talent, or editor. Students know what they need to do in these roles. This allows each student to lead, but also to follow. They have to communicate and collaborate together to ensure that a broadcast is developed every week. 
• Are all pre-production writers in that they have to plan and write the script and design the corresponding camera shots. Students must be creative to engage their viewers, but they must also critically think about how their video will appear to others.
• Are sometimes absent, so a group must be capable and take initiative when that other student is missing. They know they have to "pick up the slack" because they have an upcoming deadline that doesn't budge.
• Learn about local and world news. My advanced broadcasting students are designing two stories for the broadcast - the first is about a local narrative and the second is a feature outside of the United States. Students will have to research, check sources, analyze information, and conduct interviews. They have to be flexible especially when preparing to do a phone interview with a complete stranger. I am hoping by exposing them to local and world news that they will think about who they are as a student, a member of the community, and a US and global citizen. 
• Design a social commentary video. Students will pick a social topic important to them, provide commentary and information on the subject, and suggest solutions to solve these social issues. 

I've realized in my (short) time in education that I am no longer the only person/thing that knows anything or everything about a topic. Students today have access to the internet, their classmates, and their own brain. I don't know "everything" anymore, so I knew that it was time for me to take a step back and have students take ownership of their own learning. My job, as a classroom facilitator, is to provide structure and a safe environment while also providing students with resources that will help guide their knowledge.

My last thought on all of this is something that happened to me last weekend. My husband has been craving eggs benedict. I'm by no means a top chef, but I like to cook and work in the kitchen. So I went online, searched how to poach an egg, found a website tutorial from Alton Brown (who I know is a renowned chef), and learned how to poach an egg. I Snapchatted how everything went, and on my first go, I had one formed egg and one runny egg. Did it still taste delicious? Of course. And the next day, I tried it again, and I successfully poached two eggs for my avocado toast (#millennial). I realized that I learned how to do something new, with a facilitator, I tried and failed, but then I tried again. 

So think about this... what are you still learning today? What do you want your students to learn as well? How can you reimagine education? Thanks for reading :) I'll see you next week!

- 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

Going all in on hyperdocs!

Hello, colleagues! I've been working quite hard this year on streamlining my curriculum through the use of hyperdocs. It is by no means perfected, and I still have more work to do throughout the years, but I feel like what I've created is a great start and can help you in your classroom!

So first off... what is a hyperdoc? Hyperdocs were created by three women in the Bay area: Lisa Highfill, Kelly Hilton, and Sarah Landis. They wanted to provide their students with a way to be curious and explore problems instead of just consuming information. A hyperdoc often looks like a Google Doc with a whole bunch of links, but it is actually so much more! The point of the document is to have students engage, explore, explain, apply, share, reflect, and extend their learning. Basically, the document covers all of Bloom's Taxonomy or the four depth of knowledge (DOK) levels.

What am I doing with hyperdocs this year? As I said previously, I wanted to streamline my curriculum, clean up my broadcasting I and II curriculum, and also design curriculum for a new class: advanced broadcasting. I use backwards design (Understanding By Design) to plan out my units. I start with the end goal in mind, then plan out all of the steps necessary to get to the end goal. I wanted everything for the unit to be in one location and include all of the objectives that I am using with my students. A unit hyperdoc will look something like this:



How are the Hyperdocs working? I think they're going pretty well! Students are responding well to the documents (not that they know any different), and they are well aware that everything is in one location. Funny enough, they've enjoyed the different colors that I've made them in - I heard a student say, "What color is the document this time?!"

My goal for the year was to have every unit in a hyperdoc (BOY curriculum for broadcasting I and II and all units for advanced broadcasting). I would like to build hyperdocs for each week of broadcasting, but that's a work in progress that may not be accomplished by the end of the year. They're not a priority because I have to make new hyperdocs every week, every semester, every year. I just have to change the links, which is time-consuming, but is also not a priority... not yet.

I also know that my hyperdocs are incredibly basic. They are interactive, but they aren't as engaging as I would like. I need to add images, and I also need to add some extra pieces to make my hyperdocs more:

• Exploratory: students aren't exploring a topic as thoroughly as I'd like. This probably should be done through screencasts, Youtube videos, and readings. 
• Reflection: I have the students fill out a feedback form after watching the broadcast each week, but each of the units also needs to have a part where my students think about their learning. I could do this through Padlet, but I want it to have more meaning instead of just being "another step" in the process.
• Extended learning: I'm not entirely sure what to do here, at least for a broadcasting hyperdoc. Part of the issue is that my classes are only 45 minutes, and we're definitely set to deadlines. It's almost like we don't have time for this piece. Instead, the high schools should take on this piece (or my advanced broadcasting class should). I need to think through THIS step. 
• Critical thinking and problem solving: these two pieces are built into my classes already, but I don't necessarily feel like they are built into the hyperdocs. Once again, I am still thinking through this step... potentially for next year!

So what is the next step beyond just broadcasting? I've been asked to run two teacher "Tech Thursdays" in which I provide training for the staff. I sent out a Google Form to find out what teachers would like training on. I then took the responses and started designing training hyperdocs. They are currently WOEFULLY incomplete, but I'm not presenting until October 25th, so I have time to complete them and make them interactive!

I do wish that I learned about hyperdocs while I was still teaching Social Studies. I definitely would have designed similar hyperdocs to what I am doing right now. I think it would have provided sufficient context for my students when it came to learning about a) historical information and b) how everything "fit" together.

Thanks for reading! I hope this week's blog gave you a little inspiration to check out hyperdocs and potentially use them in your own classroom! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Goals for iObservation

Good morning, colleagues! The school year is in full swing with a three-day Labor Day holiday! Can't believe that I've had four weeks of four-day work-weeks in a row! (A tiny bit ridiculous, right?!) Now that the school year has really started, it's time to set goals for the school year and for our growth plan.

Our district uses iObservation, which is a professional growth website designed by Learning Sciences International. LSI is partnered with Marzano evaluation tools which is what our district uses. I just completed my growth plan for the year with two goals.

1. My focused element is #2: tracking student progress. I'm pretty sure that this was a goal I used in the past, but I did a pretty terrible job with it as a teacher (and saw little growth with my students). Now that I'm in my second year as a broadcasting teacher, I really want to see improvement from my students to have strong broadcasts throughout the year. My plan for tracking student progress through formative assessments is as follows:

• The first broadcast is set for September 14th. On the 14th, after watching the broadcast (and potentially throughout the following week), I will conference with students individually. I will show them their first scale grade, discuss their baseline knowledge of broadcasting, and have them set a specific broadcasting goal (one goal for improvement and a discussion about their strength to be in). I will post these goals/strengths as post-its on my classroom cabinet where they can see them at any time (necessary for the third bullet point below!)
• I will check in with students three times through the remaining semester: October 4th, November 9th, and December 14th. I will be charting students’ scaled grades on individual progress reports and on a whole class report. When I conference with students on those days, we will discuss their progress on their goal and strength, and we will discuss their progress compared to their colleagues’ progress. 
• We watch the broadcast every Friday, so I will add a question to the feedback form where they reflect on their progress towards their goal and strength based on that week’s video. 
• At the end of the semester, students will post on their digital portfolios with their best and their favorite segments from the semester. They will also publish their individual progress report and reflect on their goal and the strength for the semester. 

Is this a lofty goal? Maybe. But I think it could make for real progress with my students in my class. 

2. My personal goal is to work on building my advanced broadcasting curriculum this year (as it is brand new and I'm making it up as I go). I'm turning my curriculum into interactive hyperdocs so that the curriculum is available to them as we go through the units. It will take me all year to build the hyperdocs, so I'm hoping to have the hyperdocs all completed by the first day of the last unit of the year, April 8. Example of these hyperdocs: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lYGDJyJoF6JnaGHiEMbN_bBiNi55MkInQd7vn9x8-q4/edit?usp=sharing

The lovely thing about our growth plan this year, different from previous years, is that we are reading The New Art and Science of Teaching book together in our large team meetings. It gives real purpose to our meetings (instead of meeting just to meet) and gets us thinking and talking about the Marzano elements. I'm also glad that we are only focused on one target instead of three (in previous years). I really feel like I can use my growth plan, for the first time in thirteen years, to actually see growth in my class instead of checking something off the list. 

As your school year gets into full swing, think about what your goals are for the year. Are they personal? Are they professional? And also think about the purpose of your goals - are they for you, for your students, or for the "higher-ups"?

Enjoy your three day weekend! Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Who are you?

Hello, colleagues!

I was chatting with a friend, confidant, and close colleague earlier this week, and we were having a conversation about education and burn-out. It definitely tied into what I blogged about last week! We were discussing that teaching is what we do, but is not the only part of who we are. We were both stressed out and sharing our frustrations. I mentioned how I missed two days of school because I was in New York City! Context: my sister and I are ridiculous Harry Potter NERDS, and she got two tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I told her that whenever she got tickets, I would fly in and be there. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Was I supposed to say no because the school year already started? Yes, I am a teacher, but I am also a nerd and a traveler. I want to see beautiful things in the world. I wasn't sad that I missed school for a fantastic opportunity - I was stressed because I had a lot to make up because I was gone.

If we let teaching take up every piece of our humanness, then we cannot escape when education goes south, when we have a bad day or week or month... I finally figured this out like three or four years ago. Someone told me that if I died tomorrow, there would be another person to replace me.

I would implore you, as part of your self-care routine, to figure out who you are and who you want to be. Being an educator cannot be the only person that you are.

I am a wife. I have a husband who is also a teacher. We have to make time for each other because we're both teachers and education can take up a massive chunk of our time if we let it. We have hobbies together, and we have hobbies that don't match. He is my confidant, he is my person. Without him, I would lead a lonely life.

I am a daughter, sister, and aunt. My family means more to me than almost anything else. If they need me, I should be able to drop everything and get to them.

I am a friend. My friends are my Colorado family. They are the people that make me laugh and get my introverted self out of the house for a drink or a movie.

I am a photographer. I see the world slightly different than the average person. I know how to capture the beauty around me and share it with the masses. I am in my happy place, by myself, with a camera in hand.




I am an out-of-shape athlete. Sometimes I need to spend an hour in nature. Sometimes I need to spend an hour in a hot yoga room. Sometimes I need to spend an hour in the pool. In each of these cases, I tune out everything else around me and focus on the task at hand. The "assignment" might be to not break an ankle on a rock, to not vomit while attempting camel position, or do a perfect streamline off a wall with a powerful dolphin kick.

I am a musician. I can sing. I have perfect pitch. I have specific songs that will change my mood no matter what and I have songs that will make me dance the moment I hear them. Music transforms me in a way like nothing else.

I am a pop culture junkie. I like to read the news and also the "hot goss." I want to be informed so that I can converse with others. I troll Twitter for seriousness and hilarity. I enjoy seeing what celebrities are wearing to movie openings. I fancy taking Buzzfeed quizzes and sharing my results with others.

I am a traveler. I want to see the world. I want to photograph beautiful places. I want to try new foods, and I want to experience new cultures. I love being from Iowa and I love living in Colorado - I have a distinct idea of where home is. I want to, however, experience more than just home base.

This weekend, make a list. Decide who you are and what is essential. Take care of yourself and remember that you are a teacher, but you are also so much more. Thanks for reading! 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

End of year reflections

Good morning, colleagues! This week I was sitting and watching my students collaborate while making their broadcasting segments. I realized, now that it's the end of the year, that I should probably blog about how my school year went!

I had some large shoes to fill in my the broadcasting position. The teacher who left, to become a full-time filmmaker, was beloved by the students and set an excellent precedent for the job. I knew that I wanted to put my own touch on the broadcast, so my focus for the year was to have students design stories that involved as many Skyview students as possible. Here's what went well:

All three classes worked together to produce the weekly broadcast. I set up a Google Doc script at the beginning of the year. The doc was accessible by all three of my classes. This allowed all three groups to work together to design the script because they could all see each others' work. This also drummed up excitement as students saw other ideas, were inspired, and then pitched concepts to me for later broadcasting segments.

Students had choices when picking weekly stories. Because I have three classes, I didn't want to favor one more than the other. Every week a different group picked "first" for broadcast segments. Students selected their top three choices for the videos (using a Google Form), then I put them into groups based on their decisions. 99% of the time the students got one of their top three choices. Because I rotated which class picked first, everyone got their first choice at some point (including being anchors!). Also, if a student or group pitched a topic to me, I ensured that they got that idea as their first choice.

The script layouts worked really well. I ended up having to build brand new scripts for Broadcasting 2.0. I knew when making the scripts that students would need guidance and structure, but I still wanted students to always have the ability to present their voice. I realized, over time, that some stories were very similar. I recognized that I could build a script template that could be reused over and over. I then put together that I could grade those scripts the same way! Once I developed a model, then I would plan a Marzano scale for proficiency grading. The script template gave the students structure for what they needed for proficiency but was flexible enough to allow for student creativity.

There were new students on the broadcast each week. To get student and teacher "buy-in," I created a Google Form that teachers would use to sign up their classes for the weekly show. Part of the video included teacher and student interviews. I would work with my students each week to pick new students that have not been on the broadcast. Then, to build community, I would have my students put the interviewee's name on the screen. That is a start to how people get to know each other. First, you have to learn their name. I also partnered with Yearbook to have access to their photos. We did a photo slideshow every week as a) a preview of the yearbook at the end of the year and b) so that more students could see themselves in the broadcast.

More school stories. As I said in my previous section, the broadcast is meant to build a community in the school. When dealing with middle school students, we have to walk a fine line between creativity, being outlandish, focusing on the school, and not being boring! I knew it was important for students to see themselves in the broadcast instead of just the broadcasting kids. I knew it was essential to design stories that focus on what's happening in the school. But I also want to honor MY students and provide them with the opportunity to be creative and have choice and voice. When I put the broadcast script together, I would always include some sort of original video. Even though a video is creative, if it's about a topic that the kids care about, then it will matter to everyone, though it may not be school related.

Added extra touches. I wanted kids to take ownership while also learning about all of the different jobs that are required to make a broadcast. I taught all of my students how to use GarageBand on the computer and iPad. I wanted students to design music so that, in some cases, they take ownership of the video they are creating. I also taught my students twenty-three different camera shots to try to add variety to the videos they produce. I also added extra school information like sports scores and daily announcements. My colleague who does daily announcements even thanks the broadcasting kids on Friday for saying them! I wanted to make sure my students were still seen in the broadcast, so they put the credits at the end of the show on top of videos of them dancing or being silly. I even let them put bloopers at the end of the broadcast for extra fun.

All in all, this year was a success for my students and for myself. I never thought that I would have a job in broadcasting (especially after eleven years as a social studies teacher), but I was excited to have this opportunity. I'm just taking it all in!

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

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Grading Policies Evolved

Hello, colleagues! Are you guys tired? I know I am - it's the end of the year, and I just spent eight hours at our last track meet of the season yesterday. I'm also frustrated... we had students that couldn't compete in the competition because they were ineligible. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a teacher more than I'm a coach, so I've seen it all through my own classes. Students do fail assignments which cause them to fail classes. I've also had students fail my class and be ineligible. However, one thing I noticed this year is students failing a class due to strange grading practices.

Instead of blogging about what I think my colleagues are doing "wrong," I'm going to post about grading practices that I've changed over the years due to reflection and research.

1. No zeroes. A zero in the grade book implies that a student has LITERALLY DONE NOTHING. Nada. Zero. Zilch. Is that ever the case? Sometimes, sure. I've given kids zeroes on flipped learning because they never started it. Other than flipped learning, I did not give students a zero. If you look at a standard grading scale, an F is between a 0 - 59%. That is an enormous gap. If a student does not turn in an assignment, they still did work in class. Did they do 59% of the work? Usually, they did more, but just didn't turn in the assignment! A student should not fail a class because of one task. Give students a chance to be successful even if they didn't complete one project.

2. No late grades. Students have all sorts of reasons for turning in work late, stemming from them not wanting to do the task, to having a sibling get sick, or due to a family celebration. Should a student be penalized an arbitrary 10% because they turned an assignment in one day late? I don't think so! If students can prove that they know the information, and they meet the criteria of the rubric, then they deserve a better grade, even if it's overdue.

3. More formative assessments. Does this mean I should get rid of summative assessments? Absolutely not; they have a time and a place. Should a kid's grade suffer because of one test for an entire quarter? That's a tough one, but I would argue that it's also crucial that a teacher checks for understanding throughout the unit. Those checks should also be considered assessments, even if they are formative assessments. I would always know if a student would fail ahead of time because of all of the checkpoints that were done along the way. Also, if a student demonstrates quality understanding on a past formative assessment, then the grade should be changed. The student may have achieved proficiency at a later date, but they still exhibited mastery of the content.

4. No more "fluffy" grades. Students do not receive participation points. All students have to participate in my class whether it's by raising their hand or collaborating with a colleague. I also stopped grading assignments based on how they looked. My rubrics would have one category for "basic requirements" (like a specific minimum time or that it had the 10 pieces of criteria), but all of the other categories were based on research and content presented. Do I want a pretty project turned in? Sure, but I also want the students to show me and tell me what they know and what they learned.

5. Behavior does not equal achievement. Every day is a new day. Students act out for various reasons. There is no reason to "punish" a student by giving them a low grade. Grades should be reflective of student achievement, not student behavior. Yes, we want our students to be able to communicate, collaborate, be creative, and think critically. Human beings learn through practice, so if you want your students to learn to communicate, give them time to talk. Students don't need a grade to know if they can talk to other people.

The problem with sharing this information is that I definitely sound like an insufferable know-it-all. Do I have all of the answers? NO! I've evolved as an educator over the last twelve years (and will continue to grow as I teach). I just feel like these changes made a difference in my classroom. I want all students to have the capacity for success to have a promising future.

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

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Work that matters to you.

Hello, colleagues! This week I've been thinking about my job change (prompted by my yearly teacher evaluation) and how I love my new job. I enjoy this position because I feel like I'm making a difference! Making a difference fits in with my personality (which I blogged about already). It's important to me to feel like I'm making a difference because it means that my work is meaningful. I can see the impact that my class is having on my students, the rest of the students in the building, and on the staff members. So, in this post, I want to talk about HOW to create meaningful work! Why is it so important?

Step 1. Work. Continue to work. Go to work every day.
I am lucky that I enjoy my job. I don't love waking up early, and I don't love going in to work every day, but I like it more than I don't. I am also lucky that I have a job that excites me and is a little bit different every day. I'm also passionate about making people better, so I throw myself into my career to make my students better people. I care about education, and I care about how to educate people, so I am continually learning new ideas to use in my classroom.

Step 2. As you work, what makes you excited?
I was also lucky in that, after six years of teaching, I was asked to be on a 1:1 iPad team. I threw myself into digital education and how it can be useful. I got excited about using technology in the classroom.

Step 3. Start to focus on what makes you excited. Focus on that excitement and research to learn more.
I decided that I wanted to become THE iPad teacher. I wanted to be 100% paperless, and 100% focused on the device. I wanted to become the teacher that everyone came to for advice on using tools seamlessly in the classroom.

Step 4. Dig into your excitement and pull out those pieces. Get specific. Find the meaning.
I realized, especially over the last two years, that using technology wasn't always the answer. Figuring this out shook me to the core. But I realized that I cared more about educating children than just using a device in class. So I focused on excellent strategies to use in the classroom, with technology or without. I focused on being a fabulous teacher that uses technology a lot.

Step 5. If your excitement wanes, try something new in your life. Get excited about it.
After five years of being on a 1:1 team, I was burning out. I was working TOO hard because of my passion for education. Sometimes it's hard to be a "black sheep" and an innovator. I paved a singletrack trail, seemingly by myself, and didn't have a support system. I knew I had to take a step back and be passionate about other things. I regularly went to yoga, I bought a new camera for my photography, I read more books more often (and not about education).

Step 6. If your excitement continues to wane, go back to your work. Then repeat steps 1-6.
Then I had the opportunity to move to a new position - one that is concrete and provides real-world skills for students and also allows me to share my passion for education with my colleagues.

I would like to think that every teacher wants to make a difference and wants their work to be meaningful. I also would like to believe that teachers want their students also to be creating significant work. I've talked in the past about student voice and choice. It's become an integral part of my educational philosophy. Giving the students an opportunity in how to speak their voice provides meaning to your class for your students. Realize that you can use these same six steps with your students!

Allow students to work on open-ended topics and/or essential questions in your class. Have them do lots of work in class. Keep them busy, but don't focus them too much on one thing. Start picking their brain - what do they find interesting or exciting? Have them dive deeper into those ideas. Would you rather have a student memorize dates or make connections to someone who escaped from slavery? Would you rather have a student know all grammatical rules or write a creative story that has a well-written character and descriptive language? As their interest wanes, and they feel that they've covered the topic, move on to another unit and repeat the steps.

For students to grow (as students) and become young adults, we don't want them to worry about whether or not they got an A. We want them to create good work and be prepared for the future. Students have to produce in order to be creative. Students have to work to see what is solid work. In order for students to grow, they have to find their passions. Give students some autonomy, make their work complex, and help them find connections between your content AND who they were in the past, who they are now, and who they want to be.
Autonomy (freedom from external control or influence; independence). Give students some flexibility (e.g., student voice and choice). That doesn't mean that students to get to do whatever they want, but they should have opportunities to make decisions. Let students pitch you different options. Let students redefine your rubric. Let students invest in content that is useful to them. Let students build relationships with each other and build trust with you.
Complexity (the state or quality of being intricate or complicated). Make your students think. Give them hard questions that make them wrestle mentally with themselves and others. Force your students to think "outside the box" and present outside the box. Give students time to dedicate themselves to these tasks and support them. Make your students stretch, in your class, to be the best citizen possible when they leave at the end of the year. Set ambitious goals and help them map a process to achieve them. Don't let your students sit idly by.
Make connections (a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else). Don't let your class only be about content, objectives, and standards. They are necessary, but they're not enough. We don't live our daily lives through content, goals, and standards. We crave connections and meaning. Make your classroom a place for making bonds, whether it's to a historical figure, a data point, another person in the room, to the school, or to themselves. Let your classroom be a tangible place for the students, so they walk away with some appreciation for life.

There are a lot of ideas in this post, but in the end, we want students to come to class, to care, and to create. Hopefully, something sits with you, and you make a change for Monday. Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

This is what Democracy looks like!

Good morning colleagues! It is a BEA-utiful Saturday morning in Colorado Springs! It is already 63 degrees out, so I'm just itching to go for a walk or hike. It's surprising that I even wanted to get out of bed after a very long day yesterday! But to tell the whole story, I have to go back to last Friday, April 20th.

I'd gone out to eat with friends as we were celebrating someone's birthday. While sitting at BJ's, eating a gluten-free pizookie and watching the Cubs just utterly destroy the Rockies, a friend received a text message - her district will be closed on April 27th for the Colorado educator rally. Recently I've been quite politically active, but this bit of news just flew over my head. I'm embarrassed that I didn't know about this rally as things are happening in the Colorado Legislature that will AFFECT ME as an educator. So as my friend fills us in on the march, and another friend and I look at each other and say, "You in? I'm in."

Monday morning rolls around, and I put in for a personal day on April 27th. I'm even lucky enough that my preferred sub picks up the job quickly! A colleague comes into my classroom to ask if I'm going to the rally on Friday and I smile and say yes. After that conversation, word about the rally spreads among the teachers in my school, and the "situation" begins to escalate. We get an e-mail later in the day asking for teachers to let admin know if they will be gone on Friday. I, of course, told admin that I will be gone and that I have a sub already lined up. The response I received back was not that nice, but I know also stemmed from frustration. It was evident that teachers were talking and were putting in for subs, and not all of the sub positions were getting picked up.

Then, on Tuesday, we get an e-mail from our superintendent. It was not well received. In fact, in an act of situational irony, the e-mail had the exact opposite effect and teachers started taking the day off in droves. It was all that anyone could talk about, and the teachers that I spoke to were irate. Luckily, the next day, the superintendent decided to change the school day to a professional development day for teachers. Across all schools, it would have been "all hands on deck." I heard that there would be classes held in the auditoriums and gyms because there weren't enough teachers, counselors, or administration left to cover. It would have been a waste of a day if there was school.

So yesterday morning my husband and I were able to sleep in (so luxurious!), run some errands, then pick up a friend to drive to Denver. We took the light rail from the south edge to downtown, then walked along 16th Street Mall to Civic Center Park. It was powerful to be on the train and see more and more teachers in red pile on. As we walked along 16th Street, there were teachers in red everywhere!

 The march, from Civic Center Park to the Capitol Hill, started at 1:00 pm. The march was short (too short) but was powerful. We shut down a busy street, but as we marched, many people in cars honked in support! We were near the front, so we ended up on the hill. As we looked back, people kept streaming towards the hill. It was pretty exciting! But around 1:30/1:45, the police reopened the busy street and cut the group of teachers in two. At 2:00, when the rally began, it was evident that the sound system was not up to par for the number of teachers in attendance. It was hard to hear. I found out later that Governor Hickenlooper spoke, but I have no idea when he spoke. I looked back down the hill after 10-15 minutes, and teachers started leaving. It was disappointing that the rally turned out that way, but it was still a powerful experience. As people left, we did move our way forward. We were near the front for the last 20 or so minutes, so we heard some great speakers, saw some hilarious signs, and chanted, clapped, and yelled with the remaining educators!

So why did I march and rally yesterday?

• Colorado schools are currently underfunded by $822 million and $2,700 below the national average in per pupil funding. Right now, Colorado's economy is #1 in the nation. Why is there such a disparity?
• Initiative 93: Great Schools Thriving Communities is a bill that will raise $1.6 billion annually in support of public education, while 92% of taxpayers will not see an increase in their taxes.
• SB 18-200's legislative intent is to improve PERA’s (our pension fund) funded status and lower its overall risk. It will phase-in a 3% increase from the current 8 percent to 11 percent of pay, starting in July 2018. As currently written, the bill would change the retirement eligibility age for all members who are age 46 or younger (i.e., me) as of January 1, 2020, by adding one year to full-service retirement eligibility for every four years less than age 46, not to exceed 65 years of age. At 34 years old, I would have to add three more years to my full-service retirement eligibility. 

Fascinating chart from @axios shows how inflation-adjusted public teacher salaries have gone down in the great majority of states. pic.twitter.com/h1vF8Q9I77

— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) April 3, 2018

Right now, my husband and I are okay. We are living a comfortable life and have enough left over each month to put into savings and retirement (outside of PERA). BUT, the reason that we live a comfortable life is because of two things. 1) We were lucky enough to "win" a house through a HUD program called Good Neighbor Next Door. We were one of the last people to get a house, through this program, in Colorado Springs. We have a low mortgage rate and much more house than we could ever fill. We have been able to improve the property over the last seven years, and now, because of the housing boom along the Front Range, we will be able to walk away with a large amount of money when we sell. But we can't sell because we wouldn't be able to buy another house in town. The market is so hot that houses are selling, sight unseen, in less than 72 hours. We are really, REALLY lucky that we own a house. 2) We've made the conscious decision to not have children. We would be struggling if we did have children. 

Even though we lead this comfortable life, it could easily change by not having our salaries grow each year with the massive rise in the cost of living. It could easily change by our rise in rates for health coverage. It could easily change by having to contribute more to PERA each year, but have a chance that it will run out by the time I retire. 

As I saw on many signs yesterday, you can't put students first if you put teachers last. Thanks for reading... I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

The A-Z of Digital Learning Problems!

Good morning colleagues! The struggle is REAL! I had such a busy week, and I'm exhausted. Luckily, I stumbled across an article talking about the A-Z problems in a digital classroom. Even though the article was only a year old, I felt like there needed to be an update. So here are MY A-Z problems of digital learning!

Applications - as teachers, we have to wade through 2 million applications available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. That's A LOT of apps. 
Building rapport - Our students, when using digital devices, will put their head down and put their face close to the screen. It is imperative that we get them to look up every once in awhile, and maybe even have them talk to each other, and to you as a teacher.
Celebration of learning - when providing praise or feedback, we have to be intentional with sharing student success. It is a little more challenging with digital devices as we don't have a way to put work on a bulletin board in the hallway. As digital teachers, we must use Instagram, Twitter, and blogs to share those successes.
Distractions - "What did you say?" It is not challenging to end up down a rabbit hole when on a digital device. It is so important to make your curriculum engaging and relevant to keep kids present. It is also essential to help students learn HOW to stay present with a device. Be a good role model - be present YOURSELF.
Engagement - a digital device is JUST A TOOL! Make your content appealing and authentic. That will keep students engaged in your class and hopefully free of distractions. 
Feedback - it can be tough to provide timely feedback. 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? Google Forms is so easy for providing quick feedback, especially with Autocrat and Simply Send add-ons.
Group Work - group work can be a challenge when students are working digitally. G Suite has helped the digital classroom move forward, but we still have to be on guard. Apple Classroom has recently been a lifesaver because I can see what all students are doing. Every student needs to play a role, in group work, because that will also happen as students move into the workforce. 
High expectations - no longer should we be expecting DOK 1 level work... especially when students can just Google an answer. We should have high expectations, especially when it comes to the 4Cs (collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking). Our high expectations should also include students sharing their work with the general public.
Instant gratification - students just want everything to work, work right, and work right now. Life DOES NOT work that way, especially the internet! We have to help students move past needing everything done right now and slow them down. Patience is a virtue, and it's been learned young. 
Jargon - if we teach our students digitally, we need to understand and explain technological jargon. This also includes what's relevant to the students right now (gifs, memes, DMs, dog filter). If our students live on the internet, we have to keep up just a little.
Knowledge mastery - even though we should be moving beyond DOK level 1 activities, we still do want students to know and understand the content information. We must build exercises that use content knowledge for our students to master the topics. Memorization cannot be the only activity we use! Yes, I want my students to know what the Constitution says and means, but I also want them to understand how the Constitution affects their daily lives and how it will continue to influence them as they age!
Learning Management Systems - Which is better, Google Classroom or Schoology? Both options are fantastic depending on what type of classroom you have (or want to have) and what kind of students you have. My district pays for Schoology Enterprise, but we also pay for G Suite. I used Schoology religiously as a Social Studies teacher (for flipped learning), but now I find Google Classroom better suited for my broadcasting students. Find what works best, but know them both! Be an expert!
Managing time - I've come to realize over my 12 years of teaching that students DO NOT know how to handle their work! With digital devices, it has only gotten worse (due to so many distractions)! Helping students utilize calendars and find apps that quiet their devices can assist them in managing their time. Kids are busier today than we ever were! 
Networking - Emma Gonzalez was just another senior in high school until the school shooting at  Stoneman Douglas High School. Instead of staying quiet, she became an outspoken activist in the media. She has become a celebrity as people around the world know her name. She didn't continue to be quiet - she reached out to anyone that she could, to find her voice, and to find her purpose. Our students should be able to also network in that way, so we have to help them and support them through reaching out to strangers. This takes time but is a skill that is absolutely necessary today.
Objectives - technology can be fun and engaging, but you should also ensure that your curriculum has strong student objectives that align with state standards. Don't be a "fluffy" teacher! 
Plagiarism - two ways to prevent "piracy": 1) make your lessons un-Google-able and 2) teaching your students HOW to research. Students plagiarize when they are frustrated and have run out of time. We want students to explain their thinking, not someone else's.
Questions - Students. Have. A. Lot. Of. Questions. How can we provide help? Make video tutorials, write out explanations, make an FAQ for major projects... then put them all on a Google Site. Institute a policy - 1) ask a friend, 2) check the website, 3) ask me. Hopefully, this will help students become a bit more self-sufficient.
Rudeness - Students struggle with personal interactions with other humans. This is likely due to them staring at a screen for a majority of their day. Along with building relationships and rapport, we also need to teach students empathy and proper social interactions. Do not let students continue to be rude - model how people should be interacting with each other.
Scaffolded instruction - this is a problem that every teacher has, but technology should help support scaffolded instruction. Gone are the days where we just assign fewer problems to complete for homework. We want all of our students to understand the content, explain their thinking, and meet the same objectives. We need to, then, think of a variety of activities, using technology, that will meet their needs.
Troubleshooting - Even though we would love to assume our students are "digital natives," that myth is just not accurate. Yes, students, for the most part, know how to use digital devices, but they do not know how to use them for an educational purpose. We have to teach our students how to troubleshoot their way through a digital issue. We have to reinforce those troubleshooting techniques until our students know what to do. We cannot always fix the problem for the students!
Understanding failure - students have to be challenged to face frustration and, sometimes, defeat. Not everything in life comes easy, and students have to understand that before they are adults. We do not want our students to purposefully fail every time they try something, but they should be challenged so that tasks are challenging. We want students to be tested in a way that may cause them to fail so that they learn from their mistakes and move forward with a growth mindset. 
Video tutorials - Stop assigning homework! With the free time that you now have, design video tutorials over your top vital concepts. Put them on YouTube, or Schoology, or Google Classroom. Use Edpuzzle to build in comments and questions. Then, after this year, make another set of videos over your secondary key concepts. Start small to be productive!
Wifi - technology is not going to work at all times, so we have to be prepared for when it does not work. Does that mean we need to double plan? Maybe. Should we have the capability to think on our feet? Probably. 
Xenagogue - our students are not always prepared for living in a digital world, so we have to assume that they do not speak a digital native language. We have to believe that our students are "foreigners" to the internet and teach them as such. Never assume that the teacher before you has prepared your students for how YOU teach - educate the students that you have, right now, at this moment. 
Your students - you know your students best. Prepare them for a world not yet imagined, but also ensure that your students are getting a high-quality education. Not every great task requires technology, so sometimes you need to suck it up and use paper or provide a hands-on activity.
Zombie Syndrome - The internet is not the answer for everything. As a teacher, take a break. In your classroom, take a break. Go for a walk and enjoy nature. See what is around your school or even your community. The internet will be there when you get back. 

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

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website

Inspiration

Good afternoon colleagues!

Yesterday was STRESSFUL. Long story short, I had 10 (TEN) colleagues in my room taking the Google level 1 or 2 certification. Because they were logged in with their Google exam account (instead of their district account), YouTube and Google Sites were blocked by our district web filter. We figured out a solution, but it was a nerve-wracking three hours for all involved. We probably won't test under district wifi again!

But in the end, most teachers passed their exam! What stood out to me was their growth mindset and desire to push their teaching philosophy forward. It was a fabulous end, to a long week, that was full of inspiration! One day last week a tweet popped up in my feed with a TED video. I'd never seen the video before, and when I opened it, it was from February 2006 (as I am student teaching and preparing for college graduation). I found this video to be efficacious and inspirational.

Wow! There's a LOT here. What spoke to me was...

1. Creativity is as important as literacy. Yes, we want our students to be well-spoken and well-read. But we can't scare them away from what they are passionate about. What they are excited about has meaning and has a purpose. If we do not allow our students to be creative and take chances, we will never come up with anything new and original. I liken this to Snapchat. Who knew, eight years ago, that people would use a messaging platform that sent pictures. And these pictures would disappear after a period of time. You could add filters and text to become a storyteller. Or professional snowboarding. Five years ago, you could win a competition with back to back 720s. Then it was back to back 1080s. Now back to back 1440s. As more snowboarders take chances (and fall in the process), the sport will continue to change and evolve, and push the limits of a human body. But if you tell a kid that taking pictures, or snowboarding, is not as important as doing math, these results will never happen. 
2. Degrees are no longer worth anything. A degree used to ensure a job after graduation. Now, it doesn't. Now you need an MA or Ph.D. to get the same position. Instead of "preparing" every student for college, prepare them for what they want to do! Some jobs require on-the-job training or maybe a two-year degree from community college. We have to stop telling EVERY student to go to college. Instead, we need to listen more and help guide and facilitate them to their goal. 
3. Intelligence is diverse, dynamic, and distinct. I am a great example of this. I was a good student in school, but I was always the "dumb" of the smart kids. I could play the game of school, but I wasn't learning anything. I knew I wanted to teach history because I wanted to SEE students learn (not lecture them to death). The longer I taught, the more strategies I learned and the more creative I became. The more creative I became, the more my students learned. I started to find my passion and creativity with technology and found what I am really good at. I am more creative (and intelligent) now than I ever was as a student, or even when I first started teaching. It just took me awhile to find who I was as a teacher, to educate my whole being. 

After watching this video, I ended up down a rabbit hole of further inspiring videos.

1. Human beings are different and diverse. That means our curriculum ALSO needs to be varied and diverse. Students should not sit, hour after hour, doing low-grade clerical work. Students should be up and be moving while they are learning. I feel like this idea connects to Teach Like a Pirate with all of the "hook" options. How can we hook our different and diverse students?
2. If there is no learning going on... there's no education going on. You must discuss LEARNING when you talk about teaching! What are the outcomes? What do you want the students to KNOW? How will you know that they know? 
3. Students are creative. We've beat creativity over time. It is challenging to get eighth-grade students to be creative when they haven't had to be creative in nine years. How do we do that? How can we engage, provoke, and stimulate our students? Find their passion. Right now, their focus may be their cell phone. What is it about their phone that is engaging and exciting? Is there any way that you can bring those ideas into your curriculum? And it doesn't have to be about gamifying the classroom! How can you get students to create, design, modify, and improve? 

1. If you are going to lead, lead. Be visible to the students, whether that's in the hallway or the classroom or at events. The students should know who you are if you are a leader. Students don't have to necessarily like you, but they do need to respect you. They should see you as someone they want to be in the future. If you are transparent in your interactions and challenge students to be who they are meant to be, they will see you as a leader. As a leader, surround yourself with people that think like you and support students like you, but also challenge your ideas. With your fellow leaders, figure out the fundamental "stuff" and what the students require.
2. So what. Now what? No more excuses. Teachers say that they never have enough time. It is unfortunate to admit that there are only 24 hours in a day, so there will never be more time. What are you spending your time doing? Could your time be better spent elsewhere? No more excuses. Be solution-oriented and then ASK for change.
3. If nobody told you that they loved you today, you remember I do, and I always will. Love your kids. Love who they are now so that you can admire them in the future. Believe in them and believe in their possibilities. Only look at what they can become and let that drive your love for your students. Students want to feel special. You can do that by listening to them and allowing that support to guide your curriculum, your interactions, and your mindset. 

Find a way to be inspired these last few weeks before spring break! Thanks for reading! Be on the lookout (in a few weeks) for my next blog!

- Rachel

@historicalipad

My Teacherspayteachers website