30-Day Challenge | Days 29 & 30 #reflectiveteacher

Day 29 | How have you changed as an educator since you first started?

1. I've gotten more comfortable working with students
2. I know I can't reach all of my students and have learned to deal with that (yes, I just said that out loud)
3. I am more willing to step outside the box than when I first started
4. I manage chaos better :)
5. I understand that the college prep track is not for every student (yes, I just said that out loud too)
6. I am much more flexible and understanding with certain types of students that are going through situations I couldn't dream of experiencing

I'm sure there's more, but I'm running on fumes...

Day 30 | What would you do (as a teacher) if you weren’t afraid?

I would do what I feel is best for my students as a whole without regard for the "proper" way to do things.  I wouldn't feel like I have to teach to a test that is RIDICULOUS.  I would be more daring.  I would stand up for myself better.  I'd learn how to say "no" when I am at my absolute limit and understand that I can't do everything.  I would use standards-based grading.

Two lame posts on my part to finish off the 30-Day Challenge, but this was a lot harder than I thought it would be.  

One thing I hope to get out of this is to continue to use this blog...once a week at least as a form of reflection for myself on the past week's activities.  I don't feel quite as awkward about it now.

I'd like to incorporate this tool into my classes somehow as well.  Just too much to do!

Thank you for checking out my ramblings :)

30-Day Challenge | Day 28 #reflectiveteacher

Day 28 | Respond: Should technology drive curriculum, or vice versa?

It may surprise some, but in no way do I think technology should drive curriculum.  

In 2007 I interviewed at my current District for an instructional technology job.  I'd never heard of any District doing this and I was trying to get closer to home, so I thought, what the heck, I'll give it a whirl.  I certainly didn't know of a job like that in other states; if there were, I wasn't involved in social media AT ALL (but really was there much of anything in 2007??) in order to have any idea of this kind of job in existence elsewhere.

The situation at that time was basically this: SMART Boards were the rage and all of the rooms were getting them installed at the HS.  At Kent State University, I had worked with them where I worked in the education building and the District (shout out to North Ridgeville!) I was in had them, so I'd been using them already in my classroom.  In addition, the District was switching to an online grading/attendance system for the first time, and again, I had worked in a District that had already been using an online system.

So why am I telling you all of this when the question was about technology driving curriculum or vice versa? Here's a slide from my initial interview with the District on what I thought the role of technology in education was:

Here were my notes to accompany that slide: 

• Educational technology is any technology used by educators in support of the teaching and learning process 
• Technology that enhances teaching and supports the learning process [Lever-Duffy, J., McDonald, J. B., Mizell, A. P. (2005). Teaching and Learning with Technology. Pearson Education, Inc. Boston: MA] 
• Teachers should use technology to help differentiate their instruction in order to meet the different levels of learning that exist in the classroom; from the academically struggling to the academically gifted student 
• Using the SB, for example, to diagram content standards & items they match up with in the text could help the visual learner 
• The up-side of this versus the chalkboard or whiteboard is that, not only is it colorful & captures attention, but is crisp & clear; it can be printed for a student that was absent or saved & posted on a website [US – 21-2, page 10; 18-4, page 10; 16-3, page 1] [WH – 20-2, page 1; 16-1, page 10] 
• When students use technology in the classroom it helps keep them as current as possible in our technology-enhanced society. 
• Because it engages students with different modalities (auditory, visual, tactile) it increases time on task & has the potential to lower discipline problems 
• The skills that they learn will help them to become more competitive in the college learning community and job market upon graduation from Mentor High School

So slight changes here and there (OGT is going away and Standards have changed; truthfully I don't use the SB like I used to because I have everything on my website and Google Drive), but overall I still believe the same message.  *the items listed in [ ] were linked examples from my own work at the time

The shift that is more important to me now is from earning the most points possible in a course to proving mastery of the content, being able to explain that content in a relevant, meaningful way, and more of a PBL approach to instruction.  Do I have to, or need to, have tons of technology for any of that? Of course not.  Does it make it easier and give students a chance to use their creativity in a different way? I think so.  Have I mastered all of this and implemented it successfully within my own classroom? Without a doubt, far from it.  But that's where I want to get to.

#2moredays :)

30-Day Challenge | Day 27 #reflectiveteacher

Day 27 | What role do weekends and holidays play in your teaching?

Well that's a loaded question...a combination of recovery from the week prior and preparation for the week upcoming.

The biggest role currently is that of playing catch-up with some grading.  I try to get to it during the week, but often am trying to get ready for the next day's material or possibly tweaking the lesson from that day.  I try to look back and see if there were some hazy portions of the material that I somehow need to go back and reteach about.  This is a big reason why I'd like to make the switch to standards-based grading, not b/c the grading would necessarily be easier, but because students aren't focused on the "points" so much.  I feel pressured to get points in the grade book to appease students and parents and I just don't like it.  Where's the meaning in that?

I try to get a rough sketch in my mind for where I want to go with my classes for the week as well.  I say rough, because, well look in the previous paragraph.  As much as I try to get a little ahead, it often doesn't happen.  Life gets in the way and there are only so many hours in the day.  I'm quite sure most of us (teachers) say the same thing - there is just never enough time.

What role do I really want to see my weekends and holidays play? Now that I'm back teaching the curriculum I started with 12 years ago, and admittedly enjoy the most, I'm hoping to get somewhat of a "base" down this year.  Then next year, my weekends and holidays can be spent doing much more true reflection from the past week's work.  That more meaningful reflection can then help reshape what the upcoming week will look like.

A lofty goal? I hope not.

30-Day Challenge | Day 24 & 25 #reflectiveteacher

 Day 24 Which learning trend captures your attention the most, and why? (Mobile learning, project-based learning, game-based learning, etc.)

Project-based learning captures my attention the most.  I used some books in Economics last year that were modeled after the PBL style of instruction and really enjoyed it.  It was difficult for the students to grasp, but I think with repeated exposure to this type of learning, they will be able to make the transition.

I am looking forward to using this more in the history classes that I teach this year.  With the Common Core and shifts within testing, I truly feel that the PBL approach is the most beneficial to the students.  It requires students reflect, research and resolve.  They need to be able to support their answers with evidence from their research.  They have to be able to articulate why.

One big thing I would like to get out of this year is more of a focus on this approach - how to help students work through this process.  They will not be handed the material, asked to memorize it for a test and whoever can recall the best, scores highest.

I may have the opportunity to get some PD on this; I hope that's the case, because I can't wait!!

Day 25 The ideal collaboration between students–what would it look like?

Collaboration among students.  I guess in my perfect world it would be something in which the students feel they have a vested interest in the outcome.  

History is a lot about making connections; even if you don't particularly enjoy history, I still think you can make valuable connections to today.  Collaboration can help that.  Working with someone, bouncing ideas off of others, critiquing each other; I think you learn best that way.  

I'm just getting into implementing more "creating" into the curriculum.  It's hard; I'm getting a lot of push-back.  But I'm not going to back down.

At the heart of all of this is collaboration amongst students.  Hopefully we get to a point soon where the  students are feeling more comfortable and are able to do this more easily.  From the Day 24 post above, I think PBL will help that immensely.

30-Day Challenge | Day 26 #reflectiveteacher

Day 26 | What are your three favorite go-to sites for help/tips/resources in your teaching?

A majority of the sites that I get to for help/tips/resources are through Twitter, so I'd have to mention that as the first one.  I haven't participated in many chats yet this year because I've been swamped.  However, last year I participated in a number of them, and when I did, I'd have another tab open to add to my resources in Evernote.

One of the sites I came across was from Common Sense Education - @Graphite.  It's a platform that helps educators find the best apps, games, and websites.  I've come across many cool resources through this site.  

Another site I frequently find myself linked to is @teachthought.  I found it through a blog from Richard Byrne at www.freetech4teachers.com.  That's probably my third site at the moment; or Google+.

So, just a lot of searching for things.

30-Day Challenge | Days 19-23 #reflectiveteacher #neededabreak

Well, suffice it to say I've been busy.  I have been prioritizing things in my head lately and some things are just getting moved to the back-burner unfortunately.

I said I'd complete the challenge, so I'm not going to skip what I've missed, but will try to make up for it now.  Since I punked out the past few days, I will try to keep it short, for all of our benefit :)

Day 19 | Name three powerful ways students can reflect on their learning, then discuss closely the one you use most often.

One of the most important ways for someone to reflect on their learning would be to evaluate why they had to do something in the first place.  What was the objective? Are you able to answer it completely with evidence to support your claim? You received a 2/5 on the formative - what resources do you need to go back to in order to correct your mistakes?

Be honest with your reflection(s).  You truly know whether or not you've put forth the best effort possible at that moment.  If you didn't, fix it.  Ask for help.  Review.  Reorganize.  Take advantage of opportunities to correct your mistake(s) if you are given that chance.  Don't be satisfied with, "I just didn't get it."

There are a number of "tools" out there that are beginning to make formative checks easier to complete.  Make sure to discuss them to make sure there is a clear understanding for their purpose.

Not too sure if that counts for different ways to reflect, but it's all I got at the moment.  I really liked the rubric that Kirsten implemented within her standards-based grading.  It truly forces students to be honest with their reflection.

Day 20 | How do you curate student work -- or help them do it themselves?

Personally, I feel like I have stuff all over the place sometimes.  My piles of paper are almost obsolete at this point, but they've just turned into lists within Drive.  I think Doctopus helps me to stay a little more organized currently.  I'm able to look at student work in one place instead of having to fish for it.  I have to remember to use it more often actually.  I have folders set up for each class within my email, so as things come in (even from Drive) I throw them into the appropriate folder right away.

Last year I tried having the students use Padlet to host Content Statements from Economics.  For each CS they had to upload an example (or more) that was evidence for that particular statement.  I liked the idea, but I don't think the students grasped it too well.  I still would like to try something like that this year; maybe with Padlet, Tackk, or something else.

I think it's important to have students have some type of "portfolio" to show their work and how all of those examples work together (if that makes sense).

Day 21 | Do you have other hobbies/interests that you bring into your classroom teaching? Explain.

I have always loved to run.  Usually (and I don't this year as I'm looking around) I have a Pre poster hanging on the wall.  My desktop background cycles through Runners' World backgrounds.  I love to watch 60-minutes and TED Talks; when applicable (or because I just think it's a nice life lesson!) I show different clips in class.  I enjoy listening to a wide variety of music, but especially stay close to music from my teenage years.  In Economics class I always mentioned going to a Stone Temple Pilots concert as my example for something that was inelastic - I never thought I'd get to see them live in concert, so when they got back together and were touring in 2008, I didn't care how much those tickets were, I was going.  I have pictures of my kids all over the place and talk about my immediate and extended family all the time.  Some people think that's getting too personal, but it's just who I am.  Whenever I can, I try to interject little personal things into what I am talking about because it feels more relatable to me, and hopefully, to my students as well.  My funny man face always hanging or propped somewhere in the room.  Why? It typically elicits a laugh, followed by what is that and why do you have it? It made you laugh!

Not sure if this was the intention with this posted question, but it's what I got. :)

Day 22 | What does your PLN look like, and what does it do for your teaching?

My PLN starting forming about a year ago now.  Well formally anyways.  I've always had a few people I converse with regularly in regard to teaching styles and trying new things.  I had not heard of a PLN before using Twitter last year.  My face-to-face people that are part of what I consider my PLN are social studies, science, english, foreign language, and math people.  They don't have to be within my content area necessarily; everyone teaching all kinds of things has valuable methods of madness that I love to hear about.

My PLN has now extended into the virtual world with Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.  I would like to get to a point with the virtuals where I feel like I am giving as much as I'm taking, but I don't think I'm there yet.  My lovely excuse called time creeps in frequently and I neglect to follow up on really cool ideas or collaborations.  I am hopeful that things will settle down (finally) a little bit after this year with my content so I am able to do more of that.

What it does for my teaching? Revitalizes my teaching.  I get excited all over again about teaching something that I've taught dozens of times.  And if I can do that for someone else? I'm in.

Day 23 | Write about one way you "meaningfully" involve the community in the learning in your classroom.  If you don't yet do so, discuss one way you could get started.

When I taught Economics, we (the Econ teachers at my building) would have different speakers come in from the Business network set up with the District.  I thought it was important for the students to see some of those folks that work within their community and vice versa.  It was a nice change of pace to hear someone else discuss an important concept with the students besides me.

With history? I think another set of teachers has some veterans in to speak, but I'm not sure.

I think a way to get started is through being a part of the digital world.  There are parents of students who work in the community.  If they are exposed to what we are doing within the classroom, hopefully they speak about their child's experience at work to get the word out a little bit.  I have some interesting ideas for different projects this year and think it would be neat for some exposure outside of our four walls.

Now let's see if I can keep up the next 7 or so days...

30-Day Challenge | Day 18 #reflectiveteacher

Day 18 | Create a metaphor/simile/analogy that describes your teaching philosophy.  For example, "a teacher is a _____."

Groan.  Not good at things like this.  

So I took a picture of something that greets me daily (mostly nightly) as I walk through my "den" (extra bedroom that houses the computers) door.  

Someone gave us this pillow and frame years ago; I no longer recall who, but it's been a part of the "den" decor wherever we've been.  If you can't tell what the frame says, it reads, "Children are always the only future the human race has; teach them well."

30-Day Challenge | Day 17 #reflectiveteaching

Day 17 | What do you think the most challenging issue in education is today?

I seriously was considering linking to Kirsten and Wolski's posts for today's topic and leaving it at that.  I've missed my personal goal of being in bed by 11 pm - again.  I think both bring up great challenges in this field that exist and will continue to exist for quite awhile.

Then I thought about new teachers.  Or maybe not-so-new teachers.  What I thought about was the turnover rate.  Why can't we keep them? I'm too tired to go into the details of that right now (I think some of it is briefly mentioned at the front-end of Wolski's post & then detailed in Kirsten's b/c people can't take anymore and just get beaten down).

Another issue, completely related I think, is why aren't we attracting more of the best and brightest? Do they see at the outset some of what is required to do this job and equate it to their worth?

My short thought for the day...

Oh and I have to mention this because I couldn't stop thinking about it.  I was asked the question if I "owned my room" today and I jokingly replied "you bet I do."  I don't own my room - the physical space - but I do own the atmosphere within my room.  My "room" is just as much my students' room as it is mine or anyone else's that walks through it's door.

Night.

30-Day Challenge | Day 16 #reflectiveteacher

Day 16 | If you could have one superpower to use in the classroom, what would it be and how would it help?

To eliminate negativity.  

My approach in the classroom thus far in the school year has been a little bit unorthodox.  When I first started teaching history, on an almost daily basis, we would take notes in some form or another.  Sure, I had other types of activities incorporated, but that was my primary method of getting information to students.  I haven't given formal notes yet in class this year.  I have some students that have told me they'd rather I do that.  I want students to investigate some of this information for themselves though.  

Sure, this all needs some finetuning, but if I could eliminate the negativity that some of the students have toward not having a textbook, using the Chromebooks a lot, and me not spoon-feeding them information for memorization purposes, that would make what's going on in the classroom a lot easier to work through.

I want students to have an open mind when coming into my classroom, be flexible, adaptable, and ready to learn! If I could have that superpower, oh the things we could do!!

30-Day Challenge | Day 15 #reflectiveteacher

Day 15 | Name three strengths that you have as an educator.

Strengths...I am my own worst critic, so here goes.

Rapport: I think I have a pretty decent rapport with my students, classes and athletes.  Yes, I'm including athletes because I think as a coach, you are still an educator, just on the track, etc.

I pride myself in making a point to not be judgmental with my students.  I try to go to different functions to see students outside of the classroom and support what they do.  I try to talk to them about those extra-curricular activities as much as possible.

I talk about my own experiences, kids, and extended family.

I don't do any of this because the flavor-of-the-month theory or researcher says to, I do it because it makes me more real in the eyes of my students.  They seem to forget sometimes that we have lives outside of the classroom and school.

Adaptabilty: I just love to use tech in the classroom whenever I can.  Not because I love technology, but because I am trying to give a lesson a different spin.  If I think it can be used to support learning effectively, then I'm all for it.  That isn't to say I haven't tried some things that haven't worked too well either.  When you try to incorporate technology into the classroom, it is inevitable that something will not work according to plan.  How do you react? I try to roll with it as much as possible, think on my feet and move on.  If my students see me do this, maybe they'll be able to do this when they are working with something.

I don't know everything: Huh? I have never tried to put up a facade that I know everything in class.  I think students and most people see right through people that do that.  We will look it up or I'll tell someone I will look into it and get back to them; I may not always remember if I don't have a note, but remind me! I am still learning; picking up new ideas or ways to do something, reading whenever I can, networking with some solid people that can help me if I need it.  How can I expect my students to get excited about learning if I'm not?

30-Day Challenge | Day 14 #reflectiveteacher

Day 14 | What is feedback for learning and how well do you give it to students?

I think of feedback for learning as any type of feedback given after instruction or some activity that lets someone know whether or not they have understood a concept.  The best type of feedback is when someone can see what it is that they understood (or didn't understand).  The feedback should also be given relatively quickly so that the learner hasn't forgotten about it already (although I suppose if it was meaningful then why would they forget it?).

Last year I began learning a little bit more about standards-based grading or learning.  I was intrigued by this concept.  It sounded like something that would fit nicely into a history classroom.  At the time, I was also teaching some computer classes and I thought it would work well there too.  Overall, the more I hear about it and see examples, it seems like something that just makes sense for all classes and all subjects.  

While I think SBG is an easy fit, I think there are a number of ways to provide solid feedback (discussed a little in the first paragraph).  I have not personally made the switch to SBG; it takes a lot of planning ahead of time and I am not the greatest at that right now.  It's something that I want to work with some colleagues on throughout the year; to try out slowly, or just craft the best approach and implement next year.

In regard to how well I give feedback, it is an area in need of improvement within my teaching.  I'm still stuck in that mode of feeling like I have to give "points" for assignments.  I have to be fully invested in SBG I think to cut the ties with traditional grading.  Not that I can't give good feedback within that system; I am just starting to feel like it is a little more effective when the focus is on "mastery of learning" instead.  I feel like I'm rambling...

30-Day Challenge | Day 13 #reflectiveteacher

Day 13 | Name the top #edtech tools that you use on a consistent basis in the classroom, and rank them in terms of their perceived (by you) effectiveness.

I don't know if I have a ranking per se, but if I have to, the order in which I've talked about the tools below...

#Google, google, and more google.  In the last 1.5 years I have fallen in love with the awesomeness of Google in the classroom.  I use @googledrive daily for all of my teaching and coaching needs; rarely touching my flash drive(s) that were irreplaceable to me.

I know Dropbox and other similar "in the cloud" storage has been available for quite awhile, but I had never jumped on that bandwagon...until Google.  I had inquired about using Google in Education 4 or 5 years ago, but was told we weren't going that route.  Things changed, and then all of a sudden, we had access.  As I began slowly poking around, realizing how easy it was to manage, access across all devices, collaborate with people, etc., I was hooked.

When I started teaching in 2003-4, I built my own website from the ground up with Dreamweaver.  I kept up with Dreamweaver through the 2012-13 school year.  I never switched to anything else because I am a rather particular person who wanted complete control over their site's set-up; Dreamweaver did that for me.

Last school year I decided I'd give @googlesites a whirl, since I was using Drive so much, the district had gotten us the Google Education accounts, etc. - kind of figured I better check it out.  I run into hiccups here-and-there, but it's rare.  I have tinkered around with it enough to make it completely my own and love it.  The selling point for me was being able to work on it on whatever device I felt like, wherever I was; no more having to install Dreamweaver all over the place and remembering to upload changes.

Last fall, someone in a chat mentioned the add-on #Doctopus - I'd never heard of it.  It sounded really cool, but I had a student teacher in my Economics class at the time, so I didn't do anything with it.  In the spring, Google Sheets updated with their add-on feature, making those cool extras, for lack of a better word, permanent.  That's when I checked out Doctopus.  I found a video on #youtube, demonstrating the steps needed to implement the feature, and have never looked back.

I used to use Smart Notebook and the Senteo remotes all the time, but since adopting my Google Site, using Forms (with #Flubaroo) or other easy assessment tools with a phone or other device, I've basically abandoned Smart.  It was taking 5-minutes to load a file, and that was just too much for me.

@Padlet (thank you Kirsten) is another tool I've used and find amazing.  I'm a very visual person, so it appealed to me right off the bat.  I like it for vocabulary and posting evidence for standards.

@Tackk is (from their site) a simple way to create beautiful pages on the web. It's your very own page, flyer, blog post, or poster.  For me, another cool way to show off what you know about something in class.

I am liking @Nearpod a lot right now to give notes/lecture a different spin.  The reports feature is very nice and easy to track students during that time.  I want to do more with it, so it will be a work in progress throughout the year.  I hear @Peardeck is similar, so I may try that to see what it's like because it connects with Drive.

There are other things I've used and others I will try, but those are the most frequent right now.  I try to look for different things all of the time so students have an option (down the road) to choose from for a final piece of work.

30-Day Challenge | Day 12 #reflectiveteacher

Day 12 | How do you envision your teaching changing over the next five years?

How to put this...

One of the things I shared with parents last night at Meet-the-Teacher Night was a slide listing some of my classroom expectations and it had 'Google' at the top.  I had listed below: Chrome Browser, Chromebooks, Drive, Gmail (for Students).  Some (maybe a lot, but I hope not by the end of the year) of my students don't seem to like this a lot, but it's a cultural shift that they (and I) have to get prepared for and used to.  I wanted parents to see that this is something their children have to know how to use for my class.  It isn't a once-in-a-while thing to do as an activity for my classes.

As I've been transitioning to having everything available online at my website, and some more inquiry-based activities instead of memorization for my classes, I've overheard and been told by a few students that they'd rather have me stand up front and give them everything, have a book and write everything down.  On the other side, I heard a student tell another that he loved this class because we used the Chromebooks everyday.  We got into a conversation about the difficulties of multi-tasking and distractions that come about when you have a device in front of you. 

That day at lunch I read an article from BrightBytes, Make Way for the New 3Rs by Gayle Allen.  It really struck a chord with me, putting in perspective some of the shifts I've been seeing (and am trying to implement) in education the last 4-5 years.  So, after my 'Classroom Expectations' slide, I had the following slide to help explain why I do this in class:

So how do I see my teaching changing in the next 5 years? Hopefully by being as close to a master at this as possible with buy-in from my students.

30-Day Challenge | Day 11 #reflectiveteacher

Day 11 | What is the favorite part of your school day and why?

Honestly, I think my lunch.  It always gives me a moment to recollect myself in an otherwise busy day.  I enjoy the peace and quiet, looking at something I may not have had time to finish or do, get my to-do list in order or whatever comes up.  It's different everyday.  Sometimes I eat with other people, which is fun once a week or so and laugh with good company.

I love working with the students and cherish the interactions I have with many of them, but that break is there for a reason.  Time to refuel.

30-Day Challenge: Day 10 #reflectiveteacher

Day 10 |

• Share five random facts about yourself.
• I love to run
• I'm the oldest of 4 siblings
• I'm a mom to 2 sweet, but fiery little girls :)
• I love to read
• I love traveling out west; my favorite vacation spot is Glacier National Park
• Share four things from your bucket list.
• I don't have a bucket list, but I suppose I'll think of a few things right now:
• run a half-marathon (I swore I'd never want to do that, but it is more appealing as I get older)
• take my family to Glacier National Park so they can see why I love it so much
• travel Europe for a few weeks
• own a Mustang
• Share three things that you hope for this year, as a “person” or an educator.
• To get ahead so I can get some decent sleep!
• To be patient with my toddler and kindergartner when we are all tired at the end of the day
• Get a library of differentiation activities started to reinforce and enrich students in my class
• Share two things that have made you laugh or cry as an educator.
• In general, some of the things I hear students say makes me laugh all the time; I should be writing these things down!
• It saddens me when I see a student who has the potential to do so well in life succumb to "stuff" going on in their lives; I wish they saw themselves like I see them.
• Share one thing you wish more people knew about you.
• Hmm...gosh I don't know.  Maybe I'll think of something before the day's over.

30-Day Challenge | Day 9

Day 9: Write about one of your biggest accomplishments in your teaching that no one knows about (or may not care).

I purposefully have tried not to look ahead in the prompts because I know there are some (like a couple days ago) that will be hard to find something to write about. In starting my 12th year of teaching, I still feel like it's year one in a lot of aspects. For that reason, it's hard for me to find something I can tag as my "biggest accomplishment."

There are two things I am going to note:

Despite the efforts by those that think public education and teachers aren't worth a dime and continue to bombard us with ridiculous expectations, I still LOVE my job. Am I exhausted on what seems like a daily basis? Without a doubt. Do I wonder how many people in other professions are up until 11, 12 or sometimes later, preparing work for their job, grading, or keeping up with the myriad of professional expectations? Constantly. But I can say that I can't imagine myself doing anything else. I played school in my parent's basement from the time I could remember (both of my parents taught and are now retired), making up rosters (with names from books I read) in a grade book my Mom brought home. My last year in college, I'd come home and my Mom would ask me, "Are you sure this is what you want to be doing for the next 30 years?" I'd smile and tell her not to worry, and, yes, I'm sure.

My second accomplishment comes in the form of a thank you note I received from a student at the end of last year. For two years I taught some classes that were WAY out of my comfort zone. I would cry at least once a week to my husband that I felt like a failure because I didn't think I was doing a good enough job with these students. I have high expectations for my classes and myself, and I wasn't coming close for myself I felt. There aren't a lot of girls that take Programming classes (a fact which saddens me and I hope changes) because they are viewed as something meant for the guys. I had a student that stuck with me for 2 years, through AP, and thought she hated the class. However, this student stuck with it (and me), holding her own in a classroom full of, at times, obnoxious boys (smiley face) and is now going on to pursue a career in computer science (web design if I recall correctly). When I opened her thank you note, I couldn't believe what I read, and was brought to tears. It made my two years going through all of that worth it; I'd do it all over again.

30-Day Challenge | Day 8

Day 8 | What's in your desk drawer, and what can you infer from those contents?

Really? 

Some personal things if I need them - brush, contact solution, cough drops, screwdriver (you never know when you need to fix something).  Pens, markers, binder clips and paper clips (although hopefully they get less use this year), white-out tape, staple remover, sticky notes, tabs, passes, remotes, dry erase markers (when I get a whiteboard back!), stickers and more stickers, magnets, snack bars when I need a quick charge, colored paper and scantrons, textbook (haven't pulled out yet!).

What can you infer from those contents...I try to be organized, like a lot of color, I'm not using a "textbook" this year, prepare for an emergency, and stickers are just fun no matter what grade you are in.

What would you infer??

30-Day Challenge | Day 7

Day 7 | Who was or is your most inspirational colleague and why?

Missed yesterdays, so two from me today! This was difficult to nail down to just one person for me.  I was busy yesterday, but in truth, I think I was avoiding this question because I really don't know.  So here goes.

I had a couple of history teachers in high school that played a big part in why I decided on Social Studies as my area of focus in education - Mr. Milkovich (AP Euro: the hardest class I've ever taken) and Mrs. Taylor (Civil War class).  I changed from an elementary to 7-12 focus after one year in college because I wanted to coach so badly - inspirations there were my Dad and Coach McVicker.

Inspirational colleague? There are many that I pull little things from...  Overall, I'd say Amy Roediger.  I thoroughly enjoyed visiting her classroom my first couple years in Mentor when I was an instructional technologist.  She understood my job as it was supposed to be and not someone who was just there to fix hardware issues, which consumed much of my time unfortunately.

I see her as a content expert within her subject matter; someone who is never afraid to tell it like it is to anyone; someone who is always making changes in her delivery methods, looking for a different way to teach her content to keep it interesting for her students; and, more importantly, isn't afraid to fail when trying something new.

Outside of the classroom, Amy works tirelessly at speech and debate and professional development opportunities for other teachers (plus a thousand other things I'm sure).  I don't know where she finds the time! I am still looking for that time!!

In short, I strive to be that content expert and plan to continue to always look for a new way to deliver that content.  I'm never satisfied with what I did before.  I feel like it can always be better.  I hope to continue to have wonderful relationships with my students both in and out of the classroom through coaching as well.

30-Day Challenge | Day 6

Day 6 | What does a good mentor "do"?

A couple of words come to mind when I think of what a mentor does: listens and guides.  

A mentor has an uncanny ability to find you and ask how your day is going when you need it most.  They can take one look at you and know what you need.

A mentor works with you and respects your ideas.

I've had the fortunate pleasure of a few mentors within the profession that have left lasting impressions upon me.  They helped to shape who I am as a teacher and coach.  Stan, Lucky, and Rad from North Ridgeville; it was like working with my Dad and was so great to have when I first started in the profession.  

Since being in Mentor, I have been able to work with some wonderful teachers and coaches.  There are a few that I tend to look to for guidance in the classroom (Marie & Amy) and on the track (Butler) because they are just awesome at what they do.  However, I'd have to say that Parsons has had the biggest influence on me, whether he knows it or not.  

I can only hope someday that I can provide this stability for someone.  So, THANK YOU mentors for all that you do!

30-Day Challenge | Day 5

Day 4: Post a picture of your classroom, and describe what you see–and what you don’t see that you’d like to.

F103

Wolski I almost typed in C212 :) Kirsten, I love walking by your room when I'm upstairs because it looks so fun!

This was my classroom for two mods today.  We used Nearpod with the Chromebooks.  I was on my iPad using AirPlay.  I LOVED IT.  By far my favorite layout so far.  When I look at this I see that everyone can see everyone.  I can see everyone & can sit with my students.

Other days I do the Pod thing like Wolski and I like that a lot too.  Again, students can see each other relatively well with that setup.  I also think it's pretty easy to move around when they need to move groups or something.

Above is a shot when I have the desks in rows.  When we are quizzing this is my preferred setup.  Right now we've been in this more because I am trying to perfect all of my students' names (which I've just about got) and it helps me to remember better.  

Here's a picture of my Learning Objectives board - one of the things I'm trying to improve on for the year. This is the first time in 7 years I've had my own room and can dedicate a board to just this topic!

Overall, when I look around at my history-related (Wolski, did you even notice I took my poster back?!) and inspirational (sorry Wolski, I'm a cheese and like them :)) posters I see someone who loves history and wants to inspire students to do the best they can.  I have two windows that let in some natural light, but the sun is blinding most of the time.  I have to get some "mood lights" I call them (I used them in my computer lab the last two years and the kids loved it) because I'm not a fan of the big fluorescent lights.

I would like to see some desks that are easier to move around to support my ever-changing arrangements and possibly a couple tables along the edge for group work.  I REALLY want the chalkboards gone and would prefer whiteboards for my pretty markers.  In regard to the windows, I'd rather curtains that are on a curtain rod because the shades in there whip up out of nowhere and scare the students and I most of the time.

30 Day Challenge | Day 4

Day 4 | What do you love the most about teaching?

The students.  

It makes all the other hoops we have to jump through just a little bit more tolerable each day.  

The first time I really felt like I made a difference was in my 2nd year of teaching.  Long story short, I worked with a very difficult and troubled student.  This person was sent out of my room to the office one day due to an altercation we had in class.  Fast-forward to the last day of school and this person was writing happy goodbyes on my board.

The next big moment was during my 4th year of teaching when a student, for senior night at their basketball game, had to choose a significant person in their life walk them out on the floor - it was his Mom, and naturally, it should have been! Before this happened, the student came over to thank me.  He said he wouldn't have been taking that walk with his Mom if I hadn't pushed him in school and basketball the way I had.

Since then, the number of students that stay in touch with me, through a variety of means, adds to the rewards of this job.  Watching these young men and women mature and go on to graduate college and move on to jobs they've always dreamed of having is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

30-Day Challenge | Day 3

Day 3 | Discuss one "observation" area you would like to improve on for your teacher evaluation.

An observation area I'd like to continue to work on is making a better effort to make sure that all students are understanding the material.  Yes, Wolski, I'm copying you.  This is something that continues to elude me at times.  To piggy-back off of Wolski's post, I too have always been stuck with how to look over formatives and quickly readjust instruction.  This is where I'd like to employ the help of our instructional coaches :) I can make quick formatives that are easy to grade, no problem; it's the differentiation piece that I struggle with.  The differentiation seems to fall off because there are so many other deadlines and things to meet.  Something has to give right? It shouldn't be that though.  Hopefully with the coaches help and collaborating with my colleagues I can come to a better place with this in order to reach more students in the classroom.

30-Day Challenge | Day 2

Day 2 | Write about one piece of technology that you would like to try this year, and why.  You might also write about what you're hoping to see out of this edtech integration.

Just one? I'm intrigued by Pear Deck.  I used Nearpod a couple of times last year and planned to incorporate it into my lessons better this year.  At a quick glance it seems like Pear Deck is similar to Nearpod, and since it works with Google Drive, I thought I'd start with that before going back to Nearpod seeing how I am loving Google right now.

Why? To get away from typical notes/lecture.  To help differentiate lessons.  I hope this helps with the flow and transitions within my class on a daily basis.  I hope it helps me track what students are doing and getting/not getting in some way.

I know it says one in the prompt, but I am going to list a second piece of technology: Google Classroom or Schoology.  We have an inservice on Schoology tomorrow since it is replacing Blackboard for our District.  With Blackboard we were never able to utilize the LMS side of things for our own classrooms (which was fine with me because I didn't care for it).  I think we are getting that with Schoology though.  I will wait to see what I think after the presentation tomorrow, but I remain skeptical.  

I really like Google Sites with Doctopus and I've spent a lot of time working on it and learning Sites better.  That's a big reason why I haven't pulled the plug on Google Classroom yet.  Having students have to login to see all of my classroom materials is a drawback I feel.  Parents don't have logins either, so with Sites I make just about everything public so anyone has access to the material(s).  I did see a post earlier today about Doctopus working with Classroom though, so we will see!!

What do I hope to get out of using Classroom or Schoology? Some forums/discussions maybe.  Clearer understanding of where materials are located for students to access.  I am constantly getting asked where to find things on the website.

Until tomorrow!

30-Day Challenge | Day 1

Day 1 | Write your goals for the school year.  Be as specific or abstract as you'd like to be!

I happened to see a message on Twitter from one colleague to another regarding the 30-Day Blogging Challenge to Teachers a couple of days ago.  The idea of blogging has always intrigued me and I have yet to actually post anything.  I figured, why not? So here goes...I often joke with my students that I need a secretary for my head to keep all of my thoughts organized.  Maybe this will help.  :)

After 7 years, I am finally back teaching Social Studies full time.  I left my first teaching position after four years and, if I wasn't crying, I was trying not to.  I had built some incredible relationships with colleagues through teaching and coaching and grew to love many students.  It was incredibly difficult to look at them and tell them I wouldn't be back the next year.  As hard as it was, I don't regret the decision.  I've built equally incredible relationships with colleagues and students where I am now.  I can only hope that continues.

I love social studies, especially world history.  I have always been amazed and excited at how connected history is.  I want my students to be able to see that through what we do in class.  While it may be a lofty one, that is my first goal, to find a way to make history come alive for my students.  When I taught history 7 years ago, we did the typical notes, some group work here-and-there and maybe a project or two, then tested.  I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but I want more for my students.  Quite frankly for myself too! The amount of technology available to use in the classroom boggles my mind.  I want my students to be able to take advantage of this as much as possible.  I don't want them just using technology for the sake of saying we used it; I want them to create something with it and know how to take full advantage of whatever it is.

My second goal is to incorporate more of a PBL approach to our learning.  PBL (problem based learning) has been of interest to me the last couple of years and something I think works well with history.  

My last goal is to make better use of learning targets and rubrics.  I think this will help students make a deeper connection with what we are doing in class and why.

From a PD side: Going along with the PBL theme, learn more about the PBL process so I can make it more meaningful for my students.  I also want to become better versed in the Common Core Literacy Standards as they apply to the Social Studies.  These standards weren't in place last time I taught this subject matter and the history standards have changed as well.  I jumped on board with Twitter in education a year ago.  The amount of inspiring, creative ideas I have come across is overwhelming, but exciting.  I need to set aside an hour a week (at least) to go through Favorites I've marked so I don't lose all of these cool things I've found!

Day 1 complete.