More Homework Meme

My blog has been neglected.  My job has shifted into curriculum creation which has afforded me the opportunity to write a TON.  I have authored curriculum for kindergarten through 8th grade in both science and social studies.

Luckily I keep track every day of the work I do and record it here: http://wgsdsciss.blogspot.com/

Thanks to my good friend, colleague, mentor, guide and general inspirer of all things awesome Josh Stumpenhorst.  He inspired me to write this post and I thank him for getting me back to my blog!

Here's his post calling me out: http://stumpteacher.blogspot.com/2013/12/more-homework-meme.html

For starters, here are 11 random facts about me many people may not know.

1. I'm scared of heights, closed in spaces, and being underwater.  Yes I'm a BIG scaredy-cat but I'm overcoming my fears every day.  I owe that mostly to my amazing wife who constantly pushes me to overcome my fears.
2. While in high school I thought it was a good idea to have a mullet.  It was not a good idea.
   
3. I'm against stinky cheeses.
4. I'm the one in charge of cooking and doing the laundry in our house.  On top of that I fold my t-shirts using a folding board I was given from when I worked at The Gap.
5. As a baby/toddler I was entered into a beauty pageant, and won.
   
6. My mom LOVED halloween.  She made the best costumes of any kid I knew.  She made this Voltron costume.  Pretty awesome!
   
7. I'm a "Friends" nut.  I've seen every episode and can quote almost every line.  I also own the "Friends: Scene it" game, no one will play with me.
8. My favorite color is blue.
9. When I was in High School I worked at Pizza Hut and was a "Production Leader." Fancy!
10. I am committed to having fun, no matter the age.  I do understand this comes with a trade off of not always being taken seriously.  I accept those consequences.

     11. My dad and I once got into a fight about grades.  He said I wasn't applying myself. I disagreed.          I ended up running away only to return because I was cold.  I'm such a wuss.

Here are Josh's questions for me:

1.     What was your favorite children’s book as a child or favorite to read as a parent?
A. As a parent I have not had much of an opportunity to read to my daughter (she's only a couple months).  When I was younger I loved this book about cars and trucks (seen here with my dad purchasing the same one for our daughter.

2.     If you had won that insane lottery jackpot, what is the first thing you would buy?
A. Google Glasses.  They are ridiculous but I think they're so cool.  I'm sure I'd also get a GoPro Camera and a new house.

3.     Can you touch your tongue to your nose?
A. No, but I can touch my nose and tongue simultaneously.  Does that count?

4.     If I were to meet you up at a bar, what drink would I buy for you?
A. Scotch on the rocks....

5.     When was the last time you laughed so hard it hurt, and what was it that made that happen?
A.  Between my wife and I this happens often.  Most of the time for no apparent reason.  Also any time we are with good friends of ours that live in Chicago.  We always end up laughing until our cheeks hurt.

6.     What is that one movie that shows up on TV that even though you have seen it a hundred times you still leave it on and watch?
A. Pretty Woman.  It's so emasculating to admit that.

7.     If you could sit down and interview one person, living or dead, who would it be?
A. Martin Luther King Jr.  How cool would that be?

8.     Paper or plastic?
A. Neither, reusable bags.  That way we can ring the bell at Trader Joe's.

9.     What is something you have always wanted to do but continue to procrastinate and make excuses as to why you have not done it yet?
A. Skydive.  See the random facts number 1 listed above.

10. Have you been able to unlock the code and figure out what a fox says?
A. I'm sure it has something to do with the "one thing."

11. If you could pack it all up today and move, where would you land?
A. That's tough.  I love vacations in paradise, on a beach with a cold beverage, but I couldn't imagine living there.  Spain was amazing, Madrid was beautiful, but if you live there does it all become noise?  I'm happy where I am, I say I'd stay right here. Lame but true.

Here are 11 bloggers I want to answer this next:

1. Justin Tarte
2. Robert Dillon
3. Steven Weber
4. Kyle Pace
5. Rebecca Morrison
6. Greg Lawrence
7. John Simpson
8. Josh Mika
9. Tim Brown
10. Krissy Venosdale
11. Dan Pink

Here are 11 questions for them to answer:

1. Does the toilet paper go over the top or under the bottom?  NOTE: there is only one right answer for this.
2. If you were a superhero, which one would you be?
3. What was your favorite project when you were in school?
4. Which color Starburst/Skittle/Jelly Belly is your favorite?
5. What quote inspires you every day?
6. What's your favorite sandwich, ever?
7. What is the most played song on your iPod?
8. What's your favorite sound?
9. If you could invite anyone over for dinner, living or dead, who would sit at your table?
10. What celebrity do you often get mistaken for?
11. What is the best gift you've ever given/received?

Here’s how it works:

• Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
• Share 11 random facts about yourself.
• Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
• List 11 bloggers.
• Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.

Take a day off! 20% time

As I wrap up this year and begin to reflect on some of the things I've tried in my classroom.  My ultimate goal was to reach 100% of students scoring proficient on our common assessments.


I didn't reach my goal.  I was able to increase student performance to reach 84% however I still have work to do.


Throughout the year I was also able to utilize 20% time to increase student engagement.  I was motivated by Greg Miller to reflect on my students work on their 20% projects and share some of them.


I've been working on this concept all year thanks to the efforts of not only Dan Pink but also Josh Stumpenhorst.  Dan's book Drive gave me tremendous starting points when thinking about giving kids autonomy.


I started the year showing students his TED talk:

I followed up the TED talk with creating class rules.  Any time we got into a difficult situation in the class or with a group of students working on a project I always came back to this video:

My classroom had two rules:
1.  Accept any offer (for help, advice, constructive critisim, anything)
2.  Always make your partner look good.  (by partner I explained that could be me, your classmate, your parents, etc.)


This video and these rules were the backbone of our class.  Sure, every once and a while a group or individual was off-task, it was an easy conversation that they were not making me look good.  When they were behind on due dates, they were not making me look good, so when I adjusted their project, I encouraged them once again to accept any offer.


Student made some EPIC projects and below are some of my favorites.  I asked students to not only share their work but also explain why they chose to dive into that project.  It was very eye opening.


Below is the topic students chose, a link or picture of their project, and why they chose their project.   Here they are:


_____________________________________________________________________
"6th Grade for Dummies"
Search 6th Grade for Dummies on Google and click the first link or click this link    http://sites.google.com/site/6thgradefordummies/
I chose my project because I wanted to make it easier for 5th graders coming into 6th grade.  I have made a site that talks about all the key elements of 6th grade at our school.


"The Binder"
sites.google.com/site/nipherbinder/
i chose this because i wanted to do something to do with a website and to also tell about our fair school, and henceforth, the binder was born.


GarageBand Tutorial
https://sites.google.com/site/garagebandtutor/
"I chose to make a website about GarageBand to teach people how to use the differing versions for iPad and Computer.  Some people don't know how to use it so I show them how."


Why the world won't end in 2012
https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AbqRfbMjFr10ZGZmeDVzamJfMTdkYjI2MjNmZg
I'm tired of everyone saying the world will end on December 21, 2012, so I proved it wrong with some facts and some of my opinions


Written in Red movie
(Have to ask the girls permission to post the video)
i chose this movie because I wanted to try and see what being a director was like. I thought it would be cool to find out what goes on behind the scenes of a movie by making one myself with my friends.
Hannah, Hanna, Bridget, and I chose this because we really wanted to "produce" our own movie. We had some awesome ideas for the movie. It took a lot of time but it was really cool!


CHESS!
https://sites.google.com/site/chesschesschess100/
Because I really like chess and I wanted other people to like chess too.


I choose this project because I love chess and I like it when other people start to play chess. This website can teach you a lot about chess


Hockey
https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0ATFJ_0cyBuyPZGRoNGtzZzNfMGhodmR4a2Q2
because i like hockey


Piccolo
(Student memorized and played a song on his piccolo, THIS WAS AMAZING!)
I am interested in music and pianos are heavy.  That's why played a nice march on the piccolo


iPad
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aecObwGPW2NhzD7065s3Na5wcqmI3AbNrQNEDFlIg1o/edit?pli=1#slide=id.p
Because my dad got the new iPad when it came out in March, and at the time he had the two so I decided to make a presentation on the differences and similarities between them.


Basketball
https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AcDV__0QiqSJZGdnc2ZyM3FfMGR2NHpuc2ho
I chose this project because I speed my free time playing basketball, but I didn't know how it started or who created it or practically anything about its history.


Drawings

Because i wanted to get better @ drawing!! :)














http://www.wix.com/josh4robertso7/howtodraw_beginner-expert
I like to draw anything and everything


Bullying
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15s1Ta9Zah0Y1YTWAttMJAbSOl0jgu7iLTmY7fO4wsMY/edit#slide=id.g2192016_0_0
Just some things that can be led to because of bullying. Though It's not complete.


Candy
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12lMfShrQtleXFPSvuzXb8qGfjSuYop179h0Ugxrb_gc/edit
I hose this prodject because I love candy and I thought that it would be an intresting project to other people!


LOL CaTz Game

I liked lolcats over the summer and started creating a card game that was just right; not too hard or to easy. That was postponed due to school, but when Dr.Mcgee told us about 20%, i restarted the project and finished 2 decks and a playing mat, and i am working on decks ""ancient meowmix"" and ""popular pistachio"" and i will continue to work on them over the summer.




NOTE:  This product is Patent Pending thanks to amazing parents that see the excitement in students that love playing this game.  We are also hoping that a game company will take the idea and actually create the game.




Homemade LOL CaTz
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Jz3ICiRYpPiKwhZS-2oC3hoUWQRBOkU7B66wEMxhGno/edit#slide=id.p
I was thinking about Beckets project and i wanted to sort of do the same but not in card format.


Players on Steroids
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bz1rfquAZZZeVYBomXeEBQw9FVVdWreJqRqSiMp5zXg/edit#slide=id.p
I was curious about baseball players who took steroids and wondered who was caught and who was thought.


Duct Tape Flowers
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=df6d6m7g_72fc6k2qcn&revision=_latest&start=0&theme=pinknpretty&cwj=true
I like making duct tape items so I decided to learn how to make duct tape flowers for my 20%, instead of purses or wallets


Baritone
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=df6d6m7g_72fc6k2qcn&revision=_latest&start=0&theme=pinknpretty&cwj=true
because I am interested in the baritone, I play it.


10000 Jakes
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Imz0ktxz_R6ytTYD3hpgB_V4sE_PHNbqubD0X6T2OkI/edit
because I like typing my name and I was bored


Cat Video Game
http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/bhcseri/2385354
i like video games.


Fish Game
http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/paylow03/2541680
This is a game created on the scratch software and I wanted to create it my self.


Best Baseball Moments
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1eDrn0NBoLLTDUSH_cJgdjEESHIGn0N4BDUCTSu6oH74/edit#slide=id.p
Because baseball is my favorite sport and I wanted to learn more about the greatest plays ever.


Trumpet
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YwGiS8XewMTR-ioDZZlnKLincWHfokgrHQFQ7GKgbaI/edit#slide=id.p
Because I play the trumpet and I like it.


Statutes at Night Book

I love to write so I made a story on a website from a previous story I had wrote.  I basically made a remix or new version of it.


Bar Mitzvah
Because my family is mostly Jewish, and I thought it would be interesting 2 make a collage for preparation for my Batmitzvah a year bfore my actual ceremony.


_____________________________________________________________________


Motto of our class and of every project we had:

It's About Error Recovery 

NOT 

Failure Avoidance.

I used the following scoring guide to assess and give feedback to students.

Other resources on 20% projects in schools:
http://stumpteacher.blogspot.com/2011/03/innovation-day-2011.html


http://stumpteacher.blogspot.com/2012/03/innovation-daythe-sequel.html


http://www.convergemag.com/training/Googles-8020-Principle-New-Jersey-School.html


http://lifehacker.com/5497057/set-up-your-own-google+style-20+percent-time-to-try-new-projects


http://www.edtechteam.com/workshops/2012-03-15


http://www.ictsteps.com/2011/08/20-time-your-own-learning-time/


http://educationismylife.com/the-20-project-like-google-in-my-class/

Personalized Learning for Every Student - What I'm learning...

I'm learning a TON about personalizing learning for every student as my classroom begins to be more and more personalized for each student's individual needs, interests and readiness.


Where I'm working from:

• Utilizing backwards design,
• Having rubrics for each objective,
• Understanding differentiation,
• Understanding growth mindset (more on that later),
• In a standards-based graded classroom,
• In 6th grade science.

What I'm learning:

• Using the phrase: "Acquiring new knowledge" for things like notes and readings makes that process less painful for students
• Using the phrase: "Practicing" for labs, worksheets, and activities makes them more intriguing for students.
• Being able to ask the students: "Are you ready to assess?" and being okay if they say no, is powerful.
• Being able to prescribe specific lessons, notes, readings, activities to improve student performance on specific topics is POWERFUL!
• Hearing my students talk about Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose and understand my role in this process is enlightening for all of us.
• The phrase: "You just need more practice" is a lot less threatening than a poor grade and a you don't know this.
• Without trying, I've set up a growth midset where my students all believe they can achieve the objective and don't stop practicing until they do.
• There are some students that need to sit near me to stay focused.
• Size of the room makes a HUGE difference in the ability to do this style of classroom management.
• Asking students to check in with me, or show me an assignment or quiz after it's complete cuts down on my grading and increases my feedback.
• There are some times lines that students have to wait in while I help another students that needs my attention. (Gotta work around this).
• Students work independently much faster, get more opportunities and are more accurate than when working with me.  At times not to the depth I'm able to take it to though.

What my students are saying:

• I think it was awesome because we could do experiments for making a poster
• I think it was fun that we get to pick our own practice, partners, and what we get to do.
• I liked it, because we had more freedom to do what we needed to do in our own way
• I liked it because we worked at our own pace.
• I liked doing what I want to do when I want do it.
• I liked how we could watch video, practice, and take the test...
• I liked how you could work ahead easier.
• I liked going at your own pace.
• I didn’t like it, partners who said they were going to work go ahead. (Sometimes students want to work with someone without the realization that every student works at their own pace).
• I still kinda needed you to tell me what to do...
• I liked it, but its harder... we really had to read the procedure for the lab instead of you telling us what to do.
• It was harder, I felt off schedule.
• I didn't like it, too easy to get distracted.
• I liked it because with the group i could focus more.
• I liked that I got a lot more stuff done.
• I like getting to choose when we take our tests.
• I liked being able to figure out how much practice we needed.
• I liked how we worked at our own pace.
• I liked how we got to work in groups.
• I liked the schedule.
• I didn’t like having to turn the quiz in to you. (No place to hide!!)
• I didn’t like the organization of the room. ( I need to think about ways to roganize the room.)
• If someone is doing something more interesting it might be distracting. (We had laser pointers out that distracted many 11 year olds.)
• I didn't like people around you distracting you
• I think it's hectic because people were doing different things
• I didn't like how loud the room gets.
• I didn't like how some students were not focused on what they needed to do.
• I liked how everyone was so relaxed and doing what they wanted.
• I got a lot done
• I liked not having to wait for the other person to finish, I could move at my pace.

What's next?

• Students are finishing my curriculum early with classes left to work on a topic of their choice.  Remembering to focus on "Recovering" topics they weren't totally understanding or "Discovering" a new topic that interests them.
• I will post student work created from their personalized learning plans on my Student tech blog located here.
• Collect summative assessment data and compare to a non-personalized environment.
• Continue to develop new activities and lessons to support each learning objective.
• Continue to "flipteach" and record my lectures and labs for students to work at their own pace.
• I'm presenting on this topic with hard data and results at METC in St. Louis.  You should join me!
• E-mail @stumpteacher to see how I'm doing.  Everyone needs a mentor!

Want to read more? Read about how Personalized learning got started in my classroom here!

@stumpteacher Rocked My World!

I went into the profession to be the best teacher a student could have.

I've done pretty good through innovations in classroom management, data-based decisions, flip-teaching, and Standards-based grading.  I feel like I'm on the cutting edge of educational pedagogy.  Then Josh came along.

I interact often with Josh Stumpenhorst often via twitter.  I watch what he does from afar and support his efforts with questions, praise and support from 500+ miles away.  His blog post changed my thinking process and really ROCKED my world.

First he created a day of innovation then he resigned from teaching.  These two posts started me thinking, why does every kid have to do the labs or activities I choose, on the day I choose them?  Why do they all have to take the same quiz, on the same day.  Were these constructs I put in place for me, or is this truly what is best for students?

So I started infusing choice into my classroom more and more.  I started the year allowing students to choose how they did their homework.  Since I flip-teach there's videos involved.  I also allowed students who don't like that style for learning, I gave them access to my google docs I use for my presentations and linked the assignments to the section of either the online or checked-out textbook.  Basically giving students choice over how they learned the new material.  I called it "acquiring new information."

Since the start of the year I have been including choice in every class and allowing students within my parameters to choose what they do, but not when they do it.  It's time to change that.

Because Josh ROCKED my world I'm worked with my 6th graders to develop a personalized learning plan.  I spent last class helping them set up the plan.

First I helped them set up a plan of action:

We walked through the steps together and answered each of these scenarios.

Then we planned out the calendar:

Students recognized we had 12 classes until the end of the quarter, and they had 4 goals they needed to learn about.

We then looked at a specific goal, in yesterday's case that was Goal 6:

Students used their Goal planning sheet below to plan out how they were going to Acquire new learning, Practice what they learned, and then a time to show me what they learned in the form of a formative assessment.

They then planned that by putting their plans on their calendar.

This whole process of planning took about an hour of class time to set them up with a plan for Goals 6, 7, 8, and 9.

I'm hoping this will increase student performance and free me up to meet and work with those that need my attention the most.  I will need Josh's help, and I'm sure the Illinois Teacher of the year will once again ROCK MY WORLD!

Image adapted from: http://wallsofla.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/img_michael_jackson.jpg