MONTHLY UPDATES

MARCH

LEARNING TO LET GO!
I began during this month going full-force in flipping my classroom. As I mentioned before, it was hard to "let go" of letting my students take over their learning. My students took part in filling out their first survey of the flipped learning concept and they seemed to have enjoyed answering my questions. We discussed some of their responses in class, and I expressed to them how much I was pleased with what they shared. I explained how this will help me as their teacher to know what they are thinking or needing from me, or what is working; what isn't.

EXPECTATIONS:
This was also a time when my students moved from sitting in rows to being seated with other classmates as a team. I explained my expectations regarding what it meant to work as a team, what voice level I expected while working with one another, and what it meant to "work together" versus giving answers. I explained how cheating will not be tolerated or else they will be removed to an isolated area. Working together means guiding one another by reading text and explaining their thinking. If needed, they can discuss how each of them arrived at the answer and try to understand why the answer is correct. I realized that this will be an on-going reminder just to keep everyone on track.

TOO MUCH, TOO QUICKLY!
While my students worked on what I mentioned above, they did a pretty good job. I didn't really have to quieten down many teams. The only challenge I ran into was the low percentage of students not viewing my videos even with using the Pink Slip consequence. I went around with a clipboard that had a list of my students. I put an X by their name if they did not view the video. I knew this by asking them to get out their notes/secret questions/HOT question. They had to have all three to receive credit. Many did not. I hit a dead end by the 3rd video. So, I did away with Pink Slips. I realized that maybe I was pushing this group too hard, too soon especially since we were going full-force with the flipped learning concept later in the year.

APRIL

EXCUSES:
We just finished our Writing STAAR Test and now my students are having a two week Boot Camp Review getting them ready for our Reading STAAR Test. I had three videos for them to watch on Main Idea, Summarization, and Making Inferences. My students use my district's teacher webpage to locate my videos. My students must view my calendar to know where they are located. The neat feature about my calendar is that I can create links that will send them directly to Google Docs. The other neat feature is that if my students view my videos in advance, they can go to my Welcome Page and it will list my Upcoming Events, which will have my videos listed. This will save them one extra step by not having to click on my calendar and then locate the link. During this week, let's just say half watched the videos. I had so many excuses from "My Internet was down.", "I forgot.", "I was grounded.", "Your video didn't work.", "I watched it, but left the notes at home."  I went ahead and had all the students who did not watch the video to come see me during their lunch period or after school. They used my Ipads/tablets in class. Some worked on it in pairs because I don't have many for everyone to use. This helped somewhat for the next week in which they only had two videos to watch.  Even though there are excuses, some of them were valid ones due to technical difficulties we are working through as well as their home life.  It's something I plan to work on for the new school year.  One thing I did learn is to give students several days in advance to be able to figure out how to manage their time and watch the videos.  However, there have been times I gave my students a week, and I still was given some of the same excuses listed above.  I plan to have those students who are repeated offenders to give them a personal consequence (just as if I would have done when I  assigned actual written homework to be completed at home) such as a lunch or after school detention.  Another idea would maybe have the student watch the video in class and give him the "paper version" excercise while the other students get to do the "fun activities".  Many science teachers do something like this when they don't complete their activities.  They would not be able to participate in the labs.  Same concept in my opinion. 

VIDEOS/TAKING NOTES:
A change I made besides omitting the Pink Slip idea was that told my students to not worry with the Secret Questions (which is the "extra practice" they have to do at the end of the video, which links them to another Google Docs page...many students seemed to not want to click on another link to practice answering some concept questions or they forgot to go back to my calendar to click on the extra link) or not to worry with creating a HOT question outside of class. I told them they ONLY have to write the notes for insurance purposes. I even told this group that they can even write the high points if they think they "know" the concept well enough, but that I wanted more than 3 sentences. I told them that they would not receive credit when/if I come around and check their notes. The first week in April, I did not check their notes, but only surveyed the classes, and again only half in each of my classes did so.

I issue flash drives to my students.  My students MUST come to me if they want a flash drive.  I keep a log for those students who check one out by putting the date and the number of the flash drive.  They are $5 if a student loses one.  I use the money to replace it.  I don't know of a better way to help the kids keep up with something that is literally the size of your thumb.  So for now, I put one of those book rings around the end of them, number each of them and then put them inside a snack-size baggie with my name on it.  (Pictures soon!)

TEAM ROLES/CHALLENGES:
An addition I made during this time was that I created team leaders for each team. The kids LOVE IT! I had my students decide how they wanted to manage in choosing each Friday (by oldest to youngest, tallest to shorest, or randomly, etc.). I wanted them to go ahead and decide this so that they wouldn't take long in figuring it out each week and they would rotate the duty. My leaders work from Friday to Thursday of the next week because I choose TEAM of the WEEK each Friday. So far, we've done this for two weeks. I made the first team cupcakes and the second team of the week, homemade suckers. I love to bake and my students love to eat!

I have other roles such as speaker, note-taker, time-keeper, etc. It all depends on the activity, but each team will always have a Team Leader. I have expectations for the team leader as well as a new challenge of the week. Teens love a challenge. (I might even have my kids come up with their own challenges later on or have this group come up with some for my future classes!) Two weeks ago was the first week to begin this, so it was just basic. I set my expectations (all must stay positive, get along and work together, keep voice levels at a minimum, no one should be disciplined, no one should talk when I am talking, and keep a neat/tidy area for my next class, etc.). Last week, I decided to have my teams challenge themselves, so I added to their list of expectations that all members must view the two videos and take notes PLUS complete their SAP sheet. I could not believe how hard they worked for this challenge. I never tell my students what their "winnings" will be on Friday. It's always a surprise.

For the third week, my students will be testing, so I will not see two of my classes for two days.  I may just keep it basic this week or not choose a team of the week and resume the following week when we begin our Research Unit for the last six weeks of the school year.

I have also told my students that they can BOOT a student off the team for the day.  I had one team already not get along with one student and they "secretly" wrote me a note to express their feelings about this student.  I spoke to the student for the team and the kid straightened up.  I have also had two team members not get along and had to switch members out to resolve the issue.  It's going to happen and you have to find creative and quick ways to fix the issues.  I do explain to my teams that they may not like someone on their team, but they will have to learn to WORK with them just like in the business world. 

ORGANIZATION:
Another addition I made last week was that I needed to make a change with the supplies I was giving to each team. I have six teams (note the seating arrangement) and each member of the team utilizes dry erase boards, sticky notes, highlighters, and dry erase markers/erasers.  I used a small organizer basket that sat on one of the desks for each team.  Then you add their shared folder with all that.  These things were getting in their way plus the basket would get knocked over.  It just wasted so much time trying to keep things in order on their desks.  So, I bit the bullet and went to Target and bought three three-drawer organizers on wheels.  They were $10 each, and it was worth it!  Two teams share one. 

Contents of the Drawers:
1. The top drawer has a red file folder for extra notebook paper as well as their sticky note pads.
2. The second drawer has all their dry-erase supplies in a gallon baggie and one pencil box with 12 pencils, two erasers and one highlighter for each team member. 
3. The third drawer holds at least 10 small dry erase boards. 

It's perfect, plus they can wheel it around to each other if needed.  The two teams house their Shared Folders on top and now that's out of the way. 

I couldn't wait to see how my students reacted to the new improvements.  They seemd to love it now.  I did give them more expectations about the supplies that was "given" to them to share.  You know how many teachers have to deal with pencil giving all year long.  Well, I told each of my classes that they must share the 12 pencils that are located in the pencil box.  Once they are gone, they are gone!!  They all have to work together to pay attention when they borrow an item.  After one week, I had the teams take a look at their pencil box and inventory each one: one team had 9 left, one had all 12, and one had 3 left.  I reminded them of the expectations!  I also explained to them that these items are for EMERGENCY purposes ONLY! 

SHARED  FOLDERS: 
I am using file folders to hold my students' activities for the week.  For each desk that makes up a particular team will receive that many class sets.  I request that all my class sets are colored so that my students will distinguish what should be written on and what should not.  There are a few exceptions sometimes.  Team leaders that week are in charge of the Shared Folders. 

Another neat thing about the Shared Folders is that I glued Question Stems on the inside of each folder (pictures coming soon).  I also wrote the Team Letter really big on each folder (Teams A-F) so that each team will know who is who's since they each stay on top of the 3-drawer organizer.  And, one last thing I thought about doing was to leave sticky notes for students on top of the folders if I need them for something.  I won't have to remember to ask them later when they come into class to see me.  They can look for notes.  After had done that for a student, I came up with the idea to leave encouraging notes to the Team or to individual students for that class inside the Shared Folder. 

This is an exmple of what The Teams share.  They stay on top of their organized bins until they need the information inside.  All copies are colored-coded for-Class Sets-students do not write on them-this saves paper and can be used year after year...hopefully.  The Team Leader for the week is responsible for the Shared Folder and keeping it organized. 

 

This is the INSIDE of the Shared Folder.  It holds all the colored copies for each Team Member.  I glued a copy of question stems to help create HOT Questions during class discussions.



This is a close-Up of the HOT Questions.  I believe I got these question stems from a presenter in my hometown. 

HOT QUESTIONS:
My students had a lesson on how to create HOT (Higher Order Thinking) Questions.  I taught them how to create literal, interpretive, evaluative, and universal questions using a PowerPoint presentation and The Three Little Pigs.  I know that sounds elementary since I teach middle schoolers, but they really got it and I could not believe the questions they created as practice together.  I wish I had kept them to share on this blog.  I will be sure to post some from our Research Unit coming up.  It was just amazing to hear.  We even practiced using their small dry erase boards where they read a question example and they had to label it ( literal, interpretive, evaluative, or universal).  Most of them got them correct.  I was so proud of them!