Same same

So my first year teaching I had a really hard time letting my students try and fail. I felt like they would get mad at me if they failed because it was my fault I didn't help them enough. And that is totally true, for the most part. 

So now it is my first year coaching. I am scaffolding so so so so much for my department. 

But let me let you in to the mood of the school. 

We have to submit these lesson plans this year that ask a lot. I don't think it is unreasonable, but the requirements have altered since the beginning of the year. For each learning goal we should have a question weighted on the Depth of Knowledge scale. We are required to have one question for each level (4 levels). 

We have explicitly state what we are doing for our advanced students and our lower students. 

We have to teach in the 5E model (which I have a love hate relationship with). 

We have to have a unit learning goal and a concept learning goal. 

We have to have a Marzano style scale of understanding that is customized for the learning goal. 

And our class periods are 3 minutes shorter this year than last. Which doesn't seem like much at first glance but... Say even if you take out 9 days for half days + an extra 11 for other wasted days (assemblies, etc) that is 3 minutes for 160 class periods. 8 hours of instruction. That is sometimes a entire unit. 

So needless to say my department is feeling the stress. And I don't blame them. 

Instead I help them. I have created learning goals and gone through each benchmark and gathered what I think are the best resources. I feel like literally you need to now just come up with the questions (which we have a common planning meeting who had that as one of its purposes), tier the activity, and then just type it up to be done. 

And then they are still having a hard time. 

Which leads me to this - am I doing too much?

Yup - I like coaching

So the past 2 days I have been teaching.

I know.

I missed it a ton.

But what was more neat than teaching - was watching someone teach what I had just taught to the next couple classes. It is really neat to remember when I would see someone teach a lesson and be like "I can do that" and then try and do that and be like "woah... how did they remember to do all those things!?!"

I think this whole being a coach while still so young in my career will really help me remember to relate to the new and growing teachers in a truly empathetic way. Because I really only had one year where I said "I think I know what I'm doing" and was about to being a year where I truly felt I was a good teacher. Now, for sure, I will always always always have room to grow as a teacher - and I intend to. How boring would it be if I didn't?

But I love that I was so into the growth process when I got pulled to help other teachers begin their growth process - I think it is one of my best assets as a coach.

That, and I love it. Loving your job always helps.

Happy Friday!

The grass is pretty green here...

It is safe to say, after 7 student days, and 12 total days as a science coach, I think I am enjoying it. 

Obviously, I miss having my own set of students to get to know. I don't think I will ever get over that no matter how long I am out of the classroom.

But - I am really enjoying the coaching part of my job. I love that I have the time to come up with and implement initiatives around the school. I am in the process of planning and 8th grade science field trip (there hasn't been one but 6th and 7th both go within the district), looking into hosting a STEM competition, writing updates to our school science fair guidelines, and, of course, finding and mastering different resources so I can help our teachers utilize them in their classrooms. I am also leading a staff book club next week, attending a training on how STEM and Race to the Top are related, modeling different types of lessons with various teachers (close readings, stations), and organizing the supplies that the department has accrued and lost track of throughout the years. 

Did I mention it has only been 12 days since the year started? That is including today, where I am supervising make up tests for the baseline test for both 7th and 8th grade and not really leaving my office :( 

But I spent most of yesterday in classrooms which I always enjoy! 

Today's tasks include typing up and sending lesson plan feedback, updating the Unit 1 tests to reflect the desires of the department from last week's meeting (I was at the district office at a training and couldn't be there),  creating the remaining learning goals for Unit 1 and some sample learning goals for Unit 2, prepping the close reading lesson and stations lesson I am modeling, and doing research on this whole STEM competition thing into costs, rules, and anything else I don't know about it (which is a lot... I really have no STEM competition clue...)... plus anything else I think of to do, like update this blog :)

As far as maternity leave - I still have a lot of goals I want to accomplish by September 16 (1 month before my due date) but I haven't entirely outlined what a lot of them formally are. I would like to have my department creating good complete lesson plans and outlined the units they will be going over while I am out, inventory done, field trip prepped, and probably other things... I really should formalize this list soon - that is only 3 weeks away! Just consider that another thing added to today's to do list :)

No students

The year is starting!!

My contract starts Monday... so like most teachers I was here a week in advance getting things ready.

Oh, and learning the ropes to my new position as full time science coach.

When I left I was to be half time science coach, focused on 7th grade, while also teaching 3 7th grade science classes, and I was going to be department chair. Fast forward 8 weeks and I get a call from my principal that he wasn't satisfied with the applicants for the other half of the position... do I want it?

I'm not at a point in my life to turn down a promotion, so of course I said yes.

And then started the million questions. Actually, mostly one question over and over again...

How will I react to having to students?

Which, as any proactive person would do, I have just turned into a person goal - get to know as many students as possible this year. Instead of thinking of it like I have no students I am thinking of it like I have 700 students.

That is a lot of names to learn.

But a lot of excitement to come.

So as I settle into my new role, my new room, and this new year be sure to check back! I'm tackling inventory starting tomorrow... wish me luck!

A direction

So I've had a hard time blogging lately.

I think because of a couple things...

1: I'm super busy right now. I realize every teacher says that at the end of the year. But its especially true this year. I'm expecting a baby girl in October :) But because of that I'm in super "nesting"-ish mode. I am planning things SO FAR in advanced. Example - I have the entire first half of next year laid out.

2: I am getting a promotion at work! I'm going to be part time science coach next year as well as department chair.

3: I will be teaching a new grade level next year, which means new content. I'm SO excited about this - I finally get to teach 7th grade - LIFE SCIENCE! My major was biology education so finally getting to teach biology is really exciting for me.

4: I didn't really have too much of a direction for my blog...

Which leads me to this. I decided this blog needed a direction. And I realize the direction isn't really changing... but I like that I have it written down and decided upon.

I will be blogging about these 4 things primarily...

1: This will be most dominant in about 5 months - maternity leave and then coming back. I think that will be a HUGE part of my year next year. Even though I only plan on taking 8 weeks, and ideally with the flipped classroom the kids won't even notice, I know it will be the most difficult thing I will have ever done teaching wise. So it will come up. A lot probably.

2: Being at a BYOD school. Our school is going BYOD for next yar - so integrating the technology into my lessons, managing it, and helping other educators include it will be a large focus.

3: Being an academic coach. As I learn more about the coaching cycle my district follows I will be sure to include it here. I know this will be an exciting challenge and a great step for my career.

4: Teaching life science in a flipped classroom. I plan on posting more of my video lessons and hands on activities here. Even if no one else looks at them I'm really excited about having a place where I can keep and reflect on them. Expect a weekly post about what is happening for the week and a follow up post later in the week or the following week reflecting on how the lesson went.

Now other things will come up I'm sure, and this doesn't seem very specific BUT - they are all things I think I'll have enough to talk about and meaningful enough that other people will want to read them.

I'll be spending my summer prepping lessons, making lecture videos, but mostly hanging out with elementary school kids at the day camp I work at teaching science, playing sports, and doing arts and crafts. Posts will be seldom, but will still happen.

2 days of school left! 2012-2013 is coming to a close, and I'm excited I took this year to get better at blogging and set a goal. I hope to look back at this post in a year and be proud of all the blogging I've done since.

Until then... lets see what happens!

Learning Style Inventories... what a waste of time!

I was sent an email last week that made me so mad!

Another teacher telling us how he is going to be using learning inventories in his classroom to direct his teaching...

what a joke and waste of time!

I can't believe people do those things... so they can learn that they have students who learn best each way and then have to differentiate.

Like the rest of us do.

Why do you need to do a survey to actually be able to see that your students need you to present material in different ways?

How are you so disconnected from them?

And, most importantly... what have you been doing?

Inspired

I'm really really enjoying this book so far.



And I've only finished the first of 6 of the main parts. I haven't even explored the companion website very much yet, either.

Get it. Read it. Then contact me so we can swap ideas. PLEASE!!!

I'M SO EXCITED FOR NGSSS!!!!!

So there are a new set of Science Standards. Developed by a bunch of teachers and quite a few states (but not FL, sad face) and other professionals in the field + given feedback by anyone interested - a 3 year process - these standards are FINALLY FINISHED!

Based on the Frameworks for K-12 Science Education, these standards incorporate some key and really important ideas. But don't take it from me - here are some quotes from this story on Education Week that highlight why I am really SO SO SO SO SO excited for these standards!

"the Next Generation Science Standards are designed to provide a greater emphasis on depth over breadth in studying the subject"

they..."lead young people to apply their learning through scientific inquiry"

"Coupling practice with content gives the learning context, whereas practices alone are activities, and content alone is memorization"

"top priorities in the standards include promoting coherence in the teaching of science across disciplines and grades and having a clear and sustained focus on 'cross-cutting concepts" in the curriculum, such as patterns, cause and effect, and stability and change."

Do you see why these are great?!!? I really hope Florida jumps on board fast - or my husband jumps on board with my relocating to a place they are going to use these. I LOVE LOVE LOVE all these ideas - and can't wait for them to be reality!

"when am I going to have to use this?"

Oh goodness I hate that question.

But at the same time - from our information efficient generation - I totally understand it.

When it is really necessary that I be able to recall the first X number of elements?
When is it really necessary that I know the order of the presidents?
When is it really necessary that I know __________________?

So much of what we learned in school was just fact recollection. But why? When I can easily google rather than give my  best guess, why is it necessary for me to be able to just recall a fact?

The facts aren't what matters.

It is the cause and effect of those things being fact that matters.

I LOVE when I can explain WHY it is important to understand something to my students.

Which is why I was PSYCHED to read about the BRAIN initiative.

Now I don't really know too much more about it than I have read online today but I know that students ears and interest peak when you can easily explain to them, or, even, better, without explaining, get them to understand how whatever it is you are discussing is important to their lives.

That is where this comes in.

Genetics were probably pretty boring to learn about before the human genome project. What did some guys and pea pods have to do with me?

Then it was explained. All of a sudden students are comparing earlobe shapes, hair color, eye color, blood type, etc etc! It fit in later when talking about diseases and the human body and learning which diseases we are predisposed to and which are more chance related.

It isn't hard to think how learning all about the brain will help peak students interests.

Sometimes, that is all it takes to keep a students motivated and on the right path. Inspire them with what their knowledge can do.

And the fact that there is $100 million thrown behind it helps peak their interest as well ;)

Feedback... it sort of hurts

And it is a lot necessary. 

I just had a unique situation where I had to give some negative feedback to someone. And it was hard. Especially because we work so closely together.

And I worried about it for a while. But fixing these issues was key to both of our sanity and, more importantly, the success of the students.

And after all of that worry... it was really well received! Now to see if it is implemented, but I think it will get easier over time. Plus, the ice on that issue is already broken - it will  be a great opportunity for both positive encouragement later and a great reflection.

Teaching a Teacher

My intern started last week!

It has been a pretty great match so far. Mr Meyers is really energetic and eager to get to know the kids but he is also really excited about the content we are teaching. AKA - the perfect blend for middle school.

It has been interesting so far. I've obv really enjoyed having the extra eyes in my room and the hep writing lesson plans, but it is different having someone else in talking to your students as the teacher as well. We are in the weird phase where we are co-teaching right now (both teaching) and still trying to figure things out.

For example - he had a student today as him to use the restroom. The policy is that the students need to be wearing their student ID on a lanyard to ask to go. If they ask before they put it on the answer is an automatic no. So he had a girl ask him, and didn't have on her badge - he asked me the policy, I explained it, her answer was no.

Well about 3 minutes later she came up to me, pale as a ghost, and was like "I need to go because I'm going to be sick". So, of course, I let her go. But then I felt guilty because I made him deliver the no message to the sick student. I explained what happened later and told him that of course there will be emergencies and as you get to know the students you make better judgment calls on what is an emergency what is a fake out. But it was interesting to feel guilty about something so normal.

Either way I have very high hopes for him as an intern and as a teacher next year. He will be great and I'm excited for when we come back from spring break in 2 weeks (we have next week off) and he takes over completely!

A storm's a brewin'

Oh February.

You know the saying "when it rains it pours"? Well consider February to be the monsoon season of the school year. Everyone is feeling it. The kids are stressed, the teachers are stressed, the administration is stressed. Deadlines are closing in. The end of the year is close, but a little too far away for a lot of people.

This is about how everyone looks and feels...



GIVE.US.SPRING.BREAK.

This three day weekend stuff, although appreciated, is not enough. Most of us spent our day off catching up on school stuff anyways. And making a lesson plan for 5 days. Ugh.

Give us march. Give us spring break. Give us the re-energized students who can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Complete Flip

So I've done it.

As of 10:00pm tonight (or whenever everything finishes uploading to youtube) I will be done with the Flipped Classroom Institute.

More importantly - I will be set to begin next year flipped. I'm so excited.

I've really enjoyed this opportunity to grow as an educator. I feel like there are so many things I am receptive to now because of how much time I feel I'll have in the classroom because of the flipped classroom.

Check out all of the videos I've made - they are part of a playlist I had to create for the last assignment for the class.

Specifically, learn why I flipped my classroom.

And then start flipping yours.

I'm kind of a you tube star

Ok. I'm not.

But I do have a lot of videos. Check it out. 

In fact, today, I made the last video I will need for my curriculum this year. I still have 6 more videos to make for my flipped class so I'll be making those about unit 1 for next year (the nature of science) and how to take notes from these videos.

Plus one about why I flipped my classroom. I'm a little nervous about that one because I have so much to say. We'll see how it turns out!

The biggest test of the year

that really means nothing to the kids future.

The Science FCAT is near.

Students take it in 5th and 8th grades. They used to take it in 11th grade, but that test has been replaced by the high school biology end of course exam.

The Science FCAT literally means nothing to the students - and a lot for school grade.

And it is very rare that any school, anywhere, does good on it.

And I don't like excuses, but it sort of makes sense.

Lets test the students once every three years and stuff they have learned for the past three years.

This stuff includes...

layers of the earth, biomes of the earth, outer space, star lifecycles, weather, the atmosphere, earthquakes, erosion, (I'm sure I'm missing some... but that is all the Earth Science I can think of), cells, cell organelles, human body systems, binomial nomenclature, classifying animals, evolution, ecosystems, interrelatedness of species, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, genetics and heredity (still sure I am missing some, but that is all the Life Science I can think of), the atom, properties of and changes in matter, electricity, magnetism, light, sound, waves, forces, motion, the periodic table, (still sure I am missing some, and I teach this, but that is all the physical science I can think of), and of course, the scientific method, how science is releavant to the real world, the important of accurate representation of data.

Oh, and lets split this up into three different years so that by the time you are tested on the topics you learned  at the beginning it has been three years since you learned about it. And lets not release anything more than a computer game based review.

Things I like about the science FCAT - it is fairly higher order thinking. Students are not recalling facts but comparing them, drawing conclusions, and making predictions.

Things I don't like about the science FCAT - it doesn't matter to the kids, and they know it.

I don't know who along the way decided to reveal our secret. But I don't like that person. I get it - kids have testing anxiety. But telling them the test doesn't matter doesn't help them! Sure they are less nervous - they don't have to care! But the problem becomes - they don't care. If they don't care, the chance they try is so much lower.

Why do we bother to give this test? Shouldn't it matter more?

And all this talk about the Next Generation Science State Standards... how are we testing for those? I know the thought is end of course exams... how about we start that now and stop wasting the money on the Science FCAT?

Why you should be on the ball every day.

There is a lot of talk in schools, especially with the number of observations we get.

I am supposed to get something like 1 walkthrough a month (5-7 minutes), 3 informal observations (10-20 minutes), and 3 formal observations (an entire class period, advanced notice with a pre-conference and a post conference). 

I'm going to be honest... it doesn't bother me. I wish people came through more often actually. 

But there are a lot of teachers it does bother. And I can understand it - it is really nerve wracking to know someone is coming to judge how you are doing - it could be a bad day, and activity that isn't going well or something you haven't tried before and are unsure how your students will react. 

But here is why you should be on the ball every day.

Today, for 20 minutes, with no notice given to me, the superintendent and the assistant superintendent watched my class do a lab. 20 minutes is FOREVER in middle school time! 

Here is what was awesome about that...

1: It was a lab! We do at least one a week but I was SO glad she caught us on a lab day!

2: It used the iPads. Literally only as a stop watch and then a calculator but I don't think they caught that part...

3: The kids were working in collaborative groups. Ever since the Kagan's became super famous in education collaborative grouping is a buzzword. 

4: They got to see my kids transition from gathering data to analyzing the data. Yay!

5: My outfit today is pretty cute... (not totally relevant for education but also relevant to life)

Here is what was not so awesome...

1: I got really excited when I saw them coming and started sweating. And then she took a picture with me. 

2: I had plan period afterwards and no one answered my excited phone calls to tell them about.

But if any lesson is to be learned from this - be on the ball every day! I usually am (and I'm not sure how people aren't... have you seen our pacing guides?!?) but this was a great extra reminder. 

Don't you bring me down, toooodddaaaayyy!

Cause my classroom is beautiful, in every single way... or at least this differentiated grouping with the flipped classroom institute's guidance is!

I am on cloud 9 right now.

For the past week I've been basically doing the Flipped Classroom thing 100% (except the whole watching the lectures outside of class - until we figure out how to easily and repeatedly make them available to the class for free) including the pre-tests and differentiation afterwards.

Let me tell you - my days are almost boring right now. Almost being the key word. Why are they boring and why I am excited about it? Putting my students into differentiated groups and giving them the rule that they can't ask me a question until they've asked everyone in their groups means almost no one talks to me all class.

This has been awesome for individual remediation - walking around looking at their work and just letting them know this one step is incorrect or so, asking about their outside interests between problems, and mostly watching the confidence levels rise of the students who feel they are always the "dumb" ones being able to step it up within their group and be the smart one of that level.

Now as far as these groups go - the students are well aware that how they did on the pre-test determined their grouping. The groups are numbered according to the Marzano scale, so the students can judge where they started and where they are headed in terms of their knowledge of a learning goal.

I want to make a giant poster of "there is no shame in not knowing something you haven't been taught - there is shame in not learning more than what you came with" or something like that for my room since that is the motto I keep repeating - and it seems to be sinking in!

In a differentiated classroom do you really need a gifted endorsement?

So one of my goals this year was to begin my gifted endorsement. It was the first time they were offering a gifted endorsement class online and I wanted in.

Or so I thought.

I realized that a good gifted classroom is really just a differentiated classroom. Or at least that is what I am getting so far.

It makes me wonder... if  we are constantly being trained and reminded about differentiated our classroom, and differentiation is good teaching practice, then why do we continue to need endorsements for specific smaller groups of students, such as the gifted population?

Lights, Camera, Action

It is going to be a very busy next two months here!

Monday was the first day of the first class of my gifted endorsement AND it was also the first day of my Flipped Classroom Institute - YES, I GOT IN!!!

With my acceptance email there was a link to a website with all of the class information  I have officially purchased my boards, watched a bagillion videos on how to create a video lecture, and, as of today, filmed my first, FIZZ style video lecture.

I warn you - I am TOTALLY awkward in front of the camera but it was my first one.

Law of Conservation of Energy

I have to make four more this week alone! I can't wait to share! I already have my boards set up for the next video on reading Distance versus Time Graphs.

Give 'Em A Hand!!

I really love my students.

But lets rewind to explain the full story.

Before break my advanced students got an assignment to help solidify our knowledge about heat. The premise is this:

 A business named Hot Stuff Cookware who makes the BEST pots and pans around (The Biebs, Lil Wayne, Obama, One Direction, Kate Middleton, and all of their moms, use those pots and pans) wanted to expand and make oven mitts. So they hired my class to do their research. They had styrofoam, cotton from socks, cotton from a sweatshirt, and aluminum foil. My students had to design an experiment to see which one of the materials they were given worked best (or combination of the materials - they were designing the experiment so it was up to them) and then report back in a business letter. The letters are SO amazing!

Here are a few of my favorites...

Aren't they great? These students deserve a hand - of the applause kind!

Grading these was so much fun. Plus, the students really enjoy the opportunity to do work like real scientists would.

Breaking Down... 2012 and 2013

So winter break is over. That is both a Yay and a Boo.

Boo...

Who doesn't want more time off?

Yay...

What a great opportunity to start fresh with your same students!

They really do go through a RESET over break. They come back and remember you as fun and nice and with a totally open mind about your class.

At least mine did (no complaints here) :) I came back to this amazing note from a student!



Plus I took a random personal day yesterday to hang out with my friend Grant who came to town from Colorado- HELLO BEACH TIME!



So, as a blog writer, I feel obliged to dissect my 2012 and go into my 2013 plans.

So here goes:

2012: Awesome year teaching. Finished out my second year with what I thought was the best group of students ever. I tried to really push myself - I became a DEN Star Educator and logged my first training session about how I use DE in my classroom, I became the Science Specialist for South Breeze Day Camp expanding my student experience to include students from three years old to rising freshman,  I was asked to give a district wide optional training on how to use one of our resources, Holt's ThinkCentral Science Fusion - that was the first district training I did and I was SO nervous and excited. It went pretty well. Then started our school year - I was offered a class set of iPads for my classroom - a pilot program and I am lucky enough to have 25 iPads in the room! My science coach and I applied for and received funding to go to the NSTA Regional Conference in Atlanta in November - an AMAZING learning experience. At the beginning of December I went to the Day of Discovery training put on by DE where I heard from Lodge McCammon about Flipping the Classroom. Wow!

2013 Goals:
-keep enjoying these great students! They are why I love my job and I have a wonderful group this year.

-keep working with programs like Edmodo to make my classroom more tech friendly to really utilize the awesome tools that the iPads are giving us

-Keep my DEN Start Status (already done! I started off the year giving two trainings during our back to school professional development day!)

-Get into and complete the FIZZ Flipped Classroom Institute online (half done! I got in, it starts on Sunday!)

-Flip my classroom (2013-2014 school year completely, partially for this year)

-Apply for the NSTA New Teacher Academy

-Really look over the Next Generation Science State Standards and get to know them

-Actually keep up this blog (unlike my other blog adventures) and my overall internet presence -like use my twitter for education stuff more (not just reading about the news, but adding my thoughts to it)

-I would like to have my students make a video with the iPads... this is proving rather difficult as the process to purchase apps hasn't been solidified yet and iMovie isn't already on the iPads

-Possibly attempt a gifted endorsement...

- Get an intern! (more on that later!)

-Look into ways to further my career

That's probably all for now (can there be more?) along with the usual stuff I've already done and want to keep doing (coaching, camp job, having a personal life...).

Bring it on 2013!!