Last year, we had a severe and chronic bullying epidemic at our school. It was so bad that even our in-house bullies were shocked and appalled. You know your school has a serious problem when the Lead Bully is asking for a cease and desist.
I was teaching Read 180 at the time. My kids were bored out of their minds because this was the second time around for most of them. They had studied all about Smoke Jumpers the year before. Despite the fact that we had just lived through the Napa Wildfires, the kids were not interested in reading another word about wildfires, the Santa Anita winds, or fire fighters. They were done. With much discouragement, we had a major bullying problem. One morning, the boys were chit-chatting about how some other boys would hide in the boys' restroom during their recess breaks because they were being relentlessly terrorized by bullies. The talked about girls who took pleasure in saying mean, hurtful things to other kids. They whispered about the fourth grader who wet his pants because he was so afraid of a certain kid. The leader of this group turned to me and suggested, "What if we have an anti-bullying campaign?" "How are you going to do that?" I asked. I had lots of ideas, however I wanted to know what the boys would come up with. This is the Plan of Action we collaborated on as a group of concerned members of our school. * Large, colorful anti-bullying posters were hung on all the walls around campus. * Students wrote narratives describing the negative physical and emotional effects bullying had on kids. At the end of each story, students listed the types of bullying and ways to stop bullying. * Students paired up, and visited every classroom that welcomed them. They read their stories and public service announcements to other students. * Students created "safe friends." Kids who felt in danger of being bullied during recess could run to students that were known to be supportive, friendly and kind. I was very impressed with our project. As much as fire safety is essential, I feel that the anti-bullying campaign was even more important for my students. This could be identified as a Challenge-Based Learning project. Last year, I had no idea Challenge-Based Learning existed, but I did have a sense that my class desperately wanted something more meaningful. The over-used worksheets and the stale reading passages were not cutting it. This CBL project provided my students the opportunity to be leaders. They were confident that what they were doing was both meaningful and necessary. They approached the problem with a strong sense of purpose. They were going to wipe out bullying at our school! Every student should feel that kind of enthusiasm toward their learning. Unfortunately for me, my students promoted to middle school, and I took on the task of learning another reading program. Sadly, this type of project was lost in the deep recesses of my memory as I tried to soak in Benchmarks Advanced. Thankfully, I was introduced to Challenge-Based Learning, and the dust in my brain unsettled. Does CBL have a future in my teaching practice? With an Airbus A380 full of enthusiasm, I say, "Yes!" Where to begin? I like the idea of "flipping my classroom." I strongly relate to Caitlin Tucker's quote, "It's okay to watch a video, but do something. Don't just show them, make them do something with that information that requires higher order thinking." ( https://catlintucker.com/2012/04/flipped-classroom-beyond-the-videos). It leads you right back to Challenge-Based Learning. Challenge-Based Learning increases student motivation because students are leading the project. They know that their ideas are important in solving real-world challenges. They are collaborating not only with each other, but with teachers, their families and community members. They are digging deep into a problem and working toward solving it. My favorite part of the CBL framework is that students have the "space and freedom to fail." I definitely don't want my students to fail, but removing the FEAR of failure encourages student to look for other solutions. They're not bogged down with the anxiety of "not getting it right," so they are able to shift and refocus onto other possibilities. This ties in beautifully with Culturally Responsive Teaching for two very important reasons. Since students are directing the learning in CBL, their ideas are valuable. Their ideas come from their views on individual cultures, family dynamics and their generational knowledge. Plus, CBL encourages students to work respectfully with other kids and adults. There's a scene in the film A Christmas Story where Ralphie's little brother Randy is opening Christmas presents. He continuously shouts, "That's mine!" I feel that I'm Little Randy with everything that I am learning in this course. "Challenge-based Learning! That's mine!" "Culturally Responsive Teaching! That's mine!" "Flipping! That's mine!" My biggest fear is that much like a six year old around Valentine's Day , I will forget all the gifts I got a few months earlier. Here's to a healthy brain. Tucker, C. Flipped Classroom: Beyond the Videos. (2012)
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Why did you choose the analysis methods that you chose? Before I begin my study, I am requiring my students to fill out a survey. This quantitative data collection technique will help me understand their viewpoints, concerns and comfort level with digital word processing and writing in general. The survey asks students to describe their feelings toward writing, technology in general, digital writing tools, programs and apps. It also asks students to check off all the digital word processing tools they have used, and what digital word processing tools they prefer. There is an open-ended question asking them to briefly provide an opinion on whether they believe techno-tools will help improve their writing. Rubrics will be used to analyze written compositions for grammar, punctuation, conventions, mechanics and spelling, as well as sentence structure and paragraph development. Throughout this study, I will employ classroom observations during writing sessions as my qualitative collection instrument. I will keep a journal recording student behavior and attitudes during independent writing activities. How will each method that you chose answer your research question? The surveys will help me understand my students' perceptions of technology and writing. An important piece of my action research study revolves around active student engagement. I want to show that students who have a command of word processing skills are better able to write well-written compositions, no matter the genre. I believe that the best way to gather data on student engagement is through observation journals. The rubrics will provide concrete data. As much as I want to know how engaged my students are in their own learning, I also want to see an improvement in their writing skills. Inconceivably, every year since 2014, Shearer Elementary School has sent over 65% of it's fifth grade population to middle school writing significantly below grade level. In 2017, according to Smarter Balanced Assessment Test Results Summary, 70% of the fifth grade students were promoted to middle school lacking significant writing skills. Test proctors for the CAASPP test reported that students were not able to demonstrate simple word processing skills. For instance, students were not able to type capital letters and quotation marks. Many did not know how to create paragraphs using the enter key or the space bar. There was a consensus that many students were failing the CAASPP test because they lacked basic typing skills as well as not knowing how to put their ideas and thoughts into words. Researchers such as Mark Warschauer (2007) and Kathleen Bronowicki (2012) claim that technology actually hinders the writing process. This study will show that if students are taught how to accurately use digital tools, their interest in the writing process will increase and therefore their writing skills will improve.
This research study focuses on how utilizing techno-tools, such as Google Docs, Thesaurus.com, Dictionary.com and Google Classroom improve students' writing writing skills. First, participating students will use a traditional pen-and-paper method to write a short essay. The pre-test will measure writing skills, such capitalization, punctuation, grammar, conventions and mechanics. Second, students will type the essay in a Google document. Again, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, conventions and mechanics will be analyzed for accuracy. Third, using the data collected from both pre-tests, a writing program will be established in Google Classroom. Students will be taught how to navigate a keyboard to type capital letters, punctuation marks, and quotation marks. Students will also learn how to use editing tools featured in Google Docs to fix typing mistakes. Students will learn how to be responsive to alerts from Google Docs for misspellings and incorrect grammar. They will learn how to use and navigate through Thesaurus.com and Dictionary.com for improvements in word usage. Though out the study, students will be exposed to grammar and composition rules for accurate writing. After four weeks, a final post-test will be administered. It will be used to compare how student writing skills improved. Bronowicki, Kathleen. Technology 's Adverse Effects on Students' Writing: An Emphasis on Formal Writing is needed in an Academic Curriculum. The College at Brockport: State University of New York. 2014. Warschauer, Mark. Technology and Writing. The International Handbook of English Language Teaching (pp. 907-912). 2007. At the beginning of the school year, I asked my students to share their general opinions about writing. I knew last Spring that I my thesis would revolve around the writing process and technology. I had my own ideas why students had not yet demonstrated success in the writing process, but I was very interested in what they had to say. Their opinions and concerns were illuminating.
Most of my students commented that they did not like to write because either the pencil hurt their hands, the constant erasing was a distraction, or they didn't have the dexterity for proper penmanship. Most of my boys were not able to read their own handwriting during and especially after they had finished a composition. Girls in comparison did not complain about lacking the ability to read their own hand-written stories. Their problems included a shortage of interest in the subjects that they were asked to write about. They shared that they would "just throw anything out there, hoping their teachers would accept it." When I informed my new principal on the subject of my research study, he was not overtly impressed at first. His opinion was that "these online writing programs don't work." And he is absolutely right. I just found out about this terrible idea called NoRedInk.com. According to the testimonials, you don't really need to teach writing anymore. NoRedInk.com does it all for you! Students type in their compositions, the website analyzes it, and assigns the necessary grammar and conventions activities needed to become a Pultizer Prize winning author. Viola! I feel that Zaretta Hammod would say, "Wow. Way to build trust between you and your students. You can actually feel the Collectivism snapping in the air. You are really improving your culturally responsive pedagogy here." I think I started hyperventilating when I discovered NoRedInk.com. Sitting with my students, chatting about writing and what that looks like in our classroom, I decided that there was no way I was going to use something so robotic as NoRedInk.com. I promised my principal that I would teach writing in a responsible and communal way. My students would know for a fact that I was their writing mentor and I would teach them what they needed to be successful. The first thing I do every day is read aloud for ten minutes to my students. Currently, we are reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. They listen to this aging former actress read while they follow along in the book. I model what fluency, elocution, phonology and a bit of theater sound like when done correctly. (You can say that I am highly qualified, since I won two, that's TWO, Outstanding Performance Awards back when I was treading the boards and breaking legs.) More importantly, they are listening to the beautiful placement of words within a narrative. They are listening as these words create vivid imagery and dynamic, interesting characters. Hopefully, seeds are being planted in their imaginations. Hopefully, they are taking cues on how to manipulate words into worlds. When we break into small groups, students are given the opportunity to read for the group, and discuss story elements, related vocabulary and themes. They move these words around in their mouths and thoughts like delicious petit fours. Next, I teach grammar, mechanics, conventions, writing principles and keyboarding skills. I also make sure all students are capable of navigating through Google Docs, Google Classroom and email. My students complete all of their writing compositions digitally because they are encouraged to send their rough drafts to me at any time via email. I make sure to always leave a comment and suggestions for improvement. Forty percent of my inbox is filled with correspondence from my students, I'm sure. My concern at this point: Am I doing enough and am I doing it correctly? Ms. Hammond makes a lot of sense. Honestly, before the webinar, I had no idea what Culturally Responsive Pedagogy was. For years now, I've endured confusing meeting after pointless meeting related to Social Justice Education. Our school's response was to staple Dia De Los Muertos calaveras on the walls and color a print-out of Martin Luther King, Jr. As I listened to Ms. Hammond, my first embarrassing thought centered on "Oh, no. How could we have been so dead wrong?" However, the more I listened, the more focused and moved I felt. This is something that is do-able. Yet, I feel overwhelmed. Where do I start? How do I start? How do I work this into my reading and writing curriculum? I wish Ms. Hammond was sitting here with me, chatting over a cup of coffee. Wouldn't it be nice for her to hand me a nice, pretty binder all set to go? No. Because I'm in The Pit. It's going to be hard because it's important. I tell my students that the brain is a muscle. You don't send your friend to the gym to lift weights for you, therefore you wouldn't "let" your friend do all the "brain work" either. This is hard work. I shouldn't be able to download it off of Teachers Pay Teachers for $2.50. It's hard work because my kids are important. It's hard work because I am important. |
Tess Giner
This is my 25th year as a public school teacher. I've taught every grade between Kindergarten and 12th grade. I hope to encourage my students to love writing and reading as much as I do. Archives
July 2019
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