Professor Joshua J, Mark defines writing as the physical manifestation of a spoken language. Mr. Mark has dedicated his life studying the history of writing and it's impact on the evolution of human thought throughout human history. He is the go-to guy with any burning questions you probably have about the history of writing. You might be thinking that I'm being cheeky. Absolutely not! I'm THAT kind of nerd.
There are two aspects of writing that fascinate me: the endless possibilities for creative expression in the form of poetry, story-telling and visual art, and the writing process in itself. For decades, experts in education have reiterated the importance of giving our students an generous amount of opportunities to write creatively. I agree wholeheartedly...however. I feel that you cannot minimize the importance of direct, explicit instruction throughout the writing process, especially with younger, less experienced students. I have read so much bad poetry, and absolutely terrible prose, that I have literally developed permanent eye muscle damage from all the eye-rolling I've done. I'm the type of writer who Adores with-a-capital-A the writing workshop. I love engaging in lively discussions with my kids about our writing. Yes, I let them read my stuff, too. Their eye-rolling beats mine 10 to 1. This year, it took awhile, but my kids were all into work-shopping. They, too, seemed to enjoy sharing and discussing their triumphs and tribulations as they progressed through the Process for each writing project, as "real" writers do. One of the roadblocks that many writing teachers face is the endless editing. I'm not talking about revising--that's fun! I'm referring to the constant demand to correct errors in punctuation, capitalization, spelling and all the other mechanics of writing. Luckily for us, we live in the Digital Age. Technology has made it possible for you and your students to "take care of the lima beans before you get to the meat and potatoes." As Alice Keeler advised, "If the Robot can do it, let the Robot do it." Apps like NoRedInk and WriQ will help with the mechanics, so you can focus on helping your students on developing their style and enhancing the content of their writing. Why is this important to me? I feel that because we live in a high-speed, digitally infused world, the potential to lose the beauty of writing is very real. Young people don't have the writing stamina they had decades ago. Great, big, beautiful words are becoming extinct as more and more young people prefer to use emojis to express how they feel. Let's meet them half way. Let the Robot do its job, so we can do ours--establish an appreciate for well-written communication, something our ancestors instilled on humanity so long ago. My research in writing and technology does not end with the completion of this master's program. I will be joining the UC Irvine's Writing Program. It will be extremely challenging and work-heavy, but I'm on a roll and I don't want to stop. I love what I do. His love for writing and history led Professor Joshua J. Mark to co-found the website Ancient History Encyclopedia. Some day, hopefully soon, I will create my own website for teachers who love writing and technology.
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Part One: Defining Transliteracy
In 2005, The Transliteracy Project under the direction of Dr. Alan Liu of the University of California at Santa Barbara introduced the word transliteracy to the academic world. Transliteracy has always existed, however it wasn't until recently that the concept was given an official name, so to speak. Dr. Sue Thomas, lead creator of the Production and Research in Transliteracy Group, defines the concept of transliteracy as "the ability to read, write and intersect across a range of platforms, tools, and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks." (Thomas, et al). According to Dr. Thomas, transliteracy is different from media literacy "because it offers a wider analysis of reading, writing and interacting across a range of platforms, tools, media and cultures. Transliteracy does not replace, but rather contains media literacy and digital literacy." (Thomas, et al). Transliteracy includes economic, social, cultural, and global issues. Dr. Thomas clarifies that it is important to understand that transliteracy is not just about computer-based mediums, but all types of communication. Transliteracy treats them all as "equal in value and moves between and across them." (Thomas, et al). Part Two: How Does Transliteracy Change Content and Student Engagement This year has been a year of experimentation. For centuries, teachers of writing generally only accepted written compositions on some kind of paper-like product, such as papyrus, vellum, or Big Chief lined paper. Students were instructed to use only smudge-and-leak-proof pens, or face losing 10 points for lack of neatness. I'm embarrassed to say that I was one of those writing teachers. Paper. Pen. Perfect. Every time. Call it the Evolution of Ms. Giner because this year I bravely dared to think outside of my safe, familiar, yet musty box. AND like the sugar addict who has just discovered the recently opened Dunkin Donuts around the corner, I was hooked on something beautifully different and new. I am forever faithful to the Language Arts curriculum. That will never change. I firmly believe that I should implement the ELA program our school district has researched and invested in. Luckily for us, Benchmark Advance is one of the better programs on the market. How I present the content of my lessons has changed. Today, I feel that students need to have more to say about the content of the lesson. For example, this past week, we studied volcanoes. The graphics provided by Benchmark Advanced are weak: a diagram of the inside of a volcano and a photo of a plaster cast of a Mt. Vesuvius victim. My kids were not making connections. So, after we read the required article, I asked my kids to write five burning questions they had about ANYTHING related to volcanoes. Next, they Googled for answers to share. During their searching, one of my boys googled "recent volcano activity" and Mt. Etna popped up. Turns out Mt. Etna had erupted earlier in the morning, so there was live feed from Italy. The kids were mesmerized. Brian read news article after news article, then shared with the group the latest developments on Mt. Etna. For their writing activity, the kids asked if they could use Storyboardthat.com to write a graphic novel written from the point of view of an eye-witness to Mt. Etna's latest eruption. Of course, YES! My students flipped back and forth between NatGeo articles, videos of Mt. Etna erupting, and Storyboardthat as they wrote. Nobody was going to hand in a perfectly handwritten essay on crisp, clean paper. AND that is perfectly ok. Including the teacher, everyone was actively engaged, sharing information, helping one another navigate Storyboardthat.com., discussing possible scenarios, and creating wonderful stories. Including the teacher, everyone was learning. Resources: Transliteracy: Crossing Divides by Sue Thomas, Chris Joseph, Jess Laccetti, Bruce Mason, Simon Mills, Simon Perril, Kate Pullinger www.transliteracy.com For several years now, I've been increasing alarmed at the marked decline in the writing skills among my upper elementary school students. It was concerning that the majority of students promoted to middle school were scoring two to three years below grade level in writing. I discovered that students were scoring extremely low in reading as well because they were not able to express their thoughts, reasoning or creativity in writing. The majority of reading test questions on the CAASPP test require a written response. Sadly, too many students were not able to write what they knew.
Long before I enrolled in the Innovative Learning Masters's Program, I was looking for better, alternative methods for teaching writing. My initial research study centered on using digital tools and 21st century skills to encourage students to actively participate in the writing process. What I found was that although most of my students claimed that they appreciated Google Docs, they were not self-motivated to finish a writing project. They had a million reasons why they didn't want to finish their essays. "Too long." "Too boring." "Not fun enough." The list of complaints goes on and on. During student interviews, I realized that my students needed a writing platform that was more dynamic, more visually stimulating, and more interactive than Google Docs in order for them to fully engage. I have found several excellent online programs that have proven to be very effective. Storybird, Pixton,com and Google Slides have all reaped a boat-load of praise from my students. My hope is that other teachers, students, and parents looking for alternatives to workbooks will use my capstone project as a springboard into a more authentic, creative and engaging writing experience. I have a strong feeling that other teachers and parents also see the potential that online tools could have in raising student performance in writing. Roughly, 130 students between kindergarten and fifth grade pass through my classroom door every day. Currently, I am a TOSA. I teach 4th Grade English Language Arts, ELD, and Reading Intervention, in addition to 5th Grade Math and Kindergarten through Fifth Grade Art Enrichment. Occasionally, I teach a 4th Grade Math class. My students spend about 35 minutes in my class.
The drastic changes in age and subject matter from one class period to the next, compounded with the short class time always worried me that my students were not receiving an optimal level of instruction and attention. I felt that because we didn't have as much time together as I wanted, I had to figure out a way to make the most of the time we had. My goal was to take the drudgery out of writing, make it interesting and encourage my kids to see it as a positive and not a negative. I feel strongly that with all the digital tools on the internet, creating a life-long appreciation (maybe even love) for writing is more than possible. My goal is to create a Capstone Project that gives teachers the information and a link to the tools they need to build an outstanding writing program. .............................................................................................................................................................................................. The people in my cohort have always been very supportive. I came into this program not knowing much about technology beyond the very fundamental elements. Honestly, I had never gone beyond just typing up a short memo in Google Docs before. I had always worked off of Microsoft Word, so I never saw the necessity for anything else. Boy, was I way off. I greatly appreciate all the support and encouragement I've received from my cohorts and professors. Dear Dr. Redmond once left our Zoom class just to walk me through "joining" Zoom. That's how technologically advanced I was. Was! I've learned quite a bit. I hope my cohorts KNOW that they can count on me to help and support them as they write their Capstone Project. I may need help figuring out what a "link" is, but I'm an expert at editing and revising. I'm also a master researcher. Some how, some where, I'll find an answer. For example, there is this little boy on Youtube who is an iMovie-to-Youtube genius. I'm also a great cheerleader! So, here's the sad, sad story. I couldn't open the Session 7 ICARE doc for some unidentified, unfortunate reason this morning. Arrogantly, I believed that I could write my blog according to what I "thought" the writing prompt was based on information gathered from the Homework Log. Well, I was way off. If you would like to read the best blog-that-has-nothing-to-with-this-week's-homework, scroll all the way down to the next blog post. It's fantastic, extremely entertaining, riveting, but much like Iron Man 2, utterly trivial, after all. How does the TPACK model connect to the creation of the prototype for my Capstone project?
Dr. Punya Mishra eloquently explained in his presentation for Microsoft "Introduction to TPACK" that in a nutshell, the TPACK model represents the relationship of technology with pedagogy and content within context. According to Dr. Mishra technology changes the how we teach (pedagogy) and what we teach (content) and the contexts (environment) in which teaching and learning happens. The TPACK model plays a vital role within my own Capstone project. My project focuses in on how technology is used to motivate reluctant writers and encourage students to actively participate in the entire writing process. The pedagogy of writing has changed with the advent of word processing platforms, like Google Docs and Microsoft Word. These digital tools allow students to revise and edit without the headache of countless rewrites, which is common with pencil and paper practices. Online writing tools like NoREdInk and Quill.org help students learn correct writing conventions and mechanics, while Grammarly.com and WriQ Chrome extension instantly support students with editing and revising issues. These online tools help free-up the teachers, so that they can concentrate on helping students develop the content of their writing. This is the area where students need a lot of attention and guidance because this is where they are developing their written voice and style. How to use TPACK in the Writing Classroom Planning a Writing Classroom around the TPACK model is not very hard. First, identify the technological devices that available to the class, such as iPads, Chromebooks, and desktop computers. Then, make a list of all the digital writing tools available. My Capstone project will contain a current list of writing platforms and digital literacy tools that teachers and students can easily access. Next, plan how you will use the digital tools and devices to teach the content of your writing program. For example, if you plan to teach poetry, try Storybird,com. If you plan to teach how to write a storyboard for an original graphic novel, try Pixton,com. While WriQ finds the misspellings and missed punctuation, you can hold small group or one-to-one writing conferences with your students, focusing on the content of their writing projects. Dr. Mishra talks about the importance of Context within the TPACK model. Context refers to the learning environment where the writing instruction and learning takes place. Technology changes the writing classroom in this way: While students work either independently or together on a writing project using a digital tool on a device a their seats, the teacher can sit with a selected individual or group to help them develop their own writing style. After a set amount of time, the teacher moves to another group of students, leaving this group to continue on their writing independently. Students may use Dictionary.com, Thesaurus.com or Grammarly.com as writing aides. Challenges I Face as I Design the Protype I am the first to push technology in the classroom. I am all for it! Yet, I have a hard time navigating new tech tools. I don't like the fact that manuals are not included. I have very little patience with "exploring" digital tools. My greatest challenge is figuring out how to use the technology available that I plan to use in building my prototype and eventual project. Tahnk goodness for Youtube and Google. Except maybe Fozzie Bear, nobody wakes up in the morning and happily cries out, "Wow! It sure is great being a puppet!" Nobody wakes up in the morning, glad that they have been generously bestowed another day where their ideas and opinions will be grounded under the boots of bureaucracy and authoritarianism.
Almost twenty years ago, I worked for a school district that went into bankruptcy and was taken over by the State of California. Not only did we loose all of our financial independence, we also lost our teacher autonomy. I think loosing my freedom to teach in my natural, organic way was worse than loosing my minuscule cost-of-living increase. One of the saddest memories from those dark times happened one afternoon while I was working with a small group of second graders who were struggling with their blending skills. While I sat at the kidney table with six kids, three parent tutors were working with students on reading activities at other tables. Now, these parent helpers were a gift from Heaven above. Two of them had been teachers before they took a sabbatical to raise their children. The other tutor was a retired music video producer who was now developing a children's phonics program for Youtube. His granddaughter was in my classroom. My students were in talented, capable hands. The classroom was calm, yet the low-tones of engaged chattering hummed through the room when two bureaucrats and my principal walked in the door. They all carried a brown clipboard and a black government issued ballpoint pen. Check, check, check. They were gone. I didn't think much of it because these walk-through evaluations were very common. Until, I saw my "pink slip." I don't know if it was purposefully contrived or a coincidence, but our evals were printed on pink slips of paper. My evaluation had a great big U on it for Unsatisfactory because according to the government issued observer, "Research proves that when a teacher sits down, a student's brain automatically shuts off." What?! What research? Of course, I argued with my exhausted and disenchanted principal, and of course, I was shut down. I was told to "just let it go...do what they say...be compliant...follow THEIR plan...stop questioning everything...just stop being so...you." Sadly, I gave in. I needed my medical insurance. If it wasn't on the district approved pacing guide, I wasn't doing it. I followed the script. I even gave up writing. Except for a week at the end of each trimester, "writing" (if you could call it that ) was not on the pacing guide. For years, I carried the fear of stepping away from whatever mandated pacing guide some Admin deemed the unbroken law. Until, I met my new friend, Touro. The Innovative Learning program has revived my comatose Teacher Spirit. It has also awakened the Student in me that I had left at the border between student and teacher. That Student was thrilled to relearn some old concepts like, Bloom's Taxonomy and Cultural Awareness, and explore new interpretations like TPACK, SITE and SAMR. Digging deeper into Webb's Depth of Knowledge, Ken Robinson's Creative Schools and Linda Darling-Hammond's The Flat World and Education reminded me why I even went into teaching in the first place. In addition, I had the opportunity to do something that I enjoy more than eating cheesecake after a 90 minute power-walk. Writing the thesis paper was a long, challenging endeavor, but so much fun for this scribbler. Using the huge collection of digital tools I acquired so far, my next step is to break away from "the script" and design a literacy program that meets the needs of MY students. Kids are not products, they are individually unique, living, organic, ever-evolving thinkers. SO AM I. Digital tools, like Pixton, Storybird, Adobe Spark, Quizzezz, and iCivics, will hopefully spark the imagination and drive for more knowledge in all of us, teacher and students. This course has give me permission to "think outside of the box" with tools like NoRedInk, WriQ, and Quill.org. That's very important because, as teachers, we set the example for our students. If they see that we try, fail, and try again, and eventually succeed at new, innovative ways of doing things, so will they. If they see that we are not afraid of taking-risks, neither will they. The variety of digital tools available allows teachers and students to set free their pioneer spirits. It's going to be a lot of work, and I welcome it! What do we call that? Oh, yes, The Learning Pit. Dr. Brenda Dervin's befuddling text could not be more eloquent. We meet those gaps, and head them straight on. The benefit is that we grow stronger as learners AND risk-takers. John Medina says this is the recipe for a happy, healthier, and more productive brain. I strongly believe that my greatest success in this course is that I have learned how to problem solve many of my technological headaches. Prior to this class, I would call IT or a friend who knew more about computers than I did with complaints about glitches and error messages. Like a guppy in a piranha tank, I was helpless and overwhelmed. However, because it was vital that my homework was turned in on time, I couldn't wait for IT or my friend's tween son to call me back, so I used Youtube, Twitter, and the rest of the internet to find solutions. Courageously, I stepped into an unfamiliar, scary place, so that I could find help. I am proud to say that 95.7% of the time, I was successful. The other 4.3% of the time, I asked Rafa, Catie, Jona and Scott for support. They came through 100% of the time. Long ago, someone tried to squash my exuberance for teaching and learning under his clipboard of misinformation and bureaucracy. The Innovative Learning program not only removed that clipboard, it threw it away. This program honors me as a professional educator, and as an educated free-thinker. For that, my students and I are forever grateful. The first and last time I played a video game was Pacman on my brother's Atari 2600. June 7, 1982: the sweatiest day in Texas history. Many years from now, on my deathbed, this will be one of the moments from my life that will pass before my eyes. The constant "woka-woka" caused a lifetime of neurosis, the graphics permanently crossed my eyes, and the joystick crippled my hands. Pacman is more than likely the reason why I never married, thus shattering my poor mother's frail heart. It is what caused my chronic asthma and occasional snoring. It is the only reason why I lecture ten year olds on the dangers of Fortnite and GTA. In my humble, yet highly informed opinion, there is no room for gaming in the classroom! Ok, enough of that. Like the internet, computers, and cell phones, gaming is here to stay. In 2018 alone, $43 billion were spent on video games. In less than a year after its release in June of 2017, 126 million players were tuned into Fortnite. When the Fortnite app launched to the iPhone, it accrued $2 million a day. What does this mean? Our kids really, really love video games. What does this mean to us as teachers? We are the proud owners of some really cool tools that'll get these kids motivated to learn! Teachers have always used games in the classroom. When I started my teaching career, my Aunt Marianne shared some cards games and whole body activities that she used to help students master skills in "arithmetic, reading and social science." She was a teacher way back in the 1960s and 1970s. She learned the games from her mother who used them when she was a schoolmarm in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1971, a decade before Ms. Pacman and my carpal tunnel syndrome, Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinemann, and Paul Dillenberger created the educational, text-based video game called The Oregon Trail. They created the video game to teach school-aged children about pioneer life on the Oregon Trail in the 1800s. At first, Don Rawitsch, an 8th grade history teacher in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was not sure if his students would like the game. However, when kids were lining up at his door after school to play his video game, he knew he had a winner. We can say that The Oregon Trail was the granddaddy of the digital educational game movement. It inspired the creation of several other educational, text-based video games, like The Amazon Trail and Africa Trail. Today's iCivics follows that long line of educational video games. It was created by Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to educate students on citizenship and civic education. Game-based learning tools and gamification have a solid place in education. According to the Handbook of Games and Simulations in Learning, digital gaming provides students with significant life skills. Gaming encourages students to be curious, take-risks, solve problems and try again when they fail. Games provide a safe place for students to hone these skills. Because of my background in writing, I'm drawn to digital games that provide a platform for students to be creative thinkers and problem solvers.
Currently, I've been exploring the following free game-based learning platforms for the next school year. My plan is to incorporate high-interest, interactive games into my language arts and math instruction in a setting where all students are actively engaged and participating. * Quill.org: An interactive digital tool that teaches grammar, vocabulary and skills. * NoRedInk: Personalized, high-interest adaptive writing activities, plus feedback * iCivics: game-based digital learning tool with a persuasive writing component * Quizlet and Quizzez: provide short answer writing opportunities disguised as games This year, I'm using Pixton's online writing platform to teach my students how to develop an original graphic novel or comic book for our final writing project. It's not a video game, but students create avatars, create settings, and decide the fate of their characters, a bit like Sims. For myself, I've installed the WriQ Google extension to make my life so much easier. This tool was designed to help the busy writing teacher quickly provide feedback to her students. WriQ does most of the work for the teacher, so that one-to-one writing conferences run smoother and faster. The benefit is that the teacher will be able to conference with more students in one class period. Teachers have used games throughout the history of organized educational systems. Playing games to reinforce skills and concepts has proven to be an indispensable tool in the classroom. Just like card games and interactive physical games, digital games provide a plethora of benefits for learning. The most important message that you should take from my Writing Conference 2019 is this: Technology IS a part of the writing process.
I have always been a proponent of using technology as a writing tool. Websites like Dictionary.com, Synonym.com and Thesaurus.com have become indispensable. I could not begin to imagine a world without word processors like Google Docs or Microsoft Word. It's inconceivable! However, as a teacher of writing, I was very old school in my way of thinking about how I taught writing. I believed that the writing process began with an inspired idea jotted down on a piece of paper, then fleshed out on a piece of paper, edited and revised on a piece of paper, and finally polished on a piece of paper. Students would go through a ream of 50 sheets of paper for one essay alone. I dreamed about saving acres of endangered woodland by making the switch to digital, but I was hesitant because there must be something magical that happens on a sheet paper. After all, Fitzgerald, Austen, and Shakespeare never, ever did possess a shiny black Dell. Right? There's something about the hand-brain connection that produces better writers. Right? What I learned through the evolution of my practice is that great writing comes from an inspired MIND. The medium, whether it is paper-pencil, stone-chisel, keyboard-latte, doesn't really, really matter. As teachers of writing, what we should do FIRST is inspire great ideas for our students to write about. Focus on great content, think about how you're going to teach it to the best of your ability, and how to use technology to enhance those great ideas. Think TPACK. I'm so glad Punya Mishra and Matthew Koehler came up with the TPACK model because heaven knows I would not have come up with such an ingenious theory. Most teachers of writing know how to effectively teach the writing process. They also know what subjects their students find interesting and inspiring. Where they might struggle is finding a writing platform that meets their needs. The number one need for me is that it has to be FREE. Free, free, free. Any California teacher will tell you that we can only deduct $250 for work expenses. Luck for us, there are several tech tools out there in the world wide web that are still free. One that I plan to explore is Pixton, where students can create comics, storyboards, and graphic novels. But if some day, Pixton sadly joins Storybird in the world of "for-profit" educational digital tools, there is always Google (Yes! You have to PAY for Storybord now). Google Classroom, Google Docs, and Google Slides can be utilized to help students create works of writing art. My friends at Google share that they are constantly working on ideas to improve the educational experience teachers and students. Don't be afraid of using technology WITHIN your writing program. It doesn't minimize the writing experience. In fact, with explicit instruction and clear expectations, it can enhance it. Don't use technology solely for "publishing." Incorporate technology throughout the writing process, especially in the editing and revising phases. Google Docs and Microsoft Word have built-in editing tools that help students revise and correct their writing faster and easier compared to traditional methods. I have found that most writing students become frustrated and exhausted when they have to rewrite and rewrite several drafts. Eliminate that stress by switching to digital tools. Last but not least, think outside the box. Last month, we had problems with Storybird due to a glitch in their system. My class lost access to their accounts, therefore they were not able to write their stories. So, we used Google Slides instead. My students used the slides as "pages," and illustrated them with Google images. It was actually better than Storybird because my students had a bit more control over the images. Writing will always be a huge part of the human experience. Technology is here to stay. Let's enjoy everything the combination have to offer. Thank you for attending The Tess Giner Writing Conference 2019! Happy Writing! Technology is supposed to make our lives easier. That's the huge selling point. It's the cheeseburger of the 21st Century. A cheeseburger has everything you need in a compact, easy to use package: the meat, dairy, vegetable, and bread. Viola. It's all there. Instant nutrition. Screencastify was supposed to be the Provolone on my Google Slide Deck burger. Instead, I just got some bitter-tasting, soy cheese-flavored product. I had a very hard time recording my lovely, melodious voice over my Slide Deck. I wanted a full screen presentation because I believed that it made for a more professional look. But I couldn't get it to work! So after literally hours of trying, I scrapped it, and picked another video maker...iMovie. iMovie is awesome! In fifteen minutes, I transferred the individual jpegs of my Google Slide Deck to my iPad Photo Gallery. From there, I moved them to iMovie. Clicked here, clicked there. In two shakes of a hummingbird's tail, the slides perfectly aligned into movie form. Recording my voice was a cool summer afternoon breeze. Oh, so wonderful! Editing was a snap. All I had to do was upload my iMovie onto my Youtube channel. Nothing. Nothing at all. I couldn't believe it. Why do the Tech Gods hate me so!? I watched every video I could find in hopes that I could fix this absolutely maddening situation I was in. Flabbergasted, I watched a video by some ten year old boy-genius who promised that he had the solution, but sadly, even he could not pull me out of this putrid techno-mire. Until someone takes pity on my poor soul, my iMovie is stuck in my iPad indefinitely. Some of you already have a Youtube Channel. Man, was I envious, so I signed up asap. It's been sitting in the light web, dormant, waiting for my premier iMovie. The Dust Bowl: Using Significant Historical Events to Develop Setting in Narrative Writing was going to be my first opus in a long line of opi. Not yet, apparently! Despite how polite it may sound, Youtube's message hurts down to the bare bone: "This channel doesn't have any content." Now, with all of these unfortunately negative experiences, you'd think I was anti-technology in the classroom. Nope, far from it. I'm in what you call the Learning Pit. It's the pits, but it's helping me to become a better teacher to these modern kids who are growing up so quickly in the 21st Century. ====================== I've been following two exceptional teachers on Twitter: Jennifer Gonzalez and Catlin Tucker. I was made aware of Flipped Classrooms back in our 701 class. I thought it was a very innovative way of looking at instruction, but I had some concerns. In her article, "Flipped Classroom 101: Challenges, Benefits & Design Tips," Ms. Tucker validates those concerns by addressing what I was thinking the flipped classrooms would promote: * Students without internet access at home would fall behind * More and more screen time for those who do * Having to deal with students who don't do homework * Overloading kids who are already exhausted with schoolwork with heavy-duty homework. However, she stresses that despite how valid these concerns are, teachers should still try flipping their classrooms with the in-class flip. She writes that instead of sending the videos home, I could "blend my video content into a station rotation lesson." I could weave my other videos into my whole groups lessons. This takes care of the problems that sending videos home could stir up. Jennifer Gonzalez encourages you not to give up if the in-class flipped model seems to not be working up to your expectations. In her complementary article "Modifying the Flipped Classroom: The "In-Class" Version." Ms. Gonzalez reports that research shows that the flipped classroom model has shown an increase in student achievement and positive attitudes toward school. She suggests that pre-recorded lectures are a station in class, while other related activities make up the other two stations. This frees up the teacher to conduct one-to-one or very small group time with students. One of the perks that I really appreciate is that front-loading information allows students to think about the subject before the group gets together for the classroom discussion. Students come to the discussion with ideas, questions and observations already in their heads. They have been thinking about the topic, so it sets the mood for a better learning experience. Despite my run of bad luck with online tools this week, I still believe that they are a must in any writing classroom. My new driving question centers on how I can better use online tools to motivate reluctant writers. The flipped in-class model may give my kids a sense of control. And, in all honesty, that exactly what I want them to feel; that they control their education. UPDATE!!!!!!
I couldn't let it go! I looked for help on Youtube one more time. AND I FOUND IT! A very, very young man (I can tell by the sound of his adolescent voice) who goes by the name of Ice Sodumb is a genius. His instructions were so simple and so clear, I almost cried. Here's his helpful video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouDwetVT_-M This kid is going to be my new Twitter buddy. Now, let's see what he knows about Screencastify. Here's a link to my glorious and long awaited video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uzKPLcoVfE For years, I whined about how the entire educational system in America was irreparably broken. "It's not that these kids can't learn, it's that they don't want to. They're lazy. I teach and I teach and I teach, and they do nothing with what I give them." I was frustrated because after what seemed eons of guided writing, you'd think my students could independently write a solid essay. Why were they not transferring the skills I taught them? I'd grumble some more, and I'd go back to writing the same types of lesson plans I so skillfully mastered as an undergraduate a quarter of a century ago.
One thing I've learned as I've matured as a teacher is that painfully tight grip you have on your class in the beginning of your career starts to loosen up somewhere around the seven year mark. You no longer want to be the Sage on the Stage. You start to have conversations with your students. Real conversations about their educational careers. Hopefully, you do more listening, than talking. One of the interesting things I found out from my students is that they DO remember most of what I teach them. They know that they should use transitional words. They know that all good expository essays have an intro, body and conclusion. They know they should be checking for correct punctuation, spelling and grammar. However, after several chats with my kids, I found out that they are not sure WHEN they should use all the writing skills and techniques they've learned. For some unknown reason to them, they "freeze" when they have to write on their own. As I read the Introduction for the SITE Model: Learners in Context, I almost fell out of my chair. There it was. Validation. According to the article, "Inert knowledge...(refers) to knowledge that does not come to mind when it would be appropriate or useful. Inert knowledge sits statically in the human mind, stuck in the situation where it was learned." This is exactly what is happening to my fourth grade students. I explicitly teach them how to use transitional words in an expository essay about green technology, then assign an opinion paper on solar energy for their independent project. You would think that my kids would transfer their knowledge of transitional words from one genre to the next. But, in their very young, adolescent minds, they don't see the linear connection. It is my job as their teacher to explore ways to help them make those academic connections. Looking toward the SITE model as a guide, I will look at how I can utilize the sociocultural subcontext of my classroom to my student's benefit as I prepare my 21st century lesson plans. What motivates my kids? What are their goals? How do they perceive the benefits of creating well-written essays? These questions go hand-in-hand with the technical subcontext aspect of the SITE model. The technical subcontext is not just about computers and iPads. It asks teachers to analyze what techniques, procedures, systems and techniques they will employ. Just as it is extremely important that I teach my students how to use the computer, it is equally important to teach them how to navigate our classroom system. The third branch of the SITE model is the informational subcontext. How will I get this information out to my students? Consistently and clearly. Clarity is very important for success. My students need to clearly understand when, how and why they follow the various writing rules. The last subcontext: education ties everything together. My ultimate goal is that all of my students are so well educated in the writing process, that they will be able to handle any writing project that comes their way: a thesis paper, the best man's speech, a eulogy, love letters, anything. How do I connect to the SITE model on a personal level? Honestly, I didn't enjoy my undergraduate years in college. I can describe my experience with one lonely word: boring! The main reason for my aneurism-inducing boredom was that I was not a part of my own college education. My professors lectured at us for about an hour while we took notes. They never asked more than a few surface-level questions. I remember my political science professor gave me an F on a book review because he disagreed with my interpretation of the theme. My freshman Algebra class had over 1000 students. We met in the music hall. Our professor stood on the stage in front of a green chalkboard with her back the class. She did not take questions because it was impossible with that many students. I feel that this time around, I am receiving a much better education. The educational system in America is NOT broken. However, it needs more schools to adopt concepts like the SITE model in order to make better connect with students. Students, no matter how young or old, are not robots. They are living, thinking organic beings that are much more than a backpack and a laptop. Addressing the sociocultural, informational, educational and technical aspects of a student's mind makes for a much healthier, happier education. |
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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