Adjusting the pace + Adjusting the learning approach + Leveraging student interests/experiences = Personalized learning Graphic from Xyleme This is an image of what my brain feels like and I LOVE IT ! I am learning so much and I am really realizing that learning feels so amazing I want to work to improve my classes so my students experience this feel more than they are right now. They are learning but they are not feeling the same excitement and ownership of their learning as I am. Why ? I have been reflecting on that a lot lately, the power of reflection is highly underestimated. One thing I have realized is that we have a personalized learning model that really works for me. Ours is of course more personalized sine we have more freedom to decide how and when to get our work done but I do think our students could do this to a degree in class and then possibly do different pieces of work from home if needed. For me sometimes I need to be locked away to read and really understand other times I can be out and do work while life happens around me. I want to create a learning environment that is more personalized, giving students more choice, and more voice, I want to update my teaching! This weeks homework was all about exploring tools that will do just that for me , help me update my teaching. I have now experienced Snag-it, Screencastify, Screen Cast o Matic,Adobe Spark,Voice Thread, Kaizena, Powtoon, Flip Grid, We Video. Before starting this Masters program I had used We Video, this teacher was in need of a serious upgrade and I am not ashamed to say it. I am so excited about all we have learned and I am going to keep myself in the loop so I continue to stay updated. The tools I really enjoy are the tools for screen casting and presentations. I am going to have students use these programs next year. Just last week I gave my students creative freedom on a project and a student introduced me to Powtoon it was great I had her show it to the class and another group of students tried it. As George Couros says in his book The Innovators Mindset learning is creating something with your knowledge and all these programs support that. I am going to be using powtoon, screencast o matis, voice thread, all to help students create with their knowledge on topics of Climate change this week. They are good at making Google Slides and I am working on teaching them some Baggio tips and then they must add voice over/ video. These will be on display at the Makers Faire. I must say the single thing I am most excited about using is Google Classrooms I think this is going to be the best tool for me to create my personal learning model. I know this was not really on the iCare but I spent Saturday with Alice Keeler and I became inspired. What I am most excited about is the ability to make personal comments to students and then have them respond back to me. Through this class I was searching for a tool to help me do that I was trying to figure out how I could use blogging to assist but it still wasn't what I wanted. Alice Keeler again reminded of the powerful impact feedback has on learning but then even more important demonstrated the tool to do just that. For my lesson this week I am going to explore Google Classroom and assign students work from there so that I can give personal feedback. I will still use ECHO grade book but will now put work in Google Classroom I want to see the impact of personal feedback. I am going to try this with my most challenging math classes and see if this will improve their grades. I will also introduce some creation tools like screen cast and We Video. There is so much learning in the area of Google for education and I am excited this will keep me learning more next year as well. I would highly recommend an Alice Keeler training she is a wealth of knowledge. My lesson plan that I will try this week will be using Google Classroom and giving some personal feedback because that is what I think my students need the most. I will create a screen cast to teach them how to use the basics of Google Classroom and how to join and find my class. I will also use slides and spread sheets more as I learned from Alice. Learning is awesome it makes me feel so alive and I am so excited to learn with all of you in the cohort. For the first time in a long time I am super excited to work and plan over the Summer so I can incorporate many of the new tools, strategies, philosophies, and ideas into my classroom. I am excited to start the new year off with Google Classroom and redesign my practice ! Graphic from Vanderbilt Teaching Center
5 Comments
Scott Marsden
4/7/2019 07:34:49 pm
Julie,
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Jona Sandau
4/7/2019 08:53:14 pm
Julie!!!! Your excitement is so invigorating! I, too, was super jazzed about this week's learning! I also want to learn more about Google Classroom and created my first plan to use it with my intervention students next week for CAASPP test prep! I'm jealous that you got to go to Alice Keeler, too. I am with all of you trying to get her with NapaLearns. I will be there! I just want to say that learning alongside you, too, is such an honor. Getting to know everyone has been one of the best parts of this whole program!
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Caitlin Mitchell
4/9/2019 06:40:27 am
I feel the same way! I feel so inspired to go out and start using so many of these tools and I really want to share them with my fellow colleagues too! I think that teaching could be so much more fun and engaging with the use of these tools we have been given. I do struggle however with a balance. I like how Scott said that we need to have the kids teach the class how to use the tech tools and we focus on the content but for me that is easier said than done with little kids who have pretty limited experience with even using an ipad. Aside from that I am pumped to go and teach this lesson plan I made and see their excitement when I give them a new way to learn the material!
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Rafael Garcia Avila
4/9/2019 04:02:54 pm
Julie,
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4/10/2019 12:06:59 am
Hi Julie
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Julie LovieJulie Lovie Is a Math and Science teacher at Valley Oak High School with 25 years experience in teaching at a continuation high school. Julie Also teaches at Napa valley Adult School in the High School Diploma Program. She is passionate about the environment, loves gardening, and learning. Archives
June 2019
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