I don't know about you, but I really like a good movie! I came across a comical and entertaining video that takes scenes from good movies as examples of what a differentiated classroom may look like.
In the book Advancing Differentiation: thinking and learning for the 21st century, author Richard Cash lays out the myths that go along with differentiation. Some of the key points worthy of noting from his myth debunking process are;
1) Differentiation is not the same as individualization.
2) Differentiation is for ALL students.
3) It initially takes some upfront time to get everything organized. However, in the long run it will save you time and better serve your students.
If you did not make it through the entire video clip, or if you are better at absorbing material through reading; here are some key points when it comes to a differentiated classroom.
According to Cash, there are 10 key elements that are present within a differentiated classroom. On page 11 of his text, Cash lists the following 10 keys;
1) Content goals are defined
2) Learning differences are acknowledged
3) Three forms of assessment are used
4)Curriculum and instruction foster brain-compatible learning
5) The classroom environment respects active learning
6) Learners develop 21st. century skills
7) Flexible grouping
8) Tiered assignments and activities
9) The learning environment is interesting, enjoyable, challenging and choice-filled
10) Students develop learning autonomy.
Throughout my blogsite you may find some useful instructional ideas that may lend to your differentiated classroom. As well, for a more engaging experience, please feel free to visit my website: http://historysphere.weebly.com/
Reference:
Cash, R. (2011). Advancing Differntiation: Thinking and Learning for the 21st Century. N.p.: Free Spirit Publishing.
“We need not
only to educate our children on the issues that are occurring with technology
but provide resources for our teachers and parents as well.”-Mike Ribble.
The
article
“Passport to Digital Citizenship” in a broad sense is about the
importance of
continuity and consistency between home and school usage of technology.
Mr.
Ribble expresses that it is one thing to know how to utilize a new
technology,
but knowing how to use it appropriately and in a responsible manner is
another concept entirely. NETS-S defines Digital Citizenship
as the following; Students understand human cultural and societal issues
related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. In
general terms
I see digital citizenship as a continuation of being a good citizen
period.
We
have all
seen the sexting scandals, cat fishing, identity theft cases, online
bullying stories wherein it is
pointed as the reason as to why some youth have committed suicide and
most recently a case wherein a terrorist organization called ISIS has
targeted social media pages of military members children. An important
part of digital citizenship is not just being polite and kind, but as
well being smart about what one lets out into cyberspace from a security
standpoint. Over sharing is also a concern in the digital age. # I ate
breakfast # I hate school # I hate my job...Children need to be made
aware that their digital footprint is one that can be seen by future
employers and school admissions boards.
There can be a connection made between how the youth utilize technology
and whom
they are as a person. In my opinion part of teaching digital citizenship
in
schools should be seen as an extension of character education. While
this
article did not make the connection between character and usage of
technology;
it did break Digital Citizenship into nine elements.
The nine
elements are as follows:
-
Digital
Access: Do all have access to participate in the digital world if they choose
to do so? This harkens back to the discussion of inclusive schools and the
topics of the have’s vs have not’s in terms of districts whom have more access
to tech than other districts.
-
Digital
Commerce: Are the students aware of how to safely exchange money for goods and
services online. For example; do they know the difference between
http&https? One is a secured site one is not.
-
Digital
Communication: Are the students armed with the communication skills that will
transcribe into the digital arena in an effective and appropriate way?
-
Digital
Literacy: Do the students know when and how to use certain technologies and do
they share these lessons with their peers?
-
Digital
Etiquette: Do they act in a proper manner and communicate in a respectful
manner. Do they think before they rant on a digital source? To they take other
people into account?
-
Digital
Law-With technology comes another form of responsibility. Are the students
aware of laws associated with technological content etc? What comes to mind;
plagiarism andIP protections.
-
Digital
Rights and Responsibilities-This explanation was a bit on the social action
side for me. It asks if students are ready to protect the rights of others to
defend their own digital rights. This statement is a bit vague and needs to be
expanded and honed into a specific context. I would say the real point would be
do students realize the freedom extended to all digital tech users and are they
aware there are behavioral standards that coincide with these freedoms?
-
Digital
Health and Wellness- Are users aware of the psychological and health risks that
comes with using technology. For example; high school students and “Instagram
likes.” With technology and social media apps many teens are falling into the
fallacy that social media is the real world and that “likes” equate to their
value as a person.
-
Digital
Security-Are they aware of the importance of protecting their personal
information? For example the importance of changing passwords regularly and to
pick strong passwords. As well, never give out personal info online to
strangers.
He as well talks about how learning is a
cycle and not really a destination. Technology evolves and expands and thus so
must we. I agree with his premise that home and school must be on the same page
when it comes to digital citizenship. He suggests utilizing a four stage
framework to teach and learn digital citizenship. Those stages are; Awareness,
Guided Practice, Modeling and Demonstration and Feedback/Analysis.
When
reading this four stage model the question that I am left with is
how does he suggest the school and classroom ensure continuity with the
usage at home? He talks about
how it’s important to have an open learning environment so that students
can
explore technology wherein mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn. I
concur with that point. Again, I would like to hear his plan on how he
would suggest a school
reach each parent to make sure the access at home to technology is not
an
unbridled access, but one that is monitored and guided by the parents in
accordance with school suggestive guidelines? As a parent I can tell you
having
an open technology forum does not see huge success. The parents who are
involved are the ones you see at everything from assemblies to field
trips.
It’s the parents you never see at school that you need to reach out to. I
would
have like to have seen him suggest ways to form effective partnerships
between teachers and parents in terms of technology.
When reading this article I was attracted
to the importance of digital etiquette,digital law, digital
responsibilities and digital health
and wellness. Overall this article made some very good factual points. I
would like to promote a part time reverse classroom concept wherein
the parents can actually see what the
children are learning and doing online. As well a classroom blog that weekly
sends out email reminders on what is being covered in class as well as technology
responsibility reminders that will have “read” notifications to solidify all households
receive the information adequately.
Digital
Citizenship goes beyond the actual “know how” when it comes to using
technology. It’s the knowing of how to use it effectively and
responsibly. How
will you guide your students in the digital realm? How will you ensure
that your students are acting responsibly without infringing on their
privacy rights? I am an advocate for teaching Digital Citizenship in
schools. I am also an advocate of teaching character education and I see
a direct connection between the two. With a world that is seeing and
increase in social disorders I feel that #10 rule of digital citizenship
should be: Manage your time online wisely and do not let it over take
your classroom or your life. Balance the new technology with face to
face interaction.Technology is great as long as it is not solely
depended on or overused wherein it surpasses human interaction in the
classroom.
References: Ribble, M. (2008). Passport to Digital Citizenship. In digitalcitizenship.net. www.digitalcitizenship.net/uploads/LL2008DCArt.pdf
The
International Society for Technology in Education have set up a series of
standards and performance indicators for teachers when it comes to utilizing
technology in the classroom. Teachers need to be proficient, knowledgeable,
engaging and model how to effectively utilize educational technology. One of
the main goals/standards is: Facilitate and inspire student learning and
creativity. I feel that this standard is the most important because it relates
to not only the technology but also lends itself to the importance of the
teacher-student relationship in a direct manner through modeling, engaging and
encouraging students.
In order to
facilitate and inspire effective learning and creativity a teacher must have a
good grasp on the subject matter in which they are teaching. They must also be
able to utilize technological tools to advance the success of students in both
a face to face and virtual environment. Teachers via example must model and
encourage out of the box thinking, collaborative thought processes that inspire
learning with others and from others. They need to engage students in a way
that encourages them to explore and come up with solutions to real-world
problems. In turn he/she must be able to encourage self reflection using tools
that promotes sharing of information and working together with their peers to
think, plan and expand the creative process.
All the
standards set by the ISTE are important; I feel as though the standard
“Facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity”, is the most important
one and the one that ultimately will assist in deeper learning for not only the
students but for teachers as well. With that said, it is a broad standard that
may pose some challenges on how to actually implement this standard effectively.
ISTE offers seminars and webinars that assist teachers in expanding their
technological knowledge base in a way that coincides with the new Common Core
Standards. https://www.iste.org/resources/product?id=3015
. As well ISTE has a very active blog site wherein educators expand on
standards and share how they implement them http://connect.iste.org/connect/recentblogs.
Monterey County in California has a website that breaks down how the standards
work into the common core framework; https://sites.google.com/site/mcoeccss/home/technology.
One
application that is very prominent in K-5 right now is “Minecraft.” This
application encourages learning from other classmates, sharing designs in
engineering solutions. My daughter actually utilizes this app outside of class
with several other students and it’s quite fascinating how they are able to
interact not only with face to face interaction as they compare what they have
built but, they also communicate virtually. ISTE has an article mentioning this
application: https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=156.
Another good application that can be utilized is Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/.Goodreads is a social format wherein people
review, create tests , bookmark and share thoughts on books with people from
all over the world. In California Renaissance learning has a program called
Accelerated Reader wherein schools are utilizing this system to text
understanding and track reading level comprehension. Good Reads is a great resource
for students wherein they can create and or take practice tests that will help
them solidify what they read.
In closing
this course and the exploration of the expectations of future and present
teachers in the realm of technology is extremely important. With elementary
students learning HTML etc…many have technological capabilities beyond their
teachers. The NETS-T standards assist teachers and propel them forward so that
they can be engaging and effective.
This
video depicts a cool new platform called Graphite that aids teachers in
deciding what apps are good and trustworthy; all in one solid
location.
Jordan Shapiro wrote about the concept of utilizing
electronic games in the classroom and the roadblocks that are impeding full
successful implementation of “game learning” in the classroom. Mr. Shapiro
cites the following as the major walls according to surveyed teachers;
Not enough classroom time
The cost
Lack of Technology
It is hard to find games that coincide with the lessons
Standardized test score pressures
Unaware of resources or where to find quality games
Unclear on how to integrate the games with instruction
Unfamiliar with technology
Not enough Administrative Support
Lack of Parental Support
Many of these issues are indeed interconnected. With the
emergence of the common core standards many teachers are feeling the pressure.
Many whom I have talked to feel they do not have enough time to cover
everything they need to. So games for most perhaps may not be a priority.He states that 45% of teachers surveyed state
time was the issue. He however suggests that perhaps if they change their
perspective on the applicability of the games that they may find it to be very
beneficial by presenting concepts in an active way.
Mr. Shapiro reveals that 90% of the 700 teachers surveyed
state that parents in general do not support the utilization of electronic
games in the classroom.However, in today's age where most students have smart phones and let's face it; they love them! Why not incorporate their smart phones into the classroom? I use KAHOOT! My students love it! Below is a video showing you what KAHOOT is all about!
References:
Shapiro, J. (2014, September 12). Games in the Classroom: overcoming obstacles. In Mindshift. http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/games-in-the-classroom-overcoming-the-obstacles/
Assistive
Technology Tool Box for Students with Special Considerations
While
technology may have it’s down falls, for example; privacy rights issues and
concerns of it creating a generation of face to face socially inept and
disconnected citizens there are indeed some benefits to it. Technological apps
can bridge gaps for those who come to the education table with IEP’s,
disabilities, special considerations and learning difficulties.
Reading
and acquiring the use of language properly as a means to effectively
communicate with peers and adults can be a struggle for many children. This can
not only affect their interpersonal relationships down the line but as well it
affects their academics. With schools seeing a large increase in students who
have been identified as needing extra assistance; technology apps have opened
an alternative door for these students to explore. According the Kelly Ahrens,
a technology director for the East Providence School District, “You can instill
independence and confidence in students with special needs by finding tools and
working with your IT department.”
With
that said, it will and can be a challenge to install these tools as it requires
a cohesive effective partnership between teacher and the districts IT team.
Every school year a new set of children and each one is unique and one app may
not benefit one student but may benefit the other. In order to insure
expediency it is important to quickly identify the needs of the students within
the first few weeks of class and immediately work with the IT team. My suggestion
would be form a very good relationship with these IT people. A little coffee
drop off early in the morning on the way to school as a Thank You may be a
great way to aid your students and the bonus is the team feels appreciated.
The
piece KellyAhrens wrote goes over
technology details that gives teachers useful information and insight into the
process of app adding etc from the perspective of the IT team side. While I
found that to be helpful, I did not find it to be the best part of the article.
The
most informative section covered accessibility opens to tools such as
magnifying tech for those who need visual assistance. Narrator and voice over
systems that allow books to be read as well as words highlighted as to assist
in word recognition and pronunciation. Voice recognition systems that allow
students who have writing difficulty get their thoughts out. I have personally
seen the voice recognition aspect do wonders. I taught a Special Day class for
many weeks and I recall one boy whom really was able to communicate himself
utilizing this program. I first hand saw the confidence building as he smiled
when he recorded his story and then had the voice over system read the story he
created to his classmates. They loved the story and he was so very proud. His
eyes could have lit up even the darkest of rooms at that moment.
The
big take away from this article I would say would be the following points;
-Know
you students and asses their needs immediately and frequently.
-Search
and seek out new tools and apps on a regular basis in order to serve your
students in the best manner.
-Understand
the perspective of the IT team and know that there can at times be some
challenges legally and other wise when it comes to adding new programs etc.
-Build
a good relationship with your IT team so that you can serve your students and
be able to add applications quickly without wasted time.
Technology
has it’s drawbacks and at times the movement of technology into schools can be
a slow process. But, it greatly increases the confidence and abilities in those
students who prior to technology had a much more difficult time progressing
academically, socially and emotionally. Be proactive, be innovative, know the
apps and know your students!
Please
click on the below link. It depicts how Assistive Technology has made a
positive impact for one amazing student. It is her personal expression
on how it has opened up her world. It was submitted to The White House
Student Film Festival.
References:
Ahrens, K. (2011, November). Building and Assitive Technology Tool Kit. Learning and Leading with Technology, 22-24.
Due
to the fast technology, social media age; our students have so much
information at their fingertips. I have found that many students lack
the ability to deeply think for themselves. They are ill prepared for
the harsh tides of careers and college coursework. Technology offers
many great things. However, one of the downsides is that many students
do not see the benefits of reading. Therefore, many see reading as a
"boring" task. Reading comprehension is a learned skill. It requires
practice and the ability to delve into material with a critical thinking
mindset. As Social Science teachers, we must encourage them to read.
Not fast reading just to memorize an answer for a test. But slow,
digestive, deliberately active reading. We can create an atmosphere
where reading is infused with fun activities that unleash their ability
to collaborate with peers, visualize and create works that connect
readings to class content with real life. Please watch the student
created video above and then scroll down to find 5 activities that will
engage students and improve their reading comprehension and perhaps
encourage them to engage in self-regulated active reading outside of the
school setting.
In addition to these 5 strategies,
one may use the tools that are under the vocabulary knowledge section as
well. As those can be adjusted to a reading comprehension applicable
format.
#1 Two Column Note taking/T-chart:
Two column note taking/T-chart requires active reading.
Students must reflect, digest and evaluate what they have read in order to
capture main ideas and relevant details. This concept may also be utilize for
key vocabulary knowledge within the context of the reading content. I have
found it to be extremely helpful to do two column note taking with both main
ideas/details and vocabulary in conjunction with one another; but on separate sheets
of paper. Many students in your classroom may not have previous experience with
this application. Thus, I strongly suggest that you model the concept first,
giving direct instruction for your students. Ask the students to fold their
paper in half or draw a line splitting the paper in half vertically. Next,
model for students how they will set up their paper; separate main ideas from
details. This gives them an increased grasp of the material. Landmark Education has great two column
chart examples. In a pdf link they give a great two column chart guiding you as
to what the role of the teacher vs. student is during this practicum. Please
visit their site and check it out for yourself.
In the middle and high school grades, Common Core calls for the ability
to critically think and be able to compare and contrast two or more
readings. For example, in U.S. History when covering the topic of the
civil war this can come in handy. You can assign accounts/narrative
selections from the view point of the north and the south. Have students
digest both articles and assign a compare and contrast assignment
utilizing the Venn Diagram. Students will then grasp a better
understanding of the conflict in an unbiased way, due to reading about
accounts from each side. You can even go further and add a compare and
contrasting analysis of militia/military organization strategy. You can
use this with pretty much any conflict from the colonial battles to
present day Middle Eastern conflicts. Many times we require our Social
Science students to produce papers with deep analysis on historical
events. This diagram can be assigned as a initial step before writing
their papers. ReadingRockets offers more insight into this strategy. I encourage you to check out their website: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/seven-strategies-teach-students-text-comprehension
Story boards are a
great way for students to recall events in a chronological order. It is a
visual synopsis/ retelling of what they have read. The drawings/images
help attach visual connections which increase their understanding,
comprehension in a way that allows them to recall the material they
learned in a personal way. If your classroom has technology access, a
good free site to have students create their story is: https://www.storyboardthat.com
If technology is not present you can handout story board templates like one shown below.
In
addition, you can go one step further and make the story board into a
collaborative media project. Have students recreate what they have
learned as a group. Have them use the storyboard as a draft tool for a
short film. Their storyboard becomes the script in which they base their
short film on. It is my suggestion, that you require students to turn
in their storyboards with their media project. As well, it would be
helpful for students to each individually write a quick evaluation on
their work. Did they stay close to their initial storyboard, or through
the creating process did they change their plans? You can later in a
debriefing of this project connect their individual evaluation with
historical events themselves. This can be a short discussion on how
sometimes in history, a society has one plan but through time that plan
changes. You can have students discuss what historical event "plans"
changed in the midst of the event. This encourages deep thinking and
real life connections in terms of how sometimes we plan for one thing,
but something changes and the plans shift.
#4 Debate Activity
In
Social Science classrooms, I find that having an impromptu debate
creates a great opportunity to relay information and exchange ideas on
what they have read/learned. In fact, each side of the debate can
prepare their points using the Venn Diagram as shown on comprehension
strategy #2. A great idea for an impromptu debate is to the night
before, assign students to read two articles that are on two opposite
sides of an issue. Have one half of the class read two articles of one
type and the other half read two articles of another type. All four
articles should be relevant to the same current event or historical
issue. Or perhaps pick articles relating to current U.S. policies,
stances in foreign relations etc. This can be in the context of a
current event or something from history. Ask the students to have use a
graphic organizer of their choice, or a simple list of details from each
article. These details must include; synopsis of the article/abstract,
similarities and differences between the two selections.
Ask
students who read Article A&B to stand on one side of the room and
have students who read articles C&D stand on the other side. Then,
randomly number each group off 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 etc. The 1's are pro and
the 2's are con. There will be two debates during the class time. The
other article group will listen and take notes evaluating the strengths
and weaknesses of both arguments.
This is a
great, hands on activity that really requires active reading and
bolsters comprehension skills at the highest level. It as well teaches
the students to be able to look at both sides of an argument from a
rational space. It allows them to exercise effective defense of ideals
without including personal attacks. I would suggest that you for
connection purposes example from your own life wherein the ability to
confidently state ideas, backed with factual evidence, communicated in a
calm, confident fashion. Prior to the debate, it may be helpful to show
a video courteous debate and make rules of the debate very clear. Here
is an example of a video that could be helpful.
#5 Story Mapping:
Common
Core directly correlates ELA with Social Science standards. Story
mapping is a Language Articles tool that calls for students to pick
apart a story in order to extract key elements, chronology and meaning.
The Story Mapping chart approach is a great tool.
This
chart can be utilized in Social Science in many ways. If you have an
assigned novel that correlates to your history curriculum this can be
utilized as an assignment s a means to check for understanding and depth
of your students reading comprehension. You can as well modify this
chart to be utilized for a specific historical conflict covered by your
districts chosen textbook. All that would be needed is some minor
modifications to the chart labeling. Remove the "Authors Theme" and in
it's place insert "Historical Conflict." Replace "Major Characters" with
"Key players in the conflict."
In conjunction with the
Story Mapping tool, I find it useful for students to as well create an
art piece/drawing depicting their interpretation of the event. This can
be drawn by hand or be created on their computers and printed out. Then,
it is a great idea to couple students of into a pair-share activity
wherein they share their worksheet and their drawing. This allows for a
deeper connection with the material.
B. Porter believes that what we know, learn and
believe are merely pointless if we can’t effectively communicate or articulate
our thoughts in a manner that is received by others in a cohesive manner that
lends to “hearing” not just “listening.” This holds true to students as they
traverse through their educational journey.
She states that most classrooms are still traditional
in communication style; specifically limited to written and spoken word. She
references the fact that Socrates and how he was opposed to authoring anything
himself due to his belief that mere words could diminish intellectual prowess.
She points out that Plato his student wrote down most of his ponderings. In
this time period written communication was the revolution. Now multimedia and
digital usage is the “new.” Even
newspaper monopolies have vastly lost standard print circulation and most have
websites that include video and multimedia montages.
Porter believes that multimedia usage can be very
effective not only for the communicator but also for the audience. Use of visuals
and sound can put forth a whole new presentation experience for all involved.
Students learn in many different ways and I agree with her thoughts on this not
only for the audience but also for the creator of the presentation. I can as
well see a strong benefit correlation between multimedia and special needs
students who have difficulty communicating traditionally. Their thoughts are
just as valid and impressive however, often untapped in the traditional
classroom communication setting.
Digital Storytelling is a great way for students to
utilize and be at the forefront of the multimedia wave. They can capture their
thoughts and experiences and create amazing pieces of work. Porter states that
while the creative process is quite amazing; there is still a need for coherent
guidelines for students in order to improve the quality of their work.
She suggests that one section of these guidelines should
take the focus away from technical “wizardry” and hone in on quality content.
It is great that students know how to make words spin and shoot off the screen,
however it is important for students to take into account that what they put
together should not detract away from their message, but add to it. She promulgates the idea of the story board “first”
as a way to organize their thoughts and consider their audience. This reminds
me much of a standard “draft” of a solely written piece of work. So I look at a
story board as a draft. I would present the story board as an organizational
tool and draft of work to my students. Using the story board as an organizational
tool ensures that the students can capture their audience’s attention and hold
it throughout the viewing. Porter suggests that teachers must be diligent about
reviewing the story boards before allowing students to move forward into full
technology creation mode. I agree, as I said I look at is as a draft. However,
I would like to add to her suggestion. Perhaps it would be beneficial to allow
students to share their story boards with other students and get their feedback
on content as well.
Porter
presents the point that while students are
learning how to become good digital storytellers their instructors must
remind
them not to “tell” but to “show.” She likens this process to a more in
depth,
thoughtful and expressive “photo essay.” She
references the collection of “Hiroshima” photos as an example of how to
“show” a
message or thought. While clearly, her audience of this article is
adults as these photos may be unsuitable and too jarring for young
children.
My classrooms intended audience will be high
school social science students. They would be able to digest this photo.
However, for younger students it would be more appropriate to model the
idea of
“showing” by perhaps showing the photo montage of a photo series like
the one wherein the message "shown" is that a positive attitude makes
even the dirtiest of jobs fun!
She also suggests that students be guided to consider varying the
duration of time between each photo. As well font styles, utilizing
pan and zoom as well as music selection that is mood
fitting and vocal tone that compliments the message the student is trying to get across.
All in all I agree with
Porter’s assessment on the utilization and value of multimedia in the classroom
via the storyboard to digital storytelling method. I agree that the guidelines of
story board first followed by harnessing skills of design are a good method to
ease children into creating great pieces of work. Writing papers may become
antiquated over time and often leave out those whom have difficulty expressing
thoughts through that medium. However, I believe writing is a skill that still
needs to be developed and harnessed in order to function in society. Digital story
telling should be utilized as a great side tool. In my opinion it should not
become the sole source of thought expression. It should just be seen as an added tool in the classroom.
·
References:
Porter, B. (2008). Beyond Words:Digital Video Goes to School. In ISTE. http://www.digitales.us/files/BeyondWordsISTE.pdf
