Happy New Year Idea!!

Happy New Year!! 

Here's an idea I saw that I would like to bring into my classroom...Could do one jar for each hour... (HS)

Then read at the end of the school year! 

Starting January 1st... Write good things that happen to you on little prices of paper and put them in a "fancy 2014 mason jar" --surprise gifts, accomplished goals, the beauty of nature, LOL moments...

then on December 31st (or whenever your feeling down) read all the great things that happened to you throughout the year!! 

Lets make 2014 your best year yet!! 

Break for perspective!

Nothing like Christmas break to give you the time you need to analyze data. I have been staring at numbers for the past couple days and have been able to come to a few ahahas. Mostly that the AR process has made me a better teacher. More focused, more aware, most apt to change and grow. I have also been spending a lot of time outside enjoying the beauty of the season. Santa got Nikolai snow shoes which have been a real blessing!! Time and peace bring perspective. I know that my project helped me grow, now it's just a matter of how to streamline my process so others may learn from what I have accomplished. Perspective is good.

December Updates...

Alright... so where did the time go... I just noticed that I have not posted since THANKSGIVING! WTF?

What's been happening lately... well a lot actually...
I have finished collecting data for my AR and am now in the process of trying to summarize what happened. I can tell you that in Biology I have taught three months of new cirriculum and although it was a lot of work it really was worth it. When I started to analyze my data and was looking over a list of all the new lessons and labs we did I had a rare moment of "wow, I really did it!" I organized binders along the way to be sure that I will have references for next year but I really did what I set out to do... use inquiry style teaching. At first thought I believe that the impact has been more on ME and my way of thinking then on the students... but when I think and act differently of course they are impacted too. I am excited to see what the data will bring to light, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have the tools to go about solving or working to improve any sensed need in the future and knowing the process makes me glad.

DI: Potato Bubbles!!

In my class recently we have been discussing enzymes. 10th grade biology.
Due to my AR I found a new "inquiry version" of a normal lab I would usually do.
It is called potato bubbles. The directions are simple...
1) cut a 1cm3 of potato (don't tell them how it's hilarious to watch)
 2) mash it .... (Again don't tell them how WOW funny) and put contents in a plastic cup or beaker.
3) add 10 mL of hydrogen peroxide  and observe... Record  5 observations. Hint: "it FOAMS"
From those observations form 5 questions.
Then record 5 hypothesizes.
Then choose one to test against the control... (Whole?, boiled, more H2O2, boil H2O2... est)
As a class you can cover just about anything and everything!

Long story short(er)... Mashing the potato releases "catalase" an enzyme found inside potato cells. It's job is to break apart H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) that forms when water and oxygen come in contact. So essentially the reaction the students see is: H2O2--->H2O + O2 (cells get rid of it cuz it's toxic)

So they are seeing foam or bubbles or fizz because oxygen gas is released underwater!
They feel tricked and a tiny bit sad that "that's it" but they figure it out on their own! And more!!!

I'm starting to see how inquiry style really allows for DI at their own level and pace.
Some students moved on to the more intense catalase lab with liver vs potatoes but some didn't...
They just kept working with bubbles!! (Gas)

Read this and it spoke to me as conferences approach.
Was thinking about asking my middle school staffers to give me thier top 3 suggestions for parents
at conferences and giving it out as a handout. Too much? Student led or traditional? Always data...
"THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG
ED Pulse Poll Results: 
Which Type of Parent Support for the Common Core Would Be Most Useful? 
November 5, 2013 

ASCD continually seeks to provide solutions to the challenges that face educators of all levels. Recently theASCD SmartBrief ED Pulse poll sought to develop a short list of useful tasks for parents to implement in their daily routine to enhance what is being taught in the classroom.

In response to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), many different groups have created documents for parents, education experts, and others that provide clear, consistent expectations for what students should be learning at each grade. Of the seven tasks suggested in the ED Pulse poll, there were three that resonated with the ASCD SmartBrief readers who took the survey. They felt that students could be best supported in their transition to CCSS if parents did the following:

--Demand "evidence" in everyday discussions/disagreements 24%

--Know what the priority work is for your child for the grade level 23%

--Read nonfiction texts aloud or with the child 20%
Also noted:

--Ask your child to do the math that comes up in your daily life 11%

--Provide more challenging texts your child wants to read comfortably 11 %

--Be aware of what your child struggled w/ last year & how that will affect learning this yr 9%"

DI: Say Something Strategy

Recently I have been working closely with the 10th grade English teacher seeing if we can't get our students to do more thinking. It is true that they certainly read at different levels. She suggested that I try more "active reading strategies" and helped me create a SAY SOMETHING SHEET for science. It looks like a bingo board but with bigger squares. 6-9-12 depending on the ages of your students and how much you want them to say! In each box the students are asked to SAY SOMETHING about the text that they are reading or the video they are watching or the websites they are searching... I will give you some examples of what the squares could like like:

PREDICT something...
CLARIFY something...
ILLUSTRATE something...
DESCRIBE something...
MAKE a CONNECTION to something...
COMPARE something to something else...
QUESTION something...
CRITICIZE something...
EXPLAIN something...

If she doing in class reading... then during work (reading) time she will hold up a SAY SOMETHING sign and that will be a "jolt" for them to stop what they are doing and record in a square of their choice. They like to share what they have noticed with each other as well! Ideas, ideas, and more ideas!!

Data Intentions and Connections...

So... we are one month into my data collection plan.

Things are going ok. I intended to have my students do an inquiry and/or collabrative lesson and complete a survey once a week and I have been! Whoo-hoo! To me the survey after does not seem nearly as important as the learning and team-work I am seeing in my room. Students are helping each other more and certainly helping and challenging themselves more in a team then they would individually.

I have a para collecting data on the number of questions that I am asking students once a week as well. Again... the numbers are the numbers, but I feel so much more prepared and informed on questioning that I much more often sitting down and before and after lessons writing, re-writing, and creating questions. Its really causing me to make connections between concepts and these connections "show up" in my lessons.

Its weird. Cells are still cells and the facts are the facts... but once you start connecting the dots... simply put... it gets easier to see things!  I'm surprised... floored actually. The time I am spending, the attention I am paying, to creating  questions for my students is helping me! Maybe even more then the students.  

DI--ABOUT ME and WHAT I'VE DONE

Jodi Zhukov...

My name is Jodi Zhukov. One of the two Jodi's in our DI group. I'm the red-head. I have been teaching for 10 years. 5 years at one school and now 5 years with my current school. I now work in Barnum. We are a K-12 district with separated K-6 and 7-12 buildings. Our high school consists of 35 staff members and 2-3 people per department meaning that I am the only 7th grade and 10th grade science teacher. Needless to say there is not much collaboration going on but plenty of use for DI! The time needed to make DI great is probably why I seem to struggle with it. So... I am hoping to get some usable ideas for the classroom and how I can make teaching and learning easier for all my students (but still have a semi-life.) Oh... I'm married to a great guy and we have a 3 year old ginger named Nikolai. Very active boy wonder!!

DI--Science Literacy or Literacy in Science?

So... one of the big AH-HA's I (we) had in our saga group discussion on literacy was should science teachers inspire and engage students with an activity FIRST and then read about it... or... should we read to learn and build prior knowledge BEFORE we do the activity or hands-on experience?

At the time I was intrigued but not sure where I stood (or stand.) Recently someone was awarded the Nobel Prize for determining how some cancer cells move around the body. They called it: "Cat and Mouse" or "Run and Chase." I was looking on Science Daily to see if I could find an article covering the idea. I found one and when I cut and paste it the article was one page long. 6 small paragraphs. Seemingly simple. Accept most of the words used were vocabulary that I knew most of my students would not be familiar with.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130616155019.htm

So... literacy to the rescue.

On the back of the sheet I put 9 squares. The title was "SAY WHAT?"
I asked my students to "scan" the article and highlight any terms that they couldn't define on their own.

Then they had to use a dictionary or i-phone I look up the definitions and shorten them in their own words.

Then they had to replace the word in the article with the "easier version/definition" in the margins.

Next,  re-read the article to see if they could get the "jist" of it.

And finally, draw a picture of what they taught the cell "cat and mouse" game looked like inside the body!

It took most of the hour, but I think they will be ready for a great conversation on Monday about cells, cancer, cellular movement, and the visualization they will have to get used to doing IN THEIR MIND as we embark on our journey "into" the small world of THE CELL.

I'm still not sure where I stand... DO then READ... READ then DO...
In this case reading first was the better option. Wow it was a lot of work. English teachers must be busy!

BDU

Okay BD.

First things first. It's hard. 

Here's why... I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl.     

To my AR self having a script of what daily lessons will be seems boring. 

So stage three... The day to day plan is difficult to say the least. 

The thing that I do really like is writing the enduring understandings, stage one. Doing this really brings the content to life. It sets my intention.  I just need to be sure that they are aligned pretty well  to the standards but written in my "Zhukov style." In fact after our assigned BD unit I liked stage one so much that I wrote enduring understandings for all of my units!! Something that I thought would be simple took a long time. what do I want them to learn? Good question for reflection. 

I have also seen a huge improvement in my use of essential questions stemming from my enduring understandings in stage one. My students are responding really well to the idea of "more complex" thinking style, critical thinking questions and I have BD to thank for that. 

Although I will never be a person who does away with the "traditional test"... stage two of BD, thinking about designing the tests in advance to teaching the unit, has help me identify more opportunities for linked in collaborative group activities. 

So... I feel passionate about stage one and two... But I'm not so sure about stage three. I can see that every single day of by BD unit has been different from my original write up. But the process as a whole is worth the effort. 

AR Abstract

AR ABSTRACT

How will using inquiry-based teaching with my 10^th grade biology students impact their ability to think scientifically?

The question guiding my research is as follows: How will the use inquiry-based teaching with my 10^th grade biology students impact their ability to think scientifically? A review of the literature suggested strategies in several areas of my practice that could help me bring about higher levels of scientific thinking. As a result of my literature review areas for change include: 1) re-defining and using true inquiry 2) increasing questioning skills 3) establishing and incorporating collaborative groups and 4) intentionally fostering 21^st century leadership skills.  

Through my research I have come to understand many things. First off, what true inquiry is. Old labs and activities can be easily adapted to inquiry style where students design their own procedure, data tables, and draw their own conclusions. I plan to use weekly inquiry labs/ activities which I hope will give students more opportunity to foster thinking skills. I will be keeping a journal of my feelings and observations during these lessons as I move toward an inquiry-style instructor.  

Research suggests that questioning is a skill that must be practiced. I spent a lot time creating a questioning environment and generating lists of questions to foster discussion and thinking during individual lessons. I used random calling, think-pair-share, and extended wait time as well not stopping at the “first” or “right” answer to increase overall thinking. I am interested to know if the number and type of questions students encounter correlates with perceived thinking level.

Although I have always done group activities as part of classroom instruction they were never truly fair or effective. One or two people did all the work and thinking. Research suggests that collaborative groups are different. I took the time necessary to group my students and taught them the roles of true collaboration allowing them many opportunities to practice. I am interested to know if they think these activities increased their level individual of thinking.    

Growth Mindset

Honestly when I took the mind set survey I was split down the middle. I was not surprised. I have been thinking about it a lot and I can see when I'm teaching that I am in growth mode. It helps too see small changes and know that from hour to hour throughout the day I use opportunities for improvement. In my home life I feel fixed though. I realize that I need to spend more time on my emotional health. I am a perfectionist and I suffer from low self esteem and poor decision making skills. I have gotten better but I want to let my past go. My family is fixed. They don't see it but I do. I want more. New. Different. Fulfilling. For me the only way to grow is to let go and move forward. Seems strange to out grow your family bit that's where I am.

NEW School Year

2013, 2013, 2222...2013!

Happy New Year!

This year has gotten off to a great start. BHS has a new principal so there are a lot of new initiatives. I have my goals for both myself and my students this year. I have a goal to use more essential questions in my room this year. I want to incorporate more collaborative grouping and inquiry style lessons and activities. To teach for meaning not just to cover content. I will keep you posted on how it goes!! For my students I want them to THINK more. To use more teamwork and positive, intentional roles during group work.

Fishing...

The fish philosophy speaks to me. Choose your attitude. This one is just... easy. I have always been a morning person, and crazy, and peppy. In the mom van on the drive I listen to music to match my mood in the morning. If I'm not ready... I bump out to a couple more songs before i go in. In the morning I crank the tunes in my room to continue the high. Be there. I need to continue to greet students at the door. They like it and so do I. I need to concentrate on "mindfulness" and slow the train long enough to allow time for thinking, processing, and questioning.  Fun. Check. I need to continue to work to develop the community feel and collaborative ideas and activities. At leat once a week am planning a change of venue. Discussion can be so much more meaningful outside of my room. Tomorrows plan is happening the middle of the football field.  Make their day... Maybe not each kid each hour, but I use the magic number three. Say to 3 different nice things to 3 different kids each hour. Fishing... It can take time and bait... But when you catch one its worth it!

First Friday Night!

Well I'm torn. I did what I intended to do. I carried out my perfect classroom plan. I focused on community. Name games, interviews, small group talks, how was your summer deal, collaborative grouping role teaching, personal thinking style inventories... I wouldn't change much but... Now I feel behind. Other teachers were giving quizzes today! What? Why? I know I am on a different, new, good path... Am I ahead or behind? My students were laughing, smiling, talking to each other, sharing... It's good. It's just not "content." This week was SO intentional. Planned it. Did it. Reflected on it. It's just that if I look around... I'm breaking the rules.

"Inservice..."

Anyone else feel a huge sense of disappointment on your return to in service? We didn't even so much as share any updates or talk summer as a whole group. Sure you share in the hallways with a few closer co-workers here and there but coming back after this summer was an especially big let down for me. Maybe it's because I have a true community at SMU and have done so much planning in perfect classroom to incorporate what we are doing and learning into my room... But seriously who plans a schedule that includes everyone listening to blood borne pathogens in a dark room with the lights off first thing on day 1? And 7th grade orientation until 9:00 pm on day 1? Because I can, I'm sharing my new 5C motto with you... Calm. Cool. Collected. Community. Content. I don't want my students to feel as deflated as I did on day 1. True I might have to reign in my expectations... But admin... You gotta step it up!

Orientation Night... Suggestions anyone?

Lets talk orientation night!!

Being the leader (or control freak) I am I think our orientation night could use some improvements. Does anyone do something that is really cool, meaningful, worthy to inspire? Speak now or forever hold your peace. The 7th graders follow a short schedule after an introduction session.  Each class comes in for a whooping 15-20 minutes. I have perfect classroom on the brain so the wheels are spinning... Help. Things I'm thinking...

-Discover science centers/stations

-Observe (the room)  and predict yr

--Guess that picture on smart board 

--Biggest fear, solution read aloud

--Free write...  in 1000 words or   

     less tell me about yourself! 

Thanks in advance!! 

Leadership.

After class I felt charged with ideas and the reality that I had said I was going to do quite a few things that I had not gotten around to yet. So after I dropped off Nik I headed out to Barnum. Of course no one was there but the janitor agreed to get me in through the old home ec room. Of course they are waxing! He asked me how long I was going to be there and laughed when I answered till 4 or 5 most likely.” Kid, why do you work so hard… no one’s here… the kids don’t know… not even the new boss is working yet?”… I smiled and said well I have masters and a lot of new ideas. With that we left me to do my work.

 I made the cut outs for the new quote on the old black chalk board that says, “ALL THINKING BEGINS WITH WONDER!” I made the attendance smart board lists for all classes so as the students come in they can “swipe themselves --present” (thanks Nikki A—elementary teachers are so crafty) I made the various  grouping strategies that I had not finished in class on Sunday and a set of popsicle sticks for each for each hour to use for random calling. None of these things were URGENT and none of them I would have HAD to DO… but to be a better teacher and use some of the new strategies I want to I felt I needed to get them out of the way so they are ready to go. I worked on two other bulletin boards one for questioning/prompts and one for current events called “In the News”.  Again not urgent… just new ideas come to life. 

As I was leaving… so was the janitor. He asked… “did you get it all done… are you ready to go?” I smiled again and asked… do you think I will be able to get into my room on Wednesday? Later that night I was reading my assigned book for the book study… “Leading by Soul.” I have a June birthday so it was not my pick but it was meant to be. It’s good. It speaks to me.  Buried in the text was a quote that said, “Work is love made visible.”That’s what I should have told the janitor! Next time. J I work hard because I love my job. I work hard because I love the kids. I work hard because teaching is my gift. It satisfies my soul.

August!!

I can't believe it's August. My AR is "done" but I'm still questioning whether it will really work? During my feedback session someone bet that the biggest impact on my teaching will be the use of collaborative groups. Which is funny because I thought it would be my focus on questioning or inquiry style lessons. As I looked further and further into the research this summer I realized how much different areas of teaching are related... And also how little talk and research there is on content. Process not product.

 I didn't believe that I would be "excited" for school but now I am. I recently went to Barnum and all the OLD stuff was gone and the floors were waxed and fresh. I even had the balls to ask the janitors all four of them to help reorganizing the lab tables for better flow. I asked for help. thats huge. I gotta tell ya cyber-space... I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. I was, and am proud of the work I have been doing. I can also say that I am looking forward to next week. Alex and I are taking Nikolai to Wisconsin Dells for the week. I need it!! One last week of carefree summer to get me through what's to come!!

Zhukov Out.

"Another list"

Just as Im trying to find cool ideas for my data collection plan I have to stop and write down ANOTHER LIST of cool ideas I come across for something else! Good news: I have a lot of good ideas... Bad news: I never seem to make FORWARD progress on 1 thing!

Thought I would share so you too have "ANOTHER LIST" and since I'm "not working!!" :) 

 

 

TOP 10 STRATEGIES for PAIRS or GROUPS for ACTIVE/COLLABROATIVE LEARNING

1. COMPARATIVE NOTE TAKING

During a lecture stop every 15-20 minutes and have students stop and scatter and compare notes and concepts covered. Ask them to illustrate, highlight, or underline!

2. PARTICAPTION PREP

Ask questions to all… they record answers pre-discussion in notebooks or on paper.

Then sharing begins as you go back and begin ask students to share their written answers

3. INTENTIONAL MISTAKES

You provide groups of students with an illogical conclusion, inaccurate statement,

Incorrect data graph or lack of proof and they work in groups to FIND & FIX mistake

4. THINK-PAIR-SHARE—This one defines itself! Give a group a list of questions or they individually make up questions from current content and provide them to the group!

5. READ-WRITE-PAIR-SHARE—This one also defines itself!

6. ConcepTEST—

Pose a CONCEPTUAL QUESTION and 3-4 choices.

They work in groups and decide which provided answer is correct and why

7. THREE-WAY INTERVIEW:

Students will take turns interview each other (one records)

A. Interviewer: Asks the questions (teacher provides the “starter question”)

              After that the interviewer asks creative follow-up questions

B. Interviewee: Responds

C. Recorder: Records answers (or questions depending on goal of activity)

8. CATEGORY BUILDING:

You give groups 3-10 concepts and they sort them and create a concept map

with written summary of how they were grouped and justification as to why!  

9. VIDEO PREDICTIONS:

You ask students to work in groups to provide WRITTEN predictions of what they will SEE very SPECIFICALLY during the video Then watch and reflect.

Hint: do this after they have seen the HOOK or introduction part of video!

10.  FISHBOWL:  2-5 in middle and the rest on the outside for small group discussion(s) Hint: Allow students to TAP IN!

5. READ-WRITE-PAIR-SHARE—This one also defines itself!

6. ConcepTEST—

Pose a CONCEPTUAL QUESTION and 3-4 choices.

They work in groups and decide which provided answer is correct and why

7. THREE-WAY INTERVIEW:

Students will take turns interview each other (one records)

A. Interviewer: Asks the questions (teacher provides the “starter question”)

              After that the interviewer asks creative follow-up questions

B. Interviewee: Responds

C. Recorder: Records answers (or questions depending on goal of activity)

8. CATEGORY BUILDING:

You give groups 3-10 concepts and they sort them and create a concept map

with written summary of how they were grouped and justification as to why!  

9. VIDEO PREDICTIONS:

You ask students to work in groups to provide WRITTEN predictions of what they will SEE very SPECIFICALLY during the video Then watch and reflect.

Hint: do this after they have seen the HOOK or introduction part of video!

10.  FISHBOWL:  2-5 in middle and the rest on the outside for small group discussion(s) Hint: Allow students to TAP IN!

THE QUOTE ACTIVTIY for Perfect Classroom

Please feel free to steal and adapt this idea!
Le'ts be honest... I got the idea from somewhere else too!
I can't even remember who or where...

I call this THE QUOTE ACTIVITY!
 It starts as an indiviual activity... but then changes into a small group activity and discussion. Ends with sharing out and a whole group discussion! 

PREP: Before students enter the room for the day will post 12-15  quotes around the room. This year they are on SCIENCE. But I have used... thinking, water, oceans, life, ect... character traits would be interesting, or goals... anyway...

Students will be asked to walk all around the room & read the quotes for themselves. They are then to stand next to the one that MOST speaks to them that day. 
When most are at their "spot" I ask them to discuss the quote with anyone else that is at it as well. What does it mean? What does it mean to them? Ect. I tell them that one group member will be responsible for reading the quote aloud to the class and someone will be responsible to summerize and share what was discussed in their small group with the whole group. (Students remain standing around the room in the circle facing inward as the groups share. I have had a reflection or whole group discsussion at their desks after if need or wanted!)

This activity takes 20-30 minutes and the students seem to enjoy it! It promotes discussion and good listening skills... plus quotes are TOUCHY FEELY without me having to be TOUCHY FEELY first. They get to do the thinking! Whop whop!!

Here are the ones I included for my 3rd day in my perfect classroom plans:

Q: Which one do you like the best and why? (Practicing my questioning techinques!) 

                                                   2013 Science Quotes:

1: Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him

    and calls the adventure "Science."  

   ~Edwin Powell Hubble

2. Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.    

     ~Adam Smith

3. A fact is a simple statement that everyone believes. 

    It is innocent, unless found guilty.  A hypothesis is a novel suggestion

    that no one wants to believe.  It is guilty, until found effective. 

    ~Edward Teller

4. Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. 

    ~Wernher Von Braun

5. The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts

     as to discover new ways of thinking about them.

    ~William Lawrence Bragg

6. Science is simply common sense at its best. 

   ~Thomas Huxley

7. The scientist is not a person who gives the right answers,

    he's one who asks the right questions. 

   ~Claude Lévi-Strauss

8. The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.        

   ~Albert Einstein

9. Life preys upon life.

   This is biology's most fundamental fact. 

   ~Martin H. Fischer

10. The saddest aspect of life right now is that

     science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom. 

    ~Isaac Asimov

11. It is through science that we prove,

     but through intuition that we discover.

    ~Jules H. Poincare

12. We know from science that nothing in the universe exists

      as an isolated or independent entity.

     ~Margaret Wheatley

13. Science... never solves a problem without creating ten more.

     ~George Bernard Shaw

14. Nature does nothing without a purpose. 

    ~Aristotle

Next Year...

There are many exciting things for me next year. Some of which I may have mentioned in previous posts but to summerize... since the time is drawing near(er) each day:

1. I am excited that BHS will have a new principal. Nothing against the old one accept that he was a science guy and I always put or felt more... pressure somehow... on myself because of it! Also the high school hasn't had an administrator OUTSIDE of Barnum.. like new, new... for 15 years. So its tiime to shake things up a bit!

2. I am excited about my CLEAN SLATE, GUTTED room. Everything old is out and the new awaits.

3. I am excited about only teaching TWO classes.
    3 sections of 10th grade Biology and...
    3 sections of 7th grade Life Science!
   In my ten year carreer I have never taught ONLY two... 5, 4, or 3 at least!! I wonder if Ill like it?

4. I am excited for my AR. Specifically the idea of asking more essential questions and using INQUIRY
    style teaching. Will it work? Will I be able to do it? Will I see improvements in my students? I hope.

5. And also, I simply love the START of the year. Im excited... and there not. But soon... I trick them!! :)
   

Stage Two--BDU

I was surprised as I have been working on the second stage of my backwards design unit how easy it was to be creative when you had a list of the enduring understandings and questions right there in front of you. Many of the "tests" I have been coming up with are collaborative group tasks that involve the group making or doing something. When I started the process I thought it would be impossible to create a test before teaching...and after doing it I realize its because a traditional test would only have students reproduce facts that I taught. Big ahaha here. It's the process... Not the product. As I was researching assessment I came across a study of test frequency. It has been documented the you should strive for at least two formative assessments a week. And for summative... 10 in a 15 week time period for greatest percentile improvement!! Something to work for!! 

This is the year for "Community!"

I have to admit that although I feel that in the past I have had positive relationships with the students in my classroom... personal connections etc. I am not sure that my students truly had a community. I have learned in the past year that the true idea of community is not just for ME as the teacher to build connections, but for the students to connect with each other. Before masters I guess I assumed that in a small school that the students already knew each other. But I have come to realize that this is simply not true. I am excited to treat building community as an intentional goal from the get go. I did try to use some of the ideas and strategies throughout the year as we experienced them in masters but now I get to do the real deal. It is worth the investment in the beginning of the year to work and focus on community. Really if you don't establish that... what do you have? 30 students working independently, as they sit next to one another. I have always felt that my "beginning of the school year" was missing something and now I know what is was. True community building activities. Perfect Classroom is really a good reflective piece for these thoughts to be cemented and better yet steps and action taken to avoid similar habits from repeating over and over again. I celebrated by 34th birthday this week and I cant believe how fast time flies. I'm half of 70. Older and wiser... at least about community!

PR and Reflection

So much to do.. so little summer! Boy its nice out... but I have a hard time reading on the deck in the BRIGHT SUN. Too bad I guess Ill have to work from inside.

This weekend was great fun! Did allittle saw sharpening with Grandma's Marathon... running myself the half in 2:12 which is my PR (personal best--whoo hoo) plus being there and cheering on my group of running girlfreinds as they completed their first marathon in a fabulous time of 4:43!!

I was thinking a lot (because I didn't have anyone to talk to...) about how far I have come as a teacher in my short 9 years and I decided to celebrate myself (for once) and allow in the thinking of I am doing a damn fine job. Surely there are things that are not perfect... and surely their will continue to be bumps along the way but this community has allowed me the opportnity to see my profession and self with a new lens. We have a lot of work to do, but honestly I don't mind spending some time focusing on becoming a better teacher and working on my AR and BD and PC. They are very meaningful and useful assignments. Time to get back at it!

Reflection over,
Zhukov OUT!

COOL IDEA... a "HEAD to HEAD WRITE OFF!"

Im really trying to stay focused on doing just my ROL but in the process I keep finding cool teaching strategies and ideas and I get side-tracked! Thought I would further delay working by sharing something with you to use for a partner activity with your students. Hope your progress on your ROL is "uninterupted!"  

PARTNER STRATEGY: “HEAD to HEAD WRITE OFF!”

Directions:

1. Students are paired off and turn desks to face each other in head-to-head fashion.
2. Teacher poses a question… (controversial or essential questions work best)
3. Students consider the question and each respond to it in writing for 2 minutes

When time is called, partners exchange papers and have two minutes to read what their partner wrote and respond to it in writing. (no talking). The exchange is repeated, creating a back -and-forth written dialogue (sometimes arguments, depending on the writer’s viewpoints) The number of exchanges can vary depending on the topic’s level of controversy and complexity. Following the final exchange, partners are given up to five minutes to talk about their responses and clarify their opinions. At this point, partners are often bursting at the seams to talk! Follow up with a class, whole-group discussion.

MY NEW AR (action research)

THE AFFECTS OF IB (inquiry based teaching) 

(don't you hate educational acronyms) 

Essentially I see many 3 SENSED NEEDS in my classroom. My students lack leadership... so I am looking researching leadership skills and how to teach them effectively and why they are important. Secondly, my students lack skills in working together in a positive way... so I am researching collaborative grouping and how to teach and implement these groups and why they are important...  and lastly my students are just not SCIENC-Y enough for me so and I am researching the idea of essential questions and how to teach them and why they are important for student learning. 

My thought is: How will using an inquiry based style of teaching affect or change my classroom? 

During my research and reading today I came upon a LIST (and you know I like a good list) but these are

other teaching strategies that work well in conjunction with the ESSENTIAL QUESTIONING style. 

The idea is... if you are going to implement EQs successfully you should also be doing these things. 

Here goes: 

1. WAIT TIME (after you ask) & WAIT TIME II (after a student responses)

2. THINK-PAIR-SHARE

3. RANDOM CALLING (using a fish bowl or sticks) or STUDENT CALLING

Also periodically ask someone else to summarize what another student just said or their main point. Students begin to take ownership of clarifying and restating contributions!

4. CLASS SURVEYS—thumbs up/thumbs down, small white boards to write answers on an hold up (then choose someone or pair with an opposite viewpoint and explain your position) wireless polling, clickers,

5. MORE THEN ONE ANSWER—push for at least 2 or 3 different answers 

    then probe to invite comparisons and testing of ideas on the table.

6. USE PROBING QUESTION (for THINKING and SUPPORT)

To push students thinking and meaning try these questions: 

--What do you mean by…________?

--Why?

--Can you elaborate? Tell me more.

--Could you rephrase that? I don’t understand your point

--Could you give me an example or analogy to explain that?

--How does this relate to (what was said before, what we read last week)?

--Can we come up with another perspective on this?

--What are you assuming when you say that?

--Do I understand you to be saying… _________?

To ask students for SUPPORT and JUSTIFICATION try these questions: 

--Why do you think that?

--What’s your evidence?

--What’s your reasoning?

--Can you find support in the text/data?

--How does the data support your conclusion?

--But earlier, didn't we say that ______________, which seems to be at odds with

   what you are saying now. Can you clarify?

--How does that square with what the text says on page _____?

 7. DEVIL’S ADVOCATE. Try these questions:  

--I disagree. Convince me.

--How would you respond to those who say… ?

--Have you considered another perspective?

--Who as a completely different idea or reason?

--Is it really either, or? Might there be different “right” ways of thinking about this? 

Many people have laughed at me (easy to do) during small group or SAGA time when I have shared that I would be a person that would have to have a LIST of nice things to say to students or positive praise... and OK I understand that one... but I am seriously considering making a laminated sheet or bulletin board of these EXTENSION QUESTIONS in my classroom as I think it would help to PUSH my students thinking forward! Happy reading. Steal the list... I cited it in my AB (annotated bib) haha. 

Time for CHANGE

CHANGE IS HARD! THE YEAR in REVEIW 

This year was chalk full of challenges and change. First and foremost I taught a new class 7^th grade Life Science. Your thinking… what’s the problem their seventh graders right? Wrong. I agreed to this in advance of course.  I knew about it and I thought I prepared. I read the standards. I mapped the textbook and correlated the chapters we would cover for the standards. I planned some great hands-on activities and bought each student a notebook to keep in the classroom for note-taking. 

But in reality, it is very challenging to teach a new class and a new grade level. What’s worse is that the class was not really a “new” class, and not really “mine” at all. For years seventh grade had been taught by another teacher in our district. And it turns out there were many expectations that really got me down. I was expected to do a bug project. I was expected to do month long units on both the metric system and winter survival. I was expected to teach and collect two month’s worth of sap from area maple trees. This information was not discussed and there was very little mentoring or planning in advance. 

There were however a lot of hard feelings throughout the year. This complete lack of communication really slowed me down, played with my psyche, and my squashed my creativity as a science teacher. I continuously felt like I was wrong and behind. What’s worse is that I did not stand up for myself. I did not stand up for my students, the academic standards, good team-work, positive change or growth. I let someone else and someone else’s opinion(s) into my work. What I learned is that I need to continue to work on my confidence, my communication skills, and my planning. Seventh graders need time to process labs and do things repeatedly for understanding. I will have a chance next year to remedy some of the mistakes I made and I will try my best. But also, I will do what is right by me and by my style of teaching for my students.   

Out with the old...

As I work hard cleaning out my classroom I am considering how I want to approach grouping my students next year. Should I use lab groups?  level students so there's a high two middles and a low? Should I group by personality meaning like minded people at the same table or really mix it up and put one personality type of the four at each table? Food for thought... I have the large, black lab tables... So I am stuck with 4-somes. Any thoughts or ideas let me know. Best practices??

Last day!

Went to the graduation ceremony after school on Friday!!
Was a long day, talent show, collecting books,  saying goodbyes and good lucks.
 Before the ceremony I had some time in my classroom and I was able to grade all my finals grade all late work and post grades! Felt good. After the graduation (after five years) our staff  had a get together at a local teachers house! We chatted and snacked... had refreshments and a bonfire with s'mores! It was great. I am hopeful that those kinds of activities become more frequent and help BHS get closer and build the community we desperately need! We shall see...
Next year I need a good, easy, effective way to get some daily news articles on scienc-y stuff either local or national worked into my classes.
Anyone have a favorite way?? Let me know???

Saw sharpening...

Decided that to sharpen the saw I would try at least two nights a week to get outside with my two year old Nikolai. Sounds funny to have to plan it, but it's easy after dinner to start the dishes, gold that laundry, check the email... and all of a sudden it's bath time!! Week one was a success some walks, park time and today biking, running a lap at the local track and some soccer in the front yard!!
I really wanted to post a pic and video but can't figure it out!! It says something about that my administrator of the email account does not allow it... Technology...

ER--NGISED SDAWKCAB

" ER NGISED SDAWKCAB"--Any quesses?

RE-DESIGN BACKWARDS. That's what I need to do with ALL my UNITS.

It seems overwhelming... but my plan is to sit down with the standards and write a list of the major units that I cover. Then try to come up with 1-3 enduring understandings for each of them. If I can't do that, then I shouldnt be teaching the unit... or the unit is not worth saving... or it should be combined with another.

When that is done I would like a list of AT LEAST 3 LABS or HANDS-ON activities that I use to teach the enduring understandings and if I cant do that... I need to spend time making it happen. Its one thing to teach but to teach science students have to do science, scientifically... meaning ask a question, do a test, come to a conclusion, plan what's next.

Am I really looking at two things on my TO DO list that are going to take up my whole summer?

Most likely. 

MY "NEW" SENSED NEED

I guess my biggest concern in my classroom is that I don't feel like the students THINK like scientists.
It sounds weird... I can't put my finger on it but they just miss the concept of "THINKING SCIENTIFICALLY" about what to conclude after an experiment and what to do NEXT!

Is it because they are not that engaged in what we are doing in class? Maybe.
Is it that the content does not seem relevant to their daily life? Perhaps.
Or is it something bigger? I'm thinking so.

Is what I am missing in my science classes just an overall lack of CRITICAL THINKING skills all together?  Is scientific thinking really just critical thinking in disguise?  Damn you Tony Wagner.

Great... I have my answer... what's wrong in my classes is a lack of critical thinking.
Now what can I do about solving the problem?

I need to "scientifically" think on that one for awhile. (ha ha)

LIST of MY AR CONCLUSIONS

AR Conclusions:

1. Collecting data is certainly worth it, but it can yield far different results then one originally intended. 

2. Low-achieving students will  not retake tests but they might fix answers for points back.  

3. I need to consider a re-testing policy for my classroom. 
4. Students can easily score themselves on level on engagment during a small amount of class time.             5. Students they are very aware of the academic choices they are making on a daily basis. They choose.

6. Level of engagement may be indicative of their grade. This is intriguing to me.  

7. 45% of my students do not study outside of class time but 90% work hard during class time.

8. Students worked in groups 70% of the time during my 5 weeks of data collection.

From here, I am interested in figuring out which style of teaching gets my students the highest levels of active engagement. Are groups a factor?  And would a high level of student engagement then correlate strongly with higher grades and academic success? If I can get my students more engaged then could I raise their grades?

 PULL IN THE... EMERGENCY GENERATOR! "WE'VE LOST POWER!"

I feel like “The Little Engine that Could!” Seriously on a daily basis. I generate. I do there is no denying it. I have a backup generator if my original generator fails. A plan in my head before I get to school and then the actual plan that just “comes out” as the bell rings based on student needs and behavior and attitudes.  First and foremost I use the revised Minnesota Science Standards to plan which units I will (or should) cover. This is my second year with the revised standards and I already know I am going to have to leave a few things out. Second I correlate the standards with student textbook chapters to see what fits and what is missing, boring, or left out.

To generate student notes I spend time reading and re-reading the student textbooks to draw out the “best or most valid” information that I feel the students need to know to understand the units and standards. Then the real work begins as I get the creative juices flowing on how to go about teaching an ACTUAL lesson to re-teach the information to the students.  I don’t lecture nearly as often as I used to… and never two days in a row. Never the whole hour. Maybe 25-30 minutes. It drags I know… Sometimes I use the SMART BOARD but really I feel like that is just something else that I don’t really have time for yet. I still use the OVERHEAD for notes believe it or not. I like the lights off (half off really.) I like sitting down for once… it calms my students—otherwise I never sit or stop. I like COLOR-CODING for them and actually SPENDING TIME writing the notes WORD-for-WORD. I know its old-fashioned but again it slows me down. I am facing the students. I can see their eyes. PowerPoints work sometimes but I tend to speed through them like a run-away train!

So, it’s me presenting info and then me generating some “fun,” creative way for the students to review or use the information from the previous day. A poster, a skit, a project, a worksheet. A lab if at all feasible, something for them to cut out, or draw, or fill in. Manipulation of material and facts.  Honestly… its exhausting. I feel like I am connecting the information but really my students are NOT making true connections and links between units or lessons. I need to re-vamp what I am doing and I know that. More time for questions… more discussion and learning from one another...less answers provided to the students. I wonder...will this ever be ANY easier? I am realizing that I thought it would… but I was wrong.

I think I can, I think I can... Can I? Should I? Am I the only one pulling? 10 yrs uphill...

DOUBLE VISION

MY VISION and MISSION STATEMENT… after YEAR ONE

Part One:

One year of my masters program has certainly helped my shape and re-define what my vision and mission is as a 21^st century science educator. Through my time spent with other educators on the weekends and the reflective practices from month to month I have come to see my role and career in a whole new way.

My current BELIEF statements about teaching are:

1. Students learn best when actively engaged and guided in the discovery of knowledge

2. Science is a hands-on discipline and lab work is an essential component

3. Teachers must intentionally plan collaborative lessons and include focus on student process

4. Students must be challenged to inquire, question, communicate, and use critical thinking skills

5. Technology should be incorporated as needed and used to promote and enhance learning goals 

Part Two:

Where do our ideals come from? Are they innate, something we are born with? Do they come from our environment and our experiences with it? Or are they perhaps a combination of both nature and nurture? I am truly hoping it’s the latter. I believe that no educator goes into even one day of teaching hoping and planning to do a bad job… but there is always room for improvement. I feel that I could use improvement in many areas and taking time to reflect on my past, present and future has helped me visualize and see the continued changes necessary for my career as an educator.

PAST…

Growing up teachers lectured. Students listened, recorded notes, and took the test. There was no complaining there was no misbehaving and there was little change from this pattern. Good teachers gave interesting lectures and examples and good students listened carefully and studied diligently to master material presented to succeed on multiple choice exams. Rote memorization and facts were reality and this repeated procedure came to be…expected. Type A personalities don’t like change. That’s me. This is my background, my history, my prior knowledge. This is how I constructed knowledge and what I assumed being a teacher would be… just successfully repeating this lecture pattern again and again.  I went to college. In fact I went to college for seven years and things were the same. Scientific really.

When I got my first job I worked hard every day preparing my lectures, recording them in notebooks and re-writing them for students on the board.  I didn’t necessarily plan on this style… it was what I assumed I was to be doing. I changed jobs after five years and moved to a district that had more than one science teacher. I saw what others were doing, but really just continued doing what I thought was the best. I was growing, somewhat. I incorporated a lot of study and note taking skills into my daily practice because students were lacking and struggling in those areas. I worked hard on scientific vocabulary and good strategies for content area reading. I upgraded to using the SmartBoard and began using YouTube for live video clips of concepts I was covering with students. In fact this would be how I would describe where I am presently.

PRESENT…

After nine years of teaching I know a lot of things. I am good at classroom management and discipline. I know my students well and my district. I am very familiar with my science standards and the content I am expected to cover throughout the course of the year. I have specialized in the elective courses I like and have a pretty good following in both marine biology and anatomy. I am a good lecturer, have passion and enthusiasm for my content and teaching in general and enjoy dissections. I know how to prepare a good test and differentiate where needed for student success. I know where to go when problems arise and how to communicate effectively with parents and administrators. In fact, before starting my master’s program I was “pretty comfortable” with myself and my teaching in general. But… one year of masters weekends …    I now know that my curriculum is… expected. I now know that lecture is boring and frowned upon. I can see my students struggling to stay engaged in what I am saying… even though I am enthusiastic about saying it. They know vocabulary but don’t understand concepts. They pass tests but really struggle to “do” science. I can feel the change that is necessary. God it’s SO apparent I am almost drowning in guilt and overwhelmed by fear of what is to come. I have to throw away everything I have. Pitch it. Purge it. Start again. Start new. Holy shi*!!!

FUTURE…

I need to redesign ALL my units…backwards. Asking essentially: “What do I want students to be able to do and demonstrate?”  I need to teach them how to think and analyze critically. To give them opportunities TO DO science… not just talk about it! Labs and hands-on activities need to be the starting and focus point for my teaching followed closely by connecting concepts with collaborative teamwork and student-led discussion. I have to plan what the STUDENTS are going to do, not what I am going to say or teach them. I have to change the way I think about teaching and strive to be a facilitator for my students guiding them through the standards almost by surprise, by inquiry. One day can be completely separate from the next. I can see the integration of concepts and overlapping of ideas and scientific skills. Students must be asking questions and setting up their own experiments to answer their questions. I need to invest my prep time working on developing my own questioning skills and gathering up labs, lab materials, and equipment! To research new units, case studies, discussion and application questions!

If its FREE its for ME!

ENTRY 2--
My dads motto growing up was always... "If it's free... its for me!"
The older I get the more like him I become. Yikes.
I have been spending countless hours researching and scanning articles for my AR.
Here's a great resource on STUDENT MOTIVATION...

"Hooked on Learning--The Roots of Motivation in the Classroom" by Alfie Kohn. Chapter 11
Punished by Rewards: the trouble with gold stars, incentive plans, A's, praise, and other bribes.

This author and chapter really got me thinking about what is was that I wanted from my students.
What my expectations were of them and for them. So many times in the classroom I was literally standing on my head, doing a dance, the dog and pony show, whatever just to get them to perform. This author has made me stop and think... should I really be doing this? No. I should challenge students and plan activities and opportunities for them to work together so they can motivate themselves. Intrinsically. 

Current Acronynms...

Current Acronyms  in THE ZONE...
YMCA, AR, and MCA!

YMCA--is an initiative that I started for myself. Do you ever wonder why do never do anything for myself? Well I had been wondering that for awhile and I decided its time to STOP going in so early to work and start going to the gym in the mornings! The results (after the initial shock of the 4:45 am alarm clock wore off) have been great. I feel so much more relaxed and happy at school. Its funny that DOING LESS can actually be BETTER for kids!  

MCA III's--As a life science teacher of 10th grade biology students its up to ME to check, re-check... teach and re-teach the items on the hit list. I know what your thinking... well who's really going to know if I don't... and the simple answer is--I will! I have to be able to look at myself in the mirror at night and know that I did all I could. And most days... I do. I am NEVER really satisfied and continue to strive to re-invent the wheel it seems but that is the life of a teacher from one year to the next! Change, change, change.

AR--"and ACTION!" (RESEARCH) that is!
That's right folks you guessed it... I am currently getting my MASTERS in TEACHING and LEARNING.
Just when I was sure I was doing "something" right... I enter my MA program only to learn that it ALL needs constant UPDATES. Nothing is ever really "done!" Who knew? So what is my AR you ask??
Well my AR is a silly question I posed wondering: How will allowing (forcing) my low achieving students to re-do summative tests/projects affect their overall engagement in class? So far I have learned a few things: 1. That is a stupid question. Who really thought that I could get the lowest of the low to RE take or do a test? Are you nuts? They didn't want to take it in the first place!! Ahhhh. 2. It is REALLY hard to train myself to COLLECT DATA during class. You would think that forgetting to take attendance on an hourly basis for NINE years would have helped me learn this lesson... but no... not me. Anyway I have had to set up an a clipboard with my lecture/lesson notes the data sheet or it is a lost cause. So... there it is. A stupid question with very little data. Not much to reflect on. As a very last statement that I need to be very careful that I do not repeat this AR mistake again next year for the REAL DEAL!

About Me!

ENTRY 1--ABOUT ME:

Hello there.  I’m 9 years into my career as a middle and high school science teacher and the mother of a two-year old so… each day I learn many new things! My mentor teacher told me during my first week of school... "Young lady: it takes you 5 years to figure out what you are supposed to be teaching, and another 5 years to get good at it. So come talk to me in 10 years if you still don't know what your doing!" I've decided... nine years in... he may have been onto something! I continuly feel like... do I really know what I'm doing? The better question now is...do I have to?

In this blog I’ll be talking to you live from the inter-workings of my mind—a constantly moving fast track of decisions, ideas, modifications, and reflections. I tell my students… you never know what might be happening in "THE ZONE" and "ZONING OUT" is nearly impossible due to my extrovertedness and endless energy.

I strive to teach kids to think. Mostly to think about LIFE SCIENCE, but other things slip in there from time to time. I am passionate about continual change and learning how we learn! This coming year I intend to focus on using an inquiry, hands-on approach to cover content standards. I am interested to know how using an interactive style of note-taking and lab activities may impact student learning. I want my students to think scientifically and to act on their ideas and impulses. I will be giving them opportunities to test, to try… to wonder both why and how! Please… tune in and whatever you do... avoid ZONING OUT!