"We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control" are some lyrics from Pink Floyd's song, "Another Brick in the Wall." Every negative comment about education is just another brick in the wall. It's time to tear down this wall and design a different plan for schools. If I was Queen for a day, I would relate curriculum to the interests of the students, show teachers that they are appreciated, and get rid of testing in favor of portfolios.
The first brick that needs to be removed is the outdated curriculum. I have said this idea many times and still believe that relating curriculum to the interests or career choices of students is necessary, especially at the high school level. We have students who attend college or career tech while still in high school. We have students who work jobs after school or on the weekends. Why are these opportunities overlooked in the high school classes? Students need to see the connection between what they are learning and how they will use it in the "real-world." One of my blogs called "Acting It Out" discusses how to design an English class for students who like drama and speech. This idea would work for other career choices or interests. I remember an English teacher at my school who required seniors to plan a career path and write every kind of essay about this career path. This idea would work today. We need to show students what they have to learn and ask them, "How are you going to learn it?"
The second brick that should be removed is the disrespect that is shown towards teachers and public schools. With all the negative comments in the news about education, it doesn't surprise me why we have a teacher shortage. Celebrate successes, celebrate innovations, or celebrate the creativity that teachers show. For every negative story, there should be 100 positive stories reported in the news. In 1987, my dad, who taught for 45 years, told me not to become a teacher. I think he felt the same way that some teachers feel today, a lot of work and dedication but little appreciation.
The last brick that should be obliterated is using just a test to show the growth of students. A test only gives a brief look at what has been learned, not the complete picture that a portfolio would show. A grade-level portfolio would show what students have achieved in all classes, a class portfolio would show the growth of students in that particular class, and a school portfolio would document that growth of students from 9th grade to 12th grade. The portfolios would show examples of PBL, some test scores, and reflections written by students.
Instead of adding another brick to the wall, it's time to tear it down one brick at a time.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Friday, March 20, 2015
Acting It Out!
When I first started my teaching career, my classes were dictated by the textbook and worksheets. The same ways that I was taught in high school. I noticed as the years went by that the textbooks offered by the textbook companies became overloaded with too many activities, pages, and graphics. When I worked on my Master's Degree in Reading, I began the process of analyzing curriculum and designing curriculum that fit the standards. However, students have more opportunities now as they enter high school: college courses, classes at career tech, or graduating early. What if curriculum was designed to emphasize the interests and career choices of the students? The curriculum would emphasize reading, writing, listening, speaking, and vocabulary skills. Here are some ideas for integrating drama into the English curriculum.
I know that some students like to create their own drama for other people, but this curriculum is for the students who like to act on stage. For reading skills, the students would act out different kinds of plays, read nonfiction like reviews or topics relating to the plays, act out poetry, and read fiction that connect to literary themes. Also, the students would write essays such as expository, narrative, persuasive, argumentative, literary analysis, and reflective, poetry, tweets, blogs, and research papers. All of the writing assignments must follow the stages of the writing process. Of course, academic vocabulary and new vocabulary acquisition would be included.
Students love to talk, but sometimes, they have selective hearing. Listening and speaking skills are essential for the real-world. Acting out the plays, giving speeches, and having Socratic discussions fit speaking skills. Have students listen to college speakers or someone who performs at a local theater. Have them critique a performance and then discuss their opinions about it. If they discuss about it, they can write about it. Every skill is connected.
Now, I know that some people would question how this idea connects to the real-world. Some career choices include becoming a teacher, author, actor, reporter, director, makeup artist, costume designer, or set designer. The options are endless, and there are scholarships that students could earn. Also, the class would culminate into a project where the students write their own play and perform it in front of an audience. They could also make videos and apps for plays.
I hope that I can try these ideas before retirement. These ideas would help bring relevancy to the curriculum and prepare the students for possible career choices.
I know that some students like to create their own drama for other people, but this curriculum is for the students who like to act on stage. For reading skills, the students would act out different kinds of plays, read nonfiction like reviews or topics relating to the plays, act out poetry, and read fiction that connect to literary themes. Also, the students would write essays such as expository, narrative, persuasive, argumentative, literary analysis, and reflective, poetry, tweets, blogs, and research papers. All of the writing assignments must follow the stages of the writing process. Of course, academic vocabulary and new vocabulary acquisition would be included.
Students love to talk, but sometimes, they have selective hearing. Listening and speaking skills are essential for the real-world. Acting out the plays, giving speeches, and having Socratic discussions fit speaking skills. Have students listen to college speakers or someone who performs at a local theater. Have them critique a performance and then discuss their opinions about it. If they discuss about it, they can write about it. Every skill is connected.
Now, I know that some people would question how this idea connects to the real-world. Some career choices include becoming a teacher, author, actor, reporter, director, makeup artist, costume designer, or set designer. The options are endless, and there are scholarships that students could earn. Also, the class would culminate into a project where the students write their own play and perform it in front of an audience. They could also make videos and apps for plays.
I hope that I can try these ideas before retirement. These ideas would help bring relevancy to the curriculum and prepare the students for possible career choices.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Back to the Future
Back in 1990, I had to take a class called Audio/Visual Education. In this class, I learned how to make transparencies for an overhead projector. I had to write a paper about the equipment used in the classroom. Since Star Trek, the Next Generation was popular, I proposed the idea of a Holodeck. Teachers could program the classroom to project any period of time on the walls, holographic images of characters would be displayed around the room, and the students could interact with the characters. I imagine the Globe Theater with Shakespeare and his entourage performing Romeo and Juliet. Flashfoward 25 years later, and we have seen the development of the IMax Theater and the holograms of Michael Jackson and Tupac on stage. Would these ideas ever come into the classroom? It's too expensive to even consider it at this moment. However, if I could design my own classroom, called "The Ye Olde Literary Shoppe, what would it have in it? I would get away from the traditional classroom; here are my thoughts.
As I walk into the room, I see a stage located in the middle part of the room by the Smartboard. This stage is a replica of the one in the Globe Theater. Students use it to perform plays and to give speeches and presentations. The smartboard is used for displaying backgrounds and information. To the right of the stage, there is a collection of nonfiction and fiction books for students to peruse. It's a mini-library filled with poetry, classical novels, biographies, magazines, books about career choices, and Ipads. Surrounding the bookshelves are bean bags, tables, and chairs where students can sit , read, and blog. A Keurig is on a table so that students can drink hot chocolate or tea while they read. Marker boards are on the walls; students use them to plan out their ideas.
On the other side of the stage, there is the technology corner. It has Macbooks and printers, and students work on essays, create books, design apps, work on an e-portfolio, or just create using technology. Again, a marker board is on the wall so that students can use it to make plans. The
Socratic Discussion corner finishes up the room. This corner has a big, round table with eight chairs scattered around it. Students would use this section for debates and discussions. Rules are displayed on the walls, and a marker board is also available for the students to use.
There are no desks in the room, even for the teacher. The teacher is the guide in the room helping the students learn the information. There is another marker board that the teacher uses to finalize plans or wrap up the teaching session. Students choose their own learning paths to follow and have to meet the requirements during the year. I wish I could have a classroom similar to this one.
As I walk into the room, I see a stage located in the middle part of the room by the Smartboard. This stage is a replica of the one in the Globe Theater. Students use it to perform plays and to give speeches and presentations. The smartboard is used for displaying backgrounds and information. To the right of the stage, there is a collection of nonfiction and fiction books for students to peruse. It's a mini-library filled with poetry, classical novels, biographies, magazines, books about career choices, and Ipads. Surrounding the bookshelves are bean bags, tables, and chairs where students can sit , read, and blog. A Keurig is on a table so that students can drink hot chocolate or tea while they read. Marker boards are on the walls; students use them to plan out their ideas.
On the other side of the stage, there is the technology corner. It has Macbooks and printers, and students work on essays, create books, design apps, work on an e-portfolio, or just create using technology. Again, a marker board is on the wall so that students can use it to make plans. The
Socratic Discussion corner finishes up the room. This corner has a big, round table with eight chairs scattered around it. Students would use this section for debates and discussions. Rules are displayed on the walls, and a marker board is also available for the students to use.
There are no desks in the room, even for the teacher. The teacher is the guide in the room helping the students learn the information. There is another marker board that the teacher uses to finalize plans or wrap up the teaching session. Students choose their own learning paths to follow and have to meet the requirements during the year. I wish I could have a classroom similar to this one.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Lesson Plan Blog
Lesson Plan Blog
March 9th -13th, 2015
The purpose of this blog is to present my weekly lessons and reflections about them.
My English II classes will read chapter one in the book, Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. As they read, they will create ten questions using the following words: contrast, identify, describe, interpret, summarize, and explain. For three of the questions, they have to use the APE strategy. On Thursday, we will have the "Stump the Classmates" tournament where they will use the questions that they created during the tournament rounds. For this unit, they will practice time-management assignments combined with the flipped classroom.
The Pre-AP classes will complete a practice round for the "Dead Poet's Society" Tournament. This week, I will go over four poems: "Meeting at Night" by Robert Browning, "The Piano" by D.H. Lawrence, "Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes, and a surprise poem written by me when I was a teenager. For each poem, they will complete one of these challenges: Socratic Discussions, "Act It Out," Poetry Connections, and Rhymin' like a Bard. This tournament will begin on the Monday after spring break.
Weekly Reflections
The tournament started today in the English II classes. Let me just say that even though the debates were heated, I was impressed with how the students were using the book to prove their answers. I even had one student who quoted from the book without using the book. The other students were asking how he knew all these details. He listened to the book on tape and read the chapter two times. They are also learning what makes a good question and what makes a bad question. These questions are about chapter one; I can't wait when they discuss three chapters.
In the Pre-AP class, I combine the Poetry Connections with "Act It Out." Poetry connections requires the students to relate the poem to a current event, historical event, and a idea from literature. They have to use their persuasive skills to convince us that their answers are correct. "Act It Out" requires the students to act out the poem, and they have to keep the idea in the poem. They can do a dramatic reading, a musical, or just act it out.
March 23rd-27th, 2015
The Dead Poet's Society Tournament has started in the Pre-AP classes. They will be reading two poems this week and completing the challenges. First hour read "Ballad" by Gabriele Mistral, and second hour read "Because I Could Not Stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson. They had to discuss the poem, take notes, and complete the Socratic Circle Challenge, create five questions and answer two of them using the A.P.E. strategy. Tomorrow, they will be in their discussion groups debating the questions. It was difficult for them to stay on task because of the long break they had.
The second challenge is "Act It Out!" I used the same poems that we used yesterday for this challenge but gave both classes different poems. We are going outside to perform the interpretations of the poems. I had to give the students who will be gone for two days an alternative assignment for the one they will miss.
The second challenge is "Act It Out!" I used the same poems that we used yesterday for this challenge but gave both classes different poems. We are going outside to perform the interpretations of the poems. I had to give the students who will be gone for two days an alternative assignment for the one they will miss.
The English II classes will be reading chapters 2 and 3 in the book, Lord of the Flies. They have to take notes about the conflicts, characters, settings, main ideas, and tone words in the chapters. They identify an example and explain why it fits that word. This assignment will be due on Wednesday, and on Thursday, they will have to answer my questions over those two chapters.
I tried mixing it up today rather than just sitting in class reading the book. I took my classes outside. Some of them enjoyed it; some of them complained. I can't make everyone happy! Their notes are due tomorrow, and then they get to answer my questions.
I tried mixing it up today rather than just sitting in class reading the book. I took my classes outside. Some of them enjoyed it; some of them complained. I can't make everyone happy! Their notes are due tomorrow, and then they get to answer my questions.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
The Teacher in the Mirror
In Michael Jackson's song, "Man in the Mirror," he says "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make that change." That is a true for me in education. If I want to make a difference in education, I have to be willing to try something new and to go a different direction. Therefore, I will reflect on my week as a teacher and my views about education. This blog is all about EDCAMP!
I hate to use this word, surreal, because it has been used too much; however, it felt surreal for two reasons. For one, I attended the camp with two of my former students who are now my colleagues. I taught them when they were in 9th grade almost fifteen years ago. Also, recognizing people who I follow on twitter was an amazing experience. My regret is that I didn't have enough time to meet everyone.
Now, let me discuss the sessions that I attended. The first session, "Ask the Students," not only gave teachers the opportunity to ask students about school, but it also let the students voice their opinions. They discussed how time management was a problem, that procrastination was a common occurrence, and the importance of finding your passion. As they were discussing these issues, I was thinking about the importance of time management skills at the college level, how to construct my curriculum to fit the interests of my students, and the benefits of helping students create a possible career path. Encouraging students to voice their ideas and opinions is an important part of school because it gives them ownership in their educational experiences. What if we asked them what they wanted to learn about and guided them down the path to take?
"Blogger to Blogging" was my second session. I listened to the expert Oklaed bloggers discuss why and how they started blogging. I believe that Jason James said to find your passion and write about it. My passion will always be about education, and that will never change. During the discussions, I thought about some ideas to incorporate blogging into my curriculum. I tweeted "Have students reflect on what they have read or argue for or against something." My plan is to require my students to blog about what they have learned in a class or about a current event and discuss about it in class. As Kelly Anglley once said, "If students can discuss about it, they can write about it." I want my students to realize that they can make a difference, and blogging would give them the opportunity to voice their opinions.
"Rocks vs. Sucks" was the third session I attended. I could use this with my students when debating current event issues or an idea from a literary piece. However, I was not able to give my opinion about why I thought homework rocks, so here it is! Time management homework assignments are important because in college they have those type of assignments to complete. They have to make deadlines! They need practice and lots of it. Giving students a couple of days to read a few chapters in a book is a homework assignment. They could be ready for discussions using the flipped classroom style. Meaningless homework that does not relate to a "real-world" concept should not even be considered. If it is used correctly, homework rocks!
The last session was about how to become an advocate for education. I will work on this starting today. If we do not speak up, then we will be only robots in the classroom. If I want my students to have a voice in any issue, then I better show them how I do it. "If I want to make a difference in education, I better step up and make that change!"
I hate to use this word, surreal, because it has been used too much; however, it felt surreal for two reasons. For one, I attended the camp with two of my former students who are now my colleagues. I taught them when they were in 9th grade almost fifteen years ago. Also, recognizing people who I follow on twitter was an amazing experience. My regret is that I didn't have enough time to meet everyone.
Now, let me discuss the sessions that I attended. The first session, "Ask the Students," not only gave teachers the opportunity to ask students about school, but it also let the students voice their opinions. They discussed how time management was a problem, that procrastination was a common occurrence, and the importance of finding your passion. As they were discussing these issues, I was thinking about the importance of time management skills at the college level, how to construct my curriculum to fit the interests of my students, and the benefits of helping students create a possible career path. Encouraging students to voice their ideas and opinions is an important part of school because it gives them ownership in their educational experiences. What if we asked them what they wanted to learn about and guided them down the path to take?
"Blogger to Blogging" was my second session. I listened to the expert Oklaed bloggers discuss why and how they started blogging. I believe that Jason James said to find your passion and write about it. My passion will always be about education, and that will never change. During the discussions, I thought about some ideas to incorporate blogging into my curriculum. I tweeted "Have students reflect on what they have read or argue for or against something." My plan is to require my students to blog about what they have learned in a class or about a current event and discuss about it in class. As Kelly Anglley once said, "If students can discuss about it, they can write about it." I want my students to realize that they can make a difference, and blogging would give them the opportunity to voice their opinions.
"Rocks vs. Sucks" was the third session I attended. I could use this with my students when debating current event issues or an idea from a literary piece. However, I was not able to give my opinion about why I thought homework rocks, so here it is! Time management homework assignments are important because in college they have those type of assignments to complete. They have to make deadlines! They need practice and lots of it. Giving students a couple of days to read a few chapters in a book is a homework assignment. They could be ready for discussions using the flipped classroom style. Meaningless homework that does not relate to a "real-world" concept should not even be considered. If it is used correctly, homework rocks!
The last session was about how to become an advocate for education. I will work on this starting today. If we do not speak up, then we will be only robots in the classroom. If I want my students to have a voice in any issue, then I better show them how I do it. "If I want to make a difference in education, I better step up and make that change!"
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)