Edtech with G-O

#CAEDCHAT, Strangers, and What's A Twitter Chat?

2013-05-03T17:10:00.002-07:00

Finally, I have a little time to talk about how this whole #caedchat thing came about.

It all started at #edcampLA this past January.

David, myself, and some coworkers drove up from the OC to hangout for the day with other educators at #edcampLA. There I met up with Holly, Lisa, Jo-Ann, and some other amazing edtech leaders who all had the same passion for technology use in education. Other than David (who I work with) and Holly (who I've met only one other time), this was the first time I had met everyone. After the conference, we exchanged information and twitter handles (because that's what nerdy, tech savvy teachers do). A twitter conversation had started between Holly, David, Lisa, and Jo-Ann about how most twitter chats start at inconvenient times, and that there should be a twitter chat just for teachers in California, at a West Coast friendly time. Invitations were sent out to Karl, John, Ryan, Sam, Jessica and I to help moderate the chat. A few months later, our twitter chat trends every Sunday at 8pm PST. If you have time to join us, please do.

Before I got into this, I didn't even know what a twitter chat was. I hadn't hashtagged anything before, and I didn't even understand the lingo that tweeps were using. I thought it was some sick derivation of Orwell's NewSpeak, in which words were disappearing and communication was done through abbreviation to suppress the masses. It finally dawned on me how important twitter chats were to teachers, and my mind was filled with possibilities of topics and guest speakers.

As I reflect on these past few months of #caedchat existence, I've come to a few conclusions:

Teachers love to talk to other teachers. There are amazing teachers everywhere, and we all can benefit from a forum like this to be able to share ideas and knowledge. I think teachers are great at problem solving. We're also great at making things up as we go (by the way, I am a ninja at this). You may think that's a bad thing, but I believe "PLAY" is an essential component of teaching and learning. How else are we going to come up with new and innovative lessons? I think every teacher has at some point tried to step out of their comfort zone to try something new (see John Hunter). I love Sunday nights because I get to "PLAY" with other teachers in a forum where innovation is shared, celebrated, and encouraged. I mean, isn't "PLAY" the essence of scientific inquiry and experimentation (see Beau's and Amy's TED talk on the Blackawton Bees Project)?
We are stronger together. I have never met some of the people I collaborate with on Twitter in person. But that doesn't mean I can't work with them to produce something of quality and value. We started #caedchat as a way for us to be able to share and spend time together online that works for our schedules. What I didn't expect, was how #caedchat has become a place where educators can meet, start documents, projects, learning objects, and work together on presentations for class or professional development. Some lurkers (tweeps who just listen in) have started to come out of their shell and start to join the conversation, and have actually exchanged contact info to start working on different projects. I'm working with John right now on an online script we both just found and started using, and plan to share about it at FallCUE. I have only ever met John once, and that guy inspires me to keep trying new things.

Accolades to some "strangers":

John - Thanks for keeping me trying new things, and I'm super excited to work with you on the presentation, regardless if they say yes or not.
Ryan - I've been "stealing" chem ideas from your blog. Thanks for sharing. And I solved the extra credit equation from this post: 3 Cl₂O + 10 NH₃ --> 6NH₄Cl + 2N₂ + 3H₂O
Jessica - Thanks for making the video. You are the creative queen. I hope to learn more from you about useful iPad apps. And no, it's not weird to hug strangers, even though I've never met you in person ever ;)
Karl - One day, FlipMaster, I'm going to sit you down so you help me flip my entire class. I figured I'd bribe you with a meal before we go on Rockstar.
Sam - I lurk on #PATUE just so I can pick your brain. And don't worry about the shirt. I sent it already. If we ever meet up, you can buy me a drink or two and we'll call it even.
Lisa - Thanks for sharing your wisdom with the group about twitter chats. You're the queen of it! I'll be joining #ntchat more often to contribute from now on, if y'all would have me.
Holly - I have better twitter friends than I do real friends. You're a rarity since you're on both lists. Every time we talk, I learn something new and useful. And I can't wait to play "Phones in the Middle" again, because I know you'll lose.
David - The rising star! Every time I read your blog, I wish I was as eloquent as you. I keep saying to myself "that's exactly what I wanted to say; you said it perfectly." Inspiring me everyday. And thanks for breakfast the other day.
Jo-Ann - My partner in crime. Truth: when I work with you on planning and moderating, it's the best collaboration I do every month (or two). I hope you're not sick of me yet.

Thanks #caedchat for showing me what collaboration is really all about. Strangers no more.

What I learned from CUE2013 this year

2013-05-03T10:50:00.001-07:00

CUE 2013 in Palm Springs this year was fantastic! This time, I was able to attend the whole conference from start to finish thanks to the generosity of ShowMe. I ended up doing a workshop on Google Drive, and I'll share the resources to that in a later post. This year, I found myself spending a lot less time worrying about which session to attend and just enjoying the conversations with people who were there. I met leaders in educational technology, teachers, administrators, and speakers who were all passionate about what they do. It was infectious; which leads me to these:

Find your passion, and follow it. I know this sounds like a coined Ken Robinson phrase, but everyone that I met was intensely passionate about education in their own way. Some where flipclass leaders, others focused on online education. Some were conversation leaders on Twitter, and more were experts on device implementation in the classroom. I learned about each of their fields of expertise, and all of them were so kind to share their knowledge and wisdom. I've realized that teaching is my passion. I just go about it with a technology flavor. It's sort of like a chef knowing what type of food they love to cook, and them adding their own combination of spices to personalize what they make and identifies them as a professional.
Share what you know. Gone are the days of teachers closing their doors and hiding from the rest of the world. Being able to open up my classroom and talk about what I do helps me to be a better professional. And as teachers, we all benefit from collaboration. With the technology tools we have at our disposal, we can collaborate with anyone in the world. I'm just learning about Twitter chats, Mystery Skype sessions, and Google Hangouts on Air and the learning that can happen beyond the walls that confine us.
Get to know people, in person and online. Connect with them, in person and online. I can't count how many people I met at CUE13 this year. The amazing thing is that I can stay connected with them after the conference via Twitter or Google+. Keep those connections going. Say hi to them online, and be grateful when you find something interesting or useful. Share something with them that they may find useful, and be there if they need your expertise. BTW, if you ever need anything, and I happen to be free, you can always call me via Google Hangout and I'll pick up (remind me to tell you the story about Cynthia S's GHO call later).

I had a great time in Palm Springs, and I can't wait for FallCUE. I'm hoping that they accept any one of my proposals, and that someone up there will be kind enough to let me couch surf for a couple a few days. I'm looking forward to seeing my PLN again, and learning more from them.

Window Resizer: my new favorite Chrome Extension

2013-02-12T17:37:00.002-08:00

If you're like me, and work on different machines throughout the day with different displays and different resolutions, you may want to consider using this Chrome Extension in your arsenal. If you don't know what a Chrome Extension is, check out this previous post.

Window Resizer allows you to resize your window with a couple of clicks, and save custom window sizes and name them specifically to suit your needs. For example, I use my 27" iMac at home, and set a custom Chrome window size to maximize the area on my display. I named it "Chrome on iMac." When I'm at work, I use my MB Air in the front of my classroom to present and to work. I have a window size called "Air Normal" for when it's not hooked up to the projector, and an option called "Air Projector" for when my screen resolution changes during presentations (Thunderbolt to VGA connection for Pole Vault projection system). I can even set the options to automatically center on the screen, so that I can use it in conjunction with TabScissors and TabGlue in case I need to open up two equal sized windows right away. This is SO great, because I don't have to spend the time moving, resizing, dragging windows on the desktop. I can focus on what I want to present or work on. I've definitely moved into another gear when it comes to efficiency on my desktop.

One thing to note: the customized window sizes are actually not saved into Chrome and are device specific. So you have to customize the window sizes on each device. I deleted all the other preset window sizes and saved the ones I use most on each device when I load up Chrome.

I figured this would come in handy for anyone who wants to maximize display landscapes like tech trainers or presenters on the go.

I Love Video: teaching, learning, inspiring

2013-02-12T13:05:00.000-08:00

Videos inspire me everyday. Music motivates me when I'm down or in need of a pick-me-up. But video has the transformative effect, the profound ability to change my outlook and inspire me to do great things. Things that I didn't think I was capable of, until I tried, and accomplished what I set out to do. I think this all started when I was a kid.

I love going to the movies. I love sitting there in the dark with family or friends, being led through a fantastical world or an action packed storyline. I love being lost in the adventure, with other people sharing in the experience. I once heard a quote from a former student who is currently in film school, that watching a movie "is like dreaming with your friends."

I realize know that video is a large part of my day; whether it be assigning a Ted-Ed video for my students to watch, to creating my own instructional videos in my pseudo-flipped classroom. I use videos to teach, train, tutor, and showcase student work and understanding. Although YouTube allows me to create a customized playlist of videos, I still find that the best way for me to share these videos is using Padlet (formerly known as Wallwisher). I like the way the videos can be played within the wall itself, without having to load up YouTube on the browser.

Below is a link to a wall I've made with links to videos that I find inspirational. I visit it from time to time to remind myself on why I teach in the first place. I can't help but smile every time I watch any of the posted links on the wall. Feel free to be inspired, and make your own collection.

Videos I love

The best 5 minute class discussion I've had all year

2013-02-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

We are on a regular schedule day, in which students are in 6 classes for 55 minutes each. On days that I have lab experiments, those 55 minutes go by so quickly. Five minutes for setup at the start, five minutes for cleanup at the end. That leaves 45 minutes of real lab time, and it's just not enough. So I decided last year that all my labs will take two days, even the ones I've tweaked to really only take about 15 minutes of class time total. Once I made this decision, I realized how important it was for my students to be able to have that extra time to debrief and really reflect on their procedures and results.

This led to today's magical learning moment.

We've been working on a recrystallization lab since yesterday. The purpose of the experiment is to isolate an ionic compound in aqueous solution (that's fancy for some salt dissolved in water). I had them calculate for their percent yield after their first trial. They figured out what they were supposed to get ideally through a stoichiometric calculation. Most groups were getting 65-70% yields by the end of yesterday's lab period. So they came in today, all bummed and stressed out.

I decided that the first 5 minutes, we would talk about their results and how the experiment went. At first, no one wanted to admit their results were poor. And then I said, "Think about everything that went wrong with yesterday's trial, and now tell me and everyone else how you're going to fix it today." Hands went up immediately. I didn't even call on anyone; the students already started chiming in. Not only that, but they all contributed, waiting for each other to finish, then stated their suggestion to the entire class. Each student listened intently, with whispers in the background between lab partners, but with utmost respect to the person that was speaking. The suggestions were thoughtful, analytical, and very positive in nature. After the 5 minute discussion, I said "Alright then, let's get to it! You've got 45 minutes."

The lab was full of activity, but focused and with intent. I had students on computers in the back of the classroom typing up their procedures on their lab reports that I've created using the Doctopus script. Students who were satisfied with their percent yields from yesterday explaining and helping other students with their new trials today. For a second there, it almost brought me to tears but I had to keep it together.

You see the magic wasn't the fact that I was able to have the students lead the discussion on error analysis. The magic wasn't the fact they were having intelligent intergroup discussions and comparisons about their results.

It was magical because this all happened in the class with the most unmotivated and lowest achieving students.

Students who didn't care about chemistry before today were suddenly motivated to make it right, and get better results. They wanted to set up the stoichiometry problem correctly so they could obtain their percent yields and compare them with one another. Suddenly there was this organized chaos of bunsen burner fires, discussions, calculator clicks, and analytical thought. I don't know how I did it, but it worked. With these kids. The class with whom I may get half of the homework assignments turned in. The class that gives me the most grief in the day.

Imagine that. I'm going to savor this.

And for you teachers out there, savor it when happens. Because when it does happen, it really is magical.

Chrome Apps and Extensions Resource Page from OCCUE

2013-02-07T17:12:00.001-08:00

I attended OCCUE techfest this past weekend, and had the opportunity to present about Chrome Applications and Extensions. Just wanted to take a moment and thank +Chris Long +Holly Clark and @techclassroom for coming by and attending my session and sharing. It was great to see +Alice Chen again from edcampLA, and of course @jenwagner and +Jim Sill. At some point, I'm going to need to talk about how my PLN is growing, and how invaluable they are to me.

Here is the list I compiled for the session. I really do use these everyday, and they have helped me significantly for their functions and to be more productive and efficient with my time.

Chrome Extensions I Use:

TabScissors - Splits the browser window into 2 equal parts, placing a tab in each window
TabGlue - Combines all Chrome windows into one
AdBlock - block all adds on a webpage
Save to Google Drive - sends documents opened on a browser to Google Drive
Window Resizer - resizes browser window quickly to common sizes
Evernote Web Clipper - never forget anything
Webpage & WebCam Screenshot - now takes pictures using webcam, perfect for Chromebooks
Clear History - useful when on multiple public devices
goo.gl URL Shortener - quick, easy, and works
ScreenLeap - (Gmail Extension) share your screen via gmail
Big G Black Bar Sorter - customizes the look of Google's Black Bar

Chrome Applications I Use:

WeVideo - create video projects and collaborate with others right within Google Drive
Timer - Simple and easy
Scratchpad - Quick and easy notetaking app that saves to Google Drive
Google Art Project - View the world's greatest art pieces in high resolution and from your computer
TweetDeck - hands down the best way to view conversations on twitter
Kindle Cloud Reader - access your Kindle books on your browser

Here is a ScreenCapture of my New Tab Page

Other fantastic extensions and apps:

GeoGebra - graphing application within Chrome
Read&Write - extension within Google Docs
LucidChart - Create professional diagrams on Google Drive, collaborate and share
PicMonkey - Simple and free photo editor with collage, touch up, effects and many more
Awesome New Tab Page - Customize your New Tab Page to look like Windows 8
Google Quick Scroll - highlights search string on a website you visit

Here is the link to the resource page for the session. There is a form at the bottom of the page. Let me know if you use an awesome Chrome Extension or Application yourself. Enjoy!

I Screwed the Lesson Up, and How My Students Fixed It

2013-01-26T09:18:00.002-08:00

"I screwed that up, didn't I?"

Those are the words I said to my first Chemistry class of the day. Since I'm being terribly honest right now, I might as well disclose everything. I came in to work, thinking "I can teach them Stoichiometry. I've been doing it for years. I can do this off the cuff." I was dead wrong. If you've ever been a teacher, then you know the feeling.

Back to the scene. I'm standing in front of my lab, going over mole ratios from balanced equations, with several sample reactions on the board. I look at everyone, and they've got the blank stare. Not because it's 8:00AM and 50% of them had PopTarts for breakfast and the sugar high is wearing off. No. I taught the whole thing poorly. It was me.

So what now? I figured, since that didn't work, I can't make it worse than it already is. So I decided to switch it around.

"OK. That didn't go well. Let's think about that for a second. How could I have better explained that?"

There was a pause. It was probably only about 30 seconds, but it felt like the longest, confidence sucking, 'I suck at teaching and they all know it', 'I've failed them', 'I need to prepare better',...

Then a hand went up on the side.

"Mr. G-O, what if you did it this way?" - Sarah

I gave her my iPad that I was mirroring with Reflector onto my laptop screen, which was currently projecting onto the drop down screen in the front of the room. Sarah proceeded to explain a different way to figure the quantities of moles of the products from the initial moles of one of the reactants. As I listened to her explain her method, I realize that what she was saying was brilliant, and that I had never considered it before. After her explanation, another hand went up.

"Mr. G-O, how about this way?" - Jake

Jake decided to use proportions to find the moles of product from the initial moles of reactant. I continued to ask him and Shelly to explain how we can use either method to determine the limiting reactant and how much excess reactants are left over after the completion of the reaction.

What started out as a failure ended up becoming eye-opening. My students already have problem solving skills. They've been solving problems since they were little kids. They figured out that they needed to stand on something in order to get at the cookie jar on the counter. I just had to involve them instead of sticking to a method I've always used. Have them come up with their way to get to the answer, and they are more likely to get the answer right every time.

I just gave them the final exam a couple of days ago. Most of the students in that class got the mole ratio questions right. Shelly and Jack are going up on my "hall of fame" wall. A couple of thoughts to leave you with:

I love teaching. I also love learning, especially from my students.

Getting ready for finals with Google Docs, WeVideo, and a little creativity

2013-01-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's almost the end of the semester. Can't you feel it?

I decided to do something a little different with the review time before the final exam. I gave the kids a Google Doc with all of the topics from the semester. Usually we spend a few days going over the topics, doing sample problems, and answering any questions the kids may have. This time, we're going multimedia.

Instead of doing another lab activity before the final, I commissioned the kids to create an instructional video of one of the topics on the list. Their video had to be between 60-90 seconds (2-3 minutes if they were working as a pair). I gave them a rubric to follow (which probably still needs a little more work) and let them loose. The topics were first come, first serve, so they had to choose a different topic if they happened to select one that was already taken.

I created an editable Google Spreadsheet with the topics and their names. I locked the cells, so the only thing they can edit is the column for their Video URL. They had a week and a half to produce their videos and upload them to a video sharing site like YouTube, Vimeo, or application based sites like ShowMe, Educreations, and the sort.

I told them about YouTube Editor and WeVideo in case they wanted to do some post production. I allowed them to use whatever video recording device they wanted, including either of the two iPads I had in my classroom, an old Flip camera, or my MacBook Pro's built in camera.

Most of the videos submitted were actually great. Obviously, you'll get the full spectrum of work when it comes to high school students. One class in particular actually produced some really helpful tutorials, that I decided to create QR codes for their video links, and post the codes in my room for kids to view on their own time. I found myself enjoying their creativity and their humor, which I don't really get to experience much in the classroom.

Benefits:

I got the kids to create useful content that they can share with others and collaborate on a document that will benefit the class as a whole.
I exposed them to technologies and applications that they would otherwise not use in a science class.
I got the kids to care about the final version of their work product, as others were counting on them to help explain topics for the final.
I got to talk to them about video recording techniques, tips, and post production skills that they can use in the future if they decide to continue creating videos.

I can't take credit for everything. I got advice for the rubric from Rushton Hurley, who I met at the Google Apps for Education Summit in Santa Clara last July. The student created video idea was from my PLN on Twitter. I figured I'd integrate everything into one project that focuses on creativity and collaboration, with a sprinkling of technology here and there. Let me know how you've taken this idea and applied it into your practice.

Collaboration with Linda Yollis: Students teaching science

2013-01-23T23:07:00.000-08:00

I can't describe to you how much fun I've had collaborating with my students to teach science lessons to Linda's 2nd and 3rd grade class. What started out as an idea at the start of the year has now grown to be one of the most powerful teaching experiences I've ever shared with my students.

Background story: I met Linda at the Google Teacher Academy in NYC this past October. She wasn't in my learning group, but I made it a point to introduce myself, since she was one of the few people from soCal. I mentioned that I taught chemistry, and she asked if I could help her out with some science resources. I thought maybe I could help by teaching her kids some science lessons via Google+ Hangout when we get back. I wasn't sure who suggested it, but we both decided that it would be great if my students actually did the teaching.

The first lesson was about the elements in the periodic table, and how each element has it's own "fingerprint," exhibited by the color that the element produces when it is vaporized in a high temperature flame. I did more of the talking on this lesson, to give my kids an idea on what the presentation should be like.

After that first lesson, we debriefed as a class and talked about what worked and what didn't. We had an open discussion about what to do and what not to do. The students then voted on the next topic, and helped plan the 20 minute lesson on light and colors. They decided on the demonstrations, and some kids stepped up and took charge of presenting.

We spent a couple of planning periods practicing our demonstations, and then came the day my students would be in charge of presenting. It took a little leap of faith to hand the kids the responsibility of teaching science topics to young kids. They were excited, professional, enthusiastic, and brilliant. Check out the second lesson here.

Here's a sample of one of the demonstrations:

I met up with Linda a couple of weeks ago at edCampLA. It was great to see her again in person, and she was so appreciative of my students and the time and effort they've dedicated this year to make her kids' science lessons great. I really do think that demonstrations and direct applications of science can get kids motivated to learn about it. We may even inspire them to become future scientists. I'll be happy if we instill the gift of curiosity, and that this gift motivates them to continuously learn throughout their lives.

Quick debrief:

I learned that my students, when presented with challenges and the right motivation, can surprise me.
I learned that my students appreciate what I do everyday, now that they've been on the other side of the classroom.
I learned that I can have open and honest discussions with my students and about they're learning and how they learn. This helps me be a better teacher.
I learned that you need to be enthusiastic about what you teach. Motivating students is all about the delivery. My kids found this out from their experiences here.

I look forward to the next time we do this. I know my kids are excited too. Thanks Linda, and I can't wait to see you again in cyberspace.

CamScanner + iPad: My portable PDF scanner

2013-01-23T17:31:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd start talking about iOS apps that are really helping me become more efficient with my time and be a better teacher. I can't tell you how many times CamScanner has saved my behind, and how helpful it has been to document, organize, and share student work.

I've had the free version of CamScanner on my iPhone for over a year now. The app allows you to take a picture of a document, convert it into a PDF, and even use OCR to convert it into an editable document (Note: at the time of posting, OCR is limited to the iOS version). Most times, I use it to send faxes when I need to, or quickly convert handouts into PDF's or Google Docs for later editing. The new updates help with organizing digital captures with preset categories. You also have the option of creating your own categories.

CamScanner automatically finds the edges of the document that you're trying to capture by lining up the borders for you. You can also move the edges yourself to include part of the background or reset the edges if CamScanner does it poorly. Before saving, you can edit color, contrast, brightness, or simply use the app's optimizing function to do the work for you.

The best thing about this application is the cloud integration with Evernote, DropBox, Google Drive, and Kindle. You can also open the document in Chrome or another PDF annotator like iAnnotate PDF, which is another one of my favorite applications. Recently, I've discovered that documents can even open in Knowmia, which is great for people digitizing their lessons in flipped teaching environments.

Ok. Quick story on how CamScanner saved me today.

I was giving a final exam, and I realized that the copy machine didn't reproduce the final correctly. I was missing 2 pages from one of the versions. The final exam was on my iMac at home and I was having trouble accessing it via Return to my Mac. In 5 minutes, I was able to use CamScanner to take pictures of both missing pages, upload them to Google Drive, print out enough copies of each, and staple them to the problem version before the students started taking it. The other option was to run to the copy machine (which of course is all the way across the school), redo the copies, run back and take 15 minutes off their test time.

Here's the best part: CamScanner now has free upgrades to the Pro Version with .edu accounts for teachers and students. I can't thank this app enough for taking care of me when I'm in a bind. I would have gladly paid for the Pro Version for how much this has helped me this past year.

Next step: document my student work this semester, annotate, and send it to DropBox for quick turnaround time for returning student work. Any other ideas, leave in the comments section.

Tweeting about my students: Why they matter

2013-01-06T20:24:00.000-08:00

It's the new year, and with the new year comes resolutions. I realize that 80% of those who make resolutions in the new year tend to not keep them. I am part of that 80%. I can talk about how this year will be different, but I can't make any promises. But I'll give it my best shot, especially since this is so important to me right now.

I just watched a video about Jeremiah and the @westhighbros. What a brilliant way to use the power of Twitter to create a positive environment at your school. What a great counter to cyber bullying. I was checking the twitter feeds, and I read @sjunkins' tweet on how twitter is "everything a teacher's lounge should be."

I don't sit in the teacher's lounge at break. This isn't a knock on my colleagues (if you happen to be reading this), but I feel the negativity in the room at times. Too often I hear grief about kids and their shortcomings. I hear the name calling. I just don't want to be a part of that, so I remove myself from the environment. But at times I feel like I miss out on the camaraderie and the connections. I lean on my Twitter PLN for this.

But I was thinking, why not use Twitter to pay compliments on what my students do in class? So many times this year, I've already experienced their creative problem solving and analytical skills in the things we do, and yet I've neglected to share.

So this is my self-imposed task for the year: Everyday, I plan to compliment a student for something they did/shared/figured out/taught me. I can understand that some my followers may not want to see tweets about how a kid FINALLY figured out how to balance a chemical equation. But I don't care.

See, since the start of the school year, as I've been spending a lot more individual time with my students in the process of flipping my instruction, I realize that every kid learns differently. And more often, I've found that the way they problem solve is just as effective as the way I've convinced myself that my way is the right way. Every kid matters, and giving them a sense of belonging to the class or contributing to someone else's learning is more important than rote information that they're acquiring.

Thanks to @angelamaiers, @sjunkins, and @westhighbros for the inspiration and the ideas. First compliment done.

Thoughts and Reflections from last week

2012-12-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Like most of you, I've been struggling with the events that occurred last week. I try not to read too much about it, as I know what "6" looks like. It's not that far off from "4", which is how old my eldest is. And I can't imagine my life without her. For those who want action, need action, to respond to horrific acts like this, I understand why. For those who need consoling, who weep, and needs answers, may you be comforted. In the stages of grief that we find ourselves in, I wanted to share a thought, THE question that I've been trying to answer for the past week. And after some discussion, reflection, and prayer last night, I think I figured out the answer.

As a teacher, am I ready to give my life for the safety of my students?

The more I read about the heroic and loving acts of the teachers in Newtown, I am amazed, truly amazed at their clarity in such an intense situation. And yet without question, there was no hesitation or consideration about the sacrifice that they were willing to make. From the principal who lunged towards the shooter, to the teacher who shoved their kids into cabinets and lied to the shooter, telling him that her kids where in the gym. To the teacher using herself as a human shield to protect her students from harm. These were people who could have run from the danger, and yet ran towards it with no question of their commitment, care and preservation of their students, of whom they love so much, they were willing to die for them.

As a teacher, am I ready to give my life for the safety of my students?

Let me describe the people in my life: I have a student who could care less about school, and is disrespectful to me and the rest of his teachers by thinking what what we do is a joke. I have a student who is extremely bright and just got accepted to an Ivy League school. I have a student who shows up late every other morning, and refuses to do anything I ask of her. I have a student who talks about me outside of class, and says terrible things about me. I have a parent who thinks I'm racist for giving her child a poor grade. I have a parent who wants to know why their child is failing chemistry when the rest of the child's grades are A's.

Am I ready to give my life?

Yes.

To the kid who disrespects me everyday with a smirk and a refusal to do work.
To the kid who has the brightest future.
To the kid who shows up late every morning.
To the kid who says horrible things about me.
To the parent who called me racist, I will die for your kid.
To the parent who questions what I do, I will die for your kid.

I'm not comparing myself to a soldier in a battle. I will never be in that situation. But if the time comes, I will run towards the fire. Teachers are vilified today in many conversation circles. Some teachers may not answer that question in a similar fashion. I'm telling you that this is my answer. Not because I want to be a martyr. It's because I love teaching. And I love my students. Even the ones that hurt me on a daily basis. Even the ones whose parents question what I do and how I do it.

THANK A TEACHER. They may have already saved your life, figuratively. And if the time came that they had to choose, I'm sure most of my colleagues would throw themselves to shield you from the fire, tell them that they loved you, comforted you as the shots continued, and protect you from harm.

Videos, Google Forms and Wordles: Visualize learning gaps in Flipped Instruction

2012-12-12T05:49:00.000-08:00

I got this idea originally from @ramusallam at one of his conference sessions at CUE2012. I've used it a handful of times in lessons that I've flipped this school year, and it has been really helpful for me to quickly assess gaps in my students' learning. It allowed me to address their needs, and customize my instruction.

I have my chemistry students watch a video embedded on my Google Site on a topic that I decided to flip. Beneath the video, I embed a Google Form with no more than 5 questions regarding the video. The last three questions are open ended:

I go back to the Google Form, find the column that contains the content for the last question. I copy and paste the entry data from the Form into a Wordle after removing some unnecessary words. I got this:

This helps me visualize their responses in a creative way. I project the Wordle onto the screen the next day and answer any questions they still have about the topic.

This technique gives every student the opportunity to "ask" questions regarding the concepts we are covering in class. This is also a great way for me to check whether or not they completed the assignment, as the responses to the Google Form are easily manipulated and sorted alphabetically, by period, ID number, and so on.

Thanks @ramusallam for the idea. Visit him at cyclesoflearning.

Chemical Reaction Gifs on Reddit

2012-12-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

So I recently found a collection of Chemical Reaction Gifs on Reddit. My brain already started to race on how I can best use these animated Gif's for my classes. My favorite one so far is the liquid nitrogen and the 1500 pingpong balls demonstration. Maybe because I love a good explosion.

One great application of these Gifs in my classroom is to use them as a starting point for discussion. Students can either write or explain the reaction that they saw in the Gif, explore additional information and report what they've found to be the cause of the reaction. I can also add these to my Wallwisher walls for each unit we cover. In light of the CC's, it would be best to get the students to start getting used to writing about their observations and thinking about how to test the causes of suck reactions.

Screenleap Chrome Extension: Share your screen with Gmail

2012-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

Screenleap has been around for over a year now, and just recently launched their pro-accounts for business interested in no-hassle screensharing, SSL security, and takes advantage of faster reliable servers for better performance.

I recently came across the Screenleap Chrome Extension when I was doing a little research on the Chrome Web Store. I've found that using the extension in Gmail has been very helpful for the past few weeks as I've been involved in helping some of the teachers at my school site with Google Drive, Calendar, and Gmail. It was easy for me to quickly send them the link to share my screen since I was already in Gmail. This is a quick and painless way for trainers and teachers to share their screens, especially if everyone involved is running on Chromebooks.

Once the Screenleap Extension has been added to Chrome, you will see a drop down menu at the top of your gmail page. Click the green button to share your screen.

Email the link to whomever you want to share your screen with. You can send the link to multiple addresses if you happen to be demonstrating to a small group. You can also have them go to the url indicated and enter a 9 digit code to view your screen.

At the moment, the screen share does not allow sound to be shared. But regardless, this quick and easy way to share your screen quickly in training situations could prove to be very useful. There is an initial request to download Screenleap's java applet if you haven't used it before, but once it's installed everything works elegantly. With the popularity of Chromebooks, the Screenleap extension installed in Chrome may become my go-to tool when I need to quickly demonstrate Google Applications for Education to the rest of my staff.

Ben Solee - You can only go as fast as the bicycle: TEDxSD2012

2012-12-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Ben Solee is not your traditional cellist. His early immersion in different genres resounds in the music he performs today. He experiments with R&B stylings with percussive sounds on his strings. The uncanny mix of bluegrass and jazz, of folk and R&B, strangely enough, makes sense when Ben plays and sings.

He told a story of his travels across the country playing large venues and being on tour. He came to a realization during one of his tours that he actually spent more time on the road that at the actual venues he played in. At times, he found himself not knowing what city he was in or what day of the week it was. The epiphany came when he saw a bike that was large enough to strap his cello onto. Now he rides his bike from venue to venue, often stopping along the way to talk with people and slow down.

You can only go as fast as the bicycle... it kept you in the moment. - Ben Solee

I often find myself rushing through the day, the week, the year trying to cram material into kids brains so they can be ready for the state exam. I've recently taken a little extra time at the end of each week to take a breath with my students, and ask them questions that require a little more contemplation and reflection for analysis. I also make it a point to give them the time to figure things out, instead of rushing them by providing the answer I want to hear. What I've found is that the momentary pause allows my students to let the information and questions soak in, and they end up developing their own way to answer the questions. I realize know that learning isn't about getting to the terminal objective of the lesson. The learning happens in between, and the reflection of the process (I call it the meta) is way more valuable to me than the correct answer I want to hear from them. And it's those victories that happen everyday that I need to hang on to, and not the scores at the end of the year.

Stay in the moment. Take time to look around and listen, as learning is happening all the time. Celebrate those times too. This will keep you and your students motivated.

In collaboration, 1 plus 1 is a lot greater than two - Ken Blanchard. TEDxSD2012

2012-12-06T17:12:00.002-08:00

The last talk at TEDxSanDiego was by the insightful Ken Blanchard. You can read his impressive bio here. The best selling author and speaker is a phenomenal storyteller as well. I sat in the audience listening to him describe his experiences working with different authors throughout his writing career. It felt like the auditorium transformed into a dark living room with a fire crackling on the side, listening to my grandparents talk about different times, people they've met, and the lessons they've accumulated all their lives.

I have the utmost respect for those who have come before me. I always listen intently when my teaching mentors speak, because I know that I have so much to learn still. I always try to take something away whenever they share about teaching, relationships, and life in general. I found myself leaning forward with my ears perked up as Mr. Blanchard spoke. Here are some thoughts I jotted down in my notes.

"In collaboration... 1 plus 1 is a lot greater than two."

"We are here to serve, not to be served."

"In collaboration, there are two parts: Essence and Form. Be wary of the collaborator who focuses on Form first."

"At the end of the day, the pieces all go back in the box."

-Ken Blanchard

His first quote is so true in my practice. I find that when I collaborate with my colleagues who share the same vision as I do, the resulting body of work is so much greater than the expectations that I had at the start of the task. The same is true when my students work together on assigned tasks in class. Just yesterday, I was teaching my lower level students how to perform mole ratio calculations using conversion factors. I'll be honest, I was fearful jumping into this, as my regular chemistry students struggle with stoichiometry. I can see the lights dimming in all their eyes as I continued to explain the topic. I stopped at the end, looked at all of them, and with honest humility said: "That didn't go well. Go try the calculations and see if you can figure out how a better way to do them. If you find a way, please share it with the class."

A minute of murmuring and blank looks passed, and two students raised their hands together, and explained a different way to solve the problem. A third student from across the class elaborated further to the rest of the class for those who missed the explanation. They all agreed this was a clearer, more direct way to get to the answer, and was a lot easier to apply to every problem.

Teaching is a life of service. It demands commitment and dedication. We need to give so much because the stakeholders will shape the future. Although a lesson may not go well, or exhaustion gets the best of me, I cannot quit. I can't because I have so much to share; so much knowledge to impart. To whom much is given, much is expected in return. This is my life, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

It's not about you - Matt Emerzian. TEDxSD2012

2012-12-06T12:46:00.002-08:00

I had the privilege of attending TEDxSanDiego this past weekend. I've always dreamed of attending one, and being a part of the experience. I've been to a handful of conferences this year, and I can tell you, this one was amazing.

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. They invite global innovators and movers to speak about their causes or experiences. The annual conference is held in Long Beach, California. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. I thought I'd share this one thought with you today.

"It's not about you... it's never about the numbers, it's about the people." - Matt Emerzian.

When Matt spoke about a point in his life when he struggled, it brought me back to a time of my life years ago when I had to fight off some personal demons myself. I've learned to manage my thoughts but I still struggle daily, especially when I obsess about the dichotomy of authentic assessments and standardized results. Matt reminded that what I do in my profession is really not about me. Neither is it about the moment-in-time picture that the numbers paint about the learning that goes on in my classroom. It's about the people that sit in those seats, and the hopes and dreams that I carefully hold in my hands. It's about the people that I serve, and telling them that they matter. It's about helping my students find belief in themselves, in that they can accomplish anything that they can dream about doing.

Thanks for the reminder, Matt. And I matter because I motivate, challenge, inspire, and require my students to achieve something they believe that is beyond their reach. I need to do this, because people are counting on me for them to reach their potential.

Chrome Extensions I can't live without: TabScissors and TabGlue

2012-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

I recently presented at SDCUE2012 on a panel with other Google Certified Teachers. We were to share some new and exciting things that we've found or are currently using as Google experts. I did two quick presentations: one on Doctopus and the other on Chrome Extensions and Applications. You can find some additional information on the Doctopus Script in a previous blog entry. I didn't have time to share about the two Chrome Extensions I can't live without at the moment: TabScissors and TabGlue.

TabScissors allows you to split your current Chrome window into two separate browser windows at the current selected tab without having to create a new window and resizing it to fit your screen. This is a phenomenal extension, especially for those who need to work and move from one browser window to another.

TabGlue is just the opposite. It brings multiple Chrome windows and aggregates them into one browser window. If you've got multiple Chrome windows open and would like to organize them quickly into one window without having to click and drag, this automates it for you.

I use both quite often. As a teacher, I'm creating different versions of exams, quizzes and documents for my students. I want to be able to work quickly between different open windows, and I always have at least 8 tabs open in Chrome. I can't tell you how much this has improved my desktop efficiency. Thank you Tir for developing these extensions, and I look forward to seeing more from you.

Chrome Apps vs. Chrome Extensions

2012-11-20T16:07:00.000-08:00

So I'm REALLY loving Chrome right now. Ever since I found out about multiple sign in options, I've made the switch over. The more I find out about Chrome Apps and Extensions, the happier I am that I made the switch. Let me tell you why:

Chrome Extensions are features that you can add to Google Chrome that allow you to automate tasks, increase efficiency, and provide you with a richer experience when using the browser. I mainly put Extensions into Chrome to make me more productive (BTW, if you know of any super ones, let me know and I promise I'll do a shoutout).

Chrome Applications are programs that work within Chrome itself, so I don't have to download a program onto my computer. I don't have to worry about updates, because they are updated automatically. If an application ever acts up, I can simply restart Chrome, or delete the app altogether if I'm not happy with its function (which I've done on many occasions already).

The presentation below is the one I used for part of the GCT panel showcase at SDCUE2012 at the start of this month. It has a list of extension and applications that I use all the time. Enjoy!

Best Chrome Extensions - Google Education on Air

2012-11-20T07:40:00.000-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of being a part of one of the Google Education on Air episodes with the guys from the State of Tech podcast. The session was recorded from a Google+ Hangout, and I had a ton of fun sharing and learning with Eric, Eric, and Sean (who by the way, are some of the most knowledgeable educational technologists out there).

The topic was on Google Chrome, and the extensions that allow you to enhance the browser experience by improving your workflow, automating functions, and customizing the user interface. I think I blew their minds when I showed them TabScissors and TabGlue.

Some of the things that I picked up were:

1. IE Tab: opens a tab in Chrome that runs Internet Explorer. It's not perfect, but works well especially with applications that need IE as a browser in order to display correctly.

2. Google Quick Scroll: highlights text on a webpage that contains the relevant information from your original Google search. Fantastic productivity extension!

3. SpeakIt!: highlight text, and SpeakIt! will read it to you. What a great way for EL's to use technology to learn pronunciation and enunciation.

It was great to be a part of the Education on Air hangout with these guys. I love learning with others. Maybe I'll be a part of a future episode!

Wallwisher: interactive bulletin board

2012-11-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

I recently came across a tweet from the #ettipad feed about Wallwisher. I decided to check it out, and found a wonderful resource for teachers. Wallwisher allows users to create an interactive bulletin board about anything that you may find interesting. The wall you create can be shared via Twitter, FaceBook, Google+, Pinterest, or LinkedIn. They even provide the embed code for you to place the board on your own personal site or blog. Below is my collection of videos I've watched from Ted recently:

I got the idea about the video wall from the @wallwisher blog. I think this phenomenal when it comes to sharing videos, documents, tutorials and the like. The possibilities are endless when it comes to the uses for such a technology in collaborative learning. I'm going to keep experimenting, and will let you know how else I've applied this in my classeso

YouTube Options Extension for Google Chrome

2012-11-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Google Chrome Extensions add features and functionality to the browser experience when using Chrome. I use my YouTube channel to post quick edtech tutorials for teachers and chemistry instructional videos for my students. I'm beginning to compile my chemistry videos this year to help me switched to a flipped mastery model of instruction next year.

Since I still show some of my videos in class, or have my students go to one of the three desktop computers I have in my lab, I'm always a little weary of inappropriate suggested videos that come up at the end of what I'm showing. Plus, I'd like a little more control over automatic playback, looping, showing comments, and ads on the page. YouTube Options for Chrome helps me customize my YouTube experience the way I want.

You can set the display size and resolution for any YT video that you load, or even open the video to the size of the window you currently have open. You can remove everything on the page from displaying except for the video itself, or change the settings however you want. You can disable ads, annotations in the videos, and autoplay. I make sure to turn off the ads and annotations so my students can focus on the content and not be distracted as they watch.

You can find YouTube Options for Chrome in the Chrome Web Store. It may not have the same functionality with other video sharing sites like Vimeo or Hulu, but I haven't tried.

Here is a sample video from my YT Channel on the derivation of Density from the Ideal Gas Law equation. I customize the extension to not autoplay the video until I'm ready, maximize the display, show it HD, and remove any peripherals as to not distract my students from the content. I've found that it works really well in the classroom.

Let Doctopus unleash the power of Google Docs

2012-11-04T21:08:00.001-08:00

@JenRoberts1 asked me to be on a panel of GCT's yesterday at SDCUE2012 and talk about some of the cool new things that I've learned from my recent experience at Google Teacher Academy. I heard about this script by @astillman called Doctopus that was an awesome document manager using Google Spreadsheets and Google Docs.

I always had a vision of how Google Docs could be best applied in what I do when it comes to document sharing and creating customized worksheets for groups/individuals. I think my prayers have been answered.

Doctopus is a Google Apps Script you install in a Google Spreadsheet with some pre-existing student information like first name, last name, and gmail address. I created a Google Doc (template) for my kids to edit and complete as their lab report for an experiment they just finished this week. Doctopus created copies of the template and titled them with their names (according to how I set it), and emailed each personalized copy to my students. They were asked to check their Google Drives or Gmail accounts for the document, and asked to complete their reports. The reports are all in a pre-determined folder in my Google Drive. I own all the reports, and each student has editing rights only to their reports. (This can be set in different ways to allow for group writing projects and whole class writing exercises). I've been commenting on their reports, even while I was at SDCUE2012 at CSU San Marcos before the presentation.

You can set an embargo on editing on deadline day (which was tonight for this assignment). I can make comments, and grade their reports on the Google Spreadsheet that I first created with their student info, and email grades and remarks from there too using the Doctopus script.

I'll let you know on an update on how the grading process is going. I do have 180 students I have to manage. But I love the fact that I won't have a stack of reports to take home and lug around everywhere just so I can grade them. I can just open up my laptop, iPad, or iPhone, and grade reports on my Google Drive. If this takes off, I'm going completely paperless by the start of the new semester (which is 3 months from now). Thanks to @astillman for writing the script, and to @JenRoberts1 for having me at SDCUE2012 this weekend. I had a blast presenting, and met some other awesome GCT's from the area.

Credit to @scotthmoss, another GCT, for the photo during the presentation.

Google Sites New Layout Editor

2012-10-19T08:52:00.002-07:00

Google Sites recently updated their layout editor to enable site designers to make changes to their homepages without having to dig through the Manage Site option. Above is a quick video introduction on the new edit interface, and how to make quick changes to the look of your site.