Education: Idea's and Creations

Fundraiser ideas- This one is sooo easy

2017-11-12T17:18:00.001-08:00

T-shirt Logo's

You get to design the front, and they fill up the back :)

This is an easy way for companies to get a tax deduction & cheap advertisement.

Ideas:

make a thank you gift bag after your trip with:

thank you card (signed by members)
a t-shirt for them to hang up or wear (medium looks the best print wise)
school/ organization labeled SOMETHING (your bookkeeper usually has extra of something you can throw in)

school labeled pencil
school lanyard
school something

Cute bag & tissue paper

go with the theme of your event
go with a thank you bag
go with a superhero theme (they are your hero.. corny but good)

Make tons of copies!

Have students figure out local businesses near them or their parents work
Change the "To whom it may concern" to the company name
Put in a formal envelope with school return address
Have the kids drop it off and ask for a manager (they are more likely to donate to a kid than the adult I have found)

Letter:

How to best edit:

file
find and replace
change the [___] items

October 30th, 2017

To Whom It May Concern:

The [organization] is proud to sponsor the [School/ team/ organization], a student-run, student-led model government and youth development program. [School] is the [organization] chapter that serves students at [School].

Each year, our [Student organization] raise money towards their trip to the [event], a [describe event], [place]. Almost all of our students participate in some form of fundraising, and we are proud to teach this valuable [type of skills] skill as part of our programming.

In addition to the fundraising efforts of our student delegates, we are also actively seeking individual and business/corporate sponsorships to sponsor our chapter as a whole. Sponsors are recognized on our chapter t-shirt, which are made for each member of the club and worn at the state conference.

Sponsorships begin at $100, which get you or your company name/logo listed on our shirt, in standard size and Cachet font. For sponsorships of $200 or more, you or your company will get full-size lettering across the entire width of the shirt, in your preferred font. For donations of $500 or more, we will proudly feature your company’s logo and name at the top of the shirt, to gain maximum viewing and readability. These shirts are worn at the competition and at school on Spirit Days.

If you are interested in serving as a sponsor, please make any checks out to “[School] School Jr. [organization]” and feel free to contact [organization leader], our [organization] Director, with any additional questions: [organization leader email].

Thank you for providing our junior delegates with the opportunity to fundraise for their trip to [place], and please feel free to contact us at the [organization] if you have any questions!

Sincerely,

Ms. [teacher name]

Ms. [organization leader]

Teacher & Advisor, [School]

[organization leader email]

Fluffy moment

2017-11-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Ever since our Red Ribbon Week “Drugs are Despicable” day... Fluffy has given many instructions, become a talking stick, and a “class pet” that you get to pet during conferences... but today after our readers theater she got a new name.

My students decided that I couldn't pronounce their names, but I could pronounce Fluffy's.... so Fluffy needed to fit in. I swear I know their names, but it was one of those "which ever child you are" kind of days... more coffee that morning may have been needed. #Moniqua

Teaching middle school never goes a day without an interesting adventure #InTheMidddle #MiddleSchoolProblems

Interactive Notebooks to a whole new level

2017-11-11T10:41:00.001-08:00

Taking my interactive notebooks to a whole new level- Kaisha Dunne

I read a blog post this summer on flexible seating and Students Taking Charge which stated- “Teachers can never base what happens in our classroom this year on what next year's teacher may or may not do. If it's best practice for our kids, do it now. Remember, our classrooms should be student-centered, not teacher-centered.” As I took my move from one school to another for my first time as a full-time teacher this summer, this article reminded me WHY my classroom is the way it is. I shouldn’t change it as I change schools. I read blogs and keep up on trainings all the time, but listening to my students and allowing them to take leadership roles within my classroom is the most beneficial thing I could ever do for me and them. I conference with my students every unit, at LEAST once. They go at their own pace through the Understanding by Design/ Backwards Design Model. We glue their lesson strips into their interactive notebooks and items needed to complete the unit on day 1. Then they fill out a learning goal chart full of the “I can” statements they need to accomplish by the end of the unit in blue to show a starting point. In the end, we take a standard based exam and refill out that same chart in pink. We conference 1-1 and I allow them to tell me the correlation between their test scores and their learning goal chart. What helped them in their notebooks? What didn’t? The students help me be a better teacher and in turn I help them be better learners and informed citizens of tomorrow. By making these connections they teach me more than anything in any of those many trainings I have been to could ever teach me.

So here's how it works in ten steps, which may seem like a long read, but worth every word:
Step one:
Find all the items that you believe best demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the standards you will need to meet in the unit.
The item that I look at to do this is my learning goal charts. They have all the "I can" statements students need to achieve for the year based on the academic plan, test specs, and standards being used per unit.
Examples:
6th Grade World History
7th Grade Civics
8th Grade US History

Step two:
Organize the items you have found into left and right items.
Right: goes into the brain.
Left: can they put it back out?
You can organize them by creating yourself a simple graphic organizer. I just fold up a piece of computer paper to keep my thought process in check, but if your at a beginner level try using an actual graphic organizer for the first few times.
Remember to set it up as a gradual release.
My inspiration for my design process comes from the following books:
Armstrong, T. (2009). Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom 3rd Edition. ASCD: Alexandria, VA.
Maine Department of Education (2007). State of Maine Learning Results. Maine Department of Education: Augusta, ME.
Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating Differentiated Instruction & Understanding by Design. Corwin Press: ASCD: Alexandria, VA.
Wormeli, R. (2006). Fair Isn’t Always Equal: Assessing and Grading in the Differentiated Classroom. Stenhouse: Portland, Me.

Step three:
Add some creativity!
Double check that it's not always just the boring prompts and readings. Work should be meaningful and should never be busy work. But make sure your left sides aren't just basic checking for understandings.
Example for 7th Grade Civics Standard SS.7.C.1.9:

Scenario: The President of the United States has cabin fever! She decides to steal a secret service vehicle and take it for a joy ride. Driving down the Beltway and jamming out to music, she is oblivious to the fact that she is driving 75 mph in a 65 mph zone. Not knowing who the woman is, Officer Adams pulls the president over.

Directions: Write a newspaper article illustrating the situation from above. Finish the story with what may have happened to the president.
Step four:
Think about your test!
Why not have your students work through some of the questions ahead of time?! My 7th graders take an EOC at the end of the year that is 30% of their total grade. This test ranges from 56-62 questions, with four testing categories counting for 25% of their 1-5 scale score each. Crazy, I know! I never thought I would teach to a test. But as a bad test taker myself I had to think about what helps me. I have ADD and I believe that this makes me a better teacher. This helps me differentiate like there is no tomorrow. Meeting Multiple Intellegences in one unit is the way to go! Your students will shock you time after time again with their comic strips, lyric analysis, and so much more. But no matter what, those test people don't factor in Multiple Intellegences. They put kids in one box and it's called the Multiple Choice box. Where some kids seem to think it's Christmas time and deside to "Christmas Tree" the test and just LIGHT-IT-UP! But if given tools to put in this box, kids are more likely to be successful.
Escambia County County, FL has created an awesome Civics EOC Prep site and has used the items from Florida Joint Center for Citizenship to help students break down their test questions. I created blank sets of copies for my students to use to study for their test and give them to them. But I have also created a huge variety of Left Side processes that are themed like the FJCC's question analysis. This allows students to think: "what is the question asking,"what answer is correct, why," and "what answers are incorrect, why." This allows students to process and elliminate the wrong answers. If you are a school that uses UNREAL or UNRAVEL this is a perfect strategy. If you are an AVID school, this is a great AVID Tutorial strategy & your AVID Elective teacher will greatly thank you.

Step 5:
After piecing it all together, create lesson strips that are student and parent friendly and give CLEAR expectations.

Unit: Forms, Types, & Systems of Government

Standard: SS.7.C.3.1 & 3.2

Right: Flashcards of the vocab terms for 3.1 & 3.2

Left: Learning goal chart- Based on the work we have done thus far, please put an x in the box that best describes your knowledge of the "I can" statement. Before the unit please use a blue highlighter & before the test please revisit and use a pink highlighter.

Lesson 1: Bellwork Day 1

SS.7.C.3.1 & 3.2

Video: https://www.flocabulary.com/unit/forms-of-government/

Essential Questions: What are the forms of government? How do they compare?

Right: Students will be reading a reading from iCivics.org called “Who Rules?” to Identify major forms of government (autocracy, monarchy, dictatorship, representative and direct democracy, oligarchy, theocracy, anarchy)

Left: Students will complete the graphic organizer by filling in the correct form of government. Use your notes from Forms of Government to help you.

Note: Please note that I start each unit with Vocab Flashcards needed to understand the work at hand. As well as the learning goal chart with expectations. I include the standard on each strip. What students should do on the left and the right. This meets your IEP expectations, ELL & 504 expectations, and gives students a clear direction. I have parents who email me all the time thanking them for the easy communication. My students glue these strips on after they test out. The lesson strips go on the top right of their notebooks every unit. This makes communication home soooo easy. When I sent out an automated message through ParentLink or call home to ask the parents to check their student's notebook. It opens up a MUCH easier communication from parent to the student. You have to remember, in order to get parental support, the parent needs to know what you are asking. There is also NO better feeling than sitting in a Student Conference and THAT ONE KID we all have that tries to blame the teacher and say "I didn't know what to do" and you ask them to take out their notebook & you get to go "REALLY NOW.... tell me again you didn't know"... BOOM!

Step 6:
The piecing it all together. 7th grade is an awesome age to teach. It keeps your cabinets stocked up on adult grape juice that you find so amazing from Trader Joes (teacher salary worthy adult grape juice). It allows moments of "why did you glue that in.... it's double sided?!" and "ummm did you just eat glue?!" It's like overly hormonal kindergardeners who believe that they are entitled to everything, yet can't remember what day it is. But to top it off they want to be treated like "mature teens" but when you bust out a stuffed animal unicorn to comfort them when you conference or do a lesson of the Top 5 Things That Make Ms Dunne Giggle (duties)... they somehow turn back to NORMAL pre-teens.
Step 6 takes a lot of patients, clear directions, pictures, and possibly a high need of adult grape juice the night before and after this process to take you back to earth.
Please keep in mind during step 6 that Thomas Paine wrote a book called Common Sense, because even the adult colonists needed a reminder of common sense items. If teaching middle school has taught me anything... common sense is NOT so common. Pictures, diagrams, and step by step instructions are needed, as well as patients. This step 6 is called: Gluing in a WHOLE unit at once... I know... it's crazy talk. I take pictures and insert them into a Google Slide. I have each student open and follow along. Each slide has a picture of my teacher copy of the notebook, lesson strip at the bottom, and arrows for instructions. See pics below:

Step 7:
Take a deep breath, the hardest part is over! Any Middle School teacher will tell you that trying to do arts and crafts is a nightmare.... well lesson strip day is like arts & crafts day but WAY more intense. But SOOOOO worth it!

Step 8:
Giving your students all their work for a whole unit may seem like a terrible idea, but it's actually GENIUS! Nancy Sulla wrote a book called Student's Taking Charge, which is the most reassuring book to express to you that YOU CAN DO IT! She does think that the whole unit should be organized together, but I chunk mine because when I made ALU's (alternative learning units) at her training's and gave them to my low-level middle school babies, they shut down. They need to focus on one task at a time but have the opportunity to go ahead. The BIGGEST take away I had from this book was extensions and learning to release the control. THEY have to learn it. We've all had those "not so professional" moments where you get frustrated with your kiddos and say "I'm not the one who needs to learn this, you do. I already went to college... I know this and I am trying to get you to learn it... so can we all just listen?!" Admit it! We've ALL done it in some way, shape, or form. But now they are going to be in charge of the learning. They know the expectations (lesson strips). They know where they are at when they start the unit & where they need to be at the end (learning goal charts). If they are done early, give them extension activities. My kids have 1:1 chromebooks (jealousy may sink in now), and I use the topics tab of my Google Classroom to organize my classroom. I load the unit opener in first, so it's at the bottom of the topic tab. Then I load in every lesson in order (separately) after that. So we do this Drake style "Started from the bottom now we're here." I title it with their lesson strip (so they match their notebook). Then add my power points/ google slides, links needed to complete (including tutotrials if needed), and attach an "if done early" item. This allows them to go at their own pace. I knwo it sounds like a lot. But I spend one night on Teacher hyper drive, then my lessons are done for a WHOLE UNIT! It's so nice! You don't have to worry about sub plans if you need to be out. You don't have to worry about students who are going to be out, because they have their work. You don't need to worry about ANYTHING other than checking their notebooks! Even if you don't have google classroom, your lessons are in with teacher guided instructions and all the tools needed to complete... kick up your feet.
Examples:

Step 9:

Grading: I take a blank gradebook sheet and determine what items are most important. I make sure my students know that each item is not busy work. I pick one item for each lesson. I label it at the top of columns & stick it on a clipboard. The first few lessons I walk around checking their notebooks when they raise their hand. Raising their hand means they completed something. Later on, in the unit, I took a page out of Nancy Sulla's book and got a conference table. I call my students up one by one and check their notebooks. I make a note in our systems that I had a student conference with them (to back myself up/ give evidence for IEPS, 504s, and parent conferences). If an item is still missing, I put a highlight on my paper. I then put all grades in the gradebook. If a student makes up the work later I put their score or checkmark above the highlight so I know that it's something that I need to fix in the gradebook. My gradebook then becomes a digital task list of missing items (z's), items they need to fix and bring back up to be checked, and items they scored well on. It makes a world of difference. They are in charge of their learning. They monitor their learning. They monitor their progress on their "I can" statements. They watch their growth (with those learning goal charts). Plus you get to take the stress of making lessons off so you can focus on helping them & having those important conversations. Those conversations you always wish you could have, but don't have the time. It also gives you the data and documentation you need for IEPs, 504s, and Student Conferences that you may not have had for Mykia who sits there quietly and you know she's a B/C student, but you haven't figured out why... she doesn't disrupt, but you don't have any time for her because your giving direct instruction & have total control of their learning... then when you pause you ahve to talk to Malahki and Dany because they are your attention seekers... and well, they get all your attention. That's not fair to those Mykia's you have in your classroom.

Step 10:
remind yourself your awesome. You can do this. It takes time and every time you try something new, there will be push back. Don't change everything mid year, but if you want to make this switch for next year, why not try some aspects of this strategy one at a time. You wont regret it. It's the best thing I ever did.

My thought process/ tips may be different than others, but here are my tips/ food for thought:

Why collect the notebooks?!

Then you have them & no student can do makeup work
They can't study
They don't have ownership of the learning if you have possession of their work

Why punish them for late work or not allow them to make up work that they didn't score well on?!

If our goal is for them to learn it, why should they be punished?!
If you put them in the A, B, or not done yet mentality... you will see a difference
If you punish how will they achieve Advancement Via Individual Determination... you just cut out all means for determination and individual advancement... you're saying that humans don't make mistakes, and when they do... you shouldn't have an opportunity to learn from them

Don't keep data to yourself

The kids should track their data and know where THEY ARE
They should look to improve themselves
Plus posting data in middle school isn't always the best idea... if they keep it in their notebooks and chart their learning... it's individualized & if they want to brag, they can.
Note: posting whole class data is okay, but may make your low classes & SED classes feel defeated, but if it's school required... I get it... comply! We've all been there.

Encourage a friend to join in.

They will process different then you & this creates a healthy Professional Learning Community (PLC) where you can see what works for them & what works for you... plus gives you ideas to try something out of your comfort zone. Which may benefit your kiddos.

Cootie Catcher Funny

2017-03-06T18:21:00.002-08:00

I had one of my funniest moments in my classroom in a while yesterday while playing memory.
Student: "oh, this answer is in my coochie catcher."
Me: "wait, what...?!"
Student: "don't worry Miss, I have my coochie catcher in my notebook."
Me: "its a cootie catcher sweetie."
Student: "yeah, a coochie catcher."
Me: "No (student), a COOTIE CATCHER. Try again."
Student: "my bill of rights coochie catcher... I know what it is."
Me: "You know what (student), lets just call it a fortune teller instead. I think thats a better name for it."
Student: "okay Ms Dunne, if you say sooo..."
Me: "I do!"
#teacherproblems #thestruggleisreal

Learning Goal Charts

2016-12-20T16:00:00.001-08:00

Students Taking Charge of their learning and studying through learning goal charts:

I would like to say, that I take pride in my brilliance. I am not amazing by any means. BUT I do have this great gift of knowing what I want to do and being extremely good at it. Today I had one of those "God, I am good" kind of moments.

Today we needed new notebooks in my class. We have been working hard on our first notebooks since the start of the year and it's time for round two! As I am explaining the setup, I realized how much of a GENIUS I am. My students start each unit with gluing in their lesson strips on the top right page that explains: the standard, the lesson #, what number we are on in their bellwork, and what they do on the right, as well as what they do on the left. Right goes in their brain and left is "can you put it back out?"

As I am explaining that they are turning in their old notebook only after marking their learning goal charts, it hits me: I have finally reached that awesome year where I have nailed it! Their learning goal charts consist of: the unit title, essential question, objective, their "I can" statements attached with 3 columns "not yet," "getting there," and "yes, I can." Students mark them in blue before the unit and in pink after they test out. As I am explaining why we are storing the notebooks away until the end of the year, the lightbulb went off. I simply stated to the students that when I hand back your notebook before your End Of Course Exam for Civics (Civics EOC), you will go through your learning goal charts and mark them in green. The green will indicate where your knowledge stands at the end of the year. If there if something you don't feel "yes, I can" confident on in your learning goal chart, then you flip the page and begin studying your very own words. The flashcards lay next to your learning goal charts for a purpose for instant memory recall of the topics, but anything in between the learning goal chart you just marked in the green marker and the next one is fair game to study to slide yourself over on any "I can" statement.

I have not only created self-guided study guides but student led and student driven study guides with a table of contents to guide them down a path of their own individually tailored learning path. BOOM!

I think I am awesome... nevermind what I said before. I kick butt.

World History: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/World-History-Student-Learning-Goal-Checklist-2733193

Civics: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Student-and-teacher-7th-Grade-Civics-EOC-Learning-Goal-Tracker-for-Data-2198031

US history: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Student-and-Teacher-8th-Grade-United-States-History-Learning-Goal-Data-Tracker-2198037

Psychology Student Learning Goal Checklist: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Psychology-Student-Learning-Goal-Checklist-2733165

European History Student Learning Goal Checklist: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/European-History-Student-Learning-Goal-Checklist-2733144

Losing my touch...?

2016-12-12T18:24:00.000-08:00

Reading blogs, checking pinterest, gathering inspiration from teachers pay teachers, buying items from TpT, feeling inspired enough to sell items on TpT, sharing is caring, no one else feeling sharing is caring, wow... you really felt that you should write that in an e-mail. Phew, I accomplished a lot of nothing again on another Monday night as I watch football, food prep, and watch the Patriots take on the Ravens at home. As I sit here I reflect on so much and think "man, I should really do some grading." But we all know that isn't happening until my planning tomorrow, if I don't get called to cover again.

This year has been a year of realizations, reality, and THAT can't be reality. A study I noticed in my blogging states: "a common attribute of cooperativeness in this teaching cohort is more aligned with the teaching role which may explain teachers' frustration in having to accommodate an independent working style of administrator." I got hired at my school in 2012 in a portable. Our principals secretary came to get me in the elementary schools lobby to bring me around the side, past construction trailers, and into a portable they were passing off as an admin office with 3 desks and a round table in the middle. The first thing this little adorable woman told me was, "come on hunny, they have this awful interview in there right now, and I am going to have you walk in and sit down in hopes that this person learns that their time is up... whooo this one isn't a fit." All I could think in my head is "what if they do this to me?!?!" As I sat there and things were going great, I point out my awesomeness in my binder ... all I could think is "this is the job for me! I fit here." Then ... the next person walks in...! My heart melted... "am I being rushed?!" It took almost two months before I heard back. Little did I know, even though I was working at another school in the district, I couldn't be an eternal transfer just yet. I worked as an aide at an all exceptional needs school and couldn't transfer pay grades yet. But then the call came. I went in in scrub clothes from summer school at the SED school I was working at with possible pureed food on my pants. But that little old woman was very persistent that it was okay. I sat down at a new round table in a beautiful new school and the AP who interviewed me was running late as the Principal goes "remind me again which one you are...." I didn't know what to do, I started running off a list of my credentials. Then suddenly as the AP comes in and sits down, this Principal that seems to have a break through goes "Oh yeah, the Patriots fan.... want a job...?" I didn't know what to do and seeing my stunned face he then goes to start again with "I couldn't remember why we had your name on the board still and had circled it, as well as a star... but now I recall. I read through your lesson plans. Want a job." I responded with "yeah... I mean yes." Then the AP stands up and goes "welcome to the team" as she goes to walk out followed by "Nancy will get you set up next door with new teacher orientation." When I got back to my co-workers car whom I had carpooled with that day, I said "I think I just got the job."

Over that first year we picked out everything from our school motto, our school song, our school EVERYTHING. We made trial and errors with sectioning floors and which stairwells went which way. But we built a culture. A culture that was homey, welcoming, caring, and filled with outstanding work ethic. Our students were a big variety, but we took extreme detail to caring for each and every one of those unique students in our joyful new middle school. The atmosphere was amazing. The students wanted to be there and so didn't the students. Our Principal lead with confidence, care, and a charisma that could never be duplicated. He was more blunt than the powerhouse Blount Force Trauma that plagues the football feild tonight as I watch this game. He would tell teachers and students, "if you don't want to be here, then don't. I will go fill out your transfer papers now if you want it. I have waitlists to get in."

It showed! We worked so hard in filling that school with learning and 7 Habit worthy awesomeness.

But now into our 5th school year open, 3 Principals, AP swaps galore, and countless new teachers later. Only 12 original teachers currently still exist in our amazing school that started so strong. We got graded our first year (not fair) and earned an F, but quickly became one of only 2 schools in Florida to go from an F to a C in our second year. The pride and joy that filled the halls was immense. Our first fearless leader faced some medical issues and left for bigger and better things. But as we face our new leader, countless changes and yet again new incentives, styles, expectations, and so much more again.... I feel like I am broken... I am exhausted and broken... or maybe it's the system. Our Principal has passion and heart. I love my students, there's no doubt about that. I am AMAZING at my job. Others describe me as the teacher who walks on water and creates magic. I am organized and skilled. I unit plan like no other. But now face an exhaustion cross road that is making me question so much... am I losing my touch....? Have my years in Florida made me as successful as the present-day situations of ALL 3 NFL teams here...? Will I have a "Lightning" worthy win soon...? Because If not ... jobs watching Netflix movies from the comfort of my bed sound more and more appealing.

Students Taking Charge Book Study Chapter 1

2015-07-15T16:42:00.001-07:00

"Students Taking Charge: Inside the Learner- Active, Technology- Infused Classroom"

By: Nancy Sulla

Book Study

Introduction & Chapter 1

By: Kaisha Dunne

Introduction:

Although living and teaching in Florida may seem to have it's perks, the biggest perk is living in the state where the greatest "Inspirationalist" created a world of dreams. Walt Disney once said "Keep moving forward." Nancy Sulla opens her book with "Passion lies at the intersection of dream and success." Although teaching doesn't pay what most connect with the word success, the inspiration and drive that you build within students as you shape their minds and turn them to a hopeful future of greatness meets every aspect of the definition success. She continues on to talk of sacrafices and believing that this is the road you are meant to travel. Well, only 5 years out of college and slowly heading into my 4th year of teaching in the classroom, I know that this is my path. No teacher could ever be great without sacrifices, I don't necessarily mean going above and beyond like Erin Gruwell did in the "Freedom Writers Diary," but we each give up both time and money as we poor our hearts out into our job. As I sit here on my summer vacation I can help but to enjoy the words of Sulla's vision of the Learner-Active, Technology-Infused Classroom. Just like Sulla's inspirational story of how when she was ten, she too spent her summer focused on not only her education, but the education of others as she help vary and differentiate a summer school program for the neighborhood kids in her area. Her key word is "varied" and her key phrase is "meeting their needs." Both of these words lure you in and continue throughout the book.

Chapter 1: The Big Picture for Your Instructional Design Journey

*Some references/ connections may be from the IDE training that our School District is having us attend who have assigned us this book. The blog on the other hand is entirely my resource for myself and my colleagues.

Here Nancy Sulla introduces the idea of the students seeking out the answers to posed questions or problems and actively engaged in seeking out the answers as you, the teacher, watch the magic happen, which in turn gives you ample opportunity to do interventions and or extensions.

She begins to throw out her goals of the book and the type of classroom it creates:

Engaged Learners: "Busy students are not necessarily engaged students"page3). After I have read the book I couldn't agree more, even though I agreed before. When given an opportunity to have a technology infused classroom do not turn it into a $300 pencil opportunity. We each have encountered at some point in time, that stereotypical History teacher who has been doing the same old thing for a bazillion years. There is nothing in this world that could ever truly change their mind frame on how they are going to change their teaching ways or lesson plans. They teach it the same way each year, no fail. If given (in their mind forced) the 1:1 technology in their classroom to use like most districts are moving toward, they would use it as a $300 pencil. They would still use the same textbook (digitally) and the same note taking requirements for the students (digitally). Although they are doing something educational, and it is on the computer, full engagement is not achieved.
Student Responsibility for Learning: "Student responsibility for learning is a concept that most educators embrace, but few foster"(page 4). We all sit in meetings where they tell us to give the students more "ownership" in their learning, and most attempt in doing so with good intentions, but fall short when there are not possibilities and paths given to the teacher to lead them down the path of the desired outcome. Ownership of learning doesn't just mean writing down in their planner the dates items are do and given a project to do on their own. When the students are given a problem and the opportunity to solve that problem independently to guide them through the learning process with little instructional guidance from the teacher. The teachers should be like the maker of the treasure map, but the students should find their way through as Dora the Explorer does so frequently. The Authentic Learning Assessments that are laid out for you to design and make your own in this book do just what you ever dreamed of and more for each grade level.
Academic Rigor: "More Rigor," "Give them Rigor," "Up the Rigor" is what most of us hear in our meetings all the time, but few understand the true meaning of the word rigor. "If students are engaged in learning, then increasing academic rigor is easy" (page 5). While the students are taking on the role of Dora the Explorer, you can monitor their status and intervene so much easier. This past school year I was picked to be on a "Dream Team" of sorts of Civics teachers in the district. We constructed a Google Drive that allowed us to make Interactive Notebooks that we standards based in our classrooms based on the resources shared on the drive. If you have never done an interactive notebook, it's more amazing than words can express! We approached the notebook with using the right as an input side (what goes into the students brain) and the left as an output side (can they put back out what just went in). With the independent learning atmosphere that the notebook created, I had opportunities that I never had before, but didn't realize it until I received an unlikely student. I had only had 3 Advanced Civics classes this year. I never call out sick, but the one cold I got this year, I got an email form one of my AP's saying that she needed to meet with me. Upon my return she said that she needed to move a student into my class that was having some behavior issues with the mix of students he was in with in his current Intense course with another civics teacher. I said it would be fine and when told that his present reading levels were WAY bellow grade level on top of him being an 8th grader in a 7th grade course, she told me that she had faith that I could figure it out. The opportunities that the Interactive Notebook/ Student Led Learning environment I ended up having so many opportunities to modify, explain, and give extension to this child 1:1. But then I discovered that slowly he didn't really need my help and that he was raising his hand less and less. My students were so well trained in working independently and going at their own pace, that I had a few get so far ahead that I had to begin building in "fun" extensions. The student was discovering as I helped him who most frequently got to the fun extensions, then kindly asked for help. I am also the schools AVID teacher, so I train my kids in finding their Point of Confusions and asking clarifying questions. Helping students are only allowed to prompt to the lightbulb effect, but never to give away the answer and that is exactly the type of help that he sought out. He went from an F Quarter 2 in his other class to a B+ Quarter 3 in my class and a B- Quarter 4 in my class thanks to the opportunities given for him to travel at his own pace and the opportunities for me to have to help him. Sulla's book allows me to further expand those chances and opportunities by taking it to the next level. From Facilitation Grids, How-to-Sheets, Rubrics, and Problem Based Learning. This book is a great read!

Sulla continues her chapter by going into connections to the RTI three Tier approach and what to expect. She suggests a journal to write down triumphs and lessons learned to better set up your classroom for the next year. I agree! I had a master/ teacher copy of my student notebooks and I put sticky notes ALL over the items that I worked on. I also took the time to go back and hit the little star button on Google Drive on the lessons I tried and they worked! This has thus made my planning for next year, so much easier! I now know the holes that I need to fill in where the lessons that didn't work out as planned where. In turn this allowed me so much time this summer that I didn't have to plan and actually see the beach this summer for the first time in 3 years. Worth it!

The rest of the chapters are organized with themed out sections of each: Imagine, Consider, and Create (with a recap at the end of each).

Lets get started!

My kids are awesome

2015-06-03T03:48:00.002-07:00

http://youtu.be/h3aCVMFprq8

Can wars

2015-06-03T03:45:00.002-07:00

http://youtu.be/u5UlTitYmDI

Scenario for taking our facebooks to authentic learning assessments

2015-05-31T14:27:00.001-07:00

Problem; the US is facing a time where we have it begun to forget the core values of democracy. The people keep complaining about politicians are not listening to them. But they are voting, attending forums, or writing petitions. Corrupt politicians are becoming more common than not.

Solution; a team of scientists have brought the following Enlightenment thinkers back with the use of a top-secret time machine. They have created them social media accounts and requested for each thinker day express their views on the modern form of it social media and helps that the people will listen to them. You must take on the role of it enlightenment thinker and create their social media account cry out in hopes of the people will listen. The theme of your social media will come from the foldable that you put together last class. Please choose from one of the social media forums below in the choice board and begin:

-facebook (template in google docs)

-twitter (template in google docs)

-instagram (template in lucidpress)

-youtube (we video link)

-podcast (wevideo link)

Remember to relate to the American people and show them that they do have a voice! Teach them how to use it in a Democracy! And bring back the core values that our Founding Fathers designed the backbone of our country on!

Good Luck! And may the odds be ever in your favor

Going digital

2015-05-31T14:19:00.001-07:00

I have begun classes it on one to one technology for our new implementation of chrome books in the classroom. We have been taking classes at the district office and I have begun using Google classroom in my class on a daily basis.I have never been so excited to continue learning and take my class for the next level. We were working on projects the other day using different news sources and putting them into a graphic organizer to city both Baltimore in Ferguson. Before I used to just project one video on the SmartBoard for everyone to see, but now I have a live digital classroom where kids can go anywhere from a news sorce of their choosing. The coversations that I have been having and the noises that I hear in my room are what makes me want to teach middle school civics.

Normally at the end of the year I'm counting down the days. This year I didn't even realize that the end of school was next week. I love my classroom and I love being able to do all the cool fun things that we've been able to do lately. I can't wait to come back next year to have one to one chrome books throughout the whole school.

Student gift ideas

2015-05-31T14:13:00.001-07:00

So I had a competition with it two of my classes for community service learning hours. I told them whoever had the most Amana hours at the end of the school year I'm each class I would buy them a gift. The cat lady got 97 hours and it the klutz got 75.so I went out and bought them silly books obviously... the best book I could find for cat lady was "llama llama red pajama's."

Cat lady turned Llama Lady

2015-05-31T14:10:00.001-07:00

The other day Cat came in my room. She looked upset or like she had just had some allergies. I asked her what was wrong and she proceeded to tell me that her mom wouldn't take her to the llama farm. I asked why she want to go to the llama farm. She said "because they're awesome and I just want to go spend quality time with them." I proceeded to ask why she didn't want to go to an alpaca farm instead of a llama farm I think alpacas are better. She then told me that they're both I and her mom didn't understand and proceeded to cry even more. My teacher neighbor proceeded to tell her that maybe you should run away, I backed it up with "like your cat did last summer." She said "maybe I will, and stormed into the classroom." We told her, "come back Cat, you know we were joking." She responds with "nobody understands my love for the llamas.

I messaged her mother to let her know of the incident and that her child cried for a solid 5+ mins over being distraught about not being able to go to this llama farm that she gooogled and is only 20 mins away. Moms response was "she is sick". Me being decent friends woth her said "physically or mentally Ma'am". Her reply: "both."

Got to love 8th graders and their hormones.

Seven Roles for One President

2015-03-24T19:36:00.001-07:00

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/seven-roles-one-president

Seven Roles for One President

1. We labeled our first page "title" and placed the title of the article on that page.

2. We then labeled 7 pages at the top with super hero #_ and the bolded role and # from each of the 7 roles.

3. My students copied each roll together on each page to give them their description & we discussed each role.

4. I explained that for someone to pull this off, they need to ensure that they are being a Role Model.

#1. Chief of State for example says its an honor to shake their hand. No matter if you are a Red Sox fan, a Mets fan, or a Rays fan... You can appreciate Jeter. He is a great player, but also an all around good player. Now, on the other hand, A-Rod is not someone I would like my kid to look up to. Although I can appreciate that he has records without enhancing drugs, I do not want that to represent my team. My family is from New England and I am a New England sports fan for all teams BUT when it comes to baseball. So I used the example of my Mom watching Jeters last game to honor the sport and the player. No matter if you like the person or not, they are doing a job that most can't do.

5. My students then make their notes into a live Presidential super hero comic strip. The President swoops in to perform each role under its description.

How to remember facts in the Judicial Branch

2015-03-24T19:14:00.001-07:00

Students often forget that "judges" at the supreme court level are called Justices. So I was question prompting yesterday and asked out what they were called, only to get the BEST ANSWER EVER!! "They bring you JUSTICE!!" And as that student brought his hand up like a super villain calling out for vengeance in an epic comic book, I knew that this was going to be a new "Action word"with a sweet new action to remember our vocab word!!!

Best homework excuse EVER

2015-03-24T18:49:00.001-07:00

Best No Homework excuse EVER: My student showed up late. She was waiting for the bus when she saw the dead squirrel (email bellow) and wanted to move it so it didnt get "squished even more"(like it has feelings after death). Uses the first piece of paper she finds in her bag (my hw) to move it, BUT to top it off middle schooler style... She first has to pause to take a picture bc it had HUGE balls. Then was so upset it died, after she moved it using my hw, she started crying, went home and had to have her mom console her because she was crying sooo hard and Mom brought her to school late. Smh.

Teacher Geek

2015-03-11T18:45:00.001-07:00

I was printing out a students bill fair slides today from his shared google slides document. When I was deleting out the instruction slides, the students computer showed the edits as I did the edits on the desk near by. My student pointed out how cool it was. So, I proceeded to write silly things to make us laugh via my computer on google slides which proceeded to show up on his!! Got to love geeky moments!

AVID Recruitment

2015-03-11T18:35:00.001-07:00

AVID Teacher Recruitment List

To: The 6th & 7th grade PLCs

From: HMMS AVID Site team

Re: AVID Recruitment – Please fill items out via Sharepoint (link bellow) by March 27th.  THANKS!

The AVID Site Team is in the process of forming the AVID classes for the 2015-2016 school year. We’re asking that our incoming 7th grade AVID students be referred by you, the 6th grade team and incoming 8th grade students from our 6th grade team. We need around 30 referrals from each PLC.

If a student fits the following criteria, please list him or her. This does not mean they will be in AVID. It means they will get an application and will be interviewed for the class. Again, thanks so much!!!! We couldn’t do this without you! If the student turns in an application, we will give the students individual teachers recommendation forms. Right now we are just looking to see who we should try to recruit based on your data.

The criteria are as follows:

1. The student is in the middle and would not normally succeed in a rigorous curriculum without the support of the AVID class and might be

           -Traditionally underserved in colleges and universities

           -Economically disadvantaged

           -Possibly first-time college attendee from a family

           -Underachieving their potential (if given the tools could be more successful)

           -Any combo of the above

-data

-test scores

-ambition

2. The student has B and C grades.

3. The student has appropriate classroom behavior.

4. The student has good attendance.

5. The parents and the student have the motivation and desire for entrance to a four- year college or university.

AVID Presentation of superheroes

2015-03-11T18:29:00.001-07:00

Superhero: have teachers stand with their hands on their hips, with their chests out, and faces up toward the cealing. Have them hold this for 1 minute. As they stand their say motivational "I cans" example "I can make it through the day" "I can explain functions to my students today"

Student speech: we had a student present her essay that got her into Cambridge at a local high school this past weekend. She is also dualing this essay for AVID at the same school. Once she was finished there was barely any dry eyes in the audiance. By now, we not only included a focus hook, but we also showed them what AVID can do! This student not only got her acceptance for Cambridge this last weekend, she also revieved notification that her audition for the theater and arts program was a success as well!! I believe that she will be able to accompish all three with the BEST success!

Prezi: http://prezi.com/cp2shbbipu9a/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Snowball Fight: we asked them just before the AVID video at the end of the Prezi to write a recent moment that they felt like a superhero at school! They made a snowball and tossed it in the bucket as I walked around! The video was sooo engaging most of the snowballs came after the video. I then proceeded to hand them out to the administrators around the room to read off! It was sooo positive! One was even about how my AVID students speech proved that they made a difference the past two years!!!

Make the motivation continue: I took it upon myself to make a superhero hallway board. It said the prompt, check out what their responses were, and don't mind our wrinkles, we had a "snowball fight".

Focus on the positive

2015-03-11T18:08:00.001-07:00

http://youtu.be/KTeujBIlwUA

Focus on the positive from Harns Marsh Middle!!

Superhero style moment!!!

2015-03-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

Woah teacher geek moment. Since my kids know how to use docs now. My youth in govt kid made his speech and practice questions in google docs and shared it to me for edits :) ahhh

Making Data Charts digital

2015-02-17T16:29:00.001-08:00

The wonders of an awesome teacher are simple. If you want to make a product quick, cheap, and fast... Do not waste time with the over achiever, go to the "lazy" person. That person will wait till last minute and give you the fastest route.

I am a bit of an over achiever, although my digital data tracker is tied to my data charts on my wall, it doesn't need to be. At our school we have Pinnacle for our online gradebook. By simply placing the standard at the end of each assignment it becomes a Pintrest worthy teacher hack. Once the quarter is complete, chunck your standards. For example: SS.7.C.2.8 and 2.9 deal with Political Parties and Elections in Civics. These are "chunked" for a unit. When you print your grade report have the students highlight the "chunked" standards in specific colors. Say that 2.9 & 2.8 are blue. The max amount of points that student could have earned in the gradebook on those blue assignments is 120 points. The student got 112/120 points. Dovide it out. Their SMART Goal is 80%. The student met their SMART Goal at 93% success rate on the unit. Do not have students highlight any work that did not assess their understanding or was a preassessment.

Your Gradebook just turned into a digital data tracker. :)

P.s. My students get a star on the data chart in my room if they get over an 80% for that chunked unit;)

Rule of Law hook

2015-01-03T20:10:00.001-08:00

Johnny is the bomb-diggity of the school, and comes to school every morning ignoring dress code. Although he is clearly breaking the rules, he gets away with it. When YOU break the same rule, however, you are stopped in the hallway and sent to the office for a dress code violation.

Have you ever seen a situation like this happen? If so, how did it make you feel? Did you do anything about your feelings?

Cat Girl

2014-12-31T11:25:00.001-08:00

Student Jane is a very bright child, but has her middle school girl quarks. Last Spring she was always always showing off "selfies" with her poor cat. As finals approached nothing worse could have happened than that poor Cat running away! To be quiet honest, I don't blame the cat one bit. I had shown my students a few months prior to this event, a picture of my cat and how unique he sits. When Jane was making her bill fair project on animal abuse, she asked for a picture of my cat. She worded it so well, "Miss, I cant find any cute pictures online, may you print out the one of your cute cat you showed us?" For a moment I spaced on the fact that her Bill Proposal was one on animal abuse & soon found an arrow pointing to poor Emitts picture saying "Ms. Dunne's abused cat" because apparently the students believe that I "force" to sit gangster like. So when her cat ran away in my head I thought, thats what you get for being a hypocrite. So I told her to be hopeful & that upon his return to lay off the selfies. Finals ended and no word on the cat. I kindly emailed her mother to ask as school ended in hope of a happy start of the summer & nothing. I sent condolences & hopes for a miracle! A month later I got a ding on my phone... Janes mom emailed to alert the return of the cat & the ban of cat selfies in hopes that he would not escape again!

Shortly after we returned to school this year I get another ding on my phone. Jane emailed me a selfie with their new kitten... The headline sid "she didnt ban me from taking selfies with this cat".

Oh middle school children!

Attention grabbing

2014-12-31T07:17:00.001-08:00

If you have a simple powerpoint that you want your students to pay attention to just add random pics:

-my gangster cat makes an often apperance

-Grumpy Cat

-Rainbow/ Neon Cat

- Random selfies kids take on the iPad they use as a timmer! The selfies slowly came to an end

- random "poo" pet pictures found on the internet!

Obviously this is not content friendly or related, but when I have a power point for them to label sections or a serious one where I can throw a random picture in to see if they notice, it works GREAT! The random ones I don't aknowledge on purpose, but the labeling ones that are on each slide... I make a tourguide barbie Toy Story style guide through our powerpoint & it works! :)