Another Email

This is a copy of an email I sent out to the staffs of the two schools I work with this year. 


Every once in awhile I am asked about what we do in Oneco's Gifted Program or what is meant by "We are a Laboratory and NOT a Factory" and I do my best to explain. I have talked about Constructivism Learning Theory, Challenge Based Learning and students honing a multitude of cross curriculum academic standards through their experiences. Yet, the process goes much deeper than that. Recently, I read a fantastic article from 2008 "School as Inquiry" by Steven Wolk and thought it really does a great job of explaining the principles behind our projects and activities well. Different verbiage is used, but the principles and concepts are the same. In fact another author said it best-"Well, as long as real, student-driven inquiry is at the core, what's in a name?" I think my favorite quote from the article is,"An inquiry-based schools at there very best do not just practice inquiry with their students, they also invite -even expect- teachers to use inquiry to improve their practice." With that said, please know that I am consistently working to improve our process and helping prepare students for their futures through these types of activities. I have read several books that have explored these principles. My favorite being Starting from Scratch by Steven Levy that was given to me by Linda Rollyson (one of the BEST) before she retired five or six years ago. Also, strategic reading skills have been incorporated into our endeavors; including the lessons from both The Primary and Intermediate Comprehension ToolKits throughout the last three years.  I am currently devouring and loving the book several of you are reading Inquiry Circles: Comprehension and Collaboration by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels (thanks Liz Reilly for the recommendation). I actually will be part of an informal book club based on this book with a teacher or two from other schools. As well as, being in constant communication with other teachers from around the world implementing Challenge Based Learning on Apple's Challenge Based Learning Community Website , Twitter, Facebook and email.

Oneco's Gifted Program Newsletter-Spring 2012

Dear Parents,

A couple of months ago I heard a speaker say, “Your school should have an academic focus not a project focus.” This is a statement I full heartedly agree with. However, just because projects are present does not mean that the academics have taken a backseat. On the contrary, they are as front and center as ever before and as I have stated in the past I throughly believe in the Gifted Program's motto WE are a Laboratory and NOT a Factory. Personally, I feel that by isolating skills we never quite get to the deep problem solving skills needed to prepare our students for their future. The gifted students have worked on several quality projects that demonstrate this principles this quarter. 


First our Healthy Eaters’ Campaign was released and the students have spent some time promoting it. Fifth grade students were in charge of creating a brief survey that Ms Brigance, Ms. McDonald and Ms. Schade so graciously allowed their students to participate in. After that data was collected these students created triple bar graphs, analyzed the data and created a plan to promote our campaign to optimize its effectiveness. After FCAT, we will again ask these three classes to complete our survey again use the data to evaluate the campaigns effectiveness.


Grade 2 students have been exploring Manatee County Schools’ Strategic Objectives and creating a grade level ePortfolio. The Four Strategic Objectives are rooted in The District of Manatee County School’s Mission Statement and is at the core of educations throughout the county. These students have spent a great deal of time reading through The Strategic Objectives and using a graphic organizer (called a Frayer) to break down the rubrics to help them define each Strategic Objectives. Then students wrote and video taped reflections that demonstrates not only their understanding of each, but also how they relate to real tangible things in their lives.


 Grade 3 has been investigating Simple Machines. They have built each machine using legos and other classroom materials and discovered ways to make the workload less difficult. These students also created paper slideshows, much like “Common Craft Videos”. These videos can be found linked on Oneco’s Gifted Website under Gifted Highlights.


Grade 4 are continuing to work their way through Navigate Your World, where they have been learning about basic geography. Soon after FCAT, these students will be learning to use both compasses and global positioning systems.

 Finally, our 5th graders also work together to compete in The Fizz Dr. Lodge’s Video Challenge hosted by Discovery Education. For this challenge the student learned the Kinesthetic Lectures for a song, based on an academic content, in our case geography. We worked with the song entitled “People Move”, which covers The Five Themes of Geogaphy. This has served as a great review for us as we make our way back into Navigate Your World, geocaching and Challenge Based Learning. Our video can be found linked on Oneco’s Gifted Website under Gifted Highlights.

DEN Summer Institute Application

Here is my application for the DEN Summer Institute in Montana this summer. I was lucky enough to attended DEN Summer Institute in Boston in July 2010.  Where I met some wonderful educators from around the country, learned a ton and brought back many wonderful ideas I still use in my classroom today.  I really want to be chosen to attend this year's event and each week I open up the DEN Update email hoping and praying my name will make that list. So far, I have not been part of the lucky few, but my fingers are still crossed that by March 26th it will be.

FETC 2012 Update

I did want to give a brief update of the highlights from my trip to FETC last week. It was a busy week with lots of talk about Mobile Devices, Apps, Web 2.0 sites and digital textbooks.. I really could go on and on, but I think I need to stick to the highlights.

First, I was able to spend a fantastic day with Discovery Learning.  Who brought in Dr. Lodge McGammon and Katie Gimbar from North Carolina to learn one take video ideas for the classroom. Here is what is a list of ideas discussed with links video explanation of each:

        Flipping the Classroom-
            Katie Gimbar -Why I Flipped My Classroom
            Dr. Lodge McGammon-Flipping the Classroom - 
         Teach Concepts with creating a Music Video- This was a blast.
            Dr. Lodge McGammon- Explaining the process

        Paper Slide Video to Differentiate
            Dr. Lodge McGammon-Explaining the process 
 

        
Then there were two Keynote Speakers that I personally found fascinating:
        Michael Wesch-Wired Magazines
 He discussed how when new media is introduced  the rules of communication and the structure of society changes. Interesting not just as an educator, but as a person. Really made me think.
 
        My favorite speaker was Dr. Heidi Hayes Jacobs/
Executive Director of Curriculum Mapping Institute
        Love her idea of Strategic Upgrades!

Twenty Lessons from 2011

1.  It really is a “Small World” after all and investing in relationships with people from different places really does enrich your life. So go ahead and use those tools available these days to stay in touch.
 
2.  Swallow your pride and admit it when you are wrong. Usually those around you have already figure out your mistake anyway.
 
3. Don’t take yourself too seriously! Sometimes it is just best to laugh at yourself.  We humans can be pretty funny creatures sometimes. 

4. Thanks to the Housewives of “Whatever City”  I have realized  that my life is pretty tame and boring and I like it that way.
 
5.  Laughter really is good medicine.
 
6.  Give more grace to people. You have not walked in other people’s shoes and there is probably a whole bunch you don’t understand about their choices, behaviors and decisions.
 
7.  Be very careful in intersections, because not everyone follows the rules of the road or in life. You never know when or where danger lies so be alert. 
 
8.  Listen and hear people better! This fall I had someone who I had not seen in awhile  surprise me by revisiting a small simple detail from a conversation we had had a couple months earlier. That act really made me feel like what I said mattered and is a gift I would love to pass on to others.
 
9.  Throwing a frozen banana, a half of cup of frozen berries and a bit of honey into a food processor really does make a great dessert. This is really yummy!


10.  No matter how things have turned out in the past don't be afraid to be vulnerable and take risk.  It is better to be in the game then to always wonder what if.
 
11. At times, it might be wiser to keep emails and messages in draft form for a day or so before hitting the send button. Things might be better communicated after a day or so of reflection.
 
12.  Slow down and smell the roses some. Better yet, pull out the camera and take photographs of them. There is so much beauty in our world and we miss so much of it with all our rushing around.
 
13.  Live within (or better yet below) your means. It really does give you more freedom.
 
14.  Life does not have a rewind button, email/Facebook message can not be unsent, harsh words can not be unsaid, etc.  All we can do; is do our best, learn from our mistakes and trust that God has a plan.
 
15.  That putting brown sugar out in a small dishes really does keep flies away. (Thanks Melody for that little tip).


16.  True loyalty is displayed when people show honor to someone who is no longer in a position to do anything for them. 
 
17. When you decide to go against the grain and do things differently be prepare to explain why. Those explanations demonstrate the true intelligence behind your decisions.
 
18.  When someone does something nice for you (even if you can do it for yourself) let your guard down, enjoy it and remember to say thank you.   

19.  Sometimes it really is fun to have your past visit it you.
 
20.  Real history happens as we live life out day to day and continues on in the memories of those around us. So from the bottom of my heart thanks to each and everyone of you for being part of my history this year. 

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

   In one of my earliest post I mentioned that I have Dyslexia. Seriously, that was one of the first times that I had admitted it publicly. As a child, no one really talked about it, which is partly due to the fact that my Mom wanted to believe there was nothing wrong. If I were honest she still won’t talk about it and is shocked that I would be willing to admit such a thing. This, I find a bit funny due to the fact that if you have receive more than an email or two from me you aware of the fact that something is not quite right. Whether it was talked about it or not, I knew I wasn’t keeping up with my classmates and with three of my six siblings testing in the gifted range there was no keeping up at home either. With that said, I don’t remember anyone treating me as if I were stupid, but I do remember feeling trapped. Trapped in knowing that how I spelled and read limited me in how I communicated. I think at an early age I knew that based on what I did produce my intelligence was constantly being measured more by my weaknesses then my strengths. Honestly, this is a reality I know still exist today and I am aware of the fact that I have been passed over on opportunities due to my written communications. Even with the use of a few editors it is a constant struggle for me to find the courage to share, because with each Tweet, Facebook, blog post .... I know there are at least one or two people out there who are judging the grammar and spelling rather then the content of what I have said. 

    About five years ago, I was blessed to have a young lady entered my world and classroom that truly helped me bridge the gap of understanding about Dyslexia. Although this child’s intelligence measured in the gifted range for many reasons she struggles with reading and language. After exploring several different avenues to help their child her parents took her to a neurologist and it was through that visit that it was discovered she too had Dyslexia. Following her diagnose her Mom and I read a book that had been suggested to me through a friend entitle The Gifted of Dyslexia. Before this time, all I had heard about Dyslexia was that it involved seeing words backwards, which I learned was not the case. Honestly, that was a relief to me, because I did not think that I read words backwards. Anyway, as I made my way through this book it felt like a mirror was being help up in front of my face and parts brought tears to my eyes. Finally, there was something that explained how my mind works, why language is such a struggle and how some of my other strengths and weaknesses fit into the picture. For instance, for years I have taken kidding from family and friends about my huge issue with klutziness, which has been very well deserved. Only to read that is also a sign of dyslexia. It is not often that a book comes along that changes how you see yourself.
   
     Then this summer HBO did a documentary entitled  Journey Into Dyslexia. During the documentary different people with Dyslexia were interviewed (artist, CEO, Nobel Prize Winner.... and thriving students). From those interviews I think the best line came from Erin Brockovich, "I would not be who I am if I did not have Dyslexia." This very true and simple statement really helps put things into perspective and reminded me of one of my favorite Bible verses.  Psalm 139:14  “I praise you (God) because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”  I found it interesting that nowhere in this verse does it say I would praise you if I did not have Dyslexia or had been made perfect.  Now, I would never say that having Dyslexia has been a cakewalk, but it is part of what makes me fearfully and wonderfully made.  

"We Are a Laboratory, NOT a Factory"-In Action

 In earlier blog post, I had explained that for the last several years Oneco's Gifted Program has been using the motto “We are a laboratory, Not a factory.” However, I feel that I may need to do a better job explaining how things work and where standards are built into our projects. We work from The Constructivism Learning Theory where a multitude of curriculum standards are threaded together and explored on a deeper level through projects. Our integrated standards reflect Florida's Grade Level Sunshine State Standards, The State of Florida's Framework for the K-12 Gifted Learners  and National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) and Performance Indicators for Students.  In The Constructivism Learning Theory the basic belief is that the learning is in the process. This is partly done by not doing anything for students that they can do for themselves.


To illustrate my point, here is an example from one of our Challenge Based Learning Projects. Students wanted to conduct a survey for adults to participate in. It then was the students’ responsibility to:

-Write a letter requesting that the adults take the survey.

-Write the questions and answers for the survey. 

This was a wonderful learning experience and there was a long discussion on why answers to our survey might need to be multiple choice and not open ended. There was a lot of critical thinking that took place during that discussion and in the process of writing both the questions and answers to our survey.

-Write a thank you note for taking the survey.

-Analysis the data from the survey, which forced students to make and analysis several double bar graphs.

-Finally, use that information to either create new questions, conduct more research and/or create a solution.

Oneco’s Gifted Program mainly utilizes two framework that I feel embrace The Constructivism Learning Theory;  Project Based Learning and Challenge Based Learning. They have many of the same basic principles.  However, I have several reasons why I feel  Challenge Based Learning is more effective, but feel that is information for another blog post.


 As we have learned to embraced our motto, my role, as their teacher, has also changed. I have made a shift from being less of a dispenser of information to now being more of a guide and fellow researcher.  There are many conversations and coaching sessions during the CBL or PBL process. Most of our conversations, seem to center around the hows and whys of doing quality research and not just on the content of the research. It is through these conversations and their reflections that my students are forced to look at what they are doing, how they are doing it and ultimately gain the skills needed to solve other challenges they will come across in their futures. It is a balancing act to live out these authentic learning experiences and there are times when this process seems very long.  However, by getting out of the way and letting the students have some control their learning becomes both meaningful and sustainable.


There is some wonderful research out on this subject and I've included a couple articles if you are interested.


Project Based Learning ,- Edutopia
Challenge Based Learning  -