Edublogging: History Backwards

When we were tasked with reading and commenting on content from edubloggers, I thought the whole exercise was a bit on the strange side even for me. My first inclination was to find extra cool blogs with substantive content. While finding substantive content is certainly important, I wanted to find a blog that was meaningful and genuine. I think reflection is important even though it’s a tad bit on the obnoxious side in this program. Nevertheless, I think it is necessary to think about what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. So, I wanted to search out a reflective practitioner.

Thanks to Jeff and Rory’s list I found Chris Lehmann’s blog: Practical Theory. The title of the blog itself aligns with my own beliefs about education. Oftentimes, I feel bogged down by theory over maybe I’m simply overwhelmed. Finding a balance between practice and theory is maybe difficult. I typically side toward practice. As John Dewey would say we learn by doing. We learn by doing. But, reading through Mr. Lehmann’s blog, it seems that he has found that balance between theory and practice hence: Practical Theory.

The blog post that intrigued me most was his new idea of teaching American History backwards starting from the present. I just thought it was an interesting approach that I otherwise would not have thought about. In one of my current classes, we discuss problematizing history and teaching history at different scales/perspectives. So, this blog post, in particular, really resonated with me. It made sense. Essentially, Mr. Lehmann is experimenting in a new way that focuses on these two key facets of teaching history: using a new perspective and problematization. The discipline of history should be inquiry based and investigative in nature.

In my response, I thanked him for providing a unique idea. Sometimes, I struggle thinking outside the box. I discussed some of the things I’m currently learning in class. I also suggested Thomas Bender’s Nation Among Nations which places America’s national history in the context of world history. Mr. Lehmann responded by thanking me for my input and explained that his grand experiment of teaching history backwards was going quite well. I hope to continue to learn more about his process.

Here is a link to his blog: http://practicaltheory.org/blog/contact/?contact-form-id=9955&contact-form-sent=11930&_wpnonce=4e7b52f16c#contact-form-9955

Tech in my Placement

The research process of the technology in my placement began early on during the professional development period two weeks prior to students’ arrival. One of the Henry Ford Academy’s chief aims is to foster innovation. Therefore, students and teachers are exposed to a wide-array of technology tools. The use of technology is inevitable, and HFA believes strongly that students must have access such tools in order to gain a full educational experience.

The school has two computer labs: one is PC and the second is Apple. There are three mobile labs that are Google Chromebooks. The administration and teaching staff believe strongly that students should be able to use and have access to all three platforms.  I think this is incredibly important. Technology is not going to simply go away; it must be a part of the educational experience. Future jobs necessitate technology use as well. If a student is unaware of certain programs or applications, inevitably that student will be behind those who do in the job market. Therefore, it is fundamental that students have access to technology. HFA provides that opportunity.

There is a significant amount of software provided as well.  All the major software programming for Apple and Microsoft is available. There is also public access to WiFi. Teachers have access to grading software, online class websites such as Moodle, and email among others. My mentor teacher, for example, uses a wiki space to post all his PowerPoints and homework materials. This is fantastic especially for students who are absent.

HFA just acquired new portable smartboard technology. So, basically any whiteboard can become a smartboard. It’s really cool, but I don’t know how to use it yet. I’m sure it’s easy. I know the teachers are excited to use it. Since this equipment was just acquired, I’m not exactly sure who manufactures it. But, I’m excited to use it as well. Thanks to grants and Title I funding, HFA is able to obtain new equipment.

My only disappointment was not being able to access my blog. Other social media is restricted as well. Hopefully, this will change.

Like I states before, I think technology is incredibly important. I am disappointed to hear that some of my classmates do not have as much access. I know those at TCEC, for example, do not have the same advantages. Technology is not the end all be all of education though. But, it certainly helps out a ton.  

Padlet is Extra Awesome

While I certainly enjoyed all the presentations of my fellow classmates thus far, I think the tech tool that I consider the most useful was Padlet. Audacity was pretty helpful too especially when I had to edit my conversation for ED 511. (I had to edit out the profanity) Maybe, that’s too much information. In any case, I still want to discuss Padlet though.

Now, word on the street says this application is just like Pinterest. But, I’m way too cool for Pinterest so I wouldn’t know.  In any case, I thought the group really showcased how this application could be used in the classroom. It seems to be a great fit for social studies especially. So, being an extra awesome, future history teacher I’m really excited to use it.

The idea that I thought was the most fantastic was creating timelines. I most likely would not have thought of this without the incredible insights of my colleagues. After that tangent, it goes without saying, but I’ll mention it anyways: timelines are especially important for history. Students need a framework to stick events onto according to Shemilt. I just had to throw in the theory there; I couldn’t help myself. I love theory; it’s my favorite. Anyways, using Padlet would allow students to add to the timeline all year. What’s also great is students do not have to create an account for the application. I always think it’s annoying to have to give all your information away to use something.

Padlet is also great because students can share videos, documents, and all kinds of different materials. The possibilities are endless. In this regard, it’s simply great for organizing. It can essentially be used as a teacher website as well, which is helpful to me because I’m not the most tech savvy guy in the world. Ease of use is an important aspect to me. I don’t like to work hard. With technology stuff my philosophy is: if it’s not easy; it’s not right. Padlet is easy.

Thanks to the presentation of my classmates, I’m willing to give this application a try in my future classroom.

David Theune is Truly Inspring

I’d like to consider myself to be a good judge of character. Occasionally, my perception is off, but this is rare.  It’s impossible to fake being genuine; most people see through it very easily. David Theune is simply incredible. He is an authentic, charismatic teacher who cares deeply about his students and about his craft. His passion and emotion was palpable during his presentation. He has cultivated a meaningful, purposeful, and unique educational experience for all his students. But, what I perceive to be David’s greatest attribute is his willingness to change, to experiment, and ultimately create better instructional methods.

During the presentation, David discussed his move away from rubrics. My own gut reaction to rubrics is: ugh this is so robotic and inhuman. I find rubrics for poetry to be especially abhorrent. It makes me think of Dead Poets Society when Mr. Keating instructs his students to rip out the introduction and scale for rating poetry. It’s an abomination on all that is human to grade a poem by means of rubric.

In an effort to evaluate students differently, David began involving parents and the community in the grading process. Students read poetry aloud to a small audience of parents and other students. Poetry was meant to be read aloud. For some crazy reason, we have moved away from doing this. But, David is bringing it back in a powerful way. Students are able to express themselves and it’s really amazing material. It even raised the issue of bullying, and both students and parents can see/hear how others are affected. It seems like such a “duh” moment to involve parents in presentations/grading, but parents aren’t involved at the secondary level like in the primary level. I think it goes without saying, but what David is doing is really special.

In my future practice, I would like to have this same style of grading/presenting for oral history projects. I know I talk about this a lot, but I’m passionate about it. Students could present their oral histories alongside who they interviewed for parents and others students to appreciate. It was be a unique, inspirational experience. I want students to do things that they will remember.   

Connections Across Disciplines! YAY! for Foreign Language Peeps!

Foreign languages have always been my educational kryptonite. For whatever reason, I struggle, and I’m not exactly sure as to why. I don’t know if it’s a matter of a mental block, or if it’s a case of severe laziness. It’s most likely a combination of both.

In any case, learning foreign languages is, nevertheless, an interest of mine. I would like to travel more extensively preferably without any language barriers. This is probably a lofty and most likely unattainable goal sadly. With that said, I’m still very interested in the methods and practices that Lisa, Kelsey, and Branden intend to employ in their future classrooms. 

Many times, it seems that foreign languages are taught simply from the textbook. Often conversation and usage of the actual language, in this case German, is very limited. The interactive approach that this group intends to utilize seems absolutely perfect to me. I love the idea of Skyping and actually talking to fellow students from Germany. Complete immersion is obviously the best option for learning a new language. While this approach is not the ideal, I would most certainly argue that it’s the next best thing.

This approach allows American students to actually have a purpose for the language: communicating with actual people! Students learn best from their peers. This is a perfect opportunity for such a learning occasion. Another critically important aspect of this lesson is the focus on learning from native speakers. This manner of instruction may be intimidating at first, but students need to dive into the language. The incorporation of technology is clearly a huge benefit to the teachers of foreign language in this case.

Branden, Lisa, and Kelsey’s overall lesson plan is great. The purpose of the lesson is multifaceted. Students will learn not only the comprehension of language through the inaction with native speakers but also the culture. Students will also learn other important skills such as using Skype. The lesson plan is articulated well. It is thought out, and no time is wasted for the period. I like how there are parameters for the Skype discussion. Specifically, it’s interesting to learn how other students learn in their education system. I also like how there is an option to use the chat in Skype for horrible speakers like me.

The reflection, discussion, and homework components are also important. They reinforce the in-class activity.  Branden, Lisa, and Kelsey’s approach harkens back to Dewey’s learning by doing, which I believe is the best way to learn. I think they did a great job, and maybe such a task could even help a horrible foreign language student like myself!

I LOVE ORGANIZATION FOREVER AND EVER!

I am surprisingly a human being who is often frustrated very easily by disorganization. In this ever changing world of technological advances, it has become confusing and difficult to stay organized especially with electronic publications. It hurts my soul forever. I am thankful that Jeff and Rory included this extra fun activity.

The Organizing Your Online Life activity gave us the opportunity to explore new and exciting online organizers. I especially loved Kelsey's presentation on Evernote. Evernote is beyond awesome. We are constantly given PDF readings, and there's no place to put them. It would be nice also to just simply have the text as well rather than all the extra nonsense. Evernote provides a means to simplify PDFs and other online readings. Evernote is a program that I will most certainly use both personally and professionally.

Matt offered a great presentation on Google Drive as well. I am familiar with Google Drive already, but Matt was able to demonstrate new functions that I was not aware of. There are all these cool add-ons that are typically free. Google Translator is one of those such add-ons. I already use Google Docs extensively for class and even with students at Scarlett Middle School. The share feature makes group projects so much easier.

Blendspace is a newer online organizer specifically designed for teachers. I love how you can organize pictures, videos, etc. It creates a space to incorporate such items in an actual lesson plan that you can share with students. It's fantastically amazing.

It was a great opportunity to learn about all three organizers. I had a blast! Yay for organization! Now, I don't have to be frustrated and upset. I have the tools to use. Woohoo!

Games make learning extra fun! Yay Forever!

So, I'm not too sure if everyone knows about QuizUp! It's an application (app) that you can download for free onto your smart phone that’s extra fun! It's a form of Trivial Pursuit, however, it's one-on-one. You pick from one of the 400+ categories such as History, Literature, Sports, Grammar, Geography, Movies, and all other kinds of things. There are also specific topics for each category.

Once you have selected a topic, you face off against an opponent either a friend or someone random. The match begins! The game involves a series of questions: six normal questions and one bonus question. Each player has 10 seconds to answer the question from the four responses provided. It’s essentially multiple choice. The faster you answer correctly, the more points you receive. There is a maximum of 20 points for the normal questions and 40 for the bonus question. The highest point total is 160. The player with the most points wins, of course.

As you continue to play, you earn experience points for the categories that you participate in. Your level increases as you gain experience. The amount of experience points you receive depends on how well you perform during the match. The highest amount you can earn for a match is 300 points. There are several factors that make up your experience score: points scored in the match, finishing bonus, and victory bonus. Once you reach level 10 in a category and every tenth level after that you receive a title. The title I’m most proud of is: Pilgrim of the World for my success in the World Countries category.

You can download the app from your Play Store and link it with Facebook. It’s fun, addicting, and educational. I look forward to playing you guys!

Standardized tests fatigue my soul and other thoughts!

Yes, that's right. Standardized tests fatigue my soul. When we were first asked to examine the sample tests, my first thoughts were: "Ugh, I don't want to do this. Please, make it stop. I'm already tired. I don't care." I was not exactly prepared to take any tests even if they were only samples. I was already sitting on a throne of tiredness. It was late in the afternoon. Most of the time, I'm pretty checked out as it is at this point in the day. I want to go home. I am weary, and the last thing I want to do is take some stupid test that means nothing to me.

But, let's examine the actual sample test itself. After mustering up the last amount of care power I had left for the day, I grudgingly decided to check out the sample test for 12th grade ELA. I read the first question and thought: "Where in world is this information coming from?" It's like the question came out of left field. I didn't even know how to answer the awkward question. After staring at the test for what seemed like forever, I figured out that the texts that pertained to all the questions were located on the left side of the screen. This was beyond confusing to say the least. There were two texts and I had to scroll a ton to see both of them. At this point, I became angry and frustrated. I gave up. So, I kind of screwed around, moaned, and groaned until Rory directed us to stop doing the activity thankfully.

When I think about standardized tests in general, I typically get frustrated. Standardized tests do not account for creativity, ambition, curiosity, or persistence. They do not assess the understanding of truth, faith, love, hope, or any other meaningful part of the human condition. These tests are simply a hoop to jump through, nothing more. They're ultimately meaningless and dehumanizing exercises that accomplish nothing. How does reading some random blurb about random nonsense really matter or demonstrate my full competency? Life doesn't happen in a little bubble. Standardized tests are examining a bubble of knowledge or ability a person has. It's not a fair assessment. They fail to examine or assess the totality of what a human being is capable of. Ultimately, what's the point?  

I know I rambled for a bit. But, if I feel this way, certainly my students will feel similar or even worse. How can I expect my students to care especially since I honestly don't? Does this make me a bad person? Why should student performance on such tests be tied to my evaluation? The questions don't necessarily matter. What I must do as an instructor is teach the means by which to do well on standardized tests. If students can analyze primary historical documents, interpret meaning and context, write effectively, and think critically, surely they will have the tools to be successful in life and on a test.  I guess that's my hope.

On a completely different note, I loved the exercise that inhibited our abilities. It challenged me to be succinct and get my point across quickly. Overall, I think I performed admirably given the circumstances. Brevity has its merits.

Learning by Doing: Oral History Project

Dewey's concept of "learning by doing" is certainly an idea I wish to incorporate in my classroom. The best indicator of learned knowledge is applied knowledge. As a future history teacher, I would like my students to act as "historians."

In my U.S. History course, I was required to create an oral history project. While this project was time consuming, it was such a worthwhile and meaningful endeavor. The assignment consisted of interviewing a willing participant who was either a veteran or older than the age of 65.  Using a recording device, it was my job to interview my participant. The intent was to essentially discuss the individual's life journey in the context of historical events.

It was an amazing experience that has really stuck with me over the years. I believe that such an activity encompasses all facets of a high quality educational experience. The student completes the following tasks: (1) meet with community member, (2) create a primary document (transcript, recording), (3) use technology, (recording device) (4) create secondary document (analysis of the primary source in context of historical events). 

I think it may be challenging to expect high school students to complete this task. Nevertheless, it is beneficial for both the participant and the student. For instance, senior citizens may not receive many visitors and would love the chance to share their knowledge to young students. It gives the student the opportunity to actually create an artifact and analysis it, which are both higher orders of thinking. There is also the necessity of involving technology such as a digital recorder or even a mobile phone during the interview process. Overall, this kind of assignment would be an amazing experience for everyone involved and could even become part of an archive.