Lisa Eisele shared in an online chat about Shift This, that she is "one of those teachers who has to have the room decorated and ready prior to day one. This year, I'm going to begin with blank walls and boards... this is WAY out of my comfort zone!" Lisa went on to talk about what her homeroom did last year - THIS is something that builds such community within the classroom! "My homeroom (9th grade) came up with a poster to represent us last year. They looked at several 'family' poster images to determine what to include. Another individual worked on the layout using Photoshop. They were quite pleased with the results!" Cathy Cassaro took the unused TV carts apart (many were sitting in library storage rooms) and used the TVs to create Collaboration Stations. Chromebooks have such small screens that gathering around them proved to be frustrating when working on group projects. Adding a HDMI Hub allowed multiple students to hook up to the TV and switch between the users with the click of the button. Students utilize these new work spaces for collaboration purposes, and because the set-up is so easy the teacher does not need to be involved. Teachers have taken note and now utilize them for their team/staff meetings. Cathy shared this during a Google forum book study put on by ICE (Illinois Computing Educators).
"We need some criticism to keep us grounded..." As stated in chapter 10, feedback may be tough to take, but it helps us grow.
Dianne Csoto took feedback from her students this year - check out what she learned, and surprises she came across! It's time for me to celebrate! Reading Shift This! has inspired an educator to blog!
Check out this post, titled "I Thought I Knew It All" by Ariel Jankord, and encourage her to share more of her reflections. In this post, she reflects on a part of her last school year. If you already blog, you know how motivating comments can be - to keep the much-needed conversations going. Let's give her blog some love and let her know she's part of our tribe of lifelong learners! Melissa Pilakowski just wrote about something she does each day in the classroom - and it's inspiring! You'll want to try it as soon as you get back to your room! What a great way to connect to students and build relationships full of positivity. Check out how she celebrates life with her students here:
Chris Heffernan just wrote about his last completed school year. In his June 7th post, he focuses on what reflection means, problems he had this year, and then plans for improving. Read to find out how he's looking ahead after reflecting!
...into a video/collaboration station!Bret Gosselin transformed his teacher desk... handing it over to the students, of course!
...make me sick!"So says Zach Rondot (@MrRondot) in a tweet to me about his post here: "What do you mean we don't have time for social studies?" A Guide to Project-Based Learning Have you been there? Done that? My awakening was when I entered the seventh-grade ELA classroom and students took a 50-point test on The Outsiders (without looking back at the test!)! Forget the days of students forgetting the information needed for the test a week after. Check out Zach's post about a HUGE shift, where he shares five comprehensive steps needed AND management tips! (He even helps out with the grading... or lack thereof!) The old self doubt is creeping in. I'm the only classroom with full flexible seating & how our daily routines go. I struggle not having a team or even a partner to push me & grow. They have the 'what I did for past 5 years is fine' attitude. My principal thinks, "She's a good teacher, I don't have to worry about her," so I rarely get ANY feedback. I look to my PLN who are outstanding. I still do what I want in my class - Instagram, Twitter, flexible learning, coding, and genius hour is coming up. Sorry for dumping on you, but sometimes I feel alone.
This person is using online teachers for support - thank goodness! We support each other and help each other grow. What's next for this educator to do? Share your story. Share through blogging, and share with parents the reasons WHY you're trying new things. Then reach out, little by little, to coworkers. Ask the questions that get them thinking about what's best for children, then share your own story with them. It is sad that educators who want to change are often ostracized. It's time for us to change that. Let's make what some now consider "crazy" - the norm in a few years... |
AuthorSThis blog is for OTHER authors to share their shifts with the world! Follow their stories by following the links to their blogs! Archives
January 2019
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