Looks like the Google gang have some extra time on their hands. They created collaborative spreadsheet art using Google docs. Sure fits my definition of Bloom's highest level of thinking – creating – a new combination of old elements. Click here for more info and a template.
Teacher Workshop Evaluation of the Year
As my presentation year draws to close I have to look back on one teacher's evaluation of my workshop that beats them all. The teacher wrote:
I think the most valuable thing I got out of this was to change the perception of my job from "information dispenser to "designer of learning environments." I really enjoyed it. I usually get online to look for jobs in other fields during inservice, but I didn't do that once during your workshop. I am actually exited about using this information.
As a 25+ year teacher who sat through many dull inservice workshops, I know what it's like to feel that PD is a waste of time (I usually brought papers to grade.) My nonnegotiable rule is that quality staff development should model what you expect to see in the classroom. "Sit and get PD" emulates what you don't want to see in the classroom. It is essential that the presenter models the instructional technique they are advocating, thus giving the teacher attendees the chance to both experience the technique (as student) and reflect on its use (as educator).
BTW – Here's the basic form I use for workshop evaluations. Pappas-evaluation (68 KB pdf) It usually provide very useful feedback. I might add, it's been developed over the years with input from teachers who were invited to not only evaluate the workshop, but the feedback form. (Special thanks to Stephanie Malin, Beaverton OR, Literacy Coach for her valuable input on the evaluation prompts.)
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Teaching American History Grant – The Student as Historian
This week I traveled to Waco TX where I conducted two days of training for an ESC Region 12 "Teaching American History" grant. I had the chance to work with 5th, 8th and 11th grade teachers on techniques to move the focus of history instruction to document-based instruction. I used resources from my website "Teaching with Documents" and a variety of web 2.0 tools to help teachers see how they can create learning environments that allow students to do the work of the historian. On our second day, teachers used mobile laptops to develop their DBQ's and try out the various web resources.
The response from teachers was very positive. They wrote.
The best part of the workshop is that we had time to practice and digest the information were were using.
A good "kick in the pants" on some big picture ideas.
Made me revisit my own strategies…. Questioning strategies were repeatedly reinforced.
My head is spinning and I am giddy from all the resources and insights.
I need to reevaluate the way I teach. You gave me a lot to think about.
Got me excited about what I'm going to do next in my classroom.
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Look into the Face of Student Engagement
It's easy for teachers to feel like their students are far too distracted by the many glowing screens that light up their lives. Robbie Cooper, a photographer and video artist, explores the impact of these information screens in his new "Immersion" project. It offers a fascinating look directly into the faces of British and American kids playing video games (with varying levels of violence) – including Halo 3, Call of Duty, GTA 4, Tekken and Star Wars Battlefront. Cooper uses a system that stations a high resolution video camera right behind the projected game screen.
It's painful to look into the faces of students so caught up in the (sometimes) violent world of video games. I wonder if the students are attracted to the violence or the fact that video games create environments that provide them with an engaging mix of interaction, feedback, and information control? View more project still images here.
He has edited some of his material into this short video.
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Principal Academy – Rigor and Relevance Walk-Through Training
This past week I conducted a series of walk-through training sessions for principals. Our workshops were hosted by North West Regional ESD and they took us through NWRESD's four-county service area in the northwest corner of Oregon – Washington, Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook.
Each day opened with a discussion of rigor and relevance "look-for's." I used videos of classrooms that allowed the local principals to generate observations with "virtual walk-throughs." Then we traveled to a local school where we could work in small teams to hone our observations skills using this basic guide. (16 kb pdf.) The day closed with a full-group session where we processed our reflections. Our goal was to assist principals in fostering dialog with teachers about a more shared vision of teaching and learning.
Evaluations from the principals were positive - they wrote:
The real walkthroughs were beneficial because I was practicing what we discussed in the morning.
This will push me to look for a deeper level of instruction from staff – a deeper level of learning in students.
Just the nudge I needed to "refocus" my professional conversations. I'll be looking at classrooms with a more focused lens.
It makes me want to go back to teaching students – I would be a much better teacher.
