Category Archives: TILS

Retrieving Happiness

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Over the holiday break, I participated in an online conference Ditch Summit http://ditchsummit.com/.  They provide a  new practical presentation each day for 9 days. I did not participate in them all, but the ones I did participate in were well done, and had nice takeaways   Pooja Agarwal’s “ How to Make Learning Really Stick for Your Students” was my favorite.

I also got (sort of) caught up on one of my favorite podcasts –Ted Radio Hour. I made a connection between a podcast episode “Simply Happy” https://www.npr.org/2014/02/14/267188672/are-we-happier-when-we-stay-in-the-moment and Agarwal’s advice on learning.    

“Dog retrieving a ball” by Ian D. Keating is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Agarwal says, “The reality is that students that struggle to learn something will have more long-term learning… Retrieval practice is more challenging but has greater long-term benefits. Therefore, as teachers, we need to help students understand this reality and be ok with the idea that challenging our students is actually good for them.” She advises students be challenged to retrieve, not just review information.  She likes flashcards and flashcard programs but does not like the “I already know this” feature on flashcards as she feels students might overestimate their knowledge.  She mentions exit and entrance tickets, sketchnoting after note-taking and spiraling the curriculum.  The struggle and the focus to retrieve information lead to learning that sticks. She says we should consider methods of getting knowledge out of students’ heads as much as we do getting it into their heads.


In the Simply Happy podcast. Matthew Killingsworth presented data that indicated strongly that staying in the moment was a way to happiness.  His app “Track your Happiness” https://www.trackyourhappiness.org ( which I would never use as it seems like I would be giving TMI)  has given his organization lots of data on what makes people happy.  One finding – when people’s minds wandered, they were less happy. Staying focused and on task- even, it appears, an unpleasant task- produced more happiness than getting off focus.


I see connections between these two presentations.  It is good for our brain to be challenged and expected to retrieve information.  At least for me, to retrieve information successfully, I need to be focused on the retrieval. This can be challenging for me.  But if I stay focused on my task, even if it is challenging, I probably will be happier in that moment.  This seems like a win/win for me!  We can learn, remember, be challenged, and be happy.

Stressing the Point

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“Stressing the Point” by Joel Penner is licensed under CC BY 2.0

My daughters call me the Stress Enhancer, and with good reason.  I am a worrier, and I like things done now.  Two traits that are not conducive to relaxation.* And traits that held me and a class back recently.

Christina Ditzel and Kate Cutright had invited me to work with them on their project using Scratch,  to code interactive scenes from Pride and Prejudice. Christina planned the lessons, but I would lead one section of the class on their journey, because she was teaching her own class.  I spent several hours over a few days with Scratch, drawing, uploading, causing movement and interaction and felt comfortable enough with my knowledge to be a demonstrator. My plan, developed under Christina’s guidance, was to demonstrate the basics of creating a stage and sprites and conversation the first day and then let students explore.  The 2nd-4th day would be used to show backgrounds, how to share,  and allow students to discover on their own the way to switch backgrounds and have sprites move, and create animation/game. Scratch has several elements, but the element react in similar ways, so once you understand one element, you are on your way toward understanding another.

Alas, an emergency came up and I discovered I would only be able to attend 2 days with the class.  The first day went fairly smoothly as I introduced the tool, students explored and asked questions.  Several students had already used the tool, and were able to act as guides for others.  All the students  were able to create a sprite, and understood the concept of the stage.   On the 2nd day,  the not-so- better angels of my nature came forth, and I started panicking that I was setting this class up to fail by demanding too much without grounding them in  knowledge first.  They needed to know about backgrounds!  They needed to understand costumes!  They  needed to understand the  X/Y axis and how movement occurs!  They  need to know the tricks of saving and sharing!  They needed to know sources for costumes and backgrounds!  And I only had 45 minutes for all this!

I jumped sternly in.  “Listen as I show you this”. “I need to show you this”!  Those lovely students soon recognized my stress, and were kind to me as I showed this tool and that tool. They said things like, “That makes sense, Mrs. Tracy” and, “Yes, I see how to do that now”.  Kate reassured me several times, and de-escalated some of my panic.  But what had I done? I had taken some of  the joy of self discovery away. I had enjoyed learning Scratch on my own, with a few sidebars with Christina.  I didn’t let that happen with these students.

The worst part of this experience for me was the why.  My family emergency was changing  the structure of this project.  That was a given – I could not be there for 2 crucial days.   I decided I, and I alone, needed to fix the structure.  I didn’t place my trust in the nature of Scratch, the joy of learning, the students, Christina or Kate – all variables in this project that were NOT changing.  I placed too much emphasis on me, and I only had the now.  A painful event.  Not my best moment as a teacher/librarian, but a lesson learned.  Trust is a much better atmosphere for learning.  And it will not happen NOW for everyone.   Give it the opportunity to happen WHEN.

* My daughters  have been saying this for years 🙂

What and when do we really know?

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Diagram of milling machine for ladder lumber.  New Jersey State Archives.
Lindbergh Kidnapping Evidence Photographs, 1935

What does it mean to learn and know something?
I had an obsession with the Lindbergh kidnapping case  and can definitely say I am acquainted with this historical event.  Recently I had to look up the name of a key participant in the case – the man who testified about the particular saw marks on the ladder found outside the house (Arthur Koehler, if you are interested). I could not remember this important witness’ name, and I wondered, do I still “know” this case? Should I not have this information at my beck and call? My electric car  has me on a new learning curve on something I feel comfortable saying I know how to do – driving. I am having to relearn a few things to get the best electrical mileage I can. So am I learning how to drive again, even though I already know how to drive?

I was thinking about what the terms “learning” and “knowing” mean after I went to CUE’s fall conference at Napa, and attended a few workshops about Virtual Reality.  I have been impressed by this technology, but these workshops opened up my mind to possibilities in the classroom.   I went home that weekend and spent time on  CoSpaces Edu:  & Google Expeditions  &  Google Cardboard – Google VR  & Google Street View on the App Store –  I began to get an understanding and an idea of how it may work.  I was shouting, “I get it! I learned it!”.  Even as I was celebrating with the space I created ( below  and you should see it in VR!) I realized of course I am at the very very very start of knowing anything about this.  I just know how to learn more about it.   When I know more  I’ll forget Arthur Koehler like details and have to relearn them.  Things will change in the layout of the gears and buttons as in my new car, and I’ll have to adjust.  But know what, I am claiming learnership on VR.   I can share what I do know.  I think that means learning.

“I love myself, my dog, and coding”

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So, I must confess that I don’t remember a time in my teaching career when the bell has rung and my students consistently groan and mumble out of displeasure.  Well, that’s exactly what’s happening in our new AP Computer Science Principles class!

These past few weeks, we’ve been working in a visual coding program called Scratch and the students LOVE it!  As a matter of fact, one of my students completed her profile in Scratch and wrote “I love myself, my dog, and coding”.  This is the same student who decided to make a Scratch project for her mom’s birthday (project below).  She was eager to share the project with me – even though it was not worth a grade or any points.

The excitement over Scratch and AP Computer Science Principles is not limited to this one student; rather, I have students chatting with me outside of class on a daily basis and asking “did you see my last project?”  Their excitement is infectious and I am impressed by their creativity and problem solving skills.

Time & Space & Georgia on My Mind

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Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, Georgia and visit Westminster School and Woodward Academy which were two schools mentioned in Grant Lichtman’s #EdJourney: A Roadmap to the Future of Education.  From reading Lichtman’s book, I was eager to see these two schools in person, Westminster School with their “Synergy 8” program that is a “transdisciplinary, community issues, problem-solving class” (Lichtman 150) and Woodward Academy with their “‘beta version design lab,’ … and student-teacher paired design teams (who) worked on issues related to ‘building a stronger school community'” (158).






From the moment I drove onto campus, both of these schools had me in awe.  Their sprawling campuses and red brick buildings made me feel as if I was on a college campus.  Both schools are K-12 with 1,850 students (Westminster) and 2,700 students (Woodward).


So what did I learn in my 2-3 hour visit at each school?  What are they doing that we are not?  What can we learn from them?


Time and Space. 


Time – both schools had a block schedule with time in their daily schedule for tutoring, activities, advisement, etc.

Westminster
Woodward
Schedule Type
Rotating Block
Rotating Block
Details
7-day rotation (each class meets 4x)
three 70-min classed and one 90-min class per day
10-day rotation (each class meets 7x)
Day 1-8 is 4 classes/day
Day 9 is 3 classes
Day 10 is all classes
Free/Tutorial/etc.
time
30 – 100 minutes daily
30 – 90 minutes daily
Class start time
(earlies)
8:30 a.m.
8:20 a.m. 
Class end time
(latest)
3:00 p.m.
3:15 p.m.
See Schedule


Having time in the daily schedule for students to connect with teachers, collaborate with peers, or just chill was something that both schools felt was important (which is reflected in their daily schedules).  Not only is this important time for students, but also for teachers so that lunches remain as a time to chat with colleagues and decompress.  


Aside from tutoring and advisory time being planned into the daily schedule, both schools also used a rotating block schedule with longer class periods that allows for students to get more in-depth into their projects (and also makes it easier for teachers to plan project based learning lessons). 


Not only was time a big factor in creating a more innovative learning environment, but so was — Space.  


In order for teachers to implement more of an innovative/design think approach to teaching and learning, there has to be the right space.  At Woodward, not only did every teacher have his/her own classroom (with furniture that he/she picked out), but there was also a design lab that teachers could bring their classes to for weeks on end.  This room had raised desks (which allowed for students to sit or stand), walls covered with whiteboards, and shelves of supplies for students to use for prototyping.  


At Westminster (lower grades), two of their computer labs had been converted into maker spaces with shelves and shelves of materials ranging from straws to sheets of colored foam and a wall with tiny-sized hand tools for the children.  Here, STEM and design thinking was at the heart of their curriculum for the lower grades.  


Although I have more to share, I am going to end this post here.  I realize we have some limitations at Carondelet in terms of time and space, but what can we do with where we are now?

Making a small space work

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“Organized Chaos” is a term that can often be used to describe my Costume & Fashion Class.

At the end of the first Unit, my students rotate through a machine sewing project.

With 18 students and only 4 machines, this often means that students are working on several different projects at one time.

Today there were students sewing on machines, designing patterns, cutting fabric and still other were working on a online assignment on Schoology.

 

 

Keeping Myself Accountable in a Simple Visual Way

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Today I was working on a project Gaeby is developing, on themes and movements in the Industrial Revolution and  if and how they are still true/active today. I am encountering numbers and statistics as I look into this.  I enjoy making data visible,  and  I wondered if VennGage, a tool I have used a little before, would work as a infographic tool for her students. It has lovely interactive capabilities and amazing charting and graphics.

I like to give tools a real life test, and thought of my project spreadsheet.  I keep track of projects I do with teachers (that do not have to do directly with Schoology) here https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QVP3F0r2s83H1GU1TeMLW-Ej4TsSVM-qtlAzLmhQZrs/edit#gid=0  I do this to help me find, remember and reflect on what worked and what didn’t. I decided to add a query on the project sheet on if these projects contained students opportunities at the 4 Cs  (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity) and a goal of mine- quick and actionable feedback.

Here is the result.  I am glad I am doing this-I see I need to consider collaboration more.  The feedback  visual probably looks more impressive than it should, because I gave Membean a check for quick feedback and I am not sure that is true.   I need to discuss with the English department if this is their perception. I am disappointed in the creativity, and  actually in the number of projects.  I need to reach out more.  I  As I consider this, maybe I will make one by department too, to see what that visual might reveal.  A fun thing about this post is the graphic is embedded, so when I change graphic, this post will change, too.  I love that sort of thing. 

PS. Still not certain this is right tool for Gaeby’s project. But it may be for yours!

Genre–What?: Creating a more Student-Centered Library

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Our Library has gone through several transformations since the January.

First, the Fiction was broken out into 10 subject-based genres. These topics were decided on based on student request of books for their outside reading in English.

Genre Fiction: Realistic (orange) & Made Me Cry (blue)

Genre Fiction: Touch of Magic & Historical

Now fiction books are sorted into Faith, Mystery/Suspense, Horror/Thriller, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Touch of Magic, Romance/Relationships, Historical, Literary Classics, Realistic & AWW/Made me Cry.

Second, the library physical space was reorganized. Eliminating the rows of computers and adding more chairs to the existing tables encouraging more student interactions.

Third, new furniture was ordered and finally arrived (this week!). The taller bistro/cafe tables are a big hit in the library and the perfect height for helping students with their work.

Finally, the books are moving again as we begin to make cross-curricular and interdisciplinary connections between non-fiction and fiction topics. One example is in 940.53 (World War II) memoirs and first-person accounts of the Holocaust, Japanese Interment or life as a solider are paired with novels on the same topics. This necessitated adding new stickers to the books so our students could clearly determine if the book they picked up is non-fiction or fiction.

Soon additional sections that will appear in the non-fiction are Books based on Shakespeare and Serious/Terminal illnesses (think John Greene’s The Fault in Our Stars).

I Can and I Will — Why Carondelet Needs to Lead the Way

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As we grapple with this big Wicked problem that is education, sometimes may wonder why WE have to lead the way…

Kevin shared this three-minute video today which I believe summarizes why Carondelet, as a girl’s school, needs to lead the way.

I also like the shiny gadgets and use of virtual reality (there are resources out there to create virtual reality or use virtual reality resources that we could use right away in all sorts of subjects.