Action Research Process

       Most teachers reflect daily about how their lessons went. (What could have been done better?  What should I change?  What’s the true problem?)  This is the easy part for me.  I am always able to observe and identify what needs to be changed. For example, tweak this part for the next class, add this question, or forget about that activity altogether. The hard part is gathering information through researched literature to make improvements on what needs to be changed.  This takes time and let’s face it, time is an educator’s worst enemy but through my DLL classes I was forced to take the time to do it.  I started this journey of changing my classroom environment in 2016 before I started my DLL classes.  I realized that I needed to be more flexible on how I delivered information to my students.  The question I pondered was… How can I differentiate for all my students and how could this be done?  I had to use our district curriculum and I had to follow the recommended time allowance but the way I delivered the information was up to me.  My first avenue of change was flipping my classroom.  This experience was good but not great.  Students still needed to hear the lesson even though they listened at home.  The online collaboration piece that I created was great, learning was taking place at home for most, but some students didn’t have access to home computers. Something was missing from the puzzle and I researched all summer to figure out what it was.  In August, I started my first DLL class and in 5305 I was inspired to test my innovation plan.  It was through blended learning that I could reach each student at their individual level.  I began combining the two pieces together (online, and teacher-led) and that combination was the piece I needed to complete the puzzle.  In October I began using our LMS (Canvas) program to display some of the lessons that I created.  I also used online tools that personalized student learning (Think Through Math, Prodigy, ilearn, and Khan Academy).  Personalized learning paths was something that I also created for students to promote ownership and self-directed learning.  Making this big change gave me the freedom to become the facilitator, form relationships, and differentiate the needs of my students.  I still lead a mini-lesson but after the mini-lesson students are self-directed and take the lead.  I believe I was using action research plan without knowing what it was called because I was reflecting and developing a plan to meet the needs of my students.  Benchmarks and past STAAR scores were the tools I used to measure my results.  I’m so anxious to see what this years STAAR results show in year two of my change implementation.  Next year, I am moving to a different position.  I will be the Advanced Academic teacher for another campus plus I will be able to coach other teachers within my new school.  I’m ready to try out my innovation plan with other teachers. You must take the “Risk” and do what’s best for kids no matter how difficult it may seem.  The benefits outweigh the risk!  I’m so passionate about blended learning that I am presenting this summer at Region 6 in Huntsville, Texas (June 7), Region 10 in Plano, Texas (June 11) and at ISTE in Chicago, IL (June 24).

Leadership is Key

     Chambers and Speirs describe what creates a successful initiative in their podcast “What Makes a Tech Friendly Head of School?”.  They describe that a successful initiative is determined by leadership.  Leaders must willing to set the vision and lead the way through modeling the required expectations. These leaders must also commit to what they are expecting others to do. For example,  if the school initiative is using Twitter to tell the school story then the leadership must model this behavior as well. They should also be knowledgeable about the initiative project and be able to articulate their message with others. It’s important for these leaders to seek out others to join their innovation and empathize with those who can’t relate to the plan. The most important key to creating a successful initiative is being flexible and building upon the failures.

Chambers, B., & Speirs, F. (Out of School). (2016, January 11). 164: Deploy 2016, part 2: What makes a tech friendly head of school?[Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://outofschool.net/2016/01/11/164-deploy-2016-part-2-what-makes-a-tech-friendly-head-of-school/

She's probably in your class.

She's probably in your class.

Do you recognize this girl? You know the girl that is constantly chatting with her friends and smiles all the time? She is also the one that struggles to learn concepts the first time around and she needs your constant support. Do you know why she struggles? Did you know that she has been enrolled in two other elementary schools and this is the third? Did you know that each time she has moved it has been because her parents have struggled to meet the rental payments on their home? Did you know that her previous teachers rolled their eyes at her every time she struggled and asked for help? Did you know that her teachers have told her she would never be a high achieving student? It was either sink or swim and most of the time she sank.

She's probably in your class and you have the chance to be the number one difference maker in her life. Show her that you care and guide her towards success. Help her find that "Just Right" way of learning. Let her choose her learning outcomes through personalized menus that allow for multiple ways of learning. Let her express her comprehension through uncommon learning activities. Most of all....be her BIGGEST CHEERLEADER! If you do that she will remember you always.

That girl was me. Dr.Joyce Slone was my biggest cheerleader but I wasn't blessed with her presence until 12th grade. She treated me with respect and dignity. She was more than just a teacher, she was an influencer. She not only influenced me but made me believe I could accomplish whatever I wanted in life. She taught me to never give up on my dreams. It's because of Dr. Joyce Slone that I have a burning passion to learn and teach others. I will continue to honor her every day not only in my classroom but in life. I want my students to feel exactly the way Dr. Joyce Slone made me feel....LOVED!

Moving Forward

    When I think about the way I learned I remember there was only one way to do it.  There wasn’t a choice and the lessons were not customized to suit my learning style.  For example, in math class, I remember my teacher placing these big, red, x marks on my paper because I couldn’t arrive at the correct answer.  I struggled with mastering the algorithm to subtract in third grade. 

      Once I finally mastered the steps I never really understood what was actually taking place until I became a teacher of mathematics.  Fast forward to today, children are given multiple ways to solve subtraction in order to be successful.  Number lines, place value, base-ten blocks, and the infamous algorithm are tools that students have the option to use.  Today’s education learning is personalized for students by giving them the tools they need but should it stop there?  Shouldn’t we continue to develop a more personalized learning environment?  “Our students want to be creative and collaborate, utilize technology for learning, connect with their peers in other countries, understand the messages that media convey, and solve real-world problems” (Sheninger, 2016) 

     Think about it for a moment…personalization exists everywhere.  Facebook is customized to suit our interests and needs.  Have you ever seen sponsored ads pop up on your feed?  Most of the time these are items we have searched for on Amazon or something that you have liked in the past.  We can also create groups that feed our passions and inspire us.  It’s collaboration, education, and personalized learning.  Have you ever been on Pinterest?  Pinterest also customizes interests based on the boards you have pinned.  When I go to my Pinterest feed I am surrounded by products and lots of teacher ideas that I don’t have to search for.  To be honest my Pinterest boards are mostly made up of teacher “stuff” because I’ve pinned thousands of teacher-related items.  This is how Pinterest has personalized my learning experience. 

    Sir Ken Robinson explains that education doesn’t need a reform because that requires us fixing it.  Education is not broken but education needs a revolution” (Robinson, 2010).  Imagine what it would be like if students were excited about to school. I have really tried to make this a reality in my classroom.  I’ve changed the space, adapted new ideas, changed my mindset about how instruction should be delivered, and created personalized learning experiences for my kids. Quite frankly I am obsessed with revolutionizing my classroom for my kids because they deserve it!  “You have the same choice every day.  You can choose what’s always been done-the safe and easy. Or, you can choose what’s less simple, potentially more difficult, and absolutely more rewarding” (Neslonely and Welcome”).

Frost, R. (n.d.). The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. Retrieved November 22, 2017, from    https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken

Kieschnick, W. (2017). Bold School: Old School Wisdom + New School Technologies.

    NewYork: International Center for Leadership in Education

Nesloney, T., & Welcome, A. (2016). Kids deserve it!: pushing boundaries and challenging conventional thinking. San Diego,   CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc

Robinson, K. (n.d.). Bring on the learning revolution! Retrieved November 22, 2017, from https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution

Sheninger, E. C. (2016). Uncommon learning: creating schools that work for kids. Thousand  Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Scouts Can't Wait!

      Disruptive innovation is important because it can be a catalyst for change in education because those willing to take the risk can persuade others to follow.  It comes about by scouts who are willing to explore and collect data in order to lead change in our schools.  It’s not about giving up all of the ways we have taught our students, it’s about how we can customize the students’ needs.  Michael Horn describes how using the blended learning model can personalize learning for our students. Personalized learning gives students a sense of ownership. Students who control their time, place, path, or pace are more likely to fill gaps in their learning because they do not move on until mastery is met. One way to that I allow students to control their pace and place is through Canvas LMS. It enables my classroom to be a blended learning environment through online learning. Canvas lessons are set up for the week and students can work through them at their own pace and place because it’s available to them at home or school. In class, students move through activities using a choice board along with an accountability sheet. I use a combination of the station rotation model and individual model to meet the needs of my students.  Technology should be used because of a content idea and a way for students to showcase their learning with the world. I’m so excited to be reading “Blending” because it confirms some of the things I have already started in my classroom.  Since reading “Blending” I have begun to make even more changes that can help personalize my students learning.

Horn, M. B. (2015). Blended: using disruptive innovation to improve schools. San Francisco, CA:

       Jossey-Bass.

Our Stories

  Every one of us has a story to tell.  It’s where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. Life creates our stories and for many of us, there are stories still left to be written.  I believe ePortfolios are the best storytellers we can have.  It sets the stage to tell who we are and what we stand for.  You can tell a lot about a person just by viewing their home page.  I’ve looked at several examples and I can feel the hard work and passion each person has put into their ePortfolio.  Our stories should not stall in the creation process, they should be shared.  A story only comes alive once it is read.  I believe sharing our stories with others will give one insight into our passions and what drives who we are. They might also inspire others. Isn’t that what we want to do, inspire others?  “To be a person is to have a story to tell.” – Isak Dinesen

102 of the Most Inspiring Storytelling Quotes of All Time. (2016, May 18). Retrieved         October 29, 2017,  from http://typeacommunications.com/102-of-the-most-                 inspiring-storytelling-quotes-of-all-time/

How can we shift a mindset?

How can we shift a mindset?

    “Is this for a grade?”.  I often hear those words from my students.  How do we shift our students’ mindset into owning their learning?  I believe it’s through the use of  COVA model.  Some of my students have begun creating online portfolios as a way to leave their mark.  They are quite curious and excited to work on their sites; however, they are a little unsure of the freedom to choose their learning paths.  Students need to “acquire technical skills for their digital lives but also engage in work that provides richly teachable moments” (Watters). Creating eportfolios with my students has provided many teachable moments in class. For example, one of my students asked if she could create a screencast that would teach others how to login into Classlink.  As a result, we began to explore screen cast extensions. She researched a few extensions and chose the one she was most comfortable with.  It’s amazing to witness a nine-year-old narrate a video with step by step directions that will help others login.  Another group created a tutorial video explaining what symmetry is.  They asked for directions but I instructed them to choose the method that worked for them.  Who owns the eportfolio?  These students are creating and producing online productions using high, level learning skills that they can take with them outside the classroom.  I believe my students own their eportfolio because they are becoming “effective architects, narrators, curators, and inhabitants of their own learning” (Harapnik). My students are taking ownership of their learning because I have given them the opportunity to make it meaningful to them.  According to Dwayne Harapnuik, “making meaningful connections is what leads to learning.”  This brings me back to the question, how can we shift a mindset? It is really the students that need to shift their mindset about owning their learning or do educators need to shift their mindsets on how students learn?

My students' symmetry video

My student's screencast video

Harapnuik, D. (n.d.). It's all about learning. Retrieved October 22, 2017, from                                                                         http://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=6050

Watters, A. (2015, July 15). The Web We Need To Give Students. Retrieved October 22, 2017, from https://brightreads.com/the-web-we-need-to-give-students-311d97713713