Mo Physics Mo Problems

So, 4th block students have a rough question or goal. Now what?  Well, that depends on what type of project students are undertaking.  Over days 3 and 4, I set up a little list for my 4th block students.  But, just like the inquiry process suggests, it starts with finding resources and doing some research.  These are not prescribed steps, just suggestions for those who need the guidance. For those who are digging deep into content knowledge: Research: get background on your topic to refine your focus. Find “texts” Read “texts” Record relevant info. For those who are looking to improve performance of a skill: Research: get background on your skill and how you can improve? (record this!) What is your plan for improvement? How will you track data? For those who are looking to perform a specific task or create a specific product: Research: get background on what your product will entail? (record this!) What is your plan for completing the produ

Today, my classes were in different phases of the inquiry project process. Once class was working on the brainstorming process another was  moving onto choosing one idea and molding it into a reasonable question or goal. The general framework we are using for this project is the inquiry process. So our focus was posing real questions or for some creating a real goal.  I formatted the questions from step 1 into a document so that we could go through the process of refining the idea into a strong driving question that was clear, focused, and complex.  I communicated that this question may change over time based on their research and that was perfectly fine.  And if they wanted to scrap a current idea for some reason, they could but needed to provide a reflection on why they were changing gears. After drafting an initial driving question or learning goal, students were to submit it for feedback.    For those still unclear about where there area will lead them, I told th

On Tuesday of this week, I was lucky enough to attend The Elmbrook Educational Foundation Circle of Friends Luncheon . The EEF does great work for our district awarding scholarships to high school graduates as well as innovation grants for learning within our district. At this event, several innovative educational practices were highlighted. One that tapped into something I've been considering was the incorporation of a Genius Hour at one our our elementary school. The poster below explains it better than I ever could have. It was exciting to see the work that these elementary students were able to accomplish from choosing a topic all the way to presenting their learning. The students were able to communicate eloquently about the process of learning. The idea that it is not always linear and that it can lead to bigger questions and new understandings. Sometimes I feel like when I teach a topic, the students are learning it because they have to and may not

My PLC at Brookfield Central has chosen to take on James Rickabaugh’s new book Tapping the Power of Personalized Learning: A Roadmap for School Leaders as a book study project.   Our first meeting was centered around the “why” of our participation in the book study and the basic definition of Personalized learning put forth by the book.  We had our second meeting today and we focused on Chapter 1. The focus of chapter 1 is the assumptions that lead to legacy practices and the facts that challenge those assumptions and therefore challenge legacy practices. In addition, the chapter focuses on the different levers we can use to produce change in our learning environments.  Those levers are Structures Samples Standards Strategies Self In our discussion, we focused on our reactions to these assumptions and how they have informed practice.  We also discussed ideas for taking steps towards moving our practice to one which attempts to move away from assumption o

The concept of a growth mindset has received great traction in the educational community.  If you are not familiar with the work of Carol Dweck, please watch either of the videos below to get some more information. TedTalk (~10 min.) EdWeek Keynote with Q & A (~ 60 min.) A key takeaway for me here is how we address student "weaknesses".  In an environment where choice is allowed in terms of accessing, engaging, and expressing, it can be easy to fall into a pattern where we allow students to only operate in modes that they are strong in.  If students aren’t encouraged to work in multiple modes, this can reinforce the idea of the fixed mindset. This is something I have seen in my classroom.  Students will continue to choose one form of assessment because it presents the least amount of challenge to demonstrate what they know and are able to do.  I am hoping to change this for term 4 in my classroom. I am not going to be removing choice from my