After 20 years of teaching at Brookfield Central, I am saying goodbye. Although I spent the majority of that time in the physics classroom alongside my learners. That changed for my last 18 weeks. I ended up in a place similar to where I started, teaching chemistry and biology. So, rather than dealing with juniors and seniors at the end of their high school careers, I was in classrooms with freshmen and sophomores still trying to find their place. At the same time, I was learning and teaching a set curriculum I hadn't taught in over a decade. So, we were learning. But, of course, I already knew the content. The point of this post is to take a step back, take in, and share the gratitude from the last students I had in my 20 years at Brookfield Central High School through the cards and notes they made for me on my last day with them. I don't take many yay me moments. But after 20 years, I think I'll soak this one in.
Managing student work is difficult in any classroom. In a project based classroom, it can get quite out of control. Each group is doing something different. Within each group, there are individual pieces of the project as well as group components. It's up to the teacher to manage all of these different pieces. If not managed correctly, it could be a beauricratical nightmare. I think this clip from Terry Gilliam's masterpiece Brazil says it all. (Film Geek Note: the director's cut is the masterpiece not the "Love Conquers All" cut) The one tool that can prevent the paper trail becoming the focus of the classroom Is a powerful learning management system or LMS. In Elmbrook schools we have found that in Canvas an LMS deigned and managed by Instructure. Why Is Canvas such a great LMS for facilitating a PBL classroom? There are many reason. To do lists are great for students and teachers. Any assignment you create with a ...