Happy Spring to all....
We are in our final quarter of the year!  Our main story for the 4th quarter in our ELA unit is Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins.  Already the kids are so engaged and are sitting on the edge of their seat with this story!  We will continue working on our writing/reading responses.  Capitalization and punctuation continues to be a sticking point....
Science is all about rocks and minerals, and our SS unit is continuing onwards to the Southwest and West.  Our final project in SS will be a diorama of 1 region...be on the lookout for more information in May.
Have a great week...as always please contact me with questions or concerns!
~Mrs. Maly

RSA#4  Self-Directed Learning…For Teachers

http://content.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/pdf29_30/pdf/2013/PDK/01Nov13/91859497.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=91859497&S=R&D=aph&EbscoContent=dGJyMNHX8kSeqL
Q4v%2BbwOLCmr0yep7BSr664SrOWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGuskm3qLFRuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA

If you look across our learning environments, most students have never known a life without the Internet, social media, and for the most part instant gratification.  This is where educators need to start to focus to, and be open to new and innovative ideas for teaching along with learning.  Author Kimberly Lightle states that social media tools provide an interactive and rich environment for online users. These are the tools causing social and cultural shifts in how users create content, interact with the content on the Web, along with collaboration with each other. Web 2.0 has allowed educators to share with other educators outside of the actual classroom, using a virtual classroom.  Wikis, blogs, Twitter among others, and a site called Ning.  Ning is an online site which will host for educators a social network for their professional development.  A project team called Middle School Portal 2 (MSP2) launched their social network through Ning in 2009.  As of the date of this article, it has 1,077 registered members who can collaborate in professional development of middle school math and science curriculum, along with the integration of technology.     

Nicholas Provenzano was looking for some innovation in his own teaching, along with how he could integrate technology into his profession.  In 2010, Provenzano set up a Twitter account, and a blog, The Nerdy Professor. Provenzano tells in his article that in 3 years he now has more than 30,000 followers on Twitter, but “it is not about the followers but about the connections”.  By making connections with teachers around the world and seeking professional development specific to him, Provenzano has been able to grow in the areas he needed, not the areas his district decided the majority needed. Provenzano and thousands of teachers are pushing the boundaries by using social media or Web 2.0, and redefining how professional development is being used.  For example, using Twitter educators can use hashtags to find groups to connect to, RSS feed readers to update blogs for user that are frequented.  In addition, Edcamps are becoming more with popular because they are for educators by educators.  Edcamps planned by teachers who have reached out to each other through social media and consist of specific content that users want to learn more in their specialized area.

Web 2.0 has made it possible for educators to connect, and collaborate with others across the learning community without ever leaving home.  By using social media, educators can enhance their own PLC by acquiring new strategies, structures to enhance their own learning by branching out with others who share commonalities. 

Reference

Ferriter, W., Provenzano, N. (2013, November)  Self directed learning…for teachers.   Kappan Magazine 95(3), 16-21.  Retrieved  April 24, 2014 from http://content.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/pdf29_30/pdf/2013/PDK/01Nov13/91859497.pdf?T=P&P=AN&K=91859497&S=R&D=aph&EbscoContent=dGJyMNHX8kSeqLQ4v%2BbwOLCmr0yep7BSr664SrOWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGuskm3qLFRuePfgeyx44Dt6fIA

Lightle, Kimberly. (2010). Using Social Media to Build an Online Professional Learning Network of Middle School Educators.  Knowledge Quest, 39(2), 49-53. Retrieved April 24, 2014 from http://blackboard.cuchicago.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1025315-dt-content-rid-4423467_2/courses/8967.201430/Lightle-Using%20Social%20Media.pdf

RSA #3 Web 2.0 Reflective Inquiry: A Transformative Literacy Teacher Education Tool

RSA#3  Web 2.0 Reflective Inquiry:  A Transformative Literacy Teacher Education Tool

http://web.b.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=e2a337c1-1437-462b-aaf5-b5286ddc5949%40sessionmgr113&vid=5&hid=120

In the past 10 years, Web access, the nature of the Web, and contexts for learning have been transformed, along with the emergence of desired technological competencies for learners, teachers, and administrators. Internet connectivity in schools, homes, neighborhoods, and communities has become increasingly pervasive according to the article Web 2.0 and Classroom Research: What Path Should We Take Now? So where do we go now?

Web 2.0 brings many possibilities to different areas of the curriculum to facilitate learning.  Author Elizabeth Years Stevens (2013) discusses about her graduate class where educators are learning how to connect literacy and digital technology.  This article had many layers embedded throughout; professional development, literacy, and technology.    Students in her class were to explore new Web 2.0 tools such as wikis, blogs, podcasts, and digital stories.  To drive every class they guided their inquiry of each genre, they asked and discussed the following questions: How is this technology used in the classroom? What are the literacies involved? What potential does this technology have to transform literacy teaching and learning? Stevens (2013) The graduate class embraced and recognized their thoughts shift towards a digital world.

Our change in education to embrace technology in the classroom can be subtle, but forceful.  Both articles embrace using Web 2.0 to facilitate learning by using blogs, wikis, photo-sharing while engaging students in promoting their works while considering works of others.  This is the world we live in and we must move in this direction, regardless of our thoughts or how uncomfortable we feel.  It is about our students and the best way to engage them in learning.

Reference

Greenhow, C., Robelia, B., Hughes, J. (2009). Web 2.0 and classroom research:  What path should we take now?  Educational Researcher Points, 38(4), 246-259. Retrieved April 12, 2014 from http://blackboard.cuchicago.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1043213-dt-content-rid-4446967_2/courses/8967.201430/Web%202.0%20and%20Class-room%20Research%20%20What%20Path%20%20Should%20We%20Take%20Now.pdf

Stevens, E. (2013, February)  Web 2.0 Reflective inquiry:  A transformative literacy teacher education tool.  Journal of Adolescence & Adult Literacy 56(5), 368.  Retrieved  April 12, 2014 from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdf-viewer/pdfviewer?sid=e2a337c1-1437-462b-aaf5-b5286ddc5949%40session-mgr113&vid=5&hid=120

RSA#2  Raising Student Achievement Through Professional Development

http://www.generationready.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/PD-White-Paper.pdf

Good schools come from good teaching, which is reflected in student achievement. We all know this basic concept as teachers, but what drives and continues that learning process for us?  Professional development is the key.  In the article, Teaching Teachers: Professional Development to Improve Student Achievement, Holland (2005) maintains that professional development needs to be focused on teaching skills, subject matter, and student learning.  When using these three focuses, teachers must apply this directly to their teaching to see growth in student achievement.  Even though professional development is the key to better instruction, and student learning, it is the intensity of which it is delivered and not the amount of time allotted. 

The most powerful statement in the article Raising Student Achievement Through Professional Development (Generation Ready 2013), is “that more than ever than before students need effective teaching if they are to develop higher order thinking skills they will need to be career and college ready in the 21^st century”.  The way this can be accomplished is through professional development for teachers in a sustained, rigorous practice using data and collaboration.  In addition, the new methods/ideas presented to teachers should be embedded into daily teachings to see an improvement in student achievement.  Research has shown when collaboration and shared responsibility for student achievement narrowed the achievement gap in schools with students from low-income homes.

These two articles are in agreement with the need for professional development to raise student achievement.  The same resounding facts keep presenting themselves that teachers need to have focused, sustained practice in teaching skills, making sure activities focus on high quality subject matter, and using data of student learning.   It seems that most articles and authors even beyond the two articles presented here are in agreement that the most effective way to raise student achievement is through effective professional development.

Reference

Raising Student Achievement Through Professional Development. (2013, October). Retrieved March 27, 2013, from Generation Ready website: http://www.generationready.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ PD-White-Paper.pdf

Holland, H. (2005)  Teaching Teachers: Professional Development To Improve Student Achievement. (2005, Summer). Retrieved March 25, 2014, from http://blackboard.cuchicago.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-1025303-dt-content-rid-4423434_2/courses/8967.201430/AERA_Teaching_Teachers.pdf 

RSA#1  Fighting Teacher Isolation With Technology

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/05/28/tln_magiera_platforms.html?qs=PLC

This is an excellent article on how a teacher can enhance a PLC with technology.  From our readings, PLC’s main point is how teachers should collaborate with each other and not isolate themselves in their teachings.  In the article, Work Together Only If You Want To  (DuFour 2011), DuFour states that many teacher teach in isolation from each other and view their classrooms as personal domains with very little access to others for collaboration or ideas or strategies.  And this is the way they like it!  Nevertheless, this is not what is in the best interests of students.

In this article Jennie Magiera states that many teachers do engage in PLC’s but with overcrowded schedules it sometimes is difficult to find the time. She suggests using technology for a virtual PLC.  One of the platforms she talks about is Twitter for the on the go teacher.  You can follow educators for bite size information, peruse links from well know educators, and use hash tags to organize the people or PLC’s.

Another great way to collaborate is through CTQ Collaboratory, which is a virtual community for educators.  This platform allows teachers from around the world to team up to learn from each other on issues such as grading, classroom, to changing grade levels.  In addition, group chats and wikis are available for mentorship and support.

Two other platforms talked about are Pinterest, and Google Hangout.  All of these are some fantastic ways to kick start your PLC’s on the go, and anytime.

References:

Magiera, Jennie. (May 29,2013). Fighting Teacher Isolation with Technology.

Education Weekly Teacher. Retrieved from    http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2013/05/28/tln_magiera_platforms.html?qs=

DuFour, Rick. (2011).  Work Together Only If You Want To.

Kappan Magazine. 92 (5), 57.

Concordia University EDT 6030 first post!