Saturday, October 27, 2012

The Grading Game

Beginning the Conversation-Answer any question in the comment section.  Also, from 10/27/12 through 11/1/12, you can answer questions on the right side of this blog post.
  • What does a grade mean?
  • When a mom looks at a grade and sees that her daughter has an A, what does that tell her? As an example, does a student on Team 5A and Team 5B have the same expectation for what an "A" grade means in Science?
  • Should a grade reflect mastery of concepts/standards?
  • What is the purpose of homework?  Is homework assessment or practice?
  • Should hard work and responsibility (behavior) be reflected in a student's grade?
  • How should extra credit be used to assess students?
  • How can I set up my classes to insure that I am assessing students academic performance?
Some Stuff From a Brilliant Blogger-(OK, not really, it's just from Brentcudly.blogspot.com)

Homework Grading Practices

Homework at the Middle Level

Supporting No Zeroes

Real Researchers and Experts in Grading-If you find articles from these researchers or others, please share on twitter using #58connect.  Click on the researchers name for a YouTube video.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Innovation and Experimentation Celebration

Innovative Teaching
As administrators, we get to see a lot of great things when we come into your classrooms.  Please share any innovative teaching strategies you have used recently or would like to try in the future.

Whole Brain
Recently, I have seen several teachers using whole brain teaching at Johnson Crossing.  This method is something I was not that familiar with prior to this year.  We have several teachers who would be wonderful resources.  Learn more about whole brain teaching below.

How To Begin Whole Brain Teaching 1

Whole Brain Teaching 5 Step Lesson: Middle School Science

Flipped Classroom
The idea of the "flipped classroom" has been a hot topic on twitter for quite some time.  Flipping the classroom is the idea of doing the homework at school and the lesson at home.

The Flipped Classroom

BYOD
Some teachers are experimenting with "Bring Your Own Device."  Students in the lowest income bracket are most likely to access the internet using a phone or mobile device.  Students use technology regularly and proponents of BYOD would argue that school should not be the only 7 1/2 hours without technology.


BYOD: Bring Your Own Device

Other Innovative Ideas
Please add any other innovative ideas to the conversation.

The Coversation
Coffee with Colleagues-Oct 26 at 7:00 am-room TBA

Twitter - #58connect all week

Share-in the comment section

1.  Please share your experiences with BYOD, the flipped classroom, whole brain teaching, or other innovative teaching ideas/strategies.

2. Share things you are interested in but haven't tried.

3.  Share frustrations and celebrate successes.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Topic 1: iPods, iPads and iPains

TECHNOLOGY
Technology can add a tremendous amount to our instructional toolbox.  Technology can also create frustrations.

Questions


Q1: Where are we with technology?

Q2: What interesting and exciting things have you found using technology that you would like to share with the group?

Q3: Where do you want to see FMS and JCAC go with technology in the upcoming year?  If you have ideas on how we might be able to push technology forward, please include them in your answer.


In your tweets or blog comments, answer with A1 if you are answering Q1.  Not all of your tweets would necessarily be related to one of the questions.

COFFEE WITH COLLEAGUES
10/19/12 at 7:00 a.m.  Location TBD-please feel free to volunteer your classroom.

TWITTER AND BLOG 10/13/12-10/19/12

Hashtags

Be sure to put #58connect on all tweets related to this subject this week.

Education Technology related hashtags: (from Fractus Learning)

#edtech

#elearning

CONNECT THE CAMPUS

THE IDEA: Share ideas and connect our campus
Each Friday, we will post a topic of the week.  We will take suggestions on topics.  The topic will be emailed out and posted in this blog.  We will also use twitter when we update our blog.

Over the course of the next 7 days, we will then have an ongoing discussion of this topic.  People can either join in on twitter using the hashtag #58connect or they can read this blog and add comments.

The culminating event will be a Friday get together.  Johnson Crossing staff members will gather together on Friday morning at 7:00 am in the designated classroom.  Fremont Middle School will do the same.  We can skype between the classrooms (we'll see how this goes).

NOTHING IS MANDATORY
If you would like to participate, please do so.  If not, that's fine too!
  • Participate when you are interested in the topic
  • Participate when you have time
  • Participate only in the twitter conversation
  • Participate only in the classroom discussions
  • Participate by adding comments on the blog
  • Participate in all aspects of the 5-8 Connect
  • Never Participate
ON TWITTER
Use #58connect at the end of each tweet related to the topic of the week.  Please post articles you have read about the topic of the week.  An added bonus of using twitter is that people from outside of our district will see our tweets and can share their experiences.


BLOG
I encourage you all to create a blog.  You can then share your blog via twitter.

If you don't want jump all the way in, then feel free to comment in the comment section of this blog.  Check back and see what others are saying.

CULMINATING EVENT
Come participate in the discussion in person.  The Middle School will connect with Johnson Crossing using Skype.  The discussion will be very informal.  We may have a few questions to get us started and might bring in a few conversation points from the twitter and blog posts.  The idea of these conversations is to spark action.  We can learn from others and share with other people who have great ideas.

SPARKING IDEAS
While a healthy dose of reality is important, these will never be complaining sessions.  This will be for  people looking to get together to have some coffee, conversation, and collegiality.