Who am I kidding, career move! Ha. Anyway, the honeymoon is definitely over as far as Big Sky is concerned. Having a great time with physics and physics 2, but every other day I've got the cream of the glop for freshman IESPS. What's odd is that it is getting worse. Can't talk to them, can't let them go to work on something. So new plan: put notes or video up on the screen (one thing they seem to be able to pay attentions to, no surprise), then quiz them on the content. The saddest thing is there are some good and engaged kids in those classes, but they are out-shined—no, there's not much shine—by some of these broken kids. Are we seeing the beginnings of the zombie apocalypse? I can see it now: a zombie class emerges from the wreckage of the American Middle Class, outcast, chemically dependent, ADHD times infinity, and not particularly bright. Where will the rest of the population be? In the Matrix, jacked in, connected times infinity, tuned out, without a care. Something's got to give eventually.
Does PBL have a chance with these kids. I don't think so. You need some basal level of sociability or reason-for-living. But I'd love to try it with the physics groups. An astronomy project 3rd or 4th quarter would be very cool, and I think they would engage. Lot's of opportunity for good content as well with the EM spectrum, Kepler's laws, relativity, exo-planets, nuclear physics, etc. Have to ruminate on some kind of authentic product. OK, enough. Happy Halloween, from Evil Spock.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Progress
I'm feeling pretty good at the end of the second week, after a slow start. Last year I was "observed" by my principal at the end of the second quarter, which at the time I thought was perfect because I could launch a PBL project without the associated worries of the evaluation process. This year he was later and did his observations during the first week of the quarter. PBL is so different from the usual rigid, sterile, line 'em up and spit 'em out teaching we do in this country that I figured (perhaps erroneously) that I better do something traditional to give my principal something to observe of my "teaching." So I had my students do Virtual Earthquake online after a discussion of earthquake distribution in the US. When we got back to project planning, I felt I had to move the discussion a bit more quickly toward the outcome idea I came up with (the app), without enough time for meaningful "need to know" discussions. What I'm trying to say is I think my students would have had more buy-in if we could have worked a little more organically in that first week, without the burden of a traditional teacher observation. I have the follow-up meeting on Monday, so I'll find out what he thought of it all.
But now at the end of the second week, things are flowing pretty smoothly. I'm amazed at the increase in internet access personally available to my students this year compared with last year. I actually get to use my own computer in a couple of the classes! I have one group of two super-students who are doing great research and google-docs work all with a single iPhone. I have had contact with UM Computer Club and will be meeting with them next week to see how we can work together on the app, and hopefully my resident programmer, Lucien, will come with me. We have a Katrina survivor (Shannon) and she will hopefully have some photos of her experience from her dad who works on oil rigs in the Gulf (she's our Ragin' Cajun!). Also found out yesterday that the Big Burn exhibit is still at the Fort for another couple of weeks, so I'll take the classes back for a visit week after next when we do a jigsaw read of Ingold's novel.
Today I'm calling groups up to present a few facts and hand in their teamwork rubrics so I can assess their research and how well they are working collaboratively. So far so good. Next week we'll do some presentations (basic fact sharing) and perhaps do a traditional lesson or two on air pressure and hurricanes.
But now at the end of the second week, things are flowing pretty smoothly. I'm amazed at the increase in internet access personally available to my students this year compared with last year. I actually get to use my own computer in a couple of the classes! I have one group of two super-students who are doing great research and google-docs work all with a single iPhone. I have had contact with UM Computer Club and will be meeting with them next week to see how we can work together on the app, and hopefully my resident programmer, Lucien, will come with me. We have a Katrina survivor (Shannon) and she will hopefully have some photos of her experience from her dad who works on oil rigs in the Gulf (she's our Ragin' Cajun!). Also found out yesterday that the Big Burn exhibit is still at the Fort for another couple of weeks, so I'll take the classes back for a visit week after next when we do a jigsaw read of Ingold's novel.
Today I'm calling groups up to present a few facts and hand in their teamwork rubrics so I can assess their research and how well they are working collaboratively. So far so good. Next week we'll do some presentations (basic fact sharing) and perhaps do a traditional lesson or two on air pressure and hurricanes.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thoughts for 2012
It just occurred to me as I typed the title to this post that I should probably let them loose to discuss "2012" prophesy as a way to launch the project. Should we even watch the movie, or parts? I think I'd like to show "Firebird" from Fantasia 2000, which I haven't shown in a couple of years. I just love it. Anyway, I'm seriously considering teaching some traditional content in the area of earthquakes, plate tectonics, and weather in place of the "student lessons" I did last year. I just didn't feel they got much of anything out of it, because at this point in the year, and this point in the history of US education, my students aren't independent at all. Zero, nada, zilch. Sit and git, feed and regurgitate, game the system for grades. Makes me want to regurgitate. I could give them a choice as to the order we do it in, and each class could go at it a bit differently.
As far as the process and product this year, I think they will engage with it and do good research. I think I will have more access in my room because more students have touches, smartphones, tablets, etc. I'd like to try google docs again if possible because that seemed to work well for brainstorming.
I'm also thinking about the 21st C. targets and rubric. I plan on assessing progress in cooperation and communication, or even plain old participation. Last year's student assessments were not successful because they aren't accustomed to seriously evaluating each other. Should we brainstorm some goals for working together? Let them draft the rubric? I will do the assessing, but they come up with targets and rubrics. I think that will work better.
As far as the process and product this year, I think they will engage with it and do good research. I think I will have more access in my room because more students have touches, smartphones, tablets, etc. I'd like to try google docs again if possible because that seemed to work well for brainstorming.
I'm also thinking about the 21st C. targets and rubric. I plan on assessing progress in cooperation and communication, or even plain old participation. Last year's student assessments were not successful because they aren't accustomed to seriously evaluating each other. Should we brainstorm some goals for working together? Let them draft the rubric? I will do the assessing, but they come up with targets and rubrics. I think that will work better.
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