tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post6070858626183671213..comments2023-07-20T03:10:07.458-05:00Comments on Bluebird's Classroom: Just How Many Points is Breathing Worth?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-53480811106929205882007-12-20T19:50:00.000-06:002007-12-20T19:50:00.000-06:00Well, enough has been sd here about providing choi...Well, enough has been sd here about providing choices, etc. so I won't beat that dead horse, but I do like the fact that you changed the project from a take home to an in class....in this way you are getting the right data on the students who completed the project regarding what they know about cells and not their parents.EHThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17964668210604436937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-89455580512046754582007-12-18T20:27:00.000-06:002007-12-18T20:27:00.000-06:00Brian, Thanks for trying something different. If ...Brian, Thanks for trying something different. If you reach one kid you wouldn't have otherwise it was worth it. Merry Christmas.nboschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14219753105416637743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-73770484707940062452007-12-18T19:02:00.000-06:002007-12-18T19:02:00.000-06:00I taught for 20 years, and when I came across this...I taught for 20 years, and when I came across this kind of situation, I knew I had to change ways whether I liked it or not. Some kids could care less whether they got a zero or not. I'm thinking of one who was a Fulbright Scholar and turned down a free ride to a college because they were BORED! What was my solution (not 100% fail-safe, but very consistent with success)? "If you could be the teacher and you assigned a project about cells, what would you have assigned?" I also gave the parameters first so I didn't get an answer of something like, "Let the kids go home and forget about it." It was amazing what ideas they came up with and also felt like they had a part in the process. I could then eventually steer the conversation back to what I had originally wanted. In other words, I picked my battles. From experience, I learned that the calmer I was about it, the more they came around. Thus, when I gave a zero out, the principal KNEW I had tried everything imaginable, and thus I got better support when the parents were called in.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17077529186403864990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-92081624514947288352007-12-16T16:12:00.000-06:002007-12-16T16:12:00.000-06:00Ms M, I've been teaching for 25 years, sent three ...Ms M, I've been teaching for 25 years, sent three sons through public middle schools and high schools and am close to retirement so maybe I see things differently than you do, with your career ahead of you. So many things in the classroom aren't working for kids, but many teachers tend to do things they way they have always done it just because that's the way it is. <BR/><BR/>At lunch on Friday I was discussing the frustration of kids not turning in homework. My comment was that the kids who need it don't do it and the kids that don't need it do it. My cohort said in a perfect world the homework would be relevant for each student (duh) but it's hard enough to get them to turn in the same worksheet...the record keeping becomes uncontrollable. I just shut my mouth, I just think it's sad that every kid has to do the same thing for the convenience of the teacher (in that case) or to produce on a test. <BR/><BR/>You said “I also see your point, but not everyone gets to choose their job, (some people have to take a job because it's what they can get).” If someone is in a job because that’s all they can get (McDonald’s)—they are working in a job that doesn’t need the skills you are teaching or if they are educated and can’t find a job in their specialty they need the skills of flexibility, problem solving, collaboration, team work, etc. These are the skills we need to re-enforce along with a rigorous curriculum for students who may have several dozen jobs in their lifetime. I think it’s sad that you have to teach exactly what the others in your department teach—what if you could do it better?<BR/><BR/>Each kid is different; one size does not fit all. Just a thought. Nnboschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14219753105416637743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-5148056074605828042007-12-16T11:27:00.000-06:002007-12-16T11:27:00.000-06:00Bluebird,I seem to have a similar problem...a whol...Bluebird,<BR/>I seem to have a similar problem...a whole chunk of kids who are just complacent and choose to do nothing on occasion. I just let them feel the consequences, and if it continues to happen with the same kids, we delve a little deeper into it to figure out what the problem really is.<BR/><BR/>nbosch - I also see your point, but not everyone gets to choose their job, (some people have to take a job because it's what they can get). I chose to be a teacher. I still have to do all kinds of stuff I don't want to do. I have to document in very specific ways the progress of all of my students. Most of the time I don't think the way I am required to do this is the best way, nor is it the way that I find the most interesting/effective etc. Yet I have to do it to keep the job I chose. <BR/><BR/>Kids need both sides of this. They need to learn to do what they are told because often that is the way things work, and they also sometimes need to be given the flexibility to choose their own way because that also happens sometimes in life. <BR/><BR/>I'm not sure how many students you teach, but when it's 100 or more, it's simply not always possible to give that kind of a choice for a project. I work in a department where we are required to have them same end product as the other teachers. We have to have the same papers, projects, tests etc. Is that the best way? No. Am I required to do it that way? Yes. I would love to have more room to design my own stuff sometimes, but that's just not the way it works where I am at the moment. <BR/><BR/>I think we all have at least a glimmer of an idea what will work best with the kids (and that is often using some sort of differentiation) but unfortunately it just can't be the reality as often as might be ideal.Ms M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01177165075261002057noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-50060000449167512642007-12-15T13:54:00.000-06:002007-12-15T13:54:00.000-06:00Yes, there are some things we have to do that we d...Yes, there are some things we have to do that we don't want to do (I just finished cleaning the toilets for the 7000th time--hate it, do it) but in real life we choose where we want to work and how we want to produce. You and I decided to be teachers, not homebuilders or artists or lawyers. Kids come in all different shapes and sizes and one size does not fit all. Why spend 3 days working on a project to teach a body of knowledge some kids could have learned in 15-20 minutes? Why force the non artsy guy to do a poster or a booklet? Things that I suggested are not non academic and fluffy they are just different. Why not encourage student differences rather than force every one into the same mold. Middle school is a perfect time to let kids explore and try things out--maybe you'd be surprised at what they learn and what they produce. Just a thought...N<BR/><BR/>PS Some of your students will NEVER play your game, why not see if you can help them find a game of their own.nboschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14219753105416637743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-67395709364945189742007-12-15T12:42:00.000-06:002007-12-15T12:42:00.000-06:00We have something similar in our district, www.k12...We have something similar in our district, www.k12planet.com, where parents can see grades (we upload daily) as well as assignments, messages and more. I update it weekly with the assignments as well as messages about upcoming tests and the like. In addition, I have 80 or so parents on my email list that get a weekly email every Friday outlining what we are doing in class every day, what assignments are due, what the homework is, and when tests and quizzes are coming up. Both of these have dramatically cut down on the parent complaint of being out of the loop. What we hear now more often is, "I don't know what to do with my child".Mrs. Bluebirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10283080212189118357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-22283289176437445912007-12-15T11:52:00.000-06:002007-12-15T11:52:00.000-06:00nbosch- I do agree with you to a point. Differenti...nbosch- I do agree with you to a point. Differentiated instruction provides students who are actually going to do a project with some options. However, there are not always going to be options in life. That's just the way it is. I don't really like my income tax forms and April 15 isn't going to work out for me. How bout I send a video of me working and writing checks and sending donations to charity to the IRS? Do you think they'd go for it? How bout I make my own form and send it to them- why should we all have to submit the same form? We should have differentiated assessment of our incomes, since we are all so different and earn different amounts of money. I don't think college professors are going to provide differentiated instruction. If they want a research paper with sources sited in MLA or APA style, that's what they want. Ok, in middle school, it's very nice, it's very touchy feely to allow the students some say in what they do to prove what they know, but at some point, they need to step up to the plate, play the game and do what's asked of them.Mrs. Thttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17730747441676219265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-55931779109433218632007-12-15T10:53:00.000-06:002007-12-15T10:53:00.000-06:00There is a discussion going on at CR2.0 on communi...There is a discussion going on at CR2.0 on communication with parents and students. Kelly Irish, I thought, had a good plan for dealing with parents who claim to be out of the loop. She has a classroom wiki (could be a blog or webpage) where all assignments, dates, details etc are posted. From the beginning of the year students and parents are made aware of all expectations and know where to find the assignments and information about them. If students have access to the internet this seems like a good idea for avoiding the "I didn't know it was due" conversations with parents and students. It might not encourage them to actually do the work or turn it in, but at least it would aviod some conversations with parents and students on what the expectations were. You can read Kelly's reply here http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topic/show?id=649749%3ATopic%3A87825 Just a thought...nboschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14219753105416637743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-2717734544489079592007-12-15T10:08:00.000-06:002007-12-15T10:08:00.000-06:00Boy, does this every sound like a rant from the fo...Boy, does this every sound like a rant from the foreign language language teachers on my team! They basically have 1 1/2 years to teach one year of content, so they give quite a bit of time for projects in class. Sure, there are students who have to be redirected, but they usually appear to be working. When it's time to hand things in...YIKES...there are several who do not turn anything in or turn in such poor quality work you'd think they did it on the bus to school. So my colleagues started to wonder if they gave too much time in class, which allowed for procrastination and play, and that more projects should be done at home (like they are for the rest of the team). You know, use class time for direct teaching and practice. And the pendulum swings for them! <BR/><BR/>Does this happen to me, too? Sure. And then I end up in a bizarre meeting with a parent who wanted to know why she wasn't told that her student wasn't going to turn in the project. Yea, as if I'm psychic and know when student is going to blow off a project and nearly fail the class...HappyChyckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00586840416488114845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-48527361704393183482007-12-15T03:57:00.000-06:002007-12-15T03:57:00.000-06:00I have the same frustration. I've been calling st...I have the same frustration. I've been calling students back to my computer to show them what happens to their grade when they turn work it. Little light bulbs pop up over their heads, "Hey- maybe I should turn in my work." It floors me to see that it had not yet occurred to them.<BR/><BR/>Some do turn in the work. Some don't. I don't why they don't. Laziness? Learned helplessness? Complete space-cadetedness? Someday the mysteries of the universe will be explained. <BR/><BR/>Hope still lingers. One of my students said today, "That was it? Why didn't I do this sooner?" I just nodded sagely, instead of saying what I really thought.<BR/><BR/>It sounds like you got their attention, though. I'm sure good will come of it.andbrookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01331225007967218791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15193762.post-5677165816129623012007-12-14T20:39:00.000-06:002007-12-14T20:39:00.000-06:00I assume the point was to have the kiddos learn ab...I assume the point was to have the kiddos learn about cells. What if each kid could learn the material in different ways. What would have happened if the kids could show they knew the material in different ways? Wonder how many would have done nothing?<BR/><BR/>Options:<BR/>Get the material from the teacher; take the test--no project; learn and study whatever you want during the other 2 and a half days<BR/><BR/>Do a video<BR/>Develop a newcast<BR/>Make a model<BR/>Add content to a wiki on cells<BR/>Work with others (higher expectations)<BR/>interview a cell biologist or a botanist<BR/><BR/>In the whole scheme of things why did everybody have to demonstrate their understanding in the same way? Differentiation is not teaching different stuff to different kids; the learning outcomes are the same. The differentiation comes with how they process what they are learning and what they produce to show their understanding. Just a thought---nboschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14219753105416637743noreply@blogger.com