Readings 1.1

Standard 1.5: Promoting critical thinking through inquiry, problem solving, and reflection:

While reading, Maximizing the impact- The pivotal role of technology in the 21st Century, it said: "Online, collaborative projects with peers or experts in other states or countries can expose them to different cultures and perspectives."(pg. 6) Our school uses google drive, so it is very easy for our students to be at separate computers, but still collaborate with each other.  Our students also went to the Seismic Lab in Pasadena to be face to face with real experts on their research today they were doing.  Both teachers and students can benefit from collaboration.  

Right now, myself and two other teachers, are collaborating and working on the 8th grade project.  Our students are researching about earthquakes and plate tectonics.  Along with their research and data, they have also been given the task to see if the Los Angeles area or San Francisco area would be safer to build a  new campus of our school there. Our school is very small and classes are divided by gender.  So, the boys have one city area and the girls have another.  They have been building earthquake safe models, reading newspaper articles, interpreting data and creating their own company logos.  Using their problem solving skills, they have to determine if their city area is safe to build a new school.  We are also having them write a letter to their local senator to back up their reasonings and make it more real to them.  Our students have been engaged and excited to learn about this topic and to do the various tasks we have assigned.  Technology has played a huge role in getting this project going.  The students put in math equations on  spread sheet to be able to draw their logos for their companies.

Standard 2.2: Creating physical or virtual learning environments that promote student learning, reflect diversity, and encourage constructive and productive interactions among students.  
In reading, Maximizing the impact- The pivotal role of technology in the 21st Century,  it talks about using research based approaches, both for the teachers and for the students to learn.(pg. 3)  I think that some learning has shifted from teacher centered, to student centered.  We need to give the students the freedom and the skills to research about topics they are interested in.

In my 8th grade English class, we are reading Farewell to Manzanar.  I found two wonderful websites that had primary sources online for them to read about Japanese Internment camps.  One website had various newspaper articles from the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas during the time.  I had each student find an article, summarize it and then present it to the class.  I had my students share their article link and summary with me via google drive.  The second website I had them look at, had all of the Japanese Internet camps listed.  I assigned each student a specific internment camp(I only have 8 students) and then had them answer various questions I handed out to them.  I had them create a PowerPoint or Prezi and they will be presenting them in my class next week.  I also made sure to have them include at least seven pictures with captions for us to look at.  By reading the newspaper articles and researching about a specific camp, it has really opened up my students eyes as to what our main character and her family have been going through in our book.  I think it hits home for some of them because our book takes place in Long Beach in the beginning. I keep hearing my students say:  "Wow, that's not fair! I can't believe they had to rush out of their homes and leave everything, just because they were Japanese." By hearing these comments, I know my students are understanding the struggles that the Japanese Americans went through during WWII.

Standard 5.2 Collecting and analyzing assessment data from a variety of sources to inform instruction:  In the video, Differentiating Instruction Through Interactive Games (Tech2Learn Series), the teacher talks about his different ways that he is about to analyze the student's assessment data from different games that they are playing.  It was hard for me to relate to this video because I teach middle school, but I have my students use other online tools. 

At our school, we use the Scholastic reading program.  Three times a year, we have our students log into the system and take a reading comprehension test.  The end result is being able to find out what their lexile range is.  I only allow my students to pick their independent reading book that is around their exile range.  Also, most of the books our students read, there will also be a short quiz that goes along with it through Scholastic.  So, once a quarter, my students will log in and take a quiz on their book.  If their book is not in the system, then they can create their own quiz.  

Standard 5.5 Involving all students in self-assessment, goal setting, and monitoring progress.  

In reading, Maximizing the impact- The pivotal role of technology in the 21st Century,  it says: "Technology also can support teachers with professional development." (pg. 11) As teachers, we are constantly setting goals for both our classes and for ourselves.  I recently returned from teaching in Asia and I know that technology is area that I want the most professional development in.  I feel like so many schools have great technology based learning going on!

Not only do I set goals, but at the start of each quarter, I have my students answer about four questions that are for their goals for the current quarter.  For quarters two, three and four, I have them reflect on their previous quarter to see if they achieved their goals.  I encourage them to set realistic goals that they think they can achieve each quarter.