Final Project

For my final project I have decided to use a wiki to connect my 26 teachers in LW SYP. Here is the situation: LearningWorks School Year Program operates every other Saturday during the school year. 92 kids, 26 teachers. My teachers are a variety of high school and college kids from all over Minneapolis as well as Northfield. Every two weeks they are to design a lesson based around power and state standards which I provide them with. I also provide them with a general outline for how to get through the class. Workshops are 90 minutes and LW has a reputation for being very active and engaging. Needless to say, getting my teachers together to plan seemed virtually impossible. As a result, I have launched a wiki for them to gather together and write their wikis. It also allows me continual access to what is being planned and keeping them moving in the right direction. Whether or not this will be successful has yet to be proven, but this last Saturday was our first real day of planning for them.
learningworks.pbwiki.com

Fastpitch

Fastpitch
Originally uploaded by Available_Light

So many different forms, all aiming for the same result.

Digital Mapping

In the world of curriculum design, I am constantly looking for new ways to teach students "survival" skills for the middle school classroom and beyond. About a year ago, I was first introduced to Inspiration and used it for a couple of different functions. First, I used it to plan for my own projects - a new approach to me as I have always been much more of an outline and bulleted list person. During my student teaching I had my students use Inspiration, as well. The biggest benefit I saw in doing this was getting them out of the classroom and in front of a tool they were much more familiar with - the computer. Some students worked harder on the maps then they did their projects, but it was nice to see they were equipped with a new tool to use in the future.
One of the biggest challenges in using blogs in the classroom is teaching students the skills to use the actual technology/programs. But the value in taking the time to do this is evident in providing them with a tool that they will be able to use in college prep programs.
My current challenge right now is writing a two year curriculum for the four core subjects for all of my seventh and eighth graders. During the summer it is easier to incorporate the different digital literacies because we see the students everyday and know they have access to computers when with us. However, we only see them every other Saturday during the school year. This year I have designed a curriculum which culminates in each small group presenting/publishing a final project. My worry is that during the down-time every couple of weeks, all momentum will be lost. My aspiration is to use tools such as blogs, wikis, and programs such as Inspiration to keep the groups in touch when not at LearningWorks. With all of the new skills we have to teach our students it is going to be very important to remember to use simple, visual, digital tools that are available.