Fear
How can I describe the fear I felt walking in to Loyola on July 8th? It was tangible, and of course unrequited. I was afraid of many things. Our orientation in May disoriented me. I knew I was entering uncharted territory. Fast forward two minutes and I was sitting in a large lecture hall with about fifty other people, only a few that I knew previously. Very little comfort here. Then it began. We were separated in to two smaller groups, and sent across the street to our new learning environments. I was happy the people I knew were in my group. I was still under the impression I could cling to old alliances. For a brief moment we sat together and hashed out a few things. And then I was dragged out of my comfort zone. Within minutes we were asked to regroup, using criteria about what we teach and who we teach it to. We were told to leave our comfort zones behind. In retrospect, I think I forgot to get a claim check for my own comfort zone, because I still am not in it a month later.
Comfort zones aside, what followed in the next two weeks has changed my life. I realized I am in the sweet spot of teaching; able to retire soon and still striving to step up my game, with less fear of administrative disapproval. That and my smaller team was sort of fun. I still miss the interactions with them. For a group of strangers, they soon became my teachers, supporters, advisers, and dare I say it, friends. Together we put together and dissected many aspects of modern classroom practices. We visited the past present, and looked forward to the future.
People may wonder how my comfort zone was peeled away like an onion. It was simple, make me do new things, and learn new practices. Our daily format was simple, we started with “This day in history”, followed by “Worlds of Wonder” began each of our learning experiences. This reminded me about my love for Donkey Kong. It was one of the few video games I seriously flirted with. The world of wonder was a science topic presented by one of the teams in our learning room.
Our first discussion was thinking in the discipline. The reading suggested this as a method of scaffolding student learning. Of the two readings I thought this one was more user friendly. I think this is because it was shorter. I have always loved a short story. In terms of learning, the article, Disciplining the Mind, offers some thoughts on scaffolding student learning by identifying understanding of the topic, and approaching it as a way to build understanding. The second reading, Theories of Learning and Teaching, was more technical. We had to discuss learning as social phenomena. Again, I was a bit put off by the technical aspects of the article. Note to self, keep it real. Your students will get bored with the too technical. Table one in the article summed the facts up nicely offering benchmarks for learning, knowledge, and teaching. After this we did our first quick-fire video to highlight a problem. This was fun, and I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone. I am use to an audience of 12-14 year-old students. Adults are difficult to play to.
In the coming days I realized technology gives me a headache. I feel like the special education student in class, and I fully understand why teachers must work extra hard to engage this population in their classrooms. Everyone seems to know so much about technology, so much more than I do. This is weird, because I have grown up with technology. I feel like the ostrich with my head in the sand. For some reason I have kept a lot of useful tools out of my classroom. The article Too Cool for School, brought this clearly in to focus by extolling the virtues of merging technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. Next year I will have no boundaries, and I am ready to give up the control I held so dear, and turn over the power to my students, by embracing the tech revolution. I know this is necessary because the lack of technology stifles me and must stifle them. I feel like Mr. Buzzkill when I reflect on my past teaching. I am off to find the sweet spot where technology enhances the content and blends with pedagogy. I need to reach for the stars next year (or Mars).
Off to a great start, we moved on to discuss many useful concepts, technologies and pedagogical approaches to enhance what we already do so well. By identifying our perfect storm lessons, we were able to determine what made them so good, and how we can work those successes into all we do. On a different note I presented on the Fibonacci numbers for world of wonder on Monday. I made a Prezi (outside my comfort zone) to illustrate my thoughts. I found I was getting that Twitter thing down. I guess I can no longer avoid social media. I had some serious lessons on using improve in the classroom, and began work on my ImagineIt project. A visit to the Museum of Science and industry provided a brief respite from my new learning. After days of more learning, new technology, and membership in a “Deep Play” group, I was sent back out into the real world, a changed man.
The Stars
In thinking about the future, I realize I have many new tools to share with my students, and many new ways to share them. My ImagineIt project is really beginning to take shape, I am gaining greater mental clarity with regards to my teaching practices, and I am anxious to tackle the year that lies ahead. Several years ago I wrote unit plans, using the concept of understanding by design. After reading Putting Understanding up Front, and Teaching for Understanding: Ongoing Assessment, I have begun to revise these to add new performances of understanding which will vastly improve my previous work. There are many generative topics, topics which lend themselves to teaching for understanding, embedded in the curriculum. I am working to discover and uncover them. I want the future to be something I will be proud of, not more of the same old teaching.
The summer workshop has given me much to think about. As we get closer to the start of school, I am looking forward to change. In know it won’t always be easy, but the end results will be worth the effort. Technology, though daunting at times will not limit me. I want to master technology, so I can help my students master it as well.
References
Mansilla,V. B., & Gardner, H. (2008). Disciplining the mind. Educational Leadership. 65(5), p. 14-19.
Wilson, S., & Peterson, P. L. (2006). Theories of learning and teaching: What do they mean for educators? National Education Association
Mishra, P. & Koehler. M. J. (2009). Too cool for school? No way! Using the TPACK framework: You can have your hot tools and teach with them, too. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(7), 14-18.
Perkins, David; Blythe, Tina (Feb 1994) Putting understanding up front
Educational Leadership; 51, 5; Research Library
Tina Blythe and Associates, (1998). The Teaching for Understanding Guide. Jossey-Bass, San Fransisco.Active Learning Practices for Schools, Teaching for Understanding: Ongoing Assessment Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Project Zero.
How can I describe the fear I felt walking in to Loyola on July 8th? It was tangible, and of course unrequited. I was afraid of many things. Our orientation in May disoriented me. I knew I was entering uncharted territory. Fast forward two minutes and I was sitting in a large lecture hall with about fifty other people, only a few that I knew previously. Very little comfort here. Then it began. We were separated in to two smaller groups, and sent across the street to our new learning environments. I was happy the people I knew were in my group. I was still under the impression I could cling to old alliances. For a brief moment we sat together and hashed out a few things. And then I was dragged out of my comfort zone. Within minutes we were asked to regroup, using criteria about what we teach and who we teach it to. We were told to leave our comfort zones behind. In retrospect, I think I forgot to get a claim check for my own comfort zone, because I still am not in it a month later.
Comfort zones aside, what followed in the next two weeks has changed my life. I realized I am in the sweet spot of teaching; able to retire soon and still striving to step up my game, with less fear of administrative disapproval. That and my smaller team was sort of fun. I still miss the interactions with them. For a group of strangers, they soon became my teachers, supporters, advisers, and dare I say it, friends. Together we put together and dissected many aspects of modern classroom practices. We visited the past present, and looked forward to the future.
People may wonder how my comfort zone was peeled away like an onion. It was simple, make me do new things, and learn new practices. Our daily format was simple, we started with “This day in history”, followed by “Worlds of Wonder” began each of our learning experiences. This reminded me about my love for Donkey Kong. It was one of the few video games I seriously flirted with. The world of wonder was a science topic presented by one of the teams in our learning room.
Our first discussion was thinking in the discipline. The reading suggested this as a method of scaffolding student learning. Of the two readings I thought this one was more user friendly. I think this is because it was shorter. I have always loved a short story. In terms of learning, the article, Disciplining the Mind, offers some thoughts on scaffolding student learning by identifying understanding of the topic, and approaching it as a way to build understanding. The second reading, Theories of Learning and Teaching, was more technical. We had to discuss learning as social phenomena. Again, I was a bit put off by the technical aspects of the article. Note to self, keep it real. Your students will get bored with the too technical. Table one in the article summed the facts up nicely offering benchmarks for learning, knowledge, and teaching. After this we did our first quick-fire video to highlight a problem. This was fun, and I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone. I am use to an audience of 12-14 year-old students. Adults are difficult to play to.
In the coming days I realized technology gives me a headache. I feel like the special education student in class, and I fully understand why teachers must work extra hard to engage this population in their classrooms. Everyone seems to know so much about technology, so much more than I do. This is weird, because I have grown up with technology. I feel like the ostrich with my head in the sand. For some reason I have kept a lot of useful tools out of my classroom. The article Too Cool for School, brought this clearly in to focus by extolling the virtues of merging technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. Next year I will have no boundaries, and I am ready to give up the control I held so dear, and turn over the power to my students, by embracing the tech revolution. I know this is necessary because the lack of technology stifles me and must stifle them. I feel like Mr. Buzzkill when I reflect on my past teaching. I am off to find the sweet spot where technology enhances the content and blends with pedagogy. I need to reach for the stars next year (or Mars).
Off to a great start, we moved on to discuss many useful concepts, technologies and pedagogical approaches to enhance what we already do so well. By identifying our perfect storm lessons, we were able to determine what made them so good, and how we can work those successes into all we do. On a different note I presented on the Fibonacci numbers for world of wonder on Monday. I made a Prezi (outside my comfort zone) to illustrate my thoughts. I found I was getting that Twitter thing down. I guess I can no longer avoid social media. I had some serious lessons on using improve in the classroom, and began work on my ImagineIt project. A visit to the Museum of Science and industry provided a brief respite from my new learning. After days of more learning, new technology, and membership in a “Deep Play” group, I was sent back out into the real world, a changed man.
The Stars
In thinking about the future, I realize I have many new tools to share with my students, and many new ways to share them. My ImagineIt project is really beginning to take shape, I am gaining greater mental clarity with regards to my teaching practices, and I am anxious to tackle the year that lies ahead. Several years ago I wrote unit plans, using the concept of understanding by design. After reading Putting Understanding up Front, and Teaching for Understanding: Ongoing Assessment, I have begun to revise these to add new performances of understanding which will vastly improve my previous work. There are many generative topics, topics which lend themselves to teaching for understanding, embedded in the curriculum. I am working to discover and uncover them. I want the future to be something I will be proud of, not more of the same old teaching.
The summer workshop has given me much to think about. As we get closer to the start of school, I am looking forward to change. In know it won’t always be easy, but the end results will be worth the effort. Technology, though daunting at times will not limit me. I want to master technology, so I can help my students master it as well.
References
Mansilla,V. B., & Gardner, H. (2008). Disciplining the mind. Educational Leadership. 65(5), p. 14-19.
Wilson, S., & Peterson, P. L. (2006). Theories of learning and teaching: What do they mean for educators? National Education Association
Mishra, P. & Koehler. M. J. (2009). Too cool for school? No way! Using the TPACK framework: You can have your hot tools and teach with them, too. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(7), 14-18.
Perkins, David; Blythe, Tina (Feb 1994) Putting understanding up front
Educational Leadership; 51, 5; Research Library
Tina Blythe and Associates, (1998). The Teaching for Understanding Guide. Jossey-Bass, San Fransisco.Active Learning Practices for Schools, Teaching for Understanding: Ongoing Assessment Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Project Zero.