Happy Thanksgiving Break!!!

Today students wrapped up the curriculum unit and turned in both units they developed themselves.  Our class is looking forward to Thanksgiving break and had a mini celebration with Oreo turkeys, pilgrim hats, turkey cookies, Jell-O, rolls and soda.  I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful break!!! Make sure you check out our newsletter that was emailed out today!

Unit Planning

Students have been hard at work developing two units for their future classroom. Students were given the task of decided what grade level/class they were interested then and creating 2 units, each consisting of 3 lesson plans (following the Madeline Hunter model).

Students developed lessons according to the standards on www.ksde.org, the new common core standards (http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards) or the national standards for science, religion and Family and Consumer Sciences. After determining standards, students gained more practice writing learning objectives for their lesson. They then brainstormed a hook and planned each lesson. All materials, worksheets, tests, quizzes, worksheets, scorecards, power points, notes, and handouts are being created by students. Students then included a modification for specified special need identified in each lesson to optimize student learning.

Students are gaining a better understanding of the work involved in lesson planning and discovering a variety of lesson planning resources they can utilize in their future.

Modifications and Adaptations

Today in Exploring Teaching we discussed Special Education, IEPs and teachers' responsibilities as educators. We began our lesson with a test I created with different modifications and adaptations. Students were each given a modified version of a test and told to complete the test with no assistance. This was a frustrating experience for many, and offered different feelings and results depending on how modified a test each student received. After completing the test, we discussed how modifications enable all students to be successful.

Students were able to read through a sample IEP and create an IEP snapshot that a teacher may use to help determine adjustments in instructional planning based on learner performance. Students also began brainstorming modified instructional strategies they will be able to incorporate into their Unit Plans which we will be working on the until Thanksgiving break.

Thankful Door Decorations

On our Manic Monday I was unfortunately out with tonsillitis. Exploring Teaching divided into two groups and came up with two Thanksgiving Door Decorations to brighten up our classroom. Students did a great job working together, managing their time and coming up with a cohesive design.  

Check out our two newest door decorations:

 

 

 

Outside Observations

This past Friday and Monday students were given the opportunity to get outside of the classroom and observe teachers practicing instructional strategies and classroom management in their own classrooms. Students spent one manic period observing a freshman level course.

            Students arrived before the bell rang and acted as a silent observer, a process that is often done by an administrator when evaluating teachers. Students completed a Teacher Observation form and Behavior Management Checklist while in the classroom.

     This experience outside of the class helped student’s synthesis what we have been learning by providing them the opportunity to:

·         Explain ways to make the physical environment safe and conductive for learning.

·         Evaluate multiple teaching methods.  

·         Explain various instructional models.

·         Explain evidence that participants’ understanding of the topic advanced

·         Explain appropriateness of instructional models in terms of context and learner results.

·         Explain the importance of monitoring student understanding, giving feedback and adjusting instruction as needed.

Thank you to the many teachers at GEHS who opened their rooms to our students!

Instructional Strategy Packets

When creating a dynamic lesson plan, it’s important to incorporate instructional strategies throughout. Today students worked on their Instructional Strategies Packets, these packets can be used when they are creating lesson plans in the future and are full of ideas and strategies teachers can use to be an effective teacher.

Students worked to compile 30 strategies of their own, using district provided resources, internet based resources, Pinterest ideas, ideas from teachers and courses they have experienced and students own modified ideas.

Instructional Strategies

Students experienced a blast from the past the last three days by observing Instructional Strategies USD 231 produced from 2007-2009. Our Exploring Teaching course was able to take advantage of district provided teacher resources by watching instructional strategies performed by teachers.

Each instructional strategy video featured the name of the strategy, how it works/what it is used for, steps to carry out the strategy, film of the teacher using the strategy and variations/ideas for using the strategy in another subject or different way. We watched 30 instructional strategy clips, discussed the benefits and disadvantages of each and how student can implement them in their own classroom.

Students will be utilizing an instructional strategy of their choice to teach our class lesson and film their own instructional strategy video using a camcorder, IPad, or cell phone on either Friday or Monday.

Strategies we viewed:

1.      Alphabet Summary

2.      Answer or Opinion

3.      Backwards Summary

4.      Basketball

5.      Carousel Brainstorm

6.      Four corners

7.      Give Me 5

8.      Inner-Outer Circles

9.      Issues-Values Continuum

10.  Knock Out

11.  KWL Vignette

12.  Last Person Standing

13.  Line Up

14.  Luck of the Draw

15.  Make an Appointment

16.  Mix and Match

17.  One word summaries

18.  Pair Teaching

19.  Partners A and B

20.  Pyramid Show

21.  Save the Last word for me

22.  Sequence

23.  Summary Ball

24.  Take a Stand

25.  Teams Game Tournaments

26.  Think, pair, share

27.  3-2-1

28.  Ticket to Leave

29.  True False Unknown

30.  Who and What am  

Happy Veteran's Day!

Happy Veteran’s Day from Exploring Teaching! Today we will attend GEHS’ annual Veteran’s Day Program. Thank you to our Veteran’s, current service men and women, and their families.

Instructional Strategies

            Today we began looking at instructional strategies students can use in their classroom. We viewed videos of instructional strategies of teachers in USD231 and took notes on strategies to use in the classroom. Students got to see former middle school teachers in action and will be recording their very own instructional strategy video next week when they must teach a lesson to the class incorporating astrategy.

Next week students will be charged with designing instructional strategies according to learner characteristics and adapting strategies to reflect learners’ needs. They will be creating an instructional strategies packed to help them develop dynamic lesson plans. Students will need to include a minimum of 30 strategies in their instructional strategies packet.

We ended class today by using instructional strategies that incorporate games. We played “hot potato” as a review where when students ended holding the potato when the song ended they had to answer a question. This strategy can be used for review in many classrooms and is a fun and interactive way to go over information.

Student Bulletin Designs Project Four

Happy Mini Series Monday!
            Today we wrapped up our fourth Monday Miniseries projects. This week students really thought out of the box using different materials and a movie for inspiration. Check out our newest door decoration and mini bulletin board below.



Casey Haas and Kaitlyn Williams used the movie Despicable Me for inspiration this week and created "A Minion Reasons to Love School."

Sadie Long and Lori Wilson got creative this week and had each student deocrate their own felt square with their "Fall Favorite." They then patchworked the squares together to make a Fall Favorite Quilt for Exploring Teaching.  

Diverse Learners and Special Needs

     Students spent today and yesterday researching a special need they would like to learn more about utilizing the internet and resource books in my classroom. They then gained practice working with google docs and submitting their findings to a Google form. Google docs is a great resource to use in a classroom because it stores all information in the "cloud", it also enables student to share work and work on a project simultaneously.

       Students then registered and created a PREZI presentation. Prezi is a presentation tool similar to PowerPoint with different features. This can be used to present information to a classroom, or accompany a lecture. Please click on the links below so check out each student’s final Prezi presentation.

• ADD:    http://prezi.com/qqn3io6oz4um/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
• ADHD:    http://prezi.com/pzzmvxoorlpr/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
• Asperger’s syndrome:http://prezi.com/vcuwnzuheqld/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
• Bipolar:     http://prezi.com/-mscrtapiwlc/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
• Down Syndrome:  http://prezi.com/afavs47ctsz1/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
• Dyspraxia:  http://prezi.com/9f7rqhoxzcxm/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
• Dyscalculia:   http://prezi.com/bhad3xcdvov_/?utm_campaign=share&utm
• Gifted Children:  http://prezi.com/tvv7exqjpl5g/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
• Multiple Sclerosis: http://prezi.com/lgj06eqdbtlt/multiple-sclerosis/
• OCD:  http://prezi.com/tlfuex6kq7ai/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share