Outside Looking In

Date Countdown - Student Teaching

2011-07-24T05:01:00.000-07:00

The summer semester is complete and all of my course work has been submitted.
3 classes (7 credit hours) in 8 weeks was a challenge, but I met the deadline with a few days to spare.

It finally hit me today that I am finished with the formal coursework required for my undergrad degree. Other than a few on-campus meetings, my journey to a degree and teaching certification is almost complete. All that remains is 16 weeks of student teaching and a few standardized tests.

As of today (29 days to go and counting)I'm not nervous. I imagine I will get more anxious as the big day approaches.

Do you have any last minute words of wisdom before I enter the domain of the 3rd graders?

Good job?

2011-07-10T04:46:00.001-07:00

http://www.alfiekohn.org/parenting/gj.htm

Providing a spark

2011-04-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

My recent discussion and posting of my philosophy of education has proved inspiration for another to do the same.

An online friend of mine, Pat Hensley, decided to post and reflect on her personal philosophy of education.
I enjoy reading what other people think and feel about education. I learn something new in each philosophy statement I read.

I'm glad I was able to be the spark to inspire others to share. :-)

Care to share your personal education philosophy?

iPods in Kindergarten?

2011-04-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Can iPod touch devices be used in a kindergarten classroom?

Yes they can!

Take a moment and check out Gail's blog.

Philosophy of Education.... on one page

2011-04-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

For the past few weeks I have been struggling with an assignment for my art class. I was required to write my philosophy of education, but keep it confined to one page.
(See my previous post)

It took a while, but I was able to write a one page version on my philosophy of education.

I still struggle with this assignment. Confining this to one page, "One that you might want to take into an interview" as my professor said, seems counter productive.

Maybe one day it will make sense.

Enjoy!

Assignment Five

#5 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION    Write a brief description of what your purpose is in becoming a teacher. This should be no longer than one page.

            My purpose in education is to make the world a better place while answering an internal call to service. I believe that most of the social issues that drag down society can be reduced or eliminated by providing all children with a quality education. I strongly believe that all children can learn and be successful in school.
            I am called to education to be an agent of change. Problem solving, project based learning, differentiation, and inquiry are common elements of my classroom. Teacher-centric instruction, the “sage on the stage” model, does not exist in my learning environment. I am a facilitator, an “educational travel guide” who helps student learn to think, reason, question, and experiment. Learning by doing, solving problems, and collaborating with others are the backbone of my educational philosophy.
            Because children learn in different ways, they must be taught in different ways. Instruction must be presented using a variety of approaches so that the multiple intelligences of the students are engaged. My method of instruction includes hands-on activities, music, visual arts, reading, writing, and collaboration. I do my best to provide what each child needs; whether it is a quiet place, access to technology, the ability to move freely, or an alternate method of displaying mastery of an objective.
            I believe that the unwritten curriculum of building social skills is just as important as state standards. Building community, conflict resolution, and learning to work together will always take a high priority in my classroom. My purpose as an educator is to teach and nurture the whole child, not just increase his or her test scores.

4/20/11 update: I received the equivalent of an A+ grade on my one page submission. :-)

Philosophy of Education...Readers's Digest Edition

2011-04-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I just can't accept the rules as they are written.

One of my current courses required me to submit my Philosophy of Education statement in less than one page. I felt compelled to write a letter to my instructor about the requirement.

Assignment #5 PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION: Write a brief description of what your purpose is in becoming a teacher. This should be no longer than one page.

I have written and revised my philosophy of education several times during my years as a Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College student.

The latest version can be viewed on my public blog.
http://shelhart.blogspot.com/2009/01/first-step.html

My personal philosophy, like my resume, does not fit on one page.

Try as I may, I have difficulty deciding what topics are the least important and should be cut. My gut tells me that all of the paragraphs are important. My educational philosophy is a reflection of my thoughts, feelings, and passions. It is personal. For it to be mine, it has to be more than one page.

I can pare it down to meet the one page, double-spaced MS Word document requirement if you wish, but it will be an empty pile of buzzwords and catch-phrases... not my philosophy.

How would you like me to proceed?

Yes, I know I shouldn't be "kicking the beehive" this close to graduation, but I just couldn't bite my virtual tongue on this one. I felt compelled to stand up for what I see as important.

As the old saying goes, you can't un-ring a bell. The above email has already been sent.

Am I sorry? No. I'd do it again.

The New Indiana Teacher Evaluation

2011-02-06T14:27:00.000-08:00

Recently the Indiana Department of Education released their draft of the new model teacher evaluations. At first glance I thought the rubric looked promising. I was so excited about the language used I had to share this information with some friends. My email about change and improvement triggered a passionate response from a teacher "in the trenches".

The following is a portion of the email exchange. Names have been deleted to protect the sender's privacy. I am publishing this with the author's permission.

Me:
Did you see this?http://www.doe.in.gov/news/2011/02-February/modelevaluations.htmlAt first glance, I think I like it.
Your thoughts?

Friend:
Honestly- I can see where it can be completely and totally worked to make it seem like the teachers in our building are meeting the highest levels of the rubrics by still using their teacher editions and their current teaching methods:

Domain 1-Purposeful Planning- all the category 4 criteria can be "met" using the teacher edition of the basal. They used this to say they met the criteria for (ADMIN'S) differentiation lessons & criteria

Domain 2- Effective instruction- This is covered in the current teacher evaluation and OF COURSE this would have already would have been fixed by our building principal if it wasn't being done & higher order questioning is in the side margins of the teacher's editions!

Domain 3- Teacher Leadership- The teachers in our building already serve on bunches of committees including (*** club), each grade level has a parent involvement evening through Title 1, there is a grade level representative on the (PTA type organization), and they do RTI. How much else should they have to do?

Domain 4- oops- You want them to be on time? Ok, well we can work on that one for the few who are late every single day. We will mention them in general at every single faculty meeting and maybe if they would shut up they might hear us!

In all honesty, we, as teachers, already fill out a form that makes us prove that we are highly qualified and it just asks if we have taken the NTE and passed or if you are a newer teacher if you have met some other criteria. This is just another bogus form that the principal will check off and say, "yes, of course, my staff does all this stuff and is highly qualified" because if they don't the superintendent will shoot them for causing issues.
It looks like a really good idea and I would love to see it not be so vague with so many generalities that can be met using a textbook or the same old methods. I would like to see it force teachers to step out of the box further, force them to change and prove that they are. Perhaps, proving you are a highly qualified teacher and that you will continue to be one by learning and doing something to improve yourself. In what way will you improve yourself as a teacher, how will you do it and how will you prove that you have done it? Now, if you want to keep your job, go do it.

Me: I Love your reply. Can I send it to the state DOE and/or publish it? I Think Tony Bennett needs to read it

Friend:
Sure- it won't make any difference though because the state won't do anything that has real teeth to it. There are ALWAYS loopholes..... The good teachers (and I bravely put myself in that category) will be the ones who worry and fret and work harder and quit teaching because we feel we aren't doing good enough and the ones who have been the same thing for the last 15-20 years will continue to find the loopholes and skate by and not really make any change (although they will gripe about how much they have been forced to suffer over these new rules) and nothing will be done.
Sorry- I do not mean to sound so cynical and bitter but I kind of am because I do work really hard and I want to do more and I want to be a better teacher for my kids (and I know there are a lot of areas where I need to improve) and yet I see people who do the least amount of work possible getting the same title "highly Qualified teacher" as me and it does make me angry and bitter.
(maybe Tony ought to see this part of my e-mail, as well)

I'd love to hear some more opinions from educators and administrators. Does the new Indiana plan look like it will make a difference? Does it or will it have "teeth"? Will this help foster real change or real red tape?

What do you think?

Please share your thoughts.

~~I'm sending a link~~ I sent a link to this post via twitter to the Indiana DOE and Dr. Bennett with hopes that they might read the blog and the comments.

Please post your feedback so that we can collectively make Indiana education better.

Update 2/9/11: Yes, someone from the state took the time to read this.

Thanks for your visit, D.O.E.

Get ready.....Get set......

2010-10-04T03:15:00.000-07:00

Today is my first day working in 4th grade. This should be a great two weeks. I am prepared to teach my science unit. The classroom teacher should have prepared seeds for today that the students can pry open and examine. I have prepared a batch of seeds just in case she forgot. I have lesson outlines, notebook examples, pictures, software, laptop, supplies, back-up plans, a cool tie, and comfortable shoes.

I'm not nervous at all. This is going to be a walk in the park.

Why did I wake up at 3AM?

Well, maybe a little nervous.

Here we go again...

2010-09-29T17:47:00.000-07:00

It's time to get back in the classroom. I start another 'field experience' this Monday. This time I will be in fourth grade. I had an opportunity to meet with my cooperating teacher today. We discussed the schedule, lesson plans, and what I will be doing. I volunteered to teach a science unit, and Ms. C. quickly accepted my offer.

Stay tuned for two weeks of reflections, plant updates, and excitement!

Goodbye Dad

2010-08-22T07:21:00.001-07:00

Name:

Clifford "Mike" Shelhart

Date:

May 23rd, 1940 - August 20th, 2010

Obituary:

Clifford Mike Shelhart age 70, of Wheatfield, Ind. passed away at his residence on Friday August 20, 2010. He was born on May 23, 1940 in Rensselaer, Ind. the son of John James and Agnes Helena (Tansel) Shelhart, both deceased. Mike was a 1958 graduate of the DeMotte High School. Mike had worked as a operating engineer for the Local #150 for 52 years. On March 23, 1962 in Gary, Ind., he married Barbara Warren and she survives. Mike was a member of the American Reformed Church, DeMotte, Ind. He was a Past Master of the Hebron Masonic Lodge # 502, F&AM, Past Patron of the Order of the Easter Star, Hebron Chapter #119, member of the Scottish Rite Valley of South Bend, Past High Priest of the Royal Arch Masons, Chapter #150, Past Illustrious Master of the Norman L. Brown Counsel #109, Cryptic Masons of Indiana and was currently serving as Eminent Commander of the H.W. Matthewson Commandery #66 of the Knights Templar of Indiana Michael is survived by: Barbara (Warren) Shelhart, spouse; Scott (Lisa) Shelhart, Wheatfield, Ind., son; Mark (Jennifer) Shelhart, Chesterton, Ind., son; Cynthia (Brad Brickner) Shelhart, Chesterton, Ind., daughter; Sisters - Shirley Anderson of Kouts, Ind.; Sandra Shelhart of Hammond, Ind.; Bonnie (Tom) Postma of DeMotte, Ind.; 4 - grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorials:

Jasper County Hospital Home Healthcare & Hospice or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Visitations:

2:00PM to 8:00PM on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at Jackson Funeral Service of DeMotte (Masonic Service at 7:00PM) (map/driving directions)

Services:

10:00AM at Jackson Funeral Service of DeMotte on Tuesday, August 24th, 2010 (map/driving directions)

Cemetery:

Crockett Cemetery
1800 W 725 S
Rensselaer, IN 47978 (map/driving directions)

Hunting for an excuse.

2010-02-27T06:26:00.000-08:00

This Rhode Island school board went hunting for an excuse for their failing school.
It appears they went hunting with a bomb instead of a rifle (Its an analogy...please don't get the wrong idea about the reference). One of my friends said this was like a hospital removing someone's entire leg to treat a few small infected sores.
I understand the need for change, but to fire ALL of the teachers seems to be the wrong approach.

Who is the school board going to hire now? An entire school of fresh graduates? Teachers that have been fired from other purging school boards?

What do you think?

Student Teaching Day 10

2010-02-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

2/5/10

Day 10

The End

The last day of my teaching experience started like most of the others. We had warm up sheets, the two minute math test, pledge to the flag, etc. For the math lesson we started with watching some of the Schoolhouse Rock videos on multiplication. After the videos we did some multiplication activities and ISTEP sample problems. Maybe my post on play vs inquiry had a small effect on Mrs. J.

The children went to music and gym today. While they were gone Mrs. J. and I talked while she planned lessons and I graded papers. She showed me the highly scored scoring rubric she had filled out to send to my college. Even though it wasn't all flowers and sunshine, I received high marks from all involved.

The afternoon writing activity was a small group project designed to teach descriptive writing, The students were allowed to pick their own groups. The four high ability girls banded together. The boys stuck together. The below grade level students grouped together. The results were not what we expected. The high ability group and the two groups of boys spent most of their time arguing and correcting each other. The low ability group worked together and produced more descriptive sentences than any of the other groups. It was fun to watch.

We did a few other activities and took a few tests as the end of the day approached. The students turned in their work and got ready to leave. On girl took Mrs. J out into the hall to tell her something urgent just before the students were released. I found out later that the girl had a surprise gift that she wanted Mrs. J. to deliver to me.

Here is my parting gift:

My friend N__ had brought me a Valentine card. ~~Hannah Montana~~ Wizards of Waverly Place star "Alex" was neatly holding a Jolly Rancher apple flavored sucker. My first valentine from a student.

After the students had left Mrs. J and I discussed how things had went and what we had learned over the past two weeks. We both had a great time and worked well together.. Mrs. J, who had said on day one that she never wanted to have another student teacher for 8 weeks, invited me back to do my student teaching in her classroom. I could have not wished for a better evaluation than to be invited back to teach again.

I have made many new friends over the past two weeks. I have strengthened some professional relationships. I have learned about children and about myself. I discovered new things about office politics and the interaction of school departments. I learned how to use a Promethean board, electronic voters, and two different document cameras. I discovered how to co-teach and how differentiation works in the classroom. I made a great connection with my friend and mentor Mrs. J.

I learned that a handwritten card and an apple sucker can be the best gift in the world.
Happy Valentines Day N____.

I'm going to go eat my sucker, look at all of the photos I took this week, and miss my students for a little while.

Thanks kids. Thanks Mrs. J. I'll miss you.

Student Teaching Day 9

2010-02-05T20:24:00.000-08:00

2/4/10

Day 9

Today was another normal day. The morning work and math lesson symmetry went well. Everything was fine until we went to the computer lab to write our final copies of the persuasive letter we wrote this week. Things went downhill in a hurry.

The students were very needy. How do I ..... over and over again. These students have been doing similar exercises on these machines since kindergarten. They should know how to type a document on a word processor. The computer lab teacher and Mrs. J agreed. It was hard not knowing who to help and who to let struggle a bit more. I made some mistakes that raised the tension level in the room. Students made some bad choices that further added to the stress.The overall computer lab experience was terrible for all involved. Maybe this is due to the lab environment instead of having computers in the classroom. Some ed-tech types say that labs are bad. Technology should be like air - unnoticeable and everywhere. I am inclined to agree, but if there were 5-10 computers in each classroom, then the classroom teacher would be responsible for teaching and coaching technology use. The experience level and teaching capabilities are widely varied among the teachers. Would putting computers in the classroom give all students an equal opportunity? I'm not sure.

I was able to witness a few of the students have some social difficulties. A few of the boys had a ~~fight~~ difference of opinion at recess. This led to one boy being shunned at lunch; no one would sit with him out of fear of getting into trouble. The shunned third grader, a normally rough-and-tumble type, had a tearful meltdown at the lunch table. It was not the warm-fuzzy teachable moment you read about in the textbooks, but it was an opportunity for growth. I think the class troublemaker learned a bit of the unwritten curriculum today. Sometimes the lessons taught by playground politics are just as difficult to learn as long division.

I got to witness a bit of the emotional stress that teachers must endure. One student's family is going through a break-up. The child seems to sleep (or not sleep) in a different place every night. Another student will soon be evicted from their residence. Knowing these details of a child's life places a strain on the classroom teacher. I do not know how a teacher could not be affected by the events happening in their students' lives. If a teacher is not affected by these issues, perhaps they are in the wrong profession. I've barely known these kids for a week or two, and I'm losing sleep worrying about them. How do teachers deal with this for 180 days and year?

Today was not the best day of my teaching experience; but they can't all be great. Another teachable moment for me.

On a brighter note, I was invited to sit with the teachers at their table during lunch. I've made it to the big time in the lounge.

Student Teaching Day 8

2010-02-05T19:50:00.000-08:00

2/3/10
Day 8

Final Evaluation Day

The day started with the usual morning routine, but with one exception. We had a class meeting where Mrs. J explained some changes in procedure. It was the end of the grading period and time to move one step closer to fourth grade. No longer would she prompt them for missing work. If it's not turned in - too bad. This is now grade 3.5 and the requirements have changed. Some students will be unaffected by the change because they always turn their work in on time. Other students, the ones with poor grades and a poor history of getting work in on time, will have to change their ways in order to keep their grade from dropping further. The tough-love message of the day might motivate some students, but others just don't seem to 'get it', as they say every day. Perhaps this is a lesson for the parents as well as the students. I wish I could be around to observe the results of the changes.

We had a visit from a new guidance person this morning. Our new visitor gave a presentation on bullying. Her lesson included some role playing games to demonstrate what a student could do in certain situations. The content was good, but the delivery was off. Most guidance presentations I have seen have this same problem. I believe that a trained guidance counselor has a valid place in the school, but might not be the best one for presenting the message. In elementary school the student-teacher relationship is strong. The classroom teacher knows the students better than anyone else in the school building. I think it might be best if the guidance personnel assisted the classroom teacher in planning and delivering the content, and let the teacher be the one that delivers the message; either alone or co-teaching with the guidance staff.

One bright spot of the morning was when two members of a island of students assisted a third during the guidance lesson. The group seating is starting to foster some sense of community.

The afternoon brought my professor and my final evaluation. The lesson was a flip chart on the IWB about reading and context clues. A short quiz using the voting devices followed the lesson. Mrs. J gave my professor a voting remote and told her she had to play along. My evaluator seemed to be taken a bit off guard, but participated in the exercise.

The lesson went....OK. Not a slam dunk, not earth shattering, and nowhere close to the best thing I have ever done. It was just OK. It could have been better if we had written our own lesson, but we opted to use one from the Promethean web site. The overall review from my professor was favorable. She was impressed with my tech skills, classroom management, and teaching style. I received another fantastic review.

With the last visit from my college now behind me, I can finally relax and enjoy the next two days in the classroom.

Student Teaching Day 7

2010-02-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

2/2/10
Day 7

Today the students entered the room and had to search for their desks. All of the students (except 2) had had their desks placed in groups of 4 or 5. I expected grumbling and confusion, but the 3rd grade group handled the change with little disruption to their morning routine. Morning worksheets, breakfast, lunch choice, Star Spangled Banner (and they still get the words wrong) and all of the other familiar morning activities occurred without issue.

The day's schedule was a bit altered from the norm. Junior Achievement took up part of the day. The visit from the guidance counselor didn't happen today. We worked on math more than usual. Math is where the biggest event happened today.

Some students go to the resource room for math. Since we had an extra lesson today, these students were still in the classroom. Mrs. J gave a short review lesson on the IWB, and then the students were split into groups to work on multiplication using unifix-type blocks. The students were instructed to take 18 blocks and see how many different ways they could represent the total; 2 groups of 9, 3 groups of 6, etc. I offered to take two of the students that normally do not stay for math.

One girl (I'll call her H) in my group was a bit reluctant to try the activity. I worked with her slowly and she started to grasp the exercise. With tongue protruding out of the corner of her mouth, she stacked, counted, and re-stacked the blocks to find all of the possible combinations. When I showed her that there was a pattern (3x6 and 6x3, 2x9 and 9x2,...) I saw the light come on. She was so excited that she had to go up to the front of the room and share her discovery. I was happy to see that her classmates nodded in agreement and let her have her moment of glory. Many of the at/above grade level kids could have easily shot her down, but they did not. I felt a sense of community and family in the classroom. H had her 15 seconds of fame and then we moved on to the next activity.

The new seating arrangement seems to be working so far. There is a little chatting, but there is also some collaborating and mentoring going on at each island of desks. It is fun to watch them try to help each other without giving away the answer. I look forward to watching them work together the remainder of the week.

My professor visits tomorrow afternoon for my second and final evaluation. I am teaching a language unit on the Promethean board, complete with a quiz using the remote voter units. I ran through the flip-chart once. It should be easy, but I'm still a bit nervous. I did accidentally bring the Promethean board's pen home in my shirt pocket today. Maybe I'll sleep with it under my pillow for good luck.

Student Teaching Day 6

2010-02-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

2/1/10
Day 6

Inquiry vs Play

I am enjoying the inquiry based math instruction in this classroom. Watching the children construct their own strategies can be quite exciting. Mrs. J does a great job of letting the group members share their ideas. The children feel safe enough in the environment to share ideas without the fear of giving the wrong answer. They all seem content to be traveling down the same path of discovery as they learn about multiplication. The mixture of teacher led discussions at the white board, partner work, and seat work appears to be working well.

The language lessons I have witnessed have used a different approach. Learning the parts of speech is accomplished with a mixture of textbook lectures, worksheets, IWB activities, several doses of the Schoolhouse Rock videos, and some games. Today we learned more about adverbs while we played a game similar to Scattergories . The students (and adults) had a fun time playing the game.

I'm not sure if math is more difficult than language or if the difference in teaching methods is having an effect, but it is clear to see that the students do better with language than math. I know that learning multiplication is difficult, and I understand that constructing knowledge takes time, but...... I believe that the reason that the students excel in their language skills is due to the presence of play. The games, music, and videos grab the students' attention and keeps them excited. Inquiry based math is...well... it is still math facts. Maybe some more music and games in math class would inspire a few more 'light bulb moments'. Maybe it's just too soon in the inquiry process and the ah-has will come in a few weeks.

The technology used in the classroom today got me a little more excited about how my hometown school feels about technology. I was greatly pleased to see Open Office and TeacherTube being used in the classroom. Free and open source software used to be unthinkable in the walled garden. I'm happy to see a shift, for the sake of the students, the teachers, and my tax bill.

After school Mrs. J and I decided to take the desks out of rows and try placing them in small groups. The students were grouped by compatibility and by ability level. Each group has at least one child who is below grade level, at grade level, and above grade level. It will be interesting to see how the kids react to the change tomorrow.

Student Teaching Day 5

2010-01-31T18:14:00.000-08:00

1/29/10
Day 5

Friday was similar to the rest of the week. We used manipulatives in math more than we did earlier in the week. One child had something to share (or show-and-tell, as we called it when I was in school). The class had two 'specials', Music and Gym. Nothing out of the ordinary happened other than it was Popcorn Day. Every student either paid $0.25 for a bag of popcorn, or received it free for having perfect attendance. I'm normally against food for ~~bribes~~ rewards, but this seemed more like a party for everyone than a reward for perfect attendance. Perfect attendance for the grading period should be valued more than a bag of popcorn.

I'm beginning to get a feel for how the classroom dynamic changes when some of the children leave and go to the resource room for remediation. With a group of about 12 students left in the room, the instruction becomes more individualized. Students seem to enjoy the smaller class size and more personal interaction with the teacher. I can only hope that the students pulled out to the other classroom (staffed with one teacher and two paraprofessionals), are having as good of an experience.

The tension in the building is starting to build. You can almost feel the grip of THE test starting to squeeze. So much rides on the test scores. The students don't understand why it is important, but they know that the grown-ups really think it is important.

It's amazing what you learn when you eat lunch with the students every day. I can see the anxiety building in many of their eyes. They are genuinely worried and they aren't sure why.

Does it have to be this way?

Field Guide For Change Agents

2010-01-31T05:30:00.001-08:00

What did you do today? I remotely collaborated with a group of educators and helped create this presentation. Most of them were at a conference in Philadelphia. I was in Indiana. We made this in less than an hour.

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Field Guide For Change Agents

View more presentations from Ben Hazzard.

Student Teaching Day 4

2010-01-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

1/28/10
Day 4

Making connections.

Thursday seemed to be less stressful. The weight of being evaluated seems to have been lifted from our collective shoulders. The reduction in tension allowed everyone to relax a bit. I was able to make some good connections and observations today.

We started the day in usual form. After the skill builder and math facts, we worked on a sample ISTEP problem involving operations with time. After the students had the opportunity to work on the problems, Mrs. J led a discussion with the class. Using her familiar inquiry method, the document camera, and the IWB; Mrs. J discussed with the students how and why they came up with their answers. Some students are struggling, but I was able to witness the fabled "ah-ha" moment, along with the accompanying audible gasp. There are few finer sounds to be heard than this.

The activities in the computer lab were again self directed learning. The children had a choice of three activities. These programs are self adjusting to the students' level. Again, this is the place with the deepest student engagement. How can this be duplicated outside of the computer lab?

While the children were at Art, Mrs. J and I had an opportunity to talk about teaching as a career, how we each decided to become a teacher, the state of the economy and how it is affecting the job market, and other education related topics. We brainstormed about how to improve the use of technology in her classroom, the school, and in education in general. She told me of her experience at the ISTE conference she attended last summer. We talked about how a few of the students were having an off week, and some of the social issues that were a part of her student's lives. Conversations such as these are the most valuable portion of this field experience. I can improve my classroom management skills and learn about lesson plans while working as a sub, but interacting with teachers on this level does not normally happen during a normal sub assignment.

In the afternoon we worked on symmetry of shapes on the IWB, handwriting workbooks, and parts of speech on the IWB. Mrs. J and I seemed to develop a rhythm as we both worked around the room. Our teaching styles appeared to gel a bit today. I had never before been able to visualize how some people work as co-teachers, sharing a classroom with another full-time educator. After this afternoon, I can see how this could be a great arrangement if one had the right partner. I also see that it could be a disaster for all involved if the chemistry was not correct.

The day ended without incident and all of the students made it to their respective busses. Mrs. J was conducting a parent conference as I gathered my things to leave. She was talking to the mother of one of the students that had been having trouble this week. It was good to see her take a swift proactive approach to address any problems before they got out of hand. Another valuable tool for my toolbox; correct small issues before they become unmanageable.

Student Teaching Day 3

2010-01-29T00:04:00.001-08:00

1/27/10
Day 3

Evaluation Day

I opened the door to the classroom and was greeted by "I'm so glad you're here!" from Mrs. J. The tone of her voice told me something was not quite right. I was informed that there was a schedule change for today. Mrs. J had an evaluator coming to observe her teaching a math lesson. That would have been fine, but I was planning on my professor evaluating me teaching the math lesson.

Time for a hurry-up plan B. Mrs. J had picked out a Science lesson for me to teach. I had 20 minutes to prepare. I quickly read the lesson, and then mentioned to Mrs. J that I wished I had the materials to make an experiment to accompany the lesson. She magically produced the yardstick, binder clips, balloons, and string I needed for my experiment. I assembled the parts, tested the experiment, and got everything ready just in time.

The day started as usual when the students arrived. The children settled down and began their morning work. Soon after my professor arrived it was time for the Science lesson. The children passed around the wireless microphone as they took turns reading from the textbook. I demonstrated the fact that air has weight by using a balance made from the above mentioned materials. It didn't go as well as in the rushed rehearsal, but it was fair. After the students read the chapter, Mrs. J and I broke the students into two groups (by ability) and worked on the corresponding worksheets.

My evaluation went well. My professor was greatly pleased with my performance, preparation, and reflections. I could have not wished for a better review. I spent a few minutes talking with my evaluator while the students took a restroom break. Mrs. J's evaluator came in and my evaluator left. It was now time for math.

Mrs. J led a lesson on multiplication and division using balance diagrams and stacking cubes. Her lesson was another inquiry based, hands-on lesson. I am impressed with this style of math instruction. I was able to stay for Mrs. J's discussion with her evaluator. I learned more about the inquiry based program they were using in the third grade. I was able to learn some of what was working and what was not, and got to see how the professionals made adjustments to their instructional plan.

We had time to work on writing before lunch. The students worked on their rough draft from their previous day's simple-six prompt attack sheet. Some students did well, but many struggled following the simple-six guidelines. Erasure crumbs littered the desks as the corrections were made.

When the students returned from lunch, we had a few behavior issues to address. Mrs. J firmly and swiftly took control of the class and discussed the problems at hand. I may have handled things differently if placed in the same situation, but I did learn a few new techniques by watching a professional educator in action. I'll file these new tools away for possible future use.

The Social Studies lessons for the week were discussing an African family. One of the topics brought up yesterday was the food fu-fu. Today Mrs. J had made a batch of this African staple during her lunch period. We took the class to the teachers' lounge where the students were able to sample this interesting food. The hands-on activity was the highlight of the day for many of the students.

Reading and language followed our African taste test. A reading specialist came to the room to help, and we broke the class into three groups. The three adults each took a group, and we rotated groups every 15 minutes. The small groups worked well, and the students remained engaged throughout the activity.

This brought us to the end of the day routine. Gather mail, write assignments in the assignment books, coats, shoes, buss assignments, and so on. This portion of the day is a bit chaotic, but the children know the routine and all of the tasks got completed with time to spare.

Student Teaching Day 2

2010-01-27T05:15:00.001-08:00

Day Two
1/26/10

The day started in a similar way as yesterday, but a bit less hectic. The students filtered in, stowed their gear, and began their morning routine. After performing our patriotic duty, the work began.

Math was interesting this morning. The teacher gave the students several problems (3x4, 6x4, 8x4) and asked them to explain how they found their answer. The main point of the lesson was to show that order of operation didn't matter; the most efficient way was the usually the best way {the state standardized tests are fast approaching). The teacher did make good use of the IWB, but once again the students did not get to use it. One boy did leave his seat during the discussion to point ad items on the board, but he never got the chance to interact with the technology.

After math was a visit from the guidance councilor. Her lesson was on giving and following directions (tests prep again). Her lesson did not go well. At one point she selected a student to be the 'writer' and stood her at the board with electronic pen in hand. The girl stood there at the ready for five minutes, but never got the chance to write. The guidance councilor apologized to the student and promised that she could be the 'writer' next time. The children were split into groups of two to work on an exercise in giving directions. Time expired before the students were able to get a sentence or two written on their papers. I'm not sure why things didn't go well. Perhaps my presence in the room upsets the normal flow. I know I do better with a group of students when I am the only adult in the room. I should find a way to correct this by tomorrow...I'm being observed by my professor in the morning

We worked on 'simple six' writing attack prompts after lunch. I was able to go around the room and assist the students while they brainstormed their stories.

Writing was followed by reading. A reading teacher from the Title One room came into the classroom to help with reading. The class was split into three groups, and the students rotated between me, the reading teacher, and 'seat work' as Mrs. J monitored the classroom. The small groups worked well, but I see the need for additional teachers/aids/ or parents to make the groups run smoothly. Small groups could be hard to manage with only one adult in the room.

Overall today went well. Some of the newness has worn off and the kids are more at ease with my presence in the room. I expect this to improve a little each day.

Student Teaching Day 1

2010-01-26T05:08:00.001-08:00

1/25/09

Day One

After days of anticipation, my first student teaching 'field experience' was about to begin. I arrived early and checked in at the office. I met with my cooperative teacher and we made our way down the hall to the third grade classroom.

I have worked as a substitute teacher in this room before, so I had an idea of what to expect... Or so I thought. I was excited to see the new addition of a Promethean IWB, document cameras, and a wireless speaker system. I would discover later that this is one of only two IWBs in the building. I was excited to see this high-tech tool in action.

I learned that as in previous years, this classroom had a broad mix of students. Every 3rd grade student that started the school year with an IEP was placed in this class. This might be intimidating to some, but not to me. I did my best to squelch an ear-to-ear smile. Being immersed in an environment of full differentiation will be a great learning opportunity. Mrs. J printed a copy of the lesson plans for me. She then put the morning student directions and assignments on the IWB just as the students began to arrive.

The morning routine went the same as many other classrooms I have visited. Put away coats and bags, breakfast for some, notes from others, lunch money issues, missing pencils, and all of the other normal 3rd grade issues. We sang the Star Spangled Banner, said the Pledge of Allegiance, and got settled in for the day.

The first subject of the day was math. Mrs. J used the document camera and the IWB to create a flash-card type of exercise using 10 blocks and multiplication. She spent a great deal of time discussing with the students how they figured out the multiplication problems. Having the students verbalize their thought process and having it written on the board appeared to be a great method for introducing new strategies. The teacher never introduced a strategy or offered an opinion on the 'best' way to solve the problem.

The science lesson of the day was ‘mini-lab' where students were shown how air could be trapped under water in an inverted drinking glass. The experiment had a few variations where the students made predictions and the teacher tested the results. I enjoyed the science lesson and can see how it could be a starting point for a discussion on air pressure, displacement, and other topics. I did not see any other science activities mentioned in the lesson plans for the remainder of the week. If this is true, I will have to find out the reason why.

Time in the computer lab was spent working with a program called "A+". This appeared to be a math activity where each student worked at their own pace and ability level. All of the students were engaged for the entire 45 minute period. I wish that they were this engaged in all of their other subjects.

The spelling lesson of the day consisted of taking a pretest, having the test graded, and receiving a list of words to work on during the week. Students will be tested again on Friday. This activity was interesting because of the way the students were grouped. There were four different groups, and each one took a different test. I still find it difficult to comprehend how the students that are behind benefit from differentiated instruction. Yes, they are working at just above their ability level, but when do they catch up to their peers? I hope to find the answer to this during the next two weeks.

The afternoon was filled with the teacher reading to the students, the students taking turns reading aloud, reading in small groups, and an individual exercise that had the students read a few paragraphs and then draw conclusions. One of the reading sessions included information about Kwanzaa. The class asked some thoughtful questions and had a rich discussion about Kwanzaa and Africa.

I had a good first day. My goal for tomorrow is to become fluent using the Promethean board. My college professor will be observing me Wednesday morning. I do not have much time to prepare before I am evaluated.

Tonight is the fist night of working 8 hours at school and then 8 hours at my 'real job'. I'll be working the same schedule all week. I should go get some rest.

Wish List

2009-12-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

What is on your wish list?

I'm wishing for an elementary school that has a philosophy similar to Chris Lehmann's high school.
Does it exist? Could it succeed?

Would you like to work there?
Would you send your child to an elementary school like this?

Some people believe that elementary education is only preparation for middle school. At what age do we start teaching 'real life' instead of preperation?

The social and emotional components of the elementary eduction environment are 'real life'. Why can't core subjects be the same? Deeper understanding often comes from real-life experiences. Children of all ages learn best when the work they do is meaningful. Yes, we have to teach the fundamentals. Reading, writing, spelling, and the rest are all necessary skills; but there is so much more to education than worksheets and bubble tests. Core subjects can be taught in ways that young children find meaningful, but it's not easy.

My wish? I wish for hands-on, real-life, and meaningful education experience for our elementary students.
I wish to be a guide that learns with them.
I wish for change.

I Need My Teachers To Learn

2009-09-15T03:28:00.000-07:00

Using Twitter is like panning for gold. There is a lot of sand and mud to sift through, but sometimes you find a nugget. Diana Dell led me to this video with her tweet this morning.

We need to prepare students for their future, not our past.

Is Skype blocked in your school? Are cell phones banned?

How are you preparing students for their future?

Film isn’t a media that I’m very attuned to

2009-08-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

Last week I had to write a paper for my History class. The questions had to answer were not about dry facts, dates, and dead guys. My instructor asked my how I felt about some specific issues and why I feel the way I do.

Really? You want to know how I feel? My personal thoughts and feelings about historical events that happened during my lifetime?

The opening sentence of my paper was "Remember, you asked for it...".
My paper was far from politically correct. I gave heartfelt, emotional responses and received a grade of 99% . My professor said I did well passionately arguing my point of view.

The assignment reminded me of a video I've watched several times. Many find this clip inspirational. I thought my instructor might enjoy it, so I sent him a link to this video.

I was expecting to stimulate an interesting conversation with a college professor. I missed my mark completely. This is his response to the video:

"Hi Scott -- I just now went back and viewed the YouTube segment. Taylor Mali is a name new to me. I don’t think I grasped what his point was. Film isn’t a media that I’m very attuned to. – Cheers, (name deleted)"

I was speechless. Couldn't grasp the point? Not attuned to 'film'?

Wow.

Granted, the teacher-turned-poet in the video is a little 'over the top', but how could you miss the point? I am reminded the we each have our own preferred learning style; and that some people are more specific than others.

Is this specific to college professors, or am I going to meet an elementary student with such a strong aversion to a particular form of media.

What if elementary student Johnny is 'not attuned to' print media?
Will the system allow Johnny learn in his preferred method?
How can Johnny be tested if he is 'not attuned' to print?
How will Johnny succeed in school?

Can he succeed at all with our current model of education?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.......

You're Fired

2009-08-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this image today.

Scott McLeod makes a strong statement with this image. Do you agree?

The responses to the original posting are an interesting read.
You can find them here.

Enjoy.

Lessons from the Mountain

2009-08-12T18:51:00.000-07:00

Lessons from the Mountain

I just returned from a one week training experience in the New Mexico Mountains. My wife and I attended training sessions at Philmont Scout Ranch; the Boy Scouts of America's national training center.

I attended the invitation only seminar to learn skills that will help me improve my local scout troop and my council's 2010 Jamboree troop. I achieved my initial objective and learned a great deal about scout troops. My wife learned some new skills in her class, and both of my children had a great time in their programs as well.

The most important things that I learned last week did not come from the printed materials, flip charts, or power points. My biggest 'take-away' came from networking with other scout leaders, staff members, and Boy Scouts that were coming off

Philmont Scout Ranch is a high-adventure facility where youth can experience mountain backpacking on treks of 10 days or more. I expected to see boys age 15 and above out hiking in the wilderness. I was surprised to see boys as young as 12 beaming as they completed their 10 day adventure.

I realize that I have been underestimating what boys in the early teens are capable of achieving. After a little reflection, I can see that the boys in my troop are capable of going on a 10 day/75mile adventure in the foothills of the Rockies. I intend to take them there as soon as I can get a reservation (about 2-3 years).

This learning experience makes me wonder how many children I haven’t helped as much as could have because of my expectations. Did the children I tutor learn as much possible? Did everyone in the classes in which I substitute teach reach their full potential? Have I been setting my sights too low?

I will remember this life lesson when I begin teaching full time in my own classroom. I will be sure to make every day a “mountain-top experience” for my students.

Your students want you to watch this

2009-07-27T01:37:00.000-07:00

I spend almost every morning following the same old routine. My first 30 minutes of the day is spent with a few cups of coffee, my in-box, and my RSS reader. Sometimes I feel like a prospector panning for gold..... wading in the water, searching through the mud for a small flake of precious metal.

While still working on my first cup this morning,I found a nugget. One of my Diigo daily subscriptions contained a link from this blog post .

I wish my instructors, advisers, and administrators would watch this video.

You can be fairly sure that your students want you to see it.

Enjoy
Comment
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A Camping We Will Go....

2009-07-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again. Time for Boy Scout summer camp.

Summer camp is often the highlight of a boy's scouting career. The 7-day, 6-night adventure is the longest continuous outdoor activity for a large majority of scouts. Some advance to the high-adventure experiences: Philmont, Boundary Waters, or Jamboree; but summer camp is the pinnacle for most scouts.

My troop departs in less than 24 hours. Around 7AM, July 5, 2009 -Sagamore Council Troop 162 leaves for Maumee Scout Reservation in the Hoosier National Forrest.

Fun and adventure is awaiting the boys. The new scouts that have never been to long-term camp (half of them) are going to discover a new experience and learn new skills. The seasoned scouts are looking forward to earning badges, teaching the newbies, and having some fun. I enjoy watching the boys learn while they play.

What do I do at camp? I learn. I learn from the boys and the other leaders. I learn by teaching skills. I learn the most by watching the other leaders and how they interact with their troops, their peers, and the camp staff. Watching scout leaders in camp is like watching school teachers in their schools.

Some leaders are strict disciplinarians. The troops are almost run like military units, with the Scoutmaster as the boot camp drill instructor. Other 'leaders' let their troops run wild. Boy Scout units are designed to be 'boy led', but some of these troops are closer to Lord of the Flies than Lord Baden Powell. Some leaders, like some teachers, seem to have a magic touch.

The magic leaders lead without lecturing. Boys work as a team. Patrols work with other patrols. Older boys help the new boys. The leader is the resource center, the occasional, decision maker, and almost always the 'guide on the side' (often from a lounge chair near the coffee pot). The magic leaders are fun to watch. I learn the most at camp by watching them run their troops. A leader once told me leading children is like paddling a canoe down a river. The trick is learning how to steer while using the current to your advantage. I agree.

Scout leaders are very much like school teachers. Many are fair, some have no business working with children, and a few are spectacular and inspiring. I plan to learn a few things from all of them this week. I have no visions of a Norman Rockwell painting, but I expect to have a great time.

Tune in next week to read the review of our camping adventures.
I hope Ralph, Jack, and Piggy stay on their side of the island........

#Hashtag Stew

2009-06-27T18:02:00.000-07:00

I'm having some serious conference envy tonight.
Many of the people I follow on Twitter and Plurk are attending the NECC conference in Washington, D.C. this weekend. I am sitting in my study doing math homework as my friends, mentors, and heroes are having a fantastic time meeting face-to-face.
As a teacher in training, I am acutely aware of how much I could learn at a conference of this magnitude. Sadly, algebra and mock lesson plans must take precedence over F2F collaboration.

There is a bright side to staying home. I can watch all of the almost non-stop stream of information coming from NECC by using Tweetdeck and hashtags.

Here is a sample screen shot from my Tweetdeck screen.

I've found some fantastic new education and edtech folks to follow. I almost feel like the guy at the circus spinning plates on sticks. Adding people and answering direct messages before twetdeck updates and gives me more people to follow is almost as addictive as a video game.

Fire up Tweetdeck or any other twitter aggregation tool and follow #necc #necc09 #EBC09 #edubloggercon and see what you find. I found some new friends.

I should stop blogging and get back to writing lesson plans. See you at NECC..... in a year or two.

I could not find the words

2009-05-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I just can't find the words to express my feelings.

When I watched this video I discovered on an Alec Couros blog post this week, I was moved.
No -more than that... I was moved, motivated, touched, and more. I felt inspired to comment, but I just couldn't find the words.

Fortunately, someone else wrote a response that comes close to how I feel about this video.

Thank you Scott Floyd for your response to this video and Alec's post.

Please take the time to watch the video and read the posts by Alec and Scott.
It will brighten your day.

Slide to unlock.... at age 2

2009-05-24T05:33:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit

Sometimes I am amazed at how flexible the human brain is.

I attended a 2nd birthday celebration for my nephew last week. The event went as most family birthdays usually do.... candles, cake, presents, happy children, grass stained pants, kool-aid stained faces, and an abundance of smiles.

As we were preparing to leave, my nephew got his hands on my brother's iPhone. I was afraid the birthday boy was going to damage the hand-held wonder. WOW, was I short-sighted. What followed was simply amazing.

The boy that had just turned 2 years old was able to unlock the phone, find his favorite song, and play it for me (dancing included). He then searched through several pages of photos to show me one of his favorites. I just stood there in amazement. I had no idea that a child that had just turned 2 was capable of operating such a complicated device.

The event lasted only minutes, but it has lead to hours of reflection.

What else is a 2 year old capable of that we have never imagined?
If a toddler can work an iPhone, what can a kindergarten student do with a laptop?
Are people of all ages capable of much more than we think?
Why do we prohibit the iPhones and similar technologies in schools?
What will the next generation be doing at their 2nd birthday parties?

I'm starting to know how my parents felt when my brother and I did some pretty cool stuff with our Commodore 64 a few (many) years ago.

Photo Credit

Where will it go from here? I can only imagine......

What are your visions of the future?
Feel free to leave a comment below.

Finally livin' the life................the Second Life

2009-05-17T06:01:00.000-07:00

Ever had a tool in your garage, basement, kitchen, or junk drawer that you knew nothing about? It could be useful and powerful...but you're just not sure how?

That is the way I was with Second Life. A potentially powerful tool that was also confusing and dangerous.

I've played around with virtual worlds in the past, but never found anything other than tweens and fiends. I had to experiment at night or with the door closed so that my children wold not be exposed the bad "adult behavior" that seems to happen whenever a group people meet sans identity. My initial experimentation with Second Life was no different. I felt like giving up, but many of my ed-techie friends kept singing (and tweeting) the praises of the alternate reality SL. I kept working on my avatar and trying to find value, but it was a slow process.

Yesterday things changed in my second life. I attended an online class at the ISTE headquarters. It was way over my head, but learned an incredible amount in a short period of time. The instructor and assistants were fantastic. I made a few friends, learned a few tricks, got help adjusting my avatar, and found some new clothes.

One of my new friends gave me some insight on avatars. She said that all men want to appear as themselves; all women want to look like Barbie. I don't think she is too far off. Here is the latest version of my virtual self:

Have you tried Second Life? It is worth a try if you haven't. There are many education related areas that can help you with your life-long learning.

Here is where you get started. ISTE island is a great place to get your feet wet. Yes, the learning curve is a bit steep, but it worth the climb to the top.

When you get there look me up. ScottShlehart Skytower is my SL name.

Laugh to keep from crying....

2009-04-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

I ran across this comic strip today......

(click comic to view full size)

It made me ponder the paradox of technology in our schools.

My local school system is in the process of building a new middle school and remodeling the old high school and middle schools. The have a blog for the public and contractors to use.

Although the corporation office and the superintendent are making a great use of technology and the read-write web, the individual schools are a different story. The gatekeepers have blocked some of the most useful learning tools. Teachers and students have to find 'work-arounds' to access what they need. Substitute teachers have zero web access.

I hope that one day we all can look back on the above cartoon and laugh, "I remember when the useful parts of the internet used to be filtered."

It is hard to build the future when someone keeps locking the toolbox.

Link to original comic

Tattoos and memories and dead skin on trial...

2009-03-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

I attended a middle school swim meet a few days ago. I was scanning the crowd of students looking for my son. As I looked over the mob of early teens, I spotted this:

A small tattoo of a star on the shoulder of an eighth grade girl.

I was speechless....then angry....and then concerned.

How did a 14 year old child get a tattoo? An illegal act by a tattoo shop? A permission statement by the girls parents? An in-home tattoo party? A mother-daughter bonding experience? No matter how it happened, the result is the same. The 14 year old girl has a permanent tattoo.

I see the tattoo as a visible reminder of how many activities leave a permanent mark. Your online presence gets colored with indelible ink every time you log on to the internet.

Are you coloring your personal image with ink you may regret someday?
Think before you post...

Photo Credit

Kindergarten Science - Plants! | Mrs. Poulin's Blog

2009-03-07T16:19:00.001-08:00

Mrs. Poulin posted a video of elementary students experiencing science 'up close and personal'.

It's worth watching. Please take a look.

Kindergarten Science - Plants! | Mrs. Poulin's Blog

Posted using ShareThis

Upside Down and Backwards

2009-02-20T19:17:00.000-08:00

I was describing my decision to change careers to an old friend a few days ago. He stated that my choices were 'upside down and backwards' from the normal way of doing things.

My activities with web 2.0 appear to be backwards as well.

I discovered Twitter by listening to a podcast.
I then learned about Plurk from Twitter.
Blogs, RSS, and Google Reader soon replaced my daily newspaper.
I became involved with live webcasting at EdTechtalk.
Finally...I started a blog.

Just when I was starting to get the hang of it all, I found out that in October of 2008, blogging was declared dead by Wired magazine.

Did I spend all of my time and energy learning to use a medium that was dead or dying? No, I don't think so. Blogging appears to be alive and well. Blogging is still quite healthy in the education community.

How do you learn new skills? Do you follow the unwritten syllabus of society, or are you an upside down and backwards learner?

photo credit

Testing the Power of the PLN

2009-02-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

Today I will explore the potential power of my network. I am in need of some assistance.
I have the opportunity to receive credit for one of my teaching field experiences. I have to provide artifacts and references that prove that I have 'what it takes' to be an elementary teacher. I have plenty of artifacts from the classroom. I have several letters of reference from teachers and administrators. I need to prove that I am a life-long learner.

I need references that support my claim that I am actively engaged in online professional development. Any other comments about my learning, collaboration, and communication skills are also welcome. If we have met online and you feel that I am displaying the habits of a life-long-learner, please take a moment to express your thoughts.

Email and blog replies are welcome. Snail mail on school letterhead would be a big plus.
Drop me a note and I'll send you my mailing address if you are so inclined to send a hard copy.

Thank you in advance to my PLN. By helping me 'test out' of one of my requirements, you are accelerating my journey toward my teaching credentials.

They know where you are (if you tell them)

2009-02-04T14:15:00.000-08:00

Google released a new add-on for Google Maps today.
It's named Latitude.
It installed quickly on my Windows Mobile device, and I had it up and running in under five minutes.

Here is Google's introduction video:

I've only had it running for a few minutes, but I can see exciting possibilities for this program.

Check it out. I'm going outside to play with my new toy :)

Pick an Analogy...

2009-02-01T04:17:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been reading about how web filtering in the school is doing a disservice to our children. Many people believe that blocking is a way to protect our children from all of the evils of the Internet. The 'walled garden' approach is favored by more than a few people.
Others believe that access that is completely free and unfiltered is the only way to teach digital citizenship. I believe the answer lies somewhere between the two extremes.

I have heard several creative ways of explaining why extreme filtering of the Internet in schools is not the best practice.
To paraphrase Wesley Fryer: We don't give a 16 year old the keys to a car and hope they can learn to drive on the public streets. Nobody would think of throwing a five year old into a swimming pool and hope that the child can swim. Why do people think it is appropriate to turn children loose on the Internet without teaching them the correct way to use it.

I agree with Mr. Fryer. Children need to be shown the correct and appropriate way to use the Internet.
I was listening to a broadcast on the EdTechTalk channel last week and ended up skyping in and discussing filtering with Doug Symington and a few others. Most of the people on the show and in the back channel discussion were in agreement about Internet filtering in schools. Teaching 21st century skills includes teaching how to use the Internet responsibly.

I read an article this morning in Edutopia that inspired me to write this blog. Kevin Honeycutt and Maria Knee are quoted in the article; and both offer some valuable insight on the topic. Please take a moment and read the article. The replies at the bottom of the page are quite enlightening.

I think that we should have some Internet filtering in schools, but I believe that the students and teachers should do the majority of the the filtering. We all have blacklists and whitelists of some kind on our personal computers. Why can't the entire school collaboratively build their own filter? I see the process of building a filter like this:

Known porn sites are blocked
Teachers and students are given access to the Internet
When inappropriate sites are discovered by students, a block request would be submitted to the IT department.
Teachers and administrators would have the power to place an immediate block on an inappropriate site.
A list (similar to a wiki) would be maintained to show who, when, and why a site was blocked.
Teachers would have the ability to override the filter.

Would this model work? Could we teach the students how to responsibly use the Internet? Could students build a filter that would be good for all grade levels in the school?
It would be an interesting experiment.

The bottom line:
Children leave school and go out into the real world. The Internet is unfiltered at home. Students need to know how to use this powerful tool responsibly.
We don't lock out the power saws in the shop class. We teach how to use the power tools safely and how to adjust the guards. We show our students how to create without doing damage to themselves or others.

We've been teaching responsibility in shop class for years. It's time to do the same in the computer lab.

Photo credit: swait-t on flicker. Link to original photo.

Old team, new players, and current technology

2009-01-30T19:25:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to purchase tickets to a Harlem Globetrotter game. The thought of attending the event brought back memories of watching Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal from the rug in front of our Quasar console television.

The event was held in a local college gymnasium. The sights and smells were just as I expected they would be. I watched the Globetrotters of today take the floor as the speakers played 'Sweet Georgia Brown"

As in years gone by, the 'trotters brought their opponents with them. I watched as the Washington Generals prepared to do battle with the mighty Globetrotters.

The Captain of the Globetrotters and the Coach of the Generals made a public wager before the game started. If the Generals won, the star Globetrotter would have to leave his team and play for the Generals. If the Globetrotters won, the Washington coach would have to dress in an embarrassing costume: a Tutu or a Hot Dog Suit.

The game progressed with the expected antics. Some new tricks were added, but many of the old favorites were played out on the court.

The part I found the most interesting was during half-time. The crowd was asked to vote on how the opposing coach should be publicly humiliated; either by tutu or silly suit. All the crowd had to do was vote.

It was enjoyable to be able to interact with the events on the court. Children everywhere were voting with their own phones or ones they begged from a parent. A good time was had by all.

The game progressed in the usual format. The generals lost and the crowd had fun.
How did the vote go? Not even close. Nobody wanted to see the coach in a tutu.

The event made me wonder how many creative ways there might be to use cell phones in education. A Google search for 'cell phone in education' returned over 40 million results.

How do you think we should use mobile phones in the education environment?

You never know who may be watching.

2009-01-24T07:03:00.000-08:00

I took a few minutes this morning to check my email, download some podcasts, and check my blog before I started on my homework. All was was going well until I clicked on the link to my statcounter page.

I was excited to see that there had been some new readers. I clicked the link that took me to the details page. This is what I found:

VISITOR ANALYSIS
Referrer	http://www.blogger.com/manage-followers.g?blogID=4931143214198385076
Host Name
IP Address	165.138.239.15
Country	United States
Region	Indiana
City	Demotte
ISP	Indiana Department Of Education
Returning Visits	0
Visit Length	38 mins 12 secs

At first I was excited to see that a local person had found my blog. Then I read the name of the reader:

Indiana Department of Education

Wow! Somebody with a very local IP address that is connected with the Indiana DOE read my blog. Not just visited, but READ my blog. Their visit to my page lasted 38 minutes and 12 seconds; plenty of time to explore every post, comment and hyperlink.

What can be learned from this? There are several key points:

Your digital portfolio begins to form the instant you start posting content
Anybody may be reading your material
The things that you do today may affect your future in ways that you never imagined
Your digital footprints are not made in the shifting sands of time, they are made in concrete

What kind of footprints are you leaving in the quick-dry concrete of the internet?

You never know who may be watching....

On the fence

2009-01-19T08:35:00.001-08:00

IMG_0856
Originally uploaded by scottshelhart

I took my Boy Scouts out cross-country skiing yesterday. I took 80+ photos. Most were of the boys, but I did find time to take a few of the surroundings.

This is my favorite one of the day.

Learning from the children

2009-01-18T07:13:00.000-08:00

Children can teach us great life lessons if we just open up our eyes and watch.

What lessons can be seen in this clip?

Some things are worth doing more than once, just for the pure enjoyment.
It's not always about who wins.
Fun is where you find it.
Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.

What do you see in this clip?

TAG! You're it!

2009-01-11T04:30:00.001-08:00

Microsoft released their version of a 2D bar code reader this week at CES.
The MS code looks very similar to a QR code, but the color MS code can hold much more data.

It keeps getting hype as an iPhone app, but I downloaded the Windows Mobile software and it works great. It's much lighter than the QR code reader i-nigma.

This article explains it well.
This link contains a good video about the tags.

The Microsoft Demo/Download page is http://www.microsoft.com/tag/

Is it practical? I'm not sure. Japan has been using QR codes for years. The same QR technology has been available in the US for a while, but never seemed to gain traction.

Do you think this will catch on?

Seven Things You Don't Really Need to Know About Me

2009-01-05T18:34:00.000-08:00

Linda Clinton tagged me for this meme. I guess this is my initiation into the blogosphere.

Here are the meme rules for my fellow bloggers:

Link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog.
Share seven facts about yourself in the post - some random, some weird.
Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or Twitter.

I am an Eagle Scout. I received my award in the spring of 1981. I went to the national BSA Jamboree that summer. It was the first year it was held at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. I will be going again with my son in 2010. I am currently a Cubmaster and Scoutmaster.

I have been a firefighter and EMT. The adrenaline rush was incredible when the call came in. I have crawled through burning buildings. I have see great feats of bravery by my fellow firefighters. I have picked up body parts with a shovel. I have held a stranger's hand while they died. One day I no longer felt the rush when the pager sounded the alarm. I hung up my boots and walked away.

I am a licensed ham radio operator. My call sign is KD9SR. I earned my first license in 1985. I can operate any mode I like, but I usually operate low power Morse Code. I enjoy the challenge.

I love my hot tub. It is outside on my deck. I love to go for a soak when its a clear night about 10 degrees F. Snowy nights are a close second. We don't use it much in the summer, but it's occupied 4 or 5 nights a week in the winter. Don't call me crazy until you have tried it.

I am married to my high school sweetie. We grew up in the same small Indiana town, but got together during a trip to Ohio. We each had a friend take us on a church trip to Cedar Point amusement park. Lisa and I connected during the trip in the fall of 1981 and have been together since then. I have plans of going back there for our 25th anniversary.

I ride a 1990 Honda Goldwing. We bought our current bike on eBay. The rig has a two seat sidecar so we can take both of our kids. Our first trip was to South Dakota t o see Mt. Rushmore. The four of us (without the dog) traveled 3000 miles in 9 days. One day I will take a bike trip along the outer perimeter of the lower 48 states. I have the route planned. It will take 6 weeks. Would you like to ride along? I'm planning on the summer of 2013.

I'm an amateur guitar player. I have built two guitars and a bass. I sing very well when nobody is around. I can't sing if adults are listening. I can play and sing all day for children. I take my acoustic guitar to school every time I sub in a K-3 classroom.

I thought this was going to be difficult. The hardest part was keeping the list at seven.

The people I tag are:

Podcacher Producer of a cool geocaching podcast
Darryl Wattenberg Producer or another cool geocaching podcast
Maria Knee My favorite Kindergarten webcaster
Dean Mantz An insightful educator in Kansas
Bobby Norman If I ever get my own classroom, it will probably look like this one
Ed Allen A new blogger like me
Roz Savage A very inspirational person. I loved listening to her adventure this summer

The first step...

2009-01-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

I've been told that journey of 1000 miles starts with the first step.

I guess that's where I am now. At the suggestion (nagging) of a few friends, I have decided to experiment with a blog.

The theme of my blog is based on my journey toward my education degree. I guess the best place to start is with my philosophy of education. The following is my original philosophy I was required to write for one of my first year courses. I agonized over the content for weeks before submitting it. The grade I received was quite a surprise to me. I will reveal my grade at a later date.

{edit 01/04/09 My professor awarded me with an A+ on my philosophy statement. She said my paper was the first one she ever bestowed with such an honor. }

How would you grade my philosophy of education if you were my professor?

ED109

05/17/07

Philosophy of Education

My philosophy of education is a mixture of several influences and is difficult to label as one of the classic styles. My years in the workforce, my formal education, and my time in the elementary classroom have helped me form a unique perspective on education. I think my philosophy is best described as a mixture of old-school, high-tech, and holistic; with a bit of ethics and civics. My personal philosophy is that schools should not only teach strong academic skills, but should also provide instruction to help mold and develop the whole person, especially at the K-6 level.

The first objective of the school is to teach basic academics. Arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and rhetoric are as important today as they ever were. Students need to be able to perform the fundamentals of these subjects. Although being able to utilize a calculator, spread-sheet, or a spell checker are great skills, students need to be fluent in the basics. I have seen people fail in the workforce because they were ineffective without their electronic crutch. I have seen entry-level managers at a fortune 500 company that were incapable of writing a hand-written memo above a third grade level. I have seen engineers that could not make simple estimations. I have seen salesmen that could not calculate 25 percent off with a paper and pencil. In some ways academics are like sports; there is no substitute for being proficient in the fundamentals. We must ensure that our young students have the foundation they need for their futures.

Children learn in different ways. Some do better as passive listeners, some do best as active participants. Some are aural learners, some are visual learners, and some are hands-on learners. We must present the information in many different ways to have the best chance at reaching as many students as possible.

It is our duty as educators to light the fire of passion in our students. We must do our best to make every child excited about coming to school. We should try every day to guide our students to become life-long learners. Every child should be able to say they had a fun day at school every day. It is our job to provide the motivation to instill this attitude in our students. An old friend once gave me some advice that he said applied to almost anything. His advice was, “If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong”. I think this applies to teachers and students as well.

We should ensure that every child is has a continual challenge with frequent success. Success should be rewarded with things such as special classroom privileges, a new book, or points toward a field trip; not with trinkets or candy. We must teach our students that learning is something that is more valuable than a candy bar or a super-hero eraser. We must also teach them how to deal with occasional failures and how to learn from their mistakes.

Students should never find the school environment boring. Lesson plans need variety to keep young children excited. My ideal classroom would utilize a mixture of individual work, partner work, and group work. Students should have a blend of daily in-class work, daily homework, short-term projects, and long-term projects. There should be programs to supplement the standard curriculum. I believe that elementary schools should have a science club, math club, ham radio club, gardening club, art club etc. similar to middle and high schools. Technology should be utilized as not only as a teaching aide but also as a creative outlet. Today’s elementary students are capable making podcasts, vidcasts, blogs, and many other creative works if given the tools to work with.

Many of the children that will pass through our schools come from unconventional families. Our students often spend more time with us than they do with their primary caregivers. Many of these children do not have strong role models in their lives. It is the duty of the school faculty and staff to be outstanding role models for all of the students. We need to be of good moral character to show the children right from wrong. It is not enough to just say it; we have to live it. Good ethics and morals are not something that can be faked. Children have the ability to see through the facades we try to erect and see us for what we really are. We must be good people in order to teach them how to be good people.

Elementary students should be introduced to the basic fundamentals of a democratic society. The classroom environment should function as an age-appropriate model of the democratic process. We should also try to instill a sense of pride and patriotism in our students. My ideal classroom would start the day with the pledge of allegiance, national anthem, and a patriotic themed ‘this day in history’ fact. Children need to know that it is acceptable to have an opinion and to be passionate about it. Our students need to be taught that there are right and wrong ways to effect changes in their society.

The goal of elementary education is not to teach ‘the three R’s’, pass the standardized tests, and push them out the door to the next grade. We need to teach our students strong academic skills, strong social skills, and a solid moral foundation. We must take every opportunity to instill the love of learning into our students. They need to be kept excited and motivated. We need to help them want to succeed in school and in life. We must give them every opportunity to succeed by helping them become the best moral, ethical, inspired, and educated person they can become.

As I have progressed down the path of my journey I have learned new things and made edits to my philosophy statement. If this blog grows and develops as I think it will, my philosophy statement will become a living document. Maybe I'll make it a wiki or a Google document so I can go back and see all of the revisions I've made.

Well, I think this enough for my fist blog post. I originally planned to just dip my toes in to test the water.

I think I might have got more than a toe wet....... Photo by Kim Marius Flakstad

Please leave me a comment or suggestion...