Exciting and Scary Times Ahead....Are You Ready for the Ride????

Well, the Gen 1's have arrived and are waiting on my training, as well as the students training, before they are going to be used in the classroom. I am only getting 20 and my classes have 28 students in them but this will work. I have students who I know I can pair and work really well together. Next task ahead of me is to create an Edmodo Lesson Plan for our silent day coming up. The students however this week have been working in Google Drive on Presentations on the different types of Scientist. Most students cannot get over the fact they do not have to hit save. They are learning how to navigate the web and also Google itself.  It awesome to see changes already in my some of my students but other students are still a work in progress. Now its time to start really planning all of my activities so that I can get them started. 

Year Goal: Gen 1 Project: Develop critical thinking, 21st century skill, self-paced learners. 

Weekly Goal: Grade Presentations and Create Edmodo Lesson Plan 

Today's Goal: Go to bed its almost midnight..... :) 

Also, planning an independent study for one of my students. Hope for the best. :) 

Changes are here...........

Ashley Keeling 

Waiting......

Hello, 

Well this last couple of weeks I have been waiting to see if and when I will retrieve my Gen 1's and the wait may be over soon. I am super excited and surprised that I am getting them so early. Even though I would have loved to start the year off with them but I understand the stress that our IT and Technology Departments deal with in our district. Every year has its own set of problems. 

School started last Wednesday and I have been learning my students as well as relearning some of my 8th grade students. This is no easy task because I still cannot pronounce some of their names correctly. During this process we have done a Google Drive Training and during this training we taught the students about Google drive. The students learned how to log in, create a folder, create a doc, and share that doc with me. Tomorrow the student will start their work on their Super Scientist Google Presentation, which is a small research project that we are going to start the year with. This project is also what we are going to use for our "Quiet Days" or "Silent Days". Our first trial run is this Friday and only for 5 minutes. The only means of communication is through Google Drive or Edmodo. I am interested to see how the students do, I mentioned it to them today. 

Well my every growing to do list keeps getting longer on top of the Gen 1 Process to do list I have. I hope for a smooth process but I know that will not happen. Learning to go on the fly but still keep control is a goal of mine this year because I know nothing new is easy and if you want it to work then you have to deal with the lows. 

Change is here.......

Ashley Keeling 

Curriculum Work.....OH MY!

Hello,

Well the last few days I have been working side-by-side with my colleges in the Science department of District 61. We have been remapping the curriculum to fit the new common core science standards, also know as Next Generation Science Standards. This has been a long process but a good one. I understand what is expected of my students and myself. Being able to work with my colleges allows for collaboration across the district. This has helped with me with my planning for this years activities. This has also helped me to set a foundation for what I plan on doing this year in my classroom.

Once notes are created and activities are found it is time to put all of that into Google Drive. I am still working on my list from my previous post but it is a work in progress. If you can map out your curriculum for an entire year and have the assessments to go along with it, then it allows for a smoother process. Many of my changes will not only be in how I deliver my curriculum but also in my classroom management style. I am interested to see how the students react to this years classroom but as long as I stick to it then there should be no problem.


Changes are coming.....

Ashley Keeling

Starting the Process for the Gen 1 Project

Times are changing....

This year I am embarking on a journey of major technology and curriculum adventures. Of course this process would not be possible without the help from the many other people in our district that we all rely on. I have started a process of changing the way I incorporate technology into my curriculum and classroom. I am not only incorporating technology but redefining what my students are doing with that technology.  

I started this process at the end of last year by writing one of my first grants every called the Paperless Classroom. Of course being paperless is huge task for any 2nd year teacher but with the help of many people I am going to begin this journey starting the first day of school. The students are still note-booking but only as needed and to write rough drafts for reports. Once done with their rough drafts they will be imputing the material into Google Drive. Their reports will be totally electronic, no more taking home stacks of papers. 

This is no easy tasks for any teacher to go paperless and there is a lot of leg work to be down. One of the first things that I had to was sit down with my tech coach and go over our roll out plan. 

Step 1: Figure out what I want it to look like (beginning and ending)

Step 2: Step up a Google form (to assess students prior knowledge/usage), a generic email and folders

Step 3: Set up my Edmodo class groups (which is where the students will find their assignment and bell-work for the day) 

Step 4: Learn how to use my clock/alarm feature on my IPad (this is more for me not the students) 

Step 5: Schedule out several meetings with your awesome tech and academic coaches 

Step 6: Schedule Silent days (build up to a full class period but practicing)

Step 7: REFLECT on Silent day activities and curriculum changes 

Step 8: Figure out curriculum and get stuff posted to Google Drive and Edmodo 

Step 9: Model, Model, Model 

Step 10: Have fun and learn with the students

These are just a few of the items in my list and most of these are extremely broad. When changing the way you are teaching and learning you will need assistance...do not do it on your own. 

If it does not work fix it. My mind is still swimming from all the excitement. Changes are coming..... 

Sincerely, 

               Ashley Keeling