Author: Lissa Layman

Collaboration, Kuwait, Professional Development

I’m a Critical Friend!

Lissa Layman

Since September I have participated in a Critical Friends Group at my school (with our coach Christina). It’s been a great experience to get to know, grow and collaborate with a small group of teachers. I would consider professional learning a weakness at our school so it’s been an enriching experience to be around people who share my professional values. We’ve met about once a month and used a variety of protocols to examine and enhance our practice. I’ve also participated in several protocols during school divisional meetings.

Today I facilitated my first protocol! Our MS principal (Dave) wanted a productive way for his staff to reflect on their weekly team meetings. I pre-conferenced with Christina and we decided on a Back to the Future Protocol. Dave is currently away on a site-visit so he wasn’t able to present. I subbed steps 1-3 with a list of questions Dave had thought of. Usually this protocol is done with 3 pieces of large butcher paper and the faciliator writes down what the group is saying. My handwriting isn’t awesome and I can type way faster than I can write. Also, I wanted something that would be easily shareable and would stick around (not be in the way or thrown away). I created a Google Spreadsheet and hoped for the best!

I gave the shortened link (view only) to all the participants in the protocol so they could follow along and see whichever of the sheets they wanted (on iPads they had to refresh to see the updates). On the classroom computer & projector, I kept the Projected Future sheet so they could always be reminded of what they were aiming for. I brought my Chromebook to the meetings so I could move around and edit whichever sheet I needed to be on.

The protocol went really well :). My experience presenting at conferences has made me comfortable in front of my peers. Plus protocols aren’t about me or my ideas…they’re about what the presenter wants accomplished. I was just the facilitator. During the debrief I specifically asked what they thought about using the Spreadsheet instead of butcher paper…they much preferred it! They liked that it was professional and didn’t make them feel like elementary teachers ;). I’ll be running another one for a different team on Sunday so I’m hoping it goes just as smoothly! [It did!]

I’ve created a template of the Back to the Future document so that anyone can view it and copy it…would love to hear how it works for you and if there are any improvements that I can make!

COETAIL, Course 4, Professional Development, Uncategorized

Flippin’ Classes and Studying with Games

Lissa Layman
Image courtesy of Eric Dufresne from Trois-Rivières, Canada – Flickr

I’m not sure what to make of the flipped classroom model and teaching classes designed as video games.

Flipping

It seems as though the purists’ model of a flipped classroom puts the classwork at home and the “homework” in the classroom. The students get their lectures online and then come to practice under the guidance of their teacher while they are at school.  I like the idea that students are getting more time in class to practice skills with the help of their teachers.  I don’t like the idea of students sitting in front of their laptops watching Khan Academy lectures at home.  But the model on Mind/Shift only has students watching 3 teacher-created videos per week, and the prescribed length is 5 to 7 minutes long.  What is the great advantage to freeing up 15 minutes of class time a week?

I’ve also heard and read about the changing role of the teacher in the classroom.  We are no longer dispensing education, we are guides and coaches. I personally think that it is a good idea to lecture in class.  I don’t think that you should lecture all the time, but I also don’t think you should rely on internet videos to do all your lecturing for you.  I think that students can be motivated when they see their teacher speaking about topics they know a lot about.  Students are impressed by my co-teacher because he worked on a nuclear submarine. There’s no doubt in their minds that this guy knows a lot about science.  It is his passion and it comes through in his teaching.

In short, I think that we should have a mixture of mini in-class lectures and practice/workshop time. Call me old-fashioned, but I just don’t think that completely eliminating direct instruction from the classroom is the best idea.

The Gaming Classroom

Complete Honesty: I won’t be turning my classroom into a video game.  The whole concept really turns me off.  I like video games but I don’t play a lot of video games.  I have felt the pull and have been “addicted” to video games in the past.  This is one of the reasons I actively avoid them.  If I allowed myself to start playing video games they would end up eating a lot of my time. This year, I’ve seen some kids who are seriously addicted to gaming.  They can be seen playing games between classes and in the cafeteria during lunch. They talk about games with their friends incessantly and they watch Youtube videos of other people playing video games. Again, call me old-fashioned but I don’t think that inserting MORE gaming into their lives is the best idea.

Also, isn’t the gaming classroom relying a little too much on extrinsic motivation.  Will the students only be interested in creeping up the leaderboard?  Will the teachers be trivializing their content?  It seems like the gaming classroom is a LOT of work for the teacher, but also really LAZY.  Laying the gaming framework in the classroom seems like it requires a lot of setup and establishment of rules, adding to the already packed teacher workload.  However, I say that it is lazy because teachers are resorting to turning their classes into video games (A surefire HIT with the kids!) instead of inspiring a real love of learning in the purest sense (Ideal… but really hard to pull off.)

One last poo-poo in the face of the gaming classroom; are the hardcore gamers sold on the idea of the gaming classroom or are they just counting the minutes until they can play a REAL video game?

Closing

This premature curmudgeon must end on a positive note.  Although I am against the idea of modeling a class after  a video game, I think iPad apps and online educational games DO have a place for reinforcing/teaching skills.

Although I have some doubts about the flipped classroom, I am definitely FOR supervised practice/exploration/workshops in the classroom.  I just don’t think a little lecture here and there really hurts.

Everything in moderation, right?

COETAIL, Course 4, Professional Development, Uncategorized

PBL or CBL or… PBL?

Lissa Layman

Brett (AKA:Mr.T) supervises a challenge.

In reading through the materials on project, challenge, and problem based learning, I’m not sure I see a real distinction between the three.  I’m not sure that I am supposed to see one at all.  I do see the appeal of setting goals for students that are based on real-life situations.

This year was the first time I spent all of my time in math and science classrooms.  Prior to this I taught third grade, ESL, and world language classes.  Teaching grade three probably gave me the best chance to engage my kids in some PBL/CBL-style situations, but I was too wrapped up in teaching reading and writing that I may have missed my shot.  I feel pretty confident saying that the grade 8 students at our school will tell you that they’ve been engaged in a lot of problem solving and project-based learning this school year.

They’ve generated electricity using steam engines constructed from soda cans.  They’ve modeled true situations using their knowledge of exponential growth.  They’ve build windmills from paper and currently they are analyzing the methods used in the ongoing search for the missing Malaysian airliner for the science unit on waves.

A lot of these ideas were generated by my co-teachers, who have put a lot of effort into giving our lessons context.  I really respect them for this.  I can’t take credit for cooking up these schemes, but I have put my efforts into making these lessons as accessible as possible for our English language learners-and it hasn’t been pretty.  In fact, the whole process has been rather ugly.  The three of us have been learning how to present challenge/problem/project based lessons as we go.  There have been some pretty tense times throughout the course of the school year, but I’m glad that we have continued to attempt to provide genuinely engaging lessons and eschewing paint-by-numbers teaching as much as possible.

I know that I have been referencing my co-teachers a lot on the blog, but co-teaching is my reality.  So, once again… thank you Brett and thank you Ryan.  You have taught me as much as you’ve taught the students this year.

COETAIL, Course 5

#COETAIL…never quite over!

Lissa Layman

Well…my video is done! But the Art/Design unit isn’t quite finished. We’ll be finishing up in about 2 weeks so stay tuned for more from me!

It really hit me yesterday that 1.5 years, 15 credits and a graduate certificate are over. WOW how time has flown! What I love about COETAIL is that it’s never truly over. I’ve learned a lot and ‘met’ a lot of new people…neither of which I will forget. I’m excited for the next part of the COETAIL journey! See you around 😉

Uncategorized

Tupac would Appreciate TPACK

Lissa Layman

Image courtesy of gilar666 via deviantart.com

“We’re not being taught to deal with the world as is it is. We’re being taught to deal with this fairy land that we’re not even living in anymore. And it’s sad.”-Tupac Shakur

Reading about the TPACK framework once again reminded me of the fluid nature of education.  Priorities are always shifting.

When I first looked at the diagram that gave equal weight to content, pedagogical, and technological knowledge, I scoffed a bit.  How could technological knowledge be anywhere near as important as content or pedagogy?  Should we write off all the master educators of history since they all predated technology? They’re all missing that particular third of the teacher puzzle, right?

Although I still have a hard time acknowledging that technology could be equally as important as content and pedagogy, I do realize that a modern teacher who can fully employ technology as a teaching tool is teaching BETTER.  Technology is unavoidable.  Trying to avoid technology is a futile exercise.  We all need to use it better.

I’ve had the opportunity to co-teach with two teachers who have really embraced tech in the classroom. They’ve encouraged it on all fronts, including the use of personal smartphones, when appropriate. The TPACK model stresses the ever-evolving nature of technology.  My co-teachers are aware of this and take advantage of it.  I’ve learned a lot from them.

So, thank you Brett and Ryan.  I knew you guys were ahead of the curve, but after reading about TPACK, I’m realizing how cutting-edge you really are.  Tupac would have appreciated your classes… maybe.

COETAIL, Collaboration, Kuwait

a #coetail story: falling in love with teaching (all over again)

Lissa Layman

My COETAIL course 5 final project made remember why I love teaching today (a much needed reminder!). My final project is an IB MYP Art & Design unit involving photography & social media. Check out more info here. I’m reposting the post below from my COETAIL blog cause it was just that awesome of a day. 🙂

Today. Was. Awesome. Seriously today’s Art/Design class was cool. Brian & Yuko from Photohoku ‘hung out’ with us…Lindsay and I weren’t sure how the students would respond but they were awesome. While I was setting up the Hangout a few of the students were whispering “I see Brian!” The students actually did their homework! They were pretty excited and a little in awe. It was one of those classes that was way too short and everyone probably would have skipped their next class to continue the conversation. I loved it.

Since we got cut a little short and the students didn’t get to ask all their questions, I created a post where students can ask questions in the comments. Brian and Yuko have kindly agreed to answer them when they have time.

What a great way to end the week…on a super high note!

COETAIL, Course 5

Falling in love with teaching (all over again)

Lissa Layman

Today. Was. Awesome. Seriously today’s Art/Design class was cool. Brian & Yuko from Photohoku ‘hung out’ with us…Lindsay and I weren’t sure how the students would respond but they were awesome. While I was setting up the Hangout a few of the students were whispering “I see Brian!” The students actually did their homework! They were pretty excited and a little in awe. It was one of those classes that was way too short and everyone probably would have skipped their next class to continue the conversation. I loved it – it made me remember why I love teaching (a much needed reminder).

Since we got cut a little short and the students didn’t get to ask all their questions, I created a post where students can ask questions in the comments. Brian and Yuko have kindly agreed to answer them when they have time.

What a great way to end the week…on a super high note!

COETAIL, Course 5

We finally started!

Lissa Layman

After much anticipation, we were finally able to start our unit last week! Looking back, I can’t believe it has been 2 months since I first started experimenting with using Tumblr as a Design Folder. Lindsay and I updated our unit planner (mostly her!) and after much anticipation, I’m pretty excited to get started on my project!

[a little review of the unit]

Day 1 – Class started with our unit title (The Medium is the Message) on the board as students walked in. Their bellwork was to try to figure out what that meant. After a short discussion, we let them go explore the school to take pictures with whatever device they had. After 20 minutes they came back and picked out their ‘best’ photo. I also had a discussion with them about school vs personal use of social media in order to introduce the idea of using Tumblr. Their homework was to create a Tumblr account (using my directions), write a post with their best photo (and why) and submit their Tumblr URL to us.

Days 2 to 4 – Day 2 the students shared their photos with the class, discussing why they thought they were good (thanks for the idea Julie!). I’m eager to talk to Lindsay about what she thought of this as a formative assessment and how it affected her plans.

Lindsay took over for a couple days of direct instruction about photography and introduced our statement of inquiry (The media used to deliver a message affects audience perception globally.).

During this time…we ran into some difficulties that I had not anticipated. Seventh grade students are mostly 12 and 13. Twelve year olds can’t sign up for Tumblr (duh! why didn’t I think of this?!). I wrote a short letter for parents and sent it home with the students. We still had one mother who had concerns and contacted our principal directly. I was a little nervous about my response but I addressed all of her concerns and she has since responded that she will allow her child to use Tumblr for this unit. Yay!

Day 5 – Yesterday was a big day for the Design piece of the unit. Bellwork was one of our factual questions (Today, in our society, what are the different media used to convey a message?) followed by a short discussion that I geared toward social media. I then introduced the Design Cycle (with which all of them are familiar) with a deserted island scenario and discussion. Our students don’t seem to understand the importance of the Design Cycle and Investigate in particular so I have found this discussion useful! After introducing the problems, we discussed the differences between the two. I got students to point out that one was a positive campaign (tourism) and the other negative (littering). We talked about changing people’s behavior and what their photos would look like. We’re really hoping that the students will pick their problem based on their personal preferences and not pick one just because their friends are.

I’m pretty pumped for Brian & Yuko of Photohoku to join us in class tomorrow! I can only hope the students are half as excited. We gave them homework so that they come to class prepared. We’re hoping to use do a Google Hangout On Air so that the students (and you) can watch the recording later. A little nervous…but can’t wait to see how it all goes 🙂

Check out the slidedeck below to see what we did in class:

COETAIL, Course 5

We’ve started a unit planner!

Lissa Layman

[See all my final project posts.]

Since I last wrote, Lindsay and I decided to use the MYP Next Chapter unit planner. This will allow the unit to be used again next year and helps us transition to the fall. Lindsay went to subject specific MYP training last month and I did some reading on my own. We worked together to come up with key and related concepts, the global context and the statement of inquiry. Since this is the first unit either of us is creating with these new elements, we know we might have to do some adapting as the unit progresses.

The last piece we’re trying to finalize is the inquiry question. We’d like to have 1 question from art and 1 from design for each of the types (factual, conceptual and debatable). Although I’m completely open to any and all feedback regarding the unit, I’d specifically love some thoughts about our inquiry questions! Please check out my brainstorm post and then leave me any feedback here (or on the unit planner). MERCI!

iOS, Kuwait

Garage Band & IB DP Oral Exams

Lissa Layman

A couple weeks ago our Language B department contacted me to train them on how to use Garage Band for their oral exams. I had only minimal experience from last year, so I contacted Christina (our curriculum coordinator) for the details. After a brief chat and checking out her blog post from her experience a couple years ago, I was ready.

The mini-training for our teachers was successful however they were a little nervous about remembering the exact right steps on the day of (they didn’t want their students to do amazing work to then realize that it didn’t record). In order to make it the simplest possible for the teachers, I created a tutorial with screen shots and a checklist they could use for each student. I got good feedback from it and thought I’d share it for any other DP teachers who need to submit oral exams to the IB. Feel free to share it and adapt as necessary!