PBL: Reflections Halfway Through Round 1

It's been an interesting first four weeks of the school year.  On top of the 1:1 iPad pilot, I am also teaching a new course called "Our Global Climate."  This is a combination of problem and project based learning under the theme of climate change.  I worked over the summer with the other teacher teaching this course, a differentiation support specialist, and one of our curriculum coordinators to create the course and as many materials as we could predict. 

Like how I said "as we could predict?"  So, like all things, even the best laid plans might fail.  I have had to revise every handout (that we're using in Google Docs) and have kept notes about how I would teach each mini-lesson differently.  Even the students are giving me feedback about some of the documents.  

I've kind of reached a point that seems to be a combination of complete frustration, disappointment, and excitement.  I'm frustrated and disappointed with the time we have and the way things are actually playing out, but I'm still excited because I think I (and the students!) are finally getting it.  So, halfway through the course, here's the good and the bad: 

Let's start with the bad so we can end on a positive note: 

• Our sixth graders have surface level research skills.  I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, because I know this is what they're exposed to prior to starting sixth grade, but every research project they've done up until this point was a packet of questions they answered by using "hot links" our librarian compiles or books.  They are seriously lacking the ability to question, dissect their research, and expand on it to find something below the surface.  Don't even get me started on our google search skills.   
• I have six groups of mostly four students.  It's extremely difficult to manage all the groups.  I am trying to formally conference with each group once per week, and even that seems impossible to do.  Fortunately, our DST is willing to help me out on these days.  
• I feel like I have to keep interrupting their research for mini-lessons and clarification.  I know they're annoyed with me about it.  So I have to have "I promise" days when "I promise to just give you the full period to research."  
• Tardiosis.  That's right.  My 8th period has a severe case of tardiosis.  We need those two minutes like you can't believe!  Time is of the essence in PBL. 

Alright, how about some of the great things that are going on: 

• Conversations.  I've never seen students WANT to talk to each other about topics.  They're trying to explain things to each other and trying to figure out cause and effect.  Even though they're totally off base sometimes, their thought processes are so logical and allow me to question and help redirect them.    
• We're making progress on the questioning skills.  After a lesson and some activities about "digging deeper" (with an image of shovel in the dirt and all), there was a lot of "OOOOHHHH!'s" and of course the feedback that I already knew - "You should do this at the beginning next quarter."  I'm not going to lie, I put on a show for this.  I made it seem like this was the most important, most exciting, most invigorating thing these kids would ever do.  But whatever works.  They're reenergized and ready to roll.  
• They want to contact experts in the field.  I have to work out the logistics with the security settings on our student email accounts, but I'm thrilled that they want to contact outside sources, real people.  It's terrible, but I can't think of another class that provides them the opportunity to interact with the real world.  

Well, I hate to have 4 bad and 3 good, but that's where I'm at right now.  I have invited the curriculum coordinator to observe tomorrow and touch base on the status of the course.  I'm embarrassed to say it, but this class has made me come home and google "other jobs for teachers" more than once.  I'm realizing, though, that it's important to take a step back, and appreciate that these students are growing so much in the process skills department that despite the trials of this first time around, this course will be a success.  

The Big (Google Drive) Picture

So...apparently my students aren't as versed in Google Drive as I thought they were.  Yesterday I had that moment when you think you've got a great plan and suddenly you realize 75% of the children are looking at you like you're speaking a foreign language and asking them to make sushi while doing cartwheels.  

Well, we got through the whole making-a-copy-of-a-google-doc, renaming-it, sharing-it fiasco that ensued.  As the startling questions kept coming, I learned, among other surprises, that my students don't really have a good understanding of file naming - something I totally take for granted.  Name your file so you can find it later! And use some sort of system!  Folders!  Key words!  OMG.  Then I realized...these kids are looking at my comments in their documents and just leaving them all there!  Were they even addressing them?  What a messy blob of yellow comment boxes.  

Frustration level 10.  I thought they've been using their Google accounts for two years now?  Have we totally failed them?  So it's hot outside.  And we don't have air conditioning in our second floor classroom.  And quite frankly, in the heat I get a little short of breath from talking so much despite the number of miles I run per week.  So, I created a screencast that explains how to "resolve comments" in a Google Doc.  

Check it.  Use it.  Make fun of how simple it is.  Accept my apology for the blurriness.   

Besides venting about my drama, my bigger point is this:  Students still need some direct technology instruction.  Too often we say "they're natives" and "naturals" and "they pick it up faster than we do."  But the things is... they don't really look at the bigger picture.  They do what they do, but they have no idea why they're doing it.  They might not need 40 minutes of Technology class every day, but we absolutely have got to take the time to incorporate this direct teaching as we integrate the tools.     

1:1 iPad Rollout

We did it!  We distribute over 100 iPads to 4 sixth grade homerooms on Wednesday.  Phew.  What a sigh of relief! 

We started with the entire pilot group in the cafeteria (oh yeah, air conditioning!) where the tech director got the kids pumped (like that was even necessary!) and had a discussion with students about caring for the iPads and appropriate use.  Then, we passed out each iPad clad in its monstrous Otterbox case.

Then, students went back to their homerooms where we spent first period setting pass codes, setting up email on the iPad, and practicing downloading an app from a link distributed to students.  Every homeroom teacher had at least one other tech teacher or tech support specialist in the room as well.  When the bell rang, the students were sure to lock their iPads in their lockers and head off to PE.  Throughout the day, every student was given the opportunity to use the iPad in small ways.  

Here's what I experienced, saw, and heard on day 1: 

During everyone's 2nd period prep immediately after the distribution....

• One team of the pilot teachers hugged it out with giant smiles on their faces.  Success, relief, excitement...whatever it was, it was awesome. 
• I got several high fives.  Everyone was happy with the way the morning had started.    
• Our 6th grade administrator asked us each what our favorite candy bar was.  We all deserved a treat! 
• We had conversations about how tech savvy our students are.  What did we expect when we asked who already had some kind of iOS device and every single student raised his or her hand?!  

Throughout the day...

• In Math, students viewed a document of geometry questions posted to their teacher's website.  They completed their work and wrote their answers in their notebooks.  The teacher was thrilled with what he was able to do with color on the worksheet.  It's not like he could print color copies for everyone before! 
• In Writing, students used UPAD to start their 6 Traits of Writing chart - a document they will continue to add to and refer to throughout the year.  
• In another Writing class, students logged into Google Docs, set up a folder, and started writing! 

All along, the teachers had been told, "You don't need to use the iPads on Day 1."  All five of them agreed, though, that using them for an hour in the morning to set things up and then putting them away all day was more stressful than trying to incorporate them in some way.  These were just little ways to incorporate the iPads.  Was it anything transformational?  Not really, but we'll get there.  

I'm not gonna' lie, the day was pretty stressful.  iPads, after all, aren't the only piece of technology used in the building on any day.  Plus, there were students who didn't remember their iTunes passwords or an entire class of iPads that lost their wifi connection.  But as I write this, all I can do is smile.  We got through it, and everyone problem solved.  I'm so looking forward to seeing where we go with this program.     

"But it IS part of your curriculum."

I've spent the last couple of days at school in and out of classrooms and labs plugging in and imaging computers, climbing under tables and jamming cords through the holes in computer desks, keeping a list of how many ethernet cords have magically disappeared over the summer, and, well, you get the idea.  (This is truly the absolute worst part of my job.)  Naturally this means I've already seen a lot of teachers as they set up their classrooms.  I had one conversation in particular with a teacher, a pretty strong tech user, that kind of frustrated me.

After the "how was your summer" chat...
Teacher: How do you think it's going to be now without a 5th grade technology class?
Me: It will be interesting.  I think we can do more integration.
Teacher: I'm just worried that it's going to take away from instructional time for our curriculum if we have to teach them how to use things like Prezi.

I'm not proud of my response, so instead I'll tell you what I should have said:
"But things like Prezi ARE part of your curriculum!" 

Why do teachers continue to refer to technology as something that takes away from their instructional time?  Have we still not learned that process and skills are more important, or at least equally as important, as content?  (By the way, I do work in a district that gives product and process grades on report cards.)  Are we still so ignorant that we believe taking the three and a half minutes it takes to provide an overview of Prezi to our students isn't beneficial to them?

When is the last time you had to rattle off the facts of the life of an Early American Explorer?  And when is the last time you had to send a professional email?

We need to stop thinking of technology instruction as something separate.  It is part of your every day life.  And it IS part of your curriculum.  And if we're going that far, maybe plugging in your computer should be part of your classroom set up, right there with hanging the poster about taking risks, and not something separate the Tech Teacher or IT support need to be doing, eh?

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve is one of my favorite holidays.  I know it can get hyped up with all the "What are we doing? Where are we going? Which sparkly dress are you going to wear? Who will you kiss at midnight" stuff, but I love the idea of a fresh start.  It doesn't matter what happened the year before.  The new year just seems hopeful.  I love that moment at midnight when everyone is simply HAPPY.  You forget about everything and just hug and laugh and blow your noisemakers (and if you've got someone special...or someone for the night...kiss) everyone around you.  That's kind of how I feel about the start of a new school year too.  It's a fresh start with some new teachers, a new group of students, and a little bit wiser you.
  
Since I just spent 90 minutes answering school emails, I have accepted that the new school year has pretty much begun.  While we still have two weeks until the official start date, emails are flying, ideas are flowing, and I'm starting to get a little excited despite the sadness I'm feeling about summer vacation coming to a close.  

Quickly, I thought I'd share with you a few new things that will be happening at my school this year!  First, we are implementing a 1:1 iPad pilot!  The pilot group is a "house" (as we call it) of four 6th grade homeroom teachers and 1 Learning Behavior Specialist.  The students in the pilot are actually assigned to a "team" of two teachers.  Since last year, we have been meeting regularly to plan, plan, plan and make sure everyone feels comfortable for the start of the year.  Things are really moving quickly now as the iPad shipment is in and legal documents are being finalized!  Second, I will be teaching a new course called "Our Global Climate."  This is actually a course that combines Problem Based Learning and Project Based Learning and is centered around global climate change.  Stay tuned for posts about these two exciting initiatives!

We all know that the year can spiral, and before we know it, we're on winter break.  Sometimes, I can get stuck in the rut of just trying to keep my head above water until eventually (and pretty quickly), I realize that is just boring!  If we want our students to grow each year, we should also grow.  To conclude this first post, I thought I'd share some of my goals for the year....minus the whole SMART list of action steps...

• Document!  It is my goal to use this blog this year to document and share ideas, resources, and reflections. 
• Initiate Global projects - This has been a goal of mine for a while.  I'm fortunate to work in a school with a LOT of technology use, but it's time to take that use to the next level.  We need to start engaging students in opportunities that take them outside the school walls. 
• 1:1 iPads - This isn't my most clearly defined goal.  I just know there's a lot going on with this, and I want to make sure it's successful.  To be more specific, my personal goal will be to create and implement a structured professional development program for the next round of 1:1 teachers.

Okay, so maybe I've still got a little bit of "summer brain," because that's all I've got for now in terms of goals.  It's a start...