QR Code Orientation instructions

I hate giving power point orientations. My students are bored. I'm bored. It's not super effective. So i decided to flip the lesson and let them learn about my policies and procedures by going on a QR Code Quest.  I do this with grades 3-5. (Maybe some 2nd grade classes too)

1. Create a power point of rules and policies.
2. Type up a worksheet based on your power point that they can complete during the hunt.
3. Export the slides as jpegs.
4. Upload these images to a home online--I did google drive at first, but it seemed to crash my QR readers... so I uploaded them to an old blog of mine! (It doesn't even have to be published.)
5. Each image will now have a URL
6. Use a QR code generator-- I used http://goqr.me/  This created a code for each URL. Warning--this gets tricky, I immediately saved each QR code with a Question1, Question2, etc.
7. Create a word doc with all the QR cods to print and post around the library.
8. Download QR scanner all to your device and Voila! You have the makings for an orientation turned active learning!

Below is me posting my Jpegs, so that I can use their URLs.

Gender and LGTBQ article reflections (Post 6)

This post is a reflection on two articles that I read and led class discussions on for the Group Differences forum: one in the gender category, and another about an LGBTQ issue.

     

The gender article I chose is not what I would think of as a typical gender difference in schools. The article “‘Not Just Boring Stories’: Reconsidering the Gender Gap For Boys” by Donna Lester Taylor (Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, December 2004/January 2005) was about how boys are not reading at grade level by eighth grade. The author compared this problem to the disparity of girls’ scores in math and science that schools have sought to rectify the past few decades (which has worked—that gap is closed now). It’s not that boys can’t read—they read all the time—but, since they aren’t interested in, and therefore don’t “get”, the classic literature embedded in curriculum and reading tests, they have identified themselves as poor readers. And if they think that they are poor readers, then they will have low self-efficacy about reading in general. The author had some very interesting points about how curriculum should be expanded to include a variety of text styles such as magazines, internet, and informative/non-fiction readings. One of the most interesting things I learned from this article is the difference in how boys and girls read the same text. Boys will read to gather information and girls will read to dissect relationships. With this new knowledge, I imagine the different reactions when a book like Pride and Prejudice is assigned. Suddenly, I understand “the shudder” that so many males give as a reaction.

Visit Guysread.com

Since becoming an elementary school librarian, I have, somewhat grudgingly, come to accept that the evidence proves that boys read a certain kind of book and girls read another kind of book—therefore, there are “girl books” and “boy books”. I have come to this knowledge grudgingly, because I don’t like to show gender bias in anything—let alone when suggesting books to readers. But this article further confirms that the evidence is there. This article suggests that teachers should use a variety of texts within their assignments to appeal to boys as well as girls, and also suggests choosing topics of interest to boys. Common Core requires a variety of text types since this article was written, so hopefully this change to our curriculum will positively affect boys’ reading scores. I’m not sure if Jon Scieszka’s website Guysread.com existed yet when this article was written, but I wish it was listed as a resource. Guysread.com is solely dedicated to boy books, boy humor, and helping guys find books that they are interested in.

Not surprisingly, the LGBTQ article, “Sissies, Faggots, Lezzies, and Dykes: Gender, Sexual Orientation, and a New Politics of Education?” by Catherine A. Lugg (Education Administration Quarterly, February 2003) also included quite a bit of discussion about gender in addition to sexual orientation in school. This article enlightened me about a very specific area of study called queer legal theory (QLT). Lugg explores the relationship of education policy and how it intersects with QLT. Since it is only through laws that education policy is shaped (another thing that I have not contemplated before), the purpose of her article is to explore the history of legal mandates shaping current education policy regarding sexual orientation and gender, so that education policy makers can use QLT to have a framework for a future agenda to affect policy change “for a better, more equitable future for all” (p. 124).

The history of education policy laws in effect regarding homosexuality is very interesting. For example, I did not know that most of our current policies are from the cold war era, when, the second sure-fire way to lose your job as a teacher was to be a homosexual (second only after being Communist). What I already knew, but was still shocked by, are the number of teachers and administrators who still allow bullying and harassment of LGBTQ students. While I try to do so now, I will have to be more aware when I teach to stop any bullying immediately, and to even report teachers whom I see that are not intervening when they should. Overall, I wish our class had had the time to discuss bullying and the steps to take when bullying happens. Stopbullying.gov is full of great resources for students and teachers. 

My Personal Theory of Learning (Post 4)

Q: Which of the learning theories that we have discussed seems closest to your personal theory of learning? Think about one or two examples from your own life that reflect this theory of learning. Make sure to be specific, and to connect these theories to what we have learned in class. 

I am beginning to identify myself as a social cognitive learner, and thus my personal learning theory is also SCT.  Possibly, the two characteristics that I identify with most are modeling and self-efficacy. 

I am a very visual and hands-on learner. I am also a planner. I plan and research before ever diving into something new--hoping to get things right on the first try (not that I usually do, mind you). But research alone only primes me for seeing it done or doing it myself. I really relate to the students in my class who don't want to "do it wrong", and who are clearly distressed when faced with a new skill to learn or a new task to accomplish. While other students have already lept out of their seats and are diving in, I, like these students prefer to know and see exactly what I'm doing before I do it. This is where modeling comes in. In my library, I model how to fill out worksheets, how to access the right web site from the library home-page, how to use a shelf-marker and even how to carry a book or turn pages. If a project is the end result, I like to show examples so that students can visualize the outcome. 

I am also goal-oriented and can often achieve my goals through smaller tasks and steps. I love checking things off a list and creating charts to visually track success. In my classroom, a behavior management chart tracks the successes of every class in the school. Practicing procedures, and me verbally cuing students on how they will transition to check out books ("walking quietly") from the lesson is a form of helping students know how to move about the library, and what is expected of them. Students have more self-efficacy when they are confident they are doing what is expected of them. This also gets into self-regulation, in which charts and goals can also play a huge part for students.

Learning Environments (Post 3)

Q: Based on our readings and class discussion, how will you create a learning environment that is conducive to learning?

I like to think that every teacher strives to create and maintain an environment- physical and psychological- in their classroom that promotes learning. That is what we're there for, right? When I think about my library and the classes it serves, my own methodology, and how I want to serve my students best my head spins with possibilities, practices I know I'm doing wrong, and successes I have had this last year. Below are some strategies I use from Behaviorist and Social Cognitive Theories to create a learning environment that is conducive to learning:

Use feedback to improve learning and behavior with Instructional Conditioning (295)

 - Praise students for appropriate behavior

 - Be optimistic reinforcing that you believe students can improve

 - Teach students how to seek feedback (raise hand, wait patiently, ask questions, )

Use Reinforcement Effectively (305)

 - Give disruptive students a choice in activities they would like to do, and include spending time with myself as an option (Students who choose this see my attention as desirable.)

 - work with teachers or parents to agree on incentives together (earning points towards a special activity or prize).

 - Offer favorite activities as a reward to completing undesired activities 

Model behaviors and skills (329)

 - Respectful and pleasant interactions with all students and staff

 - Smile at students

 - Identify and stop bullying quickly

 - Procedures-- such as using a shelf marker, walking and sitting down in assigned seat without talking.

 - Assignments-- the document camera is wonderful for showing students how to look up information in a book, or complete a worksheet.

Environment

 - An uncluttered environment will offer fewer distractions

 - Warm and welcoming will make students comfortable

 - Display student work often so that students feel pride of ownership for assignments and special.

 - Routines are everything. Students know what to expect, how to transition and stay on task. 
 - Praise and positive academic feedback in the library will grant students comfort, thus making them feel safe.

Q2: Now consider your CSEL case study.  Develop a full continuum of responses for dealing with the misbehavior of your case.   (This will be something that will be used in your CSEL artifact.  You may want to refer to the guidelines for how many levels you may need to create. Those guidelines will be found in Part II of the CSEL Artifact Guidelines.) 

Case study summary: In a third grade class that I see every 6 days, I often engage students in cooperative learning activities. I have observed and concluded that one particular student, Lisa, seems to be the catalyst for problems one particular group is having, including, grasping the material completing projects. She gets angry if she does not get the job she wants and refused to contribute to her group's learning. She is disruptive and does not pay attention when her group prepares for class presentations. 

Continuum of responses for dealing with Lisa's behavior:

Because this behavior has been going on frequently of a period of time, and because other student's learning is disrupted, ignoring the behavior and cueing the student are not an option at this time. I would employ the following strategies to address and rectify Lisa's behavior.

1. Discuss the problem privately with Lisa

By discussing the behavior privately, I am not drawing the attention of other students, and I may learn reasons for Lisa's misbehavior and therefore strategies to resolve them may be very clear. I am simultaneously reminding Lisa of my expectations for her. this would be the appropriate time to offer students a choice such as, "Would you like to try to continue working with your group or would you like to finish this project by yourself?" If Lisa shows a desire to improve her behavior, but is still struggling after the private discussion, then the following strategy may be employed. 

2. Promote Self-Regulation

After identifying her problematic behavior I would ask Lisa to set some of her own goals to stay on task. Together we could devise certain methods she can use to help keep her on task. For example, a checklist that she can mark to track how many times she interrupts her group mates. Another example could be a checklist or self-rating system for various aspects of  her participation in her community learning group that could include "Listened to groupmates", "Did my job without argument", " Did not yell or show agressive behavior", or "Helped with presentation." 

3. Discuss Lisa's behavior with her teacher
Her classroom teacher may have insight into what motivates Lisa, or why she is acting out. I would even discuss her behavior with other Arts teachers to see if anyone else is having similar problems. Lisa's teacher may also work with me to reinforce behavior by offering rewards and/or taking away privileges within the classroom. 

4. Confer with Parents
Either through a telephone or inperson conference, discuss Lisa's strengths and positive attributes before explaining her behavior. A collaborative effort to determine a strategy to improve behavior will be more successful because Lisa will know her parents are on board.

5. Refer students to Administration
As a librarian, I am unable to conduct in depth, systematic interventions myself. When no improvement is made after these other strategies, and other students' learning suffers, it is time to elevate the situation to Administration. 

Motivation in the Library (Post 2)

Q: Consider the theories of motivation that we discussed in class.  Which theories of motivation are most helpful and instructive for you?  How can they enhance motivation and affect your students?   Please give at least one example of how a theory of motivation could be used in your future classroom. 

A: Looking back at my education experience in high school and undergraduate studies, I find that most of my motivation came from extrinsic forces- grades, approval from teachers, peers and parents, and the promise of a good college--or, later--a good job. The exception to this would be subjects I really enjoyed, like English, or excellent teachers that made otherwise hard-for-me-to-grasp subjects, like Geometry or Biology, really interesting and fun. As a student in these classes, my educational motivation was intrinsic--I loved learning. 

As an adult learner-- some classes may be an ends to a mean (re: a requirement), but intrinsic motivation is more prevalent because I now choose how to spend my time, and am only motivated by my own goals and desires to learn. This largely falls in the realm social cognitive theories through my own self-efficacy beliefs and self-regulation. 

Motivating students is everything-- a model class would have every student engaged and motivated to learn for the entire period/day/week/year.  With motivation, discipline problems decrease and life-long learners are born. 

I might employ any number of behaviorist extrinsic motivators for students in any given class. Examples are praise and stickers for students who are behaving appropriately or who exhibit kindness or caring to a classmate above and beyond what is expected. I also have behaviorist punishments-- three stikes leads to a time-out for individuals, and calls home are employed if there are chronic behavior problems. Likewise, whole classes are motivated to behave by earning stickers for eight weeks in a row. At the end of eight positive classes, the class has earned a reward "Fun Day." 

I hope to nurture more intrinsic motivation to learn and behave in the library as I gain experience teaching. 

Diving into Education Psychology- (Post 1)

Q: What are you interested in learning about? What do you want to get out of this class? How do you think this class will help you in your future profession?

As you know, I have jumped right into a new profession of school librarianship this year. (And what a crazy year it has been--but we'll save that for another post. Or maybe not.) With this career change comes more learning and more school to get my teaching license and School Media Endorsement. I told my administrators when they hired me that I had the library portion of the job down, but that I'm brand new to the world of teaching and education--luckily, they they saw in me some innate ability to teach that I am just starting to see in myself and have been very supportive of me while I work towards "getting it."

I believe that in addition to the day-to-day classroom experience that has been invaluable last year, this course, Education Psychology (for which I am writing this and several future posts), will be a major puzzle piece towards "IT". I am so green, I really had no idea what the content of this course would be. I believe some part of me actually thought that it would (perhaps psycho-analyze would be a strong term, here, but...) help me figure out what is going on in my students brains in order to deflect their tactics of getting off-task, talking as soon as everyone is finally listening, and rocking in their chairs. I am joking--some. So, I am excited that this class will perhaps offer some insight to these behavioral issues, but much, much more--including classroom management, how students learn, different teaching methods, praxis practice and more information on the self-evalutation portion of my four evaluations a year! I am also very jazzed to decode some of the professional language that pervaded me at every staff meeting, PE, and pre- and post-evaluation conference this past year: for example, "transfer" and "summative" and "formative evaluation." Yep, I think this course will be very enlightening not only for the classroom and students, but the culture of schools.

Let's get started!

Micro-blogging is legit

I'm officially going to bring this blog out of its coma with micro-blogging. It is alive!