Electronic Devices in Class

Almost 5 years later and I am back to Blogging. My adventures have taken me from a 5th grade math teacher, to an 8th grade math teacher, technology teacher and now an educational technology specialist. I begin the ed tech role at Mater Dei Catholic High on June 29.

As much as I would like to catch you up on the last 5 years, I want to talk about a topic we discussed in a small group of teachers at Mater Dei regarding the one-to-one laptops roll-out.

Just to preface the story, MD is going one-to-one Lenovo laptops next year. That means each student will be issued a laptop much like checking out their text books at the beginning of the year. On top of that, students will be assigned a Microsoft 365 student account they will use to login to the computer and store their documents on the cloud. Up until now, students have been bringing in and using their personal electronic devices (smart phones, iPads, MacBooks, etc.) and using Google Docs to create and share documents with their teachers. Problems that have came up are compatibility between different platforms, not everyone having technology and using electronic devices effectively.

MD has taken a few steps to address these issues, hence the laptops and new ed tech guy (me).

Yesterday, a few teachers at MD, hand-selected by the VP, the IT guy, the VP and I met to talk about the laptop orientation for students. We talked about the day's agenda. Towards the end of the discussion, someone asked about the translation of skills learned on the school-issued laptops to their personal devices. I kept my mouth shut because it was my first time meeting many of those teachers, but what I immediately thought about was how students are using the tech, not what they are using.

Then I ran into this article on ASCD titled "Five Tips for Managing Mobile Devices" written by Catlin Tucker. These five tips, taken out of the context of technology, sound a lot like establishing norms for classroom management at the beginning of every new school year. For example, her second tip is to "Cultivate a culture of sharing". If a student doesn't bring a device, they are allowed to share. Take the technology out of it and it sounds like what teachers do on a regular basis. Teachers write lessons based on the number of protractors or rulers they have on-hand. Ms. Tucker even allows her students to use her personal devices; with guidelines of course. There is an underlying sense of trust in the class with establishes a safe learning environment for the students. This is something that every teacher, tech or no tech, strives for at the beginning of the school year.

My point is, many of the woes teachers have with skills being translated between various devices can be subsided with focusing on how students are using the tech and not what they are using. Today, they are using Lenovo laptops. They might have a MacBook at home. In college, they might be using something totally different. It shouldn't matter. Don't dwell on the negative, but focus on how these new tools with enhance teaching and learning.

Word Searches

My student work diligently on word searches. When I need them to stay silent after a test, I have a stack of word searches for them to work on. A full-page size maze is doing the trick too. I need to make sure I have this done every time.

I also need to work on making table-top dividers also known as "offices" and "privacy folders". I have long tables that sit 6 students each.

I also also need to rethink my seating arrangement. I might do two U-shaped rows with every student facing forward.

Multiplication Flash Cards

I have to write this down so I don't forget and I can reflect upon it later.

Students are in study hall right now. I passed out some multiplication flash cards for the students to work on. One students held two up together: 10 x 3 and 10 x 7. Another student said that make 100. His reasoning was that 10 x 3 = 30, 10 x 7 = 70 and 30 + 70 = 100. I would like to explore the insight of his reasoning. Maybe I'll ask him later about it.

Also, these 5th graders like the sense of being on a team (mine being UCSD).
Also also, some students are making games out of the flash cards.

A New Year

I am glad I have blogged as much as I have in the past about my teaching. I hope to bring that back and blog on a regular basis because it is a new year and I am at a new school. I also think that all teachers should blog for the reflection aspect: we learn from ourselves, but only if we reflect.
At this new school, I plan on observing as many other teachers as possible. Not only should I observe the veteran teachers, I also would like to observe the newer teachers. New and old, we all have something to offer. So that is the plan. Observe and reflect.

Discipline Policy

I recently talked about my discipline plan with my principal. It is definitely something that needs to have consistency; not just assigning consequences, but following through with them. What's the point if they do not show up to detention? That's disrespect.

My plan has a few steps: 1. Warning; 2. 5 minute detention; 3. 15 minute detention, parent contact; 4. Referral.

I recently added a detention slip. Before, it was a verbal notice and their name on the board if they got detention. Now, it's a slip and a behavior log. It helps me keep better track of habitual offenders. Students sign the log to acknowledge they received a detention. Also, I felt parent contact should be moved up the list, so they sign the slip.

Things are getting better

As opposed to a 'nudder' person I know, I think this month will be easy. We had parent conferences the last two weeks, so those are over with. Last week, I had one workshop, tomorrow I have one and next week I have two for BTSA. So that's 4 less days of work this month. Not only do these workshops give me a break from my classes, but I think they are very helpful. Then we get one week for Thanksgiving.

This is my 7th week of teaching this year and things are getting a lot better in my classes. In my geometry classes, the homework turn-in rate is almost 100%. At parent-conferences, we set up many academic contracts so many of my students will be attending mandatory tutoring. Hopefully, this translates to higher student achievement.

I am also seeing some gains in my pre-algebra class. There is very little whining about taking notes and transition times are getting smaller. My problem in that class are the few students who are there to do the exact opposite of what they are supposed to.

Overall, my classes are doing much better. I am having more happy days than I am stressful days. I feel at this point I am focusing less on teaching my students procedures and more on teaching them math.

Goal for next two days: catch up with grading.

Work, work, work

This is my first post in a couple of weeks, I think. I haven't had much time to write a blog since I have had a lot of grading and I do not have internet at home. It's also the first time since I started working that I am caught up with grading. Today was the last day of the first quarter, so I have some work to grade this weekend.

After three whole weeks of teaching, I think my students are still adjusting to my procedures and teaching style. My Geometry students pretty much understand. My Algebra Readiness students are still getting there, but I have definitely seen some improvement since I have started. Basically, I want my students to know that when they are in my class, they need to be working.

I have also gotten use to the way things work at our school. Monday, we start a brand new quarter. I think with all the things I have tried first quarter, I know what to do better to make second quarter run more smoothly.

One thing, for example, is my discipline policy. I started to follow through with my warnings and assign after-school detentions. I will be continuing that. The students have been responding to that. I think after another round of detentions, most of my students will understand my procedures quite well.

Another thing is homework submission. I collect my Geometry homework every week; on either Friday or the following Monday. I like it because I am grading the entire thing for one or two days and the rest of my week is more open. However, I have noticed that some of my students don't do well on the homework for Thursdays and Fridays. Therefore, I am going to start checking homework sometime during the end of the week just to keep my students on track.

I wanted to at least make contact with all of the parents, but I fell behind on that. I will try in the next couple of weeks to do that.

On top of all that, I have to work on professional development.

One quarter of the year is done. I am looking forward for the rest of the year.

Goals for this weekend: finish grading, lesson plan for next week.