Hour of Code - FREE lesson plan!

One of the largest road blocks to having K-5 teachers implement computer programming skills is TIME! I have often heard my teachers saying "I just can't add more more thing to the day."

That's why I think that the success of incorporating computer science skills INTO the curriculum is essential! Currently, I am looking at the CCSS and the learning progressions. Using Scratch (www.scratch.mit.edu) - a FREE website, I am working on creating lessons that are aligned to the CCSS in ELA and math.

Please feel free to use the FREE resources and worksheets for the Hour Of code week - December 9th thru December 15th!  The worksheets take the Kindergarten student through the process of creating a holiday card through various screen shots.

http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/14804494/#player

Sprout Kids Project - photosynthesis

Next Generation Science Standards:

5 - LS1-1 : Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that plant matter comes mostly from air and water, not from the soil.]

The "Sprout Kids" project was developed when I had a science class that did not have access to a traditional science lab. 

Here is a link on how to make the "Sprout" or Grass Heads! 
http://www.homemade-gifts-made-easy.com/grass-heads.html

REMINDER - In order to align the project with the standards, you must use sawdust instead of potting soil!

Click here to download a free parent letter introducing the project!

Google Literature Trips and More

Great uses of Google Apps in Education. The following video shows a group of students who used Google Apps - Doc, Spreadsheets, Gmail, Sites, Analytics and Forms to win $10,000 in the Scholastic/Lexus EcoChallenge!

Check out the following website for more Google Apps in Education ideas...including a Google Literature Trip assignment for Cold Mountain that was created for a group of high level 8th graders.

www.stretchinstructor.com

How to Escape Education's Death Valley

Another video by my idol, Sir Ken Robinson. This is a must see video for all those who value the diversity of human creativity and achievement!

Finland - individualized learning - that's the ticket!

We have to give discretion back to the students and teachers!

This is the whole reason I have become a STRETCh Instructor - to create engaging and personalized choices for children in learning! Learning should be engaging and fun! Some of the best learning occurs when you don't even realize you're learning!

Please feel free to leave comments!

Differentiated Instruction THE POWER!

Finding and encouraging teachers to use differentiated learning that can meet the needs of ALL students is essential! A Web Quest such as this can be personalized. For an advanced reading student, you could make the Pharaoh's Secret  a mandatory project out of 24 possible points. For artistic students, they might be required to complete a car-touche. The possibilities are endless!

https://sites.google.com/a/stretchinstructor.com/ancient-egypt-webquest/

What our brightest students need and schools don't teach...

"In the next ten years, there will be about 1.4 million jobs in computer science and only 400,000 qualified graduates to fill those jobs." Thus, we need to enrich the education our students receive by differentiating and providing them with more opportunities to learn how to Code. 

So...how do we take the intimidation of coding (computer programming) out of the equation? 

Please see the following video that stresses the importance of computational thinking and learning how to code (program).  It REALLY is a powerful message and includes Bill Gates and a quote from Steve Jobs.

Please consider "liking" the STRETCh facebook page: goo.gl/r5foT
STRETCh - Striving To Reach Every Talented Child is about eliminating the ability of the school system to stall our children's education. Student's can do so much more than they are "allowed" to do in a school setting when we use whole group instruction. With technology, we can personalize learning and allow ALL student to grow and discover their strength areas. 

Student "tests-out" of a science unit...creates video game!

Bailey, a fourth grader who tested out of an up-coming unit on electricity and magnetism, decided to create a video game review for her classmates. Students used her game to review for their unit test by playing, evaluating and providing Bailey feedback.

What a great way to differentiate for the needs of a student who has already demonstrated proficiency on a topic of study. Allowing Bailey to work on her computational thinking skills and apply her content knowledge at a higher level, benefited not only her learning...but the learning of others as well.

Student scores on the post-test for the unit ranged from a low of 73% to a high of 100%. Needless to say, Bailey was one of the ten students to earn a 100%. In creating her game, she found she had to know the content forward...and backwards...

Parent Advocacy Model - Are my child's needs being met?

Well...here is a draft of what the model could look like...

Are we ready to embark upon the journey? Are parents ready to accept their role? Are teachers ready to hear what is needed?

As a parent, I know that a differentiated classroom is where my child will be most successful. If I am allowed to work with the teacher and help guide meaningful experiences, then we can all hold her accountable for growth. If she is not engaged or bored...I don't want to hear..."She just needs to do her work...If only she turned in her homework...If she just payed attention." 

If she is unengaged...there is a reason. Let's figure it out together and keep her moving forward. It might mean that the teacher needs to change her instruction in order to capture her engagement... and that's okay.

As a teacher, I know how overwhelming it can be to meet all the students' needs. I will never forget Pat (if you are out there Pat...let me know how you are doing)! He was a seventh grader in my language arts class who "hated" to write anything. After getting to know him and giving up some control of MY content...I asked him what he wanted to write about. He was a huge Metallic Fan and wanted to write about the band. I went home that night and created a plan to infuse my content into the course of his interest. Viola - he ended up writing a great paper on the band and learned through the process...WE BOTH DID! 

Differentiating in my classroom means engaging all students in the learning process...whatever their starting point...and holding everyone accountable for growth. At times that has meant I had to trust the student and parents and let them have the driver's seat. It is during these times that I have had to learn how to coach from the sidelines...and that is okay!

Just because a student doesn't qualify for "gifted and talented" services, doesn't mean that we ARE meeting their needs. Some students don't test well... and that is okay. Some students test great, but aren't interested in the pull-out reading group's project...and that is okay. Some students have a lot on their plate (sports, service projects) and want to pull back a little in other areas...and that is okay. Together...with parents...and student input...we have to help them figure out what is okay...and continually grow in their learning!

Just my two cents worth...

 

My child's needs aren't being met - NOW WHAT?

Staring today...I am going to blog my journey... 

There is a definite need to change the way in which we identify and service "gifted education!" It can no longer be a "I'm in the gifted program...vs I don't qualify for the gifted program." We miss too much talent in our youth with this approach! We also put too much stress on our children when we say "you're smart!"

We need to help our children develop a growth mindset. That means we need to shattered the pendulum of gifted identification and SHIFT the paradigm.

 
So what does that look like within our school system? First of all, it means that our children deserve an educator who believes in the growth mindset and can differentiate the instruction our children receive on a daily...hourly...as needed basis! The pull-out (once a week...once a month) programs will not meet the needs of children who can aquire information quickly...or those who have a passion or interest in a specific subject or topic. 

We need an advocacy model for parents that begins with "Are my child's needs being met?" If the answer is "no," then a conversation with teacher/s need to take place to ask the following questions:

1. How are you pre-testing (pre-assessing) students to determine what skills they have already mastered?

2. How are you differentiating your instruction and how do you identify which students get those differentiated activities? - (Parents, make sure that this is not MORE but DIFFERENT!) - too many times a teacher will just "add on" assignments or activties rather than increase the difficulty level provided

3. How are students progress monitored in your class to ensure growth in learning for all students?

If a teacher cannot address these concerns, then I feel - as a parent - that I have a right to ask for another teacher who CAN do these things for my child. If I go to a doctor and he cannot provide me with services that will meet my needs, then I have a right to go see another doctor who will. Why do we have to accept a year worth of stagnant growth for our child if the classroom teacher is not strong in the skills of differentiating instruction for my child's needs...? 

Don't misinterpret my comments above. I am a teacher and believe that most of us have these skills, and we work hard every day to meet the individual needs of our students. However, just like any profession...there are those that do not want to change the pedagogy of their teaching to meet the 21st century learner. Students no longer need us to "teach" them content. If they want to learn something they can just go "google or youtube" it. For the majority of teachers, this was not how we learned. We needed to get information and knowledge directly from our teachers. 

Education is shifting to a "coaching" model. A teacher no longer needs to "teach" knowledge, but rather how to acquire it, evaluate it, and analyze it for validity. This does not mean we will never impart our knowledge onto our students, it just means that they now have the ability to aquire more knowledge on a specific topic than we do! Thus - my thoughts for today go FULL CIRCLE back to the importance of the GROWTH mindset!

Is your child gifted?

Okay...I am going to split my blogs into two from this day forward! I have two passions in life and one blog will be devoted to gifted education and Response to Intervention...the other blog will be devoted to K-8 computer science and programming! 

Please see Intervention Corner for great Response to Intervention resources!

https://sites.google.com/a/stretchinstructor.com/intervention-corner/

I am currently working with my district on revising our "Gifted and Talented" identification and services. We are moving toward an inclusive Response to Intervention and Parent Advocacy model. The model revolves around one main question: Are my child's needs being met? 

The single most effective means of moving a student's learning path forward has to be based upon daily differentiated instruction based upon need and GROWTH! But more on that later...stay posted to this blog and follow along on the journey. 

Please forward to anyone who is interested in gifted education - both educators and parents!