Overcoming 8th Graditis

Really!  8th graditis...it's a term - check out urbandictionary.com.  But, our teachers overcome it with engaging learning in the last month of school!

A study in probability - the game of SKUNK.

Conferencing with students creating a lesson for the class.

Students collaborating to create a lesson to teach their peers - they're creating the assessment!

I got Mrs. Marin to sing!  

Using math to decode and determine Dr. Evil's crimes.

Small groups of students divide roles for their short play.

I was inspired by...

Today, I got the opportunity to visit elementary schools in Affton, Webster Groves, and Brentwood as we look to make instructional space decisions for Dressel.  Not only was it interesting to feel the variance in tone and culture within these 4 buildings, but it was also enlightening to see the merge of instruction and space.  I watched inspiration take place and felt inspired by what I saw.

The reality is that our classroom space is a reflection of our learning processes and vice versa.  Below are just a few examples of how student choice and authenticity are visible within classroom space.

Music Stations:  In this primary music class, gone are the whole class methods of teaching, and in their place are mini-lessons of skills with application in student choice stations.

Applying understanding of notes using instruments.

Listening to music and interpreting it through art.

Composing music through understanding of musical content.

Practicing rhythm through bouncing a ball to the music within provided space.

Art Studio:  Students within this class engage in artistic behaviors, choosing their preferred medium while still mastering art concepts that traverse the content.

Designing and weaving in the fiber station

Digital integration through graphic design and STEAM

Traditional experiences in the drawing studio

3-dimension design in the paper studio

Presenting, reflecting and explaining artistic behaviors to peers:  "I was inspired by Abby mixing her paints."    

Teacher questions follow student presentations: "What would you do differently next time? What did you learn from this process?"

"Traditional" Classrooms:  In these classrooms, instructional space moves beyond individually defined student desks and into task purpose and student comfort.

Modular furniture allows students to collaborate with peers or work individually in comfort.

Some students choose to sit on pillows on the floor

Some students prefer to lounge and work

Counter height seating provides a standing work station

As we look to the future and innovation within classroom design, the reality is that different people need different settings.  teachers need to feel comfortable with the instructional environment - if varied seating arrangements and student-choice stresses out the teacher, it's not good for kids.  Students need to feel comfortable - some students need structure and others prefer more freedom.  The best schools have a mix of these environments so that individual needs are met as well as stretched.

Here's a great link to a short article that can get you thinking about your own comfort with innovation:  http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/6277.

Common Nouns within our School

As we design instruction, the verbs are essential!  They tell us what students will do with their learning, how they'll demonstrate mastery.  But, the nouns of education are also important - don't ignore the great things at TMS!

Post-Assessment:  Students set goals in PE early in the based on their fitness scores; now it's time to see if they met their goal - for most, it's not a surprise as they've monitored their progress throughout the year.

Collaboration:  Students give their muscle to help a friend build a birdhouse in tech ed.

Conceptualization:  Students compare the modern day map of Asia by restructuring it into the ancient world view of the region.

Presentation:  Students conducted an experiment of their own and presented their findings the class.

Research:  Students had to build background knowledge before designing the experiment.

Procedure:  Students detailed the steps of their experiment.

Data:  Students need to review data in order to draw conclusions.

So whether your instructional nouns are post-assessment, collaboration, conceptualization, presentation, research, procedure, data, or something else, keep it up because there's great learning at TMS!

Retention : Understanding as Engagement : Active Learning

If you want learning targets to be retained over time, students must understand the concept, and the best way to do that is through engaging learning opportunities.  By planning active learning, you reach students, helping them make connections to concepts that can transcend one lesson on one day of their middle school life.

Getting ready for Tug of War

But, it's not so simple; you think one team has the clear advantage....

But, there's are traitors in their midst.

Students figure out their traitors and why a clearly favored team doesn't win as they make connections to the Vietnam War.

Weigh the ball.

Conduct the experiment.

Chart the data!

Collaborate to figure out the impact of mass on speed of an object.

Reading, Rapping, and Mapping

You might think that I'm referring to MAP testing, but nope!  I'm talking about geography skills and all the other great learning that is happening in 6th grade this week.  Check it out!

Students present their learning to the class in science, designing a Kahoot to engage their peers.

How low can you go?  Students meet in a small group to ensure mastery of the lowest common denominator. 

Students are differentiated into math groups to work at their level.  In this case, students practice the concept with manipulatives.

As groups work together, the teacher leads one to ensure mastery of the concept.

As students read, they continue to annotate, making note of important sections of the book.

As students give presentations in science, students are held accountable for learning the material presented.

Those science presentations again....

What a great idea!  As students write, they are given a template to organize their thinking. This template easily wipes clean for the next student to use.

Students collaborate to summarize main ideas and other learning objectives in visual form.

Students lead learning in a small group.

The roll of the dice determines what students learn - this is a fun way to "gamify" learning.

Stations:  Students plan a game to demonstrate their knowledge of the US.

Stations:  Students are RAPping.

Stations:  More mapping.