Omaha, Omaha! (my two least favorite words when teaching Social Studies)

So, I am taking a break from lesson planning and watching the Super Bowl where a ton has been made this week about Petyon Manning's use of the word "Omaha" as he changes plays at the line.  For the record, when I was coaching football our quarterbacks used the same audible, but there were some interesting stories this week.  One about how the city of Omaha was using Manning's audibles in their commercials, and how Omaha steaks was donating money for each time Peyton used the world Omaha.  Others- complained about how annoying the word Omaha was and how they were sick of hearing it.  At half-time....Peyton's not playing to hot.

So- in honor of the word Omaha, I would like to take a look at two of the words that annoy when teaching social studies.  I am going to apologize in advance if I offend anybody (current and former colleagues a like)...or whoever actually reads this thing- I only know of one person that actually does!

Number 1:  The use of the word "Chapter."  This has bugged for for a long time.....since I was in high school.  When you are studying a topic: Greece, Rome, Civil War, Africa, etc a teacher goes "We are studying chapter 6" or 7 or 8 or whatever.  I had a teacher in highschool- A student would ask..."what are we studying," or "What will a quiz/test be on" the answer was: "chapter 6"   Hey- that's fine in English, if you are studying a book or a piece of literature....study all the chapters you want.  I guess....I've never thought of history as "just a book."  I had the pleasure of having a Frosh History teacher who did not teach with a History book.  To me, this is what history should be:  A study of various sources:  secondary, primary, video, text, etc.  It should also include some historiography, writing, argument development....not just a chapter in a book.

Number 2:  The world "Packet."  This word made me cringe in high school.  A "packet" designed the right way can be quite useful....but what I always received (and came accustomed to see on the copy machine at previous places I've taught) is a collection of worksheets.  Just a whole bunch of worksheets.  I notice now when ever I hand out a document or something that is more than one page long it becomes a "packet" with that same tone I had in High school.

Anyway- there it is...my two most hated words in the teaching of social studies. Peyton..best of luck...you might need a little more Omaha tonight....I gotta cheer for the Seahawks...just more Badgers than the Broncos have.  Go Red!

That time of year

I will be honest- I am not a fan of January- it includes many of the things that have frustrated me over the years- football teams losing, the baseball off-season (hot stove league), final exams and reflection.
 I've had a great conversation with my school's on-line PLC regarding the use of Final exams.  There have been many great blog entries my the educational pundits/experts/talking heads out there that tend to get me thinking.  Just a few for those who care:  http://www.chicagonow.com/white-rhino/2013/10/final-exams-in-high-school-unnecessary/, http://www.thenerdyteacher.com/2012/01/final-exams-have-it-all-wrong-edchat.html, http://www.patrickmlarkin.com/2014/01/pondering-mid-term-and-final-exams.html .  OK, so I read the "Nerdy Teacher" one last year- whatever.

I am seriously contemplating how I want to do my assessment in the future- I can see an exam in Math/Science classes- but what about History?  I feel that my exams end up being a god-awful list of names and events- I am getting too much towards that "Dead-White Guy - memorize a bunch of crap" history that I told myself I wanted to avoid!  But, it ends up that way!  I think about my exam last year to finish off the year- 150 multiple choice questions- YUCK go figure..kids did terrible on it. In History we need to find a gray area in History- some of the important background information and the story- but also how to think, analyze, and tell that story.  It is truly frustrating to me and honestly makes me wonder if I am meeting my students needs in those departments- honestly- it makes me wonder if I am a good teacher at all and if I should be doing this job at all!  Anyway- January rant over.  Plan for the future!!!

How is flipping?  Flipping is flipping awesome- a majority of my students seem to like the idea and some are even reading more outside of class to do the flipping notes- I would love to find some more flipping materials- maybe some other articles or something to add in...but for now I will use my recorded lectures and textbooks...It is a start!  This way I have some good "thinking" type activities planned going forward.  I would love to start blogging in my classes- but without a constant access to computer technology I think I will be waiting on this process- it could just be biting more off than I can chew- I have no idea.  I just need to find a way to get my students to:  Think, analyze, and write about history- and in the process learn and think more about the world around them.

New toys I plan on trying out this spring:  One isn't really a toy, but it is Stanford's "Reading Like A Historian"  They have some killer primary source activities for both US and World History.  A lot more for US than World- but still good.  I also want to play with "Thinklink" interactive images.  I a hoping that I will be able to use a visual primary source or sources and have students do some research to annotate them for an assignment or activity.

A Reflection of SLATE 2013

12-11-13

My head is truly spinning after all of the information that I absorbed during the SLATE conference in Wisconsin Dells.  It was a lot to take in (these conferences always are) but they are energizing.  I have been feeling in a rut and these things always seem to get me back on the educational track and looking to improve student learning and not be happy with the status quo.

One thing that I did learn is that I am NOT a 21st century teacher just for using technology.  I guess I get a reputation for using chromebooks and all that good stuff.  What I am mostly doing right now is “substitution.”  Basically, I am taking my old lessons that had been done on paper and put them on the computer.  The other thing that I am doing is Augmentation- adding a few things (sharing and collaboration) via Google Docs.  These come from the SAM-R theory of technology.  SAM-R is substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition.  This could be a great way to teach technology PD to the staff here at Sauk Prairie- it goes above just using the technology and is more about how technology is integrated into the curriculum. A way to make technology PD easier or more effective for Sauk Prairie staff might be to create a series of videos or an iTunes U class.  Edgerton states they have had a lot of success with this process.  The other model I saw was Waukesha North’s model where they had “team leaders’ work with a group of 5-6 staff on a weekly basis and work together to develop better technology skills and better ways to integrate the technology into their curriculum.   I am excited to discuss the video idea with the “tech crew” at SPHS as well the IT staff.  I know that they are currently doing the ZenDesk videos- but maybe they would work better in an iTunes U course or on a youtube channel.  

I know that the overall goal is to work towards more “personal learning” students trying to learn and figure things out on their own and for their own benefit versus compliance.  I did enjoy the snippet that Chad tweeted out from his session regarding the idea that a student needs 6-8 weeks of personal learning before they totally buy into the idea.  I am struggling on how to make that work in history (I know that 20% times and all that is good- just not sure how to work it into the history curriculum).  I think it would work well in a “World Cultures” type class where we could focus more on current issues and events and then research to find answers to questions.  That is just a thought for the future.  

What I would like to implement in the coming time:

2 Weeks:  Flipped Classes- this might be a big mistake, but I think I am ready to take the plunge.  I need to get youtube unblocked, rework my website, and get some technical pieces figured out from the tech department..but I think it could happen.  Why I want to do this is that it will give us more time in class to study documents, inquiry, chromebook based web and research activities, and authentic assessments.  Typically I spend a lot of time (too much time in my opinion) doing teacher directed lecture/notes.  Eventually I would like to add in some more of the storytelling elements to the flipped videos- but they will be pretty simple to start out.  I am a little worried (and have been advised against) about jumping into this head first- but if I just do a lesson here or there or a unit here or there...the kids won’t buy in- much like personal learning.  The presenter said that it started out the kids didn’t buy in right away- but when he stuck with it- they bought in and grades/participation/learning improved.

2 Months:  I would like to use some of the new apps (little bird tales, thinglinks, etc.) as a way for student assessment/learning.  I also want to integrate some of the storytelling elements discussed in the closing keynote.

3. Next year:  Next year I would like to continue with the flipped classes as well as operate “history blogs” in my class. I would like to link up with a history class in another country -I was linked to a database via a twitter recommendation- that would allow students to discuss their perspectives on historical and current events though the internet.  I would also like to get a tech blog started at Sauk Prairie and maybe coordinate with Dan to revamp the video technology lessons as we hopefully move towards a 1:1 initiative at Sauk Prairie.

Holy 7th level of Dante's Inferno Batman!

Very warm day in the classroom- excited to do first project with Chromebooks tomorrow for the year.  I have so many great ideas to develop a paperless classroom- I just wish I knew the right way to implement them.  I am hesitant in today's day and age to make big changes- to be honest- I am scared to make a big change.  I am blessed to have a very supportive administration- to me it comes down to how do I change so much so quickly.  I have been reading all of these articles on the 21st century classroom- and have been following @thenerdyteacher on twitter while I consider myself a pretty modern teacher...I guess I fall short a lot of times and am still teaching like the 19th century.  How do I get over that hump and go full bore?  I guess I will be convincing myself to take babysteps and be there in a few years.

NEW THINGS I AM TRYING:

Remind101: utilzing this with my students and parents- hopefully this will be a hit on back to school night

Google Docs/Chromebooks:  I feel like a dinosaur that I am just starting to use this- but we just became a Google school.  Excited to utilize these tools to their full potential.

Polleverywhere.com:  Free site that allows for cell phone text polls in class- kids have enjoyed them so far and I hope to utilize them more when it comes time for classroom discussion.

I will be blogging as I go and hope to see improvement re: these topics.  in the future years I hope to develop a true 21st century Social Studies classroom and utilize flipped lessons, technology, go paperless, etc.  This is the only way we will prepare our students to use technology the correct way....and go beyond posting funny youtube videos and updating facebook.

It never gets old....

So, I am very new to this whole blogging thing.  I have thought about starting one for sometime and decided this has to be the year.  Each year before school starts, I have this strange excited feeling.  You would figure that after 5 years of this.....it wouldn't mean much anymore.  It still does.  I am so excited for this upcoming school year, and nervous, excited, etc.

Ask any teacher if they are ready for the first day of the year and they may say yes...but the real answer is probably no.  I feel like I have so much left to do....but still, the idea that I get to see my students (most of the Wednesday) is flippin' exciting.  I am excited to use new technology in my classroom such as:  chromebooks, remind101, and polleverywhere.com.  I've worked in a variety of school districts and it is awesome to be in one that wants me to utilize these new technologies in the classroom.  Only the year will see if the ideas I have developed will be successful or not.