Update on the Innovations per Department

At the last department head meeting each department shared some of the innovative things happening in their area.  The sharing showed the efforts and the growth of our school in our innovation, the change in our practises, and our strive to improve our ability to help the students learn.  At our school we feel safe to try new and innovative manners of learning.  The research, the learning by the teachers are passed down to the students, showing the love of learning.  Below is some of the items discussed in the meeting.  This is only half of the departments.  Another one will follow later.

LST

• ·      Have IPads used in the classroom. 
• ·      Students more independent and more efficient.
• ·      When students are finished work they go onto Quizlet and database of flash cards.  Students make their own cards to help them practice their work. 
• ·      If you wish to see these you can look under the name “Sullivan” and look at the study notes.
• ·      Practise test for kids.
• ·      Links on LST web site for students to follow for proactive.
• ·      Quizzes that are open.
• ·      This app would be great for languages, with speaking rights automatic right in it.
• ·      Very eash to do. 

Business Ed.

• ·      Integrating of courses
• Marketing and InfoTech – use Photoshop to create ads for the marketing group to assess.
• ·      IMovie to be taught by Info Tech students and learned in Marketing for students to create commercials.
• ·      FloorPlanner.com to create the floor plan for what business they are creating.
• ·      Students do a business plan in PowerPoint showing new company name, logo, hiring people, time table, etc.

Info Tech

• ·      Students doing clay animation, and drawing animation.
• ·      Using IMotion, movie trailer, and IMovie on IPads
• ·      Creating Social Media Agreement Plan.
• ·      Working with e-portfolios using Webnode, and Surrey Schools.  Also have tried Facebook, and Weebly.
• ·      Using peer assessment
• ·      Using Project Based Learning.
• ·      Working together to create one course.
• ·      All grade 8s introduced to Surrey Schools and getting emails and computer passwords to be on the school system.

English

• ·      Poetry contest – using IPad video making to send in to Ontario
• o   $6000 winner for student and $600 to school.
• o   Send practice to the contest by video so we must record student’s speaking the poem.
• ·      Poetry Slam
• o   Vancouver Peotry
• o   Workshop in afternoon for only 35 students to sign up.
• o   All spots taken.
• ·      Speech meet with 10 students.
• o   One in grade 8
• o   Give 2 speeches, 1 in advance and then 5 quotes, they get 45 minutes to write up a new speech and present.

• ·      April One Man Shakespeare open to all Grade 9 – 12 students.
• o   60 minutes.
• o   All plays.  Actor has written the performance.
• ·      Creative writing class, using phones in classroom.
• ·      Teachers using Webnode, and Twitter to write down work for students to follow.

Library

• ·      TV set up
• ·      Turning book shelves
• ·      Apple TV hookup up to west sides so you can come down to present on the TV
• ·      30 computers in library
• ·      PE blogging in library
• ·      Pinterest site for library – visual and write-ups on books in library.

Languages

• Arron Dais – student lead conferences, physical portfolios with students.  Wiki with all his information
• Edmodo Ashley, Jacqueline and Jennifer with portfolios
• French tutoring at lunch – core groups of tutors who are student volunteers.
• Student lead conferences
• Project based learning – Jacqueline (Grade 9) and Jennifer (Grade 12)
•  
• Edmodo outline –
• can do online discussion – you get an email every time something changes. 
• Discussion in French.
• You go onto Edmodo as a teacherand you see Teacher’s home page.  Like Facebook.  Students can easily use the program.    They will need a group code to get on.  Teacher sees everything at once.
• They chat in French online, even on weekends.
• Rubric for evaluating social media evaluation is being developed. 
• Alternative to quizlet – memrise.com makes a 30% difference in the marks.  Can see at a glance who has been practicing and who is ranked the best.  It uses gardening scenarios to see your plant growing when you get it right.  You can have audio with the info on it.  There are many different languages.
• You can embed video and make a powerpoint. Tells you the part of speech. 
• Teacher puts the list together, set up link once for a unit (for the accents) and its always there.

Career Room

• ·      GTP kids putting in laptops and showing murals in art class, blogs in PE, using the technology to see that.
• ·      Kids were using phones for photos, IPads and such.
• ·      Working to incorporate electronic portfolios.  31 work experience in Bryan’s class. Going through Mock interviews.  All students should do this.
• ·      Project based learning – YPI Youth Philanthropist Initiative - $5000 grant.  Presentation is put together by the students and the YPI comes and judges.   They all chose their charities to help them.  Other schools do this.  They interview them.
• ·      Skills Canada – We are doing InDesign. And web designing. Provincials in Mid April
• ·      Coop for 3 weeks in April for authentic work experiences.
• ·      District programs being worked on.  Prepping for interviews.
• ·      Use Twitter @careeredshs twitter handle to get info out to the students.
• ·      Summer program introduction to trades.

BASES

• ·      A school within a school
• ·      What ?  “Teach to Excite” by engaging student learning utilizing differentiated instruction while maximizing the multiple sens.
• ·      Why?  Engage and maximize learning making it relevant within a BASES context.
• ·      So what?  End STATE:  build academic social (and life skills) and employment skills so that after graduation they can become productive members of society – becoming self-sufficient/independent as much as possible
• ·      Looking at work experience – some outside but everyone can leave campus, so we’re looking at the School Store.  Money management, food preparation, delivery, customer service
• ·      These skills can be transferred to real life.
• ·      Made marketing terms – brochures, working with Business Ed (Marketing) to develop learning skills.  Peer tutoring together.  Capacity and connection in our school.

·      Now we have spirit wear, working towards this, the development of new designs.

Social Studies

• 10 in department (5 part time)
• Collaborate all the time.
• Sandy Stevens – Meet the We.   16 students in the library to develop active citizenship.  Want to start a compost. Students become active citizens.

Technology

• o   No problem using technology in the classroom, just ask a student to do it.
• o   Stacey, Robert, and Randy went to the Apple Store to help with his cart.
• o   Entire book will be an etext book.
• o   Stacey and Ann  and Roger did the Project Based on Aboriginal learning.  They are doing it on Prezi and using the smart board.  Aboriginal from Saskatuwan, going back in time.
• o   Ann doing this in Geography
• o   Shawn is doing Mind Craft.  Putting soldiers and buildings.
• o   This is a pilot for the district.

What is a Computer Facilitator

I've been asked this question recently and depending on who you ask, you could get different answers.  But here's my answer.

As a Facilitator of Learning or Computer Facilitator my role is help teachers with what they wish to do in regards to using technology in the classroom.  But it's more then that.  I try to help teachers and students by showing them the  latest aides (web 2.0 tools and computer equipment)  to enhance learning.  At our school we incorporate training in as many 21^st Century skills as possible.    See the diagram below for a quick summary of these skills. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:P21_Skills.jpg 

Here are but a few of the duties of a computer facilitator:

• Ipads
•  Updating
• Download apps
• Plug in IPads at the end of the day.
• Clean out all games on Ipads
• Reset them when there is problems.
• General maintenance of 45 IPads.

• Image Macs using Casper
• Update Macs that need it
• Add software
• Add printers
•  Trouble Shoot PC computers
•  Explain solutions to problems in regards to software to teachers
• Call in all problems I cannot fix
• Make priority list of problems for tech when he comes
• Discussion and explanation of problems with tech
• Update on what is happening in the district.
• Planning summer work session at our school.
• Any upgrades happening in district.
• Deal with tech in school (support, answering questions, showing where problems are).
• Passwords to students
• changes of passwords 
• Give out passwords for all Grade 8s each year in the school.
•  Reset all passwords for all students in the school.
• Printers
• Fix any printer problems.
• Order ink from office.
•  Storage of extra ink
• Troubleshoot any problems in regards to wireless issues in the school.
• Call in help desk when I can’t do repairs. 
• Help staff change passwords.
• Assist other staff members in placing hardware orders (document readers, LCD)
• Marks
• Assist staff members in inputting and maintaining student grades.
• Assist staff members in putting in their marks in BCeSIS
• Set up any/all student teachers that come into this school.  Do minor training.
• Assist and answer any subs that need help in getting on wireless or help with technological problems in regards to what the teacher wishes the sub to complete for the day.
• Fill out forms for new software
• laptops to all staff
• Maintain inventory of said laptops
• Maintain records of usage for insurance reasons.
•  Collect at end of year from any teachers leaving school.
• troubleshoot any laptops needed

• Order hardware for school.
• Maintain inventory of all laptops, LCD projectors, and Document readers.
• replace light bulb in LCD projectors
• call in any damaged Document readers.
• Train staff on 
• Document Readers
• BCeSIS
• MasterGrade (our marking system)
• Prezi
• Internet Searching
• GoogleDocs
• Outlook
• Check out this link for other Web 2.0 tools we've used (with some handouts).
• Replace any bulbs that go on the LCD projector.
• Take inventory of all new equipment that comes in, marks as Sullivan Heights and set up in the different schools.
• Send away any warranty cards.
• Train any student in regards to doing videos for the school.
• Support any staff doing technology in a new project
• Inventory of all cameras, video recorders, tripods, and microphones.
• Setup video equipment.

• Replace all cords, power supplies and such for media carts around school.
• Fix any software problems/questions on how to work a computer.
• Help repair announcement monitor/system.
• Lock down  all new equipment.
• COWS
• Regulate the use of IPads, and COWS in the school.
• Train staff on usage of cows
• Update calendar booking booklet on the COWS (fill-in student names on this)
• Repair any laptops here.
• Track down any teacher who does not put back computers properly in the cart and have a talk with them.

•  Lab Bookings
• Do training on how to operate a lab in the school.
• Maintain calendar online for bookings. 
• Answer any questions that need

• Working in collaboration with all committees in regards to technology and computer usage in their club/committee.
• Updates/repairs to computer for music (have done some programming for program to work).
• Emailing out any/all sites of educational value to different departments in the school.
•  Support for movie making in school.

My job is to help where I can.  With the support of my technician from Surrey School District and from the help desk who can go into a computer remotely, the side of repairing and troubleshooting has diminished tremendously, so I get to concentrate on the inventory, and the training of both staff and students, the area of facilitating I enjoy.

Next time someone asks me what is a computer facilitator, I'll direct them here.

Things to Help with Assessment of Portfolios

Although I use electronic portfolios in my classroom (see blog these blog entries for some reflection on the progress I've made over the last two years) I find that many of the forms I have used can be used with paper portfolios.  But I'm willing to  share with everyone and by all means make the changes that suit you but please keep the recognition/names of the owners of the forms on them, as I have, they worked hard to make these forms.

Good luck.


Grade 8 portfolio assessment sheet
My starting booklet for teaching students to start the portfolio and how to reflection on their portfolios.
Intel's "Anna's Assessment Plan"
Assessment in the 21st Century Classroom Blog Rubric by Intel.
Assessment in the 21st Century Classroom Communication Rubric by Intel.
Intel Teach Elements Critical Thinking Rubric
Digital Portfolio Parent Assessment and Student Self-Assessment - to have parents involved in the assessment of their child.  This one needs work.
Products and Performances to include in your Portfolio by Intel.
Self Assessment and work Assessment handout for students for e-Portfolios (can be changed for portfolios).
Student Reflection sheet
Parent Portfolio Reflection Sheet
Portfolio Record of content
Student Portfolio Planning Sheet.
Frames and Prompts for Portfolio Assessment.
Digital Portfolio Guidelines for Beginners by the Ministry of Education, SMS Services Team (2011) in New Zealand.
Teacher Portfolio Planning sheet.
Portfolio scoring record (with no marks), just pure assessment.

Thanks for Val Lees (@lees_v) a teacher in Surrey for sharing some of these forms as well as the Surrey School District who compiled many of these forms to help with portfolios of students.  Hope this helps you.

Project Based Learning Pro D Results at Sullivan Heights

Sullivan Heights looked into Project-Based Learning for our Professional Development day on Feb. 8th and in the research of this area I have found a number of things that I would like to share from:

• PBL.org, 
• Buck Institute for Education (BIE): Project-Based Learning for the 21st Century
• PBL University: Web-Based Professional Development, Courses, and Projects from BIE
• Expeditionary Learning: National Network of Experiential Project-Based Learning School
• The Project Approach: PBL Tips and Tools from Author and Educator Sylvia Chard

This first video comes from Edutopia, explaining Project- Based Learning.  It was my intro video right after I did the KWL for the teachers to recall everything they heard/learned about PBL, as well as think about what they wanted to learn.  See below.

Project Based Learning Intro and Explanation.

The bases is that we need to teach 21st Century Skills of:

• communication
• collaborate work
• critical thinking

to our students, something lacking in the old way of teaching:

• lecture
• take notes
• test at the end.

Below is an introduction to PBL

Intro - This is a video on Project Based Learning from Start to Finish.

Some web sites with examples of Project Based Learning

http://www.learningreviews.com/Project-Based-Learning-Lesson-Plans.html

Science

Language Arts

Math

Social Studies

Here are handouts for specific projects developed by others.

You can use these as examples for your group.

Homeless

Drug Movie

San Diego Field Study Guide

Articles

The following are articles I have read in regards to learning how to do an effective Project Based Plan.

Designing Effective Projects

Project Based Learning from Edutopia.

6 Steps for Planning a Successful Project

10 tips to take away with Project Based Learning.

If you're new to Project-Based Learning, Andrew Miller eases you into the approach with four suggestions to help you stay sane and begin mastering PBL.

The Files I used During the Presentaiton

Attached are some files and handouts given to teachers on that day, as well as the PowerPoint I created for the Professional Development Day.  In total it took me over 28 hours to develop this professional development plan, but so far (3 weeks after the Pro D day) with a group of 20 at the session there have been 5 people who have developed a project or are in the process of developing one.  In my mind, this makes it a successful attempt.  Out of the rest, 3 people asked for the files (I burned all files onto a CD for easier sharing with staff, each member getting their own CD of files), and a teacher from another school asked for a copy (she heard me talking about the process of developing the professional day.

If you wish I can send you the complete package of files, powerpoint that was shown and the movies as well, but please remember, all this material is a combination of many people and company's work online so please give them credit where credit is do.  They did an excellent job.

• KWL sheet - I started the session by asking teachers what do they know about Project Based Learning.  I asked them to fill out what they wanted to know.  Then at the end I asked them to go through what they wanted to know and cross off what they know, and ask others some of the ones left or even ask me.  Great intro to the day.  After this I showed the first movie in this blog entry.
• The PowerPoint I put together with the help of many sites (listed at the end of the presentation and above).
• Project Overview - a two page worksheet to help you create your PBL work.  In the presentation we got to this sheet in the afternoon, and I would explain each section (I worked backwards for backward planning), then gave time for the listeners to work on that section.  I found these sheets extremely helpful to help organize my thoughts. 
•  Or you can use this one (I like this one better) because it has a "Driving Question" to get the students going.   
•  PBL Starter Kit has a Project Overview completed so you can use this as an exemplar, what we looked at first before going into each section of the blank one.  This was very successful with teachers.  
• To help with the planning there is a simple PBL Essential Elements Checklist from the Buck Institute of Education.  This form helps at the end to make sure when you create your project you have all the components needed for a successful project.
• A more elaborate rubric for making sure you have all the components of a great Project is on this link.  Take a look for a comparison.

One of the hardest things to do is come up with that essential question.  I gave out samples from different educational facilities I found online.  We discussed their essential questions.  Some teachers used those.  

• From the Creative Educator things to consider when creating an essential question
• A rubric to help you create and review Curriculum-Framing Questions.
• I also used the exemplars (linked above) to hand out so staff may see what an essential question should look like.  Even better, some used the questions already developed.

Handouts for both Teachers and Students.

• Project Group Contract.  You can use this one or make your own.  It shows your expectations of working in a group, promising to work just as hard as others and to cooperate.  
• Project Calendar for both students and teachers to use for planning of what needs to be done where.  Great for organization.
• Project Manager Group Tasks is for the entire group to work on.  Helps to organize the group and brain storm what needs to be completed, even what order to be completed by.
• Team Tasks Sheet - by PLE.org to give to members to help with their planning and organizing.  It also gives the teacher a central location to see where students are at, and what they have left to do.  You can give formative assessment any time just looking at this sheet ("have you thought about this" or "don't forget to consider this...").

For assessment you have

• Collaborate Rubric by bie.org
• A rubric for making rubrics.
• Project Work Sheets (individual ones) for assessment of what the student has done - to track them being on task.  You can compare this with the team task sheet. You can use this sheet and give the students 10 - 15 minutes at the end of each period/class to complete or you can have students do this in a journal, or even a blog or wiki online.
• Teacher Post-Project Review - to assess how the entire process went, and to help you consider what changes to make right away.  Excellent outline to do.
• If you wish for your students to peer assess I recommend you show them the video below to help the students understand what constructive critisim is. It is a video by Ron Berger on Critque Examples.

During the Presentation you have the following assessment tools:

• Presentation Day Checklist - to make sure you're ready for the presentation to visitors.
• Presentation Plan for students to help them organize.
• Rubric for Presentation
• Student self reflection of their work.  Excellent trait to teach 21st Century learners.

Finally, but just as important to use is a video below, showing the top ten tips for assessing Project-Based Learning once you try it.

Edutopia's top ten tips for assessing Project Based Learning from Joanna Huang

I hope this has helped.  If anyone in Surrey School District or the Lower Mainland would like to discuss this further please do not hesitate to contact me at painchaud_n@surreyschools.ca  I would love to help you introduce your school to Project Based Learning.  It has made an impact at our school, and under the advice of many of the articles and research, some are trying it once, then assessing the results.  You'll be seeing exemplars and blog entries on this topic from other teachers soon.  

Thank you.

Sometimes it's easy to teach...

Sometimes you don't need to get the classes/students' attention to teach, sometimes they beg you to teach them.  I have two students like that.  They're not even in any of my classes.  They just want to learn how to create a movie, and start filming.  They find contests online, do a storyboard, ask questions, ask for critques and keep on developing their talent.  Here's an example, a finalist in the "Stop the Bullying" campagne by the City of Surrey.  They made the finalist.  No matter if they win or lose, I'm proud that they just want to learn and try.  Their video is called "Life is Fragile." at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8BzIUZ-igY&feature=share&list=PLtVfxe1fnZNu8Qpt9K2eUvfm9tCh_F98D  

Below are all the videos.  You'll have to go through all the contestants to see their video but all are very good.  Thanks to the City of Surrey and all the rest for giving my students and other students this opportunity to grow.

Most times its the students that make the learning on their own but we still help ;)

What to use for a classroom site?

http://www.wolf21.com/blog/consumers-trusting-corporate-blogs-change/

Where do I put up my notes?  Where do I list my assignments?  Do I use a wiki Or a blog? Or a website?  You decide. We have two teachers at Sullivan Heights each trying one form,  and judging this question themselves.  Why don't you be the judge and comment back here which you think is more useful for a teacher in your opinion.

A Davis - French.  Wiki Or
Yahn - Dance (on leave) or
K Law - Dance and English  Website

Just so you know, all are excellent teachers, fantastic colleagues to work with and I am astounded on hard working they all are, which is in evidence of what you are seeing.

Hope this helps you decide what you want to start.  Comment your opinion on all. they know I've done this.

ps. there are others like www.surreyschools.ca for the Surrey District, Edmodo (you need to have an account and be added to the class to see the class), Weebly (I blogged about this before), and I'm sure many more.  Good luck.

Dissecting Frog App for High School.

The following is a blog entry from the Science Department at Sullivan Heights.  Najinder Gill critiques an app she used in her Biology 11 course.

When I found out Najinder  dissected frogs in her classroom, I asked her if she was interested in doing a virtual dissection, and being one who loves to try something new, she agreed.  We talked for a while, she signed out an ipad to look  at Frog Dissection app for the iPad and off she went.  The interesting thing about Najinder's concept was she wanted to use the app for students that missed the live dissection since students couldn't do the dissection without supervision.  But she couldn't be in two places at once (continuing on with her class and catching the student up with what was missed).  She believed this was the perfect solution to that problem.  Below is Najinder's assessment of the app and the worksheet she used with the program is linked here as well as below.  Thank you Najinder Gill for sharing out there.

FROG DISSECTION APP

The frog dissection app is a very good app to use in place of doing actual dissection.  It is an app that I will be using with my classes. Reasons why the teacher may choose to do the virtual dissection: less expensive, if student is absent on day of dissection it is an easy makeup lab, for students who can’t handle doing a dissection, more ethical, students less likely to mess up the dissection, easier clean up, ….

The app has many things available on it – dissection, background information on frogs, life cycle, videos,….  Positives of the app: includes relevant background information of frog, includes how frogs develop, the dissection is quick and there is little room for mistakes,  all the internal parts of the frog are clearly seen (which may not be the case when you do an actual dissection).  The videos are simple and good visuals to show how the digestive and respiratory systems work.  The quiz is a great way of ending the lab which not only focusses on the frog but also the lab techniques used. Sometimes it is difficult to explain to students how to cut open the frog and what tools to use so the app helps with this.

Critique: I think  students need to be guided on how to use the app and that they don’t just jump to the dissection without going through the background information first. To help with this  I have included a handout to use with the app which guides students through the app. The app doesn’t show the difference between a male or female frog.

Sometimes you don't know the effect you have on students until years later...

True story last Christmas:

While returning home to Winnipeg for a visit with my mother I had a young woman come up to me and ask if I remembered her.  She didn't expect me to remember her as I taught her in Grade 3 years ago, and her mother said that she really shouldn't bother me.  I honestly did not recognize her, it had been over 19 years since I taught in Manitoba.  But when I saw her mom, the woman she pointed to, I looked back at the young lady and said the following:

"You cut your hair!  I loved it long and curly like before.  You always loved to read books about mysteries, do you still?  You were so smart in Math and so curious in Science  You had a crush on my boyfriend who supervised one of our field trips, oh by the way I married him.  I still have one of your going away bracelets you made me" and I went on for a while about everything that I could remembered about the remarkable girl in Grade 3.  The more I talked, the more the tears started to roll down her face and the bigger the smile on her and her mother's as she watched the two of us.

When I stopped, that young woman thanked me for being such a wonderful teacher to her and told me that because I always expected the most from her (she read at a grade 9 level and I made her continue to do so in my classroom) all through her education she expected and demanded that the teachers who taught her challenged her and taught new things.  I differentiated in the classroom wit all my students.  Today that woman has a Masters in Business Administration now and works for a major company in Toronto.  She flew in to visit her mom for Christmas as well.  It was only by chance that we flew in at the same time and she saw me picking up my luggage at the Winnipeg Airport.

There are days when you're so tired you can't think straight, and days that you give you're all and yet you see no results.  But there are precious days like the one I described above that make me realize you don't always see the effect you have on children, and sometimes you do affect their lives forever.  

This story is what I remember when I'm so tired, and not sure if my students are learning what I'm teaching.  It's also why I don't say "My school" but "My students" because it's not the building that you teach in that you should have pride in, but the students that you teach and send off in the world.  

When I went back to my mother with my suitcase after talking to my former student, I look her in face and  said with great pride "That young woman was MY student in Grade 3.  Look at her now. I had a hand in that."  My mother smiled with pride at me.

Sometimes it's best to take the time to reflect and remember why you teach and recharge your energy.  Lesson for the new term.

English Survey