Is+that+the+norm?+-+Jensen



Is it normal to have a classroom still run like it did 50 years ago? 30 years ago? 10 years ago? 5 years ago? I think it is time to throw away the previous year's lesson plan book and get real with the 21st century learners! Get students ! Get students interacting! Get students wanting to learn!

As we continue to live in a state of ever-changing technology it only makes sense that our best practice in our classrooms should be following the waves of change. I believe that a classroom will become stale if the teacher does not make changes for the 21st century learner. I want to teach my students to problem solvers in the 21st century. I would like to see them take risks and create new perspectives. I believe that arming students with a balance of moral characteristics and the power of learning can be create active member of our society that make a difference. I am focusing on changing the classroom norms and behaviors in my classroom. I spend most of my school year building positive relationships with my students because I wholeheartedly believe that creates better learners.

Our new math curriculum includes mathematical practice standards. These standards are put in place to produce "good" learners. I feel that if I spend more time making connections to these standards on a more regular basis, students will create habits that lend themselves to fantastic problem solvers! This change in the norms can then create students that feel empowered, connected, and socially responsible. I believe that my assessments will change as my students become more independent thinkers, and they will expect more options to share their learning than a traditional test. I owe a lot of the push for great lessons to my co-teacher, Linsey Kirby. We make a great team in our classroom and strive to make connections, provide unique, interactive lessons, and push our students to be independent learners. We constantly place goals in front of us to alter our lessons to anything but traditional!

When I reflect on the topics we have discussed this week I am most connected with the SAMR model. I am guilty of falling into the 'substitution" trap. My goal for the 2013-2014 school year is to push my self and my students to the higher levels of that model. My students have been grasping at the chance to prove their learning to me in a multitude of ways, and I feel I have been pulled down by the amount of resources and time it takes to set up these types of assessments. I would like to select the use of Google Sites, Google Forms, Screen Chomp, and Big Huge Labs for starters this year.

artifacts #1 - [|Mathematical Practice Standards] - This is an example of using [|bighugelabs.com], where students apply their own language to the mathematical practice standards in a motivational poster form.

#2 -  Slaying the Math Dragon Discovering Pi Using Pies - Flip a few lessons

//Here is a graphic organizer we intend to use to keep kids accountable to actually watching/listening to the video.//


#3 - [|Review Test Summative]  //We also plan on loading our formative assessments onto Google Form this year. This will provide both us and the students with more immediate results (with the use of Flubaroo). We have increased access to laptops this coming school year. We uploaded our first unit Summative Assessment for you to take a look at. We intend on making more short forms, but didn't quite have the time today... // 