Embedded Files
Labor of Love
Labor of Love
September 7th (Labor Day)- September 11th
September 7th (Labor Day)- September 11th
I hope you all enjoyed your long weekend and got some rest. You've earned it!
This week, I have a tutorial to show how to create a Choice Board in Schoology, an article that backs up the effectiveness of the Think Pair Share strategy, and some sample lesson plans to share. I also had some questions about Power School, so I kept those instructions up for those who might need it.
Choice Boards with Schoology
Choice Boards with Schoology
In our training with Dr. Nottingham, we were able to participate in an activity with a choice board. Some of you may have wondered how you can make a choice board with Schoology. The tutorial below shows how to create a Choice Board assignment with Google Slides and Schoology. If it's something you want to try, but you'd like help, please let me know! I'd be happy to work through it with you.
This video was shared in the Facebook group Teaching with Schoology. If you haven't joined it yet, I highly recommend it. It's wonderful to be able to connect with so many other Schoology users sharing helpful hacks, troubleshooting tips, and general best practices.
Think Pair Share (TPS) in a Digital World
Think Pair Share (TPS) in a Digital World
One of the simplest, most impactful strategies we can employ as teachers is Think, Pair, Share. I think most of us are familiar with how this strategy is used in the traditional classroom, but we might have been stumped by how and why we might utilize it in virtual environments. In its most basic form, a teacher provides a prompt, students are encourage to think about it first, then pair up with a peer, and lastly share out what they've discovered. We'll be diving into this strategy more in the coming weeks because it has so much to offer.
This article by David Nurenberg offers some insight into the effectiveness of TPS during remote/virtual learning. We have tons of tools that will allow us to encourage student collaboration from the chat box, to Zoom breakout rooms. If you're interested in learning more, you're in luck! I'll be modeling for the staff soon. If you can't wait, please contact me, and we'll get together to plan a lesson!
Lesson Plan Samples
Lesson Plan Samples
Below, you'll find lesson plan samples for various subjects. You can find a copy of the doc HERE. One of our main goals this year is to be conscious of the quantity and quality of academic discussion time we afford our students.
Flip Grid is a neat tool to boost student engagement, and it's really easy to use with a phone. I thought that might be helpful for some of us having tech issues with our laptops. It's a great tool for book talks, flipped classroom commentary, exit tickets, and more. I've created a topic you can access if you're interested in exploring!
Click HERE to introduce yourself on the board I created.
Already sure you want to try it with your students? Click here to get started with a grid in your own room.
2 Down!
2 Down!
August 24-28th
August 24-28th
WHEW! What a week! I have heard a lot of success stories from teachers and students sticking it out through some tough conditions. Way to go! Stephen Covey teaches about the differences between a our Circle of Concern and our Circle of Influence. Our Circle of Concern is filled with things we care or worry about. Our Circles of Influence hold things we can control and have an impact on. If you devote too much energy to the Circle of Concern, your Circle of Influence shrinks because you've wasted valuable effort on things beyond your control. Conversely, if you devote time and energy to things you CAN control, your Circle of Influence grows. Your confidence grows and relationships are strengthened.
2020 is the year of the Circle of Influence. This is prime time to practice devoting our energy and time only to things we can control, and it will take a conscious, daily effort. We cannot control CoVid19, tech outtages, attendance, etc. But we can control how we prepare/respond to those things. I know it's easier said than done, but I'm here to help you troubleshoot and plan as we make it through together! If no one has told you yet this week, thank you for the exhaustive effort and long hours you're putting into this necessary work.
This week, I just want to share my contact information again, a resource for sharing video and getting responses that you can use easily with your phone(FlipGrid), an example of an expectations presentation, and another opportunity for you to share about yourself through Google Forms in case you missed it last week.
Office Hours and Contact Info
Office Hours and Contact Info
You can see my calendar below. Whenever you need me, I will make time for you! It will be updated with appointments as they're scheduled. I have tentatively scheduled office hours in the morning and the afternoon, when I plan to host virtual meetings for issues that require some real time conversation or face time. However, please don't hesitate to contact me any time you need help.
Google Voice# 256-203-6529
Hopefully you've all been teaching and reteaching the expectations you have for your virtual classroom. Here's a sample slides presentation you can use if you're still working on going over those. Even though it may feel like you're overdoing it, I promise you can't teach your expectations too often. Include them in your lessons and revisit them as often as possible for the first few weeks at least.
If you would like an editable copy of this presentation, click HERE.
Teacher Needs Survey
Teacher Needs Survey
I'm including this survey again just to get a few more responses if possible.
I'm including this survey again just to get a few more responses if possible.
That's it for Week 2!
That's it for Week 2!
Thank you for all you do for our students and community. Have a great week of teaching and learning.
Thank you for all you do for our students and community. Have a great week of teaching and learning.
Welcome, Survivors!
Welcome, Survivors!
8/17-8/21
8/17-8/21
Congrats on making it this far! You've been working hard to get ready for students to join your classes, and now it's show time :) This week, I just want us to get to know each other a little better and make sure you know how to get credit for the PD you've been attending. I'll include my office hours, contact info, and a little bit about me. I'd also love for you to tell me a little about yourself. And lastly, I've added a little tutorial that you'll need to make sure you get credit for your professional development this year. Our district uses PowerSchools to track your credits, and I'll show you how and why to sign up and the steps you should follow to make sure you get the credit you deserve!
About Me
About Me
I'm an Army brat and former college athlete. I love learning beside people, young in body or just young at heart, and coaching is also a passion of mine. When I'm not working, I'm figuring out how to take care of a brand new little girl with my wife. We have her and a loveable, chunky mutt that keep us pretty busy. I like to crack jokes and watch scary movies, and gummies are my weakness.
I have a master's degree in education, but like everyone else, I learned the most in the classroom. I've had the pleasure of working for HCS for almost 9 years now, as a classroom teacher, an instructional technology coach, and a Title I Curriculum Specialist. Even though this year promises to be a doozy, I can't wait to make it ten! We will all be better educators after this year is over, and I bet we'll forge some unbreakable bonds with our students and with each other.
PowerSchools
PowerSchools
Why Register for Professional Development?
Why Register for Professional Development?
You'll have to renew your certification every 5 years, and you'll be expected to have at least 50 hours of PD credit. Keeping track of your PD credit along the way makes renewal a piece of cake.
How Does it Work?
How Does it Work?
It's my job to send in our school level PD to the district so that it will be placed on PowerSchools for you to find. If you've attended a training at school but don't see it listed, please let me know. I'll do my best to have them available for registration before you attend. For the next few weeks, we may still be catching up. So, if you don't see courses yet, keep an eye out. I'll remind you to keep checking.
I'll always title our school's PD offerings "HCS Chapman MS...(TOPIC)" to make them easier to search for and identify among the sea of other trainings. If you're searching for a district training, typing HCS first will help weed out other districts. You can also use the calendar icon in the upper righthand corner to search for PD by day.
Check out the steps below to register for a course for the first time.
Please follow the instructions below for your first log-in:
Please follow the instructions below for your first log-in:
Click the icon to the left, or go to alsde.truenorthlogic.com
First, click "Forgot Username"
(Check email for Username and copy it)
2. Then, click "Forgot Password"
(You'll be prompted to enter your username; if you have it copied, you can just paste)
3. Check email for Password.
4. Save Log-In information.
Once you've logged in, search for any courses that start with "HCS Chapman MS" or search by the calendar in the upper right corner of the homepage. Register for any Chapman courses you think you've attended. Make sure you click "Next" and continue on to a confirmation page.
Once you've logged in, search for any courses that start with "HCS Chapman MS" or search by the calendar in the upper right corner of the homepage. Register for any Chapman courses you think you've attended. Make sure you click "Next" and continue on to a confirmation page.
Click REGISTER for any HCS Chapman MS Course
Click REGISTER for any HCS Chapman MS Course
Be sure to click "Next" to progress to the confirmation page.
Be sure to click "Next" to progress to the confirmation page.
Look out for a "Congratulations" confirmation page.
Look out for a "Congratulations" confirmation page.
That's it for this week's edition. I hope you have a fantastic week of teaching and learning! See you next week!
That's it for this week's edition. I hope you have a fantastic week of teaching and learning! See you next week!
Office Hours and Contact Info
Office Hours and Contact Info
You can see my calendar below. Whenever you need me, I will make time for you! It will be updated with appointments as they're scheduled. I have tentatively schedule office hours in the morning and the afternoon, when I plan to host virtual meetings for issues that require some real time conversation or face time. However, please don't hesitate to contact me any time you need help.
Google Voice# 256-203-6529
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