Wednesday, August 22, 2012
BWBL Field Construction, Side Note
One of my favorite parts about building our
field is talking to neighbors and kids and seeing how interested they
are in us fixing the place up, and in the possibility of playing
Wiffle(R) ball! Overheard today, in reference to Jim Hummer: "I don't
care if he's a teacher -- I'm just glad they are fixing up the place."
This was not said by an adult, but rather a teenage girl -- way to go,
unknown teenage girl!
BWBL Field Construction, Day 3
August 22, 2012
The third day was a very productive day. We were able to at least start all of our holes with the auger, and were able to finalize 20 of them (only 14 more to go)!
The day began around 8 am and didn't end until almost 9:30 pm.
We picked up all of our plywood for the outfield fence, as well as the remainder of the posts for the fencing and a few extra to support the center field seating area! We also purchased 83 more bags of concrete -- this should be enough to cover the entire outfield fencing.
Thanks to: Matthew Morgan, Fred Gunn Jr., Eric Negron, Angelo Marino, Jim Hummer, Kim Ava Hirel, Kelly Chamberlain, TJ Hannon, Christina Neishell, Andy Peck, and my Mom and Dad for a great day of work at the new field!
The third day was a very productive day. We were able to at least start all of our holes with the auger, and were able to finalize 20 of them (only 14 more to go)!
The day began around 8 am and didn't end until almost 9:30 pm.
We picked up all of our plywood for the outfield fence, as well as the remainder of the posts for the fencing and a few extra to support the center field seating area! We also purchased 83 more bags of concrete -- this should be enough to cover the entire outfield fencing.
Thanks to: Matthew Morgan, Fred Gunn Jr., Eric Negron, Angelo Marino, Jim Hummer, Kim Ava Hirel, Kelly Chamberlain, TJ Hannon, Christina Neishell, Andy Peck, and my Mom and Dad for a great day of work at the new field!
BWBL Field Construction, Day 2
*NOTE: This posting is being done one day after the fact, but the thoughts are still fresh.
August 21, 2012
Day 2 of BWBL field construction brought on more hole digging and post placing, but not before a little furry friend recovery. Matt was able to pull a baby rabbit from one of the poles, and the little one scampered off to freedom shortly thereafter. We were able to get all of the 16-foot beams in place, as well as the first eight-foot pole. The eight-footers will eventually be a four-foot ball from left center all the way around to the right field foul line.
The day began at 7:45 am and ended around 8:30 pm.
Additionally, we were able to line out the where the fence will go for the entire field, so things are getting done!
Thanks to Matthew Morgan, Fred Gunn Jr., TJ Hannon, Chris Anthony, birthday boy John Mooney, Kyle Fedor, Andy Peck, Christina Neishell, and my Mom and Dad for the help and support today!
August 21, 2012
Day 2 of BWBL field construction brought on more hole digging and post placing, but not before a little furry friend recovery. Matt was able to pull a baby rabbit from one of the poles, and the little one scampered off to freedom shortly thereafter. We were able to get all of the 16-foot beams in place, as well as the first eight-foot pole. The eight-footers will eventually be a four-foot ball from left center all the way around to the right field foul line.
The day began at 7:45 am and ended around 8:30 pm.
Additionally, we were able to line out the where the fence will go for the entire field, so things are getting done!
Thanks to Matthew Morgan, Fred Gunn Jr., TJ Hannon, Chris Anthony, birthday boy John Mooney, Kyle Fedor, Andy Peck, Christina Neishell, and my Mom and Dad for the help and support today!
BWBL Field Construction, Day 1
*NOTE: This posting is being done two days after the fact, but the thoughts are still fresh.
August 20, 2012
Today was the first day of field construction for what will be the new BWBL field, on the site of the former North End Little League field. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be transferring a no-longer-utilized piece of land into a great place for members of the City and surrounding community to have lots of fun!
The day began at 8 am and didn't wrap up until around 9 pm. Plenty of holes were dug (17, to be exact), and the first three posts were put in place. These posts started at the left field foul line and went toward center. Each of these, as well as the first 11 posts from the left field corner, are 16 foot beams. Eventually, this will be the formation of a 12-foot wall in left (yet to be named).
We bought 60 bags of 80 lb concrete today, as well as picked up the 16-foot beams, as well as 10 eight-foot beams.
Lots of people were able to help for various amounts of time throughout the day, including: Matthew Morgan, Fred Gunn Jr., TJ Hannon, Ryan Hart, Angelo Marino, Kyle Fedor, John Mooney, and my Dad.
Be sure to keep tuned to my blog for updates (hopefully on a daily basis)!
August 20, 2012
Today was the first day of field construction for what will be the new BWBL field, on the site of the former North End Little League field. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be transferring a no-longer-utilized piece of land into a great place for members of the City and surrounding community to have lots of fun!
The day began at 8 am and didn't wrap up until around 9 pm. Plenty of holes were dug (17, to be exact), and the first three posts were put in place. These posts started at the left field foul line and went toward center. Each of these, as well as the first 11 posts from the left field corner, are 16 foot beams. Eventually, this will be the formation of a 12-foot wall in left (yet to be named).
We bought 60 bags of 80 lb concrete today, as well as picked up the 16-foot beams, as well as 10 eight-foot beams.
Lots of people were able to help for various amounts of time throughout the day, including: Matthew Morgan, Fred Gunn Jr., TJ Hannon, Ryan Hart, Angelo Marino, Kyle Fedor, John Mooney, and my Dad.
Be sure to keep tuned to my blog for updates (hopefully on a daily basis)!
Monday, June 11, 2012
How Technology Standards Can Be Implemented with Project-Based Learning
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has developed standards for educators to use in their classrooms to help guide instruction into the 21st century. By utilizing Web 2.0 applications, educators can help their students reach these standards through the use of communication, collaboration, and publishing tools.
Communication tools like chat rooms, VOIPs, discussion boards, social bookmarking, and blogging are great ways to reach several of the ISTE standards, namely Standard 1 (Creativity and Innovation), Standard 2 (Communication and Collaboration), and Standard 5 (Digital Citizenship). When students work in teams and utilize communication tools, they are able to come up with creative ways to plan out projects and group activities. While talking with each other using these devices, they get to discuss and communicate their thoughts, ideas, and opinions, all while showing respect and courtesy for those involved in their group and in their discussion. The same skills that are used in the classroom can be done using Web 2.0 tools like Today's Meet, WiZiQ, or Edmodo.
Collaboration is done through communication, but it can also be done using other Web 2.0 resources to share student work. Wikis are a great way to post and then edit work together to produce a group project. Each student has the ability to have their own input into the work, and it is done for all to see via the wiki. Standards 1 and 2 are well-represented with collaborative Web 2.0 technology, but collaboration also hits heavily upon Standard 3 (Research and Information Fluency) and Standard 4 (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making). To work together and complete a class project, students must learn how to gather valuable information and to place it appropriately into the wiki or a Google Doc. After information is gathered, the students must work together to decide which information is most important to their project and which information should be altered, or perhaps removed altogether. Google Docs, Edmodo, and Wikispaces are great examples of how students can put collaborative technology to work.
Perhaps the most enjoyable for the students, and easiest to connect to standards, are publishing tools. Pod- and vodcasting, digital storytelling, and multimedia publishing tools allow the creativity of our students to flow freely, while allowing them a medium to explain all that they have learned. This type of technology really hits on all six standards very well. The publication of a project is really putting all of the previously discussed elements together to make one (or perhaps even more than one) great presentation for all to see. By incorporating technology, students then not only have the opportunity to share their project with their classmates, teachers, and parents, but they can share it with family and friends (and even strangers) all around the world! Animoto, Wix, VoiceThread, Prezi, and Zooburst are just some of the wonderful publishing tools available for classroom use, many little or not cost.
The advent of technology standards is something that can really benefit our teaching, but more importantly, our students. Web 2.0 tools help make things more engaging for our students, all while teaching many of the same concepts that used to be taught the "old fashioned way" -- without computers and interactive boards. In today's culture, hands-on, interactive, (and yes, electronic) tools are great ways to impact student learning. With communication, collaboration, and publishing technologies, we can tap into each students creativity and potential for success in the developing world of project-based learning.
Sources:
"NETS for Students 2007" - International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx
"NETS for Students 2007 Profiles" -International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-for-students-2007-profiles.aspx
Communication tools like chat rooms, VOIPs, discussion boards, social bookmarking, and blogging are great ways to reach several of the ISTE standards, namely Standard 1 (Creativity and Innovation), Standard 2 (Communication and Collaboration), and Standard 5 (Digital Citizenship). When students work in teams and utilize communication tools, they are able to come up with creative ways to plan out projects and group activities. While talking with each other using these devices, they get to discuss and communicate their thoughts, ideas, and opinions, all while showing respect and courtesy for those involved in their group and in their discussion. The same skills that are used in the classroom can be done using Web 2.0 tools like Today's Meet, WiZiQ, or Edmodo.
Collaboration is done through communication, but it can also be done using other Web 2.0 resources to share student work. Wikis are a great way to post and then edit work together to produce a group project. Each student has the ability to have their own input into the work, and it is done for all to see via the wiki. Standards 1 and 2 are well-represented with collaborative Web 2.0 technology, but collaboration also hits heavily upon Standard 3 (Research and Information Fluency) and Standard 4 (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making). To work together and complete a class project, students must learn how to gather valuable information and to place it appropriately into the wiki or a Google Doc. After information is gathered, the students must work together to decide which information is most important to their project and which information should be altered, or perhaps removed altogether. Google Docs, Edmodo, and Wikispaces are great examples of how students can put collaborative technology to work.
Perhaps the most enjoyable for the students, and easiest to connect to standards, are publishing tools. Pod- and vodcasting, digital storytelling, and multimedia publishing tools allow the creativity of our students to flow freely, while allowing them a medium to explain all that they have learned. This type of technology really hits on all six standards very well. The publication of a project is really putting all of the previously discussed elements together to make one (or perhaps even more than one) great presentation for all to see. By incorporating technology, students then not only have the opportunity to share their project with their classmates, teachers, and parents, but they can share it with family and friends (and even strangers) all around the world! Animoto, Wix, VoiceThread, Prezi, and Zooburst are just some of the wonderful publishing tools available for classroom use, many little or not cost.
The advent of technology standards is something that can really benefit our teaching, but more importantly, our students. Web 2.0 tools help make things more engaging for our students, all while teaching many of the same concepts that used to be taught the "old fashioned way" -- without computers and interactive boards. In today's culture, hands-on, interactive, (and yes, electronic) tools are great ways to impact student learning. With communication, collaboration, and publishing technologies, we can tap into each students creativity and potential for success in the developing world of project-based learning.
Sources:
"NETS for Students 2007" - International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-student-standards-2007.aspx
"NETS for Students 2007 Profiles" -International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students/nets-for-students-2007-profiles.aspx
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Project-Based Learning: An Introduction
We have all thought about how we can better teach concepts to our students so that they will not only retain enough information for a test, but so they will be interested in the material and use it as a real-world learning step. With project-based learning, we can do just that.
Newsome Park Elementary School works with students in thematic units that are not just cookie-cutter units, but units that apply to their own lives. Students learn all about works, cystic fibrosis (a student at their school has CF), and how to run a business (http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms). At Mountlake Terrace High School, Geometry students finish off the year by planning a school for the year 2050 (http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects). Prior to retirement, Fran Koontz worked with her third-graders at Rockledge Elementary school to track migration patterns of monarch butterflies and solve "mystery classroom" locations based upon sunrise and sunset times (http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs).
All of these examples from www.edutopia.org show project-based learning succeeding, usually with students who previously had trouble with more traditional teaching methods. Each different project featured: personal and social responsibility; planning, reasoning, analyzing, and creativity; increased communication skills; decision-making skills; and appropriate use of technology.
In addition to all of the above, project-based learning also encourages active research, cross-age communication, and independent learning. Students have the desire to learn more and gather more information, rather than them being "forced." Teachers and students get to interact on a more individual level to achieve student success. Students are permitted to think "outside the box," rather than just conforming to what the teacher wants them to "learn." When students are interested and engaged in their own learning, they actually want to learn -- they yearn to learn!
All three of these projects are wonderful examples of project-based learning at its finest. There is collaboration - both between students and between students and teachers (and community members) - the kind that simply cannot be achieved through pencil-and-paper learning. Students get to use real-world communication and presentation skills, but what is more impressive is how interested they are in being at school and learning. With some time, a lot of effort, and more funding, this kind of learning can be brought back to our classrooms. Remember, all things are cyclical!
To complete my discussion, I just wanted to make three brief points that helped make these project-based learning examples a success:
Sources:
"More Fun Than a Barrel of . . . Worms?!" - Diane Curtis, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms
"Geometry Students Angle into Architecture Through Project Learning" - Sara Armstrong, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects
"March of the Monarchs: Students Follow the Butterflies' Migration"
- Diane Curtis, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs
Newsome Park Elementary School works with students in thematic units that are not just cookie-cutter units, but units that apply to their own lives. Students learn all about works, cystic fibrosis (a student at their school has CF), and how to run a business (http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms). At Mountlake Terrace High School, Geometry students finish off the year by planning a school for the year 2050 (http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects). Prior to retirement, Fran Koontz worked with her third-graders at Rockledge Elementary school to track migration patterns of monarch butterflies and solve "mystery classroom" locations based upon sunrise and sunset times (http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs).
All of these examples from www.edutopia.org show project-based learning succeeding, usually with students who previously had trouble with more traditional teaching methods. Each different project featured: personal and social responsibility; planning, reasoning, analyzing, and creativity; increased communication skills; decision-making skills; and appropriate use of technology.
In addition to all of the above, project-based learning also encourages active research, cross-age communication, and independent learning. Students have the desire to learn more and gather more information, rather than them being "forced." Teachers and students get to interact on a more individual level to achieve student success. Students are permitted to think "outside the box," rather than just conforming to what the teacher wants them to "learn." When students are interested and engaged in their own learning, they actually want to learn -- they yearn to learn!
All three of these projects are wonderful examples of project-based learning at its finest. There is collaboration - both between students and between students and teachers (and community members) - the kind that simply cannot be achieved through pencil-and-paper learning. Students get to use real-world communication and presentation skills, but what is more impressive is how interested they are in being at school and learning. With some time, a lot of effort, and more funding, this kind of learning can be brought back to our classrooms. Remember, all things are cyclical!
To complete my discussion, I just wanted to make three brief points that helped make these project-based learning examples a success:
- Small class size - Each of the classes presented in the videos appeared to be no larger than 20. With the increase in class sizes in many districts today, this can make these takes more challenging for the teacher, but not impossible. It depends on ...
- Teacher buy-in - As with any new approach, the administration and classroom teachers need to buy-in to project-based learning. If teachers aren't willing to break out of their old mold and try something new, it cannot be successful. Adequate training and opportunity to and appreciation of mistakes and the ability to learn from them are key to making project-based learning a success.
- Budgetary cooperation - In today's economy, it is often hard to be able to successful back new program ideas well enough to ensure their success. The worst thing that could be done is to agree to have new and improved educational ideas but not give them the funding needed. Districts around the country (and most of the world, for that matter) are faced with decreasing funding for education. If we are to become the educated and successful society that we all hope for, education has to be placed back in a position of priority when the time comes to draft and approve the yearly budget.
Sources:
"More Fun Than a Barrel of . . . Worms?!" - Diane Curtis, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/more-fun-barrel-worms
"Geometry Students Angle into Architecture Through Project Learning" - Sara Armstrong, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/geometry-real-world-students-architects
"March of the Monarchs: Students Follow the Butterflies' Migration"
- Diane Curtis, Edutopia
http://www.edutopia.org/march-monarchs
Friday, December 9, 2011
One Approach Does NOT Fit All
I will be the first to admit -- when I started teaching, I taught the way I had been taught - memorization, discipline, and intrinsic motivation were all MAJOR parts of my approach. Guess what? It's not that simple!
In this day and age, students are not little drones who can sit at a desk for five to six hours a day and stay focused on whatever task we put in front of them. They need to be involved, engaged, and in a way, entertained throughout the day or mischief finds a home.
Students today enjoy working in collaborative groups, and when monitored properly, they usually benefit from this approach. And then, there are days like yesterday.
Yesterday, I was demonstrating to my Science classes how, as water warms, it rises (the same thing happens with air, but that was for the next discussion). With our wonderful hands-on kits, the students are to work in groups to perform many of the experiments and investigations. This particular investigation required students to work together with cold, colored water, room temperature water, and hot water (about 60 degrees Celsius). Working on this project with 25 fifth-graders who all want to participate, and participate without haste, can be a challenging thing.
As much as I feel the students get out of working in cooperative groups, this particular activity was just not working as well as the publishers or I had planned. The students were eager to get started and poured the different liquids a little too quickly to see the proper results.
This was a case of their growing interest in Science being of detriment, as this particular investigation required a steady hand and a patient mind. On 12/8, my students didn't seem to have either.
Enter today's presentation.
One of the classes didn't meet yesterday, due to an assembly. I took advantage of yesterday's two classroom experiences to demonstrate this particular investigation to the entire class, rather than students working in pairs. I still utilized student help (they LOVE to help with experiments and investigations), so some were able to benefit from that experience. All were able to benefit from the results that patience and a steady hand provided.
The morals of today's post? What worked in the past might not work in the present. What worked with one group of students might not work with another. What worked with one group of students on one particular day might not work with the same group of students on another day.
Fifth-graders are people, just like the rest of us. They have good days and they have bad days. They have days where they are totally into the presentation, and days where they wish they were somewhere, anywhere but the classroom. There are days that you have to adapt your instruction on the fly to help reach the most students you can on that particular day.
And that's what makes this job so challenging. And that's what makes this job worth every minute of it all.
In this day and age, students are not little drones who can sit at a desk for five to six hours a day and stay focused on whatever task we put in front of them. They need to be involved, engaged, and in a way, entertained throughout the day or mischief finds a home.
Students today enjoy working in collaborative groups, and when monitored properly, they usually benefit from this approach. And then, there are days like yesterday.
Yesterday, I was demonstrating to my Science classes how, as water warms, it rises (the same thing happens with air, but that was for the next discussion). With our wonderful hands-on kits, the students are to work in groups to perform many of the experiments and investigations. This particular investigation required students to work together with cold, colored water, room temperature water, and hot water (about 60 degrees Celsius). Working on this project with 25 fifth-graders who all want to participate, and participate without haste, can be a challenging thing.
As much as I feel the students get out of working in cooperative groups, this particular activity was just not working as well as the publishers or I had planned. The students were eager to get started and poured the different liquids a little too quickly to see the proper results.
This was a case of their growing interest in Science being of detriment, as this particular investigation required a steady hand and a patient mind. On 12/8, my students didn't seem to have either.
Enter today's presentation.
One of the classes didn't meet yesterday, due to an assembly. I took advantage of yesterday's two classroom experiences to demonstrate this particular investigation to the entire class, rather than students working in pairs. I still utilized student help (they LOVE to help with experiments and investigations), so some were able to benefit from that experience. All were able to benefit from the results that patience and a steady hand provided.
The morals of today's post? What worked in the past might not work in the present. What worked with one group of students might not work with another. What worked with one group of students on one particular day might not work with the same group of students on another day.
Fifth-graders are people, just like the rest of us. They have good days and they have bad days. They have days where they are totally into the presentation, and days where they wish they were somewhere, anywhere but the classroom. There are days that you have to adapt your instruction on the fly to help reach the most students you can on that particular day.
And that's what makes this job so challenging. And that's what makes this job worth every minute of it all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)