Today I used QR codes in the classroom and it went really well. For those of you that don't know what qr codes are they are this and they are used on many products and by all sorts of different businesses. They are a great way to share information without having to type the link into a computer, or in my case, instead of printing multiple copies of items for my class.
We are studying the Cold War, and I wanted my students to have color images, and we have no color printers/copiers in my building, so I decided I would use the technology in their pockets. I created a few quotes as well as some pictures and Youtube videos on the Cold War and different speeches. I also linked up primary sources to QR codes.
To create a QR code you can use Bitly. I pasted the link into Bitly, and then copied it. From there you can paste it into the toolbar and add .qr to the end of it. This creates your QR link. I then copied those onto a Google doc to not waste paper when printing!
Next, I wanted to make this into a fun scavenger hunt. I printed the QR codes and put them on construction paper. I then hung the construction paper all over the room. Let the games begin!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Are we afraid of the truth?
Today I. American History we had an amazing discussion from my bellringer. We are finishing up WWII and starting the Cold War. When the students came in the room I had on the board the saying
Are we afraid of the truth?
As always I let it sit with them while they yelled out their answers. Then came the discussing. This discussion became one of those great discussing days that last the whole hour and when the bell rings the students and I are shocked that the hour has passed.
It was amazing to have them asking questions of each other and of me. It was great to have the chance to challenge their thoughts and have them challenge each other.
The students brought up many examples from their personal lives where are you they wouldn't want to know the truth. We discussed these topics. Then we took it a step farther into history and government. We discussed how transparent the government should be. There were a variety of responses to this which was perfect.
Then I brought up the drones and patriot act. Since my students didn't really know about these they were shocked. It led to a great discussion about why they don't know and one of my bright students brought up that they all know what the Harlem Shake is, but they don't know about drone attacks. We talked about the google announcement that the Feds can get access to google search records, and I pulled up my google history. This led to a great discussion about digital citizenship.
Overall I was so proud of their discussion and it reaffirmed my belief that students can be mature enough for these types of discussions and they need chances to be challenged and to challenge others.
Are we afraid of the truth?
As always I let it sit with them while they yelled out their answers. Then came the discussing. This discussion became one of those great discussing days that last the whole hour and when the bell rings the students and I are shocked that the hour has passed.
It was amazing to have them asking questions of each other and of me. It was great to have the chance to challenge their thoughts and have them challenge each other.
The students brought up many examples from their personal lives where are you they wouldn't want to know the truth. We discussed these topics. Then we took it a step farther into history and government. We discussed how transparent the government should be. There were a variety of responses to this which was perfect.
Then I brought up the drones and patriot act. Since my students didn't really know about these they were shocked. It led to a great discussion about why they don't know and one of my bright students brought up that they all know what the Harlem Shake is, but they don't know about drone attacks. We talked about the google announcement that the Feds can get access to google search records, and I pulled up my google history. This led to a great discussion about digital citizenship.
Overall I was so proud of their discussion and it reaffirmed my belief that students can be mature enough for these types of discussions and they need chances to be challenged and to challenge others.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Fear of failing my students
I have been thinking about this blog post for some time. I didn't know how to start it, or how to say what I was thinking. I had written a few different openings, and then selected the whole thing to delete. I have decided it is most important to be honest.
I am scared of failing my students. I am scared that I am not preparing them for the future. I am scared that I don't have enough time with them to get them to be ready. The future is ever changing so how can we as teachers ever be sure that we are preparing the students?
I am trying to remember what happened to me in high school to prepare me to be a successful adult, and I am drawing a blank (it has been almost 15 years since I graduated...yikes).
Now, I know that I am trying. I know that I am not alone. I know that I am making progress. But I also want to let teachers know that they are not alone. I know some people are scared to incorporate new technology or to try new things in the classroom, like flipping their class, or giving more student control, so I want them to know it is ok to try and fail. It is better to try and fail, because then we are making our best attempt to prepare our students.
If we don't try new things, and continue to live in the bubble of "its what I have always done" then we can be sure we are failing our students. If we don't push ourselves out of our comfort zones, how can we expect our students to do the same?
When I get scared, I think of the times my students have made progress, big or small. I go through my saved emails from the students. I remember the times they drew their own conclusions that I would have never thought of. I look at the projects on the wall, both physical in my classroom and virtual walls, and reflect on how far they have come through the years. I think of the projects they chose to do that I would have never come up with, like the stop animation, sock puppets, songs etc.
When I get scared I remember I am doing my best. I go on twitter and find new ideas and share my concerns with my #PLN. I look for their advice. I look for their guidance.
When I get scared I make sure I remember to reflect. I go back and write about what I have done that has worked or hasn't worked. I figure out why it didn't work and I make adjustments. I blog. I share my concerns with my husband who is also and educator. I try to remember that their are skills that remain constant, and those are thinking and questioning skills that they can use forever. I also know that it is about the respect, trust and relationships the students build in the classroom, with fellow students and with me. Those relationship skills are important for their future, and can not be taught by a text book, but only with modeling.
When I get scared, I back up. I take a few moments, minutes, hours, days, to myself. I know that I can't be any service to my students if I burn out.
When I get scared, I don't give up. I don't say it is easier to hand out worksheets and book work and accept the status quo. I don't do this because then I will know that I have failed. When I stop growing I fail.
I am scared of failing my students. I am scared that I am not preparing them for the future. I am scared that I don't have enough time with them to get them to be ready. The future is ever changing so how can we as teachers ever be sure that we are preparing the students?
I am trying to remember what happened to me in high school to prepare me to be a successful adult, and I am drawing a blank (it has been almost 15 years since I graduated...yikes).
Now, I know that I am trying. I know that I am not alone. I know that I am making progress. But I also want to let teachers know that they are not alone. I know some people are scared to incorporate new technology or to try new things in the classroom, like flipping their class, or giving more student control, so I want them to know it is ok to try and fail. It is better to try and fail, because then we are making our best attempt to prepare our students.
If we don't try new things, and continue to live in the bubble of "its what I have always done" then we can be sure we are failing our students. If we don't push ourselves out of our comfort zones, how can we expect our students to do the same?
When I get scared, I think of the times my students have made progress, big or small. I go through my saved emails from the students. I remember the times they drew their own conclusions that I would have never thought of. I look at the projects on the wall, both physical in my classroom and virtual walls, and reflect on how far they have come through the years. I think of the projects they chose to do that I would have never come up with, like the stop animation, sock puppets, songs etc.
When I get scared I remember I am doing my best. I go on twitter and find new ideas and share my concerns with my #PLN. I look for their advice. I look for their guidance.
When I get scared I make sure I remember to reflect. I go back and write about what I have done that has worked or hasn't worked. I figure out why it didn't work and I make adjustments. I blog. I share my concerns with my husband who is also and educator. I try to remember that their are skills that remain constant, and those are thinking and questioning skills that they can use forever. I also know that it is about the respect, trust and relationships the students build in the classroom, with fellow students and with me. Those relationship skills are important for their future, and can not be taught by a text book, but only with modeling.
When I get scared, I back up. I take a few moments, minutes, hours, days, to myself. I know that I can't be any service to my students if I burn out.
When I get scared, I don't give up. I don't say it is easier to hand out worksheets and book work and accept the status quo. I don't do this because then I will know that I have failed. When I stop growing I fail.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Personal Finance Lessons
As I posted earlier, in Economics we have started our extremely important unit on personal finance. I wanted to share with you the youtube video that hits home the best with my students about paying off credit cards. This video is quick, but so effective. After watching my students were in shock, which ultimately was my goal.
My personal finance prezi has a link to this and many other great video clips. I usually take over a week to go through the whole prezi. It contains information on saving, budgeting, credit cards, credit score, identity theft, investments and retirement.
I also am having the students create their own video song parody's again for this unit. I did this last semester and it was a huge success. We published those videos to youtube. Here are some examples, like Give Me The Credit Boy, and Someday-Retirement Plans.
I also have found some great infographics that I am having the students analyze to learn more about the habits of Americans. I have posted these below.
New graduates guide to personal finance.
Infographic on saving money.
My personal finance prezi has a link to this and many other great video clips. I usually take over a week to go through the whole prezi. It contains information on saving, budgeting, credit cards, credit score, identity theft, investments and retirement.
I also am having the students create their own video song parody's again for this unit. I did this last semester and it was a huge success. We published those videos to youtube. Here are some examples, like Give Me The Credit Boy, and Someday-Retirement Plans.
I also have found some great infographics that I am having the students analyze to learn more about the habits of Americans. I have posted these below.
This is one about the personal finance lessons that the Simpsons teach.
Infographic on the state of Health Care in America.
A look at what healthcare procedures actually cost. 
Infographic on Student Loan Information
Infographic on American Spending Habits.
Infographic on parents talking personal finance with their kids.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Create your own "textbook"
For World War II I gave my students some essential questions and big ideas. I decided this year that instead of doing the traditional go through the battes we would be doing different activities. One of them will be for the students to create their own digital textbook. This can take on issues from the war that the students deem important as well as those from the essential questions. We are also doing a little competition where the best group will get a badge on Edmodo, for a little extra fun.
To start, we went through the EQ/BI and discussed the points. Then, we brainstormed what was wrong with textbooks today, for example point of view. Then in groups, the students brainstormed what they would want from a textbook.
Next up will be the research. The students are going to find primary sources, rewrite accounts, and find pictures and videos to include in their digital text. We are going to upload the PDF into Flipsnack for the finished product and share.
For the contest, we are going to tweet out the links and see who gets the most positive feedback on their product, from our class and others.
Listening to the groups today, I am very excited to see the finished product. The students were coming up with great ideas about different POV and different groups of people to get perspectives from, some that are never addressed in textbooks.
To start, we went through the EQ/BI and discussed the points. Then, we brainstormed what was wrong with textbooks today, for example point of view. Then in groups, the students brainstormed what they would want from a textbook.
Next up will be the research. The students are going to find primary sources, rewrite accounts, and find pictures and videos to include in their digital text. We are going to upload the PDF into Flipsnack for the finished product and share.
For the contest, we are going to tweet out the links and see who gets the most positive feedback on their product, from our class and others.
Listening to the groups today, I am very excited to see the finished product. The students were coming up with great ideas about different POV and different groups of people to get perspectives from, some that are never addressed in textbooks.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Teaching the Holocaust/Meaningful Experiences
This year I wanted to try something different when teaching the obviously important lessons of the Holocaust. I have been feeling that students are not getting the full feeling of it, since they have been taught it for so long. I had been thinking that they are desensitized to it, because of all the violence they see on a regular basis. Most of all, I think they are detached from it, since it is history.
So, I decided to contact the Illinois Holocaust Muesum to find out about getting a speaker. Now, at my school, we are not allowed to have field trips-importance of state testing all of that-so I couldn't bring them to the museum. We also are "too close" to the museum for them to send a speaker out. Enter technology.
Today we Skyped with Max Epstein, a survivor. I cannot even begin to describe the impact of his talk to us. This man took two hours of his day to discuss with my two different classes his time in WWII. He discussed being at the camps, he was at 7 different ones, and his time in the ghettos. But what was most influential, was his discussion on the lessons he learned. He spoke to my students about a SS guard who was nice to him, and helped him, and from this he learned never to judge people by their affiliations. This was such a powerful message for my high school students. They live in a world that is all about judgement. They are living in a world where bullying is running rampant. To hear this man say those words truly impacted my life, and the student's lives.
It was an incredible day. After the class, one of my students stuck around. She wanted to thank me for bringing such a moving experience to the class. She said she was so excited that she would be able to tell her children in the future that she was able to speak to a Holocaust survivor. She wanted to tell me how important his words were to him. I almost cried.
The world can be brought into the classroom. There are no limitations that can't be overcome. We, as teachers, have the power to bring in meaningful experiences. The kind that make your former students say "why didn't we do that when I was in your class" because each year you get better as a teacher. Mostly because each year they deserve more. The students deserve our best.
So, I decided to contact the Illinois Holocaust Muesum to find out about getting a speaker. Now, at my school, we are not allowed to have field trips-importance of state testing all of that-so I couldn't bring them to the museum. We also are "too close" to the museum for them to send a speaker out. Enter technology.
Today we Skyped with Max Epstein, a survivor. I cannot even begin to describe the impact of his talk to us. This man took two hours of his day to discuss with my two different classes his time in WWII. He discussed being at the camps, he was at 7 different ones, and his time in the ghettos. But what was most influential, was his discussion on the lessons he learned. He spoke to my students about a SS guard who was nice to him, and helped him, and from this he learned never to judge people by their affiliations. This was such a powerful message for my high school students. They live in a world that is all about judgement. They are living in a world where bullying is running rampant. To hear this man say those words truly impacted my life, and the student's lives.
It was an incredible day. After the class, one of my students stuck around. She wanted to thank me for bringing such a moving experience to the class. She said she was so excited that she would be able to tell her children in the future that she was able to speak to a Holocaust survivor. She wanted to tell me how important his words were to him. I almost cried.
The world can be brought into the classroom. There are no limitations that can't be overcome. We, as teachers, have the power to bring in meaningful experiences. The kind that make your former students say "why didn't we do that when I was in your class" because each year you get better as a teacher. Mostly because each year they deserve more. The students deserve our best.
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