ONLINE LEARNING: Should you or should you?

I found this on a site which showcases different kinds of info-graphics.
Short and succinct, it might be helpful if you are thinking about online learning for yourself or your kids.

A re-post

It's exam week.

There's all types of questions this week: multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching. But the weight of exams in the way my students are assessed and graded are small, almost insignificant. It's the essays and projects and journal entries; and the "reporting" (where each child gets a chance to be teacher for one session, and it is up to them to teach the class a certain topic) that count, because how they explain it will tell me if they understood. If they understood, and can relay it to their classmates, and can apply it to everything else - that is what counts. The more creative the presentation (one student presented his topic - oceanic island habitats - as though it was a tour. He was the pilot, and all of us were passengers and he explained the islands as we "passed over them in his tour plane"), the better.

Admittedly, we give them tests just so that they know how to take them. We do not focus on the exams, or make a big deal out of them, really. Interesting thing, though. They took a standardized test at the end of the year and, wouldn't you know it, all of them rated "above average" and "excellent" and there was even one or two "superiors."

I am glad and flattered and relieved that the teachers at my school are allowed to let the children lead; and that our jobs do not depend on how well the child will do on a standardized test.

The kids at our little school may not have memorized all the capital cities of the world; or the dates when the world's events happened; but they can tell you the similarities and differences between religions and cultures; and how we are all different, and yet, all the same. They may not be very good at computing percents and decimals; but they can tell you, from first hand experience, about social entrepreneurship. And the oldest one of them turned 12 two weeks ago.

I came across this post, from Teacher Tom (whose blog is in my Google Reader):

A must read for teachers, for parents, for standardized testing supporters.

Teacher Tom: This Is What We Are Up Against




We may be in a different place than Matt Damon and Teacher Tom; but the troubles of education are the same.

Eco-words and practices

There are a lot of fun and interesting eco-words that have been popping up on the internet for a few years now: My Favorites are:
1. Repurposing, or using an item other than it's original purpose.
and
2. Upcycling, which is "the practice of taking something that is disposable and transforming it into something of greater use and value." (www.thefreedictionary.com)


This is something we practice at our school, where the kids and teachers bring in paper and newspapers from home, empty containers, and restaurant take-out cups (lots of them).  

• Empty containers (yogurt, cheese, peanut butter jars, ice cream containers in funky shapes) are often re-used as storage; although we have, on occasion, used them as palettes, or water bowls for painting.  We have also used them as molds for making candles.  Larger containers are sometimes used as prep trays, where we put materials that we are going to use for a particular class.  They have also been up-cycled (using glue and colored tissue) as pencil-holders, eraser holders. Oh, those Chillz cups with the dome cover? we have one currently in use as the writing prompt holder (also works as Pictionary prompts).  We shake the cup and pull one prompt out of the hole at the top.    
• Bottle caps of water and juice bottles make excellent bases for little sculptures.  We used some to make our totems/avatars out of plaster of Paris strips; and then we use them as game pieces.
• Egg Cartons are best for sorting activities, although one dad made a little school bus out of an egg carton once.
• Small sortable items like empty pen caps, odd beads, small toys from birthday party loot bags.  Keep them in a big container, then use them for sorting activities or to teach place value (in the lower grades we do this for math).
• Fabric scrap, or textured scrap (like sandpaper, wall paper swatches) make for interesting stamping or painting tools.  As do old pre-paid load cards.
• Old combs for adding texture to clay.
• Styrofoam containers and trays make great stamps (use bottle caps as a base)
• small baby cologne bottles can be used as squeeze containers, when the kids are using "special" mixes like paint and soap (it's nice and runny, very Jackson Pollock); glue and food coloring.  Baby powder bottles are excellent pretend salt and pepper shakers.

When the empties are not in use, and sit on the shelf, we can always use them to play grocery-grocery as Teacher Tom did.  My toddler niece loved the grocery-then-cooking-then-pretend picnic game; and couldn't have cared less whether she was using the commercial, store-bought kitchen toys or the upcycled, repurposed pretend ones.  The big kids at school sometimes look at a piece of recyclable - the odder, the better - and dream up things that can be done with them.

Go ahead, try it (Be sure you wash everything out before you use them).

Enjoy!

Unscheduled post number 2

Just my luck, a sick day is also a DepEd-cancelled class day.

Teacher Perk number 14: DepEd cancels classes when the weather is bad...

Of course, most of us use the day to either do errands or catch up.  Even if we wanted to sleep all day, when an idea for class hits you, you don't rest until you've written it out (or typed it up).  The class even plays itself out inside your head!


Rainy Day Things you can do by yourself (me-time for teacher) or with your kids.

• I was up very early today, and at this time I had already sent out all the rainy day online, off-campus work. Stumbled upon a site called 750 Words, which encourages you to write 750 words a day. It's very similar to Julia Cameron's Morning Pages in The Artists' Way, and if I'm not mistaken, that's what inspired it.  It's daunting, at first.  It gets easier after a few minutes, once you get into mind-dump mode.  It actually counts words. This is also the first site I've seen that includes statistics: like state of mind while writing, frequently used words, it even reminds me that I type, on the average, 21 words per minute. 
• Make something out of clay.  Make clay out of flour, water, salt.  A little oil makes it more malleable.  Flatten with a rolling pin (or wine bottle if that's what you have) before toasting in the oven.  Otherwise, it'll bubble up.  Paint; then coat with fixative or clear nail polish to make it nice and glossy.
• De-clutter.  Then give away stuff: Toys to friends or the Loyola Heights Toy Library.  Upcycle old clothes or turn them into Chinese jack stones (since you can't find those anymore).
• Clear out book shelf of books-you've-read-but-are-unattached-to.  Then swap with friends. 
• Bake. I try to. I fail, but I try. 
• Upcycle magazines.  I have these magazines that have the kind of art I like, and the paper (thickness, texture, matte-ness) is great.  After I read the useful and informative articles, I take a metal ruler and line it up against the spine, and use a cutter (regular box cutter with an adjustable blade to cut the spine out.  Just keep the cutter blade lat against the ruler, and cut in light long strokes, over and over, until the blade runs smoothly against the ruler and the friction is gone.
• I fold the magazine into envelopes, or make scratch paper sketch pads with the some of the pages.  Luckily, this magazine uses a light-colored font.  I draw right on the page even when there is type on them.
• You can make your gift bags out of them, too.
• Read and Roll! 
• Read a story, then roll one with your kids. You start, then they add.  At school our rolling story circle only has 1 rule: Nobody dies before 2 rounds are completed.
• If you have a Filipino-language challenged learner, the rolling story (in Filipino, or any other language they're learning) makes for a good review tool.  It encourages the child to think in the particular language.  You can translate as you go along, too.  When we did this in the first week of school, the kids asked to do a second story!

Flashback!

 

I found remnants of my first and only adventure teaching art at a traditional school, where I had started the high school art program.  I finished my contractual obligations, then I left; and never looked back. 

These were backdrops for a party, or a soiree, or something. Concept and some execution by the Art Club. The photos are by Mary Anne, who was a high school junior at the time.  Taken in the second semester, SY 2004 - 2005.

 

I hated that school.  Wearing the uniform and withstanding a department head that knew little about the subjects in his department was only worth it because I got to stand in front of eager, interested faces (some of them were, anyway), and talk about drawing, and colors, and the Renaissance.

Off Campus Reading List

Part of the Blended Learning curriculum, are off - campus supplement work.  Even the teachers do this. Since today is a non-working holiday, I'm catching up on a lot of reading, via Google reader, where I store a few blog subscriptions.

Here are my most-read and must-read.

• Imaginative Bloom - great visuals, great stories about people who hand-make; the independent craft makers and sellers.  It makes me want to make stuff.
• Cut out and Keep - Again, handmade heaven! And this site teaches you how.
• Peppercliff - like minded teacher keeps blog.  Shameless, shameless plug.
• Teacher Tales - Like minded pre-school teacher. Another Shameless plug.
• Moonlight Chronicles - From the author of Radical Simplicity.  The articles are a bit old, but I never tire of reading them and looking at his drawings.

• RePlayground - Easy and cheap how-tos
• Design Sponge - when my interior-design-consultant past comes back to remind me of good design.
• The Art of Nonconformity - You already know most of what is written here, but often forget it as you go through the frustrations of have to as opposed to want to; when you want to strangle that salesperson. Chris Guillebeau's posts are short and underwritten, yet packs that punch that you want.  You'll keep re-reading until your day is all better. 

• Ben Does Life - He's funny, he's inspiring. Best when read in the morning, right before or right after you look at Marc Johns artwork.
• Marc Johns - see Ben Does Life
• Danny Gregory and Nina Johansson - The sites that got me drawing again.  You'll want to start after you see them.
• The Hero Handbook - the name speaks for itself, yeah?
• Pinoy Weekend Warrior - Possibly the coolest, nicest, kindest person I have ever met.  The kind of person who embodies heroic attributes; a hero if I ever saw one. A good writer, to boot.  The blog isn't regularly updated, but when he does update, the posts are nice and lengthy.

Hopefully there are some good reads there for you as well. The weather is just right for a reading day, isn't it?

Routine Week

By Monday all the Mise en place was done, teaching materials bought, cut, personalized, signs and labels written, schedules set.  At least 2 weeks in advance.

And on Tuesday we met our students.  

We spent the first day laying down the schedule, the routine, designing name plates for each cubby hole. In the big kids' class (9 - 10 year olds) we wrote out the rules.  For each of the values we will learn, the students were asked to come up with a rule; written without the words, "Do not" and "never" and "no."  We call it THE CODE.

The values are: Peace, Spirit-lifting; Generosity; Persistence; Humility; Courage; Innovation; Responsibility; Concentration; and Ecological awareness.

And here is the code as the kids define them.

1. Keep [the environment] clean and all the inhabitants.

(Ecological awareness)

2. Think of other ways to solve a problem. (Innovation)

3. Keep on trying. (Persistence)

4. Practice quiet pride. (Humility)

5. Do a good job! (Responsibility. Not the enthusiastic punctuation mark)

6. Try something you've never done before. (Courage)  

7. Focus (Concentration)

8. Help other people, and they may help you! (Generosity)

Earlier, it was announced that there are only 2 absolutely unacceptable, non-negotiable behavior: Violence towards others; and Disrespect (Peace and Spirit-lifting)

Everyone agreed, and signed.

Reading through the list again, rules written in this manner appears easier to follow and is even encouraging. 

If only all rules were written as such.

It makes me look forward to teaching (and learning) from the kids.

Welcome back, Teachers

Teacher Ria at The Accidental Teacher wrote a post on the benefits of becoming a teacher.  I thought I'd add to her list a bit, since today is, generally, the first day of school.  Some schools started last week, but you'll know so much more schools are starting today from the difference in traffic and the difficulty of catching a jeep that isn't full.


Teachers, let's remind ourselves, as we should at the beginning of each school year, of all that is great about being a teacher.

1. Watching the students' faces light up when they get what the topic is about.
2. The accomplishments! Their accomplishments are yours as well.
3. Knowing that you had a lot to do with the positive change in your student, even if most of the time you will not get the credit.
4. You have a good excuse to buy more nice notebooks and pens.  
5. You get to test all the games and toys you will be using for teaching.
6. Getting into that creative groove as you make handmade signs, badges, labels for your classroom
7. Planning and going on field trips, and doing recon (or ocular inspections) before the class takes the trip. 
8. Receiving portraits of yourself, done by your students (this is especially true for art teachers);  and having a nice, warm chuckle as you look at yourself in clothes and accessories that you've never actually worn before. 
9. Flattering messages from parents, with anecdotes of their kids (your students) doing something at home - something you taught them.
10. Despite the countless movies and books about teachers, you know that the only people who'll really get what it's like to be one are other teachers themselves.
11. You make at least one difference a day, 5 days a week, from June to March.  Year-round if you teach in the summer also.  
12. Teachers are regarded as social and economic equals of doctors and lawyers. In Finland, anyway (Coyle, D. The Talent Code).  But, hey, if it can happen there, it can happen here.
13. Everyone else gets older, and you never do.

I'll leave it at 13, for now; as there are a few lessons yet to be planned.
There will be no "not-great" things about teaching.  We all know what they are, and we will teach in spite of them, so no point in making that list.

Have a good year!