Tracey+Early+Adopter

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust your planner But make allowance for the unexpected too;
 * If you can keep your syllabus when all about you

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Test and Lab and Online Homework And treat those challenges just the same;

If you can Instagram friends and keep your schedule, Or walk with Robots—nor lose your GPA, If neither foes nor loving friends can Distract you, If all men learn with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a learner, my son! ||

[[image:Destination Postcard TJensen.jpg width="800" height="449"]]Early Adopter: Inquiry & Design Challenge
Destination Postcard: 

Name:
 * Campus: Stratford High School
 * Grade Level(s): 10-12
 * Discipline: Physics
 * Topic:
 * Draft a focus question and subquestions, that include student learning, and be prepared to revise these throughout the challenge
 * FOCUS QUESTION: How will I model, monitor and assess to see if students are wisely using time provided in class by watching vidoes and doing research based work at home?
 * FOCUS QUESTION:What opportunities does offering the vidoes at home affect the redistribution of class time?
 *  How do we schedule labs?
 * How do we evaluate productive class time? Or do I even try?
 * How do I teach budeting their time?
 * Search for existing resources (articles, websites, blogs, videos, etc.) - post below and be sure to add them to your campus Diigo
 * Jigsaw notetaking and sharing of resources
 * Individually, design a student resource, activity type, or project to try in the classroom over the next month to test. Then, get feedback from partners.
 * Try out resource, activity type, or project during the month(s), documenting plan, process, execution and reflection and collect student work samples.
 * Focus Question:How does offering vidoes to watch at home Can students find the information they need to study AP Physics and know HOW to study and learn
 * Focus Question:How does offering vidoes to watch at home Can students find the information they need to study AP Physics and know HOW to study and learn


 * An Opportunity in Overalls**

How is your journey like that of a storyteller? Of a researcher?
 * Many things have changed this year.
 * I have had the opportunity to shift every unit what my students do.
 * First, the kids must be trained in how to think for themselves.
 * They must be trained in how to work and dig out the information themselves.
 * They must be trained in time and resource management.
 * They have to have some sort of motivation. Grades are only one motivator - but it is NOT a good one!
 * The kids don't like change - they really, really
 * Excellent idea from a colleague: Give labs worth different points. 2 simpler labs may be worth the same as 1 difficult lab. This would differentiate the 11th graders from the 12th graders - or intrinsically motivated from grade motivated
 * Failure has been a major part of our journey.
 * Each unit, I have researched what has worked with each different type of student. So many have asked if we could'just do this like last year'. I have had to seriously consider and reconsider each change.

What question did you start out to find answer(s) to?


 * What tweaks, edits, modifications have you made to your focus question?
 * I have changed the question. I do not think them watching videos is as important as how can I get them to take responsibility for what they are learning and start researching for themselves. I have created class videos they may choose to watch or they can watch the GPB videos or they can get the information from the text or online
 * How can I get the STUDENTS to WANT to learn?
 * How can I differentiate to make learning a desire - not a must?
 * What question(s) remain?
 * Do they really NEED to watch the videos OR read the book? Is one better than the other?
 * How in the world am I going to do this with 1/2 of my class having never taken physics before?
 * What new questions have surfaced as a result of your exploration this far?
 * What is really essential for them to do? How can I pare down the assignments while satisfying the state/district requirements?
 * What new questions have surfaced as a result of your exploration this far?
 * What is really essential for them to do? How can I pare down the assignments while satisfying the state/district requirements?

As a researcher:

What are you measuring? Blog comments are being counted as homework. The blogs have related directly to the videos.
 * What patterns are surfacing?
 * They hate the blogs
 * The questions tended to be shallow or even 'ditto'
 * The do not do them until the last minute or even past do.
 * 2nd Semester:
 * Senioritis is about to become more and more of an issue - how do keep the momentum?
 * Some students are finally shifting their focus - esp the younger ones who have not been accepted to college
 * My weaker students are improving their skills - while my stronger students are starting to slack off
 * I must not be challenging my stronger students and need to do something different.
 * What themes are emerging?
 * They need a purpose to do anything that directly relates to a test......Not sure what to do.
 * Testing is important but informal assessments are essential
 * What does your data suggest?
 * I need to make sure everything they do is streamlined
 * Everything must be focused on solving problems
 * I need to make sure everything they do is streamlined
 * Everything must be focused on solving problems

As a learner:


 * Where have you allowed yourself to be vulnerable in this process?
 * How are you allowing yourself, your professional learning to be 'seen'?
 * In what way(s) have you found the courage to be 'imperfect'?
 * What //a-ha!// moments, elements of a 'spiritual awakening'/"breakdown" have you experienced? What might these insights suggested to you?

What story is unfolding from your research?


 * (//just bullet point notes for now//)

> Resources:
 * Activity: Created a blog: AP Physics Blog