Veronica-Teamwork

Early Adopter: Inquiry & Design Challenge
Destination Postcard:



Name: Veronica Evetts
 * =====Campus: Spring Branch Middle School =====
 * =====Grade Level(s): 7th and 8th =====
 * =====Discipline: Spanish =====
 * =====Topic: Having students document their learning throughout the year =====
 * =====Focus Question: What is the best, most effective way that students can document their learning so that they can see the growth they made during the year.=====


 * Walking the Walk
 * How are you prepared to //Walk the Walk// this year? How will your journey reflect //action research// ?
 * Please go to your personal learning journal page and respond to the following:
 * Identify your Goals & Objectives-I want to use the online resources to have students demonstrate their learning throughout the year so that they can reflect and see their growth.
 * What Obstacles/Problems do you anticipate? The main obstacles I see are time and access to technology.
 * What Strategies will you use to overcome these obstacles? Try to plan accordingly so as to waste as little as possible. Figure out who has technology available at home and what kind of technology. And then come up with a game plan to get those that do not have technology available.
 * What resources and materials will you share via our EA wiki and learning community? I am not sure...
 * Pre-assessment - //how will you determine the base-line of your students in your target area//?
 * How will you measure success? Make sure that all students have blogs that they are posting their learning to
 * How will you know if you have succeeded? Students will post the required info/assignments in their blogs and read/comment on fellow classmates' blogs.
 * What will you collect as evidence of success? blog addresses where I can visit blogs and read through and listen to student responses.

How is your journey like that of a storyteller? Of a researcher? My journey is like a storyteller because I have experiences that contribute to my way of thinking and how I view others and that affects the stories I share. I also hear what my students and colleagues share with me and that also influences what I share and how I go about trying to reach my students. My journey is like a researcher because I need to get to know my students and what they enjoy doing and how they learn best. I also need to look at the data from assessments and anecdotal records to see how I can better help them be successful. My journey is like a learner because I am learning. I know the very basics when it comes to technology and I need to learn what resources are available and which ones will better help my students. I need to learn how to let go of my control and let the students take control of their learning. I feel most vulnerable when I give up the control. Will they learn? Or will they just waste time? What will my assessment results be?
 * An Opportunity in Overalls**

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


 * What tweaks, edits, modifications have you made to your focus question? I need to move on to the next step in group work. My focus question was pretty direct and didn't leave much room for wiggle room.
 * I need to not just understand the different backgrounds of my students, but more importantly how their background affects their perceptions.
 * What tools can I employ my students with to help them step outside of "their bubble" and how do I do this? I need to let go and let the students run with it. It is hard to give up that control, but it is necessary for the students to gain new insights and experiences with what we are doing. I need to give them the time to work on the technology/projects so that they can learn more fully.
 * How can I best measure/resolve my students' perception or point of view hindering mastery of content.

As a researcher: What are you measuring?
 * What patterns are surfacing?
 * What themes are emerging?
 * What does your data suggest?

As a learner:
 * In what way(s) has your professional perception been expanded?
 * How are you allowing yourself and your authentic, real, professional learning to be 'seen'?
 * In what way(s) have you found the courage to be 'imperfect'?
 * How do you define vulnerability in the context of our work?What about this process makes you feel vulnerable?
 * What strategies are you using through this process that might benefit your students as well?
 * What **//a-ha!//** moments, or 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**:


 * Setting up your class blog - []
 * Documentation & Reflection - http://balancedtech.wikispaces.com/Documentation+and+Reflection+Prompts
 * Inquiry - http://balancedtech.wikispaces.com/Inquiry
 * Resources: search for existing resources (articles, websites, blogs, videos, etc.) - please be sure to add them to our [|Diigo]
 * []
 * Thinking: [|Wiggins Blog]

Team Post: This philosophy is very thought provoking yet challenging to wrap your mind around given the expectations that are required of educators. Although it would be ideal to shift learners into a more thoughtful learning environment, realistically educators still feel the pressure to perform at a satisfactory level on a standardized state required assessment.

Add to that, the vast array of learning styles, not all students will successfully and comfortably adapt to this thoughtful learning process. There are as many learning styles in a classroom as there are children, so we should acknowledge and validate all avenues of learning.

-How can we shift to this philosophy of “thoughtfulness learning”, when the way students are assessed don’t reflect that style?

-How can we incorporate this philosophy to include all learning styles, specifically children who need a structured learning environment?

-Can/Should there be a "compromised" version to this philosophy?


 * ===== Activity: =====
 * 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.
 * 

//Please create a page for your activities that will help others understand the steps you are taking in your inquiry and design process.//

**Creating Your Activity Page [[image:sbisdlearnsymphony/InqDesign.png align="right"]]**

 * 1) Please make a new page:
 * Title: 
 * Template: activity design
 * Tag : design, campus
 * 1) SAVE your page
 * 2) Check to be sure your page appears at the top of our Activity Share page

//example:// Jennifer F. Round 1

=__**February Session**__= What artifacts of your personal learning have you been collecting?
 * Mining the Effort **
 * I haven't really been collecting any artifacts from my personal learning. When I run across a good website or idea that I find may be useful, I save it into my Symbaloo page

What process shifts do these suggest in your practice?
 * Just that I look for things that I can use in the classroom, if I run across it accidentally. I also randomly start thinking of ideas like when I am driving home.

What artifacts of student learning have you been collecting? >
 * I was struggling finding the time to look for, sign-up, and create different pages. One day, on the drive home, I got an idea...have the student record themselves on their device and have them send me their recordings. In an attempt to organize myself, I created a gmail account where they are to send me their recordings.

What process shifts do these suggest in their practice?
 * Well, I am not sure...they are so consumed by technology, that I don't think they see this as extra work or anything.

How is your journey like that of a storyteller? Of a researcher?
 * An Opportunity in Overalls **
 * I am not a very good storyteller. Every time I tell my husband a story he always asks..."is that it? Is that the end of your story?...humm!"
 * I guess as a researcher...I do a lot of trial and error. I think of an idea, that sounds great. Sometimes it works out great, but a lot of the time it doesn't.

What question did you start out to find answer(s) to?
 * What tweaks, edits, modifications have you made to your focus question?
 * What question(s) remain?
 * What new questions have surfaced as a result of your exploration this far?

As a researcher:

What are you measuring?
 * What patterns are surfacing?
 * What themes are emerging?
 * What does your data suggest?

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//)


 * Defining Your Focus **
 * Collaborative Glossary (@http://tinyurl.com/EAvocab)


 * Considering the bigger picture... **
 * What IS Early Adopters?
 * What is Early Adopters NOT?
 * What examples from your/your students practice might you offer others to "show" this?