Instruction and Practice:
On day 2, I pushed out some vocabulary practice on the tablet. This was so exciting, because I was able to scan the pages of their vocabulary book, which they cannot take home, and create a playlist where they can keep these vocabulary pages as practice and reference. So here is me, doing the typical teacher thing, where I start the activity by having them open the document and everyone at the same time begins completing the exercises. Problem #1: Some students were moving very quickly through this process and some were moving very slowly through this process. Problem #2: I wasted some valuable instructional time waiting for all to finish so we could check their answers. Problem #3: We did not have time to go over it before class ended, and now everyone is in a different spot.
Reflection:
So here was my paradigm shift: I have come to the realization that releasing control will be the obstacle for me and well as many others when it comes to personalized learning. As teachers, we have such a desire to be in control of every activity, every lesson; the classroom functioning as one big amoeba with the teacher as the control center. In fact, administrators and well as parents of the students have these same expectations. What I was doing was really just the same old, same old. And, honestly, it was not working.
Adjustment: Day 3
So after the bust on Day 2, I decided to give the control back to the students. I put a list of activities for the students to complete on the board, at their own pace and completely let go.
This list incorporated tablet and non-tablet activities, and the results were amazing. The students all worked at their own pace. I walked around and facilitated and would conference with those that needed additional support. We played "The Vitamin String Quarter" while everyone worked. And the students loved it.
Assessment: Some of the assignments the students completed will be turned in pencil/paper. Some of the tablet activities, I will do a quick spot check/participation grade. Students were at different places by the end of the period. We had a little chunk of time the next day, and if they did not finish, they finished at home.
Reflection #2: I feel like such a fledgling and my short little list so simplistic. The pressing notion that I should already be in full blown personalized learning speaks inadequacies in my ear. But, I have to remember that the students need these small steps just as much, if not more, than I do. I have to remember, that this is new for them too, and they need time to get used to the routines and expectations of working in this different way.
On day 2, I pushed out some vocabulary practice on the tablet. This was so exciting, because I was able to scan the pages of their vocabulary book, which they cannot take home, and create a playlist where they can keep these vocabulary pages as practice and reference. So here is me, doing the typical teacher thing, where I start the activity by having them open the document and everyone at the same time begins completing the exercises. Problem #1: Some students were moving very quickly through this process and some were moving very slowly through this process. Problem #2: I wasted some valuable instructional time waiting for all to finish so we could check their answers. Problem #3: We did not have time to go over it before class ended, and now everyone is in a different spot.
Reflection:
So here was my paradigm shift: I have come to the realization that releasing control will be the obstacle for me and well as many others when it comes to personalized learning. As teachers, we have such a desire to be in control of every activity, every lesson; the classroom functioning as one big amoeba with the teacher as the control center. In fact, administrators and well as parents of the students have these same expectations. What I was doing was really just the same old, same old. And, honestly, it was not working.
Adjustment: Day 3
So after the bust on Day 2, I decided to give the control back to the students. I put a list of activities for the students to complete on the board, at their own pace and completely let go.
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| Just so happened that many were out sick this day, so I pushed this picture out on their tablets for those absent to complete at home. |
Assessment: Some of the assignments the students completed will be turned in pencil/paper. Some of the tablet activities, I will do a quick spot check/participation grade. Students were at different places by the end of the period. We had a little chunk of time the next day, and if they did not finish, they finished at home.
Reflection #2: I feel like such a fledgling and my short little list so simplistic. The pressing notion that I should already be in full blown personalized learning speaks inadequacies in my ear. But, I have to remember that the students need these small steps just as much, if not more, than I do. I have to remember, that this is new for them too, and they need time to get used to the routines and expectations of working in this different way.
So this is the beginning, just the beginning, my tiny little beginning list.....and my little beginning list will get longer and more technologically complex, cover more objectives, and include more activities, maybe even cover whole units, because there is a much, much bigger picture here and I am on my way.
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