Go Set a Watchman - a book review

This will be an unusual post for me, since this blog is usually about teaching, learning, #edtech and curriculum, but I felt compelled to write about Harper Lee's "new" book Go Set a Watchman. Here's the disclaimer....I haven't actually read the book. I tried to. I pre-oredered it from Amazon months ago. I started reading it the day it arrived in my mailbox. Then, I stopped, barely past the first dozen pages. I just couldn't bring myself to tarnish my love and memory of To Kill a Mockingbird with these words. I also realized that the message of TKAM, that of justice, of commitment to what's right and for standing up for one's beliefs - the importance of the now famous quote "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." (Lee). These are the lessons from Harper Lee's seminal work. And those are exactly the lessons that the new book threatens to destroy. By transforming Atticus Finch into a segregationist, America loses the hero of equality and justice that we still need the most. The issues of racism and segregation are all too apparent in the United States of 2015 - we need heroes like the Atticus Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird to show us the way, we don't need yet another reason to lose faith in humanity.  

As a former English teacher I can see the merit of showing the evolution of Lee's writing to students - the purposeful choices that an author makes during the writing process (credit to Sandy Beguin for a brief but meaningful conversation about this).  The fact that Go Set a Watchman was actually written BEFORE To Kill a Mockingbird speaks volumes as to the powerful decision to publish only the latter at the time.  However, I completely agree with EW's review here that states that money is the driving factor here - more like exploitation.  I can not and will not allow my own memories of To Kill a Mockingbird and the transformative power that it held for myself and my former students to be ruined by this new work, and the sad thing is, I don't think it was ever meant to see the light of day.  What do you think of the new book?  Have you read it?  Will you?  

Instructional Friday Focus: Questioning strategies

Dear Bison Colleagues,

Happy Friday!   As we close out another week at Buffalo Grove HS, I am focused on the topic of questioning strategies, skills and techniques.

​Teach and Learn with Passion!

Teaching and Learning Quotes: 

“No one can teach, if by teaching we mean the transmission of knowledge, in any mechanical fashion, from one person to another. The most that can be done is that one person who is more knowledgeable than another can, by asking a series of questions, stimulate the other to think, and so cause him to learn for himself.” – Socrates

Danielson Framework for Teaching reminder:

There are 4 domains, 22 components and 76 elements that are considered aspects of a teacher's responsibility as documented through empirical studies.  The 4 domains are:

1. Planning and Preparation

2. The Classroom Environment

3.  Instruction

4.  Professional Responsibilities

Looking at Domain 3: Instruction

3b: Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

Here's a peek at what "distinguished" looks like for 3b:

Students formulate many of the high-level questions and assume responsibility for the participation of all students in the discussion.

Strategy/Tool to Try: (thanks to ITF Jeff Vlk)

Glogster is a Web 2.0 tool that allows users to create virtual posters combining text, audio, video, images, and hyperlinks and to share them with others electronically. Using Glogster’s educational site, Glogster EDU, teachers can establish class lists and monitor student activity while protecting privacy and anonymity.

Instructional Focus: Questioning techniques

New Classroom Questioning Techniques for the Best Year Ever:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/new-classroom-questioning-techniques-todd-finley

Socratic Seminar:

https://www.nwabr.org/sites/default/files/SocSem.pdf

Questioning Techniques for High Cognitive Rigor:

http://cognitiverigor.blogspot.com/2014/04/questioning-for-higher-cognitive-rigor.html

5 techniques for questioning in your classroom:

http://ictevangelist.com/5-techniques-questioning-classroom/

5 Powerful Questions Teachers Can Ask Students:

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-powerful-questions-teachers-ask-students-rebecca-alber

Bison Learning Leaders:

• Beautiful Orchestra Concert last night
• Badminton and Gymnastics teams heading to State!
• Our staff for working diligently in Infinite Campus to create next year's schedule
• The Math/Science Division for  honoring students at the Academic Competitions Awards Night
• ELL and SPED div for welcoming & supporting our 8th grade visitors today

Keep up the great work, Bison!  Happy Friday!

Friday Focus: Teacher Appreciation Week!

Dear Bison Colleagues,

Happy Friday!   As we close out another week at Buffalo Grove HS, I am focused on the topic of Teacher Appreciation!

​

Teach and Learn with Passion!

Teaching and Learning Quotes: 

“In teaching, you can’t take care of the Bloom stuff until you take care of the Maslow stuff.”—Alan Beck

Danielson Framework for Teaching reminder:

There are 4 domains, 22 components and 76 elements that are considered aspects of a teacher's responsibility as documented through empirical studies.  The 4 domains are:

1. Planning and Preparation

2. The Classroom Environment

3.  Instruction

4.  Professional Responsibilities

Looking at Domain 1: Planning and Preparation

1b: Demonstrating Knowledge of Students

Here's a peek at what "distinguished" looks like for 3b:

Teacher demonstrates thorough knowledge of students’ backgrounds, skills, and interests, and uses this knowledge to plan for individual student learning.

Strategy/Tool to Try: (thanks to ITF Jeff Vlk)

This was recommended from Caili Chu. 

 https://www.goosechase.com/ to set up the game and missions. When you play the "game", you use the app. 

It's really fun and educational.  Highly recommend to use it during field trip.

Each GooseChase game has a list of photo-based missions/tasks for participants to complete. You can create your mission list using our bank of 100+ tested missions or by designing your own from scratch.

Each mission has a name, description and point value, with the option of including a link or a photo to provide information.

Instructional Focus: Teacher Appreciation

http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/2015_TAW_Infographic_v6.pdf

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teacher-appreciation-day-going-beyond-elena-aguilar

http://daisydyerduerr.com/21-quote-salute-teachers/

http://www.quotegarden.com/teacher-apprec.html

Bison Learning Leaders:

• AMAZING Expressions Big Show 40th Anniversary this weekend!
• The Badminton and Fishing teams heading to State to compete - Best of Luck!
• All of our teachers and staff for everything you do for our students every single day! Thank YOU!

Keep up the great work, Bison!  Happy Friday!

Instructional Friday Focus! Topic: PLC's

Dear Bison Colleagues,

Happy Friday!   As we close out another week at Buffalo Grove HS, I am focused on the topic of PLC's

Teach and Learn with Passion!

Teaching and Learning Quotes: 

“I have no special talent, I am only passionately curious.”
– Albert Einstein

Danielson Framework for Teaching reminder:

There are 4 domains, 22 components and 76 elements that are considered aspects of a teacher's responsibility as documented through empirical studies.  The 4 domains are:

1. Planning and Preparation

2. The Classroom Environment

3.  Instruction

4.  Professional Responsibilities

Looking at Domain 3: Instruction

3b:Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques

Here's a peek at what "distinguished" looks like for 3b:

Students formulate many of the high-level questions and assume responsibility for the participation of all students in the discussion.

Strategy/Tool to Try: (thanks to ITF Jeff Vlk)

TED-Ed is a free educational website for teachers and learners. We are a global and interdisciplinary initiative with a commitment to creating lessons worth sharing. Our approach to education is an extension of TED’s mission of spreading great ideas.

Within the growing TED-Ed video library, you will find carefully curated educational videos, many of which represent collaborations between talented educators and animators nominated through the TED-Ed platform.

http://ed.ted.com/

Instructional Focus: PLC's

Here's a great blog post about a teacher who transformed into a PLC leader at his school.

http://www.allthingsplc.info/blog/view/289/one-teacher-leaders-plc-journey

Recent Twitter chat about Innovation in PLC's

https://storify.com/solutiontree/a-culture-of-innovation

Stiggins' Assessment for Learning:

http://www.electronicportfolios.org/afl/Stiggins-AssessmentCrisis.pdf

DuFour: Building a Professional Learning Community:

http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=9190

Four Essential Questions of a PLC:

http://www.allthingsplc.info/files/uploads/everett_ryan_plc_article.pdf

Bison Learning Leaders:

• Our Assessment team for getting ready for AP exams and PARCC EOY
• Our IFT, DTC's and Tech team for leading to conversation about iPad rollouts for next year
• Our iTeam for planning great ongoing PD for all, including mini classes and Classroom Showcase
• Our staff members honored at Wednesday's Salute to Staff event

Keep up the great work, Bison!  Happy Friday!

Instructional Friday Focus: 21st Century Learning

Dear Bison Colleagues,

Happy Friday!   As we close out another week at Buffalo Grove HS, I am focused on the topic of 21st Century Learning.

Teach and Learn with Passion!

Teaching and Learning Quotes:

“The illiterate of the 21st Century are not those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” 
― Alvin Toffler, Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth, and Power at the Edge of the 21st Century

Danielson Framework for Teaching reminder:

There are 4 domains, 22 components and 76 elements that are considered aspects of a teacher's responsibility as documented through empirical studies.  The 4 domains are:

1. Planning and Preparation

2. The Classroom Environment

3.  Instruction

4.  Professional Responsibilities

Looking at Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

4c: Communicating with Families

Here's a peek at what "distinguished" looks like for 4c :

Teacher communicates frequently and sensitively with families and successfully engages them in the instructional program; students participate in communicating with families.

Strategy/Tool to Try: (thanks to ITF Jeff Vlk)

Give a big thanks to Mike DiMatteo for finding this gem. 

BigBlueButton enables schools and organizations to deliver a high quality learning experience to remote students. You can use this app to schedule video conferences with your students and take advantage of these great features:

• Interactive White-board
• Integrated VoIP
• Presentation
• Web cam sharing

You can access it from the App center in Schoology. Check out the screenchots below. If you need help with it come see myself or stop by Mike DiMatteo in the SS area. 

Thanks!!

Instructional Focus:  21st Century Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA1Aqp0sPQo

Here are some resources and articles: http://www.slideshare.net/justcrawford/21st-century-quotes

http://www.grantlichtman.com/what-practices-have-no-place-in-todays-classroom/

http://www.p21.org/our-work/resources/for-educators

http://smartblogs.com/education/2012/06/22/what-21st-century-teacher/

Bison Learning Leaders:

• Everyone who pitched in to prepare for the D214 Centennial Celebration this weekend at Forest View
• The coaches taking teams to Regional and State competitions this week

Keep up the great work, Bison!  Happy Friday! 

Instructional Friday Focus

Every Friday I send an email to the whole staff that contains tips for best practice instruction, a peek at the Danielson framework for teaching Teacher evaluation rubric and resources for the staff.  I also include an inspirational quote and shout-out's to that week's learning leaders.  I've been thinking about these emails and realizing that they are similar to what I would want to blog about each week anyway, so I've decided to start cross-posting them here.  HT to Jeff Zoul for the inspiration on the weekly emails.

Here was the message I sent this week.  Any feedback is appreciated!

Dear Bison Colleagues,

Happy Friday!   As we close out another week at Buffalo Grove HS, I am focused on the topic of self-determined learning, aka Genius Hour, aka 20% Time aka Passion-Driven Classroom.

Teach and Learn with Passion!

Teaching and Learning Quotes:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” —Aristotle

Danielson Framework for Teaching reminder:

There are 4 domains, 22 components and 76 elements that are considered aspects of a teacher's responsibility as documented through empirical studies.  The 4 domains are:

1. Planning and Preparation

2. The Classroom Environment

3.  Instruction

4.  Professional Responsibilities

Looking at Domain 3: Instruction

3a:Communicating Clearly and Accurately

Here's a peek at what "distinguished" looks like for 3a :

Teacher’s oral and written communication is clear and expressive, anticipating possible student misconception.

Strategy/Tool to Try: (thanks to ITF Jeff Vlk)

This works with your iPad 4 as well with the Yosemite upgrade. It can replace the need for reflector. 

https://medium.com/@patrickswong/how-to-mirror-your-iphone-with-a-lightning-cable-using-quicktime-in-os-x-yosemite-ace3f40ef483

Instructional Focus:  Genius hour/20% Time/Self-determined Learning/Passion-Driven Learning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEQzKH7v0-Q

http://cybraryman.com/geniushour.html

Here are some resources and articles:

http://psolarz.weebly.com/2013-2014-passion-projects.html

http://www.livebinders.com/play/play?id=829279

https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-ts=1422503921&x-yt-cl=85027636&v=b0JaiyV-G9I#t=883

Bison Learning Leaders:  

• Our Fine Arts staff and students for putting on a beautiful tribute to the Harlem Renaissance 
• Our FAST planning team and the Lit Lab for their intro to freshmen "Is DNA Your Destiny"
• The continued work of the ITF and DTC's to support our integration of Infinite Campus 

Keep up the great work, Bison!  Happy Friday! 

October!

You know that it must be a busy beginning of the school year when I turn around to write my September post and the calendar says Oct 3!  But, under the category of "better late than never," here goes...

The school year has been off to an exciting start!  I have had the chance to see firsthand our students and teachers in classes and during co-curricular activities that have clearly demonstrated the meaning of Bison Pride.  From classroom teachers, student services staff and assistants going above and beyond to meet the academic and social emotional needs of our students to our administrators working with staff to set high academic expectations for all students, to our coaches and sponsors working with students to provide vibrant and rich extra curricular experiences.

Last night's Varsity Football win summed up the past month and a half of school for me so far - full of heart, spirit, perseverance and dedication  - a description that is befitting of our entire BGHS community!  I am so proud to be a member of this winning team!

Happy October!