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I really enjoyed this session because it was very evident that great teaching is when the student is at the forefront of your planning. Also, it stressed the importance of variation of the presentation of and for the learning. I can see this clearly in my school system, because technology usage is important in our schools. However, this session opened my eyes that we need to teach our students to share, collaborate and network and that is where the more authentic learning will take place. A lot of times I see teachers who create a worksheet and have students look up the answers on their technology device. The question that I ask is how is that learning empowering our students to be career and citizen ready. 

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I really enjoyed this session because it was very evident that great teaching is when the student is at the forefront of your planning. Also, it stressed the importance of variation of the presentation of and for the learning. I can see this clearly in my school system, because technology usage is important in our schools. However, this session opened my eyes that we need to teach our students to share, collaborate and network and that is where the more authentic learning will take place. A lot of times I see teachers who create a worksheet and have students look up the answers on their technology device. The question that I ask is how is that learning empowering our students to be career and citizen ready. 

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Suzanne Talley

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This session was also an eye opener that just because we are the teachers our job needs to shift to being lifelong leaners. The constant need in learning will directly impact the movement towards our students taking ownership in their learning. Based off of this session and my time in the school system I see old school teaching where teachers want the students to remember everything and be able to spit it out at the drop of the hat. Then you have a need now in the schools that they want their students to be able to take what they are learning and apply it. School systems missions is developing life long learners that are college and career citizen ready. So how do we meet that goal is by have the students create a model to demonstrate and show the learning that they just encountered with.

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This session was also an eye opener that just because we are the teachers our job needs to shift to being lifelong leaners. The constant need in learning will directly impact the movement towards our students taking ownership in their learning. Based off of this session and my time in the school system I see old school teaching where teachers want the students to remember everything and be able to spit it out at the drop of the hat. Then you have a need now in the schools that they want their students to be able to take what they are learning and apply it. School systems missions is developing life long learners that are college and career citizen ready. So how do we meet that goal is by have the students create a model to demonstrate and show the learning that they just encountered with.

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Suzanne Talley

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Jennifer Gonzalez's sessions goes hand in hand with other ones that I have listened to. Her session's main focus was using the technology as way for students to demonstrate and show mastery of the content that the teacher is going over in the classroom. Students need to be engaged in the learning to stay motivated. I have seen in my own classes that students ability to stay attentive is very short. Which as a  teacher it  is ultimately in our hands to keep our students engaged. To me that goes to the planning that the teacher puts forth and if the teacher is truly passionate. The underlining message that I took away from this session is that students will be highly engaged when the delivery and assessment  for and of learning is relatable to them and their age group. The example, that Gonzalez spoke on was if you are teaching a certain concept and you are having students take something that they focus a lot on ( like music, clothes, filters on snap chat etc) and incorporate what they are learning by using the things that they are into.  Students will work for you if you teach in a way that is "cool and not so mundane.

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I feel that this session was all about building the confidence and morale within the teacher that they are creative even if they don't see it themselves. A lot of time teachers are so driven by their pacing guide that they forget how creative they can really be if they kept everything in balance. As stated in the sessions that creativity is like art in that its truly in the eye of the beholder. There is not a one way right type concept. Which I believe that teachers as well as students have been so trained to think their is one way to do something and one correct answer. I believe the mindset has diminished creativity as a whole, which is why we see a focus on project based learning now. The world is seeing that we are losing the critical thinking skills because students haven't been trained to bring all the pieces together and use their skills o demonstrate and apply what they have learned. Us teachers need to take a bit of ownership and value the importance of allowing our students to explore how they apply the content material. We need to build the confidence within the teacher first and then it will be a ripple effect in our students. When the teacher has confidence and room to be creative the students will then not feel the tension and will be able to be themselves. The most important take away in this session was not only confidence but the importance of youth development. When the youth feels like they are personally cared for then they will feel comfortable in expressing themselves freely.

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This session was by far my favorite. I also feel that hyperdocs is something that I can definitely incorporate this in my Health and Physical education classes.  My take aways from this session is that this hyperdoc is a revolving document that extends the learning beyond the bell to bell instruction. It allows for the students to expand their learning and almost have a challenge and choice in what they learn. The hyper doc allows for the dialogue between the teacher and student to open up. When the dialogue is opened up it almost not only excites the students but also the teacher. This allows for the teacher to get motivated to teach through the pacing guide which I believe when we teach through the pacing guide we see more real teaching and authentic learning.

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As a teacher and future administrator there were three things I found to be most useful and potentially beneficial about OER's. First, is the versatility they offer. You can use them to replace many antiquated materials (i.e. traditional textbooks and/or notebooks, stagnated lesson plans and/or curriculum frameworks,remediation and enrichment activities, etc.). Second, they can potentially save districts a great deal of money. OER's are either free or open, which means you don't have to spend money on expensive textbooks. The money you save can be reinvested in more meaningful ways. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, OER's allow teachers and students the ability to OWN their education. The fact that you can revise, remix, and redistribute the content gives your class the autonomy to create the best course or lesson possible.

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I am amazed by Kasey Bell's energy and passion for combining her knowledge of technology tools, Google and creating a new culture of learning. In this session, I began to grasp the concepts involved in Dynamic vs. Static learning and how this will impact our students today and in the future. As future educational leaders we must continue to reach outside of our schools and districts to understand how Global Learning will become a part of our students' and teachers' lives. I am beginning to understand the larger picture of collaboration using technology tools and how to see beyond their original purposes to create something new. She described using Google Slides to make Vision Boards, and my new take away was the concept of "Choice Boards." It is easy to become overwhelmed my the flood of technology's possibilities, so as learners, teachers and leaders we must be ready to adjust the faucet so we can not overwhelm but excite learners. This is the way we will be able to take learning beyond the walls, bell, and calendar to create learning not just in the classroom but in our communities of learners. Kasey Bell is not only Shaking up Learning but she is Shaking up the Learning Paradigm.

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I had never heard of Hyperdocs before this session. I am one of those teachers who enjoy lesson planning so this was really interesting to me. The hyperdoc is a template of a lesson design rather than a lesson plan. As the "gals" mentioned lesson plans live on the teacher's desk where as a hyperdoc lives in the classroom. Students first! It was so refreshing to see a new model and a way to combine good pedagogy and technology. We have been discussing the lack of students' background knowledge for years and "front-loading" what they need to know before teaching. This design allows for that in their Explore piece. When the the teacher designs the lesson they create a page for students to explore images, videos and mentor texts to provide that piece of the learning preparation. My take away from this session was how much teaching and learning are changing. As a veteran teacher of 20 years, I would be considered old school. This session added to my realization that teaching and learning are facing a dramatic shift and as a future leader I need to be familiar and ready. Students need this kind of learning to be prepared for the new workplace and teachers need to be ready to teach this way. I can say with confidence that there are not teachers in my building currently teaching like this. After watching this session I feel called to explore and learn more. I feel like my school may be unknowingly cheating our students. It's time for some new Professional Development. It is time to step up and reach out. I feel a new sense of urgency to learn and share.

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When I moved from a rural to an urban school, I suddenly had ELLs in my classroom. Yes, I had briefly learned about ELLs in college, but I had yet to create lessons beneficial to these learners. I, like them, started with basic language skills. I had to learn some of their language to communicate and then model translating. I also used pictures, gestures, and sign language as methods of communicating and teaching. Cisneros used an example in the video of imaging yourself being dropped into a new place with people speaking a new language. He stated you would need to know how to survive. Teaching students the survival language first will make the academic language come a bit easier later. Cisneros shared great ideas to use in the classroom. A non-technology idea is a vocabulary notebook. He said he has his students use their notebook to sketch, write, and read what they’ve learned. That sounds so simple, but can be so beneficial. The technology examples he provided sound fun and engaging. The Aww app, Plickers, Chatter Pics, TLDR, and more are free and can be used by anyone, language barrier aside. I am really excited to share these resources with my teachers!

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I think I would've found this interview more insightful if I weren't currently reading "Shake Up Learning" by Kasey Bell. A great deal of this interview reiterated Bell's philosophy of education, as well practical advice that's mentioned in her book (i.e. the "Four C's", dynamic vs static learning, use of G Suite, etc.). That being said, there were still some new ideas shared, as well motivational advice to go out and improve and grow as educators. Bell makes a strong argument in this interview for why she prefers G Suite over other collaborative educational platforms. She argues that G Suite is more reliable than other platforms and that it has greater potential and ability for collaboration. But perhaps most importantly, it allows teachers and students to use a variety of tools in a format they're already familiar with. I found this to be a very logical and persuasive argument for using G Suite. There were also two ideas Kasey Bell mentioned that I found useful. The first, was her example of using Choice Boards to enhance student learning and participation. I used physical Choice Boards during my first two years of teaching, but I haven't used them for many years. I enjoyed seeing her example of digital Choice Boards and plan on incorporating several in future lessons. Finally, I also thought that her Vision Board project would be great to use as a back-to-school project in the future.

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Jennifer Gonzalez is so authentic! I loved listening to her share her ideas for instruction within the classroom. One topic that really stood out to me is The Worksheet Continuum. I really like how she has a continuum of busy sheets to power sheets. Worksheets are a constant in education. Teachers monopolize the copy machine on a daily basis and are always in need of more paper. I appreciate how Jennifer breaks down the continuum and states what constitutes as a busy sheet versus a power sheet. The power sheet ideas seem so much more engaging and really push the students to analyze and apply the content in a meaningful way. It also makes the teacher take a backseat to instruction. The teacher can introduce the activity and then take on a spectator role and watch the learning unfold. I absolutely want to share the continuum with my teachers and encourage them to try something new.

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I immediately jumped into the HyperDocs session with the Ditch Summit because I had no clue what HyperDocs were, besides linking things to a Google Doc, though I have heard the term used so many times. To be honest, I left session feeling so enthusiastic but slightly overwhelmed that all I really want to do is plan hold off on watching more videos! J I loved how the presenters brought up the fact that assessment comes from the word to sit beside, and that this method allows for teachers to really be able to connect with their students’ learning to ensure that they are getting the content instead of just presenting and then assessing. The other day a teacher at my school showed me how she uses Google Classroom for self-guided learning and I thought it was very cool, but as mentioned in the video, putting everything in a Doc or in a presentation helps to keep me as the planner and facilitator focused, but also the students.

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Kristina Ishmael provides a TON of information about OER (Open Education Resources) in the video. When first introduced, I was a bit overwhelmed by the influx of content. However, as Kristina begins to break down the New America site and explains how it can be utilized by educators and districts, I became on board. The database of resources are exactly as she and Matt Miller describe, Beast’s library! The content is grand, but neatly organized by grade level and content. The resources are free and can be customized to fit your district, school, and classroom. When she spoke about the Flex Book I immediately thought about English Language Learners. If a teacher created a Flex Book for a student from Honduras, he/she could incorporate the student’s language, pop culture references, food, etc. and then relate it to new material. The student will be aided in making connections and transferring information to a new language and culture.
The Flex Book can also be beneficial for spiral review. A teacher can examine standards the students need more practice with and incorporate them as needed. I appreciated when Matt Miller asked where a person should start. Using the OER as a supplemental tool at first seems manageable. Once the user is comfortable or has unpacked their standards and found additional holes, they could then broaden their OER usage and start creating resources. I will absolutely add the New America site to by bag of resources!

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Though Kasey Bell’s session was an echo of her book, it was great to hear her and Matt Miller talk together considering we are reading both of their books in which they reference each other. I appreciated the fact that in hearing them speak they really emphasized the idea of even though they are both about technology, it really is just a tool and instead it is all about the lesson and presentation; however, I find myself struggling a lot of times that I find the tool and I think “Oh, I could use this for this,” but really I need to be looking at it differently instead of as a substitute. I’m glad that Matt Miller pointed out the fact that it isn’t necessarily about trying to implement all parts of Kasey Bell’s Dynaminc Learning pieces, but to start with one and then build on. I find myself trying to implement everything all at one time and then become bogged down trying to make something perfect that I am a novice at doing. Ideas I collected from this video: Though I am currently struggling with my personal vision board, I feel like this would be great to do as a back to school activity as she suggested, but more importantly to use at the end of the year when we do Student Led Conferences. Lastly, I used to use Choice Boards in my classroom but I stopped because my students were picking the easiest tasks as she described. The multiple versions that she described revamped my vision for the future.

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In this interview, the "Hyperdoc Gals" make the distinction between lesson planning and lesson designing. Lesson designing is re-imagining and/or reinventing the way that we teach and organize a lesson, with a focus on student experience rather than simply the way that we convey content. I really appreciated and was inspired by the Hyperdoc lesson design model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Apply, Share, Reflect, Extend). Again, this is a way of designing lessons that prioritizes a holistic student centered experience, as opposed to designing a lesson solely around content retention. I also agreed that Hyperdocs can be help students stay organized. It limits the number of physical materials students need, and everything is conveniently located in one place. I was also encouraged to hear the "Hyperdoc Gals" clarify that Hyperdocs do not have to be, nor should be, completed individually. Hyperdocs allow for individual experience and expression, as well as partner, group, and/or class collaboration. Towards the end, they mentioned that Hyperdocs allow teachers to "be free and be with their students." I would also like to have more moments where I step aside and just "be there" with my students, observing and supporting.

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I was interested in this interview because I work in a district with a very large ELL population, and I've always enjoyed working with ELL students. I was truly able to identify with Martin Cisneros when he said, "all teachers are ELL teachers." I didn't grow up in an area with many ELL students, so I was a bit surprised and overwhelmed when I had two ELL co-taught classes my first year of teaching. I wish I had known about a few of the resources and techniques Martin mentioned in his interview back during my first year. I thought his discussion about starting students off with "survival language" was interesting. I can think back to two students in my class from Nepal, neither could say anything other than, "hello," when they first arrived. I felt ill-equipped and clueless as to how to help them. Simply prioritizing "survival language" at first I think really could've helped those students; ensuring that they received the basic vocabulary needed to interact and function in the class. I've gained much experience since then, but there is still so much room for growth. As Martin alludes to in his interview, there are very few PD opportunities offered to help compensate for the lack of an ELL education. This interview has given me many new ideas to help continue my growth as an ELL teacher. I think websites/add-ons such as Craftylevel, SUMMRY, and TL;DR could help me when it comes to modifying reading assignments for my ELL's. I also found it incredibly fascinating how Martin emphasized creating opportunities to let ELL's hear themselves speak; particularly for new ELL's. Websites like Blabberize sound like a wonderful opportunity to help.

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Wow! This was something not only interesting but fun to watch. Rebecca Hare is a former architect who has authored a book on designing learning spaces. This was intriguing to me on several levels. First, my undergraduate degree is in Interior Design and Architecture, so spaces are meaningful to me. Second, flexible seating is the hot topic in elementary schools right now. Hare's interview discusses the use of the learning spaces in a classroom as vertical, horizontal and seating spaces. She also discusses the need for students to have choice in seating for the best kind of learning. In these scenarios, she also mentions the teacher's role as being "unteathered" and being in the center of the room in order to facilitate learning. As a teacher I have explore flexible seating. I believe that our students need more movement and many learners need different spaces to learn. From the point of view of a school administrator.,  I would like to embrace learning space design. Currently, my administration will not allow any flexible seating in our elementary school and they have removed all rugs, pillows or other fabric based surfaces. So, experimenting with Hare's ideas are not an option for me right now. However, that doesn't mean I won't have the opportunity to help others experiment in the future.

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Teaching ELLs is something near and dear to my heart. I was so fortunate to be an ESOL teacher for Charleston County School District, Charleston, SC for 4 years. My experience in that position taught me more about teaching and learning than any other I've had. Cisneros is a real and authentic. While I was an ESOL teacher I had to be very creative everyday to teach my newcomers. The tips he shared are so relevant and realistic help for the teacher who is struggling to differentiate and reach their learners. Some of the tools he mentioned were Chrome extensions, such as TLDR, Crafty Extentions and the mobile app for Google translate. I think teachers and leaders need to recognize the impact of this learning population and do our best to connect and serve. One of my soapbox topics is that we have to be conscious that an ELL can also be English speaking. In impoverished areas many students who enter Pre-K and K are ELLs because of the deficiencies they have in language period. We need to widen our scope and think about these students as ELLs as well. They lack vocabulary, language and fluency in English. I loved the suggestions he shared about Blabberize.com. What a great way for ELLs to practice oral fluency and vocabulary. This is a topic that is important to all teachers. It is vital that we embrace the learning needs of this student population and hold all stakeholders accountable for meeting their needs.

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I love how they first address the term pedagogy because I have to admit I am intimidated by the word pedagogy, but hearing Jenifer Gonzalez and Matt Miller talk about it made me feel much more comfortable with it. With that being said, I absolutely loved this chat because they touched on so many things that are relevant to my current pedagogical stance and desires for my classroom. I know we talked about curation the other night in class, but hearing Ms. Gonzalez talk about its importance and use in the classroom for kids to curate information for learning, has made my need to figure out my curation tool a pressing issue. Later on in the session when she spoke on the single point rubric I was happy to hear her explain the concept further because I had recently seen the image from the blog post. I since then have been using something very similar in my classroom for our weekly writing bellwork. I give the students the expectations that I have for their writing response, then I grade it, but always add a comment to explain their grade. I do this in Google Classroom which I believe encourages to read the comments more than when I used to do it on paper. In the past, I have struggles with students not reading comments when I hand back a rubric with their grade, which I always find frustrating because they tend to make similar mistakes next time. The idea of not assigning the grade and only letting them see the comments, then having them sit with that information before conferencing is fantastic.

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Gonzalez has created a Blog called the Cult of Pedagogy. In her interview Matt Miller brings out several of her ideas and adaptations of what good/best practice teaching could look like. I was very inspired by her ideas. She describes using Curation tools for students to take research projects to the next level; evaluation. She suggests class projects like creating playlists to demonstrate the use of metaphors. This is amazing. As a 1st grade teacher some of these ideas would be difficult for me to adapt but as an adult learner/student and future leader of educators I am filing these ideas away. She also brings up the touchy subject of worksheet packets. On her blog she has made a continuum to turn busy work into something that can be a powerful teaching tool. Finally she discusses rubrics and how the 4 point rubric can be simplified to 1 column. Her discussion and comments spoke volumes to me as a teacher and as a student. When we begin to look at the practice of teaching and how to drill down to the purpose of what we want our students to learn it clears away the fluff and leaves the meaning. I think I may be joining her cult!

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I didn't know what "OER" was, but now my head is spinning. The most obvious benefit to me is the fact that it's all open and free, customizable and flexible. I'm thinking about the fact that teachers in Giles Co. haven't seen a significant salary increase in a number of years- it would be great if the money saved on textbooks could be "re-purposed" to fund our teachers. I do wonder about original text, copyright, etc. in f.ex. history textbooks. Could someone just go in and maybe alter historical facts sources? Who makes sure that this doesn't happen? That's a big question mark in my mind.

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The Hampton Roads Area and the schools across Hampton Roads is starting to have a huge increase of ELL learners. Therefore, I feel like its very important that I know as a teacher ways to differentiate my teaching to meet the needs of my ELL's. While I was at Radford getting my undergrad my professor Susan Miller talked very briefly on ELL's in the Physical Education setting. When I got my first job at Hampton High School, which has the ELL program I found myself struggling on how to meet my students that didn't speak the English language. This session opened my eyes about the importance of modeling, and also using visuals to help these learners.Also, stressing the importance of teaching basic language to help these learners get around . Once they understand the basic words to get around everything falls into place and they are able to dive deeper into learning the more advanced part of the language itself. ELL's learners are like a sponge meaning that they can grasp concepts quickly. Also, the usage of technology allows for more deeper understanding for these learners. It also allows these learners the ability to share and be creative when they are working with non ELL students. I also feel that allowing the ELL's to show you and be creative with how they show you motivates them to learn the language better. It allows for a personal investment in their learning, which is what our goal is is student centered learning for all learners.

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This was a great session. I love the idea of going for excellence in less time with less grading. The in-class ed camp is also really intriguing, because it'll give the students ways to shine and teach others- it sounds a bit like the 20% idea. I'm going to have to ask for at least 2 weeks off to digest everything I've learned the last 2 days in this summit!! I wish Jon Corippo would have talked more about the "protocol"- I didn't quite catch everything. The idea of the "Failure Wall" was also very good; Mr. Corippo and Ms. Tolnai just touched on it briefly, but it reminded me of Kasey Bell's phrase what "failing forward"-  learn from failures and move forward from there.

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I am in agreement with both Matt Miller and Jennifer Gonzalez on so many levels after viewing this. Several things hit home for me regarding the "freakin packet" and the uselessness of word searches. I think we all know teachers or have been those teachers ourselves who have over utilized worksheets and packets in our classroom. I think one of her images I will share below was very helpful in understanding what can be done in lieu of those activities. When she talks about the struggle with her formulating the rubric in grad school....I got it! I understand this is a side-note and not the purpose of the video but I just wanted to say that I understood the struggle with wanting it to be not just correct, but perfect. One of the most relevant topics she covered with Matt was the final few moments of the video that were regarding the 5 teaching practices she is kicking to the curb! I like that she owned that she was guilty of each of those as well as she explained there may be some validity to them but other ways she has found to be more effective. I am guilty of almost all five of those teaching practices. I agree when they say whole group punishment is comparable to "weeding your flowerbed by plucking the head off the dandelion...the roots will still be there." That hits home because its so true. The root of the problem doesn't get fixed with that solution and perhaps I need to dig a bit deeper.

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This session was very informative. I enjoyed listening to Mr. Cisneros as he delved into his experience with ELL students. He is so fluent in English, I wouldn't have guessed it was his second language. He provided several strategies, and tools that are helpful with educating students who are English Language Learners. He stressed the importance of wait time when asking a question....I am so bad about that. I don't know if I just panic that no one will provide the correct answer or if I am just too fast paced in the lesson. It is definitely an area I can improve upon. He also mentioned having those students to maintain a vocabulary notebook...that is a great idea and I think I will keep that in mind for future ELL students. They statement he made about ELL students becoming chatty in class is so amazing! He said "If they learn how to speak it, they WILL want to use it." I realized it is imperative that I check on my ELL students more frequently for comprehension and skill level.

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I loved, loved, loved Tolnai and Corippo's session. Educators are absolutely learners first and I loved that they acknowledged that we don't teach alone, so we shouldn't have to admin. alone. I feel that is really important. I also loved the reference to finding a balance with assessments. We still have standards, we still have benchmarks, BUT balancing the "forced" assessments with our authentic ones is so important. My school division focuses heavily on PBLs and PBAs, so it pushes us teachers and admin to relinquish control and help the students choose their own learning path. Just as Tolnai and Corippo suggested. I also felt the failure wall was an important concept to mention. Failure is something that so many people fear- if we can flip it and make failing something to make us better, then we break every kids though and help them realize their own learning growth.

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This session was very interesting to me. Regular, run of the mill, lesson planning has never been my favorite part of teaching. I have found that I enjoy creating activities that push the kids and have them think critically- so larger more PBL projects. I like the hyperdocs for the real world skill component. So much of our time, I feel, can be spent teaching our kids something they could look up online, while less focus is being placed on developing strong writing skills, collaborating with others in meaningful tasks and showing their creative side. I love the idea of using hyperdocs with older students, but I have concerns regarding your elementary aged kids. I frequently use google docs with my 5th graders, and they do well, I plan on using google slides a few times this year, they can do it without a doubt, but it definitely takes time to let them explore these tools before assigning tasks with them. I would consider using hyperdocs with elementary aged kids, with the understand that there would need to be more teacher guidance in the beginning on how to use it. I tried padlet with my kids the other day, it was okay. We will keep trying. It's all about one new tool at a time!

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At first I was very overwhelmed by all of the resources and the language used in the OER session, but after they started to break down the terminology and make the analogy to the Beast’s library it all started to click. I also think that the information sheet that goes with this video is definitely going to be beneficial since there are so many resources! The fact that there are so many resources for free/ open use makes textbook redefinition possible. Luckily, our county has already started this process. Last year Dr. Wheeler came in and told all schools that we didn’t have to all be locked into using all of the same resources for history textbook adoption. Another connection I made with this is that many counties participate in CIP. I had the pleasure of writing the 6th grade science plans this summer with two other individuals. Though these materials are not technically OER since you must be a part of CIP to access, it is great having these lessons shared with all of the members. With CIP, we all follow the same pacing guide but knowing that we are pulling from similar lessons, this helps to ensure that all standards are met similarly which allows for more districts to succeed in standards accreditation. The state this summer hosted PBL training and part of their idea was a rubric to set up rubrics so that all students, no matter in Fairfax or Floyd, would receive the same educational experience. If we can all pull from OERs I believe that this idea could definitely happen.

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Working in a county so focused on PBLs, I feel that OER's are a perfect fit. I am not a fan of textbooks, especially history and science ones, I don't believe they express the whole picture and it is not something that can be easily updated. We have been left to find our own resources to supplement our standards. Yes, we are provided textbooks, but honestly I can't tell you the last time I opened one. Except for practice in understanding nonfiction text features! Ishmael mentioned that there is a majority of math and science resources available, but I also would be interested in social studies resources. My 5th grade team does a large amount of teaching research skills to help our students conduct their own research- mostly online. It would be great to have even more resources to expose them to.

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So, I debating on listening to this session because I have mixed emotions on flexible seating, but I am glad I did. I enjoyed how Hare discussed decorating and stated that we are overwhelming our students with visual information. There are classrooms I walk into at my school that I feel over stimulated, so I can imagine some students are having a major sensory overload. I have always had a hard time understanding why teachers clutter their walls with anchor charts and posters. As a student, I would have either never paid them any mind, or looked at them so frequently wondering why I couldn't write like that, that I would be lost the whole lesson. My classroom has zero displayed anchor charts- I have some bulletin boards displaying things, such as the writing process, parts of speech and other year-long useful posters, but that is it. I do also have a Greek and Latin Root wall. Two years ago, I painted my room a light lavender, bought tables and chairs, two large rugs and huge bean bags. I have "flexible" seating options, the front carpet and the bean bags- but those are only allowed at certain times- during stations students are spread out, can move and have more choice. But during direct instruction, they are at their tables, in their chosen seat, bottoms in chairs. I agree with Hare that we should not expect our students to sit for 8 hours, I wouldn't want to, but I argue that if we are teaching our students how to be in the real world, how many jobs involve being able to sit at a desk for a few hours at a time? So many college courses are 3 hours of sitting and listening, staff meetings, business meetings, etc. Why are we spoiling our kids so much now, when it could hurt them in the future? Sometimes it is important for students to sit still and listen, and other times they need to be up, moving, exploring, and collaborating. It's all about balance, knowing your kids, and the purpose of your lesson. Flexible seating requires a strong classroom management foundation- I liked that Hare mentioned creating quiet- this is wonderful strategy that is very powerful. But sometimes flexible seating does not work for some kids, so be flexible when it comes to flexible seating.

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Creativity, the new buzzword in education. Ben Forta explicitly states that creativity is not art. It is the process of making new ideas and encouraging students to put their personal stamp on learning. In the video, Ben talks about the shift that happens from students being creative to being right. I feel like that is the hiccup I encounter as a teacher. Students are assigned a project and told to be creative. Students then do one of two things, they ask specifically what steps they should take, or shut down and refuse to complete the assignment. When students’ creativity is suppressed for so long, it is extremely challenging to revive. The tips Ben provides are simple, but can have a large impact on the classroom. Let students lead, be less prescriptive, and allow students to conduct research however they see fit. Control and creativity are polar opposites. If we want our students to be more creative, we have to be less controlling which can sometimes be easier said than done. We as teachers have to create opportunities for students to use the 3 C’s: creativity, communication, and collaboration. Modeling and encouraging the 3 C’s will better prepare our students for the future that awaits.

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Kasey Bell truly takes the static out of the classroom! I like how she takes a simple idea that we have all tried and transforms it into something dynamic, something that gets the students engaged and guides them to apply technology tools in a meaningful way. One of her ideas that really stands out to be is, “Beyond the Bell.” Kasey states that learning should not end when the class period ends. Learning should not stop because a grade is due. That idea seems so simple, but could have a positive and lasting effect on students. As a teacher, I look for ways to incorporate my students’ interests. However, I am guilty of telling the students we have to move on so we can get to the next item in the pacing guide. Really believing and enforcing the idea of “Beyond the Bell” will encourage students to continue research or application of skills at home. I like her idea of having continuous projects. As students come across something, they can revisit their project to add and edit information. I also like how Kasey says we can use a tool in multiple ways, such as Google Slides. When I see Google Slides I think PowerPoint. Having listened to Kasey list additional avenues one can take with Google Slides, my bag of resources has grown. I can utilize these resources in the classroom and encourage my students to use them “Beyond the Bell.”

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Kasey is such an inspiring educator and her excitement is contagious!  I found several things interesting about her session. Her discussion about "missed opportunities" throughout this session was spot on when it comes to the age old debate between the "traditional" style of teaching that has been used for decades and the more new-age, modern evolving style of teaching that most are working towards in our classrooms.  I like that she refers to it as dynamic learning vs static learning.  While I will concede that there are still some effective components of the traditional style, there seem to me more engaging strategies that prove to be more conducive to learning when you evolve and make your lessons more interactive. I loved the concept of student-created vision boards and what they can do for a students personal goals. While they are a bit difficult in the lower grades, I can definitely see them being beneficial with older students. I liked that she went step by step into Google Slides, which was helpful for me as I am new to that. I was thankful to hear her say that there are just certain things you cannot do in Google Docs! Thank You!!!! I have thought it was just me while I've been trying to maneuver things there for activities or school related documents. Also, the concept of choice boards is exciting. I like the idea of basing it off of a tic-tac-toe template or a menu concept. Her focus on the four C's was refreshing as well. The image she shared below is so helpful. I will be printing this and putting in by my desk to help me remember my focus.

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The title of the interview really says it all. This was all about how we help our students discover their creativity and express it in the classroom. Not only so that we engage and improve student learning, but to also prepare them for an ever changing job market. Ben Forta, clearly states the challenge of education today, when he asks, "how do we shift people from being content consumers to content creators?" This can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. As Forta argues that we really don't have to make wholesale changes. You really don't have to change what you're already doing, just look for creative ways and options to allow students to express themselves during class. Creativity for students in the classroom, simply means allowing them put their "stamp on" things. Forta argues that "the Three C's" (creativity, communication, and collaboration) are what employers are looking for, and thus, what we need to be focusing on in the classroom. There are many impediments to incorporating the Three C's in the classroom. Some we can control, such as, giving teachers more planning time and meaningful professional development. While other factors, such as standardized testing are not within our control at the moment. One final thought, and this is actually an area with which I disagreed with the speaker. Forta, argues that students today are very comfortable and savvy with technology. In my experience, I find it a misnomer to say that this generation of students are "technologically savvy." While the students are very well versed in a handful of applications (mostly social and gaming applications), I find their overall knowledge of meaningful technology lacking. The vast majority of my students cannot perform or meet very basic technological expectations. There is a great deal of hand-holding anytime I introduce a new piece of technology or digital platform. While, scaffolding and hand-holding is certainly a regular and expected part of the job, we unfortunately do have time constraints. Our limited classroom time (that is heavily dictated by standardized testing) makes it difficult to regularly incorporate new pieces of technology.

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Everything that Jon Corippo and Cate Tolnai spoke of resonated with me. I immediately jumped on board with Jon Corippo when he stated that the high from learning used to come from “out remembering,” but has now shifted to “out creating.” I also liked how Cate Tolnai brought up the fact that time is needed to build your teaching craft but yet feel safe to own it and that it is ok to use your teacher tribe to come up with ideas, it is ok to get help from other admins as an admins. To further extend that thought, I love the idea of a failure/mentor/ idea board especially since I do so many PBL/As in my classroom. With this idea in mind, students can hone in on the crafts of other students. Two other major points from this session that I loved: 1) “Fast and Curious” approach to work towards mastery and 2) Idea of multiple presentations. I give a lot of PBL/As but I do not always make my kids present since last year a member of my team who is in the cohort ahead of us gave a survey on assessments and presenting to the class came back with the lowest score of desire to do so I started downgrading the number of presentations. I need to build that back up to build up their confidence to ultimate work towards out creating.

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I thoroughly enjoyed watching this podcast. Kasey Bell is such a genuine teacher that you can tell through reading her book and hearing her speak, she is truly focused on student engagement. I like how she emphasized again in her podcast how our focus is not the tech tool and referred to putting the worksheet into Google Classroom as she previously had in her book. She continued to emphasize through her entire podcast that learning needs to be dynamic that the focus is not on using technology, but instead making sure that learning is dynamic. Dynamic learning is something that I now have on my radar in my own classroom. I love how Kasey focused how learning should not end when the bell rings and how we need to find their passions and see what our students are interested in. I also enjoyed how she discussed we should not be substituting our students’ learning, but instead using technology tools as items that push and engage student learning and don’t substitute a method. I thought it was interesting how she discussed how every student in a district had 1 to 1 MacBook Airs and how blessed they were to have these and when she viewed different teachers in that district they were all having their students do the same thing- making Google Slides into a presentation and they weren’t using that tool to their full advantage. This also made me think to differentiation and how if we are expecting our students to use the same tool then we are not challenging our groups that need to be challenged. This was a great podcast and it is nice to know that these amazing educators that have published books really do “get it” and understand how things truly work in the classroom because they’ve been there.

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I had no background on Open Educational Resources before watching this podcast. I was blown away when Miller and Ishamel discussed about the school in Missouri and how instead of spending a large amount on textbooks they had their teachers create flexbooks. They ended up MAKING money in a way for their district. That was enough to buy me in- how often do we have a hard time gaining resources because of funding. How much sense does this make? I think about all of the textbooks that are sitting on the shelves at my school collecting dust and how much money could have been saved by my district if they would have went this route. After watching this podcast I did a little research for flexbooks that my team and I could use in our fifth grade classrooms. There are so many resources out there and they are so kid friendly!!  Watching a video to figure out how to do math versus reading about it? There are videos ready for our kids to watch on how to do a skill. I just think how nice this would be for a student at an independent station during my guided math lessons to be able to watch this video instead of pulling me away from my small group. This is a resource that I can definitely see myself using and sharing with the faculty at my school.

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I enjoyed watching Gonzalez’s podcast because it focused on curation and I thought it fit along perfectly with our class from this past week. I really liked how she discussed that any form can be used as a curritation tool such as Google Draw which made me think about what we are doing with our Tech Tool presentations. Once we add links on the presentation, we now had a curation tool. I liked how they discussed “packets” and talked about how we want to make sure that we are  not finding a substitute and doing the same thing. Such as if we are putting our kids on a video game all day even if it is educational, then we are still having them do busy work instead of having them do something productive. I liked how they discussed gallery walks and how with those they are getting to collaborate with one another about math instead of just completing the problems like they would with the worksheet. Gallery walks are something that I use often in my classroom and we use them often in our faculty meetings to discuss ideas and solve problems.

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I had a bare minimum understanding of what hyperdocs were before watching this podcast. After watching this, I have a better understanding and it really put things into perspective. I really like the idea of lesson designing versus lesson planning. We are constantly preached with the students first and if we think about it the main thing that we do to prepare for student success (lesson plan) is not student first. This almost comes down to a “to do list” of what we must accomplish by that day. I love all of the examples they gave and I think it goes back to that a hyperdoc involves student learning past when the bell rings versus a lesson plan ends when the bell rings. After watching this podcast, I went to their blog and found other examples to allow me to brainstorm some ideas that I could use with my 5th graders. I also feel that hyperdocs could be created by a school leader for the faculty.

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How terrifying to be the ELL student, can't we agree? We, as educators (me!) immediately feel entirely intimidated by the student that we won't be able to communicate with readily. Instead, this student is feeling entirely lost, at "ground zero", as Cisneros says. If any of us have ever traveled to a place where we don't speak the language we can imagine what it would feel like to be in a place where we would be learning, indefinitely. He is wise to say we should focus on survival vocabulary because the ELL student may not have ever had formal schooling. I appreciated practical tips, for example, not turning your back to the student while you are teaching. Your pitch, expression, etc. are important for the student to notice and connect with the language. I also appreciated the neat idea of a vocabulary journal. Small group work, and slowing the pace of learning down are so helpful to the ELL student.

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It can be commended that Bell (and Miller) want to focus on a learning goal before ever tackling a tech tool and helping an educator figure out how to "shake things up". About 1/3 of the way through, the duo discuss some of the info graphics that we (I) just completed for our most recent reading assignment. The static vs. dynamic chart and the menu and tic tac toe "choices chart", as I say in my classroom, was fantastic! I will be using this to change up my uninteresting choice chart (which I thought was SO cutting edge of me) . I love her clever way of using the charts to also inject the teacher's non negotiable choices.The partnership these two authors have is great. I am compelled to start listening to the podcast as well now that I understand and have heard the dynamic, no pun intended, between the two of them.  Also- my students made paper vision boards this year... no access to Chromebooks until last week ;)

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I thought it was great that the first discussion was about curation and pedagogy. It can be an intimidating word, but I do feel like it is becoming more widespread than they made it sound, initially. Maybe it is the circles we find ourselves in, or perhaps she has been responsible for extrapolating that word out of the dictionary and into our workplaces. The whole 46 minutes was powerful because it seemed very real and organic; Gonzalez had no problem "dissing" the worksheet (thank you!) and discussing that continuum of busy work in the form of a worksheet. She went on to say that when you take that away from the teacher they can feel intimidated with how to fill their time. I am finding that what intimidates the teacher ends up empowering the student. I agreed that the more face-to-face talking we can inject into our students work, the better. My one devil's advocate remark and thought that I couldn't shake... early on in the discussion she makes a remark about having switched over to consultation work exclusively for the last five years. I am always wondering about those persons who are advocating for these ideas, but aren't putting them into practice in real time. A lot has changed in 5 years, even thanks to her, but it sure is something entirely different to put them into practice.

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Flexible seating is a major topic at my school. At one point last year we had 5 out of the 16 teachers with a Donor’s Choose project for flexible seating. I avoided this avenue and decided to work with what I already had which has worked well for my students. Note- my room is very large compared to most at my school, plus no one really has the ability to move out furniture because there is no storage. Two things I really loved about this session: 1) She is still a classroom teacher and her primary degree is in Interior Design. This helps me to feel connected and really hone in on everything she is saying because she sees firsthand without time removed from the classroom, unlike many other education professionals who are removed. 2) She really challenges you to think about your room as a whole. How can it be utilized vertically? How can we manipulate body language so that work effort is maximized? The idea that procedures need to be put in place for management of flexible seating options. I feel that procedures for how to use to flexible seating need improvement in my classroom, but overall I think that the options I have provided horizontally at this point in my redesign of learning are great. Now I need to think about learning vertically while constantly redesigning to meet the learning space needs of my growing learners. I do have to say that I have three cubbies built into my classroom which are always the first areas to be chosen, especially when students are given individual assessments.

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This was the first video I chose to watch because I have recently started incorporating a version hyperdocs into my own VA Studies classroom, based on the readings by Kasey Bell. I didn't know much, but I decided just to start and to tweak this approach as I learned more. So many of my main concerns about this model were addressed in the video. I love that they discuss getting away from lesson planning and moving towards lesson design. They were able to design templates that inspire and guide, but also stay true to evidence based instruction. I also worried that I was putting all of the responsibility of learning into my students hands and struggle with the balance of my role. It was very reassuring to hear that whole group, small group, partner learning are all still important and encouraged in this model. They don't expect teachers to give and release student, but to have the freedom to come sit with students and help facilitate learning on a more personal level. Lastly, their reasons for why they know hyperdocs work (outside of the research) rang true in my heart: you are the designer and you know your kids. Providing culturally relevant pedagogy that from creation had those specific students in mind will make all the difference in it's effectiveness. Not only did this session give me ideas for how to change what I am currently doing, but it also inspired me to keep going!

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There were several teaching techniques and strategies mentioned during this interview that I found useful. The first, was the clarification between work/busy sheets and power sheets. Jennifer Gonzalez begins by arguing that physical worksheets can still provide meaningful instruction and engage students, but worksheets need to be dynamic, interactive, and thought provoking. Worksheets should include space for student creativity, allow students to analyze and synthesis information, as well as ask truly thought provoking critical questions. I pride myself on trying to incorporate many of these features into physical worksheets I distribute in class, but there are still several that don't push student learning and innovation as well as they should. Another new concept I found intriguing was her use of chat stations. I use gallery walks often in my instruction, but I've never had stations where students simply analyzed and discussed what they saw. I always have a written component attached, and I never realized that the written component may stop students from the most meaningful part of the activity, which is the student discourse. Finally, and arguably most importantly, I loved the single column/point rubric. I assign many projects and I always use a highly detailed multi-column/tiered rubric. I believe Jennifer Gonzalez is correct when she says it's a waste. We just need to show students what we expect and then provide space for feedback, allowing them to understand what they excelled and  under-performed at. They are also great to use on non-graded assignments, or simple progress checks.

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Creativity. This word means so much to me considering this is the word that I try to use to guide all of my teaching, I am a huge proponent for creativity in the classroom, but this may be due to the fact that I am one of the strongest supporters of PBL/As, because unlike it was mentioned in the video, I love assessments. I love seeing what my students created or where they took the information that I gave them. With that being said, sometimes do my students hit walls or I hit the wall of feeling that I am not a creator, yes. That is why I who heartedly believe that Ben Forta is on point with his belief that the 3 C’s (creativity, collaboration, and communication) need to be incorporated together. His connection that he made to the 3C’s and the future job market provide even more support as to why teachers need to be incorporating the 5C’s (to include critical thinking and citizenship) that are part of the Profile of a Virginia Graduate. I also love the idea of learning together with my students. Have I had to have a student teach me how to use Insta Stories with all of the cool stickers, yes! Have I had to show them how to use G Suite, yes! With all of this being said, it is still extremely sad that as much as teachers want to do this, there is just not enough class time to allow for full creation and elaboration due to the constraints of SOL testing.

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Ah,creativity. The buzzword that used to be synonymous with art class. I liked how Forta injected some honesty about the use of creativity for students. He said, Miller agreed, that being creative is ambiguous and makes students uncomfortable. the discomfort comes from students being told, for the entirety of their learning career, what to create instead of making their learning a more autonomous experience for the student. Creativity mandates are what Forta is dreaming of; I feel many teachers would welcome this kinda of mandate vs. some that we don't get quite as excited about. Many teachers, by nature, are the creatives of the world, to begin with. The third main idea that Miller reviews of Forta's is perhaps the hardest for persons of our current teachers' generations and older: that is to let the student lead with tech teachings. Hearing Forta speak about his 5 year old grandson was another reminder that young children are of a generation that knows no transition into a technology-driven culture. This generation IS that culture; I can't wait to see and hear what the now five year old adult transitions into as an adult in the realms of new technology, as we are now. We will have a very savvy generation at the helm.

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I love the concept of hyperdocs.  By designing creative, engaging lessons that are student centered and self lead teachers can excite the students and allow them to explore their interests through a lesson.  This can allow the teacher to focus on guiding the learning experience for each child at the level required by each child.  I can see it allowing me to help struggling students work through the assignment as the stronger students are able to explore more into the topic through a guided curated atmosphere.  Each student can discover the topic in their own way and view things in their own perspective.  Hyperdocs bring the 21st century in to the classroom and allows the students to show their creativity in the ways they are allowed to share knowledge with one another.
I also liked a couple of the lesson examples shown in the video. Teaching writing by using the method with pictures and captions instead of pushing the 5 paragraph essay is a brilliant modern idea that lets the students present information in a way that they digest it themselves. By making learning fresh and new students become re-energized with the learning process.

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Kasey Bell always comes back to the importance of how tech tools are utilized in the classroom, versus use in general. She mentions several "missed opportunities" where teachers have technology in the classroom, but are not essentially making online worksheets. Her graphic for dynamic learning going beyond in so many areas (beyond the bell, beyond the walls) is an excellent way to show others that learning should be individualized and personally meaningful to the students. I really enjoyed the part when she spoke about students working past due dates in order to continue to add to their creations. This fosters passion and creativity and is a more "real world" experience for students, since it's rare that something is truly finished and unavailable for edit at a later date. I also enjoyed that she showed several examples of what she spoke of, with a website that clearly holds a plethora of teacher resources. I loved the interactive choice boards to encourage student choice in the classroom. I think I will add a tech resource menu to the next #edtech Tuesday newsletter for our school to provide more tech resources but also to share this interactive way of learning.

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I have to admit that I held off on listening to Martin Cisneros session because I felt that it had little relevance to me. As I was listening, he brought up the fact that everyone has ELL students in their room and though I sat in denial I remember how Dr. Bizzell stated that the majority of students are now minorities. Though I live in very rural Floyd County and we have an ELL population, just not at my school, I started to make connections are redefine the label of ELL as it applies to me and my classroom. Many of my students are ELL, whether they are on a 2nd grade reading level in 6th grade or they have parents whose rich Appalachian grammar is carrying over to affect their identification of sentence fluency. The tools that Mr. Cisneros shared can be used for all students, traditional label of ELL or not. Our speech pathologist can use the Chatterpix or Blabberize to help students hear their speech. TL;DR, Smmry.com, and CraftyLevel can all be used by special education teachers and classroom teachers to help students chunk down information for whether they are a slow reader, or become easily distracted with longer passages.

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I just feel like Kasey Bell gets it when it comes to teaching with technology vs using technology to teach. I really liked how she kept reiterating that we should not try to remake old activities into some kind of google doc or online worksheet.  I really liked how she talked about how learning should be dynamic and a process not a stop and go procedure. I was once asked if a student mastered my class the very last day rather than unit by unit would I pass them? Its a very interesting question because as Kasey has stated our goal should be to teach our students not make them jump through the hoops with some new piece of tech. I think this prospective can really change how we approach the use of technology in our classrooms.

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I was impressed with how much research was sited in this video! I felt like this discussions paralleled both Matt Miller and Kasey Bell's books about changing education to better prepare students for the new type of job market that awaits them. Forta explained a common phenomena that I see in the classroom where students are so focused on being "right", that they can't function when you say there isn't one "right" answer. It was very refreshing to hear that creativity goes beyond the traditional arts and extends to any original content that is of use to others. Ideas like book trailers with QR codes and twitter handles are unique spins on classic ideas that will help students engage, as well as, truly internalize the content. There is no one "right" way to bring creativity into the classroom!

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I think Rebecca Hare's best quote for me was, "We are overwhelming students with redundant information." She makes such a valid point about thinking of your walls as real estate and points out teachers need to maximize it's use in a way that will help students. I love her ideas about simplifying design and not worrying about what is "cute", but focusing more on what is helpful for the student's learning. I think since this new golden age of Pinterest, classroom decor has exploded and teachers spend hundreds of dollars yearly decorating the classroom. However, Hare says the type of furniture you have or the decor you set up isn't what is important - it's the learning that is taking place. Having at least 3 learning space options is vital for a classroom. It's so true that the brain can only take in but so much information; therefore, we have to limit and streamline the content we are exposing our students to on the walls of our classrooms. Hare also stated students should be the flexible element, not necessarily tables/chairs on wheels. Hare is such a real world, down to earth educator and I was impressed with her ability to convey her ideas to me in a tangible way!

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Fricken Packets!!!  I loved this.  So many teachers use packets in their classroom to "teach" the students material.  I can not stand this and have been vocal about this style of teaching in my own school multiple times.  I truly feel that students are unjustly served by this method.  As said in the video if this is all that is being done what is keeping teachers by being replaced by youtube.
Overall, I was really interested in so much that Ms. Gonzalez presented. She was very logical and well spoken on everything she shared. The five things she wouldn't do in a classroom again was also very insightful and although I am guilty of a few of those things I found myself agreeing with all of her points. It is pretty safe for me to say that Jennifer Gonzalez has added another member into her cult.

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This video is my bread and butter when it comes to teaching inclusion students. I start off every year by telling my students about how to think on their on and be creative. Forta talked about how creativity is about the creation of something valuable. I agree with how Forta talks about transitioning from our typical definition of creativity being something related to art, to a more practical definition of how creativity applies to all aspects of life. I really like the example Matt used about the plumber in his house, I'm partial to this because I worked for a plumber for several years prior to teaching. I think so often as teachers we push students into college and tell them they have to be problem solvers but we don't explain to them how creative you have to be to be about of blue collar jobs as well. The ultimate take away that we should always teach with a purpose of inspiring students to use creativity to solve real world problems.

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To extend on Austin's post above, one of the biggest issues I have dealing with students with special needs is getting them to realize they have the ability to think through problems and are capable to complete assignments at the same ability of students they consider "smarter" then they are.  So many times when dealing with students with IEP's, I hear the words I can't do this or I don't understand "the way" to get the answer.  I work with them on using the skills they possess as much or more than teaching these students the class material.  I strongly feel that getting children to realize they are creative and can use numerous methods to find solutions to a problem they have instead of the one or two ways shown in class.  The best way to prepare students for the future is to help them become problem solvers with knowledge of how to find answers more than knowing all the answers themselves.
I agree with concept of the 3C's. Creativity, communication, and collaboration are all essential skills no matter the profession a child chooses. Children need to learn these skills and be able to practice them in order to allow them to develop as they grow older.

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We recently (last school year) started renovating some of our classrooms to develop some transformational learning spaces. We now have 4 classrooms in our building that are fully a "non-traditional" classroom and multiple others that are a hybrid between the non-traditional and traditional classroom style. In these classrooms that have been transformed we have placed tables adjusted to different levels (standing, sitting, and kneeling or floor sitting) for the students to find a comfortable learning position. The walls have been uncluttered from visual aides and covered corner to corner with white boards for collaboration. Television/monitors have been placed on all walls so students can easily access teacher instruction presented on the computer. Multiple types of chairs have been placed in the room from exercise ball seats to rocking chairs and wobble stools to standard seats to allow students to be able to quietly work out excess energy if need during class time. These class rooms have provided a level of excitement from the students that is hard to earn from an 11-13 year old.  Students in these classrooms are more open in their education and have been found to interact with each other more, ask more questions, and reply more openly in the classroom.  The experience with these classrooms have been extremely eye opening and very positive.
I will say, like mentioned in the video, it takes a very structured teacher with good classroom control in order to make these classrooms work. It is important for the teacher to be able to recognize issues in their class before they become a concern and squash classroom distractions before they arise. With the correct teacher these classrooms are an amazing way to re-energize students. They can be extremely productive and allow open, modern, innovative teaching practices.

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I really enjoyed Forta's session and I found the comments about how we don’t want to let future job prospects define what we are doing in the classroom, but we want to provide our students with the skills  future employers might want. I have always been focused on exposing children to what they may have to do in the future, but I like the idea of focusing more on what the future employer may want. I also think soft skills need more focus. In a world where anything can be googled, it is important to arm our kids with the tools they need to be good people. We should focus on creating well- rounded, creative individuals that have well developed soft skills. I also loved the statement about being less prescriptive and more open ended. That is something I strive to achieve daily in my classroom. I want my students to take control of their learning and find their passion, and those things can only be found in allowing them to explore on their own and being open ended.

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This is probably my favorite session so far. I love how Kasey Bell talks about reaching beyond! Being in a 1-1 county, the technology provides so many opportunities, but I have always hoped that I could use technology to connect my small-town students with the rest of the world. Our fifth grade team does a grade level project every year that goes global. Last year we partnered with a Sudanese refugee to sell coffee and raise money to help farmers in Sudan. This year, we are using our technology to write letters and learn about refugees all over the world. I love how Bell referenced used Google Slides like an Instagram. Many of my students have Instragram and I would love to use the same idea to have them share work and their reflections through our projects. I have already taken a step on having my students create vision boards, since I enjoyed making mine so much.

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When I first heard the word OER I had no idea what I was getting into. I was very overwhelmed with all of the terminology at the beginning of the video. Once Matt and Kristina started explaining it I quickly realized that I have been pulling from these resources since I started teaching. I started out as a student teacher with virtually no material to work with I quickly went the old fashion route and pulled every worksheet/lab/ activity from veteran teachers via a physical copy. When I received my position in Roanoke we were fortunate to have an online textbook and a slew of online materials to pull from. I was spoiled very quickly with this huge pain database of materials. The only problem is I moved back home to Franklin County and went back into a situation with zero resources other than older textbooks that are rarely opened. This is where I think Kristina's main point of OER's come into play, through canvas I have been using creative commons which is very similar to the library they talked about. When I use creative commons it is completely free and I can implement the 5 R's that she talked about to make each lesson fit my needs. I think looking forward the education community needs to keep in mind that we should work together and talk about sharing resources that are more "open" rather than "free" and avoid all of these petty copyright laws in order to benefit all students. But hey that's just my opinion.

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This year at my school in Roanoke City, we received a very large population of ELL students from throughout the city. Seeing this presentation I knew that it would be helpful and help verify my first 6 weeks of school and I was definitely right. Although I've had a good amount of training in teaching ELL students, it has more so been aligned with grammar and how to help them read and write. This video was really helpful for me just to remember how ELL students interpret little things such as facial expressions when talking, or how literal they take directions or just about anything because their not used to the language and figures of speech. It's really easy in a class of 25 students to forget that an ELL student wouldn't get a joke that you made or sarcasm. Not that you do it on purpose but, its just natural. Cisneros personally helped me to remember what was coming into their ears and to try and envision myself in their shoes sitting in my class. To me, that's one of the best things i can do as an educator of ELL students.

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This session aligned right along with what I have currently going on at school. Although I'm relatively young, OER's can still be overwhelming in the day to day job of a teacher, especially if you start teaching a new subject or grade level. Just this year I've started using OneNote as a OER and platform for my students to have an online notebook and place where I can upload all their assignments and notes, and also easily assess their work on a daily basis. As I watched this session, I was reminded of how much I already use technology and OER's every week and really daily throughout my instruction even without OneNote. This session also helped me to come up with some other ideas and creative ways to get information across. The beautiful thing about OER's are that their endless, new things and resources are always being invented and there are so many out there. Ishmael really helped me to remember that there is truly so much out there and to expose my students to those things as it's really easy to get into a "technology routine."

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After hearing Hare's view points on different learning spaces in the classroom I can agree and disagree with many points she made throughout the discussion. My wife teaches 3rd grade and I have heard about flexible seating for a number of years but this year is the first year that it has made its way to our high school. We have a school with in a school program called Eagle Tech. This program is basically what Hare describes the classroom that Hare talks about. I really like how she takes a practical view point of decor in the classroom. I have never been one to go buy a multitude of posters, call me under motivated but I just think that its provides a cleaner look in the class that a ton of things on the wall. I agree that if we are going to have something we need to utilize it, not just have it to make our rooms look cute because at a high school level I could believe most kids could care less. Now don't get me wrong I don't think my classroom should look like a jail cell, I still have a lot of lab equipment, safety procedures and practical things around my room. I really like where she points to the fact that the teacher in Canada had an alphabet on top on the wall that couldn't even be seen. I think sometimes as educators we get to caught up in what we think looks nice vs what will actually help the students. Speaking of flexible seating I think that it has its own place but I do not agree that it should be in every classroom. I think that Hare is correct that learning should take place in 3 different environments per class, for me this is a traditional classroom setting, a laboratory setting, and a virtual setting. If I had flexible seating in my current room we would not be able to have a safe environment. Our school was built in the 1950's and if I introduced flex seating my biggest concern would be the students injuring them self because 1: lack of space, 2: lab equipment. If we had larger rooms that were separate from our labs I think it would be beneficial but in my current room I think it would cause more issues than benefits.

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The sad truth is - I didn't really know about OER (open educational resources) before watching this video. There were so many resources available, it brought the thought of - why don't all teachers know about these resources? During the discussion, they mentioned that a teacher gamble two hour of their time on Pinterest, hoping to find an usable resource during lesson planning. I was glad they made the distinction between free and open source, since the value of the resource does not diminish the owner's rights to that resource. Our county just recently purchased new text books for several grade levels and, quite frankly, they haven't been all that helpful for my 4th grade VA Studies students. The idea of flexbooks, that educators can change year to year as they see ways to improve the product, makes so much more sense in our digital world. With 1 to 1 Chromebooks in our school, I preferred her idea of using resources outline more like a hyperdoc than a textbook for student learning.

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Jen Gonzalez is very in touch with what is happening in everyday classrooms. This discussions was so much about what teachers are doing today and what teachers could be doing even better. The single point rubric is genius and what I always wanted to do, but was told that wasn't the right way by school leaders. When presenting 4th graders a traditional rubric, I often see eyes begin to glaze over as they taken in all of the words on the page. I feel like traditional rubrics have too many columns outline what you don't want to see and taking away from the focus of the 1 column that is the most important. When I present rubrics to my students, we often cover up the other columns or highlight only the highest point value column, because that is where I want my students to focus. I also totally agreed when they talked about how each of those boxes makes it so difficult to leave student specific feedback. Not every answer fits needly into each box. It makes so much more sense to have the most important information listed and give a space for what is most important - teacher feedback. I feel like his Rebecca Hare was to design a rubric, she would definitely go with the single point rubric! In the real world, people are given specific outlines of what is expected, not the minimum of what will be accepted.

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Out of the four sessions, “Tolnai & Corippo” was my favorite. They were both very passionate and Jon Corippo was quite humorous.  This session was my favorite because it highlighted the evolution of education. As teachers, we have to make our students ready for the future. The education system is changing rapidly...and this change is positive. Education is moving away from the “following a script” style- following pacing guides, lecturing, reading lessons from a book, etc. Modern education is moving towards “mastery” style, one in which the teacher designs his or her own lesson to best accommodate the needs and learning styles of every student. Students no longer need to out-remember other students, because advances in technology have made information available in an instant.  Instead, students today need to learn how to use these advances in technology as tools to out-create others.

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Prior to watching this video, I had no idea what a Hyperdoc was and had never heard of one. I love the enthusiasm these women showed while presenting. Their love of educating definitely shows through their passion for helping students. Hyper docs look to be something a step above and a bit cooler than a simple Google Doc They are more of a digital lesson if I am understanding correctly. I heard two statements that I thought were pretty awesome in this presentation. The first being "it's more about designing a lesson experience rather that completing a lesson plan." The second being "It's not about teaching technology, it's about using the technology to TEACH." Both of those statements made me want to know more about what a Hyper Doc was and how it was used. I like that these documents are visually engaging and filled with material that is conducive to learning. I really liked the template that was shared involving the six step process of Engage, Explore, Explain, Apply, Share and Reflect. I also liked that it was student centered and paced.

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As she does in her book, Kasey Bell emphasizes that technology is not a solution for a classroom that is not engaged, but rather an opportunity to create a differentiated lesson that addresses the various ways students learn. One thing that stuck out to me specifically from this video is Bell’s comparison between static and dynamic learning. Instead of having students do a static activity, which would be something like a research paper, a dynamic activity would be having students Skype with someone who experienced the event or use G Suite to create a project to share with the class. As teachers, we have to change the way we think about assignments. We cannot just make class about completing classwork. Research shows that our current education system actually stifles creativity. Something else from this article that spoke to me was Bell’s suggestion that the teacher become a guide. We supply the tools and framework, but students are able to choose the methods of learning that work for them.

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In this video, I found out that a hyper doc is much more than just some links on a Google document.  I am very familiar with Google Classroom and G Suite, but I learned a lot about designing lessons through this digital summit session. Hyper docs are effective because the teachers know their students, therefore they can design the lessons with students in mind. Direct instruction time is decreased, so the teacher is allowed more one-on-one time with students. Teachers should use student’s natural curiosity to their advantage and that is exactly what the appropriate hyper doc does. It is important to me to prepare students for the future. Creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication are skills that are essential for students to be successful in today’s world.

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Ben Forta brought hard data to the session about the importance of developing student creativity. We have to prepare our students with the tools future employees will want and the data shows modern workplaces want creativity. I like Forta’s rebuttal to “but what if I’m not a creative person?” He says, “If you have an original idea that can be used by someone else, then you are creative.” This resonated with me because I come up with new ideas everyday, but never considered myself creative. Empowering students to research, understand, and communicate through their own creative methods will teach them skills needed to thrive in the future.

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After listening to Hare discuss the different learning spaces that are popping up in classrooms around the world a few things stuck out in my mind. Classroom management is such a key to any successful classroom and how its arranged or laid out has a big part in that. I do think however I personally can get too caught up in what makes the class the easiest to "manage" or control. This typically just means where I can see student's computer screens the easiest or how they can see the board, but it can also be that I have certain students in certain places because it's where they work the best or due to IEP's. This is where I think Hare really made me evaluate whether or not the my classroom or enviornment is truly set up for my students' to succeed, and not what was just easiest for me. Is the room arranged so that group work can be done? Are students with others that may be able to help them? I do like some of the ideas brought up in the video like different types of chairs or balls for students to sit in or a "reading corner." I love these different ideas, but it's very difficult in some settings with certain students. In an ideal school or situation these tactics would be perfect and benefit students

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Of all the videos/talks I watched I found this one to be the most "inspirational," as it really followed as Mr. Corippo and Mrs. Tolnai discussed using technology to translate into real world knowledge and experience. I see this all the time in my 8th grade students and it's the reason I use so much technology in my class do allow students to make creative things. Being able to type in a word document and being able to create tables/graphs to portray important information are two different things even though they're in the same technology tool that most students know how to use. Giving students opportunities to work with technology in ways that their interested in, and relative to a field they could go into is vital in giving them "real-world" experiences and is more important than any formal assessment in my mind. As a matter of fact, these things CAN be used as assessments as Corippo points out.