https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj A sharing of successes & challenges. A collaboration of what we think a successful blended learning classroom should look like en-us 2018-04-17 22:15:44 UTC 2018-04-30 18:03:49 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/252961293 I teach sex-ed to both male and female students at Saluda Trail Middle School. Getting the students to stay on task was very difficult, one reason was the size of class. I might have as many as 50 students in one class, by myself. I found with Blended Learning the stations and the variety of learning experiences kept them on task and better managed as a general rule. They were working, engaged and on task. It has made a night and day difference in the success of 
my class.]]> 2018-04-18 12:47:52 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/252961293 https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/252963244 My challenges as all teachers is time to prepare, but on the front end. Once it is done it saves time with the class being more engaged by getting through the work quicker, this helps with deadlines.
My other struggle is there are still kids who do not complete work even with this strategy. I use my time to help encourage and answer questions or redirect learning but they still do not complete.]]> 2018-04-18 12:52:31 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/252963244 https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253772921 One of my most recent successes, at least on one class, was letting the kids debate the topics we were discussing instead of me purely lecturing them. They spent some time researching their topics, unwittingly teaching themselves everything I would have taught them about them, then were able to get some energy out in a debate. I have also used Socratic seminars with some of my classes to similar success. There are a few who like to stay as wallflowers in the background, but the majority seem to have their competitive juices stoked by this change in things.]]> 2018-04-20 11:33:53 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253772921 https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253773448 Like Coach Keaton said, planning time is the biggest struggle I have faced. For me it is a mix of front end AND back end. Not only does it take more time than I often have to develop adequate activities, but if I am to accurately assess students staying on task if I am not actively engaged with their small group, it requires more unique and varied assessments, which means more time grading on the back side. Another challenge for me, essentially doing three different preps due to levels of ability in my classes, is that some classes are capable of more independent work than others, which has a two-fold effect. It grows the prep time exponentially, because now it translates from 4-5 stations to 15-20 stations depending on which class I am in, and it also requires different levels/methods of classroom management for the classes with more behavioral issues to allow these methods to work successfully. ]]> 2018-04-20 11:36:24 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253773448 https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253825273 I find placing tutorials in Canvas to be super helpful for students to reference. They can refer to each step of the process as they go and I can refer them to the tutorial instead of showing the step over and over because they forget. This is also extremely helpful for students who miss days of class.]]> 2018-04-20 13:45:39 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253825273 https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253826693 I think the biggest challenge is getting students to think this way. They are so used to running to me for every little thing that they do not think about going on the computer and looking for the step they need to review or learn. Sometimes this is very frustrating for them and me because they do not want to go through the process of using their computer and finding the tutorial. The easy answer for them is to just ask me. This takes a little training.]]> 2018-04-20 13:48:24 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253826693 https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253840005 I think a blended learning classroom looks like students come in and go immediately to work. They do not have to wait on direction much, unless of course we are beginning something new. I think you would also see students in conversation with each other about the work, trying to help each other. The teacher would be the facilitator and the safety net. Students would be self paced and self reliant so they might not all be working on the same thing.]]> 2018-04-20 14:14:44 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/253840005 https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/256639049 I think you would see students engaged in different activities and on different resources; such as computer, group discussion,head phones listening to a topic, some busy writing and solving problems and some asking the teacher for redirection or just clarification. I think a successful classroom would look engaged on so many different levels and you would see a teacher a lot less stressed.]]> 2018-04-30 18:00:25 UTC https://padlet.com/funderburkb2/fskldvhg6jnj/wish/256639049