Reflection Padlet by Vanessa Dotson

What transformational activity/idea did you get while observing your peer? How can you implement this new idea starting tomorrow or next week?

vdotson2 — 2024-02-19 19:40:13 UTC

Amplify Flexibility

2024-03-13 14:51:01 UTC

I really liked how the readings were broken down into smaller sections not super long passages. I also liked the idea of having a workbook and online activities for a hybrid/flexible approach like Ms. Kranz was doing.

Mrs. Kranz period 3

2024-03-13 16:13:21 UTC

The moment I walked into Jayme's classroom, I saw every single student engaged! They were all working on reading and annotating as partners at an appropriate volume level and doing what was expected. Jayme truly seems to have an awesome understanding of the curriculum and was able to answer all the questions I had. Amplify looks like a fantastic option for a new curriculum considering that it addresses so many different layers of all that ELA encompasses!! My favorite part that I saw today is the student workbook and how wonderful the activities are within it.

Mr. Giugler period 5

2024-03-13 16:30:30 UTC

I got to see Chris's students reviewing each other's writing segments which was an opinion based response to a question given by Chris. It was awesome because they were giving each other feedback on use of text evidence and the structure of writing.

I even got to chat with students and ask them what they like best. One of them said she likes the Vocab and that it is "So fun!". A few of them also told me that they really like the writing pieces they do each day. Specifically, they talked about the narrative writing they are currently working on and how they had to rewrite from the perspective of a bystander. Additionally, the students were very excited about the amount of partner work that Amplify brings in. It all sounded so engaging and the students used the word "fun" several times while talking about the work to me. (Which is fabulous!!) Lastly, this is the accelerated class and they commented on the amount of homework that is in the Solo pieces, and they said it was "just the right amount".

Mrs. Richardson period 9

2024-03-14 10:48:02 UTC

Kim's class was working on a graffiti wall project when I came in. I love this idea and it's something I have done in the past and forgot about. I will definitely be using this idea soon!! Her students were working on the topic of the Great Depression and Hooverville. Their posters were so well done and included so many great pictures, facts, and symbols representing that time in history. Bonus- the kids loved doing it! They were all engaged and everyone was working on it together taking turns and contributing.

Ms. Richardson period 3

2024-03-14 15:07:00 UTC

When I came in to observe, her students all had books in hand and were actively going through the text looking for different things which was probably the set up for the graffiti wall activity, which is a really cool idea. I will try and pop in to see the completed projects!

Flex Day

2024-03-15 15:37:12 UTC

The day I observed happened to be a Flex day, which I love that this is built into the curriculum to allow students to work on various tasks that they need to complete. The students spent about 10 minutes on vocab, and then started quill practice, which would then transfer over into their writing practice that they would be working on later on in class. I would LOVE to start using quill in the classroom. I also loved that you could see online where each student was in a particular lesson, whether they had moved on from one activity to the next.

Mrs. Ziemetz Period 2

2024-03-21 14:14:20 UTC

Mrs. Ziemetz is amazing! All of her students were engaged in the discussion about the story that they were reading. Students were engaged and had an in-depth understanding of the text that was evident through their answers and participation. Additionally, it is clear that there has been a culture of respect built in this classroom. I truly enjoyed visiting!

Mrs. Kranz Period 4

2024-03-21 15:38:37 UTC

Love how the kids know exactly what they are doing with little to no teacher prompting. Amazing small group discussion, teacher modeling, and ways to get students up and moving. The material is engaging and interactive. I reallllly hope we get this one!! :)