Update on Weekly Video Newsletters

***Update on our Weekly Video Newsletters***

In my post from September 24th, I shared the struggle with starting an online video newsletter for parents. Read about that HERE. Well, good news! We reviewed our first newsletter, all 13 1/2 minutes of it, as a class and discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly, then made a plan to move forward. 

Here's the Video Newsletter Norms we created:

1. We will work with a partner or small group. Partners/groups will remain the same.
2. Each week, groups will rotate and report on a new subject.
3. As a whole group, we will discuss and share highlights of our week before breaking off in groups to record.
4. Partners/small group will plan and perhaps practice what they want to say before recording. Personality is welcome.
5. Videos will be 30 seconds or less.
6. Medium wide shots or close-ups are best.
7. We will respect other groups recording- no photobombing or loud side conversations.
8. Partners/small group will use ipads or student iPhones to record the video newsletters then airdrop them to Mrs. Thiery's computer. Mrs. Thiery will thread them together on iMovie and upload them to the youtube channel. Also, send a copy to See Saw and class twitter account.

We are getting better every week! See the latest two videos below...

5th Grade Video Newsletter

Sept. 25th- 28th

5th Grade Video Newsletter
Oct. 3rd-5th

Thinking forward... it'd be fun to drop images and videos into a green screen video, but we don't have enough green screens or devices with the green screen app to be able to do this in the 15 minutes we've allotted. 

As we get more comfortable, maybe we could spread this out over a couple days... or maybe just keeping it simple is good enough.  After all, pictures and videos are shared in See Saw and on Twitter. Something to think about. 

One thing we'll need to add to the norms is: Set up the camera and don't move it while videotaping.

Do you do video newsletters? If so, what do you include?

Trying our Hand at Weekly News Video

I've spent the last hour watching 5th-grade videos of them (sometimes with a partner) reporting out to parents for an end of week newsletter... and I haven't stopped laughing.

I thought that asking 5th graders to videotape themselves telling about their week was going to save me time and maybe even increase engagement with parents. A win-win for me. Actually, feedback from parents hasn't been overwhelmingly consistent with newsletters, or videos, or Twitter, or even email. So I thought, why not? Why not turn the reigns over to the kids? We are student-led. They love to videotape themselves and we've been working on reflecting in authentic ways. So they chose a subject area, got their Chromebooks, sat with their partners, and made a video.

I envisioned 2 students visible in front of a camera articulating all the cool things they'd learned this week, maybe even show some quick artifacts from the week. 30 seconds later, parents would feel like they had a window into the classroom. Well, there were some 30 second videos and other 6 minute ones! After I threaded all their videos together, the video was 23 minutes long! No problem, I'll drop them into iMovie and start editing... only the videos were made on a Chromebook app that wouldn't download from Google Drive in a readable format. Insert teacher grumble. This was no longer a time saving idea. After searching the internet for forums to help problem solve, nothing worked. What to do next? Screencast them, save them as mp4s, then download and finally drop them into iMovie. Whew... another hour later all videos are in iMovie ready to edit. While each video was recorded as a screencast, I got to watch every single second of every single video yet again. The big question: where in the world do I even begin to edit? What would even be left of the video, if I took everything out that I deemed not important?

And that question led to a reflection. What is the purpose of this? I'm not sure what these videos reveal about our classroom. A bunch of giggling 10-11-year-olds trying to gain the attention of a camera. Reality check... kids aren't hearing what you want them to hear... it's not about you... and it's about them. As clear as my purpose is in planning for them each week, one of two things must be happening, either they are only hearing what they want to hear, or I'm not clearly teaching the purpose behind what we do. I'm guessing it's the latter (insert belly laugh).

Just as we teach kids that we write for different purposes and audiences, we also need to teach kids that we speak for different purposes and audiences. As they giggle, play around with each other, hem and haw over what they want to say, point out what we'd (teachers) hope what had happened in the classroom wouldn't be repeated is, pop in and out of the screen, record with half their head showing... I blurt out loud, "What in the world are they doing?"  NEWSFLASH SElf: They are doing what they know because there haven't been taught otherwise.

And so I'll edit these student-led videos the best that I can, download them a one video, and unapologetically share it with parents. Next week, we'll be intentional as we watch the videos and make a plan for improvement. Here's to the "Just do it" mentality. It's the best way to fail, learn, improve, and sustain a growth mindset.

Here we go...13 1/2 minutes of raw footage (minus 10 minutes of them hemming and hawing).

Taking 5 about an Innovative Mindset

We were incredibly fortunate that George Couros was able to share his innovative mindset with Grand Forks Public Schools! I was a tish excited (I only read his book 4 times in 3 different book studies!) Here we are, just a book studyin, on summer vacation (can you say INNOVATIVE TEACHERS? ) I loved spending time with this group. There is nothing more energetic than spending time with people who share a passion for innovation!

And here I am with Mr. George Couros himself. He's every bit as fun as you'd imagine him to be. 

It was this quote that hooked me: 

I mean, really. Does compliance not sum up a traditional mindset? I serriously dislike that word. I also dislike when we, kid professionals, put kids in a box and mass produce society robots. 

I have four grown children- two with learning deficits who have persevered and survived a flawed system.  My four children could not be more different. From their taste in music to their interests and strengths, and they are all on a life path that is both fulfilling and challenging.  All are in leadership roles where fostering relationships is critical. I have so much respect for them. They, thankfully, have beat the system.

  

I now have two perfect little grandsons (ages one and two). There is seriously nothing that compares to the love a grandma has for her little boys. At one and two, Jaren and Toby are becoming little people with interests and personalities. Toby is two. He loves to help me clean! His dad says he's going to be a janitor some day, I disagree. He's going to be an inventor, an engineer, an author, some sort of creator. He loves to figure out how things work. He is fascinated with moving parts and making things change.  He is a lover of stories and anything hands on. He's usually carrying his football and dead front and center watching the Vikings game with grandpa. He's sweet and caring, shy- always says please and thank you. He searches a youtube app for his favorite shows, taps his folder on my iPhone to play his games, and knows how to get his favorite songs off of my music app.  He's a thinker! Jaren is one, is lover of books and puzzles, is a quiet thinker, but a loud talker.  He likes to drive his car on the gravel roads- yes, he drives it.  He plays fetch with the dogs, nuzzles the cats, and fills their water bowl. I cannot fathom school wrecking their little innovative minds.  I feel responsible, as a kid professional, to advocate for them. Simple as that. They deserve a system that values the following:

And so... I'll share. I'm not, in any shape or form, a teacher with all the answers. In fact, I'd be the first to admit that I am struggling. Every day, I think about everything I should have done, dream about what I could have done, ask myself what I could do better next time. I know I need to change how I teach and that building relationships built on trust is crucial! 

I have a mindset. I have goals. I have a vision. I also know I can't do it alone. There has been an increase in energy since Friday's PD. People are reflecting, questioning compliance, and collaborating.  It's a start. 

How do we keep this momentum? We could start by sharing what we do with each other and others both inside and outside our district, by asking other teachers and students for honest feedback, and by continuing to empower kids to make choices and decisions about their learning. By trying things and constantly asking yourself, "How can I make this better?". 

Reflecting on an Innovator's Mindset... (It hurts to watch this!)

This is painful to watch.  I can't even watch it.  I actually couldn't hear it so I dropped it into iMovie to turn the sound up... but it's still too soft.  I suppose I spoke softly so nobody in the school would hear me recording.  

It is so hard to watch yourself on video! Well, here it is. On my blog for the world to see, should they happen to across it on a google search... because I'm most definitely not posting it to twitter.

Words

Today, I was reminded of how important our words are.  Something was said, my heart sank, and I was distracted for a good 10 minutes until I could self-talk myself into feeling better.

I wondered how many times I made a student feel like this, and was never aware?

Part of our job is coaching and providing feedback.  Encouraging feedback when positive decisions are made and supportive feedback when negative decisions are made.  We preach "Growth Mindset" and encourage students to accept feedback as a way to stretch  thinking and revise their work for the better, that failure is a chance to try again and improve. Kids should understand that and accept it, right? Perhaps, I'm wrong?

Why did this comment get to me?  It upset me because it was said carelessly, without regard to the history or truth behind it, it was an empty statement. There was clearly no intent to help me improve or grow - just a blanket statement that was meant to do nothing but probably gives this speaker a chance to say something.

What did I learn from this? RELATIONSHIPS are so important! TRUST needs to be established, so that when the tough things need to be said, they are said with love and respect. And those on the receiving end don't perceive it as a negative comment but trust that it's intended to help them grow.

Relationships are a two-way street. Perhaps, I need to be the one to reach out and communicate why the statement crushed me, or perhaps I simply need to just get over it and realize that we're all human and say dumb things sometimes.

2015-16! Time to commit to weekly posting on this blog!

It's a new year and 2016-17 is off to a great start! Our staff members each made an introduction video for the new bunch of trailblazers. Check out the playlist here.

And here we are venturing into year 2 of our new school with a bit of spunk. We welcomed a new 5th grade teacher, Mr. Knight. Life is good!

Daniel (the 5th grade newbie, Chad, Me, and Kelly)

I really miss last years 5th graders, but these new kiddos are incredibly easy to love! We set up a green screen photo booth and parents had the option to take a picture with their 5th grader at open house. What a fun way to see kids interact and be silly with their families.
Here is the slideshow:

We all jumped into flexible seating head first. We've had to tweak a few things... change out uncomfortable stools for more comfy ones, get rid of certain desks for tables.. etc.  The kids made rules for the seating and things are beginning to feel familiar.  

I do need to assign seats at during carpet time. A few boys are rolling around the ball chairs, and army crawling on the floor... so not cool, but I am confident we'll soon get this figured out.

Since I'm type A about keeping our room picked up and free of clutter, there are some rules regarding their supplies. All supplies are either in a labeled drawer or a cubby.
This is how we organized them...

Glue bottles, tape, expo markers, and extra supplies (pencils) are stored in community drawers. There is actually quite a bit of room when supplies are organized.

Here are a few pics of the classroom:

I'm excited to get started with Readers Workshop, Writers Workshop, and Genius Hour! Our blogs are set up at this address: Mrs. Thiery's Classroom Blog . Please stop and visit.

We'll also be tweeting @MrsThierysClass and #TrailBlazeOn. We'd love to connect!

Making Writing Fun Again!

Writing used to be my passion.  I wrote all the time- I journaled, blogged, revised stories, poured my heart into poetry, and turned the hardest events of my life into problems for my made up characters.

So it wouldn't surprise you to know that teaching writing also used to be my passion.  I can recall stories authored by kids as far as 20 years back. Why? Because it was hard. Because they poured their sweat and soul into stories that were created by them. Because they were passionate about what they were writing about. They had choice. Choice in character, choice in setting, choice in problems, and choice how to end the story.  They chose the genre. They chose the audience. They chose how to publish.

Writing is a window into the soul of the writer. I could tell a lot about a student based on their writing. I could tell when a kiddo needed to be a hero, needed to be heard, or needed a friend. I learned who was friends with who, who had pets, or what sports they played. I learned who needed their voice to be heard, who needed a hug, who needed a snack, and who needed warm clothes in winter.  I used to love teaching writing.

So what killed the joy?  I joined a district literacy committee. Why? I thought it would help me grow as a writing teacher.  I thought I would share my ideas and gain ideas from others.  I don't know what happened, but the light and spark disappeared from my classroom, and it disappeared from my personal life too.  I stopped journaling. I stopped blogging. I stopped writing.

I don't mean any disrespect toward the hard work of our literacy committee. They are amazing people who work incredibly hard. I think what happened was that the students in my class didn't like being told what they had to write.  It was forced. It was dull.  It was all non-fiction writing. Was I the only teacher on that committee who felt this way? I tried to make it fun. I tried to make it applicable. I tried.  I failed.

This year started out the same. We were given a timeline. September was response journaling, October and November were informational article writing, December was essay writing. The kids groaned when they wrote. I was torn.  How do I remain subordinate to our district, but fix this mess?

Over Christmas break, my son, Jordan and I were discussing his job.  With an English degree, he had recently landed a short-term technical writing position within Amazon. Technical Writing? Why hadn't I thought of that earlier? Kids have been writing 'How to' stories since first grade. It wasn't on our timeline, but what would it hurt? What could we write about? It had to be something authentic. It had to be something engaging. It had to be something that they had never done before. And then I remembered the Makey Makeys.  I had four kits in my room.

On the first day back from break, I asked kids to find a youtube video that explained what a MakeyMakey was.  They curated, and we watched a few. I then asked them to find a video or manual online that would teach us how to use them. They did and again, we discussed it. I brought out the kits. They were so excited. For a week, I let them play during writing time.  They were creating some really incredible things. Then it hit me. We need to create a manual that shows other people how to create what we were creating. We read manuals and came up with an anchor chart. We built our Makey Makey taking pictures of each step.  We then uploaded the pictures into our google drive and brought them into a google doc. From there, they wrote. We drafted, revised, then published and laminated them.  Our school purchased 20 Makey Makeys for our school, and our manuals are in the box with them.

Here is Brooklyn and Alivia's example of a 'How to" with Makey Makeys:

How to Make a Piano Play Using Water

These instructions will show you how to play a piano with water using a Makey Makey kit.

Materials:

• Computer

• Makey Makey Board
• USB cord
• 6 Alligator clips
• 5 small paper cups
• water
• www.makeymakey.com/piano

1.Get all your materials together.

2.Fill your five small paper cups with water about 1 centimeter from the top.

3.Arrange the cups in the same position as your Makey Makey board (We are not using click part of the Makey Makey board).

4.Connect the bigger end of your USB cord to your computer and and the smaller end to the  Makey Makey Board.

5.Connect one alligator clip to the up arrow on your Makey Makey Board ( in the two holes) and the other side to the cup that represents the up arrow.

a.The clip that is on the cup has to be touching to the water.

6.Connect another alligator clip to the left arrow on your Makey Makey Board (in the two holes) and the other side to the cup that represents the left  arrow.

a.The clip that is on the cup has to be touching the water.

7.Connect another alligator clip to the down arrow on your Makey Makey Board (in the two holes) and  the other side to the cup that represents the down  arrow.

a.The clip that is on the cup has to be touching the water.

8.Connect another alligator clip to the right arrow on your Makey Makey Board ( in the two holes) and  the other side to the cup that represents the right  arrow.

a.The clip that is on the cup has to be touching the water.

9.Connect another alligator clip to the space button on your Makey Makey Board ( in the two holes) and  the other side to the cup that represents the space button.

a.The clip that is on the cup has to be touching the water.

10 . Take the last alligator clip and connect it to any “Earth” hole. You will have to hold the other end when its time.

11.Go to the website www.makeymakey.com/piano.

12.Hold the alligator clip that is not connected to anything and touch the water to play the piano.

13. Enjoy

If you have any questions: contact Brooklyn Bergeron or Alivia Norris at Discovery Elementary in Mrs. Thiery’s 5th grade classroom or email BrooklynB754@mygfschools.org

 

 

Next we watched TED talks, found patterns, and researched what made a great TED Talk. We created our anchor chart then shared our passions. We also brainstormed ways we could use our passions to make our community a better place. We wrote, revised, and published a TED talk.  We memorized our speeches, videotaped them in front of a green screen, and uploaded them to our youtube channel.
They were so amazing!

From there we researched issuses in our community and brainstormed topics for a Public Service Announcement.  We watched PSA's and determined their catch phrases, we learned what persuasive language sounded like.  We wrote our anchor chart then got to work researching our topics. We wrote, revised, and published our PSA's on a POWTOON. Again, they were amazing!

Now with a month of school left, we are free to write narratives. Our curriculum consists of personal narratives, memoirs, and biographies. These are all awesome genres, but so are historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and fairy tales. Why do we take this choice away from kids? "They need to learn to write non-fiction," we're told at Professional Development. "5th Grade is just a tough year, as they become acquainted with the curriculum in prior grades, it'll get easier."  The truth is there is no buy in.

Next, I needed to teach the elements of a narrative and I need them to remember them. What to do?

I borrowed 6 Spheros from Monte Gaukler at Schroeder Middle School. Again we played with them. While playing, one of the kids said... "hey it's like it's red when it's mad and blue when it's cold." Then they started naming their spheros.  Then it hit me... write a narrative with the sphero as the main character.  I taught the components of a narrative, gave them a graphic organizer to brainstorm, and they put themselves in groups and created a narrative.  Next we wrote the narratives, revised them, and finally published them.  We created a setting that the sphero could travel through, then PROGRAMED the sphero to roam through the setting, pausing to act- either shake in fear, turn a color to represent a mood, run fast or jump, or stop.  The students then practiced reading their narratives and timed their voices to match their sphero program.  It WAS AWESOME!!!!

Here is abby, Ayana, and Quibby's narrative brainstorming looked like:

Use this template to brainstorm for your Sphero Narrative

Group Members: Abby and Ayana and Quibby

Spheros name: Ethan

Title of Narrative: The Island

Setting: On a Island

Conflict: Can’t Get off the Island

Resolution: Gets Off The Island

Theme: Everybody Can Do Anything

Characters: Sphero, Pigs, Tiger, Wolfs

Rising Action Events:

1. Boat Crashes
2. He finds a village and they give him food and seeds. Weapons.
3. He explores the island then he finds food and then it was a trap and he fell in.
4. He stays in the trap and  can’t find a way out.
5. He looks at the animals and they help him find a way out.
6. The animals become his pets.
7. He builds a hut.
8. Then he makes a garden and starts to build a new life.

Climax: He starts jumping like crazy thinking of a way to get off the island.

Falling Action Events:

1. He starts to build a boat.
2. But he doesn't want to leave his animals.
3. After he finishes his boat he loads all of his stuff in and leaves but he goes back to get his pets and goes back to America.

Here are some pics from the process:

Flexible Seating

We did it!  Our classroom is 100% free from assigned seating.  I've wanted to do this for years, but I just didn't know how to manage it in an intermediate classroom. I am so thankful to Kayla Delzer for working out the kinks in her second grade classroom and letting us observe for the morning. We have standing tables, low tables, desks on wheels, desks in a semi circle.  We have ball chairs, wiggle chairs, barber shop chairs, cubes, wobble cushions, and pillows.

     
     

Classroom Jobs

So I think we finally have a system figured out for classroom jobs. A job is anything that needs to be done so that our classroom can run more smoothly.  Anyone can do a job- there is no applying or a teacher-boss mandating that the job get done.  As I set up the classroom this fall, I thought about things that I do each day that could be done by kids rather than me.  Jobs such as returning library books, organizing the library, sharpening pencils, tweeting happentings etc came to mind.  The funny thing is as soon as I started asking myself if what I was doing could be done by a student, jobs were popping up daily.  Weekly, we were making a chart and adding kids names beside the job.  Anybody can add their name to the job so we may have 3 people wanting to return library books.  That's fine. The three of them then figure out a system for taking care of that job for the month.  At the end of the month, we revisit how things are working out. Sometimes kids resign because the job isn't a good fit.  Many times kids switch jobs and that's great!

Ready, Set, Go!

I just do it. I think most people who know me can attest to the fact that I'm not afraid to tinker around in new ideas, talk to people about them, then dive in head first to try it.  It's also known that if I don't like what's happening, I change it or if I feel it's out of my control and is feeding bad energy, I abandon it. I'd say that I work hardest when I feel like I have a voice. I give, whatever I choose to put my energy into, more than 110%.  I'd say I'm a pretty passionate person.  

I have dabbled in a few district positions- probably more than most think I should.  It's not because I don't love where I've been, because I have loved every single position with every school that I've ever had in our district. I move around a lot because I simply love to learn. I'm looking for growth. This year, I am in a brand new school with a progressive principal and teaching with two of the most amazing first-year teachers I could have ever wished for. I'm hoping to find that "great fit" where I'll be supported and valued for my ideas, contributions, and passion for kids.  

My journey in this district started in Kindergarten.  I've since then taught 1st through 4th grade before taking a position as a Curriculum Technology Partner for our district.  It was a three-year position and I absolutely LOVED it.  I met new people, participated in incredible PD, was invited into amazing classrooms, and worked with students in all K-5 grade levels. When I was sent back to the classroom to use all my newly acquired 21st century skills, I felt alone. I was dying to connect with someone who shared my philosophy about education. Someone who understood that kids CAN do anything, and should have more choice.  Someone who understood that the traditional ways of teaching were boring, teacher-led, and draining.  Someone who wanted to think outside the box, tear down our four walls, and connect kids with others outside our classroom. I knew what kind of classroom I had to create- I just needed the support to do it.

Two years ago, I was lurking on twitter and came across the Global Read Aloud. I reached out to Pernille Ripp, one of the most down to earth, positive, and helpful person. She was more than helpful- opening up her classroom, sharing ideas for books, classroom management, schedules, and communication with parents. I took it all in, found global connections and eagerly participated in the Global Read Aloud. The kids absolutely loved it. We skyped with a couple classrooms, listened to Sharon Draper talk about being an author, and blogged about the book, Out of my Mind. It was also through Pernille, that next summer that I learned about the book, The Book Whisperer, by Donalynn Miller. I read this book lounging on the white wicker rocking chair on my front porch and I can still feel the warm summer breeze wisping through my hair as I turned the pages. I remember vividly finishing the book then reading it again, and again, and again. Finally! An educator who really gets it! I've been teaching for over 20 years and had yet to pick up a book that simply said it was URGENT to help kids find the love of reading.  I read her next book Reading in the Wild and reflected about how I could help kids acquire good reading habits. I couldn't wait to share these books with my teacher peeps. I also couldn't wait to throw out the reading calendar and just help kids find books that they couldn't put down. I joined other educators on #titletalk and @nerdybookclub who shared similar philosophies, new ideas, and titles of books. That year, I implemented the 40 book challenge, gave interest surveys, did status of the class, conferenced with readers about how to find books, and increased my independent reading time.  I saw such growth! Kids were stealing minutes reading all day. Books upon books were shared daily and I couldn't keep the popular titles in stock. I think I spent $3,000 in books that year!

It was also on twitter that fall that I learned about Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess. Passion. Something both Pernille and Donalynn had. Something I needed to hang on to. I read it and like a sponge tried to implement it all. I recommended this book over and over. Our technology department led a twitter chat and my good friend, Jessie, lead a book club. I was trying new things and had local people to talk about it with.  I was enjoying my job, but I still needed more. I wanted to teach side by side with other educators who shared the same philosophy.  

I am incredibly thankful for our local #ndedchat (North Dakota Ed Chat) and #gfedchat (Grand Forks Ed Chat). #gfedchat was started by our technology director, Joel Schleicher, and curriculum technology partner Carla Haaven. It is here where like-minded people can collaborate and share ideas on a variety of topics. After one conversation on #ndedchat, I heard about a concept called Genius Hour. I loved it! Giving kids time to explore what they wanted to learn about.  I couldn't wait to start. I bought Don Wettig's book Pure Genius and devoured that attending book studies on twitter.  During a twitter chat on #5thchat, I was introduced to @joyherr and joined the #geniushour twitter chat. Though one of these twitter chats, I met @PaulSolarz and followed his blog where he openly shared his kids journey with Genius Hour. He has since then written a book called Learn Like a Pirate where he shares his classroom and his journey into creating a Student-Led Classroom.  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book!!!! I get it! I get it all and I want all of it for the kids placed in my classroom.  My very wise former principal used to say that we want to work ourselves out of a job.  And that's what I want to accomplish this year.  I want the kids in my classroom to work me out of a job. I want them to take ownership for their learning.  I want them to love learning, to encourage each other like a family, and produce quality work like a business.   So here we go!