While the Sophomores and Juniors were testing, I worked with my 9th grade Advisees on thinking about careers. First they created a Dream Collage, then they took the Strong Interest Inventory which gets turned in and then scored to reveal what the best career choices might be for each of them. After this they downloaded an App for their iPads called "Profile Me" and found what their strengths and weaknesses were pertaining to a career. Finally they had a choice of 3 guest speakers. They could play "The Game of Life" and think about what kind of education and career they would need to live the lifestyle they want, they could listen to a Representative from the University of Maine at Augusta discuss college life and admissions, or they could listen to someone from Americorps talk about that as an option during or after College. I think this was a good start for them to get them thinking about what they might like to do after High School. Our Guidance Department is awesome and they work very hard to help students and seem to be one step ahead in planning these types of days with us. I appreciate the hard work they put in!
One of our technology teachers came into my History v. Hollywood class this week and taught my students how to use the iMovie app for their iPads. He was fantastic! I then explained the Film Trailer project they are doing. It requires them to create an original film. Thanks to Donors Choose I received a grant for a Panasonic HD Camera. Students will be able to use this camera as well to create their Trailers. I found a few great websites to help me with this. This iMovie site has great downloadable storyboards to help students plan their project. This how to website was also helpful for thinking about teaching students how to use the app for this project. The Tech teacher who helped me also shared this video tutorial on YouTube that students could refer to as well. I can't wait to see what kind of original trailers for historical movies they create!
The early days of our Republic and the growth of Federal power at the expense of the States was a theme in US history classes this week. Students analyzed 3 Supreme Court cases to show how the Judicial Branch established it power of Judicial Review and the power of the Federal Government. To do this, students had to research and explain the cases. We looked at Marbury v. Madison, McCulloch v. Maryland, and Dartmouth College v. Woodward. Students created keynote presentations with their iPads in small groups and used my Apple TV to project right from their iPads.
Also this week we had Parent/Teacher Conferences. If there was a way to do them differently I would like to explore this. As it stands now, we do them for 4 hours after a very long regular school day with a regular school day the next day. These Conferences never fail to wipe me out for the week and have an impact on my family as well as my teaching! I recognize the need for the parents to touch base with teachers, but I wonder if this is the best way? I do not have a clear cut answer for this, but am exploring ideas. When this concept began, the only communication parents had from teachers was a phone call in a dire situation or the old fashioned "snail mail" paper progress report. Conferences were set up to give an opportunity to go further. Now we have email, school websites, and all grades are online and accessible 24 hours a day. Those kinds of discussions that used to happen at Conferences are happening in other ways much sooner in most cases. As a result, I find myself having very little to talk about with parents other than "hello, how are you?" and reconfirming what they already know about their child. This is fine by me, I'm just not sure if its really very helpful for anyone. I wonder if we should look into Student-led Conferences or some other format that might make them more useful for parents and students. In addition, perhaps we can find a format that won't have such a negative impact on my teaching. Those 4 extra hours just seem to sap my energy for the week! Having said this, I always enjoy visiting with the parents, especially when I get to see them more than once because I have had their other children or their child in multiple classes.
We lost some class time on Friday this week for an Assembly, but it's for a great cause. Every year the whole school participates in a food drive for the week and Friday was the kickoff assembly. it started with a thoughtful and interesting student made film from the Drama Class about hunger in our community. We then had a "game show" with student representatives trying to guess food item prices to give students a sense for the types of food they could donate. There was a brief speech from 2 different folks representing the Good Shepard Food Bank encouraging students to donate and helping them to understand the nature of the problem. Students also found out that for every item or dollar donated they will be awarded a point. As a whole school, if we earn enough points there will be a day with no homework. More points, and it will be a weekend. Even more, a 3 day weekend, and an insanely large amount and Christmas break will be homework free. While the students are very excited about this and the Staff support it (including myself, wholeheartedly) I feel a little like I'm not really sacrificing much because I never give homework on White days anyway! I don't give homework over Christmas break, and there aren't many weekends when I give homework either (except maybe the AP class). It makes me wonder, is there some unwritten rule that I should be giving more homework (I hope not)? Anyway, it's all about the cause of battling hunger and helping our food banks to be stocked for the winter and I am a happy supporter of this incentive! It will culminate next Friday which happens to be Make a Difference Day.
Next week there will be some high level executives from Apple's Education Division visiting my classroom (as well as the classroom of at least one other teacher) to observe my students using iMovie on their iPads. They will be accompanied by the Superintendent, the Principal, and some others. That should be interesting, but wildly stressful!!! I warned my students on Friday they were coming. I will also be attending a training at Apple's Pineland Training Facility here in Maine on using iTunes U Course Manager. I am very excited about this and will blog about what I learn!
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