Put the Presenter back in your Presentation

One of my pet peeves with Power Point is that often the person that is speaking is simply reading bullets off the screen.  One of my friends, Kyle, introduced me to Prezi.  It's the anti-bullet presentation software.

Prezi is free if you are an educator and have an education email address.  I had difficulty getting the confirmation email through my school address because of our filters, but it was worth the trouble.

Prezi gets the presentation to focus on key words and allows you to zoom, twist, flip, show video, pan back out and move through your presentation on one main screen.  Your emphasis is made by the size of the text and how you frame it.  You can add video, pictures, and sound.  Instead of focusing on one frame and then leaving it, Prezi allows you to zoom out to the main frame and keeps the presentation as a whole.  It's a really cool way to keep kids from getting bored, because they have listen and participate and look for the key words - it keeps them engaged.

The concept is cool - it's worth it to watch the intro and tutorial videos to learn it and to ask a friend when you get stuck.  It's not a perfect software, but one that is worth it.  Kyle's bride, Jenny, used Prezi at a big presentation of PR guru's from major universities and impressed them with the flow and the fact that she discussed and presented and did NOT just read a Power Point.  They were my PLN connection that got me re-inspired to use Prezi after I got bored and frustrated.  That was important.

I attached a link to the Prezi I finished about the new NC Professional Teaching Standards, which is now public and one you can use as a template.  The videos are from You Tube and may not show unless you have access to the you tube videos.  I still need to figure out how to shorten the clips and get them to focus on the main point of the clip for some of the longer ones.  Click on SHOW and use the arrow keys for the easiest movements through the presentation.  There is still some editing to do.  I would love to hear from someone that knows what to do about getting better video clips.

http://prezi.com/cn5x6tecra6g/

Speaking on a different level

With the technological tools of today, we can engage our students and get them to CREATE on a new level.  Using a simple flip video camera and some audio (this one of a friend playing a Ukulele) students can create their own Poetry video.  They can SPEAK to each other on another level.

Kyle Leonard, who taught with me for 3 years at Eppes Middle School, now teaches at Cal-Mum Elementary near Rochester, NY.  He had one of his top students, Olivia and one of his top musicians from his Uke club, Marcus, collaborate to produce the video below.  The premise is simple with the technology today.  Olivia recorded herself speaking her poetry (listen to the pages turn) and Marcus played a cool tune with his uke (or you can have other music in the background).  Marcus got on an overhead cart (or a rolling chair) and videoed Olivia walking silently and pausing at a window.  Overlay all of that in a video editing program an in less than an hour, students produced this...

http://www.box.net/shared/042xihe4us

I'm a big fan of a book Cheryl Olmstead introduced me to "Annual Growth for All Students and Catch Up Growth for those that are Behind".  I was talking to my grandfather about it last night and he made me think (like he always does).  He asked what will the brightest students do while those that are behind are getting help in the specific reading skills they need.  He asked me how are we going to engage our highest level students, so we don't let them slip through the cracks...I say let them create something...

Engaging Conversation

I had a conversation with a teacher today that really helped me realize that ENGAGING teachers are people, not necessarily a new program or a technology.

He asked me help him be part of an example of foreshadowing during a formal observation.  He set the kids up, hoping that "no one" would come in to this class, turned on some music, and left clues for them.  That enabled him to SHOW them what foreshadowing was and to LIVE through it when I showed up for an observation.  He used technology to help make his point, but it was his interaction with the students and what would catch their attention that intrigued me. The look on one girls face when I walked in was priceless.

I also saw the other end of engagement.  Watching a PowerPoint or a document camera used as a $2,000 overhead projector is not what engages students (at least not past the 3rd time when the novelty wears off). When students just listen and do nothing else, they are NOT engaged.

The key difference is what STUDENTS are doing.  jaycross wondered on his Twitter why schools were ineffective.  Ineffective schools are full of students that aren't doing much...So what are we going to do about it?

Defining "Student Engagement"

Yesterday I read an interesting article from NASSP entittled Recognizing Rigorous and Engaging Teaching and Learning. The article made the following statement:

"What would an observer expect to see in an engaging classroom? How does an administrator know when teachers and students are performing at a rigorous level? Having clear expectations and knowing what engaging instructional practices look like enables leaders to identify rigorous teaching and learning. When teachers know more specifically what to look for in their teaching and student learning, they are able to assess and reflect upon their own practice. These “look fors” identify what might be observed during a highly engaging, rigorous lesson. They also provide a deeper understanding of the expectations for a highly engaging, rigorous classroom. Let's look at the indicator "Engages students in learning." If the teacher is engaging students in learning, the teacher might begin a new lesson with an activity such as an anticipation guide to develop student knowledge and thinking. During the lesson, the teacher might provide opportunities for students to question and challenge each others' ideas, using well-reasoned arguments. These “look fors” identify what might be observed during a highly engaging, rigorous lesson.

"It is essential that administrators and staff members have the knowledge and understanding of each component within the framework and know how to use the indicators and “look fors” to improve rigorous teaching and learning."

Here are some of the look-fors the article mentioned:

1. Develops students’ background knowledge
2. Activates student knowledge and thinking
3. Makes connections and integrates new learning with previous learning
4. Models and thinks aloud the thinking and learning processes
5. Provides opportunities for students to use and create graphic organizers to facilitate their learning before, during, and after instruction
6. Uses instructional materials that appeal to diverse backgrounds and cultures
7. Provides opportunities for students to apply complex concepts and processes
8. Provides opportunities for students to reflect upon and summarize their learning
9. Checks for understanding in a variety of ways and modifies instruction to meet student needs
10. Provides opportunities for all students to think and discuss their ideas with other students
11. Integrates a variety of technology tools and applications into instructional design and implementation
12. Uses a variety of techniques that provide for total student response to learning.

Which made me think, what do others look for in classrooms to recognize student engagement when you walk in a classroom? I know for me I'm always looking at #3, 5, 6, and 11 (among others), but I thought maybe this would be an opportunity for other people to chime in on what they look for.

For the original post, click here.

Good Teaching??

This posting is the email that Kevin Smith emailed recently.  This way it is saved on the blog.



Dear Colleagues,
I came across this article from the New York Times and thought you might find it interesting.  It is long (9 pages) but does provide some fascinating insights into how researchers are struggling to quantify "good teaching."  Something that stands out right away is this quotation:

"Eric Hanushek, a Stanford economist, found that while the top 5 percent of teachers were able to impart a year and a half’s worth of learning to students in one school year, as judged by standardized tests, the weakest 5 percent advanced their students only half a year of material each year."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07Teachers-t.html?pagewanted=1