Architects of Education

Every teacher is like an architect. While architects build houses, office buildings, parks, etc., teachers build knowledge. However, both teachers and architects need to take many things into consideration when they are designing their “projects.” 

A teacher has to ask themselves many questions before they begin to design their lessons, and here are just a few: 

• How do my students learn best? 

• What is the objective of the lesson? 

• How can I differentiate in order to make sure the lesson is meaningful and accessible to all of the students in the classroom? 

• What tools do I have available to me to help make the learning experience more valuable?

In my previous job I worked as a Special Education teacher in a middle school. My job was essentially to create lesson plans that met the learning standards of the district, while also making sure that the material was accessible to all of the students in my classroom. Throughout this time I became very familiar with tools that Google has embedded into Chrome that help students read, understand, and navigate text in a meaningful way. My students often used text-to-speech, translating, and voice-to-text  extensions on Chrome to make their learning experience valuable. 

Image Source: Google Play

One of my favorite students of all time struggled with written expression. He was able to read without any issues, but when it came time to responding to prompts, writing essays, or even Googling a question he could not seem to put the letters in the correct order. However, that did not stop him. He would always use the Read&Write for Google tool so that he could speak into the computer in order to get his message across. Additionally, he would use the voice to text tool on Google searches just so that he was able to see the correct spelling of the word he wanted to use in his writing. 

Due to my background as a special education teacher, I feel like I have gained so much insight as to how I can accommodate students in order for them to really understand the material that we are focusing on at a given time. I try to provide students with multiple explanations of the same material in order to appeal to all different types of learners. For example, sometimes we draw pictures, graphs,  and diagrams of what we are learning so that they can see how changing a variable or number really makes an impact on the figure. Other times, we sing songs to help them remember a formula that we are using to solve problems. Additionally, something else that I do regularly is assign students videos for them to watch independently, and then ask questions. This is generally their homework assignment, but what I love about it is the student is in full control of the video. They can put on closed-captioning if that helps them understand the material better. They can replay the video as many times as they want, change the speed, ask me private questions rather than having to ask in front of the whole class, etc. I think setting up my classroom in this manner is also my strength. 

That being said, I still have a lot of room for growth. The area that I would like to improve the most is incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into my classroom as an accessibility tool. I strongly believe that in the next few years AI is going to be a huge part of education, and I would like to figure out how I can plan lessons in such a way that the students are utilizing AI to enhance their learning, understanding, and knowledge. 

Image Source: Ashley Shaw

5 Google Accessibility Tools

The Good Old Days?

Close your eyes, and let’s go back in time to the year 2003. It was, in my opinion, a much simpler time. I was in eighth grade gearing up for high school, and the summer was mine! I had a brand new cell phone, but that cell phone only made phone calls, no texting, no internet. My friends and I would wander around our town all day, and then go home on AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) and chat all night. Although we were connected to one another it was not the same as it is today. 

Now, students are connected to each other 100% of the time. Which, I think, makes being a teenager far more difficult than it ever was before. Bullying is not a new concept, but when students are doing it virtually it is much harder to monitor and much easier to be done in a covert manner. According to Pew Research Center, 69% of parents and 44% of teens agree.

Image Source: Pew Internet

That being said, there are definitely aspects of being a teenager that are easier now, and in this case 15% of parents and 12% of teens feel that way. Students have access to so much more information at their fingertips than ever before. Artificial intelligence (AI) was not even on most people’s RADAR three or four years ago, but today it is something that a large percentage of our population is very familiar with. 

Image Source: Pew Internet

In another article that I read, Common Sense Media reported people’s perception of AI. At this point slightly more than half of people ages 14-22 have used AI, but only 4% of those people use it everyday (Teen and young adult perspectives on generative AI). I myself, while I do not fall into that age range, would definitely fall into the category of someone who uses AI occasionally. I think it can be a great tool to advance learning, but it should not replace learning. In the same article, 53% of people use AI to gain information, which is essentially the same as Googling a question (which is what I have always done). I think that is a great way to implement AI, because students are learning using AI as a tool rather than a replacement for learning. The same article also reported that 51% of people use AI to brainstorm! Once again, I think this is a great use of the technology! Sometimes it can be difficult to come up with multiple ideas for a project, and having the help of Artificial Intelligence makes the beginning process so much easier. I used AI this summer when I had to create a lesson plan that featured stop-motion animation. Since that is a strategy that is new to me it was wonderful to have AI available to help me come up with new and interesting ideas. 

In the end, it is my belief that technology has definitely made some aspects of life far more difficult than it needs to be. I am very grateful that I was a teenager in the 2000s! That being said, professionally, technology (like AI) has given me the ability to take my students places that would have been impossible just a few years ago. 

References

Faverio, M. (2024, August 27). Why many parents and teens think it’s harder being a teen today. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/feature/why-many-parents-and-teens-think-its-harder-being-a-teen-today/ 

Teen and young adult perspectives on generative AI. (n.d.). https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/teen-and-young-adult-perspectives-on-generative-ai.pdf 

The Competitive Edge

 

What is Active Learning?

According to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Educational Innovation,
Active Learning “refers to a broad range of teaching strategies which engage students as active participants in their learning during class time with their instructor” (Active learning). I believe that
Students learn best when they are engaging with the material that they are learning. Working with other students, explaining concepts to each other, and taking ownership of their own learning are all aspects of Active Learning, just to name a few.  I think not only does Active Learning make learning more enjoyable, but also more meaningful. When students are motivated to learn they, in my opinion, are also much more likely to retain the information. 

Image Source: GIPHY

Active Review Sessions (Games)

One of my all time favorite things to do is watch game shows! I love them! Due to this love for game shows, and competition, I have always enjoyed incorporating games into my classroom. I think it is a great way to motivate the students to practice the problems that we have been learning on a particular day, week, or in a unit.

When I was a student teacher I was in a double period Algebra I class for students who struggled with math. The first half of the class was guided notes and a few practice problems, but then after the break the students were given the opportunity to do practice problems in a game-like situation. Many of the games were structured in the same way. The teacher created a slide deck with practice problems, the students complete the problems individually or in small groups, and then they are awarded points for correct answers. Once they are done, they have the opportunity to earn bonus points (even if they did not get the question correct). Some of the games included throwing paper balls into the garbage can, putting a golf ball into a hole, Bozo Buckets, etc. We also did things like a relay race, where one student did one step of a problem, passed it back to another student who did the next step, and so on until the problem was solved.

Even though the students did not love math they really enjoyed playing these games! They were motivated to participate, because they wanted to win! Many times winning also included candy or extra credit as rewards. Today, I play many of these games in my own classes. The students are actively engaged in the problems because they enjoy playing the games.   

Another one of my favorite games that we play in class frequently is a scavenger hunt. This game really lends itself to math very nicely! The students are asked to solve a problem, and then look around the room for the answer. Once they find the answer, they flip the paper and solve the next problem. Each paper has a letter on it, and once they solve all the problems a hidden message is uncovered. Some of these ideas may seem trivial, however the students seem to enjoy it much more than worksheets or taking notes. 

Here are some examples of games that I have played in my classroom:

Jeopardy (foolishly I made my own game even though they have some templates available online) 

Scavenger Hunt

Shooting Hoops

References:

Active learning. Active Learning | Center for Educational Innovation. (n.d.).
https://cei.umn.edu/teaching-resources/active-learning 

Personalities and PLNs

 16 Personalities 

Image Source: 16 Personalities

The first personality test that I took was the 16 Personalities test. I have to say, overall I think the results are spot on. Some of the strengths of the ESFJ personality include practical skills, sense of duty, loyalty, sensitivity, and connecting with others. I hope, and believe, that I possess many of these traits. Out of those strengths the one that sticks out to me the most is connecting with others. In fact, I believe that is my greatest strength as a teacher. Making students feel comfortable, heard, and understood makes an immense difference when you are trying to get them to do anything else. I go out of my way to make connections with students, talk to them about things that are unrelated to what we are learning in class, remember the things they say that they like, and ask questions. Doing these things seems small and insignificant, but I truly think it makes the students more engaged in everything else that we do. They know that I care, first and foremost, about who they are as people and therefore they are willing to  work harder in my class. While this, I would say, is my biggest strength, I do think that there are some weaknesses that also align with my ESFJ result. 

Some of the weaknesses that the ESFJ test results revealed were worry about what others think of them, inflexibility, vulnerability to criticism, neediness, and being too selfless. I definitely connect with these weaknesses, and possess many more that were not included in this list. However, out of the ones that they listed I would say that I connect most to vulnerability to criticism and inflexibility. Let’s begin with vulnerability to criticism. I always want people to think the best of me, I want everyone to understand that I am trying my best, and working hard. When someone, especially someone close to me, questions what I am doing or critiques my work I automatically start sweating. It makes me anxious to think that people think I am lazy or not doing quality work. I know at times this is all in my head, but it is something that I struggle with consistently. Next, inflexibility! I am a creature of habit, no doubt about it! Sometimes, I have to take a deep breath and realize that things do not always have to work out perfectly, in the exact way that I want it to. At times, things come up and it is important to be able to pivot. This is something that I struggle to remember, however it is also something that I am constantly working on. In the end, I agree that the strengths and weaknesses in my results do align with my personality. 

There are so many other aspects of the ESFJ personality that I feel very connected to. I love taking tests like this, and understanding who I am. I think this impacts how I interact with others and decisions that I make about my own life. I am conscious of things that I struggle with and use self-talk to help me make the decisions that may be out of my comfort zone, but best overall. 

Image Source: GIPHY

How Good are Your Leadership Skills?

Image Source: MindTools

The second test that I took assessed how good my leadership skills are. I was happy with my score, 76 out of 90 points. I enjoyed taking this test because I love the idea that there is always room for improvement. I like having a goal and becoming a better leader is important to me. I think in order to be a good leader you have to be creative, a good listener, delegate tasks based on the strengths and weaknesses of the people that you are leading, etc. However, if you look at my previous results, sometimes I can be a little inflexible. I think that in order to achieve my goal of improving my leadership skills, I am going to work on being more flexible and relinquishing control in such a way that it is beneficial for my students.

My Personality Test

Image Source: My Personality Test

The final test that I took was the shortened version of the Myers Briggs personality test. These results were very similar to the first test that I took, although at a quick glance they seem to be very different. When I first looked at this I was surprised that the feeling category was 30%, but after reading it I realized that it described me as warm and kind hearted, which was similar to the 16 personalities test. Additionally, they said I was organized  and practical, which was also very similar to the first test that I took. I was glad to see that my results were relatively consistent. For one, this means that I can hopefully rely on the results and know my strengths. Even better, however, I understand my weaknesses. I will continue to work on those in order to be more effective at work and at home. 

Image Source: GIPHY

Action Plan

Right now I would say that I am in the immersion stage of being in a PLN.  My goal is to find PLNs on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Then, once I find accounts I am going to actively try to participate in conversations about teaching math at least once a week. Another goal that I have for myself is to try something that I learned from one of these accounts in my actual math class. I think all of these goals are good for me, because they are attainable but I am still going out of my comfort zone. Generally, I would definitely be considered a lurker when it comes to PLNs. I like to look, but I very rarely am an active participant in the conversation. That is something that I would like to change. I actually think that the reason that I am hesitant to participate in these conversations goes along with my results from the personality tests that I took.

In my results something that came up on two different tests was that I am sensitive to criticism. I definitely agree with this! I think that it all stems from my competitive nature, and desire to be good at almost everything, not necessarily the best, but at least good. Therefore, I am hesitant to participate in online conversations because I do not want to seem inferior. Hence, my goal of participating in online discussions and trying new techniques is a great way for me to test myself and it directly correlates to the results of my personality tests.

Personal Timeline / Goals

Image Source: Ashley Shaw (Personal)

References

Free personality test. 16Personalities. (n.d.). https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test 

Home. MindTools. (n.d.).
https://www.mindtools.com/apdfhaw/how-good-are-your-leadership-skills 

My Personality Test. (2020, March 8). Personality type indicator.
https://my-personality-test.com/personality-type-indicator#google_vignette 

Townie vs. Tourist

 As someone who is addicted to their phones, I use a variety of technology on a regular basis. However, how I use it varies. 

Townie or Tourist

Image Source: Medium

Townie

When discussing technology there are a few different ways we can categorize ourselves. Today, we are going to be talking about being a resident versus being a visitor. In my mind, being a resident means you actively participate on the app or website on a daily (or near daily) basis. Additionally, you are actively engaging with the technology, sharing your ideas, and connecting with others. 

Image Source: Tenor

Breaking Down My Residency

Personal

As I was making my map I realized something, photos! Pictures are a huge part of my digital citizenship. I love using apps that allow me to share pictures and memories with my friends and family. Snapchat, Instagram, and Google Photos all allow me to share pictures and videos of things that make me happy. I enjoy creating and curating my posts, as well as seeing/watching what my friends and family have been doing. Another app that falls into the personal resident category is the Apple Calendar. I would be lost without that app! I actively engage in it by adding events, inviting my friends/family to different calendar appointments, and setting reminders. Peloton and the New York Times Game App, both allow me to connect with others through competition. I like to connect with my friends and I like to win, and these apps allow me to do both of those things (hopefully) simultaneously!

Overlap

The Google Suite is an example of some apps where I am a resident, however it transcends the personal and professional realms. I use Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Gmail in both my personal and professional life. I am constantly creating and sharing different documents, as well as sending emails in all aspects of my life. 

Professional

While I use the Apple Calendar on a regular basis in my personal life, I never use it in my professional life. Instead, I solely (and consistently) use the Google Calendar. It is so important for me to have the Google calendar in order to keep myself, my students, and my colleagues organized. I can share homework assignments, meeting appointments, and more with anyone who needs to be informed. EdPuzzle and Desmos are two platforms that allow me to share information with my students in creative and new ways. On EdPuzzle I share videos with my students, then they can rewatch, and ask me questions. Desmos, on the other hand, is an online graphing calculator, and more. When students log-in to Desmos they can save and share calculators with all of the information they need to be successful. Along the same lines, I can share my saved calculators with my students or post them on Schoology for them to access. 

Tourist

On the other hand, there is technology that I use only when I absolutely have to. This kind of technology I only look at on occasion, if I get a notification that someone else messaged me, or just to see what other people are doing, but without actually interacting with others. While I use Libby, Audible, Amazon, and TikTok almost everyday I never interact with people on the apps and have my notifications off. I use all four of those apps at a very basic level, and I am not really using them to their full potential. YouTube and Schoology are two apps that I use constantly, and occasionally interact with other people. However, I never create content on these apps, and I only use Schoology because it is required at my job. Similarly, Agile Minds and Talking Points are two apps/websites that are bookmarked on my browser. Yet, they are not ones that I use regularly and I only visit the sites occasionally. I think my goal for this school year is to become a resident in the Talking Points app. This site allows you to communicate with both parents and students via text from an anonymous phone number. It is intriguing to me, and I need to investigate it more 

Image Source: Drible

The Land of Modification

 The SAMR Model

Technology can do things today that people just ten years ago could never have imagined. It has transformed the way that students learn and teachers instruct. However, at times the implementation of technology is not used to the best of its ability. The SAMR model allows teachers to evaluate how they are using technology in their classrooms to transform learning. 

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The first two levels of SAMR are Substitution and Augmentation fall under the category of enhancement. Substitution is the first level of SAMR, and just like its name implies, at this level of SAMR students are using technology to replace tools that they would normally use. For example, if a student needs to know the definition of a vocabulary word, rather than getting a physical dictionary they could use their Chromebooks to look up the definition of the word. Another example of the substitution level of SAMR would be if a student types their answer on a digital worksheet, rather than having a physical copy on their desk. While the students are using technology it is not necessarily enhancing their learning, but rather just taking the place of a physical component of the lesson.

The next level of SAMR is Augmentation, which also falls under the category of enhancement. Like the Substitution level, in the Augmentation level the material itself is not really changing. Instead, students are using technological capabilities to make their lives a little bit easier. For example, if a student creates a folder in their Google Drive with all of the material that they used throughout a unit, this would fall under the category of Augmentation. Another example may be when a student does not know how to spell a word, so they use speech to text to look up the spelling of that word. Augmentation is like a bridge to using technology in a transformative manner. 

The last two levels of SAMR, Modification and Redefinition, fall under the category of transformation. When students are at these stages of SAMR they are able to take their learning and understanding of the material to new heights, with the assistance of technology. 

Collaboration, my opinion, is one of the key features of the Modification level of SAMR. At this level students are sharing their work in such a way that other students can see it and interact with it. For example, when students are working in a group and they are able to share a document and work on the assignment simultaneously from different locations. They can talk to each other, make changes, give feedback, and edit each other’s work digitally. Another feature of collaborating digitally is that learners have the freedom to do so when the students are not even physically in the same location. 

Redefinition is the final stage of the SAMR model. Redfinition occurs when technology enables teachers to do activities in the classroom that were previously impossible, (Terada, 2020).  There are a number of ways that technology has created opportunities for students to do things that were previously impossible, and I think nothing has taught us that more than the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that the idea of teaching remotely would have been daunting, and although I still do not believe it is the best way to teach elementary, middle, and high school students, we definitely redefined learning. Having synchronous lessons daily, connecting on Zoom with people across the world, and taking virtual tours of museums or archeological sites are just some ways that teachers use technology to reach the Redefinition level of SAMR. In my mind, Redefinition is taking technology and using it to do what was previously deemed impossible or unimaginable. 

Self-Evaluation

At first, after researching the SAMR model, I was feeling slightly discouraged. I felt as though I am not doing enough for my students, because I am not implementing technology in my classroom at a Redefinition, or even Modification, level at all times. Then, I had an epiphany. The SAMR model is kind of like the Danielson Rubric. It would be impossible to live in the distinguished category in every domain at all times, just like it is impossible to always be at the Redefinition stage of SAMR. After I made this realization it was much easier for me to evaluate myself using the SAMR model. 

As a math teacher my favorite tool to use in my classroom is Desmos. Desmos is an online graphing calculator that is free for anyone to use. Desmos allows me to live in the Modification level of the SAMR rubric, with some occasional (hopefully after this class much more frequent) visits to the Redefinition level. Students are able to solve problems that would be much more arduous without the use of a graphing calculator in a quick, efficient, and accurate manner. However, my favorite feature of the Desmos calculator is that if anyone is logged in they can save their current screens and come back to it later. This allows students to alter the information in the calculator in order to solve new problems without having to start from scratch. Additionally, they can share their saved calculators with other students in the class. This allows students the ability to create graphs, tables, boxplots, etc., and so much more in seconds. Desmos gives students the ability to explore and visualize concepts that are at a mathematical level that was previously impossible.

Two of the other tools that help me maintain my position in the Modification level are Schoology and EdPuzzle. Both of these tools allow my students to have an active role in their learning experience. Schoology allows my students to submit assignments, interact with other students, share ideas, see their grades, and communicate with myself and the other students in the classroom. I am able to communicate with my students, share what we are doing each day, and update students on their progress in the class. All of these features give my students ownership and responsibility in their learning experience. It also allows them to collaborate effortlessly and effectively.

EdPuzzle is possibly my favorite technological tool. After 2020 I decided to shift most of my classes to a flipped classroom environment. EdPuzzle allows me to interact with my students in an individualized and private manner. I post video tutorials that my students watch as their homework assignment, and they take notes. However, what makes EdPuzzle unique is that I can embed questions that I want to ask the students as they are watching the video. This allows me to get an understanding of how they are feeling about the material, where they are in terms of their understanding, and how I can help them when they come to class the following day. Additionally, all of this happens privately which allows the students to be more vulnerable and ask questions that they may be too embarrassed to ask in front of a classroom of their peers. Finally, the flipped classroom approach gives my students time to actually engage in and explore the mathematical concepts that we are currently learning. 

All in all, I am comfortable living in the land of Modification. However, I hope to visit Redefinition frequently in new and exciting ways. 

References

Erickson, L. (n.d.). See how SAMR works in real classrooms. See How SAMR Works in Real Classrooms. 

https://blog.mimio.com/see-how-samr-works-in-real-classroomsand-in-your-lessons 

Terada, Y. (2020, May 4). A powerful model for understanding good tech integration. 

Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/powerful-model-understanding-good-tech-integration/