Jigsaw Badge Assignment 104

For the final badge I used all 4 panes to create an overview of a potential lesson.  Regarding pane 1, I have learned that using the webcam isn't really as big of a privacy or even teaching challenge as I thought it would be.  I still do feel a little bit awkward with hearing my voice and I have noticed that I tend to look away from the camera a lot (I think this is because I am looking at my own face for re-enforcement not the camera); however, both awareness will help me to modify this behavior.

For pane 2 I am a bit overwhelmed on which method would be the best; teaching by screen sharing is the technique that I am the most used to; however, I can see the advantages to presentations and documents.  Especially, in that they tend to ground the presentation and provide less room for the "train going off the tracks."  Yet letting the train go off the tracks sometimes does lend itself to some interesting discoveries and I think mirrors how students use their technology in that a lot of their searches are freeform and they end up in places that they didn't expect to go.  Perhaps balance is in order here.  For this lesson I used the screenshare feature to retrieve the sample AP prompts from the College Board, and the document feature to show students sample AP Essays.

For pane 3 I am completely sold and inspired by the note feature.  I think that taking notes in pane 3 can be an acceptable method for taming the adventure of my screen sharing in pane 2.  Also I really enjoy working out analysis in real time with students and this pane will help me do this.  For this lesson, I demonstrated a technique of addressing three AP English literature prompts at once so that the students will start to see the exam as a holistic performance rather than individual questions (do remember that the students are simply awarded a number score of 1-5 and they will never know how they did on any one particular question).

For pane 4 I am still getting comfortable with the cut/pasting and using the whiteboard; however, I do like the annotation features and how these can be applied to the writing process.  For this lesson I cut/pasted a poetry prompt from the 2017 AP English Literature Exam and demonstrated how it would connect with Panes 2 and 3.

I do like to think of instruction and assessment as holistic, and I am trying to explore how all of the panes can be used to create a holistic effect upon students.  I don't want to rely on any one pane for too long, but I also don't want to run the risk of fragmented lessons.  Pane 1 is easily solved with turning the webcam on, but it's the other three that need to work in unison.

Screencast Link: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cFfFh0bnKA

Jigsaw Badge Assignment 103

These two panes have been the greater mystery to me as I have worked through jigsaw for the last year, so I am eager to learn about how to use them.  Typically with pane 3, I've noticed the map of my location and one student in Savannah always seems to show up; however, I did not see much more application.  And Pane 4 was one that I merely ignored.  This lesson has changed my negligence of these two panes.

First, for pane 3 I really enjoy the note feature.  I tend to be a screen sharing teacher, and often I will type up notes in Word and just share them with my students.  However, the process of doing this tends to blur screens as I go back and forth between the jigsaw screen and my Word document.  Obviously, I am not 100% in the courseroom with this strategy and hadn't learned a way around this problem.  Now, I can work with the note feature to type and present notes and templates for assignments in real time without having to learn the jigsaw classroom.  With my video presentation I have given the framework to a possible introductory or pre-AP Exam lesson on how AP essays are built with some quantifiable measures for each level.

Second, for pane 4 I plan on using the whiteboard feature and as an ELA teacher this seems really applicable for writing instruction.  For the video presentation I have cut/pasted a PDF of sample essays published by the College Board and have taken the introductory paragraph and have demonstrated how I could not only use this document as a reference, but also how I could highlight and annotate this PDF in real time for the students.  I think that the visual element and interactive feature has much potential with writing instruction, and plan on exploring and even sharing this with my students in future sessions.

Screencast Link: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cFfFf1bnHF

Jigsaw Badge Assignment 102

The top two panes, especially pane 2, are the ones that I have been using the most since I have started with jigsaw.  For the purposes of this badge I experimented with the webcam, and will probably use this feature more in the future.  Generally, I am a fairly private person, so for the last three years I have just been a voice without a face, but I think that might change next week.  Personalizing the experience can only help the students feel more connected and what better way to do this than with a webcam.  So . . . this will be something outside of my comfort zone, but a necessary part of growth; it's sort of funny that as a teacher of 22 years in front of students that I am having a difficult time getting myself in front of a web cam.

Pane 2 is what I naturally have used, especially the screen share.  Typically, I tend to teach this way in my face-to-face setting and it comes naturally to me to log into a computer and then present.  Generally, I know what I want to share with students, and go quickly from document to powerpoint to webpage to video and then back again.  I've found that students seem to be comfortable with this approach and it tends to mirror their own web browsing habits.  I do appreciate the tips for size and resolution that were presented in the video and this is an area of growth for me; I do tend to use a lot of "old school" AP English prompts, which tend to be from the days of typewriters.  Therefore, I will be mindful of this for future presentations.

P.S. I like the features about removing students, and having attendance checks for them--good simple classroom management techniques.

Screencast: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cFfFeabnGR

Jigsaw Badge Assignment 101

After finishing the training video, I now have a better understanding of how to use assets, and where each type can go.  I tend to prefer more minimal presentation modes so I was happy to see that the panes can be changed from two to four; this tends to fit my presentation style more than having four open at once, especially when I can generally only use one at a time.  I also like the feature that allows me to upload documents, links, etc in both the panes as well as the sidebar.  I have been using the course room to upload these documents, but now I can have one more area for student convenience.  Also the fact that these can be available here will help students to not need to log out of the presentation to gain access to whatever document I am discussing.  Generally, I prefer to discuss as I am presenting, and with a course like AP English this is of paramount importance.  Likewise, I also use word / google doc templates for writing instruction, so this feature will help me to provide immediate access to whatever I am discussing with my students.

In with the video I have show the viewer the five assets that I created and provided tags for (I have tagged them by the unit with which they correspond).  I have demonstrated the use of a weblink to the College Board's AP English Literature Web page--at this time of the year (i.e. AP Exam prep time) I find this a useful place for students who are in need of preparing for the AP final exam in May.

Screencast for Assignment 101: https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cFfbYGbnqF

Evaluate 3.1.2 Self-Reflection on Teaching Abilities Quest

Submit evidence of reflection on your individual teaching abilities.

Really it seems like the entire blog project and process of getting certified suggests reflection on my teaching abilities as an online teacher with Georgia Virtual.  

I have taught online for the last 8 years with various age groups and ability levels, and have designed curriculum as well.  I would estimate that in the last 8 years I have taught a number somewhere in the thousands (wow that is shocking and humbling to me).   

When doing so I have learned, sometimes through a lot of trial and error, the following about myself as an online educator.  These are ideals, and although life does sometimes interfere with them, they are the standards by which I run my online courses.  

1.  The most focused and self-contained the learning modules, the better for both myself and students. 
2.  The best way to ensure online success for students is frequent feedback.  Any online course should be checked at least 5 times a week, but this is a minimum.  Generally twice a day, 6 days a week for 12 checks.  Students need to see the instructor in the course room.  Likewise, assignments need to be returned with specific and substantial feedback within the shortest amount of time possible. 
3.  Like feedback, stay consistent with an approach and don't deviate too much with specific due dates and assignments.  Students need to see consistency; instead of modifying assignments, keep them the same and help students get there, even if the assignment might have flaws. 
4.  Remember that it is still education, and that even though it's an online environment, that there are real people with real concerns, hopes, fears, etc behind the screen.   This is sometimes easy to forget when the work just becomes something to check-off a to do list.
5.  Finally, the same skills that help students excel in a regular classroom are usually the same ones in the online classroom.  Build relationships, help when needed, show interest, be interesting, etc work in both places.  It's just a matter of adjusting the presentation sometimes with a computer. 

Evaluate 3.1.1 – Differentiation Quest

Student	AP Multiple-Choice Score (55 total points)	AP Poetry Essay Score (9 total points)	AP Prose Essay Score (9 total points)	AP Open-ended Essay Score (9 total points)
1	30	5	4	6
2	25	6	6	7
3	43	7	8	7
4	49	6	6	8
5	14	3	2	4
6	20	5	5	5
7	22	5	4	6
8	35	6	6	6
9	50	8	9	7
10	19	0	4	4

Based on the above data from ten students in an AP English class, I can make the following recommendations for each student.  We will assume that the AP Exam is in two months.  The 1-5 refer to scores on the AP English Literature Exam, with 3-5 being passage.   

Students 1, 6, and 7: right in the middle.  With about 5 more points on the multiple-choice and 2 on the prose essay, he/she can earn a solid three.  More work on writing theses for the prose essay, and more independent multiple-choice work using old SAT prompts.

Student 2: above average on the essays, but needs help on multiple-choice.  The student might already earn at least a 3, but with focused multiple-choice work on old SAT prompts and AP questions, might be able to earn a 4.  Maintain essays, but don’t get burned out by too much practice on them.

Students 3 and 8: already at a 3, if not 4.  Consider more higher level multiple-choice prompts on harder questions, and independent reading.

Student 4: multiple-choice better than essays, and already at a 3 if not 4.  Consider weekly essay practice, especially on getting longer essays and including larger picture issues in the thesis and concluding paragraphs.

Student 5: struggles with test taking, so perhaps work on test taking strategies.  Also evaluate how many multiple-choice questions needed to earn a 3, and perhaps only focus upon 3 of the 4 exam multiple-choice passages.  For essays, work on including textual support, and at least writing two pages per essay.

Student 9: probably already at a 5.  Allow to read challenging independent novel to improve the open-ended score.  Cater novel to his/her interest and strive for an original text that is not frequent on the AP exam.

Student 10: work on time management skills for the writing section, and explain the scoring system and that something is always better than nothing.  Also consider working on frequent multiple-choice questions.  Consider that the 3 should be the end goal, but that a solid 2 might be the reality on the AP Exam for this student. 

Evaluate 2.1.2 Rubrics and Competencies Quest

For this section, set up a competency structure for one unit of your sample course. Associate the assignments in that unit with the competency. Submit both a screenshot of the structure and a detailed explanation of why you created the structure that way. Include a discussion of the various pathways a student may go through to attain the competencies in the unit and document all in your blog.

English 10^th Pacing Guide for Block Schedule 2015-16

Notes:

• Throughout the course, students will be preparing for the Georgia Milestones Exam.  Students should be writing in-class in ways that reflect the tasks they will be expected to complete on the Milestones Exam
• Students should complete an extended response writing for each unit, and the writing should be scored using the 7 point rubric
• Weekly, students should complete a timed (20 minutes) constructed response writing, using both analysis and narrative prose (2 point and 4 point) questions and scoring rubric.
• Students should complete at least 3 computer-based, timed, Milestones-style writings in a semester in preparation for the Milestones testing environment
• Teachers should periodically give students graded assessments that are constructed response only (i.e., no multiple choice)
• Each unit should contain paired passages which pair current-unit texts with contemporary writings
• While unit lengths listed below are suggested and not firm deadlines, for the purposes of common assessment, standards should be addressed by the time the common assessments are administered.  Spending the recommended times for each unit is encouraged.
• Texts and readings listed below are suggestions and recommendations, but they are not an exhaustive list of readings for the course.  There are other texts that are appropriate that may not be listed; because something is listed does not mean that it must be taught.

Dates	Suggested Texts	Standards	Learning Targets	Essential Questions
Weeks 1-5	Unit 1:  Individual vs. Society Unit Focus:  Plot, Setting, Mood, Characterization, Inferences Suggested Texts: “Everyday Use” “Harrison Bergeron” “Searching for Summer” “Those Winter Sundays” (poem) “The Piano” (poem) A Marriage Proposal (play) “Like the Sun” Le Morte D’Arthur (excerpt) Modern paired text related to the unit Other texts as appropriate from Units 1 and 2 in textbook Extended Text:  Antigone How is cultural identity preserved in a new land? • How can a person’s national identity conflict with his or her cultural identity? • Is the “old way” of our (grand)parents a gift to be recovered and valued or a curse to be cast off?	RL 1, RL3, RL5, RI1, RI5,RI6,  W5, L5b,  L6	Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences from  the text Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or theme of a text Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text create tension Strengthen writing by revising and editing Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text Acquire and use accurately general academic words sufficient for reading: demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge	How do plot setting, mood and characterization develop a text? How does textual evidence support the use of these literary elements? What choices does an author make in creating each of these literary elements? ?