Summer Professional Development # 7- Kean Institute for CommonCore-Statewide Teacher Conference

Today, August 8, 2013, I attended the Kean Institute for Common Core-Statewide Teacher Conference at the Kean University STEM building. WOW! It is such a beautiful building. I got a free book when I signed in! I was so happy to get a free book, especially since they were on my reading list. Our morning keynote was given by Dr. Tracey Severns, Chief Academic Officer at the NJDOE. She presented about the Role of the Teacher in regards to the Common Core Standards. She showed us one of those e-cards, and it was true for a lot of us. We are so OVERWHELMED with all of the things we need to do to be great teachers.

Tracey gave us a lot of great information regarding the CCSS and the PARCC assessments. Then we split up into groups based on our subject area and grade level. I went to the middle school group. It was great to get a grasp on the CCSS and how to implement them into the classroom setting. We had a nice lunch and a really moving lunch keynote. We sometimes forget that we do ACTUALLY matters. Check out the following speech from a then ten-year-old boy. It's SO good! 

After lunch we broke into our groups again. This time, we took a closer look at the actual standards. We gathered ideas and resources on how to implement them in the classroom. Overall, it was great. I am excited and can't wait to really try to dive in and teach these standards. 

Summer Professional Development #5-Edcamp STEAM

On Wednesday, July 31, 2013 I attended Edcamp STEAM at Linwood Middle School in North Brunswick. It was my 1st Edcamp experience and I LOVED IT!! I went with a childhood friend and now a colleague, Jessica. It was her first Edcamp also. We got interviewed by Classroom Closeup. Who knows, we may end up in an episode!!! =) The first hour or so was spent networking with fellow educators and setting up the session board. At Edcamps, the participants create the sessions. I decided I would host one. I chose the 4th time slot. I titled the session: "Tracking Evidence & STEAM-How do we effectively track this?" It was a good chance to meet other educators and have a great discussion on assessment and tracking evidence with all of the different curricula in our schools.

The first session we went to was about how to incorporate STEM/STEAM into the Elementary Classroom. It was good. We met a lot of teachers who teach at all girl private schools. It was interesting to see and learn about the different kind of programs there are to help introduce engineering to the elementary grades. The second session we went to was about creating a STEAMy Classroom Environment. Classroom management and classroom design is a HUGE passion of mine. It's hard as a new teacher to say what works and what doesn't because I haven't had a classroom of my own, yet. One day I will and the tips I heard will come in handy.

After lunch we went to one session about using New Media in the classroom. When it wasn't what we expected it to be, we left and went to a session about Flipping the Classroom. We learned a lot of different ways in which to do this. Then came my session. I LOVED IT! We had a really great discussion on portfolios and getting children involved in what is assessed and what is not. After that we went to see if we won anything. Jess got a copy of the Inspiration software. I didn't get anything, but we did network with some awesome educators. I think the best part of the day was getting a tweet from a principal of a school in Manville. He said it was great to meet us and he would be lucky to work with us one day. =)

Overall, it was a great experience. I can't wait for Edcamp Leadership on 8/12 and for Edcamp NJ on 11/23!

Summer Professional Development # 4- All Things Google Summer Camp

Yesterday I attended my 4th conference of the summer! I went to Stockton College for the All Things Google Summer Camp. The keynote speaker was really good. She spoke about getting students to think about the questions that GOOGLE cannot find the answers for. It was a lot of fun. Then I went to the first session-Creating An Assignment In-Box using Google Forms. I actually knew a lot of the information there, but it was a good review. I had never thought to ask students to share the URL link of their projects on Google Drive instead of sharing the actual document with the teacher. I also learned how to add on different "scripts"-the ability to have the spreadsheet graded or send a mail merge to all participants. My second session was about using QR Codes in the Classroom. That was a  fun session. We found a lot of resources to create QR codes. We started brainstorming ideas on how to use them in the classroom- like as a scavenger hunt or on worksheets for students to use. After lunch with some colleagues I met at TeachMeetNJ 2012, I went to my 3rd session-Using Google Forms to help Student Research. It is an easy way to collect information from anywhere in the world. Finally, my last session of the day was about cresting a Google Site for your classroom. I had always gotten confused in the past, but listening to the instructor, it was actually quite easy. 

                              Overall, it was a great day!

From the Keynote Speaker

In my 1st session

Eating Lunch

In my last session

Getting our PD Certs.

Tutoring Summary # 1

About 3 weeks ago I was at the school I did my student teaching in. I stopped by my co-op's classroom to say hello. During our conversation, she offered me a tutoring position with one of the student's I had taught. The mother had asked for a tutor to help her daughter stay on reading level throughout the summer. I was very excited for the opportunity and jumped at it. I spoke with the mother and with my co-op to gather ideas of what to focus on during our sessions.

On Monday, July 1, 2013 I had my first tutoring session. It lasted 2 hours. We focused on math and reading.  I will also do some writing with her.

Before we began learning I showed and explained all that I had for her. She has a writing journal in which I would like for her to write in daily. It can be a letter to me, a story she makes up or a description of what she has done during the day. I showed her the reading folder she has, her homework folder and her reading journal too.  Then I gave her the option of whether to start with math or reading.

When she said math, I was able to assess where she needs the most help. I gave her two timed math fact pre-tests. These were only using the numbers 1-10. The first one was an addition paper. The second one was a subtraction paper. After that I gave her another “pre-test” with a variety of math topics learned in 2^nd grade, such as time, money, and comparing numbers/fractions. 

We then did some reading. She picked out a book for summer reading. I also picked out a non-fiction book for her to read. It was a biography on Harriet Tubman. Then we read another fiction book called Jamaica's Find. We also worked on some sight words. It was a great time and I am excited to see her progress. =)

 

Teachers Summer Reading

I have always enjoyed reading during the summertime. I would always read books on the summer reading lists, even the ones above my grade level. I felt it would make me smarter, but I really just wanted to read numerous novels.

That same idea of reading during the summer has continued into my educational career. I am always looking for new books to read so my knowledge of the craft can improve. I have a long list of books that I hope to read in this category. I just bought one yesterday at the book fair at one of the Elementary Schools. It is called 75 Reading Strategies: Boost Achievement and Build a Life-Long Love of Reading by Danny Brassell.

What books do you read to keep in touch with the educational field?

AVPDS -A Very Professional Development Summer

Every summer since I started college I have had a "productive" summer. I worked, took classes, and spent my time wisely. I was excited for a summer off---until I realized that I am NOT the kind of person who can sit around and do nothing all day long. I have to be productive. So, what better way to be productive than enjoy professional development and grow in that way? 

I have to admit I am awfully exited for all of the PD I'll be attending. At times, I'll have a conference or workshop every day and other times I'll have something one a week. I will be updating my blog after each experience. 

As of 5/26/13:

• 7/8 SMART Board Basics @ Kean
• 7/15-7/18 Writer's Workshop @ Rider
• 7/22 All Things Google @ Stockton
• 7/31 EdCamp STEAM @ Linwood Middle School
• 8/8 Common Core Conference @ Kean
• 8/12 EdCamp Leadership @ Kean
• 8/15, 8/19-21 SMART Board Certification @ Kean
• 8/22 TeachMeetNJ 2013 @ Stockton

It's going to be AVPDS!!

Use the hashtags #summerPD13 and tell me what you'll be doing this summer. =)