Heart, Mind, and Spirit

I am tasked with creating a final reflection post for my school educational blog about what I have learned in my Masters of Education program through Walden University.

Technically, I assume this Masters Program would be ideal for a general education teacher looking for additional endorsements as a technology specialist in their school district, or as a means to gain a step increase in salary with the higher education degree. For me, as a special education teacher, I am using this Masters Program to increase my ability to help the students that have been assigned to me.

I have learned all number of new technologies that are available for use to aid my students, some of whom are developmentally delayed and need extra help learning the very basic of skills, some of my students are fine in most subject areas, but perhaps just “don’t get math” and need a tremendous amount of additional help just to pass. Other students have very specific learning disabilities and need different types of instruction in order to grasp the content and retain and recall information. Finally, I have a group of students who most teachers are repelled by and take little interest in. These students are the ones who choose not to try, they are the trouble makers of the school, some are criminals, and some have fallen through the cracks. Some of these students are lost within their own hardships and troubles. Many of this sub-set of student life are suffering from a variety of learning disabilities and problems, some correctable, some not. Some have emotional and behavioral disorders and problems with drugs, violence and truancy. They come from good families and broken homes, or no homes at all.

The good news is that all are capable of changing, if they choose. My job is to find the catalyst of change that will inspire and motivate that change from within their hearts. Using the latest in technology, coupled with good, old fashioned caring and effort, the cracks they have fallen through can be patched, the holes they fall into covered.

I could list for pages the technical terms I have learned, the theories I memorized, the teaching and learning methods that were taught. However, all of that would be boring and unnecessary as the real issue is the motivation I gained from learning new material, the new friends I made with my classmates in the courses, and the hope and the inspiration I received from my instructors, who themselves have given their time and effort to train us and pass on their knowledge of the classroom that they have amassed in careers covering many subject areas, across many jurisdictions, and under a wide variety of circumstances.

I am both sad and happy my Walden classes are over. I will miss reading the posts of my colleagues and their responses to mine, as well as viewing their blogs and public projects. I will miss the little tidbits of information about their lives and the longer web conversations via email and Skype.

What I won’t miss are the late nights, long hours of study, and the sore fingers from typing papers and posts until the wee hours of the morning.

My hat is off to all of the instructors who took on the task of teaching us. As I have learned, teachers are often the worst students. I raise a glass of adult beverage to all of my classmates who have made the journey with me, I thank my wife and family for the support and encouragement to continue when I was hard put to make deadlines. And I smile with anticipation at what awaits me at the next turn in the road of my life.

Take care
Rob Zingg
Walden University
Master of Science in Education – Integrating Technology in the Classroom

Course Management System – Moodle for the Special Education Technology classroom

When I was researching information about West Virginia math test scores and our state standings in math education, I was humbled to realize we scored near the bottom of the list, surpassing only Mississippi and the District of Columbia in math scores.  Not realizing we were quite so low I began to consider how I as an educator might make a difference in my specific classroom, which in turn might affect my schools scores, leading to increased states test score improvement.  Perhaps if I were able to show success, other teachers in my school might be able to copy my efforts.

To initiate a model for this concept, I felt using an online Course Management System, CMS, such as Moodle (www.moodle.org) might be an ideal method for implementing a math tutoring program that could be used in school during tutoring classes, study halls, and computer lab sessions.  Access could also be granted afterschool in the student’s home via their own personal computer.

To see if the Moodle site would be useful for my idea, I explored the site seeking examples of tutoring sessions, quizzes and testing opportunities, and other such possibilities and found that the site has an extensive array of options for educators to arrange it to fit their needs.  I would be able to not only create online worksheets and skills assessments, but could also create tests and quizzes that could be used to prove mastery of specific skill sets.  Additionally, there is an option to create a social networking area for groups of students to “gather” and create a wiki or start a blog concerning specific topics or classes within our school.

One idea I had for students to help teach each other is a blog/wiki combination where students discuss areas they had difficulty with and then post methods and solutions they discovered that worked for them to overcome stumbling blocks in various topics. Students could break the blog/wiki up into separate threads that focused on a specific mathematic problem area, such as variables, polynomials, exponents, or any topic they were having trouble with.  This type of “student helping student” is the main focus of the Moodle website.  They approach education with a constructivist point of view where students are actively constructing new knowledge as they work with their peers in these collaborative online virtual classrooms. If a student listens to a presentation from the teacher, they are very likely to forget a great deal of it by the next day.  However, if they are asked to restate what the teacher said to someone else, or to discuss it with their peers and use it as a basis for group collaboration, they are then more likely to remember it and be able to recall the information when needed in the future.  Students are helping each other construct additional knowledge for each other by collaborating in the virtual classroom via the blog/wiki.

Many educators and administrators are leery of online social networks and learning sites for in school use.  They fear students accessing inappropriate material and non students being able to access blogs and interactive groups in an effort to prey on unsuspecting minors.  A tremendous added benefit of the Moodle website for educators is that I am in complete control of who is allowed in and what students are allowed to do when I set up my virtual classroom.  I am able to view what each student is doing and monitor and control all activity.  This is a great safety feature to prevent students from wandering to inappropriate websites, keep conversations on topic and appropriate, and to keep out unwanted intruders.

In order to help convince my educational peers that Moodle is an appropriate technology learning tool for classroom instruction, in school tutoring, and at home remediation I created a “Flowchart” to illustrate the benefits of incorporating Moodle.   This is the flow chart I created to help convince fellow teachers to adopt Moodle at a classroom tool for increased performance. You may view it by clicking the link here: http://mywebspiration.com/view/512826a31153

In conclusion, software such as Moodle, help students retain more information in a manner that allows for clear and precise retrieval when needed.

Students find learning more rewarding and often enjoyable and relieves the stress found in students who struggle for success. Incorporating additional technologies to assist struggling students we, as educators, will find increased satisfaction in our lives by imporving the lives of our students.

Hello everyone,

This is my final Reflection for my current course at Walden University, please give it a look over and let me know what you think.

Take care

Rob Zingg
_____________________
Reflection
Despite the many difficulties I have encountered this class regarding my personal health and ability to adequately complete the class work, I felt I have learn a considerable amount about differentiated learning and the Universal Design for Learning. I often struggle with the idea that I have to make each lesson as engaging as possible for every student, every day, every time. Many times that is just not possible, it is a great ideal and something to shoot for, but is not always attainable. For my high school special educations students, giving them too many choices is just as bad as giving them none. Differentiated instruction means to make the instruction different enough to engage the student in learning. I don’t have to dazzle them every day, just give them something interesting enough to want to learn more about it. Sometimes, less is more.
By adhering to my students IEP modifications and adding similar modalities I am often able to fulfill the differentiation in one effort. Additionally, I can also fulfill the needs of other students in the class, even if they do not have an IEP. Just the act of doing something different in the class helps change the pace and engages the students.
The changes I will make in the classroom are to include as many chances to use the laptops for note taking and completing lessons rather than having students turn in handwritten artifacts. I have had success using Animoto (www.aninimoto.com) and plan to encorporate it into as many lessons as practical. Although my students are not yet ready for a real on-line public blog, I plan to use Voicethreads (http://voicethread.com/#home ) within the classroom as well as a class blog that will discuss each project as it is evolving.
When appropriate I will make every effort to include some web searches on our subject matter to see what kind of material students are able to find on the internet. This will also give me an opportunity to teach proper research skills and internet security and privacy. As each lesson unfolds I will also be flexible and be able to transition into alternative lesson plans if the opportunity for additional learning arises.
My most glaring example of change in my classroom will be the focus on having fun while we are learning and teaching my students where to find correct answers and material. Teaching them to fish rather than giving them a fish each day.

Rationale Statement for a Differentiated Lesson Plan for Special Education

In order to ensure special education students with developmental, learning, emotional, and behavioral disabilities are properly served within the classroom, educators must make every effort to provide all of the available resources at their disposal. Each educational setting is inherently different, according to geographical, political, and socio-economic circumstances; however, when provided with sufficiently varied learning opportunities, disadvantaged and disabled students have a better chance at educational success than those not afforded these opportunities. The inclusion of technology need not be the most advanced and expensive equipment available, but merely another modality for the student to use in order to express themselves clearly. Before the current trend in digital technology the modality may have been a portable typewriter or a reel to reel tape recorder. Today as technology becomes cheaper and more compact, the variety of available modalities has increased, and their ease of use has improved tremendously.

By allowing students to express themselves educationally in their most comfortable and appropriate manner, disadvantaged students can finally experience the success that has eluded them most of their lives. Additionally, by using technology to accomplish this, students are better equipped for employment in a modern workforce.

Hello everyone,

Please take a look at a lesson plan I created for my Special Education classes. this was an assignment for my Walden University class. Please give me your feedback so I may improve my writing skills. I am not the next great novelist, just a teacher looking to improve his ability to work with his students.

thanks and take care,

Rob Zingg

___________________

A Differentiated Lesson Plan
Teacher: Robert Zingg
Who: Middle School and High school (6-12), Special Education – Behavior Disorders
What: A Student developed ESL program specifically designed for our alternative school ESL students by our own students.
Subject: Conflict Resolution, divided into three (3) classes, (6TH-7th, 8th-10th, 11th–12th)
Description of the lesson: The lesson is a group collaborative project, to create a student developed ESL program for our specific special education classes within our alternative school program.
Purpose #1: The purpose of this project is for the general non-ESL student population to gain understanding of the difficulties ESL students face assimilating into the English speaking classroom and the barriers they often encounter as a result of a limited understanding of the English language. The non-ESL students will develop sensitivity and empathy for the plight of ESL students in the school system, who find themselves in a new and different cultural setting where they must learn to interact in a community using a language that is not native to them.
Purpose #2: The ESL students will learn, and hopefully appreciate, the tremendous resources allocated towards their ESL programs and extraordinary efforts given by school administrators, teachers, and staff, to help them assimilate into American society.
Steps: Students are to develop an ESL program that allows the alternative school ESL students to quickly gain mastery of the basics of the English language, the basics of school related communication and conversation, and the basics of communication and conversation that will allow them to function within the local community.
Each class will divide into various sub-committees.
Each class will elect a classroom spokesperson and an alternate in case the spokesperson is not available on presentation day. Each sub-committee will elect a spokesperson and an alternate.
Each class will be given a “virtual budget” for materials, teachers and staff for their “virtual school”. They will be given a virtual population of 500 general education students with 17% of these designated as ESL. A set of criteria, concerning the percentages of different languages represented within their ESL populations will be randomly generated just prior to the project so each class is presented with slightly different situations.
Students, as members of sub-committees, must decide how they will allocate their budget, on a combination of materials, teachers, and aids, to serve their ESL student population.
A “price list and cost sheet” for virtual personnel will be randomly generated just prior to the project so each class is presented with slightly different situations.
The Overall Classroom Committee, with the teacher as a guide, will decide:
1. How to break the ESL program project into its various parts: (Examples)
a. Basic vocabulary
b. Classroom related words, phrases, and conversation
c. School office, administration, and guidance department related words, phrases, and conversation
d. Dictionary and Thesaurus usage
e. Word/phrase association with pictures and photos
f. Using photos and pictures to tell a story
g. Grammar, sentence structure, and writing styles.
h. Alternative word meanings and slang words
i. Commonly misspelled words
j. Commonly mispronounced words
k. Additional categories as needed.

2. Which categories will be assigned to each sub-committee.
a. To help the students with this group project, analogies and comparisons are made to familiar on-line management games such as Sim-City, Farmville, Oregon Trail, Sim-Life, and others, so they might better understand how to create and implement their ESL classroom project strategy.

3. Students will first work as an Overall Classroom Committee comprising the entire class to review the project as a whole, create a time line for the completion of the project (within the guidelines of the teacher, approx. 3 weeks), divide into various sub-committees and assign project components to each sub-committee.

4. At the end of each class period, each sub-committee will give a one minute progress report with a larger five minute progress report given at the end of each week. During the final week, the sub-committees will reconvene as a whole and combine all of their parts into the finished project. Each sub-committee will present their portion of the project and the group as a whole will synthesize the parts into the final project. During final presentations, each sub-committee member must play a role in the presentation.

Differentiate lessons: During each phase of the project (note taking, draft writing, final presentation) students may use a variety of accommodations of their own choice, those directed by their IEP’s, and those with teacher recommendations; for note taking, writing drafts, and creating their final reports. Students may use laptops to take notes, as well as traditional note pads and pencils, tape recording devices are available and will be transcribed by Student Services (service provided by the school), video recording of their sessions using a classroom FlipVideo camera for later review is also available
Some students, per their IEP, have a designated travelling aid that will transcribe their notes for them for them to use the following day. ESL students may also request an aid to assist those with English language difficulties.
Student aids (provide by the Guidance dept) will also be available to answer basic technology and software questions, problems arising with grammar and composition, and be available to obtain necessary equipment as need.
Final presentations may include a variety of multi-media and technology techniques.
Grading Rubric: Prior to the project start date the teacher and students, together, will create a grading rubric specifically for this project.
Technology: The students will be encouraged to use a variety of technology techniques while working on their drafts, and when they create their final presentations. Students can choose any technology available to them. The following is a list of suggestions, but students are not limited to these: MS Word for drafts and reports; Excel for cost analysis, budgets, and accounting; MS Publisher for graphics and charts, Windows Movie Maker, Animoto, PowerPoint for final presentations and visual understanding; various storyboard programs such as Comiclife (http://plasq.com/comiclife-win).
Materials and Equipment: Students will have access to a laptop computer with an overhead projector, a transparency overhead projector, laser pointer, TV-DVD, whiteboard, podium, microphone and integrated sound system.
Evaluation and Assessment: Assessment is divided into 3 equal parts; participation within the “Whole Project”, participation within their specific sub-committee, and their individual work.
Students will be evaluated on:
1. Individual work:
a. The quality of their specific work and skills, ie: writing quality, grammar, spelling, technology usage and skill, video quality, technology choices, quality of their artifacts, etc. This will be one third of their grade and will be averaged into their final grade.

2. Sub-committee:
a. Cooperation, input, team work, team spirit, absences, participation, etc. This will be the second part of their grade and will be averaged into their final grade.

3. Whole Project:
a. Their overall participation as a contributing member of the “Team”, the final “Whole Project” presentation will be given a grade and each student will receive that grade to be averaged into the other two parts for their final grade.

4. Example:
a. Individual work = 87%
b. Sub-committee = 85%
c. Whole Project = 92%
d. Added together and divided by 3
e. Final Grade = 88%
________________________________________

WV CSO’s (Content Standard Objective)
Alternate Academic Achievement Standards for West Virginia Schools
RLA.O.8.2.01
Use notes to create an outline for developing a written and/or oral presentation noting the inclusion of computer graphics.

RLA.O.8.2.02
Analyze how analogies, illustrations, examples, and anecdotes are used to enhance oral and written communication (e.g., letters, poems, brief reports, descriptions, extended texts, illustrations).

RLA.O.8.2.03
Use pre-writing, editing and revision techniques (e.g., read, draft aloud, peer feedback or a provided rubric) to vary sentence length, change sentence order, eliminate organizational errors, and use vivid and concise words to create a personal style or voice while clarifying and enhancing the central idea.

RLA.O.8.2.04
Use the five-step writing process (pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) to develop a creative or reflective composition (e.g., reflect on an experience or time in the past, draw upon imagination) and identify areas for further research by making personal connections to self, to texts, and to the world to demonstrate that written communication is affected by choices writers make in language, tone and voice.

RLA.O.8.2.09
Select and use a variety of resource materials to plan, develop, and deliver a research project (5 pages) with documented sources, using multiple computer-generated graphic aids.

RLA.O.8.2.07
Independently resolve information conflicts and validate information through assessing, researching and comparing data.

RLA.O.8.2.08
Conduct research by gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing data from a variety of sources: Internet, databases for periodicals/newspapers, interviews, reference books, card catalogue, miscellaneous resource materials.

RLA.O.8.3.01
Model effective oral communication skills (e.g., tone, volume, rate, audience, etiquette, standard English) through the presentation of: compositions, reports, scripts

RLA.O.8.3.02
Present an oral report with computer-generated graphic aids (e.g., tables, graphs, diagrams or charts).

RLA.O.8.3.03
Critique oral/visual information presented, relate personal experiences and apply the information to global situations.

RLA.O.8.3.04
Listen in order to analyze and critique information received in spoken texts (e.g., of a guest speaker, informational video, televised interview or radio news program).

RLA.O.8.3.05
Perform a variety of roles in group discussions: collaboration, facilitation, persuasion,

RLA.O.8.3.06
Properly use private and public information.

RLA.O.8.3.07
Plan, create, organize, and present an age-appropriate media product that demonstrates format, purpose, and audience.

RLA.O.11.1.10
Use knowledge of the history, cultural diversity, politics, and effects of language to comprehend and elaborate on the meaning of texts, to expand vocabulary, and to draw connections to self and to the real world.

RLA.O.11.1.09
Evaluate and justify the effectiveness of organizational patterns (e.g., problem-solution, cause-and-effect), textual features, graphical representations (e.g., tables, timelines, captions, maps, photographs) and ideas in informational and literary texts for intent and purpose.

RLA.O.11.2.05
Plan and incorporate varied note taking skills to organize and synthesize information from print and electronic primary and secondary sources (e.g., Internet, reference books, electronic databases for periodicals and newspapers) into an outline (introduction, thesis/hypothesis, main points, supporting details/examples, conclusion) to develop a composition or research project.

21st Century Learning Skills and Technology Tools Content Standards and Objectives for West Virginia Schools

21C.S.5-8.3
The student will exhibit leadership, ethical behavior, respect for others; accept responsibility for personal actions considering the impact on others; take the initiative to plan and execute tasks; and interact productively as a member of a group.

21C.S.9-12.1
The student will access, analyze, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in a variety of forms using appropriate technology skills and communicate that information in an appropriate oral, written, or multimedia format.

21C.S.9-12.2
The student will demonstrate the ability to explore and develop new ideas, to intentionally apply sound reasoning processes and to frame, analyze and solve complex problems using appropriate technology tools.

Please take a few minutes to take this survey for a class I am taking though Walden University.

http://www.surveypirate.com/Survey.aspx?surveyid=17204&sp.mac=GOiVNa7BSgiyEu4a0Pz9Nw%3d%3d

Thank you very much

Rob Zingg

In reflecting on my final blog post, I am still fairly reluctant to implement many of my ideas for projects due to my student apparent unwillingness to even try some projects.

I have just started my video project with my classes. The project revolves around a video essay about the various problems with our facility and all of the things wrong with our physical structure. Our program is an alternative school setting from 6th through 12th grade. However, our facility is an old re-purposed building left over from when an old school burned down many years ago. Granted it has been remodeled over the years, but we have an aging facility with 5 classroom and about 25 students.

I had the classes think of all of the physical problems we have with the school and possible ways that they might be fixed. they brainstormed and came up with quite a list of things wrong with our building; leaking roof, broken windows, ancient computer lab, mis-matched carpets, flimsy walls, cast-offs and hand-me-down school desks and furniture, old books, inadequate supplies, and the list goes on.

I limited the list to just the building and would not allow them to list what they really think the problem here is…the teachers.

If you listened to them, all of their problems stem from bad, poorly trained, and stupid teachers that have no business being teachers.

Coincidentally, it appears that the same teachers they have issues with are the same teaches that are keeping them accountable to the standards set by the State and are also involved in disciplinary issues with them…funny how that works.

This week, I ran right smack into exactly what I was dreading, and that was a class of students who outright refused to participate in the video project. According to them, no one will listen to what they have to say about the facility needing repair and upgrading. They feel that since (in their minds) no one will listen to what they have to say, then there is no use in even trying to do the project. They would rather take the zero, instead of working on the project. Even if they were going to treat the project as if it were just another book report, they feel so strongly about it being a fruitless effort that they will not even participate.

I have tried to present my case that it is not always about the result but about the effort made for a good cause. They should approach the video project like it was any other project for a grade. If we are able to present it to the school board or to local business leaders for help and we get some then that is great. However, they feel that the school board will just pat them on the head and say “Good job, little bad school kid, now run along and let us do some real work here.”

The utter despair I heard in their voices when we discussed/argued this point, for almost an hour on Wednesday, they have such a low opinions of themselves that they feel no one will want to help them. They take on the role of victim and then sit around and let me know how miserable they are.

Unfortunately, they do not want to treat the video project as just any other project. They feel that since they are considered “bad kids” the school board will not take them seriously and that they will never get their voice out. Because they feel that everyone is trying to keep them down because they are the “bad kids”, they have taken on the role of “victim”, and feel that they have fallen through the cracks and that they have been pushed aside and neglected all of their school experience.

Even though the school system has bent over backwards for all of these kids and and has tried to accommodate their needs and issues at every point in their education, they still see themselves as “victims”.

I have been making every effort to get them to see that even if the school board rejects their video project or just pats them on the head and says “Nice job” and then moves on to other business, at least they tried to make a difference with a tangible thing.

Since the school boads will probably do very little this year, we can hope for a renewed effort in future years due to the publicity this video might cause. With the advent of Youtube, all sorts of people can view something that was only considered of local interest.

Hopefully, I can get some sort of commitment from the BOE this year sot the kids can see if their money would be well spent or not,

This week I am on Spring Break, unfortunately, I have been overwhelmed with house and garden chores, computer viruses that have played havoc with my home and office computers, and the trials and tribulations of an elderly parent and in-laws.

Fortunately, everyone is home from the hospital, my mom who lives in California and my mother-in-law who lives local to me here in West Virginia. Both ladies are tremendous role models for robust and vigorous “seasoned” citizens.

My mother was a Staff Sgt. in the Unites States Marine Corps during WW2 and was one of only 110 Women Marines allowed to stay in the Women Marines after the war. It was quite an honor and she served proudly for several more years. My father was a Sgt. Major in the Marines and I grew up wearing Marine Corps green and “snapping to” whenever my folks made a sound. AHH, those were the days….

My GAME Plan for my high school level alternative school students is going to be a project based learning unit on what they as an individual student need to do to graduate high school.

Due to their various “issues” and the problems that brought them to our alternative school, many are in danger of graduating on time. Most of our students have just “coasted” through middle and high school thinking that they will get “passed on” no matter what their academic and behavior problems have been.

In olden times that may have been true, however nowadays that is no longer the case. More schools are being ever more stringent on graduation requirements and the student who can just “coast” through to graduation is a thing of the past.

Since most of our seniors have not earned the appropriate number of credits the traditional way, in order to help them graduate on time, or at least by finishing up their last credit or two over summer school, we modify their curriculum to focus on what they need to complete their core credit requirements.

By concentrating their efforts on just a few core classes and doubling up on some types of classes (English 11 and English 12) we can assure the student who really works hard that they will walk with their friends on Graduation Day.

The key is their effort to work hard. despite all we do, some students will just not step up and take the initiative and work their program to the fullest.

In an effort to avoid this, I would like to plan a section on “What You Need To Graduate High School”.

This section would not only focus on the academic classes they already know they need, but will focus on the “other” stuff they need in order to graduate. They need to learn to stop fooling around in class, they need to stop partying with their friends and use that time to study or do home work.

They need to learn the proper way to study, they proper way to take notes, the proper way to read a chapter and skim for content and then deep read for knowledge.

These students have all had these lessons in how to do these things. They have gotten them over the years in many of their classes, across the content area. They have been shown how to read a chapter, how to take notes effectively and how to study a subject. Almost every content teacher teaches a section on how to do these things.

The key is that since they are in a real pickle now, they will take those previous lessons and revisit them and put them to good use NOW so they may pass their classes and GRADUATE on time.

Some other areas I would like to incorporate in my lesson would be the interpersonal skills they will need to work cooperatively in an after high school learning environment, college, trade school, or military. Also, some of their specific issues and how they should try to deal with them in order to maintain a healthy living situation after high school. If the smoke, drink, or do drugs, they need to acknowledge the potential problems and hazards that lifestyle can lead to.

If they are involved in other activities that might lead to their loss of freedom or social stigma, then they need to learn to re-evaluate and see where they may be able to change their behaviors.

I don’t anticipate any great break-through in behaviors, but I do see that some of the fringe members may take a good look at themselves and decide on a different path.

take care

Rob Zingg

In my efforts to implement my Game Plan in my high school level alternative school setting I keep coming back to my original fears about trying new methods and techniques.

Although I feel confident using technologies, for the most part, the fears I have are for the commitment level of my students in any project we start.

Having spoken to several teachers that have done technology projects of a similar nature to my ideas, I have learned they dealt with the same fears and behavior problems I was worried about.

My real fear is if a student misbehaves and disrups the learning process, not only will it disrupt the learning experience for the other students in the class, but that student will also miss the opportunity to learn the content material, putting them farther behind than the already are.

I guess I am selfish and want each of my student to fully embrace the lessons I have taken so much time and effort to create for them, and learn the content as well.

I take it “personally” when a student does not fully embrace (or partially embrace for that matter) a lesson. I feel that the lesson is fun and interesting, so if they don’t buy into it, I questions my technique for creating lessons, or my taste in topics.

I should know after all these years, it is not about ME, it is about THEM (in their eyes) and they will do what they will do and I can not change their minds. all I can do is present a well planned and crafted lesson that gives them the choice to interact with it so they can choose to fully embrace it in an effort to take part in the learning process.

* How effective were your actions in helping you meet your goals?

After really evaluating my efforts, I have been really trying to let go and allow the students to do as much as they can do, if they fall short of MY expectations, that is OK, because it may be THEIR absolute best in that particular instance.

Each day is a new day, and hopefully tomorrow they will do a little bit more than they did today.

I try to craft each lesson so that students at all levles will be able to shine. the more academic students can do more, if they are so inclined, and the average students can do their best, and the lower achieving students can do their best and still have a great showing of their efforts.

* What have you learned so far that you can apply in your instructional practice?

Aside from the “hard material” of actual programs, software and techniques that can be used in the classroom, I have learned to be more patient with my students. My classes are extremely stressful. this is one of the most stressful jobs I have ever had, for many reasons, most out of my control. However, the one area that is in my control is how I deal with students and the situations they present to me.

I can succumb to the anger, pain, bitterness, fear, despair, helplessness, defeat, and hopelessness that my students feel or I can be my own person and allow my students to see my commitment to them and allow them to draw on that strength.

If my students can always count on me being the same everyday, and not letting a poor behavior choice one day carry over to the next, they can see that there is hope for them. If I treat them with dignity and respect everyday they will learn to treat others with dignity and respect.

If I can forgive, they can forgive.

I am often presented with vulgar and file confrontations from students due to their specific issues and the needs of conducting a class. No matter how I might personally feel about a student, I treat them with dignity and respect, often I feel if I am spinning my wheels and getting no where with them.

The last month has been particularly troublesome at school with kids being especially rebellious and quarrelsome.

I have gotten up in the morning for the most of last month wondering why I put myself though this everyday. I could be teaching somewhere else where the students were actually interested in learning.

Then one day last week, one of my hardened kids (16 yrs old) who has just returned from jail after serving 2 years for a major crime came to me and asked if he could speak privately to me about a personal problem he was having at home with his folks. The problem was pretty serious, but one lots of kids face with parents or siblings.

The interesting point was that he prefaced his request with … “…some of the other kids said you were a cool teacher to talk to because you listened to them without judging them”

You could have knocked me over with a feather, as I recalled the absolute hell these kids had put me through for the last month. But I kept my cool and spoke to him and gave him the most honest advice I could. He seemed very grateful for the talk, and for the advice, and seemed as if he would follow it too. Afterward, I seemed to not be so uptight and looked at the kids with a different set of eyes. They were still a pain in my butt, but I didn’t mind as much.

* What do you still have to learn? What new questions have arisen?

The main question is how to still teach the technology based lesson, while dealing with inappropriate behaviors while still getting as many students to complete the lesson and get something out of it as possible.

The answer to the lesson I learned was to let the students be themselves and let their behaviors dictate how much they will be allowed to participate in the learning process. By following the behavior plans and IEP’s I do what is expected and do it the same way every time so students have continuity and a constant in their lives. By living the example students could use our examples as role models for appropriate behaviors. I give them the platform on which they can learn.

* How will you adjust your plan to fit your current needs?

I need to be flexible in implementing my Game Plan since my students and teaching environment changes through frequent additions of new students and occasionally the removal of students back to their home schools because they have improved their academic and behavioral performance or they have done something that terminates their educational experience.

thanks

Rob Zingg

As I contemplate my current GAME Plan for teaching Conflict Resolution to high school alternative school students, I find that some of my original plan is already being taken care of by the students themselves, or with other teachers they currently have or have had in the last year or so.

Some students have already had experience with MS Word and Excell, and Publisher, so they are ahead of the game a bit.

As for the Flip-video camera project on a social need, we are just starting to develop ideas and topics for the video, after we have narrowed down the field of ideas we will start formulating a script and story board of the video.

At this stage we are only writing the script which may take several weeks, once that is completed we will start shooting various scenes then start editing it all together for the final project.

Questions asked by the course resources:
* Are you finding the information and resources you need?

Answer: I am surprisingly lucky to have the BOE tech guru interested in this project, and he has agreed to help procure equipment and help teach our students how to use it properly.

* Do you need to modify your action plan?
At this point I am not modifying it, but plan to be flexible to the situations that may arise from time to time.

* What have you learned so far?
So far, I have found it is a bit easier than I originally thought, and the kids adapt very easily to the addition of technology.

* What new questions have arisen?
We have not gotten too far into the project yet, so no new questions have yet arisen.

Thank

take care

Rob Zingg