Aaron Herm

Schools Should Look More Like Google

2011-04-26T16:27:00.001-05:00

Last month, I attended the WEMTA Conference in Madison. I learned a great deal about enhancing learning through technology. What I didn't expect was that the session that had one of the greatest impacts on me was about learning spaces presented by Ryan Bretag.

Today's students need to be able to collaborate, communicate, and use technology effectively to solve problems creatively. But all too often, we stick them in this environment:

To make matters worse, we make them go into "airplane mode," and disconnect from the wealth of information that's floating around out there by making them put away their electronic devices, even threatening to confiscate them if we see them.

Now look at the offices of Google, where some of the world's best creative professionals work:

The environment is comfortable and adaptable to encourage both formal and informal collaboration. In addition, personal devices are encouraged to enhance the work environment.

If we want to facilitate 21st century teaching and learning, we need to start by changing the physical space. Why not make school look more like Google? Take a look at this environment, called the IDEA.

Just like Google, it's inviting, adaptable to different situations, and encourages both formal and informal learning. In addition, students' personal device use is welcomed and encouraged as an enhancement to learning rather than a distraction. (Given, students will not be on task 100 percent of the time, but neither am I. We just have to set some guidelines for technology use.)

Since attending Ryan's session, I moved my classroom from rows to collaborative groups. I eliminated the "front" and "back" of the room to encourage collaboration (not socialization! - a distinction we revisit often) and encourage students to move desks and alter the room to accommodate different learning situations. Of course, public schools in Wisconsin are on a tight budget, so my room isn't as cool as Google or the IDEA, but it's a start. I'm making do with what I've got for now. As a Special Education Teacher trying to help my students develop social skills, I wish I'd had my room this way for a long time.

In addition, I've allowed the use of personal electronics with certain restrictions. For example, with permission, students are allowed to use iPod Touches to look up additional information related to the discussion we are having if they report back to the class what they learned. I've found that technology has become more of a tool and less of a distraction since implementing this policy.

Bottom line: If we're going to transform teaching and learning for the future, we should start with the physical space and our attitudes about devices in the classroom.

Glogster Lets Students Creatively Demonstrate Knowledge

2011-04-21T09:35:00.002-05:00

What it is
Glogster is a free tool that allows students to, very simply, create a digital poster. They can include text, images, videos, drawings, links, animations, and more. It's my favorite go-to tech project and my special education students are deeply engaged by it.

How it enhances learning
Glogster provides students an opportunity to use a safe digital environment to develop an innovative product, work collaboratively, and use effective digital research skills. Assigning a Glogster project to demonstrate mastery of a topic instantly moves the activity from the bottom of Bloom's Taxonomy to the top. I have seen my special education students do excellent Glogs when they have been unsuccessful on more traditional assessments like worksheets and tests.

How you can use it in your classroom
Glogster can be used for formative or summative assessment. Glogster provides a thorough Educator Resource Library complete with lesson plans and rubrics.

We're All Reading Teachers

2011-04-21T08:43:00.000-05:00

All too often, high school teachers assume their students have learned all they need to know about reading. They assign lengthy readings and then complain when the class does not understand the material and most don't even complete the assignment. The fact of the matter is, no high school student is a master reader and it's every teacher's responsibility to enhance literacy - not just the English teacher's. Here are some methods I've found effective for increasing reading skills in both regular and special education classrooms:

Start the year with a "textbook tour," pointing out the features of the text and explaining how they help to better understand the material. Revisit the textbook features often.
Model how to approach a reading assignment by doing a "think aloud." For example, if I were to do a think aloud for a lesson in a textbook, I might open the book to the page and then say, “Hmm, this lesson is about the Revolutionary War. I know that the Revolutionary War is when the United States won its independence from Great Britain in 1776, but I donʼt know much else. This lesson will teach me more.” Then I might peruse the headings in the lesson and read them aloud so that I know what I am going to learn about. Finally, I might even count how many pages there are in the lesson and plan when I might want to take a ten minute break from reading (which is something I actually do before I read). Think alouds like this help students become better readers because they recognize that the teacher is the expert the room, and if they learn what is going on in my mind as I read, they may mimic what I do.
Set a purpose for reading. Instead of saying, "Read pages 40 to 50," say, "Read pages 40 to 50. As you read, I want you to notice how the Cuban Missile Crisis affected American's daily lives. Be prepared to discuss this tomorrow."
Show students how to mark up a reading to encourage active reading. Model it, then gradually turn control over to them.
Identify struggling readers and support them individually. Look for warning signs, like "fake reading" and those who struggle when reading aloud.
Pre-teach vocabulary
Modify reading assignments with alternative texts (high interest readings, graphic novels) that do not alter the lesson objective.
Read aloud to your class, even in high school. Students benefit by following along while listening to an expert reader.
Read Cris Tovani's book, Do I Really Have To Teach Reading? This should be required reading for every teacher. It has effective and easy-to-implement strategies to help students become better readers.

First Post!

2011-04-20T10:44:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my new blog. The purpose of this space is to reflect on my practice and share what I know about teaching with the world.

I am especially passionate about leveraging technology to enhance learning, and I much of what I share here will be about that topic. If we as teachers do not continually learn new ways to incorporate technology seamlessly into education, we are failing our students. Old methods of teaching and learning are becoming less relevant everyday. They are unmotivating, and they don't prepare our students for life in tomorrow's world.

On this blog, I will do my small part in the digital education revolution by sharing resources and strategies teachers can use in their own classrooms. In addition, I will share my thoughts and reflections as I teach and continue to learn.

You can learn more about me by viewing my resume and my "What I Believe" page. Welcome...