What a great day! I went to my second #edcamp ever. I traveled to Grafton MA to attend #edcampgrafton. I was very excited to see Lena, one of my PLN who I met in person a few weeks ago at my first Edcamp. So it was time to build the board for the day. I hemmed and hawed and decided to take a risk and decided to facilitate a session. It was sooo cool. Our topic was using science to engage student learners. We started the conversation there but talked about so many things.

We talked about anchoring phenomena, Scribblebots and engineering.

My next session was AMAZING!. It was LEAD Like A Pirate. And we were so lucky because @BethHouf one of the authors joined us in Google Hangout from her home.

 

Beth’s message is about how each and everyone of us has the capacity to be a leader no more our situation. Teachers are leaders of the classrooms, Principals can be powerfully passionate of their schools. Even I can Lead like a Pirate from my cubicle in Barre, VT. I can make a difference for students but in more subtle, indirect ways.  I also need to say I met Kristen , a science colleague and moderator of #scitlap and other PLN colleagues in real life. I want to make sure the connections deepen and the sharing and learning continues.

My final session was  Project based Learning but the absolutely best part is I got to meet the infamous, talented @raynafreedman. So very cool. We also had some great discussions as Rayna shared soem of here units with us. I would say Rayna’s classroom exemplifies “personalized ” learning. She takes the lead from her 5th grade students. I was so very impressed . I want  to take another road trip to visit her classroom.

And then it was time to drive home and time to think an wonder how/what I can take from today to change my Monday. On Monday, I am attending a two day workshop on building proficiency based performance assessments. I am contemplating what part Hyperdocs might play in performance assessments. Thank you Rayna. I might be contacting you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

First of all Anchoring Phenomena #2 was just  published on Friday by the Teaching Channel .

 

I was very excited to see it as I had spent part of the professional learning session I presented talking about anchoring phenomena. I used a device that lights up and buzzes as  the anchor phenomena for a few Grade 4 Energy performance expectations. After the participants explored the phenomena and talked, they used criteria to determine if my choice was a good one . The criteria  is explained in more detail below.

Sitting at home on Saturday evening , watching Devil Wears Prada for the umpteenth time, I began thinking about “anchoring phenomena ” when an image from Friday’s work  flashes by.

I do admit I have been pondering one of my own proclamations “always, always, always start with the standards, the PEs” since yesterday when a colleague suggested that maybe I haven’t gotten it exactly right.  Maybe when thinking about my science instruction and anchoring phenomena I need to first think about the student or students or maybe I can still begin with the standards or the performance expectations, find an anchoring phenomena and personalize the science instruction from that point on. I can do that by providing an opportunity for the learners to write down all the questions they can think about connected to  the anchoring phenomena. For example, let’s say the anchoring phenomena was watching the formation of clouds . The learners would write all the questions they had after watching the video of cloud formation . Then they would identify the “science” questions. From the science questions they would figure out which questions would they find the answer by observing, which questions would lead to investigations and which questions lent themselves to research . The “investigable” questions would then lead the learning investigations. Sometimes the teacher might work with the learner to make the question more explicit so the learner could collect reliable data. By using questions elicited from the learners to build instruction the learning has become much more personalized. I wish I could claim this idea as my own but I believe it came from a U-32 middle school teacher  in Vermont who did this after her students had watched a video about a tsunami . Then she used the student question as the basis for her science instruction.

 

 

 

 

 

I also want to make the point that anchoring phenomena is meant to be so much more than a fun, exciting , motivating event.  An anchoring phenomena in the words of one of  my #NGSS eduheroes Brian Reiser is a puzzling observable event or process that generates student interest and questions ,intersects with numerous PEs and can be explored through science and engineering practices. It makes students think, they want to know “why” , what might be the explanation for this puzzle. Beginning a unit , a bundle with an anchoring phenomenon or event provides learners with the opportunity to grapple with complex concepts. An anchoring phenomena does NOT have to be phenomenal!

A word of caution , an anchoring phenomena should be used without holding it up against some criteria.  There are some documents that can assist us in determining the quality of the anchoring phenomena. One of them comes from the STEM Teaching Tools called Qualities  of a Good Anchor Phenomenon for A Coherent Sequence of Science Instruction.  Another excellent tool comes from the National Science Teachers’ Association called Criteria for Evaluating Phenomena .

An excellent document  Using Phenomena in NGSS Designed Lessons and Units can also be used when thinking about not only the anchor phenomena but also the phenomena used in the building blocks, the learning opportunities that are constructed to help learners grapple with concepts. Each of these learning opportunities help learners make meaning , create deep understanding  of the anchoring phenomena.

I do know that I will continue to grapple with  anchoring phenomena in order for me to create quality #NGSS science instruction .

Please share your thoughts and ideas after reading. I will continue to learn and grow through the collaboration with others.

 

So it’s almost time for school.  Teachers have been preparing for weeks. They can’t sleep at night. They are having the dreaded “teacher nightmare”. There are no new supplies, teacher cannot find the first day of school outfit , the classroom hasn’t been cleaned and so many other possibilities show up in the “teacher nightmare”

As I have been thinking , remembering  and even having one of those dreams 10 years later, a new thought occurred to me, why should we wait for May for Teacher Appreciation week. Shouldn’t teacher appreciation begin right now as teachers  start school with students? Teachers are working so hard in these early days to build relationships with their students. They are creating learning environments where children go home to their parents on the first or even second day of school and say “This is going to be the best year ever” “I can’t wait until tomorrow to go back to school.”

We need to appreciate them right from the very beginning  for everything they do . Let’s appreciate our wonderful teachers beginning right now and continuing all year long.

 

Dedicated to my dear teacher colleagues : Anne Neary, Jessica Roberts, Katie Biggs, Katie Girard, Chelsea Berry, Amanda Rogers, Ryan Wallace, Roz Bryyne , Genessa Zickefoose, Laura Dailey, Megan Paul, Cecily Merrill, Jesse Riemenschneider, Melissa Schumaker, Gail Parris, Monica Washington. Last but not least @redhdteacher , Megan Allen

I am going to try and begin my new movement “Teacher Appreciation All Through the Year”

Kathy

 

I have been engaged in a great deal of reading, thinking and discourse about change in our classrooms, schools, districts. Although ideas from three books  pushed my thinking : Coherence ( Fullan ), Switch (Chip and Dan Heath) and Innovators Mindset (George Couros), it was Innovators Mindset that made the greatest impact.  “Change isn’t something you do to someone else, it’s something you experience. So my current thinking is “I can begin to change me. I can make change in my classroom. I can show my students that I can take risks and solve problems just like I ‘m asking them to to do. I ,the teacher, can innovate. I can make the environment of my classroom better and different, I can make my instruction better and different and  I can make what my students learn better and different! Whenever teachers do that for their students , they are INNOVATING LEARNING, creating change.

Everything I just said is true of our work with our colleagues. When we collaborate with a common goal we are innovating the learning process. I am feeling that way with the new group of colleagues I have found through the Mount Holyoke Teacher Leadership program. I feel that when I take what I learn from my PLN on Twitter and use it to change my practice I am, through collaboration, “innovating ” the learning process because I take what I learn and use it to make something new, something better and different .

When I think about this looking through an NGSS lens, I think of the first piece of instruction I created for 4th graders around “energy” This piece was built about two years ago, piloted, multiple times and it is still being changed as my learning gets deeper. I want it to be an awesome piece that I and others can use to make science engaging meaningful, relevant  for ALL students.

What I have described wont all happen at once and not every person will join in excitedly, but if you start small, taking baby steps, change will begin to happen. I think about Hansel and Gretel and the leaving of breadcrumbs , creating a path to follow. People will find begin to find their way.

Lets celebrate summer by figuring out how we are going to be innovators of learning !

 

So far my new online class is awesome. I have met a whole new group of colleagues from around the country and the world. I have to admit that I am feeling a bit old when interacting with these new colleagues of mine.

I have learned much more about using the online platform Zoom. I have learned how to use Zoom for my own learning  and now I can use it to collaborate with colleagues including doing both small and large group work. The best part of the learning has been the very quick teaching videos like this one How to Change Your View in Zoom,  from instructor Megan Allen (@redhdteacher )

I have changed up my tired signature to emulate hers but with an added twist. I added a couple of quotes that are meaningful to me.

Teacher Model Standards :Domain 1

I was introduced to Katherine Bassett ( @read12me) during our second class and then I interacted with her on a Twitter chat new to me #TPOfficeHour . I loved learning with her.

I have found so many resources to put on my Self-Directed Reading List. I uploaded it once, found some new resources and did it again this afternoon and I am behind again.  I’m including a couple of new ones here  They are here because I cannot buy any more books right now but clicking on them will take you directly to Amazon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been so engaged in the learning during the first two classes. The conversations and interactions between all of has been stimulating. I spent quality time re-reading the York, Barr  and Duke piece trying to isolate just one quote. I highlighted a few, which one will I share? Hmmm. Find out tomorrow night

Thank you Megan, Josh and all my fellow classmates for making the first two classes of Fostering Collaborative Culture AWESOME!

 

 

I wonder what question come to mind when a student sees the “energy stick” light up.

I wonder what a student thinks when he is able to give Wooly Willy hair or a beard.  What questions do students have when they are able to play with Newton’s Cradle in a small group? Do students wonder what makes one ball kicked in the kickball game go a long way once but just dribble the next time? I consider all these wonderings as I begin thinking about what makes a good anchoring phenomenon for a science unit or bundle. When I start thinking about this I automatically smile and think of my friend and colleague,Ted Willard .

Listen as he and others including me sing at #NSTA16.

A question I hear all the time now is where can I find lists or examples of anchoring phenomenon. I will share some of the resources that I know. But I’m not sure that we are asking  the right question or having the best wondering. I’m thinking the question about anchoring phenomena needs to be linked to the #NGSS standards so it should sound something like this “what might be a good anchoring phenomenon for Grade 5 Structures and Properties of Matter?” What could I use for an anchoring phenomenon that will intrigue first grade students and make them want to learn more about how sound can make matter vibrate, and vibrating matter can make sound ?

Maybe the question might be can you use this set up to make an ear guitar? I stray a bit.

My point is anchoring phenomenon are not meant to be stand alone, they are meant to be a tool to ignite students’ curiosity and compels them to dig in and investigate to make meaning and therefore meet the standards.  I’m going to share some resources for finding & determining the value of intriguing phenomenon once you identify what standard you are trying to address.

One is a site developed by T.J. McKenna http://www.ngssphenomena.com/. Here you will find many possibilities for anchoring phenomenon . Another site well worth your time is Qualities of Good Anchoring Phenomenon. You an also find some interesting potential phenomena at Tools for Ambitious Science Teaching  I have one more piece which I will attach to this post shortly .

Just make sure you are answering the best questions when you begin thinking about “anchoring phenomena”.

Time for me to think some more about phenomena and how we use them to help students make meaning of complex science ideas.

 

This blog post  started on  Sunday morning the first day of Teacher Appreciation and my day started on #sunchat where we were celebrating and discussing how to support new teachers. I am going to reflect back on the teachers who made a difference, who helped me to grow and how each of them made a difference for the students in the classroom.

 

My first thank you will go to the principal of the small Catholic school where I was teaching part time very early in my career. She released me from my contract and allowed me to travel to Australia to teach for two years. Wow was that a growing experience both personally as well as professionally. I worked with some great teachers in Melbourne and the suburbs. I did have have a principal who didn’t like “Yanks” he showed my paycheck to everyone in the building. I was making more because I was 4 year trained.

                                             

 

Leaving Australia , I came to Vermont and began working at Bradford elementary where one of my students was the son of the principal at a nearby school ( nearby by Vermont standards ) He saw something in me and recruited me to come work at his school. Thank you Peter Richards. While there I was teaching 4th grade and I had the opportunity to work with Ms. Sue Martin, the 3rd grade teacher. She was British and she suggested we combine our classes for part of the day and teach a multiage grade 3/4 integrated curriculum. I had NO idea what I was doing but it certainly sounded good. The students loved it and to my complete surprise really seemed to be learning things in new and different ways. So Sue and I decided to get our M.Ed and integrated curriculum taught by Mr. Tim Whiteford was our first course. Thank you so much Tim amd Sue!

Around the same time I was introduced to inquiry science by Gregg Humphrey, Maura Carlson and Dr. Bob Prigo from Middlebury College. Meeting and working with these three was life-changing for me. I knew then that I needed to begin to teach science differently than I had been taught. It was also time for me to leave WRVS in order to continue growing. I went to Peacham School, the place where I began to implement some of developing ideas.

       

 

First I need to talk about my amazing administrator, Margaret Maclean!  Many people have inspired me and contributed to I am but this very special woman made a huge difference in my career. She encouraged me to pursue my passion which of course was science instruction, making science AWESOME for all students! She nurtured me, allowing my collaborative and leadership skills to grow through practice. When it was time she nudged me to begin stepping out of the nest of collaboration that I had at Peacham Elementary School.I had dear friends and colleagues in that place who also helped become who I am Wendy Olcott, Tina Fearon, Cathy Browne, Lynn Talamini, Nene Riley, Sarah Parker, Kathy Crum, Cheryl Stevenson, Suzanne Rhodes and Janice Brisco who put up with me on a regular basis. Janice and I were a team and we taught integrated curriculum together, science being the emphasis.  We worked together to implement a Toyota Tapestry grant for students in grades 4, 5 and 6. We built a full size log cabin outside the classroom window.What wonderful times we had as a team as a school. And then it was time for me to go , to once again follow my passion for science . But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Dawna Chase, the special lady and wonderful teacher who took my place in the grade 5/6.

That was 9 years ago. I went to the AOE to become a  K-5 leader statewide in science and mathematics where I continued to learn from colleagues there Gail Hall ,Pat Fitzsimmons and Lara White  Over the years the team grew to include Lori Dolezal and Tracy Watterson, two amazing educators and coaches. I can’t begin to describe what I have learned from them all, they were my teachers.

In this role I had the opportunity to work Tracy Lavallee a 4th grade teacher at Underhill ID. We collaborated , planned and implemented a 4th grade science instructional sequence that was the basis of the the NSTA Teaching NGSS in Elementary School 4th grade webinar. See clips we showed during the webinar.

https://psu.box.com/s/n8skoxuimt2oqfif6moj                         

https://psu.box.com/s/jp91urkrmzelzj0hxp4a

This was such a learning experience for me but what a wonderful opportunity for is to plan, teach, video, reflect, revise. I loved it! Thank  you Tracy for inviting me into your classroom.

I have some very special colleagues and collaborators at the Agency, they are my K-5 Science Professional Learning Team. This team is made up of classroom teachers, teachers leaders, representatives from higher education, librarians and administrators. This team is a professional learning community. We learn together, we brainstorm together, we solve problems together. What is so very meaningful to me is that through our work together many of them are being recognized for the quality learning opportunities they provide for students and other teachers. Denise Webb, the librarian presented a NGSS Nugget on what librarians could do to support implementation of NGSS. Colleen Cowell and Jennifer Burdick did  a workshop on NGSS Constructing  Explanations. Carly Epstein presented a NGSS Nugget on Planning Investigations . Kate Gagner offered a Google Hangout on Making and NGSS .  Joy Dobson and Amy Clapp had a workshop on the Making Thinking Visible. Joy is an amazing kindergatern teacher! Christina Johnston, the principal at Weybridge, Joy’s school presented to other administration about what shifts in thinking NGSS meant for schools in Vermont

 

 

 

 

 

I was privileged enough to have the opportunity to visit Suzan Locke’s classroom and watch her lead her students in learning, lead me in learning. Suzan leads not only her students, but teachers in her district and teachers in Vermont. Thank you Suzan.

         

I have learned so much from Carla Zembal-Saul over the last few years. I don’t even know where to begin to thank Carla for being my friend, my colleague, my teacher and teacher to many prospective teachers. She has nurtured and nudged just as Margaret did many years ago. Carla has helped me grow and  cement my beliefs about what young children need to be motivated to learn in science. Under guidance I think I can assist more of my colleagues in the work they do everyday in the classroom. Through Carla, I met some very special people who I also consider my friends,colleagues and teachers: Mary Starr, Kimber, Judy, Alicia and LeeAnna Hooper. 

CSSS and NSTA  I  am so lucky to be part of these organizations. I have connected to many peeople in these organizations of the years and I consider them all to be my colleagues.

 

 

 

Achieve

I have learned from so many teachers from Achieve but Dr. Stephen Pruitt who is Commissioner of Education in Kentucky tops the lists followed close behind by Jennifer Childress.

Thank you Jennifer it was through you I connected to Rita Jauszyk and was introduced to Betsy O Day who is not only an NGSS Curator but my NSTA roommate!. Thank you all for all you have taught me through our collaboration

Last but certainly not least are my colleagues on Twitter from around the country , around the world from whom I learn. There too many document them all but I am thanking you !

       

I also want to celebrate my daughter, Gayle Fitzpatrick Renfrew, who now teaches mathematics at Franklin High School in Franklin, MA.

One final time , thank you to ALL  my teachers, especially my Mom, Helen Fitzpatrick, the teacher who convinced me to try education. And here I am saying thanking you 44 years later. I love teaching and all my teachers!

Teacher Appreciation needs to be an everyday occurrence!

 

Kathy

 

I am feeling exhilarated and saturated. I want to celebrate the Vermont educators who are attending the Three Dimensional Learning series because we are so on the journey to #NGSS implementation. Thinking about those Vermont educators who are on the cutting edge of changing science instruction for all students in VT is why I am feeling exhilarated. I know we still have lots of work but we have broken ground.

I am feeling saturated after only two days but those two days have been so very full of new learning for me. Yesterday Brett Moulding who has been featured in some of the Achieve/ Teaching Channel videos. One of them that directly connects to his talk yesterday is NGSS:A Vision for K-12 Science Education  . Brett shared the concepts, ideas, and vision for implementation of #NGSS. Brett’s work with teachers is multi-faceted and the components of the professional learning he shared are supported by the research around quality professional learning. One piece of this work that intrigues me is none of the professional learning happens during the school day. All sessions occur either in the summer, after school or on Saturdays. By doing this no teacher ever has to leave their classroom, no sub plans. Is this a case of if you build it they will come? What makes it work? Brett also shared his new book A Vision and a Plan for Science Teaching and Learning . Brett shared his work with the Council of State Science Supervisors and now I’m sharing the presentation with you. There is a link to Brett’s book and you can buy it at a much more affordable price that it is listed on Amazon.

Cary Sneider gave an informative presentation on Engineering in NGSS: New Curricula for New Standards

We  worked in committees on Tuesday and I had the opportunity to work with Amber McCulloch and Carla Zembal-Saul .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also had the opportunity to listen to Joe Krajcik and Al Byers from NSTA.

 

 

On Wednesday the presentation I found so valuable was that from Dr. Philip Bell . He was awesome. Phil has done great work with his project called STEM Teaching Tools. I am going to use Phil’s words that he posted in the NGSS for Educators Facebook Page because I can cannot come close to explaining as well as he does .

How To Develop 3 D Formative Assessments for the Science Classroom

 

 

I highly recommend spending some time digging deeply into STEM Teaching Tools.

 

 

We need to be using research-based practices in our work with students whenever possible.

These are my thoughts about the first three days I spent in Nashville. Oops I almost forgot about sharing my first music experience in Nashville. On Monday we went to the Adventure Science Museum  but the best part was listening to Jonathan Singleton, a songwriter for Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and more. And here they are :

Thanks to Linda Jordan for arranging .

”

 

 

 

Science in the spring is always a good learning time for me and this year is no different. I look forward to going to Nashville and re-connecting with friends I only see once a year.

This year is already special because I am so excited to be a member of the Teaching Channel’s NextGen Squad. I am so ready to meet these new colleagues and collaborate in our understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards. On Thursday, March 24th at 7 PM , there will be a #TchLive Twitter chat. We will be talking about #NSTA16. I hope you will join us and share your session recommendations with this group of K-12 educators who are heading to Nashville to take a deep dive into the #NGSS!

I do have one recommendation to share myself. I am shamelessly urging you all to come to our session. If you have ever had the opportunity to learn from Carla Zembal-Saul , you know she is just one AMAZING educator!!

SC-1: Juggling It All: Teaching NGSS in Elementary Grades

 

 

This post was published earlier today by the Teaching Channel. I wanted to make sure I got the information out in as many ways as possible.

https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2016/03/18/tchlive-nsta-2016-preview/

 

I also want to suggest the Elementary Extravaganza if you teach K-5 because it is full of science ideas that you can take directly back to your classroom

And don’t forget the NGSS share-A-Thon on Saturday! Carla, Mary, myself and many other #NGSS knowledgeable educators will have lots to share. I will tell you about my share in my next post.

Look forward to Wooly Willy..coming soon.