Top 8 Influential Thinkers of 2015

As I think back on 2015, it has been an incredible year for professional growth and mindset shifts. The world of math and technology integration is so very new, and I am excited to work alongside our #CUSDrockstar teachers on the forefront of this endeavor to effectively integrate technology into mathematics in a way that enhances instruction and learning. One thing I know for sure is that this is not a path to be walked alone. I would like to take a moment as the year wraps up to share what I have learned from this year's Top 8 Influential Thinkers in my Professional Learning Network (PLN).

(Drum Roll Please)...
Ladies and Gentleman, I bring you my Top 8 Influential Thinkers of 2015:

Thinker #1

Jon Corippo 

Twitter handle: @jcorippo

I don't know why I am honoring this man, because he has absolutely RUINED professional development for me. Jon is the Director of Academic Innovation for CUE (Computer Using Educators) and founded a unique type of professional development called CUE Rockstar Camps. At CUE Rockstar, all of the speakers are incredibly dynamic and knowledgable and sessions are small and hands-on. Ed tech is presented through integration as opposed to isolation, and the day starts late, includes a long lunch, and ends early in order to promote networking and expansion of your PLN. If you haven't attended a CUE Rockstar camp yet, do it! Corippo also gave some end of the year advice on Alice Keeler's blog that breaks down what needs to change in education so simply and succinctly it is almost frightening. 

Thinker #2

Robert Kaplinsky

Twitter handle: @robertkaplinsky

Kaplinsky is a leader in math metacognition, transforming how both us and our students think about thinking in math. He speaks to depth of knowledge in mathematics and refers to rigor as not making math harder, but allowing for students to build a deep, authentic command of mathematics. He provides tools to distinguish depth of knowledge in math, and is a co-founder of openmiddle.com, a website that provides a wealth of "challenging math problems worth solving". As if this wasn't enough, he also has a problem-based search engine. In his Ignite speech below, Kaplinsky discusses productive vs. unproductive struggle, and how productive struggle accompanied with feedback produces gain, and unproductive just causes struggle. As educators, we need to show students how to learn and allow for productive struggle. Feel free to skip to 1 minute 30 seconds for the talk on productive struggle.

Thinker #3

David Theriault

Twitter handle: @davidtedu

David is a teacher and a true innovator in how he promotes bringing adventure into learning. I was fortunate enough to see David's Keynote speech at Fall CUE and to participate in his session at Voxer Ed Camp (a virtual Ed Camp hosted through the walkie-talkie app Voxer).  In his Keynote he references how quick many can be to pull technology out of the learning adventure rather than teaching the real-life skill of using tech to learn. David says, "We have all seen the f* word on a desk, nobody took the desk away." He also advises us to take pictures daily at school and share out what's going on in your class. The sharing shows the students that what you are doing is "rad" and deserves to be shared with the world. He promotes opportunities for authentic learning in the classroom and is a true inspiration to those of us striving to bring learning to life. David shares his thoughts on his blog. 

Thinker #4

John Stevens and Matt Vaudrey

Twitter handles: @Jstevens009, @MrVaudrey, @lacucinamath

Yes, I realize there are actually two thinkers listed for number four, but together they are La Cucina Matematica and well, it's my blog and I'll do what I want. These two teachers/educational technology coaches would make David Theriault proud with the level of adventure they bring into learning. Between mullet ratios, Barbie bungee jumping and ziplining, and music cues these two certainly know how to put fun and adventure back into math instruction. John Stevens also promotes bringing real-life argumentative skills into the classroom by starting "math fights", or engaging in dialogue around mathematics using volume, eloquence, style, and tone (VEST). You can find great ammo for these fights at his site Would You Rather Math.

Thinker #5

Andrew Stadel

Twitter handle: @mr_stadel

At CMC North, Andrew Stadel gave a talk on Error Analysis that had many CUSD teachers eagerly running back to their classroom hoping for their students to make some mistakes. He encourages using student mistakes to prompt dialogue/discussion around why certain approaches might be used when tackling complex mathematical problems. He recommends strategies such as "My Favortie No" and structuring lessons based on common mistakes. On his site Estimation 180, he provides a wealth of resources for students to engage in mathematical discussion around real-life estimation activities by asking 4 simple questions; What's too low? What's too high? What's your estimate? What's your reasoning? Stadel shares his thoughts on his blog, which I highly recommend following. 

Thinker #6

Cate Tolnai and Rhonda Corippo

Twitter handles: @CateTolnai, @rhondacorippo, @connectedTL

Before I went to their session on becoming a connected educator at Fall CUE, I loosely used Twitter at conferences and was in one Voxer group which consisted of entirely local educators. I now am an active participant and facilitator in multiple Twitter and Voxer chats with educators around the country, and will be presenting on Expanding Your PLN at Silicon Valley CUE's T3 event and at National CUE. What was so transformational about this session at Fall CUE? Let's start with the presenters' infectious energy. They had us applauding for each other's Twitter handles, building interactive directories that shared our blogs, accomplishments, and expertise (you will find yours truly on slide 40), and actively contributing to an Ed Tech Coaches handbook. At several points during the presentation Cate was so overwhelmed with excitement she fell to the floor (literally). No one in the room wanted to leave the session without becoming part of this amazing PLN. Along with Matt Vaudrey, Cate and Rhonda founded ConnectedTL, a Twitter and Voxer group that allows teacher leaders to unite and collaborate. Come join a ConnectedTL Twitter chat on Tuesdays at 7:00pm PST using #ConnectedTL. You can also find resources on their Pinterest board.

#connectedTL

Thinker #7

#TOSAchat

Twitter handle: @TosaChat

TOSAchat and ConnectedTL often use the hashtag "#bettertogether" since these two groups work side-by-side to connect educators across the world. TOSAchat was founded by Ben Cogswell, Karly Moura, Joe Young and Kelly Martin, and is focused on connecting Teachers on Special Assignment in order to share resources, ideas, and inspiration. In TOSAchat, we often refer to the support we give each other and our teachers as "fluffy squishy love", since it is the type of group where you feel unconditional support from your peers. TOSAchat has both a Twitter and Voxer group, and hosts live Twitter chats on Mondays at 8pm PST using #TOSAchat. You can also find resources from TOSAchat on their website.

Thinker #8

Ryan O'Donnell

Twitter handle: @creativeedtech

What do Cher, a Jedi knight, and Ryan O'Donnell have in common? They all inspire awesomeness. At CUE Rockstar TOSA this year, I was fortunate enough to attend two of Ryan's sessions. He led a session on creating a culture of sharing and collaboration, where he shared effective blogging techniques (some of which I have snuck into this post- hehehe), podcasting ideas, tips for inspiring a Twitter culture and more. After his session on digital storytelling, I rushed right back to my cubicle to set up a Green Screen and started discussing possibilities of Green Screen use with my teachers. I am fortunate to be connected with Ryan in both the #TOSAchat and #ConnectedTL communities, so I am constantly grabbing tidbits of inspiration from him. Check out his website (where you can also find his podcast and his blog), follow him on Twitter. Just do it. Watching Ryan in action is like breaking an educational piñata, with awesome knowledge scattered all out in front of you and you just run around trying to grab as much as you can. 

Cheers to another fabulous year together...

For my #CUSDrockstar teachers and all who might have stumbled upon this post, my New Year's wish for you is that you find and form a strong PLN that helps you and your students achieve absolute excellence. Not sure where to start? Follow my inspirational thinkers on Twitter and feel free to contact me directly for tips on how to Expand your PLN! 

12 Tech Tips/Tools of Winter

As we wrap up 2015, I want to say what an absolute honor it is to work alongside such dedicated, talented, and risk-taking teachers. I look forward to working with you in 2016 to continue to bring innovative practices in math instruction/technology integration to our district.

Here are a few tips and tricks for ed tech tools that you might want to explore over the Winter Break. The tools focus on networking to expand your Professional Learning Network (PLN), lesson delivery, assessment, and bonus engagement tools. Pick and choose which tools you think would lend themselves to enhancing your instructional repertoire!

Expanding your PLN (Tools 1-3)
On the first day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me, tips on using Twitter effectively:

Twitter is essentially a news feed of only the news that you care about. Through Twitter, your professional development happens on your time based on what you find relevant. You can follow experts in math and technology, connect with colleagues both near and afar, participate in Twitter chats, and join other professional communities that brach off of Twitter groups (i.e. Voxer chat groups- see below).

Tips for getting started:

• When you sign up, don't succumb to the Twitter pressure to follow celebrities. Only follow people who are relevant to your professional growth. Start by uploading a photo (don't be an egg!) and writing a few words about who you are in your bio. 
• If you want some suggestions on people to follow, here are some lists I've created:
• CUSD math teachers
• Math Gurus (people/companies I follow for inspiration and ideas)
• Ed Tech Inspiration
• Follow me! @LindseyBlass1
• Just watch at first- it is totally acceptable to be on Twitter and not post!
• Join in conversations with people.  Include handles (Twitter usernames) using "@" so they receive notification that you are communicating with them.
• Use hashtags to follow a topic, conference, or to engage in a Twitter Chat

On the second day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me, Voxer as a walkie talkie:

Voxer is an app that you can run on your phone or computer that acts like a walkie talkie. Recently in education, many people have begun forming specialized Voxer groups to chat about topics of interest. Think of Voxer as a personalized podcast which allows you to participate in professional development while you clean your house, work out, or drive around running errands.

Interested in trying out a Voxer group? Twitter is a great way to connect with others and find a group that is relevant to you. Otherwise, just reach out to me! I participate in a Voxer group for teacher leaders, one for TOSAs, an Ed Tech Book Club group, and a Math/Tech chat group. I can help you find a group that works for you!




On the third day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me, Google+ Communities:
Google Communities are a great way to share resources and learn from others. Within our district's Google Apps for Education account, we are able to establish private communities so that posts are only shared within our district. We currently have communities for our tech coaches and for math.

Join our community or create one of your own! You can search for the math community (CampbellUSD Math Connection) when logged in with your CUSD account, or contact me or Amanda Haughs to join!

Lesson Delivery Tools (Tools 4-6)
On the fourth/fifth/sixth day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me, tools for lesson delivery:

Nearpod 

While Nearpod is not a new tool, they are constantly adding new features that make it an instructional tool that can't be resisted! With Nearpod, you can take any boring old powerpoint lesson and make it interactive with components such as "Draw it" slides, embedded assessment and polls, video and web searches. Students submit their responses to you, and you can project those responses on the other students' screens. Just think of the great opportunities for error analysis with this tool! You can use live sessions where you control the students' screens during instruction, or homework sessions for self-guided lessons. While some features are only available with the subscription, many of the features can be used with the free version. 

Desmos

In my last post on Desmos, I described the Activity Builder tool (the Nearpod of the graphing world). Desmos has many other fun and fabulous features. To learn more about how to use Desmos in instruction, watch some of their existing tutorials. You and your students can use your CUSD Google Apps for Ed credentials to log in to Desmos. Also make sure to check out their latest tool Marbleslides (just launched on Monday- click here for Michael Fenton's blog post on the tool!). I know many teacher have expressed interest in receiving additional professional development/collaboration opportunities with Desmos, so this will be high on my priority list when we return from break! 

Geogebra

Geogebra is another fantastic tool that allows for digital modeling with mathematics. Like Desmos, you and your students can use your Google login information to access lessons. One additional feature Geogebra has is that it allows you to submit assignments via Google Classroom- woo hoo! This picture shows a lesson that Pedro Garcia at CMS did using Geogebra to model transformations (translations, rotations, reflections) by designing mock video games in Geogebra.

Assessment Tools (Tools 7-9)
On the seventh/eight/ninth day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me, tools for assessment three:

Kahoot

This game-based assessment system is a guaranteed crowd pleaser! With suspenseful music and a very streamlined platform, the students quickly jump into assessments with the eagerness they have when playing games. 

Google Forms
This tool allows you to go beyond multiple choice/true false assessment and create meaningful assessments that will allow you to assess in depth understanding of concepts. This blog post from Alice Keeler describes in depth how to create your first form!

Plickers
This is the perfect assessment option for a quick check in since the students don't even need devices! Students are given QR style cards, and they respond to multiple choice questions by holding the card up in a certain direction. You then scan the student responses using your phone or iPad to instantly see how the class responded. You can also look at individual data by assigning numbers to your students.

Engagement Tools (Tools 10-12)
On the tenth day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me, engagement with Bitmoji 

Bitmoji allows you to create your own personalized emojis. Available as an IOS app and also as a Chrome Extension, you can access your emojis anytime and anywhere. How does this tie into instruction? Use your Bitmoji to personalize your instructions/directions to students. Bitmojis can also liven up your newsletter or website for parent communication. 
*Please note that Bitmoji is for teacher use only (not for under 13).

On the eleventh day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me,  a tool to make Memes for free:
Take your Bitmoji to the next level by adding text to make it a Meme! The Mematic IOS app allows you to add personalized text to any picture. Memes allow you to use humor and style to engage students. 

On the twelfth day of Winter Break, my math/tech coach gave to me, Green Screen by Do Ink:

The IOS App Green Screen by DoInk will turn any wall of your classroom into a Hollywood studio. Simply cover the wall with green paper and record in front of your homemade green screen. You can then place any photo or video that you want as a backdrop to the video. Use this tool to make engaging videos for your students, or even better, allow your students to create the videos! Do you already have your students explain their problem solving through screencasting? Imagine a screencast or math problem in the background while your students stand front and center presenting their explanation (a la weather person style). 

Please continue to let me know how I can support you and your students! Happy holidays!

Desmos for Days

Have you ever wanted to create a beautiful scene with a tropical snowman on a small island? Well have I got the tool for you! Desmos, the tool used to create this piece of art, goes far beyond a tool that simply lets you plot points into pretty pictures. Desmos allows you to use modern graphing technology to tackle math tasks and apply the following SMPs while doing so:
     
   *Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
   *Model with mathematics
   *Use appropriate tools strategically
   *Attend to precision


As a math teacher, you've most certainly heard the buzz about Desmos as an online graphing calculator, and perhaps you've explored some of the precreated lessons in Desmos, but did you know that Desmos now has a feature called the "Activity Builder" where you can easily create your own lessons? This feature is similar to Nearpod, in the sense that you can push out an assignment to the students with a code, and then you can see their submissions on your teacher dashboard for all components of the assignment.

The following steps will guide you in creating your first Activity Builder lesson:

1. Start by accessing the Desmos Activity Builder. You can log in with your CUSD Google account. 
2. Select "Start building an activity" to launch the creation of your first lesson.
3. Give your lesson a title.
4. You will select between three different features- a graph screen, a questions screen, and a text screen (adding as many slides of each feature as you like). The graphing screen allows you and your students to tell Desmos in mathematical language what you would like to see happen on the graph (see pic below).
5. When you are done building, simply select "done" and launch your lesson with "Start a new session." A session code will be generated.
6. Your students will log in at https://student.desmos.com/, and will join your session by entering the access code.
7. Hint: To differentiate instruction, especially with your first tasks, make sure that you have created a problem that is low-floor, high-ceiling. Make the first several slides easy enough that all of your students can access them, with the target level in the middle (need a good DOK 2 or 3 problem? Try openmiddle.com!). Also include problems that will challenge your most inquisitive mathematicians.
8. You can review students' work from your teacher dashboard. In problems where students plot items with a relationship, try selecting the "overlay" option when viewing the class slides. This will plot all responses onto a single graph!
9. Have fun and don't be afraid to let the students help lead the way!

But wait... it gets BETTER? When introducing graphing concepts, use Function Carnival to allow students to see what they are graphing in action. I sat in a room full of adult math teachers when I learned this tool from Eli Luberoff at CMC, and we all had a little too much fun graphing Cannon Man's height verses time.

Let me know how I can continue to support you. I would love to join you and your students for a Desmos day!

The Power of Screencasting

Screencasting is a great instructional strategy that can be used by both teachers and students. We are all hearing buzz words out there in education such as blended learning (anytime you have a mixture of online and face-to-face instruction) and flipped instruction (direct instruction happens online). One key tool that teachers can use to record their lessons is screencasting.

This is also a very powerful tool for students to use. The Standards for Mathematical practice require students to construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Students can use screencasting to draw models, and explain how they solved problems or why they took a certain approach. 

Debbie Perry over at Monroe invited me in for some screencasting fun with her 5th graders. The students were given problems to work on in teams, and then instructed to make a screencast and link it to an assignment in their Google Classroom. They presented their recordings to the class, and then their classmates were able to comment and ask questions.

I like the sample below because the students aren't afraid of making mistakes, they explain the same concept in different ways, and there is room for others to ask clarifying questions on their reasoning.

Sold on the power of screencasting? Now it's time to choose the screencasting tool that is right for you! Click here to view my table of screencasting tools. The table outlines different tools, which devices they are "friendly" with, tutorials, export options, and benefits/drawbacks. Some people ask me, "Can't you just tell me which screencasting tool is the best?" Selecting the tool that is right for you depends on which devices you have access to, what type of screencasting you are using it for (drawing or general procedural screen recording) and how you plan on exporting the video. Therefore, there is no "best" tool, but there is a best tool based on your needs. Let me know if you need help selecting a screencasting tool, or would like support in getting you or your students going with your first screencast! 

Board Math is Back!!

Need a great way to preview and review material with your students? Board Math can be a highly effective strategy to work on skills mastery, as well as building problem-solving skills that can help students tackle HOT problems (problems that require higher-order-thinking, and yes, thinking deep is indeed hot).

When Board Math was first introduced, many middle school teachers struggled to fit it into their short blocks/periods. The beauty of Board Math, is you can really make it your own, having your students working through an entire board or just a few problems. The key is to chose your problems strategically. Today Maria Camisa invited me into her 6th grade classroom at CMS. She chose to include problems to review a skill that she identified as a class need through an exit ticket, as well as preview problems from her upcoming unit. Her students will complete two problems a day. This both minimizes midday prep, and allows for Board Math to be a quick 5-10 minute routine. The video below is of the launch of Board Math. All together, the launch and solving two problems took 12 minutes, from gather to dismissal. Please keep in mind when viewing, that there is much more teacher talk during a launch lesson than there will be during a typical lesson!

Work smarter, nor harder:

• Use Wet Erase markers to write out the problems, leaving out the names and numbers to write with Dry Erase so these can be easily switched up (you will work through one problem several times with the students, gradually releasing the responsibility of problem-solving). 

Some additional tips:

• Build in incentive and competition (as we all know middle school students love- see the video for one idea).
• As the year progresses, set your math board up by domains to ensure that your instruction includes spiral review of all domains.
• Throw in a fun technology component AND assess their learning from the week buy building a Kahoot as an individual assessment for the end of the week. Students LOVE this game-based assessment tool, and will be motivated to work hard towards the end goal of "playing" Kahoot. 

Pixar in a Box

Are you a Pixar fan? Looking for enrichment ideas for your Math+ classes, or some awesome math connections to integrate into your workshop classes? Look no further! Khan Academy recently released a series of lessons they developed in conjunction with Pixar called "Pixar in a Box". Click here to visit the lessons.

Most lessons build from a 6th grade level, and then cover 7th and 8th grade standards and beyond. I tested out the Environmental Modeling lesson, where you learn how a designer would model grass with parabolas. I thought this lesson would be perfect for 6th and 7th grade enrichment. The lesson dives deep into math when you start looking at parabolic arcs and using the midpoint formula to solve for the midpoints of line segments using averages of negative and positive integers. I found that this lesson really required conceptual knowledge of integers, and distance between integers, which I know many of our 6th & 7th grade classes are focusing on in their current lessons. The lesson concludes with application of animation skills and an art activity sewing parabolic curves on paper that would be awesome for STEAM workshops!

The units really emphasize the relevance of math in computer programming fields, and provide fun and engaging content as well as practice and application of skills. Let me know if you decide to try this out with your STEAM workshop or Math+ class and I would love to come support and see it in action with students!

Technology in Math Stations

Contrary to popular belief, stations are not just for primary grades! Math stations can be incredibly powerful with any age group in order to differentiate, pull small groups for instruction, and incorporate blended learning to individualize instruction.

Gloria McGriff's students work at a collaborative tech station.

Last week I had the pleasure of working in James Peng and Gloria McGriff's rooms at CMS and supporting stations in action. In James's eighth grade math class at CMS, he begins with a quick math warm-up, then gives a brief overview of the stations/grouping. He uses formative assessment tools (such as Kahoot) to group his students based on identified math needs.

Stations should vary based on the objective of the lesson. There is no one right way to arrange stations, as long as all stations are focused on specific learning targets and the method of delivery supports students in reaching these targets. In a traditional three station model, one station can include small group instruction with the teacher, another station independent practice of a skill, and another station based on collaboration or team application of concepts.

Aside from your teacher station, some station ideas that incorporate blended learning include:

• Using Blendspace to create self-guided lessons with embedded instruction and practice. Click here to view a 7th grade Blendspace lesson on subtracting positive and negative integers using a number line. 
• iReady lessons are automatically assigned based on the diagnostic and progress monitoring assessments, but you can also assign iReady lessons that are aligned to the current standards you are teaching as a content launch or as an additional support in reinforcing a concept. Click here for the iReady Math Correlations by grade level (a breakdown of iReady lessons you can assign based the standards you are currently teaching).
• Use Google Slides in conjunction with Google Forms to do pretty much anything! Build in instruction through embedded screencasts, assess understanding through Google Forms, assign practice problems through a linked Google Doc. Click here to view a sample 8th grade lesson on Law 1 of Exponents with Google Slides.

James Peng's 8th grade class working in a small group teacher station and a note taking station through Blendspace.

When you first implement stations, make sure someone is available to float the room to support the students in expectations with station rotations. This can either be another adult in the room to support the process, or you (allow yourself to skip pulling a group the first time or two). Setting high expectations for student productivity during station work sessions is crucial in successful implementation and well worth the front-end investment! Please continue to let me know how I can support you!

Revolutionizing Math Notes

How can you efficiently digitize your handwritten notes? This question prompted a very productive conversation with Kindra over at Monroe. She wanted to make her notes available for parents to access in supporting their students, and for students to access if they were absent or for any reason were unable to keep up with note taking.

Interactive Table of Contents

The solution that we came up with was to use the Table of Contents feature in Google Docs, and to insert snapshots of her notes into the document. By adding the titles of each section of notes to an interactive table of contents as Headers, they become active links that will take you directly to that note set. Interested in digitizing your notes? Watch the video below for a step-by-step tutorial.

Tutorial Screencast: Creating a Table of Contents and Inserting Snapshots in a Google Doc

*I recommend clicking the "full screen" button in the bottom right-hand corner when viewing.

Click here to view Kindra's interactive notes for 8th grade, which will continue to grow as the trimester progresses. Enjoy!

Empowering Parents

With the transition to Common Core State Standards in mathematics, parent communication has become increasingly important as many parents are unsure of how to best support their students. This post focuses on best practices shared in CUSD for Back to School night and beyond...

At Rolling Hills, Kathy Alsup promoted parent engagement by giving her parents the full student experience; homework AND a quiz! Prior to Back to School (B2S) night, she sent home a copy of her syllabus with instructions for parents to read. When they arrived at B2S night, she used Kahoot to check for understanding. Kahoot is a game-based assessment system that gives instant feedback on responses. Using Kahoot, she was able to determine if parents had indeed previewed the syllabus, and use their responses to determine the entry points of her discussion and what content she needed to cover more thoroughly.

Another fabulous tool that teachers Anna Lawrence, Kathy Alsup, and Gloria McGriff are using to promote parent communication is Remind. Remind allows teachers to create communication groups in order to send out information via text message about classroom events, grade updates, or anything else that requires communication (while keeping your phone number confidential).

At Monroe, Kindra Ahrens has been using technology to support lesson delivery, both with digital tools that accompany the pilot math curriculum, as well as using Google Classroom to move elements of her instruction into a digital space, promoting both increased engagement and communication. With a limited amount of time to share at B2S night, she hosted all of these crucial links on her class website and used her time with the parents to guide them to the resources available. If you scroll to the bottom of her resources page, she has embedded parent letters on using Google Apps for Ed in both English and Spanish.

As we move forward with the goal of increasing parent involvement in mathematics, please continue to share your best practices with our math teacher community!

Google Classroom in Math

There is a common saying that you should never use technology for technology's sake. In other words, if the technology you are integrating into your instruction is not enhancing your instruction in some way, shape, or form, is it really necessary? Technology, when used right, can enhance instruction by increasing engagement, efficiency, and accountability in learning. As an Ed Tech enthusiast, I try to find ways to effectively and seamlessly integrate technology into all parts of the instructional process.

I engaged in some great dialogue with the seventh and eight grade math teachers at Monroe this week around Google Classroom. Nichole Rogers asked the crucial question, "How can Google Classroom be used effectively in an upper grades mathematics classroom?" This is such a valid question, since many people associate the use of Google Classroom with assigning documents that students type on and submit, while mathematics involves a lot of equation writing/solving, drawing, labeling, and demonstrating stages of work. This spurred me to create a seventh grade demonstration classroom with examples of how I envision Google Classroom being used in upper grade mathematics.

Demo Classroom Ideas

*Note- if you are a CUSD teacher, there are instructions to join my Demo Classroom at the bottom of this post.

Idea # 1: Students show solutions by inserting images of notebooks/whiteboards within a Document.

In a Google Doc, insert typed questions, screenshots of questions, images of questions, or a prompt for your students. As a Classroom Assignment, assign the Document so that each student gets a copy. Allow students to work in their notebooks, on paper, or on whiteboards depending on the task. Within the Doc, they can take a picture of their work by selecting "Insert image" and "Take a snapshot". Their first time using this tool, they will have click "Allow" for camera and microphone access. The images below show the process for inserting a snapshot, as well as sample student work inserted into a Google Doc. 

Idea # 2: Generate Mathematical Discussion using the new Announcement feature.

Present your students with a mathematical question that has no one right answer, such as an estimation activity, and allow them to post their ideas and respond to the ideas of others. You can attach documents, images, Drive items, video, or links to the discussion prompt in order to share engaging and relevant content. In the sample below, students are asked to estimate the amount of money recovered from a drug bust. After posting their responses, they were able to respond to the responses of other students, either confirming or disputing their estimate claims.

Idea #3 Use the Announcement feature to post links to quizzes or surveys

Create your quizzes or surveys in Google Forms. You can post relevant videos or materials to support students in reviewing the materials before the quiz either as part of the announcement, or within the Form itself. 

Idea #4 Use Google Drawing to assign items that require a combo of text, drawing, and graphics

Using the Assignment feature, you can assign a Google Drawing so that each student receives their own copy (just like with Google Docs). You can insert graph backgrounds, tables, and other design elements that would support mathematical instruction. Students can type, draw, and insert graphics such as dots and lines in their responses. 

Tool # 5: Integrate with other Apps for math

Anna Lawrence asked a fabulous question about Google Classroom- Does it integrate with the tools that I am already using, such as Geogebra? Classroom integrates with many apps, and as long as you and your students are logged in with the same account you use for Google Classroom, the students can submit their Geogebra assignments through Classroom. Don’t you just love when the feature you want exists?! Below is a tutorial video on how to export Geogebra assignments to Classroom. 

The ideas discussed in this post are just a drop in the bucket in terms of what's possible with Google Classroom.  The possibilities are really infinite. I used it regularly with my 6th grade math students and found that it really helped me cut down on paper, increase engagement and ownership in learning, prep & share lessons more efficiently, provide meaningful feedback to my students, and allowed them to (constructively) critique each other’s mathematical reasoning. 

I would like to close this post with an inspirational moment I had in Kindra Ahrens room this week when we were launching Google Classroom. At one point, her students were showing her the "Insert Equation" feature in Docs, which allows for inserting almost any equation symbol you can think of. She turned to me and exclaimed, "Isn't it fantastic how much they know? They really teach me a lot when it comes to technology." I agreed with her, but what I found equally fantastic was her attitude about allowing students to take the lead, and sometimes know more than the teacher! This is truly how we respect them as individuals who bring outside knowledge into the classroom, and it takes the fear out of integrating new types of technology if you recognize that tech support is everywhere you look around the classroom!

Technology Pledge

True confession of a teacher... I've never been a huge fan of the first week of school. Before relationships and routines exist, the ratio of teacher to student talk time can be exhausting for both parties involved, not to mention the stress of learning over sixty student names. Great news is, you survived the first couple weeks and now it is time to get into the really fun stuff!

Have you thought about how you will introduce technology to your students this year? I used to think that an effective introduction of technology involved me telling the students everything I knew about what was right and wrong when it came to appropriate technology use. However, this approach only contributes to the tragic teacher to student talking ratio, and doesn't allow for the students to take long-term ownership of the actions and decisions they make. 

While protecting the safety of devices is important, in my opinion it is most important that we protect our students; their social and emotional well being, their identities, and their integrity. This is no easy task, but it certainly is something we owe our 21st Century learners as they prepare for lives and careers that will require the constant use of technology. 

I use a technology pledge to open up dialogue with my students. You can have this prepared ahead of time, or even more powerful, you can generate one with your students.

Device Safety

Initially, the students should know expectations about how to safely handle and manage technology. Rather than telling students the "whats" and "whys", try allowing them to brainstorm these through open dialogue. Ultimately, you want them to realize that assigning devices builds accountability and protects them.  Collection and distribution norms are in place to make sure that the device does not get harmed and is charged and ready to go for them every day! 

Be an Upstanding Digital Citizen

This is a topic that requires ongoing dialogue, but essentially boils down to the fact that sometimes it can be challenging to keep our moral compass pointed in the right direction and this can have a negative impact on others. This challenge is only amplified when we are communicating online, since there is a feeling of anonymity that comes from being behind a keyboard (as opposed to face-to-face interactions). Cyberbullying and trolling are not topics that should be avoided, but rather topics that need to be addressed as the realities of the times we are living in. This Brainpop video can be used to open up conversation on how "real world" rules apply online too.

Digital Footprint

From the time kids are born now, their digital footprint begins to build. Parents use social media and online photo sharing for baby pictures, and eventually kids begin using social media and other means of online communication. Suddenly, every interaction becomes a piece of their online history. It is important for students to understand that what they do online reflects on them, and that they should always think before they post.  The following video is one of my favorites to get discussion rolling with middle schoolers on the importance of maintaining a positive digital footprint. 

In a Perfect World

In a perfect world, having these real conversations with our students would prevent every possible misbehavior from occurring. Let's be honest though, none of us chose a career as middle school teachers expecting the world to be perfect. However, I do believe that most of us chose this challenge to help move the world in this direction and therefore we are up for the challenge of helping our students become positive, contributing members of society both in "real life" and in establishing their digital presence. 

When misbehaviors with technology occur it can be very tempting to grab the device away and say, "No more tech for you!" The reality is, we don't walk around confiscating textbooks every day when students misbehave, so confiscating devices isn't always the most logical consequence. A more powerful approach is to teach the desired behavior. One possible resource to use is Ignition, which is targeted at middle school and provides online modules on topics such as cyberbullying, conducting online research, and maintaining a secure identity. Be sure to check out this Youtube playlist of quick tips for keeping safe online. Common Sense Media also provides fantastic resources on digital citizenship. 

"Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of a great teacher can be transformational."

-George Couros 

Math is Everywhere

After seven years of teaching, I took a bold leap this year and traded in “my students” for “my teachers” as I transition into the role of a Math/Technology Integration TOSA. I pursued this position with the belief that working together, we will make a positive impact on the lives of our students. I am truly excited to work alongside our CUSD math teachers to identify and spread best mathematical practices, and to support technology integration to promote 21^st Century learning environments. This week I have been fortunate enough to bounce around all three middle schools and start making connections with some truly amazing CUSD teachers and students. 

Teacher Highlights

I will be writing teacher highlights to focus on sharing and spreading best practices from CUSD teachers. This week I spoke with several teachers about their community building activities. 

At CMS, James Peng has his students working in collaborative table groups. He used the marshmallow challenge activity to start establishing team norms for communication and collaboration. To make the directions more engaging, James made a quick Powtoon video that grabbed his students attention instantly. Click here to view the task he gave his "double-o-students"! James also used music during work sessions and as cues for transitions. One thought on gathering music that your students will enjoy is to send out a Google Form asking them what their favorite (school appropriate) song is and use this information to build a class playlist.

Kathy Alsup from Rolling Hills used these resources from Youcubed to kick off her school year. Youcubed focuses on building a growth mindset in students and helping all students access math at their level by creating "low floor, high ceiling" tasks. Week 1 tasks include drafting a math history to help students reflect on their personal experiences with math and build towards a positive math identity. One particular task that Kathy used promoted team building and visualization in mathematics. Students are given a piece of string and they work together to create a variety of 3-D shapes. The task requires team work, participation, and problem-solving from all group members (just try making a 3-D figure out of yarn yourself!).

Math is Everywhere

Hopefully you received my first day note and some Smarties to keep you going for your little smarties! When I was at the store purchasing the Smarties, I was reminded that math is everywhere. I picked up the bag and the mental math kicked in… about 12 math teachers per site with 3 sites. I see that the bag has a width of about 3 Smarties, a length of about 5 Smarties, and is about 4 Smarties deep. After pondering in the aisle for a moment to decipher how many Smarties I thought were in the bag, I flipped the bag over (duh) and read that there are 62 servings per container. Well, at least my estimate confirmed their count! This Smarties shopping experience reminded me of a great resource for helping your students use estimation to build number sense and become better problem solvers.
Click here to view this fantastic resource with daily estimation activities.

Have something important to say? Consider letting a Voki say it for you! Voki's are customizable talking avatars. They can be embedded on your blog or website. Click play below to listen to a closing message from my Voki!