Silent Blog, Active Thoughts

I have been a bit slow to re-engage on the Cohort21 Blog.

This does not mean I have not mentally been engaged. Between life, school, and extra curricular activities, I had many a thought about Cohort21 and what I should be doing with Cohort 21st century learning.

Moving forward with Cohort 21 myplan of action for this term is going to be done on two parts.

1)    Continue analyzing and observing the facts research with Class Dojo. Contining to refine how I use and create Class Dojo points.

2)    Execute, observe and analyze “flipping” 4 fraction and decimal lessons.

 

 

 

Class Dojo

With class Dojo I have begun the process of surveying students in classes who have used the Class Dojo system we have designed for our students.

 

The following are the results:

 

1. When you get a Class Dojo point, how does it make you feel?

A)   Good

B)   Bad

C)   Smart

D)   Dumb

E)   Nothing different

59% said A-good, 13% said C-smart and 22% said E—nothing different.

 

1. Do you think it is fair when someone gets a Class Dojo Point for doing something similar to what you are doing and you don’t?

A)   Yes

B)   No

55% said no and 45% said yes

 

 

 

1. Do you like getting a class dojo point because it:

 

a)    proves to other students that you are doing well

b)    you think it will help you get more break

c)    proves to yourself that you are doing a good job

d)    helps you understand what behaviors you are really good at and what behaviors you need work on

50% chose D-helps you understand what behaviors you are really good at and what behaviors you need work on

45% said C—proves to yourself that you are doing a good job

5% said A—proves to other students that you are doing well

 

1. What is your favorite type of Class Dojo point?

a)    Responsibility point

b)    Collaboration point

c)    Creative Imagination Point

d)    Independence Point

e)    Initiation Point

f)     Organization Point

50% said B-Collaboration Point, 31% said C-Creative Imagination Point, 9% said F-Organization Point, and 6% said E-Independence Point

 

1. When do you think it is the best for you to actually receive a Class Dojo point?

a)    When the actual good behavior happens

b)    At the end of the lesson

c)    At lunch time break

d)    At the end of the day

e)    At the start of the next day

81% said A-when the actual behavior happens, 13% said B, and 6% said D-at the end of the day

 

1. Do you think class is better without class dojo points?

a)    Yes

b)    No

64% said no and 36% said yes

 

 

1. Do you like when:

 

a)    the teacher giving the Class Dojo point

b)    giving yourself the Class Dojo point

c)    It doesn’t matter who gives me a point

68% said C—it doesn’t matter, 27% said A-the teacher giving the Class Dojo point and 5% said B—giving yourself the Class Dojo point

 

1. Do you think there should be a negative point system?

a)    Yes

b)    No

63% said yes, 37 % said no

 

1. Should a teacher try and make sure all students are rewarded equally (within 5 points of each other at all times)?

a)    Yes

b)    No

 

55% said yes, 45% said no

 

 

Currently I am working at thinking about these results and what they mean. I will save these thoughts for another blog post.

 

 

Flipping my Classroom

Since I decided to experiment with “flipping a classroom” I have done some research on  the history of flipped classrooms, watched videos of classrooms that have been flipped, spoken to fellow Bayview Glen teachers who have used the Kahn Academy, and interviewed students who participated in the Khan Academy.

While doing this, two questions kept running through my head.

 

How can I do this right?

What should I flip?

 

So I figured that the more I learned about “flipping a classroom,” the better chance I’d have at doing it right.

As to, ‘what should I flip?’. I have chosen fractions and decimals and will be doing 4 lessons on Fractions and Decimals:

1)      Equivalent Fractions.

2)      Improper Fractions and Mixed Numbers

3)      Comparing and Ordering Fractions

4)      Relating Fractions to Decimals

The reasoning was that Fractions visual nature can be easily manipulated on screen and that students I have taught in the past need a lot of practice working on this subject.

 

In the up and coming weeks I will continue to post my results.

 

Until next time here’s to warm classrooms on cold days!

Jesse