Even when life is crazy...keep moving forward...

WHAT AM I DOING TO HELP KIDS ACHIEVE?

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN THEY ARE THERE?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?

     I remember once running a marathon.  Up to the time of the marathon, it was the best training of my life.  I was feeling great and did a 27 mile training run 3 weeks before.  I was primed.  The day of the race it was 70 and humid with no shade.  All the training in the world did not prepare me for crappy weather.  I did finish but need three bags of I.V.'s after the race.  I remember telling myself at one point that as long as I put one foot in front of the other...I have to logically get to the end...Well...this is the time of the school year we are getting to.  Testing and schedules are crazy and kids really do not want to do chemistry.  I just got to keep on going.  So here is what I tried....

     Tried two ideas that have worked in the past.  First, the TIMU activity "Change you can believe in".  It is a great intro into physical chemical change and reactions.  It has a great series of graphics with the particulate world.  Students first draw solids liquids and gases.  Instead, I had them build the models with legos before they drew the models.  It started some good discussions.  They nailed the solid and gas but just made the liquid a version of a gas.  Nice sneaky formative assessment.

     Second, I am becoming a big fan of card sorts.  I am thinking of starting a topic called "No Lecture Notes".  Essentially, have the notes and topics on cards, have kids sort them, let them make mistakes and discuss corrections, then have them get down the concepts.  A great inspiration for this Barb Hall.  Thanks Barb...it is a winner.

     Finally, thanks to Dr. Ellen Yzeirski, I picked up the book by Michael Fullan, "The Meaning of Educational Change".  So far, it is impressive.  The guy has a great handle of what it is like in the trenches and is very realistic.  I will keep you posted....