Implementation of ImagineIT and Report
When I ran my ImagineIT project past one of my colleagues, I got the best piece of advice.
“You’ll only know if it works if you try.”
And try I did. And boy, was it worth it.
Immersing myself in my ImagineIT project has been an incredibly rewarding part to a big change for me this school year. Changing schools and positions has been challenging. Figuring out the curriculum has been a job in itself, especially with the shift from the IL learning standards to the Next Generation Science Standards. Getting to know new students, colleagues, and the culture of a school takes has taken time, patience, and a lot of “watching from the sidelines.” But knowing that I could impact student learning by taking some risks was integral amidst all these changes and challenges.
From the start of my ImagineIT project, I wanted to look at alternative assessment. Many times, especially in a science classroom, it’s challenging to know what students really know through a paper-and-pencil test. It’s hard to create assessments that ask students to uncover their knowledge without using the same examples tied to content knowledge they may already know.
“You’ll only know if it works if you try.”
And try I did. And boy, was it worth it.
Immersing myself in my ImagineIT project has been an incredibly rewarding part to a big change for me this school year. Changing schools and positions has been challenging. Figuring out the curriculum has been a job in itself, especially with the shift from the IL learning standards to the Next Generation Science Standards. Getting to know new students, colleagues, and the culture of a school takes has taken time, patience, and a lot of “watching from the sidelines.” But knowing that I could impact student learning by taking some risks was integral amidst all these changes and challenges.
From the start of my ImagineIT project, I wanted to look at alternative assessment. Many times, especially in a science classroom, it’s challenging to know what students really know through a paper-and-pencil test. It’s hard to create assessments that ask students to uncover their knowledge without using the same examples tied to content knowledge they may already know.
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I wanted students to have the opportunity to show me more of what they knew through the means that they felt most comfortable. I also wanted to fairly measure what they knew, giving them opportunities to show me more. And through these ideas came my ImagineIT project on alternative assessment.
It all started when I used Google Classroom to push out a survey on alternative assessment to my two 6th grade classes. The survey is show to the left. Here were their responses. Most students were intrigued on the idea of “giving up” tests and being allowed to show what they knew in a different way. So since I had student support, I decided to run with it! From there, I developed an alternative assessment tool for students to showcase what they were learning in science with me--using modeling to show how we actually see things. I utilized a criteria based rubric I had talked over with a colleague from my Deep Play group, and gave students about a week to complete their assessments, which ranged from physical models, to songs, to plays. |
I was and still am incredibly proud of the students’ work. A sampling can be seen here as showcased on my blog. I'm really glad I took such a big risk, as I know that students truly learned a lot, showed me much more than a paper-pencil test could, and allowed them to showcase their learning in a way that was more comfortable for them.
Final ImagineIT Report
As I reflect upon all that I’ve learned throughout the MSU experience, I’ve really found it a challenge to pinpoint ALL that I’ve learned because, well, it’s just so much!
Let’s start with the What Should I Do? Confronting Dilemmas of Teaching in Urban Schools. I took away a lot from this book, moving into a new position at a new school. One of my biggest takeaways was resource allocation and maintenance. With aging technology in my building and no one to manage it, it was surely going to be a challenge for me to implement my ImagineIT project without consistent and reliable access to technology. No matter what type of school you’re in in CPS, resource allocation can be tricky, especially with today’s budgetary crisis.
Secondly, I was confronted by assessment, just like the book said I would be. How do you really know what students know? How can you fairly judge student learning, knowing that the students in front of you come from a wide array of backgrounds? How does assessment evolve as you get to know your students and the curriculum? How do you push them in their learning and match the assessment with their needs and wants?
Regardless of the school you’re in, you’re going to struggle with resources and assessment. As we approach winter break, I am happy to report that I’ve worked my way through these dilemmas in finding solutions to them. I’ve made do with the technology that was available, and because of my commitment to using it, my school secured funding for not only the technology itself (we just got a new laptop cart...they have all the systems updated...and they have all the keys!!!!), but for a person to update and maintain our aging systems. I really believe it was two things. Kids went crazy for designing websites and using Google applications. They ran home to their parents to show them what they were doing in class. Kids’ excitement transcended to me, to my administration, and the students’ families. Everyone was in a win-win. I was a better teacher. Kids were engaged. And the families were able to see what students were doing in class.
My assessment project was also a win-win. I tried out using alternative forms of assessment with students and they ATE. IT. UP.
“When can we do this again?”
“I watched J’s video on light like 50 times!!!!”
“I got sooooo good at using Google Drawing. When can I draw another model?”
I’m pushing myself as we approach the last week of winter break to try doing a group-based alternative assessment. As we close out our unit on light with students designing their own optical illusions, they’re going to have to showcase the latest version of our consensus model (showing how light plays a role in the colors we see) using whatever mode they’d like...but in groups. How can the collaboration they’ve developed since the beginning of the year transcend into a big assessment based on multimodality and the scientific practice of modeling? Check back for a new blog post as I reveal the results!
My Deep Play group was also pivotal in my learning this semester. We challenged each other to use different modes in our classrooms, to jump into using Google Classroom, and to redesign a rubric that was consistent and easier for me to use with my students. Again, I was in a win-win having success with all of them. Were there bumps in the road? Sure...but I really found the experience positive.
As for learning from my colleagues...I did so in more ways than one. I still reflect back on my co-worker who said “How will you know if it works if you don’t try?” Try and I did. And with his support, we were able to make lots of strides with kids and keep them engaged and excited to learn as we tried new things with our students. I also learned that as we made strides with students (using different modes, implementing Google Classroom, and starting websites with students), other colleagues who learned about what we were doing with students spread like wildfire. While our intentions were never to force someone to design their classroom instruction like ours, it’s made others interested in our practices, and I am excited to know that the possibilities to collaborate with others can grow.
As the next stage of my ImagineIT project unfolds, I am excited to see how I can engage my colleagues and the parents in what I am doing with students. How can I get other teachers on board and learn from them? How can I communicate the happenings in my classroom to the parents beyond my weekly blog posts? I see the next phase of my ImagineIT project also continuing to focus on assessment, but also on production. I’ve truly valued how sharing my work publicly has opened up others’ eyes to what’s going on in my classroom. How can students share their work with assessment with others beyond the walls of me posting their work to my website? How can they critique each other in their work, and respectfully argue like real scientists do?
I am excited to see how the next phase unfolds. Until then...
Let’s start with the What Should I Do? Confronting Dilemmas of Teaching in Urban Schools. I took away a lot from this book, moving into a new position at a new school. One of my biggest takeaways was resource allocation and maintenance. With aging technology in my building and no one to manage it, it was surely going to be a challenge for me to implement my ImagineIT project without consistent and reliable access to technology. No matter what type of school you’re in in CPS, resource allocation can be tricky, especially with today’s budgetary crisis.
Secondly, I was confronted by assessment, just like the book said I would be. How do you really know what students know? How can you fairly judge student learning, knowing that the students in front of you come from a wide array of backgrounds? How does assessment evolve as you get to know your students and the curriculum? How do you push them in their learning and match the assessment with their needs and wants?
Regardless of the school you’re in, you’re going to struggle with resources and assessment. As we approach winter break, I am happy to report that I’ve worked my way through these dilemmas in finding solutions to them. I’ve made do with the technology that was available, and because of my commitment to using it, my school secured funding for not only the technology itself (we just got a new laptop cart...they have all the systems updated...and they have all the keys!!!!), but for a person to update and maintain our aging systems. I really believe it was two things. Kids went crazy for designing websites and using Google applications. They ran home to their parents to show them what they were doing in class. Kids’ excitement transcended to me, to my administration, and the students’ families. Everyone was in a win-win. I was a better teacher. Kids were engaged. And the families were able to see what students were doing in class.
My assessment project was also a win-win. I tried out using alternative forms of assessment with students and they ATE. IT. UP.
“When can we do this again?”
“I watched J’s video on light like 50 times!!!!”
“I got sooooo good at using Google Drawing. When can I draw another model?”
I’m pushing myself as we approach the last week of winter break to try doing a group-based alternative assessment. As we close out our unit on light with students designing their own optical illusions, they’re going to have to showcase the latest version of our consensus model (showing how light plays a role in the colors we see) using whatever mode they’d like...but in groups. How can the collaboration they’ve developed since the beginning of the year transcend into a big assessment based on multimodality and the scientific practice of modeling? Check back for a new blog post as I reveal the results!
My Deep Play group was also pivotal in my learning this semester. We challenged each other to use different modes in our classrooms, to jump into using Google Classroom, and to redesign a rubric that was consistent and easier for me to use with my students. Again, I was in a win-win having success with all of them. Were there bumps in the road? Sure...but I really found the experience positive.
As for learning from my colleagues...I did so in more ways than one. I still reflect back on my co-worker who said “How will you know if it works if you don’t try?” Try and I did. And with his support, we were able to make lots of strides with kids and keep them engaged and excited to learn as we tried new things with our students. I also learned that as we made strides with students (using different modes, implementing Google Classroom, and starting websites with students), other colleagues who learned about what we were doing with students spread like wildfire. While our intentions were never to force someone to design their classroom instruction like ours, it’s made others interested in our practices, and I am excited to know that the possibilities to collaborate with others can grow.
As the next stage of my ImagineIT project unfolds, I am excited to see how I can engage my colleagues and the parents in what I am doing with students. How can I get other teachers on board and learn from them? How can I communicate the happenings in my classroom to the parents beyond my weekly blog posts? I see the next phase of my ImagineIT project also continuing to focus on assessment, but also on production. I’ve truly valued how sharing my work publicly has opened up others’ eyes to what’s going on in my classroom. How can students share their work with assessment with others beyond the walls of me posting their work to my website? How can they critique each other in their work, and respectfully argue like real scientists do?
I am excited to see how the next phase unfolds. Until then...