Epic Failing - Live in Class and Online

Friday - last period. It's the last day of the week, at the end of the day. Perhaps this is not the greatest time to reveal a new project, but I'm running out of time before June, so I go ahead, showing them the shared Google docs each group will be using to plan their project. I send them home to work on it.

Friday - 9:00 pm. I realize I forgot to transfer the homework questions/notes into all the documents - I only did the one that I showed in class. Argh! Only 3 students have logged in so far (and they couldn't work because of my mistake). Is this good or bad? I had told them they needed to login more than once to allow people to post first, and then to comment later.


I am risking failure as a teacher, attempting to innovate with a big "PBL" (Project Based Learning) culminating project: each group is making a pinball machine. They are still getting the same content as the rest of the grade 8s, but we are going about it a different way, in the hope that we can better engage my struggling learners, and provide deeper (scaffolded) challenges for my more advanced learners.

The project will be a real "DT" project that brings together all their current core subjects (except French, which I could probably work in if I really tried).



The only problem is, I don't feel like the students haven't caught my vision yet. Hmmm.


Saturday morning. I go online; there's almost no change since last night. Apparently I don't have any early risers in my class. I'm a bit panicky so I send a reminder tweet for class to get online and participate.

Saturday afternoon. Filled with dread, apprehension, not enough kids are participating!!! I begin to ponder what it would look like to photocopy worksheets for the rest of the year!?!

Sunday morning. We finally hit a milestone: one group has had all members log in at least once. We're off to a start, but it's still a work in progress.


So I started last weekend with both apprehension and anticipation. It's a huge project, complex, requiring responsibility and independence. It opens the door for students' creativity, collaboration, and problem solving. I'm excited, but I'm also terrified I'm going to fail.

Will my students get on board? Will they buy in? Will they fail? Fail to understand the material (taught in a different way)? Fail to do the work? If so does that mean that I have failed?

As I ponder what we've done so far I suppose I can call the start of the project at least a partial success. Hopefully (if I can keep good documentation) I can learn from my mistakes for another year. Kind of like a video game, as Sean Jenkins puts it.

Failure is good, healthy, and a normal part of growing up in particular, and of life in general. However, just because these are true doesn't make experiencing it any more pleasant! A child learning to walk falls down, often crying from the unpleasantness of it all, but almost always they hear the encouragement from a trusted adult: "Get back up". In fact there is a movement growing that seems to suggest that kids don't have ENOUGH risk in their life anymore, and that their isolation is to their detriment. See for example this National Post article about "risky" playgrounds.

I'm thankful though that my admin and superintendent(s) have seen fit to allow us to make attempts at innovation. We may be about to do an Epic Fail, but on the other hand we might be about to do something great! We won't know until we try!

Sukh Sandhu

I searched the cupboards at home last year and pulled out my (28 y.o.) sister's Fisher Price roller skates. You know the ones that go over shoes? I put them on my 4 y.o. last summer, along with helmet, gloves, knee pads and elbow pads. I know I know I may have been a bit overprotective, but he's sensitive and it was his very first time, so I prefaced his skating time by trying to prep him mentally: "you will probably fall down - if you do, what do you do next? Get up again. Right!"

Learning to walk as little kids we probably fell over a lot, but for each fall we got a little bit stronger! (plus they weren't really bad falls since we were generally closer to the ground at the time.) Imagine if we DIDN'T fall over? We would not know how to handle it when we it (eventually) happens to us as adults! Or imagine that we were TOO AFRAID of falling? We would spend the rest of our lives slithering, wallowing and crawling along the ground!

The story goes that as Caesar stepped over the Rubicon river, and pointed his troops towards Rome, he stated they were beyond the point of no return. There was no turning back: "The die has been cast". Thats the way I'm feeling right now. Fail or succeed I'm committed. So let's just ride into this new frontier and see what happens. I'll keep you posted (no doubt Live on YouTube, just like Pierce and Jeremy).

http://zitscomics.com/comics/november-27-2013/

Enders Game and Remembrance Day

Spoiler Alert: if you haven't read the book/seen the movie, I highly recommend both [in that order!]. My thoughts below will give away some of the key plot points.

The first time I read the book, the carefully woven plot of the story and it's characters, the fantasy world of the space station, the descriptions of the battles and the ingenuity of their strategies, sucked me in to turning page after page in voracious excitement and curiosity at what would happen next. The surprise revelation at the climax struck me with a considerable amount of force. 

After months of anticipation, I had a chance to watch the movie Sunday night, on the eve of Remembrance Day. The movie, while well done and fairly true to the book, does more than just entertain. It is a stark reminder that war is hell, as it has been for millennia. Interestingly enough, as a reader/viewer, we are told that the bugs/aliens are the enemy, but they are otherwise portrayed in a largely sympathetic light. However it takes the entire story for Ender to come to the realization that "the aliens are people too"! (There's no "Us vs. Them" … "There's ONLY us"). The point of the game is to teach the children to win, not just this war, but win so that there are no more wars! (Where have I heard that before? "The war to end all wars")

Gamification is a big buzz word in education right now… it's in the title of this movie! is the only way to get through something unpleasant to make it a game? Why the deviousness? Why can't we do things for their own sake? Why did children need to be pawns in this war against the aliens? The reason given is that they are more creative and able to deal with complex pieces of information [like is suggested in the Sir Ken Robinson creativity video]. Is it also though because by gamifying this intergalactic struggle they have devised an effective plan to insulate Ender and the others against the moral quandaries of annihilating an entire civilization?

When Ender realizes that the Adults have ulterior motives for the final games, that they are in fact NOT games but the REAL thing, he feels betrayed. In the end, Ender decides to devote the rest of his life to the Remembrance of the Civilization that he destroyed. While not mentioned in the movie, in the book we are told how Ender becomes the "Speaker for the dead", telling a whole and unapologetic story of the aliens, and this becomes a standard funeral procedure for humans too.

From a teaching standpoint, it is telling that one of the major focal points of the story (which is somewhat glossed over in the movie, likely because of time constraints) is the battle games. Students are taught in traditional manners, but this is balanced by practical experience designed to teach children on their own terms the strategies and skills required for success as a military leader: collaboration, creative thinking, discipline, and responsibility among other things. The child soldiers learn by doing, by trying and experimenting. (I'm going to put aside the problematic issue of child soldiers for another day)

Especially poignant throughout the story is the internal struggles of Ender:

- The struggle between violence and love. Knowing ones enemy so well that you come to love them, but are then able to destroy them.

- The struggle of a family torn apart by the larger obligations to society made by those family members.

- The overwhelming sense of loss and sadness Ender feels at the end when he comes to understand that he did not realize the enemy was trying to communicate with him, until after it was too late.

- The certainty of a lifelong struggle with inner turmoil, as he tries to find peace with himself for what he has done.

This brings us to Remembrance Day. Where soldiers are told to go, and what they are told to do can be awful, horrible, and at times perhaps even morally repugnant. But I think most soldiers do what they do as an unrepayable service to the people they serve, in the belief that what they are doing must be done for the greater good. And look at the great cost to many of these men and women in uniform. All too often these costs are visible in broken families, strained relationships, or lost limbs. Then there's the hidden cost of things like PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and addictions.

This year, as I reflect on Enders Game, I'm brought back to a section of Flanders Fields:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die…

Let us not break faith with the dead. As Ender spent the rest of his life in service to those who died, both human and alien, we too must face this Day of Remembrance faithfully, with sombre respect. War is nothing to glorify, yet we MUST honour the great cost of those who have gone before. With all my heart I pray "Never Again".

We MUST remember them.

We will remember them. I will remember them.

I WILL remember. 

There is nothing I can do that will ever repay. So all I can say… 

is "Thank you".

-----------------

In Memoriam:

Edward Swift Burford - Grammas uncle, killed at Vimy Ridge, April 9, 1917

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/virtualmem/Detail/297041?Edward%20Swift%20Burford

Uncle Eddie

With Thanks to:

Grandpa John Hulsemann

Uncle Eric Hulsemann

Thomas Hulsemann

Opa Helmers

Chris Tidd

Jordan Stella

Thomas Edward Peters III

and ALL the others...

A First Time for Everything

Reflecting on Milestones and Celebrating Successes

Over the last few weeks I've had a number of occasions to reflect on "the first time…" If you're a parent like me than you are probably well versed in the concept of "firsts" --- steps, words, etc.

This summer I went camping on my own for the first time with my boys. It was also my first time leaving my camera at home and only taking pictures with my smartphone. Recently I finally put together a photo album of the best pictures and sat with my boys to reflect on our trip. Looking at the album we reflected on my eldest son's first time cooking a hot dog, first time camping without mommy, and first time taking a picture with daddy's smartphone!

Approval vs. Affirmation

With our boys in a Montessori program, I've learned that when a child excitedly informs their guide (teacher) that they've completed a task (a characteristic of first time experiences), they are not told "Good Job" or "Well Done", but rather "You did it!" or "Congratulations".  Instead of training children to depend on a subjective note of approval from an external source, this is designed to ensure that the children are affirmed in their own recognition of an objective sense of self-satisfaction. It's the difference between tentatively asking the teacher "did I do it right?" vs. confidently informing the teacher "I did it right!"

To this end, I had some of my own FIRSTs that I'd like to share. Not for your approval, but simply because I see myself as that Montessori child recognizing my own milestone and running up to the guide (my Twitter PLC) to proudly exclaim "look what I've done!"

Cooking Class

Due to our school's reorganization at the end of September, I now have the challenge (and privilege) of adding a grade 7 Family Studies class to my teaching assignment. This is a huge addition for me. I am already responsible for teaching Science and Technology in our DT lab (including responsibility of the major areas of Safety, Tool Maintenance and Material Inventory), as well as teaching Information Technology, and generally being "the computer guy" in the school. Between all the classes I teach in IT and DT, I have 23 classes across 3 grades and multiple levels (regular, gifted, MID, Behaviour, LD/HSP). Family Studies makes 24. As such I have been reticent to really get into the cooking side of things, preferring to stay in the theoretical (nutrition labels, healthy body image) and the technological (designing cookie cutters to print out on our 3D printer) as these things are more within my comfort zone.

On Friday December 14^th however, I took the plunge and did my first cooking class. Recognizing the significance of this "first" experience I took time during the class to "live-tweet" what was happening, since ongoing documentation is an important part of self-evaluation. Of course with technology comes problems, and I couldn't get reception for some reason so I've had to post these tweets after-the-fact. You can see my tweets organized here on Storify - a program I am also using for the first time!

Self-Evaluation

As a result of this “First Time Focus” I am pondering how to be more diligent at this practice in my own classroom. Report Cards are supposed to reflect the reaching of milestones, but how often do milestones coincide with a board determined report card date? Why should celebrations be limited to these structured times without reflecting the fluidity of individual learners! I'm wondering if I can use BYOD to get students to document their DT projects at the end of each class, and then compile a photo album at the end to assist them in preparing a self-evaluation.

Too often we have trained students that self-evaluation is the lowest kind, and that the evaluation that reflects real learning and leads to good grades comes from the teacher alone. The pendulum needs to swing back a bit I think.

TeacherHann

February 23, 2013

(SIDE NOTE: as a result of writing this blog I've decided to try changing my teaching a little bit… yeah for professional reflection! ATTACHED HERE are my notes on ideas I might try with my next set of classes in Semester 2. If you have feedback that might help me tweak these ideas, practically or theoretically, please send me a note on Twitter or in the comments section)

DT Project Self-Assessment Notes

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A work in progress

Device Use:

-having a smartphone or camera in class is a BIG responsibility and a HUGE privilege. DON’T treat this lightly or abuse the privilege, it will be taken away!

-you will ONLY get permission (in writing, attached to the class clipboard) to have your devices with you at times when you ACTUALLY have DT. So for example if DT is in the morning, you CANNOT have your device with you in the afternoon. If you have gym the same part of the day as DT, we will need to make alternate arrangements to meet at your lockers before class to get your devices or to put them away at the end of class before going to gym.

-we will need to agree to some kind of class code of conduct regarding these devices and consequences for improper use

Procedures for Self-Reflection Documentation

-document your journey from start to finish using your smartphone or camera

-take a picture of each thing you consider a milestone – at minimum, take a picture of your progress once before the end of class

-ensure these pictures are taken SAFELY (ie. Make sure the machines are OFF and that you’re not a hazard to someone else who is working)

-NO people in the pictures! [for privacy/security] [though you may have yourself in the picture at the end with the finished product if you have parent permission]

-curate an online compilation of your pictures and narrate them in some way

Self-Reflection Content Expectations

In your reflection you must mention (either along the way or at the end):

-What tools did you use?

-What procedures did you do?

-Include dates

-Did you struggle at any point? Where? Why? How could you have done better?

Suggestions:

-Curate as you go! Don’t wait till the end to put all the pictures together

-You may use any method you wish to curate your pictures (Facebook album, Instagram, haikudeck, prezi, flickr, etc) Perhaps you will teach me something new? Since this will be posted on the internet, hopefully you will get feedback from others besides myself!?

Rubric:

	4	3	2	1
Content	Includes comprehensive outline of tools dates, and procedures	Good outline of tools, dates and most procedures	Mentions some (but not all) tools, dates and procedures	Misses key tools, dates, or procedures.
Reflection	Thoughtful, honest reflection	Reflective	Reflective, but superficial	No reflection
Pictures	Excellent, well planned photos, capture minor steps as well as major ones	Good photos, documents key steps, with some detail.	Photos include only the major steps, some photo flaws	Photos incomplete, missing major steps. Violates privacy expectation!
Sharing	Curation has been shared and has received feedback. Is easy to transfer for school to share too!	Uses a curation method that encourages and promotes sharing	Curation hasn’t yet been shared	Curation discourages sharing

Outside the... Balks? Huh?

So everyone is curious about my title.

Well as a lifelong learner (and product of the TDSB's gifted program) I've always been challenged to think creatively and try to do just what the title says.

I've been pondering this whole blogging idea since Royan Lee's "Spicy Learning" blog was introduced to me over a year ago before going to ECOO11. Up to that point I had assumed a personal brand was all about you know, buying DavidHann.com or whatever. Surprisingly this isn't actually taken, even though I'm a Minnesota politician (born April 16, 1952) and a member of the Minnesota Senate representing District 42, who actually ran for governor too. [#WrongDigitalFootprint?]

Anyways, at ECOO11 we talked a lot about a lot of things, including digital footprint (thanks MzMollyTL!) and being a role model for students online and so on. After drinking from that fire hose I've begun to implement a lot of the things I learned or was exposed to there - but it's taken me a while. The one thing I really didn't want to rush into was my brand. So I waited on it until the inspiration hit, and two weeks ago it did.

For the last few years, when I'm assigning a particular project, I like to challenge my gifted students (because life has come full circle that way). I like to say to them "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX... B - A - L - K - S". They kind of stare at me and go "HUH?" But it makes them think!

Going back even further in time, I can't claim the credit for the saying. It comes from one of my favourite "Silly" Albums - The BnL "Snack Time" album and the song "Crazy ABC's written by Steven Page and Ed Robertson. Here's the first few lines from the lyrics (if you are an english teacher - you could probably work this concept into a really neat assignment):

A is for aisle
B is for bdellium
C is for czar
And if you see him, would you mind telling him-

The whole song goes on like this and is uproariously funny. If you haven't heard it, and you're a teacher, and you like funny things, give it a listen!

So they go back and forth, and at the end they have this little jokesy conversation that goes something like this...

Okay, when you say zed,
For the benefit of our American friends
You really mean Zee, right?
No I mean Zed, like, like Zed Zed Top.
Zed Zed Top?
Yeah, you know the guys with the big long beards,
well, except the guy whose name is Beard,
he has a moustache
I always thought that was interesting
You done with the alphabet?
No extra letters I haven't heard of?
I think so.
Well this was a great help, I think, you know,
the contribution you made to world literacy
Well, I'm just saying, kids
I'm just saying
Think outside the box a little bit
Box with an "r"
Yeah, well, no, box with a b-a-l-k-s, like a pitcher.
Ahh, as opposed to b-a-c-h-s,
Right, think outside the "balks"


And hopefully THAT will help you understand my blog title! :) Thanks for reading!

Creating and Maintaining a Digital Footprint

As part of my goal to develop my digital footprint, I am beginning the process of blogging. To that end, I am experimenting with several different blog platforms. In the process I am establishing my “brand” to ensure that it is there when I need it. (And I don't have to pay big bucks to someone else to try and get it back in the future).

This was an issue that happened to my school, when I went to establish a digital footprint for the school on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube. I got “schoolname.site” for all of them except Facebook. Someone had beaten me to it. When it comes to Search and Hits, the Brand Name matters! My schools FaceBook page (for some time) came up second in the search behind some former students page about the school! So even if I don’t use a particular site that much, I've claimed the name at least for future use, since I’ve realized the importance of establishing and protecting the “brand”.

So this is it… here we go. My first Blog!