Follow the link below to find information on a design challenge to honor Veterans. This a great opportunity to create a cross curricular PBL that could include: social studies, math, engineering, and art (just to name a few). You could add ELA very easily as well.

Create a 3D Model of a wearable pin that thanks Veterans.

See details below.

Are you looking for ways to engage your kids differently? Lookng for ways to empower your students to take ownership of their learning? Are you wanting to develop a STEM culture in your classroom or building? THEN Personalized Learning can address all of these needs.

When you examine the Ohio Personalized Learning Framework and the Rubric for the characteristics of a STEM and/or STEAM school, you will see that both support one another. That is done purposefully as the framework was developed and analyzed by OSLN and ODE through the lens of a STEM mindset.

For Example, look at 1.3 of the STEM rubric section on Personalized Learning:

Students have ownership of their own learning, set goals and make choices about how to accomplish them. Staff support students in developing and maintaining student-created learning plans and monitoring progress toward future goals. Personal learning pathways are student driven, and students have multiple ways to show what they know. Mastery learning or competency-based learning is practiced schoolwide.

Then look at Learner Driven on the Personalized Learning Framework:

Indicators of a Learner Driven Classroom include:

1.1 Learners set goals and make choices about how to accomplish them.

1.2 Learners monitor progress towards future goals with appropriate instructional support.

1.3 Learners and educators collaborate to develop profiles that provide a narrative of their assets, barriers to learning, needed supports and future career goals.

To make that shift from a Teacher-centered classroom to a Learner-centered classroom, the first thing is students have to be in charge of their learning and that requires them to know where they are and where they need to go. This can be done through their goal-setting and data tracking process.

How can you do this?

One way is through using Covey's process of the The Four Disciplines of Execution.

1. Focus on Wildly Important Goals (WIGS)

2. Act on Lead Measures

3. Keep a Compelling Scoreboard

4. Create a Cadence of Accountability

Focus on Wildly Important Goals (WIGS)

These are your big rocks...what is most important to you. What is most important to the success of a student? What are they currently working on that is something they are going to work on over the period of 4-5 week at least. This can be a goal. For example, in a first grade classroom, a WIG might be: I will master the first 100 sight words by the end of the second nine weeks.

Act on Lead Measures

These are the steps, actions, or behaviors that a student believes will help them achieve their goal. There are no more than 2 action steps, but these are the most critical actions or behaviors that will help them achieve their goal.

Lead Measures:
1. I will practice my sight words for 5 minutes each day at least 4 days per week by reviewing the words I know and adding 3 new words that I need to master when I get off the bus at home each day.

2. I will track my progress on sight words by completing a 1 minute assessment every Friday to see how many sight words I can read and graph in my data binder.

Create a Compelling Scoreboard

This should be a way to track completion of your lead measures. It should be simple to complete, visible to everyone, and simple to understand. You should be able to look at and easily see if you are "winning" or following through on your lead measure. These are your daily action step or lead measures. A simple calendar can be used and you can track whether you complete your lead measure each day.

Create a Cadence of Accountability

Who is your accountability partner?

When do you meet?

For a student, this might be a 5 minute meeting each Friday where you review your scoreboard...Let's say you set aside 5 minutes at the beginning of every Friday and your students meet with their accountability partner (another student) and they use the following protocol:

Let's look at your scoreboard, did you meet your goal? (at least 4 days of practice)

If they did, celebrate!

If you did not, what can you do differently or what can I do to help you?

Individual students could have individual goals...Then there could be a class goal of everyone meeting their goal of following through on their lead measures. This could be tracked and celebrated each week. BUT, this needs to be created with your students so they own it.

How old do my Students Need to be?

This can be done as young as preschool...YES, preK students can own their learning. Make it simple with a smiley face or a check mark. It can be simple for any age or grade level.

Need Support or Assistance?

Would you like to introduce goal setting to your class and would like some support, let's schedule a time to meet whether in person or Zoom and review some potential templates for your students, I can bring the materials and help you create your personal scoreboard for your classroom.

Advice to get started...

Start small. Start simple and grow it. Start with 1 goal. If you are focused on a reading goal because it is the most critical, start there. Do you have a classroom behavior that you are trying to address, maybe set a class goal for this and track it to model for kids. However....any way you do this, you are transferring ownership of learning to the the students. When you do this, you will increase engagement and increase academic growth.

STEM is the buzz word for everyone right now. While it is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math; it also describes an engaging approach to teaching and learning. STEM in the classroom or school setting involves a learner-centered approach to instruction that not only incorporates curriculum in an authentic context, but also engages learners in critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving.

STEM as a teaching and learning approach includes:

• Hands on/Exploratory
• Inquiry Based/Discovery
• Design Thinking Process
• Problem Based Learning
• Project Based Learning

With in each of these key elements of STEM in the classroom, the standard curriculum is weaved into the learning experience. At times, there will be a need for direct instruction and coverage of specific standards or topics; however, there is a mix.

When you examine the STEM Quality Rubric that measures schools for the STEM designation in Ohio, you see elements throughout the rubric of each of these practices. In order to create that STEM culture, we must transform into a learner-driven classroom.

In order to create this culture and honestly bring the excitement to your classroom, you have to allow students to be a part of the process...a Personalized Learning Process where we empower our learners to find their passion, explore it and grow with it.

Each newsletter going forward will provide details and information on what a STEM classroom or school looks and feels like. And guess what? You are not a STEM classroom or school just because you have a 3D printer or a STEM classroom or makerspace.

Looking for a way to get involved with coding in your classroom or possibly promote the importance of Computer Science for future careers, then join "Hour of Code" during the week of Dec 4-10. Follow the link below to register your school.

I would like to begin a book study using the book, Personalized Learning: Student-Designed Pathways to High School Graduation.

If there is interest in a book study that would start the first week of November, I will arrange for graduate credit or contact hours for participants. I have read the book and I appreciate the overview of how one high school as used personalized learning to create graduation pathways while also providing a process guideline for making our schools more personalized and engaging to students. If this is something that interests you, please complete the survey below. Only cost would be the cost of the book that I got for $10 off of Amazon (Unless you wanted credit)

The official kickoff for the statewide #STEMorbitsOhio design challenge has happened and this might be the best one yet!

Did you know that THE Ohio State University is part of designing the future Starlab and potentially will have ground control here in Ohio? This is an exciting time for Ohio and this is an opportunity for students of all ages to pitch their ideas to the Engineering team designing Starlab. Follow the link below.

If you want more info, see the link for a Zoom mtg on Oct 2 that will give an overview.

Here is an easy way to use get involved with the statewide design challenge. As you begin to explore the possibilities with your learners through the #STEMorbitsOhio design challenge, have them create a sticker that captures and represents the 2024 design challenge. Follow the link below.

Project based learning can be overwhelming for teachers....

How do I cover my content?

How do I plan for everything?
Where do I find everything?

All of that is fine....BUT you are taking away the work from your learners. Instead, ask yourself this question:

What decisions am I making that I could have the learners make? We overplan and we take a lot from our learners. See the teaching practices from the Buck Institute below. If you want to find out more, go to pblworks.org.

The 2024 Solar Eclipse will be the first total eclipse since the 1800's so this is a huge event and one that not everyone gets to witness. Here is a resource from ODE.

The Appalachian Ohio Manufacturing Coalition (AOMC) is a non-profit 501 c3 located in Marietta Ohio that is about supporting advanced manufacturing in SE Ohio. Over the past few months, they have developed the AOMC Manufacturing Support Center that is designed to provide training on various advanced manufacturing equipment and the process.

This facility is open to working with High Schools and adults to provide training that can provide the qualifications and experience to allow individuals to go into high demand advanced manufacturing positions.

The Ohio Valley ESC is currently working to see how we can connect our region with AOMC to allow our High Schools to connect their students with some of the training they offer. AOMC can also help connect students with internships and potential careers.

For more information, please reach out to the ESC and contact me at chad.miller@ovesc.org.

Looking for a way to integrate research and problem solving into your math class at the HS level, check out the "Modeling the Future" Challenge. It is a free virtual challenge with scenarios and resources. This would be a great resource for a statistics class or any class where you can use actuarial process (risk analysis for insurance). If you follow the link below, you can go to sample scenarios and determine if this is something that would work for your learners.

From reviewing...this would even fit into an agriculture or engineering class where you could look at agricultural insurance or liability. Check out the link below.

Would you like to be able to create opportunities for inquiry learning, then START S.O.L.E. could be your answer. Register for a info and training session on September 19, 2023 by following the link below.

When we think of Flexible Learning Environment (FLE), most will think of the physical space as being flexible: seating, use of the space around the room, sit or stand, etc... However, flexible learning environment goes beyond the physical space.

FLE involves the space, the use of time, and where the learning takes place.

Indicators of a Flexible Learning Environment from the Ohio Personalized Learning Framework include:

2.1 Learners have balanced opportunities to work independently and collaboratively to ensure that their individual learning needs are met.

2.2 Learners are provided with access to appropriate tools and resources that allow them to deepen their learning beyond the school day.

2.3 Learners have voice and choice in how they use flexible and accessible learning spaces.

2.4 Learners and educators co-construct classroom agreements so there is an equal investment in the way learning interactions are structured.

At the classroom level, how can you use these indicators as a guide to create an FLE. Start with 2.4...How can you empower your learners by co-structing agreements on what learning interactions look like? Is this expectations for the learner and the teacher (facilitator)? Who is responsible for what? What does independent work look like? Can students be listening to music through their Earbuds and have access to their phone if they prove they can still be productive? These are things to consider...Empower your students to be responsible for their own learning. 2.2 discusses access to appropriate tools? If we are not 1:1 or even if you are, can your students take laptops home, especially if they do not have access to one? All things to consider and/or challenge the current practices. I have included an article on FLE's from the SMART Foundation.

Personalized learning is a learner-driven approach to instruction that empowers students to take ownership of their learning. Using this flexible approach, educators help students:

Overcome obstacles by engaging the learners to take ownership in their learning and plan together with their teachers to meet their needs.

Codesign authentic learning pathways that prepare them for future success.

Accelerate learning through evidence of learning and feedback and a system of mastery learning.

To learn more about Personalized Learning and how you can engage your students in authentic learning, the link below will take you to the Ohio Personalized Learning Framework.

https://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/STEM-Science-Technology-Engineering-and-Mathem/STEM-Resources/Ohio-Personalized-Learning-Framework-1.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

While employed through a collaborative grant effort by the Ohio Valley and the Athens/Meigs ESC, I serve the majority of SE Ohio as a Ohio Personalized Learning Facilitator and would like to connect with teachers, principals, and other administrators to see how I can support your current work and potentially enhance your current practices through a Personalized Approach. If you would like support in any of the following, I would be happy to assist. If you have other issues/challenges or a new initiative you would like some additional support for, please contact me and I will support you and work to connect you with resources.

Director of STEM and Personalized Learning, Ohio Valley ESC

Email: chad.miller@ovesc.org
Website: ovesc.org
Phone: (937)508-8680
Twitter: @CMill_STEMguy