The Blender
Blended Learning at Hickory Hills
A Book Study in Newsletter Form
"Blended" by Michael B. Horn & Heather Staker
Chapter 5 - Motivate the Students
Chapter 5 is my favorite chapter so far and one that is definitely worth the read. This chapter discusses student perspective and student motivation. The book describes two core jobs that are the highest priorities for most students: the want to feel successful/make progress/accomplish something and the want to have fun with friends. Education itself is not the job; rather, it's one option that students can hire to get their jobs done. We have to create an education that students want to "hire" to get their jobs done.
The book followers Summit Public Schools, a charter school network based in Redwood City, California, as being a groundbreaking innovator for providing experiences that help students make progress every day and have fun with friends. They identified eight crucial experiences: 1) empower students to set individual learning goals for their personal learning plans and provide adequate time and processes each day to make progress towards these goals, 2) allow for individual student pace, 3) provide rapid feedback and data about student performance, 4) provide transparency/clear view of what they are trying to achieve, 5) provide quiet time for students to immerse themselves in books, 6) provide relevant work experiences, 7) provide mentoring experiences, and 8) provide positive group experiences.
On page 138, a teacher uses a great analogy with her students at the beginning of the school year with a pitcher of water and a bowl, turning the bowl both right-side up and upside down. "If only students could be like those right-side up bowls, willing to capture the outpouring."
Chapter 5 - Motivate the Students
Chapter 5 is my favorite chapter so far and one that is definitely worth the read. This chapter discusses student perspective and student motivation. The book describes two core jobs that are the highest priorities for most students: the want to feel successful/make progress/accomplish something and the want to have fun with friends. Education itself is not the job; rather, it's one option that students can hire to get their jobs done. We have to create an education that students want to "hire" to get their jobs done.
The book followers Summit Public Schools, a charter school network based in Redwood City, California, as being a groundbreaking innovator for providing experiences that help students make progress every day and have fun with friends. They identified eight crucial experiences: 1) empower students to set individual learning goals for their personal learning plans and provide adequate time and processes each day to make progress towards these goals, 2) allow for individual student pace, 3) provide rapid feedback and data about student performance, 4) provide transparency/clear view of what they are trying to achieve, 5) provide quiet time for students to immerse themselves in books, 6) provide relevant work experiences, 7) provide mentoring experiences, and 8) provide positive group experiences.
On page 138, a teacher uses a great analogy with her students at the beginning of the school year with a pitcher of water and a bowl, turning the bowl both right-side up and upside down. "If only students could be like those right-side up bowls, willing to capture the outpouring."
What the TWEET?
My Twitter World:
Who I'm Following and What I'm Tweeting About
Follow me @brenicole0201
Professional Learning can be as simple as following your colleagues on Twitter, see what they are doing inside their classrooms, successes they are celebrating, and what professionals they are following.
Or finding others outside our building, outside our district, outside our state that teach what you teach to grow your own professional learning community.
Who I'm Following and What I'm Tweeting About
Follow me @brenicole0201
Professional Learning can be as simple as following your colleagues on Twitter, see what they are doing inside their classrooms, successes they are celebrating, and what professionals they are following.
Or finding others outside our building, outside our district, outside our state that teach what you teach to grow your own professional learning community.
Mrs. Call - HH 3rd Grade
Mrs. Range - HH 2nd Grade
Katie Scholz - Blended Learning
Bill Powers - Cherokee MS Prinicpal
Kathy Gross - SPS Professional Learning
Dr. Anderson - SPS Executive Director Elementary Learning
Tech Tools
ChatterPix Kids
Use this app to make anything - doodles, pets, friends, and more - talk. Simply take a photo, draw a line to make the mouth, and record your voice.
Use this app to make anything - doodles, pets, friends, and more - talk. Simply take a photo, draw a line to make the mouth, and record your voice.