I have never been a blogger.  Even before there was such a thing, I was never a diary-writer or a journal-keeper.  This component of documenting my progress through the Fellowship was a stretch for me.  I do enjoy reading blogs from people who have a gift for writing.  Some of the teachers who wrote blogs as part of our group are amazing writers!  I do not put myself in that category.  Maybe because my logical, step-wise way of thinking lacks the creativity I enjoy reading in a blog?  Maybe because I do not feel that excitement from putting my thoughts into words on a page?  Not sure I’ll ever know.

I do not believe I will continue blogging.  I have enjoyed learning how to do it and I have enjoyed reading about other projects, but I’m not inclined to share all of that information in a blog.  Honestly, time is a major factor.  Life is incredibly hectic, and that’s an excuse, but I find myself having to select the activities that will occupy my time.

When I look back at my first post, I felt overwhelmed by all the new technologies and learning that were ahead of me.  Now that I’m completing my fellowship, I think I’ve gotten comfortable with my role as student.  It is still stressful to implement a new idea in my classroom, but I am comfortable with the sense of adventure that it brings.  My students have been very supportive, even if my new idea doesn’t always work out as planned!  I am leading meetings at my school and workshops in my system on a more regular basis this year too.  I truly enjoy meeting other educators and helping them with new ideas.

One thing I still find true from the first posts is that the Kenan Fellowship has been more about the culture and spirit of education than the lesson plans we all wrote.  I have had the opportunity to meet some amazing teachers, from all grades and subject areas.  It’s been exciting to hear about day-to-day practices and to try them out in my class.  I have also met people working on education at the state level.  I was selected to participate in the Emerging Issues forum on education in Raleigh.  I attended the National Board Teaching and Learning Conference in Washington, DC.  My views on education and current research are wider than a year ago.  It’s critical for educators to keep that spark in them for teaching.  Sadly, NCCAT will likely be gone soon, so opportunities for engaging with others who will keep my creative juices flowing must be found in other places.  Teachers need to feel energized about the profession and I have found that Fellowships and conferences do this for me.  I don’t believe I would have pursued these opportunities if I were not a Kenan Fellow.

photo credit: NIAID via photopin cc

As the biodiesel unit was being created, I subscribed to a daily biofuel newsletter, Biofuels Digest.  It became evident, as in many areas of science, that the unit would eventually become dated because of current technologies associated with biofuel production.  Scientists are developing production methods for biofuels at a fast pace.  For example, the Biofuels Digest recently included an article that looked at growing trends in biofuel production methods.  The current method of production for the past five or six years most often used is fermentation.  Sure enough, the prediction for 2014 is that thermal and catalytic methods will take over.  And companies, national labs, and university research programs are investing millions of dollars on the research.  I think it is quite interesting to watch the economics at work as much as I enjoy reading about the scientific developments.  The speed of science has made developing this unit difficult because it is multi-faceted and a teacher could always find a new resource to use with students.  I had to choose which areas to focus on for this unit in the context of a chemistry course.

In a larger sense, I would like other teachers to use this unit in other science classes.  I often hear safety concerns about the production of biodiesel in a classroom, but I prepared my students (and quite frankly, scared them to death!) about the hazards of the chemicals involved.  I deliberately designed the lessons to be independent of one another so that earth science, environmental science, chemistry or physical science teachers could use parts of the unit for their respective courses.  It could even be used for a debate class or an economics/political lesson in social studies.

photo credit: Gabludlow via photopin cc

Even if a teacher opted not to produce biodiesel as part of their unit, the current research and news-making events surrounding it still make it engaging for the students.  I encouraged my students to become informed consumers and to form their own opinions about whether or not using biodiesel was a good move for our country.  I believe that one of the goals of a child’s education is to teach them how to think and respond to difficult issues. The biodiesel is certainly better for our environment, but would compete for land use.  It would free our dependence on oil and petroleum products, but could put the petroleum industry and its workers out of business.  Lobbyists on both sides of the debate have logical arguments to support their opinions, and our students need to disseminate these facts to decide what they believe.  Before teaching this lesson, most of my students had never heard of biodiesel, but after the lesson, many had asked thought-provoking questions and were wrangling with the difficult questions that come with big changes as a result of scientific development.  To that end, the unit has been successful, and they learned some chemistry along the way!

The tablet and Lenovo technology have given me some great new tools, both for teaching and for lesson enhancements with my students.  I am more likely to look for a tech solution to improve my instruction or a lab activity for the students.  I’ve decided to just make a list of all the wonderful things I’ve done this year.

• Class pictures – I have used my tablet all year to take pictures of my students working.  At first, it made them nervous, but I have done it so much that they don’t even notice anymore.  And I have loads of evidence for my teacher evaluation summary!

Physics students building a spaghetti bridge.

Chemistry students hard at work.

• Khan Academy – I’ve used some of their video tutorials to go along with my physics units. They are linked on my physics web page http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/10407.
• Screen cast-o-matic – I used this along with my tablet to record some of my own videos.  I assigned them as homework for chemistry to begin flipping my classroom.  Here’s an example – enjoy!

• QR Code reader – I created a set of QR codes for chemistry students to learn about pieces of lab equipment.

How to use a crucible.

• Dropbox – WOW, what a lifesaver this is!  During my fellowship I was working on 3-4 computers and this streamlined the whole process.  I wasn’t forced to keep up with my flash drive everyday!
• Prezi – while this technology was not new for me, I did incorporate it into one of my physics projects.  I had a few students create them instead of the usual power points.

Personally, I now Skype.  It’s been very cool to talk with my kids when I’m in Raleigh and away from them.  Also, I use Dropbox to share pictures with my family in South Carolina.  I am more open to using technology in the classroom.  I am definitely still a novice, but I don’t view the phones only as a distractor.  Students are using them as planners and to document ideas and events that happen during class.  It’s interesting to see the many ways they use technology, and as we move to BYOD, the innovations will surely continue.

Student biodiesel samples

Whew!

A new unit worked into the very end of my semester has been a challenge.  I’ve decided for this blog post to share some things that worked well as well as some things that did not.

My students were very active and engaged when I had them brainstorm answers to the introductory questions about energy.  I showed them the photopeach video I created and they ended up in a lively discussion about where energy comes from and whether or not it is manmade.  The photopeach video link is http://photopeach.com/album/h5ew30.  As expected, they did not mention any type of biofuel or alternatives to petroleum, as energy sources.  One activity I used as a demonstration was frying an egg with calcium oxide and water.  The reaction is so exothermic that it can cook an egg.  Look at the picture below – my kids all circled around and were completely amazed at how fast it happened!

Exothermic reaction of calcium oxide and water

Another highlight for them was making the biodiesel.  I was awarded a grant from NCSTA for $1000 to purchase equipment for the lab.  Students chose canola, peanut, vegetable, or sunflower oil as their starting material.  I made the oil on a Friday, which was a good idea because it had all weekend to sit and separate.  I had been worried about the safety of making the fuel in the classroom, but I went over all the safety precautions with students and they took them seriously – to the point of being paranoid, which I did not mind.  Dr. Schimmel came to visit the day we made the biodiesel.  It was nice for students to have a chance to talk with him and ask him questions during lab, as well as to have another set of eyes during the lab.  Another positive was my assessment.  I chose to have each student write a reflection on whether or not widespread use of biodiesel was a good option for the United States.  I encouraged them to support their opinions with facts and I got some good insight from them.

Preparing biodiesel from peanut oil

Testing biodiesel for pH

The challenges for me were mainly with our time.  As I mentioned, this unit was at the end of the semester, when I was already pressed for time.  Working in the additional activities for biodiesel required more time than I originally planned for the unit.  I realized my students needed more information about petroleum in order to form their own opinions about its use.  They were more interested in learning about the production of biodiesel than the thermochemistry concepts.  While I consider that a success, the thermochemical equations are part of the essential standards and I had to cover them.  Next time, I may introduce petroleum and diesel as a mixture of compounds when I first teach formulas and nomenclature.  I would also like to give them a day in class to research biodiesel production and facts.  This semester, I gave them all the links to data, but they had to access them on their own.  While their papers were decent, I would have liked the time to help them strengthen their responses.

In the end, the biggest success was that my students formed their own informed opinion about the production and use of biodiesel.  They had some really good questions and were encouraged to find their own answers instead of just going with what someone else had told them.  The area that still needs work is my pacing.  I need to include time to cover the essential standards more thoroughly.  I teach this class on a block schedule, so I will make some modifications to my schedule for the spring semester.

As I look back over this year, the value of being a Kenan Fellow is evident in several areas of my teaching.  First, the network of other accomplished professionals I am now a part of will always have an impact on my classroom.  It has been an honor to be in the same cohort as these innovative teachers.  The best practices we have shared during informal conversations as well as their presentations to the entire group have been put to use in my class.  I have made some strong connections to other teachers, both in my content area and outside my grade level, who will give me advice in the future.

The other professional area that this program has strengthened for me is my technology and its use in the classroom.  My students are using QR codes, flipped videos, electronic polls, and texting to communicate and learn.  They are excited about using the technology and, as a result, they are more interested in the content.  The new resources have given me new excitement about teaching too.  It’s definitely not a replacement for me, but a new avenue to connect to today’s students.

Personally, the Fellowship has given me new determination to be a leader in the profession.  One of our speakers at the last PD told us that it’s a long battle and that we need to be prepared to stand up for education for years to come, not just months.  Putting this career into that perspective makes me realize that being a leader is also a long-term commitment.  I will not become a leader in a few months, but over time – the course of my career – I will continue to develop and to find leadership positions where I can make a difference.  The Kenan Fellowship has given me the opportunity to open conversations about data, politics, and teaching.  I will forever be grateful for the skills I have learned about leadership as a part of the Kenan program.

There are so many accolades that this program deserves.  So this post doesn’t turn into a novel, I’ll prioritize and tell you the main “take aways” I have had as a Kenan Fellow.

First, it has given me new energy and excitement about what I do.  I have met some amazing educators in my cohort and it is so awesome to be working with an entire group who is dedicated to this profession.  Unfortunately, the environment surrounding education today is not always positive, so I rely on the support of others to help me stay positive.  We have learned so many leadership skills in our professional developments that I am more confident in taking a leadership role at my school.  I am better-prepared to lead at my school and to keep morale up for my colleagues.  The last gathering was bittersweet because I know I won’t be with these people again until our graduation in May.

Being a Kenan Fellow has also afforded me the opportunity to try out some new ideas in my classroom.  While I’ve never been afraid to try new ideas, this Fellowship helped me focus on new technologies in the classroom.  It has been a lot of fun using QR codes and making flipped videos.  I am also comfortable using technology to collect data.  I take pictures of my classroom with my tablet, I give polls and I use Google Docs.  I feel data-enabled now and I believe I can collect evidences for those teacher evaluation indicators that always give me the most trouble.  My toolbox continues to be filled up by all the ideas from our speakers as well as from the informal conversations with other fellows.  I am a better teacher because of the experience and I do not believe there is another avenue I could have learned all of this in one short year.

photo credit: veryuseful via photopin cc

Oh, yeah, and there was a rafting trip that was pretty memorable too!!  Thank you Lisa, Craig and all of my fellow Fellows for making it an amazing experience.

There are MANY viewpoints on this hot issue in school systems.  I admit, until recently, I’ve been on the side of “no cell phones in class.”  Our school system does have a policy against using them, and I have collected more than a few devices being used during my class.  Our students are literally addicted to using their phones.  They text and tweet non-stop.  I get so tired of them not paying attention during my class because the phone is in their lap!!  But, I might be changing my mind (gasp!)…

A big part of my Kenan experience has been incorporating the technology we learn about in our professional development workshops into my classroom.  A lot of those technologies allow students to use their phones for good – for finding information, enhancing their learning, or for accessing information at their own pace.  I have a better understanding now of the push to give students and teachers access to technology.

My students are using their phones to respond to polls that I give, to keep time on the stopwatch app, and to take pictures of their lab experiment.  My hope is that keeping them engaged in the class will keep them from doing other things with their phones.  Do I catch them texting?  Occasionally, yes.  But, they think of some really creative ways to problem-solve using their electronics, so it’s a compromise I’m willing to make.

Some of my previous posts have focused on the new technologies I’ve learned as a Kenan Fellow.  I’ve blogged about how these tools will change the way I teach in the future.  So, for this post, I decided to focus on the technology in a different light.  I think the thing I’ve learned that will change my teaching is the idea of collecting data in new ways.  Of course, we’ve all been trained on formative and summative data and data analysis for student achievement.  But now I have that awesome Lenovo tablet that can capture images, videos, and surveys from my classes.

Our PD in Raleigh this summer helped me realize that I have missed opportunities to document accomplishments by my students.  I capture certain elements of data each year, but I had not thought about video or photo evidence!  I plan to become more “data informed” so I can overload my administration with all the great things happening in my room.  This PD helped me recognize that the data is there – I just needed to capture it.  Maybe I’m trying to stay lodged in the past, but it used to be enough to show the grades and tell the stories about what a class accomplished in a year.  Those days are gone!  And, while it’s often difficult to quantify what effect a teacher has on a student, we now have standards that require substantial documentation of our practice.

So, my “something learned” is the renewed clarity that I need to document the accomplishments of my students in several different ways.  And thanks to the Kenan Fellowship, I have access to the tools to do this and present it confidently to parents, administrators and the public.  I have already taken a few shots of my classes doing a lab on the first day of school!

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/notbrucelee/7161141748/”>justgrimes</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/”>cc</a>

photo credit: PhotoshopScaresMe.com via photopin cc

As a new school year begins, the most obvious answer to how my fellowship will impact my students’ learning is that they will learn all about biodiesel in my thermochemistry unit.  Of course, small tidbits of information will fall into various other areas of the chemistry curriculum.  Content aside, I’ve been reminded of life as a student.  I will approach working with my students differently, more compassionately and more patiently, because of this experience.  It was uncomfortable for me at first, but then, just like my students, the routine became familiar and I learned how to succeed and accomplish tasks.

But I believe the biggest impact is going to come from all of the resources I have practiced using this summer.   Since this fellowship began, I have a growing list of new resources and technologies for my classroom.  The resources don’t really change the content, but they change either the delivery or the assessment of the content.  I’ve also shared a lot of new ideas with my mentors and colleagues.  They have signed up for an animoto education account and are using it to make some recruiting videos for the bioengineering department at NC A&T.  And I’ve introduced my principal to Remind 101 and he’s interested in using it for our staff!  I have even volunteered to share all my resources with teachers at school who need some renewal credits with technology.  Here’s my list and how I’ll use them this year in my classes.  Keep sharing all the great ideas!

1.  gosoapbox.com – I am going to use this for some formative assessments in the classroom and to get feedback on some lessons.  I used it during my externship with a summer camp group and their feedback was positive.  Thanks Jason Lineberger.

2.  photopeach – I’ve made a video for my module (thanks Kimberly Sanderlin!)  These are so quick to make, I’m planning on making some to introduce a few other chapters and get the class talking.

3.  animoto – I’ve made several videos for my module and for my Kenan blog.  I’m thinking about incorporating this into a student project where they can create their own videos.

4.  QR codes – thanks Karen Martin – I’ve made QR codes for chemical lab equipment and my students will scan the code to learn about the piece of equipment and how to use it.

5.  Curriki – since we made our Kenan group, I”ve found a few new ideas for my classes.

6.  yola.com and weebly.com – I’ve made a website for my module!  I know, I can’t believe it either, but it’s very easy and it looks professional.

7.  screen cast-o-matic and scriblink websites – I’ve made a few flipped classroom videos for chemistry.  I’ll be curious to see how the students respond to them!

8.  Remind 101 – texting for teachers – I’ve set up my classes for the fall semester for communication.