Amazing Race:COCISD Week 5 Challenge- Working in the Power Zone

The competition is getting tight! COHS is still in the lead with the most people earning at least one badge, but only by 1- JSE/CIS and LJH are close behind!

Congratulations to Natalie Martin and Matthew Richey for earning a shirt by completing 6 Amazing COCISD professional development challenges!  That's 2 teachers from LJH that have completed the Amazing Race:COCISD and 1 from CIS/JSE!

Working in the Power Zone- it's a phrase used to describe the most effective position in your classroom.  Check out the Prezi below- it uses a video creation tool called "Xtra Normal" for the first part, and then when that's finished, click the forward arrow located under the viewing window. You will need to know the differences between the 3 zones described in the Prezi for this week's challenge.

After watching and reading the Prezi, create an Animoto that compares the 3 different work zones in a classroom.  

Here is the criteria:

• Create an Education account, so that your students can use your educator's code in their "Account Info" and create Animotos with a longer length than the free version.
• Compare and contrast the 3 types of work zones by finding images that represent each. 
• There should be at least 2 images to represent each work zone.
• Give credit where credit is due: One way is to add text boxes at the end of the video to put the websites where you got your images.  You can put more than one website on a text box.  Another way is to put all the sites in your description, which you will see after you click on the "Produce" button. 
• Share your Animoto by tweeting it out with #amazingCOCISD or pin it on a Pinterest board.  Click here for directions on how to share.

Here is a help video to get you going with Animoto. 

-----------------  No Bonus Will Be Given Out This Week  -----------------------------------

Amazing Race:COCISD Week 4

We have our first Amazing Race:COCISD finisher: Melanie Peiskee on the Lincoln Junior High team! Way to go, Melanie!  She has completed each challenge posted so far, and has completed each bonus, so that she already has a total of 6 badges!

More stats: We still have COHS in the lead now with 13 people earning at least 1 badge, and their leading now by 2 people!  CIS/JSE is in second and LJH is in third place.

This week's theme is building good parent/teacher communication.
Watch the video to see suggestions on a positive conference experience with parents. Click here to watch.  A more experienced teacher once told me that talking with parents is like working a bank. The more you add positive "relationship coins" the more they are prepared when you need to talk with them about the tough topics- the withdrawal isn't so painful if you have plenty in the bank :)

To earn this week's badge, please create a digital Parent Contact Log using a Google Form.  Follow the directions in the video below to create it.

Why create a digital Parent Contact Log?

• prevents loss of a paper copy
• conveniently located in one place- your computer desktop, so you have it when you need it
• reduces paperwork shuffle at the end of each 6 weeks because it's already shared with your supervisor/principal
• when a parent calls the principal, the principal already is aware of situations by reading your Contact Log
• it's a place you can document positive conversations or comments you share with parents

To see this video full screen, click on the top edge of the video.  It will open up full screen.

You earn your badge for Week 4 Challenge when you email me the link to your form.  Since this is your live form, you should not tweet it out or put it in a reply to this post.

Amazing Race:COCISD Week 3 Challenge Bonus Badge- Getting "Caught" in the Act of Doing Good!

Bonus Badge for Week 3:  It’s the season for giving thanks, so “catch” another staff member doing something good for the campus, department, or for you, and share it out by clicking on the "comments" link below. Let's see how many different people we can acknowledge! Those of you on Twitter, go ahead and tweet it and include #amazingCOCISD :)

Amazing Race:COCISD Week 3

Way to go, COCISD! So far we have the COHS team in the lead!  Follow the directions below to earn the "Framing the Lesson" badge on your badge banner and in your Credly account. 

Remember!  It's never too late to begin- 6 badges by Christmas break 

earns you a collared spirit shirt!

What does the phrase "Framing the lesson" mean?  Watch the video or read the blog post below:

OR

Read this blog post.

Next:

Open your Google Drive and create a one slide presentation that “frames the lesson.”  Your slide should have the wording “We will…” and “I will” statements.  See the expectations by watching the video at this link.

How to use this slide in your real life presentations to frame your lesson:
After doing this slide, you will be able to click on that slide in the slide sorter, right click, and copy. You can go to another presentation, click at the beginning of your lesson and paste it. Then click at the end of your lesson and paste it.
You have now created a nice visual to remind you to Frame Your Lesson!

To earn your badge for this, you need to reply to this post with your link to your slide and a comment. You will click the word "comments" to post your comment. Watch the video link above to see how to get your link!

Week 2 Challenge Bonus Badge!

This is a preso slide from Slides Carnival- great place to get free templates

Here's your chance to earn another badge- related to the theme "Classroom Management."

CIS and JSE teachers:  Sign up for an account with Class Dojo  , add the app to your iPad, and use it with at least one of your classes. 

LJH and COHS teachers:   Use either of these tools to create an account and use it with one of your classes:  

• Classcraft: a simulation environment similar to being in a video game. Here's an overview. If you need more assistance, let me know!
• ClassBadges: an online way for students to earn badges you designate. You set up an online class, your students are assigned accounts, and you decide which badges the students can earn. Here's an overview. If you need more assistance, let me know!

 It may take a week or two to earn this badge! To earn this badge, please tweet, pin, or  Email me some photos that shows it in action.  I will be making a presentation showcasing these tools in action to share on the blog! 

Amazing Race:COCISD Week 2 Challenge!

image from:witherseducation.wordpress.com

Week 2 Challenge: Trying New Tools for Classroom Management!

Do you look forward to your day with your students?  Sometimes we get so involved with the work related to teaching our students, we inadvertently put aside the work of relationships with our students. For this challenge, please read one of the following blog posts and trying a suggestion from one of them.  Take a picture that shows the suggestion in action and tweet it using #amazingCOCISD  or  add it to a Pinterest board you've started called "Classroom Management Ideas."  Using your phone's camera to take pictures showing your ideas in practice is allowed, but please, do not use student names.

We Are Teachers blog

Scholastic Teachers blog

Edutopia blog

Don't like any of my blog suggestions?  

• Use your Twitter PLN by clicking in the search box and typing #classmanagement to find a classroom management suggestion.
• Use your Pinterest PLN by clicking in the search box and typing classroom management.

To learn how to tweet a picture, it's 3 steps-click here for help.  If you want to post an image to your board, it's 4 steps- click here for help.

Please remember to create a Credly account so I can send you digital badges.  They will be great for adding to your artifacts for your evaluation.  I will be coming by your room to put a badge on your badge banner, too!  These challenges also accrue as CPE credits.  You will receive a certificate at the end of the Amazing Race:COCISD.  Each challenge is 1 CPE credit.

Amazing Race:COCISD Week One: "I Don't Do Twitter"

There's been a great response to Week 1 Challenge! Which school is ahead? It's too close to call!

Did you notice that the challenge was about building your Personal Learning Network?  It's a great opportunity to make connections with other educators who can give advice, offer support, and open your mind to new ideas and strategies.

Twitter is my favorite digital tool for this because it's a quick way to connect, and to find help and help others- I enjoy participating/reading Twitter chats.  Here's a short video from @coolcatteacher that shows how.  Here's a list  of regularly scheduled chats.

"I Don't Do Twitter!" 

Not a fan of Twitter? No problem!  Remember, the goal of Week 1 Challenge is to create a PLN, so choose another digital tool- like Pinterest! Check out the video below for help.  To earn your PLN badge using Pinterest, create a board that has at least 3 pins and invite me to it!

 Pinterest has lots of resources for all subjects that are taught in our district- even our electives!

Together We're Better:

 If you "don't do Twitter," try this way to connect with others, you deserve to have a network of educators to relate with and grow with!