ImagineIT Phase 5
Conferring with Colleagues
I was fortunate enough to share my ImagineIT project and the dilemmas I identified in Phase 4 with five of my colleagues: two science teachers, two math teachers, and my assistant principal. The group was incredibly candid with their conversation and provided me with invaluable feedback for my project. The group suggested that some of the problems that I was experiencing with my identify work could be the result of not properly modeling for my students what it means to take on the identity of a scientist, specifically when it comes to implementing our 20% projects. This would help counteract the dilemma I identified of students not receiving culturally relevant instruction in their other classes and then coming to my classroom in the afternoon. While my colleagues were quick to say that I am only responsible for my classroom and can’t singlehandedly change instruction across the building, I was surprised the four teachers were interested in joining a PBL professional learning community (PLC) that meets biweekly after school. I shared this information with my principal in the hopes that I could have time during our upcoming staff professional development day to recruit for this new PLC.
I was fortunate enough to share my ImagineIT project and the dilemmas I identified in Phase 4 with five of my colleagues: two science teachers, two math teachers, and my assistant principal. The group was incredibly candid with their conversation and provided me with invaluable feedback for my project. The group suggested that some of the problems that I was experiencing with my identify work could be the result of not properly modeling for my students what it means to take on the identity of a scientist, specifically when it comes to implementing our 20% projects. This would help counteract the dilemma I identified of students not receiving culturally relevant instruction in their other classes and then coming to my classroom in the afternoon. While my colleagues were quick to say that I am only responsible for my classroom and can’t singlehandedly change instruction across the building, I was surprised the four teachers were interested in joining a PBL professional learning community (PLC) that meets biweekly after school. I shared this information with my principal in the hopes that I could have time during our upcoming staff professional development day to recruit for this new PLC.
Conferring with Students
After speaking with my colleagues, I met with seven of my environmental science periods during their lunch period. Three of the students are also in my STEM design course and one is in my One Goal class. One of the students was in my introduction to science topics course her freshman year and the other students were in the other teacher’s class. The students spoke about a medical unit they had their freshman year where they had to diagnose four patients after completing a series of labs. They said they liked this unit because they felt like they were able to take on the role of a doctor rather than complete a lab. This surprised me because I thought that this is what I had been setting up for them this year, but they didn’t feel as connected with the material this year like they did during that medical unit. We also discussed their 20% projects and I shared the feedback I had received from my colleagues about the need to model more. The students definitely agreed, but also wanted to see what project I would complete during the process as well. They also asked for more feedback and guidance on the project, which I had been deliberately withholding for fear that I would come across that I was micromanaging the process. |
Changes to ImagineIT
In addition to hopefully starting a new PLC in the school, I will also be restructuring the way that I introduce units. I want to have students take on more specific roles (e.g. engineer, environmental biologist, environmental lawyer) starting from the first day of the unit as they work toward their final performance task. Additionally, the students asked for different scenarios and dilemmas - like brainteasers - to work through with their groups. We will be starting our next 20% cycle right before Thanksgiving break. At this time I will lead students in a conversation to specifically identify the supports that each individual student needs to support their inquiry and model how to carry out a 20% project by actually working on my own project alongside my students.
In addition to hopefully starting a new PLC in the school, I will also be restructuring the way that I introduce units. I want to have students take on more specific roles (e.g. engineer, environmental biologist, environmental lawyer) starting from the first day of the unit as they work toward their final performance task. Additionally, the students asked for different scenarios and dilemmas - like brainteasers - to work through with their groups. We will be starting our next 20% cycle right before Thanksgiving break. At this time I will lead students in a conversation to specifically identify the supports that each individual student needs to support their inquiry and model how to carry out a 20% project by actually working on my own project alongside my students.