What have I done so far and Where am I going? (Mid-Year Reflection)

Personalization

We began the year with some short "identity" activities which provided my students and I the time to get to know each other. We used meaningful circles and developmental design team building lessons during TA (a 25 minute morning advisory) and 2 days a week in Opportunity Time (a 45 minute class at the end of the day) then celebrated our team Elmore State Park where we participated in team challenges, a BBQ, and play.

Currently, in Opportunity Time (OT), students have begun investigating "what makes you interesting" by learning from the experts, interviewing each other, and completing a few personal interest surveys. Next, students are setting a personal goal to do one of the following:

1.  Choose ONE thing that makes you interesting to show off, design and implement a project, and present to your teammates

2.  Choose ONE thing that you would like to add to your list of things that make you interesting, design and complete a project, and present to your teammates 

Last year during OT, we jumped right into setting personal goals.  I have noticed that some of our students from last year, which are still part of our team this year, are struggling with the structure. One student commented last week by saying, "How is this going to make me more interesting?"   Overall, the conversations that the students are having with each other and the feedback they are getting from one another has been wonderful to hear. One student gleamed with pride and said, "I didn't know you thought I was witty!" 

Honestly, we have done very little to include our students in our Learning Lab. I really didn't realize how little until I was asked to reflect on their involvement. The students have been involved in a few discussions and have created a flipgrid while answering the following questions:

1) What dies personalizationmean to you?

2) Do you feel like you have the chance to use what personaling interests you in your classes? 

2b) If yes, can you give me an example? 

      If no, what personal interest do you wish you could include in your classes?

From the Flip Grids I learned that my students don't really understand the meaning of personalized learning. Therefore, I would like to plan a lesson where students can explore the meaning of personalized learning while viewing artifacts and having discussions. 

We are documenting student responses and feedback in a course on Schoology. We are trying out Schoology Portfolios and setting up badges for students to earn when proficiencies are met. The students will be deciding which scholarly habit to align their goal to and if it aligns with a core learning target then that will be assessed, too. 

My biggest fear is that I am asking my 5th and 6th grade students to participate in something that they are not emotionally or mentally capable of due to their age. Are there other schools getting 10 and 11 year olds involved in personalization?

Using PBL to show achievement:

In 5th and 6th grade Science, we have 7 learning targets that are weaved throughout the year.  Fifth grade students begin their experience at the very concrete stage and are assessed at the "Getting Started" level on the learning scale.  Sixth grade students will begin their experience at a variety of levels because this is the second year I have had them in Science; they were able to begin at the concrete stage last year.  

I communicate the learning targets and scales with the students by posting them in the classroom, inserting them into the assignments in Schoology, and referring to them during instruction.  Also, students are asked to reflect on their achievement of the learning target and adding the reflection to their assignment then submitting it to Schoology.  Having Mastery Scales to guide my lesson plans have pushed me to be more mindful in my planning, in the tasks I am asking of my students, and in the mastery assessments I am implementing.

Current Learning Scales that are posted

5th grade are in blue

6th grade are in red

The arrows show the students where I expect them to be by the end of the quarter.

Another way that I have communicated where "on target" is for each assignment is by writing the abbreviation next to the title of the assignment in Schoology.  See example below.

I have noticed that students, and I am sure parents are as well, are a bit overwhelmed with the amount of learning targets presented to them.  I know that I have 7 for science, there 12 in math, and about 22 in Humanities.  I would like to make learning targets and scales for transferable skills that can be assessed in science, math, and humanities while still completing content goals.

I am on track for providing enough opportunities for students to have evidence on all 7 science targets by the end of 6th grade.  Once the students leave 6th grade, they will continue working on the same 7 science targets but the students will be asked to move toward a higher depth of knowledge.  For example, 

Proficiency for matter in 6th grade:                                                                 

I can demonstrate that matter is made of basic elements and can combine in different ways.

Proficiency for matter in 8th grade:

I can use my understanding of the model of the atom, along with the periodic table, to explain and predict the properties of matter. I can demonstrate how matter is transformed and that it is conserved during transformations.