Oak Ridge 7th Grade Annual Movie Trailer Awards

On Wednesday March 23^rd, the Oak Ridge Media Center was turned into the Shaffgoomeier Theater, the setting for the 7^th Grade Reading/Language Arts Movie Trailer Awards Show.  Over the course of two weeks, Christy Good, Ryan Shaffer, and Brittany Hagmeier, had students create movie trailers using Windows Movie Maker showcasing books they had recently read.

The teachers enlisted the help of Todd Lane, Middle School Technology Integration Coach to demonstrate and assist students in the making of the trailers.  Ryan approached Todd about introducing students to Windows Movie Maker and to be an extra person to help when students had problems or questions.

Each student completed their own unique movie trailer  and uploaded the video to a personal YouTube account.  From there they shared it with their teacher via a Google Form.  Once shared, the students voted on their favorites in five different categories: Best Images, Soundtrack, Special Effects, Persuasive, and Overall Best.  The teachers also added a bonus category: Critic’s Choice.  This award was created and voted on by only the three teachers.  Students received trophies if they were the winner of the category.

When Todd initially heard about the awards, his brain started spinning and he emailed Sue Kraus, the Media Center Specialist.

Todd stated, “I instantly brainstormed ideas that I had that might make this an experience that the students would remember forever.  Why just present awards within the classroom?  Award shows present on stages, in front of peers, and it is a celebration.  If I’ve learned anything from the PLC process, it’s that we need some celebration when learning takes place. I wanted this for the students.”

After class Todd collaborated with Sue.  Within an hour, they decided on having all classes come to the media center for the awards, having red carpet, paparazzi, green screens, and students/faculty dressed to the T, just like a real award show.  When Todd and Sue shared the ideas with Christy Good, also a team leader for Oak Ridge, he’ll never forget the look on her face.  It was shock, excitement, and a little apprehension.  Could we really pull this off? It took a couple of discussions with the teachers and some careful planning of schedules, but the award show was planned.

The day of the show, the Media Center was transformed.  There were two green screen stations set up, Nicole Redington (Oak Ridge Instructional Coach) and Debra Barry (LM Teacher Leader Coordinator) posed at Paparazzi, taking photos as other Oak Ridge staff conducted interviews with the students as they walked on the red carpet to take their seats in the theater. 

Oak Ridge students pose for the camera.  A green screen transforms them to the Oscars.

Once the students were settled Todd became the host for the event, to which he added an amazing monologue, humor, and that once in a lifetime awards pose using a selfie stick that he just happened to have with him. The categories were announced with the nominees for each class with the winner coming up to accept their trophy from their teacher.  

Proud students with their awards.

Proud students with their awards.

Proud students with their awards.

More memorable moments of the day.

Students pose for the red carpet and with awards.

The excitement was real, the disappointment was real, and the overall energy and appreciation for their peers was genuine.

The many hats Todd Lane wore at the celebration.

"The students loved the experience and are still talking about that day.  I enjoyed working with the students and appreciated the trust that Christy, Ryan, and Brittany had for me and Sue to create an awards show that would allow for memories, fun, and some friendly competition at Oak Ridge.  I am thankful to the teachers, Sue Kraus and Susan Taylor for their contributions and transformation in the Media Center, and the participation of the staff and the students who made the day and the movie trailers amazing.”

                              

                                                                                                                        ~Todd Lane

Write like a SUPER HERO

Sometimes teachers need to draw upon super hero powers to help students succeed in the classroom.  At a recent 2^nd grade team meeting, Instructional Coach, Terri Streicher, teamed up with second grade teachers Jesse Hart, Kari Thomsen, Kristen Hatfield, Katie Kensinger,  and Ryan Gotto, Technology Integration Coach, to make some heroic leaps and bounds with writers.

Linn-Mar’s current literacy program is Journeys.  The second grade students had a story coming up in their Journey's textbook Dex: The Heart of a Hero, about a dog who wanted to be a super hero.  During a planning meeting, Terri suggested they use that story as a springboard for an opinion writing piece, “What is the best super power to have?”  What followed was an exchange of ideas, including having kids brainstorm the pros and cons of each super power. 

Ryan Gotto came in and took green screen pictures of the teachers and kids acting out each super power.  Mr. Gotto and Mrs. Streicher co-taught with the teachers on how to put their writing in their blog, too.

The teachers even created a Super Hero themed week with additional activities.  The teachers have all commented how engaging and motivating this writing project has been.  

"We really enjoyed the process of working with Terri and Ryan to create a fun and meaningful learning activity for our second graders. The superhero activity tied in perfectly to our theme and writing focus, and our students were extremely engaged!"

                                                                                                                                     ~Kari Thomsen

The next phase is to come back and co-teach leaving our friends comments on their stories/pictures.  This collaborative effort, shows teachers and coaches improving practice to impact daily instruction of Journeys.  Well done, Bowman Woods coaches and teachers.

A Day in the Life of a Student Support Instructional Coach

by:  Symon Sanborn

Symon Sanborn and Beth Hayes collaborate at a recent teacher leader PLC meeting.

When I was approached with the idea of being an Instructional Coach, I was a bit caught off guard. I’d been a behavior specialist and teacher for 8 years at Echo Hill Elementary School and truly loved my job. The thought of not working one on one with students in the behavior program and the amazing teachers there saddened me, but my principal put it in these words, “As an Instructional Coach, you’re going to be able to share all of your knowledge about behaviors with other teachers and make a larger impact.” With those words of encouragement, that led me to apply and thankfully become an Instructional Coach for the 2016 school year. What I’ve learned is that teachers have the best ideas and approaches to the success of their students, coaching allows us to work together to pull those ideas to the surface.

Special Education is a very different area of education and at the same time it isn’t. For anyone in the teaching arena, student achievement is our focus. Whether you’re a general education teacher or a special education teacher the goal is always the same, making sure students have everything they need to be successful. Having worked with students who have Level 2-3 behaviors, you’re adding another level of support, while still driving for their success and achievement. The philosophy I’ve always approached these students with has been to have them be with their peers in a general education classroom, while we give them a leg up or two with how to deal with stresses of daily life. Their ability to understand and recognize when times are hard and know how to cope and deal with these stresses can reflect directly on their success.

Having had the opportunity to observe almost every teacher in special education at Linn-Mar, I’m amazed at the level of expertise, passion, and drive these teachers have. To manage student’s academics, manage their behaviors, manage associates in their programs, and still communicate with general education teaches can be quite a handful. They all do this with smiles on their faces and it’s inspiring to know we have people like this in our district.  One of the awesome things that my role as an Instructional Coach has allowed me is being able to step back and see the small gaps between programs, between levels in buildings, and between teachers. This is where our cognitive coaching has really opened my eyes to how we can help as coaches, tapping into a teachers knowledge and how finding solutions really is just us going on a journey of discovery together.

I’ve also spent a good amount of time in general education classrooms in our district to see how teachers are using their classroom management to help support, not only the behavior focused students in their classrooms, but their general education students. These management tools can reach across all areas of education and have an impact in other classrooms. Opportunities have also presented themselves where I get to go back into a teaching role and model social skills and academic lessons for students in the behavior programs. I revel in the chance to get back in front of students and model these lessons for teachers. I think helping students learn to cope with the world we find ourselves in is very important.

We’ve all heard it before that teaching is a passion. We don’t go into it for a big paycheck or notoriety. Having looked at things from, “this side of the desk,” I feel like I’ve been given a gift to have had a chance to observe amazing teachers, understand all that goes into helping all students, and be able to coach teachers in finding the best ways to support students. The teachers of our district have that passion and enjoy the big “paycheck” of the success of their students.

To contact Symon click here or call 319-892-4871

Technology Brings Curriculum to Life

Meet Beth Goldberg, 7^th grade social studies teacher at Oak Ridge Middle School.  Beth is also one of 35 model teachers in our district.  Recently Beth teamed up with Todd Lane, and Ryan Gotto, Technology Integration Coaches, to spice up one of her content goals.

In social studies Beth’s students focus all year on the skill of being able to develop an argument on a topic and defend that argument with supporting facts.  Her students were allowed to choose from a variety of topics related to Ancient Greece.  Next they had to decide if they agreed or disagreed with the statement provided. For example, let's say the topic was Alexander the Great and the statement was Alexander the Great was not so great. They would need to choose if they agreed or disagreed, and defend that opinion using relevant support. They could choose to defend their viewpoints in the form of an essay, a live speech, or a video using the green screen.

Enter Todd and Ryan into the equation. After the students wrote their argument they filmed themselves defending it using the green screen. Afterward they were able to “transport” themselves back to Ancient Greece using pictures they found for the background of their videos.  So, in addition to talking about Alexander the Great, they could actually make it look like they were standing next to him on the battlefield.

Todd and Ryan worked with students that chose the video. Beth commented on the project:

"They helped students film, edit, research for more information and upload their videos. Todd even created a form that I put on my website so students could easily upload their completed videos. They were a huge help!" 

This is a great example of a project that shows teachers how to utilize technology to support current curriculum and enhance everyday learning.  

Reflections of a Coach

Reflections of a Coach

by: Beth Hayes

Beth Hayes collaborates with Tammy Krotz and Kate Turner at a recent meeting.

After spending a semester as an Instructional Coach for Student Support Services, I wanted to share my educational background, and journey in my new role as part of the Teacher Leadership Program at Linn-Mar Community Schools. 

I currently hold a Masters in Special Education and 4 endorsements; Strategist I, Strategist II, reading, early childhood, and consulting.  My classroom experience includes teaching students in Levels 1, 2, and 3. I recently left my Level 2 classroom of five years at Bowman Woods Elementary. I chose to take on this position is to assist teachers from burning out. Special Education can be overwhelming with paperwork and instructional materials, designing for every student in every subject. Plus, understanding behaviors and strategies to implement to prevent and react to behaviors. Managing adults in the classroom and accommodations in place! Nothing is consistently the same from year to year. So many pieces go into teaching in the Special Education world. My goal is always to assist teachers in a variety of ways to enable them to relieve stress and create a better “system” to the “madness”. 

Beth Hayes, SS Instructional Coach, models a math lesson for a Student Support Services Teacher.

Throughout first semester I spent time assisting teachers in learning about and implementing new instructional materials to better fit the needs of their diverse learners. I assisted teachers in creating schedules, work systems, and developed work tasks. I modeled lessons to provide teachers a visual aid for implementing new instruction or revamping the “boring” curriculum they are using. I have conducted professional developments for teachers and associates around behavior, accessible instructional materials, and alternate assessment. I am the coordinator of our district alternate assessment. I’m currently assisting with refining our writing instruction, assessment, and goals for all grade levels. I just finished my challenge of getting 30 teachers out of their classrooms to observe their peers to provide visual professional development.  

Through my cognitive coaching training,  I found I don’t need to know and have experienced everything to be able to coach teachers. We have the ideas within us! Through coaching we are able to bounce our ideas off each other and come to a point where we can move forward with clarity. As everyone knows some problems are more difficult to resolve. I will be the first to let you know that I don't know something and will go research the answer for you. Teaching is not about knowing and becoming skilled at the research-based “rules” that good teachers follow; rather, it is about revealing the “exceptions”- understanding the individual child they are working with and discovering what he or she needs to learn.” (Pete Hall) Every student is different and it can be a struggle to individualize every year with every student. I have observed every student support classroom in our district. I look forward to assisting you with ideas or putting you in touch with another teacher to collaborate and grow. 

I leave you with this closing quote.  I like this because it reminds us that it is okay to ask others for help, or a second set of eyes.  As a team we can provide each other with such value.  “The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives.” – Robert John Meehan  

Contact Beth Hayes @ bhayes@linnmar.k12.ia.us  or 319-892-4870