TLAC - No Opt Out

Since I've moved to teaching the Computer Elective - things have been a little bit of a challenge.  I don't have to worry too much about hitting certain standards to improve test scores, I don't have to keep 700 million pencils on hand, I don't have too much of the paper run around.

However, things are very different.  How do you use a strategy, a proven strategy, in a computer elective where there isn't much of the overall questioning?

I've modifed No Opt Out with my students having to turn in assignments, like their warm ups.  When my students walk into my computer class, they have an online warm up scan that they must complete.  The answers are submitted electronically and then they are emailed to me.  (Note: as a classroom blogging software Edublogs are the way to go.  I've paid for the PRO account so I can add the Forms software.  That's how I'm able to use the online grade sheet.)

Their answers are emailed to me.  I have them automatically put in a separate file.

I love grading their papers this way - because I just scroll through all the responses and check their answers really quickly.  When/If they get all the warm up questions incorrect, I have them go back and re-do their work.

To me, they could very easily click A - A - A as their answers and it's just like an "I don't know"  Also, by checking them that day, in class... no one is allowed to "forget" to do their warm up.  They must get it done and that's how I sorted out my "No Opt Out" challenge.

September Currently & Book Study Part 2

Wow!!  It's already September!  I can't believe that I've already finished my first 4 weeks of school.  However, if it's September, that means it's time for an Oh Boy Currently!

My favorite things?  

1. My computer classes and my computer lab are SO number one at the moment.  I've been telling my friends that I'm never going to go back to the stress of a "content" class with testing, test scores and all that jazz.  One day, I took pictures of all my students (about 140 of them) and then we did fun green screen backgrounds!  My kids are all happy to come to my class and I just love it!  It's nice to see after my hellish year last year.

2.  My husband and I are Dancing with the Stars junkies.  We've been watching since season 4 and we even got to go to a taping last year.  (SO FUN!)  We're excited about this All-Star season coming up.

3.  My new lesson planning format that I made I just LOVE!  It has everything that I need all in one place.  Now that my principal checks our plans = stress!  It's nice to have something that he's okay with and I don't have to write out 7 step plans everyday.

In my previous post, I asked about people wanting to do a book study for Teach like a Champion. It seems like there's a fair amount of interest and I'm sure it will grow once we get started.

I was thinking that we could pick a strategy a week to focus on - like No Opt Out and then on Saturday discuss how the strategy worked during that week in our classroom.  Does that work?  Any ideas?  Let me know in the comments?  (PS - I got emails and comments, so I thought it would be easier to reply to everyone back here! :) )  It should be easy to keep up with - the strategy sections are small and we can keep up with one topic a week.  If bloggers want to jump in or out we can do it at any time.  Also, I think I have some people that want to participate, but don't blog... I think you can just comment on my original post?  That could work, or I could host all your comments on my blog too.

Maybe, I would set up the inlinkz for each week, so readers can jump around and see how the strategies were used in different classroom settings?

Feedback?  Still want to join?  Let me know in the comments!

Teach like a Champion

Does anyone out there in blog land want to do a Book Study about this book?  It's one of my favorites and I think it would work well if people shared how the teaching tip worked in their classroom.  It would be able to be done easily no matter the curriculum, subject or grade level.

I would be happy to coordinate, but would just like to gauge some interest! Thanks!

Interested?  Email me!  freelauren21@gmail.com