Tonight's discussion will start out talking about the 4 C's: Communication, Collaboration, Creativity & Critical Thinking.

• Q1: How do you encourage your students to communicate & collaborate in your classroom? In what ways do you encourage teamwork?
• Q2: Many experts say we can't teach creativity. Regardless of its truth, what opportunities do your students have to be creative?
• Q3: Critical Thinking & Problem Solving are important life skills. When can your students refine these skills in your classroom?
  

The rest of the questions will focus on 21st Century skills that don't get as much attention as the 4 C's!

• Q4: One of the best ways to get your students thinking is by making them ask complex questions. How do you do that in your class?
  
• Q5: Some children have trouble with criticism or give up at the first sign of failure. How do you encourage grit & perseverance?
  
• Q6: So often, children won't do things unless they're told to. What are some ways we can make students more self-directed?
  
• Q7: What are some ways that you encourage your students to meet deadlines & produce results that meet your expectations?
  
• Q8: After lessons, my students reflect on & synthesize their learning in their ePortfolios. How can we get students to reflect?
  
• Q9: Kids need to learn how to guide others & how to listen to others. When can your kids practice being a leader & a follower?
  

Resources:

• Here is a blog post where I describe how my classroom has changed over time to include more 21st Century Skill instruction: My "21st Century Classroom" Today versus Earlier This Millennium.
• Here is the list of 21st Century Skills that I teach, encourage, have students practice, and assess all year: http://psolarz.weebly.com/21st-century-skills1.html.
• Here is how I assess those 21st Century skills: http://psolarz.weebly.com/21st-century-assessment.html.

My answers (with links to resources) to the questions above:

• A1 - "Teaching & Assessing 21st Century Skills: Communication:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/09/teaching-and-assessing-21st-century-skills-communication.html
  
• A1 - "Teaching & Assessing 21st Century Skills: Collaboration:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/09/teaching-and-assessing-21st-century-skills-collaboration.html
  
• A2 - "Journal Writing from the Perspective of a Colonial Apprentice:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2013/09/journal-writing-from-the-perspective-of-a-colonial-apprentice.html
  
• A2 - "Can a Technology Upgrade for this Old-Fashioned Project Improve Student Learning and Motivation?" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2014/01/researching-famous-people-a-blend-of-old-new.html
  
• A3 - "The Role of a Science Fair in the 21st Century Classroom:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2014/02/the-role-of-a-science-fair-in-the-21st-century-classroom.html
  
• A3 - "Colonizing Mars in order to learn our Constitution! A Problem-Solving Simulation:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/colonize-mars1.html
  
• A4 - "Get Your Students to Ask Questions & Learn About Topics They're Interested In:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2013/09/step-by-step-directions-for-creating-passion-projects-in-our-classroom.html
  
• A4 - "Using Peer Feedback to Improve the Quality of Passion Projects:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/mr-solarz-eportfolio.html
  
• A5 - Alternative Energy Debates: - http://psolarz.weebly.com/energy-debates.html - http://psolarz.weebly.com/energy-debates1.html
  
• A5 - "Marble Coasters Investigation:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/marble-coasters.html (Can't move on until successful)
  
• A6 - My students run our end-of-the-day routine: http://psolarz.weebly.com/rearjmcl.html They also take attendance & set everything up in the AM.
  
• A6 - "Who Owns the Learning? Examples of 5th Graders Running the Show:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/who-owns-the-learning-examples-of-5th-graders-running-the-show.html
  
• A6 - "The Value of Reader's Theater in the 21st Century Classroom" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2013/12/readers-theaters-skits-and-plays-in-the-21st-century-classroom.html
  
• A7 - "Can a Technology Upgrade for this Old-Fashioned Project Improve Student Learning & Motivation?" http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2014/01/researching-famous-people-a-blend-of-old-new.html
  
• A7 - Passion Time/Genius Hour is a great way to get students to plan steps & meet deadlines: http://psolarz.weebly.com/2013-2014-passion-projects.html
  
• A8 - My students complete ePortfolio entries regularly to reflect & synthesize their learning: http://psolarz.weebly.com/e-portfolios.html
  
• A8 - "My newest unit: The Oregon Trail - A focus on Reflection & Synthesis:" http://psolarz.weebly.com/westward-expansion.html 

Here are the archives from this chat:

My Students' ePortfolios:

• All of them in one place: http://psolarz.weebly.com/e-portfolios.html
• My Sample ePortfolio (to show as a model): http://psolarz.weebly.com/0---mr-solarz-sample-portfolio
• Sample Student Blog (Ethan): http://psolarz.weebly.com/11---ethan-k

Blog Posts that I've Written/Videos that I've Been a Part of:

• Reflective ePortfolios as a Means of Improving Student Learning
  
• Improving My Students' Written Reflections Through Online Directions & Exemplars
  
• Teaching and Assessing 21st Century Skills: Reflection & Synthesis
  
• Using ePortfolios to Synthesize and Reflect on New Learning
  
• Students Reflecting on the First Few Weeks of School
• Using a Reflective ePortfolio Entry to Get to Know Your Students' Academic Abilities
• Introducing Blended Learning to Students in a Traditional 5th Grade Classroom
• Project Roundtable: Using Online Portfolios as More than Digital Scrapbooks
• Digital Portfolios with @PaulSolarz via EduSlam
  

Other People's Blog Posts:

• Examples of Digital Portfolios
  
• Digital Portfolio Student Examples
  
• iPad Summit Boston: Digital Portfolios

I will eventually start using tags in my blogs, but I'm not there yet!

Math:

• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/10/creating-tessellations-online-and-with-pattern-blocks.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/10/pointing-out-the-21st-century-aspects-of-my-very-traditional-looking-math-class.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2013/10/a-creative-way-to-compare-and-contrast-the-properties-of-polygons.html

Science:

• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/10/synthesizing-knowledge-about-insulators-to-create-the-ultimate-insulated-bottle.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/10/transforming-your-classroom-to-learn-about-insulators.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/10/learning-about-conductors-through-a-demonstration-using-butter-warm-water-and-5-rods-made-of-different-materials.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/09/having-students-use-temperature-probes-to-graph-heat-transfers.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/09/explaining-energy-transfers-in-toys-on-youtube.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/09/scavenger-hunt-for-eight-forms-of-energy.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/08/stored-energy-vs-energy-in-motion.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2013/08/using-a-reflective-eportfolio-entry-about-a-fun-science-experiment-to-get-to-know-your-students-academic-abilities.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2013/05/video-explanations-of-scientific-concepts-at-the-scitech-museum.html
  
• http://psolarz.weebly.com/37/post/2012/10/using-createlycom-to-help-students-collaborate-on-graphic-organizers-online.html

More subjects to come!

Julie Jee (@mrsjjee)
Lisa Mims (@briteeyes49) - http://oldschoolteach.com
Maria Caplin (@mariacaplin) - http://www.teachingin21.blogspot.com
Katy Gartside (@katygartside)
Kathryn Hoffman (@kkht6912)
Billy Spicer (@mrbillyspicer) - http://spicingupteaching.com/blog/
Brianne Koletsos (@b_kol) - http://briannekoletsos.wordpress.com
Scott Jones (@escott818) - http://theleadgoose.blogspot.com
Matt Coaty (@mcoaty) - http://educationalaspirations.com
Tim Walker (@timdwalk) - http://www.taughtbyfinland.com
Kimberly Hurd (@khurdhorst) - http://seedsforlearning.blogspot.com
Scott Hastings (@scotthastings1)
Craig Yen (@craigyen) - http://yen4teaching.blogspot.com
Julieanne Harmatz (@jarhartz) - http://jarhartz.wordpress.com
Denise Krebs (@mrsdkrebs) - http://mrsdkrebs.wordpress.com
Jessica Bamberger (@missbamberger)
Nancy Carroll (@ncarroll24) - http://teachingiselementary.blogspot.com
Paula Naugle (@plnaugle) - http://plnaugle.blogspot.com
Michelle Cordy (@cordym) - http://hacktheclassroom.ca
Robyn Thiessen (@robynthiessen) - http://mrsthiessensclass.com
Andrea Lawson (@mmegrade5)
Catherine D (@catherine_d2013)
Maggie Maslowski (@maggiemaslowski)
Ron Dorland (@rondorland) http://mrdorland.weebly.com/my-blog.html

Each year, we have a 5th Grade Graduation as students leave our elementary school and head on over to the middle school.  Parents are completely in charge of organizing and running this event.  In addition, the 5th graders always perform a "5th Grade Act" song and dance.

Our class does a Science Fair each year to better understand the Scientific Method, inquiry, and to follow a project through a lengthy process.  Parents are invited to the event and they are encouraged to ask questions and listen to the presentations!  Most say they are blown away by what each child was able to accomplish!

At the end of each year, our school puts on a Field Day where students participate in various outdoor activities.  Parents run each event and give all directions and support.

Three times per week, my students participate in 21st Century Literature Circles. We have a parent (or grand-parent) scheduled for every period to participate with a group, ask questions about the books, and help clarify questions that the kids may have.  This gives families great insight into the regular routine in our classroom (many stay until the end of the day!).

Art Appreciation continues in our school.  Although we have a wonderful art program, parents and teachers love that this program continues! Art Appreciation is where parents inspire the love of art in children through short learning experiences and hands-on art projects!

Having parents help out on Field Trips is a no-brainer!  It's always a good idea to have some extra hands when 25 students are wandering around huge museums and far-away places!  :)

I always ask my room reps to be in charge of the Halloween party and parade each year!  Reason #1 is that they are far more creative with their ideas.  Reason #2 is it's such a fun time to kick back and relax while I watch everyone have such a fun time!!!

Valentine's Day is another opportunity to have parents run the show!  After all, kids can be crazy during these events!  Parents have great ideas for games, activities, food, etc.  If it were up to me, we'd spend our time getting work done, so it's a good thing my parents are so willing to run this one!!!  ;)

Some more ideas:

• I cook every Monday at a local soup kitchen, so I have set up a schedule for my families to join me to help set-up, serve, and take-down!  It's been one of the best partnerships that I've formed with my families!
• RtI Time (a.k.a. "Stations") is a great time to invite parents into the classroom.  While you are working with students in small groups, parents can run a group, be a presence to ensure good behavior, or assist students!
• Every year, our class has an Energy Debate where six teams compete to see which alternative energy source would be the best solution for our country to invest in.  I always invite families to come in and watch the final round!
• Since our students learn Chinese in 4th and 5th grade as part of their curriculum, I decided to bring in Chinese Calligraphy as a fun lesson that mirrors what children do in school in China. Parents make great helpers during this lesson!!!
• Our class created a short skit and presented it during our community's Arbor Day event at our local park.  It was great having parents show up to see the amazing performance that my students put on!
• As a reward for excellent behavior during assemblies, fire drills, and for substitutes, my students earn "degrees" towards a classroom party.  I love having parents attend these, so I have a distraction from my students' craziness! :)
• Since our students' parents are so connected through work and other situations, I have found it amazing to bring in experts that can shed some light on something we are learning about in class! Here we invited a local judge into the classroom to help us better understand the judicial system!
• Our school has "Curriculum Snapshots" each trimester where parents are invited into the classroom to see what goes on during a typical day. Teachers are discouraged from doing too much out of the ordinary, because the idea is that parents see and participate in everyday lessons!
  

Charlotte Danielson Model:
- Domain 1
- Domain 2
- Domain 3
- Domain 4

Ways to keep evidence for evaluation:
- Daily Photo Journal
- Teacher ePortfolio
- Student ePortfolios

This has truly been a challenge for me this year!  Although my students lead many aspects of the day, there are several other times when my students rely on me to teach them some skills to get them started.  Many of these skills are not easy to ask a substitute to do!

For example, imagine a day that looks like this:
9:05 - 10:05 Hands-On Science (Using Temperature Probes to Measure Water Temperature w/Various Insulators)
10:05 - 10:50 Writing (Teach how to add transitions between paragraphs/Grade eight students' stories as they write)
10:50 - 11:05 Recess (You are on recess duty)
11:05 - 12:05 Math (Teach the six ways of comparing and ordering fractions)
12:05 - 12:35 Passion Time (Some students need to get new essential questions approved)
12:35 - 1:35 Lunch
1:35 - 2:35 Global Literature Circles (Students use iPads to read on Subtext, write/answer questions & research)
2:35 - 3:20 Social Studies Simulation (Students move westward on the Oregon Trail while dealing w/problems)
3:20 - 3:35 End-of-the-Day Routine

To start my day, students check in on their own and I have two Attendance/Lunch Count people who will handle all of the beginning of the day duties.

For the first lesson of the day, students are using laptops and temperature probes, so that means that one of my students will get the laptop cart, the substitute needs to check out the temperature probes from the LMC, and the sub needs to set up the water stations with ice, bottles, and get the directions up on the projector.  Tables need to be moved and everything needs to be set up like this:

For writing, the teacher needs to start the lesson by teaching students how to write transitions to connect paragraphs together.  Then, students have to practice writing some in isolation.  Finally, students are given a prompt and they need to write transitions between paragraphs within the 15 minute writing period.  The teacher's role will be to monitor the entire class, read eight students' stories while they write, give positive and constructive feedback in real-time, and assign a grade.  Here is what that looks like:

Next is recess - the substitute is on duty and needs to walk the kids out, monitor behavior outside, and walk them back in.  After recess, students change classes and a math lesson begins.  The lesson starts by checking in homework and giving immediate feedback and a grade, while everyone else works on independent and table-activities.  The next step is to teach the actual lesson while the students take notes.  In this lesson, students learn (quickly) the six ways to put fractions in order from least to greatest.  After instruction, students practice and the teacher monitors understanding.  If all goes well, they are partnered up and begin their classwork.  If there are misunderstandings, the teacher re-teaches and the rest of the lesson is postponed until the next day.  (Click here to see how my math class operates in a 21st Century way.)

Once math homework is assigned, students return to their homerooms and it is time for "Passion Time!"  Since students are all working on different projects, they are finishing at different times.  Some students are done with a project and need to get a new Essential Question approved, while others are researching or creating their final product.  The substitute would need to know how to approve "PHAT questions" instead of skinny questions (Pretty Hard And Tough questions to answer - Credit: @JohnFritzky).  They also need to monitor student progress and behavior.

Lunch Time!!!  Some kids will come in during lunch recess to work on things.  You can tell them not to if you don't plan to be there!  After lunch, students will work in small groups or partnerships to read books on our iPads and classroom computers.  They are using the Kindle for Mac program or the Subtext app to read, write notes, ask and answer questions, and enter links from their research.  The teacher will need to troubleshoot tech problems and monitor and assess comprehension while they read aloud together.

The last instruction component of the day is our Westward Movement simulation called, The Oregon Trail.  Every day, students travel along the Oregon Trail a certain number of miles, encounter a problem that the pioneers really faced, and have to work collaboratively as a class to solve it.  They start with research, they post their findings on Today's Meet, and read what everyone came up with.  They make their decision and live (or die) with the consequences.  They end the period doing one of 12 reflection assignments such as the tableaux vivants seen below:

During the last 15 minutes of the day, the students run something called REARJMCL.  The first part has the students writing down their homework, while one student writes it on the board.  Next, they evaluate how they thought the day went, making sure to point out areas where they need to improve.  After that, one student makes sure that all announcements are made and written down.  Lastly, patrol members leave while the rest of us do our classroom jobs, get our mail, stack our chairs, straighten up the room, and line up to leave!

Although many aspects of the day are student-run, this would be a difficult day to give to a substitute.  How would I write the directions clearly enough to make each lesson successful?  He would he or she make split-second decisions without the background knowledge of each unit?  What I often end up doing is giving alternate lessons to substitutes, like Time for Kids, spelling practice, and CNN Student News.  But what happens when I'm out for two or three straight days?  Students can't do those activities for three straight days!  Time is too valuable to waste on filler! 

As my classroom has become more 21st Century, my days off have become less frequent.  Despite wanting to participate on district committees, attend workshops and conferences, and have doctor and dentist appointments during the work week, I have had to change my plans due to the constraints of Sub Plans!  I just don't know what to do!  Please help!  What suggestions can you offer?  What have you tried that has worked?  How do others do this in a PBL-type environment?  Thanks!!!

As I sat down to think about how to start this blog post, I realized that I definitely do some things differently today than I've done in the past!  As I reflect on my current practice I think that I am discovering that I am less confident in my current pedagogical practices than I've been since I was a brand new teacher!

Much of what I do today is different from what I was comfortable doing over the past 14 years.  It definitely combines much of what I have always believed in, but technology plays a huge role where it didn't at all 5 years ago.  Students working collaboratively dominates our day, whereas in the past my students often worked together, but with complimentary goals.

Project-Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning has always had a place in my classroom, but I feel that I have taken aspects of excellent PBL units and combined them with ideas from Understanding by Design, 21st Century skills, and the Common Core to make these "Super-Units" that attempt to do it all!  Unfortunately, I have no experience doing things this way!  It all looks great on paper, and often works out wonderfully, but there is so much room to grow!

At various points in my career, I have felt completely confident in what I was doing.  I never stopped learning, but I felt as though I was teaching a lesson or leading students to understanding the bests ways that I knew how.  Now, I wonder about that.  My new methods and pedagogy are exciting and have the ability to take my students' level of understanding much higher than in the past, but are currently underachieving because I haven't fine-tuned everything yet. 

Also, what my students are learning has changed.  Content no longer drives everything that I do.  The process of learning, creating, and doing take center stage these days.  The final product is now my vehicle for getting my students to reflect on their learning and synthesize things to create deeper understanding.  The product is not just a show and tell or a poster in the hallway, but a representation of the learning process.

But I want more.  I want my students to take that final product and improve it somehow.  I want them to learn from each others' final products, and steal some great ideas that they can use on theirs.  I want students to draw from their abilities and help others reap the benefits.  I want to drive my students towards improving their products, instead of being satisfied with the status quo.  This is my direction today.  How can we improve our final products?  Who can help me improve it?  How can I transfer the knowledge gained from my peers to future endeavors?

But this whole new way of teaching is scary.  I don't exactly know how to make it happen.  I have to try things out in the classroom and see how they work.  I'm unsure of whether or not my risk-taking will be worthwhile, or if it will make me feel less sure of myself.  I guess I just have to take my own advice and take responsible, creative risks if I hope to make an improvement on education in my classroom!  I encourage you all to do the same - Good luck!

Our website contains the following components that are designed for parents:

• Monthly Newsletters (or more often)
• Daily Photo Journal
• Parent-Teacher Conference Schedule
• Google Calendar with homework due dates, Homework Club schedule, etc.
• Printable worksheets and directions (in case students forget these at school)

I also post:

• a Typical Weekly Schedule
• Some guidelines for Homework for Parents
• A breakdown of how we do writing in our class (with our WEX program)
• Videos that we have created throughout the year

Finally, I have:

• a list of the 21st Century skills that we are working on this year
• and an explanation of some of the Web 2.0 Tools that we use.

I want my students spending their learning time doing things that they are passionate about, while practicing their reading and writing skills.  I don't want to be forced to lecture more and practice skills over and over.

Despite my reservations, I can envision this all working out well.  I will patiently wait until I start to see the results of this huge change.  Until then, I will do my best to implement Common Core instruction to the best of my ability, and hope for the best!

Here are the links in my Diigo Library on Common Core resources (I'm glad to be adding to those links today!):

• 5th Grade Common Core Reading Literature Activities
  
• Common Core: Six Fundamental Shifts
• Nine Ways the Common Core Will Change Classroom Practice
• Three-Minute Video Explaining the Common Core State Standards
• Five EdTech Tools that Support the Common Core
• Project-Based Learning and Common Core Standards
• Common Core State Standards: Math Instructional Shifts
• Common Curriculum Helps You Create Common Core Lesson Plans