Portfolio of Jan Abernethy

1b Demonstrating Knowledge of Students 

 

Learning about my students comes from a variety of different ways. At the beginning of the year, I had the opportunity to create a video to promote homework club (shown below.) Students wanting to participate in the video volunteered to stay after school. In one short afternoon, I learned so much about my students that I decided that I would devote myself to staying after school everyday Monday through Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30. I had less homework problems than I have ever had in the past, but more importantly, I knew my students better than ever before. 

 

In addition, I use a program called Edmodo to correspond with my students during and after school. This program is useful to chat, to submit files and links and to share videos. It is, as the kids call it, Facebook for kids. The only difference is, Edmodo is closed just to our class. My students' parents may read their students edmodo feed, but they cannot participate. If they have a question or problem, they can always email or text me. Below, I have given some snapshots of conversations that will show you how I learn about my students.

 

Learning about my students has driven my instruction this year in ways such as writing a donors choose grant for a class robot when I noticed a class interest in robots. After hearing a lot about cyberbullying, our class embarked upon a project that has now made us internationally famous.  (This will show up later.) Stock Market Club and Challenge 24 Club are two other extra curricular activities that I offer that gives students a chance to come to school early three days a week. This one on one time is invaluable in learning about student interests.

 

Curricularly, I learned the most about my students when I offered them the "Make Something New Project." This project came about from a Wednesday night Google Hangout that we call "North America Collaboration Night." Four educators, one from California, one from North Carolina, one from Canada, and myself from Pennsylvania discuss projects we are doing with our kids and ways we can collaborate through Skype or even just share ideas. The "Make Something New Project" was Kelly's idea, and it was a real hit with the kids. You will see in the slideshow below how students took their projects in a variety of directions based on their interests and abilities. One thing was evident, most students worked to their full potential.