Engaging students

I hope I am not the only one feeling slightly (ok, more than slightly), overwhelmed with all the wonderful ideas whirling around about blended learning. I know this is not a magical process and it will not all come together without a hitch on the first day of school. But I really want to be an expert. I want to provide the best learning environment for my students and have a highly engaged classroom that hums and buzzes with positive energy and experiences.

After reading many of the posts here on the blog, I have some renewed hope in accomplishing my goals for this year. However, my main concern is how will students receive all of this? All too often we, as educators, determine what the next best thing is and then impart it on our students expecting miraculous results and engagement. The students are usually less than enthusiastic.

I have found two great articles from Nellie Mae that have helped me to process and consider how I might go about incorporating blended learning WITH my students this year. As this will be my first year at JMA I really want to revamp my teaching style and allow my students to truly own their own learning. However, in order for them to own it, they have to help create it. First, I will be utilizing this resource, http://www.whatkidscando.org/pdf/FirstAsk,ThenListen.pdf, to LISTEN to what my students have to say about their past learning experiences and what they would like to see and learn this year and moving forward. In conjunction, there was another article from Nellie Mae that provided seven activities to help engage students in preparing for a blended learning environment. I plan to use these activities as well. http://www.flippedclassroomworkshop.com/7-activities-to-develop-self-directed-learning/.

My understanding is that at JMA we will be preparing for implementation during the first quarter of the year and these tools will be helpful as a way to involve our students in this process. I will also use this first quarter of the year to test out some of the great tools I have learned about through our meetings and the great posts you have all shared.

Susan Johnston