The Most POWERFUL Formative Assessment Yet

Okay, to avoid a novel of a blog post - I am going to get straight to the goods today. This past week I attended the ICE conference. *Illinois Computing Educators* I love this conference for countless reasons that I could list right here or you could just take my word for it that this is the BEST professional development I have ever attended (4 years running). Not only is everyone insanely passionate about tech and teaching, everyone is tweeting and talking in the halls and lobbies - you can just soak up the positive energy and see education in a whole new light when you leave this conference. Professional development is happening EVERYWHERE, not just in the sessions you attend. Okay, okay - the formative assessment!

One of the sessions I attended was about 5 "free-mium" (free, BUT in order to get certain features... dish out the $$$) web based ways to formatively assess your students. I have been loving using Kahoot this year, but this was not on the menu. If you are a tech master go explore these five right now.

1. Geddit
2. Peardeck
3. Nearpod
4. Socrative
5. Google Forms

I had heard of these, but have not really fallen in love with any of them, until now. This earth shattering discovery of mine originates with Google and formative assessment with Google Forms. In my grad school class I have been learning about how we need to develop the "whole child" in order for students to be successful. We all know students may act out in class because of factors we are not in control of outside of school, but this method of formative assessment will give you an immense amount of insight into your student's lives, in a snap.

1. Create a Google Form - I had to play with this a lot to sort of figure it out. I created a form with some simple questions. The beautiful thing about Google Forms is you can use fill in the blank, multiple choice, scale questions, etc.

• Hey Ms. Spethmann! It's ___________________
• How are you feeling today? (Awesome it's Friday! - I'm doing okay - Not feelin' so hot - UGH!)
• If you're not feeling awesome, what is bothering you? ______________________
• How do you feel the SS test went yesterday? (I rocked it! - I think I did well - It was okay - I don't feel comfortable with how I did - Ms. Spethmann, HELP!)
• What are your plans for the weekend? _____________________________
• How do you feel about your Genius Hour project at the moment? (Loving it! - I think I'm getting there - No comment - Not so good, I need to step up my game - I am completely lost - Ms. Spethmann, come to my rescue!

Here is what the students see.

Once I completed this form, I turned it into a QR code to hang outside my classroom door with the super UN-FANCY, NON CLEVER, COULD BE WAY CATCHIER, title of....

That was anti-climactic wasn't it? I was just WAY too excited the get the ball rolling, there was not time to come up with a cute name! Next on the to-do list. 

The students grabbed an iPad on their own time during Daily 5 and took a couple minutes to fill out the form. From the form you get two documents. A spreadsheet of answers and a summary of your responses in a beautiful format (including graphs!)

 This AMAZING tool provided me with a ton of useful data by simply giving my students the platform to share. I found out SO much about their personal lives, they self assessed on their comfort with the SS test, I can plan the next steps for Genius Hour, and I got a glimpse into their weekends. It was like a mini conference with each student, but all at the same time!

I was BURSTING with excitement when the submitted forms started to roll in. I had used Google Forms for surveying staff for grad school or finding the best times to meet, but NEVER thought of using them in this way.


I have 3 girls who ALWAYS hug me at the end of every single day. On this Friday, instead of my canned "Have a great weekend!" I got to say, "Have a blast at the Bulls game tonight, eat some popcorn for me!" - "I can't wait to hear about the hotel birthday party on Monday!" - "Good luck on that Egypt project this weekend, I can't wait to see how awesome your Pyramids of Giza look!"

Teacher win, teacher win, teacher win.

Not to mention my heart melted when I started hearing, "Ms. Spethmann this is really cool! Can we do this every Friday?" - "Are we going to do this every week?!" - and a simple teary eyed "Thanks Ms. Spethmann," from a kiddo who is really struggling personally, but couldn't find the words to tell me how out loud.

All you extrovert teachers out there, let your introvert students rejoice! Now we really CAN read minds ;)

Building Your Own PLC

Buzzword: PLC.  Hmm... This term "Professional Learning Community" sounds, to be quite frank, like cloud nine. A place where everyone is a professional while supporting and learning from each other at all times to better education for students. This "community..." do you ride unicorns around, slide down rainbows, and eat french fries with no calories? Sounds too good to be true - yes, this I know. The reality of it is, not everywhere will have a climate and culture conducive for building a highly effective PLC - so today we talk about the DIY PLC. How can YOU build your own?

My grad school text book talks about Professional Learning Communities, and how positive they can be, when formed in the correct conditions. There is a lot of technical information out there, but to simplify it, take a look at this graphic.

Okay if you don't happen to work in Community Consolidated District Could 9 - there are a couple simple places that are FULL of educators looking to teach, collaborate, exchange, learn, and most of all SHARE.

Two social media platforms that our students use all the time are actually the perfect place to build your own PLC.

The beautiful thing about both of these is introverts can be on the sidelines and just scroll through to soak up ideas, and all my extroverts out there can do the same plus share their ideas as well. There is something for everyone. You might be thinking to yourself - "Okay great, but I get tons of ideas from Pinterest already and why would I go through the trouble of getting an Instagram or Twitter account?!" Yes who doesn't LOVE Pinterest? Guilty, guilty, guilty five times over, but the beauty in these other platforms is the communication between educators. You can get INSTANT feedback from other professionals anywhere in the world. If you are facing a challenge, there is always someone there to comment and give you another point of view. You are COLLABORATING, EXCHANGING, AND LEARNING, all online through social media... from other professionals near and far. AH-MA-ZING. 

Not convinced yet?

1. Posts are simple and to the point (unlike the sometimes lengthy reading of blogs :))
2. You can search using specific hashtags (#iteach6th, #teachersfollowteachers, #edchat)
3. You can screen shot your ideas - so they are sitting in your phone's camera roll when ready to use!
4. Meeting other teachers who are just at positive and passionate as you are. (My favorite, BY FAR!)
5. You are in control. No requirements at ALL. If you are stressed and can't plan anymore, leave it alone - in need of new ideas or feedback, post and scroll away!

I am definitely more of an Instagrammer (I think I just made that a word...) mainly because I love the pictures. Both are wonderful resources depending on what you are looking for.

I can't even express the positive impact starting these accounts has had on my professional life. It has been so fulfilling meeting people through these platforms who share my passion and are so encouraging. I have been lucky enough to meet some of them in person as well and it has been crazily fulfilling. All it takes is a username and password, give it a go. I promise you won't regret it!

Check out my Instagram feed here!

Twitter Hashtags for Teachers

Also wanted to share another game changing discovery I recently made. Essie came out with a cashmere matte collection. Two coats of heaven right here.

Now go get your hashtag on!

My kind of New Year organization!

This Thursday I'm sharing one of my favorite tips for your "tips!" While I find painting my nails therapeutic, to many women (especially busy ones - hey teachers!) it is a pesky job. Don't spend those extra bucks on a mani that you can do yourself. One of my favorite strategies when it comes to painting my nails is my -Manicure Essentials- box. I did a little reorganization for 2015 here, but the main idea is the same.

Grab a small box, this time of year is perfect with little gift boxes from the holidays. I decided to expand mine, because I have an addiction and an extensive routine indeed <guilty!> I used a shipping box that a Christmas gift came in.

Place all of your essential products you use to do a manicure in this box. May include, but are not limited to...

- base coat - files - clippers - cuticle nippers - buffing block - detail work tools - nail polish remover - toe separators - cuticle remover - cotton pads - drying drops - small paint/makeup brush for clean up around nails -

Before:

 After:

Even if it is a couple items, store that baby in an easy to grab place. Mine hangs out in the linen closet. The next time you have a minute (or two) to give your nails some lovin, all you have to do is grab your Manicure Essentials box of magic and your favorite colored lacquer, then voila!

Happy New Year Y'all! Here's to a 2015 filled with flawless manicures and lots of learning all around :) 

With love from my New Year's nails to yours...

PS - liking my new digs here on Lacquer Teach Repeat? I sure am! Makeover courtesy of the lovely Miss Johnston - her blog designs are the bomb.

Oh My Liebster!

I'm notorious for saying "Oh my lanta!" about ten billion times a day in my classroom... but "Oh my Liebster!" Not only did Kristen over at Kinderdoodlez absolutely make my week, but shocked me just as much! My poor little blog has not been getting the proper love and care lately and it floored me that she would think of me! 

So this nifty little award is a way to recognize new bloggers. It is a really cool way to give some props to newbies on this big teacher blog scene. 

So here we go!

WHY AND HOW LONG AGO DID YOU START BLOGGING?

Hmm.. All I remember about starting my blog is that it was around Thanksgiving break last year. Boyfriend would watch football on Sundays, and in a successful effort to avoid planning for the week (hehe) I would paint my nails and BLOG! 

I started blogging because I was yearning for positivity. Every educator knows those days, weeks, months, or even school years when you just can not find the silver lining. My blog was something I could control and be proud of - so I created my own silver lining. 

WHAT ONE WORD SUMS UP THE HEART OF YOUR BLOG AND WHY?

Reflection. Is that cheesy? Another reason I started a blog was to reflect on my teaching. I found myself teaching a lesson, it absolutely taking off in totally the right direction, and found myself saying, "I can't WAIT to blog about this!" Now I knew, probably my mom would be the only one reading my blog, but I was consistently reflecting on my teaching and wanting to plan "bloggable" lessons. 

IS THERE SOMETHING YOU LEARNED LATE IN YOUR BLOG JOURNEY THAT 

YOU WISH YOU HAD KNOWN EARLIER?

It's okay to post about little things. I would feel like every post I read by other bloggers was a huge, long, wonderfully crafted piece of text. It is for YOU. You blog for yourself first then for others (not common in our profession, the whole think of yourself mode). So it's okay to do a short little post about whatever your heart desires.  

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PAST TIME BESIDES BLOGGING?

Crafting and shopping. Done and done. 

HOW MANY HOURS PER WEEK DO YOU DEDICATE TO YOUR BLOG?

Not enough! I have becoming shamelessly addicted to my teacher Instagram - lacquer_teach_repeat. I find the visual aspect and ease of Insta to be very appealing. I get just as much out of Instagram as I do out of blogging - plus I love taking pictures of what my kiddos and I do. It is my goal to be more consistent... I mean - it is football season again, and I don't even know how to set my own fantasy lineup, so manicure and blog it is!

WHAT CATEGORY OF BLOG POSTS DO YOU ENJOY MOST?

I love DIY and literacy posts. I am in the minority when it comes to teacher blogs being a 6th grade teacher. I love to make anchor charts, do read alouds, and craft like crazy. So I love reading posts about different topics and making them work for my little pre-adolescent munchkins. 

WHERE DOES YOUR BLOGGING INSPIRATION COME FROM?

Like I previously stated - my lessons where my kids just amaze me. THEY are the ones who make a lesson amazing, not me. I can plan, but they take it to another level and those are the lessons and things I love to blog about. 

WHICH OF YOUR POSTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

That's tough. I don't think one sticks out more than the others. I really only blog about things I am uber proud of - that's what makes them blog-worthy in my mind. :)

IS THERE ANY POST THAT YOU ARE PLANNING TO DO, BUT HAVE BEEN PUTTING OFF FOR A WHILE NOW?

Nope - I sorta fly by the seat of my pants!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASPECT OF BLOGGING?

It has put me out of my comfort zone. When I started the blog it was about my two favorite things - nail polish and teaching. I wanted the happy factor from blogging, but was scared about what others would think of me (go away 7th grade Jessica!) I have been AMAZED at the love and support of other bloggers and Instagrammers! They fill my heart with happiness whenever there is a positive reaction to something I am doing. Being a new-ish teacher you still need that support and don't always get it. I am also learning SO much from other bloggers. It is instant Professional Development without sub plans and a dreaded 6 hour workshop. 

I recently went out on a limb and attended a Midwest Teacher Blogger meet up. I was nervous because none of my co-workers or teacher friends blog, so I was ridin' solo - but it was SO FUN!

Okay, I just figured out Bloglovin' recently and how to follow bloggers (noob over here) - so I am really only following those famous famous bloggers with thousands of fans! But one little lady who I have connected with on Instagram and follow her blog, loves all the same things as me (ya know, coffee, doodling, shopping, teaching!) So I'm nominating Megan over at Cardigans and Caffeine

A. I'm so jealous she left my home of Illinois for SCOTTSDALE! I'm obsessed with that place!

B. Her blog is BEYOND adorable!

C. She rocks. 

So check her out!

THE DEETS. 

To those who have been nominated, here are the "official" rules for accepting:

1. In your post, link back to the blogger who nominated you as a thank you and "shout out." (Follow their blog if you haven't already!)  

2. Answer the 10 questions given to you (the ones I answered above).

3. Nominate 5-10 blogs of your choice that each have less than 200 followers. Provide them with 10 questions to answer or have them answer the questions above.

4. Let your nominees know that they've been nominated and provide them with a link to your post so that they can accept.

5. Send your nominator a link to your post so that s/he can learn more about you as well! (You can just put your post link in the comments below!)

Have Fun!

Currently...

It's FALLLLL! Well almost, you might notice my undying love for this colorful, brisk season throughout my posts (and this month's currently)! Linking up with  Farley this long weekend for the September currently.

1. Listening to Youtube and my beauty gurus! I don't buy any beauty products until listening to their reviews first. Saves me time, money, and my whole family calls them my internet friends. Derp.

2. Loving the way my apartment is filled with fall smells! Leaves, Autumn, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, and Marshmallow Fireside are just the ones I have plopped around my place at the moment. Bath and Bodyworks has the BEST candles, especially for FALL!

3. Thinking about boots and scarves. Two of my favorite wardrobe staples... do we see a trend here?

4. Wanting my wall, yes you read correctly, WALL of laundry to do itself. I still have my suitcase packed from Florida on top of piles and piles of laundry to do. Maybe I own too many clothes? Psh, no such thing.

5. Needing to get back into my workout routine. I used to be a before-school gym type of person. Then I moved a bit further from my gym and it has gotten that much tougher to peel myself out of bed in the morning. I'm struggling finding a new routine. Hence the double ugh.

6. 3 trips - OOH. I picked Fiji because the sand is white and the water entirely picturesque. Paris, because it's been two years since I've been there and there is nothing like a chocolate croissant under the Eiffel Tower. Lastly, Nashville. Because everyone is SO friendly, downtown is adorable, and country music is my thang.

Be sure to link up! I hope everyone's SUPER necessary 3 day weekend is treating them well!

OH P.S. if you have not checked out Essie's Fall 2014 collection, just do it. They hit the jackpot on this one. GO! TARGET! NOW! :)

QR Classroom Tour

One thing that continuously runs through my mind at the beginning of the school year is... HOW ON EARTH AM I GOING TO TEACH ALL OF THOSE CLASSROOM ROUTINES AND PROCEDURES?! While the word endurance comes to mind, I also think of my poor kiddos sitting in their seats listening to me drone on about how everything in our room works.

At the end of last year (with my dream class mind you) I thought I would try a little something different. It was weird for me to be so prepared in thinking about the Fall and the beginning of June, but with this particular group of kids and I  - risk taking was a staple in our room. Collaboration is so huge in my classroom, and I am SO not a direct instruction type of gal. I figured who are the experts on everything Room 225... MY STUDENTS. Duh.

END OF SCHOOL YEAR:
1. Pick out the things I was NOT going to change up too much for next year (which was really hard, I change a lot every year.) I really had to look at my procedures and routines that work really well day in and day out. List them.
2. Pair students up. I chose high/low so the quality of videos made would be pretty streamline.
3. Assign each pair one thing in the classroom to cover.
4. Have students make a video explaining the procedure. We used the Explain Everything App on the iPads. You could also have them use an app like Videolicious or Animoto. They could also just video themselves!
5. I had them upload the videos to a Classroom Tour file on our class Dropbox. Some of the videos are one minute, some are four. Whatever they thought needed to be included in the video, I let them include.

Here is one of the shorter ones :)

We had an absolute BLAST making these videos, they thought of more tips and tricks than I could have every thought of!

BACK TO SCHOOL:
1. Re-watch videos and tear up on how you miss your class from last year already. 
2. Create a QR code for each video and place it at that spot in the room.
3. Create a worksheet with questions that coincide with the videos for newbies to answer. 
4. Send them off with their device and headphones!

My scavenger hunt includes 7 videos and 20 questions. QR codes were made at www.qrstuff.com 

Happy teacher, happy students!

Reading for Badges

There has been a lot of buzz around learning through gaming lately in the education community. It makes 100% sense. What do kids all talk about? Video games. What do they all play on their phones? Video games. What do they ask for for birthday gifts? Video games. What do their teachers play when they can't stand thinking anymore? Candy crush. Wait... !

So what is it that is so addicting about games? When you fail, you re-spawn, automatically start back over. It isn't scary. You are also working towards a goal - and you are earning something (anything!) I recently attended a PD workshop and came to the conclusion that I would love to teach through games, but there was no way to develop them myself (coding = scary). So how could I utilize this appeal in my classroom to motivate students?

We use Donalyn Miller's 40 Book Challenge on my team. I have mixed emotions about it because Accelerated Reader scarred me as a child because I was a VERY slow reader. One aspect I love about the challenge though, is the push to explore different genres. I was that kiddo who only read Roald Dahl (whoops). LOVE MATILDA!

 

Behold, genre badges were born. 

In the 40 Book Challenge students are required to read a certain amount of books in each genre. This CHALLENGE part with a numeric goal, gets the students all sorts of revved up. My serial genre readers last year were forced to explore other worlds, it was awesome. Once a student completes the required number of books for that genre, they earn the badge. They level up. They win. Just like they would in any video game.

I figure the badges will be two-fold in my classroom. On Edmodo you can award students badges, I am hoping this same concept will apply with my students blogs this year. Instead of a brag tag to wear around school, for a 6th grader they would have the "brag tag" mentality as their personal blog sports their genre badges. (After a couple years of trial and error with blogs - I find KidBlog is my go-to).

Visual reminders of success and pride are also very important. I have not quite decided where their  badges will be sported yet, but it will either be on their desktop or perhaps the front of their locker for all to see. After all, multiple books in a new genre is a HUGE success.

The beautiful thing about the 40 Book Challenge and the genre badges is the differentiation can happen in a snap. Create a list for each student that is attainable for them. They will be master readers in no time :) Or at least a little more motivated... take what you can get right?

Let the games begin!

Stay chip free and standards based!

ALSO! Interested in the badges - leave a comment with your email and I will send them on over :)