Reflection 6713

As I start a new school year I am beginning work in a block schedule for the first time in my career. There is much trepidation on my part about this change. I wonder how I am going to be able to fill an hour and a half block each and every day. In the past we had forty five minute class periods. The adjustment to a block schedule will take some time, but I fully intend to incorporate some of the ideas that I have been exposed to in this class.
Integrating technology in the content area is going to be an essential element to thriving in the block schedule. I will use technology in a way that allows students to explore. I want to open the door for my students to become self directed, creative thinkers. In this mold students should start to ask questions. Hopefully the questions will lead to more questions, and ultimately a much deeper understanding of the content.
Technology has given teachers and students an opportunity to collaborate and share ideas via the web. This means that there are endless opportunities to, not only share, but to learn. As we share we are giving and receiving feedback. Both are allowing students to think at higher levels. I would like to continue to do my work with a classroom blog, but in the future I would like students to be the ones generating the questions.
One of the most powerful things we studied in this class dealt with problem based learning. For my government class this will involve a real life problem that my students see as an issue. The issue will be researched and we will take action as a class. More than likely we will be dealing with a local issue. For the assessment of this my students will design a portfolio to show what they have learned and they will be required to present it to the public. This final step might involve a city council meeting, or a school board meeting for example.
Incorporating a problem based strategy, or approach to the classroom makes so much sense in the classroom, especially a classroom working in the block schedule. As I continue to make the transition to a block schedule I will continue to find ways to allow students to collaborate while using technology. My focus will be on students becoming self directed in a problem based environment. These are many changes that I would have wanted to make regardless of the schedule, but the new block schedule may be the impetus for a very positive change of culture in my classroom.