Global Warming Science Fair to Come

Today my colleague and I met about our upcoming Science Fair on May 13, 2014.  We have been running behind on this project so it felt good to find an hour to sit down together and hammer some things out.

We have held two science events together so far.  The first year we did a Science Fun night in which students in groups of 2-3 held science based demonstrations/activities for the entire school to participate in.  The hands-on entertainment was interesting and fun and had a science explanation to accompany it.  The evening was a huge success.

The following year we conducted a full-on science fair for grades 6-12.  Students worked on science experiments that were founded in the scientific method.  We worked so hard to guide the students through the process of design, experimentation, and presentation.  The result exceeded our expectations.  We brought in outside judges from the local universities and they were very impressed with what they saw. The science was great and the students were so professional that night.  It was perfect.

This year we are aiming for something different: a tour of global warming and climate change to coincide with the school’s going green initiative.   We will have a special guest speaker to commence the evening.  Then parents and community member will take a tour prepared by the students.  Each student will be individually responsible for presenting a particular issue.  We envision the starting section to be about global warming and climate change, including the political issues surrounding it. Presentations on the causes of global warming will follow.  Next the Effects of global warming will be encountered.  Then participants will learn of solutions to global warming and they will finally be inspired to make manageable changes at home beginning that evening.  We are excited about it and, as with all things, it becomes more thrilling as the pieces begin to come together.

ESS vs. IB Biology

I agreed somewhat spontaneously to teach an IB Environmental Systems and Societies course at our school.  Needless to say, I had reservations in taking it on but I am really enjoying the course.  I moved some high school students into it who were being dragged along in IB Biology but don’t even have the intention of attempting to obtain certificates in the subject. 

Their reaction to the new curriculum is so positive each and every day.  “This is so nice”  “Finally I feel like I’m learning something at the right pace”  “This is so much better”  “This makes so much more sense”.

Today I prepared laminate activities for them on pollution management and we watched some videos on e-waste and the cost of pollution cleanup.  It feels almost simplistic even middle school level to me but they are really enjoying it.  We have great conversation.  They are eager to do the labs and projects.  It is just such an enjoyable course.

It is definitely a “softer” alternative to the sciences of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.  I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants the IB diploma but is uncertain about the science component.  Additionally, the course can count as a Group 3 course allowing students to mix and match courses to maximize their areas of interest.  This is a GREAT course with practical application to the ‘real world’.  I highly recommend it.

Changes to the PSOW form

As I mentioned yesterday, I finished the grading of the internal assessments (IAs) for the biology students.  I still need to fill out the PSOW sheet for each candidate.  This sheet involved documenting every lab we did during the two year course including the hours spent on the lab, a brief description of the activity, and the assessments performed.

I keep a log of the labs in a sample PSOW form as we do them.  I simply add the data to the sheet and at the end of the two year course I just need to copy it for each student and fill out the final information (that student’s individual IA scores as well as the personal skills and manipulative skills assessments).  I usually do a quick look through my blog and double check that I haven’t missed anything.  I’ll need to especially go through my unit plans and make sure I have all of the ICT activities listed.  My system has worked quite well and usually saves me some time at this time of year.

However, this year there is a new form.  The thought of copying and pasting all that information over to the new form is overwhelming me.  I was going to do it tonight but, in the end, couldn’t face it.  I perused the IBO web site to see if there was any advice.  Nothing.   I did notice in the shared teachers resource site that someone has created an Excel file that, when filled in, will generate the new PSOW form for each candidate.  That took a lot of work!  I couldn’t determine if it will help me.

I recognize the need for progress and improvement.  However, because I don’t understand yet how these forms work (apparently they can be saved while you’re working on them but I couldn’t reopen and saved attempts) it is exceedingly frustrating.  Before expecting teachers to make changes I think trouble shooting should have taken place and clear instructions should be offered.  Is that too much to ask?

IA progress - Celebrate the gains

I just spent 5 hours on a Friday night finishing up the grading of the internal assessment (IA) lab reports for my IB biology students.   I feel like I’ll never master the art of grading IAs.  However, I try harder each year.  This year I had both the 2013 subject report and the IB guide open on my computer.  I also had my IB examiner material available.  I went back and forth between sample work and the descriptors to accurately determine “complete”, “partial”, or “not at all”.  I was as careful as I could possibly be, taking short breaks so I wouldn’t burn out or get tired on a specific paper. I documented, in a word document, the justification for each mark I gave.  I don’t think I could have been more thorough.

Part of me is relieved to be basically done.  Part of me is discouraged to realize major gaps persist in my students’ work. I wonder how graphs appear in their work that I never taught or modeled for them.  I wonder why despite my two-year effort to consistently teach, model and have them rework graphs until they consistently demonstrated proper data processing and presentation that when they wrote their final reports their graphs look nothing like what they’ve been producing for two years.  How can this be?  We spent so much time on uncertainties and yet several students didn’t even include them.  I spent so much time working with them to control variables in an experiment and then they don’t bother.  

One of my students wrote the following beneath a graph, “The error bars show the margin of error the data has, they show how accurate the data is and how much u can trust the data collected".  I wanted to scream.  Since when do scientist "trust" anything? And the use of "u" is priceless.  After two years in both IB English and IB Science, this was the product?  I cringed to think of submitting the work feeling it somehow is a reflection of my abilities as an IB biology teacher.

In the context of my IB examiner training agenda, I was reading through and assessing submitted papers from May of 2013 to compare my marks with those of a moderator.  Suddenly I was actually comforted.  Some of those reports make my "u" student appear a genius.  Furthermore, my "u" student has finally written a lab report that, indeed, in many ways has surpassed all his past attempts.  I realize my students do have a sound grasp of the scientific method relative to many others out there.  So, even though I see major omission and mistakes, I realize they have learned.  I realize they have progressed significantly in the last two years.  It’s time to recognize and celebrate the gains.

Improve teaching with formative assessment for IB Students

Last week I gave my IB students a series of activities to complete in order to gain understanding of concepts in our genetic engineering topic.  They viewed videos, performed interactive tutorials, pasted tables and diagrams that they had to assemble, and completed some sequencing tasks.  With each activity they had to demonstrate knowledge in a written form.  Today I had to make the decision to continue with the topic of cloning or to review some of the topics from last week.

I put together a set of questions in a PowerPoint document (one question per slide) that would help me identify what percent of the students had mastered each concept.  As Dylan Wiliam counseled us in that workshop I went to a week and a half ago, I built each multiple choice question by identifying and including incorrect answers that would result from misconceptions.  I made sure there was more than one correct answer such that if a student picked both correct answers, it would be a demonstration of understanding.  There was no way to just guess a correct answer.  Any non-multiple choice questions were answerable with less than three words.  

Today at 14:00:

The students enter the classroom and I give them 10-minutes to review their notes from the previous activities challenging them to quiz each other on the concepts in an effort to confirm and seek understanding. 

14:10

The “whiteboards” (a clipboard with a piece of white paper overlaid with leftover laminate from the lamination machine) and markers come out of the box.  Interests peak as the students eagerly await receiving their marker, whiteboard, and “eraser” (a ¼ of a paper towel).  A bit of nervousness emanates from the students as they process that they will be individually responsible for writing down something pertaining to the content.  They recognize that this clearly is not a pair or group activity.

14:11

A barrage of questions comes my way: “Are we being tested?” “Oh no, this is going to be hard” “What types of questions are you going to ask?”

“Should I start with an easy one?” I query.  An emphatic host of “yes” responses reply so I quickly insert a multiple question that I am 99.99% confident everyone will correctly answer. 

14:12

We begin.  Thankfully everyone is on board with question #1 so I can proceed. 

The responses are instantly so informative, yielding not only misconceptions but deep thought processes and a clear indication that some students had sought for deeper understanding while completing the activities I had assigned them. Following the exposure of each misconception, I engage in discussion and additional formative assessment questions to ensure that I can move forward. 

14:25

We are on question #4.  I make the decision to put the cloning topic on hold until tomorrow. 

The students are engaged.  They are intense.  They are thoughtful as they choose their responses.  I can imagine the neurons firing in their brains as some of them recognize more than one correct answer but struggle with actually writing down TWO answers. 

15:05

We make it through the questions before class is over and I recall the whiteboards and markers.  The students place the supplies in the box and comment on how productive they feel.

15:07

One students states, “That was really good” and I respond, “Yes, it really helps me see what level the students have achieved in their understanding” to which she replies, “And it helps me see where I am at”. 

Another unexpected outcome of formative assessments has revealed itself.

15:15

I excitedly share the success with my colleague that attended the workshop with me.  She describes the achievements she has experienced with the “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “E” cards with her classes.  We revel in the power of formative assessment and brainstorm additional ways of maintaining the practice in our classrooms.

15:30

I feel elated.  I’m grateful to be a teacher.  I rejoice at the prospect of improving myself as an educator.   I’m pleased that I have a whole list of improvements to make in my classroom after I’ve mastered the techniques of formative assessment that I’m currently working on.  I find it strangely comforting to know that there is a plethora of untapped ideas that I can try in my classroom that will assist me in developing into an exceptional teacher. 

Viva Voce for the Extended Essay: A Great component of IB

“Are we being graded on this?” a student timidly queried as he entered the room with his lab report supported tenderly in his hands.  Apparently our response was reassuring and he and the other two sat down with relaxed smiles on their faces.

Today my colleague and I administered the viva voce for three seniors who completed an Extended Essay (EE) in Science.   We had a chemistry and two biology EEs.  They shared with each other the results of their experiments and then answered our questions.  They were very open and reflective about the EE process.  All of them felt proud of the work they had done. They commented on how this was the largest project they had ever participated in and how satisfying it was to have completed a research experiment that spanned nearly a year.  There was definite relief in the room as they carefully slid their hard work into the bright yellow cover sheets.  I told them the current 11th graders were selecting their advisors and topics this week.  What was their advice for these students?  Start early!  Get the data collected THIS YEAR (as opposed to in the fall of the new school year).  Keep track of sources from the beginning, maintaining a running bibliography throughout the process.  Good advice.

It was wise to combine the three students as it created a relaxed yet formal environment where they could sincerely share their experience in the presence peer support.  The conversation was much more natural and flowing as compared to the viva voce I had completed last year with a single student.  The meeting provided needed closure for both advisor and student.  This is a critical and valuable piece of the EE experience in the IB and I encourage all teachers to give appropriate time for this process.

It also confirmed a value of the IB program.  As I've posted about before, I am evaluating the IB experience from perspective of parent this year.  On February 22 I posted about the EE being a definite element of the IB that is worth it.  Today, it was clear to me that this EE experience provided growth and development for these students.  Additionally it was an opportunity to complete a long-term, in-depth project that left them with a huge feeling of accomplishment.  It is an experience I am glad that both of my teenagers are participating in. 

Teaching the Scientific Method

Sometimes I wonder what is being taught in science classes around the world.  Each year we receive transfer students in every grade arriving from nearly every continent on earth.  I teach 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade Science thus, I have contact with practically every secondary student in our school.  My colleague and I took the IB lab report rubric for internal assessments and reduced the requirements gradually for each grade level down to 6th grade.  Thus, students attending our school from 6th grade on will have solid preparation in the scientific method and in lab reports by the time they enter the IB program.

For an overview of the expectations at our school, students entering 6th grade are expected to have a basic understanding of what it means to perform a “fair test” in science and to properly graph the results.  Some have an understanding of hypothesis.  By the December of 6th grade students are expected to be able to construct a research question in the “How does [independent variable] affect [dependent variable]?” format, to form a hypothesis in the “If [independent variable] affects [dependent variable] then increasing/decreasing [independent variable] will increase/decrease [dependent variable]”, and to identify the variables (independent, dependent and controlled with units).  Furthermore, they learn to put together a proper research report including the materials, procedure, raw data, processed data, graph, results, and conclusion.  They are introduced to designing experiments.  In 7th grade they are expected to create their graph in Excel and provide at least one weakness with suggested improvement regarding the experiment.  Their designs should include five values of the independent variables with three trials.  In 8th grade they need to include a trend line and at least three weaknesses with improvements.  In 9th and 10th grade they are practically completing IB quality labs as they add error bars to their graphs, descriptions of their calculations, and a thorough conclusion and evaluation.

So, when I get new middle school students who can’t follow any aspect of the scientific method I am perplexed.  When I get a transfer high school student who doesn’t know how to formulate a research question or identify variables, I am stunned.  How can a middle or high school student never have been exposed to writing a research report? In my opinion every scientific investigation should be framed by the scientific method.  In middle and early high school students should be immersed in the process in nearly every science class.  Gone are the days of lectures.  The science classroom should be a place of regular scientific discovery in the context of the scientific method.  

Short teacher statements yield student discourses

In the workshop last weekend, Dylan Wiliam would have us discuss at our table, then vote with our fingers, then he would draw out responses from the audience with statements, “You chose option A”.  I didn’t even notice what he was doing until he spelled it out for us.  He claimed that if you just make a statement, people will spill out what they are thinking. I wasn’t totally convinced even though I had evidence from that day suggesting that his claim was valid.

However, when I tried it in the classroom I was stunned.  I gave a series of multiple-choice questions and the students chose “A”, “B”, “C”, or “D” (or a combination of the letters) then I would simply state a student’s choice(s) and low and behold, they just offered their entire train of though in selecting that answer.  It was incredible and it gave me an instant view into how their minds were working.

At our faculty meeting this past Monday my colleague and I presented a teaser on what we learned at the Dylan Wiliam conference.  During the presentation we had teachers do some finger voting.  I then looked at individuals and stated how they voted.  The adult faculty responded the exact same way as the students did!  Each person immediately plunged into the reasoning behind their voting!  It was so enlightening. 

Given the immediately results of attempting this technique in the classroom, I do believe I will be able to make it a consistent part of my teaching.  Indeed, statements and restatements yield revealing discourses by our students.

Are rubrics the best technique for obtaining quality?

I sure didn’t have rubrics as a student.  I don’t recall exemplars either.  How did we know what to do?

Things have changed.  Most of my colleagues are intent upon delivering clear expectations to the students.  It seems obvious, right?  In order to produce quality work, students need to know what is expected.  The main technique now seems to be the rubric.  Rubrics are important to me and I provide one with each assignment.  I try to be as clear as possible so students know what they need to do to master the task at hand.  I do joint constructions.  I provide exemplars.  But, maybe this is all wrong.

Dylan Wiliam (in the workshop I attended last weekend) shared the idea that we, as teachers, need to teach students to have a “nose for quality”.  Our goal is to have students actually think like artists, mathematicians, historians, and scientists. Dylan referenced a quotation by Michael Polanyi, “The aim of skillful performance is achieved by the observance of a set of rules which are not known as such to the person following them”(1) Dylan further went on to describe a study done on goal keepers in the game of football (soccer), a study which I have not yet found myself to read.  If the study did take place, the eyes of the keepers were tracked to see where the focus was.  Apparently, every goalie focused not on the ball but on the hips of the player kicking the ball.  It was actually the position of the opposing player's hips that would determine where the ball would go.  The goalies didn’t even know they were doing this.  This practice (or rule) resulted from their experience, not from anyone telling them what to do and certainly not from a rubric. It makes me rethink my purpose in handing out a rubric. 

I need to find time to make sure that my students truly understand the criteria for success. Then, I need to help my students actually internalize the material.  Ultimately, I might reach a point where quality doesn’t have to be defined because it is known.  For now, however, my starting point is the rubric.  As I become a better teacher, I look forward to when I can report on how my students have evolved into learners who have, indeed, developed a "nose for quality".

1) Polanyi, M. (1958). Personal knowledge; towards a post-critical philosophy.. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (31).

Teacher Training, the CGC, and Questioning

We, the teachers, were actually given homework!  Before today’s staff meeting we were to read the brochure for the Common Ground Collaborative (CGS) and watch the eight short videos from the International School of Brussels (ISB) on the CGC.  Additionally, we were to take a short survey regarding our frustrations with curriculum and take a look at the ISB Facebook page to get a feel for the culture of the school.  I took my homework assignment seriously and completed all the tasks with diligence.  I was left with a series of questions and dutifully wrote them down.   Isn’t that what I expect of my students?  I hope they’ll come to me for clarification.  I figured I could get answers to my questions from the guest who would be directing our workshop and who happens to be one of the creators of CGS himself.  If we’re considering adopting CGC at our school, it seemed to me that we should be able to resolve concerns we might have regarding making what appears to be a major change.  That sounds reasonable, right?

So, I listened to the presentation.  The guest was amiable and appeared to have an unpretentious thoughtful manner coupled with a sense of humor.  I enjoyed the event more than I anticipated.  However, all the information was very superficial and my questions were burning within.   Finally there was an opening and I launched into what slowly became an interrogation.  I was consumed by my hunger for dialogue regarding standards based assessment, formative assessment, rubrics, teacher support, teacher training, the organization of sharing and the method of collaboration.  I couldn’t stop raising my hand with more questioning.  Finally he said, “Your questions are hard” and then to our director, “Who is this?”  And ultimately, “You can’t ask any more questions”.  And he was serious!  I attempted a couple more times and each time he said I wasn’t allowed any more time.  There was humor in his approach but I have to admit, I felt a bit brushed off.  I wanted answers and here was the topmost source!  How could I let the opportunity pass by?  He did spend some time with me at the end of the workshop and I was able to obtain more answers and understanding. 

In the end, I think I’m “on board” to give this program a chance.  I like the idea of global collaboration.  Furthermore, I see a need for consistency in language and curriculum approach in the international schools.  Quality control in the sharing process is an imperative that the CGC strives to adhere to.  The ultimate objective of an organized bank of high quality ideas is, indeed, appealing.  It is comforting to envision holding on to all of our good ideas and units and plans but having a resource to refer to in order to fill in gaps.  Additionally, ISB and the CGC are both based on standard based grading which is a direction I hope our school will head.

On a final note, however, I hope that I never stop a student’s questioning.  It is inquiry and the desire to know more that drives good dialogue and discussion, ultimately leading to learning.

!AISR's GOT TALENT!

Students worked in groups of 3 or 4 to prepare a musical number that they could present to parents, staff and peers.  As we neared performance day, class time was given from other classes enabling students to perfect their number.  One group actually composed their own piece.  Others created arrangements for known pieces and several prepared a familiar song, as the populace knows it.

This morning they nervously waited their turn on stage but each group, as soon as they began their performance, appeared to proceed with ease.  It was amazing.  Drums, keyboard, vocal, and guitar – they tackled it all.  Then, the judges posed questions to the group that centered on the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC) theme that pertained to their group (either adaptability, competition, or community) and related to their band experience.  They consulted with each other and answered individually providing reflective insight as to how these themes related to them.

I was asked to be a judge.  I settled in on “Vicki Pinaj” and in preparation I viewed several video clips of Nicki Minaj as a judge on American Idol.  I secured a blue wig from a colleague and some outrageously long, hot pink, feathery earrings from my daughter.  I purchased some fake eyelashes (a first for me) to top off my costume.  This morning it took me about 40 minutes to put those silly things on my eyes, and I was only successful after recruiting the help of my daughter and her friend.  However, once I was properly outfitted, I walked into that room with a whole new attitude.  It was so fun!  I truly enjoyed displaying an alter ego.

The best part of the morning was watching these courageous middle school students stand up to perform.  Furthermore, the music was actually good and enjoyable to listen to.  One parent said, “This is such an amazing feature of this school – that this was a safe enough place for all of these students to rise and perform was incredible”.  She continued to reiterate how rare and amazing it was.  I have to agree.  The scene today was special and it was largely possible because of the family like atmosphere generated at our small school.

Should we repeat the event again next year?  Absolutely!  Parents, staff, and students were thrilled with the outcome.

Do high school students need school?

An idea was expressed today in the workshop that after the age of 14 or 15 it isn’t necessary for students to have social contact in learning.  It was further suggested that the trend of high education will be towards online learning and that high school teachers will eventually merely help students source their education.   I’m not sure if I agree with this for several reasons.

First of all, not all students are independent, online learners.  For the students at our school completing online classes, it is difficult to stay current with assignments and manage their online workload.  Additionally, they simply do not enjoy those classes.  They would much rather sit in a classroom with peers and a teacher.

Furthermore, I remain unconvinced that simulations and virtual labs are even remotely like “the real thing”.  There simply is nothing like wrapping your own hands around a pig's heart and performing the dissection.  Nor can a computer give the same experience of handling dialysis tubing, tying it up, filling it with starch solution, and setting it in a beaker of iodine solution and then observing the drastic color change as the iodine diffuses across the semi-permeable membrane. It just isn’t the same to use a flat screen as it is to do it yourself.  It just isn’t.  And for now, I have not seen any evidence that can convince me otherwise.

Additionally, don’t human beings need some social contact?  Don’t human beings need to be encouraged to be compassionate individuals with feelings?  Isn’t that what partially sets us apart from other species?  Don’t students need to be around other humans to foster the essence of what makes us human?    

Maybe time and/or technological advances will persuade me otherwise but tonight I am convinced that there remains a purpose and a need for high schoolers to attend school and interact with other people in the context of their learning. 

Welcoming Neurodiversity into the Classroom

Today we had a visiting student.  He and his family are considering our school.  He has a “neurodiverse” mind.  I am an advocate of supporting and embracing the neurodiverse minds in our classrooms, as I truly believe they have a place in our society.  I know their unique approach to problems and scientific methodology enhances the classroom experience generating fascinating discussion and a creative approach to setting up experiments.  Thus, I welcome diversity in my room.

This student, within five minutes, had touched nearly every “interesting” item in the classroom.  It was difficult for him to focus on the science experiment the others were designing and carrying out.  A learning support teacher was accompanying him and her full-time attention was required to help him stay on task.   His mind went in 100 directions as he was faced with each task within the experimental procedure.  He made a myriad of fascinating connections that he had to share.  Some comments fit with the direction of the objectives while others, at the surface, seemed to take us far off task.  However, with the patient guidance of the learning support teacher, we could see the logic of the connections.  Additionally, she was able to help him stay focused in such a way that he could achieve the objectives of the lesson.  In the end it was a win-win situation in which everyone benefitted.

Dyslexic and autistic minds as well as other neurodiverse “conditions” that seem to find themselves mainstreamed more and more frequently in the classroom are challenging while simultaneously rewarding to the class.  I find that it is so much easier on all involved to have support in the classroom when mixing extremely different minds.  With proper support each type of mind benefits from the presence and perspective of the other minds.  While at times it is exhausting, in the end, I am thrilled to have neurodiversity in my science classroom.  Neurodiversity brings positive energy, more engaging discussions, opportunities for growth in collaboration between students, opportunities to gain appreciation for other minds, unique perspectives, and simply stated, a stimulating environment.  However, proper support is essential for the maximum benefits to occur.

Deep Approach to Learning: Derive it yourself!

I just read two articles on deep versus surface approaches to learning: “Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning” by Jenni Case and “Deep, surface, and strategic approaches to Learning” by Jack Lublin.

Jack Lublin gives a list of characteristics of a deep approach to learning that includes “interact vigorously with the content”.  To me this actually means having the students engaged with the content.  Today, in IB Biology I was supposed to cover the Hardy-Weinberg principle.  The IB students need to be able to “explain how the Hardy–Weinberg equation is derived” (Assessment statement D.4.1).  Well, is there a better way to learn how to explain it than to actually derive it oneself?  So, I put together a series of guiding questions and problems to help them derive the Hardy-Weinberg equation themselves, additionally determining, on their own, the assumptions that needed to be made in order for the equation to work (assessment statement D.4.3).  Their response?  “This is so cool.”  Additionally, as they then moved into using the equation to tackle questions regarding allele frequencies (assessment statement D.4.2), they manipulated the equation with ease.  The equation, its use, and the assumptions were not just a formula and material to memorize; but rather combatively it all became a principle they truly understood.  

Extended Essay: An element of the IB that IS worth it!

This holiday, in addition to grading IAs, I also graded a couple of biology extended essays (EE) that students at our school are submitting for their IB diploma.  I took a similar approach to that approach of grading the IAs in carefully combing the assessment criteria for the EE.  I read through the examiner statements from last year and applied that guidance towards evaluating these essays.  I like the freedom of being able to provide more feedback on an EE, as compared to the IA. In some ways that makes the EE a more meaningful learning experience than the IA, at least in the Group IV Sciences.  I am happy to realize that even if these students make no changes to their EEs, they will “pass” this portion of their diploma.  However, I hope they take the suggestions to push themselves to submit excellent rather than good/mediocre work.

I sit again with the perspective of both parent and teacher as I read through the EEs.   My daughter is submitting an EE in English while my son is one of the two students submitting a biology EE.  As a teacher I am convinced of the “worthiness” of the EE endeavor.  The process of completing the EE does, indeed, as the IB suggests, “promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity” (IB Extended Essay Guide).  I am truly impressed by the creativity and intellectual discovery that both biology EEs generated.  As projects they were both outright interesting and engaging to guide and follow as the students progressed.  Reading the final products was truly enjoyable.  The students have something to be proud of. 

As a parent, I’m grateful that my own children are part of this experience.  Already, having had a vacation week for my children to catch up on the IB diploma obligations, things in our household have settled down a bit.  The stress levels are residing.  Additional crunch times lie ahead to I continue to withhold final judgment until the last exam in May has been written. 

Tonight, however, my yo-yo experience with the IB has swung up again and I am enjoying the great aspects that this program has to offer.  Namely, tonight I am appreciating the process of the extended essay.

Assessing Internal Assessments

I have spent several hours this Crocus holiday grading internal assessments (IA) from both my Year 1 and my Year 2 students.  I am somewhat comforted in seeing that the Year 2 students do, indeed, have more depth in their reports than the Year 1 students.  So I know improvement is eminent with the first year students.  However, there is still so much lacking with the senior reports that I’m concerned whether they’ll pull it together by our final March 6th deadline.  Some of them simply need to redo an experiment or, at a minimum, rework their Data Collection and Processing (DCP) and Conclusions and Evaluations (CE). 

I spent some time on the ibo.org site looking at the subject reports from last year, with a focus on IA.  This proved exceedingly valuable.  I recommend this practice to all new teachers.  There are some concrete suggestions for things teachers should be looking out for in the IAs their students are preparing.  I even copied the list of reasons why papers were marked down in 2013 and sent the list to my Year 2 students.  I advised them to look at each item on the list against their own write-ups before submitting it to me.  We’ll see if it helps.

With the year one students I completed essentially a joint construction with them on the Effect of hydrogen peroxide substrate concentration on leaf extract catalase activity.  Even with all the joint work, there are a lot of misconceptions and omissions.  I’ve used the IB rubric to assess their work.  They’ll have an opportunity to fix their mistakes, hopefully leading to stronger experimental process next time.

This is my 3rd year teaching IB.  The students are definitely becoming progressively more prepared as they experience the science program at our school from MS and HS that has IB standards as a goal.  Additionally, I am becoming a stronger teacher as I do more PD in the IB area and as I become more familiar, through experience, with the IB criteria.  I remain an advocate of the IB Science standards and am happy to see that with the changes in Group IV for 2016, these standards will be more clearly defined for new teachers.

IB Internal Assessment (IA) - The positive

“It’s rising!  It’s rising!”  The gleeful shouts come from the chemical room.  Students in my classroom start laughing as they realize that Carl’s experiment is finally working for him.  He’s been trouble shooting this for days.  He’s made catalase beads with cucumber, with the intent of measuring the effect of pH on cucumber catalase activity on hydrogen peroxide.  Gail has set up a unique gas collecting system to measure the effect of salt on CO2 production by yeast.  She also has been struggling for days with her experiment.  Shortly she exclaims with glee, “It’s working!  It’s working!”.  Then, a loud “Oh NO!” followed by a crash and the overflowing of liquid at another lab bench.  Students hustle to help clean up the mess.  Simultaneous to this action, Barb checks on the growth of her wheat, “This is perfect….look at this!” as she reaches for the ruler.  Another student has just put her Daphnia under the microscope to determine how to measure the heartbeat. She summons the other students over and exclamations of “That is SO COOL” echo as each student intently peers through the optical lens on the microscope.  The energy in the classroom is palpable.  Despite darkness pressing against the lab windows, within the classroom there is warmth, comradery, and excitement.  It is a Friday evening but students are finding pleasure in their work.  I, personally, am energized by their enthusiasm and their hope for reasonable results. They are working independently on self-designed experiments.  They all have five values for their independent variables.  They all have unique designs.  The first step is underway.  Let’s hope excellent data collection /processing and thorough conclusions/evaluations follow. This is internal assessment at its best.  

HW not complete? Clean the lab.

The task was to read another’s blog and then comment on it.  So, what to do with the students who hadn’t written or published their blog posts? My colleague and I were somewhat in a quandary over this.  It seems a reward to allow them to work on it in class. It’s futile to give them a “0” because then they miss out on the opportunity of joining the blogging community of our classrooms.  Finally, after some deliberation, we hauled in the cleaning cart loaded with mops, brooms, chemicals, gloves, paper towels, rags, and sponges.  Both of our labs need a thorough cleaning.  So, whoever hadn’t published the assignment was pulled from the class and joined me in another room.  As the consequences gradually made it to their consciousness, suddenly the small group came alive with cries, “But I’ve done the assignment”.  So, I told them if they could publish it and link their url to the Google Share document in two minutes, I’d let them return to their peers. What a flurry of activity ensued and sure enough, within two minutes every blog site in the class was up and running!  Well, our lab space still needs a good cleaning but I’ll gladly put up with that in exchange for having 100% student participation in our class blogging community! 

Student Blogging, Community, and Unexpected Results

All of my research on student blogging inspired me to insist that students read each other’s blogs and comment on them with the intent of generating discussion.  What a fascinating reaction ensued.

There are the students who had eagerly tackled their blog assignments with thorough reflections and embedded photos, videos, and hyperlinks.  They enthusiastically logged on to their computers to peruse the other blogs and make comments.  They are asking for ideas on questions and thoughts that might generate discussion.  “Can we add additional links within our comments” one student asks.  A teacher’s dream is unfolding as students come up with bigger and better ideas than I had originally envisioned for the blogging experience.

One teenage boy slowly morphs from his usual slumped posture, chin in hands, dulled and bored expression to an erect position with fingers tense on the keyboard and eyes glancing around at the other screens.  He is a minimalist.  His post barely addressed the prompts.  No photos.  No extras. No links.  The absolute minimum.  However, as he comprehended the fact that someone was going to be evaluating and commenting on his blog, he became very alert and queried, “Can we still edit our own blog post?”

“Of course” I coolly respond.  Inwardly I’m rejoicing (and performing summersaults) at the thought of this minimalist wanting to improve his post. 

The last ten minutes of classroom dedicated allowing the students to reflect and comment on another’s post fills the air energy.  The bell rings for lunch and no one moves.  Almost reluctantly they stop what they’re doing, pack up and head for the door.  Several say “thank you” as they exit.  I’m thinking, “Student Blogging: Best Idea Ever”

Student Blogging and Scoring Points

So, for our Science Fair project this year we’ve decided to have students blog about their progress and what they are learning. I spent a ridiculous amount of time searching different ways to incorporate students’ blogging into the classroom.  I perused blogging rubrics ad nauseam.  I read countless reviews of different blogging sites and I searched every possible free blogging site. 

Finally, I settled on using blogger.com, especially since all of my students have Google accounts and I can easily link each student’s blog site to my web site.  Knowing my time was limited in the classroom as far as helping the students set up their blog sites and posting a first blog, I decided to do a screen share podcast to explain everything to them.  Hahaha – well, several hours later I had a 3-minute screen shared podcast on setting up the blog site and 2-minute one on posting the first blog. 

Following the Chasing Ice movie, I explained the plan with blogging to the students.  They seemed remotely interested.  Then I referred them to my web site for the podcasts on setting up the blog.    With the remaining minute of class a few of the students checked to make sure they could view the videos.  One exclaimed, “Did you make this yourself?”  When I answered in the affirmative their faces lit up with huge smiles, “That’s cool”, they said.  It was clear that they felt honored because I had created a podcast for them.  My attempt to be tech-savvy apparently scored some points with my students.

Tonight, after a long day I decided, with scepticism, to take a look at the web sites and the students' first blog posts.  I am SO IMPRESSED!  It is always amazing how quickly students latch onto a media that will give them voice. The sites are already personalized in appearance and the blog posts are full of detailed reflection, imbedded photos and video clips (all properly referenced!), and are generally interesting and creative.  I suddenly am really looking forward to perusing their posts as they get underway with their science fair projects!