Todd+Hucks+Portfolio

=//Todd Huck//=

Todd Huck's Portfolio for E2T2

Shared Lessons, Units, and Resources
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 * ~ Daily Lessons ||~ Instructional Units ||~ Other Related Resources ||
 * [[file:toddhuckelementglogtri2.docx]] || Mr. Huck's Virtual Classroom
 * [[file:Pod Cast Project.docx]] ||  ||   ||

Blog Entries
[|Todd Hucks Blog]

Student Work Samples
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Summative Narrative

 * // Todd Hucks’ Narrative: //**

** 1. What did you learn about yourself from this program in the context of planning instruction and learning activities? What facets of this program contributed to this learning? ** // I learned that I enjoy implementing the use of technology into my classroom. I learned that it not only motivates me to create innovative lessons but it also motivates my students to learn and become a more active learner. The E2T2 program contributed to this learning by motivating me and showing me that the use of technology is necessary in todays classroom. As educators we will always need to stay on top of what is new in technology. E2T2 has taught me that. //

** 2. Did your student achieve a greater level of motivation and engagement based on the activities you prepared for them? What contributed most to this increase or lack thereof? **

//No doubt that the use of technology increased my student’s motivation. The activities I prepared excited them and where very engaging. I also felt that it allowed built in differentiation. Many students are very knowledgeable and know how to utilize technology, while others still need to keep it basic. This allowed an engagement for all students. The students who already know technology where able to stretch their abilities and the basic student was able to try and attempt technology.//

** 3. What specific teaching practice did you implement (either new or modified) and what was the impact on learning? **

//I was very proud of my virtual classroom wikki. The students could access it at anytime and many did so at home. It was a great way to direct students to educational sites and activates on the web that I found both educational and appropriate. I loved the fact that students without any prompting where going to my wikki and trying out the new sites I had found for them.//

** 4. What are your next steps both in the classroom and in your building based on new experience or knowledge you now possess? **

// I would like to continue to build my wikki and include more sites. I would also like to create a page for students to display their work on a wikki for others to see. The use of technology project based lessons will also be a large part of my units. I find the use of the technology to be a tool that allows not only the student to learn the subject matter but also the use of technology. //

Literature Review: Reinventing Project-Based Learing
Reinventing Project Based Learning Review by Todd Huck

Poster boards, construction paper, markers, crayons, paint act… Done with it! No more! I don’t need to spend any money on materials for projects that will eventually end up in the garbage. As an educator I need to see into the future and know that my students are going to be so technology advanced that I should not be an obstacle with archaic project ideas, but with new and advanced technology based projects.

As I read the book “Reinventing Project Based Learning” I understood that this would be the new reality in education. That new teachers graduating from college would have this understanding and that veteran teachers like myself need to get use to this new reality. From the very beginning of the book the first idea that grabbed my attention was the starting your journey bullets on page 6. With the above always in my mind the book made so much sense. Why would a teacher not engage in project-based learning?
 * Today’s students are up to the challenge.
 * Projects are worth the effort.
 * Students live and learn in the real world.
 * New contexts encourage the project approach.

The idea of creating a professional learning community is great. If there was one aspect of the book that I took the most from it was this section. No longer should teachers teach in autonomy with there doors closed. With that said students should no longer learn in autonomy. I love the premise of learning communities. Schools should embrace this idea and I love the fact that our school district already has. Like it states in the book traditional teaching practices do not foster a collaborative examination of the fundamental acts of teaching. With that said…this practice needs to be implemented into are very own classrooms. Students need to learn to collaborate with one another learning from one another. Engaging in high-level educational conversation and generating ideas that turns into projects. Projects invite collaboration and need to be a large part of any classroom. Through these collaborations students will get a deeper understanding of ideas as they engage other students in discussions around educational topics. Projects need to be engaging and not simply busy work. The reality is that if you want to engage your students you need to set up projects that will motivate them to want to learn more and go above and beyond what is expected.

As I began E2T2 last fall the first thing I set out doing was to create a Wiki that allowed my students access to a virtual classroom. I wanted my teaching to go beyond the walls of my classroom. I wanted students to be able to go above and beyond what we learned in the classroom and engage in learning on their own at home. On my wiki page that I called Mr. Huck’s Virtual Classroom I had links that allowed students to engage in a deeper thinking of the days lessons. For example when we were learning about earthquakes I had a link where students problem solved to create buildings to withstand different types of earthquakes.

I feel that as this year wraps up I have just started to create a wiki that will only get better. Currently I feel the wiki is more of a teacher to student web based page. Next year I am going to incorporate pages that allow more student-to-student learning experiences. I hope that this would open the door to expanding out into other schools. This idea of online collaboration is the next level for my own growth into the use of technology in the classroom. If I want to extend the learning experience for my students and promote a more global collaboration with my students I myself need to be proactive in this promotion. As I still try to embrace the use of blogs in my own growth as an educator I need to understand that this type of social network is what motivates my students. Just because I still struggle to fully understand its purpose…my students do. If there is one thing I learned from reading the book Reinventing Project-Based Learning is that I am willing to embrace and try new educational approaches and know now more than ever it is necessary in the 21st century.