Managing Educational Tech Services Artifacts

 

Tech and 21st century learning space design

I really enjoyed creating and designing this learning space.  Now, I wish that it could become a reality for my school.  Our school's fitness room is in desperate need of a makeover and this would be perfect.  During this assignment, I realized how much work and planning goes in to updating and creating new spaces.  Since I teach PE, I would spend a decent amount of time in the fitness room that I created, I think that is why I enjoyed it so much.  Using it for personal use outside of school hours would be a total bonus. I also haven't spend a ton of time on Google Slides and I really like how user friendly it is once you get the hang of it with sizing all of the pictures and using all of the different tools.

Expository Essay

I was very nervous to complete this assignment.  I felt very overwhelmed when reading about this assignment.  When reading all of the articles about the code of ethics and even doing the discussion, I was well out of my comfort zone.  Everything was blending together and it was difficult for me to distinguish what went where.  When I started finding research for my paper, I began to get in to the assignment.  I was still nervous because I haven't really cited my sources for many years and was very lost on that part.  However, after reading some articles and incorporating them in to my paper, I realized how fortunate my school is to have given all students their own device and hotspot.  Without that, remote learning would be even harder than it is for us right now.  I am very grateful for that.  It also made me remember to focus on my students wellbeing and always reminding them that any form of bullying is not ok, even when it is not in person.  I am glad that this class gave me the time and opportunity to reflect, learn and push myself when I normally would not. 

21st Century Ed Leadership Artifacts and Reflection

 21st Century Ed Leadership Artifacts and Reflection

Stephanie Haberer

I enjoyed working on the assignments during this class while also getting more practice navigating through the Google Apps.  I like that all of the Google Apps that I am getting practice on in here, I can bring back and use in my daily life and lessons as a middle school PE teacher.  I believe that using them in both places is helping me get better and gain confidence.  The first artifact is designing and creating a faculty meeting.  This was a fun experience and more challenging than I had anticipated.  Since I am usually just attending, I did not realize the time and effort it takes to plan and break down a meeting while making sure to cover everything important while still having fun.  As a teacher who sits through these meeting every week, I know that they are not always the most engaging or I find myself thinking of different ways I can be productive with my time.  I now see that sometimes meetings will be more engaging, but sometimes they will be more cut and dry due to what information needs to be covered that week.  I would be curious to see how my plan would go over with the staff in my building.

Artifact 1

My second artifact is creating a learning walk thru that would be used my administration or teachers going in and out of classrooms.  I feel that walk throughs should benefit the teacher as well as the person doing the walk through.  It is so important to create positive relationships in the workplace.  It also helps with information delivery and how to take feedback and advice to better yourself. I would really like to use this set of questions as a guide if I was visiting someone's room and would also like if the people visiting my room would use them as well.  It is a way to get feedback as well as a confidence boost in what the found to be great in your lesson.  It should never feel like a formal observation, and the more we all try to not make it feel that way, hopefully the experience will be better and more beneficial to all involved.

Artifact 2

I enjoyed this class and feel that I am leaving with more knowledge than I started with.  I really liked learning about social media in schools and how that when done correctly, it can really make a big impact for the better.  Since my school is starting to get better with their social media presence, it was great to see how much more we are capable of and how it can be beneficial.  I had no idea that some schools have their own or content specific social media pages that they are in charge if themselves.  I feel that would be another thing added to our plates, but also with split responsibility of a content area, I think it would be enjoyable and rewarding to do so.  I also enjoyed the podcasts and articles dealing with technology.  At work, they expect us to use technology often, but never give us the time to learn or give PD on it during the work day or times that is manageable.  Seeing how much technology is out there and able to benefit student engagement and learning keeps me motivated to continue to push myself to learn it.  Seeing other teachers perspectives to different situations and articles is also great.  From elementary to highs school and all subject areas, I really enjoy being able to partake in discussions over the computer.

Social Media blog post

social media blog post

 As a district, our main sources of social media include Facebook and Twitter.  I feel Facebook has a bigger following than Twitter, but, our admin is always pushing to follow our district on Twitter.  I personally follow the district’s Facebook page, but I am not on Twitter to follow.  I feel following the Facebook page is beneficial as I can see everything that is put out to the public about certain events, pictures, and recognition of teachers and ideas which is always nice to see.  I feel that the people in charge of our social media do a great job promoting and showcasing everything that is being done since they are in the schools daily seeing everything being done first hand.  I do wish eventually that our school will decide to turn on comments so the followers can have discussions that would be beneficial in my opinion.  Even some of the negative ones, we could get feedback on how to make certain events and topics better.

As a teacher, I do not have access to make my own Facebook page for school, but they may be something that families and students would enjoy.  I get a lot of lesson ideas from Facebook, Pinterest and send out a lot of information through the Remind app.  I find the Remind app to be beneficial as I can send out messages to whole classes quickly as well as pick certain families that may need specific information.  The downfall is that the app is optional so not all families have to download it which makes it hard to remember what families got the messages and which did not.  Some parents also complain about the amount of emails/texts they get from Remind because all teachers are encouraged to use it and some do not like to be bothered even though they signed up for it.  Sometimes you get some not so nice messages back which can be discouraging.

I feel that our school's policy on inappropriate technology is handled on a time to time basis.  They take each situation as it comes and depending on the child and if they have an IEP etc.  Cellphones are big at the middle school level.  We are no longer able to take their cell phone if they are on them and have them come get them later.  That used to help a bunch I feel, but now we are allowed to write them a pass to go put their phone back in their locker.  This takes away from class time and many do not like to leave their phones in their locker because their lockers do not have locks and they can easily be stolen.  If the student is caught being on their phone more than a few times, the teacher needs to call home and eventually write a detention.  If they are on it in the locker room, they may become suspended for a day or so and have a phone call home.  When students are caught sending threats on social media, it goes into investigation and can turn into a suspension and possible expulsion if it is a more serious threat like bombing or shooting up the school.  Students also use their phone throughout the day when they are not allowed to to know when to meet up for a fight or where to be to watch a fight and possibly record it.  Recording a fight will also land you a suspension.

As for teachers and staff using social media inappropriately, I feel that is not set in stone either as I do not see something like that listed anywhere.  I am sure if you are caught posting something inappropriate or on social media during school hours, there could be a consequence.

Cyberbullying is a major issue and we as educators are always trying to stop it.  We can help by actively supervising and making sure students are not on their phone during school hours.  We can take it seriously when a student comes and tells us about something that is happening on social media.  We are always told to tell our students to screenshot anything that you find inappropriate and hurtful on the internet in case the bully takes it down or will not admit to it.  We can have PD of how to deal with cyberbullying as well as being able to ask questions any time we want to administrators so we are always aware what to look for.  We also advise out students to not have a social media account so things like this can be avoided and make sure to remind the parents to know what social media their children have and how to help monitor it.  We are also told to remind students that threats and cyberbullying could cause serious consequences including the police having to get involved.  It is also important to stress to students that once they post something, make sure it is something they do not mind following them around for forever because once it is on the internet, there is no getting it back.  I always stress that when they decide to text or post an inappropriate picture, there is no getting that back and at any time, anyone could possibly see that including future employers.

Class Reflection

I really enjoyed taking this class.  This was my first class I have taken since I graduated college about 12 years ago so I was very nervous.  I was not sure what I was getting myself in to and not sure if I was capable.  However, I thought this class was great. The amount of work was not overwhelming and everything was clear and to the point it made my time easier.  The teacher was very patient and there whenever I needed help and I was very grateful for that.  I enjoyed the Genius Hour project very much as I do not remember the last time I needed to plan something out and make sure I was able to teach myself something new.  I enjoyed the push and although this class was online, I feel like I had a connection with many classmates by visiting their blogs and see their interests and progress along the way.  I am happy with everything that I accomplished through this course and I hope that I can go in to the next class with a little less worry now that I know what to expect.  Thanks for everything Maggie.

E-Learning artifacts

The first artifact I chose is Screencastify.  Before this class started, I knew very little about it and was not confident in using it.  I played around with it a small amount during E-learning and needed step by step help.  I was able to create a few short videos for my Special Education PE classes.  During this class, I practiced more with it and was able to create lessons without assistance.  I learned how important this tool is especially when we are not in the classroom.  I can still show examples as well as let the students hear my voice to help guide their instruction.  Not only is this a great tool for E-learning, it may also be great for leaving sub plans and lessons.  Here is a sample of a screencastify lesson that I included in my unit plan.
screencastify lesson

The second artifact I chose were Google Apps.  My district has been using Google apps for a few years now and I am finally feeling a little more confident.  To say technology is my weakness would be an understatement.  This class has started to help push me out of my comfort zone and helping me for the better.  technology is not going anywhere and it helps so much with guiding and planning instruction.  The more I practice and the more confidence I gain, I will save myself so much time and headaches utilizing everything the various technology tools.  My school district uses Google Classroom and it is a great platform for teachers and students to stay organized and relay important information whether we are in school or learning from home.  Being able to grade assignment, post assignments, attach links and helpful readings etc. all in one place is very beneficial.  Here is my Unit plan that is made of of different Google docs, forms, slides etc. and a Google Slide presentation example.

Unit Plan
Presentation example

Stephanie Haberer's Final Reflection

"We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience." -John Dewey

Genius Hour was such a fun experience.  To be honest, I never heard of the term 'Genius Hour' before this class.  After I read about it, it made sense and I was ready to dive in.  I am glad with the project that I ended up choosing.  Now that I am familiar with the process and can hopefully be disciplined enough to keep doing my own Genius Hours, I hope to knock out my other options which had to do with French braiding and getting faster at a 5k. 

Like most things new in my life, I was scared to start my loom knitting journey.  I tend to get nervous about taking on new tasks because I am afraid of failing and get very frustrated.  However, I pushed through my comfort zone and loom knitting went from being overwhelming and a bit of a chore to something that I look forward to and enjoy.

The numerous YouTube videos and Pinterest posts helped me a lot.  I like that I could pause the video and watch certain parts numerous times to feel confident enough to start the new stitch.  I am a visual and hands-on learner, so this was a perfect combination for me.  I did have to work on paying closer attention when doing certain stitch patterns because once you mess up, you cant fix it (or I do not know how to yet anyway).  I recently bought knitting markers that seem like they are going to be a big help for me because I do not like to have to focus in 100% while knitting because they takes some of the fun out of it; it does not feel as relaxing. 

I am going to take back a lot from this project to the classroom.  I always include how it is ok to make mistakes and to take risks whether it is int he classroom, in athletics or your personal life.  I will share stories of my learning process in hope that they can make a general connection.  I will even use this to help with short and long term goal setting plans.  I may also even through out suggestions or something extra to try their own genius hour project that may not be school related and more than happy to help them to have a smooth and successful process.  I plan on moving forward with what I started and hopefully make some more things for friends and family.  Next on my list are mug rugs (coasters).

Stephanie Haberer's Blog- It's Showtime!

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts." -Winston Churchill

That's a wrap.  Genius hour is complete.  I can't believe how far I have come during these short weeks.  I started this in hopes I could finish the scarf I was so nervous to start.  Not only did I finish the scarf, I finished three hats, a few not-so-good can koozies, and in the middle of another hat.  Just because Genius hour is over does not mean I am.  I have so much yarn that has been stockpiling up and I am so excited to use.  I have been watching so many more videos to get ideas of new stitches and even how to start making m own pompoms for the top of hats when I would like that type of look.  I am also interested in trying out a rectangle loom and seeing if I can figure out how to make a pot holder since i can't seem to find a video on loom knitting one (weird). I also found a video to make some really neat looking 'coaster rugs'.  A few things I learned about myself and need to keep in mind is that I need to take a break when I get frustrated.  I am not happy when I am knitting in a bad mood and I do not do as well and then the process takes even longer.  I get excited when people comment on my work and ask for me to make them something.  If anyone told me that I would be loom knitting for fun more than what was required of me...I would not have believed them.  I am so happy that I found something to do that I find enjoyable.

 Hat in progress....ran out of yarn so I have to wait for it to get delivered.

Some of my yarn stash that I have built up.

A hat that is too small for whom I wanted to gift it to.  Hoping with a quick roll, it will fit a friend's new baby!

Stephanie Haberer's Genius Hour Module 6

"Nothing is a waste of time if you learn something."

This learning process of my Genius hour project has taught me that I get aggravated quickly.  Sometimes, that results in my giving up.  However, thanks to this genius hour, giving up was not an option.

Though I was nervous at the beginning, I was also very excited to start.  When I actually finished my scarf (earlier than expected), I was very happy with myself.  I was happy that I was able to follow through with something I have never done before and actually end up with a final product.

I then was working on smaller projects; can koozies.  I think I may have thought that it would be way easier than the scarf because it was a lot smaller of a project.  However, i was wrong.  It was very hard to find a good video, and most required a smaller loom than I had.  The first one did not fit on the can and made me feel discouraged.  I then tried again.  I took this time to try new stitch patterns to practice without wasting good yarn and a ton of time since the project was smaller than most.

It was good to get some practicing done because I am going to need to start getting creative because there are not as many detailed videos as I had hoped for a larger variety of items to make.  However, I re-purposed the can Koozies and let my daughter have them for tops or shirts for her dolls.

I was pretty annoyed, but finally pushed through and made a hat.  My daughter loved it more than I had expected her to as well as some friends and family.  I learned that I gain motivation from praise and wanting to see the final result.  I then tried a different pattern and made myself a hat which I am also very proud of.  

When I see progress, I want to work for longer periods of time and more often.  I see myself squeezing in knitting time as much as I can.  I am looking for ways to get patterns for projects if I can not get a video.  I am searching for new yarn all of the time.  It has become a great hobby for me.  I just hope that I can remind myself that when I get discouraged it is ok and part of the learning process.   Not every thing I make is going to be perfect or easy and it is ok to get frustrated as long as I work through it.

Stephanie Haberer's Genius Hour

Mutiny 

"All things are difficult before they are easy."


I feel that I have come a long way this week.  However, with that came a lot of struggle and frustration.  The closer I got to finishing my first project the more I wanted to keep going.  I worked a lot extra than I probably should have, but I finished my scarf.  

When I went back to watching the video so I could figure out how to 'cast off' and finish up the end of my scarf I was very nervous.  After the beginning of the scarf, the middle was pretty repetitive and I gained some confidence.  Things that were frustrating though was that as the scarf go longer, everything kept needed to get untangled/twisted which took extra time and patience.  

I also became very frustrated when I ran out of yarn to close up my scarf.  I had no idea that I needed a very long piece of yarn that wasn't wrapped around the pegs to close up my scarf.  As I was going through the closing steps, my anxiety was kicking in.  I had come so far and did not want to quit now.  But, the yarn was gone and I was not.  I took a piece of yarn that my daughter had been using for other things and just tied it on hoping it would work and not be noticeable.  Luckily, it is a very small piece and at the end and can be hidden when wearing the scarf.  

I was very upset that the video did not warn me that I needed a pretty long piece of yarn to finish the job.  Other than that,the video was great for be to begin with.  I decided to gift the scarf to my Mom.  She will be so happy when I tell her it is hers.  

I was eager to start another project, so after posting me finished product on social media, I decided to try a hat.  I ordered more yarn but it will not be here for a few days.  Then, my daughter asked if I could make her a hat with the two yarns she has. I said yes, of course. 

These skeins of yarn are very long and the yarn itself is much thinner than my first project so I used two pieces together.  It gets tangled and annoying as well as the tutorial for the hat starts going to the left instead of the right which was hard for me to get used to.  I am sure I could have went the other way, but being so new still I did not want to try.  

My daughter being 7 wants everything instantly.  So, I have been working extra on this hat.  I even brought outside today to work at the table while my kids were playing for hours with the water toys in back.  The brim of the hat was a bit different but I got it done with no problem.  Aside from the tangled yarn and new way of moving my hand, I almost finished the hat in one day.

But, when I went to go find the tool I needed to thread the rest of the yarn through to close up the hole for the hate, i can't find it.  It is somehow missing.  I gave up searching after about a half hour and am going to order a new one. I had it about 10 minutes before I needed it so being frustrated and aggravated is an understatement. 

The setbacks are not going to slow me down forever.  I am enjoying this much more than I had anticipated.  I can't wait to continue with making new items for more loved ones.

                                       

Week 3 Genius Hour Stephanie Haberer

"A little progress each day adds up to big results."


Setting up a routine has really helped me make progress with my project.  As soon as I get both kids to bed, I come downstairs and work on my scarf for 20 minutes before I watch TV.  It helps me unwind and also keeps my hands busy so I do not do any mindless snacking which is an added bonus.  

I was very hesitant to starts and felt defeated when it was hard for me to tie the slip knot to start.  I had to pause and re-watch that party numerous times.  I finally got it even though I was pulling on the opposite side of the string than they had stated. It may have been because my yarn is so thick that it would not pull the way they did.  It is still holding up the way I ended up doing it so I think it is safe to say it worked.

I continued to start and stop the next part of the video a few times to make sure I was moving the yarn on the pegs the correct way.  The last peg before needing to secure and use you pick tool to bring the yarn over the pegs was a tad confusing at first because you had to remember that you already wrapped it around and to go straight behind the next peg.  

I just watched how to undo my slip knot from the anchor point since it is no longer needed as the yarn is very secure the longer it gets.  Sometimes I find the yarn easy to lift over the pegs with my pick tool and sometimes it is difficult because it feel very tight.  It can also feel that way when going back and push the yarn down before starting to wrap again.  Since I just learned how to do this, I am sure I will start to notice what I am doing to make it easy or more difficult.

Once in a while when my kids are keeping themselves busy, I find myself gabbing my project and sneaking in some work when I can.  Both kids are very curious so I told them that if this turns out I will look in to making them something next.  I told my daughter that she can even help me with the next project.  She was happy with that and sticking to her friendship bracelets for the time being.

Aside from my 20 minutes a night routine I have nicely established, I also watch videos.  I make sure I watch a video about the project I am doing now, or other projects that seem like they will be fun later on.  I also search for yarn or different patterns on Pinterest as well.  Looking online keeps me motivated.  Sharing my progress with friends and family over the phone is good motivation as well.  I cant wait to get back to the stores because I feel like it will be easier to buy yarn in person than online.

I have been really good sticking to my routine and working on my project at night as well as doing things to better my loom knitting experience daily as well.  The one thing I will be researching next is how to start a new skein on yarn because I am about to run out in the next few days.  

The routine I set seems doable through summer.  If I want to keep this up, I will have to find new places to squeeze in my loom work when school starts back up because I am usually finishing up chores and headed to bed after I get my kids to sleep.

Loom knitting seems like  great hobby to have for a lot of people.  As I am showing my friends and family my progress, they are wanting to put in requests already.  I even had a few people say how interesting it looks and that they may be interested.  I told them I would be happy to show them how to get started.  I am by no means an expert, but I can get them in to the basics and share my looms for them to check it out before they buy their own.

Since I have had kids, it has been hard for me to make time for myself and do something for me.  This has been so great and I am so happy that I am taking time out for me.  Even when my routine needs to be changed late on because of a busy schedule, I feel that I will still be able to knit, I will just have to get even more creative. 

video

elevator pitch

Week 2 Genius Hour - Stephanie Haberer

"Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally.  It comes from what you do consistently."
-Marie Forleo

What can you do now that you couldn't do last week?  What do you know that you did not know last week?

I feel that I have already learned so much about loom knitting  However, it is not coming easy to me at all so far.  When I picked this project, I thought I would watch a video or two and get started while watching TV at night.  However, I have watched more tutorials than I care to admit and still have yet to pick up the needle.

There are so many new terms that I have heard so far as well has hand movements that seem impossible for me to know if I am moving the yarn correctly without someone actually being by my side for the first few rounds to make sure I have the hang out it.  Well, our family is still not seeing anyone closer than 10 feet away, so I will have to make due with the tutorials from the internet.  I am hoping it clicks faster than I am imagining in my head.

Since my family is not even going out to stores (husbands call, not mine), I had to order what I needed off of Amazon so I could get started.  I chatted with a friend about what yarn would work for a scarf project.  I had no idea there was so many different choices of yarn.  I also went with the round looms instead of the rectangle.  Both have many videos and tutorials for beginner loom knitters.

I have also learned that this is not something I can do while my head is up looking at the TV screen.  I have been around people that would sit and talk to me while crocheting, so I just assumed that this would be the same.  I did not take in to account that there no peg board for crocheting and the people I have watched have been doing it a while and do not need to look at their every move.

My daughter wanted to start making something as soon as she saw my supplies come.  I told her that I would make something with her once I got the hang of it.  Until then, we made her a friendship bracelet disc from out 3D printer and we figured that process out together.  We have already made a few bracelets each and it is fun and similar to a loom pattern so I figured that would be great practice for the both of us before we start a loom project.

After numerous videos and watching some more than once, I narrowed it down to my favorite two and am going to start my cast on tomorrow.  From the videos, I learned that casting on includes making the slip knot and putting it on to the anchor peg.  I am excited and anxious to start and hope it goes better than I am picturing in my head.

loom knitting for beginners

loom knitting for beginners 2

Genius Hour Week 1 Topic Selection

"Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will."- Vernon Howard

As I was contemplating different skills I would like to per sue, I realized that now is a great time to try some out with spending so much extra time at home due to Covid 19.  I have always wanted to learn how to french braid hair, run a 5k in under 30 minutes and figure out how to loom knit and actually stick with it until it is done.  I took in to consideration a lot of obstacles that may get in my way within the next 6 weeks when deciding on one project to take on. 

I have always wanted to learn how to french braid hair; my daughters and my own.  I tried a handful of times but gave up easily and still can't do it.  I asked my daughter if she would let me practice on her a few times a week and she did not look too happy.  She is always on the go and when she would be willing to take some time out of her day for me to practice, I would have my 3 year old son possibly getting in the way of practice time.  With Covid 19 going on, she is the only hair I have to practice on at the moment, so I chose to save this one for when I have more options of people to practice on as well as have a friend be there to help me step by step.

I enjoy running, however I am not very fast.  With the gym being closed, I have been having somewhat of a difficult time making sure I exercise enough.  Being on a strict schedule before, I was disciplined to wake up very early and make it to my 5am Orange Theory classes four days a week.  For some reason, having more time on my hands make it a bit harder to exercise and easier to make excuses.  I thought that maybe if I set a goal to run a virtual 5k under 30 minutes I would be held more accountable for keeping vigorous workouts.  However, with scheduling I chose not to work on this yet with a set ending time.

Learning to loom knit has always been something I found to be interesting.  I have a few friends that loom knit and I always comment how it looks like fun, but I am not sure I have the time or patience for it.  It would be awesome to learn and be able to make gifts for my family and friends.  Normally I do not stay up much past the time I get my kids to sleep because of a very early alarm clock.  However, with the pandemic, I have been staying up later watching TV and I feel this skill would be great to work on at this time.  I ordered what I needed off of Amazon to get started.  With everyone else in my house asleep, I feel that this is a good goal for me to set for myself so I can focus without being disturbed.  I will learn how to loom knit a scarf and be able to gift it to a friend when it is complete. 

Introduction

Hi, My name is Stephanie Haberer. I earned my Bachelor's Degree from Northern Illinois University. I have been teaching Physical Education and Health Education at Unity Jr. High in Cicero for 12 years. I enjoy getting to see my students in the gym as well as in a classroom setting. I have been married for 9 years and have two kids: Mia (7) and Carter (3). I enjoy baking, crafting, watching TV, shopping, exercising and hanging out with friends. I am looking forward to gaining confidence when using technology with my colleagues and students.