The Pitch Part II

Thanks so much for the feedback on my first post about The Pitch. If you didn't get a chance to read over what it is, please read it the previous post.

However, since last week The Pitch assignment has really gotten more fine-tuned. Here is what the plan is at this point:

1) PARTNERSHIP:  We will be partnering with Ms. Bonotto's Spanish III class, who are also participating in 20-Time. Overall 63 students will be presenting their 20-Time Projects.

2) VENUE: We will be presenting at an outside venue. Here are the places Ms. Bonotto and I have been in contact with: Grace A Dow Library (mezzanine = unavailable), Dow Diamond, Whiting Forest, MCFTA, and others. We are considering the Farmer's Market location downtown as well. We are waiting to hear back from our contacts on availability and costs.

3) DATE: This is still up in the air; however, according to your info the later in May the better. At this point the official date is Tuesday, May 13th. This seems to be the only date so far without any major conflict. We are also consulting the master calendar about the next week: May 19th through the 22nd.

4) TIME: This event will be held in the evening so that parents, community members, fellow students and staff can attend. We will start at 6:30pm and you will get a chance to present/view other students' work. Invitations will ask "outsiders" to arrive at 7pm. Our event will end at 8pm.

5) INVITATIONS: You will be responsible for designing, producing and distributing invitations to at least 5 other people. An email invitation will go out to parents, administrators and staff. Additionally, there will be an announcement inviting all of the Dow High student body to view presentations. Think about who you would like to personally invite to this event. ONE of your invitations MUST go to your mentor.

6) PRESENTATION DAY: See previous post for requirements on what to bring, say and do. Attendance is required. If you are unable to attend our 20-Time Project Fair, you must have a signed absence excuse form from your parent(s)/guardian(s). You will have to make-up your missed presentation during your lunch time the following week.

7) WHEN to START: Now! Start planning, thinking, and creating. Use your 20-Time class time or use the unfilled homework schedule we have. The majority of the next required text will be read in class to allow you room to work on preparing for this.

A FINAL NOTE: By no means do you have to have a completed project to present!! You may not ever have a completed project, but you will discuss and show your progress, what you have learned, and where you plan to go next.

As with all my blog posts, please feel free to leave comments, questions or suggestions. Thanks!

The Pitch

We are in the throes of posting and creating and doing our 20-Time projects. Now I'd like to talk to you about "The Pitch". Please visit the following link:

http://www.20timeineducation.com/20-time-template-series/the-pitch-20-time

Here you will find an overview for teachers on what "The Pitch" should be like. I am open to feedback about what you would like to see happen during our 20-Time Pitch Event, but here is what I'm thinking:

 1) It has to be a public event where we invite students, teacher, administrators, mentors and parents to attend, so maybe after school would work better.

2) At the event, you will need to bring both at visual display (video or tri-panel poster) AND an object (i.e. a prop, brochure, business card, etc), which will provide your audience with information about your project, your goals, and your plans.

3) You will need to ask questions, share ideas, and essentially "market" your 20-Time project.

4) We should maybe have a fun little competition to see how many blog comments/visits we get after the event to see how well you can advertise your blogspot :)

And, that's all I got... please post comments or questions for me about this or any other ideas you have.

Additionally, please take the polls located on my blogspot. This will help me decide where and when to host our event.

I look forward to hearing from you! Hope your 20-Time projects are moving along!

Blog on Blogging (Logistics)

Okay! Busy week after a great break! What have I done for my 20-Time Project:

1) I commented on every students' blog. This. Took. A. Long. Time. But, it was cool to see how interested they are in their own project and the variety of topics out there. Some students have already made HUGE progress towards their goals and some are just taking the first baby steps. Either way...I can't wait to see what happens.

2) I had to figure out how to grade these blogs, so I talked with both classes and they agreed that points for completion of the blog was fine. They also said that it didn't matter if I read them each week because the whole world (well, just the U.S. and Germany) was reading it. I think they get that fact that I am not their only audience :) Goal met. Check.

3) Now I'd like students to form a small group of people they "follow"...well...is that right or is that a Twitter thing? I dunno. (BTW...I posted my first ever hashtag comment on Obadeh's site...apparently I did it all wrong #bummer) With this small group, students will read each other's weekly blogs and make comments. Maybe they can help each other...oh! Lightbulb...I should group them by their project topics so they can share and support each other. Now, I just need a spreadsheet (boy I LOVE to organize).

4) Lastly, I need to start piecing together my expectations for the Pitch. These ideas just HAVE to be shared with a larger audience. Our school should be celebrating this brilliance.

Thanks for reading. Let me know if you have any other suggestions!

WE CREATED BLOGS!!!

I feel good. All of my students have created their first blog, which I linked to my Moodle site. At this point, everyone has an introductory blog and reflection. They are SO COOL!

Ran into a couple of snags:
1) All students have to have an adult with them in other rooms at all times...I got in trouble. However, all these students have worked out or will work out an alternative plan.

2) You can't view blogs in the "private" mode...so, students concerned about their privacy need to consult me about an alternative setting.

3) In order to create an online blog at school we had to type in "help" as a title and "help" in the blogspot title...it was a pain, but it worked.

What to do next?
1) Share blogs with parents and administrators
2) Share blogs with each other
3) Create a plan for pitches
4) Figure out what to do over spring break. Woot! Woot!

Enjoy your break! See you in April...

My First Blog...Ever

Hey IBWL Students!

Welcome to my blog! I have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm doing it anyway. 20-Time is my 20-Time project and I am allowing myself to fail miserably.  However, I learned a ton this week. So, here's what I know right now:

1) My students are amazing! I've read over all their 20-Time project proposals and I was blown away by their ability to embrace this project, take the risk with me, and try to make it meaningful. Students selected a range of topics. They will be studying everything from back flips to zombies to new instruments to new artistic expressions and beyond! I can't wait to see what happens!(And, no, I'm not yelling at you. I will try to avoid overusing exclamation points in my writing, but I still want you to know just how excited I am

2) Google Blogger: I set up my own blog and even wrote this post myself, but I needed someone with knowledge and experience, so I met with Ms. Bonotto, who is attempting 20-Time in her Spanish 3 class as well. I met with her at lunch and worked out some of the kinks. I'm still having trouble with getting my Pages to appear on my blog, so I'm going to email Chris Sabourin, the head of technology for MPS, to find out more. I'm also going to learn how to upload emails to share this blog directly with my students. This will be a quick easy way to communicate with them.

3) Scheduling: I laid out the plan for the rest of the year and how we are going to incorporate 20-Time. I found myself wanting to schedule more room for this, and I had many students asking for more time. This is a problem: balancing IB requirements and 20-Time needs. Right now I think I have a good plan, but if you are my student, you know my calendar can and will change at least 20 times ;) And I'm worried about AP/IB testing and sports in May. My smarty-pants, athletic students will be absent all over the place. I need to stay on top of missed work.

4) Future Plans: I need to layout my exact expectations for students' Pitch assignment. I am going to ask them for feedback to find a manageable and purposeful way to carry this part of the assignment out. I don't want this to seem like extra work. I want them to share their love of learning with the world.

So, that's it. Now what do I do? ummm.... spell check? publish? eat the entire bag of Dum-Dums in my closet? We shall see.

Thanks for listening. Post any questions or comments when ready.

Here is a picture of me creating my first blog. Courtesy of Kelly Derees