Kaulbach's Modern World

Like most teachers in New England I start the school year off sprinting and then lose energy at the same time the students do, right after high school playoffs and Halloween.  Our first report cards are sent home at this time and I only mention this because it is also timed well with our third annual haunted high. Kids scare the pants off each other and scream a little too loudly. It seems that they are not so much as frightened as they are releasing steam. Are they screaming at teachers? Screaming at low grades? Or is is teen angst, Nirvana style? What is important is that this tradition continues because it is engaging. Jumping off such enthusiasm is hard and "where to go from here" is constantly on my mind.  In my 20 year career I have seldom had an easy year. Every new administration has pushed for reforms that add hours to my work day. I am one of those educators who follows the rules and works as much as can be expected.  This push to prepare for the Common Core woul

I'm tying up loose ends, teaching this zombi apocalypse unit and I have to say... it was fun. The game of keeping up points along with intentional studies petered out.  Next year, I should hold a culminating event, a zombie prom or a zombie run but sometimes life get's in the way.  Right now students are invested in their performances in Shrek, The Musical, deer hunting season and the upcoming November holiday. My quick assessment of success in teaching this unit: Students have developed a habit of paying attention to news events.  The impact of disaster became very real for some of our students following news events and the typhoon in the Philippines.  The idea of disaster preparedness was no longer focused on killing zombies but saving lives.  Two of my students fulfilled the unit requirement to bring attention to a global issue by putting up flyers about the typhoon.  These students also overheard both teachers and students in a meteorology course referring to the flyer, ex

vita-learn.org   Technology Professional Development It was snowing at Killington, Vermont as we gathered at the hotel near the foot of the mountain. I love professional developments like this.  Most of us attend workshops all day and then swim in the heated pool with snow coming down.  We leisurely discuss ideas learned or tech tools that we have never considered.  And we gather in common spaces helping each other relearn with our devices while sipping lovely beverages.  We move from intensity to creativity to playtime and back in a workflow not offered during the daily grind of teaching in a school. So first, let me shout out to colleague who presented with me at Vermont Fest : Here's our presentation- After Hours Social Studies - Using Haiku LMS to Promote 24/7 Learning - HS   Whitney Kaulbach and Peter Lavigne  For this session two high school social studies teachers will demonstrate how they use Haiku LMS to  conduct dynamic online discussions and promote student l

Link to published article   At TER While it can't be said for all professions everyone I know remembers a teacher who changed their world in a positive way. It was a teacher who helped me love learning and who made me think I was going to fantastic when I grew up. For most people that teacher was someone they encountered in their youth but for me it happened to be my daughter's kindergarten teacher. She is organized, enthusiastic, creative and kind. She had a reputation of being a stable force in education because of her forty one years of experience yet was one of the first to embrace 21st century digital technologies.  I was questioning my own educational practices when I first met her and was struck by this thought:  while every child in kindergarten was excited to learn the same can't be said for every student in my high school classroom. Curiosity got the best of me so I studied my daughter's experiences. I took notes on how this teacher hooked students on math a

Incentives are the reason people learn because incentives drive choices. I could never admit this to my fair trade coffee drinkers, but I love Starbucks.  Every time I buy a coffee I receive a free app or song download.  My app allows me to earn stars that eventually gain me a free coffee.  And when I am lost driving x-country the map app points me in the direction of the nearest Starbucks and the nearest wifi.  But this is not a blog about Starbucks, it is a blog about incentives.  None of these incentives are really amazing.  I could find those same apps for free on line, the free coffee never applies until I spend + $15.00.  And I live in rural Vermont with the nearest Starbucks 50 miles away. Incentives are fun, I take advantage of them which makes me a bit happier to take time to spend money on a cup of jo.   Education works the same way.  Most of my students attend school because they have to not because they want to.  If we can make the day a bit more interesting, with a chanc

My Wall of Discussion at    Padlet Outline of Presentation Introduction- What is Haiku?   (Peter) management structure for 24 hour access engaged from anywhere in the world (teacher & student) Why we use discussion boards in a learning platform Problems of Democracy Haiku- add responses to discussion posts assignment list Assessment-  AP US History Assessment retakes Usage Statistics Data Wiki Projects Common Core  RH.11-12.4  Craft & Structure  WHST.11-12.6  Production & Distribution of writing. selecting a topic- collaborating and writing-  RH.11-12.7  Integration of Knowledge & Ideas Assessment Rubrics- Zombies & Asynchronous learning Video Discussion- NAFTA, Peer Editing (no picture!) student input- the Pen Pal Project -Possibilities video chats while gaming (Google Chats)  twitter publish   ie- theeducatorsroom.com Overview- I am a social constructivist. I believe that discussion in its many forms leads to better publi