Your goal is not always where you end up
So this year I started using an "Interactive Notebook". First off, I think my decision to keep a separate notebook per class period was a good one. I think I am doing okay with it, as the kids seem to like the foldables, the occasional coloring and keeping things organized. And I have been perusing my photos of my notebook pages, trying to figure out which one I like best so I can share it here on my blog.
Problem is... there isn't anything I feel like I can share. Half of the pages are okay - but not worth sharing. The other half I have seen on the blogosphere or on Pinterest and the versions out there are way better than mine. So I thought I had nothing to share.... but then the lightbulb came on.
One of the questions that come up about interactive notebooks is what to do when a kid is new or absent. Some teachers make extras or have a student copy theirs... but I teach middle school and one of my goals is to help students become responsible for their own learning. So rather than create a couple extra notebooks, I take pictures/scans of my notebook pages and post them online. And yes, I teach multiple classes of the same level of math, so for my online notebooks, I pick the most complete of the notes to scan and share (which is usually the second class).
The idea came to me when my fellow math teachers and I were discussing posting copies of our homework on our websites. We aren't required to do it, but parents and student both really like have access to copies in case the kids are absent, the homework gets lost, etc. I was pretty sure I was going to use Google Drive for homework, and then I realized it would work for my notes as well.
So how did I do this? I created a Google Drive folder and I put the link on my classroom website. You can check out the Drive folder here. For me, this method works because we use Google Apps in our district and saving something in a Google Drive folder is a breeze. Plus, while I love our school website platform, there were some concerns about the amounts of files and their sizes and this way I don't have to worry about that.
I shared all this with parents and students at the beginning of the year, so that they would know about this resource. The students have the choice of copying what I post, or if they choose, they can just print off the notes and glue them in their notebooks. The added bonus to this is that no one needs to login to get to the files they need.
So while I am not sharing what I planned, I feel like I am sharing some useful information. :)
Problem is... there isn't anything I feel like I can share. Half of the pages are okay - but not worth sharing. The other half I have seen on the blogosphere or on Pinterest and the versions out there are way better than mine. So I thought I had nothing to share.... but then the lightbulb came on.
One of the questions that come up about interactive notebooks is what to do when a kid is new or absent. Some teachers make extras or have a student copy theirs... but I teach middle school and one of my goals is to help students become responsible for their own learning. So rather than create a couple extra notebooks, I take pictures/scans of my notebook pages and post them online. And yes, I teach multiple classes of the same level of math, so for my online notebooks, I pick the most complete of the notes to scan and share (which is usually the second class).
The idea came to me when my fellow math teachers and I were discussing posting copies of our homework on our websites. We aren't required to do it, but parents and student both really like have access to copies in case the kids are absent, the homework gets lost, etc. I was pretty sure I was going to use Google Drive for homework, and then I realized it would work for my notes as well.
So how did I do this? I created a Google Drive folder and I put the link on my classroom website. You can check out the Drive folder here. For me, this method works because we use Google Apps in our district and saving something in a Google Drive folder is a breeze. Plus, while I love our school website platform, there were some concerns about the amounts of files and their sizes and this way I don't have to worry about that.
I shared all this with parents and students at the beginning of the year, so that they would know about this resource. The students have the choice of copying what I post, or if they choose, they can just print off the notes and glue them in their notebooks. The added bonus to this is that no one needs to login to get to the files they need.
So while I am not sharing what I planned, I feel like I am sharing some useful information. :)
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