Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Real World Problem Solving

 Teachers that implement real world problem solving and innovation shouldn't focus on specific procedures students need to learn. Developing the necessary innovation and problem solving skills means that we should ask students to engage in tasks that they don’t already know the answer to or have a solution for. Problem solving and innovation means that teachers are creating lessons with thinking skills not procedural skills. 

I want to implement this in my classroom by having more open ended questions or math problems. Perhaps weekly problems that the students have to constantly go back each day to re analyze their previous notations and decide how and why a certain idea or solution would be the best. 

Monday, November 30, 2015

Knowledge construction and Use of Tech

Using Technology in the classroom is an important tool to teach the students how to use to effectively aide in their understanding of the concept development.   The students need to  use the technology to complete their lesson objectives and activities. Using web sites, blog posts. on live data generating technology, all in an effort to control the technology and create new ideas and ways to express and further their knowledge.

I plan on implementing these ideas in my classroom by making sure that the information I am requiring them to search online for more than one site with different persepectives, having to create presentations like power points and prezies with two different audiences in mind.  My students are working on their power points to  show all their researched information and I am going to add that they have to do two, one for explaining the native american perspective to the European and then in reverse the European to the native peoples.  

Monday, November 23, 2015

Skilled Communication and Collaboration




The skilled communication competency requires the student to process multiple ideas and express a logical coherent argument in order to connect ideas using multiple modalities.  There is student choice when it comes to what mode and tool they will use.  The students need to express ideas using a high DOK level explaining their thinking and reasoning. They not only state their idea but they also need to justify their claim based on evidence.  Students justification and explanation of ideas is determined by audience and students discern what they need to show based upon that audience.  Using mulit-modalities gives students a platform to add depth to descriptions. 

I plan on implementing these ideas for my students power point presentations.  I am going to amend my rubric and include the requirement for multi-modalities as well as explaining their audience and why they chose to create their presentation the way they did.  

My Journey Begins



    • What about yourself are you most aware of as a learner? As a learner I know that I need to read, discuss and experience new information to processes it fully. That experience can be writing about it or implementing strategies and trial and error to better understand the reasoning.
    • What do you know about student learning and the 21st Century Learning Competencie (the six dimensions)? I have been to several Saturday Cafe's where the competencies were addressed. I know that as you move up on the level the students have much more autonomy and choice. The six dimensions are Collaboration, Knowledge construction, real world problem solving and innovation, technology, self regulation and skilled communication.
      • As you think about your instruction, how do you use the 21st Century Learning Competencies (the six dimensions) as a guide to your teaching practices? As I plan my lessons I look at the competencies and evaluate my pedagogical practices to ensure that I give my students access to the necessary learning skills to be successful in the content standards.

Monday, November 16, 2015

All about me

I am Margo Buser (Sistek), I wake up to the sounds of my 8 and soon to be 10 year old sons racing down the stairs to eat breakfast so they can have 15 minutes to play mine craft before going to school. My dogs wagging their tails excited to begin another day of playing in the sun and napping on the couch.  My almost 13 year old son sometimes pleasantly occasionally curtly asking "mom where are my _____, I NEEEEED them!".  Then I knock and open the door to my 16 and soon to be 15 year old daughters room and start singing the wake up song "good morning good morning gooooood mooooorning, it's time to rise and shine, good morning good morning goooood mooooorning, I hope you're feeling fine, get up get up get out of bed wake up wake up you sleepy head, it's time to start a brand new day hey hey hey hey!!.  It's their favorite, they just don't know it yet.  The weekends are spent running around to whatever sporting, theater, or social event they have signed up for.  The summers are filled with road trips, hikes, and lazy days by the lake.  In the winter we spend most of the time up on the slopes getting our edges carved as perfectly as we can into the side of a beautiful white mountain top. The days are never boring. If I get a call or text to meet friends for cocktails or coffee I am there.  A stack of books waiting for me to read them can be found on my dresser. My running shoes are waiting to be tied on and taken out for a jog.  A passport safely in a drawer waiting for its next stamp, still reveling in the amazing time we had in Thailand. Dream vacation with my love doesn't even begin to describe the incredible experience we had.  I believe life is best full of laughter, friends and family. 
After the morning drop off I make my way to work.  I'm in my 13th year as an educator.  Some of those years were spent in the classroom and others in small groups in the back of a library. I could be found teaching and researching at the university and before that instructing with a canvas at my side. I love education, it's a passion and a very important part of my life.  Getting my Masters degree was a huge goal and one that I am exceedingly happy I accomplished.  Writing and teaching writing are both something I am passionate about. I love to see students learn how to express themselves in words and feel that sense of accomplishment.  I'm excited for the next fun challenge in my career in education.