February Recap

February is going by fast and there is only three Project Lead classes this month due to President's day. The lessons this month included an activity on listening skills, leadership and dating violence. Students really enjoyed the leadership activity I think because it was a game on determining who the leader is. As the year goes on I am learning in order to keep their attention the activities need to be more fun. The listening skills lesson was fun because teachers and to read a short paragraph then students had to work in groups to determine how to answer the questions that could have two completely different endings. It was amazing to see how students interpreted the passage.

On Monday students will review a "Toxic Relationships" video through Discovery Education and have a class discussion. I felt this was an important lesson to do with it being Dating Violence Awareness Month. I am curious to see what the students think.

Draft Action Research Project Progress Report

Check out my website that has more information about Action Research Project.

https://sites.google.com/site/jdeentechnology/home/edld-5397/action-research-project

Back into the Routine

This semester has started off a little crazy. This will be the first normal week. We had a Project LEAD class on Friday but it was the same time as our FFA show and Rush Day. So between Friday and today teachers should have covered two lessons. 10th & 11th Grade had to determine who the leader was by sending a student out, selecting a leader and have the class follow the leader so the "outsider" could determine who the leader was and 12th grade had to complete sample interview questions. Today was to recap the lessons and add a questioning exercise. Students sat in two rows, knee-to-knee and had one minute to answers questions before they rotated to the next person. I am waiting to get feedback from students and teachers to see how these lessons went.

Between these lessons, students learned about being a leader, follower, how to interview and ask each other questions.

The New Semester

Starting the 2013 semester has been good so far. We have taken a little break from "Life Lessons" to issue students new ID cards and explain how the ID cards are going to work as well as the expectations. Today, we spent Project LEAD completing Match Makers forms. It is a fun activity we do each year to see who students match up with. 

Next week, we have a short week because of a student holiday and a early release but we are going to have a Project LEAD class. This semester to we are going to do more individualized grade level lessons, since we have all the required Internet Safety Curriculum out of the way.

I am still reviewing and collecting data from the end of semester surveys and I hope to be able to report that to the staff soon.

Final Project LEADS for the Fall Semester

This is our finals week at school and we are having two Project LEAD classes. The one tomorrow I had originally planned to do a lesson on career choices but because of the recent tragedy in Connecticut I decided to change my lesson to "Courage". I feel that it is important that students understand, "what courage is?" It will be important for teachers to really take the time to have students discuss and identify "heroes". 

On Thursday, students will complete an end-of-semester survey to evaluate how the Project LEAD classes are going and if they have any suggestions. Until 2013 and implementing our student id program.   

Digital Identity

Monday was the last part of internet safety lessons. I had the students discuss how what the post on any social medias can affect their chances for college or future jobs. I had a video for them to review but because of the weather we were without power so all the classes had discussions. I think it worked out better. I had the opportunity to sit in on a senior class to listen to what they had to say. I could honestly see they understood the importance of their decisions. I could definitely see a mature level difference in them compared to their answers at the beginning of the year. Next week is the last week of the semester and the Project LEAD classes will meet twice. I am looking at doing a career choice lesson and an end-of-the-semester survey. 

December 3, 2012-Project LEAD

Monday's Project LEAD lesson was part 4 of 5 of the Internet Safety Lessons. This week we covered Internet Safety and Privacy. Students and teachers both learned what "cookies" were and what kind of information websites are collecting and if students really want to share their information with just anyone. Students also learned that websites should have a "Privacy Policy" and where they can find that. In talking with students, several of them didn't know what cookies were and what they do. Hopefully, they will be a little more cautious in the future. I even had a few teachers tell me they learned something new, so that is always a good thing. Next week, the last of Internet Safety, so stay tuned.