Final Blended Learning

What I learned!

This course taught me HOW to use technology to extend learning outside of the classroom. Prior to this I would have been satisfied with teachers using technology as a substitute for other classroom tools.  

Utilization!

I believe that blended learning can move instruction to a new level.  Our students are working adults that sometimes cannot attend class due to family issues, work etc.  A blended learning classroom would allow those students to still have opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom.

Next Step!

We need to start having conversations as a staff on next steps to stretch our classrooms and our learners.  We need to move towards a blended model.  It does not happen overnight. 

I will!!

In order to shift towards a more blended model I will continue to use my blog to push out information as well as learn other web tools!  I will need to provide professional development for my staff on different types of web tools as well as what a blended classroom looks like.  In order to be successful I will need to work with district to find creative ways to bring more technology opportunities and resources to our adult learners!!

Thoughts

Once I started this course, I realized that Chromebook roll out would have looked totally different for me.  There would have been much more professional development for teachers prior to the roll out.  Moving forward I will make sure that teachers have the training they need to use the tools!

#MASCareerWeek

Career Week, Chili Cook Off,And More!!

What an event filled two weeks at Merced Adult School!

Career Week started out with our keynote speaker, John Abbate.  John is a McDonald's owner operator and gave us 4 easy strategies to being successful in the workplace!

1) Smile

2) Show up

3) Work Hard

3) Be Nice

Who could forget the "What/not to wear" fashion show put on by our fabulous students and staff!  

Resume writing and the dreaded.....interviews!

  We heard some great things this week.  Proud of all!

The P.M. Classes took part in the annual Chili Cook Off!  There was great conversation had by all!  Good job ESL classes! Once the academics were done they got down to business.....LETS EAT!!  There were four entries in the cook off this year!  First place went to P.M. GED instructor Cynthia Malia!  

                                   

DID YOU KNOW???

• Since July 1, 2016 MAS has had: 
• approximately 25 students get their GED?
• 10 students finish their MAS diploma
• 4 students get certified in Excel
• 2 students certified in Word
• 2 in Powerpoint
• 2 in Outlook

•  The COT class has helped place 8 students in jobs!!
• Bill King, Attorney at Law (Administrative Assistant)
  51/50 Energy Drink (Administrative Assistant)
  Merced County Library(Technician)
  Foster Farms (Production)
  Ballico Elementary School District (Food Services)
  Fresno Superior Court (Courtroom Clerk)
  Mariposa County Human Services Agency (Family Assistant Representative)

• We had 25 ESL students advance in the month of October!!

Continue to inspire!  And do great things!!!

"If you do what you have always done, you will be where you have always been"

Web Tools and Resources

I have had the opportunity to scour the web for tools that would be useful to my role as the administrator at Merced Adult School!  After weeks, days, hours, and minutes, I have discovered my top 3 WEB TOOLS!

3.... Khan academy!

What a great resource to give to students for support in math, science, and even computer science. It also has great prep classes for the SAT!  My teachers use Khan Academy for support videos for lessons, as well as embed them into their Odyssey lessons!  Over all I would say this is a great resource to enhance learning! Khan Academy

2...YouTube

Videos, Videos, Videos...YouTube does an outstanding job taking you outside of the classroom.  It provides videos on just about anything you need!  You need to learn how to do it, more than likely there is a video for that! Resources are endless!  YouTube

1...padlet

This has become my favorite tool.  Padlet offeres a platform to add all webtools in one place.  With MAS Career week approaching soon.  I developed a padlet that puts all resources for the week into place.  MAS Career Week .  Videos, documents, pictures, and basically anything on the web can be pulled onto your padlet!  It is a great place for an administrator to post collaboration schedule and well as required protocol, professional development videos, and much much more.  It is easy, quick, and the uses are endless.  padlet

I am former special education teacher and a parent of three children with 3 very different learning styles and levels.  These experiences have helped me mold my educational goal, which is to "help all students be the best version of themselves".   A blended learning classroom would allow all students to learn at their own pace.  In reality it puts every student on an individualized educational plan. THEY choose what THEY need to excel in THEIR learning.

The students I worked with when I was a teacher had short attention spans, and learned best when activities were changed often.  A rotation model would allow students in my classroom to do a variety of activities for short periods of time.  It would give them the opportunity to meet the objectives of the class using tools of their choice.  This model would also allow student to rotate through small group instruction with a teacher.

 

Merced Adult School - the start of a new year

Principal's Thoughts

WOW!
I have been amazed at all that our staff gets accomplished at Merced Adult School!  Coming from a comprehensive high school, I was unaware of all of the great things happening here!  Thank you for everyone's positive attitude and help as I learn the ins and outs of MAS!!

Career and Technical Education......
We are entering an exciting time as we offer CTE opportunities for our students.  We offer certifications in Solar installation, Medical Assistant, and Office Assistant!  I am meeting with Merced College later this week to talk about articulating some of our courses.  This will allow our students to not only get great instruction from us, but also earn college credit while doing it......

The sky is the limit.....
Its exciting being part of the GAEN Consortium, as it will allow us to grow and think a bit larger!  Lets start thinking outside the box!

NEW TRANSITION SPECIALIST
Please help me welcome Maribel Palacios, our new Transition Specialist!  She will be housed in the front office!  Stop by and say hello!

August Events
23rd - 9:30 Nutrition Workshop Room 105
24th - 6:00-8:00 New Teacher Bootcamp Room 105
25th - 4:00-6:00 Staff Meeting Room 105
29th - "First Day of School"
30th  9:30- Nutrition Workshop Room 105
30-31st ASE Sign ups

Thank you for all you do!  

Steve

Blended Classrooms

We have entered an era of  technology in education.  Today's student is able to find information, through the internet, with a device they carry in their pockets.  Blended learning creates an opportunity to take advantage of this "new" tool  to enhance their education.  It allows them to tour the Whitehouse (https://goo.gl/f5GdQS),  collaborate with someone on the other side of the world (http://goo.gl/LwB38i) , or even find the cause of a disease (http://goo.gl/IifPhN).  All of this while sitting........well wherever they want to sit!

"We should watch students learn, they should not watch us teach".  A blended classroom allows teachers the opportunity to give information to students, and watch the students interact with that information.  Teachers become facilitators as they watch students collaborating with information, and increasing their knowledge.

"We should prepare students for their future, not for our past".  Giving students the opportunity to take control of their learning will also prepare them to be better employees.  Solving problems and collaborating with others gives our students a vehicle to use their individual talents in conjunction with the talents and personalities of others.  How many times do we go to work sit in rows and listen to someone talk all day? That is just not the world we live in.  We solve problems on a daily basis and when we develop a project or event, we collaborate with our colleagues.

 Technology has given us a tool that allows students to learn and collaborate outside of the classroom.  It allows students to go deeper, into a topic than we can ever take them in a "traditional" classroom.
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