Sine Wave Start to my 2020-2021 SY

This school year has really been like no other! I have had so many highs and lows starting off in a virtual setting. I've gone from overwhelming pressure to everything that is working! I've made mistakes and found valuable resources. There are times that I have had to show more humility and grace towards my students, and allow myself to have more humility and grace for my own mix-ups. 

It's embarrassing to admit, 

1. I sent the Zoom Link for my 5th Period to my 4th Period, and was getting upset my AP-level students weren't showing up! Luckily a student e-mailed me and I saw the notification on my phone, and popped in the Zoom with them!

2. I sent an assignment to my 1st-period class twice! Because I auto-assigned it to both my 8th Period & 1st, the same course on another day! 

3. I used the headings from my AP CS-A course for my AP CSP Assignments. 

4. In my College Calculus class I have forgotten multiple times to add a Submission option for my Canvas Assignments!

5. I cannot remember names like I used to and I am more forgetful in the online conversations that I have had with students!

6. I cannot motivative my best students to even show up for the fun events! Students are not showing up to online tournaments and events that I have helped set-up. I was even ghosted by a student from the club, he has not messaged or logged into the club page in weeks. 

I do not understand this year, I have had frustration after frustration, been turned down on several opportunities and grants. Through it all, I am making sure I build brand new virtual courseware for students and when we have successes, I am trying to make sure I celebrate them!

From the challenges, I have also had successes:

1. Building my Exploration of Game Design Course, of course, is the top success of this new school year.

2. Becoming a NASEF Fellow, and having my draft for an Esports Book Chapter accepted! (I am going to become a published author!)

3. Building up our Cybercat Video Game and Esports Club, one student at a time!

4. Having students featured on the NASEF Rube Goldberg Minecraft Challenge. 

5. Using Among Us to bring our Game Club together, and just have fun in my Exploration of Game Design Course, while teaching about Persuasive Arguments. (Thank you to one of my NASEF Mentor’s Angelique Gianis!)

6. Being interviewed by the Literacy Advocate on his Podcast! (Take a listen here:  https://anchor.fm/timmy-bauer)

Students in my Pre-Calculus Section Completed the 
Khan Academy Learner Storm. 12 Trophies
were collected in 10 Weeks!

This school year is far from perfect, and it’s way more stressful than I have ever been in my life. Trying to balance this virtual work life with a home life has been difficult. I have had to set boundaries and not answer emails or Remind Messages or texts from parents late at night. I also realize that this is nothing I was ever trained to work in, nor thought would be possible in my lifetime. But a wise Tik Tok Teacher explained that we cannot beat ourselves up because at this moment and during this stressful time, we may feel ineffectual and feel like terrible teachers. But we have yet to see the full data, or any of the anecdotal evidence this is 100% true. Watch the TikTok Here!

It has been a wild, sine function wave of a ride, but I am doing exactly what I should be doing. We are challenged daily, learning from those embarrassing moments, and successes are happening that should still be celebrated!

Flattening the Curve: Teaching During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Ten weeks, that is how long online remote teaching lasted and the ups and downs of social distancing were a constant pull on my emotions. I never thought in a million years that I would live through and work during a global pandemic.

March 13th, 2020 we received an all staff e-mail, that stated the Governor had closed all schools until March 30th. We all walked out of our building unsure of our next steps, when we would ever see our students again and with no clue how we would teach our students. The college I adjunct at also had decided after the Spring Break, to go online with all courses as well. Between TikTok, Tiger King,  Video Games, Cleaning, and Legos, at first helped me keep my sanity.

March 25th, two weeks later we were informed we would start online distance learning with our students.

The process to start online remote-learning during the social distancing lock down was not easy.  It was bumpy, filled with frustration at a slow approach to disseminate information. The district was deliberate in only giving information when they finalized it and gained our state's backing for the plans. Then after two weeks of the administration planning, it was our turn. We were given training on how to use our school's selected means of educating students. Then we were asked to create modules for our common courses and share them with staff who teach the same courses. Students began logging in a week later, and we were on week four of lock down when all students were instructed to login. Our district worked with teachers and the Local Intermediate Unit (a state-affiliated education specialist facility in PA) to use Odyesseyware and run courses for our senior students.

I was allowed into my classroom March 28th to pick-up any supplies I needed to help with online teaching. It was very surreal walking in and only having a few moments to gather the things I thought I would need.

@a4jsk Missing my students!! ##gibsongeometry ##teachersbelike ##teachersoftiktok ##fyp ##foryoupage
♬ Robin Williams Edit - twelveshade

The following week we would start to go live in our online platform for students. I made sure all students were enrolled in one of my Google Classroom Courses. A great positive, all but 2 students responded to my course enrollment requests! I then used my Google Classroom Streams as a way to push out announcements, I sent memes to help add a little humor to the days. 

April 1st students saw an important link that said, "Urgent Update" which led to this YouTube Video: News Alert - Breaking News, yes I Rick Rolled my classes.

At home when classes started, my wife, a 1st-grade teacher in a neighboring district, was already working on online instruction and with her students. My daughter, a 1st-grade student, was also working with her teacher daily online. I was left with the toddler, to keep her entertained and out of the way while my wife taught her students and guided our daughter in the asynchronous work she was assigned. This was very difficult at times when I had morning faculty and PLC Zoom meetings myself. We made it work while working from home we navigated our way through teaching students.

My Best Covid-19 Looks & Memes!

The rest of the days became a blur. One morning I found dirt tossed into my coffee, the start of a really bad day. There were terrible meetings, information that was ineffective, and the thought of not seeing students ever again. Then another day a squirrel busted in through the unused chimney flue that is in a room we have dubbed the "Sun Room". Causing a full ruckus to our morning routine, he came back a few weeks later as well, disrupting the new normal. 

All students did not work, and the AP Classes that I teach had all of the seniors removed to the LIU course, and then halfway through the Marking Period given back to me to hurriedly prepare for an exam that they had missed too much content for. All of my AP Computer Science A students took their exams with no problems, but my AP Computer Science Principles only had 9 of the 24 students prepare all of their AP CSP Performance Task Projects. This was a major let down, and one that had me questioning how to feel. Do I go with the school's mantra of "Grace over Grades" or make sure to uphold the expectations and rigor of an AP course. I felt very torn over this issue... It did not help that the students were not added into my own AP Course until part way through the marking period. 

Teaching in a college course online was not as difficult. I only had issues with attendance while trying to have open Zoom Meetings for my 5 freshmen and 1 Junior. Usually it was just me and my Junior, chatting about the weeks events and then leaving to check out the newly arriving finished assignments. Our Distributed Leadership Team began meeting virtually and had several meetings with themes to lighten the mood as well!

DL Zoom Hat Day

DL Zoom Dress to Impress

While there was a feeling of having so many drawbacks, there were also many great moments as well! My wife while working with her students was able to reach and help one of her most in-need students. My daughter increased her reading fluency, and our toddler has been progressing with her vocabulary as well as her ability to interact with the family in very positive and mannerly ways. I had a zoom paint night with students in the YCCOSP Program, a very fun evening! Students who were very successful finished my online courses early, and some who did not fare as well on the unit pretest, that wanted to do better, actually reached out for help. I did so by giving new assignments and additional options for finishing out the year with a stronger grade.

The most exciting thing to happen in all of this was for my proposal to have a Game Design Academy was picked up by our curriculum director. I am now starting to create my own 1 credit Game Design Course, a part of the full 3 credit idea I promoted, but one that I am super excited to fully develop to help students learn in exciting new ways. At the college I adjunct for, I used my love of technology to facilitate a discussion on Social Media and Wellness. I also kept up with my online learning and started to do learn more about Distance Learning from educational companies like Nearpod, Flocabulary, and Flipgrid. I tried to incorporate a little bit of each in my teaching. I tried to push myself and build my own abilities in technology while at home teaching. 

May 29th all grades were due. In the end it was very anti-climactic. There were no hugs good-bye or great hilarious moments in the classroom that I usually have my final days of the school year. My students did not get a Prom, they did not have a formal Graduation. We missed out on a lot of time together, and great projects that I have developed over the years. All because of a microscopic threat, one that cannot be fully understood yet. 

June 4th I watched The William Penn Class of 2020 Graduation from the online streaming video produced for our students, parents, staff, and community. It was a surreal event, full of real emotions, highs, and lows, and the events that occurred can never be forgotten!

Leading Teachers through PD

As a part of our High School's Distributed Leadership (DL) Team, I have been given the opportunity to lead in new capacities for the past four years.  I have been trained for three years on the ways of developing teacher skills and school climate.  The team and I use the time allocated for our DL team to help bring Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to life and advocate for using best practices while creating Professional Development (PD) for our staff.

One such day was last January when I lead our Department Meeting time and showcased using QR Codes for staff to get students working and engaged in their classrooms.  I modeled one use, by having staff get into groups of 4 and walk around our building scanning QR Codes about the process of using QR Codes in the classroom, while they went around with a group recording sheet.  (One person in each group at least had a QR Code Reader.) 

One teacher friend used QR Codes at the end of the
year, using the codes to tag a video for students
to listen and write in Spanish. 

It became a huge success and everyone involved said the time used was greatly appreciated and the activity very appropriate for their practices.  I revamped the whole project for a recent graduate course paper that I had to make a QR Code activity.  I used PowerPoint to give my posters some extra character and even attached all of the QR Code Sites I used in each slide. I then began thinking about what else I could teach them would be the best use of their time, but as we all know one does not professionally develop teachers.

QR Code Activity: 

QR Codes PowerPoint Slides

QR Code Blank Group Form

QR Code Group Form with Links

During a second PD, I led, involved looking at Google Sites to create a classroom website.  During this planned instruction I gave 10 minutes in demonstrating how to make a Google Site in Google Drive, then showcased my ever-changing work in progress Geometry Website.  Teachers were then placed in their departments to play with the Google Site creator and discuss possible uses for a site, what they would want to display or share with students and the world, etc.  Attached is my Google Site PD form that was shared out to all staff to work on and share ideas.   I designed the Google Doc to be informative, editable, and shareable for the information decided upon by each department. 

One of my takeaways from DL Trainings. 

Through leading teachers with Professional Development, I have become more secure in my knowledge of education and knowing what is good for both students and teachers in my building.  I hope to continue on this trend, leading and teaching all new skills that are easily adaptable for any classroom.

Please use and adapt any of the activities I have made for your school too! 

Adventures of a High School Math Teacher

Recently I have been struggling with students working in my class, they are pre-occupied with a lot of other things, district championship football, plays, music recitals, fall break, and just about anything but Geometry.  I had the opportunity to have our new Math Coach come and visit my 4th Period classroom, and she saw students acting out at their worst while I was trying to direct instruct.  I thought the entire afternoon went horribly wrong, but she had nothing but positive things to say and assist me with her feedback.

She stated they were all distracted and she could see that in my College Prep Geometry Course.  She also said she saw a lot of the students respected me and to make it an expectation that students work properly.  It really made me feel accomplished that there was a sign of respect in my classroom, as well as her only looking at the good things in my classroom, I did not see them in my own analysis of how the class had gone.  She mentioned taking a moment to speak with them about their abilities and the future I wanted for them.  That Geometry is the content, but the ability to sit and refrain from other distractions, that practice for their future careers, the soft skills they could learn from me, were crucial.  She stated that if I just re-iterated that cell phones and talking out during the middle of a meeting would get students fired from a job, then maybe they would start to listen and practice what good active learning was supposed to look like.

Cell phones have always been an issue, and a challenge she suggested was for 15 minutes of no cell phones.  Then 20 minutes, and build up to the whole class time.  Although cell phones can sometimes be useful, putting education and professionalism first is going to be key in making sure my 4th period can learn at the level they were required to learn.  I look forward to this conversation Monday with my students and I am excited to see how they respond to my request.

CS Education

I started my Undergraduate work, at Saint Vincent College, in Computer Science and Business to teach high school students about computers.  After a round with C+ Programming, I decided that it was not for me, I did, however, enjoy my Calculus class immensely and decided to change to Mathematics Education as my Major.  Upon college graduation, I started teaching at an urban high school in 2007 and taught all Algebra 1 courses during my first three years, then Geometry, then Algebra again, Algebra 2, and now Geometry for the past 4 years.  While creating course material that I felt was relevant for my students I came upon some teaching material involving Scratch Coding.  From there I have found a love for computers and computer education again.

Saint Vincent College,
Latrobe, PA

I recently just finished coursework to complete my Plus 30 to advance the tier placement in my career, I had my Masters in 21st Century Teaching and Learning, through Wilkes University, completed in 2011, and did not realize the potential to having more credits under my belt.  I have been working hard to update my learning, and personal style to teaching, through courses in multiple ways, first through Learner's Edge where I completed a set of courses that gave me a certification (from their own personal certifications, not a PA State Cert.) in the area of Information Technology Specialist.  Through this set of courses, I decided it would be wise to get the state certification work on my Plus 30 and my eventual Plus 60 while adding more weight to my own personal learning with a second Masters in Informational Technology Specialist.

Bearcat in College

I am currently re-enrolled and going through Wilkes University where I have found the professors and learning modules very inspirational in my own teaching.  I have taken lesson plans and re-created them through use of more online and computer-based learning.   I have used Desmos, Geogebra and even Google Apps to enhance the learning in my classroom.  Through my journey, I have figured out that Computer Science is definitely going to take my own teaching and my students farther than I could have imagined.

Bearcat Teacher

I am starting this school year teaching AP Computer Science Principles and went through a training to learn how to process through the new course.  This will be a big step for me to take towards my goal of implementing more computer science in my school and will make for a huge learning opportunity for not only my students but myself.  In our building, we also created another new course using the text, Where Will I Ever Use This? Volume 1: Algebraic Modeling, using Excel to teach Algebraic Concepts.  The overall goal for our high school is to start creating learning academies within our building.  We have a Freshmen Academy, Performing Arts Academy and a Safety (First Responders) Academy, the academy I would like to start, you guessed it, Computer Science.

I would like to incorporate more courses in gaming, video game development, (since I am one of the Video Game Club advisors for my school) coding language, and possibly the AP Computer Science A one day.  I never thought that switching majors in 2004, would afford me the opportunity to still end up teaching and learning more about the passions I have in my life, computers and technology.

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