C4T #1

For my first C4T assignment I was assigned to comment on Mark Hardeman’s blogs. The two blogs that I commented on were “Embedding our Graduateprofile” and “How Can Marshmallows Help Build Teams?” Marks blogs were very interesting and gave me numerous ideas for my future classroom!

The first blog that I commented on was “Embedding our Graduateprofile.” Mark discussed the school that he taught and how it was undergoing an accreditation process. One of the protocols that were used was “Excellent by Design,” this protocol was used to help drive the process. The process was successful and the school wide planning ethic greatly improved. He also discussed what attributes the school community wanted their students to illustrate. Towards the end of the post Mark talked about how the ACS graduates should be: Thinkers (Critical, Creative, Reflective, and Independent), Responsible (Organized, Risk-takers, Open-Minded, Respectful of self, others and the world), Well-Rounded (Balanced, Inquisitive, Adaptable, Knowledgeable, Effective Communicator), and Leaders (Diligent, Motivated, Confident, Principled, Collaborative). Each student was asked to collect evidence of leadership, thinking skills, responsibility and demonstrate how they are well rounded students.

v  Allows to both students and parents to be aware of the schools mission

v  Areas of improvement will be more identified.

v  Helps create a support with the faculty

v  Creates a redefined focus

v  Consistent SLC theme

My response to Mark Hardeman's post was: “Hey Mark, my name is Amanda Weller and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM 310. I really enjoyed reading the accomplishments that your school has undergone. Knowing that the school staff came together to make the school a better place is very exciting and encouraging. I would love to know how well the school has progressed. Wonderful blog posts! I hope everything has worked out for the best!”

The second post that I commented on was “How Can Marshmallows Help Build Teams?” Mark discussed how using the Marshmallow Challenge can help improve teams. Mark got the idea of this challenge from Tom Wujek. The Marshmallow challenge was incorporated in one of the schools staff meetings and the results were successful. The main points that goes along with the Marshmallow Challenge are manage your time, team building, it is okay to take risks, learn from our mistakes, set reachable goals, group size matters, high stakes can lead to decreased performance on creative tasks, and have fun. The challenge was thought out very thoroughly through the school staff and was created for fun learning!

My response to Mark Hardeman's post was: “Hey Mark, my name is Amanda Weller and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in EDM 310. The Marshmallow challenge sounds like a wonderful idea to get your classroom in gear! It served a wonderful purpose and gave me several ideas for my future classroom. I think that the Marshmallow Challenge could be highly effective! Great post!”