Keeping it going...physically and mentally

This long drawn out winter has certainly taken its toll of me mentally and physically.  Trying to keep focused on school and family has been tough; but with enough tea and steam I am getting through it all.

One of the great issues during the winter is the lack of Vitamin D
 - not enough sunshine to keep us up to speed.

So when the sun shines - get outside and enjoy!
I sure did enjoy the past weekend, but as I write this can you believe they are saying more snow...

Give me some tea; steaming with some Lemon Balm or Lemon Grass - sure to keep my spirits up!

If you are looking for some great holistic remedies to help fight this seasonal depression that seems to affect so many of us, check out this blog.

So my FACS to STEAM research and paper are coming along.

I have added additional tabs to my GoogleSite for Skills for Life.  By consolidating my curriculum I am beginning to feel quite accomplished... Now does anybody have any hints for getting students to view and practice?

I am pulling together all the data for the two marking periods of students who have done pre and post assessments concerning STEAM education and Family & Consumer Science.  I can definitely see how students perceive the class; but it is not so clear that a 48 day class is enough time for students to make the connection as to the relationship of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics within Family & Consumer Science.  I think there may need to be some studies that take a longer range course, and maybe follow some of these students as they take more FACS courses through High School.

Another issue might be:  We silo other subjects, with the connections not very clear, that when we do connect the content there is resistance.  It may be perceived as forced connections.  Is this why so many times I hear; "But this isn't math class?  Why are we experimenting?  But this is cooking, not Science?"
So much to ponder...

I think I will get some STEAMING Tea, put my feet up and...

It's a New Year!

  

On January 31 millions of people around the world will be celebrating the Lunar New Year - the year of the Horse.  Since my new year on January 1 started out like a blur, I think I will take a "do over" and begin the new year this weekend.

My first start of the New Year began with a resolution to limit my "sarcasm" - needless to say it was a true, unmitigated failure!  Maybe it lasted 24 hours! Sad, but True :(

So my new, New Years Resolution is to complete this Capstone project with a positive attitude, believing that my students truly get the intersections of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics within the curriculum of Family and Consumer Science.

It has been a difficult marking period, with many breaks in learning as snow days, half days and holidays have broken up any real flow.  A few more days, and a formative evaluation will show me if my students truly grasped the concepts.  I must say their sewing projects were well designed; most figured out the relationship of engineering, planning and the process.  So tomorrow we begin the evaluation - I know they will show their understanding (this is not sarcasm!)  Thursday we will create our New Years meal - Fried Rice; a blending of Asian - American Cuisine.

So speaking of Fried Rice - FCCLA is selling Seasoned Rice Packets to benefit Share Our Strength:No Child Hungry campaign.  $5 donation and you to can make Fried Rice with my "famous" recipe.  I deliver to my followers as Southern Regional and South Jersey.

This is a shameless plug!

Happy New Year - The Year of the Horse!  
Let the work begin... or at least continue.

Power

I feel quite empowered today... it could be from my singular focus on STEAM and its relationship to everything that I teach.  

Today I had the honor of being present at the Board of Director's meeting for Tinius Olsen Testing Machines: my family's business that has been STEAMING along since 1880.  A business that has helped shape the consumer manufacturing business in all areas of life; from the strength of concrete, the strength of re-bar, to how thin plastics can get; we even make a machine to test the strength of a stuffed animal's eye?  As I participated in the meeting I could not help but note that when I am teaching life skills to my 8th grade class I am helping them learn how to make life choices that have been simultaneously affected by some great engineering ideas that came out of our companies products.  So much more is available to them to make wise decisions with than when G-GPop Olsen began the business.  The connection to FCS is Strong!  Wonder if we can manufacture a machine to test that strength!

Now back to the research paper - I was inspired during the meeting to finish up the few points - formatting the table of contents and writing the abstract. Having the opportunity to share my paper with my cousins, getting their feedback and support, gave me the push I needed to write what I thought would be difficult - an abstract that was concise.  It's great to have family support!  To paraphrase my cuz - The boardroom table seems to have become the new dining room table - a place of support!  The day certainly helped confirm to me the importance a family has on the development of productive citizens, and why Family & Consumer Science continues to be viable in our educational environment.  It certainly did not hurt when my cousins overwhelmingly supported my supposition of the connection of FACS to STEM... this is a STEM business, looking at all times for a workforce that can think creatively to solve the problems of tomorrow.

Spent about two hours working on the two.  I feel so much more comfortable with the aspects of Word that I was not familiar with.  Practice certainly helps as I worked to get it together during the week.  Thanks to Karl for helping me with changing the Header, and Carolyn for the pointers on Word..

Revisions may be needed, but I am sure I will manage those.

Power surge

As we come towards the end of this semester I feel I can finally start checking off all the commitments that I have made. 

NJEA presentations - check

FCCLA Fall leadership competition - check

Pre-assessments - check

Post-assessment - 1 down, 2 to go

Writing the paper - almost a check

This week I spent two hours writing my methods and procedures with minimal revisions.  I also spent two hours writing my reflection of the needs assessment.  I am feeling comfortable with my subject.

All that is left now is to: 

1. Finish the Literature review - goal is to have it done prior to Turkey day!

2.  Begin Cover page and table of contents.  This should be a challenge, isn't this why we hire editors?

I continue to advocate for FCS as a piece of STEM/STEAM education.  By taking an administrator to the FCCLA Fall Conference I was able to show her what FCS really encompasses.  Her eyes were opened and I think that there can only be positive results, time will tell. 

The success the students experienced as they brought home gold medals from competition gives me joy and thanks!

Change takes time, but STEAM, like water can change the geography of our environment.

Full STEAM ahead...

As I think about moving Full STEAM ahead I am immediately drawn to ships.  This may be due to reading my Great-Great Grandmothers' letters from ships while she traveled from the US to Europe, or is it because my cousin is currently volunteering on crew with the world's largest floating book fair currently docked in the UAE.

  

This led me to the "Ship the Changed the World" the SS Great Britain - the ship that is considered the first great Ocean Liner.  Steam power bringing people from one side of the world to the other, making our world a little bit smaller, with just a little less risk, in a little less time.  Enjoy a view into the world of getting ready to sail under "Steam Power".

STEAM has been powering the world since the 1800's - harnessing it into the world of Family & Consumer Science has been my goal with this research project.  I think of how life has evolved for all us as technology has changed our lives in so many ways using science, engineering, art (design) and mathematics.  Without the integration of all of these disciplines, our possibilities of travel, communication, relaxation, creation and economy would be limited.  We can learn so much through the study of the integration of these disciplines.  Even now, I learn about a ship I had heard of only fleetingly - and I can even play a game -

FULL STEAM AHEAD

Where else can I learn how to build a ship?  I hope it floats!

RESEARCH PROJECT

This past week was spent with little writing, but lots of ideas and implementation.  Last week was a week off of teaching as I attending the NJEA Teacher Convention in Atlantic City.  I had the opportunity to present 3 workshops; two in High Tech Hall and the third in a PD classroom.  I enjoyed presenting a workshop - 

To Market, To Market - a project based learning workshop focused on the creative energy and methods offered through Synectics.  Having teachers help students develop their creative skills while "thinking outside the box" is a start towards the entrepreneurial mindset that current Fortune 500 CEO's are looking for.

I continue to work on revising my Literature Review - as I continue to reach out to other FCS professionals, I am coming in contact with others that are also trying to link CTE, FCS to the STEM and STEAM initiatives.  Others seem to be focusing on the relationship the teachers have with integrating and incorporating STEM/STEAM initiatives.  I seem to be a lone soul looking at it from the students learning.

Before leaving for break I had the opportunity to administer the first post-assessment - FACS to STEAM with my first group of students.  I have not yet pulled the analysis, but that should be completed shortly. As I returned to school this week, I have administered the Pre-Assessment for the second marking period students.  I continue to gather data, which is being collated and evaluated.

I have spent approximately 4 hours writing the Methods and Procedures.  I am concerned that I do not have multiple assessments, but due to the short time period I have with the students, I am concerned that I will be too focused on gathering information while not having ample time for instructional intervention.

So like my ship building experience in the game, I am sure I will be able to build a "ship" (project) that floats.

STEAMed up

                       STEAMed up this week.

Up in the clouds somewhere...

This week was one of lots of ups and downs.

RESEARCH:  I have spent about 10 hours searching the library databases - particularly Education Research Complete for any research that pertains to Family & Consumer Science and its connection to STEM educational initiatives.  The good news is there are a few articles written, but none seem to have research as to the level of student learning.  I follow the leads that I can find.  I have searched into each separate discipline of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the connections to FCS also.  The good news is that most that is found is based upon the educational strategy of Project Based Learning.  I have the articles, have scanned the articles, and now am in the process of organizing, editing, and analyzing them as to the needs of my paper.  Writing will happen sometime... I hope.

Saturday Morning I spent on an American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences webinar concerning FCS and STEM - the relationship they have.  The good news is the presenters are like minded with me, so they have opened up as a resource.  They do not have the hard facts as to the student needs - so they were interested in the ideas I have.  I have been linked with them on LinkedUP for awhile now, and hope to have a sounding board from my industry as the project comes along.

NEEDS ASSESSMENTS:  I spent all day Sunday evaluating the results of the Needs Assessments my classes took the first week of school.  Of course, I forgot to create separate surveys for each class - so the results sorted as a whole.  After an hour of trying to configure results through GoogleForms, I decided to do it the old fashioned way.  It took a day, but I got the results.  The results did not surprise me at all.

Additional Research:  Since I have become so fond of MOOC's, I found one I could not turn down through EdX - Science and Cooking by Harvard.

This one allows me to work at my own pace, doing what I want, when I want.  How fun to learn scientific principles by Harvard professors.  Should be interesting as I see how they translate the preparation of food.

I'm beginning to want some steamed dumplings!

STEAM Cleaning

STE(A)M Cleaning

This week was spent with quite a few hours at the laptop.
I needed to clean up my files so that I can be sure to submit things in a proper manner.

• Research articles to review - sorted in a folder.
• Submitted assignments - sorted in a folder.
• Bookmarks - created!

Now that the files are organized I feel that I can proceed ... obviously with caution, as I don't want to get scalded!

My research this week focused on each of the disciplines that are represented by the acronym STE(A)M education.  This consisted of approximately 6 hours of searching.  Depending upon the association publication - there are a variety of methods which STE(A)M education can be implemented.  Science and Math seem to be the driving force; as those elements become the language of implementation into the fields of Technology and Engineering.  Arts become important as the Visual Literacy of the product becomes the driving force to the acceptance.

Much of the research is focused on teacher attitude and instructional strategies.  I have yet to find collaborating evidence that "learning" has improved from student results.

I had the opportunity to Skype with my international learning partner from Down Under . Jay Deagan, a doctoral candidate in Home Economics education.  She helped me identify some resources that could be helpful in my research, and spent quite a bit of time just brainstorming ways to get Home Ec (Australia) and FCS (US) into the view of the mainstream public.  Her suggestion:  Publish, Publish, Publish.
              * Thanks Amy for pushing me to find the global connections as year or so ago!

I did come across the National Academies Press which has quite a few resources that can guide me on the way to the integration of STE(A)M disciplines into FCS.  It was interesting that when I went to search on Friday evening that the site was not active due to the Gov't shut-down - just wondering... are there little people doing the search?  Seems to be up and running this morning.  

My Needs Assessments have been completed, and now I am compiling the results. From my observational checklist I found the AHA moment of the week.

As a student was deciding what to make in the way of a sewn toy - I had shown a video of lots of different completed projects, as well as some sewn items currently on sale through Etsy.  He saw a plate of stuffed fruit models - he decided that he would make a watermelon slice.  He had no pattern so he created one - using his observational

 skills, he determined the basic shape (half circle) with a oval base.  He realized by figuring the circumference of the circle he could determine the length of the oval that would become the rind of the watermelon.  Currently a work in progress - but I was thrilled that he realized a reason to use those geometric equations he had to learn in math.

The Goal!

I continue my review of my chosen research article.  After reading it through about 6 times, I am beginning to get the feel of the research and its usefulness for my paper and project.  There is certainly quite a bit of reading to do - I really do need to find a way to stream line it as I believe I may be running out of that precious resource of time!