A Day in a Differentiated English Class

While researching the Google Apps in The Google Apps Guidebook by Kern Kelley, I was intrigued by the chapter on Google Photos. Although the app itself is somewhat limited, the Pixlr extension it explained is an impressive tool, essentially a free version of AdobePhotoshop online. The summative assignment I am currently designing for my potential unit about Michael L. Printz award winners and honor books allows a choice of final projects and many of them could use this technology. One option is to create a photo journal, in which students would ask themselves "what would be on the protagonist's camera?" For this, an editing tool would be incredibly helpful, especially if the book they choose has a fictional or fantastic setting. This tool might also help students who choose to make a collage. If they cannot find an image they want, they can make it using other photos and the Pixlr program. As a fun addition, I have imagined how this might play out in the classroom.

"A Day in a Differentiated English Class" 

As the students walk into the classroom, they know that today is a collaboration day, in which they will be working on their book projects with the help of their peers. I watch them filter in and let them go to the station they currently need for their project and chatter amongst themselves. I check each student's name off my roster as the student enters. When the clock ticks over to the start of the period, I clap my hands together three times to get their attention. 

"Today's a collaborative day," I remind them, "So make sure you're at a station where you can work on your project with a partner or group. I'll be going around to each group, but if any of you have specific questions, raise your hand." I make a small circle in the margin next to the name of each student that raises their hand. "All set," I say, letting them know they can put their hands down. "Get started." 

As the students bustle around, taking out their books and projects-in-progress, I head over to the photo editing table because more students raised their hand in this section than in any other. They open their laptops and bring up Pixlr.

"Okay, so I chose Code Name Verity for my project," Emma tells me, "And I'm trying to make an example of a propaganda poster for my photo journal, but I can't figure out how to select something and drag it into another image." Many of the students at the table murmur in shared confusion, so I show them how to select a section of an image and copy it into another image, using Emma's computer. 

"Is there any other questions that came up?" I ask them. 

I answer their questions, showing them how to add texts and gradients, checking the small circles I wrote on the rosters as their confusion is resolved. When I've answered all of their questions, I move on to the table working on their blogs. "Okay, so who still has questions?" I ask them, assuming that some of their questions might have been resolved by their peers. 

For the rest of the class period, I make rounds around the classroom, making sure everyone's questions are resolved and that everyone is prepared to work on their projects independently as homework. At the end of the class, I remind them to email me with any further questions and return to the front of the room to wait for the next block of students.