Welcome to the TB. Carn Research and Development Division.
The LOSC System: where it all began
Getting to know 50 or more individuals is difficult, and I have personally always had difficulty learning names. Over the course of my practice I have developed an invaluable way of getting to know my students better, which is a cornerstone of my teaching philosophy, and helps me to develop lessons that will be as engaging as possible for them. The tool I have developed for this purpose is something that I call the LOSC system, which stands for Living Organism Seating Chart. The chart began as a simple way to help me memorize names, but began to grow into a crucial part of my teaching practice. Paired with simple questionnaires, as well as knowledge gained from simple day to day conversation, the LOSC acts as an underlying guide for planning instruction and becoming closer to students. I also use the LOSC system during class to take notes for my reflection journals.
Below you can see an Artifact example of the LOSC system at work. The top image is the prototype or "version one" that I began using with my 5th period class. The notes on it were mostly handwritten following our first class period together, and over the next few days. The Bottom image shows what the LOSC looked like after 4 weeks of updating and journaling. One can also see the post-it notes I use during class to ensure I follow up with students after and so I know where to pick up next time if we don't get through everything. One can also see the color-coding in Version IV, which is used to denote IEPs, as well as other traits, such as shyness, high levels of energy, and high degrees of prior knowledge. This allows me to better interact with students, by identifying those that can be called upon to move discussion along, as well as those who might have a tendency to be the only ones answering. The LOSC system goes even further in helping establish positive working relationships with students by making note of their interests and activities outside of class, such as sports, or jobs.
Below you can see an Artifact example of the LOSC system at work. The top image is the prototype or "version one" that I began using with my 5th period class. The notes on it were mostly handwritten following our first class period together, and over the next few days. The Bottom image shows what the LOSC looked like after 4 weeks of updating and journaling. One can also see the post-it notes I use during class to ensure I follow up with students after and so I know where to pick up next time if we don't get through everything. One can also see the color-coding in Version IV, which is used to denote IEPs, as well as other traits, such as shyness, high levels of energy, and high degrees of prior knowledge. This allows me to better interact with students, by identifying those that can be called upon to move discussion along, as well as those who might have a tendency to be the only ones answering. The LOSC system goes even further in helping establish positive working relationships with students by making note of their interests and activities outside of class, such as sports, or jobs.
As I began teaching in my own classroom, I continued to use the LOSC system to get to know students, perhaps the greatest change to it is that it is now fully digitized to accommodate the shifting faces and names of my new public school classroom in Georgia. With the arrival of COVID, the LOSC system took on a new importance as a cornerstone for keeping track of students' social and emotional wellbeing, especially as remote learning came about.
Now that we are back in the classroom, the LOSC system continues to serve as an important part of my teaching, along with regular journal entry assignments that serve only as SEL check-ins so that students have a structured and private way of notifying me of any new developments that may impact their learning. If nothing else, these efforts serve to form a bond with students that make them more teachable.
The new LOSC system does not appear very different, but it is a highly customizable digital file now. I am currently looking into copyrighting and publishing it on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Now that we are back in the classroom, the LOSC system continues to serve as an important part of my teaching, along with regular journal entry assignments that serve only as SEL check-ins so that students have a structured and private way of notifying me of any new developments that may impact their learning. If nothing else, these efforts serve to form a bond with students that make them more teachable.
The new LOSC system does not appear very different, but it is a highly customizable digital file now. I am currently looking into copyrighting and publishing it on Teachers Pay Teachers.
PBL and Flipped Classroom Efforts
A description of my efforts in Problem Based Learning and the flipped classroom is coming soon. I am still putting together resources that I can display here.
