Planning Handshake with Sue, Abena and Helen.

[Xavier Espejo-Vadillo]

What level should we choose?

What is a handshake and why is it important?

- This is a first contact (like a first impression when we meet someone) and therefore, it is important that students and participants introduce themselves and become familiar with each other.

This also sets the mood of the project and motivates and engages students.

There are many ways we can do this:

1) Create a blog where students introduce themselves with a picture and a paragraph and others have to comment on ("nice to meet you" blurb).

2) Create a wiki profile and allow comments to "salute" each other."

3) Blog / discussion board where students introduce themselves, their school, etc.

4) Vlog or video entry introducing themselves.

5) Podcast / audio file exchange.

6) Media presentation / PowerPoint/Slide Show introducing themselves with comments from other students.

Next Questions:

Why students at this age level need to create a handshake?
The handshake design your team has created - be specific
Further reflections as to what this handshake could be used for within the curriculum (once it is made)
IF you have time and motivation we would love to see live examples of the handshake you design!

[Emily McCarren]

@Abena:  This rubric (particularly the scales of "unemployed" to "boss") is great! Thanks for sharing! 

[Xavier Espejo-Vadillo]

I agree Vicki. Habits!

[Abena Bailey]

Great point Vicki. Start as you mean to go on :)

[Vicki Davis]

Sometimes we have students check off how many that they are are commenting upon to keep up with it and encourage contributions and communications. Focus on habits and it will help create groups and strong connections - the handshake is a great place to have habits start taking place.

[Abena Bailey]

I see someone has edited. Great! I've set it to 'comment only' now to prevent people stumbling across it and editing further.

[Abena Bailey]

I agree Helen. Let's do it.

[Helen McConaghy]

Nice job Xavier and Abena.  I LIKE IT!   Me gusto mucho!    Sorry, kid and family things this weekend so just now looking at your replies.  I think it might be fun to use a different tool that I haven't used before.  Where shall we post our handshakes? We have some great discussion here so I guess we should just continue from this blog a post things here.  What do you think?  Perhaps we can even put the edited version of the rubric here.  

[Abena Bailey]

Absolutely. And I've just learned something new so thanks for the CARLA link.

Rubric - I've made a copy and added an extra column here. It's editable for anyone with the link. I'm presuming there's no problem with us collaborating on a Google Doc this time, but if there is hopefully Julie or Vicki will step in and let us know.

I'm very aware that we haven't heard from the others to get their agreement on the rubric, but I guess we can continue and backtrack when they join us again?

Thanks everyone.

[Xavier Espejo-Vadillo]

Find the reasoning behind being in favor of even number rubrics at the CARLA website. We could easily add a column and descriptions to Abena's rubric... perhaps as a Google Doc we can all edit?

[Xavier Espejo-Vadillo]

Abena, I love the rubric and the descriptions in each category! My only concern is that I have always heard that 3 point analytical rubrics are not advisable but rather 4 point rubrics. What do you guys think? does it matter?

This (rubric) would be a great way to get started with the handshake without limiting anyone to a certain "method" or "tool."