Week 1 Blog

Part 1: I am Jamie Castle, and I currently teach seventh-grade Math at Chisholm Middle School. While teaching this core subject, I also teach STEM and Robotics to seventh and eighth-graders. I also coach 6th-8th-grade students who want to compete in robotics competitively. I have taught early childhood, but now call middle school my home. I am working to grow our robotics program at both the middle and high schools. I help develop content in both STEM and math. Even with the success in the Math State score, I long to teach more STEM classes and expand to possibly the high school level. I have always wanted to complete my master's since earning my bachelor's, and with my eagerness to grow in my district, I have returned to finish it after more than a decade.  

Part 2: The lessons I want to share today align with ISTE Standard 1.1, Empowered Learner (ISTE, 2016), as students use technology to take ownership of their learning through a "bootcamp." "Bootcamp" is a series of Google Forms that create different levels. Each level focuses on a specific skill needed to master a math standard. The student can not move on until all the questions are correct. The practice is where the student can ask for help and learn the skills needed to pass. Once all the practice is accurate, the student can move to mastery, which has to be completed by themselves. If all the mastery is correct, they can move on to the next level. If they miss a problem, they must try again. Bootcamp uses Google Forms to validate answers, and students can move on only if they are correct. The mastery percentage only shows whether answers are accurate after completion, so the student will know their next step and not have to wait for the teacher to grade everything. Google Forms provides easy-to-read, trackable data. A teacher can align the activity with  Oklahoma Academic Standard 7.N.2.5, which focuses on modeling and solving problems with rational numbers (Oklahoma State Department of Education, 2021).


Part 3: 

 Regarding Kolb's (2017) Triple E Framework, this activity demonstrates strong engagement because the students' work stays in their zone of proximal development, where they want to work. They are also encouraged by "moving up the ranking" in the bootcamp section. It also helps the teacher monitor students' status with a single click. The students can see each other's rankings, so they are smart to pick someone who is at a higher level and has beaten the level the current student is working on. All of this is part of the Engage portion of Kolb's Triple E framework, making it a proper use of technology.

Reference:

International Society for Technology in Education. (2016). ISTE standards for students. https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students

Kolb, L. (2017). Triple E framework. https://www.tripleeframework.com/

Oklahoma State Department of Education. (2021). Oklahoma academic standards for mathematics. https://sde.ok.gov/mathematics

Comments

  1. Karlie MinsonOctober 17, 2025 at 2:46 PM

    I am so glad we have connected! I loved reading your blog post and I honestly would love to see this bootcamp google form! I think this is a fantastic idea for students to work through as they work on their skills but not feel pressured when they make a mistake. I hope that we can connect more throughout this course and possible work together!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mrs. Bosier's TheaterOctober 17, 2025 at 9:37 PM

    Thank you for sharing your use of Bootcamp. I think this is a great way for you to assess the levels of your students as well as give them a platform for communication. It is an easy way to give students a platform for advocating for themselves and asking questions when they need help.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Middle Math with Mrs. NewcombOctober 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM

    Great post, Jamie! I also teach 7th grade math, I started in high school, and I have unintentionally but gratefully have made my way down to 7th grade! Your Bootcamp seems really interesting and a great way to check the understanding of students who are struggling and allowing opportunity to help. While also giving students who do understand the opportunity to move forward.

    ReplyDelete
  4. shaelyn smithOctober 19, 2025 at 4:27 PM

    Hello Jamie! I am an early childhood teacher through and through, It is so hard for me to imagine moving to middle school. Congratulations on finding your "home" in the education world! I love the idea of the bootcamp, it is a great way to meet the students where they are at with the different levels. It is also a genius way of assessing student progress.

    ReplyDelete

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