Occasionally Teaching Always Learning

Well, I made it.  I was recently hired as an occasional teacher for a growing board in Ontario (backflips, applause, happy dances, etc.).  I have worked a few days already (cartwheels) and been volunteering steadily for some pretty inspiring teachers in a variety of grades JK-8.

I have decided that my first post as an employed teacher (back hand springs) would focus on two particularly wicked lessons which have hooked the kids (and then some!) and sparked their curiosities so much so that everyone was working hard (re: on task, smiling, concentrating and not asking to go to the bathroom or to get a drink), the classroom was abuzz with learning and the classrooms were transformed into laboratories and learning hubs for the entire community.

Fabulous Lesson 1: You Can't Catch Me, I'm The Gingerbread Man (Primary, in this case JK/SK split)

Photo via Flickr 6S Marketing

This is a unit of study all about THE GINGERBREAD MAN.  A lot of preparation and forethought went into this unit.  It all starts with the kindies making a giant "class" gingerbread man (smelling, touching, working together, learning about baking safety).  When they went to get him from the oven, all that was left was crumbs on the parchment paper.   The students were immediately hooked.  Where did he go? That guy! Always running away! At one point the school principal was holding kindie's hands and walking around the school looking for "Gingy".  As the weeks wore on, students participated in plethora of activities from this springboard activity.  A dozen or so renditions of the famous story were read and compared for similarities and differences. The class made wanted posters to describe and hopefullly find their missing cookie.  A fieldtrip to a farm where they made and decorated their own gingerbread men (who didn't run away!) was taken.  Students posed in a life-size cut out of a gingerbread man, their tiny faces replacing his cookie mug.  A science experiment was conducted, if a cookie man tries to cross a river of milk, what will happen? Will he make it safely to the other side?  These are just some of the activities that inspired students to learn right on up to winter break! What a festive, yummy and inclusive unit of study!  Community connections: parents and other community members helped out by actually mailing postcards from their travels (and enlisting others to do so) to the classroom from "the gingerbread man".


Amazing Lesson 2: Toy Design and Prototype (Junior/Intermediate)

This was a week long project-based assignment for a grade 3 class where students created a blueprint and toy design and then researched the construction, gathered the materials and worked together to construct a prototype.  Students were then to brand and market their toy item with an advertisement or full fledged campaign (print, audio, video - you name it!)  This was a particularly engaging assignment as students were able to activate their prior (vast) knowledge on the subject and marry it with their growing knowledge base around strong and stable structures, forces of movement, simple machines, etc. to create an interactive (and basically "tech free") toy.

Getting Techie With It

As a new graduate from Brock's Educational Technology Leadership program run through the Faculty of Education, I was excited to be on the other side of the invite for this year's showcase, as an employed teacher coming to see the latest and greatest in ed tech!  I participated in last year's event as a presenter talking about how to use Google Docs in the classroom and other Web 2.0 technologies to help productivity and collaboration.  Specifically, I co-lead a talk on using Popplet for concept mapping and the conversations the topic sparked were fascinating.  This year promises to be just as innovative and engaging.  Registration is open and free.  I highly recommend it.  There are raffles, door prizes and freebies as well as cool speakers.  For the ed tech novice and veteran - something for everyone!  Brock University, Hamilton Campus, January 25th, 2013.

https://secure1.ed.brocku.ca/techshowcase/

Learning with iPads/ Teaching with iPads

I recently attended a seminar on how to use iPads in the classroom (users being both teachers and students - all learners I should say). I have been eager to learn about this subject matter since iPads began to pop-up in classrooms in and around my school board and jumped at the chance to attend this informal “how-to” day.

Clearly, being able to effectively incorporate technology into your lesson plans to engage students and help them to express themselves, be creative, collaborate and look at things from new perspectives is one of the best tools a teacher can have. iPads have amazing functionality that is so intuitive for even the very youngest of children. Even my two year old son knows how to turn it on, and navigate between apps. I have seen him sit, absolutely glued to his games for counting, shapes, colours, animals and the alphabet. My mind began to whir as I thought of the possibilities for literacy and numeracy in the K-8 classroom.

How relieved I was to learn that the focus of the day was not going to be on “which apps to invest in” (there are a million great blog posts, infographics and Livebinders out there curated by experts on this very thing). What we narrowed in on were very basic iPad 101 things and then a detailed explanation of some instructional strategies to become expert at.

Topics we discussed for iPads and young students:

• iOS6 functionality 
• Finger swipe actions or “gestures” 
• organizing apps into folders  
• Settings 
• Wifi 
• Naming your iPad 

All of these things are linked above for further information.

However, there was one topic which really captivated me and had my mind running all over the place for the multifarious ways it could be used in the classroom and this was Airplay  or Screen Mirroring

What Airplay allows you to do is to send a signal from your iPad to the computer that is hooked up to your digital projector - thus allowing you to control your projection screen from anywhere in the classroom. Using Apple TV and an HDMI cable or programs which you can install on your computer like Reflectionapp.com or Airserverapp.com you can display multiple devices (say 5 different iPads) side by side up on your SMARTBoard or other interactive whiteboard (or even plain old projection screen though you won't be able to control your iPad by touching the projection screen in this case).

Many teachers are nervous about “letting go” of control and allowing students the autonomy to choose what they will be working on or how they will self-regulate using such technology. I am one of those teachers. However, this functionality showed me that if you can engage students in a task using tech tools to make the job easier, the finished product look better and have the experience of using it be pleasurable and, heck, even fun! Then why not?

These apps also allow you to record what is happening on all screens as a presentation which you can then save and export (upload to YouTube or embed on a class website).

The teaching idea that immediately struck me was for literacy - the retell (beginning, middle, end) for primary students. If you were to give students 1 iPad for every 5 students you could, in groups have the students be responsible for one part of the story, and using PuppetPals or Toontastic along with Airplay and iBrainstorm you could allow the students to bring their part of the story to life and support their metacognitive awareness by having them document with words and pictures the process they followed to create their retell. When all of their productions are finished, you can play them up on the screen - movie time for the kids! Who doesn't love to share their creative work with their peers - especially when it was fun to create and fun to watch.

Of course, I would have to play around with this to finesse the process and even pick and choose better suited apps, perhaps, but what matters the most is that I now have an awareness that this exists for students and teachers, that it triggered a million and one neat ideas that I can’t wait to try, and that I have that passion and desire to find out more. On the anniversary of Steve Job’s death one year ago today - I have to hand it to him - he is one genius. The iPad is already starting to revolutionize learning in classrooms in Ontario. Will your classroom be next?

Home From (ed)Camp! - Reflections from EdCampTO 2012

if there were ever a time for cloning,
picking a session would  be it!

I left EdCamp TO 2012 with more questions than answers, but that is usually the sign of a great conference.  Wouldn’t you say?  After a few days of reflection, I find that I’m ready to voice my own questions roused from the days organic conversations (parking lots, “plenary/ party room”, breakout rooms, hallways, bathroom, etc.) THEY HAPPENED ALL DAY LONG.  A colleague of mine called the day “energizing” and I couldn’t agree more (and while I did consume about 6 cups of coffee, the stirrings inside were due more to the captivating ideas than the constant caffeine drip).  Everywhere I turned there was another smiling face, ready to look you in the eye and hear what you had to say.  Its rare to find people so open and ready to delve into deep education topics as varied as inquiry-based learning to public accountability and standard/ standardized tests. 

So what’s next?

• How do we really define 21st century learning?
• What is our purpose as educators?
• What makes an educator innovative?
• How do we enact TPACK and best make use of available technology inside (and out) of the classroom?
• What makes a great learning space?
• What are the essential skills that a human needs? Are they found in the curriculum?
• How do you truly evaluate a child?
• How can our reporting tools better reflect authentic assessment?
• How can you truly embody inquiry-based or problem-based learning and make it work given a school’s rotary schedule?
• How do we bridge the transition between the full-day kindergarten program and Grade 1?
• Are we guilty of schoolifying children?
• Teacher autonomy - where did it go?

Some tidbits to look into further:

• Deborah Meier and The Coalition of Essential Schools
• Canadian Coalition of Self-Directed Learning
• Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change The World Tony Wagner
• Aaron Sams Flipped Classroom
• Dr. Michael Gurstein and community infomatics
• Design thinking

Getting Ready For My EdCamping Trip - TO Edition

Its only a few days away and I can already feel the excitement building with colleagues I work with for the second annual EdCamp TO at York University.  If you're unfamiliar with the EdCamp model, its an unconference, meaning that the day's topics and schedule are decided by the participants the day of.  This is fabulous because it encourages organic discussion about topics that really matter in education.  And the discussions themselves are moderated rather than led and so you're not sitting, twiddling your thumbs listening to a rehearsed speech delivered alongside a powerpoint presentation. Stakeholders from all angles in education - administrators, parents, students (from highschool to MEd, PhD) teachers, teacher teachers, professors (public, private, catholic), etc. are all in attendance.  What a great opportunity to expand your mind with viewpoints on a variety of ed topics!

If you are interested in coming - its FREE and registration is still open.  Register Here

This year I am eager to discuss: learning frameworks for literacy, creating classroom communities, inquiry-based education, new classroom models, technology integration and PD for teachers.

What are YOU interested in discussing?

Why We Should All Unplug

People with passion change the world - @jjash, written on a piece of tree struck by lightning at the edge, and given to me...

Having arrived back at home after a soul-stirring weekend with 39 fellow educators up at Northern Edge Algonquin for Unplug’d 12; I sit and marinate on the weekend’s experiences.  Inside, I feel calm and centered, odd adjectives to describe me, a person who is usually antsy and anxious.  No, I haven’t taken up meditation or even yoga, and no I haven’t cut out the 4 cups of coffee I enjoy a day, but I have built some pretty solid relationships and set the ground work for many others with a most inspiring set of passionate individuals.  People who care a lot about education, and who opened up to me, in extremely brave and powerful ways this past weekend.  I won’t go into great detail about each experience planned for us over the 3-day retreat, but I will try to capture some sketches of the zeitgeist of the thing for those who haven’t been (yet!)

Why you should make a point to Unplug:

• connect to nature (the locale is extraordinary - quiet, serene and peaceful), and yourself (numerous solitary retreats and activities exist to steal away and just ruminate), then connect to others in a deeper way to strengthen your practices, broaden your perspectives and go deeper into your role as a lifelong learner.

• create a written piece to help explore, question, thank, apologize or celebrate a significant person in your life as a learner

• collaborate on an e-book with individuals from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, outlooks and places through a unique peer-review process which is both frightening and mind expanding 

• hear a loon, smell some moss, see the lake ripple, see some stars twinkle and shoot across the night sky, hike a trail to a hidden lake, plant an apple tree, stretch your muscles and your mind, open your heart, eat together (food that will BLOW YOUR MIND) and sleep - dreaming of the change you’ll be sure to make now that you’ve been to The Edge.

Thank you to: Zoe, Rodd, Kelly-Ann, Ben, Jowi, Erin, James, Lisa, Brenda, Bryan, David, Lorna, Jenny, Jess, Jessica, Heidi, Kathy, Andrew, Karen, GNA, Alan, Rob, Rod, Jenny, Marci, Gail, Todd, Martha, Iain, Jackie, Giulia, Gill, Guilliaume, Wes, Betsy, Aerin, Danika, Kim, Donna and Matt, all for your earnest reflections, smiles, jokes and encouragement.

Not 'Pulling the Plug'! UNPLUG'D

Who am I other than a "new teacher"?

When I was asked by my colleague and friend to come camping with her in the summer to this thing she called Unplug’d up in Algonquin, I thought: awesome! I’m not very outdoorsy, but it sounds really cool! A whole bunch of people interested in being better educators than they already are? Sign me up.  My husband thought I was nuts for a few reasons.  First he said: You? Camping!? You’ve got to be kidding me.  Then he said, “but you JUST finished teacher’s college and you haven’t even been hired yet! Why are YOU going? Isn’t this kind of thing a retreat for teachers to recuperate over the summer?”  Yes, I suppose I am not mother-nature’s best girlfriend and the idea of pitching a tent or hiking are somewhat foreign to me, but his “new teacher” comment really got under my skin.  “You don’t think I need to recuperate after the year of school I’ve just finished!?” and also, “I don’t think that’s the main idea of this trip, honey.  Its bigger than that.  The drive for these people coming together is not solely to get together to relax.”  

After visiting the website for the Unplug’d community and speaking more about what the trip entailed, I couldn’t register fast enough.  And now its upon us.  Next Thursday I will be going to Toronto to begin this “life changing experience”. I am eagerly awaiting it.  The countdown has begun!

So what IS my motive for going other than the sunrise yoga which I hear is pretty stellar?  Well, its threefold, actually.  1.  In the face of a highly competitive job market I need to be inspired and shaken into a more positive “I can do it!” mindset.  2.  I  already know from my limited experiences with team teaching, tweetups, blog collectives and group unit planning, that I grow and flourish when I’m connected to other passionate educators - AND I can officially call myself an educator now, so why not? 3.  I truly believe that you can be a better educator if you nourish your PLN, and build relationships of support and cheerleading.  What better way than to connect IN PERSON to other teachers, administrators, parents, trustees and, well, people for education in general, to discuss what matters most?  Learning.  This year we are going to share stories about education from a variety of perspectives and addressing a broad range of pressing issues.  Maybe its risky to sign on for this trip and to come at it from a new teacher perspective.  I don’t know.  With great risk comes great reward, right? Oh, I hope so.