Just keep connecting, however you can...

It's true, we've been saying it for a long time: conversations help us learn. Here's what students are saying. I'm sure there's Science behind it, neurochemistry of sorts, here's an interesting article about that. I know for me, meaningful conversations, however the venue make me feel good.

Yes social media has done wonders for my teaching practice but so have the face to face conversations I've had with colleagues, especially colleagues whom I have worked with in the past where we no longer teach in the same building. I'm a little bit intense, not all my former colleagues like to reminisce about what it was like to work with me, and if the conversation doesn't lead to teaching practice that's ok too, you need know your audience. I also talk to friends/acquaintances who are teachers and somehow the conversation leads us to our jobs. For example:

• My neighbour, going back to work full-time with three very little ones at home, excited to talk to me about what social media she could do with her FDKs next year, what would the parents want? What would her purpose be?
• Another busy neighbour, also a mom to little ones, thinking about starting blended learning with her high school students and perhaps something like remind for parent communication, but she's told me we will talk about it late August, she's not ready yet. Although if my iPad had loaded a bit quicker I think she would've politely looked at all the apps I had to show her...
• A car ride to a 40th birthday party in Niagara Falls, where two of us decided to forego the party bus, so we could "talk shop" and I loved listening to her tell me about how Genius Hour was working with her grade 5s.
• Visiting a former teaching partner on maternity leave, and somehow getting to the topic of how she was involved in a primary inquiry project and she can't wait to try innovative strategies when she goes back to work. Just this week, we had another conversation about how a small school is probably why I was able to just "run with things" as there wasn't so much pressure (from parents/admin/colleagues) to do what the other four teaching partners were doing. I really hope she's able to find support for what she wants to try.
• Being at a board showcase/presentation last winter, just before Christmas break, on the verge of thinking that my intermediates were perhaps too old for inquiry, when a Curriculum Consultant, my very first itinerant teacher, took out a paper copy of the Science curriculum and told me not to stress about all the content as she showed me two thirds of the curriculum is the same every year. That's all I needed to just put expectations in front of that group of students and see where it went from there. I will be performing a similar exercise for parents, I just have to find my paper copies of the curriculum.
• Family members who are retired teachers, some long retired some just retired, I always wait for them to bring up the topic. But a few weeks ago, I was telling one of them about the inquiry based FDK and she says, oh they're going back to that and went on to describe how she was taught that method in teacher's college. Forever the teacher, she's constantly working with my girls on their letters or their reading.

Even though I know people get tired of my shop talk, yes you would rather talk to me about your baby/kids/spouse/news/sports. That's ok. I also love listening, I like asking questions and finding out about people's passions. But, if you've been thinking about talking to me about your teaching practice, open up the flood gates!  I love having those conversations, in whatever venue is possible.

On twitter, I'm a self-proclaimed teacher on a mission to become a better educator #bignerd and #proudofit. Even though I haven't taken a course in seven years, I haven't stopped learning. Social media has been a huge instrument in that for me. Thank you to those who continue to engage in that professional dialogue with me.

I'm doing it...Skype!

Now that I'm becoming more comfortable with inquiry based learning, I wanted to start planning Skype guests for my students, but, it will have to wait until they decide how and if they want to learn that way for the specifics.

There are so many reasons to use Skype in the Classroom

I will hopefully begin with #MysterySkype and cover Language expectations (students writing interview questions, taking notes during the call, etc). We will try to connect with authors, there are so many who kindly volunteer their time to talk to students. If I were teaching Social Studies or Geography, I would do it more often and use it as a way to explore mapping skills and global connections. My goal is to tie it into Science curriculum as well. I would like to connect with Scientists from around the world (specifically tied into our strand). I've signed up for some Skype lessons already, and will need to plan my Science units around that. Ideally I would like to Skype about Math as well. I also hope to tie it into Religion, since we are a Me to We school, I would love it if my students connected that way. With other Me to We schools maybe, a collaborative fundraising effort? The possibilities are endless!

My concern is around parent permission, I found this sample letter that I will rework for my class. I would like to start with people we already know, I'm hoping parents will volunteer to Skype with us from work and maybe there will be family members who would also video conference with us.

Now that I know Google Hangouts works in a similar way, I have that as an option.

Any tips for Skyping/Video Conferencing in the classroom? Would anyone like to share a parent letter?

A thank you to (some of) my favourite edubloggers!

My bookmarks as of today

I do love reading edublogs, mostly because of the great ideas I can use in my classroom. I've taught six grades in four years, it grew out of necessity and the fact that the people in my building couldn't necessarily share the same things with me as at one point or another, we would both be teaching the same group of kids. I would find an idea on Pinterest and it would lead me to an edublog, where I would find a lesson or a resource. Or I would find someone on twitter and it would lead me to their edublog. But the following edubloggers I've had the pleasure to meet in person and have pushed my practice just at little bit at just the right time!

The Principal of Change by George Couros

From http://www.tomorrowtodayglobal.com

I saw George speak as a key note at the "Connecting with Others in a Digital World." Among his many wonderful messages, he showed us an image similar to this one. I reflected on how I primarily used technology to connect with my family and friends overseas, who happen to be most of my family. I used to email my grandpa fifteen years ago shortly before he died, who taught himself this new technology, so that he could stay in touch with us. If he had been around to do Facebook, he would have loved it! I was new to blended learning and I really liked the discussion forums, but I had encountered some negativity at my school about using BYOD or other tech, George gave me the push I needed to continue to use technology to enhance learning in my class, despite what other voices around me might say. His clear message, "technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational."

Brian Aspinall, CV - Dork. Teacher. Blogger. Speaker

I'm not sure how I began to follow Brian Aspinall. He does some really exciting things in his class with coding, which is still a next step for me, but he is not just a coding teacher. Although thanks to what he's posted on his YouTube channel I have a better idea of where to start in September. After I heard him speak about "Rethinking Education" at Connect last spring, he really made me feel confident in some of the strategies I was using with my students, such as giving more feedback than marks and showing them the curriculum, and have them tell me how they want to learn it and how they will show me what they've learned. Teaching intermediate students has become more of a conversation where they can voice their choice and I work collaboratively with them. I only wish I could've been at #MSFTcamp21 to see the live sketch note be created!

By Liisa Sorsa @thinklink

Edublogs as Resources

Last fall, I was brand new to inquiry I didn't know how to get started. I didn't know of any colleagues who were either doing it or if they were, they weren't sharing. I attended Jo-Ann Corbin Harper and Aviva Dunsiger's presentation at #bit14 about inquiry and I've never looked back! I love reading Aviva's blog and I have referred some of my primary colleagues to it as well, and if I ever do go back to teaching primary, she will definitely be who I want to be!

Mr. C's ShareEase, I'm not sure he qualifies as an edublogger, it could possibly be a class website, but I just adore the activities that Peter Cameron @cherandpete does with his students. When I heard of my assignment next year, I told a few colleagues that's who I wanted to emulate! As mentioned in this post, the truly post-modern moment for me was giving a presentation, about how his ideas inspired me and he was sitting in the audience. He posted an activity he did with his students explaining the SAMR model that finally helped me understand it.

I'm so very thankful for the wonderful administrators who continue to support my PD by allowing me to participate in collaborative inquiry projects and to present and attend such inspiring conferences that continue to push my teaching practice! I'm really looking forward to presenting at #bit15 next fall, I wonder what new ideas I will take away this time?

A Reflection on the Standards of Practice

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to post this privately on the forum or right on my blog, but as I reflect on both the Ethical Standards and Standards of Practice I think this is the best way for me to show care, respect, trust and integrity. Afterrall, this would be a conversation I would openly have with parents, administrators and colleagues.

What is my responsibility as both an educator and learner to uphold these standards?

Commitment to Students and Student Learning

I strive to "treat students equitably and with respect” and I’m “sensitive to factors that influence individual student learning” for example, I need to teach the way they learn and continually individualize my practice to ensure that I’m doing that.

Professional Knowledge

I’m also responsible to “strive to be current” in my professional knowledge and how it relates to my practice. Worksheets, drill and kill, memorization, although they are “old” methods, don’t they benefit some students? Am I not taking away from the students that do learn this way? Just because inquiry based learning improves engagement, if I have a class that keeps asking me to read from the textbook and answer questions, don’t I owe them the sensitivity and respect to teach them that way as well?

Professional Practice

I’m meant to refine my professional practice through “ongoing inquiry, dialogue and reflection.” What if I happen to be in a building where there is little dialogue and reflection happening about my teaching practice and my students, should I not seek it somewhere else? This is why I found twitter and edublogs and haven't looked back.

Leadership in Learning Communities

I’ve never considered myself a leader, I’ve had to personally redefine leadership. I know that every single grade partner I’ve had, sometimes just one (or half), has appreciated me as a colleague and co-learner. I would question and challenge and voice out new and sometimes crazy ideas even though most times I was new to the grade curriculum. Since I’m committed to professional learning and I’m informed by experience, research and collaboration, what am I to do when teachers don’t want to dialogue with me? What if some colleagues would see me coming down the hall and walk the other way thinking, “what new/tech/innovative teaching practice will she try to push on me today?” I think being a leader in this profession is knowing when people want to hear my message and being fine when people don’t. Sometimes, if the conversation allowed I would say, oh you could try this this them! But they know their students best, who am I to tell them what to do? Don’t I trust that they are doing their best and upholding standards as best as they can? Just because they weren’t ready for the message just yet, I can continue to lead by example.

Even Mrs. C needs a break from me ;)

How fantastic is it that these standards encourage innovation, risk taking and on-going learning! Not only that, but I have the potential of a global audience to collaborate and dialogue with.

Shifts in Teaching and Learning

I could write a book about how and why the role of the teacher and learner is changing in the 21st Century.

I began teaching in 2005, I've only been an educator in the 21st century. The fact that we are 15 years into the 21st century means that "21st century teaching and learning" should just be teaching and learning. New research and science is continuously coming about the capabilities of the human brain and sometimes the education system follows through, for example small class sizes in primary and the use of guided reading. Even the ideas about the new Math, real world problem solving, and how homework should be purposeful review and not drill and kill have been readily accepted by some but questioned by others. Teachers are bravely jumping in with both feet, doing what is best for their students the day after they heard about the idea at a conference or on twitter. But just because teachers aren't using those strategies yet, it doesn't mean that they are not continuously using their best professional judgement to educate the group of students sitting in front of them at that time.

from teachthought.com

When I started using technology in the classroom, it was because I found it easy and it helped my practice. I would forget/misplace papers/day plans/USBs so the cloud/google drive became my solution. My handwriting was messy, so I would give feedback online through the dropbox. I didn't like wasting the overhead film, so the projector seemed a natural tool. I didn't have enough laptops to use for research, so I let my students bring their own devices. I didn't like the youtube videos about the environment, so we made our own. I personalized my practice and in turn, I ended up giving students more choice. In pursuing my own inquiries, I became a believer of the power of student lead inquiry based learning.

With technology, I've stopped feeling so lonely at my school. I would hear those messages at conferences and on twitter, and knew I was in good company when I used "new" strategies with my students. I began collaborating with people outside the four walls at my school because one year a grade partner told me, "you don't have to worry about what I'm doing in my classroom." Yes students questioned why I didn't give them a test at the end of the unit, but it only helped me grow as a educator to show them, the other ways that they've demonstrated their learning in my class.

So where am I  in the process of an educator teaching in the 21st century? Following my path as best as I can.

Why I love Twitter for Teaching!

Or also known as, Twitter's Been the Best Thing For My Teaching Practice (since sliced bread)....

Teachers can use Twitter in the classroom as a communication tool with their students or with parents. I like to use my classroom twitter to share what we are doing and be more transparent in my practice for all. This past year I really made an effort to tweet the exciting things we were learning.

 

From initial observations of labs:   

To provocations of upcoming labs:

As a Science teacher, what better resources are out there than current events or hot topics. So many provocations this year came from twitter:

Grade 8 - Exploring a Critical Issue

Grade 8 Science - Water Systems

Grade 7 - Heat in the Environment

And even though I don't teach History, I found something that applied to our City:



Sometimes I was even able to find Math concepts or post Math activities for when kids were away:



Here's something I used for my speech unit:



When we were picking lit circle books to read, one student found a book she liked but no group, so I tweeted this out!

I had an opportunity to present and attend a few conferences this year and participate in several collaborative inquiry opportunities, and I was happy that Mrs. Sagarese, who was our guest teacher while I was away, as well as my own students were able to document what was happening in the classroom.

Julia tweeted the first one out and Jessica (far left) was a finalist  for our HCDSB contest!

I like to save resources for parents and or students to use, or for myself to use for early finishers.

When we were discussing Lent, who better to guide our reflections?

I try model for my students how to be a good digital citizen. The internet was a bit of a wild west at first, and there are many misconceptions amongst parents and students. The idea of asking students and parents permission before tweeting out, for example, is modelled for them so they will be more likely to follow my example.

I always reflect on what George Couros said about connecting with others in a digital world. I personally love seeing my friends' pictures on Facebook and I know the students like to see themselves on social media as well. As a parent, I would love to see what my kids do at school.

One of the highlights of our year was the Roots of Empathy program, I know one of the parents was following me on twitter and I made a point to tweet pictures of her son holding the baby. Even our Primary Science teacher popped in to chat about that...

Another highlight this year was our confirmation, I love that I can look back with them on our year and cherish all the memories.

 I also have a professional twitter account because it’s my way to save ideas for my teaching practice. I tell my students I would get an S in organization, but technology has enabled me to improve....as soon as I began using more of it in my classroom, the paper became less overwhelming and I’ve been able to better organize my ideas. I consider myself a creative person, but in collaboration with others, what I do in my classroom provides my students more than I could've ever imagined. Here's an example of just one thing I found on twitter this year that convinced me to start a classroom blog.

  

I really do hope more teachers can see the value of using Twitter with their students!