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Shawna Rothgeb-Bird Communication with Parents and Guardians, General, Report Cards

Learning Skills – Comment Samples

Update, July 1 2019: I have added a new post with even more learning skills samples. 🙂 I’ve also posted some FSL comments for the Core and Immersion teachers out there.

One of the most difficult things I faced as a new teacher was having to write report cards. I struggled with trying to balance honesty with professionalism, giving detail without being overwhelming, and making everything “parent friendly” so they actually got a sense of how their child was doing in school. A few years in now, I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of this report card writing thing… so here I am to share a few sample comments (edited, of course) for anyone who would find them helpful. These comments are from several different years and several different student profiles. Looking back on them now, I feel oddly self-conscious about these… I feel like there is still so much more I can do to improve my reporting skills.

Here, in no particular order, are six different learning skills comment samples. Enjoy!

– – – – –

It has been a pleasure to teach (name) this term. She arrives at school each day with a positive attitude, bright smile, and determination to do her best no matter what the task. She is an active participant in both whole class and small group discussions, eagerly offering her ideas and insights.

During independent work periods, (name) can always be counted on to stay on-task. Her work is always completed on time and with considerable detail. She checks in with her teachers regularly while working to ensure that she is on the right track and readily asks for clarification when necessary.

When collaborating with peers, (name) easily takes on leadership roles to help guide her group to success. She engages her peers in the task and tries to encourage everyone to contribute. On the rare occasion that conflict arises, she is generally able to work with her peers to resolve the issue without needing assistance.

Overall, (name) has been very successful this year. She has been a positive role model for her classmates. Have a wonderful summer, (name)!

– – – – –

It has been a pleasure to teach (name) this year. He arrives at school each day with a positive attitude and a smile, willing to take risks and always do his best. He is generally an active participant in both whole class and small group discussions, eagerly offering his ideas and insights. While he is following along with lessons, however, (name) has needed frequent reminders to put books away while teachers or peers are speaking. Going forward, he is encouraged to find appropriate times to read so that he is listening actively at all times.

During independent work periods, (name) has some difficulty staying on task and completing his work on time. His success depends greatly on which peers he is seated with, becoming easily distracted by chatty students. When focused on his work, he has a tendency to spend too much time in the planning stage, resulting in having to rush to finish his work at the last minute. Next year, he would benefit from working with his teachers to continue developing time management strategies.

When collaborating with peers, (name) easily takes on leadership roles to help guide his group to success. He engages his peers in the task and tries to encourage everyone to contribute. On the rare occasion that conflict arises, he is generally able to work with his peers to resolve the issue without needing assistance.

Overall, (name) has had a great year. Best of luck in Grade _, (name), and have a wonderful summer!

– – – – –

(NAME) is a hard-working, enthusiastic student with a keen sense of humour. He readily participates in class discussions, offering his ideas and perspectives with confidence. He can always be counted on to complete his work on time, as he consistently checks in to make sure that he has submitted all required work. He has begun to double-check assignment requirements while working on them, which is helping him to ensure he has all the necessary elements before submitting his work.

During independent work periods, (NAME) generally remains on-task, but can occasionally be distracted by students around him. A verbal reminder to return to the task at hand is usually enough to get him back on track. Going forward, he is encouraged to recognize when he is becoming distracted and independently seek out solutions, such as another workspace or asking his peers to be quieter, to help him stay focused.

(NAME) can always be counted on to try and make all students feel welcome and appreciated in the classroom. He is quick to encourage students in their efforts, offering them a reassuring comment to help set them at ease. His kind nature and caring attitude have helped him immensely in the classroom, as he can work with any student without issue.

At times, (NAME) can seem easily discouraged by other students correcting him or commenting on his work. He should take pride in what he has accomplished so far this year, as he has made immense progress. He is encouraged to continue developing confidence in his abilities in the French Immersion program, as his efforts and determination have not gone unnoticed. Keep up the great work!

– – – – –

It has been a pleasure to teach (name) this year. His compassion and witty sense of humour have been welcome additions to the classroom community over the course of the year. He is eager to participate in class discussions and offer his insights and experiences in all subject areas. At times, however, he plays with small items at his desk or taps his hands in a way that is distracting both to teachers and to his peers. He is encouraged to try to avoid these behaviours in the future and to ask for a break if feels that he needs to move around.

(name) takes pride in a job well done and has a strong work ethic. He consistently hands in assignments on time and ensures that the work he submits is of a high standard. He has continued to ask whether he has any work outstanding in order to stay on top of deadlines, and this sense of initiative and responsibility will serve him well in the future.

In general, (name) collaborates well with his peers. He can be counted on to complete his share of the work with enthusiasm and detail. At times, he can become frustrated with his peers if they are distracted or not working, and this frustration can lead to him addressing his peers with a critical tone of voice. Going forward, (name) is encouraged to seek assistance from the teacher when he is frustrated with his group and to try and maintain a respectful tone with his peers at all times.

Overall, (name) has been working hard this year to improve his skills and take on more responsibility. He has strong interpersonal skills both with his peers and with adults. Great work, (name)!

– – – – –

It has been a pleasure to teach (name) this year. Her strong work ethic, compassion, and creativity have been welcome additions to our learning community. Throughout the year, she has consistently demonstrated an eagerness and dedication to learning in all areas. She consistently participates in class discussions, providing her opinions with confidence.

(name) approaches most tasks with a positive attitude. She is not easily discouraged by challenges and, when necessary, will seek clarification or assistance from her teachers. When completing projects, she habitually cross-references her work with the expectations (usually in rubric or checklist form) to ensure that her work is of high quality.

During independent work periods, (name) is always on task. She has a strong sense of time-management and consistently completes her work on time. She will benefit from taking more time to improve the overall neatness of her work as she heads into Grade 6.

(name) has made considerable progress in working with her peers to integrate their ideas with her own. She has been working hard to be more open-minded with others’ suggestions. When collaborating with peers, she has consistently taken on a leadership role in organizing what needs to be done and how the group will achieve their goal.

Overall, (name) has been working hard this year to improve her skills and take on more responsibility. She is encouraged to take on more of a leadership role in speaking French in the classroom in Grade 6.

– – – – –

(name) is a kind, compassionate student who has made significant progress over the course of the year. While he is reluctant to participate in class discussions, his writing and completed work demonstrate that he is actively listening. He is a strong student for the most part, generally aware of what the expectations are for a task. This term, he has come forward much more readily if he has a question about a task, and his work has benefited greatly.

This term, (name) has had difficulty remaining on task during independent work periods. He often has a book in his desk that he reads instead of working on his assignments. He requires several reminders in order to continue his work. Similarly, there have been many assignments this term which he has submitted late or incomplete. Some assignments have been lost, while others were never finished despite extensions to deadlines. Going forward, (name) will benefit tremendously from taking greater responsibility for completing his work without needing reminders. His agenda will help him in this regard, as he will be able to keep track of deadlines and project status.

Collaboration has been a challenge for (name) this term. During group and partner work, his peers have often become frustrated with him for not taking on his share of the work. In many cases, he has required reminders from the teacher in order to complete his fair share of the work. For next year, he is encouraged to make a stronger effort to participate fully in collaborative tasks, as he has many interesting insights to offer.

Overall, (name)’s confidence at school has improved significantly this term. He is a strong, capable student when he is motivated, and he will accomplish great things in Grade 6 if he continues to improve his work habits!

– – – – –

Hopefully some of those comments help someone out there as we venture into yet another round of report card writing. I have always found it helpful to look at my colleagues’ comments to find new ways to word things, new formats to try, etc. A big part of teaching is learning from each other, and that’s why I thought sharing some of my comments from previous years would be beneficial to someone out there.

Good luck, and remember to take care of YOU as we wind down from the year.

Shawna Rothgeb-Bird General

Lessons From My Toddler

One of the things that has surprised me the most about being a new parent is how much my daughter has taught me about teaching. Even though her age doesn’t match at all with the age of my students, she has reminded me of many important considerations to keep in mind when teaching children. By reflecting on what I have learned about my child and how her brain works, I have come to realize that all of the things she has taught me about teaching her are also things I should be keeping in mind when teaching any child of any age.

Here are six lessons courtesy of my toddler.

Sometimes I need to ask her something more than once. If she does not respond to my first request, it is generally not because she is trying to be difficult. Most of the time, it’s that she is so absorbed in whatever it is that she’s doing that I’m not sure she really hears me. For my child, that usually means drawing, but for my students that means chatting with peers, daydreaming, reading – or just thinking. I’ve had students so caught up in their book that the entire class got up and left for recess without them noticing the commotion or noise.

Addressing her by name before asking her something is always better. Particularly when we are not alone in the house, I find that she is much more likely to stop what she is doing and give me her full attention if I call her name before speaking to her. Unsurprisingly, my grade four students are the same. They’re so used to hearing my voice all day, every day that they kind of tune it out unless they know I’m addressing them directly or the entire class.

She does not understand everything the first time I show it to her. Sometimes I need to find another way to show her the same skill before she finds a way which works for her, sometimes she just needs practice to master it, and sometimes she isn’t ready for that skill yet. Likewise, not all of my students will grasp something the first time I teach it, and most of them benefit from having the same skill or concept taught in multiple ways.

She experiences big – and I mean BIG – emotions. Her life is in a constant state of upheaval as she forges new connections, learns new fundamental skills, and expands her worldview. Her brain is changing constantly. She does not fully comprehend most of what goes on around her or why things are the way they are. She also does not really know how to regulate her emotions or behaviour yet, because she is a child, and sometimes that means that her emotions manifest themselves in really dramatic ways. My ten year old students are dealing with a lot of changes too – hormones, crushes, self-expression and identity, more knowledge of the world around them. They need help learning how to navigate the waters of pre-adolescence.

When she is having a difficult day, there is usually a reason. Kids are challenging. Sometimes my daughter behaves as if the world is ending and I’m the villain in the story of her life. She doesn’t want to put her shoes on, she doesn’t want to eat that sandwich, she doesn’t want to play outside OR be inside OR be spoken to OR be left alone. For some reason, when we are talking about toddlers, we can easily find explanations for their behaviour: they didn’t sleep well, they haven’t eaten, they are in pain from teething or growing, their routine has changed. We forget that older children are every bit as susceptible to these factors as toddlers are, and that likely our challenging students are not behaving that way just because they want to be difficult.

Every day is a new day. No matter how challenging the day before was, my child greets me each day with enthusiasm and hope. My students are the same way. Every day is a chance to improve on the day before.

I know I have learned all of these things before, and that none of these are new or groundbreaking ideas – but I needed these reminders.  Since going back to work, I have found myself so overwhelmed and frustrated by my students’ behaviour that I needed my daughter to remind me that my students are children too, even if they’re older. They have only been on this planet for ten years – barely any time at all! They need guidance, patience, and compassion, just like every child.

Tammy Axt General

Performance Group Recommendations

I can’t believe that we are almost in June again. Wow! Time sure does fly by. June brings the writing of report cards, graduation, play days and it also brings some forward planning for the upcoming school year. Part of my role at school is to book and oversee presentations for our student population. On average, we usually have 3-4 presentations per year come into the school to perform for some or all of the students. With so many choices available, one of the hardest parts about booking performances is selecting which group to book. An engaging, entertaining performance is very important; however, of equal importance, in my opinion, is booking a group that is easy to work with and professional on the day of the performance. With that in mind, below are some of my favourite presentations that have come into my school over the past five or six years.

Dufflebag Theatre http://www.dufflebag.com/

Dufflebag Theatre is a performance group which takes fairy tales and other famous stories and performs them. The performers are very funny and keep the audience participating throughout their show. They also have amazing improvisation skills as they include students from the audience into their stories.

Our school has had Dufflebag Theatre a number of times over the past couple of years. Every time they have come in, our students have laughed a lot and I did not have to worry about a thing.

Q-Mack http://www.qmack.com/

How can someone talk to kids for 45 minutes and keep them completely enthralled? Ask Q-Mack, as he has done it both times he has come to speak to my students. He is a basketball freestyler and he often brings his friend Scott, who beat-boxes. Their message is incredibly positive and would be perfect for an anti-bullying assembly.

Cadence http://www.cadence-unplugged.com/

Cadence is a group of four acapella singers who are high energy and thoroughly entertaining.  They perform a variety of musical styles and have a lot of audience participation. My students and I spent a lot of time preparing for this group by experimenting with our voices and testing out our own acapella skills, which was so much fun.

Duo Percussion http://duopercussion.ca/

This group of two young men is one of the most professional groups I have dealt with. From a coordinator’s point of view, they are prompt with communication and so easy to work with on the day of the performance. They bring a variety of percussion instruments and entertain the audience with a variety of classical and modern pieces of music, such as the fan favourite “Super Mario Brothers” theme.

Fit2Dance http://fit2danceinc.com/

If you want your students moving and grooving, this is the group to book. Fit2Dance sends one person to the school to do a series of dance workshops. The students love the interactive nature of the presentation and enjoy the upbeat and lively music. Our whole school of 700 students can usually attend in one fun-filled day.

Saidat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEqiQnKc_Gs

This is another amazing presentation that would be perfect for an anti-bullying assembly. Saidat’s message is all about being positive and making a difference. Saidat is highly entertaining and full of great energy. The presentation has a lot of great hip hop music and movement.

Kim and Jerry Brodey http://www.kimandjerrybrodey.com/

This show was very interactive and great for primary students. They had wonderful variety and action songs that the students enjoyed. They dazzled the audience with movement and drama.

Final thought:

Above are 7 performance groups or individuals whose visits went extremely smoothly. However, I have dealt with other performances that did not go as well. As a result, I have learned a few things:

ALWAYS, ALWAYS keep a copy of your contract handy. I have had disagreements about start times and available space that performers have agreed to. I have had to review the contract with the presenters and their booking agents more than once.

If your presentation is in the gym, give your gym teaching colleagues lots of notice as a professional courtesy to the disruption to their teaching space. Even better, include them in the decision making process. They will be able to tell you that a presentation may be better, for example, in February than in March as the volleyball tournament is in February.

Check in with the performer(s) a few days before their arrival to go over things like parking, arrival procedure, accessible doors and to review the main points of the contract.

 

 

 

 

Beverly Papove Making a Difference Through Education, Social Justice, Truth and Reconciliation

“Watch, Listen, and Show Respect”

Last week on a warm Wednesday evening, I had the very good fortune of attending an event where the Honourable Senator Murray Sinclair spoke to an auditorium full of educators and students. Although he has become a senator, he may be better known for the work he did as Chief Justice Sinclair, head of the recently concluded Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) which investigated and made recommendations for the government of Canada, following the documents and testimonies of hundreds of survivors of the sad legacy of the Indian Residential School system.

To start the evening, we were all welcomed by a drum group, followed by greetings and prayers from First Nation, Metis, and Inuit elders. As soon as Senator Sinclair took the podium, there was a standing ovation. Even before he spoke to the audience, there was deep respect shown for him and for all he stands for. The immense and comprehensive task he and fellow members of the TRC were responsible for unveils an unbelievably long and dark chapter in Canadian history – a chapter that has only recently begun to be learned about in Canadian schools. This was at the heart of what Senator Sinclair was to speak about and what we had all come to hear. As he began to speak, however, he completely caught us off-guard with the way he introduced himself. For almost twenty minutes, his speech was hilarious, but never irreverent, as he made fun of himself, revealing a side of his persona which one might not otherwise infer, given the critically important role he played as Chief Justice presiding over the traumatizing and cruel personal histories of Indian Residential School Survivors. Instead, here was a man who, along with the humourous asides and wit, shared a warmth and respect for the world. Even if he had not gone on to speak about the role of education in reconciliation, Senator Sinclair would have, none the less, taught us by example how to lead a good life.

His message was clear – education caused the problems affecting Aboriginal families and communities, and education can now be part of the solution. All Canadian citizens need to learn about the history of Indian Residential School schools in Canada. Senator Sinclair suggests our role as educators is to begin by helping our students to do three things; to watch, to listen, and to show respect. We, too, must do the same. It is a simple recommendation to help bring reconciliation to our classrooms and it will mean so much for all our futures if we are able to model and teach our students how to be good listeners and observers, who show respect for all.

Will Gourley Challenging Topics, Classroom Layouts, General, Mental Health, Resilience, Standardized testing

The test

IMG_4870I am sitting in a room that silently waits for its students.

Merely by the way the desks are arranged, the world knows that it’s not going to be another normal day. Today is test day. Yup, that TEST.

With some trepidation, students will enter the classroom which has now been transformed overnight from a collaborative learning space into a scene from the ’50s. Today, the desks are in columns and rows that border on military precision with a healthy dose of compliance.

It’s go time, show what you know time because it’s standardized test time. So what’s all of the fuss about this time?

For months now something or someone somewhere has been planting seeds of anxiety in the hearts and minds of our learners. It has not come from inside of my classroom, but students are certainly arriving with it to school. As a result, it has led to some powerful conversations around mental health in education, problem solving strategies, and a debate over the logic(if any) of standardized testing. Nothing to fuss about here right?

The test has occupied the minds of some of our students it should be paying rent. Tim Urban might describe this state as a visit from the Panic Monster as he shared in his TED Talk from 2016. If we as educators didn’t put this monster into the minds of our students, then who did? Are there trolls handing out fliers off of school property? Is there a shadowy cadre of edu-data collectors directly marketing test score panic to families?

For the record, of course not. Yet, at the umpteenth time in a day I hear; “I’m nervous about EQAO”, “What if I do bad?” or ” AAAH! Evil questions attacking Ontario”, I know “the test” is having its affect on students and teachers too.

So how do we deal with the reality that this anxiety they’re feeling is real and students need our help/support to overcome it?

To combat these fears in our classroom, we have taken to increasing the physical activity level while differentiating tasks to maintain and broaden engagement. We move more. We laugh more. We work together more. Food helps too. I wrote a post about Test Crackers if you want to know more. For “the test” Samosas are on the menu in my class-veggie of course.

Instead of worrying, we have been developing our collaboration and critical thinking skills to work through challenges.  We’ve intentionally disrupted routines, not only to distract, but to shake things up. My grade 6s have been working hard for nearly 9 months. There is a lot going on at this age socially, emotionally, and  physically. They do not need to be burdened by external pressures or worry.

Since September, assurances and reassurances have been given to students so they know the marks from tests like these will not be seen by admissions committees at Harvard* or even good universities like Waterloo, MIT, and Stanford (lol). Students know that they have all of the tools necessary to succeed without obsessing over practice work booklets or past tests. I can only hope that our safe, and encouraging environment will help them if doubts start to creep in.

And so it begins, students file in, find their places, and standardized testing gets its butt kicked by samosa fueled class of critical thinking grade 6s.

* I’m sure Harvard is good too. I used it here purely for the absurd comedic value. Go Harvard!

Beverly Papove General

How to get at the truth – maybe

Almost everyday in kindergarten someone tells a fib. Sometimes it is me – “I will come over to see you swing on the monkey bars in just a minute.” More frequently, however, the most talented fibbers are from amongst my class of 26 five year olds. Occasionally, the fibs are small, like, “No, I didn’t bring my library book,” or “Yes, I washed my hands,” – either of these are easy enough to verify by checking in a backpack or looking at the hands in question.  A more substantial variety of the fib comes in the form of a tall tale, which I guess is a subcategory of the fib, but far more interesting and creative. Examples include; “I found a wasp as big as a bird in my backyard,” or, “One day, I lost my tooth, broke my arm, got stung by a bee, AND fell off my bicycle!” Which was curious, because the exact same thing – minus the broken arm –  happened to another student one day, too.

These kinds of untruths can be left as is because no one is harmed by such exaggerations. A student who lets loose with one of these may be heralded amongst his or her peers as cool, lucky or a great story-teller, and may even garner a “Student X has an excellent imagination” comment on a report card from his or her teacher. However, the fibs that are problematic are ones which can cause some sort of injury. This is often the time when the truth is harder to get at and when we, as teachers, need to figure out what has happened so that we can report to parents or to the administration. Nothing is more frustrating than having both parties involved in a conflict deny involvement. How can they be so convincing? Looking you straight in the eye, and giving their side of the story, you think you may know who is telling the truth, until the second student denies everything. OK, someone here is not telling the truth, but who is it? I don’t have training in the forensics of lie detection, I don’t have the time to slowly draw it out of a student when my classroom is in full swing with 24 kinders, and I need to get to the bottom of this. What to do?

Quite by accident, the other day I stumbled upon a strategy that seemed to work really well and quickly. I am not sure if it was a one-off or if it would work with other students, but it is definitely worth trying again. The situation was a relatively common one in the school yard; one boy had shoved another boy during outdoor play. When I went over to put a stop to the scramble, I was ready to give a serious reminder about schoolyard behaviour to the boy whom I had seen doing the shoving, when he very quietly told me that the other boy had tried to pull his pants down. What?! This was a very uncharacteristic statement from a boy who enjoys running and wrestling and has received the old ‘proper playground behaviour ‘ talk a few times already.  But the other boy said that he hadn’t done anything! He told me several times, in fact. Here’s the problem; when we are dealing with our students in delicate situations like these, we always want to be fair, but it can be really hard when 2 five year olds look at you and blind you with their cuteness and excellent fibbing skills. So, instead of being hasty and jumping to conclusions, I decided I would try again to ask my question, “Did you do that?” but this time, I told the student he could answer me with a thumbs up if he had done it, or a thumbs down if he hadn’t. When I repeated my question, he squirmed a few seconds, looked everywhere but at me, folded his arms, then, there it was, the thumb popped up. Now we could get somewhere!

I can only assume that it is more difficult to tell something that is not true when you cannot use your words, and I can only assume that it may even be a small kind of relief when your body just goes ahead and tells the truth. There is no more conflict or hole-digging once the gesture gets everything out in the open. I am not really sure why it worked, but it was a gentle way for a problem to be resolved and for me to help two little boys who had both gone too far in their actions, and, as a happy ending to this post, I am happy to report are still good friends.

Kelly.McLaughlin Inspiring Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Making a Difference Through Education, Occasional Teaching, Social Justice, Student Ownership

Students making a difference

Throughout this school year, it was one of my goals to not only start a fundraiser that would benefit a charity somehow but to have students orchestrate most if not all of the procedure. At my school Ancaster Meadow, I asked a group of 30 grade eights to plan with me a day entitled “All Star Day”. Together with myself the grade eights:

  • chose two charities for all monies collected to go towards
  • selected how the day would work picking the events at All Star Day
    • 3 point competition $10 to play
    • All star skills competition $10 to play
    • All Star game where kids from grade five to seven would play and would be coached by grade eights $20 to play
    • All star game where grade eights would play the teachers $20 to play
  • help run the day and organize the crowd to watch the event

There were many other tasks involved to help make the day a success. I went to 30 different companies to ask for donations as well as other companies to sponsor t-shirts, lunch the day of and volunteers were involved from Redeemer University.

The day went off without a hitch and we raised $2000 total, $1000 going to each charity. After this day, every grade eight came to me asking to lead more events, raise money for more charities, etc. They had all these ideas that are impossible to all say yes to because it is May at the end of a school year and the ideas they have would take many months to plan for. However, students do have the potential to make the greatest difference in their school. Whenever you have an idea, put it in the hands of your students and trust that they can take it anywhere. I have never seen kids more involved or more into what they were doing in a school building then I saw on that day. I cannot wait for next school year when I can do that same event again, keep building on it and inspiring children to know that they can make a difference and have an amazing time while doing so.

If you would like to see videos from our event, you can youtube: Ancaster Meadow All Star Day. IMG_4604

Will Gourley Modern Learning, Student Ownership, Use of Technology

Maybe it’s not as simple as 1, 2, 3, BYOD

It’s simple, or so many of us want to believe, but…

If you want to be guaranteed access to technology in your classroom bring it yourself…for now!

Much has been shared in the last 5 years in the edublogosphere and media about bringing your own device to school. This post will attempt to share my thoughts when witnessing, discussing and reflecting on BYOD.

History and Questions

The term BYOD origjnated in “Tech” sector companies permitting workers to use their personal/preferred technology (phone, tablet, laptop etc.) with the goal to allow staff to use a favourite more user friendly option. However, over the past 4 years, BYOD represents an increasingly acceptable approach to equipping  21st Century Classrooms. In a world of austerity and cost cutting, I call this the ultimate download because it allows schools, school boards and government to abdicate much of their responsibilities to provide funding towards the substantial costs of classroom technology (laptops, tablets) all of which now gets dumped onto students and their families. 

Is BYOD fair? Not yet. It’s unfair to this point because not all students/families are able to afford technology.  It’s not fair because infrastructure does not have the bandwidth, server capacity or security measures in place to support it. It’s not fair because teachers are still stuck in transmission models of education at the expense of inquiry. It’s not fair because classrooms become another snapshot of haves and have nots. Socio-economic realities are still dictating that some students will be given tools to succeed while others will be left stranded when it comes to BYOD.

Could this be an equity issue around access, availability and apathy? Will BYOD really allow students without their own devices more frequent access to technology provided at school? Yes, in some schools, but not in others. Unfortunately, unless it can benefit all learners, and not just the ones who can afford it, the disparity will be perpetuated repeatedly unless preventive policies in are put place. Who is going to pay for all of this because it’s always doom and gloom in the world of educational funding.

““If technology is seen as the vehicle for learning, it needs to be accessible to everybody,” said Jeff Kugler, of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. That means there has to be enough tablets or laptops to serve every child that needs one.” from the Toronto Star

In Ontario, Canada  (a.k.a home) there is a concerted push towards using technology from K to 12. My board (York Region District School Board) has adopted a very proactive approach and continues to develop and refine its policies as well as upgrading the infrastructure to accommodate this growing trend. Another such commitment to BYOD comes from the Peel District School Board. Their progressive approach  and promotion of BYOD is giving more students access to the resources of the internet and 21st Century learning and collaboration than ever. Although socio-economics dictate that this board will still need to provide tech to students, the opportunities for students are increasing.

 “some students will have a great device, some an old device, and some no device at all. But savvy schools will leverage BYOD projects in ways that will increase access to technology for all students. If a classroom has 30 students and five computers, it has a 6:1 student to computer ratio. If half of the students have a personal device that they can use, the ratio in the classroom becomes considerably lower. Schools will need to provide access to online resources by lending out individual devices or opening labs for students who do not have their own equipment.” Doug Johnson,  Power Up! On Board with BYOD

Resolving the financial constraints allowing access to all can move this favourably forward to more equitable eduction for all. So what happens then?

Favourably Fast forward

BYOD is here to stay. After millions of dollars in server upgrades, purchases and professional development students are connecting like never before to content, Web 2.0 tools are making learning come alive and on terms and platforms that modern learners are intuitively seeking to use (see graphic).

Proponents believe that BYOD allows for a more fluid access to information in the classroom. I agree and disagree.

At its finest, access to the resources and potential of the internet are everything good about this shift. In my classroom when a student has a question or inquiry I find it incredibly valuable to have them get on their device (if available) to scratch their immediate intellectual itches. With access to BYOD this becomes a seamless act allowing for neural myelination to happen. At this point, knowledge can be reinforced when the ideas and thoughts occur thus engaging us with our learning. Think of it as being able to protect your tech with a shield like an OtterBox. Myelination allows neurons to be reinforced while at the same time boosting the recall and connectivity of the neural architecture. This is where I see BYOD blowing the roof off a detractor’s arguments. Imagine the depths of engagement when students are given the latitude to control their learning the moment an idea occurs?

But wait! Students are playing Candy Crush not inquiring about Chemistry. They’re on Snapchat not researching their Social Studies. They’re taking pictures of each other in bathrooms and they’re bullying each other on social media. Aargh!!!

Of all the shadowy sides to BYOD the above seems to be the most reviled by teachers and board IT folks alike. That is the misuse of bandwidth and technology for surreptitious activities on social media, gaming and video streaming sites. Schools now have to institute and educate students and staff on acceptable use procedures and then enforce them. A great example of this working well is in New Jersey, USA via Eric Sheninger. His post BYOD begins with Trust and Respect is a good place to start. Seeing this as a teachable moment has lead to several digital citizenship lessons with students in my world.

Technology will continue being a part of learning whether we can afford it, or are prepared for it. Students must be given access to the tools, the time and the trust to use technology to advance their learning. Failing to do so is not an option. Turning the negatives into positives(teachable moments) will allow BYOD to move forward.

And going forward is good, but it comes with its share of work. No one said BYOD would be e-a-s-y as 1, 2, 3. But with patience, leadership, hard-work  and responsible funding its benefits will be immeasurably beneficial to students and teachers alike. This in itself should be the impetus for a greater commitment by schools, school boards and governments to continue moving in this direction. 

Further Resources (since you haven’t read enough)

http://chalkboardinquiries.wordpress.com/2013/03/04/reflections-on-digital-citizenship-and-the-byod-classroom/ (Paul Aniceto)

http://edtechreview.in/dictionary/278-what-is-byod-byot

http://esheninger.blogspot.ca/search?q=BYOD

http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/tag/byod/

http://stager.tv/blog/?p=2397

Mike Beetham Challenging Topics, Communication with Parents and Guardians, General, Homework, Learning About Your Students

Homework or No Homework?

This is a question that I have asked myself over and over. At different phases of my career I have given myself different answers ranging from they must have homework because that is what good teachers do, to homework is a vehicle that creates problems and turmoil for the families of my students and thus should not be a part of my program.

There is no answer that fits all classrooms or that fits all students. Like every other aspect of my program I have to differentiate according to the needs and circumstances of my students and their families. The following site pinpoints the top 5 reasons for assigning homework and top 5 reasons for not assigning homework ( http://www.teach-nology.com/tutorials/teaching/proandconhomework.html

I am going to share with you an event in my career where assigning homework created a very negative scenario and conflict for a student. This student was a very intelligent, friendly, polite young man who was a pleasure to work with in class. Over the first two months of school he excelled in class but habitually did not complete any home tasks. It got to the point where his lack of responsibility toward homework was seen as a behaviour concern. A few weeks later I became aware that his Mom was in a coma and that his family spent each night by her side in the hospital. My lack of awareness of my student and his home situation created undue and unneeded pressure on him and the family. As a result, homework was not a part of that student’s program.

On the other side of the coin, a student that I am working with this year spends time every night with his Mom reviewing the day’s work along with increased home reading. That has resulted in an accelerated growth in his area of academic deficits. In both cases, my decision to not assign homework to student A, and to assign extra homework to student B was the right thing to do. Homework for the sake of homework is not a productive component to any student’s learning. It must have a specific purpose that is helping meet the targeted academic outcomes of the classroom.

Tisha Nelson Assessment, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Report Cards

Report Cards – Writing the Narrative of Student Achievement

Although it seems like the school year has just begun a few weeks ago, it’s actually coming to a close next month. Yes! You read that right. School’s almost out for the summer – despite the fact that summer seems to be taking its sweet time to arrive with the weather feeling more September-like rather than spring. With all this mix bag of weather and perhaps emotions concerning the close of one school  year and the horizon of another, there is still one thing on every teacher’s mind: report cards! Gasps for fear; leaps for joy; however you reconcile this extremely important process of formally reporting student achievement, the narratives we write have the potential to impact our learners in very significant ways.

Though the Report Card tends to be written with parents/guardians in mind, it really has a wider readership that includes the students themselves as well as a host of future teachers who have access to it through the Ontario Student Records (OSR). Knowing this, how might we be more intentional when writing the report card since the contents have far reaching implications?

Firstly, the report card is meant to be meaningful. As teachers with teaching degrees and constantly immersed in “edubabble” (terms that are usually commonplace for educators), it is important that the things we say in the report card are communicated in the most effective way so that our message comes through with intention. Keeping the use of educational terminology to a minimum will ensure that the audience can arrive to its intended message with ease. This might mean rewording the curricula using reader-friendly terms. Remember this revised versions of K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple […and Significant]. Report comments should serve as a window to student achievement in ways that demonstrates both the scope of learning that took place as well as the degree of success students experienced within it. Teacher jargon can inhibit this very clear message which can be then deemed irrelevant to parents/guardians and students.

Next, embrace a positive tone. The rhyme, “Sticks and stone may break my bones but words may never harm me,” proves false as words have the power to either build one up or tear them down. When writing the narrative of student achievement with a focus on both their strength and next steps, it is important to frame students’ areas of need from an asset-based approach rather than solely iterating deficits. “Karly constantly talks during independent work time” tells a very different story than “Karly is beginning to regulate his behaviour during independent work time.” Mere semantics? Maybe. But the impact of one semantic can birth a positive outlook or reinforce a negative one.

Finally include feedback that will matter. This is particularly true for the final report card of the year as that the content that will be learned in the new grade will differ from the grade-specific content that the student is graduating from. In this case, next steps should serve as feedforward  as opposed to feedback. What might be the skills or habits of mind that will be salient in future learning opportunities? What concepts will form the foundation for future understanding? These are the next steps that will prove useful if articulated well. Including student voice in this aspect of report card writing is a great way to value the person who is set to internalize the feedback given. Imagine the partnership that can be developed when students remain accountable to themselves as well as previous teachers for their commitment to improving their outcomes.

So my few suggestions, though not revolutionary, can alter the ways in which the report card serves out its function. Families are notified of students progress and achievement, students are empowered with meaningful next steps and future teachers read the narrative of a student from an asset-based approach. Happy writing!