Blog – Page 149

November 21, 2013November 21, 2013 Alison.Board Building Inclusion, Equity, General, Inquiry, Integration, Learning About Your Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Literacy

“I Know Here”

At one of our first staff meetings this year, we had a discussion about building community in our school. What is our community? How do we see ourselves? Many of the teachers had a difficult time describing our school community. We are in a building with additions that have been attached on various levels, resulting in doors and stairs that physically separate the classrooms into small groupings of three or four to a floor. The community outside of the school is also diverse. There are few apartment buildings as well as a neighbourhood of homes, a park, and a plaza of stores.

To discover our community through student inquiry, all the classes read the book I Know Here by Laurel Croza.

We then asked the students to take a similar approach and define their community with words and representations. The results were outstanding. Every age from Kindergarten to grade 8 was able to identify what made the community unique and they presented their own perspective. To extend that sense of our community defined by student voice, we set up a literacy night at the school to showcase the student work. It included descriptive writing, drawings, 3D representations, photos and videos.

The experience was rewarding for the teachers, students, and parents of our school community. The work was meaningful and the children were engaged. It was a topic that was accessible to all and promoted equity throughout our school. The children were also able to share new insight and point of view with us, the educators.

November 9, 2013November 12, 2013 Erin.Grewar Assessment, Use of Technology

Bitstrips Part 2 – Assessment Ideas

If you choose to use the program Bitstrips, students will submit their completed assignments directly to you via the program. To evaluate them, you will do so by logging into the program. I gave my students a rubric with the criteria we developed together as a class. This serves as a checklist and allows them to know in advance how the assignment will be assessed (see attachment). Usually, I have an Author’s Share where students present their work in their groups but since there are no hard copies, I just modified it somewhat. I provided each student with a total of 4 rating scales and posted all of assignments to the “Class Gallery”. They had a list of 3 students whose work they had to evaluate using the established criteria and lastly, evaluated their own work as a form of self assessment. This provided me with lots of input when doing my own assessment. Also available for viewing online at Bitstrips are samples of student work to get an idea of what they were able to accomplish and see how the program functions. All in all, it was a positive experience which provided a nice creative alternative for students who are not the best artists. Below are some suggestions that I would follow the next time.

You can access the link at:

vouloir pouvoir comic grille d’evaluation

vouloir c’est pouvoir comic rubric

*Have students complete their written scripts in full before proceeding to the computers. Because I was away for a day, I had them start with the program which made it very difficult to get them off the computers to go back and complete their drafts. Given the unexpected length of time it took to complete (about 8 classes), I would evaluate at several stages (vocabulary brainstorming, rough draft, 2 scenes, etc) and also have deadlines in place along the way to ensure that all students are progressing at more or less the same pace.

November 9, 2013November 12, 2013 Erin.Grewar Diverse Learning Needs, Use of Technology

Bitstrips – Incorporating Technology in the Core French Classroom

Using technology in the Core French class sounds like a good idea but, in reality, is fraught with difficulty. Despite a ton of great online resources and programs, I find that in my experience, one of the following scenarios takes place: 1) your classroom (if you’re lucky enough to have one) is not equipped with a functioning computer 2) frequently, the school’s equipment on the whole tends to be unreliable and you end up being stuck with a class of 30 kids waiting as you frantically try to get your program/media to play 3) Core French is not deemed high priority in terms of getting access to equipment such as smartboards and projectors.

This year I really lucked out by booking our Librarian for a two week block of Partner’s in Action sessions and thus gained access to the computer lab in the library. Since we happened to be working on a dialogue, I chose to have them convert it into a comic using the program Bitstrips. They offer a free subscription to teachers and is available at the website www.bitstripsforschools.com.

As with any assignment, you must be careful to properly set it up so that you aren’t left with 30 google translated abominations (chances are, you’ll end up with at least a few of these no matter what). Below are some couple of suggestions that will hopefully be helpful.

Begin with a story/poem/dialogue which can be altered by students using familiar language structures and vocabulary (see attachment of dialogue Vouloir, c’est pouvoir- Addison Welsley).
For those students needing accommodation, I provide them with a copy of the dialogue with certain sections highlighted along with a reference sheet from which they can modify and create their own version. Something else I’ve done in the past is to provide them with a choice of three things written in and they must choose accuratetly.
Provide a sample level 3 text and then, as a class, show how to extend sentences and incorporate more advanced structures for a level 4.
Make sure to provide ample time to complete project (which usually takes much longer than expected) and make sure students are accountable for completing subtasks to keep their project moving along.

In my next blog, I’ll talk about some ideas for what to do once projects are complete and provide some examples so you can see what the students were able to accomplish.

Vouloir, c’est pouvoir text

November 9, 2013November 9, 2013 Mike Beetham Anti-bullying, Building Inclusion, Challenging Topics, Classroom Management

Conflict or Bullying

Bullying or Conflict?

Bullying is a reality in schools, but misplaced reactions to the day-to-day conflicts that occur in life will also not serve to help our students become problem solvers. I have noticed in my classroom (and around the school hallways) that any situation that involves one student disagreeing with another is being referred to as bullying. I had to really reflect on how to handle this scenario to ensure that the right approach is being taken to benefit all. I searched out information I could use to help clarify the misconceptions that were being developed by my students and came across an amazing resource entitled ‘We All Belong – A Multimedia Toolkit For Parents and Schools’. It was developed by the Centre Ontarien De Prevention Des Agressions (COPA). It is a very comprehensive tool for schools, teachers, parent councils and families to use as they work to develop a culture of inclusiveness within their community.

This resource helped me frame a strategy on how to move my students forward in their thinking. The Bullying Prevention Guide in the kit clearly explained that conflict is a disagreement or difference of opinion between two parties who are relatively equal in social status and thus there are two sides to a story. Bullying is not a natural part of daily life and is a targeted and planned act by a person or group of people in a position of power or social status and is often carried out over a period of time. If a bullying scenario is dealt with using conflict resolution strategies I have added to the harm done by the bully because I have now forced the victim to spend more time face-to-face working it out and have concluded that he/she is part of the problem.

The kit is a very rich resource that includes a Bullying Prevention Guide, The Capsule Families Get Involved and a DVD of short entertaining vignettes to be used. There are two volumes to the DVD with one targeting Parent Engagement and the other Bullying Prevention. The versatility of the kit has made it an option that can help bring families and schools closer in their battle against bullying. I am currently spending more time familiarizing myself with the resource as there are other options on how I may use it.

COPA – 457 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 1P1 (416) 466-8975 or infocopa.com

October 24, 2013October 31, 2013 Carmen.Oliveira Professional Learning and Growth

My Critical Friends

One of my favourite moments in my practice are those times when I can sit for a few minutes and just reflect on what I’m doing, why I’m doing it, how I thought about things in the past and where my learning has taken me. Now, let’s be clear, these moments are few and far between (unfortunately) within the whirlwind of a school day but it’s worth finding the time because I often come away with a few “aha!” conclusions. I’d like to share one such moment I had today.

I was thinking back to my first years of teaching when I believed that I not only had to be the best at what I did but I had to travel that road alone. Not because I didn’t want the support (are you kidding? I knew I needed all the help I could find) but because I felt that as a professional who was leading these young minds in their quest to learn about the world around them, I had to be the know-it-all guide. Eight years down the road, I now love the feeling of being in a state of continuous and perpetual learning along with my students. So what caused this shift in my thinking?

My own growth has been exponential and I owe much of it to a special group of people I l call my “critical friends.” This is a term introduced by Andrew Hutchinson, a sector consultant, in 1998. A critical friend is defined as “a trusted person who asks provocative questions, provides data to be examined through another lens, and offers critiques of a person’s work as a friend. A critical friend takes the time to fully understand the context of the work presented and the outcomes that the person or group is working. The friend is an advocate for the success of that work.”

I have been fortunate to work with critical friends as teacher colleagues, administrators, instructional leaders, professors and sometimes my own students. As I sat back today, I realized that their feedback about my practice, the collaboration between us and their willingness to guide me as I work to find solutions and new goals to reach is one of the greatest tools I possess on my own quest in education.

Not a bad “aha” moment for a five minute break 🙂

If you’re interested in further reading, this article by Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick that summarizes the process.
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct93/vol51/num02/Through-the-Lens-of-a-Critical-Friend.aspx

October 21, 2013October 23, 2013 Ryan G Building Inclusion, Diverse Learning Needs, Learning About Your Students, Making a Difference Through Education

In Praise of Fragility

Teachers spend a lot of time trying to identify students’ strengths. Through the lens of an attributes-based approach, we can use those identified strengths to intentionally structure tailored learning opportunities. The Heart of Teaching and Learning reminds us that we can empower our students by simply acknowledging and purposefully using their positive attributes. Truly, at the heart of teaching is the belief that every child is special, that every child is strong in a way.

Such a heavy focus on student strengths makes me wonder if we adequately acknowledge our students’ weaknesses. In our quest to identify strengths, what do we do when we discover that some of our students are, in fact, quite fragile?

Admittedly, all of us are fragile a little bit, but we keep it very hidden. “Most of the the time, we have to be strong, we must not show our fragility. We’ve known that since the schoolyard,” writes contemporary philosopher Alain de Botton in his new book, Art as Therapy.

It’s unfortunate that we often unassumingly teach the lesson that fragility should be replaced with strength. “Just ignore him, Sally,” we say to the girl who comes to us in tears for the umpteenth time because of a classroom bully, “and if you don’t give a reaction, he’ll stop bugging you.” “Walk it off, Scott!” we say to the boy who hurts himself on the pavement. “No, you don’t need a Band-Aid. Go. Play.” We’ve all dished out the unhelpful advice that really teaches this lesson: toughen up already.

But fragility has its place. Alain de Botton gives us this object lesson using Venetian glass goblets:

Venetian glass doesn’t apologise for its weakness. It admits its delicacy; it is confident enough to demand careful treatment; it makes the world understand it could easily be damaged.

It’s not fragile because of a deficiency, or by mistake. It’s not as if its maker was trying to make it tough and hardy and then – stupidly – ended up with something a child could snap, or that would be shattered by clumsy mishandling. It is fragile and easily harmed as the consequence of its search for transparency and refinement and its desire to welcome sunlight and candle light into its depths. Glass can achieve wonderful effects but the necessary price is fragility. Some good things things have to be delicate – the dish says: ‘I am delightful, but if you knock me about I’ll break, and that’s not my fault.’ (Excerpt from Art as Therapy).

Not unlike Venetian glass goblets, some of our students require delicate handling, and we would be remiss to think that the associated character attributes were undesirable. Light bulbs demand to be treated delicately, and when they are, they can shine beautifully.

As teachers, we need to create spaces where fragile children can thrive. Where shy children can interact with others at their own pace. Where children who are easily hurt can find refuge. Where children who are simply unsure of themselves can find acceptance.

Is your school a place where being fragile is okay?

October 16, 2013October 16, 2013 Alison.Board Challenging Topics, Equity, Inquiry, Integration, Literacy, Social Justice

Literacy and Big Ideas

We started the first of our 4 big questions for the year. How do we balance our needs with the needs of others? The question has been on the wall since the second week of school, but only now are the students starting to find ways to answer that question. One of the ways the grade 5/6 students have started to approach the question is through their learning in Social Studies. As they learn about initial contact between Europeans and First Nations, they are also considering the needs of the explorers and settlers compared to the needs of the First Nations in Canada.

The other way that the students have broadened their understanding of the question is through read-alouds. One book in particular, Sees Behind Trees by Michael Dorris, was a favourite read-aloud to the class. It connected with our Social Studies learning as well as the model it provided for the descriptive writing we were experimenting with. At the end of the book, the students were eager to identify various relationships in the book and how the characters’ needs balanced with one another’s. Reading this book together seemed to click for everyone as a means of examining the big over-arching question.

This was a celebrated moment of understanding in our classroom and a confirmation of my own that students need to be immersed in a literature-rich curriculum. One of the most useful resources I have found to support discussion and understanding is ETFO’s Social Justice Begins With Me. This resource provides a robust list of books that connect to themes/ideas of community, empathy, rights of the child, as well as big ideas of cycles or beauty! It summarizes the text and highlights themes that connect the students to the learning. I also like that there are sections of the resource specific to Primary, Junior, and Intermediate grades with curriculum connections and activity ideas.

You can also view parts of the resource in pdf at http://www.etfo.ca/resources/socialjustice/pages/default.aspx or look at specific booklists that have also been added to the site.

October 5, 2013October 7, 2013 Mike Beetham Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Learning and Growth, Social Justice

The Heart of Teaching

Teachers supporting teachers is one of the most powerful forms of professional learning that exists in education. In my twenty-sixth year of teaching I was able to witness first hand the heart of teaching when I spent six weeks working with educators in Sierra Leone as a delegate from ETFO (in partnership with the Canadian Teachers’ Federation). Despite the country being just over a decade past their horrific civil war, the aftermath of that human tragedy lives on in the daily lives of every citizen of that country. My work focused on helping teachers develop peaceful classrooms and schools. Little did I know how much my life was going to be impacted by my experience with those amazingly courageous individuals.

When I arrived in Sierra Leone, I was instantly overwhelmed by the overcrowded classrooms (up to 100 students to one teacher), no professional resources or curriculum and nonexistent basic supplies for students. My initial thoughts were ‘”How could anyone teach in these conditions?” But what I was most taken back with, was the level of commitment, professionalism, courage and absolute pure desire to turn their country around through education. A quote from the Sierra Leone Teachers Union states “We Educate To Liberate”. There was no complaining, no frustration and no giving up. Despite extremely low wages (or not being paid at all), horrendous working conditions, daily struggles for their basic needs, these teachers‘ only desire was to learn and improve their teaching.

I have been humbled by both the dedication and resiliency of the teachers in Sierra Leone. I have become a better teacher and global citizen as a result of my work with these everyday heroes. I think about my friends and colleagues in Sierra Leone and take courage from them every morning prior to starting my day.

October 2, 2013October 2, 2013 Carmen.Oliveira Challenging Topics, Inquiry, Learning in a Real Life Context, Making a Difference Through Education, Questioning, Social Justice

Tackling Challenging Topics: The Dolphin Dilemma

Recently, our Grade 4 class began exploring habitats and communities in our Science unit. The children were very excited to share what they thought we would be learning about and which habitats and animals they were looking forward to researching. One student was eager to tell the class that she saw dolphins at a marine park during the summer and would like to learn more about them because they were beautiful. Now, I have to preface my story by saying that every student I’ve ever had in my classroom knows how much I love dolphins. In fact, anyone visiting my classroom immediately notices the countless dolphin figurines lovingly given by many of my former students. However, what students may not know is how strongly I believe that these mammals do not belong in marine parks but rather, should be left to swim in the wild.

During our classroom discussion one of the boys surprised me by asking the student who had visited the marine park why she liked to see dolphins in pools when they were supposed to be in the ocean. Many students looked at him confused and admitted to having seen dolphins in marine parks and they also thought they were “cool.” He seemed outnumbered by the blank and puzzled stares coming from his classmates and looked at me for support. I have to admit that my natural reaction would be to defend him, prove why he’s right and try to educate students by raising awareness about the issue. Of course, after so many years of tackling challenging issues related to social justice, the environment and students’ personal lives I know that the best way to engage in meaningful conversation is to keep an open mind, look at all perspectives, raise relevant questions that will provoke critical thinking and provide factual (hopefully biased-free) material that can be used to analyze the issue at hand.

This always takes me back to Chimamanda Adichie’s TED Talk “The Danger of a Single Story.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
In the past I’ve broken down this video with my students for us to realize how biased we all are to some degree and how those biases can greatly affect how we see and interact with the world. When we have the tools we need to deal with challenging topics, we end up not only learning more, but growing from our experience, even if we continue to disagree. It’s a powerful lesson to learn in life: before deciding where we stand on an issue, step back and look at it from all sides before venturing toward a conclusion.

I do have to confess that despite all my attempts to stay neutral I did wear my Dolphin Project – Swim Wild t-shirt to school that same week. Needless to say the students have decided (without my coaxing) that they’d like to learn more about a dolphin’s natural habitat and study the impact that keeping them in marine parks has on them. This inquiry will definitely present some challenges for me but I hope to guide my students to their own well thought-out conclusion. I’ll post our findings in the near future 🙂

October 2, 2013October 2, 2013 Erin.Grewar Assessment, Differentiated Instruction, Learning in a Real Life Context

Getting Kids to (Really) Speak French

This year, my goal is to get my students speaking a lot more French and sound better doing so. If it were me, I would like to have something more to show after learning French for four or five years. I suppose this is what is really behind the focus of the (soon to be released?) new curriculum.

As for me, I’m going to vary my approach this year. In the past, a lot of the French speaking came from short daily activities, questions/answers and summative oral presentations that focused on integrated targeted vocabulary and grammar structures. The summative activities were always creative and students responded well to them, however, they were perhaps not the most practical (cooking show, blind date, etc). Based on feedback to some written response questions and from parents, it is surprising to me to find out that students seem to really want to learn French. I know, shocking isn’t it? My challenge this year is how to balance out the practical but still make it interesting and most importantly fun.

For September with my grade eight classes, I have begun with the basics. I mean the real basics like greetings, variations of how are you and trading contact information. I’ve been using the resource and provided them with current lingo/slang in order to make their interactions more authentic. A typical lesson includes some explanation/questioning by me followed by 5 to 10 min of guided conversation with “freestyle elaborating”. We have already tried a short skit with a partner whereby they had to incorporate “Comment vas-tu?” and trade contact information but they were free to come up with their own context. The end product was okay but I found that they were more carried away by adding in all this extra detail to support the scenario which distracted and in some cases derailed them entirely. In the end, I decided that I would follow up with a one-on-one “examen oral” based on the same content. I think that an actual conversation will give me a better idea of how they are really able to communicate. Will keep you posted as to their progress. In the meantime, please let everyone know about anything that has been working for you.