General – Page 60

December 1, 2017December 1, 2017 Michelle Fenn Challenging Topics, Classroom Management, Communication Tools, Communication with Parents and Guardians, Diverse Learning Needs, General, Mindfulness, Professional Judgement, Resilience, self reflection

The Conundrum of Parent Communication

4 years ago I discovered the app Seesaw which is a digital portfolio for students but way more. Recently it also added a direct parent communication piece which I absolutely love and I can also post announcements all at once to parents or just to a few by the click of a button. The best thing about the app for me is that the students can upload their own work and comment on it and I can provide feedback. I approve everything before it goes on the site. Parents LOVE it. For me, it does everything that I need a communication app to do. So what’s the issue?

3 years ago our school board got a contract with Edsby. I understand that as a school board it is accessible in many ways for all teachers. There is system information that is on the site that can be accessed from anywhere. There is a platform for staff room chat and places to post things on calendar etc., However I do not find that it is friendly for teachers nor students to use. The mobile app is glitchy and I get frustrated at the stream of conversations that don’t seem to match up. I have been told by our administration that we have to use it to communicate with parents. All but two of my parents have signed up for Seesaw (internet access issues) and only a quarter have signed up for Edsby. I don’t know why exactly, but I can only assume that they don’t find it as friendly to use. I do paper copies for major announcements to ensure that everyone gets those in one way or another. I use Edsby to comply to my school board’s request and I’m doubling my work in the meantime.

When I first began teaching it was a big deal to have a “monthly” newsletter and calendar of events go home to parents. Principals wanted to see copies and approve them before they went home. Now we are in constant communication with parents and we are being told exactly what platform we are supposed to be using in order to do it. There is a huge workload issue in parent communication and it creeps up on us daily. With an increase in high needs students that deal with behavioural or mental health issues teachers are expected to communicate on a daily basis in a communication book with their families. While I understand the need for documentation for myself and for the parents, the expectation is overwhelming. I am fortunate this year that I have my preparation time at the end of the day and I can take the time to communicate with parents. However, I don’t get to use my prep time for lesson preparation. I don’t know what the answer is here. I’m going to continue to use my professional judgement about how I communicate with parents however, hopefully this post will begin a discussion about communication overload. I’m open for suggestions on how others are able to manage!

December 1, 2017 Michelle Fenn Anti-bullying, Building Inclusion, Challenging Topics, Classroom Management, Diverse Learning Needs, Equity, General, Inspiring Students, Integration, Learning About Your Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Making a Difference Through Education, Mentorship, Social Justice, Students as Teachers

Kindness and Gratitude

My hope in asking for a junior division assignment was that the students would be more independent however, I also knew that in exchange, I would be likely dealing with the issues of the tumultuous “tween” years. My expectations for this group were particularly high because I had taught nearly half of them for two years in grades 1 and 2 and I felt as though I knew them pretty well. Unfortunately, we have been having social issues in our classroom and the students are having difficulty treating each other with kindness. I wasn’t prepared to have to “teach” kindness and gratitude at this age. After 20 years in the primary grades, I suppose I assumed they would already know how to be kind. Let me be clear. They are not horrible kids and having raised two kids through the “tweenage” years I know the behaviour is driven by hormones etc., Kindness becomes more complicated in the junior grades as the social constructs change and being popular and fitting in becomes that much more important. What I’m trying to get across to the students is that kindness is actually more powerful than being mean but they aren’t yet all buying into it…yet. I’m not giving up.

We started by reading the book “Wonder” by R.J. Palacio together as a class. After every few pages there was so much to unpack in discussion with the students about empathy, “precepts” for living and loyalty in friendship. In discussions, the students were easily able to empathize the injustices suffered by Auggie and were angered by the actions of the antagonist, Julian. We also went to see the movie in order to compare the stories and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were thoughtful in their assessment of the themes and the major differences. In reality, however, they were having a hard time putting all of this knowledge into practice with one another.

I needed to dig a little deeper and do some research and I happened upon a great website connected to the book; #choosekind is a campaign attached to Palacio’s book and it started us on a journey of kindness. We’ve also been using lesson plans from the Random Acts of Kindness website and have begun daily gratitude journals. We started restorative circles using our talking stick using Restorative Circle prompts. We have created our rules and agreement for our circle. It has been a slow start because we are starting with topics that are allowing students to relate to one another and are not value or character based sensitive topics yet as we work to build trust in the circle. Our first couple of prompts were, “What are 3 things that you cannot live without?” and “Who is your hero?” Not everyone is able to come up with something right away and sometimes we have to circle back, but it is a beginning.

We also wanted to do something as a class that was more global and would make an impact on people whom we didn’t even know. In Peterborough, we have a store called Under One Sun. They are part of a larger organization that supplies crafts from artisans in Haiti, “Restoring Dignity Through Artistry”. We decided to participate in a Christmas ornament fundraiser which helps to create jobs and sustain families in Haiti. Some of the money goes to the artisans for healthcare, childcare, education and materials and some of the money comes back to the school. Our class of 22 students alone sold more than $1000.00 worth of ornaments. This fundraiser makes a difference in our community and for families living in Haiti and broadens our student’s awareness of global issues of poverty. In addition, we are going to learn how to make paper bead jewelry ourselves as gifts for our own families.

As we move into the holiday season, December is a great month to think about giving, gratitude and kindness. We are going to be working with the Senior Centre down the street, hanging our art work, singing songs to entertain and presenting a dramatic re-telling of “A Promise is a Promise” written by Robert Munsch. We have created a kindness calendar which includes random acts of kindness for each day that do not cost money. Hopefully, day by day, discussion by discussion the students will come to realize the power of kindness.

November 30, 2017December 1, 2017 Will Gourley Celebrating Success, Constant Learning, Differentiated Instruction, General, Modern Learning

Learning to swim

https://www.flickr.com/photos/eviltomthai/5129962638 CC By 2.0

I remember laughing when our teacher taught us that fish swim in schools. You know how kindergarten students think, right? Naturally, I wondered which classroom at my school held the aquarium? Would dolphins be there too? Then came the cruelest lesson of all; dolphins are not fish. Why was I even there?

All these years later, I understand that we were the fish in that educational ocean. We were taught to swim in a school at school zigging back and forth as if in a constantly choreographed current. Sit here, read this, write this, stand here, go there, eat, play, run, think, solve this, and repeat.

We were learning to swim in our little school to survive life. Zagging in and out of the doors and halls from class to class like small fish between coral reefs and vegetation.

We swam for all of our might and soon discovered 2 things; the current kept getting stronger, and that danger was always lurking in the water. Without learning to swim, we were at risk of being singled out, devoured, or even worse, drowning. Yup, fish can drown…kinda.

The reality that fish can drown(suffocate) makes me think that even when students seem like they are swimming along fine, they could still be at risk. How we teach our learners to swim and navigate the waters comes with equal parts skill, frustration, and grace too (thanks to the Tragically Hip). So are we teaching our students to swim for their lives, or are we over fishing them to death with rote lessons, busy work, and too many assessments?

When Giovanni Caboto, aka John Cabot, and his crew discovered the rich stocks of cod fish off of the Grand Banks he told the King of England that there would be enough fish to feed the kingdom until the end of time.

Little did he know that within a 500 hundred years, the Grand Banks would become over fished and the cod population was nearly decimated. The lessons learned over the past two hundred years in education are caught in a similar net.

Our students are over tested. The system has cast the same catch-all nets for too long. They feel too much stress, and they see the world of their future as a total mess. The oceans they’re inheriting are clogged with the debris left behind by their predecessors. Remember, these are the same people who gave us standardized testing, drill and kill Math, regurgitated learning, and grammar police state nightmares in both official languages.

Ironically now, there is also a figurative and literal garbage patch to clean up thanks to current education systems and its ancestors. What was once a thriving home full of opportunities and diversity is now a murky, polluted, and estranged place. Insert image of bleached coral here.

What I fear the most is that our students’ reasons for learning are disappearing like the cod on the Grand Banks. Without an intervention, the desire to learn that is coded into our youth faces extinction too. Can we revive this generation of learners by teaching them to swim, by cleaning their waters, and providing the safe habitat for them to thrive?

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, Equity, General, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Professional Learning and Growth

The Workshop Presenter’s Palette

In my last post, I blogged about attending and presenting at workshops. And well…perhaps I should have waited a few weeks before sharing about that topic. Hindsight is always 20-20 and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share with you on this topic once again.

That being said, I must admit that I am coming off of a high that I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing enough of as of late. This past Monday and Tuesday, I had the privilege of participating in ETFO’s The Workshop Presenter’s Palette. I walked in not knowing quite what to expect but prepared to work on something and in all honesty, quickly realized that I was really working on myself. I’ve said it before, I love sharing the work that I get to do with amazing students and this session was really for me to be able to improve on something that I already enjoy doing.

Screenshot 2017-11-30 at 7.10.16 PM Much thanks to the “Terrific ETFO Trio” – Ruth Dawson, Joanne Myers, and Jane Bennett. Not only was it inspiring to watch these 3 women share strategies – with intentionality – but I also felt as though they gave to us on every level. From remembering our names to making sure there were yummy treats, they hosted us so well and reminded me of the importance of making my audience feel as though they matter every time that I present. I walked away wishing that I had more time to sit down and learn from them. Thank you!

Now you’re probably wondering what was so magical. Well, here are a few tips that I picked up over the 2 days. Now I can’t go giving away all of their amazing secrets, you’ll have to stay tuned and try to get in on the fun next year.

The Environment Makes A Huge Difference

We were in a large room with great acoustics so it was clear to hear the presenters. Everything was already set up for us and it was inviting because it made me feel as though they were welcoming me not just a group of people. If you know who your audience is and have time to prepare for them in advance, do it! Make it obvious that you have thought of them in planning your session.

Not sure who will be joining your session? Not to worry. Play some music. I learned that the number of beats matters. Aim for 120 beats per minute. It’s uplifting and raises the energy in the room. Consider playing a game to get started. We started with a Meet Three activity where we were asked to meet 3 new people and were given prompts for each new person we met. Each prompt was timed and eased participants from a place that was familiar to them – what they plan on doing over the holiday – to the deeper purpose of the workshop – what made a workshop memorable.

When I say that there was intentionality behind every part of the workshop, there really was. Down to the variety of tools to get the attention of participants such as clappers and other noise makers. I felt heard, never screamed over but gently brought back to the larger conversation. Small things that made a huge difference in the learning space.

Help A Friend!

Ever been in a session where people were offering feedback on something you were creating? Have you ever gotten the feeling of being overwhelmed by capturing all of the amazing feedback? Well, I think I was just given the solution. We were asked to get into Mentor Groups where we shared our workshop ideas and were given the opportunity to get feedback and answers to some of the questions we may still have about our work. Rather than frantically trying to write down the wealth of information shared, the person to the right of the presenter took notes while the presenter was able to actually engage in active listening. Sound simple? It really is and believe it or not, I never thought of it. I think this is a strategy that I will take back to the classroom and use with students in peer feedback sessions.

Equity

Language matters and the idea of intention vs. impact was made so clear to me. No matter my intentions, the impact of my words is what participants and those around me actually feel. Adam Peer was our presenter for this portion of the day and he addressed the importance of being conscious of the images that are shown in our sessions. Do they show the diversity that exists in terms of abilities, skin colour, religion, age, family, and genders? Still saying girls and boys or ladies and gentlemen? Consider using children, everyone or using the person’s name instead.

I feel as though I’ve just touched the surface of all that was incredible about this 2-day session but at the same time given away a few tips that you may chose to take back to your classrooms or even workshops. I’m refreshed and excited to implement my learning into my sessions and classroom. Remember to stay tuned to ETFO’s Upcoming Events to sign up for amazing PD that is sure to change your life.

November 29, 2017 Tammy Axt General, Technology in school

Learning something new! Uses for Google Classroom in the music room

I am not a very technologically-oriented person by nature. To give you an idea, my partner had to talk me into getting a cell phone a couple of years ago as I couldn’t imagine life without my land line. However, this year, a couple of teachers from another school presented the idea of using Google Classroom to enhance their music program. I really wanted to try it out, so I assembled a group of five students who helped me get Google Classroom going in my music room. The whole process was so invigorating and exciting. I found myself excited to come in every morning and see what videos the students had sent me the night before. It really pumped me up throughout this past month.

To start using Google Classroom from a planning time teacher’s perspective is very easy if your board is connected to Google programs. I created a class for each one of the classrooms that I teach by going to the plus sign at the top of the page.

Next, I clicked on each class and began to add students.

To add students to the classroom, simply go to the student section and either invite them by typing in their names or by giving them the class code to join.

Once all of your classes are set up, add assignments to the classroom by clicking on the small plus sign in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

I am using Google Classroom in my program for two purposes right now. It is being used to allow students to take videos of their learning at home, and for students to be able to access the music that we are using in extracurricular activities.

For the first purpose, students take videos at home and upload the video to their Google Drive. They then click on the assignment that I have created and upload the file. Finally, they hit submit to send their video to me. I open up the video and I can listen to the student playing their music.

It has been a great tool for my students who are still working towards playing in front of other people. It also has been fantastic for students to receive feedback between classes.

For my choir and recorder clubs, it has been a tool for them to access the music that we are singing at home.

I find the program very user-friendly and I appreciate the tracking of student progress. It is a little electronic portfolio for each and every student I teach.

November 27, 2017 Tammy Axt General, Mental Health, wellness

Taking care of yourself in December

Now that the hustle and bustle of progress reports is done and parent-teacher interview night is over, I am exhausted. I find this time of the year to be the longest stretch of the school year and these next four weeks to be the most demanding on me mentally and physically. Although my body and mind feel like they should be at home relaxing on my couch, I have four solid weeks of instruction to deliver, an AQ to complete and a Christmas concert to gear up for. There is no time to rest just yet! However, this is my eighth time through December at school and I have learned a few things along the way. Below are my survival tips for the next four weeks.

Survival Tip #1: Keep to your regular routine in class as much as possible. This is tough with concerts, sing along assemblies and parties in late December; however, kids get cranky and forgetful of the school rules when so many routines are disrupted. To limit the amount of negative interactions with your students, continue with normal Math lessons and guided reading circles throughout the month to mitigate all the changes happening.

Survival Tip#2: Continue your exercise routine as much as possible. Just like the kids, there are so many disruptions to our lives in December. I have multiple holiday parties that I am committed to attend, baking to do, and presents to buy. It is really easy to get overwhelmed at this time of year. However, no matter how busy I get, I drag myself to my swimming and spin classes this time of year as I always feel better when I am done. I also am a better partner and teacher when I have had one hour of a spin instructor yelling at me (I guess when you are trying your best just to keep your legs moving, you don’t have time to worry about anything else).

Survival Tip #3: Do assessments in class. This is a great time of year to have students do oral presentations, skits, or hands-on math activities in class to demonstrate their knowledge. Have your rubric/checkbric/criteria checklist etc. ready and mark them in the moment. This will encourage you to take home less marking and keep you fresher for student feedback during the day.

Survival Tip #4: Choose your battles. This tip really applies to every day of the school year but I really try to remind myself of this in December. Some students have a really hard time with the transition into the break. For students who are going home to a two-week holiday filled with fighting, substance abuse or neglect, this break can be really long and stressful. That anticipatory anxiety and stress can display itself in behaviour that is really challenging to deal with. Try your best to stay calm and choose your battles if the student’s behaviour is not impacting your ability to instruct the class. Talk to the student at a quiet moment to see if they need support.

Survival Tip #5: Attempt to eat right. I say attempt, as my mother-in-law’s sausage rolls and jam tarts always get me. However, weight gain, upset stomachs and crazy sugar crashes that are very prevalent this time of year are not great factors for running the marathon that is the last four weeks of December.

Ultimately, it is very important to take care of you in December. I know it may seem selfish, but you will have so much more to give to your students, family and friends. Good luck and have a great December!

November 24, 2017 Will Gourley General, Modern Learning, Professional Judgement, self reflection

Call the cops

Call the cops

I’m guilty, and intend to re-offend. I will not be pleading innocent or apologizing either. So call the cops because I confess to caring about the well being of my students. And I think there are other recidivists like me out there. Yet, how would we know since so many educators spend their time siloed in self-sentenced solitary confinement?

Maybe, the problem is attributable to my particular approach to pedagogy? I write my tongue in cheek admission because I believe that student well being needs to be the foundation upon which all student success is built. Ensuring that my students know that they matter comes first and foremost. If not, it would be like building an upside down pyramid. It will not stand the test of time. (insert imaginary picture of an upside down pyramid here) In other words, it’s about relationships.

Is that a siren in the distance?

My instruction is student centred, connected, and committed to their success far beyond the marks on a report card. I want them to learn how to be awesome at life. That means taking time to invest in learning what makes my students tick as learners first. Not to mention, by the creation of safe, failure tolerant spaces for them to share what they hate about school. Before you let the police in, think about this.

My students are also asked to share what they love about school, and what they would like to have happen more often. I am trying to democratize the classroom here by listening to and valuing their voices. Let’s call this time Septovember. When it comes to their futures I’m guilty of involving students in the conversations that affect this part of their lives too.

Many of our Septovember discussions circle around activism, advocacy, and learning to think about one another. In the past year, I decided to throw all of the cards on the table. I announced that we were going to have a challenge task in our language block. I started the lesson off by saying, “The adults in your life have failed you. I have failed you. My parents have failed you. And a whole lot of people before us have failed you too.” Once they picked their jaws up off of their desks, I asked, “What are you going to do about it?”

We established a few parameters, discussed possible learning goals, and students set out to identify and solve one of the many problems they are inheriting from us (e.g., environment, political strife, human rights issues, equity). Almost immediately my students were engaged and motivated and there it was: inquiry, empowerment, and authentic learning.

I hear handcuffs rattling.

Naturally, whenever life learning like this happens, it puts me behind any traditional instructional schedules, but thankfully it also allows instruction to happen much more effectively over the remaining months of our year. That’s right officer, it’s spelled G-O-U-R-L-E-Y

My students are going to learn that I care about them long before ever being expected to care about what I know or have to teach. If that means shaping the curriculum around them first rather than bending them around the curriculum, so be it. I know I’m not the only one. Have I mentioned that it’s about relationships first?

I have an accomplice.

In his 2017 TEDxKitchenerEd Talk, Andrew Campbell shares a very informed opinion about why he meets his students at the door every morning. And it’s not to check whether they’ve completed their homework. Campbell eloquently meshes his TEDx Talk with complete emphasis on connecting with his students. In it, he shares how his students changed his outlook after a tragic event involving a student in their class. He shares;

“the most important thing I can do as a teacher are the relationships I form with my students and the relationships I help them form with others. When the students come to me in the morning, I don’t know what they’re coming from or what they’re carrying. And when they leave at the end of the day, I don’t know what they’re walking into.”

There is no doubt that all students who pass through Andrew’s classroom door are welcome and valued regardless of the fact he is not a fan of well planned lessons. Imagine the power and potential in the simple act of meeting students at the door with a smile and a kind word? That is a “noble purpose.”

I knew there was another recidivist out there. Are you one too?

They better call for back-up.

November 21, 2017November 22, 2017 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, General, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth

It’s Conference Time!

My presenter journey started a couple of years ago when I thought, “why not take a chance and share my work with other educators?”. My first conference was Bring It Together in 2015. Funnily enough, I find myself starting to write this blog from this year’s BIT conference.

In 2015 our school was involved in a school-wide Water Inquiry and I had just begun working with students on Entrepreneurial Thinking in the classroom. It was something new in our board and I was excited about this work and naturally thought the conference would be a great way to share it.

In Marketplace style, I set up my booth and had an hour filled with inspiring conversations with other educators about similar work that they were doing with students in their classrooms. Initially I thought I was there to present our work but found such value in learning from the experiences of others and gained great insight on how to take this work further. I caught the conference bug then, I’ve still got it, and I’m not letting go.

Over the years, I’ve learned 3 things as a presenter and attendee:

The Power of Story
Being Open to New Learning
Network, Network, and Network

The Power of Story

Sessions that have inspired and impacted me the most have been ones where the presenter has connected with me through the power of story. Either through taking me on their journey or sharing their students’ journey, these sessions have brought life to the material that the presenter is sharing. Seeing a real application and/or the humanness and messiness behind the implementation of ideas or projects makes it real and tangible. As an educator, I’ve realized, the realness of the struggle and the ability to overcome makes the process inspiring. I’ve tried to implement this in my presentations and am learning that it’s not just about me, but more so the amazing students who I am privileged to work with and whose work I am sharing that are the power in my presentation. As I presented at STAO a couple of weeks ago, I realized that I was most passionate when I was sharing my students’ work on hurricane solutions and the learning that I gained from them. If ever you are considering presenting, tell your story; and with their permission, tell the story of your students. It’s some of the best PD I have ever experienced.

Being Open To New Learning

It’s inevitable. At every conference, I end up attending a session where I think it might be on a particular topic and find out that it’s really about something else. In the beginning I would get discouraged and tune out if I found that I wasn’t getting what I thought I was supposed to be. Then I learned that I could get up and find another session that might better suit my needs. While I thought the second “strategy” was effective/useful, I’m learning the importance of seeing a session through and finding new learning. Whether there is a new tip or trick used by the presenter or participants or a strategy to avoid, there is always something that I can learn. Fortunately, this happened a couple of weeks ago during a session. I learned that it’s essential to test a demonstration before facilitating a session and to ensure that I truly understand all the steps involved when I’m asking participants to take a risk and try something new with me. Presentations can be tough and many of us are just learning about how to give them. Bear with us. Consider sticking it out and perhaps you may just learn something that will be of value to you in the long run. By being there you’ve already opened the envelope. Why not read its contents to the end?

Network, Network, and Network

Ok…It may be no secret but I love Twitter. I have to say that all credit goes to my former Principal, Greg McLeod, who suggested I hop on a few years ago to participate in a Twitter chat. I hesitantly agreed to join the Twitterverse and little did I know, it would be a revolutionary tool that would connect me to educators all around the world. I’ve gained tips and ideas by seeing the work of others online and during conference time, it’s my opportunity to seek them out and meet them in person. It’s also my chance to find new people to connect with and learn from. Last year, I attended a workshop at STAO where I met Shari Green-Brown who is the Principal of RJ Lang Elementary & Middle School. Who would have thought that learning about hand tools during a session would lead to the opportunity to collaborate with her – and others – to help facilitate our STEM Certificate Course or our current PD series – Tinkering Thursdays? I’ve grown as a teacher, presenter and facilitator by building a relationship that began on Twitter, was strengthened through an experience at a conference and developed over time. If ever you decide to take advantage of presenting or attending a conference, take the leap! Talk to a stranger or a Twitter friend. You never know who you might meet & what journey you’ll have the chance to take with them.

Fall conference season is almost done for me. As I look forward to the fun of conferences this spring, I’ll keep in mind: The Power of Story; Being Open to New Learning; and Network, Network, and Network. Consider taking advantage of conferences and events offered by ETFO. Last year I had the opportunity to present at ETFO’s ICT Conference. The energy was simply amazing and the sessions offered many new learning opportunities for participants.

I look forward to learning from and with you soon!

November 19, 2017November 19, 2017 Michelle Fenn Celebrating Success, Combined Grade Classes, Constant Learning, General, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Integration, Learning About Your Students, Math, Mentorship, Professional Learning and Growth, The Arts

Connecting Area and Perimeter to Art-Piet Mondrian

Whenever possible, I search for ways to integrate the curriculum to create deeper learning opportunities for students and connect to the world around them. It has always been easy to make connections between geometry and art. Measurement and art wasn’t something that I had integrated much before. However, in working with my Teacher Candidate from the Trent University Faculty of Education program, we were excited to see what the students would create. It only goes to show you that when teachers are able to work collaboratively, wonderful programming ensues for students.

We have been working on perimeter and area for a little while, but students were still having trouble figuring out the difference between the two concepts. We started by giving the students 9 square tiles. Students were asked to create a 3 x 3 array of square tiles and determine the perimeter and the area. The perimeter was determined to be 12 and the area determined to be 9. From there, students were given a number of different challenges to reduce the area but maintain the perimeter of 12. The challenges grew increasingly difficult.

1. Reduce the area by one square unit but maintain the perimeter of 12 units.

2. Reduce the area to 7 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

3. Reduce the area to 6 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

4. Reduce the area to 5 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

5. Reduce the area to 4 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

6. Reduce the area to 3 square units while maintaining the perimeter of 12 units.

After having the students share their different solutions we thought we would show the students artwork that Ms. Marchiori created inspired by Ellsworth Kelly’s “Colors for a Large Wall”. In a guided math lesson the students figured out the area and perimeter of different parts of the artwork. The way in which students figured out the answers to the area demonstrated that they had a much better understanding of the difference between area and perimeter than they had previously.

At this point, we wanted to get into the artwork and considered the work of Piet Mondrian. Piet Mondrian is famous for the work that he created using primary colours, horizontal and vertical lines and squares and rectangles. Perfect for working with area and perimeter and for incorporating the different elements of art.

Ms. Marchiori showed the YouTube video of Piet Mondrian’s artistic life in a nutshell. Afterwards, the students then created their own Mondrian inspired artwork using chart sized grid paper (6’X6′) and crayon. To continue our math focus, the students then had to calculate the area of each of the colours that they used and write that on the back of their art “plan”. From there, the students used acrylic paint on canvas with grids drawn in pencil to recreate their “plan” for their art.

A few of the finished artwork samples;

This artwork would also connect to fractions. Students could express their colour content in a fraction, reducing it to it’s simplest form and then compare which colours covered the largest fraction of the area of the painting. When the artwork is complete, the students will be adding an artist’s message about what they learned during the process about area and perimeter, about the elements of line, colour and shape and about Piet Mondrian. This week we will be creating Mondrian inspired artwork while exploring balance and colour in art using much of the same grid technique but with the medium of crayon resist and watercolours.

October 31, 2017November 1, 2017 Laura Bottrell General

Project Based Learning: Host a Book Swap!

I love project based learning. It’s so important to get kids thinking “outside the curriculum” and immerse them in real-world experiences in which they can apply learning and be challenged by new things. Not to mention, the level of engagement that we see with kids when they are working on something meaningful is incomparable.

I had heard of schools hosting “book swaps” and thought it was a great idea. Since I was looking for something extra-curricular to take leadership on within my school, I suggested the idea to my principal. As soon as I started thinking of the logistics of planning an executing such an event, it hit me that if I planned it all on my own I was wasting such a valuable learning experience for my 5/6 class!

So, I proposed the idea to them the next morning. They pretty much took it from there! From our very first class discussion about the event, everything about the book swap was completely child-directed and a complete collaborative effort. They presented ideas for almost everything – when should it take place, how will we organize it, how will we get the word out, how will we make sure the process is fair, who will do which tasks, who will gather materials, how should we organize and sort the books, what jobs will everyone have on the day of the swap? Everyone in the class had something to offer to the conversation. By the end of it, we had a pretty good plan going forward.

Each student designed a poster for the hallways [visual arts, media], some wrote and performed commercials on the announcements [media, oral communication]. We had discussions about marketing and what strategies we could use to make our event a success. After they created a flyer, a few students counted the total number of students in the school, photocopied them and sorted them into piles for each classroom [number sense, problem solving].

Next, they designed a system for tracking how many books each student brought in and how many tickets they would receive on the day of the swap. A few students created ticket tracking forms for each classroom teacher [data management], and a few others designed tickets [visual arts]. Since there were three different students who each made a design on a page of 10, they did some problem solving to find out many times each design would need to be photocopied in order for us to have enough tickets for the event, estimating how many tickets each student might need [number sense, problem solving].

Throughout the collection week, my students visited each classroom at the end of the day to collect any books that had been brought in. The biggest challenge they overcame was sorting the estimated 900 books that were brought in! I overheard some great conversations about quantifying, visualizing and estimating large numbers [number sense, again!].

We spent an entire afternoon sorting the books by genre. The students did some great research about how books are sorted in libraries and book stores, which genres exist and how books are usually classified by genre [literacy]. There were so many valuable conversations about stories, elements of texts, illustration and marketing of books as they sorted the 900 books into genre categories. Our classroom looked like a jungle of books but the experience was so rich!

Some students created signs to help with the flow of traffic, label where certain genres would be and help younger students navigate the event [visual arts, literacy]. They made a list of jobs for the event and worked together to create a plan, with “shifts”, for who would take on which task. We had door greeters, ticket takers, cashiers, sales associates, tidying staff and shopping assistants [an array of personal and learning skills here].

On the morning of the big day, students came to school absolutely beaming. They took so much pride in their hard work and couldn’t wait to take on the leadership of running our school’s first-ever book swap. The entire day flowed seamlessly with very little guidance from me! The students arranged tables, carted all 900 books from our classroom, hung up signs, arranged the displays and were in position, ready to go, within half hour!

As classes came to the gym to visit the book swap, I observed so many wonderful things happening. Not only were the children in the school given an opportunity to trade in an old book for something new and exciting to them, they had an opportunity to interact with each other in a whole new way. Some students took on roles of leadership, others took on the role of customers. Students of all ages received their tickets at the door, shopped around for new books of interest, discussed books with peers, made tough decisions, tried something new and then went through the check-out process (so similar to what adults do at stores). It was quite interesting to watch what some students chose to take home with them, especially without their parent or teacher’s involvement in the choice making process!

Our book swap was a huge success! Every student got to take home a new book, or ten, and my students went home with a sense of pride and accomplishment. I, myself, went home with an even-more fuelled passion for what I do and an inspiration to find more ways to make all of my teaching based in real-world, authentic and meaningful experiences.

If you have any questions about running a book swap at your own school, please leave a comment below!