Inspiring Students

March 29, 2018 Arianna Lambert Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Math, Modern Learning, Play-Based Learning, Students as Teachers, Use of Technology

Digital Breakouts

Escape Rooms have been all the rage as of late. Over the past couple of years, I’ve learned about and used breakouts in my classroom to engage students and as a tool in assessment for and assessment as learning. Essentially, it’s a Google Slides presentation or a Google Site where there are links to different elements of learning and a form where students or colleagues can enter their responses.

Last week, I was fortunate to work with an amazing group of teachers during #TinkeringThursdays and we spent the time breaking out and considering applications for the classroom. I have to say that students tend to be a little more resilient in trying to solve problems but in this process, it was interesting to see teachers as learners and to consider what students might experience when presented with tasks that challenge them and push them to problem solve.

Breakouts with students

As mentioned before, I enjoy using Breakouts as assessment for and assessment as learning. For me, it allows me to see whether or not my students can apply some of their learning to solve puzzles collaboratively. A couple of weeks ago, I worked on a decimal breakout with my students as a means for assessment for learning. I wanted to understand what they already knew about decimals. Now I used this breakout before with students who were a little further along in their learning and it was great to see that my current group of students took the time to view the videos in order to learn or understand a concept in a deeper way, whereas my previous students were more able to apply their learning to solve the problems. Either way, there was the support needed to help guide them as they problem solved. When we work on breakouts, I usually have students work in groups of 2 or 3 so that they have the opportunity to collaborate and possibly look at a problem from a different perspective.

Breakouts with colleagues

Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to present sessions on Digital Breakouts to colleagues and it’s been so much fun. In each session, we start with a breakout and I’ve seen this as a great way to engage in learning in a fun way. This got me thinking about how we might be able to use breakouts to engage colleagues in new learning in staff meetings or PD sessions. Rather than having information delivered, could this be a tool where we – like our students – discover and learn on our own? I’m starting to think about more applications for breakouts with colleagues so stay tuned!

Next Steps

While writing this blog, I started to think about gamification in the classroom. How might it engage some learners and what might the implications be for students who truly enjoy learning in this way? It also had me thinking that it was great that students had an experience in learning though a breakout, but what’s next? How might we use student-created games to not only facilitate their own learning but collaborative learning in our classrooms? My next step is to get my students to start creating their own and getting them to consider how they develop their questions and how they determine what information might be helpful to others solving the problems in their games. Again, I’ll keep you posted. In the meanwhile, if you’re interested in trying the breakout that we used for #TinkeringThursdays, click on the image below. The last couple of slides have important information on creating your own.

Also, please feel free to share how you are using games – like breakouts – in your classroom for student learning or learning with colleagues. I would love to hear from you!

March 20, 2018 Michelle Fenn Communication Tools, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Genius Hour, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Making a Difference Through Education, Planning, Professional Learning and Growth, Technology in school, Use of Technology

Twitter EDU

Over the last few years many people have become disgusted and disenchanted with the platform of Twitter. I agree that it can be an echo chamber for those who like to hear their own voice. However, I also know that it can be an effective Professional Learning tool. I have created an entire Professional Learning Network on Twitter because of the people that I chose to follow and I am diligent about blocking people who are spreading unworthy tweets. My Twitter account posts nothing personal. It is about my own professional learning. With Twitter colleagues challenge my thinking regularly. Questions that I have for my educational colleagues are answered immediately and without judgment. Global connections are made easily and then I use these connections to learn with my students.

Let me give you a few examples of how I’ve used Twitter in the classroom. One of my students brought in a rock with a fossil on it from his backyard. We took a photo and tweeted it out to find out if anyone could tell us what it was and the approximate age. Within an hour we heard back from a scientist at the ROM. He had an answer for us and was happy to help. In fact, he told us that corresponding on social media at the ROM as a scientist IS his job! One of the students brought in a mushroom from the woods near their house. We tweeted out to our PLN because they wanted to know whether or not it was edible. We were answered immediately and there were many links to other sites for information that sent us on a further journey into the wonderful world of fungi. Consequently, the advice from our Twitter contact was to never eat anything you find in the woods unless you are a scientist. In music, we were learning the words to a song by the Alternate Routes band and the students asked to tweet the band. They tweeted us back thanking us for the support and encouraging us to keep singing. We found some great classes across Canada to Skype with through Twitter and did mystery number finds with other grade 1 and 2 classes. You get out of Twitter what you are willing to put into it.

I have gotten more out of 15 minute Twitter education chats than I have out of some day long workshops. The educators on Twitter chats are there by choice and they are passionate about education. The questions are specific and the answers are in 140 characters. The best part is, you don’t even have to comment if you don’t feel comfortable. You can just sit back and learn. I have also met these Tweeters in person at IT conferences and taken their workshops. Knowing the presenters ahead of time and having a connection is like going to a concert when you already know the newest album really well; it makes the experience richer and deeper.

Here are a few EDUTweeters that I suggest you follow to get started:

@dougpete @peterskillen @brendasherry @avivalova @mraspinall @sylviaduckworth @Toadmummy (that’s me)

Here are a few #hashtags to follow

#EdchatON #edtechchat #teacheredchat #bfc530

Twitter may not be your thing, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it as your #PLN. I guarantee you will find some ideas for #deeperlearning or #inquiryed.

March 7, 2018March 7, 2018 Kelly.McLaughlin Inspiring Students, Students as Teachers

Student leadership

As the basketball season is coming to a close for certain age groups, it is nice to reflect on all the individuals that help things run so smoothly. Students from the past and present come together to help make things work. My grade nines came to help ref/scorekeep and some grade eights helped to ref as well.

This year rather than coach the grade 4/5/6 team myself, I had asked two grade eight students to do so. They helped to select the players as well as they run each practice and then lead each game. It is amazing to watch them turn into young adults and so great to watch the grade fours, fives and sixes look up to these two coaches. They hang off of every word they say and really appreciated them being there for them. I was so proud to see all that those grade eights offered their players and how they inspired them to play better.

Today I co-ran a soccer tournament in our school board. My players that won last year came out to ref today along with some other old students. It was awesome to see them running things and helping inspire the younger players to referee in the future. I loved the fact that they were willing to give back to their old school as well as come out even when they had all their volunteer hours already. The kids loved seeing the old students and really appreciated them being there.

When I first started teaching, coaching meant so much to me as it still does. But when you let others help out, especially the students, it feels much better knowing that one day, they may the ones in your shoes. They may be the future coaches and isn’t that all part of the main reason we teach, to inspire future leaders? I love that my current students are already the leaders I had hoped they would turn in to.

February 27, 2018 Arianna Lambert Constant Learning, Genius Hour, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Learning in a Real Life Context, Students as Teachers

Collaboration Amongst The Grades

Have you ever asked kindergarten students what bugs them? Well, we were on a mission to do just that and I’m pretty amazed by what they have come up with!

Over the years, my students and I have had the opportunity to work with younger students for Reading Buddies. And while it’s always great to have a chance to read to each other, I wondered if there was something more that could be done in order to foster true collaboration and maybe even a leadership role for my older students. This year, we partnered with a kindergarten class in the hopes of seeing how we might be able to engage kindergarten students in STEM activities. From building with linking cubes to creating amazing structures with straws, my students have been growing in the area of questioning and documenting the works of their buddies. They’ve learned that kindergarten students can cut in straight lines, given a bit of guidance and that with the right questions, they can have incredibly imaginative conversations.

Kinder2

Using the Engineering Design Process, we are currently working on creating solutions for some of the things that bug them. We started the process with a brainstorming sheet and I should have left the bugs off of the top because it quickly became that the biggest problem were bugs themselves. I need to keep in mind that kindergarten students can be literal. After some discussion, we realized that while there were many who were bugged by bugs, some found it difficult to tie their shoes or carry their backpacks. Others found it a challenge to keep their devices out of the hands of their older siblings and still others found that the blocks in Kindergarten weren’t decorative enough and were way too big.

Kinder6 Kinder4 Kinder5

Our next step was to use a Design Template to really identify the specifics of the bug and then to work on designing a solution, including a list of materials. After some research with their buddies, this past week, we took some time to create paper prototypes of our solutions to ensure that what we envisioned was something that we might actually be able to bring to life. It was glorious. I asked my students to really take a step back and allow for the kindergarten students to be the lead in building with paper and they rose to the occasion. From asking for rulers to create straight lines to sharing that a cube has 6 faces, the kindergartens were really excited to share what they already knew and weren’t shy to ask for a helping hand when they needed it.

Kinder1 Next week we are on to our build and learning about hand tool safety in kindergarten. It’s sure to be a new adventure and I can’t wait to see and share the actual solutions that they create.

In what ways are you collaborating with others in your building? Is there a way in which you might allow for greater student leadership through a similar partnership? I’m always wondering what educators are doing in their buildings to foster collaboration amongst staff and students. Let’s start a conversation and share ideas here.

February 27, 2018 Arianna Lambert Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Literacy

Book Clubs and Talks

Over the past month or so, we’ve been on a mission to really identify what we enjoy reading and how we can gain greater meaning or understanding from texts. From character analysis and making connections between events in texts to our lives; to searching for themes that speak to greater societal realities, we’ve been looking at what we are reading in the hopes that they may inspire us towards being better people. Now some of us enjoy light reads that make us laugh and think about ideas that may be totally out of our realm of reality. The beauty in these reads is that they elevate our spirit and increase our imagination, which may be just what we need at that time.

As we started reading individually and sharing our texts with one another, I realized that there were great conversations and connections being made between texts and lived experiences. Some students found themselves or their friends or family members on the pages of the texts and some found that the scenarios in some texts reminded them of familiar experiences. This made me think of the value that comes from students – or even adults – reading a text together and drawing out some of this work through rich conversations. So this past week, we started book talks.

Students had the opportunity to select from a choice of 5 books that I thought would be of interest to them based on what they were reading over the past month. Having submitted their top 3 book selections, the difficult task was organizing the groups; creating their reading schedule; and determining assignments that might be engaging and promote discussions about the books. The goal is to hopefully have our work completed by the time we start March break so we’ve got 2 weeks to go and things have started off really nicely.

BookTalk2 On Day 1, many groups decided to start off with reading and to jump into making predictions through the use of Padlet. They discussed and made inferences based on the blurb, images from the text and what they read in the first few pages and determined what they thought the text would be about and from whose perspective the text may be written. Today, some groups decided to search for a quote that had a deeper meaning that could be applied to our lives while others took some time to visualize the setting and drew a scene. It’s inspiring not only to see students helping each other out with pronouncing and/or making meaning from new or unfamiliar words but there is also a true sense of collaboration as they work understand the text and in the completion of tasks. They may not necessarily be in groups with their friends but they are making new friendships as they work together and learn from and about each other.

Amazingly as I was planning this out for my students and realizing the benefit of having a community of readers collaborating to learn together, Joanne Languay shared a flyer about ETFO’s Online Book Clubs. They run from April 1st to 28th and are a great way to engage in some incredible resources that are sure to inspire. There’s even one on the Heart and Art of Teaching and Learning. Take a look at the flyer and consider joining!

February 18, 2018February 18, 2018 Michelle Fenn Celebrating Success, Classroom Management, Combined Grade Classes, Communication Tools, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Differentiated Instruction, General, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Integration, Literacy, Modern Learning, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, Technology in school, Use of Technology

Free Creation Apps to Show Student Thinking

I was asked to present a workshop about using technology in the Primary grades over a year ago and got into a debate with the Principal at the host school about apps. The Principal was quite excited about the apps that he intended to purchase for his teachers to use with their students and he showed me his list. I was surprised. None of the apps were creation apps. They were all “practice basic skills and keep kids quiet apps”. I showed him my list of preferred apps. It was his turn to be surprised.

“These apps that you have chosen for the teachers are a lot like fancy worksheets for kids to practice basic skills. Those skills are important, but doing a worksheet on an iPad might be a little more engaging, but it is still a worksheet, and an expensive one at that! The apps that I am going to share with the staff today are all apps that students can choose from to show their thinking in a fun, engaging way that also provides opportunity for feedback and editing.” Unfortunately, he didn’t stay for the workshop.

The main difficulty that I have found with apps is finding something that you can use in schools that doesn’t cost a lot of money and isn’t just a free trial or have “in-app purchases”. I don’t mind paying a few dollars for an app but when you get into the double digits for a school, it isn’t sustainable. I thought I would share a few free creation apps that I have used with both the primary and junior grades. I have also included some samples. None of the samples are done by students, but I can assure you that each of these are quite intuitive and easy even for primary grades to use. Each of the apps has a link to it in the App Store for further information.

Shadow Puppet EDU The name is deceiving and the little white bunny on the app icon is too. It basically provides a video of a slide show in which you can add voice and text. Students can link to the already sourced for copyright pictures provided within the app or take pictures from their iPad or with the camera. The students find this one easy to use but tricky to edit some of the text. It uploads to Seesaw and other platforms easily.

Here is a sample of Puppet EDU:

Padlet I have used this a lot in order to begin a new unit of inquiry on something. It provides a place to put safe links and videos that I have sourced for the students as a starting point and reference. In addition, the students can collaborate their thinking with sticky notes. You can share it publicly with other Padlet users, but we keep ours private at this point. We may share our Padlets with other classes at our school through the use of the QR code and password. The sign is uses a QR code which you can print out. We are using Padlet for our unit on the Olympics. The students will then create their own Padlet to share with classmates on an Olympic event that they will research. Students will be invited to provide feedback to one another. This is a screen capture of our Olympic Padlet:

iBrainstorm This app allows students to add sticky notes, text or hand written notes to templates like Venn Diagrams. In addition, up to 3 other people can be invited to collaborate on the same template in real time. You can take a screen shot and save it to photos. It also uploads to multiple platforms easily.

February 18, 2018February 18, 2018 Michelle Fenn Combined Grade Classes, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, General, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Integration, Literacy, Modern Learning, Questioning, Resilience, Technology in school, The Global Competencies, Use of Technology

The Virtues of Non Fiction Reading and Writing – Part 2

Our Journey

We began by identifying the books in our book bags as fiction or nonfiction. The students justified how they knew if a book was fiction or nonfiction. In small groups the students compiled lists of nonfiction text features that they noticed in their stack of chosen books. As a class we went through the Scholastic Book order and they decided which books were fiction or nonfiction and explained their choice. The students discussed whether there was a realistic photo, the title and if there was a synopsis about the book. We explored the “Explain Everything” app and played with it for a short period before getting into the project. I find that a “romance period” with a new tool helps to keep them on task when they begin their work. The app was fairly new to me but the students found it to be mostly intuitive. They were really stoked to use the feature that points to the words using a “light sabre”. There were a few glitches with accessing text edits but eventually they got the hang of it. We have the free trial version. The actual app is quite expensive.

Establishing a Purpose

I explained to the students that our younger “buddies” were going to be learning about nonfiction and their teacher was looking for an engaging presentation about nonfiction text features for her students. By setting up an authentic purpose and audience for writing, the students were engaged immediately.

These are the learning goals, success criteria, project checklist and anchor charts that we developed over a period or two. We added and changed some things as time went on as well.

The students really had to think about the information that a nonfiction text feature gave them as a reader. The learning was much deeper by creating a teaching video than if they had just identified the features in texts. Students referred to the success criteria and checklists throughout the project. Before they came to me they had to have some peer feedback. They put their first draft on Seesaw and I provided some feedback online. The students edited and adjusted from peer and teacher feedback and then posted for parents to see on Seesaw. Below the blog, I have included three different examples of projects from both grade four and five.

Assessment and Evaluation

The integration of technology with a presentation provides an opportunity to assess many different curriculum expectations in language:

-ability to critically analyze the purposes for nonfiction text features

-ability to create a piece of media for a specific purpose and audience

-ability to oral communicate coherently and expressively

-ability to write clearly using appropriate conventions and their ability to edit their work

-ability to use success criteria, anchor charts and feedback in the creative process

In the area of learning skills:

Independent Work

-adhere to timelines and guidelines

-use class time appropriately to complete a task

-monitor, assess and revise plans to meet goals

Responsibility

-provide appropriate feedback to peers; being considerate of the feelings of others

-have their materials ready

Initiative

-find answers to questions and materials they need on their own

-find ways to make their work better

Organization

-set up their work so that the ideas are communicated and the audience understands their thinking

-prioritize what needs to be done

Collaboration

-uses politeness and kindness when providing feedback

-shares resources, information and expertise

Self Regulation

-asks for clarification about feedback

-uses mistakes as a learning opportunity

-provides evidence that they think about their thinking

January 28, 2018January 28, 2018 Michelle Fenn Combined Grade Classes, Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, General, Inquiry, Inspiring Students, Learning in a Real Life Context, Literacy, Use of Technology

The Virtues of Non Fiction Reading and Writing – Part 1

Many years ago at a Reading for the Love of It Conference, I listened to author and educator Tony Stead speak about the virtues of teaching non-fiction reading and writing in the elementary grades. It was an “ah-ha” moment for me as an educator. As an adult the majority of the text that we interact with each day is non-fiction. Writing a grocery list, filling out a survey, reading an advertisement, reading a blog and corresponding in an email are all examples of interacting with non-fiction text. If I read fiction it is because I choose to do so for pleasure. Yet, much of my language curriculum in the primary grades had been fiction based. I had chosen many beautiful picture books for read alouds and focused a lot of our time on narrative story writing. Most of what I write as an adult is purposeful communication, not for pleasure. During that time I also put together that the majority of what the boys in my class were interested in reading and writing were non-fiction topics and that likely contributed to the reluctance of many of them to read and write.

Consequently, as an educator, I spend much more of my time teaching how to read non-fiction and how to write in different non-fiction genres. Recently with my grade 4-5 class, we have been investigating non-fiction text features. We are learning to use non-fiction text features to help us both as readers and writers. For example, through inquiry the students learn what a diagram is, what is used for, how it helps the reader to gain new information and how we can then use it in our own writing to communicate information effectively. The students are working towards providing a kind of instructional guide to non-fiction text features using the app Explain Everything to present to younger students in our school. Students search for examples of non-fiction text features, take photos and using voice, text or diagrams; explain how the text features work and how they help readers and writers communicate. Students understand that these diagrams, graphs, maps etc., in their texts can provide quick snapshots of important information and make their research interesting, richer and often more expedient. In their writing, they understand that many features provide “proof” of the point they are trying to make for their readers.

My love of non-fiction does not exclude studies in fiction. However, as educators it is important that we are expose our students to purposeful, rich, relatable tasks as well as good stories. In part two of the blog, I will be sharing student work with non-fiction. For more information about educator and author Tony Stead I have included some links below.

Tony Stead author biography

The RAN Strategy video

January 13, 2018February 1, 2018 Michelle Fenn Constant Learning, Curriculum Planning, Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Occasional Teachers, Occasional Teaching, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources, The Arts

Teaching Dramatic Arts-Resource Recommendations

My first Additional Qualification Specialist was in Dramatic Arts. When I signed on at my current school board I worked as an overlay teacher between two schools and taught whatever I was assigned by the Teachers for whom I provided preparation time. I was mostly asked to teach art, drama, dance, and music. These curriculum areas are my passions but not all Teachers feel qualified or comfortable teaching these subjects. Drama seems to be one of those courses that some Teachers “tack on” for a week or two just before a reporting period and with good reason, they aren’t comfortable teaching it and it can become difficult to manage behaviour during dramatic arts.

Drama lends itself well to all areas of the language curriculum. There is a misconception that Drama and Theatre are the same thing and that scripts and plays are the end goal of the Dramatic Arts curriculum. However, there are many ways in which to incorporate Dramatic Arts activities into the daily language curriculum and you don’t ever have to mount a full scale production. Drama doesn’t have to be scary.

One of the best resources that I recommend to Teachers who have Dramatic Arts Anxiety is the DramaNotebook website. It has all of the Drama games you will ever need all in one place and is especially handy for Occasional Teachers for transition times. In addition, it has poems and scripts that you can access from 2 parts up to 30 parts. There is a sign up for a cost, but there is also many free items including 40 drama games for teachers.

Another great Canadian source for drama lessons is Larry Swartz. He is an Educational Consultant, author, speaker and Dramatic Arts specialist. His book, “Dramathemes” is in it’s 3rd edition and is used in many Education Faculties in Ontario. It not only provides “activities” but it creates units that are easily integrated into the language curriculum.

The Council of Drama and Dance Educators has a fantastic website and there are many free resources which are written by educators and can be accessed even if you are not a member of CODE. In addition, they have a conference each year held in the fall which provides opportunities to learn along with other Educators.

I would also highly recommend the Arts resources from ETFO. The Primary ETFO Arts and Revised ETFO Arts resources provide an integrated approach to all of the Arts. You can find them at Shop ETFO on the website by following the link below.

http://www.etfo.ca/SupportingMembers/Resources/pages/shopetfo.aspx

Revised ETFO Arts (2014) $23

Ref. #91.129 The Revised ETFO Arts book is a practical step-by-step handbook for junior/intermediate grade teachers who want to include the Arts in their classroom program by introducing all the elements of dance, drama, music and visual arts.

Primary ETFO Arts (2013) $20

Ref. #91.169 Primary ETFO Arts is a publication that features 10 picture books that will pique children’s interest with their universal themes, issues and questions. Each section of Primary ETFO Arts includes engaging verbal and non-verbal activities to stimulate imagination, communication and critical thinking.

I hope that these resources provide you with some ideas and inspiration. I am always looking for more. If you have some other resources to recommend; please add a comment.

December 31, 2017 Arianna Lambert Inspiring Students, Inspiring Teachers, Professional Learning and Growth, Resources

Goal Setting

As the year winds down, I take time to reflect on the year that has past and consider setting a few goals for the year to come. Not only do I do this personally but I’ve often seen the new year as a great opportunity to work with students to consider what they might like to achieve moving forward in the school year.

Over the years, I’ve considered different types of goal setting but have found SMART Goals as being the most effective, personally and in my work with students. SMART Goals are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. This year, I created a SMART Goal Action Plan to work on with my students. Using this Google Doc, students will decide on a goal that they would like to accomplish and answer questions to make sure that their goals are indeed SMART. Now I know that I’ve made New Year’s Resolutions in the past that were easily forgotten by January 3rd, but I also know that an essential part of achieving our goals is support and accountability. By having students turn-in their work in Google Classroom, I’ll have the opportunity to conference with them on their action plan and have ongoing discussions as they progress. Part of the learning is going through the process. I’m really excited to support students in achieving something that is of importance to them and the hope is that by participating in this process, they may gain the skills necessary to continue to set SMART goals, personally and academically.

What goals are you setting for yourself and for your students this year? All the best for 2018!