Author: kmowat

BABY STEPS

kmowat Group 1 ,

 

Upon leaving the first session I had many ideas running through my head. I feel as though I am a teacher who likes to keep up with the times and I’m constantly evolving to meet the needs and interests of my students. As teachers, we are continuously learning new things. At times it can feel overwhelming and this was one of those times for me. Throughout the spring break google drive, twitter, bit.do and hashtags were in my thoughts. I came to the realization that I will not be able to tackle all these things but I will take baby steps and pick one or two to start.

Every month the teachers at our school write a newsletter to parents about the students learning. Last year when I was teaching a grade 3/4 I decided who better to tell it than the students. Students grouped off and wrote about a subject area and we compiled it into a newsletter. Students loved sharing their learning in a published piece and the feedback from parents was very positive. This year I am teaching grade 2/3. When it was time to write the first newsletter, I looked at my class and thought that with the age and dynamics of my students I would once again be writing newsletters. When we watched the video newsletter at the PD I was reminded of the authenticity of a student driven newsletter. The students had a purpose for writing and sharing, they knew who their audience was and they owned it. Making a video newsletter with my students will be our first venture. We have started the process and the students are excited and eager to transform their writing into a digital piece.

The past few weeks I have spent some time on twitter and exploring google drive. I have started to think of the potential in how these can be used in my classroom and my professional development. I look forward to the next session and continuing to tackle one thing at a time.

 

Sari Targownik

Brock Corydon School

Cluster group 1996

ITLL Session #1 Reflection

kmowat Group 2 ,

Going into our first session with George I felt anxious because I was unsure of what to expect. I just kept thinking that in order to get the most out of the opportunity I would approach it with an open mind. Well I’m not going to lie, so far this learning experience has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. However, I have realized that good things can come out of situations that challenge me. Our first session with George sparked an interest in me to look more closely at innovative ways to empower my students.

Since then I have taken some time to further my understanding of innovation by watching videos of TED talks surrounding various topics in innovation and education. One video that resonated with me was one entitled “How to Escape Education’s Death Valley” by Ken Robinson. He made reference to a valley in the United States that many call “Death Valley” because nothing grows there. Nothing grows there because it doesn’t rain. However, in the winter of 2004 seven inches of rain fell in the valley and in the following spring the whole floor of the valley was carpeted in flowers. Ken explained that what this showed was that “Death Valley” wasn’t dead but that it was dormant and “right beneath the surface are these seeds of possibility waiting for the right conditions to come about”. He then went on to use this as an analogy in comparison to schools. This really stuck with me and made me think of my students and how they carry within them many “seeds of possibility” and how they rely on me to provide them with the right conditions to allow their “seeds” to grow. In my mind it comes down to innovation and new ways of thinking and learning that I can use to empower my students to achieve their potential.

 

Ashley Edgar

École Robert H. Smith School

Cluster Group 1996

ITLL

kmowat Group 1 ,

ITLL Blog

Innovative teaching practices within the classroom date their origins to early educational settings around the world. In Roman times teachers would teach students to write using wax covered wooden boards or ancient “wax tablets”. This was the “innovation” of teaching writing before paper production in Europe during Roman times. Hey, it was a step up from scratching with a metal stick on a broken piece of pottery. Of course, the modern tablet is a computerized device/educational tool with a multitude of apps and can often be a child’s first attempt at letter formation and writing whilst still in diapers. We have come a long way since Roman times. It is incumbent for teachers to use innovation when teaching in order to empower students. Empowered students take risks in their learning which engages the learner in critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. Ancient maps were produced by the Greeks by using clay tablets. Today when given the chance our students can use modern tablets to navigate the world. Through the use of Google maps teachers can be innovative when teaching curricular outcomes and students can learn using technological innovations. Have you ever seen the thrill on students’ faces when given a blank map of Canada and asked to get out an Atlas and label the Provinces and Territories? I didn’t think so. As identified by George Couros most of us do not use “ancient” paper maps any longer so why not be innovative in our teaching practices and introduce students to digital mapping using apps and software. Empower your students in innovative teaching and learning of today and tomorrow and leave ancient teaching practices to the Romans and Greeks.

@JBMgrade6