I have put off writing this blog post, because I simply couldn’t think of a way to put my feelings about the March PD session with George Couros into words.  I left that day feeling inspired and full of passion about learning and teaching.  I remember thinking how thankful I was to have been chosen for this project.  Leading up to the March PD session, I was unsure about what it was really about, although I knew it had something to do with Twitter.  I was excited about potentially learning more about bringing technology into the classroom, as it was something I was already interested in.  As the day went on, I became increasingly interested; you might even say “hooked” on George’s ideas about innovation.  I knew that if I were this passionate, it would cross over into my students’ learning as well.  I immediately began thinking of ways to kick it up a notch!

The evening of our first PD session, I couldn’t take my eyes off my Twitter feed.  I had no idea there were so many resources and ideas at my fingertips!  I continued using Twitter for my own professional development, and really enjoy sharing thoughts and pictures of what we’re doing in our classroom.  I now understand the power of Twitter.

In terms of innovation in the classroom, I have been thinking of ways to incorporate technology and devices that my students are already familiar with, to further their learning about different subject areas.  In the last couple weeks, one of the projects we have been working on has been Geocaching.  This involved using GPS units, creating a cache of our own (which is essentially like hidden treasure), entering the coordinates and information online, and tracking to see who visits our geocache.  My students decided the best place to hide ours would be near the Community Centre, because it is one of their favourite places in the community!  I have loved the excitement on their faces when it’s Geocaching time, and enjoy bringing a new piece of technology into their lives, GPS units!!

I can’t wait to continue this journey with George, and all the inspiring educators I have met through this project, and Twitter!

 

Teal Moszynski

Norquay School

Cluster 1965

I left the March session with George feeling inspired and refreshed, two things all teachers need this time of year. Here are three reasons why I felt so inspired and refreshed, and why this was a PD day that I’ll never forget.

Literacy. George reaffirmed to me that literacy isn’t just reading and writing. It is communicating! We all have students who struggle to read and write, and sometimes it feels like we’re trying the same things and expecting growth, expecting a different result. The student created videos that George shared with us, along with the story he shared about his father learning to read and write English using Facebook, showed me another more powerful way to help me teach literacy to my struggling students.

Cursive writing. George’s commentary on how cursive writing is important to some parents but just not as important in today’s age really resonated with me. This is the idea that education is changing in such a profound way, and that change is coming soon! As educators we don’t teach certain things because they aren’t important to us. This can not be an excuse any more. We owe it to our students to be the “guinea pigs” in learning about how to utilize social media for greater purposes, in order to truly help our students become innovators. We must constantly be learning, and finding ways to teach skills to kids that will be important to them in their future. You don’t have to grow up with something to be confident in teaching it!

Practical. The most influential PDs are those that give teachers strategies and ideas to implement into their teaching the very next day. The ideas George shared with us about how to engage students, and facilitate and celebrate their learning were very useful and as I mentioned earlier, inspiring. From Twitter to Google Forums to videos, to social media safety, there were dozens of ideas where a teacher could “jump in” with the very next day of school.

I went back to work the next day with some different ideas of what it means to engage students, and what it is going to take for teachers to prepare them for their future. I am excited that I will also be joining them on this journey, and for what I will learn next.

 

Dan Bohemier

Norquay School

Cluster 1965