Teacher for Technology: ETFO Conference for Women

This year, I had the opportunity to participate in a weekend conference about technology in the classroom. I was so fortunate to be selected and be among so many amazing women in education.

Some of my favourite moments and learnings are captured below.

Keynote Speaker: Tania Sterling. I met Tania years ago, in a very different context, but boy am I glad to know her. She is so knowledgeable about educator, and specifically technology in the classroom.

She commented about the 4 C's of planning (Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical Thinking) and how they should also be apparent in our professional development. Does our PD involve each of the 4C's? This is something for me to think about and try to achieve. 

She also showed us something that blew my mind! The Internet in Real Time. Be amazed. Look how fast data and information is travelling, and how much is circulating at once. 

Some other really awesome iPad apps I was introduced to already have a place in my classroom. 

Take a look at them and try them out with your students. One thing I want to always keep in mind is use Apps to Create not to replace a worksheet!

ShowMe

Chirp

Skitch

#givewhereyoulive

My school is participating in a Telus Contest called #givewhereyoulive

You can read about it here.

In a nutshell, we're asking Telus to help our our school community so we can #playandlearn.

My class is currently working on pursuasive writing. I thought this was the perfect place to have a meaningful context.

In groups, my students came up with ways to revive, and bring our school yard to life so we can #playandlearn.

Here are some of their reasons why our school deserves and needs an outdoor makeover.

My View: Technology to Teach

What does technology do for me? As a learner and as a teacher, technology enables me to feel successful. It engages me. It inspires me. It motivates me. It connects me. It helps me grow. It helps me communicate. It helps me efficiently and effectively get things done. It is part of me. I can not live without it. Why are we expecting our students to? Do we think their reality in 10-20 years in going to be much different than mine? Are they not going to be using technology, their cell phones, their laptops to connect, access and learn from?

Below you can find the key messages that stood out to me from this video. If you have the 8 minutes, I would watch it, because it does, it really does make you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEFKfXiCbLw

Richness. 

Bloom's Taxonomy

Creating. Reaching. Engaging. Learning.

The New WWW. Whatever, Whenever, Wherever.

Skills. 

Engage, Don't Enrage!

Technology to Teach. 

Will you reach your students?  Will you engage them?

A dear colleague and friend of mine Andrea Haefele asked me to share her story, her daughter's story. I'm so humbled to know such an incredible woman with such dedication to her daughter and children with special needs. Please take some time to read, and vote. Thanks!

I Tri’d, I Duo

Your child has Global Developmental Delay. 

She is cognitively at a 12-month-old level. 

I can’t tell you if she’ll ever walk or talk. 

She should be babbling by now. 

Her behaviour and play are not age appropriate. 

She’ll likely be living with you even in adulthood. 

She’s at the severe end of the Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

There it is.

This is who my daughter is. This is how the doctors, developmental pediatricians, neurologists, geneticists, and therapists describe Bella. Every day I strive to try. But when faced with these facts, I often feel like giving up. 

A lot of people ask me: “What keeps you going?” I’m still not sure how to answer that question. But if I had to sum up my answer, it would be: “I just do.” 

In 2008, I married the man of my dreams. Peter and I stood over a beach in Cozumel, Mexico and made a promise to one another: “I do,” we said. We pledged to be loyal, to love, respect, and support one another through life’s trials and journeys. 

In 2009, our beautiful daughter Bella was born. As a new mother and father, we welcomed this perfect little baby into our lives and said: “We do.” We promised to be the best parents that we could be. 

In 2012, we brought our second child into the world. Little Petie filled our household with play and laughter. Bella, Peter, and I welcomed him into our lives and said: “We do.” We promised to put our family first and to do whatever we could to ensure that our children are as happy as can be. 

The words “I do” mean more than just going through the act of something. To our family, these words are the rewards of trying. Bella has been able to learn to do things that we weren’t sure she would ever beable to do. She is constantly trying… and doing! 

Through hours of weight bearing exercises for her muscles, exchanging picture cards to teach her how to make requests, hand over hand modeling, all of our trying has allowed Bella to DO. Our little girl is growing up and can now walk independently and use the stairs. She can go into her communication book to tell us which toy she wants to play with. When greeted by others, she now makes eye contact and waves ‘hello!’ 

Bella has Global Developmental Delay. 

She will learn at her own pace.  

She enjoys walking, running, biking and swimming. 

Her communication binder is her voice. This is how she talks. 

Bella is at the severe end of the Autism Spectrum Disorder, and sees the world in a different way. 

She enjoys listening to music in her headphones, and is fascinated by the sun and shadows. 

Bella ends every day by giving a kiss to her mom, dad and brother. 

There it is. 

This is who my daughter is.

   

Last year, Bella and her friends from the Holland Bloorview Nursery School participated in their first race and completed a triathlon. Together, 5 families of children with special needs gathered to bring visibility to people living with a disability. We demonstrated that wheel chairs, leg braces, and a lack of words do not define our children. Not only do they have the ability to swim, bike and run, they also have the ability to achieve anything they want to. 

 Last year, Bella tri’d and this year she will duo! We will be participating in the Family Fun Fit’s 9th Annual Beaches Best Kids of Steel Duathlon on Saturday, May 31, 2014, as well as the Walk Now for Autism Speaks Canada on Sunday, June 8th, 2014. To complete the Duathlon, Bella will be running 50m, riding her bike for 600m, followed by another 100m run.

 For our family, this is more than a race. It is part of our journey to show that there are no limits to what one can achieve. 

Together, we do.

Andrea

We would love your help. Our friend Jesse has entered Bella’s video for FilmPossible an online video contest run by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital that brings visibility to disability. Click the image below which will take you to the page where you can vote for Bella’s video. Please share this blogpost with as many people as you can in your social networks.

 

Social Media Etiquette

Earlier this year, a dear colleague, friend, mentor, and ultimate tech ninja posted a blog post that stuck with me. Royan Lee, a teacher leader in the York Region District School Board has inspired me beyond words. Through twitter, I was able to connect with this fabulous educator and truly learn from one of the best.

Royan posted his thoughts on Social Media Etiquette (Touchy subject for some). I couldn't help but giggle and of course nod my head at some of the suggestions. See below:

via Edudemic: http://www.edudemic.com/2013/06/the-students-guide-to-proper-social-media-etiquette/

From elementary school, I've been online. From Yahoo! Chat to MSN, to ICQ, Myspace, Facebook and of course Twitter. You can say I'm a social media butterfly. My teachers used to call me a social butterfly on my report cards, and they weren't too far off. One would say, I can't live without it.

In teacher's college, many of my peers became extremely resistant to continue with their Social Media accounts. In our Educational Law course, we were constantly reminded of the negative impacts social media could have on our careers. I contemplated the idea of deleting all of my accounts, but I just couldn't. Boy am I glad. It was through social media that I really developed one of the best PLC's out there. It was through Twitter, Blogs and now Google+ where I began to feel connected as an educator to other like-minded influential people in education.

The graphic that was shared on Royan's blog, really reminds us of how to use Social Media isn't of just advising us not to (which it what I really like about it). It reminds us, and of course our students to be aware of what we are posting and why we are posting it. The recommendations are online manners, much like the ones we've been taught from a young age in all forms of communication.

Hopefully this is something you can pass along to colleagues and students to remind everyone of how to conduct ourselves online. The majority are really simple to follow.

What do you think?

Laura

The Kids Should See This

A few year back I had the opportunity to teach an amazing Grade 6/7 class. Some of my favourite memories of that year stem from watching videos together. Weekly, usually during our "Media Monday Moments", we would watch news clips, trending YouTube videos, inspiration messages and even music videos. It wasn't the watching part that got me, but the "talking part". After each video, we would have a class discussion. We would share our thoughts, feelings, emotions and opinions about different aspects of the videos. From the content, to the overall message, to the quality of production. The conversations seemed endless and really engaged my chatty students.

As my assignment has changed, so to have the deep conversations. As I teach a Grade 1/2 class this year, I sometimes miss the thoughtful discussions I was able to have in my Junior/Intermediate classroom.

And this is where "THE KIDS SHOULD SEE THIS" comes in. 

This website is a space to find kid-appropriate videos about everything! From science, to nature, to music and technology, this site has it.

As described on their About page,

"The Kid Should See This is to help with that challenge: to connect kids, parents, and teachers with smart, conversation-starting videos – about science, art, music, nature, and more – that probably weren’t made for kids, but are still perfect for them. Yes, it’s true that there are plenty of videos for kids out there, but they often include unnecessary wacky noises or simplistic narration that distracts from the beauty of what’s real, and what’s completely fascinating on its own. Why not share content that doesn’t underestimate what children can learn or might be interested in?"

This very description is what hooked me. It was exactly what I was looking for.

As I have just started to use this resource in my classroom, I am hopeful that it generate meaningful discussions and be a space that my students can feel safe accessing and using. 

I will post some my observations as we continue the process.

Do you have other resources that really generate class discussions?

Using Technology vs. Technology Integration

As an educator who has a real appreciation for technology, the debate between using technology and technology integration is very much on the forefront of my mind. As I plan, and develop ways to build critical thinkers in my classroom, I am constantly questioning and analyzing my own decisions.  
Have I deliberately embedded technology into my programming?  

Am I using technology to create discussion?  

Am I using digital devices to help further and build on knowledge? 

  I'll admit, many times I can answer yes to these questions, and other times I am forced to remind myself that using technology isn't random or purely for the sake of using technology.

A while back I found a post on teachbytes.com. Obviously the content of the post had an impact on me, but the feedback and comments meant even more. Some question the chart (found below), and others praise it. I think it is a great visual to help remind educators of purposeful technology integration.

As I continue to teach the big ideas, with technology, my aim is not to use technology as an aid, but more as a way to facilitate and guide discussions, thinking, and communication in my class.

Image from: http://teachbytes.com/2013/03/29/whats-the-difference-between-using-technology-and-technology-integration/

Does technology integration get easier with time and practice?

I know one of my biggest challenges is not having access to the tools for the duration of the day. My school rotates technology and it is shared across many grades and classes, sometimes making it hard to truly embed it in all programming. How do you structure the sharing of technology to encourage technology integration in your school? Is it possible to shift from Using Technology to Technology Integration when you only have access to the devices twice a week in Literacy? I'm curious to see how other schools share technology and maintain technology integrated classrooms.

 Let me know your thoughts.

Laura