Greetings all from the wonderful world of IPADS!
Last week, BPS teachers attended optional training sessions at Bellevue West. I signed up for three tech classes: Google Forms/Creating a Paperless Classroom, Project Based Learning, and Google Hangouts. Ann and Brent were WONDERFUL as always...and their classes were too. Google Forms reminded me of all the wonderful tools our GMAILs have to offer. Ann went through the work flow for students with devices, and she also went through gClass folders [amazing things by the way] and of course the IMPORTANT step that students need to add these folders to their own drive once the teacher has shared them. [ooops...blonde moment...I forgot to do this the first time around so I wasn't sure why they weren't working] Project Based Learning was an awesome reminder about how we should be altering the curriculum as we move forward with technology and just into the future in general. If we want students to learn MORE and remember MORE, then we have to do DO more from the teaching side of it...and the assignment side. If all we expect them to do is regurgitate the information back on a worksheet, why on earth would they remember the information beyond the testing date? I hope our future curricula allows for project-based learning! Last, but not least, Google Hangouts with Cat. This was great for me to see all the different tools Google Hangouts have to offer, especially when comparing it to Skype. Hearing the different ways we can be using these in our classrooms was also very beneficial. I have been VERY curious and interested in these "Mystery Hangouts" where you connect with a classroom around the world and guess their city and state/location by way of questioning. I posted something about this in the "Connected Classrooms" Community on G+, and have had TONS of responses. I hope to connect with a classroom in Sweden, Washington DC, Seattle, Iowa, NYC, and Egypt--so far! I will keep you updated on how those go!
FLIPPED LESSONS IN MATH UPDATE-we have now done our 3rd flipped math lesson. Today when I told them that was what we were going to do, I heard several students whisper "YES!" with excitement. I am pulling the 5-6 students I know need that extra attention and/or ones that do not enjoy the flipped videos. It seems to be going GREAT thus far!
I can't wait for my students to get involved with these Mystery Hangouts. Coach Cat is coming tomorrow to prep my kids on how Google Hangouts work, what we we will be using them for, what jobs/responsibilities they will have, etc. Thanks again Cat for all of your help!
IPAD academy was amazing as well. Great ideas from Jennifer Manning and Sharae Geldes....I collabed with them for a while about student-led conferences this Spring with the IPADS. They helped me create a list of "stations" for students to walk their parents through/show apps/etc....and yes, I'm actually VERY EXCITED to see how conferences go in March! I am still touching up the list and working out some details...and the kids will have to put in some prep work as well-which I think is the best part because after all, it is all about them!
Thanks again to all the wonderful people sharing wonderful ideas.....I just need to try to keep up with all of you! :)
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
Welcome, February! [a week of updates!]
This past week has given us some new challenges and many successes....
The Jenny K challenge has led Sarah Armstrong and I into a dark abyss where we have had to let go of some of the control in Math and truly allow the students to be responsible for what they have learned. Sarah and I both decided that for the first "Flipped/Video" lesson, we would sit back and observe how the kids do. I watched some students in my class flourish and truly enjoy being able to watch and go through things at their own pace. However, I did have a couple of students truly HATE it and one of my students had a slight breakdown [one who doesn't handle change well]. After talking with Jenny, we thought it best to pull a small group of kids [particularly the ones that hated the style of the flipped lesson] and just do a regular lesson with those 5-6 kids while the others led themselves along with the video. When I pulled my group back, I still felt like they weren't feeling the video style. So for the future, I will pull that small group back and just do a regular lesson, with no video involved. They, of course, will have the option to refer to the video when needed/as extra instruction...but that will not be the basis of that lesson for them. We shall see how it goes....Has anyone else done flipped math lessons? Elementary teachers? What are the MUST HAVES or the AVOID DOING THIS parts of it? Advice is welcome!
iMovie gallery.....my students created [in partners] a short iMovie trailer covering/summarizing a health lesson they read on neglect/abuse. Once everyone was finished, we set up the iPads and groups rotated around in a "gallery style" of sharing. The kids benefited from the movement AND everyone was able to see and watch each group's trailer. Once we finished, we talked about what people did REALLY well and what we can all improve on in the future in regards to serving educational purposes. We talked about the expectations that come along with having these iPads in the classroom.
eduClipper.....Coach Cat stopped by to get the 6th grade students in Mrs. Armstrong's class and my class all set up with their own account. Due to some network problems, we weren't able to get through adding/following other students, etc. Jennifer Manning's post on eduClipper really inspired me and I see a LOT of potential from this app. I look forward to students creating their own portfolios for subjects or just for the culmination of 3rd quarter. With conferences coming up, what a great thing to show parents!
Brochures....today I had my students read through a topic in Health over friendship. I asked them to create a brochure in PAGES. Pages has a brochure template. I thought students would easily be able to manipulate the sample....quickly delete what was pre-set with their own information. We found it to be some work and a little frustrating. Text boxes would disappear, students weren't able to type where they wanted, etc. So after doing some quick researching via Google....I found and downloaded an app called QUARK DESIGN PAD. It allows the students to personalize and manipulate the brochure in SO many ways. I played with it for 10 minutes and found it to be SUPER user-friendly as well! I told the kids to play with both and see which one they would prefer to use for their assignment. I walked them through the app and the tools and all the kids truly felt like this was an app they could use in the future. It has more than just brochures too...kids can make business cards, posters, and SO many more things. GREAT app!
I will try to include screenshots and pictures later....my iPad did not travel to basketball games and my house tonight.
Thanks for any and all advice about the flipped classrooms or any ipadacademy related info!
The Jenny K challenge has led Sarah Armstrong and I into a dark abyss where we have had to let go of some of the control in Math and truly allow the students to be responsible for what they have learned. Sarah and I both decided that for the first "Flipped/Video" lesson, we would sit back and observe how the kids do. I watched some students in my class flourish and truly enjoy being able to watch and go through things at their own pace. However, I did have a couple of students truly HATE it and one of my students had a slight breakdown [one who doesn't handle change well]. After talking with Jenny, we thought it best to pull a small group of kids [particularly the ones that hated the style of the flipped lesson] and just do a regular lesson with those 5-6 kids while the others led themselves along with the video. When I pulled my group back, I still felt like they weren't feeling the video style. So for the future, I will pull that small group back and just do a regular lesson, with no video involved. They, of course, will have the option to refer to the video when needed/as extra instruction...but that will not be the basis of that lesson for them. We shall see how it goes....Has anyone else done flipped math lessons? Elementary teachers? What are the MUST HAVES or the AVOID DOING THIS parts of it? Advice is welcome!
iMovie gallery.....my students created [in partners] a short iMovie trailer covering/summarizing a health lesson they read on neglect/abuse. Once everyone was finished, we set up the iPads and groups rotated around in a "gallery style" of sharing. The kids benefited from the movement AND everyone was able to see and watch each group's trailer. Once we finished, we talked about what people did REALLY well and what we can all improve on in the future in regards to serving educational purposes. We talked about the expectations that come along with having these iPads in the classroom.
eduClipper.....Coach Cat stopped by to get the 6th grade students in Mrs. Armstrong's class and my class all set up with their own account. Due to some network problems, we weren't able to get through adding/following other students, etc. Jennifer Manning's post on eduClipper really inspired me and I see a LOT of potential from this app. I look forward to students creating their own portfolios for subjects or just for the culmination of 3rd quarter. With conferences coming up, what a great thing to show parents!
Brochures....today I had my students read through a topic in Health over friendship. I asked them to create a brochure in PAGES. Pages has a brochure template. I thought students would easily be able to manipulate the sample....quickly delete what was pre-set with their own information. We found it to be some work and a little frustrating. Text boxes would disappear, students weren't able to type where they wanted, etc. So after doing some quick researching via Google....I found and downloaded an app called QUARK DESIGN PAD. It allows the students to personalize and manipulate the brochure in SO many ways. I played with it for 10 minutes and found it to be SUPER user-friendly as well! I told the kids to play with both and see which one they would prefer to use for their assignment. I walked them through the app and the tools and all the kids truly felt like this was an app they could use in the future. It has more than just brochures too...kids can make business cards, posters, and SO many more things. GREAT app!
I will try to include screenshots and pictures later....my iPad did not travel to basketball games and my house tonight.
Thanks for any and all advice about the flipped classrooms or any ipadacademy related info!
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