Saturday 28 April 2012

Technology in the Classroom

When I first introduced the laptops and iPad into the classroom I was worried that using the technology would take away from my students collaboration skills.  I was concerned that the computers would become babysitters and my noisy, active classroom would become a quiet, library.  However, this has not been the case.  The students eagerly share what they are doing on the computers with their peers.  They usually set up the laptops in such a way that they can interact with each other while on the computers.  Picture a classroom with laptops and students all around on the floor sharing with and teaching each other the various computer programs.  In a few short months, my grade ones can create comics on Comic Life, manouver the Internet independently to access StarFall, Kerpoof, their blogs, ICT games, and explore with Photo Booth and Kids Pix.  Through exploration, my students have discovered all kinds of neat things on Kids Pix.  Their favourite way to use Kids Pix is on the Smartboard.  My students also really enjoy using the iPad and from the minute they arrive at school until 2:34 the iPad is in constant action.  We are finding it really difficult to share one iPad but have come up with a schedule so that everyone gets time on it.  The students also have found ways to share it, often inviting their friends to listen to stories and work on a story or game together.  My dream is to have more iPads so that the students can each have more time with the apps.  Everyday my students show me new things that you can do with the technology.  This journey with technology has been very exciting and I am excited to see what else they can do and learn!
Students creating a story on Scribble Press with the iPad.


Thursday 12 April 2012

Team Teaching

This year, is my first year since 2000 that I have worked full time.  When my job share partner gave me the news last year that she wanted to go back to full time it was hard at first to wrap my head around it.  I had been working 80% for 11 years and the thought of not job sharing anymore was nerve racking.  We had worked so well as a team that I knew I wouldn't/couldn't get a new partner.  I knew that it was time for me to go back to work full time.  In saying this it has been one of the best years!  Instead of job sharing we are team teaching right across the hall from each other.  Having worked together for so many years we have similar ideas and teaching styles.  We also compliment each other well.  She has the great ideas and I have good knowledge on the meat and bones of the day. 

For example, last week, just before Easter, we decided to focus on eggs.  We started with the students writing on yellow paper what they knew about eggs.  Then we did a vinegar hard boiled egg experiment.  The next day, I walked into Lora's classroom and they were wondering about eggs.  Her students were wondering: if they threw an egg across the room would it break and if they could play soccer or hockey with an egg.  Wow, I had never thought of having my students wonder about eggs so I went back to my classroom and asked them to write down what they wondered and then the next day we would try to answer their questions through the experiments.  I braced myself for egg mess and waited for them to wonder about throwing eggs.  Not one wondered about throwing eggs but they did wonder about the following things:
1. would a raw egg break if I dropped it in a bucket of water
2. will a raw egg float in water
3. will a raw egg sink
4. will a raw egg float in Sprite
5. what will happen to a raw egg that sits in Pepsi for over 5 days
6. what will happen to a raw egg in vinegar ( we had already experimented with a hardboiled egg in vinegar)
7. what will happen if I stand on a raw egg
8. what will happen to a hardboiled egg if it sits in Rootbeer for several days (there is a pop theme here)

The next day, the students performed their own experiments.  It was chaotic but wonderful at the same time to see them taking ownership over their learning.  The student who dropped the egg into the bucket of water was amazed when the egg cracked.  The student who stepped on the raw egg enjoyed it so much that he wanted to step on more raw eggs.  The eggs in pop and vinegar are still sitting on the table.  Every day the students are looking at them amazed that the eggs in Pepsi and Rootbeer are turning brown and the egg in the vinegar is slowly losing its shell and the vinegar is evaporating as one student shared with me today. Thanks to Lora, I was able to come up with the new teaching idea of wondering and solving the wonder through experimenting.  A twist to the way that I have always done KWL.  Sharing and collaborating makes teaching so much more exciting and refreshing.