My Journey with Technology

Yesterday while at Ed Camp I was reminded that it was only a year ago that I attended my first Ed Camp, met Karen Lirenman, joined Twitter and jumped into using technology in my classroom.  It has been a whirlwind year, full of amazing learning.  I have learned so many things and in the process have grown as a teacher and as a learner.

I have learned that the iPad is just a tool.  Last June, when George Couros spoke and asked us if the iPad was a tool I didn't know the answer.  It was too new to me and I was not sure if an iPad was a tool or more than a tool.  I now know that it is just a tool.  The iPad can be used to demonstrate creativity, imagination, communication and innovation but it is only one of the tools.  It is how the teacher approaches teaching and learning that matters.  It is the opportunities that the teacher gives the students that matter.  It is listening, hearing and providing the students with the materials that they need to be engaged in their own learning.  It is about transforming their learning and the iPad is just one of the tools.  For this reason, you don't need a whole class set of ipads.  Not all students will choose the iPad to demonstrate their learning.  I have 5 in my classroom and it is working for me to have 5 that the students always have access to.

I have also learned that the apps should be creation based and not test and drill.  My students use the apps to create, demonstrate, expand on and communicate their learning.  Their favourite apps are Draw and Tell, Garage Band, Felt Board, Explain Everything, KidBlog, iMovies, Scribble Press, and Story Buddy 2.

I have learned that the technology can flatten walls and give the students opportunities that they would have never had, such as communicating their ideas on their own blog for others to see. When I first introduced blogging to my students last March I password protected their posts because I thought that I needed to.  I soon realized that by putting those restrictions on they could only share their blogs with their family and classmates.  I realized that the students needed to be able to have open blogs so that they could share their blogs freely.  This has been the best thing.  My students love seeing comments from other students in other provinces and countries.  They also enjoy commenting on others blogs.  My students have also participated in Google Hangouts with other classrooms.

I have also learned that Twitter is an excellent way to find out about Professional Development, teaching ideas and to connect with wonderful, innovative teachers.  The world is getting smaller because of Twitter.  Through Twitter I was able to participate in the Global Read Aloud, Quad Blogging and Primary Blogging.  I learned about Edmodo through the Twitter feed.  I also learned about Google Hangout and Adobe Connect through Twitter.

Through the Surrey Dinner Series I have been inspired from the wonderful speakers Dean Shareski, Shelley Wright, and Bill Ferriter.  I have learned to make 60 second videos and to develop a sense of wonder in my students.  I have learned about the power of choice.  I give my students choice every day in where they sit or stand, where they learn, how they show their learning, what they read, where they read, what they write, where they write, and where they eat.

 I have learned that it is okay to not have all the answers, that learning is messy and noisy and that it is important to include your students in decisions.  I have learned to listen to what the students want and that what I think is fun and engaging might not be what they want to do and that is okay.  Beautiful art projects might look nice on the walls but if they have no meaning for them then they are pointless.  I have learned to let things go and to try different things in their place.  I have learned to not be afraid of technology and to try new things (baking bread, putting on Pro-D for teachers etc..).  I have learned to not sweat the small stuff and to not stress out if the technology isn't working or the wifi is acting up.  For example. failed Google Hangouts are not a waste of time but rather a learning experience.

I am excited to see where this journey is going to take me.  I don't know if I would have gone on this journey if it had not had the support and encouragement from Lora Sarchet, Shelley Brett and Karen Lirenman.

Why I love my SMART Board

I have heard many people lately say that the interactive whiteboard is on its way out and it frustrates me because I love my interactive whiteboard.  I have been using my SMART Board for two years now and I don't see how I could teach without it.  It really helps teach and reinforce concepts.  It is constantly in use throughout the school day.  I have heard all of the arguments against it and I can see their point of view.  Yes it is an expensive piece of technology and yes an iPad hooked up to a projector and Apple T.V. can do the same projecting as a SMART Board.  If you are only using the SMART Board as a projector then yes an iPad can do the same projecting at less of a cost.  In fact, you could purchase at least six ipads for the cost of one installed SMART Board.  However, an interactive whiteboard is so much more than a projector and I see it as having a different use than an iPad.  IPads are useful tools for students to share, create and demonstrate their learning whereas an interactive whiteboard is a good tool for teaching and reinforcing concepts.

The first rule is that the SMART Board needs to be installed.  A moveable SMART Board ends up frustrating people because it constantly needs to be reoriented.

The second rule is that if at first you don't succeed (the screen is purple, the board won't orient, the pens are not working) don't give up but instead try again.  Often in the beginning I would get a purple screen and have to take all the cords out and put them back in again.  It may be frustrating at first but quickly those frustrations are forgotten as you get used to using the SMART Board.

The interactive whiteboard is so much more than a projector.  Yes I use it as a projector some times.  I use my SMART board to :

Google Hangout

• show my students DVD's or video clips from Discovery Education Video Streaming and Learn 360
• for Google Hangouts 
• show Tumblebooks 
• show You Tube clips or class blogs
• with the document camera
• art samples
• maps
• show work on the iPads

I also use my SMART Board to teach my students concepts both as a whole class and in small groups.  Yes during these times not all of my students are interacting with the board but they are engaged in the lessons.  I have created many lessons on the SMART Board.  Here are some of the ways that I use it as an interactive whiteboard:

• Word Wall Bingo- the students choose 6 words off of the word wall and write them on their chalkboards.  Then we use the Random Word Chooser on the SMART board to pick the word. While one student is touching the board and reading out the word the other students are seeing if the word called out is on their chalkboard.
• Make and Break Words- the students use their letter tiles on their desks to build the words while one student builds the word on the SmartBoard.  The students take turns coming up to the board.
• Graphing - and then we print out the graph to take home.
• Morning Message- the students take turns filling in the message.  We can then print the message out so that they can take it home.
• Brainstorming of words for writing activities.  We can then print the words out so that students who need the words can have them on their desk.
• Dice games- roll dice on the SMART Board and then the students write equations on their chalkboards.
• Demonstrate math lessons using interactive cubes, dice, dominoes, cards, pictures, ten frames and then have the students build using real manipulatives. 
• Use the document camera and then write directly onto the SMART Board.
• Calendar

These are only a few of the ways that I use the interactive whiteboard for teaching.  Yes an iPad could be used instead but it would not be the same.  I used the iPad one day when my laptop was being serviced and although it worked it did not have the same effect.  For example, yes I could do chalkboard spelling but the words just appeared.  The students couldn't see the words being printed in front of them.  I could do ten frames with an iPad app but the students couldn't come up to the SMART board and manipulate the objects.  My students love interacting with the SMARTboard.

 My students also love using the SMART Board during free time.  They often are writing on it and then recognizing their words.  They enjoy writing math equations and word problems on it.  Sometimes, they take turns playing teacher and students.  They also enjoying using Kids Pix on the SMART Board.   My students know how to orient it when needed and how to wake it up when it goes to sleep.  

A couple of months ago one of my students wanted to show his classmates how to make a paper airplane.  You can see his demonstration here.  He said that he needed the document camera, paper and the SMART board.

I know that an installed interactive whiteboard is expensive but I can't imagine teaching without it.  It is a useful tool for teaching students concepts both from me and also from each other.   The SMART Board is so much more than a projector and it is more than a fancy whiteboard.  It is a tool to enhance learning and to make it easier to model, teach and reinforce concepts.  

Learning From Each Other

This week, preparing for student led conferences and the Christmas concert has been very busy.  During this busy time one of my students asked if he could show the class how to make a paper airplane.  His father had showed him and now he wanted to share it with his classmates.  There was so much to finish and so much to do and I was about to say not today when I stopped myself.  This was important to him so we could make the time.  I asked him what supplies he needed and he said just paper and the document camera.  He had seen me use the document camera many times to teach math and wanted to use it to teach his peers how to make a paper airplane.  The students were engaged watching and learning from him.  It was a great moment and it reminded me to take the time and to listen to my students.

Teaching is a great adventure in learning!

Last night I listened to Shelley Wright speak to a room full of educators and I was inspired.  Her journey from traditional teacher to project based passion teacher made me think of my own teaching practices.  My teaching style has always been hands on, active, play based, co-operative group learning but it has still been controlled by me.  In the past, I have put the students into literacy groups and have chosen the activities that they do.  I have done math centres where they rotate through the stations in an organized manner.  I have chosen the themes that we learn based on the learning outcomes.  This year I have been making small changes since September.  These are:

*giving  my students choice on where they want to work during seat work times, such as sitting on rocking chairs, pillows, comfy chairs, bouncy chairs, on the floor or standing.

*letting them choose whether to sit on the floor or at their desk during story time (letting them decide where the best spot for their active listening will be).

*moving my desk to face a wall and letting my students sit at my desk and on my chair during read to self times.

*encouraging my students to try different activities on the ipads and to teach me and the others how to use the various apps.

*letting my students during centres put up their own decorations (their own idea) and posters in the classroom such as Halloween decorations, birthday decorations and signs.

*this week I let my students choose their literacy centres.  They were very excited to put their name beside the literacy centre that they wanted to do.  The first day most students chose the computers, ipads and whiteboard but they were all engaged in the various activities.

*today with the encouragement of my wonderful teaching partner Lora Sarchet I asked my students to write down what they want to learn this year.  They were very excited and got right down to work.  They all had very different ideas about what they want to learn about, such as learning about sunsets, teeth, bats, animals, trees and leaves, how to bake a pie, make pancakes, how lego is made, science experiments, how people move, space, flowers and plants, how dolls are made, and fish.  Now to make their wonders become a reality.  Originally I had planned that I would choose one of their ideas each month and have all of the students learn about it but once I saw all of the different ideas I realized that they all need to learn their own topic and then share it.  It is hard to give up control of the classroom and to take a passenger seat.  I now know what my students really want to learn so I have to make sure that I make this happen.  How to go about it though has been on my mind most of today.  I have been thinking about trying monthly wonder afternoons where the students choose their topic and take control of their learning (let me know what supplies they need so that I can help).  Then they can blog about their learning but is that enough?  Does anyone else have suggestions on how I can fit into my day/year time for each child to learn about their own passions?

I want to learn how to make pie.  I want to learn about how lego is made.

I want to learn about bats.  I want to learn about making science experiments.

I want to learn about teeth (how to care for them, keep them clean, how they grow).  I want to learn about sunsets how they go down.

I want to learn about animals.  I want to know more about math and plants and flowers.

We have iPads now what do we do with them?

In September the iPads and charging cart arrived and we were excited.  Finally, our students had access to iPads and could use them all day long.  Previously we had been using one iPad and iPod in the classroom.  Now came the task of figuring out what would be the most effective way of using the iPads, what apps to put on them, and how to get other teachers using them.

Syncing the iPads took hours.  The syncing day was the same day the new IOS was released and all iPads had to be updated with the IOS as well as synced.  Also downloading the apps onto the syncing computer also took awhile.  Lora (my teaching partner) and I decided that we wanted to avoid game and practice and drill apps and instead focussed on creation/imagination apps.  We chose apps that we felt would engage students as well as develop their communication skills (Puppet Pals, Explain Everything, Skitch, iMovie, Comic Life, Popplet, Edmodo, Word Wizard, etc...)

Once the iPads were set up and ready to go the real learning began.  How to fit them into our daily teaching? How to teach everything that we want to in a day that doesn't seem long enough?  How to make sure that students still learn to read and write?  How to make sure that paper art projects still happen?  So many questions and so many worries.  Worried that students will stop the hands on play that is so important still.  Worried that their interactions will change as they become more focussed on iPads and less on interacting with each other.  Worried about what to give up in the day and what to keep.

I realize that the addition of technology to the classroom can't just be used as a supplement to the program that you are already doing.  The use of technology means a change to the way that you teach.  It means giving up control and becoming a learner alongside the students.  It is hard sometimes to give up the control.  It is hard because we all want the best for our students.  We all want them to succeed.  It is scary giving up the driver's seat and becoming a passenger along for the ride.

Right now I have been showing my students the apps and having them explore and figure out what to do with them.  Children don't have the fear that we sometimes have so they push buttons and try things easier than we do.  Last week my buddy teacher and I gave up control and let the students pick their own buddies and then gave out the iPads with the instructions to try something in the Story Maker folder (Popplet, Comic Life, Scribble Press, Book Creator, Puppet Pals, Toontastic).  It was chaotic at first with ipads and groups everywhere in the room doing different activities but the sharing was great.  Groups were naturally showing each other the different things that they were trying on iPads.  For example, they were teaching each other how to make the characters big and small on Puppet Pals, how to take pictures and put them into Comic Life, how to choose different story frames in Scribble Press.  They were busy, they were loud, but they were engaged and learning from each other.  We were also learning.  Angela and I were walking around the classroom asking questions and learning how to do the programs.  It was a noisy but great afternoon.

My classroom is not quiet but it is not chaotic.  When I look around the students are engaged and are learning but they are busy.  Busy taking pictures with the iPads, taking videos, blogging, writing words and listening to what they write, making puppet shows, searching for countries, listening to stories, counting, creating pictures and sharing their learning with each other.  I am still trying to figure out how to do all the things that I want to do in a day and to make sure that the students have a balance between technology and hands on play with manipulatives.

How do you use the iPads and how do you keep a balance in your classroom between technology and hands on activities?

SmartBoard vs the iPad and projector

I hear a lot of people questioning if we need SmartBoard when instead we can use an iPad and projector to do the same thing. This is actually not true. Yes an iPad and projector when hooked up will project the iPad onto the screen but it is not the same as using a SmartBoard.  It is like comparing a Mazarati to a Hundai. The SmartBoard is more than a projector. It is an interactive whiteboard which can be used throughout the day for many activities. Yes it is a projection device but it is also so much more than that.

I have had the opportunity to have one in my classroom for the past year and a half and it has become part of my teaching. I use it to create and show lessons, as an interactive whiteboard, and yes as a projector. I have also had the opportunity to use an iPad in the classroom.  I see great uses for both of these technology tools.  I see that both SmartBoard and iPad are important to have and use in the classroom.  However, they are not the same. The iPad is a great tool for encouraging students to be creative with their learning as well as a great 1:1 device whereas the SmartBoard is not really a 1:1 device.  You can use the SmartBoard to teach mini group lessons but if you are looking for a 1:1 device then the iPad is the way to go.  Yes both iPad and Smartboard have interactive touch screens but  the iPad relies on apps whereas the SmartBoard has Smart Notebook which has a gallery with many tools and graphics to edit and create your own lessons. For example, you can create a notebook page with interactive dice and unification cubes when teaching your students how to add.  You can also go to Smart Exchange to download, create, edit and share lessons. Yes, I love my SmartBoard and can't imagine teaching without it! I also love my iPad and see the value of having iPads in the classroom. They are both useful and handy for teaching and although they are both interactive and can be projected I see them as being used very differently in the classroom.

One final note, in order for the SmartBoard to be used easily by both teachers and students it must be attached to the wall. I have found that SmartBoards on wheels don't get used as much because people get frustrated because the slightest movement means reorienting the board.

I love using both the SmartBoard and iPad but I use them differently and for different things. Which do you prefer to use?

Time flies by

It seems that it was just yesterday that I was saying goodbye to my class of wonderful grade ones and cleaning up  the classroom for summer vacation.  I was just beginning to make summer plans with my own children. July just flew by and before I knew it August was halfway finished. This summer I have managed to read several good books, mostly fiction, as well as have fun vacations with my family to our family cabin and to Penticton. I have even managed to continue to build on my professional development via Twitter. Through Twitter I have discovered many great ideas such as:

*moving my classroom furniture around (moving my desk) to open up the room more and make it even more student centered.
*Global ReadAloud-signed up
*Quadblogging-signed up and starts in September
*Flat Classrom Project-applied and was accepted and will do it in the Spring
*Whiteboard paint on tables- great idea. Now just have to find some tables
*building a terrarium

I have also met some wonderful, inspiring teachers on Twitter. This summer I set up a new class blog and am excited to use it in September.

Next week, I will be excited to go into the classroom and set it up for a new school year. I always enjoy sorting the books, moving the furniture, planning for the year, visiting with colleagues that I haven't seen this summer and meeting new staff. I will also be sad that summer is coming to an end and that the lazy days of summer are coming to an end like reading on the patio, going to bed late, sleeping in and playing at the beach. Instead early mornings, packing lunches, loading up hockey equipment into the car, rushing to work, late dinners, hockey practice, Scouts, and swimming lessons will all be starting again. 

But time flies and before you know it summer will be here again!