The Power to Change Lives

Teachers have the power to change lives forever (Nieto, 2003). I love this thought. It evokes such a strong sense of responsibility and exhilaration. The idea that we as educators play such an important role in each student’s life is amazing and daunting all at once. Being mindful that I have the power to positively impact the young lives I encounter helps to drive me to learn all I can so that I make the most informed and best choices in my classroom practices.

As another class draws to an end I am given time to reflect on what I have learned about myself as a teacher and what positive changes I can make to enrich the lives around me. At the beginning of this class I reflected on my personal learning theory and how that has shaped my teaching over the last decade. Seven weeks ago I was and still am a strong believer in the social learning theories. I have however gained a new appreciation for the roles that behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructionism/comstructivism play in the classroom.

Throughout this course I have learned that although the various learning paradigms differ in their approach to how people learn they all support the idea that the learner needs to be active in the learning process. In addition, all of the learning theories that we discussed support technology integration into the classroom (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011b).

One important addition that I will be including in my personal theory of learning is the importance of learner-centered lessons. I am working on changing my mindset that student driven activities do not take away my control of the learning environment but rather learner-directed activities give students the power over their learning. By shifting the focus I am sharing the responsibility of learning and the role of teaching with students. By embracing the ideas of the global classroom and the fact that students have brilliant ideas that they are eager to share will enhance learning and we will all benefit (Friedman, 2005).

I have been introduced to a mind-boggling amount of educational technologies throughout this course. So many of which I can envision incorporating into activities. I have come to the realization that incorporating technology for the sake of incorporation diminishes the integrity of the lesson. In order for technology to be used effectively there must be clear intent so that the appropriate technology is integrates properly (Lever-Duffy & McDonald, 2005).

There are so many technology tools that I am excited to integrate or introduce into the afterschool program this year. The learning tool that I am most excited about is a blog. The tutors who directly facilitate our programs are located throughout rural Alaska and this can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation. I am hopeful that by having the tutors test-drive a communal blog as way of sharing idea, triumphs and concerns the entire afterschool learning community will benefit. By making the blog accessible to not only the tutors but the program coordinators, site administrators, and other members of the program who may not be intimately aware of what goes on during tutoring sessions, it will keep remote members more up to speed and aware of the unique situation. I am looking forward to using our blog as a way to keep the lines of communication open and fluid. By sharing ideas in an open form instead of our traditional newsletter I am optimistic that the tutoring experience will be enriched and learning will be greater. If the blog idea proves to be fruitful I would like to have the students in grades two through five join in on the experience. I envision their personal blogs taking over for our more traditional journals. I believe that the students taking part in a secure blog adventure facilitated by the local tutor and remotely by myself, students will gain a richer writing experience because they will be not only using appealing 21^st century tools but they will be writing to a greater audience than just a teacher (Richardson, 2010).

Another technology based learning tool that I would like to introduce to students would be multimedia VoiceThread or videoconferencing activities. VoiceThread is so easy to use and it gives students options on how to leave comments it will appeal to a wide range of interests and abilities. Incorporating a VoiceThread activity with a concept map on a student chosen topic will allow students the opportunity to engage in both social and academic activities (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). Tools such as VoiceThread and Skype will allow me to interact and better meet the needs of the students taking part in our program. In previous school years I have been very removed from the daily learning that is taking place, relying on online reports or tutor email to keep me informed. By coordinating with tutors to incorporate more learner-centered technology activities it will allow me to play a more active and supportive role in the afterschool sessions. It is my hope that I can ease the burden of the tutors and keep motivation high so that everyone enjoys attending our program.  

As for long-term changes that I would like to make to my instructional practices regarding technology integration I would like to begin a collection of technology tools and ideas. So often I come across or am introduced to fascinating ideas that I would like to use one day but then I forget to write it down or bookmark the website. My goal is to take my study time during the next two weeks that I will not be in class to begin my collection based off of my last courses. I would like to create a web-based collection perhaps on a Google Doc and also physical laminated color-coded cards. This will give me options for sharing ideas at my fingertips so that out tutors and colleagues will benefit from the resource that I am gathering. Once I have the initial format established it would be a matter of updating the collection as I learn about new educational technologies.

Another long-term goal is a to continue to build my confidence and increase my comfort level with utilizing technology in the class. For most of my teaching career I have shied away from incorporating anything but the very basic technology with my students. I have a fear of unforeseen troubles and chaos that traditional teacher directed lessons tend to avoid. Recently when a friend asked me about my studies and if I felt like I was becoming a “techie” I laughed and said no, but I am becoming braver. I am beginning to feel less afraid of the unknown and more willing to trouble shoot computer-based problems. It is such a feeling of accomplishment when I am able to figure out a small problem with the use of a seach engine or YouTube video. I can see this new confidence helping me in introducing the use of a blog, VoiceThread, and Skype to the tutors I work with. Some of my colleagues will be hesitant to integrate these tools into the afterschool sessions for the same reason I would be. It replaces their concrete control with the unknown. It is my goal to introduce the ideas slowly and with great care so that teachers who may be tepid see the great potential stepping into 21^st century learning has to offer. I do not see that I will meet the goal of being completely comfortable with technology anytime soon but I do believe that if I plan and practice what will be integrated and anticipate potential problems I will decrease my anxiety and increase my confidence.

Overall throughout this course I have strengthened my resolve to put technology into the hands of the students I work with because when students are using appropriate, engaging and meaningful tools those students will drive their own learning. And isn’t that that purpose of teaching? To use the power to change lives forever in a way that encourages students actively participate in their learning.

I would love to hear how your instructional strategies have been shaped by technology. Thank you for reading. 

References

Friedman, T. (2005, April 3). It's a flat world, after all. The New York Times.Retrieved

from http://www.nytimes.com

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011a). Program one: Understanding the brain [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011b). Program three: Instructional theory

vs. learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and

technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=la

reate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=

&bhcp=1

Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. (2008). Theoretical foundations (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Nieto, S. (2003). What keeps teachers going? New York: Teachers College Press.

  Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that

works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful web tools for classrooms (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Cooperating to Learn: How Social Learning Theories influence the Classroom

The social learning theory focuses on the idea that people learn best through their interactions, conversations, observations and imitations of others (Learning-Theories.com, 2014). Through these interactions students learn social, academic and behavior skills necessary to thrive in society. Cooperative learning enables students and teachers to gain the benefits of social learning. By incorporating cooperative learning strategies into the classroom, students are able to build and navigate networks of knowledge that would not be possible when learning in isolation (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  

Cooperative learning allows students to learn in an environment where they are able to explore their ideas through talking and actively listening to their peers while working together to solve a problem or create a project. When students work together to learn, there is an increase of academic engagement and self-esteem as well as a decrease in feelings of loneliness and being left out (Pilter, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). When incorporating cooperative learning groups it is important to keep in mind three key facts:

1.     groups need to be small, ideally 3-5 students

2.     cooperative learning works best when it is consistent and systematic

3.      include both positive group and individual accountability, ideally represented in a rubric before the project begins (Pilter et al, 2012)

Cooperative learning groups and technology can be interwoven to create exciting and engaging learning social learning opportunities. Students can work together to cerate an interactive VoiceThread or short movie to demonstrate understanding on a research topic or to recreate scenes from history or a novel. Creating a website such as a wiki, google sites on sites.google.com, or a Fusion Page on schoolfusion.com is a great way for students to work collaboratively to show learning. As our learning environments become globalized integrating quality web-enabled multiplayer simulation game is a exciting way to allow many people across the world to work together to complete a task or combine knowledge to solve a problem (Pilter et al, 2012).

There are many types of cooperative groups. Some require very little preparation or implementation time while others are more complex in nature. Listed below are a few ideas for incorporating cooperative learning into the classroom.

Think-pair-share: students are paired up to discuss an issue. Each student has time to share an idea, to listen and then to respond to the partner’s idea (Orey, 2001).

Jigsaw: each member of a small group is given a specific task or research topic. The team members then split up and work collectively with other peers assigned the same task as they become experts in their area. Once the research time is up the students gather into their original teams and teach their group members what they have learned (Orey, 2001).

Multi-aged groups: students work together in small age diverse groups (Orey, 2001).

Interactive-Role Playing: students take on the role of a specific character to work though a situation or problem. This helps students to see where multiple perspectives (Science Education Resource Center, 2011).

Check out http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/cooperative/example.html for additional ideas on cooperative learning grouping ideas.

Please check out my newest VoiceThread creation entitled Your Mission at

http://voicethread.com/share/5929214/   I would love to hear your comments on how I can improve this video to make it more appealing and relatable.

As always please feel free to share any idea you have on the topic. 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program nine: Connectivism as a learning theory [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Learnng-Theories.com. (2014). Social learning theory (Bandura). Retrieved from http://www.learning-theories.com/social-learning-theory-bandura.html

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Science Education Resource Center-Carlton College. (July 27, 2011). Cooperative exercise examples. Retrieved from http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/cooperative/example.html

Constructing knowledge through constructivist and constructionist frames of mind.

This week we delve into the principles of constructivist/constructionist learning theories. When we look at how students build their own unique internal cognitive system of knowing then we are talking about Piaget’s constructivism. When the focus of constructivism is expanded to include student created artifacts then we are talking about Papert’s constructionism (Staker, 2002-2013). Both constructionism and constructivism are student-centered theories where the learners are actively engaged in their learning process (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

There are many project-based learning tools that support the constructionist learning theory and embed technology in meaningful and transferable ways. The idea behind project-based learning is the awareness that students learn best when their learning situations include realistic and relatable scenarios and the teacher becomes a learning guide (Orey, 2001).

Generating and testing hypothesis is a great venue for supporting PBL in the classroom. When students create hypothesizes they are engaging in complex mental process that call upon the student to draw on what they know about the subject and to challenge that understanding (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). Creating theories allows students to actively construct their knowledge and understanding of a topic and allows them to become their own driving force of discovery. Using a concept mapping tool such as kidspiration can allow students to visualize their hypothesizes, alternatives and misconceptions. Microsoft Excel is another tool that can be used by students to create graphs that analyze different value meals from their favorite fast food restaurant or the changing migratory pattern of local birds (Pitler et al, 2012).

I came across this fun little article, 23 Ways to use the iPadin the 21st Century PBL Classroom. I particularly liked the suggestions to use Sketchbook Pro or Logo Maker to create a logo identifying a relevant social issue that students would want others to know about. I also liked the idea of using Twitter to summarize short socially important blogs or articles or using the imagery of Instagram to visually capture local issues (TeachThought, 2012). Podcasts or videos as story telling venues would also be a great artifact that supports project-based learning in the classroom.  

Please share any other inspiring PBL ideas. Thanks for reading.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program seven: Constructionist and constructivist learning theories [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Constructionism, learning by design and project based learning. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Staker, D. (2002-2013). Constructionism and constructivism. Changing Minds. Retrieved from http://changingminds.org/explanations/research/philosophies/constructionism.htm

TeachThought. (October 11, 2012). 23 Ways to use the iPad in the 21^st century PBL classroom. Teachthought. Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/technology/23-ways-to-use-the-ipad-in-the-21st-century-pbl-classroom/

Cognitivism in the Class: New tools and toys to enhace cognition.

Last week we looked at the influences of behaviorism in the classroom. This week we will focus on the cognitive learning theory. The cognitive learning theory focuses on how information is taken in by learners, how that information is processed and then what is done with that information (Learning-Theories.com, 2014). Whereas behaviorism focused on the external signs of learning, cognitivism focuses on the inner workings or schema of the learner. The cognitive learning theory emphasize the exploration of mental process such as memory and problem-solving in order to better understand the process of how people learn (Learning-Theories.com, 2014). This week we explored instructional strategies and technology tools that support the ideas of the cognitive learning theory.

My new favorite technology-based cognitive tool is the concept map. I have always been a big fan of graphic organizers, but to be honest I have only recently used an online version. Graphic organizers support cognitivism because they enhance a student’s ability to “retrieve, use and organize information” in a way that encourages comprehension and retention (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012, p91). I gave www.spidercribe.net a test drive with a group of summer school students ranging in age from 3 to 6 earlier this week. We had a lot of fun working our way through the interactive map. The students were engaged and it was easy to add notes or enhance the illustrations. In that same lesson we took a Virtual Field Trip or VFT to explore the wonderful world of ladybugs. The VFT helped this group of summer learners to explore aspects of this small creature in a way that many of them could not on their own (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). Both of these activities combined in one lesson encouraged student engagement and to become actively involved in critical thinking and information processing activities (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

There are many summarizing and note taking technology-based tools that can be used to enhance lessons at various age groups. One of my favorite tools is www.wordle.net. Wordle creates unique word clouds based on the frequency of words typed into the word bank. This tool allows the creature to visually show the importance of a word or phrase within the context of the topic. Other tools that enhance cognition are collaborative note taking programs such as www.typewithme and www.docs.google.com. These tools allow a group of learners to collect their combined information into one location (Pitler et al., 2012).

I have recently come in possession of an iPad though work. This new acquisition opens a number of doors for exploring interactive organizing, note taking and summarizing apps. The versatility of the iPad is very appealing. I love how you can type or use the stylus to write and draw as well as link video and audio files (Pitler et al., 2012).

Just in case I piqued your interest in the wonderful world of ladybugs you can find a great slow motion video of a ladybug flying at http://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/33568843592

I welcome your suggestions for other great technology-based tools that encourage cognative learning experience.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Program six: Spotlight on technology: Virtual field trips [Video webcast]. Bridging learning theory, instruction and technology. Retrieved from http://laureate.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5700267&CPURL=laureate.ecollege.com&Survey=1&47=2594577&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=0&bhcp=1

Learning-Theories.com. (2014). Cognitivism. Retrieved from http://www.learning-theories.com/cognitivism.html

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Thoughts on Behaviorist Learning Theory in the classroom

This week we are talking about the Behaviorist Learning Theory and how Behaviorism influence education. According to Learning-Theories.com the Behaviorist Learning Theory focuses on the relationship between a stimulus and a response to learn or unlearn a behavior. Behaviorists believe that learners start off as a blank slates and their behaviors are shaped by positive and negative reinforcements (2014). Many of the characteristics of the Behaviorist Learning Theory can be found in today’s classrooms especially when incorporating technology.

One of the key components of Behaviorism is the influence of positive reinforcement on students’ behavior. Students respond positively to sincere and authentic praise and there are a number of ways that students and teachers can benefit from technology based reinforcement in the class. There is nothing more exciting than for a student be praised for an achievement, whether it be for an academic, social or physical accomplishment and then to have evidence of their achievement to show to family and friends. By printing personalized certificates of achievement or awards students will have a tangible prize to help them feel motivated. Certificates are a great way to give students praise that is specific to a certain behavior or performance. When praise is specific in nature is will help to strengthen the connection between the positive reinforcement and the desired behavior as opposed to a generic comment that does not directly connect the stimulus to the response in the student's mind. These certificates show students that their effort and achievement are recognized and appreciated (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). 

Examples of Behaviorism can be found in the relationship between achievement and effort. Students' achievement serves as the stimulus and effort serves as the response to the positive or negative reinforcement a student receives. Utilizing a rubric is another great way to help students make the connection between effort and achievement. A rubric shows students clear expectations of how students can demonstrate their learning. Rubrics allow students to see that their grades are not arbitrarily assigned. More importantly, tools such as rubrics help students to see  that they are capable of owning their learning and that being smart or good in a subject is not solely attributed to outside forces (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012).

Working with students in after school activities to strengthen their academic abilities and encourage an engagement I find the ideas of the Behaviorist Learning Theory play a strong role in the activities that we choose to participate in. Learning activities that take place outside of the school day, whether it is homework, tutoring or independent investigation need to be more exciting and motivational than learning that takes place during the school day because the amount of stimulating activities to choose from are far greater once the final bell rings. Blending technology and positive reinforcement through educational and developmentally appropriate websites and computer based programs that allow students to test their knowledge and skills after reading a story or watching a demonstrative or informative short video. These activities allow for much needed practice of transferable skills that are specific to the individual learner's needs. They also provide feedback, in many cases immediate feedback allowing students to make adjustments or ask for help (Pitler, Hubbell, & Kuhn, 2012). 

One of my favorite ways to motivate students is through newsletters that include pictures of students actively learning. Taking that same idea and expanding the scope and reach would be to
showcase student work on a class website or blog. Here students could show their work off to family members all over the world. A blog would allow families and members of the school community to interact with students and provide additional positive reinforcement to help shape the students' behavior and learning.


Listed below is a short list of some websites that I have used and students have enjoyed or that have come highly recommended.

www.brainpopjr.com is a subscription site featuring short movies and quizzes in math, science, technology, health, art and more.

www.dreambox.com is one of my personal favorites subscription based math sites.

www.readinga-z.com is another of my favorites subscription based sites for reading comprehension.

www.starfall.com is a great free reading site for young and inspiring readers.

I have started a trial membership with www.abcmouse.com and www.jumpstart.com  I will keep you posted on my findings.

These are just a few examples of how positively reinforcing efforts can be used to teach students that their effort and achievement are intertwined. If you have any other great sites, especially free ones, please suggest away! As always I welcome your comments and warm thoughts.

Kat

References  

Learnng-Theories.com. (2014). Behaviorism. Retrieved from http://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E. R., & Kuhn, M. (2012). Using technology with classroom instruction that   works (2^nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Reflection of my learning

I must confess that I am NOT a digital native. I do however, believe that being a digital immigrant who is on a path of digital learning will help me to bridge the gap between what drives students to learn and how students are being taught.

I have always been reluctant in my integration of technology into the classroom. I have told myself that students are utilizing so many forms of technology in their out of school lives that the use of digital tools was not something that needed to be included in order for lessons to be effective. Over the past couple of years I have begun to work on changing my mindset.  Technology, like our students, are in a state of constant growth and change and if I want to continue to grow with my students I need to embrace the tools that drives their learning. It is important for my students and the teachers that I work with that they see me moving out of my comfort zone to make learning authentic and meaningful for my students.

            I am fortunate that I am in a position that allows me to guide and introduce new ideas to many of my educational peers who are taking part in out of school time learning opportunities. These teachers vary in their use and ease of technology in their classroom. This year it is my goal to integrate blogs into our program, first with the teachers then with the students. I feel that blogs are a fairly easy way to dabble in the read/write web so teachers regardless of their comfort level will be able to participate and gain a better understanding of how technology can be utilized. I intend for the teachers’ blog to accompany emails in a way to share ideas and to connect to each other thought the year. Once the teachers’ blog has been established I will create classroom based blogs using kidblog. Depending on the demographics of the classes I may create the blog groups based on grades or classes. The student blog will take the place of or accompany their journaling time. The teachers and I will monitor the blogging activities encouraging students to write ethically and using proper grammar and sentence structure.

            Another way that I would like to incorporate 21^st century skills into our program would be through the use of video conferencing. So often the students that I work with rarely get out of their own villages so much of what they know about the world is through technology. Video conferencing within a learning environment with set expectations will help students to learn how to effectively communicate and prepare for interactions outside of their small communities. I will need to work closely with the participating teachers and students to find out the most effective ways to integrate video conferencing into the small timeframe of their out of school time learning. Perhaps having the classes conference with each other on about a specific shared experience or book would be good place to start.

            Most of the students that I have the awesome privilege of working with struggle to find success in school. Because this program is not part of the traditional school day we have more flexibility so it is my hope that teachers will join me in my quest to find the venue that best speaks to each student.

            Now that I will be returning to the workforce this summer I am excited to begin implementing some of the techniques and tools that I have been introduced to. Collaborating with teachers in the field will allow me to share what I have learned in this course while giving me feedback on where I need to strengthen my knowledge. 

           I have a little over two months to figure out a game plan on how I am going to incorporate blogs and video conferencing into our program. Stay tuned to find out how it goes. As always I would love to hear your advice and words of encouragement.

Profiling the Students of Today

My first ever podcast! How exciting and not nearly as easy as the professionals make it out to be. I used Audacity to record an interview then cut and paste, copy and mix segments to create, what I hope to be, a cohesive five and a half minutes of talk. Thanks to the help of my digitally native husband, we were able to change the file into an MP3 file which is much smaller than a wav file.

Please take a listen and feel free to leave any helpful tips and words of encouragement!


http://alaskakat.podbean.com/e/profiling-the-students-of-today-1402260859/?token=5232b65b0cc1950ecde3e3b45ce20ea0

Educating 21st century students

Partnership for 21st Century Skills or p21 is on a mission to ensure that all students are ready to succeed in the technology driven 21^st century. P21 is building collaborative partnership between education, business, community and government (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2014).

Through working collaboratively p21 hopes to instill the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in our ever changing and technology driven future. P12 strives to align the classroom environment with the real world environment therefor-strengthening students' chances of success. 

The 3Rs + the 4Cs = successful and knowledgeable 21st century students

P21 proposes that the 3Rs are the building block for academic success and the 4Cs: critical thinking and problem solving; communication, collaboration; and creativity and innovation, provide additional skills necessary to compete in the global world.

During my exploration of the p21 site I found the contributing member list to be very interesting. Among the major contributors are many companies or organizations that one would associate with education and who may not necessarily jump to the forefront; National Education Association, Crayola, PBS and Ford Motor Company. With so many students leaving school, having graduated or not, unsure of what job if any they will be able to acquire it is good that major companies are investing time and money to help students become expert thinkers and complex communicators required in future jobs.

It is easy to see that the p21 website is jam packed with insightful information. As a busy educator, I find the information to be in a dense form. I have not come across quick tips to implement, but maybe that is part of the point? Changing the way in which we instruct to better meet the digital needs of our students and the work force is not a quick fix or easy add-on.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on p21.

Thanks for reading,

Ms. Kat 

References

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2014). Our mission. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/about-us/our-mission

Adventures on rewind

As some of you know I left the classroom after my first little one was born. I began working with an educational resource center that better fit my new life changes. Last year, due to changes in educational regulations in Alaska the program that I worked on lost funding. Although I was disappointed that I would no longer have the opportunity to work with educators and students throughout the state I was ecstatic to have the chance to stay at home and focus on my two little ones and their learning adventures.
I was recently contacted by my former employer to return part time in a similar capability. I am excited to have the chance to balance my joys of motherhood with the challenges and rewards of going to school full time and helping to run a couple educational programs in Alaska. It will be fun to see how many new and exciting skills, knowledge and techniques that I learn in school that I can apply to my work environment.
Watch out classrooms I'm back and loaded with exciting ideas!

Blogging under the midnight sun.

I sit here writing this post at 9:30 at night in broad daylight. The days are long and with that the pull to get outdoors becomes stronger as summer approaches. Many students throughout Alaska will have the opportunity to take part in summer learning adventures both in and out of the classroom. In order to keep young minds engaged and to help prevent the dreaded summer learning loss learning opportunities need to become even more captivating. What greater way to enthrall those young scholars than to create and utilize a classroom blog.

Last summer I had the opportunity to help teachers in two different cities in Alaska conduct summer learning opportunities. The students who took part in the southern summer school learned how to find local edible plants and create medicinal salves and those in the northern summer program learned about different art styles and mediums. Both schools also focused on strengthening their students' core academic abilities. Looking back these opportunities would have been enhanced had the classes utilized a blog where students could have shared with the world their adventures.

The summer learning programs lasted between three and four weeks and had students in a wide range of grades, kindergarten through middle school. All of the students participated in journaling activities to some extent or another every week and in come cases every day. Taking those paper and pencil activities and extending them into the read/write web could bring a whole new dimension and ownership into the activity. Perhaps setting up a kidblog.org classroom blogging community so that all students are interconnected and can therefor learn from each other would strengthen the summer school experience.

Have you ever tried a using a blog with a diverse age group of students or students in a summer program? I would love to hear suggestions, comments and success stories.

Ms. Kat

First of many

Hello All,
Please join me on my new blogging adventure dedicated my exploration of education. I welcome all helpful comments and tips that you might want to share.
Enjoy, Ms. Kat