Jule this week talked about how at first she aspired for her classroom to be like her favorite elementary classroom. I could easily relate to this. I think we teach to what we know. If we have never experienced a model different from the teacher imparting their knowledge on students it is hard to change. I sat through a lot of lectures and I learned it, but it works for so few students. Also with lectures it is hard to tell if a student is just replicating what you as a teacher taught them or if they actually understand the process. Next Jule went on to discuss how she aspired to have a very different classroom than the one she currently has. I believe this is very hard because so much fall on the teacher to fund. It is even more difficult in the bush where supplies are expensive and have to be ordered so far in advance. I suggested that donorschoose would be great for getting supplies. I have actually had 4 projects funded and one of them was new desks that cost over $2,000. A lot of classrooms have to do what they can with what they have. You have to create spaces that allow students to learn. One of the biggest things I believe we can do is to create an inviting and comfortable classroom. When I learn I want to be comfortable and that is one of the great advantages of online learning.
Matthew shared a couple of my favorite resources: CK12 and quizlet (I prefer quizlet live). My district is adopting new science textbooks this year and CK12 has been thrown out as an option. This way we could use the extra money to get science supplies or to update technology. Textbooks are just something that seems to get lost or left in another classroom at my school. So this would also solve that problem. Quizlet is a lot of fun and my students beg to play quizlet live or kahoot. Matthew also talked about ways to incorporate personal technology like student phones. I generally let students use phones when it comes time for a project as long as they ask permission first. But that is usually the only time I allow phone usage because it just seems like the students are too distracted. Matthew pointed out that texting is no different than note passing. And in all honestly our students are going to have to live in the real world with a phone as a distraction. I'm not sure I would be for middle school using phones but high school I could see it. Andrea posted on my blog about how to use student technology in the classroom. She shared this great article. I have really been thinking hard about how to use personal devices effectively in the classroom. My biggest fear is actually using the student's data. Our internet is locked down so students must use their own data.
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