Technology in the Classroom: A Professional Blogfolio

For a four day week last week sure felt long! After practicing for a  month and a half our grade 4, 5, and 6 musical theatre group put on their production of “No Strings Attached” (an adaptation of “Pinocchio”). Working with such a talented group of young people was a lot of fun! I grew up performing so this was an opportunity for me to change roles from performer to director. We practiced for the musical 3-4 hours each week and through these rehearsals I was able to see the students grow into their roles. After our school performance/dress rehearsal the other staff members congratulated us on a job well done. The community performance was an even bigger hit! I was and still am proud of the kids for working so hard as it definitely paid off! After our community performance the grade 6 students surprised the directors and stage crew with a beautiful gesture. They asked the audience to remain seated as they called us onto the stage. We each received a rose and a thank you note acknowledging our hard work. I couldn’t believe the kids thought of it by themselves. What a great group!

The next night was a long one as well. It was the first night of our school’s celebration of learning. Each student led their parents through stations in the classroom. The first station asked that the students use base ten blocks, dice, and make ten cards to play some math games and experience the new Math Makes Sense curriculum. The next station gave examples of writing and used the holistic writing rubric. The last station allowed the students to show their parents the technology we have been using so far this year. Students logged into the computer to show examples of slide shows they had created and then they played with the GPS units for a while.

After all 3 stations were complete, students led their parents to gym where they were to spend their last 10 minutes with my co-operating teacher and I. Portfolio and progress report in hand, students were asked to talk about their strengths and the areas they feel they need to work on. Lastly, students set a goal for the next term.

I believe this was a really positive experience for me. I was able to see a different side of most of the students. In a class of 32 it’s sometimes difficult to give the students the one-on-one attention they deserve. Seeing them with their parents and taking responsibility for their learning was really touching. I was lucky to have a co-operating teacher who allowed me to participate like I did. I shared my thoughts with each student and his/her parents about strengths and areas to improve on. I also shared any concerns I had. Most of the conferences were very positive and some parents and students even expressed their sadness that I would be leaving at Christmas. After two long nights at the school, however, I was ready for a long weekend.

Right now I am in the middle of my three week block and I can honestly say that I have never seen this side of the equation before. Up until this point I have been on the receiving end of the report cards, progress reports, finals grades, etc. The work that goes into creating an appropriate measurement of the student’s achievement is incredible!

This is the first year that my school has decided to use rubrics and descriptors instead of the traditional marking style of Good, Very Good, etc. It’s exciting to see the staff members buying in to this different type of assessment as it is what we had been discussing in our assessment classes in university. Now, the only thing that is left, is parental acceptance… Who knows what they are going to think when their child comes home with a Not Yet, Developing, Proficient, or Excellent… Will they read the descriptors? Or will they simply attempt to convert to new marks to the old style of A, B, C, or D?

In addition to using the new rubrics over the past two months, I have also had the opportunity to help the students create portfolios. By the end of our portfolio party I knew I would be ok if I were to never hear another 3-ringed binder snap shut again. 32 students with one binder each, each binder having 3 rings, with millions of assignments to put in equates to Miss Kvamme needing some Advil. ON a positive note, I could see that the students truly enjoy seeing the things that go into their portfolios and I hope that their parents will be equally excited to see what’s inside.

At an assessment seminar the Div. II staff met and discussed the importance of the portfolios. The progress reports are meaningless without the portfolios and parents need to keep this in mind when their little ones bring home their samples of work. In an attempt to have parents engage in the material within the portfolio a type of “homework task” was created to lead parents through the portfolio and help them reflect on the year thus far. My fingers are crossed as I hope that the new progress report and portfolio homework goes over well.

After the students have had time at home to share their portfolios with their loved ones, they come to the school for their celebration of learning. I like the title “Celebration of Learning” better than conferences as it has a more positive spin. This week students will be practicing their student-led conference so that when their time comes, they will be prepared and confident. I think I have more anxiety about the night than the students do!

In other news, my teaching has been going well! I am really enjoying my time in the classroom and I am trying to savour every moment. I was recently in the paper for having taken the Div. I choir to a local nursing home to sing spooky Halloween songs. I have also been working hard as our musical production of “No Strings Attached” is quickly approaching. My mornings are filled with last minute changes to lessons, noon hours are for choir practices and marking, and after schools are musical practices. I am becoming busier and busier, but such is the life of an elementary school teacher!

I was a little apprehensive at first having only used a SMART board a few times before, but I knew how engaged the kids would be. Before doing the lessons with my students I practiced logging on to the computer, turning on the projector, and opening the correct program. I played for about half an hour or so to ensure that I was comfortable working with the SMART board. Waiting for the last lesson of the day seemed to take forever and I think I was just as excited as the students.

The kids were wide eyed as I explained that our science lesson was going to take place in the SMART board room. It was the first time this year that they have had a chance to use the SMART board in class. The quietly walked down the hall and took their seats. I booted up the computer and get everything ready to go. I was surprised how everything went off without a hitch. The kids were dragging and dropping pictures of clouds, creating definitions, and describing weather conditions all while using the SMART board.

It was a completely new experience for the kids and they chose their own seats. While most of the students were engaged in the lesson, some were chatting and acting foolish while others were up at the board. I addressed the minor disruptions as they arose, but there were still little conversations taking place that were not related to our cloud lesson. I found that the ones who should have been seated at the front were, instead, seated with friends in the furthest corner of the room. So, for next time, I need to think ahead and arrange a seating plan. I already have some ideas, but I better get on it because my next lesson in the SMART board room is tomorrow!

I found a neat video to show some kids using the SMART board technology. It’s incredible how easy they pick up these skills! Click here if it will not play.

It feels good to be back in the classroom with a regular routine once again. The kids seemed excited to have me back and I was just as excited to be back. I’ve been able to pick up a few more classes so now I’m teaching Health, French, Social Studies, and Science. In addition to the heavier workload, I’m becoming more involved in some extra-curricular activities. The fall musical is quickly approaching so twice a week I work with grades 4-6 for “No Strings Attached” (an adaptation of Pinocchio). Each practice I’m amazed at the talent, passion, and enthusiasm that these kids have. They are so incredibly dedicated to the performance that most of the actors have their lines memorized, and the backstage crew are ready to go! I also had the opportunity to work with the little ones (K-3) for division one choir. What an energetic bunch! I was completely exhausted at the end of the noon hour, but I had a great time.

While in the classroom I have made several attempts to keep the students engaged in the material I’m presenting. I have created games and activites for French class that challenge the students, help them learn new vocabulary, and allow them to be a little bit competitive. I turned a simple matching game into a team sport where students match the vocabulary cards with the correct illustration. On our last day before moving on to a Halloween theme the students matched ALL of the cards correct except for one! I was very happy with their performance and I told them so.

In Health class I have continued with the Multiple Intelligences unit that I created and they are very excited each time we do an activity. I can’t count the number of times that students have asked me, “When are we going to score our smart tests?!” Because of schedule conflicts we lost the Health class where the kids were supposed to find out what type of “smart” they are. Let me tell you, they were not too happy about that decision. Once we had the opportunity to do the activity, it was ALL they would talk about. Students were sharing with one another their results and we eager to talk about it in class. I think the students are gaining an understanding of the concepts I am trying to teach and it feels great to know how excited they are about being different.

Social Studies this week was interesting because my co-op and I started a GPS unit. After charging the batteries, checking all of the devices, ruling out the ones that didn’t work, organizing groups, and bundling up to go outside, we had a chance to see the kids in action. We simply showed them how to turn the GPS systems on and off, and explained how to get to the compass rose, and they were off. While they understood what to do, they were not afraid to experiment with the machines or make mistakes. All of the groups worked well together and were beaming when we explained we would use them for the next week or two.

Science this week has been a little bit difficult for me. I am finding it tough to pick up where my co-op left off. Because it is not my unit, I feel sort of disconnected from the weather actvities that I have done. While I was in the classroom during the science lessons she has taught this far, I feel like I am unsure of what to do next. I have several ideas in mind, but it’s hard for me to know where she was going with the unit. This is not a negative thing, this is just something I will have to overcome.

On a positive note, we had a PD day today. We watched a video of Doug Reeves speaking and it caused me to remenisce about a talk I once had with Tim. Claire’s dad, who just recently passed away, was the one who introduced this key-note speaker. It was a bittersweet moment to see him up at a podium addressing educators. It’s where he belonged. I smiled to myself each time Mr. Reeve spoke of something familar, for example, giving students zeros. I remembered how Tim had become frustrated with those who argued that giving students zeros would motivate them. He explained that research clearly shows the negative affect it has on students. He was angry that teachers still continue to do this despite what the research tells us. Both Tim (in casual conversation) and Doug Reeve (in presentation) spoke passionately about the positive change that needs to happen in teaching practice.

After another long day I’m realized how quickly I’m inching closer to my three week block. I am beginning to feel the pressure as I am at the school at 8am and I usually don’t leave until after 4:30pm. I continue the planning when I arrive home and work until I’m too tired to do so. I’m not surprised at the amount of time it takes to prepare and execute lessons, but I think my body needs some time to catch up. Hopefully after this inspiring video, some family time, and turkey dinner I’ll be well rested and ready to go again.

After a long day at school I pulled up to the house and put my car in park. I wandered into through the front door without knocking and greeted Jake (the family dog). I found my closest friend waiting for me at her kitchen table. I slumped into the chair breathing in the familiar scent of candles. Each week Claire and I make time to sit together, relax, and refocus. Being that we are both in our internship, this time allows us to stay positive, grounded, and it allows us to reflect on our days in the classroom. We offer suggestions, share successes (and failures) while laughing over a pot of tea.

Just as I was finishing my cup of tea, Claire’s father came home. She hollered, “Happy birthday Dad!” and I followed with a sqeaky singing of “Happy birthday.” Tim laughed and asked if I was staying for his birthday supper. I declined and explained that I should head home to see if my own family had plans for supper. I placed my cup on the counter, said good-bye, and drove home only to find an empty house. With no energy to make a supper for one, I went back to Claire’s to join in on Tim’s 54th birthday celebration.

Over a delicious taco dinner I shared with the family various lessons that I had planned for my advisor’s visit, which was the very next day. Tim carefully explained his reasoning for supporting my multiple intelligences lesson while enjoying his favourite dessert, raisin pie. I respected his opinion very much. He has been in the teaching profession for thirty years as a teacher, board member, trustee, superintendent, assistant director, and director of education. I think he might know what he’s talking about… We all cleaned up our plates and talked into the evening. For some reason I was in no hurry to return home.

We laugh and joked, but also had some “teacher talk” as we often did. Erin, Claire’s older sister, was proud to share that she had written the last five pages of her thesis. I entered the computer room with her and Tim and proceeded to read her brilliant words. “She is just like her dad,” I thought to myself. Tim took off his glasses and praised her for her work. He asked if she would present her thesis with him at another conference after her baby was born and Erin smiled knowing that he had already made the decision for her.

As the night and our conversation wore on I decided to say good-bye to my “other” family and turn in for the night. I wished Claire luck, as her advisor was coming the following day as well, and felt Erin’s belly before leaving. I thanked Claire’s mom, Linda, for supper and thanked Tim for sharing his beloved raisin pie. The door closed behind me and I looked up to the stars all the way to my car.

The next morning came earlier than I anticipated, my lesson went well, and my advisor seemed to be pleased. The kids enjoyed the lesson and were eager to continue on learning about the multiple intelligences. I went home for lunch and returned to the school in time to organize some of my lessons. The last half of the day began with our reading buddies. Our grade four students were working with their kindergarten partners in the library when I was told to answer a call. I thought it odd to be getting a call while at school and quickly walked to the phone. I don’t remember what exactly was said, but I knew that I needed to go to Claire as quickly as I could. Her dad had died at noon.

I approached my co-operating teacher, explained that I needed to leave immediately and dropped my books at my desk. Looking back now I was probably in no condition to be driving, but I drove to Claire’s. It was the longest 4 minutes of my life to date. I ran through the door, past the police, and hugged her hard as tears streamed down our faces. I cried harder as I saw her mother with her head in her hands and sister holding her belly sitting at the kitchen table in complete shock. I spent the next 6 days with my other family.

Tim was a brilliant man with infinite wisdom. He was an amazing husband, father, teacher, and friend. His beliefs about education will be carried on by those of us who had the opportunity to share a conversation with him. He was a very special man and an inspiration to me.

I have realized that writing and singing are a release for me. I sang at Tim’s memorial service, and now I’m sharing this story with those who choose to read it. Some advice Tim gave me that I will forever remember is: “Keep the positive people close to you.” and “He does too love raisin pie!”

I was happy to return to the school on Monday fully recovered from various cold and flu bugs, but I felt something was different right away. We’re past the introduction and the get-to-know-each-other period. Now that they’re settled, students seem to be more comfortable with themselves, peers, and teachers. I’ve also realized that the more subjects I pick up the less of a novelty I am in the classroom. The students are no longer trying to be the teacher-pleasers they were to begin with.

A few were less motivated and others much more disruptive this week. I tried my best not to let it affect the others in the class (and me too!), but this proved to be very difficult. I was going home at the end of each day feeling emotionally and physically exhausted and I’m not even in my block yet! My co-operating teacher advised me to try to keep my emotions out of it, but I’m having a hard time so far. I suppose that must come with experience. Don’t get me wrong though… I’m not saying the entire week was disastrous. I simply mean that I noticed a shift in the atmosphere of the classroom and the attitudes of the kids at the beginning of the week.

In the middle of the week my co-operating teacher had a sub in for part of the day. The sub turned out to be one of my grade six teachers! It was wonderful to be able to have him observe my teaching and give me such positive feedback. I hope I have more opportunities to work with others who have been able to watch me grow from a student to a professional. 

Another positive experience I had this week was when I implemented a very active game during my French class. We have been working on vocabulary and I finally felt confident enough to take a risk and play the game I had come up with. The students were on teams matching pictures cards with the correct French vocabulary. The kids LOVED the relay race type game, but the bell rang for home time right in the middle of our game. I suppose I learned I had better keep one eye on the clock. The students were just as upset as I was when I had to stop the game and send them off to the buses.

That afternoon I took part in a meeting regarding one of the students in my room. I was fortunate enough to be able to communicate with the parents and other teachers regarding this student. It was wonderful to hear some background information to really get a sense of who this student is. As a group, we talked about what kinds of things could help this student to be successful throughout the year. Throughout the rest of the week I was able to apply some of the strategies for this child that we had discussed. I was also able to watch for some things that I was not aware of before. Being actively involved in the PPP process has been an incredible learning experience for me.

Finally FRIDAY arrived. I think the students were just as excited as the staff was.. Today was Rider Pride day! Students and staff were covered in face paint, watermelon helmets, and various sizes and styles of green and white jerseys. Everyone seemed to be excited and cheerful throughout the morning, but as the day wore on one could tell that people were aching for the weekend to arrive.

I had to teach the last hour of the day and I was noticing the kids’ exciting with each passing minute. Students were restless, anxious, and VERY chatty. I did my best to reign them in, but sometimes (even for adults) it’s hard to contain the excitement. I was able to complete my two week conflict manager mini-unit today and I presented each student with a certificate. In a couple of weeks their skills will be put to the test as they will adorn themselves with the yellow pinnies and set off to solve the playground problems.

I can’t believe I’m saying this on a Friday, but I’m actually excited for Monday! My faculty advisor will be in to observe for the very first time. I’m also beginning a new Health unit that day on the Multiple Intelligences, which I have been looking forward to for a LONG time. I will have plenty of time to think about that, but for now TGIF!

I have recently been informed of the teacher’s immunity - something I clearly have not developed as of yet. Most teachers are naturally immune to the illnesses dragged into the classrooms and, as an intern, I have found that I’m not so lucky.. With 32 students in a classroom someone is ALWAYS sick and I have had my first opportunity of the school year to experience the dreaded head cold/flu. (I’m just happy it happened now instead of my three week block coming up in November!)

After feeling under the weather for a week or so I can finally focus more of my attention on teaching instead of cough syrup and sinus medication. I have been teaching Health since the beginning of the year and now I have picked up French. I was terrified to have to teach another language, but it’s turning out quite well so far. The kids surprised me with their excitement to learn and have a song to sing for just about every topic! As elementary French classes are mainly focussed on vocabulary, I have found that games and activities are much more engaging than the “repetez s’il vous plait” that I experienced in elementary school.

Teaching Health has also been a good experience thus far. I began the year with some hands on activities and games in an attempt to build relationships with one another. As cheesy as it sounds, we made friendship pins for our shoes. The kids enjoyed themselves and were able to build and exchange pins with others in the classroom. We have also been conducting classroom meetings where we get to know each other a little bit better. Seated on the floor, in a circle, each person has an opportunity to compliment another students in the classroom. We have focussed on giving “inside” compliments rather than “outside” compliments this past week. Students began their compliments with “You’re good at…” or “Thank you for…” It’s refreshing to hear positive words from these students because we’re often so focused on ”what NOT to say.”  

I feel like I’m off to a good start this year and I appreciate the positive experiences I’ve had so far. My co-operating teacher continues to surprise me with her supportive nature and willingness to learn with me. The staff members have been helpful and take a genuine interest in my internship. The students are more than happy to share their smiles (and sickness) with me!

I didn’t feel as if this week was particularly difficult, but I sure was exhausted at the end of every day! By 9:00pm I was aching to crawl into bed (a phenomenon I had rarely experienced before this week). I’m happy the long weekend has arrived because I needed some time to organize my life. Now that I have been able to get to know our students a little bit I can begin to plan some larger units that I will soon be teaching. I was doing some soul searching and I found it was helpful to break up my internship into smaller parts. I asked myself:

“What do I have to teach?” - The short answer is EVERYTHING and the long answer is that I need to look to the curriculum guide..

“What do I want to accomplish?” - I want to engage the students. It’s as simple as that. Now, the difficult part is finding out how to do that…

Attempting to answer the “how” question I’ve been mulling over, I came across this video on TeacherTube. It gives teaches a great deal to think about..

 Click here if the video is not playing

I walked into the school eager to meet the staff and prepare for the upcoming staff meeting.  The chirp of crickets followed me into the entry way as I checked the soles of my shoes for specks of dirt or mud. I’m not sure why I had done this.  Perhaps, out of habit I suppose? Did I plan on removing my shoes if they had been dirty? It’s not as if I brought an extra pair of shoes anyway… 

I was quickly directed to the library where I found tables neatly placed in a circle for the very first staff meeting of the year. 

“Congratulations,” a voice behind me said. ”You’re about to experience the most boring school day of the year.  It’s no fun when there’s no kids here.”

I laughed and greeted my grade eight home room teacher from 1999. I felt my role change suddenly.  “Colleague,” I reminded myself, “not student.”

Teachers with familiar faces began to file in from their various classrooms and the meeting was about to begin. I looked around while reminiscing about singing, playing hockey, and graduating with some of their children.  Others were teachers that I had had growing up in this small prairie town. The meeting began and my co-operating teacher smiled. Over the next day and a half I listened quietly, contributed occasionally, but mostly allowed the knots in my stomach to tie themselves even tighter as I scribbled reminders on a pack of sticky notes. 

This morning was the first day of school. Children wandered the halls dragging strategically packed backpacks as the smell of new running shoes filled the air. I think I was just as excited as the kids! I greeted students at the door and helped them to find their desks and locker spaces. I breathed a sigh of relief as the bell rang to begin the school day.

Overwhelmed with information about school rules, fire drill procedures, and bus routes our new grade four students fidgeted as I took centre stage. My first health lesson about friendship unfolded for the last half hour of the day. Seated on the floor in a circle we held our very first classroom meeting. We agreed that by creating a community in our classroom we would be able to have more fun throughout the year. We also agreed that the easiest way to begin to do this is to make friends. Students, one at a time, gave and recieved compliments from their peers. Silence filled the room as we listened to each other share a special comment. I was so happy noticing how engaged the students were! I was also shocked by what the kids were sharing. While some students commented on new school clothes or hair do’s, others said things like:

“Thanks for showing me around the school and showing me where the bathrooms are ’cause I’m new here.”

“You’re a good friend with a big heart.”

“Thanks for being so kind and caring today.”

“I noticed you’re really great at soccer.”

“Thanks for inviting me to play tag with you and your friends at recess.”

Some simple and some wise beyond their years, I found that these compliments were a great way to end a hectic day and to begin an exciting year.

“Who actually cares what I have to say?”  To be completely honest, this is what my initial reaction was when I heard the class requirements for ECMP 355.  Creating and maintaining a blog was something completely foreign to me! Regardless, it was my responsibility to create this page, play with the settings, and explore my writing style.

As the weeks passed I became more and more comfortable blogging and reading the blogs of others in the class.  I’m not sure what my expectations were as I was reading, but I was impressed with what people were sharing and writing in their blogs.  I found, like many people in this class, that I agreed with some and disagreed with others.  If I felt strongly about something I would express my opinion by adding a comment at the bottom of the page.  I especially enjoyed seeing the photo stories and videos that everyone had created and I often thanked people for sharing them with us.

Coming to the end of this course I would no longer cringe at the thought of having to express myself through blogging on the internet.  I felt moments of passion come through as I was excited to blog about cyber bullying and how it relates to Rick Lavoie’s “poker chip” analogy.  Also, when Barack Obama became the democratic nominee I couldn’t wait to write a quick post!

Just as I became excited about reading others’ work, I believe students could feel the same way.  I believe that students, regardless of their age, can benefit from blogging in the classroom.  Before this course I had heard about some brave teachers who were using this tool, but I was unfamiliar with how engaged the students could become.  The neat thing about blogging in school is, it can fit almost anywhere in our Saskatchewan Evergreen Curriculum!  Students can interact with other students from around the world and learn about different cultures.  They can create pod casts about a novel study to share with their classmates and give words of encouragement online.  Teachers could post their daily math assignments online and students could answer the questions and explain their reasoning through simple blog posts.  I plan to use blogging in my future classrooms because the possibilities are endless!   

Being the digital immigrant that I am, I feel I have grown immensely throughout this course.  I am more confident in my abilities and I believe I will be able to take many things that I have learned and apply them in my internship this fall.  Thank you, Alec, for being patient when we were having difficulties, giving us the opportunity to experience new forms of technology, and pushing us beyond our comfort levels!