Mrs. Abisola Bankole

What was your #oneword2020? When you read and look back at your #oneword2020 was this a reasonable goal set for self for your EDUC 491 practicum experience? Does your #oneword2020 still resonate with you?

The one word I chose for 2020 EDUC491 is Engage. Student engagement was the central theme of my whole practicum because when my students were engaged in the lesson the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism and passion my students shows is evident in their independent practices.  When my students were engaged I see the level of motivation in what they want to learn and progress in their work. In preparing my lesson and reflect on what will keep my students engaged through the lesson and I also demonstrate that energy and enthusiasm so that my students can model same behavior and it reflect on their learning. I establish classroom routines, use consistent cues, and assign student’s roles that foster behaviors more conducive to learning.

Although, I must admit this was a little bit of a challenge with my cues and gestures.  I later found what works to keep them engaged and cues and gestures that works when they are distracted. “1,2,3, eye on me”, keeping silent and saying “I will wait” and clapping to get their attention also help my young students to refocus when they get distracted or boisterous. I also establish consistent routines that help students stay on task or remain engaged during the class. For example, I break the class up regularly into small groups to move their seats into circle for a group discussion and I also ask students on a rotating basis to lead certain activities like Calendar. By introducing variation into the classroom routine, I was able to reduce the monotony and potential disengagement that may occur when students sit in the same seat, doing similar tasks, for extended period of times. Research on brain-based learning has also provided evidence that variation, novelty, and physical activity can stimulate and improve learning.

You may or may not have been focused on your #oneword2020 during your EDUC 491 practicum, but how did you do in satisfying or working towards your #oneword2020? How did you do in your EDUC 491 practicum with respect to your #oneword2020? What went well, what would you do differently, and what at did you learn?

I try to satisfy this one wordy using different teaching strategies that helps students to participate in their own learning process by incorporating multimedia, technology and class participation. I try to create a teaching and learning environment that is active, primed for student participation such as calling on students to answer a question, individual reflection, think pair share and group problem solving. Equally, the student-centered approach to pedagogy accounts for different skills, backgrounds, and learning styles of student when they are full engaged. Technology was used in the classroom to facilitate lessons and help with active learning and it keep the students engaged. I make lesson relevant and meaningful by using real world example to teach and it meets the current needs of student learning.

The subject of each lesson was cross curricular, rather than teaching in isolation or compartmentalizing subject areas. It was noticeable that students were better engaged when they could make connection to have they have learnt in Math and found it in Science lesson. I also engage students in cooperative learning by arranging them in partners or small groups to help the achieve their learning goals. The group work includes, assignment, experiment, discussion, reviews, art projects, gym partners and even having students discuss with their peers. Consequently, my students also engage in authentic life experiences. The students also tackle real-world problems and attempt to come up with solution through method such as experimentation and inquiry. They were able to able to reflect on their real world learning experience and this further reinforce engagement in the classroom.

3.Thinking about your #oneword2020 and your EDUC 491 practicum experience… what did you learn about yourself as an educator? What did you learn about your students? Would you choose a different word? Why?

Lastly, from this whole experience I have learn a lot about myself as a teacher. I have learned that I expect a lot from my students. I believe in my students and I know they can accomplish anything as long as they set their mind to it; that is why I set the bar high for each students I work with. I have a very positive outlook for my students. I show the they each are capable of achieving great things in life and they have the ability to do it. I have also learned that I love children. I often tell myself that I couldn’t have picked a better major because I love what I do! I love knowing that I have the ability to make a difference in a student’s life and the ability to help the learn and grow in knowledge. I have learned that I have great deal of patience.

Patience is a very important quality for a teacher to have especially a teacher who works with elementary level students. I remember specifically helping a student with his math work. Over and over again I would explain to him how to arrive to the answer. Finally, with patience, he figured out the solution. At that moment I couldn’t have been more proud; with patience and a little help the boy was able to complete the problem that I knew he was capable of doing.  I got to know each of my student on a personal level and helped them with subject they struggled in. I enjoyed watching them grow throughout my short practicum expanding their knowledge and discovering new things. I learned that my students are joyful, active, knowledgeable, and ready to learn.  I learn that I have to be flexible and adaptable at all-time even if I had plan a lesson a certain way. It may go another direction just to meet the needs of those students. I will stick to this one word for this year maybe it will change in the future. Student Engagement is central theme in the education program and it encompass all the learning process.

 The speaker is the program consultant of the 4th largest district in BC. The largest school in Barnaby BC. They do technology like no body’s business. They focus on  what it is they share with purpose. Every life is built on story. Story build us, it empowers us, it makes us feel connected with story, encircle us. It gives us a sense of belonging.  Whether it is first nation content, our own culture or the culture you are from as apart of a community in this Ed-Tech class. You are part of a story. Story is the truth that is important whether it is  an accepted story,whether it is students story, face to face with other teachers. Story gives us the journey of where we are going, which helps us to create an environment that is purposeful, the one that focused on learning.

There are three point areas to go through

1. How do we start with those big ideas, and how do we take those ideas and weave them to a whole  bunch of different modalities, it create multi facet experiences that is so inclusive to every single child whether as a teenager or young children we work with.
2.  How to move students from just consuming which we do to creation. We know that creation as a level of complexity to our own understanding of our content is huge in  getting to environment where we get our students to the point where they can create.
3.  How do we embed assessment. Assessment is huge.  The difference between formative and summative assessment.  Spend a lot on Formative. How summative become formative to empower and to move forward.
4. What is your next step? Every student should have a goal in mind, should be able to say where I’m I? where am I going?  What is my next step? Every student and teacher should have an answer to this three big questions and if they don’t there will be needs to answer tough questions. The speaker believes in fire starter.  This purpose is to tell a story. Build the fire starter with your hopes , your dreams, your wishes. Where you are and where you hope to be.

Kristina Tzetsos, touch on some fundamental principles of teaching today, She unpack some housekeeping fundamental rules every teacher should reflect on and to guide them in the teaching and learning journey.  First, “We teach who we are” and every educator should daily reflect on their practice. As an educator you can only take one tools , ideas, or strategies that are useful or meaningful to inform your practice.I reflected on these principles  and I found is valuable because in this digital age where there are many material and digital platforms out there. It is important as a teacher to reflect and work with platforms that will inform your practice in a meaningful way. 

Technology empowers and engage students in learning and it gives students the opportunity to showcase their work. It is important that educators make the change by a shift in their mindset to get trained to be innovative thinkers  and make new waves that will be beneficial to their students.  

   Kristina share her work on spindle as a framework that gives students great audience for their ideas and a place for continuous action on insight,feedback and reflection. Today, a lot of responsibilities are placed on students as to taking ownership of their learning and she gave an example of a years old managing his/ her own assessment is problematic. How accurate to self-reflect when they don’t practice. We are asking students to take charge of what something they don’t know how to do. If we want students to take ownership and do a self access we have to model, give clear criteria, and make them practice, and show them what you want to see  by modelling the lesson and showing them step by step of skills you want to see in them as a teacher.

 She shared fives steps to ensure that students self-assessment learning is not compromised 

Monitor on task behavior

Track scope and sequence

Collect artifact and evidence

Reflect process skill learning

Access objectives and accuracy.

 She said this process has to be followed  to ensure that students are really having a deep understanding of the skills they need  for self-assessment and peer assessment.

 I found Kristina presentation valuable because as we students are being thought to be independent of their own learning, it is important that teachers have to be considered the level of understanding of students when the do peer-assessment and self-assessment. Many students do not understand what they need two evaluate in this two ways of assessment.

Today’s guest speaker is  Karen Lirenman, a life long learner, author,educator . An apple distinguished Educator, Google innovator, ISTE Award recipient and 5x Ironman. Karen is also a a co-author of ” Innovate with iPad: Lessons to Transform Learning in Classroom”. She works for SD 39 (Vancouver) and she talked about why being a strong advocate for technology in the classroom

  Karen share fantastic use of technology in her classroom and reason why educators should embrace its use too. 

1.  Using Technology is empowering because it enables students what they know in  a way that works for them.
2.  It is a great tool in the sense that if you make mistakes you can delete it.  And a great platform for accessibility for all learning even student with hearing problem , deaf and speech impediment can benefit from the use of technology.  
3.  Allow educators to connect their learner to world in so many different ways that is safe  for learners at the same time connecting them to deep learning.

The speaker share different ways she has used technology and social media to throw educative questions to  the global world using her twitter account. This has drawn different point of view from different expertise globally and  her students finds this response inspiring and this gives them ideas of developing more questions in different content areas they are covering. 

Tim Cavey and Teachers on Fire

 Tim Cavey share an inspirational journey of how he started podcast. The experience has motivated him to keep being passionate in his professional practice. Having been teaching for 19 years. There were some years that he felt he wasn’t growing but he was cruising but in order to avoid being stagnant podcast helps him to keep engaged and passionate. Listening to teachers from other parts of Canada keeps him sharp, for him to engage in his professional practice and continue to learn different contents. Cavey shares what he had learned from all this interview is the product of learning that resonates outside the school building. He was vulnerable to share an interview  with a popular speaker who speaks on bullying, equality in education, and literacy. Cavey twitter out the show someone somewhere connected to the show pop up on twitter and pointed out that the interview quest where not diverse to include member of the minority group. Cavey became defensive that he honors diversity and that is married to people of visible minority, He further mention that we have to do a better job of representing the profession. We need to be mindful of voices that are not heard. This experience became a game changing moment for him to bring people of visible minority to his podcast. 

 Cavey answer six questions of why he podcasts teacher of fire

• Podcast journey is not about building audience alone. It explained that it affects our growth and learning as professional. Educators share that great ideas best practice and learning as professional. Through podcast he had been able to learn ideas he hasn’t heard before, technology he has not used or have access to and brilliant thinking like” how can we make great learning viral innovative practice in education.” Podcast has simultaneous indication that has instant discovery, universal access,  and over 80 countries of the world listens to podcasts.
• Podcast amplify the voice of inspired educators. There are a lot of great educators doing awesome and cool things out there. They care about creating new discovery in their classroom  that need to shine the spotlight upon. This creative educators needs recognition.
•  Podcast help with growth and professional learning: Cavey became an addict of amazon and read books on kindle this has given ability to continually pursue  professional content through his great interviews.
• Podcast allow him to build a relationship with other educators. There are some educators that are called virtual friend that he has not met in real life. 

• Podcast helps to build a platform and help educators build metaphorical  voice . It is important because each of us brings something unique to those voices. You can find your voice in blogging, Vloging interviews,podcast. When you have a topic that is valuable to you to the conservation, you become rock-star teacher trying something phenomenal. Everyone has a voice that contributes to the conservation.
• Podcast learner are absolutely valued by listeners. Cavey did a google survey just to see how meaningful podcast his to the education community and the response he got from the survey was remarkable. Educators that have had access to his survey voice out how podcast has been valuable to their professional growth and they have developed new ideas and pedagogy in new was of teaching and learning Other s said it had good for their health listening to it. Being intentional by our listening skills  by listening to audio books helps us to get through information books that we may not be able to read.

I found the information provided by Covey valuable and I have started listening to professional podcast too. I will keep listening as a lifelong learner.

Computational Thinking with Carrie Antoniazzi

Carrie Antoniazzi from Science World is our guest speaker this week. She facilitates professional learning BC educator through Science World as a “Tech Up Learning Specialist”.  The speaker discusses computational thing as a problem solving process in math, computer, science and even in other aspect like dance for example.  The Computer Education of BC came up with six views while working with the ministry of education. The six views is:

Logical reasoning.

Developing algorithms

Breaking problems into steps

Finding patterns and generalizing

Use of abstraction

Evaluation.

Logical reasoning is breaking down complex problems into smaller more manageable bit and keeping in mind of the end goal.  For instance, the play of Romeo and Juliet performance. There is different part to the play, the customer, location, the character as well as many other part that will be involves in putting the play together.

Developing algorithm. In creating this model all the parts are working together.  It is an abstraction of taking a detail of an information and taking what you need. All the part of the information is not provided. A good example of this is the sky train map route you need to be on and the stops signs.

Finding patterns and generalizing: this is when you find a pattern that helps to inform our solution to a problem. An example is the science experiment that has been tested ten times, the scientist can make predictions that maybe the interior is not clean or the measurement wasn’t accurate.

A step by step instruction. This is when instructions are broken down to steps. Following a receipt pod how to make chocolate cooks or the right step to write a Haiku poem.

Abstraction: An example of an abstraction is a math equation are abstraction and equal representation of what we are trying to solve and how to solve it.

Carrie share ideas that Applied Design Thinking origins from the Stanford’s school of design. It is a research based model that come from industry. That is used to create prototypes, products, situation and create spaces.  Sharing where applied design thinking is important because it directly influence our design process in British Colombia.  We matched up the applied design process from our curriculum here because we talk about understanding context, define a problem ideating prototype testing, making and sharing our product. Ideating is an important tool in this process because it involves collaboration and multiple of people working together.

Primary level educators use ideating in the classroom all the time while grade 4-12 level are expected to be able to work through   the applied design process. For example, the intermediate level will be able to work with their little buddy to write a story. They will be able to understand the context what they are writing for, design a story that will be interesting to their little buddies who gives them feedback after they have read it to the students. The little buddies give them feedback on content, how the story could be more interesting, or add more picture to make it fun to read. The intermediate students take the story back and work on the feedback their little buddies had had given to them. They finally share their final product those students.

The Applied Design process are the curricular competencies of the ADST curriculum there are two other which is technology and skill. Within the apply skills, there are questions that might arise as to how can we use the right technology and use it properly to solve a problem. For example, if I’m building a app I need to know the kind of code I want to use. I need to think of my digital citizenship to be able to know how to use online resources properly. Also when building a table and desk, I need to know the right saw, screwdriver, wear my safety google. All these skills are essential for our students to learn before they take on any project. The curriculum of K-5 is not content specific, but intertwined to other subject areas. When we start exploring the grade 6-12 curriculum there are manuals that has technology and certain concept in them. Computational thinking is one of those manuals. Technology and computational thinking process can also be adapted for lower grade levels.

The activity in this presentation is to code a friend, Carrie gives specific instruction of symbols to use, step forward, step backward, step left and right, stay on the stop. Optional code were stars and the owner decide on what they want to name the code.  Players will then think of the space and the player codes the robot to do an action in that space. The symbols cannot be more than 6 symbols and less than 50. I coded my robot to go to the park. The starting point was the most challenge.

Another activity is taking public transportation to take our tourist to the city on a guided tour. The reason for taking them on public transportation is because of our budget low. There are certain loops we can take. With a partner you look at how many solutions you can both find to take our tourist to the city.  The instruction was you can only stop at the hotel and finish at the hotel.

I found the information useful and all the activities demonstrated in the presentation useful. I will use their resources in my practicum and as a future teacher.

Fresh Grade

  Fresh Grade works well from students’ point of view. Introduction to fresh grade video. It is free to use. The main purpose is communication…  the set up is to look like e-portfolio. Fresh Grade facilitate parent/ teacher/ student/ communication. It is a good tool that enhance assessment. Parents have inside access into what their children are learning. It helps with the organization of assessment for the teacher and they are also sharing what is going on in the classroom for students which is an instant communication for parents. The learning outcome is also in there and it always connected back on healthy communication and connection. The information is fast forward and does not require any extra work from the teacher. Teachers can create  artifacts, photos, videos, audio notes, to assess and document learning in real time.

 Fresh  Grade is a portfolio and assessment platform that helps educators, parent and student conserve about learning. With Fresh grade educators can capture evidence, give feedback, track progression, through standards and customs objectives. Fresh Grade create more visibility enabling parents to become more engaged and involved in  their child’s progress and learning outcomes. Parents also become better partners with their children’s teachers. Gone are the days when parents ask student what they learn today. The usual answer is always we learn stuff. School that use Fresh Grade provide parents inside access of what students are doing in their classroom and information are shared forward to parents.

Fresh Grade also make it easy for students to demonstrate their learning in different ways which means it support personalized learning. Students can show their work  by recording , using pictures or visual to show their learning, writing about it , giving information about their work or research and synthesize their learning. What is important is that they show a deep understanding how they learn and they have been able to personalize it in a variety of ways. With this platforms teacher connect among themselves to share ideas, best practices, and wins. Fresh grade also increases efficiency in the classroom and free teachers up to spend more time on the things that matter most. The software is user friendly as teacher can navigate it easy for understanding and set up.

An example that was used in the classroom is the different way 0.75 can be represented. Student represented this number in fraction, percentage, using a number line,  pie chart decimal and drawing it out. This example shows the use of differentiation approach and the teacher gets to see student’s understanding. Fresh grade is a grade book that helps the teacher to monitor the growth and achievement of individual students from the beginning of the school year to the end of the school year. The performance level indicator scales of mastery can show if students are at the beginning, developing, applying, and extending in their work.

The students also do the self-reflection piece using prompt in the digital portfolio about how they feel they can talk about how they feel about the assignment, their favorite part of it, their strength, what represent their personality. They can also describe their progress on what project they are working on, and make comment on areas they have shown growth. They can describe where they are meeting criteria and where they are exceeding criteria in their work.

I found the information on Fresh Grade useful to me. During my last practicum. My school uses  Fresh Grade and I also use it in one of the units in language art that I thought. The students collaborated to make a logo for a  product they really like and some of them demonstrated their work using video and this was posted on Fresh Grade. My son’s school also use it and it has been a great experience getting to know what happens in their school on a daily basis.

 Fresh Grade is an educational technology. I will incorporate in my classroom as a practicing teacher in the future and if the school I’m having my practicum is using it. I will also incorporate it in my school.

Blog,

Professional Mindset through E-portfolio

Ivan’s share his journey on e-portfolio that will be beneficial to all teacher’s in the age of advanced technology. One big idea that resonate with me the growth mindset ideology and his innovation in developing a professional mindset. He made emphasis on daily reflection which has helped him develop well in his professional career. The use of e-portfolio has helped him track students with different abilities, and diverse groups, as well as students on IEPS. Reflection keeps him grounded in himself as well as when professional and personal things get in his way.  He touched on empathy, especially when thinking about his audience like students with anxiety, emotional problem, and different things students’ of diverse groups struggle with.  He depicted that keeping proper track of these students through daily reflection, journals, helps him to uncover things he was thinking.

This information is important for me to stay current, open, reflective, grounded, passionate, innovative and connected to the changes that goes on in the education system. It also allows be to be reflective on how I can develop a professional mindset. Where I could explore my thinking through doodling, scrapping, codding, creativity, and lifelong learning.  The main purpose is telling our story through daily reflection to personalize what our learning journey looks like. As a believer of guided release of responsibility along with design thinking. Ivan share the design thinking schematic and raise question in each of it. The schematics is listed as follow.

 Empathize: Why is communicating student’s learning important than reporting students’ scores based on task and test?

Define: What does personalizing learning and archiving learning through e-portfolio means?

Ideate: Does personalized learning have to look the same for all learner?

Prototypes: Knowing that we make mistakes along the way… how do we try out things like descriptive feedback? e-portfolio?

Test: What work for the learners as well as the teacher to create a personalized journey?

Ivan’s work, story, and personalized e-portfolio is an eye-opener for me to see how I can build my professional mindset to keep me informed of my future students’ need. It has also shown how I can stay current, grounded, and connected in my profession as a teacher to know my students.

Mrs. Sally Song is a grade seven teacher of nine years. She shares her journey and passion for the use of technology in her classroom. She narrated her experience from being trained with no use of technology and how through her professional development and has a life long learner she has been able to develop the skills over the years. She said twitter was very helpful as she shares some of her class work and activities on twitter. She also has her blog to be able to have a digital platform where she can put her work. However, all this became overwhelming as she has to keep up with work life balance. She realized that picking and choosing what works for the student is what is important.
In her words. “As teacher we already have too much going on, don’t add too much to your plate”. She introduces office 365 which she found valuable and the program help with PowerPoint, collaboration of students working together, and interactive and engaging activities.
Office 365 is a platform where students can be able to showcase their learning, collaborating ideas together that can be shared in “Sweey’’ room. even when they are not face to face. Essentially this program connects students all over the district to share their thought, ideas, and strategy methods together. They can upload and share their files navigating through the media to build some digital platforms.
However, technology according to Sally, cannot replace the brain, communication skill, curricular competencies and they creative and life skills that student should be able to function with. Like the ability to think critically, problem solve and you their logical reasoning. Technology should be used in a positive smart way. Sally recommend another app that helps her in planning which sis called the “remind”.
What is interesting about this app is that it generates number and she is has the setting of the app as a one-way communication. This app helps to send reminders to parents about upcoming event in the school, homework, class activities or even they might be having. She added that setting the reminder app that one-way communication is to prevent professional blur and two-way communication and some parents do not respect boundaries of when to be texting the teacher and she had had that experience where parents was asking her about a student assignment 8:00 pm in the night. Also language is important and we have to be mindful of the way we use it. The reason for that is that communication is document and sometimes language use might be strong and parents can take this up with the teacher.
The final world she retreated is the Ed-tech should be meaningful to students that student’s will see it more than social media and that students can use it as a way to show and share their individual knowledge, skills, and abilities.
What really resonates with me is that in the world were we have so much going on even in the world of technology. As educators we still have to research and make good choice for our students. Pick what will real fit their learning abilities and make sure it is meaningful, engaging, and they can personalize their leaning.

Sandra Macaulays demonstrate how to use technology in the classroom. She recognizes how engaging the use of iPad in the classroom can stretch students to be positive, connected, and focused in their learning. She cited different example of how the use of different apps has help student engage and implement their inquiry project.
What stood out for me is the learning intention of the use of technology and the different example of apps that can be used in the classroom. She emphasizes on letting the students explore through play and letting the student know they have specific time to play and embark on the task of the day suing the app. She retreated on a quote: “Fair is when everyone gets what they need for their learning”. Using IPad picture is always a great start using the Pica-collage app. Students gets to explore by taking personal picture and exploring how they use the app for their project.
She also touched on leadership by role modeling, among the students and tutoring through the use of buddies. Some students shine through the use of buddies. Also establishing relationship that get everyone to connect to the big idea, in the classroom will be the access point for all. Students can also explore what is in the environment, and asking student what they notice or observe, and what they can measure in their surroundings. The class brainstorm on different apps that can be useful for students to explore in the classroom. The list of examples is as follow. Razz-Kids-Read aloud, Fresh Grades, Stalwart for night DLC Whip around, Smart-board, Cause wheel for visually impaired, Legend of Education, Go module, Electronic dictionary, Google translate, Noise cancel headphones, Microphone on keyboard, Symbol Lab, Typing.com, Epic app. Raz kids, Websites, drawing app, Vlogs video Sesame, E-Portfolio, Office 365, google classroom. Pica-collage, seesaw and so many other examples. She shared how picture is a powerful app that students use to represent their learning. Students work on their project using pictures and at the end of it, they pick their best work airdrop to the teacher web after they have completed their work. The use of iPad in the classroom is powerful even for students on IEPS. Sandra gave an example of a student who was completely disengaged and when the students was introduced to the iPad it was interesting to see how that student use it to identify elements in Chemistry and even help students who are achievers in the classroom. This student went from no engagement to high level of engagements and excel in all subject areas. The use of iPad s and apps are valuable because some of these apps are specially design for students that needs support or struggling in the old ways of doing things.
In my last practicum the school had iPad and I was able to use iPad with the help of my coaching teacher to do an activity on advertising. The students were in a group of five and they creatively came up with a log for their product and they did an advertising role play which was recorded and sent to fresh grade an app the school use to communicate to parents. They were all very product on the work and effort they put on their log and how it all turn out.
I will absolutely use iPad in any school in my upcoming practicum if the school have them and in the future in my own classroom if the district I work with make provision for it.