As I look back on my year I can't believe how much has changed for me. Here is my attempt to recap the journey I have taken professionally in the 2011-2012 school year.
• joined Twitter in July 2011 and now follow over 750 people, have over 775 following me, and have tweeted over 5,500 times not including my direct messaging (tons!)
• started this professional blog as a way to document and share some of my learning
• took part in many twitter educational chats including but not limited to #1stchat, #kinderchat, #edchat, #elemchat #gtchat, #storyappchat, #D5chat
• set up a class blog which ended up with 199 posts, 253 comments, and over 22,000 hits
• set up individual blogs for my grade one students who have now written over 750 posts and received over 1,600 comments
• completely changed my writing program to allow my students more choice with their writing and in the process created genuinely motivated writers
• completely changed my reading program to allow my students more choice with their reading and in the process created genuinely motivated readers
• changed my word work program to all my students more choice with their word work and in the process created self motivated learners
• dropped my traditional "calendar" routines and replaced it with math chat
• used the Mind Up, Fun Friends, and Fin's Friends social emotional programs to better meet my students social emotional needs
• learned and used many web 2.0 tools
• utilized technology to better meet the individual needs of my students, and to connect my class with the world
• set up a class twitter, youtube, and closed class facebook account
• was selected to a part of a special district literacy learning lab utilizing technology with early primary students
• helped write a successful Innovative Learning Design grant application
• created many videos and slide shows
• had my class Skype and Face Time with students in Illinois, Ontario. and Saskatchewan
• Skyped, Google Hung Out, and Face Time'd with teachers in Hong Kong, Illinois, Ontario (several), Saskatchewan, and Florida
• had my class read and comment on class blogs from around the world
• read and commented on many professional blogs from around the world
• participated in three global projects - Quad Blogging, Flat Classroom : Building Bridges K-2 Pilot Project April-May, and Bean Wiki with my class
• attended EdCampDelta, EdCampSurrey, and EdCampKinder in Las Vegas
• visited three schools and had several teachers both from my district and another district visit my classroom to learn and share
• met and connected with several Surrey School District teachers, administrators, and school district leaders ( I am far more known around the district this year than I have in any other time in my career)
• presented professional development workshops for my staff and my school district
• asked to present professional development workshops at three more schools at the beginning of the new school year, as well as for the Surrey Primary Teachers association
• wrote posts on Twitter, Tablet Computer Apps, and Digital Literacy for the International Reading Association
• sparked the use of KidBlog as a blogging platform for students in my school district, and beyond
• participated in webinars
• attended two workshops at Apple Canada Institute
• attended Surrey's Digital Dinner series
• attended two BC Primary teacher's conventions
• attended workshops led by Alec Couros, George Couros, Adrienne Gear (Reading Power), Gail Boushey and Joan Moser (Cafe), and Lilian Katz (Reggio)
• have read (or in the middle of reading) Mind Set by Carol Dweck, Drive by Daniel Pink, No More "I'm Done!" by Jennifer Jacobson, Personal Learning Networks by Richardson and Mancabelli, Teaching with Intention by Debbie Miller, Catching Reader's Before They Fall by Johnson and Keir,In Pictures and In Words by Ray, Writing Power by Adrienne Gear, Reading Power by Adrienne Gear, Reading Power Non Fiction by Adrienne Gear, Choice Words by Peter Johnston, The Daily 5 and The Cafe by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds by Lindsay and Davis, Math Exchanges by Kassia Omohundro Wedekind, Teaching with Tools Kids Really Use by Susan Brooks-Young, Making Thinking Visible by Ritchhart and Church and Morrison, Number Sense Routines by Jessica Shumway, One to One The Art of Conferring with Young Writers by Calkins and Hartman and White, The Passion-Driven Classroom by Maiers and Sandvold, Play by Lisa Murphy and the list continues...
• successfully completed 20 years of teaching and still love it as much, if not more than ever before
A special thank you to my #1stchat, #kinderchat, #sd36learn, #bclearns, #bced, and #elemchat friends. Without you I wonder how much of this would ever have happened. An extra special thank you to Elisa Carlson (Director of Instruction, Surrey School District) for believing in me. Elisa will never really know how powerful that has been for me and I can't thank her enough. And yes, of course, I need to thank Tia Henriksen, mother of one of my grade one students this year, former vice principal of mine, and friend because it was she who coaxed me into giving twitter a try.
What a year it has been. What have you accomplished this year? I'd love to hear.
Next up, goals for the 2012-2013 school year.
Showing posts with label twitter chat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label twitter chat. Show all posts
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Changes, Changes, Changes
As I keep saying, this summer I discovered Twitter and the incredible people learning and sharing with one another. So much has changed for me in such a short period of time and I'm super excited about all the changes. I've always loved what I do for a living, but I feel like my enthusiasm for my job is just growing and growing. There is so much I want to do with my class this year.
On August 2nd I set the following goals for myself after attending RSCON3. So far I'd say I'm heading in the right direction.
I will set up a class blog with my grade one class this year. I hope to have a blog that the parents of my students can go to see what we are doing in class, and that the rest of the world can check out too. DONE! My class blog is up and running. Today we wrote a blog together as a class. There are still so many more things that I want to do with the blog, but I don't want to over whelm anyone - including myself. I've also taken this goal one step further by creating individual blogs for my students. We are writing on them even though nothing has been published to the world yet.
I will take the time to learn as many Web 2.0 tools as I can that can either benefit my teaching, my students learning, this blog, or my class blog. I've learned a ton of new tools which I hope to use either for myself or with my class. I've also shared my knowledge at two professional development days with my staff.
I will continue to differentiate my teaching because I believe so strongly about it, but I will look even more closely at how I go about differentiating. This isn't new for me, but I'm going to look for even more ways to differentiate.
I will provide more opportunities for my grade one students to show me what they know in the manner that they are most comfortable with. Still working on this one, but I know it will come. So much of my time at the beginning of the year is focussed on setting a proper tone for the rest of the year. I'm really pleased with the tone that we are setting together.
I will book the “free” lab time more often as well as bring the laptops into my classroom much earlier than term three. Each week I'm looking at when the free blocks in the lab are. Obviously with a large school I have to be fair with the extra blogs but so far even adding one extra block in the lab makes a difference. Today it was for a math lesson, next week, if the time is available it will be for a big buddy lesson- can't wait to get our big buddies to help us explore Voki. As for laptops, I've managed to get a small set of the older laptops into my classroom. These laptops are at the end of their life span, but they are good enough for us at the moment. It's so exciting to see my students so excited to get on them. Of course, I still have the laptop carts that I can book, which once I feel like our programs are really up and going, I will book them - perhaps next week during our math block? Using technology in my first grade classroom does not scare me.
I will look for grants to get more technology into my classroom, and into my school. I haven't been able to get anything permanent into my school however I have been in contact with the "right" people in my district. At the moment my school has a class set of ipod touches on loan and we are scheduled to receive ipads into our school for a few weeks too. While these are just temporary additions of technology (three week visits), they are (or hopefully will) help my staff realize how amazing these tools can be for teaching and learning.
I will read as many blogs as I can, and comment as often as possible. I have been and will continue to read other professional blogs. I'm making a real effort to write comments too. I love what I'm learning from others and how it questions what I'm already doing. I also love reading other people's "Ah Ha" moments.
I will be willing to help anyone that can use my help. I still stand by this one and I have helped out a few people in the process. I'm hoping I can help out more but even if they don't ask for help, I'm hoping that by sharing what I'm doing I'll maybe help them take a second look at what they could be doing. I really want to bring down the fear factor for as many as I can.
I will have my class fully participate in the Post Card Project. I love this project but I still haven't written a post card despite receiving three. But I will, or at least my class will, write postcards soon.
I will try my best to instill in my students that they can feel, imagine, do and share. This is and will be an on going process which I will not give up on.
I will be a change agent.
I'm really eager to see what the next couple of months have in store for me. It's going to be an exciting ride.
On August 2nd I set the following goals for myself after attending RSCON3. So far I'd say I'm heading in the right direction.
I will set up a class blog with my grade one class this year. I hope to have a blog that the parents of my students can go to see what we are doing in class, and that the rest of the world can check out too. DONE! My class blog is up and running. Today we wrote a blog together as a class. There are still so many more things that I want to do with the blog, but I don't want to over whelm anyone - including myself. I've also taken this goal one step further by creating individual blogs for my students. We are writing on them even though nothing has been published to the world yet.
I will take the time to learn as many Web 2.0 tools as I can that can either benefit my teaching, my students learning, this blog, or my class blog. I've learned a ton of new tools which I hope to use either for myself or with my class. I've also shared my knowledge at two professional development days with my staff.
I will continue to differentiate my teaching because I believe so strongly about it, but I will look even more closely at how I go about differentiating. This isn't new for me, but I'm going to look for even more ways to differentiate.
I will provide more opportunities for my grade one students to show me what they know in the manner that they are most comfortable with. Still working on this one, but I know it will come. So much of my time at the beginning of the year is focussed on setting a proper tone for the rest of the year. I'm really pleased with the tone that we are setting together.
I will book the “free” lab time more often as well as bring the laptops into my classroom much earlier than term three. Each week I'm looking at when the free blocks in the lab are. Obviously with a large school I have to be fair with the extra blogs but so far even adding one extra block in the lab makes a difference. Today it was for a math lesson, next week, if the time is available it will be for a big buddy lesson- can't wait to get our big buddies to help us explore Voki. As for laptops, I've managed to get a small set of the older laptops into my classroom. These laptops are at the end of their life span, but they are good enough for us at the moment. It's so exciting to see my students so excited to get on them. Of course, I still have the laptop carts that I can book, which once I feel like our programs are really up and going, I will book them - perhaps next week during our math block? Using technology in my first grade classroom does not scare me.
I will look for grants to get more technology into my classroom, and into my school. I haven't been able to get anything permanent into my school however I have been in contact with the "right" people in my district. At the moment my school has a class set of ipod touches on loan and we are scheduled to receive ipads into our school for a few weeks too. While these are just temporary additions of technology (three week visits), they are (or hopefully will) help my staff realize how amazing these tools can be for teaching and learning.
I will read as many blogs as I can, and comment as often as possible. I have been and will continue to read other professional blogs. I'm making a real effort to write comments too. I love what I'm learning from others and how it questions what I'm already doing. I also love reading other people's "Ah Ha" moments.
I will be willing to help anyone that can use my help. I still stand by this one and I have helped out a few people in the process. I'm hoping I can help out more but even if they don't ask for help, I'm hoping that by sharing what I'm doing I'll maybe help them take a second look at what they could be doing. I really want to bring down the fear factor for as many as I can.
I will have my class fully participate in the Post Card Project. I love this project but I still haven't written a post card despite receiving three. But I will, or at least my class will, write postcards soon.
I will try my best to instill in my students that they can feel, imagine, do and share. This is and will be an on going process which I will not give up on.
I will be a change agent.
I'm really eager to see what the next couple of months have in store for me. It's going to be an exciting ride.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
September: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Now that September is finally over (yes, I said finally as I find it one of the hardest teaching months of the year) here's a look back at September's good, bad, and ugly.
THE GOOD:
My Class
Late August every year I start to wonder and worry about who will be in my class. It's not that I don't think I can handle any student that walks into my room, it's just that I'm curious about the challenges I'm going to take on for the year. Last year the kindergarten teachers at my school grumbled a little more than usual as they dealt with several challenging issues. I don't know if it's just that the children are a year older, or those that caused the grumbling moved away, but I'm really loving my class.
My class does have its issues but I feel I can handle what I'm dealing with. One issue that is more prevalent this year than in the past is anxiety. I have a few (far more than usual) students that suffer from anxiety but I am doing my very best to help ease their fears. We are using a chime several times a day to calm us and help us focus on our breathing. I have also begun using the Fun Friends social emotional program which I was trained in last year. In addition I'll be using the Mind Up and Vancouver Canucks Fin's Friends programs. All three work well together and will hopefully (fingers crossed) give all my students more tools to deal with life.
I am going to have a great year with my class this year.
My Class Blog
I'm really happy to report that I have my first ever class blog up and running. I've sent my parents some information about the blog, and most have signed permission slips to allow me to post their children's work on the blog. We are starting to get comments on our blog and my class is super excited to respond to the comments. We are even starting to check out other class blogs and I think my class thinks it's pretty cool that other classes are doing what we are doing.
Just this past week I introduced my class to their individual blogs. While we have spent some time writing on our individual blogs, nothing has been submitted to be published yet, although I know that it's coming. I've sent home the children's individual passwords too and I'm encouraging them to blog from home.
I'm really happy to be blogging with my class.
My Personal Learning Network (PLN)
I am so thankful for the people I've "met" on Twitter. If there is something I'm curious to know about I just ask and the answers come to me. I'm still working hard at reading professional blogs written by others, and commenting too. One of my favourite blogs is written by a fellow primary teacher Aviva Dunsiger. She teaches a few provinces over from me but what she says resonates with me. What I like about what she's doing, is that she's pushing the boundaries of what primary students should be able to do with technology. I love it. I totally thought of her when I was at a Digital Literacy dinner session with other educators. The table I was sitting at was surprised that I was attempting blogging with my grade one class, and that my students had their own individual blogs. I explained what I was doing, and why always keeping what Aviva does in my mind.
I'm also thankful for #1stchat - the grade one chat on Twitter. Every Sunday afternoon (5 pm Vancouver time) I read and learn from fellow grade one educators. I really appreciate what the "regulars" have to say. We all come from different school systems so we are able to share what works well, and not so well for us. The chat also allows me to really think about what I do and why. It always surprises me when something I say is retweeted by others. I really look forward to this chat each week.
I am a different, hopefully better, teacher because of my PLN.
THE BAD:
Job Action
All the public school teachers in my province are in phase one of job action. I don't like job action. I don't like that our contract talks have gotten us here either. Without having a political debate on my blog I hope that all parties involved could figure out what is truly right for the people involved in educating students, and what is truly right for students. It makes me so angry that politics gets in the way of true progress.
THE UGLY:
Postcard Project
Okay, I love the postcard project. We've only been back at work for one month and already we have received three post cards. So why have I posted this in the ugly? Well.... (as she drops her head down in shame) we haven't written anyone yet! I'm hoping I can blame it on the fact that we have only been together for one month, and really we've only been a class for two weeks. I'm still trying to figure out where my students are at, and I'm still training my students. I'm also on the hunt for postcards from Surrey because if I can't find any everyone will be getting postcards from Vancouver, the closest major city. Surrey is a city in Greater Vancouver, but it isn't Vancouver. I'm quite certain my students will want their postcards to come from Surrey, not Vancouver.
So, those are the good, the bad, and the ugly from the my month of September. What are yours?
THE GOOD:
My Class
Late August every year I start to wonder and worry about who will be in my class. It's not that I don't think I can handle any student that walks into my room, it's just that I'm curious about the challenges I'm going to take on for the year. Last year the kindergarten teachers at my school grumbled a little more than usual as they dealt with several challenging issues. I don't know if it's just that the children are a year older, or those that caused the grumbling moved away, but I'm really loving my class.
My class does have its issues but I feel I can handle what I'm dealing with. One issue that is more prevalent this year than in the past is anxiety. I have a few (far more than usual) students that suffer from anxiety but I am doing my very best to help ease their fears. We are using a chime several times a day to calm us and help us focus on our breathing. I have also begun using the Fun Friends social emotional program which I was trained in last year. In addition I'll be using the Mind Up and Vancouver Canucks Fin's Friends programs. All three work well together and will hopefully (fingers crossed) give all my students more tools to deal with life.
I am going to have a great year with my class this year.
My Class Blog
I'm really happy to report that I have my first ever class blog up and running. I've sent my parents some information about the blog, and most have signed permission slips to allow me to post their children's work on the blog. We are starting to get comments on our blog and my class is super excited to respond to the comments. We are even starting to check out other class blogs and I think my class thinks it's pretty cool that other classes are doing what we are doing.
Just this past week I introduced my class to their individual blogs. While we have spent some time writing on our individual blogs, nothing has been submitted to be published yet, although I know that it's coming. I've sent home the children's individual passwords too and I'm encouraging them to blog from home.
I'm really happy to be blogging with my class.
My Personal Learning Network (PLN)
I am so thankful for the people I've "met" on Twitter. If there is something I'm curious to know about I just ask and the answers come to me. I'm still working hard at reading professional blogs written by others, and commenting too. One of my favourite blogs is written by a fellow primary teacher Aviva Dunsiger. She teaches a few provinces over from me but what she says resonates with me. What I like about what she's doing, is that she's pushing the boundaries of what primary students should be able to do with technology. I love it. I totally thought of her when I was at a Digital Literacy dinner session with other educators. The table I was sitting at was surprised that I was attempting blogging with my grade one class, and that my students had their own individual blogs. I explained what I was doing, and why always keeping what Aviva does in my mind.
I'm also thankful for #1stchat - the grade one chat on Twitter. Every Sunday afternoon (5 pm Vancouver time) I read and learn from fellow grade one educators. I really appreciate what the "regulars" have to say. We all come from different school systems so we are able to share what works well, and not so well for us. The chat also allows me to really think about what I do and why. It always surprises me when something I say is retweeted by others. I really look forward to this chat each week.
I am a different, hopefully better, teacher because of my PLN.
THE BAD:
Job Action
All the public school teachers in my province are in phase one of job action. I don't like job action. I don't like that our contract talks have gotten us here either. Without having a political debate on my blog I hope that all parties involved could figure out what is truly right for the people involved in educating students, and what is truly right for students. It makes me so angry that politics gets in the way of true progress.
THE UGLY:
Postcard Project
Okay, I love the postcard project. We've only been back at work for one month and already we have received three post cards. So why have I posted this in the ugly? Well.... (as she drops her head down in shame) we haven't written anyone yet! I'm hoping I can blame it on the fact that we have only been together for one month, and really we've only been a class for two weeks. I'm still trying to figure out where my students are at, and I'm still training my students. I'm also on the hunt for postcards from Surrey because if I can't find any everyone will be getting postcards from Vancouver, the closest major city. Surrey is a city in Greater Vancouver, but it isn't Vancouver. I'm quite certain my students will want their postcards to come from Surrey, not Vancouver.
So, those are the good, the bad, and the ugly from the my month of September. What are yours?
Monday, July 25, 2011
My First Experiences with Twitter Educational Chats
Over the past week or so I've spent most of my days fumbling around the internet following links and blogs I've discovered on Twitter. I've been obsessively reading the #edchat, #elemchat, #bced, #sd36, and #1stchat. I narrowed it down to these five because they are nearest and dearest to my heart. I check in on #daily5 too. My education bookmark folder is growing, and continues to grow. I'm now following several educators that I've never met but have impressed me with what they have to say.
Yesterday and today I took part in two twitter chats - #1stchat (Grade One) and #bced (BC Education). The topic of the Grade One chat was IPod/IPad use in the classroom. It was so exciting to see the links and apps that were being shared amongst like minded individuals. I tried to contribute to the chat too, but since I have neither an IPod nor IPad and my school doesn't have any either it was tough. But I still followed along and book marked links provided. I'm glad I stuck around because now I have resources I can turn to to provide information to the parents of my students that DO have the technology. Plus if and when my school gets IPads or IPods I'll be able to use them right away. The chat has me wondering if anyone knows any grants I can apply for so I can get them into my classroom NOW? You can read the transcript of this chat here.
Today I followed the #BCed chat about personalized learning. It was an interesting discussion and the variety of opinions added to the discussion. I'm someone that really believes in personalized learning so to me it's a no brainer. But it wasn't for everyone. If you're curious you can read the transcript here.
So... what do I think of these Twitter Educational Chats?
The great:
- I love that like minded individuals take the time to share what they know with complete strangers - I LOVE IT!
- I love that people I don't know and more than likely will never know take the time to moderate these chats
- I love that Wikis have been set up so that I can refer back to these chats, even when I miss them completely
- I love that I'm sitting on my couch, with my favourite shows on in the back ground and I'm professionally learning
- I love that I can ask questions
- I love that I can answer questions
The not as great:
- I can't read, process, and respond quickly enough
- I've been using Tweetdeck to follow these chats and I'm not sure if it's the best way to go
- I keep having to scroll up to see what I'm missing, then I miss more
- Some responses make me angry and I can't do much about it
- Some responses make me super excited and I can't do something fast enough
- I want to say more than what the 140 characters allow me
- I would love to have real conversations with some of these people but I'm not sure if it could/would ever happen
Will I be back for more? Definitely!!!
Yesterday and today I took part in two twitter chats - #1stchat (Grade One) and #bced (BC Education). The topic of the Grade One chat was IPod/IPad use in the classroom. It was so exciting to see the links and apps that were being shared amongst like minded individuals. I tried to contribute to the chat too, but since I have neither an IPod nor IPad and my school doesn't have any either it was tough. But I still followed along and book marked links provided. I'm glad I stuck around because now I have resources I can turn to to provide information to the parents of my students that DO have the technology. Plus if and when my school gets IPads or IPods I'll be able to use them right away. The chat has me wondering if anyone knows any grants I can apply for so I can get them into my classroom NOW? You can read the transcript of this chat here.
Today I followed the #BCed chat about personalized learning. It was an interesting discussion and the variety of opinions added to the discussion. I'm someone that really believes in personalized learning so to me it's a no brainer. But it wasn't for everyone. If you're curious you can read the transcript here.
So... what do I think of these Twitter Educational Chats?
The great:
- I love that like minded individuals take the time to share what they know with complete strangers - I LOVE IT!
- I love that people I don't know and more than likely will never know take the time to moderate these chats
- I love that Wikis have been set up so that I can refer back to these chats, even when I miss them completely
- I love that I'm sitting on my couch, with my favourite shows on in the back ground and I'm professionally learning
- I love that I can ask questions
- I love that I can answer questions
The not as great:
- I can't read, process, and respond quickly enough
- I've been using Tweetdeck to follow these chats and I'm not sure if it's the best way to go
- I keep having to scroll up to see what I'm missing, then I miss more
- Some responses make me angry and I can't do much about it
- Some responses make me super excited and I can't do something fast enough
- I want to say more than what the 140 characters allow me
- I would love to have real conversations with some of these people but I'm not sure if it could/would ever happen
Will I be back for more? Definitely!!!
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