Reflections on Technology Tool

                                                Technology Integration Tool - Educreations 

What I did and student engagement:

I began using Ipads and Educreations with my students a couple weeks ago.  First, I incorporated 2nd grade vocabulary from the basal into an Educreation activity that was described in detail on my previous blog.  This past week the students used the Ipad camera and Educreations to modify a story from their basal called, "Helping Out".  They took pictures that showed "helping out" around ORE. Next they organized the pictures and wrote a sentence for each page.  They had to incorporate the weekly vocab. words within the sentences as well.  Lastly, they practiced and recorded their voices reading the story.  The project took much longer than I had anticipated but the end product was really well done.  I emailed them to their classroom teachers and they loved them.  Some showed them to the whole class while others posted them on their schoology page.  These activities are engaged the students and providing higher level technology integration into my groups.  Overall, I am engaged and happy with how I am accomplishing my goal so far and so are the kids.

Implementation fears:  I didn't have any fears per say, more just working through the unknown with the kids.  There is always a learning curve when trying something new.  Through trial and error, I learned how to use the app efficiently and figured out ways to keep the kids engaged while working with each smaller groups.

Enhancing by way of SAMR model:  Redefinition - new tasks that were previously inconceivable.  Redefinition was my goal and my goal was accomplished.  Yes, kids could recreate stories in the past, but they couldn't take current photos, words, and their voice and put it all together to create a techno book.  As a result of this, I have a couple girls wanting to make their own book.  When I give them some free time on the Ipads, they ask if they can work on their book.  I am pleasantly surprised by their interest level.

Do differently:  Next time I have the kids do vocab words or a story, I will have them take the pictures, write a sentence and then they will type the sentences into the video.  Last time I wrote the sentences with their help.   Also, I would like to get more Ipads so they each could have their own to make a video instead of having to share.  I will have to ask a grade level if I can borrow from their carts. 

The next Tech activity I did was with the 3rd and 4th graders who attend Adventure Reading, our new after school program.  The lead teachers and I had the students read a book and then use Animoto to share the elements of the story.  The students would take a picture of the page in the book that the setting was found on. Then the students would add a text frame telling what the setting was.  From there they would move to the Title, characters, problem, and solution.  Once finished, they would put the slides in order and add a sound track and video design.  What a fun activity.  The kids loved it and wanted to make more than the one that was planned for the day.  The only problem was that the app was not a full version so the kids had to pick four pictures to use instead of adding all the elements.  As a result, the story review was only half done.  It seems to happen often with technology...what is planned is sometimes difficult to make happen because of glitches that get in the way.

Marzano's Instructional Strategies

3-5 strategies that I am going to implement in the coming weeks that have been inspired by Robert Marzano's book, What Works in Schools: Translating Research into Action, include:

• Identifying similarities and differences - This is the strategy that gives the biggest gains according to Marzano's research.  I will be using this strategy with my K students when we are learning the letters and sounds.  We will talk about which letters look similar and which look different.  I will have them sort them in several different ways in order to enforce the strategy. 
• Summarizing and note taking - This strategy will be used primarily with my 2nd graders when we are reading stories from their basal.  For every fictional story we read, we verbally go through the 5 finger retell; however, I don't have them write or take notes.  I am going to add the note taking piece using a mind map strategy.  They will summarize the story using words on a mind map.
• Non linguistic representations -  In 1st grade I am going to focus on the students generating mental images representing the content of their stories.  I am going to read them their stories and have them create a movie in their minds.  Then, I am going to have them practice reading stories working on fluency so they can create the movie for themselves and each other.

The previous strategies were implemented over the past couple of weeks.  I chose these specific strategies as they were to have the biggest impact on achievement according to Robert Marzano's research found in the book, What Works in Schools:  Translating Research into Action. 

• The first activity I did with my five struggling kindergartners only. They have been working on the letters and sounds since the beginning of the year and they still haven't met the mid year benchmark.  Mainly it is because they do not practice at home; however, it could also have to do with them not being able to remember the names and shapes together.  Thus, we spent time taking letters that looked alike and talked about how they are similar (m, n, w, h and b, d, g, q,).  We would also talk about which letters were different and why (K, G, Y).  I also would match letters that they knew and ones they didn't know and we would compare and contrast those letter.  Of course, the success and challenges always come down to the working memory of the student.  All of the work lies in the hopes that the conversations would stick in their working memory and they would remember from one day to another.
• The next activity was changed and done with the 3rd and 4th graders who attend Adventure Reading, our new after school program.  The lead teachers and I had the students read a book and then use Animoto to share the elements of the story.  The students would take a picture of the page in the book that the setting was found on. Then the students would add a text frame telling what the setting was.  From there they would move to the Title, characters, problem, and solution.  Once finished, they would put the slides in order and add a sound track and video design.  What a fun activity.  The kids loved it and wanted to make more than the one that was planned for the day.  The only problem was that the app was not a full version so the kids had to pick four pictures to use instead of adding all the elements.  As a result, the story review was only half done.  It seems to happen often with technology...what is planned is sometimes difficult to make happen because of glitches that get in the way.
• Lastly, I read Christmas themed stories to the kids and they sat back and made a movie in their mind.  They loved imagining what the story was like rather than looking at the picture pages.  Later in the week I had them read the stories for themselves.  Some stories were harder than others for them to read.  I attempted to find easier stories as they are 1st graders.  Surprisingly enough, they were able to work it out.  They had fun and weren't frustrated at some of the big words they encountered.  Because they had heard the story and made their own pictures, they were better able to predict what was coming next. 

My biggest challenges to implementing new strategies is always the time element.  I have the kids for 20 minutes so it is tricky to get a complete lesson in during that time.  Often I have to stretch it over many days.  I like trying new strategies but I also have to cover the material I need to which helps them become more proficient readers. 

Blogging Community Dec. Strategy

This past month I have been integrating technology more into my small groups.  In 2nd grade I had the students use Educreations to rewrite the book, Helping Out, which is in their basal.  They went around the school taking pictures of people and themselves helping out.  They titled their new story, Helping Out at ORE.  They took the pictures, wrote a sentence on each page making sure to include some of the weekly vocab. words, and recorded their voices reading the story.  They really enjoyed using the technology and were engaged throughout the entire process.  I really had a good time integrating a new app into group as well. 

Marzano's Teacher Level-Factors

Marzano’s Teacher Level-Factors:

Before I read the chapter, I had no idea what I was supposed to brainstorm about involving Teacher level-Factors.  I wasn’t even sure what the chapter would be about.  For some reason I had a brain lapse and wasn’t connecting the Marzano readings together.  Now I realize that we are reading about how to bring about effective education for learners.  This part is about teacher level-factors, what they are and how they will influence education.  They include:

Instructional strategies

Classroom management

Classroom curriculum design

These three areas are the key factors that Marzano has found must be present and strong in order for all students to be engaged and learning effectively in the classroom.  This past year we have been learning about effective instruction strategies that will engage students and keep them learning at a high level.  Management is a key area that gives students’ “guide rails” to cross the bridges of learning.  If they have nothing to guide them over the bridge, they lose their way and risk falling into the ravine.  Teachers must provide those guide rails for students.  Classroom curriculum design has been focused on when we have been creating backwards designs for our units.  We have learned about starting with the enduring understanding we want all students to gain and going back to asking the essential questions.  We have also been collecting research on different topics that will guide us in having curricular designs that are rooted in best practices.   It is clear to me that my educational program has been designed with these three factors as the driving force behind all learning.  Marzano ‘s research shows how teachers are the most influential people in the lives of a student.  Students achieve more or less depending on the practices of the teacher.  Yes, the school has some influence over the achievement but research has found that the school has less of an impact than the teacher.  What a heavy weight to bear.  One that I must take very seriously as I move forward in my teaching career.

Building Capacity for Presence

 
Building a capacity to live a present lifestyle has been an ongoing focus of mine ever since I became aware of the spiritual practice.  For me, being present is rooted in a kind of spirit awakening that enables me to live a more authentic life.  My desire and commitment to being present is practiced in all areas of my life.  My whole being desires to live in a state of being present.  The features of presence can include but are not limited to:  critical self-reflection, purposeful, spirit-filled, open, empathic, together-focused, self/other-accepting, love centered, relational risk taking, and imaginative relationship building.  Of course, these are very lofty features that can be life transforming as well as difficult to integrate into the whole being.  I seem to cycle these features throughout my personal and professional life.  Sometimes I find myself easily shedding my layers that bind me and other times I need to be broken open in order to be transformed anew.

Within my profession over the past year, I feel like I have both shed and broken open new awakenings as I have ventured through my educational program.  I have been so present in my classroom with my kids.  I am noticing new heights of personal engagement as well as student engagement.  By putting into practice new strategies that meet kids where they are at, I have been able to be more purposeful, open, and imaginative in my teaching.  I feel so connected with the students.  When they come into my room I look at them all and practice bringing all of my presence to them.  I am engaging with them as little humans instead of just teaching them curriculum.  This has been a shedding of layers for me.  There are other areas in the school setting I have had to be broken open in order to even begin being present.  I have really struggled with trying to be in control and making things happen instead of letting them unfold.  I react to situations to quickly which gets me into trouble.  By reacting, I am not being present to the situation; rather, I am trying to control it and manipulate the outcome.  Nowhere in the features of being present does it mention control and manipulation; yet, one feature that is mentioned is critical self-reflection.  Reflection is definitely something I am willing and open to practice.  By being aware of and willing to work on the areas that reveal themselves to me throughout my life, I will continue to strive towards developing a deeper state of presence.     

 

 

 

 

Technology and SAMR Model

One of my goals this year is to integrate technology into weekly instruction to support teaching and learning.

      *I began using Ipads and Educreations with my students a couple weeks ago.  First, I incorporated 2nd grade vocabulary from the basal into an Educreation activity that was described in detail on my previous blog.  This past week the students used the Ipad camera and Educreations to modify a story from their basal called, "Helping Out".  They took pictures that showed "helping out" around ORE. Next they organized the pictures and wrote a sentence for each page.  They had to incorporate the weekly vocab. words within the sentences as well.  Lastly, they practiced and recorded their voices reading the story.  The project took much longer than I had anticipated but the end product was really well done.  I emailed them to their classroom teachers and they loved them.  Some showed them to the whole class while others posted them on their schoology page.  These activities are engaged the students and providing higher level technology integration into my groups.  Redefinition was my goal and my goal was accomplished.  Yes, kids could recreate stories in the past, but they couldn't take current photos, words, and their voice and put it all together to create a techno book.  As a result of this, I have a couple girls wanting to make their own book.  When I give them some free time on the Ipads, they ask if they can work on their book.  I am pleasantly surprised by their interest level.  Overall, I am engaged and happy with how I am accomplishing my goal so far and so are the kids.