Five Things I Know For Sure

The semester has come to end in my Digital Learning Education course. Throughout the course, I learned the importance of reflection and digital citizenship, blogging, mind mapping and the benefits of peer review. Each of these five things will be beneficial and useful for when I am in a classroom! I created my own Trading Card on Read Write Think. Try it yourself! It's fun and simple to summarize/showcase your learning. 

 - mp

Peer Review

Our class completed a peer review on one another's blogs in class.  We were told to pair up with two students we haven't met before and go through their blog.  This experience was nothing new to me as I did this many times during high school and elementary school.  It was a bit nerve racking to have a colleague go through my blog and assess it, however, it was useful to have someone with a fresh set of eyes go through my blog and tell me what I am missing.  

This experience was new and exciting! It was extremely helpful having someone who wasn't as close to you (such as a close friend) look at your work at be honest.  It was nice hearing what they had to say because I genuinely felt like they wanted to help me.  I was able to take their advice and look at their blog for inspiration. Since I had such great feedback and help on my blog, I felt like I had to return the favor just as helpful.  I liked seeing other colleague's blogs and being able to recognize what they were lacking.  This process helped me understand the assignment more.  I used the checklist provided by the teacher to ensure I was reviewing their blog correctly.  It was a great guide to use! 

I do plan on using peer review going forward when I am a teacher.  I think this helps students accept constructive opportunities to improve their work, but also be able to understand what is expected.  It's a great collaborative experience for both students and teachers! 


mp. 

Mind Mapping

As a self-proclaimed organizing specialist, I do a lot of planning and de-cluttering in my home.  Not only do I feel like a clean house equals and clear mind, I also think that students need to find ways to help them organize their lives.  Think about it, students go to school full-time while trying to manage one, sometimes two or even three jobs just to pay for their gas to get to school (I am one of those students).  In the midst of all of these hectic days, it's important to take some time out of your day to regroup yourself.  

I used the Teacher Challenge to create my mind map.  It has helped me in moving my ideas, knowledge and thinking organized.  It is helping me move forward in my daily life with ease, knowing that I have organized myself using this tool, instead of keeping everything inside of my head (I feel ten times lighter)! 

Once we (students in the Bed. program) graduate and work in a classroom, we will have a lot going on!  It is important to be connected as educators.  PLN can help us (as teachers) engage in student learning, creating new and innovative ideas, and engaging with other teachers in a collaborative environment, 

Create your own today! 

mp 

I want to get to know you!

Hello friends! I would love for you to complete my survey as this will help me get to know my viewers! Its a simple, three question survey created in Google Forms.  You can customize your own questions, add pictures, design your answer style (short answer, multiple choice, etc.) and pick your design! 

Let's get to know each other :)

I've gone virtual!

       



Allow me to introduce myself!  I made my own avatar by my blue robot! It's a free and fun way to customize yourself - what a cool idea!  I think my students would have a fantastic time making their own avatar. 

Ever wondered what I sound like?  Here is your chance!  Here I talk about how using audio recordings would be a fun and interesting way to introduce myself to my students (especially useful for an online course when you typically do not see your students). 


mp. 

How will students show what they know?

I always think to myself - how will I get my students to show what they know? It's simple to draw conclusions in your head, but sometimes difficult to put it on paper.  I taught a SK - Grade 4 summer learning program this past summer and got my students to explore the use of plasticine!  It was so much fun. I had my students watch a Barbara Reid video on YouTube and watch her create art using plasticine (check it out below!).  I wanted my students to give it a try.  The one special technique that was important to master was to SPREAD your plasticine, not just stick it on your craft board.  Some students got this concept really well!  Having the student’s show me how they understood the video and create their own masterpiece was a great way for me to know if they understood how to properly do their assignment.  It was beautiful watching their creativity come alive.  

Students were engaged from beginning to end and asked many questions on how to spread their plasticine (their poor thumbs got sore after a while - so we used pencils and rulers to get their artwork to resemble Reid's techniques).  We kept the video playing over and over while they work away on their masterpiece.  

Student's demonstrated their eagerness to the task, asked questions to confirm their learning, referred to the video to ensure they were on task and to clarify methods.  Students were able to discuss the story and meaning behind their piece of work.  This showed me that my students immersed themselves in this project and were dedicated to their learning outcome. The use of the video was a great way to integrate technology and art into one.  Unfortunately, the pictures I have for this fun event show my student's faces which are not allowed to be posted online. 

I encourage you to check out the video and try some plasticine art with your students! 

mp

Classroom Set-Up

I have been in many classrooms - as a student and a teacher. I have always believed that people are influenced by their surroundings; if your bedroom is messy, you will have a messy mind, if your bedroom is clean, you will have a clear mind. I believe this aligns with any classroom to engage and enhance student learning.

I remember being a student in elementary school and feeling "at home" in the classroom I walked into each day. Whenever my teacher said we were going to another classroom to sing songs or hang out with our Reading Buddies, I remember feeling weird being in another classroom that I wasn't familiar with. I always thought, "I like my classroom better". I didn't know exactly why I preferred my own classroom, other than I was just more comfortable being there, but now as a teaching in training, I realize how important it is for student to get that sense of comfort in their own classroom so they can grow and learn within that space.

I spoke to a former colleague of mine at a school I was working at. She set up her room is various ways to enhance student learning. Some desks were standing desks (they came up to a students upper stomach so it was easy to read and write), some were regular sitting desks in a group of four, some desks were off to the side alone for those students whom prefer to learn on their own without collaboration, some areas had no desks at all, but beanie bags for students to sit on and do their work. There was also a very low desk where students can sit on the floor. She was the only classroom in the entire school that was set up this way and I was completely floored by it. It was amazing watching the students complete their learning in a way that was physically comfortable for them.

I look forward to setting up my room in a way that caters to all of my students!

mp

Digital Citizenship & Digital Literacy

Today I reflected on the type of digital specialist that I am. I created a stick figure of myself and surrounded words that I believe represent me as a digital specialist. What I mean by digital specialist is one whom knows the digital world! I am sure many of you use Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram on a regular - if not daily - basis. Since we are all so familiar with using social media and technology in our daily lives, we have evolved to what I like to call us - digital specialists. 

Some of my words included: creative, expressive, collector, controlled, monitored, engaging, leadership, bragger (yes, everyone is guilty of showing off their latest vacation photo in a different part of the world!), etc. these words link to the type of digital specialist that I am while using technology, but also who I am in person - there really is no difference! However, the concept of digital literacy and digital citizenship have differences to which how the digital specialist should behave, think, act, post, like, share, etc. on the internet.

Digital literacy is the process of actually using the internet. Let’s start with social media for example. On Instagram we are creating our images (filters, tagging friends), writing our captions to grasp attention and illustrate a message to viewers, decorate our captions with emoticons, post and anxiously wait for an audience to approve our photos with a simple like. We are creating, implementing, portraying, communicating, and involving ourselves in digital literacy. We are active participants in social media.

Digital citizenship, on the other hand, involves responsibility. We are responsible for our reputation, our message, what we promote, what we express, etc. on social media. As future teachers, we have the role of setting an example for others. Digital citizenship is what helps us stay grounded and understand that we are leaving a footprint in the digital word (that we may never see!).

mp

First Things First

As you can probably tell by my first post, I have no clue what I am doing.  Although I am an English major and love to write, read, and recite, blogging isn’t typically what I am used too.  Nonetheless, below is my review of my first day of this class with my new classmates!

A way to engage with one another doesn’t always start with a first look at another person.  How about learning about someone based on their shoe?  Last class, we were able to meet our classmates and describe our shoe in one word that represents who we are.  As a group, we were able to learn about one another solely off one word describing a shoe. This method of introduction would seem fun to execute when I become a teacher.  It was a fun, interactive way to get to know everyone.  A week later, I can still remember the words by fellow classmates used to describe themselves.

I think this is all I have to reflect on….I’m not much of a writer/blogger on the internet.  Hopefully I get the hang of this.  Thanks for reading!

mp