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Exciting NEW Course Empowering Learners: Creating Flexible Thinkers

Empowering Learners: Creating Flexible Thinkers

Learning how to learn in this fast-paced world are skills that everyone needs today. Join Meg Ormiston for this five-part professional learning series created for practicing educators navigating the future of learning to develop flexible thinkers. This is an asynchronous workshop start when you want and work at your own pace. There are five videos with three discussion questions in each and additional resource collection.

Session #1 Learning How to Learn

Learners are empowered to create their learning path to the agreed-upon standards, and they create, organize, and share digital artifacts demonstrating what they know and can do. Individuals and groups create authentic models and projects and communicate this to a broader community.

  1. Balancing Structures and Freedom at the Local Level While Collaborating Globally
  2. Flexible Thinking and Production
  3. Communicating the Learning Journey Using Media

 

Session #2 Seeking Knowledge Online and Off

Learners become knowledge seekers and computational thinkers as they explore the world around them. Validating the information they find from multiple sources is critical for current and future learners living in a global society. 

  1. Identifying Trusted Sources of Information
  2. Seeking Experts as Primary Sources of Information
  3. Teaching and Learning From the Community Near and Far

Session #3 Project Management Fundamentals

Learners at every level need to learn how to learn and manage their time successfully. Learners need to be guided and coached on how to manage complex tasks by setting manageable goals. Life-long learning is a balancing act that everyone needs to practice. 

  1. Organizing and Planning Tasks within Projects
  2. Juggling Personal Goals with Group Expectations
  3. Publishing Individual and Group Work

Session #4 Reflecting and Goal Setting

Setting goals and reflecting on progress are essential skills for everyone, but do we teach learners how to manage their progress and reorganize their path to success. Outside of schooling, acceleration and remediation happen naturally as learners discover gaps in their knowledge and need to backtrack for answers.

Learners celebrate their success by sharing artifacts and projects beyond the walls of the classroom.

  1. Creating, Tracking, and Refining Individual and Group Goals
  2. Acceleration and Remediation as Needed Based on Assessments and Feedback
  3. Communicating Successes and Challenges to Stakeholders

Session #5 Technology NOW

We can help create flexible thinkers as they ubiquitously move between technology tools and apps. Learners need experience with a wide range of technology tools to help craft a toolkit of resources they are comfortable using. Digital portfolios show what learners know and can are evidence of learning.

  1. Using Real-World Technology Tools to Manage Communication and Collaboration
  2. Technology Tools for ALL Learners
  3. Creating a Visual Representation of Growth Using Technology Tools
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My Journey on How to Properly Share Content with a Global Audience

“When we see teachers and students learn how to properly share content, and how their global audience takes note, it is amazing how students’ interest and  motivation soars.”

Now Classrooms K-2 book

What I am thankful for…

As a mom, I am thankful that my children’s teachers use Twitter to share what happens in the classroom.

As an educator, I am thankful that teachers worldwide share their ideas on Twitter.

As a classroom teacher, I am thankful that I found a way for my students to share, in their own words, both to their teacher, parent and other students all at the same time through the free app, Seesaw Learning Journal.

My journey on how to “properly share content”-

It all started with Twitter.  When our district started first using Twitter years ago, it was something that some teachers gravitated to and others stayed far away from.  For me, I logged on and was simply an observer for a while. I sat and watched what others were doing in their classroom and how they were sharing information.   Then one day, I got brave. After checking my “Do not photo list” I decided it was time to post about my classroom

Here are my first two posts from 2013:

What I realized quickly, was that people were watching.  My district was watching, my bosses were watching, other teachers were watching and parents were watching.  Twitter was the first avenue I used to help parents and others understand what happened in the kindergarten classroom.  It was a way for parents to engage in a rich conversation with their children about something that happened during their day.

I found a way to share my experiences with a local and global audience, but I needed something that the students could do with more independence.

In 2015, I was introduced to Seesaw.  Again, I went to a class about it and then…I waited.  I am not sure what got me to try it for the first time, but I am beyond happy that I did.  What I realized quickly, was that when I used Seesaw, “students interest soared” and SO did their learning.

Here is an example from one of my first years using Seesaw.  This is a non-English speaking student. It shows how he was able to collaborate in a meaningful way with his peers to better understand a challenging science concept.  I chose this video for the blog because I think it shows how collaboration and use of technology also has a hands-on, personal side. Imagine the social-emotional learning and cooperation that happened at this center while this student was creating this video:  Collaborating, communicating, critical thinking and creativity. He as doing it all. The best part is, that as a teacher, I could evaluate his understanding of science vocabulary and concepts (at a convenient time for me) and his parents could hear what his was doing in school.

Watch the video here.

The power that we have as teachers when we find the right tools is truly amazing.  When we can share what is happening it the classroom with peers, parents, teachers and the world, the desire to learn truly deepens.  It is my hope, you will read this today and become inspired to try something free…and new… that can be life changing in your educational career!

Tell us about your experience on Twitter using #nowclassrooms and tag me @MrsHatlen

 

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The Power of Great Teachers!

February 19, 2018

By: Beth Hatlen co-author of the k-2 NOW Classrooms: lessons for enhancing teaching and learning through technology book

Working in a 1:1 District and having my own children that attend the same district gives me the unique opportunity to celebrate when teachers have incorporated authentic and natural integration of technology in a meaningful way through education.  

Last week, our family sat down to watch the opening ceremony of the 2018 Olympics.  My children were amazed with what what they saw.  Their excitement was partly due to what they had been learning in school.  My first grader came home telling me all about bobsledding and the rules of skeleton.  I looked at him in shock as I said, “Where did you learn that?”  At school, of course was his answer.  All week he had been studying and reading online and in print all about the Olympics.  Additionally, my third grader had been doing the same thing.  Of course learning about the Olympics was great, but that wasn’t what really impressed me.  

As we sat watching the Olympics, my daughter sat on her iPad.  I asked her to put it away and watch the Olympics with us (I figured she was watching KidsTube), but I was pleasantly surprised when she told me that she was creating a presentation for her class about the Olympics.  I knew this was something she was capable of, but when she was creating a presentation as the Olympics played on in the background, I was a proud mommy and delighted at what my child had been taught by her teacher.  She also didn’t stop there.  She immediately shared the presentation with us and also emailed her teach that Friday night to ask her if she could present it to the class.  With delight, she presented that Monday as the introduction to a unit about the Olympics.

What this example showed me, was that what my daughter is learning in her classroom, is #NOWClassrooms approved.  She took interest in a topic, learned how to research, created a Powerpoint presentation, learned new information and presented it to her class.  Her sense of pride was huge and her excitement to present what she created was genuine.  

This is what we hope will happen in all classrooms across America.  The ability to create and share learning with peers.  The ability to deepen knowledge of a subject and share it with others.  When students are taught how to use technology in a meaningful way, that is what they will do, both at home and at school, and hopefully in their future as a contributing member of society.  I am so thrilled that my children have teachers that uphold all the NOWClassroom ideals.  I feel lucky!  Keep up the good work teachers!
Here is presentation my daughter created (not perfect-but kid work she was proud of!):  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1LEEwgQ87B9XV9dxHm1d87fgj-TlsULtO

@MrsHatlen

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Retelling through Code!

Using technology in a meaningful way is the key to success in the classroom.  As a former kindergarten teacher and the current reading specialist, it is so very important to use technology in an authentic way that meets the needs of students and their learning targets.

In our book, Now Classroom: K-2, we lay out how to move from basic coding with online apps and websites (such as Code.org),  to unplugged coding (without a device), and then coding with coding toys such as Bee-bots, Ozo-bots, Sphero or Puzzlets.  These toys allow  for coding through play.

Recently, our school librarian and resident technology specialist, Sandy Kampman, had the students retell a story using the  .  She had been working with the first grade students on a unit about Robert Munsch.  She had read and introduced many books by Robert Munsch.  The culminating activity was coding Bee-bots to land on parts of the story and retell it as the Bee-bots moved.

Working in small collaborative groups, different stories were given to each group to retell.  Students had to work collaboratively to determine the proper coding sequence to make the Bee-bot move appropriately.  Then the students had to also retell the story as the Bee-bot moved.  What a powerful retelling lesson!  Mrs. Kampman seamlessly taught coding through the use of authentic text that was meaningful to the students.  

Activities such as this example create a powerful lesson for the students.   Lessons such as this help them to internalize both literacy and technology.  I hope you will take some time to try this lesson with your students!  Please share anything you do with us at #nowclassrooms on Twitter so we can see how you are integrating technology with learning in your classroom.

Beth Hatlen

Author Now Classrooms K-2

Reading Specialist

@MrsHatlen

 

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Technology’s Place in Early Childhood

Parents everywhere debate this topic. Teachers debate it. Policy makers and pediatricians debate it.  The American Academy of Pediatrics current recommendation focuses on quality of screen time and discussions that families and teachers have around digital media. According to the APP, “For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.” They also suggest creating a digital media plan for your family (and classroom).

So what does this mean for early childhood educators and parents of young children?  We have amazing tech tools and vast information at our fingertips.  Pair these with high interest activities and engaging conversations and we have some EXCELLENT instruction!

In EC and the primary grades, students have so many questions about the world around them. Inquiry-based learning, driven by student’s questions and wonderings, can help students develop a working relationship with technology as a tool.  In the NOW Classrooms K-2 book, the first lessons help teach your students how to successfully navigate a device, and then how to work with project or problem based learning AKA inquiry learning. With your guidance, we can help students become technology literate, then fluent, and finally innovative all from their inquiries.

Our job then is to be digital media mentors. Digital media – digital books, articles, tweets, comments, pictures, videos – are all consumed daily by our students both at home and at school.  If we help our students develop a healthy digital media relationship, they can truly use it as a tool for expanding their understanding of the world around them.

Does technology have a place in early childhood? Yes! As digital media mentors, NOW we can give our students the skills and strategies they need to navigate tech.

Kirstin McGinnis

NOW Classrooms K-2 Author

Literacy Coach

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A Historical Reflection of the Evolution of Technology

It was March of  2011.  I had just returned from maternity leave after my second child.  The day of my return was a teacher institute day.  It was a great way to ease into my return.  You see, I had spent most of the winter in the house with a little one and didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the world.  A world that had just released the first iPad.

The focus of this institute day was technology.  Our district had just purchased iPods for the library at each school and we were learning how to use them.  Later, we also got to try out some iPads as well!  The day was mostly structured as a demonstration of apps that we could use at our grade level.  We talked about how a game such as Bert’s Bag taught kindergarten students 1:1 math skills.  My colleague (fellow writer Nicole Ring) was sitting behind me and was beyond excited.  If Amazon Prime had existed right then, I think an iPad would have been delivered with two-hour delivery right then and there to the school.  However, she was able to wait until that evening before purchasing her own personal iPad.  Excitement in the room was high and enthusiasm about these new devices was visible at our inservice and in the days beyond.

The following year, a school set of iPads were purchased.  That summer, before leaving, each teacher got their OWN iPad to play on and learn with over the summer.  The joy and excitement continued throughout the next year.  Over the next three years, nearly every inservice was about technology.  We were always learning something new and exciting.  Teachers were beginning to move through the SAMR model.  It started with substitution, and moved to augmentation.  Some teachers stopped there, some were able to progress to modification and redefinition (check out our books for a better understanding of the SAMR model and its significance).

Then came curriculum changes, leadership changes, Common Core, and about a million other things (no surprise to you teachers reading this!).  Thus, the deep instruction on technology began to fade, even as the district became one to one.  Additionally, in the last three years, over ⅓ of 300 teachers in the district have 5 years of experience or less.  Meaning that many of our teachers were handed an iPad for themselves and a classroom full of iPads with little to no direct instruction or guidance.  While many new, young teachers were born when technology was readily available,  the instruction on ways to meaningfully use technology was minimal.  This left most new teachers having to  figure out how to use iPads in the classroom in a meaningful way on their own.  

My hope is that by reading this, you will remember that we cannot assume our newest teachers know how to integrate technology in a meaningful way.  Even veteran teachers continue to need refreshers on how to continue to evolve in their use of technology in the classroom.  So please, I ask you, as you continue in your technology quest, to continue to teach new teachers, and veterans, how to use technology in a meaningful way that will build and enhance the wonderful learning that is already happening in the classroom.

Beth Hatlen

@MrsHatlen

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NOW Classrooms Book Series Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Twenty-Seven Educational Experts from Across the Nation Share Best Practices for Using Technology in Classrooms

Bloomington, IN (November 1, 2017)—The NOW Classrooms series, published by Solution Tree, presents classroom-ready lessons that support the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Students. Educators can use the lessons, which are grounded in the essential four C skills—communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity—to connect technology to key learning outcomes and prepare learners to succeed in the 21st century.

“My books are written with the classroom teacher in mind and contain strategies that are practical and easy to implement in the classroom,” explained author Meg Ormiston. “The tech-rockstar teachers get everything quickly and are racing on to the next tip, app or tool. Most teachers need more time to practice as they familiarize themselves with various digital tools—I write for these teachers.”

The books are organized by grade bands of K–2, 3–5, 6–8 and 9–12. Each book’s chapters are divided into several sections containing three lessons each—one novice lesson, one operational lesson and one wow lesson (spelling out “NOW”)—that readers can choose from, based on their experience with the technology and their students’ needs. The series also includes a leader’s guide, which outlines a flexible framework for driving instructional innovation schoolwide or districtwide.

Carole Colburn, a technology teacher at Highlander Way Middle School in Michigan, praised NOW Classrooms, Grades 6–8, stating, “I love this book and how the authors organized it around the ISTE standards, including terrific lesson ideas that teachers can immediately implement in any middle school classroom. It is a great resource, and I highly recommend it for any middle school teacher who wants to create a classroom environment full of engaged, 21st-century thinkers and learners!”

Readers interested in getting technology updates from the authors can follow #NowClassrooms on Twitter or Facebook.

The NOW Classrooms series is available to order at SolutionTree.com.

Books in the NOW Classrooms Series

NOW Classrooms, Grades K–2

By Meg Ormiston, Beth Hatlen, Kristy Hopkins, Kirstin McGinnis, Lissa Blake and Nicole Ring

NOW Classrooms, Grades 3–5

By Meg Ormiston, Sheri De Carlo, Sonya Raymond, Grace Kowalski and Justin Gonzalez

NOW Classrooms, Grades 6–8

By Meg Ormiston, Lauren Slanker, Jennifer Lehotsky, Megan K. Flaherty, Janice Conboy and Whitney Cavanagh

NOW Classrooms, Grades 9–12

By Meg Ormiston, Scott D. Parker, Tom Lubbers, Gretchen Fitzharris, Ellen K. Lawrence and Katie N. Aquino

NOW Classrooms, Leader’s Guide

By Meg Ormiston, Cathy Fisher, Jamie Reilly, Courtney Orzel, Jordan Garrett, Robin Bruebach, Steve M. Griesbach and Becky Fischer

About Solution Tree

For nearly 20 years, Solution Tree (https://www.solutiontree.com) has worked to transform education worldwide, empowering educators to raise student achievement. With more than 30,000 educators attending professional learning events and more than 4,260 professional development days in schools each year, Solution Tree helps teachers and administrators confront essential challenges in schools. Solution Tree has a catalog of 515 titles, hundreds of videos and online courses and is the creator of Global PD, an online tool that facilitates the work of professional learning communities. Follow @SolutionTree on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about Solution Tree.

Contact

Solution Tree

Erica Dooley-Dorocke

Erica.Dooley-Dorocke@SolutionTree.com

800.733.6786 ext. 247

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There is No Quitting!

“That’s it!  I’m done.  No more Technology – I don’t get it, my students don’t get – I certainly can’t use it to teach.”  

That was my 8am “Good Morning” from a talented teacher as I walked into the teacher lounge.  

I am an Instructional Coach and my primary role is to work with my fellow teachers to support student learning and growth – many times utilizing “technology” as a tool to enhance the student experience. After all, we are a 1:1 district.  Strategically, my goal is to coordinate efforts with teachers in our district with a focus on the development and implementation of instructional strategies in all content areas and to support effective planning, instruction, and assessment for learning.

I have been her coach for the last 5 years.   When I heard this – I thought of so many different ways to respond:  

  • “Oh, that stinks!”
  • “I’m sorry to hear that.”
  • “Having a bad day?”

 

Instead, I looked at this teacher and said, “NO! You are not allowed to say that. You can go to a corner and scream into a pillow all you want, but you won’t quit!”

She looked at me and….laughed!

We all need to remember that there are going to be times we want to pull our hair out, say “the kids can’t do it”, and “I quit!”  In these moments we need to remember we have a choice!

We have a choice to continue to learn or give up.

We have a choice to challenge ourselves to be better or take the easy way out and quit.

This teacher’s choice…She chose the opportunity to get better and continue to move forward!

We sat down later that week and talked about all the ways she can continue to use technology with her students to engage them in their learning. Ideas such as using “Explain Everything” to show what they are thinking in math or students creating books about the science unit they are studying using “Book Creator”.

Sometimes all we need is a good idea or direction on where to begin.  No doubt, all of these changes in today’s education process can be overwhelming.  I am here to tell you that is “OK!”    You are not alone in your frustration, your fading confidence or your feelings that you will never “get it.”  

Our book, NOW Classrooms K-2-Lessons for Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through Technology, will help you get started! We aren’t promising that you won’t have frustrations, but we are promising your kids will be engaged in the meaningful lessons we share and you will have a starting point!

Now, go be brave and try something new! You and your students can do it!  

Even if it means you might spend a minute or two in the corner of your room while screaming in a pillow!

Post by Nicole Ring, instructional coach

@NicoleRing58

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Reading is a “SMASHING” Good Time!

Technology can be a powerful tool for communication and learning if used properly within the classroom.  Recently a teacher told me, “If teachers aren’t using Seesaw, they are really missing out!”  Whether is it Seesaw or another Learning Management System, the ability to share learning with families at home, peers and teachers, is a strategy worth trying.

In my new role as Reading Specialist, I am able to see many different ways in which teachers in a 1:1 iPad district use technology in a meaningful way.

One fun way to integrate reading, writing and art is through app smashing.  In a first grade classroom that I was recently in, the teacher read Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert.  The students then talked about verbs.  The teacher wrote down the words that students brainstormed on the board.  She then took the following picture and uploaded it to Seesaw explaining the lesson to parents at home:

After the brainstorming a lesson on verbs, the students were asked to take a leaf and create a picture of a “Leaf Man” and show him acting out one of the verbs of their choice.  Students then wrote a sentence about their “Leaf Man” using the verb of their choice describing their picture.

 

Then came the fun part.  App smashing!  Combining two apps at once!  The students opened up ChatterPix and and took a photo of their picture.  They read their sentence as if they were the “Leaf Man” talking.

It turned out like this:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7Qn0VtlsYbSYVZqR3BUWVcyajQ/view?usp=sharing)

Student says: “I’m throwing a ball.”

The students then downloaded their video to their camera roll, and uploaded it to Seesaw to share with their families and teacher.  

What a powerful way to learn about verbs in a meaningful way!   Read-aloud, art, writing, reading and technology, all rolled into one.  Now THAT is a powerful lesson!

To learn more about app smashing, check out our NOW Classroom books!

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Mirroring Early Math Concepts

Exploring and playing with manipulatives is one way that our students start to develop an understanding of shapes, counting, patterning, sorting, and other early math concepts. At the beginning of the year each year, I give my students time to just play with the manipulatives we have and I observe.  You can learn so much from seeing how they build, organize, and communicate about their work.  Some kids like to sort objects, some like to make patterns, and some stack things high into the sky. All of these are valuable experiences for both the student and his/her peers.

Fast forward to mid-year, when we break out the manipulatives again, this time to be used with our iPads.  We work in partner centers to design with tangrams and mirror those designs on our iPads.  Partners design patterns with tangrams on the table and then use the tangram objects on the iPad to mirror their designs.  This helps the kids with motor planning, creativity, and communication. They make larger shapes and designs form smaller shapes. They manipulate the objects and challenge themselves.  Most importantly, the students communicate with each other, describing what they made and how to mirror the image on the tangram app.

We complete a similar activity with our rubber bands and geoboards. I just love watching my kids problem solve and figure out the app without my explicit instruction.  So much of kids learning to work with technology and make it applicable to their learning is allowing them time for play.  When they play, they make connections and their learning can expand, allowing many students to innovate beyond our expectations.

How do your students connect and collaborate over tech use in your classroom?  Do you mesh hands-on activities and tech?

Post by former kindergarten teacher turned instructional coach Kirstin McGinnis

@KirstinMcGinnis