Teaching Sagittarian

I stumbled across this video tonight as I was taking part in the 31-day Comment Challenge. I was directed to it from a blog that I hadn’t read before called Literacy, Technology, Learning authored by Sarah Hanawal.

The video itself is by Bill Farren. He’s an educator in the Dominican Republic blogging at Education for Well-being. His message is quite simple:

The purpose of education should be to create well-being.

• We should educate in way that places personal well-being at the center of all educational decision-making.
• We cannot achieve personal well-being without also simultaneously promoting economic well-being, social well-being, and
  environmental well-being.
• We must strive to understand the relationships between personal, economic, social and environmental well-being.

This got me thinking about how “green” the teaching and learning is in our school. I wonder how bored my students are with their learning and I worry that some of them will become the “dropouts” in the statistics that Farren mentions. As our school continues along its journey through the Inquiry Learning process, perhaps this is a chance to push for deeper “green” teaching and learning in our classrooms.

How often do you comment on other blogs during a typical week?
Probably once a week. Most of the time someone’s already made a comment similar to the one I’d like to make, so I tend not to repeat it by adding my comment.

Do you track your blog comments? How? What do you do with your tracking?
Not often - sometimes I get email notifications if I’m particularly interested in a conversation. Now because of the 31-day Comment Challenge, I’m using coComment, (which I actually signed up for ages ago, but never got round to doing anything more with it ….) and right now I’m just watching how it works.

Do you tend to comment at the same blogs or do you try to comment on at least one new blog per week?
I read certain blogs religiously, then other blogs if I have time - so I tend to comment on the same blogs. I do, however, comment on a new blogger’s blog if someone in my twitter network says “new blogger - please support”
Gina Trapani’s Guide to Blog Comments My Self-Review

Stay on topic.
I definitely do this. Comments are short.

Contribute new information to the discussion.
Not something I do all the time and definitely an area I could improve in and want to improve as part of this challenge. As I said above, if someone’s already said what I’m thinking - I don’t usually leave a comment - unless it’s something I feel strongly about.

Don’t comment for the sake of commenting.
Not guilty - I’m too busy reading all the posts in my reader to do this one!!

Know when to comment and when to e-mail.
Yes, I agree with this one - and I appreciate those people who read my blog that know it too. (It’s kinda like the way I treat twitter - somethings are not necessary for every man and his dog to read ………. )

Remember that nobody likes a know-it-all.
I certainly do not know it all, not even close. My mother always told me to treat others as I would like to be treat and this definitely applies to what you put in writing too.

Make the tone of your message clear.
Since my comments are relatively short - (aka: lacking substance …….. ) my message is usually one of encouragement or agreement.

Own your comment.
Always. I have never made an anonymous comment - again, something my very wise mother taught me - “if you’re going to say it - own it”

Be succinct.
Short comments usually are! I will keep this in mind though, as I begin to work on improving the substance of my comments.

Cite your sources with links or inline quoting.
Already a habit - comes from all those B.Ed assignments I think!!

Be courteous.
Thanks Mum, another thing you’ve already taught me well.

Don’t post when you’re angry, upset, drunk or emotional.
Never done this ….. especially the drunk one - I can’t read when I’ve drunk too much! Plus I don’t think I’ve ever been that incensed at a blog post ……. yet ………

Do not feed or tease the trolls.
I watched a couple of conversations when this happens - and I don’t like it.

This Self-Audit has definitely highlighted a couple of areas for me. The lack of substance to my comments was something that I was aware of already, but didn’t quite know how to move beyond it. I’m hoping that, by taking part in this 31-day comment challenge, this area in particular will improve.

I’m also looking forward to reading some new blogs and taking on the challenge of keeping to Gina’s guide to blog commenting.
And if you are part of The Comment Challenge remember to add the ” comment08 ” tag to your post.

Yesterday I struggled.  I struggled with a class that I had been asked to speak to in English about New Zealand.  This is the second time I have struggled with a class over the past week – both classes of students were about the same age.  They were also the same age as my students back in New Zealand - 11 and 12 years old.  I found myself wondering why on earth I was doing this, when I could be listening to and practising Español in another class.  I thought that handing out the postcards and the calendars with beautiful pictures might make a difference, as would the various NZ$ notes and coins I had with me.  But both increased the noise level and “silliness” severely.  I contemplated packing up and walking out, but my professionalism and my New Zealand pride would not allow me. 

Now, as I reflect on why I struggled with the very age group I love teaching, I try to imagine how interested my students in New Zealand would be with a native Spanish speaker who spoke very little English and arrived in front of their class to speak in Español.  As I do that, I begin to understand – but just a little.   As an 11 or 12 year old, having a very limited amount of Spanish, I would struggle to understand what the visitor was saying, let alone be able to put together questions to ask them.  It would be hard to concentrate for a long time when the words spoken do not make very much sense – (as it is for me when the people around me are speaking very fast in Spanish). BUT is there no value, importance or interest to this age level, for a chance to speak to a native English speaker and find out first hand about another country?  Are they not far enough along their own English learning journey to relish the chance to converse with someone who speaks English as a first language?  Are they not stakeholders in the conversation?  Or is it purely the age? 

No matter what the answer/answers, as a teacher, I would be very embarrassed if my students called out or shouted at the visitor all at once, or began to chatter away while the visitor was answering someone’s question.  No matter what language you speak, manners, consideration and simple politeness can considerably decrease the divide the lack of language causes in communication – don’t you think?  And then I read this ………… http://educatingthedragon.edublogs.org/2008/04/08/the-great-unspoken/ 

How embarrassed and disappointed I feel.  I don´t know what to say. Your thoughts and/or comments would be appreciated.

I am struck by the differences in Paraná’s public/private schools compared to the public schools of New Zealand.  I teach in a public school, in fact, most students attend a public school for most if not all their schooling.  

Since I have not taught in any other areas apart from Napier, I can not compare Paraná schools to anything but my own school and those that I have been lucky enough to teach or relieve in. 

My own students back at TIS do not realise just how lucky they are with what is available in their own classroom.  I don´t think the teachers of my school or other New Zealand schools realise how lucky we are with the many resources that are provided for us in our schools.   

I am so grateful for the school that I work in.  I am so grateful for the resources that I have.  I am so grateful for the technology that I have access to and I am so grateful for the opportunity to experience life in another country to make me realise just how grateful I am. When I return to my own school and classroom I will be reminding myself each day to take advantage of each and every opportunity I am presented with, to make the most of what I have and to forget about what I do not have.  I now have a far better understanding of what I take for granted and what others do not have access to. 

I think the pictures speak for themselves.   

It’s finally here.  Today is the day.  At 1.05pm I begin the first part of a rather long journey which will eventually see me land in stunning Argentina 25 minutes before I’ve actually left New Zealand.   (I love that part!)

For the next 7 weeks I will hopefully blogging as much as I can over at To Argentina and Beyond.

Please join me as  I begin this wonderful opportunity from the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Language Immersion Awards and AFS to immerse myself in the language and culture of my host country Argentina.  Whilst I haven’t “officially” heard, I believe that I will be living in Paranà .

No doubt most of you are aware of what is going on with Al Upton and the Mini Legends - so I’m not going to rehash the story, just point you in the direction of strategically placed hyperlinks. Vicki Davis writes a great explanation post about her thoughts on this issue, sadly, in place of her Funday Monday post.  Graham Wegner points out the ramifications for his project and Clarence Fisher questions is blogging dangerous and has blogging become a political act??

Thanks to Miguel Guhlin for making this available ……

….. so that we can show our support for Al and his Mini-Legends and hope that the “Powers that Be” allow blogging to continue for these spectacular 8 and 9 year olds and their fabulous teacher.

I had to laugh ……. because isn’t this always the way?  Just days, and I mean just days, after finding a creative commons image to represent my passion for a classroom without walls for the Miguel Guhlin’s Passion Quilt Meme ……… the perfect photo in my very own backyard presented itself! Our very own classroom with out walls - literally! So I just had to share!

This is one of four classrooms in our Learning Team, currently undergoing complete renovation. Renovation includes the replacement of windows, airconditioning, the adding of teacher office space, doors that open out onto the astro turf and field as well as the installation of an Interactive Whiteboard. When the fourth classroom is complete we will have eight classrooms out of 18 with IWBs! Exciting stuff!

Wondering if you’re heading in the right direction with 21st Century learning? I definitely have been. Then I watched this video by Jackie Halaw of Teacherhacks and realised that my students and I are no longer at the “fork in the road”, we are on the main highway with our windows down, radio blarring and having a the trip of a life time.

I’m certain now that if I keep these 3 steps at the forefront of my teaching and learning plans for Web2.0 tools / technology in the classroom, our journey will be less bumpy one as we drive along with our pedagogical roadmap.

Step One:
Transform your class into a

learning space

You can do this easily by allowing your students to talk, build, create, collaborate.

How have we done this? In our classroom we’re using …….

………. a wiki as a hub for all our learning - everyone contributes!

………. a blog to share what we’re doing with anyone who’s interested. Our two class mascots help provide motivational for blog posts and blogging is an integral part of how we do reading and writing in our classroom every day. Thanks to educators like Clarence Fisher and Jeff Utecht, it’s just how we do things around here!

……… voicethread to record things that are important to us and to share our learning with others, as well as collaborate with others!
Check out some of our voicethreads:
Sir Edmund Hilary - we shared this with several schools in NZ,
Practising Our Spanish - now students learning spanish in America are adding to our learning!
Ancient Seven Wonders of the World - cooperative project with a Year 8 class at our own school

Step Two:
Teach students the skills of competition, cooperation and collaboration

How can you do this?
Cooperative learning in our classroom underpins our whole learning philosophy. Art Costa’s Habits of Minds and Edward DeBono’s 6 Thinking Hats plus Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences are major pins intertwined throughout our learning too. Bloom’s Taxomy features heavily in our planning If you ever have the opportunity to attend Professional Development on any of these three things, do it! It will be time well spent. If that kind of PD opportunity doesn’t present itself, there’s more links below to help you get started.

Educational Origami - this is brilliant and a MUST read resource from one of New Zealand’s own - Andrew Churches!

Habits of Mind
Developing Creative/Critical Habits of Mind

Multiple Intelligences
Assess Your Own MI
Books and Articles on MI

Cooperative Learning

CoRT Thinking

Step Three:
Introduce your students to their global peers and provide them the opportunity to collaborate

How can you do this?
There are so many places that you can go to and ask for collaborators or see who is looking for collaborators. The very first place I started with was the wonderful Jen Wagner and OnlineProjects4Teachers. Matched up another wonderful teacher, Ms Cofino, who was interested in learning more about wikis too, saw our two classrooms collaborate through ProjectFeelGood. Jen also hosts JenuineTech.com, Creative Projects for the Pre-K6 Elementary Classroom. Most of the planning is done for you, you just need to climb on board at your own level and create! Salute to Seuss was a blast and The Holiday Card Project was very creative and great for integrating Google Earth!
One of the best introductions to global peers would have to be our involvement as Sounding Board Peer Reviewers for the Horizon Project and then the FlatClassroom Project - both run by Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis. A simple email expressing interesting in being a part of these projects was all it took to get involved with these two brilliant educators. And it was amazing! We learnt so much about ourselves and about what’s going on in the world!! Another simple yet extremely effective project we got involved with to improve our digital storytelling skills was Life ‘Round Here - faciliatated by the fabulous Chris Craft. Now we are just finishing off taking part in Project Lemonade which I found out about through the Classroom2.0 ning.

Here’s some other places you can find similar projects to join or find educators that are interested in collaborating too.

Projects by Jen (Ning)

Classroom2.0 (Ning)
- the beauty of the ning is you can post your own discussion and ask for collaborators or help to do/learn something.

Twitter
Join today and build up your personal learning network by following people like @crafty184, @courosa, @langwitches, @lparisi, @mrmayo, @cburell, @bcrosby @glassbeed
because these amazing educators often ask if anyone is interested in working on a collaborative project.

TakingIT Global

ClassroomBookTalk

CICL Centre for Interactive Learning

And the best quote of all …………..

The biggest enemy to learning is the talking teacher - John Holt

So, what are you doing in your 3 steps?

The lovely Sylvia T, from Langwitches, tagged me for this new meme, ” Passion Quilt” created by Miguel Guhlin.  I am to find or create an image that captures what I am most passionate for kids to learn about.

Our Classroom Has No Walls. 
This is what I am the most passionate about.  I want to show and model to the students that pass through my class each year, that we don’t have any walls to our classroom.  Our learning just don’t come from the books on our shelves, or from the brain of the teacher, or from the many computer screens dotted around our classroom.  We are connected to and by people from all walks of life, in all parts of the world.

3 Simple Meme Rules:

• Post a picture from a source like FlickrCC or Flickr Creative Commons or make/take your own that captures what YOU are most passionate about for kids to learn about…and give your picture a short title.
• Title your blog post “Meme: Passion Quilt” and link back to this blog entry.
• Include links to 5 folks in your professional learning network or whom you follow on Twitter/Pownce.

I would like to know what YOU are passionate about:

Kim Cofino from Always Learning
Allanah K from Life is Not a Race to be Finished
Simon Evans  from Educating the Dragon
Sue from And Another Thing
Claudia from ELT notes

^{_{Photo Attribution: Image: ‘A way to get through the wall‘ www.flickr.com/photos/64294921@N00/227360076}}

Week 2 of our new school year is nearly done and dusted. Routines are established, books are beginning to take shape, ideas are flowing and my Year 7’s are beginning to find their way around a new school more easily.

During the holidays I was looking for some new “beginning of the year” activities to do as we waited for stationery to be purchased and testing to be finished, mainly because I was bored with the same old ones I’d been doing for the past 3 years! I stumbled across a beauty! (I thought I had saved the URL in my Start of the Year Ideas Google Notebook - but I can’t find it!)

You’ve really got to try this one …… it’s brilliant!

In a million words or less …tell me about your child!

Your Name: _______________________________
Child’s Name: ______________________________

Hello, parents and guardians!
This may be the first homework assigned to you in a while, but I know you can handle it!
This is your big chance to let Ms. H know about your child.
You can write (or type, if you prefer) anything you like - as long as it is about your child.
Some things you may want to write about are their strengths, things you’d like to see them work on, hobbies they have, or anything you feel their teacher should know.
Write as much or as little as you please! These essays will be kept completely confidential.
You may return this to school with your child or e-mail a response to me.
Your child’s pin will move up 10 bonus squares if you do your homework!

I have laughed, I have awwwww’d, I’ve shed a tear or two, and I have been totally blown away by the response. The parental homework completion rate in just over a week is 75%. The mostly email responses have expressed gratitude and appreciation for the opportunity to share some first-rate insight of their child with me. I’ve expressed gratitude and appreciation to my parents for the knowledge I have gained about each of my new students. I haven’t had any negative responses yet, and most parents have written at least half a page for me.

This is definitely an activity that I will do again, and it’s such a positive way to make contact with parents for the first time.

Postscript: Thanks to Anne (Education World, Article, In A Million Words or Fewer ….. ), I can now credit the original idea to it’s owner. Last Summer, Deb Bova introduced this idea on the MiddleWeb Listserv. You can read some of the responses from the teachers who tried it in their class for the first time.