Idiom of the Week

This is a great idea for French or for English. Idioms can be so much fun, especially when you can find the origin of the expression. There are so many expressions that are less known to students today because of the technological language shift. This would allow me to fill them in on "Old-fashioned" language. I like the visual presentation of it as well...

My Class Gardens

What a great way to combine my love of photography with my work. Making a bouquet of my students like this for my desk is an easy way to show students that they matter to me. Now that I am in a high school, I no longer get that class photo as a memento and this would give me a little reminder of each student after the year is done.

Note to self: Get the petals made in the summer because once the school year gets started, time will be a precious commodity...

100 Questions

This idea comes from a younger grade's teacher, but I thought another good use for this would be my science class. When I teach ecosystems, we watch some awesome videos about different ecosystems in the world and this would be a very visual way of posting the questions students have about what they learn and what they might like to research later on in the unit.

It can also be used to have students respond and ask questions about what they are reading in French or English. Responses could be categorized (questions, connections, opinions, frustrations...) Just a thought.

Clothes Pins Monitor Participation

OK, I know this will come as no surprise to anyone in the field, but there is a huge spread between those students who want to dominate in the area of "answering ALL the questions" and those who cringe at the thought of being called on in class. In my years in the classroom, I have heard so many words of wisdom about what to expect of students as far as participation is concerned. There is much controversy surrounding this issue. Some believe in the "tough love" approach, putting students on the spot and toughening them up to better prepare them for a less forgiving world. Others nurture and protect the student to the point of sheltering them from the experience altogether.

Now, neither of these will inspire a student to test the waters in an environment of safety and to develop learning habits which embrace error.

This year, I am faced with two very large groups (30 and 31 students). In each of the groups, I have a wide range of ability, activity and needs.

Each has a core of about 3 students who have their hand up as soon as they take their seats. They are ready to answer any and all questions that arise. They dominate conversations and they bask in the attention they feel they are getting from those who do not get the chance to speak.

The truth, however, is that those who do not speak, often do not bother because they have learned over the years, that there is no point trying to contribute to a discussion. They have experienced being cut off and being beaten to it by those who answer faster.

I saw very early this year that many of my quiet students were pretending to understand things in order to avoid questioning and taking risks in front of the others. It was obvious that the first thing I needed to establish was a safe environment in which they would be willing to take risks. We talked honestly about the importance of being respectful of the different learning styles of others. We defined a community of learners and the behaviours that help us to work well together. But this was not enough...

I needed to find a way to get my strong personalities to stop dominating the discussions and to get the reluctant speakers to find their voice. The idea hit me while in a Dollarama, shopping for birthday party loot bags...

Each student receives 4 wooden clothes pins with their names written on them. These are attached to name cards taped to the side of a bookshelf. Upon arriving for my class, students take their clothes pins from their card and place them on their desks. During lessons or class discussions, they hand one in when they contribute something to the class (be it a question or an opinion). To do this, they simply place it at the corner of the desk and the "used" pins are collected and counted at lunch by student volunteers. In such a large class, it helped me to see who was taking part, and who was merely observing.

What I noticed, was that the quiet students started to ask and answer questions more often and that the more dominant participants started to monitor their contributions. They were more aware when others had not had a chance to be heard and were sure to save their own "turns" for something worthwhile. I started to hear things like, "I'll let others have a go," and "I'll save my last clothes pin for another question."

There are several things to keep in mind here. The first is that students are not put on the spot. They contribute when they are comfortable doing so. They start to speak because others are no longer dominating, which gives them a chance to get a word in edgewise. The clothespins add a visual reminder that they are not participating, prompting them to ask or answer questions without fear of being cut off.

The second is that students who used to dominate become aware of how important it is for others to have the chance to engage in their learning. They become instrumental, not only in their own development, but in helping create a classroom setting where everyone can be engaged in their learning.

The third is that all this has nothing to do with grades. This is simply a visual way of helping students monitor
their level of participation to be aware of the contributions of each student. The tracking is just to show them that the rate of participation is improving. It also gives me some data about students who are reluctant to contribute anything in class. These are the students I can then turn my focus to in order find out if there are other reasons they are not asking or answering questions. This, however, is much easier to do with two or three quiet kids as opposed to 26 who never get the chance to speak.

And finally, the entire thing is monitored by students. Volunteers pick up the "used" clothes pins and record participation. Once counted, they replace these on the name cards. Other students replace the "unused" clothes pins on the name cards for the next class. The conditions for learning become the responsibility of all students after that.

Getting Started with Blogs / Quelques directives pour les blogues

So, you have a Google account and you have created a blog... What next? In the attached document, you will find instructions for a beginner in the world of classroom blogging. The best first step is to acquaint yourself with your own blog before you unleash it in your classroom. Take the time to create posts, add pictures and videos and play around with the various tools and features that you can exploit to encourage your students to produce professional looking work that they will be proud of.

Bon. Vous avez un compte Google et votre blogue est créé... Maintenant quoi? Dans le lien ci-dessous, vous trouverez des directives qui vous seront utiles pour déclencher le potentiel du monde des blogues. La meilleure première étape est de vous familiariser avec votre blogue avant de le présenter à vos élèves. Prenez le temps de créer des messages, ajouter des images, des vidéos et explorez les outils disponibles afin d'encourager vos élèves de produire des publications professionnelles dont ils seront fiers.

Blog Instructions / Directives de blogues

Research vs Research Projects

Just a few weeks ago, I attended a day with Mike Schmoker. His ideas caused quite a controversy in the room, after which he left to catch his plane back  home. The discussions that followed were most interesting. In summary (and please feel free to add to this if you were there) he stated that reading and writing were the goals and that all the projects we throw at our students are quite often a waste of time. He confirmed a few things that I have observed and quite admittedly become frustrated with in my own classroom. When students are working on a project I assign, a few have managed to  create a plan, have a list of questions to guide their research and have sources that will support or contradict their hypotheses. And let’s be honest, this description is very much an exception and not the rule. Most students will fool around, unless I am standing directly over them, and even then have no idea what to do despite a co-created list of criteria and expectations.

When I grade the project, I barely even glance at the product. The grade is based on my observations and most importantly on the process paper I require as the proof of their learning, which is often devoid of real learning and sources. So when Schmoker stated it (reading and writing) was what we should focus on, I was not appalled like most of the room. What I have noticed, however, is that the papers I have gotten this year (one grade younger than I am accustomed to) are beyond pathetic. This is not to criticize my students, but to bring into question the way I teach them how to research.

Because I have been blessed with the occasional fluke, I have begun to believe that most of my greatest “ideas” are a result of accidents. This week, because I have reached the end of my rope and I have moved into survival mode, I stumbled upon something and I think it may be the start of something for me. In my Social Studies class, I assigned a photo presentation. I asked the students to choose countries (aside from North America) and to identify things they do that are different from what they know from living in Canada. They collected a number of photos from the internet – no words allowed except for a title (with a flagrant lack of respect for copyright etc), but let’s focus on the important part here.

One of the groups presented a photo of citizens in Pakistan burning an American flag. This one photo inspired a heated discussion about why Pakistan hates the US. Many of the things the students said were obviously false and overheard from their parents and other sources – but this flood of thoughts and ideas was enough to get them asking great questions. We have a variety of nationalities in our school and I have students from various religious groups as well. Discussions on terrorism, religion sanctioned murder and other false stereotypes captured everyone’s attention! Now they REALLY wanted to know. Another group presented a photo of a matador in Spain and explained to the class that the colour red infuriated the bull and that is why they use red. Another student contradicted him and another discussion broke out about whether or not bulls were colour blind. A third group spoke about the coliseum in Italy and they shared how gladiators fought there for the amusement of the Romans. What they didn’t know is that the gladiators were slaves and how they were recruited. When one student shared this bit of knowledge, questions came flooding out about the powerful empire and its decline! Again, they REALLY wanted to know.

I think that assigning something (with a project) in order to get them to do research,  is putting the cart before the ox. (Does this expression work in English?) We need to create the curiosity to teach them how to ask questions first. We need to have these discussions to get them thinking beyond their four walls and to open their minds to the worlds which exist elsewhere on the planet. I don’t have the answer about the whole how-to, but these little discoveries (mostly by accident) have certainly gotten me to think about research in a whole different way.

The discussions which occurred in my classroom this week will certainly change the way I encourage students to find inspiration for their research. The project has become the least important part of it, but this is not to say that it has no value. I have begun to wonder if I should use it as an enrichment for those who are ready and willing to create something new – beyond the reading, writing, discussing and listening phase… The great part about this is that it is not limited to the strongest kids. A student who is not at that point in September, inspired by those who launch themselves into these projects may join in later in the year. The quality and authenticity of their work will be improved because it is truly theirs – at their pace and guided by their questions and ideas – even though it might not start out that way.

This piece is in response to an article forwarded to me by Syd Korsunsky. 

Research vs Projects

2012 Byte Conference

This year, at the Byte Conference in Portage, I attended 4 very different sessions to broaden my horizons in the field of technology. Over the past few years, I have allowed myself time to explore software and various tools that can be of use or at least of interest in a school setting. I can finally say that I am no longer intimidated by technology although I am aware that I will be a perpetual learner in the field. How could I not be in a world that changes faster than we can keep up?

Recently, some of my students learned the hard way that the internet is fast and forever. We have had to troubleshoot a potentially disastrous situation and have brought the protection of our youth to the foreground. When I signed up for the "Managing your Online Identity" session, I believed I would be reminded of the dangers our students face in a technological world and given tips about keeping them safe from predators as well as from themselves. Well, needless to say, this was not at all what the session entailed.

Philippe Girouard, the young presenter, started by painting a clear picture about the all too familiar published photos of the night we did not remember to draw the line. Posting photos and blurbs about loss of control and consequences for bad choices do not allow a flattering light to shine down upon us and advertise to the world how we handle ourselves personally. Why would they believe our professional life would be managed any differently?

He continued by stating that our students should all be on the five essential social networks in order to create and manage our online identity. As much as I love my new comfort with technology, I was not sold about putting them on display all that much. Nevertheless, I continued to listen. Soon, I began to see endless possibilities open up and I was seeing my own future in a whole new way.

Since the conference, I have signed on to the last of the social networks required for his view of our online presence, LinkedIn. Basically, it is facebook with a professional flair. I have entered my profile, which is a well organized resumé, as well as organizations to which I belong, courses and conferences I have attended, and achievements which complement my work as an educator. I have connected with people who are leaders in some of the fields of education I am passionate about and I can share and get feedback from the professional articles and posts I publish online.

Managing your online identity reminds you to be the only person in your life who has any say about what is publicized about you. Show the world what you are up to. Do things that you would be proud to be a part of. And most importantly, live your life in a way that does not open doors for others to paint you in a less than favourable light. The bottom line is that if you do not want to be seen worshipping the porcelain goddess at a party gone wrong, then don't allow yourself to get to that point.

Your online identity is a reflection of your live identity. You decide what you want others to see and then, make it so.