professional learning

Oak Bay High

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On Tuesday we had the opportunity to visit Oak Bay High. First of all, let me share my impression of the school, then, I will go through some of the knowledge that was shared with us by Trevor.

The School:

  1. It was big. As I approached the school, I had to ask a student which door to go into to find the office.
  2. It was new. The building itself looked new and modern.
  3. The layout was different than a “traditional school”. The school itself had a very open, modern vibe – with low lockers, and open concept layout, it gave the feel of a very versatile and adaptable space, that would facilitate learning well.

The Talk: 

Once we entered the school, Trevor led a fantastic discussion. He inspired us to consider bringing inquiry into our classrooms – both guided and free. For me, guided inquiry is overwhelming and scary, but the example of guided inquire he showed us makes sense. I think it would be fun to have a project where the teacher gave me the idea of what I have to explore, but allowed me to dive into it how I want.

He showed up many different resources, including a graphic he designed!

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I walked away from the discussion feeling like I, too, can bring inquiry into my class, no matter what subject I teach.

Field Trip

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Recently, we were given the opportunity to join an Earth Science Class on a field trip. It was a very valuable experience, as we had the opportunity to see, firsthand, what place-based learning can entail.

 

Steps for taking a class on a field trip:

  1. Get permission from the district/school. This involves preparing a document proving that the students safety will be taken care of. You must meet all requirements outlined by the district. (Adult/Student ratio, transportation, etc).
  2. Send out permission slips to all parents, outlining the timing, dangers, and intent of the field trip.
  3. Prepare a way to compile all student information (emergency contact, allergies, etc) to take with you on the trip.

Getting your students out of the class, and into a different learning environment is beneficial for all. Not only will you show your students something that they may not have seen before, but you will give them a hands on learning experience. I hope that I will be able to bring all of my classes on some time of field trip, at least once a semester.

Being part of this field trip reminded me of the reading we did in class about multiliteracies design for geography class, where they talked about the importance of getting outside and applying classroom knowledge in a meaningful way. They stated that, “learning on such excursions can be engaging and effective, with students making multiple and meaningful connections, which lead to understandings that could not be achieved in the classroom environment.” (Lockyer and Harper, 2006). By first learning about the layers of rocks, and what that means (different shifts in the crust, water levels, sediments, etc.) and then going out in the field and seeing it first hand and discussing it there, “provide learners with an opportunity to both explore and apply their learning though multi-modal expressions within diverse contexts.” (Lockyer and Harper, 2006). It was really interesting for me to see read this paper, and then have the opportunity to see this first hand. Some students who were normally disengaged in class, lit up while discussing the layers of sediment, and the story it told of history!

References:

Lockyer, L. & Harper, B. (2006). A technology-enhanced multiliteracies learning design for geography education. 3L Journal of Language Teaching, Linguistics and Literature, 12 13-28.

PSII

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Today, we visited the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry.

PSII

It was such a cool experience to not only hear first hand the process of opening a school, but to see an “ideal education model” in practice. Throughout the first few months of the PPD Program, and over arching theme has been that the system is broken, but we are slowly trying to fix it. It seems as though PSII is on the right track for what education SHOULD be, in a perfect world.

I had the opportunity to sit with a student as he walked me through his inquiry project. It was amazing to hear how many “subjects” he was covering by exploring something he truly WANTED to explore. BINGO. Relevant, interesting, engaging.

So, why aren’t we all doing this?

Because – it’s not so simple.

  1. To have an inquiry based school, the school needs to stay small. There is a maximum size cap in order to maintain the integrity of student driven learning.
  2. Students need to be intrinsically motivated. This model isn’t for everyone.
  3. It takes time to change the “system”

It was an honour to be welcomed into such an innovative learning environment. Although I may never open my own school, its possible to weave these practices into my own class.

Privacy and Safety Seminar

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Jesse Miller came to class today to discuss technology in the classroom.

                                                WHO IS JESSE MILLER?!?!

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He shared a lot of great info on teens and cell phones, social media in the class, and our own protection for our professional lives.

 

Teens and Cell Phones

I think that it is second nature for humans to play a game of “us and them”. We, mature adults, are better than young, ignorant teens. Obvious. Right?

WRONG.

Jesse made me realize that I am as much a culprit of cell-phone addiction that any teen. I myself will be “multitasking” constantly seeing what is happening on my cellphone.

Teens can be doing any number of things on their phones, but rather than shaming them, or scolding them, we need to set firm boundaries and expectation, and take a second to understand where they are coming from. Set an accountability clause for your classroom. For example,”you can have a cellphone, but you are responsible for being respectful and getting all the material”.

As a teacher, we have the right to confiscate student phones, but not look through them. We also have to be prepared to answer to parents when they are upset their child’s phone has been taken.

Social Media in the Classroom

Social Media can be a great tool in the classroom. Teachers use it as a platform to communicate upcoming events, or share class material. But, it is important to keep a few things in mind when using social media.

  1. Be clear with administration of your intent, and get approval before doing it.
  2. Don’t use your personal email address or accounts. Always use the professional email provided by your workplace.
  3. Be careful that accounts aren’t linked, and that students aren’t accessing your personal life.

Protecting Ourselves

Things to remember, “Items posted online can and will be used against you”.. a joke, I know. But its something to think about. As teachers, everything that is accessible to the public can be viewed by students, and probably will be.

Not only should we think about our own digital footprints, but also about Digital Consent. Our own digital consent is often overlooked, but it is important to be sensitive of our students (and/or parents) consenting before adding them to a group, taking their photograph, sharing their phone numbers, etc.

Lastly, we need to educate ourselves on the school districts policies: social media, cell phone, and technology. If in doubt, its important to clarify with administration to ensure that we are following the right rules.