Alabama Day 2: Beach study and St. Pat's

Today was a very interesting day full of learning. My classroom observation was scheduled for 12:45, so I had a morning to fill. Thankfully, I know a local who knew right where to take me and helped fill me in even more on some of the local science and history.

Let me first say this, hurricanes are a huge part of life here. Every conversation I had with much depth to it included information about a hurricane or two or three...

First, there is the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores, Alabama. It has experienced evacuations and damage due to hurricanes through the years. They work hard to protect the animals and rebuild. The ultimate goal is to move the zoo to a larger facility. For now, it remains a smaller zoo that brings pride to locals. It has been featured on Animal Planet as "The Little Zoo That Could." Take a look at the zoo here.

The beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama is beautiful. There is soft, sugar-like sand that feels wonderful between your toes and countless shells to observe and study. Did you know that you can see what's happening at the beach by viewing the webcams available? Take a look here.

Today, I saw a jellyfish that had washed ashore. I learned of a harmful algal bloom in the Gulf that harmed the local sealife. Then tonight, I discovered a place online where you can get updates on such algal blooms, known as Red Tide. NOAA has a page devoted to this for the Gulf of Mexico area here.

I observed and photographed a tar ball, a small clump of tar that had washed ashore. These can both be caused by local issues as well as occur naturally.

Large sand dollars (mostly broken into pieces) line the beach full of shells.

Rules for the beach have become stricter, limiting what visitors can take with them onto the beach. This now includes umbrellas. Locals are generally pleased with this since one summer, groups left behind a trash-lined beach including broken umbrellas and such. this reminded me of two recent issues in California: the July 4 littering in Lake Tahoe and the winter littering of broken sleds and trash in the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We owe it to ourselves, our children, the land, and our future to leave no trace. In this case, a sign promotes leaving only footprints.

A suggestion: please don't feed the seagulls.

I absorbed so much information and continue to process through it. Tonight, I set up class discussions in my Google Classroom for my seventh and eighth grade classes tomorrow. Both will look at two images, photographs I took in Gulf Shores today. One shows the tar ball and the other shows the Leave Only Footprints sign. The students will address questions posted with the images. Teacher without walls brings the beach to her students for a chance to use their Google tools and learn something about this region thus breaking down the walls of the classroom if only for a moment.

Now, I hope the Internet will cooperate. Today it caused some issues. I worked with my substitute, again long-distance, to try to work around it. I was thankful for her ability to think on her feet as well as for the chance to discuss the issue with her. Perhaps tomorrow will be better. If not, we will do what we do to work to make the best possible learning experience for the students.

After a learning adventure along the sand of the Gulf, I traveled back to St. Patrick's Catholic School where I had a chance to meet with the computer instructor and share ideas. I also met their very lovely principal, Sister Margaret who has served as the school's principal since it opened in 1979. I observed a third grade class and their computer time exercises. I got to see Spelling City in action. They also used a variety of typing exercises and demonstrated some great abilities. After the class ended, I heard more about the school's participation in a local technology fair and observed the trophies lining a wall. These students are award winning technology students. Bravo! This opportunity also allowed me to share some of our school's journey with GAFE and its implementation this year. In asking questions and sharing ideas, I was able to speak to a couple of teachers, some students, a parent, and the principal. This school has much in which to take pride. It was such a pleasure to see what they are doing and the magic they are creating with their integration of technology.

Here ends my Alabama adventure. Tomorrow, I am back on the road. I will use my journey back to the area closer to the airport and take in some more of the local science and history along the way. I plan to use the day wisely ahead of an early Saturday flight. There is so much processing yet to do and so many ideas to develop. Then lessons to write for next week and preparation to finalize for my upcoming presentations. The EdTechRoadtrip continues and a week from Saturday, you can catch me presenting two sessions at ETC! 2016 in Stanislaus County.

A teacher without walls

You may have heard the idea of a classroom without walls. In fact, I have worked hard through the years to break down the walls of the classroom. In some cases, that has meant stepping out with a camera, recording video, and bringing it back to my students. You can see more on this here. In other cases, that has meant stepping out on a day off from school to explore with students, such as our trip to Moaning Cavern last spring. This week, I have functioned as a teacher without walls.

In October, I took the first step. I had to be off campus (and out of the area) for a couple of days. It was "personal leave," but I managed to be involved with the students learning even on that time away by using Google Classroom. We just became a GAFE school this year and that was my first experience of working with my sub long distance and assisting in the facilitating of learning while away. Google Classroom was a fantastic tool for that.

I use Google Classroom inside and outside of the walls of the classroom and it has helped me help the students in real time. This week, I took a couple of other steps.

I have communicated with colleagues, parents, and students through email. This helped get my lesson plans where they needed to be, helped me make arrangements to work with a student on a project, and helped a student communicate with me about a change to his project.

It was a series of text messages and a quick phone call that made the real difference today. Computers were down and others were having difficulty loading the desired browser. The browser issue was one I was immediately familiar with and knew how to solve. I called the sub and walked her through the quick steps, and voila, it worked! Things were back in business.

Here I am over 2700 miles away, I had already spent the day visiting classrooms and meeting teachers and as I stood at the end of a pier overlooking the Mobile Bay, I took a moment to mentally step aside from processing through the wonderful observations of the day and to help fix an issue in the technology lab.

Google Classroom, email, phone...three tools that are a part of my Swiss Army Knife of Education that helped me function as a teacher without walls today. This after hearing about a teacher who virtually teaches a middle school class and discussing flipped classrooms with other teachers.

What tools help you remove the walls of your classroom and help you function as a teacher without walls?

Alabama Day 1: Baldwin County observations

I have had a wonderful opportunity made available to me and supported by my administration. I was invited to observe Baldwin County Schools in Alabama. I worked with a teacher friend in the area to make arrangements on the Alabama end while my principal worked with me on my end to set up some of the logistics (such as when this trip could happen). After a few months of planning and preparation, the day arrived and I boarded a plane to get this show on the road...literally.
Day One was set up for public school visits. Day two set up to visit an area Catholic School.

Day One happened today.
Baldwin County uses iPads with their primary students and MacBooks with all others, starting in fifth grade. The MacBooks have cost the district over $9 million annually, according to a report from Channel 5 WKRG. The county school board will vote tomorrow night (Thursday, February 18) on to switch from the MacBooks to Chromebooks. According to the report and to local residents familiar with it, the switch will save the district around $7 million annually and will eliminate the $64 annual fee paid by families (per student) to cover insurance for the devices. It makes fiscal sense and the board seems set to make the change. You can see more on this here.

Today, I had the opportunity to see second graders use iPads to conduct research and to record voice-overs for their frog projects. Using an app called SeeSaw, the second graders took a picture of the drawings and write-ups they created on the life cycle of a frog and they read the information to provide the voice over. Their teacher will listen to each one to check for quality and, if necessary, students will re-record. These will then be made available through the SeeSaw app and parents can take a look at their student's project. this class will use that app for several projects throughout the school year, much to their benefit, but it also helps their parents see what is happening in the classroom and have access to their student's work.

Later, we visited a math class that had a low-tech day. Students had the opportunity to get out into the hallway for a "Gallery Walk," the theme of which was the Pythagorean Theorem. Students worked in pairs carrying a paper, sectioned for each problem they would have to solve and a calculator. The teacher made her MacBook available if students needed to do a quick Google search to check their procedure, but they could also ask her for some guidance if necessary. The students worked through the math problems and checked their work, one-by-one. The teacher is trying to use more low-tech days rather than continuing to use the technology just to use the technology. She hopes to help the students see that they can do things without heavy reliance on technology. Her classroom is full of creative signs of learning, beginning at the doorway with student-created boxes. This hands-on approach with blending the use of technology seems to have students engaged in learning.

The day ended on an incredible high note for me with a visit to a 21st Century Skills class. The atmosphere of the room can be sensed as you reach the doorway. Inside, the room includes three high tables, a couple of shorter tables, desks, comfortable chairs, soft lighting, music, and the smell of lavender. Students are busy at work on designing houses. Some students have opted to design their houses in Minecraft. All students are hard at work as the room exudes a sense of calm diligence. This room is a haven of creativity. This is the direction I am attempting to take the Technology Lab and Makserspace now known as the Fan Force Tech Lab. Here I am, 2700 miles away and getting great ideas and seeing that my hopes and goals for our creative space can happen.

Other highlights from the day included seeing a science teacher's creation of ionic bond tabs for use with her interactive whiteboard, the engagement provided by a Kahoot quiz in another middle school science class, chatting with eighth graders about the upcoming shift from MacBooks to Chromebooks, and spending the day processing all of it with a fabulous educator.

The students in Baldwin County are seeing how to use technology effectively and they have the opportunity to learn multiple platforms as well as a variety of tools.

When I first arrived in Baldwin County last night, I ended up having a conversation with someone who asked me some questions about the dependence on technology. I shared with him my Swiss Army Knife analogy and talked about how it is not a dependence on technology, but a healthy incorporation of different types of technology that benefits our students. I had a similar conversation with a couple of teachers today. Just about any teacher working carefully to incorporate technology effectively will tell you that we need to avoid "technology to technology's sake" and we need to find the tools that work for our students. Today that meant an iPad app called SeeSaw for second graders, a calculator for eighth grade math students, and Minecraft for other eighth graders.

Today, my visits included Daphne East Elementary, Fairhope Middle School, and Daphne Middle School. I am so thankful for this opportunity and for the chance to see why these teachers #believeinbaldwin and to see the various ways they are choosing to incorporate technology into their instruction and student output.

Continue to follow me on this #edtechroadtrip as tomorrow I spend a second day seeing the approach a Baldwin County Catholic school has taken to incorporating technology.

Teachers learning from students: Hello, Kodable

I walked into the first grade class with a plan in mind. I stuck to it. Then, with about 15 minutes of Chromebook time to go, one of the students raises her hand and says, "Ms. R!" She proceeds to ask me if she can "do" Kodable. "Let's take a look." And, so, we did.

She didn't have the login information that she uses at home, so she went on to do something else for the last few minutes of the time. This time had, of course, been designated for "free choose."

This is the time most students find activities on abcya.com but one or two may return to the exercises they love on code.org. This young student was disappointed that she was unable to do the Kodable activities, but took it in stride. "We'll have it set to go tomorrow," I said.

So, I checked things out and set things up. The next day, I introduced kodable.com to a couple of first graders and unveiled it with the entire third grade class.

It was such a hit!

I have students developing math skills, reading skills, and learning to code...all in one! Finding another resource for this has been awesome. We may be a little late to the party, but party we will as education wins! Students win!

It has its hiccups at times, as we have experienced with other programs. But, we navigate through them and the learning continues.

The best part of this past week is that I learned something. A student introduced me to something that would ultimately benefit other students...whole classes even.

As teachers, we need to take time to step back and listen to our students. We can learn things from them that will not only help them in their continuing educational journey but will extend to their classmates and schoolmates. We can grow excellence in our schools by simply taking a few moments to stop and listen to our students.

What have you learned from taking a moment to listen to your students? How has it benefited your other students and the school?

~~~~~

Next week, I am on the road for school observations and collaborations. I will travel from the Central Valley of California to Baldwin County Alabama. Stay tunes for interesting information and exciting adventures as I meet educators, students, and learn about what makes things work for them. Follow the hastags:
#believeinbaldwin
#eduawesome
#adventure
#edtech

Ok Google, I'll Keep you around

When I hear about something new, I want to try it. Sometimes I like what I see and sometimes I can live the rest of my life without it. I have downloaded and deleted apps in the same day.

I received my first introduction to "Ok Google" at CUE last March. I found it fascinating and looked forward to using it and seeing how it could benefit me, my students, my family. When I upgraded my Android phone in June, I got excited as I discovered that all I had to say was "Ok Google" and my phone would find things for me. Now, I observe my students as they use the voice searches on their Chromebooks in class, then hop in my car to go home and say, "Ok Google, take me home" and love hearing, "navigating to home." It took me about eight or nine months to finally start using it more, but I find myself using it a little more each day. Between that and my BlueTooth enabled vehicle, I do a lot of talking in the car, even when I am seemingly alone. With my help from my mobile friend Google, I can get directions, look up phone numbers, and even make a note to myself. Which leads me to my next item...

Screen shot of my first tries with Google Keep.
The graphics, of course, were added later in my Photo
Studio (on my phone) in preparation for sharing here.

My other new "toy" is Google Keep. I heard about this app in passing, did a little research of my own, and decided to give it a try. I keep finding things that I can do with it. So far, I have started a shopping list that I have shared with my dad because we share grocery duties I love that we can mark things off and then when we need them on the list the next time, we can just tap them and they reappear. I have made notes on student presentations as they present. These are notes I can then take into Google Classroom for grading purposes as assignments are completed. I rather like having a separate place to make notes, and it's quick and easy to do on my phone. (I will add it to a tablet next.) I have set memos with reminders. This has been especially helpful for meeting the deadline for submitting my weekly lesson plans, but even better than that, I have one for when my small groups need to switch. The memo is something I can share with colleague or sub if necessary and the reminder helps keep my timing on track. Reminders on Google Keep are especially interesting to use. In addition to the more typical clock reminder (like an alarm), there is a way to set a reminder connected to your location. That being the case, I have set up a very special reminder with a neat memo for my kids and me. Every time we arrive home, my phone reminds m to Hug, dance, laugh, and love. Thank you, Google Keep!

Have you tried Google Keep? If so, what is your favorite feature so far?

Never stop learning

One of the highlights of the last 12 to 18 months for me has been the growth and development of my PLN. You may have seen my post on Twitter use and how Tweet it is in November. It has been a large part of my PLN growth. But wait, there's more...

Much of the core of my PLN exists because of some incredible real-life, face-to-face conferences. These are people I met first and connected with on Twitter later.

Have you been to an EdCamp?
EdCamp. That was a foreign word to me until about this time last year. Have you heard of it? If not, Google it. If so, I imagine you are already familiar with the amazing things that can happen at an EdCamp. Regardless of what group you fall into, please continue reading.

The neat thing about EdCamp is that everyone there gets to participate in deciding what the day will include. Sticky Notes rule the beginning the day and collaboration remains the theme of the day. EdCamp is an "unconference" and it can be fun trying to explain that to people.

I attended my first EdCamp last spring I connected with handful of wonderful people who encouraged me, inspired me, and led me to seek even great greatness. A couple of months later, I met with one of the people I met at my first EdCamp to discuss my transition into teaching technology and to continue navigating through some ideas I had. Additionally, I had a chance to continue to share some of what I was already doing. But, my best EdCamp experience was yet to come.

I attended another in the fall. Also, in the fall of 2015, I had the opportunity to present at CapCUE's TechFest. There, I again reconnected with one of my favorite CUE Rockstar teachers, Ryan O'Donnell. in fact, he and Brian Briggs (who I only really know from Twitter), gave me the opportunity to speak on camera as part of their regular Podcast, Check This Out. I saw Ryan again last week...at my best EdCamp so far.

CapCUE hosted an EdCamp in Rocklin. Rocklin Unified provided lunch. (Score!) Amazing people came from all over for this EdCamp. The smartest person in the room was indeed THE ROOM. People shared ideas, experiences, awesomeness. And my day ended learning a little more about Podcasting in a special session with Ryan and a small group of wonderful people. Our familiarity varied. Our experiences difered. And, learning happened. I immediately took it back to my students and they were further inspired. Wonderful things will continue to happen with my students because of these experiences.

Later in the week, I revisited my favorite Twitter chat, with the DitchBook crew. We discussed science lessons specifically. Knowing that there are like-minded educators willing to share ideas who I can connect with on a weekly basis makes my heart sing.

Rejuvenated
I am now rejuvenated in my enthusiasm for my role as a facilitator of learning and my students are better for it. As I look forward to traveling to a different state to collaborate, learn, and share experience, as I look forward to CUE 16, as I prepare to present at an upcoming conference, I can say I am better for the the face-to-face experiences nurtured by online correspondence and interaction.

So, now, I leave you with some recommendations.

Five Suggestions
One. Attend an EdCamp.
Two. Find your tribe, your people, the collective with which you can share ideas virtually and in person.
Three. Participate in a Twitter chat. If you haven't seen #DitchBook, check it out. I love it. But maybe a different one fits you better. It's about what works for you and what nurtures your teacher soul.
Four. Take the time to listen (view) a podcast. I strongly recommend Check This Out with Ryan O'Donnell and Brian Briggs.
Five. Stand firm and be flexible. That's right. When you know something works, stand firm in knowing what is right, but be flexible and willing to try new things.
Be you. Be real. Be awesome. But never stop learning.

A whole new world

When I was in elementary school, I struggled with spelling. I love watching my son succeed with his spelling homework and spelling tests. We have had issues off and on this year with him leaving his homework in his desk at school. On days such as that, we do alternative activities at home and then the next morning he goes into the classroom before school starts to work on his homework. More often than not, he gets it done. This happened yesterday. This morning, I started my day by sending a Class Dojo message to the teachers letting them know they should see him in the room first thing. A little while later, while still on my commute, I received a reply. He was in the classroom working on his homework. There are not cards being pulled in this classroom, but Dojo points. I have excitedly watched as my son has had really awesome days, especially this week. Of course, I also use Class Dojo as a teacher and I am in the process of helping a colleague start it with her class.

I started my day as a parent corresponding with the teacher through Class Dojo. Then, I arrived at work and took my fifth graders into the classroom where they polished their podcast scripts and plans. Then, recording began. We recorded the first two episodes of Fifth Grade Life today. We are eager to finalize things and begin sharing them. I was impressed with their commitment to the projects, as well as their enthusiasm.

Later in the day, the sixth grade class presented their TED-style "talks." One of which was absolutely outstanding. They followed the assignment to a "T" and their presentation went incredibly well. Bravo!

I had my "usual suspects" in the technology lab after school and kept it open a little while longer than usual. It was a great day. After the last couple of students left, I worked some more on editing a recording that will become the first episode of the Primetime Podcast Adventurers (named by my son) podcast. This is a family effort to put into action some of the things I am teaching and it allows me to work a little more with audio editing which is still somewhat new to me. If I am going to teach it, I want to know it and do it. My children are more than happy to assist in such projects. Thus, our family Edu-awesome adventure podcast was born.

I packed up my things and headed for the door. The phone rang. It was my son. He asked if his teachers had sent a copy of the spelling list this week (sometimes they send it through Class Dojo). They had not, but I still told him I would look. Just in case. Of course, the list was not there, but I found a link to their class website. I clicked on it. It did not load. Oh, bummer. Still, perhaps it was an issue on my end. So, I sent an email to my son with the link. I called him, he grabbed his tablet, and tried the link. It didn't load. We came up with a new idea. I sent a Dojo message to the teachers and asked where I might find the list. A quick reply, despite it being 5 p.m., and I had a new link to try. It worked! I kicked off another email to my son. Another call to him, another check of his tablet, and another success. The link worked! By the time I arrived home, he had completed his spelling homework, cheerfully. Normally, he has to finish his homework and practice piano before using his tablet, but emails from mom for the sake of homework completion warranted early access. We have started talking about working on a claymation style video in the future as inspired by one of my students' Lego stop-motion video for a project. We entered the planning stages tonight with a target to begin filming by Spring Break. First, though, we have science fair projects to work on: rotting fruit with my five-year-old and melting bomb pops with my eight-year-old. Tablet use...optional.

We have entered a whole new world, folks!

Today, all of today, is proof of some of the wonderful things that EdTech makes possible...as a teacher and as a parent.

How has EdTech made a difference in your day today?