Technology Teaching Tidbits

Technology is one of those tricky things. I remember the first computer my family got as a child, my mum's first cellphone that only called and the first device I got other than a cellphone (in fact I still have it!). Technology is a fantastic tool in every classroom but it has it's difficulties. 1. Staying charged This is our number one issues in a class that uses mainly iPads and has 1 between 2. Devices are constantly being used then put away and "Plug your device in!" is something I have to say daily. I dream of a day when devices do not require a plug to charge and just need to be near a power source or have long lasting batteries that last for weeks not just a day or a few hours. 2. Practicality for purpose Devices are fantastic to use and open doors for children that struggle with many parts of tradition schooling such as writing. BUT and this is a big one; they are not always fit for purpose. Whether that is because the website needs to be downloaded as a...

Today I introduced my literacy group to the possibility to connect with their favourite authors and was pleasantly surprised with their response. Writing has been hard going as I have been trying make sure to connect with the children who need it and give them enough feedback to make their writing valuable. With 32 children to manage I can appreciate how my own primary school teacher managed. So last night I prepared a short slideshow of past tweeting and a page explaining the requirements. I also collected a list of authors and their twitter usernames. The excitement started early as my students spotted the twitter username list and started to make the connection with what we are doing. It only escalated as some of my students saw the names of their new favourite authors I have introduced them to. We raced through the introduction lead by the kids excitement before getting into writing our questions. Once they had written their question they counted their characters befo...

For the first time since I was training I have gone back and looked at collaborative writing online and working to a shared goal. In 2015 I wrote about writing online and creating a pick a path story. This was done in a class of 25 children with 1:1 devices and as a student teacher my supervising teacher was present. I also had more non-contact time with the children being in a private institution that had specific teachers for many areas. This time I am working with a group of 32 children in a innovative learning environment (99 children 4 teachers) and mainly iPads. There has been many challenges. The first was finding a tool that would allow children to write online without needing an app. Amazingly enough 99% of websites I tried worked on computers but required an app when trying to use them on an iPad making them impossible to use! I finally found what is new one of my favourite websites! www.draftin.com allows one log on for as many devices as requires, it does not require an a...

In the past year and a half I have tried many different websites and apps but there are a few that I can no longer live without in my daily teaching life. 1. First definitely has to be Canva. It is available as both an app and website and allows the design of displays, visual timetables, money for cardboard ATMs (it's a long story) and all manner of title pages, independent learning contracts and CVs. It is free with the option of payment for more content but at $12.95 US a month it is worth paying during busy times where you know you want the extra content. It's abundance of free templates gives you something for every occasion and it's easy to use design has me making everything on it. Move over PowerPoint and publisher! I have a new design tool. 2. Google mail, drive, docs, slides, sheets and calendar. Both the apps and the website. Once again easy to use, awesome fonts and the ability to use them on the go with minimal data usage means I can work from wherever I want! A...

Recently I had a comment from a colleague from University that has made me stop and think. For the past three terms I have been working in a team of four teaching a fluctuating 90-110 children. I mentioned that I was making the Christmas gifts for all of the children in the studio and her response startled me. Her first response was "Why? Shouldn't you be each doing them for you own kids?" Recently as a team we have been talking about how we teach and work together and what we can change around this. We have spent this year setting up routines, adjusting to the environment (it's a new school this year) and finding our feet. Somewhere along the way we fell back into the routine of key groups are priority which is something we want to change but in some aspects this is already in effect. It's funny that when I first applied for my position I was nervous of the space and how it functions as I have never been in an environment such as this yet quickly I saw the bene...

In May I started teaching in my first classroom. It has been a big change as I have gone from training in single cell classrooms to a studio with 3 other teachers and 102 children. One of my main focuses has been how to support my learners with specialist needs who are engaging in technology. One great find I have is Monster Math. On top of being able to set multiple accounts and adjust the style of questions you can also get emailed updates on your learner's progress. Check out the examples below. This app runs as a story mode, practice mode and multi-player where kids verse each other and can have different level of difficulty in the competition. Overall this app is engaging and allows learners to engage as well as learning. Welcome window (of the free version) Skill selection pages for setting learners specific learning needs.   Story challenge page. Learners tap the candies that equal to 5 without being jumped on or hit by the bad monster.  Emailed...