Session 2 - Tic Tac Toe

1.) Video- "How to Learn? From mistakes..."
  
  What an awesome video to watch. I was so impressed with the speakers main points of, "Experiential Learning; Student Voice; & Embrace Failure". When I look back on my various education experiences and the teachers that taught those courses, I see that the courses and educators that made the biggest impact on my life were not necessarily that classes that I was particularly good in. It was the classes that had teachers who allowed for our freedom to self-explore, use our own voice to explain or present in our modalities and then allow the failure while helping to guide us towards improvement while not punishing us for the failure. In a school system that is so focused on the "right" answer and the all mighty "State standards" assessment, many teachers and administrator's are being steered away from what might actually help the student's learn better because of the fear of not performing well on the assessment that determines the funding, etc. for the district. I love teaching in a functional classroom because I am not limited to having to teach and address certain core standards because my students do not take the MAP. I have the freedom to allow the students to have an active role in what we learn and how they represent their knowledge. The speaker was completely right-on about the three main points needed in today's classrooms as well as allow the students to express themselves using their own strength's not one common way. This was a very motivational video that should be shared at every staff meeting in every school. 

2.) Observe a technology lesson taught by a colleague and reflect.

     I had an opportunity to observe a health lesson being taught in a PE class using the smart board equipment to broadcast an interactive web site tools that allowed to the students to actually come up to the board and actively participate in the unit on the effects of drugs on your systems. All the students were actively engaged in the lesson whether it was their turn or not to use the application as each student was able to learn from the information that the other student was investigating due to the large screen and audio output. I had witnessed this same lesson two years ago while supporting a student in health using a book and worksheets. Many of the students had their heads down or were writing notes to other classmates because the presentation of the information lacked any interactive/exploratory  pieces and were teacher directed/run. It is amazing that by just changing the way the information is presented while allowing for active student engagement and exploration also helped the students to participate in the discussions and share their knowledge. It's not the content that lacked the engagement piece but rather the way in which the information is taught, learned and explored. Very cool to be able to have witnessed this and see what a difference it makes! 

3.) Read the article, "An Idea Whose Time has Come"

     While reading the bullets in this article about what the author says are essential in having a district that supports the BYOT I mentally checked each one off the list while thinking of Lindbergh District. Gone are the days where the tech department was only used for replacing toner cartridges and updating software. The technology department is now just as responsible for the teaching and learning that occurs each day in the classroom and the BYOT (or BYOD as we know it!) initiative. Looking at these devices as being used as a learning device rather than just for entertainment and distraction is a key component. Obviously from this article, it looks as though Lindbergh is ahead of the game and so far I have witnessed nothing but more active engagement by the students and new enthusiasm and creativity from the teachers while they consistently find new and exciting ways to utilize these devices in the classroom and for their lessons. Angie, are you sure that you or Colin didn't write this article under a pseudo name? Great article but I found myself saying, "Well, duh!"

Tic Tac Toe activities

1.) Observe a technology lesson taught by a collegue.
     I have had multiple opportunities to observe various collegues using technology in the classroom. The most recent observation I had the opportunity to observe was a math lesson being taught to six students with mutliple complex disabilities. The students were struggling with maintaining focus on a unit geared towards teaching basic money skills and coin identification. The teacher was able to utilize the interactive features of the white boards through the use of the Elmo and pulled up a web-based interactive money unit that required the students to get up and interact with the activities on the board using the pen and their hands. It turned the lesson into an exciting and interactive lesson that increased the student's overall engagment and participation in the unit as well as increasing their concept understanding and success.

2.) What does it mean to be a 21st century teacher? 
     I believe that being a twenty-first teacher means that the teacher needs to expose themselves to multiple technology options and be willing to explore and  experiement with the various options. It requires the teacher to determine what works for their students and allows for the maximum engagment of the students. They must constantly and consistently reevaluate their techniques and be flexible and adaptive to the ever changing trends in technology and beyond. 21st century teachers must also be as much a learner as the students they teach.

3.) Unconference Reflection:
    Walking away from the Unconference is always an over-whelming yet exhilerating experience. The opportunity to be exposed to new and different techniques, options and solutions to how to implment these new skills acquired is empowering. It allows staff from across the buildings and grades an opportunity to share their own expertise as well as gain new information. Much of what I use within my day when teaching are things that I learned and have taken away from the sessions.