On this episode of “am I getting the hang of this blogging thing yet?” I’ll be talking about my positive mentality going into this new year (even though it’s already the end of January….):

In my Digital Media Literacy class, we were introduced to a twitter trend in Ontario called #OneWordONT where educators explain their goals, hopes, inspiration or mentality for the upcoming year in one word. Julie Ballen writes,

“having one word through which to “see” your practice, to guide your work, and to reflect on your professional learning gives you a chance to be really intentional about your professional growth. Having one word to concentrate on allows you the time to delve into the nuances of the word, to look at it from various angles, to hold it close and then to view it from a distance. Having one word gives you the chance to be shaped by it.”

I’ve attached the link to her blog here if you would like to explore her insight further!

For my #OneWordONT challenge, I chose the word PERSEVERANCE (I needed perseverance to learn how to spell perseverance). I chose this because my post-secondary career has been a long one, and I’m proud to say my dual undergraduate degree is finally coming to a close; for those who are curious: Honours Bachelor of Arts and Science (Interdisciplinary) with a Double Specialization in History and English and my Bachelor of Education!

I’m also proud to announce that I have been invited back to Lakehead next year to complete my Masters! It hasn’t been easy, but I feel as though I’ve kept strong and my support system of friends and family have helped me stay focused on my goal. #KeepOnKeepinOn

This past professional year has challenged me in ways I didn’t think possible, but it also inspired me and solidified my belief that this is truly what I am meant to be doing. So for that, I am extremely grateful! 

I have been experimenting with Podcasting (thanks to MDL 4000 and @HelenDewaard), and I have made a short “podcast” on my #OneWordONT challenge word. Check it out by clicking on the picture below:

(Is there anyone out there who likes the sound of their own voice? No.)

 

I have also had the opportunity to explore video editing, as I had created a short movie in my C&I to Language Arts class last semester about a theme in one of our novel study groups; ironically enough, it was on perseverance! I am honestly so proud of this video; it was my first time EVER using any sort of video editing technology, and I had such a hard time starting the process so I just kept putting it off and putting it off until I got a spark of creativity – then the whole thing was done in less than 24 hours. I had so much fun creating this, and I think it is a powerful message, yet kid-friendly and I am so excited to share it. I thought it was only fitting to share it here as well to keep up with this positive mindset and my theme of perseverance!

My short movie is titled, “Disney Perseveres” (@disney – please don’t sue me, it’s just for school). I chose to use Disney movies because I grew up with Disney and I feel as though there are a lot of strong messages, for both children and adults, that are sometimes overlooked. I chose the movies, Zootopia, The Incredibles, Moana, Mulan, and The Princess and the Frog,  and the main characters of each as the focus of my video. These characters are strong female figures, who all have very different goals, yet all work hard to reach them. I also used “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor as my song for my video as it makes the listener feel empowered and ready to take on any challenge (reader beware: this movie will get you PUMPED UP). I also added scenes with words to my video from The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Ratatouille.  I wanted to more explicitly say the message to the viewer and inspire them to believe in themselves and to show that working hard is the only way to achieve your goals. Enjoy:

I feel as though this assignment could be used in the high junior grades, as I feel as though my grade sixes in my past placement could create videos that would put mine to shame. Producing media such as this is such a creative way to get students thinking about what they are reading but then applying their knowledge to create something brand new. This project has plenty of room for interpretation and I feel educators need to explore new ways such as this to meet the constant changes in student learning.

I feel like there can be a lot of negativity in both the University atmosphere as well as the professional one due to stress levels, so this #OneWordONT movement really shows how one small tweet can really impact the mentality of those reading it. I hope to maintain this momentum of positivity and PERSEVERE through the final stages of this wild ride.

 

Follow me on twitter (@MsKLangford) and let’s continue to build a community of educators who remind us why we do what we do.

Well this past placement has been a whirlwind adventure to say the least. I started off being beyond skeptical when I found out that I had a grade six class, since I had always thought I’d like the primary ages more. To my surprise, this experience totally changed my perspective on junior students and convinced me that juniors are the age group for me. I had thought that grade sixes were going to be sassy and give me a lot of trouble, as usually the preteen age is a tricky one, however I found very quickly that I underestimated their abilities and overestimated their ages. They were old enough to work independently and engage in conversation which was very refreshing, but they were still young enough that they idolized their teachers and still had that strong desire to learn. I could not have asked for a better class and I loved every minute with those kids – so much so, that I can’t stay away and I am volunteering in their class on my days off!

One of the things that I was most proud of in my placement was my attempt at a Makerspace. I had used a combination of the school’s resources and the local library’s resource kits to create a variety of stations that students rotated around.

At the beginning of our lesson, we talked about S.T.E.M., and what it meant. Then we discussed what they thought about adding the ‘A’ to make S.T.E.A.M. We watched part of a TedTalk about the importance of the bridge between arts and science, and the kids seemed very passionate about this topic! I think it was kind of shocking for them to see the ways in which arts and creativity are incorporated into the sciences, as it is a relatively new concept.

I had done a KWL (Know, Wonder and Learn) chart at the beginning of the lesson and I was thrilled to see that many of the things I had set out in my Makerspace were new to my students. The KWL chart also allowed students to reflect on their own learning, part of our consolidation was sharing what we learned or discovered and adding it to our chart. I think this technique is really helpful for students for goal-setting in a sense, because they can potentially answer the question they asked in the ‘Wonder’ part. One of my consolidation questions was “did you answer the question you asked in the ‘wonder’ section?” and many of them said they did! This helps me as an educator to see if my Makerspace was both engaging but was also successful in setting students up for learning.

For my Makerspace, I had a variety of different stations that all focused on a different type of challenge. I had a Dash and Dot coding station: for anyone who doesn’t know Dash and Dot, I HIGHLY recommend looking into them as they are simple yet multifaceted (here’s the link to their website: Wonder Workshop). Students coded their robots through the maze I had created for them using simple coding using the Blocky app or using the joystick and control panel on the Wonder app. Some of the students did that challenge quickly, so I had added the challenge of “bulldozing” snap cubes into one place. The students then took it upon themselves to start building ramps and bridges out of materials they found in the classroom. Another station used an electric circuit kit, where students would be tasked with creating a circuit that would turn on a light, or make a noise. They had a small instruction booklet that came with the kit, which they used at first, but then they began creating their own circuits and troubleshooting them! This was a station I wasn’t sure they would like, but it turns out it was one of their favourites! Another popular station had these fun straws and connectors called StrawBees: students were given a few suggestions for things they could create, (ex. something that moves, something round), and they just ran with it! I had students make a catapult (they used an elastic band too!) and some girls worked together to make a dress and hat. I also had a lego station, asking them to build a bridge from one milk crate to another that would be strong enough to support a weight I had provided them. This station relied heavily on group work (there were four of them in a group), and it was really interesting to see how they took all the ideas and problem solved together to make it work. My final station was a spirograph: I decided to include this in my makerspace to incorporate the “A” from S.T.E.A.M.

Looking back on this lesson, I could have extended this lesson beyond what I did. I could have had them document their discoveries through some sort of media. This would have encouraged them to take ownership of what they are making and present their findings for a sense of pride and accomplishment. I had taken some pictures of them and their creations as I roamed, but having them document and explain what they did and how they did it could have really added a layer of learning to the Makerspace! They could have done this on multiple platforms, from something as simple as powerpoint, to something more creative such as making and editing a video! My AT and students used Class Dojo, and often shared little notes or tidbits of information to their parents – which often went unanswered and unrecognized. It would have been really interesting if we had posted these creations on Dojo for parents to see something new and fun that the students were doing in class and hopefully engage in conversation – either on Dojo or maybe at home later.

I am definitely still working on integrating Media into my lesson plans, however I feel as though it is getting easier and it just takes time and consideration but really it isn’t too hard to do! I hope that this post might share some insight into my experience with Makerspace. If anyone else has any tips or resources on Makerspaces, I would LOVE to see them, and I invite you to comment on this post with any questions or ideas you might have!

I’ve posted an update on my Internship page regarding the most recent Hands-On Science workshop. Check out some of the awesome activities my colleagues have planned, and be sure to explore the website I’ve made as my media contribution.

Internship – Hands-On Science

Today in my C&I in Science and Technology, we discussed the importance of technology in our classroom; seems to be a common topic of conversation in my professional year – and rightfully so!

We watched a TedTalk by Kayla Delzer as part of our MindsOn who provided a whole bunch of examples of how to incorporate PURPOSEFUL technology into the classroom. She wanted to emphasize that technology has to be used in a meaningful way, not just to do the same boring tasks that we would normally ask students to do with paper and a pencil.

I found myself writing down ideas in my journal (under the list I titled, “for my future classrom”), and I encourage you to do the same. Watch the video below (and have a pen and paper handy for all her awesome ideas):

As the world and technology are changing, so are our students. This means, that as educators, we need to be ready and willing to adapt our teaching style to match their learning – which really means we have to commit to being #LifeLongLearners.

I have also provided a link to an article written on the TedTalk: 7 Smart Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom.

One of the biggest concepts taught in the Social Studies curriculum is that students should learn to be global citizen: this means understanding their place in the community on the local scale as well as the global one.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to work as a leader for an International Camp in Bergen, Norway, through an organization called CISV. The mission of CISV is “educating and inspiring for peace through building inter-cultural friendship, cooperation, and understanding” (CISV.org).  Our camp had 12 delegations, composed of four 11 year-olds and one adult leader, from all over the globe come together for a month and build relationships that will last a lifetime.

While many think of camp as playing silly games and singing silly songs, CISV had activities based around things such as acceptance of cultures, the feelings

of others, considering those less fortunate, trust within friendships, being part of a team, and even human rights issues all while making things relatable and applicable to 11 year olds. All of these activities came with debriefs on the game where campers were able to explain their thinking and feelings, and it was in these debriefs where my fascination and passion for kids came through. I was amazed at what these kids were capable of, and I think that experiences like this one will forever change their way of thinking.  The fundamental concepts that were taught to these kids (and to me) are so important and I hope to apply my experiences in this program into my teachings.

My camp and these kids also taught me how important it is to be part of your national community and to carry pride with where you come from. One of the activities we did was the kids, in their delegation groups, had to draw a map of the world from memory on chart paper (which is challenging as it is) and then they had to try to put the countries on it who were in the camp. Next, they had to draw or write things about that country that came to mind: it brought up some tough topics ranging from Nazi Germany and World War II to the Drugs in Columbia. It was amazing to see how the campers defended their countries and were able to list countless things that they were proud of and their nation.

My campers took Canadian National Day at camp by storm, bringing pure maple syrup and Timmies coffee cups across the ocean to share the Canadian spirit and the things that they felt made us Canadian. Tim Hortons was something that they felt brought us together as a nation and they wanted to bring that to their new friends. This commercial just seems to summarize how Tim Hortons represents the Canadian identity:

It is not just understanding what being part of a community means, but being proud to be part of it is something that I want students to feel when they think of themselves as Canadian citizens.

Global citizenship is a big idea in the Social Studies curriculum, and I think it can be tied in nicely with Media Literacy because of how the world suddenly opens up and connects with the use of technology.  We built an online community (a closed facebook group) where we post what is new in our lives, where we are travelling, special things about our homes, what we are doing in our communities,  and we post pictures when we reconnect with our friends from camp. This reinforces the concept of global friendship and international connections which would be virtually impossible without the use of technology. If educators could create connections like these with our future students, perhaps through collaboration with teachers or schools from various parts of the world, we could simulate a similar learning experience and allow more students to be part of a global community.

The CISV website actually has tons of educational activities and resources (organized by age) designed for educators wanting to work a little bit of CISV mindset into their classroom: check out the link here.

I hope that I am able to give my future students opportunities like the one I had where I learned so much about my global community and the people in it.  Some might think that 11 years old is too young to understand some of the concepts taught to them in our camp, but I beg to differ: kids will surprise you if you give them the chance. I think that the earlier we are able to expose our students to the realities of the world around them, and allow them to share how they feel about certain issues, the brighter our future will be. A better global community starts with the kids and I think we, as adults and as educators, can learn a lot from how kids look at the world around them and the people in it.

I encourage anyone and everyone to look into the CISV philosophy and resource book of games and activities that can help strengthen your classroom community (since not everyone has 75 international campers in their room) and pass on the website to friends and family who might be interested in taking on an adventure such as mine.

https://cisv.org/

 

I’ve been working hard creating an online resource kit for students and teachers in relation to my Hands-On Science internship. Check out my Internship page to see what I’ve been up to and the links to the websites I’ve created.

The semester is winding down, yet the workload seems to be vamping up. Classes can be stressful and hard to keep track of, but I use my planner to keep everything organized. While all of my assignments, my readings, and my meetings are in my planner, I do not have scheduled time for myself. I usually just finding “me time” squeezed into my planner by chance.

I think it is so important to have time set aside for yourself, even if it means taking an extra long shower or watching an episode of your favourite TV show on Netflix.

I saw this picture on @ONTSpecialNeeds twitter account, and I thought it was a really nice reminder that a break can be short and sweet yet can make all the difference in your stress levels and mental health.

Are there any ways you take a break that aren’t on this list? Share your ideas with me!

 

One of the things I was taught in the past when I was dealing with stress, was to focus on breathing. Now I know that sounds pretty basic, but breathing techniques are so important and paying attention to how you are breathing can help take stress away from external factors. I was always taught that when you inhale, your breath should come from your chest, then your diaphragm, then your stomach – and then exhale should be the reverse. Long, slow breaths can help you stay calm and grounded, and to be honest, they aren’t easy to do.

Check out this video designed to help you concentrate on your breathing techniques and take your mind off your stresses. This video is 10 minutes, which might be too much for some people, but when I do even two minutes of this exercise I find myself feeling much better.

Our Media class today focused on the basics of photography and the importance of copyright. Check out the pictures I took around my campus:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Hi Everyone! Welcome to my Education Blog!

I will be using my blog to document my time learning and teaching in my professional year, here at Lakehead U. I have added pages for my classes where I will post some of the fun things we do in-class with some of my awesome professors – you might even want to steal some of their creative teaching ideas, I know I will be! I have also added a section for when I am teaching, including my internship and my placement, where I will share my own ideas!

I am so excited to consider myself a teacher come June, as I think that teaching is one of the most rewarding professions out there. I love seeing what kids are capable of, and I haven’t gone a day where a student hasn’t amazed me in one way or another. I look forward to a career where everyday will be a challenge, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope to create a learning environment where students feel safe and welcome and I hope to inspire them to explore and learn about things that make them wonder.

Stay tuned for this crazy adventure!