Hispanic Heritage Month

Today our whole school participated in a whole school brain break.  Shakira's Waka Waka song came on over the loud speaker and all students had to stop what they were doing to do some kind of movement.  Some students danced, some jumped, and some got their wiggles out.  Our Fourth Grade classes were working on their chrome books and stopped to join in the fun.  Even though sometimes using technology is a seditary activity, its fun to see our students get up and move while they are using their technology. I am so proud of our students for getting into the moment and moving and getting their brains moving again.

New app!!!

So today I decided to try a new app with my students to see how well my students know their numbers.  Also to test out the app with my Kindergarten students.  I tried the plickers app with my students.  It was very easy to sign up, add my student's names and then print out the cards they use.  I had to modify the card a bit to help make my students who don't know their letters by adding a colored dot for each letter.  So if the answer is A they would hold the card with the red dot side up and so forth with the other three colors.

When we tried it for the first time with the first question, most missed the answer by just holding up the card whichever color side up.  Then they started to understand they had to answer the question by picking A, B, C, or D.  Once as they realized this, most of the class were answering the questions correctly.

Then being Kinder kids, they did what they did best and helped tell each other the answer so they started to yell out which color to hold up.  That doesn't help a teacher do a formative assessment with her class when that happens because then they help each other.  Hard to find out who really knows their numbers and who doesn't.  So I had to explain that we were doing this game so that I could find out who knew things and who needed help with some things.  So this was a practice run to help me see how this app would work and to get the kids used to it.  I believe it went well and I can't wait to try it again.  I think the more I use it the better my students will be in answering the questions without yelling out the answer like they are used to do.

CIC dream for this school year.

My Wild Dream for Allison Elem. 

At the Campus Innovation Coach Seminar, we had to create an image to show what our goal will be for the school year.  I chose children's hands holding the change that is happening with technology and the world.  We as teachers will need to facilitate their learning by showing them the change they can create by giving them the resources and opportunities to use technology to learn.