Welcome to my blog! I'm Karen Belt, a Deputy Principal, working at Lynmore Primary School in Rotorua, New Zealand. In the past I have taught Years 0 - 4 and used 1:1 iPads to engage and motivate learners and improve student achievement. This blog documents my teaching and leadership journey and my learning processes with iPads in the classroom. I am a Google Certified Educator #SYD17 and I'm proud of having been a member of the inaugural Manaiakalani Digital Teaching Academy(MDTA) program and a Spark Manaiakalani Innovative Teacher (MIT) and an inaugural Manaiakalani Google Class OnAir teacher.
A new feature of the Auckland Summit is the Playground session. This is an hour of short presentations on a range of topics. This blog post is a summary of them.
Literacy with Google - Toni Westcott
Some inspiring ideas and ways to use literacy in the classroom. I really enjoyed this 12 minutes - some ideas I need to adapt for my learners:
Language feature example (with photos)
Narrative shared writing examples - using Google Slides so students can look back and review
Pick a path books (or quizzes)
Amazing Race with Google Earth - Rachel Duckworth
A great way to create an activity which is cross-curricular and engaging for students. Link to session notes:
Lego - Problem Solving - Aorere College Students
A fun interactive session racing other teachers to make bridges or towers - unfortunately my tower fell down before the photo so this photo doesn't really do it justice.
Hemingway App
Copy text into this great app and have your writing analysed and see what improvements could me made to your writing.
Notes from this session available here. HyperDocs are a way to create engaging lessons with a variety of multimedia.
Our first task was to explore Google Maps and find our 'happy place'. These instructions show you how to share a map with your class. There were some wonderful places noted on our map and this is one way to have students explore their environment, ask questions and make wonderings.
I particularly like the website where teachers are freely sharing their HyperDocs with other teachers.
For my age group, I'm excited to explore the work of Nadine Gilkison who teaches at my age level and be inspired.
This session uses Screencastify to create a digital recording of computer screen output in video format.
Before starting your screencast you need to think about:
background noise or moving things on your desk - this can be picked up by the microphone
use a web camera to showcase the classroom
an app that supports whiteboard style teaching
manage your background noise as much as possible
Screencasting allows for blended learning, which can be a mix of face to face and online learning - it may be online in the classroom so the teacher is also available - it can maximise the face to face time with the students.
Things to consider with Screencasting:
Have a purpose in mind
Plan what you are going to say
Be mindful of visual distractions - do you want your audience to listen or watch or both?
Start by keeping it short and to the point - particularly for your students
Be mindful of confidential tabs or whatever else you have open on your computer screen
Think about the lighting around you
Students will respond better if it is something you have created
Once again I'm at Aorere College for this years Google Summit. This year I'll be presenting two sessions with a colleague, on Explain Everything and Seesaw. It is great to networking with old friends and catching up with fellow Googlers from #SYD19. I'm excited for a day filled with ideas and Googliness :)
Today's opening Keynote is entitled Time to Wonder by Lisa Highfill.
Time to Wonder
Have you ever been embarrassed by your good ideas? Or too scared to share them with others? Fear of putting your ideas out there? Time to do something with them.
"The value of an idea lies in using it" - Thomas Edison
Lessons should attempt to accomplish this kind of learning. How do you create an environment for good ideas to grow?
How do you inspire curiosity?
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. - Albert Einstein
Use the internet to inspire learners - find movies or images that are powerful and inspire curiosity. Multimedia text sets are a way for learners to lead their own learning and explore a range of media resources. This allows the teacher to move away from being the holder of all knowledge.
A question is the most powerful force in the world. How can you inspire your students to ask more questions and wonder more about what they are seeing?
We are the architect to learning experiments in the classroom. How can we build agency and 'get out of the way of the learning.' How can we build dynamic lessons that build curiosity? Hyperdocs are a way to giving students ways to learn in the smart package. Give your students voice and choice to hand in their project.
'Sketchquoting' - a way to making note of all the things that resonate from a piece of text - a great way to analyse a piece of text and remember the important parts.
The ultimate goal of any classroom is to have engaged, inspired, thinking, creating, empowered, connected learners.
An inspiring keynote to start the day - resources discussed during the session are available here:
Answer Garden Teachersgiveteachers.net
Canva
Thinglink
Book: Make Just One Change - Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions
- Dan Rothstein & Luz Santana
