Some may say that the number 13 is unlucky. I couldn't disagree more. I feel beyond lucky and honored to work with the administrators, staff, and students of Bloomingdale School District 13. With the first trimester coming to an end, it's time to reflect and see all that has taken place in the past few months.
In August, every student and staff member received their own device. We didn't know what to expect, but we were excited. We were not only excited, but scared too. Now that we're knee deep, we had a right to be both. As the fear faded, the excitement has continued to permeate the halls and classrooms of our three buildings. Our students and teachers are risk takers and their willingness to try new things has paid off. The most incredible things are happening in the classrooms. Students are becoming responsible and independent learners. They are creating their own knowledge and acquiring skills that would have many left with their jaws wide open. It's about much more than the device with us, it about a shift in learning that is occurring. In order to best prepare our students for their future world, instruction has changed. It's more than just luck, it's the commitment to provide our students with meaningful learning experiences that makes Bloomingdale School District 13 ROCKSTAR.
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Just the other day, I thought of an idea of using technology to formatively check for understanding. I mean, my students certainly were capable of doing so and this coupled with their excitement for that piece, will create genuine responses that inform me of their understandings at various levels as well as their misconceptions. In doing so, I remembered a time when our instructional technology coach introduced "GoFormative.com" with them. Immediately, I went to the person who could naturally teach me how to utilize this tool...the students! A young lady and gentleman proceeded to walk up to my screen and point to areas that needed my attention. What a great way to learn. Have you ever considered the level at which you tap into their knowledge and trust their interpretation of a tool? I consider myself a humble teacher. I'm always growing. If I can acquire 50% of my tech knowledge from the students and tech coaches, than the other 50% should come from me taking time to investigate and take risks.
This is Angel Frattinger with her first blog...EVER! Hey guys! We just finished our presentation at the NISE Conference called "Techify Your Toolbelt'- NGSS Style." We shared ideas for teachers on ways to integrate technology into the Next Generation Science Standards. It was awesome! Technology today is changing our lives more than ever in the classroom. It makes students intrigued in their learning more than ever, and it creates opportunities to show learning in different ways. It helps students prepare for later years- high school, college, and beyond. My favorite technology tools that I've used in class are: Check them out! GO FORMATIVE! I'm basically obsessed. With so many new technology resources, programs, and tools appearing in the educational realm, how do you choose which ones to explore or utilize? This will make your decision a simpler one: GO FORMATIVE is worth checking out. Wasn't that easy? It remains an instructional priority to constantly collect data on student understanding. Teachers are often looking for different ways to check and monitor progress on the standard, skill, or goal at hand. Go Formative affords powerful ways for teachers to gauge student learning. The platform also provides wonderful choices for students to "show what they know." The "Show Your Work" question type is my favorite! Students can express their thinking through typing or drawing... the possibilities are endless! They receive a blank whiteboard to share their ideas. Teachers really can dive into student thinking and get a great grasp for where their students are coming from. This open space allows for students to get creative and solve problems in ways that work best for them. Teachers also have the capability to upload images as backgrounds or as a part of the whiteboard for the students to interact with. 21st Century Learning at its finest! But... it gets better! All student responses are accessible in real time-- as they are answering. In fact, students can even receive feedback from teachers. 2nd Grade Student, Jossalyn thinks "It is definitely more fun than a test or worksheet. I love drawing my answers in a way that makes sense to me." Teachers can use this data in whatever way they think is best-- to create small instructional groups, to re-teach a concept, to differentiate homework... you name it!
I've only scratched the surface here... go EXPLORE! |
Author(s)Jennifer Eggert Archives
August 2019
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