In case you didn't know:
Next school year, Donald ES will be a 1:X campus. Which means every child, kinder-5th will have an iPad and/or access to various technologies. This iPad will travel with them as they grow. Can you imagine? How cool?
Transformation isn't just happening. It is here.
 |
| See guys? We have to teach THIS. |
Every child, coming to us already fluent in the language of smart phones and tablets, social media and gaming. Masters at technology and expecting to use it in the classroom. How do teachers even begin to prepare to teach these kids?
It starts here:
2 intensive days. One day at Wooten's (our amazing principal) house. Good thing she has good wifi! and 2 cute dogs...
9 teachers, 2-3 administrators.
Subs in our rooms 9 days before the end of school. ...can I just say, those poor subs...
Lots of pizza, cookies, tears, laughter, mini therapy sessions. Gut checks, reality checks. Checking email, eating cookies, brain explosions. Rinse and repeat.
And 2 leaders charged with attempting to keep us on task. And they did an AMAZING job. (I have to give a shout out to Michelle Wooten and Alan Kohutek for planning and providing this outstanding opportunity. Holy cow people, if you only knew!)
our task:
Identify ways to facilitate this transformation from traditional educational norms into the new 21st Century expectations, with Purpose, Mastery and Self Direction at the forefront. What is this "ipads in the hands of kids all day long" going to look like? What does it look like already? That was one task, anyway. I am still reeling.
Does that sound boring? Eyeball rolling? NO. WAY.
This was BY FAR the most exciting, soul feeding, mind blowing professional development (if we can call it that? Team building? I honestly have no idea...but I want MORE.) I have ever ever ever been a part of (pardon my poor grammar but I am PUMPED)!! PUMPED.
To our Donald Community, all I can say, AMAZING THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT OUR SCHOOL. I literally tear up when I think about the direction we are heading. I love my job. I love this staff. I love this school. And these kids! Holy cow! I am so excited for them.
And yes, gaming was discussed. Can games like Minecraft Edu really be used effectively in education? For real? No really-with rich content and mastery of essential knowledge? What about other games? How? How how how how?
Parents, Teachers=baby steps
Kids=ready.
I am ON IT. BRING IT.
It is going to be a great summer working with this amazing staff. I can't wait for next year..and this one is not even over!
(and yes, iPads will be meaningfully integrated into my Art program, without losing the focus on strong studio skills. 21st Century skills ARE THE ARTS: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, along with Purpose, Personal Satisfaction, Collaboration, Self Direction, Mastery...seriously, it's the Arts. It's time to fully embrace that. We are not stepping backward.)
 |
| Hello. My name is Kimberly. ...and Kim Mack has the floor. ;) |
Can I just say, " WOW..." We have enough I Pads for one class to use at a time. Classes sign up to use them. I intend on figuring out how to use one this summer so that I can incorporate them into a lesson or two next school year. Look forward to seeing what you do with them in the art room! Very exciting! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is what we did last year--carts of 25. The biggest issue was figuring out how to get their creation off the ipads as ours were not tied to a teacher's email address. I used them for research and collaborative brainstorming, sketching and their digital portfolios. Our district went to Google Docs so we used Snapseed that enabled them to save their work directly to their Drive. They loved working with them, but I am really making it a priority to integrate the technology seamlessly: they will still paint, weave and work in clay. My mantra: Technology is a tool, not a replacement. If you need help, shout and I will help if I am able :D
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete