Day 35 - Instant results?

It can be frustrating when as a teacher, you don't get to see instant results from the children.  It is often the case that progress is recognise by subsequent teachers. But in this world of instant gratification and access to knowledge via the internet, teaching or should I say results from teaching, is under the spotlight.

It is tempting to provide the class with activities that will satisfy this need for instant success. I like to think by utilising Showbie, the children get the feedback that encourages and guides them to improve which in turn motivates them. Parallel to this is the need to allow the children to experience failure and for them to build up their resilience when working through tasks. Providing tasks that require them to focus and try to master delicate or intricate sub-skills. Today, was one of those days...

Year 5 & 6 are embarking on a course of study all about William Morris, the Victorian designer and artist. The end result of this topic is to produce a Morris inspired design of their own, but with a modern twist but a clear notion of the essence of Morris. Together, their class teacher an I have planned work which will incorporate the skills of digital design required by the computing curriculum.

So what have I used in class today?

1) Popplet - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/popplet-lite/id364738549?mt=8 a simple mind mapping app which allows the user to include visual elements as well as written words and links. The mind map based on the ubiquitous and persuasive Google search. Interesting the date of birth of the eminent designer was agreed however the date of death was less clear from the evidence gathered. There lies a lesson in itself! My aim was to add to the Popplet as 'facts' were discovered and as the project developed.

2) Keynote https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/keynote/id361285480?mt=8 the powerful Apple presentation app is continuously reinventing itself in my classroom as it is so versatile and allows the creativity of the students to be fulfilled to the highest levels. Today, the students were asked to use the Instant alpha function to edit William Morris designs and isolate individual motifs as a basis for their own modern day versions. Although the Mac version allows more controllability the iPad was remarkable effective in picking out the individual leaves and flowers. One the design had been reduced and isolated the class were free to use the flip and rotate options to create a tile of repeating pattern. The following designs are just a few of the students first efforts...I have high hopes for the final designs if this is what can be achieved in the pre-task.







3) Flashcards https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/flashcards/id478986342?mt=8 - Homophones and Homographs are tricky to get straight in your head, according to the year 5's! Again, it was important that the class felt they had a rapid grasp of the concept. I wanted to make an instant impact on their understanding. So the The task was placed on Showbie, with scaffolded resources and then the class  set off with a dictionary to find the definitions...




 

...the great thing about this task was the progress in the class and level of understanding tangibly increased when the children began to play the match-it games and took on their peers with the competitive duelling game. An excellent resource and one that got the thumbs up from the whole class. That's what I call instant results! Perhaps my teaching did strike the balance between providing tasks to grapple with and challenge my learners and the instant gratification that keeps them motivated and wanting more!

Day 34 - Practice what you preach

My teenage children will testify that my favourite saying is "How do you know you don't like something unless you've tried it?" Followed swiftly by " ...and if you don't like it you don't have to do it again." This has served me well. I try, unless it involves roller coasters, to stick to this myself. Even using this mantra to my professional life too. So when recently I switched from full time teaching to part time with some consultancy, I have re discovered the need to follow through with my beliefs. 

Yesterday, I stood in front of a group of teachers. I would have liked to have said all eager, but I know that some of them were doubting why they needed to spend their time listening to my pitch on the benefits of including mobile technology to enhance both teaching and learning. It's at these times when your authenticity shines through or is exposed. If you truly believe on what you say then it is naturally communicated to your audience. Whether your audience is a group of teachers, governors or a class of year three pupils. 

So today at school I was mindful of my own authenticity, I always reflect on my own performance as it is the last lesson that you taught that should be the benchmark for the next...

What I used in the classroom today : Showbie is a given as it allows me to deliver differentiated resources to my pupils with ease and is flexible enough to deal with the variety of tasks I want to be able to offer. I always use this in conjunction with iTunes U courses. 

1) Explain Everything: the task LO today was for the year 3&4 to recognise the value of the digits in decimals. having started the lesson asking what a decimal was and being greeted by a stony silence, the thought of visualising tenth has, hundredths and thousandths was hanging in the balance. I tentatively went through the visualisation of decimals on a grid. Having opened the PDF in Explain Everything the students were able to show their understanding in a concrete manner using the annotation tools. After twenty minutes, the students were confidently identifying decimals in visual and written form, switching between place value and money to put the work into context. 

This shows the tentative steps taken by a reasonably confident mathematician. The following screen shot is from a student with  specific fine motor skills. You can clearly see the difficulty caused by the scale of the work. However, mathematically he has gained the correct knowledge. He went on to complete the same task showing the improvement in a very short time within the lesson. 

The iPad allowed the student to feel the difference between the decimals and this element and the ability to have a go and be resilient meant that in the end the concept was understood even with physical difficulties. 

2)  iMovie Trailier -  in English comprehension is a key element that needs to be a cornerstone of the skills taught. Using a resource from the incredibly creative and inspirational Literacy Shed - Little Boat struck me as the ideal foil for the students to edit and select, as a director would, the images to tell a short story. Using a template allows those less confident to structure their work in order for them to be guided and achieve highly. 

The trailers were formed from screen shots that were edited in photos, cropped and enhanced to achieve the best effect.  The finished trailers were ven more valued as they were the result of a collaboration/ mentoring of a year 3 with a year 4 student. 

Day 33 - Debugging the system

The more I teach the computing curriculum the more evident its relevance is. A great deal of the day to day normal daily routines that we unthinkingly carry out are based on following instructions. We are creatures of habit, programmed to timetables, specific ways of speaking or explaining a concept even down to the way we make a cup of tea. Rarely do we break the expected outcomes and debug our own systems. 

What have I used in the classsroom today? 

The year 1's have been enjoying computing building their knowledge of beebot and giving unambiguous instructions. Moving on to creating programs with a string of instructions for the beebot to successfully navigate a flower bed. Issues here were on visualising the direction of turn. So armed with a card bee that was used to make the movement more concrete for those struggling to orientate their pathways...year 1 were able to move onto complex strings of instructions, confidently able to identify problems when they occurred. Deleting and debugging efficiently. 

Debugging a program is tricky for the little ones to appreciate as everything they do is always correct- right? Even if they didn't quite mean to tap the forward arrow three times instead of two! The battery operated beebot were useful in showing the errors as the app can be sensitive to small fingers and not always work consistently  in making a reassuring 'click' in the correct place! 

Undeterred by small set backs, year 1 were challenged to have a go at the excellent www.naace.co.uk  site where they could control the U.N.I.T robot both on PC and iPad. 

This endearing robot enabled the children to apply the same skills they had with  Beebot  but this time allow for a degree of choice. Let's face it, variety is important and being tolerant to others preferences is a worthy life skill. However, when it comes to computing, debugging a program needs to be precise and specific. The program gave enough challenge to pose questions to those most able to program but conversely managed to allow mistakes to be highlighted without demoralising the students efforts, 

Debugging can be refreshing and liberating! As a teacher the wonderful "oh I see..." Comment is a sign that the children have total engagement in their task. But deeper than that, the task is in itself relevant and worth persevering at. The skills that underpin the inclusion of mobile technology in the classroom are for me responsible, connected and discerning. The process of debugging allows the students at what ever age to also be resilient and see the relevance of popping balloons with a robot holding a candle! 

Day 32 - Lovely dear - what is it?

An abiding memory of my own art lessons at school were the dreaded phrase " lovely dear but what is it? ". Needless to say I never pursued a career in art but have always felt misunderstood and as a result probably underestimate my artistic talent. 

As part of the the computing curriculum children need to have experienced digital design. This Christmas tree was the efforts of a year 3 pupil. The brief was to design a tile that could be repeated and create a piece of wrapping paper. The initial discussions centred around appropriate motifs and colour schemes. Then of course one or two children going pale at the thought of drawing free hand on a tablet without a stilus! The 3/4 class have been extensively working on  this half term and I wanted to reinforce their skills by using this as a medium for their art work. By using the shapes even the most artistically challenged child could drag out a square and add a bow! In fact the children were much more creative than I initially credited them with. The obligatory (ice) block of snowmen appeared as it featured in the example, rescued many a creatively inexperienced artist. The class were eager to try and the limited paint features matched the task perfectly, and the time limit! 

After a short while, the children started to broaden their minds and opened up to the possibility of adding their own quirky touches. The idea was to experiment with the possibilities not just settle for that's ok or will do. 

The children are used to sketching and doodling, and some times produce the most amazing creations, naive but charming and full of character! 

For a first submission these designs have promise, when repeated they could work effectively. This stage will be undertaken when the first comments are taken on board. Perhaps colours could be experimented with or the text made bold and repeated multiple times? My teacher feedback given on Showbie will inform their second attempt which drives the improvements and self esteem. 

The next app that the children are going to be introduced to is Keynote , so I wanted to ease them into the new app by getting them to use the skills they already have mastered. Adding a photo from the photos and editing it. Keynote will allow them to experiment with angles and size without losing their way in a never ending set of options. Sometimes we need to see an app in a different light in order to open up that it doesn't just do one job, like only make presentations! 

Day 31 - Feedback

Part of the learning process is learning from mistakes and the teacher can enable the learner to effectively move forward if the mistakes they have made are highlighted in a positive way. I'm always in search of opportunities to give individual feedback to students as it's only through the teacher connecting with each of her or his pupils that progress can be made. Having said that sometimes group activities and therefore global comments can enable learners to feel they are moving on with their peers. I use Showbie as a file sharing app because it is a very simple, effective and versatile way to give feedback.

Today I used the fabulous website www.echalk.co.uk which needs a subscription but is invaluable for excellent resources especially for numeracy and literacy. It also is iPad compatible which is an added bonus! I set the tasks up on Showbie to allow a tap and go with the tasks, wasting no time in getting straight into the task. With the Christsmas play rehearsal taking up time today, ithis feature was invaluable. The students had autonomy as they could set their own level of chilli challenge and get to feel responsible for their work. This always raises self esteem. The completed work was shared effortlessly back to their folder in Showbie through the open in another app feature. I was then able to give feedback in a variety of ways to suit the type of comment or the students needs.  Verbal through a voice note, written for clarity and drawn to illustrate a point. 

Finally, the voice note giving a personalised feedback to alert the pupil to the next step that they need to take can be added in seconds and uploaded simply. The ongoing dialogue between teacher and pupil builds a special relationship, one that I believe encourages the pupil to feel important and to create a honest conversation which can come into its own when the pupil is having difficulty. It's at these occasions when the pupil has to believe in their teacher and rely on their professional guidance. 

Day 30 - Independent Learner? Really?

Independent learner - what does that mean? 

If a teacher were to define an independent learner the definition would contain words such as self motivated, organised, methodical perhaps confident at tackling unknown skills by applying previously learnt concepts. Tenacity, self reliance and resilience.

However, if a Year 6 pupil had to write his definition perhaps it would differ... Something along the lines of copy someone else's text and drawing without the teacher realising. I know it's cynical but to be truly independent you must have first be taught how to think for yourself. Self reliance and resilience, possessing a can do attitude and the ability to say " I can't do this yet! " rather than saying "I don't get it" (which for me is as over used as the phrase "by mistake" . It's easy to say " I can't"  because all too often the students have been scooped up as the teacher anxiously tries to complete the lesson plan in the allocated time slot or for the sake of 'moving things on' & inadvertently gives the answer all too easily. Definitely, a case of mixed messages. 

Today, I was challenged by my colleague to plan a lesson that would support writing up a comprehensive maths investigation whilst hitting the English LO of using an instructional text. Coincidentally this evaluation of the gap in the forms learning had been borne out of a frustration of revisiting, three times, how to write up a comprehensive science experiment which used technical vocabulary and all the good features of hypothesis, testing, results and conclusions...I digress. 

So, with the aide of Popplet to map out ideas I went about deconstructing each stage, much like a cheesecake on MasterChef. 

Daunting sight right? But I decided to include this as a resource as I t's important for the class to know that this is a complex skill, that takes time to master and has many individual branches which when used systematically will bring success. You can tell my energy levels are high on a Monday! 

So, for the sake of teaching and clearer understanding, I turned to my iPad to see how it could provide a transformational approach to learning how to write up a maths investigation as well as be mindful of scaffolding the steps for those more reluctant to say..."I like to learn from my mistakes" 

So, step 1 was to break down the whole picture into each of the six steps to success. 

Then, dissect even further the individual stages but expand on the point to support thinking...not wanting to be faced with the blank page syndrome where no words flow...

 

But children learning by actually doing is key, so the first task was to look at an instructional a text and have a go at following it. Modelling the need for clear concise text and supporting diagrams. 

Interestingly, some pupils gave up immediately, having neither read or looked at the diagrams. They had already decided this was going to be too hard, (or they were too cool) to complete it.  But with perseverance and AirPlay  the task was successfully completed. Repeated and recorded on Showbie to annotate the features of an instructional text.  

The important aspect in terms of learning and in particular teaching here is what does success look like for the pupil? How does a teacher move the learning on from being overwhelmed by information to demonstrating mastery, or at least a deeper understanding? 

The class were then asked to use the steps to success with a writing frame to compose a maths investigation based on eggs and boxes. Where each step to success was emphasised and language focused on to incorporate the joint subject area LO. After the hand holding the exit ticket was for the children to create their own instructional t st for making a pentagon. The students confidently chose either Explain Everything or Book Creator. It was evident who had pieced the instructional text jigsaw together! Shared back effortlessly to Showbie means the individual feedback can be tailored to the needs of the child. 

The final end product... Next lesson we will combine the two shapes into a class paper football! 

The final word for teachers wanting to transform the learning is in determining how the digital aspects of iPad , in this case, can inhibit the need to write concise instructions. If you can video the process, it's clear, (as many Youtubers will appreciate) by pausing or rewinding you can achieve the finial product, in this case a folded pentagon. However, words need to do this job, so the appreciation that words have, if used effectively,  the capacity to fulfill the same role is important to reinforce. The power of words is elevated to maintain their status as still relevant in a fast moving digital world... 

So, did I fulfill my aim of teaching independent learning today? Partly yes, the pupils managed to move their understanding of information texts on and were able to exercise independence by using the scaffolded writing frames, the proof is in the assessment of the fully ndependent hot task at the end of the week , so fingers crossed! If the students use their Showbie accounts to guide them then I can tick that box! 

Day 29 - Super Worm and The Polar Bear

Endless curiosity and enthusiasm makes working with pre prep children an absolute joy. Having walked into school this morning to work with individual children on their specific targets I bumped into the reception teacher who wasn't feeling her best; full of cold as many teachers are at this time of year. We had a quick conversation about what teaching meant to us as individuals and we both agreed that to be able to provide learning experiences that are rich in creativity allowing individuals to access the curriculum was a shared belief of good practice. It's what makes teaching rewarding. She recounted to me her previous day at school when she had gone home feeling that she had done a really good job and the children had learnt in an optimal way and all of the gods of planning and circumstance and mood aligned to make the previous afternoon magical. I felt privileged to have had that conversation, as teachers we often dwell on the negative and the "could do better" comments and don't always listen and acknowledge to ourselves let alone others, when we do a good job.

So it was an absolute joy that today I could supplement her exceptional planning and provision for her reception children by adding in a digital twist. The school is at the very beginning of their journey with mobile technology and some of the well-known apps to time users en met with renewed excitement and anticipation. The reception children have to rehearse and verbal verbally tell a story, using a story mountain template with the start middle and end. The scaffolding that have been put into place meant that the two children I worked with had a very good grounding on what was expected of them and the skills that thy were rehearsing. So armed with an iPad and a newly loaded copy of the puppet pals app (Directors Cut) we began to make an animation of their individual stories, capturing the emerging vocabulary whilst providing the children with the skills to digitally manipulate their work. Whilst fulfilling i digital aspects of the computing curriculum at the same time.

One little girl sat in front of me with a basket containing a plastic Polar Bear, a lamb, a frog some hay and various assortment of sticks and cones. After discussing her story mountain template and talking through the story with this quickly got down to adding each of the animals as an actor on PuppetPals HD. I showed my pupil just once how to cut out the outline of the actor and with the enthusiasm that I wish I could bottle, she was away and had completed, unaided, all the other 'actors' in the space of a few minutes. The next hurdle was to set up each of the elements of the story as individual backdrop.  So I demonstrated how to take the first photo of the frog in the hay! My protégé then followed this up with a wooden tree and pinecone then finally some twigs that super worm was to rescue the lamb from. 

The fantastical and wacky story that was so real in this little girl's head came alive with her commentary as together we changed the backdrops and manipulated the actors on the iPad. The resulting 30second video was then air-played & shared with the rest of the class on their big screen, the audiences eyes were like saucers filled with admiration for the little girls skill as a story teller. The class were captivated by the video, especially hearing the voice of their friend and seeing the plastic animals come to life, it was all too much for some of them! (teaching assistant too..) The teacher was impressed because she could instantly see that the small task she had planned has been transformed into quite a different activity. The redefinition of the task was completed because of the ability to use technology effectively. Inspired by her pupils, she was brave enough to attempt to try duplicate the activity with the remaining year one pupils that same afternoon. Secure in the knowledge that she could call upon the little girl to guide and support her through this newfound discovery. Child focused and child led learning, pure magic.