On February 18, 2016, we had an amazing opportunity to share our learning and resources and expose our technology with our own staff. With supply teachers in classrooms, our FDK to 8 teachers joined us in the Learning Commons for the afternoon.
I have to give props to my amazing teaching partner before I go any further. She is such an innovative and empowering teacher. Let me explain. Maria wanted to have a handful of her students as part of our presentation. Not only are they featured in our PowerPoint in a video clip explaining why they like the Inquiry Process, but they partnered up with the teachers to teach them, and a couple of them did a MakeyMakey demonstration. WOW! I have to admit, I felt somewhat reluctant at first, but after witnessing it, I was amazed. Talk about authentic learning for teachers and students alike!
We started off by having the students become the teachers. The kids were showing the teachers the Netbooks that we purchased for our TLLP. Teachers learned about unique and interesting features of the Netbooks, the Snip It tool for example, and how to navigate them. Then the students helped the teachers log into http://kahoot.it. What a hoot! Surprisingly, none of our teachers had heard of Kahoot so they were quite enthralled by it. We had created one just for them (it's public and called "Inquiry Quiz") as a minds-on activity. Many of our colleagues were very interested in Kahoot and we have since learned that many of them have used Kahoot in their own classrooms--successful sharing!!
After that, we sent the students back to class and proceeded with our PowerPoint presentation to the staff. We really got to showcase Maria's students' work through explaining the different steps of the Inquiry Process. I jumped in when appropriate with anecdotals about how I differentiated the Inquiry Process for my LD students. Lots of deep discussion ensued and we got to show off our website and the LiveBinders therein. We did allow for some explore time for teachers to check out Kahoot and our website.
Finally, Maria had two of her boys return to demonstrate their Science Fair project wherein they had done an independent inquiry using MakeyMakey.
It was a great afternoon with lots of sharing and learning by all. But it was an afternoon that finished off our Maria. Eight months pregnant, it turns out that this day was her last. Baby has not yet arrived, but mama is home resting. Well done, my friend!
Laura
I have to give props to my amazing teaching partner before I go any further. She is such an innovative and empowering teacher. Let me explain. Maria wanted to have a handful of her students as part of our presentation. Not only are they featured in our PowerPoint in a video clip explaining why they like the Inquiry Process, but they partnered up with the teachers to teach them, and a couple of them did a MakeyMakey demonstration. WOW! I have to admit, I felt somewhat reluctant at first, but after witnessing it, I was amazed. Talk about authentic learning for teachers and students alike!
We started off by having the students become the teachers. The kids were showing the teachers the Netbooks that we purchased for our TLLP. Teachers learned about unique and interesting features of the Netbooks, the Snip It tool for example, and how to navigate them. Then the students helped the teachers log into http://kahoot.it. What a hoot! Surprisingly, none of our teachers had heard of Kahoot so they were quite enthralled by it. We had created one just for them (it's public and called "Inquiry Quiz") as a minds-on activity. Many of our colleagues were very interested in Kahoot and we have since learned that many of them have used Kahoot in their own classrooms--successful sharing!!
After that, we sent the students back to class and proceeded with our PowerPoint presentation to the staff. We really got to showcase Maria's students' work through explaining the different steps of the Inquiry Process. I jumped in when appropriate with anecdotals about how I differentiated the Inquiry Process for my LD students. Lots of deep discussion ensued and we got to show off our website and the LiveBinders therein. We did allow for some explore time for teachers to check out Kahoot and our website.
Finally, Maria had two of her boys return to demonstrate their Science Fair project wherein they had done an independent inquiry using MakeyMakey.
It was a great afternoon with lots of sharing and learning by all. But it was an afternoon that finished off our Maria. Eight months pregnant, it turns out that this day was her last. Baby has not yet arrived, but mama is home resting. Well done, my friend!
Laura