Well, when Dean suggested the educator profile I thought I would hate the project. I thought that stalking an educator would be boring and that I wouldn't get anything out of it. I was wrong. I am so happy that I took a leap and did the educator profile assignment. I learned so much as I read through Angie's blogs and as I got a sense of who she was as an educator. Angie is a Kindergarten teacher and Apple Distinguished Educator.
When I started this assignment I decided that I would read every small post and every other long post (unless there were long posts that related to each other). But as I read I got so caught up in reading Angie's posts that I ended up reading every post on her professional blog. Needless to say that Angie is a fun and engaging writer and it is easy to feel like you are in her classroom or collaboration team as you read through her blog. Angie shows her love of collaborative learning through her use of Twitter and blogging as well as through her open sharing of resources she has assembled. Through Angie's writing you truly get a sense of her aspirations for her students, herself, and her classroom and it is a fresh way to look at the classroom, you can truly tell that Angie has a passion for teaching, but most of all for her students.
Spaces where Angie Interacts
Twitter: @TechieAng
Professional Blog: http://techieang.edublogs.org/
Classroom Blog: https://mrsharrisonk.wordpress.com/
Collaboration Blog: http://wecanseeprojectsharingspace.blogspot.ca/
This assignment was very useful for me because I was able to see an educator reflect, discuss, and refine her practices. It was also a really good experience for me to see how technology can be used so efficiently in the classroom. Angie is always looking for ways to improve her teaching practices and she is always seeking comments and suggestions on her professional blog. Angie interacts with those who comment on her blog and she also encourages people to comment on her classroom blog because students share their work in digital formats, and let's be honest, what kid wouldn't be over the roof if they had positive comments or questions about the work they were doing?!
On Angie's classroom blog she gives parents information and tips on how to work with their children on how to continue learning at home. She shares apps, large and fine motor activities, language and math games, and so much more. She also posts images of activities that have gone on throughout the day to keep parents updated and to continue the documentation process.
When I first started reading Angie's professional blog, I knew that she used technology to in her classroom but it was amazing for me to find out that her classroom is fully equipped with iPads, mini iPads, iTouches, and an iMac. Angie and her class are also avid Skype users. Skype is used to speak and interact with other classrooms around the world. One of Angie's goals in using Skype is that students will begin to grasp the concept that there are other students around the world and that they can work and learn together even though they are not in the same space.
Check out this CTV News clip of Angie's Kindergarten classroom using Skype.
BYOD (Bring your own device)
Angie has used this technique with her students in the past and it has worked well because students are excited and engaged. One thing that she found difficult, is that the primary students didn't always bring their devices and often when they did, they weren't charged so it was a learning process. I think this technique would be especially beneficial to all ages in the classroom because it helps students get to know their devices and learn how to use them as learning tools.
Some of what I learned about teaching and about Angie from my time as a stalker
Skype allows students to have a closer experience with what they are learning, they are able to experience technology as an educational tool, rather than just a toy. This means that students get new experiences and they learn how to use technology responsibly. Angie believes that it is the educators responsibility to show children how to use for a greater purpose!
Twitter can be a great tool for interacting with other teachers and getting ideas for in the classroom. Angie uses her Professional Learning Network (PLN) on twitter and through her blog to connect with other teachers for Skyping and doing classroom challenges. She also uses her PLN for tips and tricks on classroom activities as well as for discussing issues pertaining to education.
Angie used Twitter to build an inquiry project around duct tape with her PLN and multiple classrooms engaged in this challenge. Check out the hash tags: #ducttapechallenge and #ducttapechat on twitter to get a better grasp of how this project worked.
Angie invites other teachers to join in on classroom activities and do the activities in their own classrooms as well and she believes that we, as educators, should share what is and isn't working in the classroom.
"Blog, tweet, and shout it out." (Private victories verses public victories, Professional blog, Feb. 9, 2011)
Angie wants students to be able to explore things for themselves without limiting them to do exactly what she shows them, innovation is a big part of Angie's classroom! Learning through inquiry brings excitement into the classroom, and technology keeps things exciting. Angie believes that iPads are an essential part of the creation process in primary years as they increase the amount of useful classroom time.
"Our students nees to be creating, exploring, collaborating, and reflecting on a daily basis." (Why focus on the tool?, Professional blog, Jan. 7, 2011)
Angie believes that there is a need to learn about different types of tools and how they can best be used in the classroom (try them for yourself before you use them in the classroom).
Apps, apps, apps! Angie uses apps to document classroom activities and what the students are learning in her classroom. She believes that documentation doesn't have to look a certain way and that if it is fast you can get really accurate information in the moment, instead of it being a reflection over documentation process. Angie documents student's work through videos, audio, photos, and writing. She believes that documentation should be for students to reference their learning and one way that this is possible is through the app Pic Collage.
Pic Collage (app) is a great way to quickly assemble photos of classroom activities and Angie puts what the children say over top of the pictures so that they can go back and see what they are learning. This is a great tool because it can be used for reflection and teaching students that weren't working on that task how to navigate it, i.e. building a bridge with blocks.
"When I started teaching 20 years ago, I used to spend my Saturday mornings scouring garage sales. Now I spend my Friday nights searching the app store" (Confessions of a serial app buyer, Professional blog, Dec. 3, 2011)
While her classroom is very technologically equipped, HER FOCUS IS NOT ON TECHNOLOGY BUT RATHER ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT!! In Angie's classroom, technology is never used without a purpose. If something can be done better without technology (in most cases the iPads) and be done better with paper and pen, it will be. Angie wants students to learn how to use technology with intentionality and know that it is used for interacting and that it's "not just screen time", the students always need to be learning.
"I’m not in favour of providing one of anything to all students. We need to provide students with a vast array of technology and help them understand that they can be problem solvers and develop skills to interact with a variety of tools not rely on one." (Why focus on the tool?, Professional blog, Jan. 7, 2011)
Angie doesn't use themes like a typical kindergarten classroom would. Instead, Angie brings discussions the children have to life through incorporating their interests into lessons. The students read, write, and work with what they are interested in learning about.
"We can't wait for [technology] experts to show us the way." (Private victories verses public victories, Professional blog, Feb. 9, 2011)
Angie is a critical thinker and provides feedback on the technology she is using in the classroom with her students, she often shares how she used it, how she wishes she had used it, and what she will change for her next interaction with the technology.
Angie is a learner. She is always looking for new and innovative ways to continue educating herself and her students. She wants education to be fun and engaging and I think she is doing a great job at her work.
Take a look at Angie's professional blog for great teaching tips and tons of information on using technology in the classroom, I promise you that it will be worth your time!
When I started this assignment I decided that I would read every small post and every other long post (unless there were long posts that related to each other). But as I read I got so caught up in reading Angie's posts that I ended up reading every post on her professional blog. Needless to say that Angie is a fun and engaging writer and it is easy to feel like you are in her classroom or collaboration team as you read through her blog. Angie shows her love of collaborative learning through her use of Twitter and blogging as well as through her open sharing of resources she has assembled. Through Angie's writing you truly get a sense of her aspirations for her students, herself, and her classroom and it is a fresh way to look at the classroom, you can truly tell that Angie has a passion for teaching, but most of all for her students.
Spaces where Angie Interacts
Twitter: @TechieAng
Professional Blog: http://techieang.edublogs.org/
Classroom Blog: https://mrsharrisonk.wordpress.com/
Collaboration Blog: http://wecanseeprojectsharingspace.blogspot.ca/
This assignment was very useful for me because I was able to see an educator reflect, discuss, and refine her practices. It was also a really good experience for me to see how technology can be used so efficiently in the classroom. Angie is always looking for ways to improve her teaching practices and she is always seeking comments and suggestions on her professional blog. Angie interacts with those who comment on her blog and she also encourages people to comment on her classroom blog because students share their work in digital formats, and let's be honest, what kid wouldn't be over the roof if they had positive comments or questions about the work they were doing?!
On Angie's classroom blog she gives parents information and tips on how to work with their children on how to continue learning at home. She shares apps, large and fine motor activities, language and math games, and so much more. She also posts images of activities that have gone on throughout the day to keep parents updated and to continue the documentation process.
When I first started reading Angie's professional blog, I knew that she used technology to in her classroom but it was amazing for me to find out that her classroom is fully equipped with iPads, mini iPads, iTouches, and an iMac. Angie and her class are also avid Skype users. Skype is used to speak and interact with other classrooms around the world. One of Angie's goals in using Skype is that students will begin to grasp the concept that there are other students around the world and that they can work and learn together even though they are not in the same space.
Check out this CTV News clip of Angie's Kindergarten classroom using Skype.
BYOD (Bring your own device)
Angie has used this technique with her students in the past and it has worked well because students are excited and engaged. One thing that she found difficult, is that the primary students didn't always bring their devices and often when they did, they weren't charged so it was a learning process. I think this technique would be especially beneficial to all ages in the classroom because it helps students get to know their devices and learn how to use them as learning tools.
Some of what I learned about teaching and about Angie from my time as a stalker
Skype allows students to have a closer experience with what they are learning, they are able to experience technology as an educational tool, rather than just a toy. This means that students get new experiences and they learn how to use technology responsibly. Angie believes that it is the educators responsibility to show children how to use for a greater purpose!
Twitter can be a great tool for interacting with other teachers and getting ideas for in the classroom. Angie uses her Professional Learning Network (PLN) on twitter and through her blog to connect with other teachers for Skyping and doing classroom challenges. She also uses her PLN for tips and tricks on classroom activities as well as for discussing issues pertaining to education.
Angie used Twitter to build an inquiry project around duct tape with her PLN and multiple classrooms engaged in this challenge. Check out the hash tags: #ducttapechallenge and #ducttapechat on twitter to get a better grasp of how this project worked.
Angie invites other teachers to join in on classroom activities and do the activities in their own classrooms as well and she believes that we, as educators, should share what is and isn't working in the classroom.
"Blog, tweet, and shout it out." (Private victories verses public victories, Professional blog, Feb. 9, 2011)
Angie wants students to be able to explore things for themselves without limiting them to do exactly what she shows them, innovation is a big part of Angie's classroom! Learning through inquiry brings excitement into the classroom, and technology keeps things exciting. Angie believes that iPads are an essential part of the creation process in primary years as they increase the amount of useful classroom time.
"Our students nees to be creating, exploring, collaborating, and reflecting on a daily basis." (Why focus on the tool?, Professional blog, Jan. 7, 2011)
Angie believes that there is a need to learn about different types of tools and how they can best be used in the classroom (try them for yourself before you use them in the classroom).
Apps, apps, apps! Angie uses apps to document classroom activities and what the students are learning in her classroom. She believes that documentation doesn't have to look a certain way and that if it is fast you can get really accurate information in the moment, instead of it being a reflection over documentation process. Angie documents student's work through videos, audio, photos, and writing. She believes that documentation should be for students to reference their learning and one way that this is possible is through the app Pic Collage.
Pic Collage (app) is a great way to quickly assemble photos of classroom activities and Angie puts what the children say over top of the pictures so that they can go back and see what they are learning. This is a great tool because it can be used for reflection and teaching students that weren't working on that task how to navigate it, i.e. building a bridge with blocks.
"When I started teaching 20 years ago, I used to spend my Saturday mornings scouring garage sales. Now I spend my Friday nights searching the app store" (Confessions of a serial app buyer, Professional blog, Dec. 3, 2011)
While her classroom is very technologically equipped, HER FOCUS IS NOT ON TECHNOLOGY BUT RATHER ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT!! In Angie's classroom, technology is never used without a purpose. If something can be done better without technology (in most cases the iPads) and be done better with paper and pen, it will be. Angie wants students to learn how to use technology with intentionality and know that it is used for interacting and that it's "not just screen time", the students always need to be learning.
"I’m not in favour of providing one of anything to all students. We need to provide students with a vast array of technology and help them understand that they can be problem solvers and develop skills to interact with a variety of tools not rely on one." (Why focus on the tool?, Professional blog, Jan. 7, 2011)
Angie doesn't use themes like a typical kindergarten classroom would. Instead, Angie brings discussions the children have to life through incorporating their interests into lessons. The students read, write, and work with what they are interested in learning about.
"We can't wait for [technology] experts to show us the way." (Private victories verses public victories, Professional blog, Feb. 9, 2011)
Angie is a critical thinker and provides feedback on the technology she is using in the classroom with her students, she often shares how she used it, how she wishes she had used it, and what she will change for her next interaction with the technology.
Angie is a learner. She is always looking for new and innovative ways to continue educating herself and her students. She wants education to be fun and engaging and I think she is doing a great job at her work.
Take a look at Angie's professional blog for great teaching tips and tons of information on using technology in the classroom, I promise you that it will be worth your time!