Whole Brain Teaching

Whole Brain teaching uses attention grabbers to engage the students, instruction, and collaborative learning to use the whole brain for learning the way it was intended to.  There are 7 major rules that go along with whole brain teaching. 

1.   Attention Grabber- engages the students and allows them to focus on the teacher.

2.   Teach-OK- teach lessons in educational chinks.  Hit the highlights of the lesson then students turn and teach with a partner. 

3.   Switch- Partners change the roll of the teacher and student. 

4.   Class Rules- create class rules with your students.  Have 5 general rules and make sure to go over each rule daily with the students.

5.   Scoreboard- motivates students to do well.  It is Teacher vs students.  Who ever has the most talley marks at the end of the week gets the prize. 

6.   Hands and Eyes- keep short for announcements.  Students will hold their hands together and focus their eyes on the teacher.

7.   Mirror- students mirror the teacher, increases student engagement.  Teachers can also see who was paying attention and who is on task.

These rules do not have to be done in any specific order except maybe Teach-OK and Switch.  Whole brain teaching can be introduced as early as pre-k. 

I love using attention grabbers in the classroom.  It really gets the students attention and they enjoy it.  Letting the students collaborate with each other is something I want to make sure I incorporate.  My practicum teacher this semester used the Scoreboard with her class.  The students really enjoy it and try to remind each other when they get off task so they can still earn their reward.

Steam Activities grades 3-6

Steam incorporates all these areas together in one assignment.  Steam is used for student engagement.  They are using creative thinking and experience to solve a problem they would encounter in the real world.  These activities are so fun for the students.  They get plenty of hands on time and can collaborate with one another.  Teachers need to make sure they plan for differentiation during these activities as well.  Steam is problem-based activities that are student led.  The teacher is just there to provide guidance when needed.  When you are planning a Steam activity for your students make sure ti aligns with a standard and include all the elements of Steam.  Figure out how much time will be needed for the students to complete the activity and get a list going of materials that will be needed.  Ask yourself if the students need any background knowledge for the activity.  If so, provide that for them a few days in advance.   These activities usually always have the students building something.   They can create something that is mobile or a shelter of some kind depending on the problem they are needing to solve.  The more creative they get the better.  Teachers can purchase kits for their classrooms or just go gather up a bunch of items and let them lose with it.     

These types of activities should be done in the classroom each week in my opinion.  After 2 semesters in an elementary classroom I see that there is not a whole lot of time devoted to science.  Students love getting off track from normal book work and worksheets to create something fun.  Learning does not have to be boring.  We as teachers need to do all we can to keep them engaged.   I think it is important we as teachers help build students’ critical thinking skills as well.  Far to often do parents step in to help their children.  With these activities they can think for themselves and collaborate with others.  I would also like to get more information for myself on how to become a Steam specialist.

EdPuzzle and Blendspace

Edpuzzle has a library full of videos for multiple subjects you may teach in your classroom.  The teacher will assign videos for their students to watch.  The teacher can make their own videos or use the ones already on the website.  The teacher can add a quiz to the videos to test students knowledge of the subject.  Questions and the teachers voice can be added to videos as well.  This app is great for a flipped classroom setting.  You can use the videos for station rotation.  They are only allowed to move on if they score so high on the quiz.  Videos can be assigned to the students for homework and used for students who were absent.  Teachers are able to view what each students is doing, see their progress, and monitor their scores.  This is offered as an app or can be accessed by the website. 

Blendspace helps teachers organize lessons.  You can add videos for your lessons and categorize them by the lesson or type.  Articles, pictures, and PowerPoints can also be added in with the videos for each lesson they correspond with.  This already has a library full of videos added and is a great resource when students are needing to research a topic.  You can showcase students progress as well.

Both of these resources would work great for a flipped classroom.  They both give you access to videos on all kinds of different content or it allows you to upload your own videos.  You can monitor what videos your students have watched and see how they are doing on any quizzes you have added.  Both of these allow the students to access them anytime from anywhere.  These are resources I will keep in mind in my own classroom.  Instead of homework why not assign them an extra lesson video to watch.  For my students that may not have access to a pc or tablet at home I will give them some time at the beginning of class to review the video.  For my students who might be struggling on a subject I may assign them extra videos that may help them catch on.  We can also view them together in small group.   

       

Apps and Ideas for Dual Language Learners.

Dual language learners are students whose primary language is not English.   Some apps include endless reader, Duolingo, and Tinycards.   Endless reader helps students learn English with site words.  The app is free and comes with 6 free words.  There is an in-app purchase to get more words.  Duolingo is a free app that allows students to listen to how words are said.  Tinycards is a free app that uses flash cards with animations to teach the ELL students different words.  English singsing, Rock N Learn, and Hoopla kids are YouTube channels ELL students can view to help them learn words.   Somethings you can do in the classroom to help ELL students is have a word wall with pictures.  Label everything so that the students will start being able to associate words with objects.  Pair ELL students with proficient English-speaking students for help.  Technology is a wonderful resource to help ELL students with their learning. 

I had the chance to work with ELL students in my practicum last semester.  I was in a 3^rd grade class and one of my ELL students was on a 1^st grade reading level.  He was so good at Math and made the comment to his teacher that he could be good at reading if someone would teach him.  He was not able to get help at home because his parents did not speak English well.  He would always give it his all when it was time to read him books.  He would come sit with me a lot of the time and I would help him read.  It is so sad seeing students who have the want and will to learn so bad but don’t have enough resources available to them for help.  I would like to see them offer some kind of after school program for ELL students to give them the extra help they need.  As a teacher you want all your students to succeed but with the amount of time you have to teach everything it is hard to be able to spend that extra time with your ELL students.  I would like to see more teachers utilized some of the resources above in their classrooms to help the ELL students.  Even if it is just 5 or 10 minutes each day.  These technology apps have been proven to help students grow in there English so much more.       

       

Autism and IPads

Autism affects 1 in every 68 children.  Autism is more common in boys than in girls.  Many students with Autism are non verbal.  Ipads can help them say things to use they are not actually able to verbalize.   They can tell us their wants, needs, and ideas through some apps on the iPad.  Some built in features that already come with the iPad are voice over, live listen, and Siri.  Voice over explains what is happening on the screen of the iPad.  They can navigate the iPad by listening to the voice over.  Live listen amplifies the persons voice talking to them and drowns out background noise.  Siri can type notes for the student.  Zoom is also another feature that magnifies everything.  Touch Autism is a site with a multitude or apps for students with Autism.  It even features some apps for teachers, parents and therapist.  It has apps designed especially for nonverbal  students and does not require writing.  Daycape is an app that helps students with planning and events.  At the time it is due or time to go somewhere, a popup comes on the ipad letting the student know what is next. 

You can embed videos or pictures to help remind the students what the activity is.   ProLoQuo2Go gives no verbal students a voice.  The student can create a sentence by putting the symbols in order.  This app is a little pricey at $200 but seems very worth it.  Qr voice allows you to record your voice with messages or instructions for the students.  You can create the recording then print a QR code to allow the students to access it.  Social stories helps compliment others.  It makes speaking to others easier and more natural. 

When someone is non verbal you can not be sure of what they understand and know.  I viewed a video of a man who was non verbal all his life.  His mom assumes that he did not know many things that a normal child would.  When they discovered an app that would talk for him they discovered that just because he could not talk did not mean he was not understanding things.  He was able to start having conversations with his mother due to this app.  When they went to restaurants, he was able to order for himself using the app.  This was an amazing discovery for the son and the mother.  I want to make sure if I have students in my class with special need I am able to provide them with things that will help make them more successful.  The apps mentioned above all seem like they are great to use with students with Autism.  We need to make sure we do all we can to make them feel as much a part of our class as anyone else.   

Virtual Field Trips

Virtual field trips are digital field trips you can take with your students from inside your classroom.  They are fun and interactive.   You can travel do different places on Earth or explore animals.  There are even trips that align with the standards.  When preparing a virtual field trip there are some things you need to consider.  What do I want my students to take away from this trip?  How will I assess my students on what they have learned during the virtual field trip?  You can take these trips a few different ways.  You can use Google Goggles, Fieldtrip Zoom, which is a live tour trip, Discovery Education,  Google Expeditions, and You Visit.  They have many different virtual trips you can take based on different subjects.  You can take a math trip, a trip for budgeting, or a trip about decimals.  The apps and content are free but you may have some cost if you decide to purchase glasses for your class.  These can range from $5 to $15.  They are implementing a new virtual trip called career field trips.  This will be helpful to older students who are trying to decide what to do after High School.  You can take your students on a trip to The White House,  tour Mount Rushmore, or visit different zoos around the country.  You can plan these trips and have an assessment for the students to take after your trip to make sure they were engaged.  Having them put together a presentation about their favorite part of the trip to share with the class is another way to assess them.  This is a great option for low income schools.  Many of their students will never get the opportunity to travel anywhere so this helps give them a look at other parts of the world.

This is such a fun activity and I would love to do this at least once a week in my classroom.  Maybe on Friday’s after test to ease the tension.  Technology keeps evolving and there are more and more things we can do with our students that we were never able to do before.   

Nearpod

Nearpod is a website with interactive technology for lessons.  Teachers can create a presentation on a lesson that they wish to share with their students.  The students would be able to access these videos or presentations anytime and anywhere.  Cost for Nearpod can go all the way up to $349.  It does have a free option but you have many more things you can access if you pay for it.  It has premade lessons already available to teachers for many different subject areas.  It even has an area on Digital Citizenship.  You can post assessments after videos for your students to take to test their knowledge or to make sure they were paying attention.  This also helps to see if the students understand a topic.  If you have many students struggling, you may need to do some more in depth teaching on the topic.  Nearpod also connects to google classroom.  This makes sharing things with your students much easier.  Students can take polls with peers on topics also.  Nearpod also give you the option to take virtual field trips.  This can be exciting for students who may have never traveled outside their hometown before.  There is an interactive whiteboard in the app where students can draw, type, or add pictures.  You can give the students open ended questions to answer where they are able to give their opinion and not feel like there is a right or wrong answer.  There is also content for your ELL students as well. 

This resource is one that I will look into for my classroom.  Even if I am not able to have a full flipped classroom having a place where my students can go for extra help and teaching is something, I would like to invest in.  Students should be able to have a place where they can go at home to watch videos on lessons for Certain topics if they feel they need extra help.    

Student Led Conferences and Digital Portfolios.

     Digital Portfolios are new and on the rise in classrooms today.  This is a way for students to document their learning digitally.  They can use many different things to make a digital portfolio.  PowerPoint and Emaze are great when making presentations.  You can add videos, pictures, and even animations.  These portfolios are something students can use all during their school years.  They can just keep adding to it each year and it is something great for them to have to look back on when they are an adult.  Some apps that help make Digital Portfolios fun are Sesame and Seesaw.  Nearpod can also be used to display their learning and goals.   

 Student Led Conferences are where the student leads the conference when meeting with the teacher and the parent.  They are talking to their parents about their progress or any issues while the teacher just listens and watches.  When preparing your student for these types of conferences one method you can use is the fishbowl method.  This is where the teacher models for the student what they will do during the conference.  The teacher can even print them off a guide/script to go by and make notes on.   The students can share their conference with the class if they chose to get prepared for the real meeting.  The benefits to this are that the student takes ownership of their learning.  If they know they are going to have to explain in detail to their parent with the teacher, why they did not do something or have a bad grade they will try to work harder.  This helps the students gain speaking skills and be able to better express themselves.  The students are also doing self-assessment.  Another benefit to this is the parent gets to hear their child talk about their progress.  This helps encourage more school talk between the parent and student at home.  Some of the pros to student led conferences are the increase in parent involvement and students gain experience speaking.  Cons include students who still struggle to speak to an audience.  Some students may even be so nervous they tear up during the conference.  Parents may want to talk with the teacher about some concerns they have.  Teachers need to make sure they give the parent time to speak with them alone when the student leaves the room.   In the event parents may not be able to make it to the conference have another teacher lined up to sit in instead.  The students still gain pride in being able to talk about their progress with someone else.       

These are both subjects that are new to me.  I would have never guessed letting a student lead a conference about themselves with their parent.  After learning about this more it makes sense.  We want them to take ownership of their progress and knowing they have to address their parents in front of the teacher helps with that.   Digital portfolios is something I think I would like to use in my classroom.  Students will enjoy working with the many different programs you can use to create things.  I would also hope that they would get excited about having something they can share with the world and take with them all through school.  

Math Apps and Digital Games

Math apps allow students the ability to directly manipulate through the app. They are great for multi-sensory learning and helps students improve their math skills. Math apps have also been shown to help with the retention rates in schools where students use them. Math apps allow for students to get instant feedback on their work. Instead of having to wait a few days to see if they understand the skill, they can find out real time. Teachers can assign different apps to students based on their skill set also. Teachers can monitor their students’ progress to see who might still be struggling or to see if they may need to spend some more time on a topic. With the amount of apps that are available to use we need to make sure we know what to look for in a good app for our students to use. WE can use these in our classroom as a center rotation or fit it into our lessons. Duckduckmoose.com is a website that has several different apps you can use. The great thing about these apps is that they align with the standards you are teaching in the classroom. An example of a subscription-based resource used in schools is Stride Academy. A membership must be purchased to use this. This website offers learning and games for the students in a few different subjects.


 


 Digital games are also good to use in the classroom. Some are free while others may have you pay for in app purchases or pay to download the app all together. Osmo is a site that you can use for math, coding, spelling and drawing just to name a few. It is interactive and comes with game pieces you must purchase. The cost of this app is $99 and it will include the game pieces needed to play. Digital games a way of keeping students learning while having fun at the same time. You can find many different apps or websites to use for all different subjects. I will definitely look into Osmo for my future classroom. It seems to have a wide variety of learning tools for students. In my experience students always look forward to center time on the Ipad or computer. I am a big fan of using technology in the classroom. Students can become disengaged when we are up front talking all day. Given them something fun to do while learning at the same time is a win for the teacher and the student.

Digital Literacy

Children are growing up in a digital world. More and more schools are bringing in tablets and laptops for students to use. Digital literacy is a very important part to using these devices. We as teachers need to make sure we are teaching our students the proper way to use these tools. We need to teach students how to navigate these devices and how important it is that we use them correctly. We use digital resources to find and consume digital content, create things digitally such as Blogs, and communicating with others. When students are searching for things digitally, they must decide what is best to be used out of tons of different resources. Digital text has more things incorporated in it then a normal textbook. Students will come across extra links in the readings that may contain extra text or videos. They must then decide if this is something they need to click on or if they just continue reading. They need to learn how to decide what they should do with this extra information. Students must also be shown how to type in key words when searching things on the internet and know how to pick a good site for their info. Students need to be taught about digital content such as emails, blogs, and Power Points. They need to know that these things need to be done with safety since more people have access to it than if it was printed work. Students need to that their privacy is important, and they need to be responsible when sharing things on the internet with others. Some pros to Digital Literacy are knowledge available at your fingertips and network with anyone anywhere in the world. You can also collaborate with others easier. Some cons are information overload. The web is filled with millions of different ideas on a topic. They can fall victim to cyber bullying. WE want students to be active using these resources. Such as collaborating with others, talk about their work together, and sharing ideas with each other. We as teachers also need to teach students digital citizenship. They need to know that everything they do or share is important and that they need to make good choices. They need to know about their digital footprint. They need to be made aware that not everything they find on the internet is true or accurate. There are many apps out there available to us to use digitally. There are story telling apps to help students share things with each other, there are games we can play with students as a class to be fun but also go over content they are learning, and there are reading apps they can use to help them build reading skills or just be able to read a book digitally. All these things can not be taught to the students overnight. We need to make sure we are constantly reminding students of how important things are when it comes to digital literacy. The cost associated with this just depends on what type of devices the school chooses to go with. It can range anywhere from $100 to $500 depending on the product purchased. Some apps also cost money. Teachers definitely need to do research and try to find as many good apps for free that they can use with their class.

I have earned that there are so many different things that come along with letting our students go digital in the classroom. We need to make sure we are doing our part to keep them informed and knowledgeable about all the things that go along with digital literacy. There are so many wonderful and fun things we can do digitally with our students to make learning fun. I hope in my future class I am able to implement this into my classroom.

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