Learning From Taking Chances

As my class nears its end, I have learned a lot of things and most of them have come at the tail end of my journey. It has been an enjoyable experience and I feel I have grown quite a bit when it comes to technology, but there is a lot more to learn and try.

One thing I gained from this experience is that if I expect my students to stick their necks out and take a chance in their learning then I should do the same! For the first few weeks of this I never ventured out from just typing things. It was not until a few weeks ago that I downloaded some new apps and started trying them. It never occurred to me that this process is about trial and error, not perfection.

A second idea I developed is that I am not by myself. Although this is not profound, when working with the internet, Google, and other Star Trek type toys things can be daunting. There are a lot of people within my school district but also on the web who can help me. I have learned so much from random searches, discovering new learning communities, blogs, and talking with colleagues via e-mail, G-chat, and Twitter. The key is that I feel like I am part of a greater community dedicated to helping kids learn and be better prepared for the future.

A third epiphany garnered from this spiritual/technological journey is that a lot of what I am doing can and has been applied to my classroom. The process of learning is the same but the tools can be different. Like anything, it is how you use, present, and make good with the tools. Sometimes I would psyche myself out and go back to tried and true methods. There is nothing wrong with trying! To show your students that you are human and make mistakes helps foster a more collegial classroom atmosphere. When a child can help explain how to use or do something it builds them up and makes the class even closer.

Converting YouTube Videos into MP3 Files

One of my very early posts described things I saw and heard from my students in the computer lab. Consider this post part deux of super, happy, fun sightings in the computer lab. Today the students worked on presentations and one young man was helping others in the class find and use a site.

If you love using YouTube to find such timeless classic videos like Laura Branigan's classic "Self Control" or a special Andy Griffith during the day it is a lot of fun! But what if you want to create a fun presentation using the audio from that subject area but all you can use are MP3 audio files and you have no access to those files? That is where this site http://www.youtube-mp3.org/" converts that video into an MP3 audio file.

What is cool about this tool is that it is a simple copy, paste, and download process. Please watch this next addition of Screencastify to see how to do it! As always this is a work in progress which means you will get a video that does not help too much but it gives you an idea!

Here is the "how to" video on converting videos into MP3 files.

How to Tweet! (More Like Trying to Tweet)

I am still learning to work Twitter. Tonight was my third chat session and it was very illuminating and enlightening. I am still trying to learn how to respond to tweets and to figure out the characters.
I created a video of trying to use Twitter which is neither illuminating nor enlightening but is extremely amusing and/or frustrating to watch. In any event, take a look and let me know what you think! #seriously?

Reasons Why Laughter Makes Classroom Management More Effective

Read This Before Using Laughter in Your Classroom

There is a common belief that if you use humor in your classroom, you’ll lose control of your students.

But here’s the thing; if you already have poor classroom management, then yes, it’s true. Trying to be funny will backfire on you. Behavior will likely get worse.

But if you have solid classroom management skills, then bringing more laughter into your classroom will make you even more effective. 

Here are some reasons why I think laughter is an effective tool.

It’s a common language.

Although it can take time for some students to come around, all students like to laugh. Laughter is the one thing guaranteed to build camaraderie and knock down social and emotional walls, binding students from different backgrounds together into one happy classroom.

It’s easy.

It takes little or no planning to bring more laughter to your classroom. All you need is a willingness to try. Your students will appreciate any effort to be funny. They’re primed to laugh. So be your silly self, tell a joke or two, and show your best–or worst–dance moves.

It motivates students to behave.

Humor can help you create a classroom your students love being part of. This, along with strict accountability, provides a strong motivator for students to behave. No student wants to wallow in the hall while their classmates are sharing a laugh with the teacher.

It eases tension.

Many classrooms buzz with tension. You can feel it as soon as you walk through the door. And before long, you’ll see it too: excitable, irritable, and misbehaving students. Laughter, however, can relax an uptight classroom—releasing tension, calming vibrating knees, and bringing joy to the room.

It encourages hard work.

When students are happy to be in your class, you can ask so much more of them. They appreciate a classroom they enjoy coming to every day, and they’ll want to repay you for it. It’s human nature. We reciprocate those we feel indebted to.

It reaches the hard to reach.

Humor has the power to help you make personal connections with students, particularly with those who are hardest to reach. When I look back on the most challenging students I’ve had over the years, I can often point to the use of humor as a major factor in helping me turn them around and guide them in the right direction.

Reaching Students One Shout - Out at a Time!

One of my favorite pictures! I do not know who these students are but they definitely like the shout outs at football games! This took me by surprise but also made me realize how lucky I am to be a teacher and be in District 303.

One of the many ways I try to let kids know they are a part of something is by calling them out at sporting events and making them laugh or wave! Along with students, parents have become fans along with the average passerby's.

Some lines that draw attention are "Please be kind, pick up from behind" and "The concession stand is awaiting your business, and speaking of business, the port-a-potties are next to the concession stand." Along with the students and parents I try to incorporate the administration into the festivities at the games, especially with St. Charles North. Those games are usually the "Cross-River Dean's Night Out" "Hug Your Principal Night" and "Administrators are not just pencil pushers but are people too! So give your favorite administrator a hug!" The key is to make people feel like they are a part of something, kind of like what Saturday nights were like in my household when we all watched television or played a board game.

Luckily, I still have a job!

Screencastify

Lately I have been trying to use Screencastify in a variety of ways. Please do not judge me by this example. I was trying to show how to create a hangout and talk to colleagues. In the future I will create a presentation which makes more sense. What I like about Screencastify is that it can be a cool step by step process whcih can make learning easier. Unfortuantely, this is not a very good example but I will try again.

Here is a presentation created by someone who knows what they are doing! It is very simple to understand and easy to follow!

Educating for the Future

With the recent events in Paris and Beirut, what is our role as an educator? What should we be focusing on: life after school or current classwork? When asked how the subject relates to a job, what is the answer? My standard answer was always if you can think, read, write, and question you will find a job. Now I am thinking what the future will entail for these students when there are groups whose sole intent is to end their futures. 

Maybe I am a wee bit paranoid but it seems like the attacks in Paris and Beirut are only the beginning. This seems to be a current pattern by groups that feel they cannot get their message across. If education is about opening minds, than why hasn't it worked in other parts of the world? What is our role as an educator in a world where trying to understand others leads to violence?