5 Beliefs of Education

As being a part of my school systems Pinnacle Leadership, we were given the prompt to write a blog post about our 5 Beliefs in Education. This really made me think long and hard about what my beliefs are. I am very curious to know what other educators beliefs are as well. Please share your 5 beliefs as a comment below. Well here are my beliefs.

One: I feel that all children can learn. Each child will learn at their own level and speed.We are born learning as soon as we take our first breath. We learn how to eat, we learn how to roll over, we learn how to sit, crawl and walk are just a few of the ways we learn at the beginning of our lives.

Two: I feel that it is important to make a connection with your students. Students will feel valued and respected if this is achieved. Students will be made to feel a part of the group and belong.

Three: I feel that it is a responsibility for parents, educators and the community to help support the learning of a child. It is a united effort of all that come into contact with that child.

Four: Education is about enabling a student to learn by using a variety of methods to discovery of knowledge. This is obtained by using technology, explicit instruction, independent and cooperative learning. We are all lifelong learners by making ourselves be reflective thinkers.

Five: Learning is the primary goal of all students.Creating an environment that is conducive to learning for each individual. We should be challenge our students in their learning.

I would love to hear your beliefs of education. Leave a comment below.

In my classroom we are using technology is all areas of learning. We use ipads, computers, and smartboards with our instruction and independent/group work. Students love learning about a new app to create presentation on all content areas. This week we began using Pic Collage for retelling stories and grammar showing  what a noun is, an adjective, and verbs. Students have even worked with their 5th grade buddies and showed them how to use Pic Collage and Poplet.

Hope you find some ideas to use in your classroom.

Technology Day

We are having a great time on Technology Day in our classroom. Students are using ipads throughout the day on numerous activities and apps. We just began using a new app called Spellyfish. Students work on spelling with this app. It is really useful for my students who need help with phonics and spelling skills.

Here are two that are having fun using the ipads and Spellyfish App!

Next you will see two students on the laptops using the SCOOTPAD Website! We use this daily to work on Math and Reading. I love the fact that it is aligned to Common Core and BEST OF ALL IT IS FREE!!! My students can access it at home to work on it at well. Students earn reward coins to trade in for prizes. I get a weekly progress report from the website. If you choose to purchase, you get more subjects to work on and upgrades.

Students are using the 2nd grade Fiction Comprehension App in our Listening Center. Students get to read the story and complete a Graphic Organizer. It also helps them with their fluency.

Our classroom favorite is Toontastic!!!! 

Students plan out their stories scene by scene. Scene One is the Setup. Student pick setting, characters and the mood. Student animate the character and record their voice.Scene Two is the Conflict. Student create the problem in the story. Scene Three is the Challenge. How does the character handle the conflict. Scene Four is the Climax. This is where all the action takes place. Scene Five is the Resolution. Does the characters will over the conflict or are they defeated? We used a great resource from Tina's Teaching Treasures on TPT. It has graphic organizers to help students create their stories with characters and scene from Toontastic. Once the stories are completed I will post their videos. Also on the app it has ToonTube that is where you can view your video along with others that have shared videos. You can check out amazing videos that others have create and use them in your classroom for examples or even as an edition to a lesson or activity that you are teaching. It is a great resource.

Technology and Education

During my career as a teacher, I was chosen for our school districts Pinnacle (technology) program this past year. As being a pinnacle leader, we were given ipads to use in our classroom with our students. In my classroom I had 22 students with 6 ipads. Having the ipads opened up a new resource for my students to use in their learning and creativity.

Using apps with the ipads was a great way to meet the needs of my students. Students worked in groups, with a partner and alone on numerous apps and our classroom kidblog. The ipads were used every day by the students. Kidblog was a part of our morning work everyday. Using the ipads with STEM was very beneficial for my students to discover and share with each other.

In my room, our favorite app was Toontastic. My students had the most fun with this app. Students worked collaboratively in groups with a leader. The groups were assigned different tasks each time. My favorite activity was for them to create a script for a story layout about bullying. There is one of these videos displayed on a post here on my blog.

We also have lots of fun using QR codes. My students always enjoyed the excitement of what would be in the code. A video, a link, a picture or answer to a question.

My classroom loved using the ipads in their learning. Using technology is a major component of my teaching. We used our school computer labs to work on project based learning. Students research about a county they choose. Did a presentation and were evaluated by their peers. Students made a powerpoint Biography that was shared with the class. At the end of the school year, students had to CREATE a newspaper. We used Microsoft Publisher for this. They had to create the layout, theme or newspaper and complete a full page with head line, articles with photos and share with class. My students really got into this one. Most of the boys in my class did it on Minecraft.

I would love to hear about ways you integrated technology with your students and what apps, or programs you use. As I head tomorrow for my 2nd year of Pinnacle. I am excited to see what new resources we will have to use with our students this coming school year. Here is to a new year or endless opportunities to reach every student that enters our classrooms. Happy learning!!!!!!

Toontastic Videos on Bullying

Students were working in collaborative groups creating a video about bullying to connect to our Rachel's Challenge. Students were actively working together to create each element of the story.

Click on the BLACK BOX and video will begin!!!!
Leave a comment on how you think these students did.