Why I Tweet and Use Kidblog In Kindergarten!

Last week one of my students created a post on their kidblog about something they designed with materials at their home. My student took a photograph, created a title and some words to describe what he created. He created something that “worked with electricity”.

Afterwards he sent me a tweet to tell me that he had just created a post. I was able to tweet back using twitter to communicate and connect with my student. I am modeling how to be a safe, kind and responsible digital citizen through an authentic learning opportunity.

On Monday my student shared his kidblog post he created with the class. As you can read from the exchange of tweets I had with my student he understood how to communicate with me to let me know that he had something to say/share. (click on photograph to enlarge) This is a reflection of how young students can use social media in regards to their learning. This young child is beginning to understand and experience the power of using social media and blogging as platforms to connect and reflect with others. This is how I can help educate and give my young students meaningful experiences with social media and blogging.

Some observations I made while my student was sharing his kidblog were very telling of the awareness being created in regards to the technology I am using in Kindergarten. I was also thinking about the opportunities my young students have had to make observations and be reflective about those tools as well in regards to their learning.

My student was at the computer using the mouse and went to touch the screen. He said; “Oh wait, this isn’t an iPad or a SMART board. What side of the mouse do I click Mrs. D.” Right away I was reminded about the tools we use and how important it is to use a variety of tools to help students become flexible and adaptable when they are interacting with their learning. He adapted right away and continued to share.

I then asked my student why he tweeted me. He said; Because I wanted to tell you what I did on my kidblog.” Another student shared; “That’s communicating!” Yes it is! Wow! This is really amazing to me because my students are developing an awareness of audience, how to communicate in ways beyond the classroom walls and experiencing the feeling of receiving comments and compliments in regards to their discoveries.

Kidblog is a platform available for all of my students and their families. It provides endless opportunities for them to connect, collaborate and celebrate what is important to them. Kidblog is a wonderful way for my students and their families to share their discoveries outside of the classroom and an opportunity to experience how to use kidblog in a safe, kind and responsible way.

Twitter is a way for me to model along with my students and their families the value of being connected and sharing with others. Through experiences like this my students begin to develop an awareness of audience. They experience the “how to” use social media as well as the importance of receiving feedback from others who make connections with what they are sharing.

Through this type of interaction my parents will understand and experience the value of using kidblog and twitter in regards to learning. The beauty here is that my students and their parents are using the technological tools together, at a young age. This gives everyone opportunities to engage and enrich their learning experiences in meaningful, safe ways. As an educator I am responsible for my students, but also their families. I try to be transparent in my thinking and practice when using technology so my families will do the same.

It’s All About The Learning!

I have been thinking a lot lately about a question I am asked often; “How do you keep track of how much ‘screen time’ your students have?” and “How much time should my child be on an iPad?”

Both of these questions bring about a lot of deep thinking and a shift in thinking on my part.  My response is always in regards to learning because the focus of my work as an educator is always about the learning.  The learning is the center of everything I model and explore with my students.  The learning is vital and key when thinking about engagement and relevance when I work with students and their families.

Too “keep track” of how often or when one of my students is using an electronic device would shift the purpose of what I am doing.  The learning would not be authentic, but rather something to be “checked off”.  Technology offers all educators, parents and students a way to enhance and enrich their understanding of what they are discovering and learning.  I love how technology supports my ideas for exploring and creating new learning opportunities for and with my students.  I often think of endless examples of how this might look and sound like in Kindergarten.

Just by having iPads in different parts of my classroom my students understand that this tool/device is there if they choose to use.  For example many students create and design many things in Kindergarten using a variety of tools.  Why not think about a way to record and document that creation or design with a tool that provides your student/child to share what they have discovered?  This is the importance of using and having technologies available in meaningful, responsible ways.  This is how I can model for my students and their families the importance of having technological tools and how they can be utilized.

The iPad has many different unique features that can be integrated in an almost seamless fashion.  I try to think of this device as another opportunity to enrich and enhance the learning that is explored.

Learning special features of different geometric shapes is a great example.  In Kindergarten we explore shapes.  We examine shapes within and outside of our classroom.  Geoboard is a great app that can help my students create and design their understanding of geometric shapes we explore because it provides equal learning access for everyone.  This is a very powerful way to engage all my students.  As mathematicians we explore how we know a triangle to be a triangle, etc.  This app gives all my students equal access to their understanding and learning of our topic.  I also have geoboards too!  By having a variety of tools, I am able to provide a variety of learning opportunities for my students.  Learning opportunities that support my students thinking.  My students take risks with their learning because it is encouraged and modeled daily in the many learning activities we explore.

So the time my students spend on an iPad is important, but it is not what drives the learning.  Learning opportunities are everywhere.  I try to model explicit ways of how technology enhances what we are exploring and learning about.  Learning is the center for everything.  From rich, authentic learning opportunities my students use a variety of technologies that support their explorations and understandings.  For me it is always about the learning.  Technology helps bring the learning to life!

Connecting and Sharing Using Skype!

This morning was amazing in Kindergarten!   One of my students is in Florida this week at Disney World.  He called us this morning to say hello! The students were so excited to say hello!  Later I received an email from a parent who has a child home sick and very upset that he can’t attend kindergarten!  She asks for my name on Skype so they can call us and check in!  Wow!

This type of connection is vital and important in the work we do as educators.  Using Skype my students and their families have opportunities to experience how to use technology in a safe, kind and responsible way.  I think about how amazing this is that not only my students, but their families understand the importance of being connected!

This is a great example also of how important it is to have an interactive and connected classroom culture.  This begins to develop prior to Kindergarten even starting.  Classroom culture helps support, encourage and give people a voice and opportunity to share what they understand and learn.  I always focus on the learning and the connections we make.  It is through these ideas that my students and their families feel a part of all the learning and everything that we do during our busy days together.

With so many technological tools available, it is so important as an educator to use these tools in very explicit and meaningful ways.  Through the authentic modeling, my students and their families begin to experience how the tools enrich and enhance learning.  Everyone has a voice in Kindergarten. We develop close relationships through our connections with each other. Our connections become meaningful and engaging not only because of what we are learning, but how we are learning.

Just think about what you could do with Skype.  Endless opportunities!

Edcamp: Why Attend?

Yesterday I attended my 3rd edcamp.  Wow!  I was able to meet new professionals and reconnect with others.  Being part of such an awesome professional experience holds lots of surprises and new discoveries.  Every camp that I have attended has been amazing. I have no idea about the what I am going to be doing or what I am hoping to learn.  It just seems to present itself in the workshops that people offer and the ideas seem to just appear through informal dialogue and new learning that others experience.  It is free as well as food and beverages.This is what we collaboratively brainstormed together!  Lots of possibilities here for learning!

An edcamp is an unconference.  As a collaborative group, you get to decide together about what you want to do.  In the beginning you say hello and then design the schedule for the day.  The other great thing about this model of professional development that I love is that if you are in a session and it turns out not to be what you need, you just leave.  I love this idea because it is a great model for us as professionals to take charge of what our needs are.  If it isn’t working or not for you, find something that is.

In Vermont we have a dedicated group of professionals who organize this.  Big kuddos to Ned Kirsch, Larry Fliegelman and Greg Marino who helped make this professional development available!  I know I am forgetting others to thank also!  Thank You!

I look forward to the next edcamp.  I hope those of you reading this will consider attending the next time.  Really such an inspiring group of educators.  This is a very important part of my PLN(Professional Learning Network)!  Why not make it part of yours too!

What’s Been Happening In Kindergarten?

I have been thinking a lot lately about not only how lucky I am to be a Kindergarten teacher, but the reasons why.  So I thought that I would share what’s been happening.

For me Kindergarten is like a breath of fresh air each day.  The excitement for learning is contagious and never ending!

1.  Celebrating!  We celebrate numerous times throughout the year in a variety of ways.  Recently we just had a Dr. Seuss Luncheon!  My students were able to share what they learned and enjoyed from this author study through turning and talking, creating books, creating and designing a blog post on their kidblog.  Each child was able to use Doodle Buddy to create an illustration to go along with their post too!  Then we made comments on each others posts.  I also emailed my parents and asked them to leave comments too!  Wow!  My students experience how they can not only share their celebrations of learning with others, but also that others find their ideas interesting!

2.  Connecting!  My students have connected with other kindergarten students outside of our school community through Skype and twitter!  Both of these tools have given my students real life experiences in exploring the world outside of our walls in a safe, kind and responsible way.  The connections we have made give us opportunities to be accepting of others and to value and respect how we are the same and different.

Twitter continues to be a place where we can model how to be a safe, kind and responsible digital citizen.  This week I gave my students a special ‘Twitter award” for tweeting to others.  They were thrilled!  I asked them why they liked their award and they shared because we tweet and we share what we do in Kindergarten.  This social media continues to be a valuable resource and a way for my students, their families and me connect and discover the world!

3.  Creating and Designing!

During a math workshop time this past week we were using iPads to write our numbers.  One of my students came up with an idea.  Using NumberRak we built numbers and then created them on Doodle Buddy!  So I was so surprised and thrilled!  My students are beginning to think about how technology can enhance and deepen their understanding of what they understand.

During a writer’s workshop time 1 of my students wanted to see a Dr. Seuss book, but I only had 1 copy.  She thought that she could just Google it!  So we did!  She found the picture she wanted for her illustration of a writing response she was creating.

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/62461515″>Google</a&gt; from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user6476024″>Sharon Davison</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

During another writing time one of my students needed a book with a bike in it.  He was unsure how to draw.  We did not have any books, but this student decided to Google bike on an iPad to help him out!  This seems to be happening a lot and in a very authentic way.  Really amazing for me and my students.

4.  Collaborating!
My students make connections with the ideas we share through blogging as a way we collaborate with others.  This video says it all!

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/62461514″>blogging kkids</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user6476024″>Sharon Davison</a> on <a href=”http://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

So Kindergarten life is really busy and wonderful.  Everyday holds new discoveries and experiences.  The learning is inspiring and energizing.  What a wonderful place to be.

The Importance of Being Creative and Innovative: Why?

I value and believe in creativity and innovation.  Creativity opens up ways for all learners to express and share how they make discoveries.  Innovation is a way to enhance the how of what we discover. It also reflects the deep and critical thinking process of what we have experienced in regards to learning.

As an educator I have a variety of technological tools available for me and my students that can help make creativity and innovation more present and part of our classroom culture.  I feel I’m most successful when my students and their families also begin to experience how these technologies can support what they are noticing about their learning discoveries.

Young children are amazing thinkers!  They see patterns and make connections easily.  When they have time to share and connect with each other about their ideas, they begin to create and inspire each other. How are you inspired?  By who?  Why?

An example comes to mind here.  During a literacy time my students were creating self portraits.  We were using mirrors, but they kept sliding over.  One of my students said, “Why don’t we just use an iPad?”  So we did!  Through this idea everyone was able to be more successful with the task and others were collaborating together to help each other set up their iPad using the camera and also why this was a great idea. The portraits my students created were amazing and contained so much detail!  The camera on the iPad made their face real and so clear.  Some of my students decided to take a picture of themselves to draw.  So just by using the camera on an iPad my students discovered “how to” enhance what they were doing and the activity became much more rigorous and enhanced through a technological tool.

Throughout the year I have had and continue to have many parents, students and professional colleagues share their ideas and understandings around learning in a variety of ways.

Many of my parents of my students send videos of their child discovering a “college word”, reading orally using expression, photographs of writing they’re doing at home, etc.  This is why I need to be open minded and creative when it comes to planning and learning.  When I am successful is when I am making a difference through my example of how I am using technology in ways that are meaningful in regards to learning.  The meaningfulness of what I am doing is shared not just with me, but with my students and others colleagues.  When we model how we are changing our thinking about learning, we are modeling how to be flexible in our practice as well.

I share with my PLN(Professional Learning Network) too!  We inspire each other with our experiences in regards to learning.  Using twitter with my students and my parents has also helped educate why it is so important to use social media in school.  It opens up endless ways to share and collaborate about learning!

This week as I plan I am thinking about how I can be flexible, and model how I change my thinking in regards to learning.  I am also thinking about what tools will help me share and model this  so that my students experience the learning that comes from making mistakes and how this is necessary to get closer to what we understand. 

So why be innovative and creative?  I look forward to hearing from others about what you are doing with your students too!

Tools That Help To Transform: Being Intentional

As an educator I want to be intentional about my actions within and outside of the classroom in regards to learning.  I feel that the more transparent, we, educators are about our practice, the more intentional our work becomes.

Just in the past few months I have begun to transform even more.  The transformation is intentional and sometimes it just “sneaks up” on me!  The technological tools available are all key and vital when it comes to any kind of transformation.

What a wonderful week I had with my Kindergarten students!  This time of year is so exciting because I get to see my students become more independent and watch as they navigate using the many technologies that we have been exploring and discovering together during the year.  Wow!  As an educator I am seeing some amazing ah ha’s and uses of some of the tools that are a part of our Kindergarten culture.  I have listed a few examples below.

1.  Twitter!  My students have opportunities all day to tweet about what they think is important.  This past week a couple of my students told me that they were “ready” to start typing the tweets themselves.  I asked ‘”How do you know?” They told me because they are reading.  They also shared because they know that they have to use a period, a capital letter and leave spaces between their words.  Oh yes!!!  This is a reflection of the many things we explore during our reader’s and writer’s workshop time.  This is amazing that my students see the connections here with not only that “they are ready” to tweet, but what they need in their tweet and that it can be shared with others.

2.  Air Server!  This has been a wonderful tool to explore with my students.  During our number corner time the leader of the day and a few others are able to connect through our SMART board and share their mathematical ideas!  Two of our Math Habits of Mind are Changing Your Thinking and Multiple Representations.  By using iPads remotely my students are able to share the many different ways a number looks like!  If they have a different idea or Change Their Thinking, this is valued and recognized as a habit that all mathematicians do.  In order to learn we need to Change Our Thinking(make mistakes).  The self confidence of all my students is high because they all want to be able to share and collaborate using the interactive tools.  Interactive tools that promote deep thinking and collaboration as well as risk taking.

3.  iPads!  I love that I am able to have iPads available for my students.  Their uses are endless, really!  During a dice game a couple of my students thought that instead of writing their numbers on paper they could write on an iPad.  When I spoke with them further it occurred to me that paper rips easily and it is hard to change your thinking.  An iPad makes it easy to try and try again.  I was also able to see how naturally my students offer to help one another too, not just writing numbers, but navigating with the iPad.

As I continue to model a variety of technological tools in a very intentional way, my students will do the same.  They begin to see and discover the value they can have in regards to their learning.

These are questions I find myself asking over and over again…..

What tools are you using with students?  How are you using them?  What are you noticing?  What are your students noticing?