Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Using Seesaw for accountability

Maker Friends, if you have not yet heard about Seesaw, it is time!!  We were introduced to Seesaw last year by Todd Burleson when he visited our space.  It is an online portfolio that is the answer to a lot of our questions: how to document student work, how to "preserve" projects that used non-consumable parts and needed to be dis-assembled at the end, how to share video or tech projects, and how to show parents what we do in the makerspace.  We set up classes for Seesaw and each student had a "page" within their class.  They can access their Seesaw account from any device, via the Seesaw app or the webpage.  They just needed to scan a QR code, or type in a temporary text code that I could generate for them as one of the designated teachers in their Seesaw class.  Seesaw allows them to upload photos, video, sound files, web-links, document files, or to create drawings, notes, or blog entries.  There is then a subscriber option for parents, where they can use a unique QR code to access their child's portfolio and set up notifications so they get updates whenever something new is added, write comments, download files, and communicate back and forth with the teachers.  We used Seesaw throughout the first half of the year in just this way.  I had also started using Seesaw to have them document their weekly progress, so that their parents and teachers could see the project from start to finish.

Then, during my mid-year evaluation pre-conference with my administrator, I mentioned that one of the things I was struggling with was managing 20 different projects in the room at the same time, and what to do with those kids that are likely to slide under the radar and fall behind.  How do I ensure accountability and keep kids focused if I can't be spending one-to-one time with every group every week?  He showed me that I already had the tools to use in place.  By having them document their weekly progress, I was giving myself an extra pair of eyes to monitor their work.  By reviewing their uploads each week, I could see who needed help, who needed a check-in at the beginning of the next class, who was falling behind, who was straying off path.  Not only was Seesaw keeping them aware of their weekly progress, but it was allowing me to stay on top of it, too.

We are looking into expanding into Seesaw for schools next year, which will allow for multi-year portfolios.  How amazing it will be to have students follow their progress from year to year!

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

This week, my K5 classes tried to build a bird's nest using materials they found outside.  We revisited the Design Process and talked about how birds are amazing engineers that can build a nest without any hands or fingers!  While we were gathering sticks, leaves, grass, etc. outside, we came upon a real bird guarding her nest.  It was quite ironic and interesting to see the real thing before trying to build a nest ourselves.  At the end of the lesson, we came to the conclusion that building a bird's nest is not at easy as it looks!


Friday, May 6, 2016

High Energy

This week the 3rd and 4th graders started on what is arguably my favorite part of every project - week 1.  I love working with them to plan new projects for so many reasons!

-They are so excited to try something new.
-They get to set their own learning goals, timeline, and outcomes (they LOVE having that much choice!)
-Their ideas are so creative!  It amazes me to see what kinds of things they come up with.  Every time something surprises me!
-They dream big!!  No one can convince that 4th grader that he can't make a hologram projector.  The girl who is just learning how to use the sewing machine has visions of Project Runway in her mind.

Every time we do this, I am reminded how important it is to give them freedom and choice in their work.  No, it's not reasonable to give them control over every part of their school day, but to have the Maker Mindset take hold, students have to be able to pursue their interests and their curiosities.  There are too many times that kids are told exactly what to do, how to create it, what it should look like, what the necessary components are and what materials they should use.  They learn so much by being able to choose these things themselves.  Many times they abandon a first plan, having realized that some part of it won't work well. . . that in and of itself is learning - evaluating, comparing, problem solving.  I provide them with guidelines, sometimes a specific challenge (a vehicle that has wheels and an axle, for example), and the rest is up to them.  I don't want them to all look alike.  I don't want them to make something to meet my expectations, and I don't want to assume everyone has the same ideas, interests, or curiosities.

Today I'm sitting at a conference in Illinois of technology teachers, integrators, and leaders.  Many of them have never heard of makerspaces or know little about them.  It is so fun to watch them play with some of our kits and equipment, and as soon as I start talking about what we do in our makerspace, they all say something along the lines of that being what they wish they'd had in school when they were kids.  Our students have no idea how fortunate they are!!

Bird Nest Challenge

"Bird's Nest"   by  Rugged Lens  is licensed under  CC BY-SA 2.0  Nothing says "Spring" like birds making nex...