Final Post!

Hello!

This is my final blog post of the semester! I have really enjoyed this course and I have grown so much in my knowledge of tech tools that can be used in the classroom! Some of my favourite tools are paper.li (a personal newspaper creating tool), plickers (a fantastic assessment tool that is quick and easy to use), google forms (a great tool for gathering and sorting assessment data), and socrative which we used today (an amazing assessment tool). 

I feel much more equipped to use technology in the classroom, even in my nearest teaching block. This course has helped me realize that using technology is a lot easier than I thought and I am not afraid of it anymore! Not only am I not afraid, I am excited to use technology in the classroom!

My Genius Hour project has also been a great experience. I feel much more equipped to incorporate a genius hour project in my future classrooms and help my students through the process!

Overall, this course has been a great experience for me. Although it has felt like a steep learning curve, I feel much more ready to take on any technological challenges and tasks in the future!

Ted Talk Completion!

I have officially finished my Ted Talk! Take a look at the GH Ted Talk page above! 

In my Ted Talk I discuss my Genius Hour journey of learning French. I discuss the reason why I chose this topic and how it will benefit me in my life. I discuss the research I did throughout the process and how it helped me on my journey. I finish the talk with a discussion about how this can help me in my future classrooms! I definitely want to use Genius Hour projects in my future classrooms and I am excited to learn what my students are passionate about! 

Genius Hour Ted Talk Preparation

Hello! I am nearing the end of my Genius Hour project and have begun planning for my Ted Talk to document my process. I have created a list of questions that will help me to consolidate my thoughts and direct my Ted Talk. This is my list so far:

Introduce the topic
Introduce my Genius Hour Question
Why did I choose it?
What research that have I done throughout the process?
What are the highs and lows of the process? What has been easy and what has been difficult?
Can I use this information in the classroom? Are others doing similar things in the classroom?
What is my final product? Was I able to fully answer my question?

I am excited to get going on this project!

Before this class I had not engaged in so many technological tools! I am not someone who tweets regularly and I had never created a Powtoon. I was very nervous about this course, but have learned that it's actually easier to navigate these tools than I thought! I feel much more prepared to use technological tools in the classroom and introduce my class to these tools as well! 

Genius Hour Reflection

Up to this date I have learned quite a bit about HOW to learn French in a short amount of time but probably not as much actual French as I would like. I have found some very helpful apps and tools that are tailored to people who are busy and want to learn a little bit of French here and there. I am quickly learning that being immersed in a culture where they speak a different language is definitely the most effective way to learn that language. If only I could go to France this semester!


What's next...


Over the next two weeks I will be continuing to use the tools that are helpful and will start writing out a conversation that I will have with my friend. She has agreed to help me out and have a conversation with me in a couple weeks. Until next time! Au revoir!

Learning Objective: Paper.li

In today's class I looked at the amazing web tool "paper.li" where you can create an interactive, online newspaper! I created one simply about Genius Hour! This could be used to introduce Genius Hour to my class and allow them to read and explore before they begin their own Genius Hour projects! With the tool you can choose what topics to include in the newspaper. You can add twitter pages, hashtags, youtube videos, and other web sources to the collective information. You simply send your class the link to the newspaper and they can explore all of the content you have gathered! This is a great way for teachers to ensure that their students are reading information that is directly related to the topic they are studying. Another great feature of the tool is that it updates every 24 hours so the information in the newspaper is always current! Here's a snapshot of my Genius Hour newspaper! 

R. Maddy. (2016) Screenshot

Response to ALIPARKINSONBLOG

As a teacher candidate I am always interested in learning from other teachers who are willing to share their amazing ideas! Discovery School’s principal wrote a blog about her brand new school titled “Would you want to be a student in your class?” 

The title grabbed my attention immediately! I think that’s an amazing question for every teacher to ask themselves. In the blog post, Principal Parkinson outlines exactly why she can confidently answer “YES” to that question! She says that because of the following reasons, her school is where students want to be: relationships, choice and time, student-centred, flexible learning environment, and 21st century skills.

My goal is to continue learning from teachers around the world and adopt others’ amazing ideas so that my students won't want to be anywhere else!

Genius Hour Progress: Duolingo App

Bonsoir!

I have been working hard on my French skills this week and wanted to write about an amazing feature of the Duolingo app! I particularly LOVE this feature because it is designed to directly improve your conversational skills! The "Bots" feature allows you to have conversations! Here's a picture!

R. Maddy. (2016) Screenshot

The conversations are automated by the app, however they are much more customizable than I expected! I have had conversations about pets, art, and a restaurant! The way this feature works is that the "person" you talk to sends a message. You then have the opportunity to respond. At any time you can click any of the words they sent and see the English translation. Additionally, if you do not know how to respond you can click "help me respond" and the app will offer some suggestions. This has helped me when I have understood only parts of the conversation. Duolingo is impressing me more and more each time I use it!