Digital learning problems - E is for Engagement

Good morning, colleagues! I apologize that I didn't post this blog last weekend. We had PTC Thursday night and Friday, and then I just thoroughly enjoyed my three-day weekend. This weekend, however, I am back to business! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "E": Engagement.

One thing I often talk to teachers about is that a digital device is JUST A TOOL! It's the same thing as using a pencil and paper. Is a digital device more inviting? Sure, but remember that "D" is for distractions. I mentioned in my last post that you have to engage your students in your classroom. You have to find a way to make your content appealing and authentic for your students. That will hopefully keep students involved in your class and free of distractions.

There are THE four Cs 21st century skills, but there are other skills that students should be learning. Utilizing skills will help with engagement as you can focus on teaching students "things" that they'll use in the future!

Collaboration and teamwork: Get your students talking to each other! The easiest thing to do in your classroom is to stop talking AT your kids, get them out of their chairs, move them around the room, and let them chat. I'm not saying don't lecture or let your students talk about anything all of the time, but don't let your students sit in their chairs for 65 minutes silently. That might be what they get in college, but I'm guessing if you're reading this blog, that you are NOT a college professor! When students are talking to each other, they aren't spending their time staring at the clock. If you ask students to discuss engaging content information, they will learn those face to face conversation skills that they need to be a well-rounded adult.

Creativity and imagination: I know that we have all standards and a curriculum that we need to get through, but as the teacher, you honestly can't decide exactly what your students focus on. You should find a way to provide your students with a voice and a choice. Give them a tic-tac-toe choice board where they can choose content pieces and options for projects.  Colorado's Social Studies standards are relatively open-ended, so I knew that I was having students meet a state standard even if they were covering a different topic than another peer. Students will buy in more if they have a say in their learning. They take ownership!

Critical thinking: One thing that surprised me the longer that I've taught is how willing students are to give their opinion. I was somewhat shy and introverted, so I never assumed anyone wanted to hear what I had to say. Surprise! Most people willingly give their opinion, and other people DO care! It's why critical thinking is crucial to every classroom. Students should have (and share) their ideas, but they also need to think critically about why they believe things to be true, where did they learn that knowledge, and what factual information supports those views? Because they're "essentially" talking about themselves, they are engaged in those tasks.

Flexibility and adaptability: When I taught Social Studies, I heard all of the time, "Is this for a grade?" If I said yes, students would often reply with, "But this is so hard!" I've realized that students need to be able to take risks without failing or punishment. You, the teacher, need to be flexible with due dates and be adaptable to your students' needs. Yet students also need to be adaptable when it comes to trying new types of assignments in the classroom. In broadcasting, students know that it is difficult to fail while also understanding that they can take risks as long as it meets the proficient criteria for the segment. I never hear "Is this for a grade" anymore! My students know that I am willing to listen and learn right along with them.

Social responsibility and ethics: A lot is going on in the world right now. It's so important to connect your curriculum to current events. We need our students to be well-rounded adults, and to do that, students must know what is happening, form opinions, and support their views with evidence. Don't we want students to think about their place in the world? I know that I want my students to be aware of what's around them, in Colorado Springs, the US, and the world. Awareness leads to empathy. Ignorance is "bliss." But I've also seen that students are more engaged with content when they make connections with their current world.

Technology literacy: WIth all this chatter about "digital natives," I've realized that students are not this. Technology literacy is the ability to use technology, EFFECTIVELY, to access, evaluate, integrate, create and communicate information to enhance the learning process through problem-solving and critical thinking. Students should learn what a valuable website looks like. Students should evaluate why a source is or is not reliable. Students should also be able to communicate with professionals in their field and receive advice to improve an assignment or project. Students shouldn't steal an image from Google Images but instead should learn how to find Creative Commons sourced work.

Again, these are just a few ideas to get your students engaged. You know your students best, so what stands out? Meet your kids where they are, then push them beyond their (and your) expectations. Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Digital learning problems - D is for Distractions

Good morning, colleagues! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "D": Distractions.

Have you ever gave a whole list of directions only to have your student look up and you and ask, "What did you say?" Digital devices have completely changed our lives and our students' lives.

Provide clear digital rules: Is technology going away? No, it's not. So we can't ban tech in our classrooms, but students don't have to be on their devices all of the time. Make sure you set rules in place and let students know WHEN they can use technology in their classroom. Are you direct instructing your students? Then no, students should not be on their devices. They should be taking notes (sketchnoting?) or answering questions. Are students researching? Let them use their phones to research (while providing them with "Googling" tips). Need to review? Use Kahoot (and students can use their devices as "clickers"). Need students to discuss and answer questions? Have them access Socrative! Students, though they may be "digital natives," they do not know how to use technology professionally. They can scroll Instagram and check Whatsapp, but they don't know about the educational purposes of their devices.

Hide the notifications: Most students think of their device as an extension of their body so it can be hard for students to put their devices away where they cannot see them. To remove the distractions, however, you don't have to have students put their devices away (or if you have a hanging sleeve "phone jail"). One effective way to get students less distracted is to have them put their device in airplane mode. At first, students will continually check their device (it's just habit), but if there are no notifications on the screen, the habitually checking will subside. Over time, eventually, students should put their devices away as studies have shown that just having their phone out IS a distraction. But teenagers are also teenagers... we have to respect that.

Change things up: I am someone who can spend the whole day on the couch reading. Most people can't do that (and I'll readily admit that I can't do that for more than a couple days). For our students... they can't sit still for more than 20 minutes! One way to prevent distractions in your classroom is to "chunk" your lessons. Sure, we want our students to write for a full hour or spend the whole class researching. Over time, they will get bored which then leads to distractions. If you want your students to write for the full hour, break it up so that you teach a skill and then have the students work on that skill. Do a "brain break" where students take a lap in the hallway and chat about something outside of school. When they get back into your classroom, they should be ready to learn about the next skill you want to teach. It may seem like you're wasting precious class time, but I would caution you to think about how much time is lost because a kid is off task (even when they look like they are focused).

Design engaging lessons: As a former 1:1 teacher (for five years), the most useful thing I found to prevent distractions was to design engaging classroom activities. None of my students wanted to sit and listen to me talk (as I am not a natural storyteller). I made it a curriculum goal to have students consistently speak with each other and move around the room. I never let students get comfortable enough because I switched things up. Think about using Kagan strategies as a starting point and remember to try to tie in what your students are interested in outside of school!

It is not difficult for our students to end up down a rabbit hole when on their digital devices, so I hope some of these ideas provide you with support. It really is essential to help students learn HOW to stay present with a device in your classroom, but it is also essential to be a good role model and stay off your own device. What are you missing when you are not on your personal device? Probably nothing. Facebook and Twitter will still be there when the day is over. So will your games, your to-do list, and your text messages. Model being present and talk to students about why "being present" is so important. They'll thank you in the long run.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and as always, thank you for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website

Digital learning problems - C is for Celebration of Learning

Good morning, colleagues! A year ago I posted a popular column titled "The A-Z problems of digital learning." One thing that I thought would be effective this year is to break down solutions for each of these issues. This week, I'm going to talk about "C": Celebration of learning.

When you celebrate your students' learning, I feel like it's pretty personal to you as a teacher and to your classroom. I am introverted, so being big and showy just wasn't in my nature. Students usually knew if I gave them any praise that it was a big deal! A little bit of recognition isn't enough either. How can you provide more for your students in the digital age?

Write a note. This one is pretty standard - sending a note home about how a student is doing in your class. This has existed as long as I've been in school (which is going on 30 some years, lol). If you want to "up your game" with sending a note home, send it through the mail! That's a pleasant surprise for both parents and your student! If you are incredibly busy and overwhelmed, an e-mail home works just as well.

Classroom assembly. I've found that whole school assemblies aren't super useful (unless it's a pep rally), so classroom assemblies work much better. You can set aside a time once a week, month, or quarter to give students kudos for their works. If you want to provide a certificate or small treat, that's up to you. Giving students high praise with extraordinary, meaningful words is often good enough.

Share on Twitter, YouTube, or your website. We ARE in the digital age so it can be just as beneficial to give your students digital kudos. I will tweet about how my students are doing or something exciting that I see in my classroom which I then display in my classroom. My students make video projects all of the time, so I share everything that they do on YouTube. We then watch their videos in class as a shout-out to the great work that they did. If you ever have a student project that is absolutely amazing, I would encourage you to share their work on your website or digital portfolio. As long as you continue to teach that unit, their assignment is displayed as the exemplary work. That's pretty powerful for a kid!

Have students guest write on your blog. I haven't done this (yet), but students are often willing to talk about themselves. If you have a student who produces excellent work, have them share their work and reflect upon it on your blog. Maybe only teachers read your blog, but they're likely to leave great comments that you can show your student. Your other students may want to read and comment on the blog post as well.

Let students "graffiti" your whiteboard. There are some reasons to have students "graffiti" your whiteboard. Is it a student's birthday? Was a student out sick for a while and recently returned? A couple of years ago, I was out sick for three or four days. When I returned, my student teacher had the students write welcome back messages. It was so meaningful! When I taught high school in Arizona, I had a class that needed some teambuilding work. I had them pair up and find something they had in common. They then had to write on the board their names and what they had in common. The kids loved getting to see their names on the board and what they wrote. It's a simple, yet powerful way to applaud learning (or just to celebrate).

I hope you find these ideas practical for your digital classroom. Making kids feel intelligent and powerful can go a long way with building relationships!

Thanks for reading! I'll see you next week :)

- Rachel

@historicalipad
My Teacherspayteachers website