Techie Tuesday Link Up

Yes, I know it is Wednesday, but I am still linking up.  I had every intention of linking yesterday with Technology Tailgate's Techie Tuesday, but my baby boy packed up and drove back to college in Texas! True, he is not really a baby, but he is definitely this Momma's boy, so all day was spent with him! I was too emotional to even think about blogging after he left so I waited until today and I had heard from him.  He is 22 and highly capable of doing this all on his own, but a huge part of me wanted to get in on the passenger seat of his 1981 El Camino and buckle up with him.  He is well guarded and protected by a Lady of Guadalupe prayer card and charm. I'm just a typical mom today, anxious for that phone to ring letting me know he is safe and sound at Jarvis Christian College. I love you big bunches ARTIE!!

Back to my reality..... School is almost upon me! One week from today and I will have already spent 90 minutes with my new 5th graders! There are so many fun activities I can't wait to share with them.  This is our first year of having 1:1 iPads and I know we will have a fantastic learning year.  We are blessed to also have access to a computer lab, although I don't know how much time will be given to us, but I do know that my students will need time in there as well.  Typing a lot of paragraphs on an iPad is not an easy task and as of this moment, I do not believe we will have keyboards.  Plus there are a number of internet activities that would just flow more smoothly using a computer or laptop.  We will also be blessed with 6 Google Chrome books and that will be a huge asset to our classroom. 

In anticipation of our technology access and academic goals, I created a Symbaloo that I will attach to my classroom page on our school's website. I first heard about Symbaloo this summer during one of my online technology academies and boy, oh boy, is it a useful tool.  IF you haven't tried it, I suggest heading on over to the Symbaloo site and checking it out. The link below is my personal page for my 5th grade students.  I absolutely love that all of my links are easily organized and accessible to my students, both at school and at home.  The background can be any picture you want and one of my favorite tools is the fact that I can custom the background color for every clickable window. My math are all one color, science, history, spelling, etc.  If you have ever tried having students log on to a website by giving them the URL to type in and end up with misspellings, forgotten punctuation, etc. then you will truly appreciate the ease with which this little gem provides you!! All of your favorite websites in one place called a Webmix!! Fabulous!!!

To check out my Symbaloo, click here.  I tried forever to embed the code so the image would appear, I obviously need more practice on that!!  

Another great feature is that you can search other premade Symbaloo webmixes for activities geared towards your grade level or needs. Trust me, this is a great time saver!!

You will soon be asking your colleagues, HOW DO YOU SYMBALOO?  

Worksheets Don't Build Dendrites!

I am back from a jam packed week spent at UCLA participating in Diving Deep into the Common Core sponsored by CTA's IPD department.  (Acronyms...ugh.. California Teachers Association's Instruction & Professional Development Department!! How is that for a mouthful!)

The keynote was Dr. Marcia Tate, from the Worksheets Don't Build Dendrites books.  She was FABULOUS!  Motivating, loud, positive, energetic, engaging, and on point!!  Many of her 20 Instructional Strategies for Teaching the Common Core Standards were not knew to me, but as a 16 year educator, I recognize that we all need a little bit of reminders, improvements, and exposure to strategies that are tried and true and fit any learner at any age.  Enter Dr. Marcia Tate!  

One of her strategies that I intend on working on right away is the increased incorporation of music in my classroom.  I always use music, but honestly, more for brain breaks where we might stand and dance our jiggles away to a YouTube hit like the Sid Shuffle or my students loved Adventure to Fitness last year.  Great for indoor PE on super hot or rainy days. 

 

IMPORTANT TIPS FROM HER PRESENTATION I WILL USE DAY 1:

1. Research still shows that things stick to the human brain when WRITING them down, not typing them as on an iPad or computer.  Being in a 1:1 classroom this year, I recognize to maintain important student learning tools like their Math and Language Arts Toolboxes because my students write down notes, examples, and it is very interactive.  This resource is something they often referred back to and while their iPads will eventually go home, their toolboxes can be put in to use immediately.  It was great to hear a few adults sitting around my table comment the next morning that they went back to their rooms and wrote their notes down because they had typed them in a note app on their ipads but really wanted to remember to use them so they went and wrote them down and how they could clearly hear the whole presentation in their heads when they were writing them!! 

2. Your first opportunity daily to interact with your students is to meet them at the door and greet them by name. Nothing new here, but a poignant reminder of just how important those relationships we build with our students become.  Studies have shown that schools who use this method with incorporating a student greeting their classmates daily with their teacher have reduced bullying.  It is hard to bully someone when they welcomed you to class earlier in the day and commented on how your new shirt looked really cool.  

3. The brain never forgets what it sings! Marcia shared a great app Songify that turns lyrics into a song for you. She also shared Warren Phillips, a science teacher, who sings academic content to his students in hit songs. Marcia shared that 30% of your day should have music involved in your classroom in one way or another.  Several teachers at my table disagreed saying they use it more than that and what a difference their class has become.  I am going to test this out for myself! 

4. Brain Breaks.. turn the class clown into the official joke reader or riddle teller.  We all have one, sometimes more than one.  Marcia shared stories of how empowering students who are often the one who needs the attention from his/her classmates provides them with the needed push to become more academic.  Don't forget to have their jokes or riddles pre-approved by you for content and appropriateness but I see this happening.  One of her stories featured around a student from her hometown who was in trouble daily for making comments when he shouldn't. In high school he was so used to being in trouble, he would just check in at the office daily. The principal wagged his finger in the kid's face one day and said paraphrasing here, "Ain't no one paying you to be funny."   Years later the kid returned to encourage other kids at his alma mater to listen and learn while they are in school.  And the kid told the teacher, "Now they are paying me to be funny."  Who was the kid?  Chris Tucker    You may have the next Chris Tucker in your room.  Give that kid a well-defined role.  

5. Don't be the teacher in Ferris Bueller!  We all laughed at that movie, but we don't want to become the teacher who stands at the front of the room saying "Anyone? Anyone?" and then answering for the students. Be the teacher who builds dendrites! Especially in this generation of students who never move and spend most of their time on social media and as a result are losing their interpersonal and social skills. 

6. The value of placing knowledge in students' procedural memory by using movement and mnemonic devices. SMILE... my personal favorite! Show Me I'm Loved Everday! I absolutely do love my students, all of them, even the rowdy ones and the ones who don't want to be loved.  I need to remind them daily just how much! 

If you ever get the opportunity to build your dendrites by attending an event with Marcia Tate, go!! You will leave re-energized and ready for an amazing school year! In 2 short weeks, I will be putting her 20 strategies and my 6 favorite tips in action!! How is your school year going so far? Are you building dendrites?