Blog Post #3

This week I researched two more aspects on the quality 8 which were fun and learn and be challenged. I reflected on how to implement these strategies into a classroom setting making it more enjoyable for students to want to come to school and learn. Before our next Genius Hour post, I will need to research two more qualities to write my next post. This week I combined fun and learn and be challenged as they overlap with each other.

In order for students to be successful in their learning, they must find interest in what they are doing and have fun with what they are learning about. A key strategy to integrate fun in the classroom and be challenged to learn something new is giving students choice in what they are learning about. Children always have individual choice in what activities they want to participate in at camp which gives them agency and a sense of autonomy. Like we have been learning about, students are more successful when there is a more student-centred learning approach or having flipped classrooms. Having choice allows students to have fun with their work because they can engage in what they want to research making them excited. Students are challenged to be active participants in their own learning by exploring the topic of their choice. Another way to make classrooms fun for students is to connect the material to students interests and personal lives. When students can relate to subject matter they are more willing to learn and stay engaged.

[Online Image]. Retrieved from https://binged.it/2pmkhpI 

Retrieved from Hopkins, D. (2012). [Online Image]. https://binged.it/2MFltMX

Students have fun when lessons are interactive or when there are games involved. Students can make sense of their own learning when there are interactive components involved through hands on experiences. Students can also have fun with cooperating or collaborating with others in interactive lessons. Students are able to challenge each other and learn from other ideas too. Another way to make the classroom interactive is going on a field trip or learning in a different setting such as outside. When students are interactive and engaged, they are more interested in what they are learning, which leads to having fun. Teachers can incorporate drama in their lessons making it interactive for the students. Students can act out scenes in books, dress up as people from social studies units or use their imagination in being creative.

Personal Photo, 2018.

[Online Image]. Photo Retrieved from https://www.discoveryacton.org/fieldtrips

Jigsaw learning activities is also a great interactive way for each student to take responsibility in what they are learning and learn from others. Each student is responsible for their own piece and they come back and share with each other. Furthermore, adding technology where students can explore their learning by playing games or incorporating gamification makes it more fun for students to learn as they are challenged at their own pace through quests or levels. When lessons or classroom material is too easy for students, they lose interest, get bored and do not have fun with learning. There needs to be a balance where students are challenged enough where they can still learn and have fun.

[Online Image]. Retrieved from MedEdPublish https://binged.it/32femlb

The most important strategy for students to learn, be challenged and have fun is to get to know our students and have a positive attitude about what they’re learning about. When teachers show passion towards what students are learning about and have a good relationship with their students, students are more likely to thrive in their learning.

(Content sourced from personal communication & Cox. J. 10 Ways To Keep Your Class Interesting.

https://www.thoughtco.com/ways-to-keep-your-class-interesting-4061719)

Stay tuned for my Movie Trailer about my Genius Hour Project. I have never made a movie trailer before and I have very little background on how to use iMovie. It will take some trial and error, and playing around with iMovie until I complete my trailer! There are only four more elements of the quality eight to research on. Thanks for reading my blog!

Blog Post #2

This week I will be reflecting on two principles of the quality 8, which are connecting to nature and friendship. I did some research on how connecting to nature can be integrated within the classroom and how teachers can foster positive friendships within the classroom. To begin, teachers can implement lessons where students have the opportunity to learn in a different setting which is outside. This is especially important in the primary grades where children learn through exploration and making sense of their surroundings. I learned that recess isn't enough outdoor time and teachers should be incorporating there lessons outside to expose students to nature. This could be doing math on the sidewalk with chalk, reading a book outside or doing a science experiment outside. There are several fun ways that students can be engaged with nature in lessons. Additionally, teachers can bring  outdoors, inside. Teachers can decorate their classroom with easy-to-care for plants or open the blinds to let the sunlight shine through the class. Art is another great way students can connect with nature. Students can connect with Indigenous cultures also through nature and the outdoors. Students can do shading with leaves,  dream catchers with sticks, make log cabin picture frames with sticks, and the list goes on. In the 21st century, students are getting exposure to technology more than ever and it is vitally important for children's development to stay connected to nature. Let kids go outside and get dirty. That is a huge thing children do at camp as they explore the outdoors and the world around them. When students co-create meaning with one another by connecting to nature, students can also form connections with other students forming friendship.

Retrieved from Sonoma State University, 2018. [Online Image] https://www.sonoma.edu/calendar/outdoor-curriculum-young-children-open-classroom (photo on the left)
Wiking, C. 2019. [Online Image]. Retrieved from https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/59952/fall-nature-crafts/ (photo on the right)

Video Retrieved from Hughes, M. 2012. [Online Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hySY0GVDtRE#action=share

 This leads into my aspect of the quality 8 about friendship. Students making friends can impact their learning environment greatly and the willingness to want to go to school. From week one, teachers should establish a friendly community within the classroom. Team building activities are a great way to get to know one another as it allows students to communicate, collaborate and problem solve as a team. Initiative tasks and team building tasks solidify unison within the group right away as it fosters students to become comfortable with one another and forces people to communicate who may have not before. Once teachers create a positive teamwork environment, friendships happen, giving students the sense of belonging and the willingness to want to come to school. Teachers should set guidelines from week one about expectations for how students should talk to each other and shut down any negative comments or remarks towards other students. This will create a community where everyone feels welcome and students will feel like they can rely on one another, making it a place where they want to return to. Teachers can implement resources in their classroom about the importance of friendship or having writing exercises that discuss friendship. It is a vital role in a teachers position to provide opportunities where friendship happens. This can relate back to integrating opportunities to connect with nature or other experiences where students can find similar interests with one another. Teachers can provide a friendship banner within the class where students can share experiences and visually see the important qualities involved in friendship.

Anderson, S. 2016. [Online Image]. Retrieved from https://www.askideas.com/alone-we-are-smart-together-we-are-brilliant/  

Genius Hour- Welcome Post

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to my blog and thanks for taking time to explore my page. 

My name is Laura Black and I am a consecutive Primary/Junior teacher candidate, attending Brock University. I am excited to continue my journey, expanding my passion for pursuing a career, while working with children and youth. 

[Online Image]. Retrieved from GoGraph.com

A brief introduction about myself:

I was born in raised in Waterloo, Ontario. I completed my Undergraduate studies at Brock University in Child and Youth Studies. Some of my interests include playing hockey, camping, traveling and connecting with friends and family. I have attended YMCA Camp Wabanaki for 16 years of my life. Here I created life long friendships, confidence and learned many life skills that I will carry with me daily. Working with children at camp has inspired me to to become an influential teacher who promotes an inclusive environment for everyone. I want to foster a classroom where individuals can learn and grow, connect and build relationships with one another. I also want to create a positive and welcoming community for all. I hope you can relate to my blog as I continue to flourish and explore my beliefs about teaching and learning. 

Personal Collection, 2018.

This blog will illustrate my Genius Hour project that I choose. I am interested in exploring strategies to make children want to come to school everyday using the philosophy I endure with the YMCA camp I attend, the Quality Eight. 

Genius hour promotes learning through an individual’s interests as they can explore their own topic of choice in what they are passionate about. Students are able to have freedom of choice in a specific project that they want to learn about which fosters creativity and the ability to research what they have always wanted to learn. Genius hour promotes intrinsic motivation for learning because students get to conduct their own project. Genius hour guides students learning as they are more engaged and builds their confidence as they gain control over what they want to learn about. Finally, students have the ability to have fun with what they are learning about as they are the driver in control.

Genius hour is conducted of three rules. A student must create a compelling question where they articulate what they want to learn. Second, the student must have a project that involves research. Lastly, the student must share their findings publicly so others can learn from their project. Google promotes genius hours with their employees to increase their productivity.

[Online Image]. Photo taken from http://geniushour6ps.weebly.com/