Balancing Technology & Student Questioning

The questioning, the mess, trial and error, reflection and "the ugliness" is what engages students and gets them interested in something! As Musailam points out, you can't engage a student from just watching a lecture over a phone: they need to experience the learning. Human interaction and student questioning is so much more valuable than simple mindless implementation of technology. Be a cultivator of curiosity!

Math technology in Alberta

I've studied the 3^rd grade math curriculum from the Alberta Education Division in Canada. I’m currently tutoring high school students in math and found that some of the students lack certain skills. I notice that if these skills are not developed before entering into high school the students struggle with upper level math. 

As mentioned in an article by the Edmonton Journal, the math curriculum has not satisfied parents in the way students are learning math (French). When working with high school students, I noticed many using calculators to solve simple multiplication problems such as 9 x 7. This article addresses the same issue about how students are not being prepared enough in mental math strategies. This article was written in 2014, so many of the students I currently have were affected by the curriculum when they were in elementary school.  Students will continue to be affected until changes to the curriculum will be made in the fall of 2018 and 2019 (Alberta).

I wonder if some Alberta schools would benefit by using apps to help students learn their multiplication and division facts. One that I have used before is Mental Math. It is a free app and simple to use. It has a timer and is similar to flashcards. This gives the student a feeling of playing a game and encouraging them to improve their points from the last try.

Download the app 

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/mental-math-cards-challenge/id500595081?mt=8

Alberta, G. O. (2016, June 15). Alberta updating curriculum to better prepare students for future success. Retrieved November 08, 2017, from https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=429254F30CF8B-FC56-7936-ADA544AE037D475C

French, J. F. (2016, June 19). As new school curriculum looms, Alberta parents say math woes unresolved. Retrieved November 08, 2017, from http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/as-new-school-curriculum-looms-alberta-parents-say-math-woes-unresolved

Imagine teaching a student that...

Imagine teaching a student that sacrificed her woman-hood for education. There are so many thoughts I have toward this powerful video, but with what I know about being a teacher in the western world, I can't help but think about the difference there is in appreciation and respect for education there is between women like this and the girls in her school vs. some of the students and their parents who have no care or respect for education. It is ironic to have girls who would give away so much for education and at the same time, kids who would do anything to not go to school. How do we even the playing grounds and make the students here appreciate what they have, and at the same time, give the students there what they so badly desire? 

Organic Systems

Which are you? Removable. movable or a mover? Sir Ken Robinson points out the natural flux and growth of organic systems such as human interactions with regards to the rigid systems we currently have that tend to crush creativity and take more time to categorize data than to inspire children. Do you think our education system needs movers? Does it need a revolution?

Different Language learning tools

There are plenty of language learning programs available. The question is, which would be most effective in a classroom setting and easy for the teacher and students to use? Another variable to consider is the price. Were going to look at three apps and decide.

Rosetta Stone

Duolingo

Babbel

Technology in the Classroom

As humans we have evolved with technology to make communication faster, make things smaller, and in general to make life easier. But- has life become easier as a result of technology? Are we, as humans, evolving in the right direction as a result of technology? Or, have we become so dependent on technology that we have forgotten to live without it? Technology in the classroom has become more and more prevalent in the last decade to the point where a high school student can receive their diploma through solely online classes. Most of us can agree that technology in the classroom has allowed more time for teachers, less paper resources, and more creative elements to the classroom. When does technology in the classroom get to a point where it can be more of a hindrance to a child's education than beneficial and how much technology should be used in the classroom?

Of course every situation is different. For example, when looking at technology such as apps used for learning, there are a few questions we need to answer. How simple is the learning app to use for the student and the teacher? How often should the application be used to supplement the students' learning in the classroom? Is there proof  that students gain understanding through the app? What is the price of the app for the student or school to use? These questions can help a school or teacher decide what is best for the students to use to enhance their learning. 

I taught in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua at an international elementary school. The school is relatively new and has a diverse group of students. One third of the students are from families that are fully Nicarguan, another third had one parent whose first language is Spanish, and the other third were international students mostly from Canada, U.S., and Europe.

The main curriculum is still in the process of being complete. Comparing different curriculums from the U.S. and Canada, we noticed that the students were behind in their reading. Part of this had to do with the amount of ESL students we had. As an international school they would like to be at par with the American/Canadian school systems when it comes to reading skills.

The school is fairly small, with 10-12 students in each class. This teacher to student ratio allows for more one on one. With this environment, implementing RTI and new reading techniques such as whisper books in the class, we foresee that the school will reach the benchmark in reading compared to those scores in America and Canada. 

Diversity as a Teacher

Diversity is important to me. I was diverse before I ever considered becoming a teacher. It has been through searching for new experiences that put me in leadership roles. Even after college, I couldn't answer when people asked me what I wanted to do for work. At 22, I wanted to do everything and nothing, but ultimately be the one who makes the choice to do what I want when I want. For some, this statement can be selfish, but that depends on what is wanted. I wanted freedom, feelings, understanding, and challenges. Sometimes I experienced one or all at the same time. When I said, "I'm going to be a teacher" it came after being a student in many diverse situations; living in Paris as a bartender; herding goats in southern Spain; working on a horse ranch in Montana; a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkmenistan; riding a bicycle from Istanbul to France; a surfing busboy on the island of Kauai; teaching at an orphanage in India; high school teacher at a juvenile detention center; 1st grade teacher in Nicaragua; and soon a father and husband.

We are all students and teachers of life. What made teaching so accessible to me was that I wanted to share. The more I shared, the more life shared back. Teaching and my passions have made a good team. They complement one another. The more I begin to get passionate about a subject, the more I am able to share. Teaching is not for everyone, and if it was there wouldn't be as many amazing teaching opportunities available around the World. I'm grateful to be a teacher and able to experience classrooms as diverse as me.