I first heard about Genius Hour from my two grade six colleagues. I was intrigued and scared all at the same time.  Should I try it?  Well, I did and this is my story of introducing Genius Hour to my grade four class...

Genius Hour seemed to me to be a no brainer.  Students who are intrinsically motivated to learn about something they want to learn about.  My reasons for choosing to integrate Genius hour into my teaching practice were two-fold: 1) I needed to let go as a teacher and 2) I wanted my students to authentically experience the spark a student feels when they are learning exactly what they are passionate about.

I introduced Genius Hour as What if? What if..every Friday morning for yep, you guessed it, one hour you could work on anything you want to work on?  Anything thing at all but they had to follow four simple rules: #1. You choose your topic but I must approve it. #2. Your project must be research based. #3. You are required to make a project (however you choose: digital, movie, model presentation etc.). #4. You are required to share your project with the class.

The students were engaged, happy, and they were learning!! The excitement they demonstrated was nothing short of amazing. And I was learning! I was learning about my students and their interests and I was learning to better my practice by letting go of some of the control. It was an unbelievable “AHA” moment. I let go of curriculum for a little while and allowed my students freedom and they soared!  

My name is Corelli (Cori) Braun.  I teach grade four at Earl Grey School.  I’m a graduate student at U of C in Educational Technology and I love techie things. @CorelliC

What did I learn today?

Just imagine… it is September and you are a shy introverted seven years old. You are in a classroom with all new peers, teacher, and expectations. In the chaos of a new school year teachers often get to know the extroverts first because they are very comfortable sharing their ideas in large groups. The introverts take longer to open up as they are cautious to share orally.

Blended learning plays an important role for our young learners. Using tools such as Kidblog or D2L along with our classroom learning, gives shy students have an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas online. Whether at home or in the classroom these children can take the time to articulate their ideas in a way they are comfortable sharing and then post to the blog. These posts can later be shared by the teacher or responded to by other students individually. Without having to compete with the extroverts, these quieter students may be willing to share ideas sooner than they might have without the blog. The following is an excerpt from our classroom blog this year.

“Yesterday our grade 2 class went outside to clean up garbage. The class was divided into two groups one was brooming wood chips the other was cleaning up garbage. After some time people went for playing. I saw them playing. But I thought that my school should look clean so I stayed back to broom up woodchips. I can play later. I think this is example of Generosity.”


Julie Quennell @juliequennel is a grade two teacher at Tuscany School in the northwest. Julie is a lifelong learner who finished her masters in EdTech a couple years ago and has enjoyed PD opportunities such as ISTE in Atlanta and Future of Learning at Harvard University in the past two years.

Fairview First: this is the mantra of the school where I arrived here almost 2 years ago.  I wondered:  how do we operate a school that has multiple programs such that each program is viewed as equal in importance as the other?  For me, coming from a French Immersion background, it was natural to automatically understand the needs and the functioning of an immersion program, students, and staff.  Enter the TLC program…a completely different style with needs of its own. How do I do this without being partial? How do I even start? How do teachers from two programs come together and advocate for one another?

Turns out, for me, it’s all about relational trust. I used my strengths as a social butterfly.  I got out in the halls and classes, and made it a point to know something about my colleagues, students and parents. This is work that is ongoing every day, and it doesn’t just stop there.  Me being visible contributes to others doing the same.  Having confidence in my staff, volunteers, students, parents, etc. to do what needs to be done gives them the capital to pay it forward, and the biggest benefit from all of this is building a positive school culture.

If Fairview First is going to fly, we need to continue involving community (students, staff, parents, school council, community resources).  And the community needs to know about us. It’s building Professional Capital (Fullan, Hargreaves, I owe you one).  

Rishma is a middle school AP who is a French speaking poli-sci nerd and is known to perhaps dabble in caffeine.  And sarcasm.  @MmeRishma

“Play” is one of the strongest tools we have in developing social/emotional bonds with others around us. I was fortunate to play soccer at a high level right to the college level, and one thing that remains is the connections I made with teammates. As a Phys. Ed teacher I use that understanding to teach my students how to be better global citizens. One way to do so is to order a “Playbook” from Right to Play. It is outstanding and best of all it's free.

One game in the “Playbook” is Mali in Motion, although I kept it non-country specific, instead said “country in need”  

1. Divide students into two groups one group being Canada and the second the “country in need”.
   
2. Place a bucket of rice at the other side of the gym.
   
3. Place an empty bucket in front of each group.
   
4. On the word “go” students must carefully transport rice (medicine) from the factory (full bucket) to the local clinic (empty bucket) using large pill bottles.
   

 
I stop the group several times with only bad things happening to the country in need (i.e. a stormwiped your roads so no more scooters) and end with telling the girls from the country in need that they no longer can help and instead have to sit out.

My hope is that someone from Canada lends a hand or objects to what they are seeing, and then we come together as a group and share thoughts and feeling on the game.

Playbook link:
http://www.righttoplay.ca/Act/join/Pages/Playbook-Support-Materials.aspx#

@Moskatuk is passionate in creating a better world through play teaching Phys.ed & running a soccer ball non-profit @TBR_Society to #BeTheChange 

This year, I was asked to teach a class I have never taught before - a class where students, beyond question, have more experience and knowledge with the technology necessary for the class.  I realized I could not be the teacher to stand at the front and lecture when the students’ skills and knowledge exceed my own.

Today, I am learning to embrace the ‘collective’ – a collection of people, skills and talents that produces a result greater than the sum of its parts. Collectives are defined by an active engagement within the process of learning.  People learn through their interaction and participation with one another in fluid relationships that are the result of shared interests and opportunity (Thomas & Brown, 2001).

Students have signed up as experts who can mentor one another in various aspects of the course.  Students have identified areas for growth and seek experts to support them.  Beyond learning from each other, they are learning with one another.

Today I am learning about balancing structure and freedom.  I am learning about the importance of maintaining purpose and direction while attempting to maximize the freedoms afforded by media.  Each day is different; each day I reflect and modify.  I am excited to move forward and continue in the work where I am no longer the expert.

Thomas, D. & Brown, J. (2011). The new culture of learning: Cultivating the imagination for a world of constant change.  Charleston, SC: CreateSpace.


Robin Parker (@robinparker12) teaches junior high, spends free time working on a doctorate and goes for an occasional run to maintain sanity.

I’m blessed to belong to a profession where I learn something every day, alongside my students. My journey as a teacher with the CBE began in 2010 when I joined Cranston School’s new staff. I was impressed with their motto, “Building peaceful communities together.” I wondered what that meant, what it would entail, and how we would demonstrate this as a school? Since that time I have learned, and continue to learn, many things about what it means to belong to and build peaceful communities.

Yesterday, for example, we belatedly celebrated ‘International Peace Day’. Our school formed a peace sign and held ‘pinwheels for peace’ messages we’d created. We sang a very touching song called, ‘Nothing More’ and I learned anew the power of music as an instrument in learning. We recognized together, as the song states, “…we are how we treat each other and nothing more!”

This year our school inquiry work will expand to encompass the topic of ‘caring.’ We are learning we can each make a difference in the world. Caring starts with ourselves, as we learn to love and appreciate the amazing lives that each of us has. This caring then extends to the people around us - our friends and those who we share our homes and communities with. These lessons aren’t something learned in one day. They are built upon, day after day, year after year, as we continually ask ourselves, “How do I promote peace and caring in MY community?” 


@LianneSJones is a MusicTeacher @CranstonSchool, loving wife, Mom of 4 kids + a dog Spot!She loves 2 laugh, eat, read, workout & play piano!

Blog: http://musicatcranston.weebly.com/

What’s in an Illusion?

It’s the second week of school and the air is filled with intrigue and excitement. King George School is immersed in the Beakerhead Ingenuity Challenge which is demanding of creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration in more ways than one can imagine. I couldn’t have dreamt of a better way to kick start my year as a new Assistant Principal.

How does a school rally together to collaborate in a unique process and build something that was totally unimaginable from the start? Design Thinking and Fertile Ground.  I will first speak about the latter as the staff at King George are all-stars.  They are a dedicated, willing, and responsive team who cares about each and every student every day. Maryse, our principal, had been working towards establishing the right conditions for successful learning and we were ready.  

As for Design Thinking, there’s no better way to understand it than to live it.  You can view our whole process at bit.ly/KGBeaker.  The best way for me to sum it up is in this quote by Reggie, a grade 6 student:

“Whatever is happening may not be as it seems. The way we think, thought and trust cannot fit through the crust of this very scene.”

What came out of our intensive week was an affirmation in a process that shifts power over to students; an understanding that design thinking is a fair process; and a beautiful 3D Castle of Illusions that has taken its place in our Learning Commons and will be the seed from which our library will be transformed.  


Shafina Dharamsi (@shafinad) is an Assistant Principal at King George School.  She loves to dance and paint and read stories with her two girls.

A ‘Tremendous and Curious World’ of Learning

I need to make a confession: I’m perplexed by the concept of Maker Education.

Recently, both personally and professionally, I was immersed in both the ‘Tremendous and Curious World of Beakerhead’ (@Beakerhead, beakerhead.org) and the Calgary Mini Maker Faire (@MakerFaireYYC) and I know I’m not alone in being fascinated by the group of people that shared their creations at these events. Creations that didn’t necessarily make the world a better place but instead reflected the passion and vision of the people who designed them.

It is obvious that makers believe in having the freedom to create what they want, when they want. The amount of learning buried within the final product of their efforts is likely beyond measure. Makers live in a world of personal challenge and growth. A world in which they are constantly learning and developing new skills within the process of creation. A world that I find myself wanting to be a part of and one in which I want to be leader for my students.

Here, however, is where I become unsure: How can we, as educators and learners, capture this spirit in the classroom?  Do we not run the risk ‘co-opting the concept of making’ (quote via @dana_pal) by restricting the students' ideas with assessment criteria and task requirements?  

Despite the inner turmoil, there are things I am certain about; I know for sure that I’ve always been interested in the idea of making in the classroom, well before the label was created. I also know that I now believe that maker education is as much about design thinking as it is the Maker Movement. I believe in freedom of expression within the classroom and I’ve learned that the open feel of making can be created through careful task design and a deep understanding of your learners.

Yet, I remain unsure about the concept of maker education.

And that’s a good thing.

This confusion is creating a beautiful tension that is driving me to think; thinking about the inclusion of big ideas around constructionism within the context of curriculum and how to honour the ideals of making while ensuring individual learning is captured in a clear and concise manner.

So, what have I learned? I’ve learned I’m drawing closer to the edge of understanding being developed through the active exploration of these ideals. It’s both scary and exhilarating, filled with challenges that promise personal rewards in the weeks to come. 

After all, isn't that what making is all about?

Brian Simmons (@bw_simmons): Father, Husband, Nerd.

What I’ve learned so far: Reflections from a Rookie Principal

September always brings a feeling of excitement and eager anticipation of what the new school year will hold.  As a teacher and parent, I’ve become used to helping children navigate the unknown path of a new school year.  This fall, however, I found the tables to be completely turned. This year, it was my turn to experience not only a new school, new teachers and new challenges, but also a new role as Principal.  Here are some words of advice as I reflect on my first month as a Principal:

1.     Rely on experienced Principals.  There are a ton of new procedures and tasks to be completed.  Rather than feeling lost and overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to ask for help from those who have experienced it all before.

2.     Be thoughtful in your decision-making.  As a first year Principal, and being new to a school, it’s important to honour the work and decisions of colleagues from previous years.  Change can be good, but it must be purposeful and should be based upon sound input from your community.

3.     Take one day at a time.  At times this role can make you feel like you’re drinking from a fire hose. Prioritizing your “to do” list and maintaining a work-life balance is critical for your physical and mental health.

4.     Remember why you became an educator.  Make the time to leave your office and be with kids! Visit classrooms, asks students about the tasks they’re working on and understand the great teaching and learning that is taking place in your school!

Recently, we brought our students to the Learning Commons to complete a scavenger hunt. Using an activity from Adrienne Gear’s Non-Fiction Reading Power, students were asked to identify different features found in non-fiction resources, such as caption boxes, flow charts and comparison diagrams. Traditionally, this activity is completed as a pencil and paper handout.  However, we were looking for a way to increase student engagement when completing the task. To accomplish this, we incorporated the use of school iPads and asked our students to take pictures of the features when they found them in text, thus augmenting the task according to Ruben R. Puentedura’s SAMR model (please see below). 


We divided our students into partners, pairing student of mixed ability.  This resulted in students working across two grade 5 classes.  What we found was that by adding the technology element students became more interested in looking at traditional sources compared to previous years when completing the task without technology.  Higher levels of interest were observed by teachers through students co-operating, being on task, and using appropriate volume.  Moving forward, we are excited to look for more ways to connect new technologies to traditional formats as a way to remind our learners of the different places they can find information.  Ultimately, this will improve their digital literacy, research skills, and confidence when using resources of different formats.

Reference:

Puentedura, R. (2009). Transformation, technology, and education, Retrieved from http://hippasus.com/resources/tte/


Krystle Geraldi and Diana Bent are Grade 5 team teachers at Keeler School. They love to utilize Amber Mazur and the technology in the Learning Commons, planning hands on activities that build community and team working skills