Integrating Technology & Genius Hour: My Journey as a Teacher & Learner
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"It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood"

1/27/2013

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Okay, I am going to be honest here.  I haven't had a chance yet to join one of the #ETMOOC Blackboard Collaborate classes online.  I have added them all to my calendar with great intentions, but they all seem to be at a time where I already had a previous engagement or was still in the middle of my schoolday.  Life can just be so busy sometimes (and eastern time can be oh so early)

That does not mean; however, that I haven't been able to learn with my fellow #ETMOOCers!  Thank goodness for the twitter chat, hashtags and google+ group because that is how I have been able to stay in the loop, join great conversations, and check out your blogs and vlogs.  I have even, most recently, joined a Middle Educators Neighbourhood wiki (thanks to Sheri Edwards for including me in this).  
What a fantastic way to put it...a neighbourhood!  I just love it!  I have said in a previous blog post that you are all my colleagues in my new virtual hallway via twitter, but there is something to the word: neighbourhood.  

It reminded me of the intro song to Mr. Rogers (one of my childhood favourites).  And just how his neighbourhood had a magical feel to it, so too, does my virtual neighbourhood with all of you!  I feel so grateful to have found you all and to have even made friends in my online neighbourhood.  There is something magical to this indeed.

Thank you all for pushing me to best educator I can be by sharing your blogs, tweets, vlogs, comments and words of wisdom.  

What fantastic neighbours I have!


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Connect in the Middle Wiki created by Sheri Edwards. If you are a Middle Grades Educator, click on the picture above and join us!
On the "Connect in the Middle" wiki, Sheri has taken some of the #ETMOOC prompts and encouraged us to blog about:
  • How important is connected learning? Why?
  • Is it possible for our classrooms to support this kind of learning? If so, how?

I think connected learning is so important.  And not just for my students, but for me as well.  As an educator, my practice began to transform when I became connected and started joining "neighbourhoods" of learners and educators.  Hang out in these neighbourhoods long enough and you can't NOT start to reflect on your own practise, start questioning education and make changes/improvements in your classroom. 

And if it works for us, then it should work for our students too?  I believe so.  My students are always excited when they get a comment on their blog from a student in another school.  They loved being a part of the Global Read Aloud, and they keep reminding me that we have to connect with Mr. Hong's class again! Connections are HUGE.  To all of us.

Thank you all for connecting to me and for being in my neighbourhood.


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My Intro Video for #ETMOOC

1/20/2013

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ETMOOC. Here we go:


The first assignment was to create an introductory video about ourselves.  I have made quite a few videos on iMovie lately and seem to keep finding myself in situations in which I have to talk about myself.  That can be awkward, can't it?  But, it is good too.  It foces me to really think about who I am and gives me the opportunity to reevaluate my teaching philosophy.  Something we should all do once in a while...don't you think?  

Anyway, here is my little one minute video...
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#ETMOOC

1/16/2013

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I have never participated in a MOOC before, but the other day I noticed a bunch of people tweeting about #ETMOOC and I thought it looked interesting.  At first I was a little nervous about committing to a course since I am already teaching full time and in a part time Graduate Diploma Program at SFU, but once I realized that this MOOC is classified as a network-based MOOC where participation is "encouraged but not mandatory", I was in!  Iove learning and this format sounds really appealing!  I think I can handle it! 

This week is orientation week and we are supposed to introduce ourselves on our blog somehow; I will be working on a video tonight! 

Want more information?  Check out the hyperlinks above and see what orientation will look like here.

You can still register for #ETMOOC this week!  

Looking forward to learning with all of you!

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Here is the Learning Outcome & an iPod...GO!

1/7/2013

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We tried something new this past month in Health & Career 6/7.  Hugh McDonald and I wanted to give the students more opportunities to be creative (besides their Genius Hour time of course), so we gave groups of 4 students a Learning Outcome and an iPod and said make a short 60 second movie (inspired by Dean Shareski) proving your understand this Learning Outcome:
"Describes the benefits of being physically active on attaining and maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle" (BC Prescribed Learning Outcome)
Students had a wonderful time creating these short movies.  They:

-COLLABORATED to decide on a story/scenes for their movies
-CRITICALLY THOUGHT about what the learning outcome meant to them.  Side note: many decided that although the learning outcome didn't mention healthy eating, they ought to include it because then it would be easier to be physically active, since they would have the energy from the nutritious food.  
-CREATED short skits and took turns filming 
-COMMUNICATED their thoughts through video and shared online

A nice, short unit that is very student-centred and encompasses many aspects of 21st Century Learning.  
I am so thankful that I have such a great teaching partner, Hugh McDonald, who thinks up great ideas like this all the time! 

Here are a few examples:
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    My name is Gallit Zvi and I am an Elementary School Teacher and Vice Principal in Surrey, BC. I am also a blogger and co-author of The Genius Hour Guidebook.
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