Integrating Technology & Genius Hour: My Journey as a Teacher & Learner
Find me on
  • My Blog
  • About Me
  • Genius Hour
  • My Other Websites

Identity Day at Brookside!

1/4/2019

0 Comments

 
"Identity day is a day where you bring in a few items to school that showcase your passion. Then the school splits up into 2 groups. The 1st group stays while the second group walks around and learns about your passion! It is really, really fun!"
-Addison, Grade 6
November 21, 2018 was my first experience with Identity Day. I have read about versions of this sort of special sharing day online and I have always wanted to see it in action, so I was thrilled when I got to Brookside Elementary (I just started as a grade 4-7 classroom STEAM teacher in the SAIL program and vice principal there in September, 2018) and learned that Identity Day was an annual event at my new school.

In the quote above, Addison has summarized nicely how we do Identity Day at Brookside Elementary.  Basically we divide up the school into an A group and a B group and then group B gets to explore group A's identity day projects in a gallery walk format and then after an hour we switched and group A got to explore group B's projects*.  What your Identity Day project looked like was primarily up to each student. We asked them to bring in an artifact or two that represented who they are/what they were passionate about. Some students also created posters to go along with their artifacts, some created special displays, some rehearsed mini-speeches to go along with their artifacts, etc. 



Picture
I really enjoyed learning about all of the students at Brookside. It was a wonderful way for me, as a new staff member, to learn all about the many interesting and varied passions that makes Brookside students who they are.

One project that really stood out was by a grade 7 student. Her passion was self-love and helping others develop a positive self-image, and as her artifact she brought a mirror attached to a poster and a pile of positive mantra statements on little pieces of paper. As students visited her station, she had them pick a mantra and then read it to themselves while looking at their reflection in the mirror. The caption above the mirror reads: "Look into the mirror. Think about a feature you appreciate about yourself." Are you feeling what I was feeling?  So.  Amazing.

There were so many great projects that I cannot list them all, but I did learn that we sure do have a talented bunch of students at our school: artists, musicians, athletes, scientists, book enthusiasts, lego enthusiasts, singers, engineers, and more!

I am so thrilled that I was able to join a school that values each and every student and allows them the space and the time to share who they are with all of their schoolmate. It was such a special day.

I would love to hear about how other schools roll out Identity Day. Or do you something similar to celebrate your students? Please comment! I would love to learn from you.

*It was a little more structured than that, of course. Classes explored other classes on a timed rotation. We rang the bell every 10 minutes so your class knew that it was time to go to the next class and explore another set of projects. Teachers had the rotation schedule and map ahead of time so everyone knew where they were going. Parents were given the schedule ahead of time so that they could join us during the exploration times as well.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    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.
    Click to continue...

    Picture
    Tweet
    what is genius hour?
    My Genius hour posts
    geniushourguide.org
    geniushour.ca
    Picture
    Tweets by @gallit_z
    Gallit on Pinterest

    Archives

    April 2020
    January 2019
    July 2018
    October 2017
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    October 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    Categories

    All
    Appsmashing
    Assessment
    Blogging
    Byod
    Capp
    Collaboration
    Community
    Cooperation
    Creativity
    Critical Friends
    Cross-curricular Connections
    Differentiation
    Digital Literacy
    Digital Storytelling
    Eportfolios
    #ETMOOC
    Field Study
    Genius Hour
    Hac
    Imovie
    Inquiry
    IPads
    Iste
    Media Literacy
    Mr. Rogers
    Museum Box
    Picture Books
    Place Based Learning
    Powerpoint
    Prezi
    Reflection
    Stations
    Teaching
    Technology
    The Genius Hour Guidebook
    Twitter
    Web 2.0
    Web 2.0
    Wifi
    Youtube

    RSS Feed

    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.