Tag: reflection

Playing in Public

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Some of you may know that I’m participating in the The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour and that I’ve even got a companion blog for it, 10minutes.   I expected this project to be a creative outlet for me and that is certainly proving to be true.  What I find surprising is the number of people who seem to be inspired by it.

10minutes, the blog, is me playing in public.  I am not a professional artist and participating in The Sketchbook Project 2012 World Tour is my ticket into ever having my work in an Art Gallery (Brooklyn).

It is serendipitous that @gcouros asked me to create a video for the opening of his K-12 Online Conference. You can read the rest of the story in the 10minutes post: Playing in Public – perhaps the most popular post in that blog.  What I want to do here is to share the sketch, the video and what I’ve learned from this experience; after all this is my learning blog.

What have I learned?

  1. Many adults still like to play. in public even.
  2. Sharing begets sharing. This video has inspired more videos from dear Twitter friends. Here’s one from my sketchbook buddy @janellewilson, one from @stefras – (you have to read his post) and one from @7MrsJames. Granted the latter 2 were pushed along by @gcouros’ appeal for more sketches as inspired by mine; this included this video from @edusum. Apropos sharing, my Be Amazing post further validates this point.
  3. I can be a bit more confident about my creative talents, rusty though they may be.
  4. Playing in public invites others to play along, with, or on their own.
  5. Playing encourages conversations that may never would have happened otherwise.  Maybe it’s because we ‘let our guard down’ when at-play and that helps build friendship.   Such a conversation has led me to my next piece of artwork on organ donation.
  6. Sense-making is a personal thing.  People have told me various things they’ve taken away from this singular playing in public effort.  What they make of it is influenced by their own personalities, culture, interest and individuality.
  7. Playing means lots of different things.  Defining it is difficult because it’s not black-and-white. It’s a spectrum, a colourful one at that. Fun. Challenging. Purposeful. Creative. Destructive (as in, it can be fun to squash sandcastles at the end of the day). Process. Mindset. Context of and for learning.
Are you playful? Do you like playing in public? Have you tried to play in public as an adult? What do you regard as play?

PBL in action – Pigs vs Birds

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I had Ms10s Angry Birds birthday party yesterday.  One of our activities was “Who’s more clever – Birds or Pigs?”.  There were 3 logic/maths questions – in QR code form -and Q1 must be answered correctly before going on to Q2 and eventually Q3.  I needed to divide the 10 girls into 2 teams and initially planned to do this by drawing strips from a bag (strips with either pig or bird on it). With all the party preparation, I didn’t get ’round to making these so had to quickly think on my feet. I hit on genius.

I asked the girls, “How can we divide you into 2 groups?”

There were lots of suggestions including birthday month which eventually won.  Interestingly, there was a girl who pleaded not to be grouped according to size.  After they were split into two groups of 5, the next question was who will be the the pigs and who the birds?  Consensus could not be easily had, even within the groups.  In the end, a girl suggested a vote such that whichever gets the most vote for pig or bird wins it.  Brilliant!  A vote was done and so emerged assignment of bird and pig teams.

The next problems were: who’s going to write the answer? Who’s going to read the questions? Who’s going to announce we’re done?

Throughout, the girls negotiated amongst themselves and figured out their own solutions.  They decided that the fastest writer was the best thing to do.  They also decided to take turns being the reader.  They decided that they needed each other to answer the questions.  The objective was to get through the 3 challenges in the quickest time in order to win.  It was amazing to watch.

I like planning and organising parties and sometimes I do over-plan.  This became obvious when Ms10, then 6, asked for some ‘free play’ time.  I’d like to think that I’ve somehow matured in this process, helped by my teaching experience.  I am so proud to have ‘let go’ of control and allowed the kids to take some ownership and to struggle with the problem themselves.  I piped in every now and then to ask the “essential questions” but for the most part, they did the job themselves.

I’ve been writing a series of PBL posts but this is PBL in action.  Can you recognise the elements I’ve been talking about in the past few posts?

Now, this may actually be GBL – Games-based learning as well but I don’t feel knowledgeable enough about it.

For the record, the pigs won.

If you’re interested, here’s my epic post on Ms10’s Angry Birds party.

Circles, Spaces and Ripples

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CC http://www.flickr.com/photos/sea-turtle/

On Twitter, global connections are common certainly between educators (think PLN) and increasingly between classrooms.  Social media is making such connections possible and from most accounts, desirable.

At my school, however, the stance is still to be wary of the outside world.  Connections via Video Conference are de rigueur but connecting widely through other means or even events are less common.  Collegiality and social media (via Microsoft Sharepoint) are promoted within the school.

I questioned this…of course.  My ‘conclusion’ is that the school has a point.

When I worked with an English teacher on a Blended learning approach (see related posts here and here), I was reminded yet again that learners have to feel safe for optimised learning.  This doesn’t mean not taking risks but rather, perhaps in a Vygotskian Zone of Proximal Development fashion, the leap cannot be too far away from one’s comfort zone.  The class didn’t want anyone else in until they were comfortable enough with blogging themselves.  Their teacher also new to blogging but certainly keen, wanted an even smaller circle – just her and me.

I use Twitter and this blog for my professional networking.  I use facebook mostly for family, nearly all are overseas. I’ve got another blog for my crafting hobby.  I once set up a Weebly site to connect with my class parents. I’ve also got a few emails all serving different purposes.  And yes, more than once I’ve seen these circles overlap and the separation sometimes does not make sense.

My point here is this. This is not a case of isolation vs. globalisation.  Connection is a spectrum. Or maybe, a universe as spectrum sounds linear and connections and networking are far from linear.  We need our own space as well as spaces we can comfortably share with the different circles we belong in, reflecting the relationships we have.  There is logic in Google+ Circles and Posterous Spaces (and yes, I’ve got those too).

So then, it makes sense to have something just within the school. BUT, it also makes sense to connect more broadly and even globally.   AND, it also makes sense to allow the individual student his/her space to call her own – the centre of a circle (Concentric circles of learning).  All these must be facilitated and enabled.

As shown in the photo above, circles ripple out, connect and overlap, each with a middle. Foster communities, for sure but also foster the individual so the individual does not get lost in the sea of connections.

Does this make sense? What do you think?

YouMatter. I care.

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I’m starting another series of posts here – gotta love blog tags – and I’m going to poach @AngelaMaiers’ hashtag. Well, at least I think she coined it based on her TEDx video (a must-watch) which I stumbled upon on @ShannonInOttawa’s  blog.  Incidentally, I stumbled on @ShannonInOttawa on an @edchat tweet on homework as deliberate practice based on @kathleencushman‘s work. and so on and on….

’nuff prologue!!!!

meet Tania

I’m a parent volunteer for the Literacy Program at my daughter’s school, run by an ex-primary school teacher.  It provides one-one-one help to targeted students on reading and writing, with plenty of grammar tossed in.

Today I met Tania (not her real name) who’s in year 8, visibly an ESL (English as Second Language student) student.  Her parents are also ESL-speakers.   She’s been in Australia for 3 years and speaks with an accent which I think makes her self-conscious.

She had to read aloud a couple of chapters and then answer a worksheet to test her comprehension as well as provide practice for writing.  I challenged Tania to read with feelings and proper intonation.  While she gave me a shy laugh, she actually did try and did rather well, I reckon. And, I told her so.

When she completed the worksheet, I commented specifically on how well she was doing with her tenses. She just smiled but seemed to grow with confidence with every question and answer.

Before resuming work after a 15-minute break (it’s a 2-hour session), we had this conversation:

me: Do you like to read?

Tania: No, not really.

me: Are you sure? There must be something you do like to read?

Tania (tentatively and quietly): Well, I like comic books. 

me: My youngest loves comic books. Do you know someone said that reading comics books makes you think what happens between the boxes.  It makes you more imaginative. That’s a good thing. (from @vormamim – see tweet)

http://twitter.com/#!/Vormamim

via @vormamim

 

 

 

 

 

Tania smiles. (priceless)

me: So next time someone asks you if you like to read, what do you say?

Tania: Yes.

me: And…?

Tania: I like to read comic books. (smiles again)

It didn’t end there.

Later on, one of the worksheet sections was obviously too easy for Tania.  I asked her to confirm and she did.  Well, I told her then to write so on the bottom of the page, i.e. “This is too easy for me. Give me something harder.”  And she did – with a cheeky smile.  I signed next to it because I believe it.

Wait there’s more….

As she moved on to the Auxiliary verbs, she struggled a bit.  When I seemed to be unsure myself (I’m ESL too and sometimes the vagaries of the English grammar escapes me), I suggested to sound it out.  That strategy helped and she tried this again in subsequent numbers.  She even thought it fun when I suggested she move beyond the verb”to be” and try using might, may, etc.   After that, she seemed more confident to ask for help and show uncertainty.

She gave me a big smile at the end.  I gave her a big smile back.  In fact, the smile lingered.

Reflection:

It was the first time I met Tania but after 2 hours, I felt like I’ve known her for longer.  I’d like to think that through my actions and feedback Imanaged to convey that #YouMatter and #Icare (I’d like to coin that one, if I may).  For those 2 hours, Tania mattered to me.  Beyond checkmarks, I gave her written feedback as well, i.e. what she was doing well, her progress and where she could improve.

Saying “I care”  closes the loop that “You matter” starts.  It forms a connection, a relationship, albeit temporal.

You matter to someone; that would be me. I care.

I wish the program itself was more exciting and differentiated. I wish we had better worksheets, if we were to use them at all.  But that is perhaps a mission for another day.

Today, I was very happy with the session.  As I was filling in for another volunteer, I doubt I would see Tania again though I have no doubt her literacy skills will continue to improve as she gains confidence in her improvements.  I hope that even for a little while she felt that she was not just another support student: She’s Tania, a girl who loves to read comic books. 

How much of all these came from Twitter?

If you ever doubted what benefit having an online PLN gives, this is proof enough.

Today was a good day for learning….and teaching. (Should an ESL-speaker teach English to ESL-speakers?)

Explore the power of one

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Something that really interests me lately is education reform, undoubtedly because I am a stakeholder on matters about education – as a parent of school-aged kids, a taxpayer and an educator.

Exploring problems

I’m first to say I’m not an expert on any particular camp.  However, I can definitely see the wisdom in the fight against standardized tests, bursting curriculum, teacher-centric modes of teaching, proliferation of subject/course-expertise/silos, etc.

image from http://www.tpck.org/

Using the TPACK model, a teacher not only needs to know Content, Pedagogy and Technology – he/she needs to know how to blend the three aspects in the classroom.

Add to that external pressures (expectations) about student performance, teacher quality or even just to keep with the times (pedagogically and technologically, for example).  Really, there’s a plethora of learning theories waiting to be realized in the classroom.

And there are studies, too, like how adolescents adjust circadian rhythms and would benefit from a later start to their day.  Or how students learn best when engaged or find the topic personally relevant or meaningful.  Or statistics that show increased funding in the education sector has not shown a proportionate level of increase in student performance (not justifying this act of measuring and statistical interpretation, in the first place).

In short, teachers are challenged by students, society and peers to optimize learning opportunities in schools, even beyond if you ascribe to a blended learning model. That’s a tough call, particularly when you think that teachers are being expected to teach in a way they have never been taught (assuming you accept that modeling is an effective way of teaching), using tools not even thought about when they learning the content they are now expected to deliver.

…that’s just scraping the surface….

Exploring solutions

As a parent

I accept my responsibility as a co-teacher of my children in developing them as active contributors to society, even as children.  I tell them to see their teachers as human beings and be particularly understanding of teachers who appear to stumble because they are learning themselves.  I fight the urge to value grades and awards yet somehow celebrate achievements  (I’ve got to post on this).  I acknowledge that a lot of content covered in school is not really “useful” but hey, learning can be fun nonetheless.  I tell them that though individually important and valued, togetherness is just as important; sometimes compromises have to be made (individual vs. collective).  I encourage them to do join team sports as well as pursue individual interests like playing musical instruments.

…you get the drift…

As a taxpayer (generic member of society)

I exercise my right to vote and policies on education are weighed along with everything else.

I talk to anyone about the demands on schools and teachers.  Empathy breeds understanding. I veer away from talk about the best profession because that’s like asking what’s the best part of the human body.  Know your role and do it well; learn about others and appreciate them.

I wish I could say I am an activist and lobby for change but that’s not really me.  I can’t even say I’d sign petitions as such but maybe, when the cause moves me enough….

As an educator

I am the change agent in my classroom. I change what I can – try out different learning theories: new technology, new pedagogy and extra content.  With variety, there’s a greater chance of addressing the diversity of individual students.

I continue to learn by reading, connecting and reflecting (where would I be without my PLN at school, in Twitterverse and the blogosphere?).  I’m not embarrassed to say that one of my strengths is connecting ideas so, while not exactly original, I do innovate.

I help spread and develop ideas in my own little way in my own little world; I talk and listen, I blog and comment, I tweet and re-tweet.  It’s not revolutionary but it is something and I take comfort in that.

I support and cheer those who are also doing what they can.

I accept what I cannot change, like I cannot make everyone happy (or address individual student needs and aspirations) all the time.  I might grumble just a bit though.

Is this enough? What else can reasonably be done?

I should probably attend RSCON3 by Reform Symposium.