Email from a parent at Te Kura:
I received an email from a parent that was something that will stick with me as a reminder of how much our relationships can impact our students' lives.
This student has did not have the most positive experiences at school. She is transgender and her Dad told me that 'even some of the teachers judged her". It makes me sad to think this happens still and although it is not right, it is the kind of attitude you might expect from kids... I would not expect this however from teachers...
This is also a perfect example of what can be accomplished if the foundations are set. Olivia is a dream student and I realise not all cases are this clear cut and not all my students have the same support at home or the same learning strengths and barriers. Not all students will respond to the same and need different approaches and levels of scaffolding.
For myself as a teacher though, this is probably one of the most exciting and epiphany moments for me. After years of researching, PD and trial and error with integrating technology into learning - I am seeing results that I always knew were possible teaching in a face to face environment, but I had never been able to fully grasp the gravity of technologies impact in the classroom as I can now teaching correspondence. Some say correspondence is a barrier but I say it's a positive. We just need to be maximizing interactions by using technology in simple yet powerful ways that are new age and capture our students. By this I mean - Not all technology is created equal - Not all voice recorders will have the same positive impact on a student.
An app with the ability to record voice may have the same outcome, (record voice and share with the teacher) but it is the way in which it is presented to our students that is the key.
How an app presents visibly to a student and its ease of use, is what is going to hook our students in and create a love of learning; installing the ultimate values that all teachers should be aiming for - Not to remember a set of rote learned answers or facts but to create the desire to learn, to know and question their own learning.
I have spent a long time researching into understanding how best to use technology and it is not till now that I am writing this that I have truly reflected on my own teaching and the power of technology. When technology is utilised and presented to a student and their whānau in the right way. It really does have the potential to accelerate learning. I have seen:
- Increased engagement. (work handed in and conversations initiated etc)
- The quality of work has increased.
- Increase of confidence to share ideas and record voice.
- Feeling of connection through using video feedback.
Feeling of connection through sharing student screencasts.
- Response to video feedback has been instantaneous.(Same day)
When I have given written feedback my response from students has been slow and most of the time I would have been lucky to have any changes to work. I had to chase up students to see if they had even seen my feedback or if they had made the adjustments.
Using the voice recorder and apps that students enjoy has allowed positive interactions and the feeling of connection that can be lost when working online.
I now for a lot of my students am giving feedback for work that they have set themselves and not work that I am telling them to do.
Below are examples of work on Book Creator. I set up students on how to use it etc initially and used student work to model a standard without telling them that was what I expected. I shared my own stories and love of design where I could so naturally it was something my students started to think about and do. I shared How to... videos at the beginning also.
Now they just do it, without my direction. They find their own book on a site called Epic and use Book Creator to respond and share.
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