By ELIZABETH FINCH

Ever been afraid to step out of your comfort zone? Standing in front of a camera and videoing myself, surely makes me uncomfortable, knowing I have to go back and watch myself. But, stepping up and standing out of my comfort zone, took me into the horizons of creating a more engaged classroom. Never be afraid to try something new, the world is endless with opportunities.

Students, It’s Your Time To Work!

Students in third grade complete many novel studies over the course of the 180 day school year. How do I keep students engaged? Allow them to be a part of the story. Get the students hands on. Near the end of the school year, students read Matilda written by Ronald Dahl. We always have the discussion if the students would like Miss Trunchbull to be their headmistress. Most of them say, “NO! OF COURSE NOT! WE WANT YOU!” As the story comes to a close, students can get a chance to be a part of the story. How? They can be involved with a green screen.

Students will pick one scene or chapter out of the novel. They will then get to portray themselves are actual characters in the story. Students can be Matilda, Miss Honey, Miss Trunchbull, Lavender, Mr. Wormwood, Mrs. Wormwood, Bruce Bogtrotter, or Mrs. Phelps just to name a few. Students will then set up their green screen. What background would they want? Where is the setting? Then, students get to practice their acting.

Everything doesn't always work on the first try. I learned that the hard way with the Green Screen. As all the students’ practice recording and acting their scene out with one another, we will collaborate how to make our acting better. At the end of the unit with the students practicing, acting, and adding their final touches, we will take a day to watch the work that was done. Students will then be broken up and be allowed to visit other classrooms and show them the work that they composed. This will engage students in other classrooms and show their peers what they have been doing. Who doesn’t love showing their peers and bragging about something fancy we’ve done?

Students will be able to become hands on and prove to their audience the details of what happened in the novel, Matilda. Be engaged. Step out of the comfort zone. Take the chance. You never know the endless opportunities that are available, if you try.

***

Finch is a 3rd grade teacher at Greenwood Elementary in Somerset County Public Schools. Connect with Finch on Twitter at @RockingReaders.

From “Makey Connections,” by S. Bradbury, 2019, June 27. Used with permission.

By STVEN BRADBURY

Innovation is a word that is thrown around a lot, but can have different meanings to different people.  Often, it is tied to the integration of technology.  While I think this is a fair connection, what makes an innovation truly innovative is the nuanced approach taken, rather than just the tool (or technology) used.  My project, Makey Connections, utilizes technology, but that is not what makes it innovative.  The innovation is found in the way the project reshapes the design and environment of my traditional classroom.

Wagner (2012) encourages the empowerment of students through the power of play and discovery.  The Makey Connections Project harnesses this power and will help deepen the teaching and learning in my 6th grade computer science classes.  My traditional computer science class consisted of typing practice, mini-tasks and projects on Google Docs or Slides, and computer programming through Code.org.  While classes ran smoothly, I controlled the majority of the class.  To give space for innovation in my class, I have to relinquish that control.  For approximately 90 sixth graders during the 2019-2020 school year, the Makey Connections Project will afford them the opportunity to take over and make an authentic impact in their community.

Project Concept

The Makey Connections Project is all about making connections between students and their learning, to each other, and to their community.  They will be incorporating a Makey Makey kit to help solve authentic problems in their own community.  If you have never heard of a Makey Makey, check out the link.  Imagine an invention kit that connects a circuit board with everyday objects “to interact with computers as creative tools” (Makey Makey, 2018).

 

In this project, students utilize the Makey Makey and work collaboratively to design an application for a student or staff member with special needs, limitations, or conditions.  An example is designing a keyboard for a student who cannot manipulate a standard computer.  Another idea is designing an activity to combine computers and movement for physical education class.  Students research their design concept, then create and test a prototype.  Finally, students present their final design to a panel of educators.

Deeper Learning

My classroom admittedly lacks deeper learning.  I am my own biggest problem!  Of the four big educational shifts outlined by McLeod and Shareski (2018), student agency is the most glaring need in my classroom.  The Makey Connections Project is not a cure-all for this need, but it certainly helps move me out of the way and puts my students center stage!  Student agency swings the control of the classroom environment from the teacher to the students (McLeod & Shareski, 2018). Through the Makey Connections Project, I aim to have students experience ownership, control, “personalization, individualization, and differentiation” (McLeod & Graber, 2019).   

Adhering to the TPACK model for technology integration will further support deeper learning and improve student outcomes.  The Makey Connections Project firmly lands at the intersection of technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge.  The TPACK model helps marry the different types of knowledge so that they are not just individual parts, but combined to create a more powerful and effective product. McLeod and Graber (2019) state that effective teachers live at the intersection of these different types of knowledge.  The Makey Makey kit alone will not be what drives the change to student outcomes.  The Makey Connections Project brings together best practices of empowered, student-centered learning, with computer science content knowledge, and technology infusion.  There is a lot of overlap between the types of knowledge leading to a more powerful learning experience.  

Project Goals and Standards

Goal	Standard(s)
1. Students will utilize the Makey Makey kit and everyday objects to manipulate controls of the computer.	(3a) Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits (ISTE, 2016).
2. Students will persevere through challenges by fixing mistakes and solving problems that arise.	(1d) Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies (ISTE, 2016).
3. Students will collaborate by testing designs together in which all members play an active role.	(4c) Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process (ISTE, 2016). (7c) Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal (ISTE, 2016).
4. Students will design a project using a Makey Makey kit that will enable someone with special needs or conditions to operate a computer.	(3d) Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions (ISTE, 2016). (4d) Students exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance and the capacity to work with open-ended problems (ISTE, 2016).
5. Students will create a presentation to communicate their Makey Makey design to a panel of educators.	(SL.6.4)  Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation (NGA Center & CCSSO, 2010). (6d) Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences (ISTE, 2016).

Project Design

The Makey Connections Project is a three week activity for students.  The first week consists of introductory activities and Makey Makey demonstrations.  The remaining two weeks are broken into four main parts: research, design, iteration, and presentation.  In collaborative teams, students select the profile of a student or teacher who has special needs, conditions, or limitations.   The needs are not limited to learning needs, but could be environmental limitations.  All needs will relate to some limitations in using a computer.  Students research the needs and possible solutions.  Then teams collaboratively design a product to meet the needs and troubleshoot issues as they test their designs.  When students arrive at a viable solution, the student teams create a presentation for a panel audience of educators.  Highlighting their conditions, research, and design, student teams will demonstrate their product, then respond to feedback or questions from the panel.  As a final reflection, students will incorporate the feedback into a set of next steps for their final product.

The materials needed for the Makey Connections Project will vary depending on the needs of the teams.  Each team will need a Makey Makey kit, laptop, and student or teacher profile.  At this point, students have a lot of choice as to what they will utilize in their designs.  Material requests are formally made during their research time in order to gather the appropriate resources.  

Products

By the end of the Makey Connections Project, students will have an authentic product that will empower their profiled individual to manipulate a computer.  In addition, the Makey Connections teams will deliver a polished presentation to a panel of educators.  Both products provide the opportunity to dive deeper into authentic tasks with an authentic audience.  Ultimately, my desire is to empower my students to make deeper connections with each other, with their learning, and within their community.  This can happen with them in control of authentic work that impacts real life.  I am excited to have my students make connections with Makey Connections!

***

Steve Bradbury is a computer science/technology teacher at Armistead Gardens School in Baltimore, MD.  You can connect with me through Twitter, @MrBradbury08. 

References

• Bradbury, S. (2019, June 27). Makey Connections [Digital image].
• Bradbury, S. (2016, October 20). Makey Makey Piano [Digital image].
• Bradbury, S. (2016, October 20). Makey Makey Race [Digital image].
• International Society for Technology in Education. (2016). ISTE Standards for Students.  Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
• Makey Makey. (n.d.). Home page.  Retrieved from https://makeymakey.com/
• Makey Makey. (2018, January).  Makey Makey Educator’s Guide.  Retrieved from https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0162/8612/files/Makey_Makey_Educators_Guide.pdf?16481577170705338427
• McLeod, S. & Shareski, D. (2018). Different schools for a different world. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. 
• McLeod, S. & Graber, J. (2019). Harnessing technology for deeper learning. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
• NGA Center & CCSSO. (2010).  Common Core State Standards (Speaking and Listening).  NGA Center & CCSSO: Washington D.C.  Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/6/4/
• Wagner, Tony (2012). Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. New York: Scribner.

By KATIE VINROOT 

When I stepped into the role of a Literacy Coach, I knew I needed to strengthen my personal learning network. My new job entailed keeping up with research and current trends in education, as I was now responsible of relaying this information to a team of teachers. I had several books by authors I trusted and respected, but what next? What else? What would keep me current, relevant, and be information I could access quickly?

One word. One simple word. Twitter.

I thought it sounded crazy at first, but now that I know how to use Twitter as a professional development tool, I. GET. IT.

Around 7 years ago, I signed up for Twitter. Sent a few tweets, followed a few friends, and that was it. I quickly became bored with it as a social networking site and never thought much else about it. However, when I was tasked with creating a new, professional account, I was skeptical of how this site that doesn’t let you say all that much (I mean, 280 characters isn’t a whole lot of space) could really help me in a professional way. However, just in a few short months, I have realized how much more of a connected educator I am because of my professional Twitter account. And I’m not the only one. According to a 2016 study, Twitter is the number one tool K-12 teachers use to connect with others.

I use Twitter to follow education gurus that I love and trust – Kylene Beers, Kelly Gallagher, Eric Sheninger – just to name a few. These educators taught me tons when I read their published books, and now I can continue learning from them as they post new ideas and links to articles they value.  And I learn from more than just the professionals. EdChats occur all the time, and this is when I get a huge growth in my professional mindset. Currently, I do a bit more lurking than participating in these group chats that focus on different topics in education, but as I read what other educators across the globe are discussing and sharing, the ideas begin to spin in my head: How can I incorporate something like that? Wow, I never thought of it like that! Interesting, I’m not sure about that, I’ll need to investigate that idea more. – The advice I’ve received from complete strangers, the work that has been shared, the great links I now have easy access to, these things have been matchless. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole of following a hashtag for hours, time and time again because the resources available are just so good. I have been able to impact the teachers at my school by providing great articles and ideas to them that I found through connecting with others via Twitter. In my role as a coach, I now have a wealth of resources that are quite easy to access.

A principal recently told me that some parents don't want their kids "just reading" while at school. He asked what research he could share to show those parents that "just reading" has ACADEMIC benefits. Here it the chart I shared. #DisruptingThinking pic.twitter.com/vSdxaL91DR

— Kylene Beers (@KyleneBeers) April 10, 2019

I know that in the future I need to become more of an active participant rather than just someone who watches what others do. I’m working on building up the courage to put myself out there. Though I will say, the one time I was engaging in an EdChat, I not only felt challenged through others’ comments, but also validated when complete strangers choose to like or share my tweets. How cool is that? Some people thought enough of my ideas to share them on Twitter. If that doesn’t give an educator a needed confidence boost and feeling of support, I don’t know what will. I want to continue to involve myself more in EdChats for this reason, as well as the fact that I can follow and am followed by people across the country that I have never met but can grow from and share ideas with. Way to go, technology!

I’m certainly glad I learned how Twitter is more than just funny memes and casual conversations. If you haven’t explored Twitter with a professional mindset, I suggest you try it. I am confident it will help you become a more connected educator. 

 ***

Katie Vinroot is an Instructional Literacy Coach in Dorchester County, Maryland. You can follow her on Twitter @vinrootwords.

By DE'ANNA GREEN

I just entered my 3rd year of teaching kindergarten. I have such a wide range of energetic students in my class. When I first looked at the skill levels of my students, I thought “what could I do to differentiate my lessons and make learning fun.”  Then it hit me, TECHNOLOGY!

In college, there was not a big focus on using technology in the classroom. However, when I started student teaching, in a first-grade classroom, it was incorporated in the students daily learning. The students were using the computers to practice and enhance their phonics skills as well as strengthen their math abilities.  

I reflected on my student teaching and what I am currently learning in my graduate program. I started to ask myself a few questions. How can I make my classroom more student centered? How could I influence deeper learning into the classroom?

Then I thought to myself, "What do my students talk about a lot?"  iPads and playing games! I begin to research games and websites that I could use to engage my students. Through my research, I found a lot of interactive websites to help engage my students. 

EBooks

I use EBooks in the classroom so that students can hear and read along with stories. I use a few different platforms, TumbleBooks, Epic, Storyline Online, and Vooks. My school district has a subscription to TumbleBooks. The other 3 are FREE! I like EBooks because it teaches the students basic print concepts. It also helps with lower readers, it helps them to still be able to enjoy reading. TumbleBooks and Storyline Online even have comprehension questions and other activities to go along with the stories. They even align some of their stories and activities to the Common Core Standards.  

The other issue that I was having was differentiating the instructions and making learning accessible for all students. 

I was able to achieve differentiating my lessons by using some apps on the iPad to make learning more accessible to some of my students. One student in particular has some fine motor problems and does not use a pencil, yet. So, what I did to make sure he was still participating in learning was differentiate his work using some apps on the iPad. The best thing about the apps is that they are still engaging!

Number and Letter Writing

One of our big focuses for math was to practice identifying and writing numbers. Knowing that this was not appropriate for one of my students, I started doing some research. 123 Numbers is an app that I use to help him learn his numbers. I was also able to find one to help with letter identification and writing, Trace Letters. What I really like about the Trace Letters app is that while using the app, students can hear a song that teaches the letter sounds. I found that my students who use this app sing the song a lot, and it is very helpful! These 2 apps are FREE! 

Osmo

Osmo is an interactive app on the iPad. It comes with an attachment that is added to the iPad as well as tangible pieces for the students to manipulate. The games talk to the students and gives them a great tutorial in the beginning. It also works with them throughout the game if they get stuck. When making the kids a profile, Osmo asks for their age, this will help determine what level to place the student. If you find the level too easy or too hard, you can adjust it. I like this feature because some of my students have the basic skills so I can add rigor and challenge them a little more. There are a few different games that Osmo offer, but I use the words and numbers mode. The words verse focuses on beginning, medial, and ending sounds. Numbers focuses on counting on, adding, and even multiplication for the older kids. Students have the options to work together as a team, or play against each other. 

Teach Your Monster to Read

I stumbled across Teacher Your Monster to Read during my student teaching. It is an online game that focuses on phonics skills and it's FREE! There are 3 levels to this game that covers about 2 years of reading skills. It is primarily for pre-k and kindergarten students. The first level focuses on letter sounds, blending and segmenting cvc words, and a few non-decodable words. Level 2 focal point is digraphs and blends, blending and segmenting, sight words, and simple reading comprehension. Level 3 focuses on more complex letter combinations and phonic schemes, as well as more in depth comprehension. With these 3 levels, there is something for all of my students to do and learn. 

My students love that they can play a game and still learn. They get to move at their own pace and enhance their knowledge and acquire new learning. I can see the new knowledge transferring over to their writing and reading skills. My students benefit from this because our phonics program move fairly fast. Teacher Your Monster to Read also expose my students to skills I may not get a chance to cover before the end of the year. 

Technology integration has really shifted my classroom. My students are more engaged and learn more.  

***

De’Anna Green is a kindergarten teacher in Howard County Public Schools. Follow her on Twitter at @msdeannagreen or Instagram at @msdeannagreen.

By SAMANTHA WARNKE

As a student pursuing a degree in educational technology, I started to take a closer look at the technology that I use in my own classroom. I teach kindergarten and first grade in a self-contained special education setting. I feel fortunate to have access to a few different types of technology in my classroom like a Promethean Board that I use to deliver most of my whole group instruction, and several Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices that my students who are non-verbal use to help them communicate. Prior to taking several courses in Educational Technology, I thought that this was all the technology that I needed for my students; however, I have recently started learning about other types of technology emerging in classrooms around the country. 

One type of technology that I never considered for my classroom is immersive technology which is “technology that blurs the line between the physical world and digital or simulated world, thereby creating a sense of immersion” (Donally, 2018a, p. 2) and includes Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality (AR/VR/MR).  I had previously heard of Virtual Reality for video games and Augmented Reality for Snapchat lenses, but I never thought of being able to use AR/VR/MR in a school setting. After learning more about the innovative ways that AR/VR/MR can be used in the classroom, I decided that this is something that I would like to try with my own students.

Pilot Idea

I developed a pilot idea for bringing immersive technology to my classroom. At first, I was skeptical that immersive technology could work with Kindergarten & first grade students, however, I found several examples of elementary school teachers successfully implementing it in their classrooms. One example I saw shared how students were able to use immersive technology to “visit” places such as Antarctica and the North Pole (Danhoff, 2017). This gave me inspiration for activities that I could incorporate into my district’s curriculum that would enhance my students’ learning. Through the use of immersive technology, students have the ability to see places and have experiences that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

Merge Cubes

I read another article that explained different types of AR/VR/MR tools that educators have been using in classrooms across the country such as the Merge Cube. The Merge Cube, “a foam cube that acts as a marker to view AR experiences through different apps” (Cauthers & Cauthers, 2018, para. 9), intrigued me because it is an inexpensive and easy way to bring immersive technology into the classroom. Merge Cubes are inexpensive to purchase, with prices ranging from $1 to $20 (Donally, 2018b). The affordable price and versatility of the Merge Cube inspired me to begin planning instructional activities for my learners with Immersive Technology and Merge Cubes. My plan is to buy two Merge Cubes that my students will be able to use with several different free or inexpensive apps. I have access to a few iPads, as well as my own iPhone, which I will be able to use to download apps for the Merge Cubes. 

MyARquarium

One app that I am particularly interested in trying with my students is called MyARquarium which “allows you to select from more than 60 fish variations in your cube aquarium and feed them” (Donally, 2018b). I have always wanted to have an aquarium in my classroom to help my students with developing the responsibility of caring for a pet, but I have yet to get one because of all the work involved with taking care of the fish. MyARquarium will allow my students to have this experience without me cleaning a fish tank or bringing it home over school breaks. It will also help strengthen my students’ daily living skills, which is something that we focus on a lot in my classroom. One of the main goals of the program that I teach in is to prepare students for their future jobs and living independently. MyARquarium could supplement and enhance the life skills lessons I teach in the classroom and bring my students’ learning to the next level. 

MomentAR

I also plan to use Merge Cube to help my students develop their Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills. SEL and managing emotions is another primary focus in my classroom. One SEL app that I would like my students to use is called MomentAR. The blog post “Moments AR - Day 9 #31DaysofARVRinEDU” explains how the MomentAR app, developed by Kevin Chaja, focuses on SEL in augmented reality. The author of the blog post, Marialice Curran, states “The app brings access for each student to an entirely new level by creating a foundation built on empathy and compassion. This emphasis on SEL allows students to identify feelings through developing and managing emotions, thoughts, and values” (Curran, M., 2019). It is extremely important for my students to be able to develop their social/emotional skills in order to be successful in the future. The MomentAR app for Merge Cube will provide my students with an engaging way to build these skills and prepare for their future jobs.

These are only a few examples of how immersive technology can provide students with experiences that they would not be able to have otherwise. My overall goal for this pilot project is to provide my students with deeper learning opportunities and access to some of the amazing immersive technology that has been developed. If I find that my students have success with using Merge Cubes, I would like to expand our use of immersive technology and bring even more AR/VR/MR tools to my classroom in the future. 

***

Samantha Warnke is a School Community Based (SCB) Special Education Teacher in Montgomery County, Maryland. Currently a student in the Educational Technology Program at Loyola University Maryland. Contact Warnke at sawarnke@loyola.edu.

References

• Cauthers, B. & Cauthers, J. (2018, July 9). 5 augmented and virtual reality creation tools for students. Retrieved from https://shakeuplearning.com/blog/5-augmented-and-virtual-reality-creation-tools-for-students/
• Curran, M. (2019, March 9). Moments AR - Day 9 #31DaysofARVRinEDU. Retrieved from https://www.arvrinedu.com/post/2019/03/09/moments-ar-day-9-of-31daysofarvrinedu
• Danhoff, C. (2017, November 25). AR and VR: A look in today’s classroom. Retrieved from https://www.arvrinedu.com/single-post/A-Look-into-Todays-Classroom 
• Donally, J. (2018a). Learning transported: Augmented, virtual and mixed reality for all classrooms. Portland, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
• Donally, J. (2018b, March 14). The 10 Best VR apps for classrooms using Merge VR’s new Merge Cube. Retrieved from https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-03-14-the-10-best-vr-apps-for-classrooms-using-merge-vr-s-new-merge-cube 

By DANNY HUGHES

It’s yet another day of quarantine due to COVID-19. All time seems to blend together at this point, but it was just a few weeks ago I was watching as my theatre colleagues and former students announced their live performances were postponed...then cancelled. I reminisced to the days when I ran a school theatre program, and realized that the day schools closed in Maryland, March 16, would likely have been the opening night of our Spring Musical. 

Even through all the cancellations and uncertainty, I’ve noticed something incredible! All of those creative people forced to adjust and reschedule didn’t just accept that their shows were cancelled and stop creating. They created collaborative spaces online.

I’ve watched complete strangers meet up to read Shakespeare plays together over Zoom. I’ve seen completely new designed-for-online plays written and distributed for performances free of charge. I’ve even participated in the collaboration by connecting with a former student of mine to create character images for a Dungeons and Dragons Improv show.

In short, the show goes on. It seems that the argument that theatre must be experienced physically and in the moment might need a bit of an adjustment in this technical age.

It’s true that something magical happens when a room full of strangers comes together to share in an artistic experience. However, I believe the real magic comes from the people who create those experiences, the performers, technicians, designers, directors, and everyone responsible for creating this magic. 

We can still share that magic from anywhere in the world with artists around the world. Perhaps more importantly, we can still teach others to create that magic in the world that will follow.

An interactive, online textbook for high school learners has the ability to completely change the way we teach Theatre. What better way could there be to teach the most collaborative art form than by creating a textbook through authentic collaboration of artists in the entertainment industry and performing arts? My vision is to create a living, breathing online text to teach theatre that has the ability to change as frequently as the art form and industry. My vision of this interactive, online textbook will benefit students in three ways: Authentic Connections to the Entertainment Industry, Student Buy-in, and Access. 

Authentic Connections to the Entertainment Industry

When I taught high school theatre, I would watch as my students fell in love with the art form...and as their parents panicked about their futures. Not everyone can be on Broadway or a big shot in Hollywood, so what does a career in the arts actually mean?

An online interactive text would answer this question better than any individual high school teacher could by showing exactly what a students’ career could be. Up-to-date videos could show the creation of a set as well as what the lives and schedules are like for touring actors. Students and parents could step into the theatre industry to see various career options such as prop shops, side shows, and stage manager booths, all in one resource. 

Obviously, now might be one of the most difficult times to try to encourage parent buy-in for a career in the entertainment industry, but “theatre people” are resilient, and they’ll get through this with grace, aplomb, and probably some confetti cannons. I entirely believe that, even in these times, providing a resource created collaboratively by this resilient crew would help students and parents visualize realistic career paths in theatre.

Student Buy-In 

You’ll always have students who love theatre entirely, but I always wanted to reach the students who were just there to try it out. High school theater textbooks are, in my experience, tone deaf in one of two directions: either they think high school students are half their age or double it. For a student just trying theatre, an art form based on experience, nothing kills their curiosity faster than “open the textbook to page 67.”

But what if they could actually contribute to the textbook? What if their original script could be published as a resource for other high school students all over the world to perform? Or what if their pantomime was filmed and used as an example? Perhaps their make-up design for the Big Bad Wolf makes it to the World Wide Web, instead of just Mr. Hughes’ third period?

That student might not go on to work professionally in theatre, but their work will live on in the text. They’ll be a part of something bigger than themselves, which will stick with them, and further fuel their lifelong appreciation of theatre.  

Access 

Not every school system or student has the resources to experience a professional, live production. Only a few students have the means to receive private coaching and training in singing, acting, and dance. However, with an online interactive textbook, more students could come closer to these experiences. Students interested in singing could watch breakdown tutorials, while a teacher could assign the class to watch videos of professional live productions. Even in areas where there are no easily accessible theatre experiences, students could engage fully with the art form.

Interactive textbooks have already started to enhance core subjects in school, but too often, subjects like Theatre are forgotten. Through this idea, we could reach more students more authentically and to help them realize an appreciation for the performing arts they may not have otherwise experienced.

So, what are we waiting for? For now, the lights might be off on stages around the country, but there are new, digital spotlights being lit daily. The show must go on.

Join Me!

My Theatre teacher taught me that “inspire” comes from the Latin “inspirit” which means to “fill or imbue with spirit, or breath.” He said our job as performers and artists was to “breathe life into a lifeless text.”

So, I’m calling for theatre teachers, actors, directors, technicians, scenic artists, props masters, voice over actors, cameramen, foley artists, clowns, comedians, writers, producers, community theaters, critics, make-up artists, stage managers, soundboard ops, light designers, choreographers, fight choreographers, costumers, puppeteers, musicians, choral directors, amateurs, professionals, and any in between or beyond to join me the creation of an online interactive Theatre textbook. 

Together, let’s breathe some life into the Theatre textbooks of yesteryear and inspire the creators our world will need tomorrow.

***

Danny Hughes is an English and Theatre teacher currently working at Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, MD. He is also one of the co-hosts and creators of the Baltimore Improv Group’s Gettin’ Biggie with It podcast and works professionally as a voice over artist. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Educational Technology through Loyola University in Baltimore, Maryland. To find out more, visit dannyhughesvo.com.

By DANNIELLE NERAL

Before the outbreak of COVID-19, I have always been interested in utilizing more of my county’s online learning management system Schoology. With the new 1:1 Chromebook computers for all students in grades three and above, I felt like this school year was the year to try it! As I began the shift my 4th grade classroom to a blended model, I struggled with updating the curriculum and scope and sequence to utilize the available technology in a modified or redefined way when COVID-19 hit. After taking some time to reflect on my own schedule during this time, I realized there was no time like the present to try it! 

Sitting home each day during this quarantine period, I have a clearer picture of how the curriculum and technology could come together as one to meet the needs and interests of all students beyond a substitution level, while adhering to expectations and standards set forth by my county. I am fortunate to have time during this pandemic to spend extra hours adapting each lesson to a more “blended” style of learning, have more content put online, and more opportunities for students to engage with their peers and their world around them. Just like teachers across the country who are scurrying to put lessons online these past few weeks, I think curriculum writers and teachers should be regularly provided the time to transform each lesson of our curriculum into such a way that more could be done virtually. Not just for COVID-19 remote learning purposes, but for the purpose of greater equality and quality of our education system. 

As already proven to be successful at one school in a South Dakota school district, Sioux Falls New Technology High School is already demonstrating this type of learning. Students and faculty at this school, “take great ownership and pride,” in being given Chromebooks to take home each night, and are immersed in “problems or projects intended to engage students in meaningful learning experiences” (Sioux Falls School District, n.d.).

To give my plan some sort of structure, I refer to the four pillars as referenced in the text, Harnessing Technology for Deeper Learning, “(1) deeper thinking and learning, (2) authentic work, (3) student agency and personalization, and (4) technology infusion” (McLeod & Graber, 2019, p.12). According to McLeod and Graber (2019), these four categories not only help organize this idea, but are also considered the “foundations of successful technology integration in the classroom" (McLeod & Graber, 2019, p. 13). The biggest takeaways from McLeod and Graber that are supporting my transition to remote learning are:  

Deeper Thinking and Learning Change: 

Authentic Work Change:

Student Agency Change: 

Technology Infusion Changes: 

By the end of one school year, for instance, I should be able to see a rise in the interest and motivation my fourth-grade students have for learning no matter the amount of written work they are completing versus the online learning. Grades and test scores should improve, communication with parents should increase and turn more positive. Students and teachers alike will have more experience and time using devices to create, modify, and assess activities online. Most important, my students will move on to 5^th grade and then middle school with more of a drive to learn for purposeful reasons.  

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Dannielle Neral is an elementary teacher  at Westowne Elementary School in Baltimore County Public School (MD).

REFERENCES

BCPS Curriculum, Internal Curriculum Resource, April 20, 2020 
McLeod, S., and Graber, J. (2019). Harnessing technology for deeper learning: A quick guide to educational technology integration and digital learning spaces. Solution Tree Press.
Sioux Falls School District. (n.d.). Welcome to New Technology High. Retrieved from http://www.sf.k12.sd.us/schools/high-schools/new-technology

By BRIAN COOK

In the past four weeks, teachers have Zoomed and video conferenced more than ever imaginable. They have stressed over finding the share screen button or gotten upset when not seeing the same outcome on their screen after meticulously following each step in a training tutorial. Some emotions brought on tears and confusion while others get downright angry at the technology in front of them.

News stories and social media feeds address the needs for social and emotional health of children, but behind the scenes tech coaches are addressing the social, emotional, and technology needs of teachers and sometimes administrators too. In calm, encouraging manners technology personnel are navigating educators into new worlds of learning management systems (i.e., Schoology, Google Classrooms, Edmodo, etc.)— trying to mimic the normalcy of the classroom.

Many educators never desired the skill set to work in an entirely digital environment because it was not needed or so they thought. Taking those years of developing character voices and dramatic pauses to engage little ones in a read aloud is a skill like no other, but making that happen through the lens of a recording device is different.

Elementary teachers are asking, Do I show myself as a I read with my spectacular facial expressions or do I show the pages of the books to help child and parent follow along when recording part of a lesson? Uploading the best read aloud in front of the best homeschool backdrop with the cutest fur baby is a shattered memory when a student cannot open the file because it’s not compatible with their device or file doesn’t want to open. Hours, recording and re-recording, are lost in frustration. Teachers immediately reach out to a help desk or tech coach wanting a quick answer because students are waiting to receive their instruction.

As time goes by working one-on-one with a teacher, emails, phone calls, and text messages amount into hours of follow-up. Talking with hundreds of people across my own district, many that I never knew, I have developed five basic tips to support technology coaches as districts attempt to move their entire district into online learning.

Listen to Every Technology Problem

Understanding many schools are staffed with their own technology coach, teachers are used to having someone down the hall to immediately support there technology problem regardless of how big or small. When video conferencing or on the phone, it is important to speak calmly and ask clarifying questions to understand the problem and show they are important at that given moment.

Stay Simple – Three Click Rule

Tech folks love technology integration and toggling back-and-forth between tools; it’s our passion, but it is not always the same for the people we are serving. Try supporting your staff with the basic tools they needs to publish their content. Showcase the tools that your district already has purchased and teach them how they work in your learning management system. Already having some familiarity with the tools being used allows the transition into online learning to occur quicker for your teachers.

Once using those tools, try to limit the amount of clicks and tabs students are opening when possible. The best practice I have found is take away steps when you can. For example, instead of clicking into a program and opening a pair of folders to get a PDF file. Instruct your staff to download the PDF themself and directly insert into the online class for the student; eliminating the multiple steps might make it as easy as click one-login, click two-find the course, and click three—open PDF.

Teach How to Access Student View

Nothing looks the same on teacher and student view in most programs. Always take the time to show teachers how the product looks from the viewpoint of a student. In younger grades, parents are often homeschooling students and going through lessons with them as well. It is easier in the long run to take the extra time to “login as a student” and walk through the student view; it will help the teacher when addressing parents who have questions as online learning progresses.

Another common practice I have been doing is making how to videos from Student View and posting them for students and parents to follow. There are many screen recording programs (i.e., Screencastomatic, Screencastify, ShowMe, etc.) available for free to explore.  Sometimes what might seem as the simplest task can be difficult to a new online course user; it’s never a bad idea to walk through the steps and post that video into your classroom.

Amping Up Online Instruction

As days turn into weeks, teachers will dictate when they are ready to add more into their course. Tech coaches will observe this by receiving less frantic correspondences and a drastic cut in the volume of help requests; the requests will eventually turn into requests on how to review analytics of who is completing work and better ways to present a task for students online. At this point, teachers are building their technology capacity and ready to move onto more complex trainings.

As teachers are ready to move forward ask your mid-level technology people what they needs to improve their online classes. Teacher feedback will drive your future virtual trainings. But also remember, sometimes teachers may not know of tools that are out there. Also, it is okay to add some higher level trainings too like creating self-paced lesson with various tools (i.e., Nearpod, Peardeck, Kahoot) as many companies are offering their pro versions of software available during school closures.

Build Confidence By Following Up

When I worked as a classroom teacher, I would do a PR Friday where I would send postcards home to students each week. I would try to focus on the small moments and really build them up in a short handwritten note. As a tech coach, I am doing the same practice complimenting individual’s online classes and reassuring them how their hard work is benefiting students in their classrooms. The nostalgia of snail mail and getting a hand written note brings that sense of human interaction that has been missing by schools being closed and many being in quarantine.

In all, remember everyone has an important role in meeting the needs of students and staff during the recent school closure. Everyone comes to work with a different set of circumstances when working from home and meeting those needs will not be the same for every teacher. Take your time, have passion, and show grace as we are all in it together as we move into online learning.

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Brian Cook (@drbriancook) formerly served as a middle school language arts teacher before moving into his current position as the District Instructional Technology & Innovation Coach in Worcester County Public School (MD).

Students in the second grade at St. James Academy (Maryland) are shown collaborating as they research topics during Genius Hour.

By ALISON GLACE

It’s 2:00 PM on a Friday afternoon. This is it - my last chance to instill even the tiniest piece of knowledge onto my students before the weekend. My lessons are planned, my materials are ready, and I’ve taken my rightful position at the front of the classroom. As I peer out among the crowd of eager young learners, wide-eyed and ready for knowledge – I wake up and realize - it was all a dream.So let’s try this again.

It’s 2:00 PM on a Friday when what I actually see is pure chaos involving squirmy second graders whose minds have wandered anywhere but within the four walls of this classroom. It is at this moment I know I need to find something new and exciting - something that will inspire innovation and creativity within my students. I take to the Internet for advice, and this is when I discover Genius Hour.

What is Genius Hour?

Businesses have been doing it for decades. Allowing employees to spend portions of their workday devoted to projects that they are passionate about and reaping the benefits of their creativity and innovation.In the 1940s, 3M general manager, William McKnight, encouraged his employees to spend 15% of their time on experimental projects of their choosing. From this practice, the Post-It Note was born. 

Fast forward to 2004, when Google’s founding duo, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, reported a similar workplace initiative called the 20% project, where programs such as Gmail and Google News have stemmed.

So what does Genius Hour look like in the primary classroom? For me, it is one hour per week where students are encouraged to explore their own passions. They ask questions, research the answers, and create a project to present at the end. It’s messy, loud, and still a little chaotic, but students are engaged in a way that I have never seen before.

4 Things I’ve Learned Since Starting Genius Hour 

1. Take time to introduce Genius Hour, share examples, and set expectations. For many students, Genius Hour will be a completely new concept, so it is essential to take the time to set the scene properly. I like to begin by sharing my own passions first. This helps get the juices flowing for students. I also share examples of past projects to give students some visual inspiration for how to present their final project. Distinguishing the difference between researchable questions and those that can be easily answered is another essential skill to teach during this introduction process.

2. Find credible and developmentally appropriate resources for student use.  Research can be difficult for students who are still learning to read but are not yet proficient in reading to learn. PebbleGo is a great place to start, with informational resources for kids and the option for read-aloud audio. There are also databases such as Kiddle, Schooltube, and Wonderopolis that are free to use. Talking to the school librarian is an excellent first step to learn about any database subscriptions your school might have.   

3. Set students up for success by giving them tools for organization and structure. A teacher’s role during Genius Hour is that of a “guide on the side.” I’m there for support and to provide feedback when needed. Letting go can be difficult, but it is important to allow students to take ownership of themselves and their learning. We can still set our students up for success by providing supports that keep them organized. I like to set my students up with a research notebook or binder where they can brainstorm and take notes.

4. Provide opportunities for students to present their projects to a broad audience. The ultimate goal of Genius Hour is for students to create and present some type of project displaying the results of their research. These projects can take on many different forms. It’s even better when students can share their ideas outside of the classroom, whether it be with another grade level, the school community, or globally. Teachers can use their websites or social media accounts to share student project as well as make global connections with other classes around the world.

To learn more about Genius Hour, check out some of the following sites.
https://geniushour.com/
https://www.geniushourguide.org/
https://www.weareteachers.com/what-is-genius-hour/

Alison Glace (aglace@saintjamesacademy.org ) is a second-grade teacher at St. James Academy in Monkton, MD. Connect with her on Instagram at @teach.play.love.

By KRISTIN CHOI

Are your students motivated? Engaged? Happy? If not, how can you increase motivation, engagement, and happiness in your classroom? The answer is simple-let them learn about what they want! Allow students to take charge of their own learning all while using technology to build future-ready skills. Genius Hour, a teaching practice/model “sets aside 20% of class time each year for students to learn about whatever interests them,” says Maghan Cortez (2017). Cortez, an associate editor with EdTech, believes that incorporating Genius Hour in your classroom is an innovative way to meet standards and foster lifelong creative learners.

Terry Heick (2019), an advocate for Genius Hour states, “In Genius Hour, students are in control, choosing what they study, how they study it, and what they do, produce, or create as a result. As a learning model, it promotes inquiry, research, creativity, and self-directed learning” (para. 2). Who wouldn’t want this for their students?

Why Science and Social Studies? Well, the options are endless!

Here is a brief description of each step for implementation:

Step 1: Introduction - Get your students interested! This is the time to sell Genius Hour to your students! The goal is to inspire curiosity and get students excited for what is ahead. Show real projects completed by students and the outcomes.

Step 2: Brainstorming and Planning - Do it together and encourage all! Create a list, web, or chart of ideas that interest your students.

Step 3: Topic Selection - Narrow down on the topic and develop an inquiry question. What do I want to learn about this topic?

Step 4: The “Pitch” - Use interactive platforms like FlipGrid to have students share why they have chosen the topic and what they want to learn.

Step 5: Research, Learning, and Documentations - Encourage students to adopt roles appropriate to their project. If their project requires them to step into the shoes of a journalist or historian, provide them with the digital tools to do so such as video cameras, voice recorders, and primary sources. Scaffold the way with organizers if students are stuck.

Step 6: Making, Creating, and Designing - Videos, websites, podcasts, articles, flipbooks, and posters are all choices for a final product.

“Whether students ‘make,’ publish, design, act, or do, ‘creating’ is core to Genius Hour. There is always a visible product or function of the learning” says Terry Heick (2019, para. 9).

Step 7: Presentations - Create an authentic audience for your students!

Jerry Fingal (2018), stated, “The goal is to connect with an audience beyond the classroom. Leave the old-school stand-and-deliver-to-the-class PowerPoint behind. Invite a live audience via videoconferencing or allow students to show their learning by publishing a blog or creating a podcast” (para. 15).

Step 8: Reflections - What is going well? What is left to do? What was the outcome? These are all questions that need answers. Using various websites and platforms like Padlet, FlipGrid, and Google Suites, teachers and students can stay in constant communication and give immediate feedback.

Kristin Choi is a second grade teacher in Montgomery County, MD. Connect with Choi via email  at Kristin.S.Choi@mcpsmd.net, Twitter at @MissKristinChoi, or on Voxer @kchoi4727.

References

Cortez, B., M. (2017, September 25). 3 Benefits of Establishing a ‘Genius Hour’ [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2017/09/3-benefits-establishing-genius-hour

Heick, T. (2019, October 30). 6 Principles of Genius Hour in the Classroom [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/learning/6-principles-of-genius-hour-in-the-classroom/

Fingal, J. (2018, November 19). 4 Easy Ways to Boost Project-Based Learning with Tech [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/explore/Personalized-learning/4-easy-ways-to-boost-project-based-learning-with-tech