Digital scrapbooking is a great activity to use in the classroom. It can be used to capture memories, share important information, or focus on a specific event. This would be a great alternate activity for book reports and even group projects. Here are some examples that I made in April. I use the website Gingerscraps for ideas and even free digital kits.
In Social networking:
connecting to the past from Blue Skunk Blog, Doug
Johnson mentions
how so many people are afraid for students to put themselves out there online.
Then he states,
"Take a moment to recollect your happiest memories as you learned something new. Where were you? What kind of activity did you undertake?
I learned to knit about seven years ago. I was at home alone and decided to teach myself to knit by watching YouTube videos. It is amazing how many videos there were out there on knitting and seeing different people using different techniques really helps to find one way that works for me. I loved being able to create something new that looked nice. It is so rewarding when others see the finished product and say how much they like it. I also found a local group who helps and supports me when I struggle with a problem. I learn so much from being a part of this group too.
I need to remember these memories and good feelings so I can help my students feel the same way.
Try to make the learning relevant. If there is a certain skill I want them to learn, can I find a way to teach it while focusing on a topic that they are interested in? If it is a topic they are interested in, they will be more engaged and willing to learn something new.
I want them to learn new things but they may to see different ways in order to find the best way that works for them. By expecting them to learn only one way may end up frustrating them more than helping them. Allow them to explore different ways until they find the way that works. This means I have to step back and give them time and space to find it.
Creating new things feels so good that I need to encourage my students to do the same thing. When they are creating things, I don’t have to worry about cheating and puts the burden of learning on the student. Besides that, creating is fun!
Allow students to get in groups to help each other. Sometimes students learn better from each other than from me. Sometimes they can explain things differently than I can. It never hurts to get a different perspective.
What happy memories do you have about learning? Please share.
Image: 'All That Matters'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/11248435@N04/11854424755
Found on flickrcc.net
We went through the China exhibit and saw places we actually visited in 2000. There were many cities, cultural, and historical sites that we saw in person! The movie we saw made us want to go visit again!
When we saw the Eiffel Tower, it brought back memories of our trip to Paris. I remember going to the Louvre and Versailles.
As we walked through Norway, I remembered learning a lot about the Scandinavians when I was in school as a child. My husband learned about them too and we grew up 800 miles apart!
When we started talking about what made some things more special than others, we realized it was because we actually saw things in person that we remembered studying when we were in school. It was so exciting to see these things in real life! But if you had told me as a child that one day this information would be important to you, I wouldn’t have believed it.
My husband remembers his third grade teacher making them memorize the poem “Trees” by Joyce Kilmer. Whenever we are in a forest or he is impressed with the trees that surround us, he begins to recite that poem. It has stayed with him for over 50 years!
So when I am teaching a student something, I need to think about what future ramifications this information may have. They might not recall this information after the test, or even in the next five years but who knows when they may remember it on future travels or interactions with others. Hopefully they are studying places, people, or ideas that might impact them later in life. It might just help them when they visit places as a tourist, or actually help them with their jobs. I need to share with them how this might not seem important or relevant right now in their lives but it may be useful later on.
It makes me excited to think of possibilities for this information to travel across space and time.
Isn’t it great to be a teacher!
Image: 'Grande Muralha - Great Wall'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30578078@N00/247113681
Found on flickrcc.net
“Welcome to the Writing on Learning Exchange! Every week or two I will publish a prompt that is meant to get us thinking and writing about some aspect of our learning and/or teaching experience. Whether you are a teacher, a learner, a parent or just a citizen who cares about the growth and development of other citizens, I hope you will find some inspiration here.
So here’s the first prompt: What are your first memories of going to school?”
I have some early school memories and it was my first year of school. Here they are:
New Clothes - I remember buying brand new clothes and shoes for the first day of school. I was so excited because it seems like I had waited for years to go to school! (I think I was only 5 at the time).
Crayons - My parents bought me a brand new box of Crayola crayons - the 64 count box. As soon as I got to school, the box opened up and all of the crayons fell to the ground. Most of them broke and many were lost in the crowd of kids. We were hurried to a classroom and I never got my crayons back.
School Bus - I was 5 years old and it was the one and only time I rode a school bus. My two older sisters (10 and 12 years older than me) and my parents watched me get on the bus. Later in the day, the bus brought me home…or should I say, close to home. The bus driver let me off at a stop that was not my stop and I was lost. I didn’t know how to get home and started crying but soon a neighbor saw me and brought me to my house. My parents were furious and my father jumped in the car to hunt down the bus driver. I think he said a lot of angry words to her when he caught up with her. That was the last day I ever rode a school bus to school.
These are my earliest memories and I’m surprised at how I can still remember them after almost 50 years later. I guess this is proof that as teachers, we can make a powerful impact on children.
What are your earliest school memories? Please share.
Image: 'school friends'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73645804@N00/1384954600
Found on flickrcc.net
After reading I Remember... from Sioux's Page, I just couldn’t pass up the chance to write about my own memories. It was almost bittersweet to remember how much life has changed since I was a child.
· I remember my family going to Jones Beach in NY and I was scared of the huge waves. My father picked me up and held me safely in the water. I trusted him and never doubted that I was safe.
· I remember never locking our house or car doors. No one would steal anything that wasn’t theirs.
· I remember playing jump rope with my friends and learning all the wonderful little rhyming songs that went with this.
· I remember playing jacks and being so excited when I moved up a level past my friends.
· I remember being so excited when someone bought a new refrigerator because that meant the neighborhood kids were given the huge box to play with. We would pretend it was a castle or a fort or whatever we wanted at the time.
· I remember playing in the neighborhood and feeling safe. We didn’t worry about creeps kidnapping us or doing even worse. Our parents knew we were safe and if anyone misbehaved, any parent could scold any child. If you were scolded, you never went home whining about it or your parents would scold you again.
· I remember going to an ice cream parlor was a special occasion such as winning an award or doing well at a music recital.
· I remember when gas was 35 cents a gallon, mailing letters through the post office was how we connected with others, long distance phone calls were very rare and very expensive.
· I remember knowing that if I got in trouble at school, I would be in trouble again at home.
· I remember walking to elementary and jr. high school because we attended neighborhood schools. Teachers lived in the neighborhood and shopped at the same stores the students did. Teachers and parents talked when they saw each other in the community so parent/teacher conferences were not a big deal.
· I remember neighbors coming over for coffee and cake regularly. We would also have barbecues where neighbors were invited. We had an active community which supported each other.
I think this would be a great exercise to do with our students. Have them write about the memories they have now. Encourage them to put this in a safe place. Encourage them to add to it five or ten years from now. It may amaze them how much the world has changed in their lifetime. This would be a great topic for students to discuss with their parents to see how much their world has changed.
Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
Original image: 'Untitled'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94729981@N00/3203717279 by: Leanne
Over the Christmas holidays, we visited with my 91 year old dad and 85 year old stepmom in Florida. Both are still very active and my dad cooked Chinese food for us every night. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before, but I finally filmed my dad cooking with him giving me instructions along the way. I couldn’t wait to use Windows Live Movie Maker and piece it all together and put it up on YouTube. Now my sister in NY and my niece and nephew and friends can all see him in his favorite element. My sister, due to her illness, has been unable to visit my father and has not seen him in action for years. She was thrilled to see him cooking which I’m sure brought back many memories of us growing up. I wish that I had done this before my mother had passed away. I think of all the years I have wasted and not done this. Well, I can’t make up for lost time but at least I can start now.
Here are the two that I posted if you are interested: Cooking Chinese Turnips and Cooking Tofu and Snow Peas with Chicken.
I think this will also be a great way to pass down some of his cooking techniques. I found it interesting that he slipped in a story about when he first came from China and caused an incident in his father’s restaurant. He didn’t have knowledge of the English language and used profanity which caused a waitress to storm out and luckily two prostitutes who were customers donned some aprons and helped him out.
I want to suggest that you find some of your elderly family members and talk to them. Have them tell you stories. Ask them if they would mind if you film them because you don’t want to forget their stories and you want to share it with younger generations. These people have such rich stories to tell of their youth and their life and we don’t appreciate it enough. Of course, it may take more than one visit for them to warm up and feel comfortable talking so be patient.
I was afraid to try Movie Maker and finally bit the bullet and gave it a try. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use. It was on my computer so it didn’t cost me anything so you might have some movie program on your computer too. I just used the video function on my digital camera. I started and stopped taping so there were many pieces that I just joined together as one. I was able to add a title screen, captions, and even credits.
I think this would be an easy and fun lesson to do with students. Have them tape a story told by their parents or relatives. If their family member doesn’t want to be filmed, film the student telling the story. Then have them use the program to edit their movie.
Now I can’t wait to get back to Florida to visit my dad for more cooking lessons. I told him that he has to live to be over 100 because I have lots of plans for filming and he is the star!
Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
“When you cross paths with your present students 10 years hence, how do you anticipate the conversation will begin?”
I thought of the many conversations that I’ve had with former students and I think about the things they have already said to me and I feel proud of these things. Some of these things that were said surprised me because I don’t remember them or it wasn’t as an important interaction for me as it was for them. Here are some examples:
Many of them start off with telling me, “I am a Born Winner!” That has been my class motto for over 25 years and each student had to write that on every paper before they turned it in or I wouldn’t grade it. I think my students have heard too many negative things about themselves and need to turn their own thoughts into a positive one. Usually there is a power of wills at the beginning of the year about writing this on their papers but I’m steadfast in my will and always win. It fills my heart to know they still remember it.
Another favorite is “Remember the zoo!” This was as traumatic for me as it was for them (and David, if you are reading this, it still is but now I’m smiling!) It was the one and only time I thought I lost three high school special education students at the zoo. I tromped through the zoo looking for them practically hysterical. Since I had to go find them, I had to leave my brain injured girl with my heavy pot smoker who promised to take care of her and I prayed that they didn’t disappear next. When I found the three walking calmly down the walkway, I lit into them like a crazy woman! Here are three boys towering over me, looking sheepish and let me scream at them like one of the wild animals! Now, normally, any other student would have gone off the deep end and yelled back or walked away but these tough guys hung their heads and took what I gave them. I look back on this and think wow; they really loved and respected me. Later on, a policeman who was there with his small daughter in a stroller told me that the boys were excellently behaved and really didn’t deserve my berating which made me feel 2 inches tall. I think they took it because they realized how scared I was and how much I cared for them (at least I hope so). That is really the only time in my career that I really lost it. I still remember it as if it happened yesterday.
Another student reminded me that I always made them correct their mistakes. It drove them crazy but now they can see why I did that. I still don’t understand how some teachers give the students a grade without helping them learn what they did wrong before moving on. I’m told that teachers don’t have time to do this with the students because of all the standards they have to teach in order to prepare for the tests but I don’t see how they can afford not to but that’s another story.
Here is one that I don’t remember. A girl came up to me in a restaurant with her family including her parents, husband, and small children. She told me that every Thanksgiving they talk about me and are thankful for me because I taught this girl a lesson about respect in ninth grade. When she was disrespectful to me one morning, I didn’t write an office referral on her. Instead, I called her parents. This surprised her because I didn’t even know her, yet she felt I showed her that she was important to me by taking the time to call home. I didn’t know that at the time, she was having a lot of problems, and this little action really helped to turn her around because she thought no one cared about her and felt invisible. I really hadn’t ever seen her since that incident and here she was all grown up and looking great. It humbled me to know that they still talk about me after all these years and give thanks for my small entry into their lives. It really woke me up to the little things we do as teachers that we don’t realize may have a bigger impact on these students that we may never know.
I love having conversations with former students to see what stands out in my career. Now is the time for those teaching to think about how you want to be remembered. What do you hope that these students will say to you? How will you know that you’ve been successful when you look back and talk to these students?
Original image: 'Old School House (Lublin, Wisconsin)'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34748725@N00/3288238069
