Born in 1984

After talking with the K-5 grade level teachers last week in their unit planning meetings and visiting their students on random occasions, I thought it would be important to communicate my reflections of those meetings and visits to the teachers. There is a Daily Notice that the elementary teachers must read every morning and thought to put the message there. From next week I will prepare the blog post and then send the link to the teachers. Here’s my first message:

I’d like to thank everyone for being so kind about my move to the elementary. In the spirit of the JASCD Try I.T. On Monday Workshops that I helped host and organize at YIS in April 2009, I’d like to offer weekly connections to units in the Daily Notice and weekly gatherings to share educational technology ideas and share different strategies to implement technology in the form of 21st Century Learning Skills.

Here are the few connections I made in reflection of last week and things to share from different grades:

Kindergarten
They created a reflection feed using Twitter. Check it out to find out what’s going on in the Kindergarten! They even embedded it into their their class portal. Did you know that since last week you can check out other grade level class sites too? If you’re interested, see what other students are up to in their classes.

Grade 1
I was shown a shape in Donna’s class that I couldn’t remember and the class shared with me that it was a hexagon, similar to how their tables were arranged Thanks 1SA. They were also using KidPix last week for drawing. Here are some ideas on a blog post about how you can use Mind Maps tools like Kidspiration and Inspiration. Kidpix, Kidspiration, and Inspiration are also available on all Student Computers and Classroom Desktops, and available to download on the Server. From the Server you just need to drag and drop the folder of each into your Applications folder.

Grade 2
All computers have arrived to Grade 2 and they have a storage unit in each room, check their space when you get a chance. Audrey used the projector and the application called Photobooth (already preinstalled in your Mac) in an interesting way to show how to fold origami. Please ask her for more details

Grade 3
It felt great to be warmly welcomed and surrounded by Sonya’s class in the ‘Media Center’ on the Kirin 2F. What a great space and what a great group of students working on profiles using ComicLife. MakeBeliefsComix is another tool if you decide to work on comic creations again Thanks for letting me join you! ComicLife is also available on all Student Computers and Classroom Desktops, and available to download from the Server. You will need a serial number to use ComicLife please send a request form to the YIS Tech Support Desk for the serial number.

Grade 4
Here are some websites I bookmarked on Delicious for the Grade 4 teachers for Unit 1. The links I listed are websites to a few cybersafety and digital citizenship websites I recommend.

Grade 5
Here is last year’s Grade 5 PYP Exhibition blog. Please check out the neat pictures and reflections using a tool called Posterous.

I’d be happy to demo any of the tools above, just email me a time and place. There will be a weekly ‘informal’ sharing tech session every Wednesday from 3pm-4pm in the Kirin 2F ‘Media Center’ – more information to come!

Looking forward to seeing the ELC this week on both Wednesday and Thursday. And looking forward to working with the PE, Music, Japanese, Art specialists in the coming weeks. Special thanks to Brian Farrell for allowing me to connect the Library with the classrooms! Thanks again to all grade level teachers for having me in your planning meetings. Really helps me connect your unit to ICT and the Library. If you have any great ideas of how to connect me to you and your classroom, let me know.

From next week I will put a simple link to my blog so as to not take so much room in the Daily Notice! Thanks for reading

Christine.