Monday, December 9, 2019

Skype-A-Thon 2019

Just had to share because students are still talking about this in our class community :)

Participating in the Skype-A-Thon #SkypeAThon annual event, also known as the Microsoft Global Learning Connection #MSFTGlobalConnect is always filled with excitement, wonder and curiosity! I am proud to be taking part in these events for four years now, and each year, our class community @McM_MsT is eager to take part in more opportunities to make local and global connections.  

Each year varies on the number of connections we make, unfortunately this year, we were unable to connect with two of the classes during the event but a follow up Mystery Skype date has been set. We were fortunate to virtually meet with Alec Taylor, the Vice President of Microsoft Canada  @MicrosoftEduCA who generously gave us the gift of his time and responding to student questions, while encouraging student learning with a growth mindset!

There are so many wonderful extensions to Skype-A-Thon that include Skype-A-Scientist and Skype Classroom events that are all free to build relationships with students, educators and experts worldwide! For more information, check out: skypeintheclassroom.com and skypeascientist.com

Students are inspired by experts as their share words of wisdom and students reflect on comments which they have found very inspiring when recommended to find their own networks and supports around the world to lift themselves and others up.

I, I mean, we can’t wait for Skype-A-Thon next year and more readily, our next Mystery Skype! 



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Thursday, September 12, 2019

In Anticipation of WE Day 2019


During summer break, I don’t usually receive emails or messages from students or parents. However, when I checked-in on my TDSB email, I was surprised to receive warm and kind parent emails from the last school year sharing their appreciation of infusing empathy, student voice and agency as part of the class culture and learning throughout the school year.

One such way this happens is through our social entrepreneurship journey which is about unpacking the curriculum, immersing student learning experiences with a Global Competency focus on Creativity, Inquiry and Entrepreneurship while leveraging technology. Through these learning experiences student voice is amplified as they have a broader venue for spreading awareness around empowering students locally and globally through education.

Guiding students through the Design Thinking Process, infusing the importance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Competencies students internalize their role as social entrepreneurs: “We hope you are truly motivated to help us make a change both locally and globally” as you purchase our products, knowing that proceeds will be donated to WE.org. Their journey posted via social media under two different class twitter accounts sharing their thoughts and following their learning journey: @mcm_mst and @mcmbusinessday 

I am grateful to organizations and business partners who continue create opportunities to build partnerships with educators to support our young social entrepreneurs. Fair Chance Learning @FCLEdu @WEmovement @MicrosoftEduCA @TheLearningPartnership @tdsb



IMPACT:

In anticipation of WE Day Toronto 2019 I asked a student from the last school year to share her reflection on the impact of attending WE Day had on her learning throughout the school year.

Amira, Grade 4 Student

Going to WE Day was a wonderful experience. It was a great way to learn about a lot of new people and  hear their side of stories and what effect they had on others. It really made me think and understand about what some people are going through in other parts of the world. We had a moment of silence to contemplate all of the children whose voice can not be heard.

During the day; We were introduced to Craig and Marc Kielburger and Mr Pinball Clemons. Their  were also some really inspiring people talking on stage like, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Adam Devine, Ann Curry, Ms Piggy and so much more plus lots of singing, dancing and smiles! 

When we got back to school the next day, we talked with our peers about our experience and what we had learned, and we used that new learning to launch our Business Day project. Business Day is a day where there are about six companies all with their own concept and product. Our goal was to raise money through ME to WE to help build a school for children in Tanzania who don’t have access to education.
As a result of Business Day we not only learned about the children in Tanzania who need access to education to end the cycle of poverty but we also learned about becoming entrepreneurs; to go through the process of getting an interview and how to start a business. This knowledge will help us all in the future to either getting a job or starting our own business and making a difference in our community.

What I love about WE is that they’re not giving a hand out, but a hand up. As a charity, they try to teach the people living here and other parts of the world  how to be sustainable, so when their work is done the families living there can keep living sustainably.

WE day is an amazing experience and I think everyone should be able to experience it for themselves and to bring back to their class communities.




Our social entrepreneurship project has just celebrated its 15th year. It continues to grow as student experiences are shared, feedback is provided and impact reflected upon to revisit and revamp when guiding a new class community of leaders through this venture.

“We are Grade 4 student members of McMurrich Junior Public School, participating in our 15th annual Business Day event. Business Day is where our class community learns about being entrepreneurs and philanthropists. We raise money for WE Movement, by providing a product or service that we create and design to selling in our school community. We are learning about children living in Tanzania, how to arrange data, working in a team, learning about first impressions, how to do interviews, writing letters, and developing our soft skills among other things. Our products relate to STEM-inspired activities we are learning in class in a creative and innovative way. This year for WE.org we are raising money for the Pillars Of Education, supporting children living in Tanzania who need access to schools for an education. We are also focussing on the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child and the UN Sustainable Development Goals to spread awareness about their importance in protecting our global community.” - Student Team Folded Factory

WE.org, our class community and partners around the world continue to provide a platform, big or small, for students to share their voice. Student agency is encouraged, with or without the spotlight, as they see themselves as leaders with pride, passion and purpose; knowing that they are making an impact in the lives of others, through their choices and actions.

When reflecting on our daughter’s grade 4 school year, we always marvel at the amount of “real world” exposure. The WE Day festival in the fall was eye opening for Amira. Amidst the spectacle of the event, the core message of giving back to those in need was definitely taken to heart. Amira has always had an understanding of giving back, but WE Day and the subsequent Business Day project gave her an in-depth understanding of ‘business for good’. As parents we were constantly impressed with the depth and breadth of experience: from the interviews, the planning, project management, team work, and the final event. At any point one of us would be saying something along the lines of, “wow, I wish some adults I work with had these skills!” We know that these lessons will carry through as Amira continues as a student and more importantly, prepare her for life outside of school.
Parents - Jing and Frederick


I truly have the honour and privilege to learn, teach and grow with students in our class community. Students who see themselves as change agents; who act upon their learning and choices by recognizing they have the ability to bring about change through the smallest of actions. I look forward to the new opportunities that students embark upon this new school year.


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Monday, September 2, 2019

It’s not about the Badges


Summer Personal / Professional Development

Summer 2019 has come to an end as we welcome back-to-school tomorrow! It was wonderful to have the opportunity to engage in a different kind of busy with family and friends. But it was not without its sunburns, cold drinks, tasty eats, and choice of professional development.


It's not about the badges… but here they are lined up neatly in a row of all the things that I completed/accomplished that are related to leveraging STEM and technology for my classroom communities. The most valuable badge that is not seen here, nor is rewarded on any particular schedule, are the ones I get when students smile (at present or when they return to share their stories) when they feel safe, heard and not alone. Because this job, done well, with the students as the focus, isn’t done alone. 

There is nothing quite like volunteering with colleagues and friends at the 4th annual MakerEdTO unconference! The original crew and volunteers make the day run smoothly, filled with engaging workshops, sessions, hands-on centres, connecting with vendors and so much more. Really, they make it all look effortless but the behind the scenes organization is wonderfully intense as they seek out guest speakers, organize presenters, set up swag for guests and bringing educators together to share, learn, grow and build our professional learning network. ‘Our best resource is each other’, I don’t know who coined this but I agree with it wholeheartedly. Thank you for inviting me to capture the day; behind the scenes, upfront and tweet it out @makeredto #MakerEdTO. Loving the new badge too! 

I would like to give a shout out to the original crew:
The original crew:
David Hann @TeacherHann              
Tim Cooper @tcoops             
Teresa Allan @allanteresa
Ray Mercer @raycmercer                 
Michael Vaisman @STEMTDSB         
Lewelyn Lee @LewelynLee
Sharon Moskovitz @s_m077
Mark Zochowski @MarkZochowski
Shaun Grant @CanadaGrant

Woohoo! I got myself Google Level 1 and 2 re-certified, thus enabling me to continue proving ‘my proficiency’. Actually, it gives me the opportunity to connect with others in the Google for Education educator community and to support student creativity while leveraging Google Apps. 
I don’t know where to start when it comes to explaining the privilege and honour of being a part of the Indigenous Digital Learning Summer Institute lead by J'net AyAy Qwa Yak Sheelth and Sarah Chu of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). We started our morning session with a cleansing just outside the Museum; then we had the privilege of a guided First Peoples Gallery Tour. We engaged in discussions about ancestral objects in the First Peoples Gallery and EduKits, developing digital literacy skills in our class communities and curriculum connections to our grade program. Further discussions were held each day on appreciation of the Indigenous ancestral objects; recognizing intent and impact of how we as educators deliver curriculum when focussing on First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, avoiding misinformation, misrepresentation and calling out appropriation. Our class community will be partnered with Jessie Jakumeit (Indigenous Knowledge Resource Teacher), Gabbie Pangan (Makerspace Technician) and Kristy Inglese (Indigenous Youth Leader) who will visit bi-weekly to guide discussions and digital literacy support over the next 5 months. I am looking forward to the partnership, learning, growth and reflections for both myself and the students in our class community.

Indigenous Arts Protocols @ONArtsCouncil 

That’s right…. Minecraft!
Not only did I earn the Minecraft  My Journey badge but I also had the opportunity to attend the Minecraft Certified training program! Last school year, my students took the lead to create, build, inspire and guide other students in leveraging Minecraft to design new worlds, engage student learning and problem solve. Being on the sidelines was okay with me as this was a great opportunity to observe student agency at its best. But then, I felt left out… yeah, I did. So, I completed one of many online courses in the Microsoft in Education community and one thing lead to another… I read a message on FaceBook posted by Fair Chance Learning @FCLEdu about the 5 spots left for teachers to attend the Minecraft 2-day Training at their Mississauga Head Office. I’ll say it again, that’s right, Minecraft!!! The business partners, store team leaders and educators from the US and across Canada all coming together to learn, explore and play was simply awesome! I finally understand what an NPC is, how to activate tools and create special blocks and so much more! I can’t wait to share and create with my class community this school year!  NOTE: for teachers seeking accessibility tools, Immersive Reader is part of Minecraft!





I work towards providing students with the opportunity to explore and create in ways that they choose to bring into the class community. This past school year, I felt that I hit a roadblock with some of my teaching with coding in Scratch and using MakeyMakey and MicroBits for students to create interactive experiences. I was stumped and didn’t know how to proceed; or maybe, I didn’t want to admit that the students surpassed my readiness to seek support towards the end of the school year. So, reflecting on that, I was thrilled to be a part of the Picademy Toronto cohort this summer. I learned to code in Python; to customize commands! Consider your students' experiences, needs, curiosity & strengths! Raspberry Pi has it all when it comes to Design Thinking: design, prototype, code, test, repeat! Yes, I earned another badge, but not without the support from everyone in this cohort. I look forward to our continual sharing and guidance as the school year progresses. #picademy 





So grateful to everyone in Toronto District School Board (TDSB) who organized, supported, presented and attended the Beginning Teachers Summer Institute today! Thank you Amanda Keith @AmandaKeithMcMT we totally rocked our session “Creativity: Every Classroom a 'MakerSpace' sharing ways to build a culture of making and that a makerspace isn’t about a place. Today we built drawbots, explored paper circuits, an intro to coding MicroBits & the awesomeness of qr codes for bulletin & display boards, yearbooks, letters and more! #bt_tdsb Proud Mom moment and thank you TDSB IT Services for this photo of Nathan leading one of the breakout sessions (paper circuits and mini books). A shout out to Rukiya Mohamed @MsRukiya for having us reflect and be intentional on how we are unpacking our own identity? How are we involving the students in the content/process of the learning experiences? Just as I didn't think the day could get any better; I was gifted a book and I bought a few more picture and chapter books for my class community. Not only will we enjoy reading them, we will also unpack them together throughout the school year! A Different Booklist Another Story Bookshop





Proud to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (https://education.microsoft.com/Status) with continued access the online courses in the Microsoft in Education community. I look forward to more opportunities to attend sessions guided by Fair Chance Learning and TakingITGlobal #CanCodeToLearn building upon Hack The Classroom events exploring Micro:bits, MakeyMakey and Minecraft support and training for teachers. Thank you Ammar Aquil @mr_aquil1 for your support and guidance; especially your kindness when mentoring students throughout the last school year. The focus being on the student(s) who are provided with varying entry points, and learning experiences to create, and share their own learning/content. 



So, yes I have collected many badges this summer…. it’s not about the badges. It’s about developing my understanding of what I think I know, acknowledging my own bias, recognizing what I need to unlearn and relearn, and that I am not alone. Building a professional learning network near and far has enabled me to continue challenging my learning, taking risks and bringing back to my class community a better version of myself. All this so that I can create learning experiences that are meaningful, relevant and current to the students in my class community, while being honest when acknowledging our past to recognize its impact then and now.

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