Letting Students Choose Research and Going Outside the Classroom

Jess Fraser

It’s so difficult to choose my best teaching moment of all time, so I’ll choose a project that empowered students to have a voice and to interact outside of their classroom.  Two years ago, my fifth graders in Anaheim collaborated with fifth graders in La Habra on a science project.  In groups of four, two from Anaheim and two from La Habra, students used Skype to communicate with one another, Docs to plan and collaborate, and Flipboard to curate their science research.  Each group determined questions they still had unanswered after learning about outer space using their science textbook.  They worked together to find the answers to their questions and place the resources in their shared Flipboard magazine.  At the end of the curation period, groups decided how they would display their learning.

The main reason why this was one of the best teaching moments for me was because my students were fully empowered by having choice in their project.  With many of my students being English learners, communicating via Skype allowed them to develop their language skills in a fun and non-intimidating way.  My students were, for probably the first time in their lives, actually excited about research.  I loved the buzz that this project created and how my students worked after school hours late into the evening, as I enabled notifications to keep track of their activity on Flipboard.  My students said this project gave them more confidence and showed them a new way of learning.  The kids who were normally unmotivated in school told me how much they loved learning throughout this project.  It gave them hope in the fact that they could have voice and choice in their learning.

Green Screen in 7th Grade Science

I introduced it to my students with a warm-up question, "What makes Magic School Bus magical?" We discussed, and then I told them we were going to try out green screen--they were giddy with excitement. Their anticipation grew even more when I told them I had never done this before, and we were going to learn together.

The premise of their project was to form groups of 3 and create a 2-3 minute video where they creatively explain a chemical reaction. Then, their first task was to collaborate on a script on Google Docs. We spent the rest of the block period (105 minutes) outside writing scripts on the grass and on benches.

The next block we were on a field trip (yay!) and students finished their script on Friday (30 minutes). On Monday, I projected the workflow (see below), and students worked either inside or outside in their groups for 105 minutes. I had two groups record on Monday, which was a huge success because we learned how to use the DoInk app together!

On Wednesday, I had 8 groups that needed to record, so I assigned them each a "call time" for 10 minutes of recording time and sent everyone else to practice outside. For this first time using green screen, I limited my students to one background to keep things simple. In the future, I'll allow them to record with multiple scenes.

My two groups that already recorded had also edited outside of class. I asked these 6 girls to manage the recording process using my iPad. Something amazing happened: they took over the entire recording process, including downloading the image from Google Drive, using the app, directing the recordings, managing props, uploading the video, and alerting the next group it was their time. I was amazed that they took on this leadership without being asked! And, it freed me up to check in with other groups and not stress about getting everything done.

Socratic Seminar

The DP Literature students, eight in total, sat in a circle, ready to begin a Socratic seminar on intertextuality in the works of Langston Hughes.  They knew their respective roles and responsibilities to keep the conversation going, but I never knew how well any seminar would go.  That day, the students built on prior comments, respectfully challenged others’ assertions, provided textual evidence supporting their statements, demonstrated their understanding, and maintained a discussion at a very high intellectual level for almost 45 minutes.  Even students who normally were reluctant participants in class conversations actively and passionately presented their observations and defended their conclusions.  The level of intellectual engagement and demonstration of mastery in that Socratic seminar is now the baseline against which I measure the success of other classes.

Amanda Wolgast

It was during my first year teaching abroad - 2010. I was the middle school drama teacher at the International School of Brussels, a school that is known for their Special Education programs. I had never worked with special needs students before and by this day I had been doing so for about a month. One of the students didn’t talk much and was always accompanied by an aide. This student would always play the warm-up games but then kind of withdraw during the time we would work on scripts. She had some reading concerns so the aide would always talk her through her lines. On my greatest teaching day, it was a day I introduced improv. After our normal games, I had them begin an improv game. Her hand shot right up as a volunteer. Her improv scene was funny, witty, and it made the entire class see her in a new way. It made ME see her in a new way. This moment showed the power of theater. This moment showed other students to look beyond disabilities. This moment showed ME that just a small shift in an activity can reach students you thought may be unreachable.

Leanne De Bella

The best day that I have ever had while teaching was last year, during my Senior English classes. We were reading Macbeth and the students were broken up into groups of four; each group was in charge of answering a set of questions (JIGSAW) about the text on google docs in our Google classroom. Everyone was working collaboratively on their chromebooks. I saw my students working together, asking esynthesis questions, and finally taking charge and owning their learning.

Not Good Bye, See You Later

Ben Domonkos

The last day of school in 2015 was my best day as a teacher.  I was teaching 3rd Grade at Tarkington Traditional School in South Bend, IN.Technology has enhanced not only my effectiveness but it also has changed my philosophy.  We are in a school district with technology limitations, however we have persevered through some grants, BYOD and patience!  The students and I learned throughout this year what it took to be 21st century classroom.  It was heartbreaking to have them leave for the summer and no they would not come back as my official students.  We took a final selfie that encapsulated the year with more than half the class in tears not ready to leave school.  They left the class with notes about their year and how they were going to take on their next step in their journey to become successful individuals. The impact we had on each other is one I will always remember and one that will continue to create an even better teacher. MrD3.0