Prototype:
I am choosing to use the app SeeSaw as a way to integrate more writing into my classroom. My students are not very excited when it is time for our writing block. With this app I am hoping to use this during my reading rotations. I want my students to share ideas based on a topic presented by the teacher. Maybe even begin to share stories as well. I am collaborating with some other teachers at another school in my district to gain ideas as to how they are using it in their classroom. I decided to go with this app because it is more secure than a class blog. Some of the blogs you have to pay a subscription in order for the students to have privacy. This app allows for that privacy in that the students will use a qr code to enter our class page. They can comment via typed words or using the audio record button. The ideas are limitless.
My plan:
We are a 1:5 iPad classroom, however in order to launch this app I am planning to reserve more iPads from our learning commons (Library). This way during my small group rotations throughout the week I will walk my students through the app. They will then have a 5-10 minute time period to make their first response. I am thinking that this process will take a good two weeks to get everyone familiar to posting before it becomes a self-guided activity.
During the implementations process, I will have students respond to a prompt. This could be various items: a response to an article read on scholastic news, a favorite food they ate over Thanksgiving Holiday, etc... I am possibly thinking of integrating some of our writing research into the prompts- where they might list an interesting fact about their planet they are researching
I will be learning the app as well as my students... Therefore at this point I am choosing to look at the app in a blog perspective. I am hoping that with insight from a fellow teacher who uses it, I can scaffold in more innovative ways to enhance our writing and get my students more comfortable to collaborating as part of those 21st century skills.
I am choosing to use the app SeeSaw as a way to integrate more writing into my classroom. My students are not very excited when it is time for our writing block. With this app I am hoping to use this during my reading rotations. I want my students to share ideas based on a topic presented by the teacher. Maybe even begin to share stories as well. I am collaborating with some other teachers at another school in my district to gain ideas as to how they are using it in their classroom. I decided to go with this app because it is more secure than a class blog. Some of the blogs you have to pay a subscription in order for the students to have privacy. This app allows for that privacy in that the students will use a qr code to enter our class page. They can comment via typed words or using the audio record button. The ideas are limitless.
My plan:
We are a 1:5 iPad classroom, however in order to launch this app I am planning to reserve more iPads from our learning commons (Library). This way during my small group rotations throughout the week I will walk my students through the app. They will then have a 5-10 minute time period to make their first response. I am thinking that this process will take a good two weeks to get everyone familiar to posting before it becomes a self-guided activity.
During the implementations process, I will have students respond to a prompt. This could be various items: a response to an article read on scholastic news, a favorite food they ate over Thanksgiving Holiday, etc... I am possibly thinking of integrating some of our writing research into the prompts- where they might list an interesting fact about their planet they are researching
I will be learning the app as well as my students... Therefore at this point I am choosing to look at the app in a blog perspective. I am hoping that with insight from a fellow teacher who uses it, I can scaffold in more innovative ways to enhance our writing and get my students more comfortable to collaborating as part of those 21st century skills.
Hi Keli,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great ideas to help towards your problem of practice. Blogging is very engaging and students are often more motivated knowing that their peers will see their work. Although one thing you will want to look out for are the resistant students who are embarrassed or fearful of the sharing aspect and maybe provide extra supports for them. We use Edmodo in my classroom with grades 3-6 and they love it because it looks and feels a lot like Facebook to them but I know of other teachers in my school that have has success with other blogs although I have not heard of this particular one.
This idea will definitely require some modeling for student son what a quality post is and how to respond to each other's ideas in a positive and constructive way even if they don't agree with the idea or noticed errors in the writing. Collaboration is such a powerful tool especially when it involved technology. Just look at how our group is doing the same thing to help each other with this assignment!
Great idea, Kelli! I love the "warmup" method you've hit on of using small, bite-sized writing prompts to get the kids comfortable with the blogging procedure. There is definitely a little overlap between your problem of practice and mine (I'm focusing on a memoir writing project), but one thing I remember my kids struggling with was building up momentum and just getting started on writing.
ReplyDeleteBringing in elements of other classes sounds good too. Here's another suggestion, which I saw on a writing site called Storybird: pick a dynamic piece of artwork or an uncaptioned newspaper photo and use that as the writing prompt. They might need some practice with more concrete writing prompts first, but later in the process this could be a good way to get many different kinds of writing out of one prompt.
Nikola makes a good point about modeling constructive criticism. I can recommend a book by Kathy Greeley called "Why Fly That Way?" which details an approach to teaching a critique protocol. I like it because it is not too harsh, and not too soft: Ms. Greeley's protocol does not whitewash things by only having kids offer praise, but nor does it allow kids to criticize based on gut dislikes. There's a lot of "perhaps you could try X - here let me show you" in her approach, making for civil, but productive responses between students. If that's not clear, let me know and I can clarify.
Lastly - I think you deserve kudos for taking security and privacy into consideration in your choice of tool. My only question on this is whether having such a closed system might limit the "payoff" at the end of the writing instruction? Is there a forum where the kids' work will be displayed or shared at the end of the unit? Or will it all stay within the realm of the classroom? Is there some way to expand the audience for the students?
Kelli,
ReplyDeleteI have never used Seesaw, or really heard of it, so I did some research. I found that the teacher is able to share and flag things for parents to see from home on the app or to share at conferences, a tool that is very valuable- especially for authentic writing samples. I also saw that students are able to access this app from home, making a flipped classroom possible, something many schools are turning towards as technology becomes more available at home. Finally, I saw that students can import artifacts from other apps (over 100), this is a fantastic resource for students, especially to make connections across content.
As far as your activity, I really like that you have them responding to simple prompts that they can get excited about. How many students love to talk about what they ate for Thanksgiving, haha. This will definitely bring excitement to your writing/literacy block. Choice will also motivate them to respond, for example-if you give them a choice of two or three prompts or questions to respond to, they will choose one that applies to them directly.
Your idea also makes me think of using Google Docs to share writing. I have students type their stories on Google Docs and share them with me online so I can type responses and give feedback anytime, they can also share writing with one another. Just an idea.
You are doing great! Your students will appreciate your work.
Hi Kelli, I love what you plan and doing with the students. I think this is a great introductory and safe blog environment. I like that the students can use the app outside of the classroom and begin the "no walls" learning process. Stephanie's suggestion about using Google docs to share and make a classroom works well also. I actually just used the app and found it quite interesting for using with my sophmore group as well for reporting on their assignments because of the calendar it has. Great find!
ReplyDeleteKen