I subscribe to a parenting website and receive weekly email alerts about developmental milestones and topics relevant to my child’s age. Recently, I read a post: Your 3 3/4-year-old: Computer Ready?

Perhaps, it’s my profession, or better yet, maybe, it’s my experiences and the topics presented during #ETMOOC that had me scratching my head and pondering some of the statements.

Here are a few quotes that really jumped off the screen at me:

‘Computers can be great learning tools, and software for preschoolers is plentiful — but this kind of play is by no means necessary at 3.’

We have so many interactive books apps for my son on our iPad. I constantly am downloading these same apps for the preschool teacher who consults with me in my district, too. Recently, we had a conversation about how a few parents in her classroom that is piloting an iPad initiative do not want their children using these devices at all. She respects their wishes; however, she feels that these students are missing out. Children love to listen to stories. Even though there are four adults in her classroom, it’s still hard to read all of the various stories that they each individual child wants in a block of time. As we know, some children also like to hear the same story over and over and over again. She finds the interactive book apps to be almost a miracle in meeting these demands. Of course, the apps can not replace the conversations and rich discussions that can take place with a good book shared with another person. Therefore, these iPad apps are a great rotating center choice that complements the other areas of the classroom such as blocks, sensory table, and dramatic play. Could this classroom function without these apps? Absolutely. However, advancing academics, such as literacy, is not the only reason to use these tools.

‘But scientists say that the best way to develop a young mind is hands-on exploration and interacting with people.’

My son Skypes almost every night with his grandmother. She reads him stories. They talk about their days. This daily interaction is an opportunity for my son to practice manners, courtesies and listening & conversational skills. He has a chance to interact with a family role model who he otherwise would only see in person a couple of hours twice a month due to distance. This type of interaction is one of the wonders of what technology can do: bring people together. I know that my son’s future will be filled with this mode of communication in both his personal and professional life. While this should not be the only way to interact with people, it certainly needs to be practiced and developed. These guided sessions with Grandma are laying a solid foundation.

‘Above all, don’t be overeager to introduce computer play. All too soon you’ll be looking for ways to actively discourage your school-ager from the addictive computer screen.’

My biggest aversion is the sense that computers are only for play. I know that children, especially preschoolers, learn through play. However, I think so many more skills beyond reading, writing and arithmetic are being acquired when a young child uses technology. It’s an occasion to guide and establish practices for safety and ethical situations. Young children learn about their worlds from watching what the adults and other people in their lives do. They mimic our behaviors. While a preschooler (or any child) most certainly should not be given free reign on computers and devices, withholding all access reminds me of friends I knew growing up who were not allowed to watch T.V. The minute they were at someone else’s house, that’s all the friends wanted to do. Teaching moderation and self-control is a better alternative. I also want my son to know that there is a balance in this age of technology. We always can be plugged in and connected. Yet, we need to know when face-to-face may be the better option.

It used to be that our families and small communities where we grew up were the only influences that shaped our adult lives. Today, family and community still are primary influences, but not the only ones due to the accessibility of the world through electronic devices. If Mom and Dad do not know or give a satisfactory answer, a child can take the matter into his/her own hands via a Google or YouTube search. That is very powerful and scary at the same time since the volume of information available can be astounding and overwhelming at the same time. The Internet used to be “read only” for most. Only a select few controlled the content available. Now, we all can be contributors. In preparation for this, I want to seize the opportunity now at a young age to model and discuss good digital citizenship before issues arise. Be proactive.

Therefore, a take away from #ETMOOC for me is that a preschooler needs to start becoming aware of his rights as well as the responsibilities that come with this citizenship, and I am the first teacher of this topic in the curriculum of life.

The #ETMOOC lip dub inspired me to make a community-sourced Abbot School Pledge & Code of Conduct video. Staff were asked to submit a video recording of themselves reciting the pledge or code of conduct in a recent post and email.

Below is an excerpt from the original email:

I want to create a video of the Abbot Student Pledge and Code of Conduct being read by as many staff members as possible. However, it won’t be a unison group reading with all us huddled in front of a camera. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard. Everyone’s face needs to be seen.

I am asking that every interested staff member video record him/herself reading/reciting the Abbot Student Pledge and Code of Conduct. If this is too much of an individual risk, feel free to do it as a team or cluster of staff members. I then will look at each of the videos submitted and take a segment from each to compile a cohesive reading of the Abbot Student Pledge and Code of Conduct.

Why am I even suggesting this activity? Today, we live in a very connected world. Everyone has an opportunity for his/her voice to be heard and to share his/her thoughts, feelings and learning via online outlets. Crowdsourcing is a method of gathering information. In our case, we will gather everyone’s unique reading of the Pledge and Code of Conduct. We want everyone to have a sense of belonging and significance at Abbot. We have high expectations/guidelines that we ask the students to recite and then follow every week. Let’s show the students that we as an adult community believe in these expectations. Let them hear us saying the words and see the expressions on our faces. Let them see via this product that we all work together to make things happen at Abbot.

The video debuts at Community Meeting today. Please take a look: Abbot Student Pledge & Code of Conduct

I was introduced to the idea of the Six Word Story during the digital storytelling topic in #ETMOOC. For those who do not know, there is a legend that Ernest Hemingway once composed a six word story in order to win a bet. His winning story: For sale: baby shoes, never used. Today, there is at least one website and a Twitter stream dedicated to the creation of this type of story. I tried my hand at posting a couple of my own six word stories on Google+ and Twitter. Interestingly, people commented with – what else?! – a six word story! I then found myself composing a reply with another six words to continue the conversation. And the conversation did continue… it was actually kind of fun and very creative.

That brings me to: can this be used in the elementary grades?

I don’t see young kids getting involved with the above linked website or Twitter stream as there is no filter or content restrictions; however, I do see the concept of the six word story being used to teach students what the key points of a story are. What words can be chosen to hook a reader and make him/her want to know more? It also can make students think about what elements will elicit emotion. Perhaps, the six word story could be a challenge to report/summarize something that they have learned or an event that has taken place. In six words, retell the chapter that you have read. In six words, give feedback about how you are doing with a task or skill.

Of course, this type of writing can be extremely low tech or even no tech at all. Six word stories just can be written on an index card or a sheet of paper. However, what I enjoyed most beyond the challenge of writing a six word story was sharing it with others and getting a response. Maybe, this is a great way to do some paper blogging? Writing one six word story on a sheet of paper and having students put post-its on it.

Getting back to the tech, I certainly can see students writing six word story blog posts, and as a part of the assignment, visiting each other’s posts and commenting. The comments could ask questions or make observations (in the six word style or not- depending on how challenging you want to make the activity). The post author could respond (in six words or not?) to continue the flow of the conversation. Perhaps, adding another six words to the story based on the audience’s inquiries or comments. Or, maybe, the comments would serve purely as peer writing feedback, and the post author would now write a more developed story in its entirety. The six words served as an outline or plan. Moreover, it could be a ploy: the words were a teaser to get the audience wanting to know the entire tale.

I could go on about how the six words could inspire photographs or drawings to be created and shared. Furthermore, the teacher could prompt students with an image and ask students to compose a six word story about it. The six word stories could be made into a slideshow with any number of software applications.

Six words do not seem like much. Yet, they can be very powerful, depending on how they are used.

Teacher prompts. Students think. Learning happens.

I took a risk and participated in a crowdsourced lip dub for #ETMOOC.

What did I take away from this experience?

• Teamwork: I was just one of the many people who signed up. I worked hard to get my section right (following the guidelines) and submitted on time, but then I had to rely on others to do their part for the whole thing to come together.
• Partnership: There truly is safety in numbers. I enlisted my son as I honestly felt a little self-conscious going about the task alone. It was great to see that I was not the only one who used the buddy system.
• Awe: I have admiration for those brave souls who performed solo!
• Appreciation: Everyone’s own interpretation and approach to the task are valued. I love the creativity and individualism that shines in the finished product.
• Pride: I was a part of a great project.

Abbot School’s Community goal is for all members to have a sense of significance, belonging and fun. This project certainly achieved that goal for me as I’m sure it would many of our students. Thanks, #ETMOOC, for modeling connected learning!

Oh, and if you haven’t seen the video yet, here it is… Can you find me?

I am a Responsive Classroom teacher. Sometimes that gets the reputation of being “touchy-feely”. However, anyone who knows me would not describe me or my teaching that way. I have high expectations for student behavior and work that coincides with one of  the core principles of RC: the social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum. I feel that the #ETMOOC (that I am participating in) is really justifying that belief.

In last night’s #ETMOOC session “An Introduction to Rhizomatic Learning“, a thought by Dave Cormier rang true for me and all Responsive Classroom teachers: ‘ We need to make students responsible for their own learning (and the learning of others).’

Students have to take ownership. Today, there are so many opportunities to connect with people and make exchanges beyond the classroom walls. Knowing how to interact in this kind of online environment is crucial. Guidelines have to be established. A list of rules generated by the teachers/ adults are not going to keep students safe. Students taking responsibility will. But how will a student know what a responsible connected person looks like? From his/her role models, of course.

Tonight, I attended an #ETMOOC session on Becoming a Networked Educational Leader led by George Couros. The message was clear: if you want to understand social media, you have to use it yourself. And a very important part of using it yourself also is demonstrating character. Show students that you choose your words carefully in your tweets. Write blog posts the way that you would want students to blog, expressing thoughts with well thought out ideas and connections that invite conversation. Encourage by commenting on peers’ and students’ posts, giving detailed feedback and posing questions. In other words, walk the walk.

In Responsive Classroom, asking students to be active observers and participants in classroom role plays is called Interactive Modeling. By playing out scenarios and giving students an opportunity to practice situations, it gets them thinking about expected, respectful behaviors. From these observations and interactions, clear guidelines are defined with student input. Alas, we know that if students are a part of the process of rule making, then they will see the value and need for the rules. This is how we should be guiding students in social media, giving them opportunities to observe us as well as practice authentic online connections.

I want to close with a quote shown during Dean Shareski‘s #ETMOOC session from last week on sharing:

‘I wish we could stop using the word “accountable” and instead talk about “responsible”. It would make all the difference.’

What do you think?

I have been thinking a lot about student blogging recently. And by thinking, I really mean reading what others are saying about it.

Here are some blog posts that I hope will inspire you to continue or even start blogging with your students:

Pernille Ripp‘s Ideas for Integrating a Student Blog in Your Curriculum & What Does Student Blogging Exactly Do?

My favorite line from Pernille Ripp: ‘Students don’t need more work, they need more authenticity in their educational experience.’ Blogging should not be an add-on to the curriculum. One should consider where it fits naturally. After reading her list, I am beginning to wonder if we can afford not to have students blogging?

Edna Sackson ‘s 10 20 ways to think about your class blog

The reflective questions on this post got me wondering about the importance of meaningful conversations. We always are moving on to the next topic to meet curriculum demands. Unfortunately, that kind of pace leaves us with many missed opportunities for deeper understandings.

Silvia Tolisano ‘s Student Blogs: Learning to Write in Digital Spaces

A great take away from this post is the “Take Another Look At Your Blog Post” checklist that emphasizes quality writing. I like how it focuses on “voice” and includes such things as ‘makes the reader curious’ while keeping the expectation of proper spelling and grammar. It even challenges us to consider embedding multimedia. These are essential components in order to reach an audience effectively.

With all of this in mind, I’m excited to help our school librarian get her Have You Read Anything Good Lately? Blog going once again in 2013. I’m hoping the students will be as well.

When I taught first grade we used to go on a hunt around the school for things that we were studying. For example, if our focus in math was right angles, we would grab our clipboards, papers and pencils and walk around the halls, library, cafeteria, office, playground and where ever in the school twenty buzzing with excitement students could fit. We would sketch what we found, and then write a sentence. These pages would then be bound together as a class book and put in our book nook for all who wandered into our classroom to enjoy.

Five years ago, I used to say: if only we had digital cameras then… (Did I just date myself?) Then we could have made quick, authentic, non-fiction books using a word processing program….

Time to jump to today’s innovations. I now say: if only we had iPod Touches back then…

Recently, a third grade class started using Touches to check out trash barrels in our school as a part of a grant. The goal: to see how we could improve and promote our UpCycle program. Would we find trash or treasure in these barrels? This week, these third graders are going to present their initial findings in the form of a slideshow at an all school assembly. From there, we will develop short movies or public service announcements to target the areas of environmental awareness need.

The power of the Touches is how each student can be so independent and involved in the process of completing this project. Each Touch has been given a free Gmail account. The classroom teacher’s email has been added into Contacts. Therefore, when a student snaps a picture, s/he can email it to the teacher with a tap. A note, thought or reflection may be typed into the email’s body. (For example: Look at all the paper in here!) The teacher can evaluate the child’s work from her inbox.

If the objective is to combine the images from the different devices, the teacher may put them in a shared folder for a slideshow in iPhoto. Or the students may select the images on the Touches to go into a free Dropbox app on the Touch. Now, these images will be accessible on a designated computer or from any of the other Touches through this Dropbox app. Using Photos or  iMovie right on the Touch,  students also can create their own slideshows or movies using each other’s images. These can be shared via email to the teacher again. (Or put in the Dropbox.) Soon they will be posted to a class blog or wiki for viewing by an audience beyond the classroom walls.

Putting the power in students’ hands… love it! And how great is it, that we’re saving paper and toner while teaching people to be green?!

Does anyone else want to give this tool a try? Or please share how you’re utilizing the camera and/or sharing features of the Touches!

So much preparation, energy and enthusiasm goes into projects. Teachers identify a curriculum need. They plan and collaborate with the technology specialist. Lab times and equipment use are scheduled and coordinated. Thoughtful mini-lessons are executed. Students work hard to learn and demonstrate their core curriculum knowledge via a new tool, method or medium. AND THEN TIME RUNS OUT… and it’s onto the next item that needs to be covered before the end of the school year.

It would be wonderful if we had an unlimited amount of time to let learning come full circle. I believe that is where the true reflection happens and deeper learning transpires. Often, I feel like we just make a project, and it’s put it “out there”. But then what happens? Was the purpose met, and could there be more to it?

As the school year draws to a close, I’m thinking about the great projects that I have assisted over the past ten months, and wondering how could I help build in this important part of the process. Perhaps, this is an authentic use of our fixed block time when students come to the computer lab without their teachers every three weeks. Having the opportunity to explore and share each other’s work, to leave/answer comments or to reflect (with the aid of a guided sheet) would be completing the circle.

Something that we need to do more.

Something to think about this summer.

As I stood in my kitchen on this snow day, I observed a flourishing new behavior in my 19 month old son: mimicking. I do not have school today, but this morning, I tried to steal work moments at my laptop set up on a counter. My husband was working from home due to the storm and had set up shop with his laptop on the livingroom couch. During this time, our son traveled from room to room with various toys “curiously” checking in with both of us. At one point, my son pushed over a stool next to me and “asked” if he could come up to join me. Once he was in his seat, I handed him his toy laptop, and without any direction or prompting, he began to tap away on the buttons. I went back to typing an email and checking my Twitter PLN, but snuck glances at him. He continued to tap away and even stopped several times to wave at his refection in the “screen”. After about five minutes, he “asked” to get down. Initially, he put the toy laptop on the kitchen floor and started to scamper away ; however, he then turned around, picked up the laptop and placed it on the edge of the table. Satisfied with its placement, he  ran to his new adventure.

This whole sequence of events got me thinking about a Facebook post that a friend wrote over the weekend. She was looking for thoughts about whether or not she should let her nine year old have a FB account. Probably about 75% of the people were commenting “No” to her question, citing that it was too easy for kids to get into adult topics or dangerous. The people who responded “Yes” or were in favor of kids having Facebook accounts gave advice on privacy settings and making rules for the child. My response was that I’m always in favor of an opportunity to teach the appropriate and responsible way to do things.

In this blog, I have recommended and explained many tools and services that are at our fingertips. These tools can be used for good or evil. They can help us to solve problems or create issues. A steak knife can help us eat food, but it also can be a weapon. A swimming pool is a lot of fun; however, it’s very dangerous if you don’t know how to swim.

Seeing my son “play” with the laptop today showed me what I’ve already taught him about laptops. They are communication tools (his typing and then waving at the screen as if he was in a Skype call which BTW he does each night with Grandma). His gesture of going back to pick up his laptop and placing it on the table instead of leaving it in the debris of his discarded toys demonstrated that he’s been paying attention to what we do with our tools when we are done: Always putting them in a safe place. He knows that we value these tools.

Of course, a little while later, he did take his “laptop” down and step on it on purpose. After a reminder that we don’t use feet on laptops, he did pick it up and place it back on the table. Just because he’s growing up digital doesn’t mean my little monkey doesn’t need some guidance! That’s what I’m trying to impart here. Parental/Teacher modeling and “conversations” about the technology and the world will have the greatest impact about how it’s used. We shouldn’t make it a forbidden fruit.

I’m looking forward to helping my son (and my students) become careful, responsible members of our connected society.