The InterACTIVE Class
Let's take a trip back in time.
I want you to think back to the most boring class you have ever had. Was it in elementary school, high school, or college? What made it so boring?
For me, it was my 5th grade science class. I LOVED science, but I cannot remember anything we covered in that class. The reason why? My teacher had us independently read a lesson from our book and answer the questions at the end of each section. That was it...everyday!
I think we can all agree what I just described is NOT the most effective way to teach students! My teacher really should have read the book The Interactive Class by Joe and Kristen Merrill. The reason I was drawn to this book was because its description promised to help teachers use technology to make lessons more engaging for elementary students.
As a 3rd grade teacher, I struggle with finding appropriate ways to use technology other than just playing an educational game on the computer. I want to find ways to use technology to help my students "demonstrate" their learning. I love this quote from the introduction of the book! The authors state, "One thing is certain: Educators cannot continue teaching in the same structured classrooms, with the same outdated materials, and in the same standardized ways" (Merrill & Merrill, 2019, p. 7). Isn't that the truth?
The book was divided into two sections. The first half of the book focused on what it means to be an interactive class, and management techniques and strategies that help develop an interactive class. I was surprised as I was reading, that much of what was being shared did NOT involve the use of technology. The second half of the book was packed full of lessons that can be implemented using apps.
One of the most interesting parts of the book for me was the very first chapter. The authors explain how the brain works within its environment. They describe how the two parts of the brain: the reflexive brain used for thinking, and the reactive brain used for instinctive reactions (Merrill & Merrill, 2019). The point of the background knowledge about the brain is to help us see that depending on the type of environment our students are in, the different parts of the brain will take over. We want to set up an environment in which our students' reflective brain can take over and our students can learn. We want responsive students, not reactive students (Merrill & Merrill, 2019).
This starts with creating a fun, safe, welcoming, and well designed classroom. Some of their suggestions on how to create a positive classroom environment is by incorporating
- music
- movement
- humor
- novelty
These are things that I intentionally incorporate into my classroom. We start our day with quiet instrumental music as students transition into the room. It seems to give students who may have had a stressful morning time to settle, and students who are still sleepy a chance to slowly wake up. I LOVE to use a song to teach a new concept. I use them to help my students learn to skip count, geometry vocabulary, parts of speech, and more! If we can add movements, it's even better! I try to incorporate movements and gestures whenever possible to help my students retain and recall new information. I also give students a chance to work in alternate places in the room so they are not sitting in a chair all day. I definitely incorporate humor, and when possible, at my own expense. I like to show my students that it is okay to laugh at yourself.
Back to my 5th grade science class. I really think that my teacher just didn't like science. The reason I say that is because she taught social studies in a completely different way. I could tell she was interested in social studies and was excited about teaching us to love it the way she did. I think as teachers we have to show that same kind of enthusiasm, even for topics or subjects we don't particularly like. (That may mean you have to pretend or tell a few fibs). My class last year used to laugh at me because I would say, "This is my favorite thing we learn in math this year!" every time I introduced a new concept. They would say that I said that about everything - and I did!
By creating a safe, fun, and exciting classroom environment, our students' brains can truly reflect and think, rather than react.
Let's Get App-tive
The use of technology in the classroom provides students with the opportunity to actively collaborate with their peers, and demonstrate their understanding of a concept. Some of the apps featured in the book are
- Flipgrid
- Do Ink Green Screen
- Buncee
- SeeSaw
- Texting Story
- Chatterpix Kids
- Thinglink
- Book Creator
Teachers often feel overwhelmed about the best and easiest technology to use with students (Miller, McIntyre, & Lindt, 2020). Our technology coach always suggests picking one or two new things to try at a time. My goal is to learn more about how to use Flipgrid and Chatterpix this upcoming school year. Flipgrid is a versital app to demonstrate "learning, reading, making, and experiencing in the classroom" (Miller, McIntyre, & Lindt, 2020, p. 62). Students record video responses in Flipgrid. I can't wait to try out the lessons from this book and brainstorm other ways to incorporate these apps into my interACTIVE classroom.
Check out this talking book I created with ChatterPix Kids!
References
Giphy. 4shared.com. https://media.giphy.com/media/xsF1FSDbjguis/giphy.gif
Giphy. ChuberChannel.https://media.giphy.com/media/3d5O10XObbr8LW4bDY/giphy.gif
Miller, J., & Miller, K. (2019). The interactive class: Using technology to make learning more relevant and engaging in the elementary classroom. ElevateBooksEdu.
Miller, S. C., McIntyre, C. J., & Lindt, S. F. (2020). Engaging Technology in Elementary School: Flipgrid’s Potential. Childhood Education, 96(3), 62–69.
Hi Valerie,
ReplyDeleteIt is so fun to think back on my past teachers. Like you, I had some pretty amazing teachers and some that I counted down the minutes until the end of class. For me, it was always my history teachers that had us read chapters and answer questions. This made me think history was boring! I thought I hated history until having my college professor who taught Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom. She brought history to life.
The quote you used from your book study made me think of what Dowd and Green (2016) said. They said that our classrooms and resources have changed, but the needs of our students have not. I am just like you in the fact that I struggle to find appropriate ways to integrate technology. This past school year was a HUGE learning experience for me. Being a remote teacher, I was forced to implement lots of new apps and learning websites. But, Dowd and Green (2016) reiterate that “while technology can enhance learning in many ways, teachers should not use it just to be using technology” (p. 56). They stated that we as teachers should think about our desired outcomes and choose the best tool to meet it. Technology may not always be the best tool.
You also mentioned songs and movement. I love to integrate them in my classroom too! I use Heidi Songs, GoNoodle, and Jack Hartmann to teach all kinds of concepts. I love these resources because it integrates music and movement into the classroom. I feel that this gets my students more engaged and involved in their learning. In a recent study by Nadioo and Hajaree (2021), the data they collected found that videos and PowerPoint presentations produced successful learning. They concluded by saying that using technology-based tools is necessary for effective instruction and learning and is also a necessity in preparing students for their future.
Thank you for your blog post! I enjoyed reading it and thinking back on my past teachers.
References
Dowd, H., & Green, P. (2016). Classroom management in the digital age: Effective practices for technology-rich learning spaces. Dowd Green EDU.
Naidoo, J., & Hajaree, S. (2021). Exploring the perceptions of grade 5 learners about the use of videos and powerpoint presentations when learning fractions in mathematics. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v11i1.846
Hey Valerie! It seems like we had very similar school experiences, funny how we both ended up being teachers! I love your approach to music and movement in your classroom too. I too, always say topics are my favorite, and towards the end of the year my students just give me a blank stare because they know I'm lyin'...ha! Remaining enthusiastic until the end of May is HARD, but it truly makes a difference in our students' lives when they see that you're happy to be at work. I also plan to incorporate FlipGrid more with my classes this year. It's such a great tool that's suitable for every device and can really be used for every topic, there are pre-made ones too which is super helpful since we are so busy (Merrill & Merrill, 2019)! With FlipGrid, you can "AppSmash" different things within the "grids" and embed different features that allows students to be able to converse and critique each others videos. I think you could definitely add the chatterpix feature here too! I feel like this is really a perfect way to lay the foundation for proper digital writing techniques and introduce the MINDFUL approach in the very beginning while keeping things fun (Turner & Hicks, 2017). Thank you for sharing your experiences!
ReplyDeleteMerrill, J., & Merrill, K. (2019). The interactive class: Using technology to make learning more relevant and engaging in the elementary classroom. ElevateBooksEdu.
Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Teaching adolescents to read and write digital texts: Argument in the real world. Heinemann.
Valerie, I love how much detail you put into describing how you make your class interactive and engaging for your students. Students engagement- whether it student-to-student, student-to-teacher, or student-to-material, selecting the appropriate way to deliver the information and the activity is key in getting the students interested (Abou-Khalil, Helou, Khalife, Chen, Majumdar & Ogata, 2021). I also like how you shared that you have a good sense of humor, even at your expense. This is something mentioned in our book Classroom Management in the Digital Age, because inevitably something is going to go wrong with techbnology, and the way the teacher handles it can make all the difference (Dowd and Green, 2016).
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the helpful tips and strategies you shared!
Katie
References
Abou-Khalil, V., Helou, S., Khalifé, E., Chen, M. A., Majumdar, R., & Ogata, H. (2021). Emergency online learning in low-resource settings: effective student engagement strategies. Education Sciences, 11.
Dowd, H., & Green, P. (2016). Classroom management in the digital age: Effective practices for technology-rich learning spaces. Dowd Green EDU.
Valerie,
ReplyDeleteI have to tell you, I thought your introduction to your blog post was so engaging! I was literally tracing back every memory to my early elementary years trying to think back to a similar experience. I completely agree with your statement about teachers changing the way they teach in the technology driven society we live in. Merrill and Merrill (2019) state, "Your lessons should always be improving, and no two should ever look alike (p.23). In my third-grade classroom, this is something I tell myself year after year, even when planning and preparing takes a lot of time. Each set of students from year to year are so different along with needs and learning styles. I am so grateful to live in a world where there are so many engaging resources to use with my students. Merrill and Merrill share, “The ability to create is one of the most powerful privileges you have as a teacher” (p. 23). So, with this power, may we always choose to steward it well by serving our children with a welcoming and engaging classroom to come inside every day!
Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed reading your post!
Laney
References
Merrill, J., & Merrill, K. (2020). The Interactive Class: Using Technology to Make Learning More Relevant and Engaging in the Elementary Classroom. Elevate Books Edu.