Technology in the Classroom

 By Drew Hayman, Bridgeway Academy Teacher

 

It is the advent of a new generation of technology where your TV can access the internet and the need for home staples like the home landline telephone are falling by the wayside. We in the education system are trying to prepare the students for this new age.  

The question with new technology becomes what is available to help the student get there? To begin with, it is the teachers at Bridgeway Academy as we are attempting to help those students prepare for the future, with a tool set that can help them continue to expand even after this current wave of technology passes and we advance to another level.

This year the school has started to develop a program where the students are using a mobile technology lab filled with iPads. This new technology at school has really opened up new avenues of learning by allowing our students to experience an immersive learning environment through apps. Each application specializes in its function and engages the students with interactive, hands on learning. Learning that prior to now would or could have been filled with only a text book. Exploratory learning functions at its best when given to a student that is engaged in their learning and interested in the concept that you are providing a structure for. The school has been using several different apps that range from dissections, to bridge creations and even making movies. The students have just started to experience iMovie an app designed by apple that allows them to create trailers for future feature films and even the full movie. The budding producers have created some exceptional pieces so far.  The students are also learning to make use of the iPads abilities to read text back to them and even record their voices as text so that it writes the words out for them.

Apps are small programs that can be downloaded for a nominal cost or in many cases free. Gone are the bills for suite programs of $400 or more.  I personally welcome the new era of .99 cent programs that may only do a limited function but usually perform that function very well. There are many programs offered and sometimes it is difficult to distinguish what is actually good or isn’t before you purchase it.  An excellent site to start the search is http://www.slideshare.net/gtoews/free-apps-list it lists out many different applications and the levels in which they are good for.  

The iPad and iPod technology are easily accessible to any person regardless of technology background. Using point, drag, and swipe technology the devices take a lot of the difficulty out of the equation of a PC and allow all users to quickly understand how to use the device and to easily enjoy the experience. If anyone is concerned about the potential difficulty of the items usage I challenge you to give it a try or even have your student teach you how to use it. The devices can be extremely safe as more and more functions are being created to help lock them down.  There are many tutorials and web sites available to help you learn to use your device to its fullest potential.  The best aspect of this technology is the absolute enthusiasm the students have shown for using it. To walk into a class and hear a student playing the piano or guitar and then realize that they are doing so on the iPad is truly incredible. 

Social Studies and Hands-On Learning

By Natalie Gilbert

Social Studies has always been a personal interest of mine, and I am always looking for new approaches to teach my students their units.  However, I am more than familiar with getting lost in the dates, names, and locations of certain units when I was a student myself, and want to ensure that that’s not all Social Studies becomes for my students, as well.

This subject can be taught in so many different ways, and by using so many different modalities, that it is often interesting to see what students can come up with themselves when given the opportunity. I personally enjoy doing a lot of hands-on work with my students in the classroom, as I feel that this helps them gain better insight into the information than a worksheet or page of information might.

That is not to say that some students do not learn best by reading and answering comprehension questions based on the material; I have students who would prefer this method, and I base their individual lessons around this style of learning. However, when we do hands-on learning in the classroom, I find that most students are willing to try an activity, before returning to their particular activity; the way that they learn best.

Last year, during a unit on the Great Depression, my students looked up the average size of a shanty that people were forced to move into after the Stock Market Crash. Once they found this information, they used tape to section off how big it would be, and in groups, had to figure out the layout of their particular shanty, and how they would live in it as a family unit. We also did something similar when they learned about fallout shelters during the Cold War. The students enjoyed being able to push all the chairs and desks out of the way, spread out on the floor, and in a way, live the information, instead of simply listening to it.

This year, my Grade 9's were learning mapping during our unit on Physical Geography, so we created a treasure hunt around the outside of the school. This was done to reinforce the material they had already been learning, and give them a hands-on approach to a subject that is difficult for some students to grasp. They went outside, created their own maps by counting paces, by creating their own legends, and by using the mapping skills they had learned in the classroom, outside of the classroom. The students were very excited to switch maps with each other once their good copies were done, and it was fantastic to see them working together, and helping each other find the “treasure” I had buried according to the directions on their maps.

I try to use hands-on learning in my teaching as much as possible. I feel that it not only helps to reinforce skills learned through discussion and writing work, but often helps to provide students with pertinent information that they may not have gotten otherwise. I also feel like this approach helps information remain with students longer, and helps illuminate certain scenarios they might have been difficult to fathom or understand otherwise. Dates and events in the past can be difficult to connect to, and I feel that the more hands-on you become with these subjects, the more you can create a connection to it. Social Studies can be a dynamic subject when approached in multiple ways, and I feel that a hands-on approach helps students understand that learning these topics don’t have to be boring or monotonous; they can be engaging, interesting, and entertaining when presented in interactive ways. 

Bringing brain research into the classroom

We have shared a few news stories recently on the science of learning disabilities, specifically work focused on the brain and LDs.  It's interesting to note that these breakthroughs aren't just theoretical - some of the findings are being implemented in classrooms around the world.

Here's an interesting article from a recent issue of Education Week, an online publication for teachers in the US, on how brain research is making its way into special education settings.

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team


Special Educators Borrow from Brain Studies

By Nirvi Shah
Rockville, Md.

In a corner of a classroom here at the Ivymount School, a frustrated 7th grader tells himself to take a deep breath. Slowly, without distracting his classmates, he calms down.

This exercise is among many strategies derived from brain-science research that educators at this private school are using with students with disabilities. In this case, the technique is being taught to students with Asperger syndrome, for whom self-control in a moment of frustration can be elusive.

The five steps to regaining calm—including breathing deeply, reading directions, and telling oneself to give something a try—are taped to many of the desks of students in the Model Asperger Program.

Ivymount is one of a growing number of schools trying to adapt techniques based on brain research to special education settings, a practice that many teachers and parents may not have even envisioned a few years ago. While some educators remain skeptical, brain research is slowly migrating from the lab into the classroom, both in predicting which students may have learning difficulties and intervening to help students diagnosed with disabilities.

Opportunities Emerge

Among the efforts under way:
• In Cambridge, Mass., a Harvard University center is devoted to training those who want to use neuroscience and cognitive science to improve teaching, including for students with disabilities.
• In Washington, George Washington University has created a doctoral program in applied neuroscience in special education.

• The Center for Applied Technology, in Wakefield, Mass., employs specialists in neuropsychology, along with other experts, to expand learning opportunities for students with disabilities.
• A professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is using brain-imaging to predict which children in a given kindergarten class might eventually struggle with reading, because of dyslexia or other reasons, so intervention can take place as early as possible.

"We are just beginning to understand how big this is," said Maxine B. Freund, a professor in George Washington's department of special education and the associate dean of research and external relations. "It's an opportunity we treasure."

That's especially so for students with disabilities, said Kurt W. Fischer, a Harvard professor of psychology and human development and the founder of the graduate school of education's Mind, Brain, and Education program.

"What we need to do is figure out how to harness those differences instead of making everyone learn the same way," he said.

That doesn't mean there shouldn't still be some caution about translating brain research into educational techniques, he said.

"There are people that are skeptical, and they ought to be skeptical," Mr. Fischer said. "There are lots of things happening," he added, but "it's still early."

Read the rest of the article on the Education Week website.

The Bridgeway Way - Using creative approaches to understanding math

Once again, we're delighted to share some tips from our own staff on the creative ways they help students with learning disabilities learn.  Many math concepts can be especially tough, but as Mr. DeGrasse tells us, it's not impossible.

Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway Team

My name is Michael DeGrasse and I’ve been teaching at Bridgeway Academy for 2 years. In all my time in the classroom, I have never been so inspired and amazed at the fantastic ways students can come to understand material being taught than in my math classes at Bridgeway.

One topic this year showed me that LD really does stand for ‘learning difference’ rather than ‘learning disability’. As a high school math teacher, most of the time the ideas and topics discussed in class are very abstract and un-relatable. Teaching networks and matrices to a grade 10 class may appear easy – simply teach the students how lines connect to certain spots. The topic, however, becomes increasingly difficult to a student who might have one or more Learning Differences – especially LD’s like dysgraphia or those that affect short-term memory, executive functioning, or require hands-on learning.  Any one of these LDs could make learning the topics seem impossible or improbable to the student with an LD. My challenge is to find multiple ways to teach the material so that each student can learn in their own way.

What I found most important was first finding each student’s strengths. By finding their strengths, I can build a foundation to start from and then build upon. For many of my students, the difficulty was not being able to relate to, or comprehend, the lines on the paper. As a result, I decided to make the lines of the networks tangible. I was able to transfer the points on paper into actual points in the classroom by overturning desks. I was then able to make the lines on paper come to life by using green tape to connect the desks (aka the points). I basically took a 2 dimensional picture or idea and made it 3 dimensional and real.  By doing this, the students were able to manipulate the diagram they saw on paper and walk through the problem to see it from different angles. This allowed some students to comprehend the problem in a way that they may not have been able to see before.

Once I worked out the fine details, in collaboration with the students who required the adaptation, I was able to show the entire class and demonstrate that there wasn’t just one way to look at a problem. This showed the class that with creativity and imagination any math problem can be solved in a variety of ways.  From that point on, whenever the students became stuck or confused, they took it upon themselves to come up with ways to approach the math so that it made sense to them.

Sometimes a student’s approach will only made sense and work for them personally, and sometimes a student’s approach will also work for another student who also may not have fully understood the topic.  In one recent class we had four different methods being used to solve one topic - all mathematically correct and each helping a different student in their own way.

The key is finding the student’s strength, build a foundation around it, and then adding to that foundation to create a way for them to correctly understand a topic.  If we find and build that foundation, every student can learn anything in their own way.

Bridgeway & The Khan Academy

Back on December 11, we posted a long article about the Khan Academy and how the online approach they're taking to education is revolutionizing some classrooms.  As it turns out, Khan Academy videos have made it into our own Bridgeway classrooms!  Here's a posting from one of our Math teachers on how she's using it to help students with learning disabilities.

Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team


By Jean Cain
Teacher, Bridgeway Academy

My name is Jean Cain and I have been a teacher at Bridgeway for the past 4 years.  All of my students have learning disabilities in different areas, such as listening, writing, reading, and math, so I have to come up with creative ways to teach the skills they need.

I use Khan Academy in my math skills class with some of my students.  A fellow teacher showed me this site last summer and I thought it would be a fun and useful additional resource my students could use.

My math classes have 6- 8 students in them at a time, and each student is working on individual lessons that cover topics or skills they need to review and practice. Students complete their work at their own pace.  I teach the initial lesson with the students often using concrete materials or manipulatives. Afterwards, those students who wish to use this website are encouraged to do so.

Students enjoy this website because it offers concise lessons that are taught step-by-step.  Salman Khan will talk out his reasoning while recording this information to solve multi-step math problems.  This is very beneficial to those students that find multi- step problem-solving challenging.   My students also like how he records information or steps using different colors.

The lessons can be paused and replayed, so the students can record the work at their own pace. Students that require more time to process material benefit greatly from this.  They’re able to create their own detailed notes that are well-organized. For my older students that find textbooks challenging for various reasons, this website allows them a more independent approach to learning.  I have seen an increase in confidence as a result.  Students can use this site at home to help with their homework, or receive additional instruction regarding a topic they’re interested in learning about.  Younger students enjoy collecting the badges and choosing which lessons they want to work on.

This site is helpful for most of my students and is definitely worth checking out.

Inspiring quotes - Teaching

We can all use a little inspiration today, especially those hardworking individuals in the teaching profession.  We did a Google search and found a few inspiring quotes relating to teaching, education and schools.  We'll share them all over the next few weeks.  Today - inspiring quotes on teaching, which I'd like to dedicate to the wonderful, hardworking staff at Bridgeway.  Enjoy!

Rhonda & the Bridgeway team

Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.
Plato

A good teacher must be able to put himself in the place of those who find learning hard.

Eliphas Levi

Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change. Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.

William Arthur Ward

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.
Clay P. Bedford

All human beings are born with unique gifts. The healthy functioning of our community depends on its capacity to develop each gift.

Peter Senge, 'The Learning School.'

If I had more skill in what I’m attempting, I wouldn’t need so much courage.

Ashleigh Brilliant

What's the best way to teach our kids?

Thanks once again to Lisa Saunders, Director of Programs at Bridgeway for contributing more of her writing on education.  Lisa is working on her Master's degree at Acadia, and will sharing some of her studies with us in guest postings on our blog.

Enjoy!

Rhonda

By Lisa Saunders

Over our history there have been and continue to be many great debates: is the world flat or round, does God exist, are carbohydrates good or bad?  Within educational circles one debate rages on; what is the best way to teach our kids?  Traditional education offers the stability and predictability of reading, writing and arithmetic, long-established customs found in schools that our society has historically deemed appropriate.  Progressive education, on the other hand, has the qualities of well-rounded education that western society has come to covet; a focus on each student’s strengths and interests, assessing in various ways that support diverse learners.

Throughout the past 100 years many studies have been carried out with the sole purpose of investigating how we learn.  Many of these studies have shown an overwhelming amount of evidence supporting the implementation of the characteristics of progressive education: individual instruction, informality in the classroom, multi-sensory teaching practices and the use of group discussions and laboratories as instructional techniques.  Successful implementation of this very practice has been seen all over the world.  From establishment of progressive education techniques by John Dewey in the early 1900’s to the public uprising against the No Child Left Behind Act, progressive education has been a supported teaching practice spanning over two centuries, albeit with varied success.  As long as we have administrators and policy makers fully immersed in traditional education, progression will not be fully realized.  Difficulty lies in separating the two ideas in that, elements of traditional education: external motivation, memorization of rote facts and concentration on skills in reading, writing and math, are sewn into the very fabric of our educational system. 

Each generation experiences the upcoming generation doing things a little bit differently – how did our parent’s parents feel about television, or our parents feel about computers; how do we feel about social networking and assistive technology?  These tools can be seen as barriers to learning or they can be seen as tools, stepping stones for the next generation to express what we have taught them.   As each generation learns more about how the next generation of students learn, educators attempt to predict what skills will be most beneficial in the next generation’s society.   Central skills include the need for workers to have a proficient ability to receive, store, process and communicate information.  Teaching our students to be independent thinkers will always serve them, no matter their career choice. 

Critics in education will always exist, projecting their view on an education system that is slow to change and seems to cater to the average student.  The essence of learning is not to regurgitate facts, memorized for that expressed purpose, rather it is to understand, investigate and discover in a way that is meaningful to each of us.  As we are all different in thoughts, experiences and viewpoints, so must our learning and evaluation be diverse from that of our classmates.  There are many students who have gifts that reach far beyond memorizing multiplication tables and mastering spelling bees, who require creative and out-of-the-box teachers to guide them towards becoming the forward thinkers of the next generation. 

It makes sense to tailor education to each individual. Though many of our traditionalist teachers and administrators work in their comfort zone, relying on those methods that were bestowed upon them as students,   we all want to teach and support our next generation of children in a way that will be beneficial to society.  Teach a student what to think and humanity stays stagnant, teach a student how to think and who knows how far we will go.

What are your thoughts on education in the future?  Share them in the comments section below!