Wonder with Me!

Hello! Welcome back to my blog. I have been enjoying my Reading Week, as it has been a much needed break from classes which has allowed me to get a head start on some of my assignments as well as spend quality time with my family. Having this time also helps me put things in perspective. I find that my mind is often thinking about the future and my career goals, and as I am nearing the end of my undergraduate degree I am getting more and more excited to take the steps I need to fulfill them!

Recently, I stumbled upon a method of teaching reading called the Orton-Gillingham approach. Basically, this is a holistic way of teaching reading through the use of multisensory techniques implemented in a specific order based on the child's individual needs. More information can be accessed through their website: http://www.ortonacademy.org/approach.php Being an OG tutor is something that I am considering pursuing in the near future, as it really resonates with my values as an educator. Because of my interest in this subject, I recently reached out to a successful OG tutor based out of the States for some advice. Her blog can be accessed here: http://www.theliteracynest.com/ I look forward to hearing what she has to say, and I will continue to read her blogs to learn as much as I can about the OG methodology.

Here are a few reflections I wanted to include about my last blog. The StoryPatch App could be used as an added technological element to a lesson on parts of a story grammar. First, I could introduce the concepts of characters, setting, etc. to the class by reading a story aloud to them and having a class discussion to connect the story with its story grammar. My class would then complete a book study in which we would compare the elements of two different stories using a story grammar approach. The StoryPatch App could be used as a class to create a story using the help option, which would provide a structured introduction to how to write their own stories. Then, depending on the technology available, the children could write or type their own stories following the structure provided by the app but without assistance this time. This could be a fun way to incorporate learning as well as provide my students with a scaffolded approach to crafting their own stories.

To build on the concept of using a website to track students' ecological footprints, students could implement changes in their lifestyles to lower their footprints after viewing their results. They could present what they have learned to another class or to their school, and if possible they could use their knowledge to make changes in their own school in order to better help the environment. This could be connected to many different subjects, such as science, language, the arts, etc! It would be fun to leave it up to the class in a sense (similar to passion-based learning) to see what the students are interested in and what they produce.

Finally, I've been happy to see that some schools are giving their students computer time to play the math game Prodigy! I was able to talk to some students in a Grade 2/3 class who said they really enjoy playing the game, and a girl I tutor loves the game so much that I doubt she even realizes she is learning! I'm not sure how customizable the game is, but it would be cool if the teacher could set the questions to test a specific math unit that the children have been working on. I think that the teacher can build on what is presented in the game by monitoring what questions children are struggling with, and going back and reteaching/creating new lessons to solidify the concepts that may have been unclear.

Thanks for reading my musings, and stay tuned for another reflection on what I am learning as a 21st century educator! (Image link: http://wbspectrum.com/4076/student-life/inspire-me/)