Mrs. Rinaldi's projector has decided to not cooperate, and she is not able to connect to the Apple TV in her classroom with her iPads. This is making it difficult for touring and modelling how to use the eLearning Ontario LMS. Nonetheless, the students are still engaged in collaborative tasks, and are using the iPads to communicate their learning. Yay! A new projector has been ordered, and she is (while a bit frustrated now) ready to jump in.
I was luckier in my classroom. While my projector has also decided to start its own slow death, I am still able to connect to the Apple TV. The students are using the eLearning Ontario LMS, though with much, much guidance. The layout is not as child-friendly as I'd wish; we will be meeting with our eLO Board contact this week to try and change things up so that the kids are more comfortable, and become more independent using it.
I had chills this week. I was able to stand back in my classroom, watch the students, take it all in, and say to myself, "Wow, this is really going to work!"
I decided to start right away to train the students to set their own schedule. While it was still controlled by me in the end, the students thought they were the captains of their own ship that day. On Wednesday morning, I posted three columns on the white board, Math, FLA and Religion, with a 9:30 a.m. start time. I also number 1-25 (almost) evenly between the three subjects. When the students came in at 9:00 a.m., I explained what our day would consist of. Students were to choose what they would like to work on at 9:30 a.m. and sign up. They would be working on their choice until recess, and after recess we would do a rotation, and after lunch the students would work on their remaining task.
So they were off. Some students were working with base ten blocks, the iPads and paper. Some students were reading an online french story, while others created a french Bitstrip. In other areas, students were discussing the Prayer of St. Francis, and looking up facts about him…. our school's Patron Saint.
It was amazing. I quickly sent a message to my principal to come and take a walk in my classroom. While some might have walked by and thought it was chaotic in my classroom, it really was controlled chaos. Students were all engaged. They were all on task. Why? Because they were working on the subject of their choice. They were working with the tools of their choice.
After recess, and again after lunch, I did not have to say a word. Goosebumps again. On their own, students moved on to their next "task" with a smile!
My role that day? I was busy troubleshooting. Students required guidance and modelling on the eLO site. Those working with base ten blocks called me over to talk about their structures and what they used to create it. Kids looking up St. Francis shared some facts both on a chart paper posted on the wall and with their peers.
I will try this again once next week…. hopefully it goes just as well!