Google PD - Monday 19th August

“To learn is not to consume ideas, but to create and recreate them” - Paulo Freire

On Monday 19th August, I got the opportunity to attend the workshop 'Tools for Creating in the Classroom'. We looked and explored several different google sites ranging from google docs, slides, book creator, padlet, seesaw, and jamboard.

One fantastic new resource that I was introduced too was jamboard. This is a fantastic collaborative space where students and teachers can add ideas, notes, slides, sticky notes, images, drawing and much more. This can be used effectively within the classroom, especially during PBL.

Some of the other tips and tricks that I learnt to take back to the classroom: 

Google Doc Tips: 

- Make use of the templates 
- When inserting an image, wrap text - change to 0 margin. 
Tools - explore - can have open other tabs in the same page so do not have to go between multiple. 
- Add on - check out the reviews and how many people have downloaded. 

Google Sheets Tips: 

- Making use of the templates - more than just numbers on google sheets (budgets, planners, schedules, calendars, to do lists etc).

Google Slides Tips: 

- Edit the master slide - children can start to use and create their own theme for the slide. 
- Embedding a video - format options. You can edit where you want it to start and finish, autoplay etc. 
- Mask and edit an image - if you want to crop a picture to a particular shape. Next to the crop button. 
- Talltweets - create a gif with google slides. 
- Pear deck - interactive presentation 
- Adding animated image - images, tools, type and change to animated, right click and copy image address, insert image via url. 
- Slides carnival - presentation styles and templates.

Jo Boaler Mathematical Mindset Course

During the holidays I got the opportunity to travel to Hamilton with the rest of the teaching staff at school, to attend a one day maths workshop hosted by Jo Boaler. I have to admit, I was sitting with a bit of a fixed mindset around the day, I just thought it might be like other courses that I have attended where you sit around and just listen to speakers. But this day proved me wrong. Jo was so engaging with the audience and she incorporated activities that we can use within the classroom context. One of the main things that I took away from the day was the importance of the growth and fixed mindset, not only within mathematics but all areas. As a teacher, it made me reflect on the language that I use around my students, making sure I incorporate the normalising of mistakes and always encourage children to believe in themselves. The last one I do, but it's being aware of the impact it has and having it sit at the forefront of the mind when teaching.

As part of my Teaching as Inquiry, I will be delving further into the learning pit and the effects of this on the students within my hub. From attending this workshop, this will really strengthen my inquiry, as I have already had exposure to this area, which will be able to help my students cope more effectively when they are in the pit.