Like most teachers, I strive to learn and do more with my students. This was a big year of growth for me. I explored student voice, augmented reality, and deepened my understanding of iPad and Apple app integration. This is my 2018-2019 school year reflection.
Let me hear a “woot woot” for student voice! This year, I became more involved with #studentvoice. My students have Flipgrid fever, and to tell you truth . . .so do I! Flipgrid is user-friendly and high-interest. I’ve enjoyed using it with students and watching classroom teachers in my building embrace this tool. We used it a lot to prep for our visit by the champion of student voice, Olivia Van Ledjte. Her visit to our school sparked an increase in student voice, passion projects, discussions about #digital4good, and student empowerment to change the world. Thank you, Liv, for your influence! You are the definition of #KidsCanTeachUs
“This is SO cool!” said by a 5th grade student exploring AR. I jumped into AR this year with the Merge Cube. At a cost of only $15.00, this little guy is a big bang for your buck! I used the Merge Cube with 5th graders this year. We use the Galactic Explorer app to explore the solar system and even coded Ozobots to orbit Earth like the Moon. I also introduced 5th graders to CoSpacesEDU where they designed virtual book reviews to view on a Merge Cube. Thank you, Mary Howard, for sharing this fun AR creation!
It’s official . . . I have fallen down the Apple rabbit hole. This year, I became an Apple Teacher and attended Apple Academy in Austin, TX to become an Apple Learning Specialist. I’m blown away by the iPad’s impact on teaching and learning. I did lessons with mark up, Clips, and Keynote animations. These features and apps had a “wow factor” with students and staff and I can’t wait to do more. Apple iPad and apps, you are a game changer!
