Mindful Ed

Sharing my experiences integrating technology in the classroom is something I have become passionate about. I was delighted when asked to be a part of the very first WCDSB GAFE Summit at Resurrection High School. I was slightly concerned at first - how would my experiences in primary relate to those in the High School setting? What has occurred to me is good pedagogy is good pedagogy! Creating dynamic learning spaces where students are engaged and empowered translates to all grade levels. +Rolland Chidiac-WCDSB  and I teamed up to prepare a presentation which we entitled GAFE-volution to encapsulate our learning journeys. We created our slide deck solely through sharing and Google Hangouts. We were able to connect and plan using GAFE tools without having to meet in person. As much as I enjoy meeting up with Rolland, because of time constraints, using Hangouts facilitated the planning process for us. Here is what we created: GAFE-volution SLIDE DECK We used this vi...

Our latest curricular inquiries in social studies have centered around what it's like to live in different places around the world. Students are ever so curious to explore and learn about unfamiliar places. I noticed the look of wonder as they conducted their own research - from the pyramids in Egypt to geothermal homes in Iceland.  I began conducting my own research (curiosity is contagious!) about ways to connect with communities beyond the walls of our classroom. I had heard positive reviews of Mystery Skype from other educators and began putting out 'feelers' online. I was still apprehensive of what this would look like in the class, how I would facilitate the learning, figuring out the 'how to' aspect of technology, as well as possible hesitation from other stakeholders. After a week or two with no luck on Mystery Skype, I connected with a Google+ community called Mystery Hangout . Within a day I was in contact with a primary teacher from Vermont who was...