101. The Transformative Power of AI

-
Image
Folks, let’s face it. Our classrooms are going to look a little different this year. AI, specifically ChatGPT, is going to change the way we design learning experiences and assess student mastery. I’ll be honest, when I first explored the ChatGPT platform I was terrified. As I have dug deeper into the technology and its capabilities, I realized that while it does pose significant challenges — it also presents us with some pretty amazing opportunities. In this series, we will explore what AI is capable of, its implications in the classroom, and how it can benefit both teachers and students. Let’s start by examining where we have been, where we are currently, and looking forward to where we are going. Whether this is a trip you wanted to go on or not, the AI train has left the station and it is time for all of us to jump on board. From Card Catalogs to Artificial Intelligence I belong to the micro-generation called Xennial. Xennials are considered to be a “bridge” between Generation X a...
Post a Comment

#34. Building Connections One Moment at a Time

-

Image Link
This is the second post in a series about building connections with students in a remote learning environment. The focus of this post is how to easily embed moments of connection in your daily lesson. The relationships that are formed through these connections will be essential this year. Relationships motivate the students and teachers to keep going when the going gets tough. And this year, the going is very, very tough. 

 I am going to share with you a simple and effective strategy developed by Dave Stuart, Jr. called "Moments of Genuine Connection" or "MGC's." If you are not currently following his work, I highly recommend that you sign up for his blog and check out his professional development resources. I first learned of his work on The Cult of Pedagogy Episode 152.

A MGC is an intentionally planned time to connect with each student. Stuart offers the following advice when creating these moments:
1. Keep them short and sweet. Each connection should be less than three minutes.
2. It should come from a place of authenticity. The teacher must want to connect with the student. It should not just be another task to cross off on the To-Do list.3. The purpose of the connections is to build a relationship in which the student feels seen and valued.

MGC's also need to be efficient and sustainable for the teacher. Set a reasonable goal for how many students you want to connect with each week. You can keep track on a class roster, gradebook, seating chart, etc. When you have connected with each student, start the list over again. Try to embed these connections into the daily flow of your class. In my F2F class, I try to connect with students as they enter the classroom, during small groups and as they leave. These opportunities still exist in the online classroom.

Your video conferencing software may help facilitate these moments of connection. Zoom offers the option of a waiting room. I can admit students in small groups and have brief conversations with them. Breakout rooms also provide a great venue for connecting with students! For example, my teaching partner asks an icebreaker question every time she enters a breakout room, such as "if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Another fast and easy way to connect with your students is by creating a weekly video message for them. Consider sharing an aspect of your life with them - or just offer some quick highlights from the week. 

My preference is to embed these moments into my curriculum whenever possible. This is easily accomplished when you teach psychology! For example, I am using the principles of positive psychology to connect with my students every Monday. This Monday the students will be completing a modified version of the "Savor Assignment." I chose to make this a discussion to increase student-student and student-teacher connections. 

In my next post, I will focus on how to use feedback to strengthen connections between the students and teacher. I will share how to leverage moments of connections to both motivate students and make feedback more effective. I will also share some fascinating research regarding how the mode of feedback offered can affect student satisfaction and achievement. 

I highly encourage you to listen to the podcast that inspired this post at The Cult of Pedagogy: Creating Moments of Genuine Connection Online  & check out the professional development opportunities offered by Dave Stuart Jr. I just signed up to take his FREE course called "10 Tips for Staying Motivated When Teaching in Tough Times."

I would love to hear all of the ways that you are connecting with your students! Please share them in the comments below.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#23. Tackling Testing and Individual Differences Using Station-Rotation

-
Image
This past November, I had the honor of presenting about blended learning at the National Council for the Social Studies Conference in Austin, Texas.  I was happy to see that there was a great deal of interest in this model of teaching! In my presentation, I differentiated between different models of blended learning and shared how I use the Station-Rotation model in my own classroom. I have found the Station-Rotation model to be my "go-to" model for blended lesson design.  The essence of the Station-Rotation model is that students rotate between different stations within the classroom walls.  However, as you will see in my example, they can also use flex time to complete some of their learning tasks.  The key to a well-designed, station-rotation lesson is balance.  One of the most helpful resources that I have found in my blended learning journey are a book and blog by Catlin Tucker.  According to Tucker, a strong lesson balances teacher-led stations...
Read more

#45. New Twist on a Old Lesson: Theories of Emotion

-
Image
If you have been following my blog you already know that I am a HUGE fan of the station-rotation model. The essence of the station rotation is that students rotate between carefully curated online and offline learning stations. This can occur both within and outside of the classroom walls so this model lends itself well to the remote and hybrid learning environment. In this post, I will share how I transformed  my existing lesson plans on the theories of emotion into a station rotation that can be used both in-person and online. The key to a successful station rotation is balance . One of the most helpful resources that I have found in my blended learning journey is a book and blog by Catlin Tucker. According to Tucker, a strong lesson balances teacher-led stations with online and offline stations. You might already have ideas of what types of online and offline activities you could build into your station rotation. If not, consider checking out this document she created th...
Read more

#47. Playing with Playlists: Clinical Psych

-
Image
Are you looking for another blended learning strategy to try that provides your students with choice and a voice? Consider designing a playlist for your students. A playlist is an interactive digital assignment that provides students with a roadmap for how to achieve their learning goals. I am really excited about incorporating playlists because it allows for a more personalized and differentiated learning experience for my students. They also require the students to assume ownership of their own learning because they choose which direction they take on their learning path. When I begin the process of designing a learning playlist, I focus on the following questions: Learning Outcomes:What do my students need to know at the end of this lesson? Assessment: How will I know if my students know what they need to know? Choice: What choices can I give my students in regards to the time, place or modality of learning that they can engage in? Teacher: How can I best support my students duri...
Read more