Genius Hour Evaluation Form

Learning Object: Kahoot!

Kahoot is a free game-based learning platform that makes learning fun for any subject, in any language and on any device. Kahoot is best played in a group setting, such as a classroom. The teacher can create a quiz, survey or poll that the class can answer to on their own computers, i-pads or even their very own phones. The game is displayed on one big screen as it unites the class together creating a "camp fire" environment where students can play individually or in teams. Essentially, everyone is facing each other. Kahoot is a very engaging and interactive tool to use in the classroom because it requires concentration, thinking on the spot, discussion and energy. It's pretty much a fun quiz! It is a very simple tool to use as it entails you to create questions and possible answers. The only concern I would have with Kahoot is the devices students can use. Phones can present possible issues in class sometimes, so it really depends on your students. Computers and I-Pads can be used and shared between students for another option if the school has the available for use.

Try out my Kahoot quiz on my Genius Hour: How to Sketch!

https://kahoot.it/#/

Pin: 183786

Genius Hour Update: The Eye of the Beholder

Hello fellow bloggers!

I have made some progress with my sketching creations. This past week I have managed to sketch four individual eyes. The first two eyes I sketched took about 20-25 minutes each, as I followed along YouTube tutorial videos. I found that I needed to pause the videos quite often to add and perfect as much detail as I could into my drawing. I learned that the "iris" part of the eye requires the most concentration and definition. Drawing the iris was my favourite part about this sketch because it gives meaning and personality to the eye. There were a couple of different techniques I learned in both videos on drawing the iris. For my final two drawings I combined both methods used together. The most challenging part of drawing the eye was knowing how light or dark you had to sketch and shade certain areas. I even improvised along the way and used "shading" and "erasing" techniques throughout. Drawing the eye independently without having someone sketch it right in front of me was of course a bit nerve-racking at first. Once I shaped the eye into a seed-like figure it was pretty much up to my own abilities from that point. I  used the techniques I observed from before and free-handed towards my own unique style. I found that it took me less time to free-hand and draw my own eye (10-15 minutes) compared to following the tutorials. At this point, I was more confident in my drawing skill and had a better idea of what I was doing. The process of sketching requires focus, passion and essence; it is a mind to body exchange involving the soul within. This is exactly how I feel when I sketch my thoughts from the inside to the outside on paper.

Check out some of my drawings below!

Sketches Following Tutorials:

Independent Sketches: 

For my next goal of genius hour, I plan on learning how to draw the nose. I plan on following the exact steps I took towards drawing the eye. Watching a couple of tutorials online will give me the basic instruction I need in order to master the sketch on my own afterwards. I still plan on practicing my drawing of the eye throughout the week as well. Practice makes value, quality and happiness.

Genius Hour: ART ATTACK!

Welcome back bloggers!

I have decided to change my genius hour question, as I struck interest into creating something else I was always passionate about...

QUESTION: How can I learn how to sketch?

Ever since I was young, I have always wanted to learn how to sketch pictures of people, places and even objects. I would be the type of person to doodle on anything I could get my hands on. I absolutely loved arts and crafts, and would make many of my own art creations on my spare time. I can currently say I’m pretty adequate at drawing, but I wish to learn how to advance myself in it. I was never taught how to properly sketch or draw, it was sort of a “free-hand” on my part. I am very excited that I now have the opportunity to be creative and a temporary “artist” through my university class! Who would’ve known that I would be doing something that I have always been passionate about in one of my post-secondary classes. Just like the saying goes…“It’s better late, than never.”

Retrieved From: https://www.craftsy.com/blog/2015/08/best-drawing-pencils/

First of all… What is sketching?

“In terms of art, a sketch refers to a quick, informal drawing usually done from life.” A sketch displays the rudiments of the subject; the whole form and perspective. It captures a sense of volume and shade and is something that should not be overworked.

Retrieved From: https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-apple-sketch-image2723604

My main goal that I have in mind is to sketch at least 3 full drawings by the end of the semester. The three potential sketches I would like to create are a face, an object and a cartoon. For the face drawing in particular, I want to learn how to draw each feature in detail. In order to do so, I am going to have to break down and sketch a couple parts of the face for each week. The face is a sketch that I cannot just free-hand all at once. By the end of the first week, I plan on learning how to draw eyes and eyebrows. By the end of the second week, I plan on learning how to sketch a nose. By the end of the third week, I plan on learning how to draw lips and ears. By the end of the fourth week, I plan on learning how to draw facial shape, neck and hair. By the end of the fifth week, I plan on learning how to draw an object (i.e. a fruit).  By the end of the sixth week I plan on learning how to draw a cartoon. I am not 100% sure on what object and cartoon in particular I want to draw just yet. Tentative ideas for the object include a fruit/fruit bowl or a coffee mug with a doughnut. Tentative ideas for the cartoon sketch would be to draw any Disney cartoon character (i.e. Ariel, Simba, Mickey Mouse, etc).

I am beyond thrilled and over-joyed to start my genius hour mission. I feel like sketching is not only a fantastic skill to learn, but also a very therapeutic process to be involved in. University can be extremely hectic and stressful at times, which is why I am happy to resort to something that I have always dreamed of doing. 

Genius Hour: Creating a Children's Book

I remember curling up in bed with my favourite book when I was younger, completely immersed in the world of the story. Books allow people to use their imagination, permitting the reader to travel to a distant realm of fantasy. Children books are written to teach youngsters valuable lessons which deliver them springs of enjoyment and inspiration. Have you ever thought about creating your own children’s book? This is a process I have always wondered about and something I have been interested in doing myself. So…I propose the question: How can I write and illustrate my own children’s book?

       

The first step in creating a children’s book would be to actually read many of them again. This will give me a good idea as to if I want to make my book fiction or non-fiction, what age group I should target, etc. During this process I would also decide if my book were to be mostly words, mainly pictures or a good balance of the two. I would then start thinking about the writing process. First I would focus and brainstorm on the main components of the story (i.e. characters, setting, plot, climax, resolution). I would then think of and include a “message” or “lesson” of the book. After I have finished the brainstorming process, I would start writing the rough draft. During this phase I will need to be cautious of the vocabulary and sentence structure depending on the age group I decide to write for. Revising my book over and over again would be a huge part of the process. Not only is spelling and grammar an important element of writing, but taking out irrelevant pieces of the writing is a huge part of the art of literacy. Publishing the book would be a step of the process I am very unfamiliar with; I will need to take this stage into further consideration and ask many questions. My goal is to have created and published a children's book by January. Do you think this is possible? 

Thanks for reading! I will keep you posted with weekly updates on my genius hour. 

Miss Le Pera

Images: 

"Very Hungry Catepillar" Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Very_Hungry_Caterpillar

"Goodnight Moon: Retrieved from: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/goodnight-moon-board-margaret-wise-brown/1105127857

Copyright

What is copyright?

Retrieved From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suMza6Q8J08

Copyright protects things like…music, words, artwork, images, choreography, sound recordings, dramatic works, writing, etc… the list can go on. Copyright is a law that gives you ownership over things you create and protects your original work. Creative Commons (CC) set out licenses that enable authors to declare how their work/creations can be used by others in their original works which includes attribution, share-alike, non-commercial and no derivative works. It is important to give credit to the authors and creators where it is due, because if you do not…this results in plagiarism. Plagiarism would be a very important topic to cover towards my students in terms of copyright. Plagiarism is the act of stealing or passing off the words or ideas of someone and using it as one’s own. It is using someone else’s work without crediting the source. Especially in terms of writing, I would plan a mini lesson on how to prevent plagiarism from occurring. For example, start out with steps on planning to write a paper (i.e. consult with your instructor, take effective notes). While writing the paper, it is crucial to keep in mind when you are ever having any doubts about citing, do it anyway! Make it clear who said what in your paper and also know how to paraphrase. Lastly, analyze and evaluate your sources (not all sources are legitimate, so make sure you double check them). This website explains the simple steps discussed on avoiding plagiarism: Preventing Plagiarism

Retrieved From: http://bookwormtranslations.com/copyright-

law-and-translation-what-you-need-to-know/                               Retrieved From: http://www.fastweb.com/student-news/articles/could-copying-                                                                                                               homework-lead-to-a-course-failure-these-test-results-prove-the-answer-is-yes                                

What is Genius Hour?

Welcome back! 

What exactly is Genius Hour?

Genius hour is a time that allows students to discover their own passions and motivates creativity in the classroom environment. Genius hour doesn't necessarily mean that students only get one hour to complete the activity. It can range from 30 minutes of class activities to months of hard passion-based projects. Imagine working on and creating something you absolutely love? Students in this case, will be more determined and take more initiative to complete their final task. They communicate and connect with teachers and even peers to plan and produce and community members to form a sense of purpose for their work. The main goal of Genius hour is student-centered, providing students with freedom to design their own learning. 

Love is Power: Passion-Based Learning

Welcome back!

...What is Passion?

 “Create something that will make the world awesome.” – Kid President

When I think of passion I think of love, desire, emotion, power, feeling, strength and belief. Passion is something that comes from the heart and what is strongly rooted inside of a person. Passion is fire; it is a force that can inspire, move and strengthen people. As future educators, we need to bring passion into learning, teaching and everything in between. Passion has the ability to motivate students in ways that you could have never thought were possible. It enables students to overcome challenges in order to attain a goal that is meaningful and desirable to them. Passion-Based Learning (PBL) requires both the student and the teacher, where the student takes control over his or her learning which is led by meaning and is positively guided by the teacher. All students have something significant to bring to the table, and with the proper guidance and motivation by teachers, students can feel confident enough to ignite the fire inside. However, there is a problem. There is an extreme lack of passion-driven teaching and learning going on in classrooms today.

Reflecting back in elementary school, I could confidently say there was a strong absence of PBL in almost every classroom I was taught in, except one. The most memorable learning experience I had as a child was in sixth grade. I had never been in a classroom with such drive, motivation and most importantly passion, and my teacher of course was the main reason for this love of learning. Every lesson he would teach would literally fall into a life lesson and we would always come out of it learning something significant. He would make each and every one of his students feel so important by pointing out positive characteristics about them, freely expressing this in front of the whole class. What stood out the most about my grade six teacher was his ability to believe. He strongly believed in not only himself, but in all of us. Many teachers trust to believe that their students are not self-directed or independent learners. They often think that the key to learning is strictly having the teacher telling their students what to do, say and think. We have trained students into thinking that this way of learning is the only way, but with skillful teaching it is possible to un-train them.

Retrieved From: http://seanrtech.blogspot.ca/2014/02/the-project-problem-inquiry-passion.html

 Professor Lane discussed two approaches to getting a child passionate about something. First, you must find out what each child is innately passionate about. By doing this, you have to get to know your students. Having knowledge about students will allow teachers to refine lessons, discussions and activities so that they are more effective learning experiences. References to student backgrounds, interests and knowledge can set the classroom setting into a more personal atmosphere while making the material more accessible. Secondly, you must be an instructor that radiates passion for the topic, and infect your students with that excitement (Ramirez, 2013). You must show students why you love the topic by sharing your passion; get excited about what you’re teaching! Even the most difficult and boring topics can be the most fascinating ones to learn about. For example, subjects such as math or science might not be the strongest area of learning for some students, but if they are taught with enthusiasm and inspiration students will be hooked with desire and curiosity like they never were before. Teachers must have a beginner’s mindset while teaching, visualizing how what they are teaching about would look to students if they are seeing it for the first time (Ramirez, 2013). With this of course, comes patience and passion. 25 Ways to Institute Passion-Based Learning in the Classroom is an excellent website of how to incite the passion in your own students.

Retrieved From: http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2016/feb/09/bring-googles-20-time-to-your-classroom-with-passion-based-learning

A love of learning is a crucial skill to obtain in the 21^st century. If you love what you are learning, chances are that the product of your learning will be more successful and meaningful. Over the course of the term, I have learned about the many different 21^st century skills and literacies, and how important they are to incorporate into the curriculum and teaching practices. Critical literacy is the most significant skill when it comes to PBL as it encourages students to explore, question, investigate, take action and create. Independence is a skill that students will grasp and be comfortable with learning through their own passions and also their teacher’s passion of learning. An example of this student-centered inquiry that was presented in lecture is “Genius Hour.” During this hour, students are given free time to follow their passion as it guides students to inquire, reflect and learn. The students start their projects by choosing and researching a topic that they find most intriguing and create a presentation in which they can share the relevant knowledge they obtained. The assessment is self-assessment and teachers help facilitate the sessions, while giving feedback throughout the process. Collaboration and communication is another 21^st century skill that is included in Genius Hour where students are encouraged to support and have valuable discussions with their peers. Students will actually feel confident sharing their ideas with their peers because these projects are created from the students themselves which is something to definitely feel proud of. With PBL also comes self-regulation. Students who are motivated to achieve a particular goal will participate in self-regulatory activities they feel will help them reach that goal. Self-regulated learning includes planning, monitoring, evaluation and ultimately control of one’s learning in order to maximize it (Gerstein, 2015). 

The video displayed below is “Part 2” of the video Professor Lane presented us in lecture. It is about students attending Covenant Christian School in Australia who have created their own passion-based projects over a semester. As you’re watching, try and see if you can find any 21^st century literacies that these students used to complete their projects.

One project that stood out to me was the refugee novel. A female student wrote and illustrated a novel about refugees as this was a topic she wanted people to have a better understanding of. She wanted the world to see the hardships refugees face. Multicultural and global literacy are present in this project as her novel represents refugees from all over the world and what they go through; there is a major emphasis on global awareness. Moral literacy is also presented in her project as she wrote in a way where she wants readers to truly empathize and consider the life of a refugee. Most importantly, critical literacy was used here as she took the time to brainstorm, research, plan, write and create a novel. Time management, patience and independence were key in completing a successful project. Reflecting back, I could safely say I had no idea what my passion was at all until I entered high school. Even until this day I can confidently say I have done nothing about my passion. My passion has always been to act. I took Dramatic Arts for about 3 years in high school and performed in a play. Other than that, I haven’t acted outside of the school setting. I felt a sense of control when I acted, that I never felt before. I felt like I could be my true self, without even actually being “myself.” I felt confident at what I was doing because I was passionate about it. However, my true passion has existed with me ever since I was a child, and that is to teach. The idea of guiding and shaping children to become the best they can possibly be is something that I have always cherished. As a future educator, I will definitely incorporate PBL in my classroom as I would hope for all of my students to show their true passion and be who they truly are.  

Thanks for reading!

Miss Le Pera

Retrieved From: https://michelaurel.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/filsafat-feminisme/

References

Ramirez, A. (2013). Passion-Based Learning. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/passion-

based-learning-ainissa-ramirez

Gerstein, J. (2015). User Generated Education. Retrieved March 29, 2016, from https://usergeneratededucation.wordpress.com/tag/21st-century-skills/

The Student Piggy-Bank: Financial Literacy In the Classroom

“JESSICA!” My mother exclaimed. “Your visa bill just came in and it is through the roof!” What? How could this be? I could’ve sworn I only bought one pair of shoes and a pair of jeans within the last two months. Where did all my money go? How did it just disappear into thin air? I thought I was good at managing my money. Didn’t I learn how to do this in school? Reflecting back into my elementary and high school days, I can truthfully say I barely learned anything about money and finances. I mainly remember learning how to count money through mathematical operations in math class and learning about Canada’s economy very briefly in social studies. Even so, I did not learn about the fundamentals and value behind money and how it works economically as a whole. Learning the basics about money and finances is a life skill in which all children and youth should have the opportunity to grasp as students. I find that as a student, this financial experience is often not present in the classroom.

Retrieved From: http://www.curtislibrary.com/2012/04/07/what-is-financial-literacy/

What exactly is financial literacy?

In my own words, financial literacy is having a good understanding of how money works throughout society and the world. It’s about obtaining the proper knowledge on money management, investments and the economy. Many schools across the globe today face this challenge of incorporating adequate and consistent knowledge on financial literacy throughout the curriculum and through teaching instruction. The Ministry of Education does of course integrate some monetary and economic subject in the curriculum, but they are insufficient in achieving optimal financial literacy amongst the student population. It is about what financial content is being included into the curriculum and how educators are delivering this information. Administrators, educators and teachers need to keep in mind the importance of this particular literacy and how beneficial it can be towards a child’s life in the future. The 21^st century in which we live, is becoming more complex each day which is why children need to understand the value of money in order to make informed financial decisions. It is important for children and youth to begin their financial journey at a young age in order for them to grasp more complicated concepts in the future. 

Retrieved From: http://www.ufscnet.com/financial-literacy/

According to the Ontario Ministry of Education (2011), financial literacy is defined by having knowledge and skills to make responsible, economic and financial decisions with confidence. Including financial literacy in schools will help students consider: their financial choices and apply it to everyday decisions (DO), understand money management and the economy (KNOW) and participate in society as responsible citizens who can make knowledgeable decisions about investing their money (BE). Critical thinking is a skill that students will obtain while learning about financial literacy as they will be able to formulate their own perspectives on monetary matters personally and within the global economy. Decision making and problem solving are authentic skills that students can apply in the classroom in which they can relate to real-world contexts. From buying candy at the convenient store, to balancing and managing money for post-secondary education, students will have the proper knowledge in responding to these fiscal situations. The main goal of financial literacy is to essentially hope for students to become financially secure in the future by supporting themselves in a healthy and stable way. Having this kind of mindset as educators can make teaching financial literacy all the more rewarding and beneficial as it can have strong impacts on their student’s lives.

Retrieved From: http://hubpages.com/education/k12-kids-and-money

What can we do as teachers? It is essential for teachers to convey strong financial knowledge to students with the objective for them to grow with this knowledge later in life. Part of the reason why I don’t remember much about finances or managing money is because of the way it was taught to me in school. There is no specific subject on financial literacy (although I believe there should be), which is why teachers must thoroughly plan out their lessons and communicate to students in appropriate financial language in which they will understand. In order for teachers to do this, they must first be confident in their own financial knowledge. It should be mandatory for teachers to be educated on financial literacy and exactly what to teach in classrooms. Many teachers might not be as strongly educated in this field, which is why they should be trained and updated on current financial education. Just looking at my financial education background, I know I would definitely benefit from professional development discussions. Learning hands-on and interactively is key for students to gain applicable skills and obtain interest throughout lessons. Teaching through fake money in the classroom for example, can give students a realistic sense of money in general. Bringing guest speakers and experts in the classroom would be another beneficial way of portraying financial importance to students. This way, students can see through the perspectives of professionals and how they deal with money in the real world. Technology is something that should also be included in financial literacy such as videos, computer programs and more, so that they can physically see and apply their knowledge digitally as our world becomes more technologically advanced.

Example of applying financial literacy through a blank budgeting worksheet.

Retrieved from: http://odapmirt.tumblr.com/simple-budget-worksheet-printable

An excellent website that includes numerous resources on financial literacy can be found at this link: CLICK HERE.This site allows you to obtain multiple resources by grade, subject and the specific resource you are looking for. For instance, I searched Grade 4, Social Studies, Interactive Tool and it brought me to this particular resource on the history of money: CLICK HERE. Something as simple and interactive as this video can raise interest and student involvement in class.

Overall, financial literacy teaches students how to be knowledgeable and responsible citizens, economically aware and critical and informed decision makers. Teachers need to make sure that they are not only conveying the correct information to students, but that they are conveying the correct information in a strong and effective way.  The basic skills that students learn now, will have a huge impact on them for the rest of their lives. 

Thanks for reading!

Miss Le Pera

References: 

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2011). Financial Literacy: Scope and Sequence of Expectations. Retrieved from: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/policy/FinLitGr4to8.pdf.

A New Chapter: 21st Century Literacies

Welcome back fellow bloggers! I am so excited to continue on my educational journey towards teaching. Previously, the blogs I have posted were based around the course EDUC 4P17 which involved learning about curriculum and classroom assessment. From now onward, I will be blogging about 21^st century literacies while taking the course EDUC 4P27. To begin, I would like to give a little introductory and background of myself. My name is Jessica Le Pera or otherwise known as Miss Le Pera, and I am currently in my fourth year at Brock University studying in the Concurrent Education Program at the Primary/Junior level. I have worked with children as soon as I landed my first job at the age of 14 and have worked in daycares, camps and programs where I have taught children both recreationally and academically. I have always aspired to become a teacher as it has been my dream ever since I was a young child. I would always visualize what it would be like to have my very own classroom and would play “teacher” in my room with all of my stuffed animals. I hope for this aspiration to one day come true! 

So what exactly is literacy? What comes to mind when I hear the word literacy, I automatically think.. paper, pencil, writing, reading, words. The truth is, there is so much more to literacy. Already absorbing information from the first lecture of EDUC 4P27, I learned that literacy is about exploring multiple sets of skills and contexts while finding meaning in these practices. This is where 21^st century literacies fall into play. Previously, I always thought that 21^st century skills meant technology and the future. Well it does, but 21^st century skills include so much more. Critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity are only just a few aspects of contemporary education that are crucial to have in modern society. Along with 21^st century skills, come 21^st century literacies, such as critical literacy. Critical literacy in my own words is having the ability to vigorously read and decipher texts that endorses a thorough understanding of underlying concepts that include question and sometimes challenge. I believe it is extremely important as a future educator to guide students with this type of mindset in order for them to not only reach academic success, but success at life itself. Power, reflection, transformation and action as highlighted in lecture, are key points to being critically literate.

There are also many other literacies I hadn’t thought about before that all interconnect to one another. The two literacies that caught my eye the most were global literacy and moral literacy as it is crucial that students learn how to interpret the world around them while being respectful towards ones another. It is also important for teachers to be competent in all literacies to better the knowledge and understanding of their students. I hope to learn more about 21^st century skills as a whole and ways to incorporate them into my teaching practices as I am not confident just yet with what I know. I can’t wait to learn about all the different kinds of literacies to strengthen my understanding of this aspect of education and to also become a more competent learner and teacher throughout the whole spectrum of 21^st century literacies and skills. We are the future!

Thank you for reading! 

Miss Le Pera