#symchat Archive
#symchat conversations focus on classroom integration of SymbalooEDU, the educational version of Symbaloo developed for students, educators and schools.
Wednesday April 13, 2016
Welcome to the "Creativity and Deeper Learning in the Classroom". We will use the Q1 A1 format.
Please introduce yourself and share your go-to song to get pumped up.
Barbara Cotter in the house. FL,/St Lucia Greetings All
Good evening, I'm Cait from Long Beach, NY - G&T / Enrichment specialist teacher
Welcome. Hope you are having a great day.
Q1: When you think of CREATIVITY in your classroom / school, what does it look like?
A1. Chaos π. But we achieve desired objectives and beyond. To me, that's awesome.
Yes, that adjective matches creativity. And loud, sometimes.
A1: Creativity in our classroom = Innovation, divergent thinking, original, open, different, interdisciplinary
Yes! I like to think of it as a "good mess"
I like the word "original." Not something you hear when describing a classroom.
Indeed. π. There are no accidents in creative learning environments. Every discovery is a learning opportunity.
I am fortunate to teach a program that promotes creative thinking, especially originality
Q2: When you think of DEEPER LEARNING in your classroom / school, what does it look like?
Hello I need a late slip!
A2) Deeper learning can be slower and more time consuming. Can also be loud and messy.
Nice to have you join this evening.
Q2:Deeper Learning in our clsrm: Reflection, mindfulness, proper questioning from facilitator, student is invested/ownership
A2 Deeper thinking looks like conversation, making mistakes, trying again, success in reaching goals, and I agree, noise
I agree, time is an important factor. 50 min class schedules can be a hurdle to deeper learning.
A2 Respect for ALL ideas, questions, input, aired out verbally or otherwise. Freedom of expressing self ALWAYS.
In our fast paced culture, reflection is becoming a lost art.
I like the idea of conversation. We learn so much by sharing with each other. Listening a factor.
Yes and secondary school schedules really prohibit it.
but deeper learning should go beyond allocated time or schedule. That shows continuity & relevance globally
IIEP also of great relevance to policy discussions related to the link between practice and provide a recipe for disaster.
Your classroom must feel safe for Ss. Trust allows for honest sharing.
The best part of an elementary lesson is the debriefing discussion afterwards.
Agree. Block scheduling can help, but not the answer.
I don't quite have a go-to-song. Perhaps someone could advise? Lol
Absolutely! It's so critical too! Without reflection there isn't as much meaningful growth.
I agree. I think teachers have to plan for it to happen or they end up catering to learning in 50 minute chunks.
Thank you! I do find that with the fast-paced environment experienced within the classroom, it is often difficult to debrief.
Q3: Can creativity or deeper learning be fostered with technology use only?
I agree... my wife teaches elem and I am jealous of the "time" she has.
Q3: The 'not only' makes the statement false .
Depend on your taste in music :)
A3) Technology is a tool. Not the answer.
... definitely my philosophy.
Ss/Ts reminded that when u counter someone's responses, u should be ready to offer a replacement or suggestion of ur own
A3: Tech can be a vehicle to express creativity, but often, not always, the creativity comes from something deeper within the S
Agree, but can something like foster creativity and DL with just the game? Or do we need more for Ss?
A3 Creativity is a skill. It is taught and fostered through many ways-tech or nontech activities
jdog90 can you share how to best use symbaloo as a technology resource within the classroom? I would really like to use it
A3: Tech can be a vehicle to express creativity, but often the creativity comes from something deeper within the S
Agree... Just pushing the idea a little. Many tech people use pencil and paper to jot down ideas, then go to the comp.
& others can def foster creativity & DL. Sts need balance between playing w/ creatively $ using in assigned way.
A3 absolutely not. Dependency on 1 thing will lead to ones demise. Learn to be fluid, eclectic. The TRUE mark of a creative ind.
You have come to the right Twitter chat. Pretty sure some of us can help w/ that. π
Q4: Share a favorite lesson you do that highlights creativity or deeper learning (blogs and resources welcomed).
I do that sometimes. I think there's a link between the brain and hand writing something.
Symbaloo is a bookmarking site. Allows you to collect and share mixes of content. Symbaloo lesson plan is in beta...
and allows you to make interactive lesson plans.
Very true. Plus you never know when a particular tool might become unavailable.
it is fascinating-with all the tech we have at our fingertips, many creative individuals still need to physically "jot"
There is. Studies show deeper connection to written notes vs typed notes.
Yes, in a coding class I started we had notebooks to visualize the idea, then wrote code to match.
Yes, some colleagues and I were talking about a study that had come out about pen to paper & brain activity
Are those darker cups? or something else... at the top?
There are some foundation aspects to learning. Teaching now is about finding best fit for lesson & Ss.
Blue and black K cups! We repurposed 2,000 of them for use in the classroom this year thanks to
This is from a Shakespeare project my students did! They illustrated Shakespeare's impact on today's world https://t.co/RQpWsP8Pbn
Does anyone use the FFOE (fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration) skills for creativity in their classroom?
Student teacher here from the university of Arkansas! Forgot to introduce!
Q5: In your opinion, what is the number one hurdle to developing deeper learning in schools?
Will have to try that Tech blackout idea. Thanks for sharing.
Learning, in these evolving instantiations of a larger program to assist teacher education programs.
OK, how is the light done in the notebook?
A5 i think fear of failing could be a big obstacle
#1 roadblock to changing education is changing mindsets.
Agree. So much pressure in school. Study shows anxiety and depression on the rise for Ss.
A5 I'd say mindset of anti-progressive ind. Ts, Ps, Admin, Policy makers,Businesses. What does the NEW resume/interview look like?
Its crazy to think of all other areas that embrace improvement / change (Dr, cars, tech) but most of ED is 1900
I recently had some interviews. All wanted a presentation prepared in response to a prompt. I thought it was great.
A5: Culture of perfection - fear of going deeper and the challenge that could present
Q6: Is creativity an important aspect for all subjects in school?
πToo often the interviews are so linear. There should be more out of the box getting to know u.
Yes, I was thinking the same.
Totally agree. I think it goes with the "Tell me what to do" mind set. Makes it easy to do.
As an applicant, I loved it. Yes, give me 10 minutes of planned thoughts. Thank you.
I've had some interviews and I try to be honest / deep... didn't get the jobs...
A6. Undoubtedly YES. TEACH THEM TO FISH 4 LIFE, Question everything. Be open and flexible to upward and outward change.
Last Q7: If you have worked with the new lessonplan site from , can it foster creativity or deeper learning?
I agree... but sometimes, math Ts, or Industrial Tech Ts don't see how creativity is an important part.
A7 Yes, the lesson plan site can foster both teacher and student creativity
As a math teacher, my fave math quote is: "Mathematics is less related to accounting than it is to philosophy."
Have you made designed a LP?
A6: Without creativity in all disciplines our progress/evolution as human beings becomes static.
There are so many options during lessons for learning and assessment with lesson plans https://t.co/czJmVKBPB3
Last Q7: If you have worked with the new lessonplan site from , can it foster creativity or deeper learning?
if they can be asked to use their knowledge in designing the next Frontier, etc Then reference movie Interstellar π
