So excited to be joining tonight, all the way from Winnipeg! (student-athlete life) I love to binge watch Netflix with a big bowl of popcorn! #saskedchat
A1 my kids (esp at home) see themselves more a part of the global population than I ever did. No Cold War = more travel/work experiences. So learning should also have a “why” not just a ‘because’.... #saskedchat
First time trying this! We'll learn the hashtags before the night is through!
Also, keep warm by listening to Adele way too loud and clapping along till my hands hurt. #saskedchat
In reply to
@FNGraham, @kellywchris, @CarnegieKelli
A1: Relevance. When Ss can relate what they are learning to their own lived experiences, they develop critical thinking skills. This is a critical skill to have in the 21 century. They demonstrate interest which leads to developing a passion for what they are learning!#saskedchat
A1 - We are more connected than ever before. They have access to information like never before and need to be able to make sense of it and be critical thinkers. #saskedchat
A1. Ss making connections is a hugely important reading comprehension strategy .. after which they begin to find what we do has relevance and value.... =engagement and lifelong learning! #saskedchat
I agree! We can no longer expect our students to do things just because and be engaged in the process. Understanding the why, or making a connection beyond the immediate classroom is needed. #saskedchat
Grade 7/8 Teacher from Regina. A1: Having connections and a purpose for learning a procedure or piece of information allows you to apply information for retention. Memorization is not understating. Making memories of “I got it!” moments stay with you! #saskedchat
2.0 Hi, I'm Alex Meeres from Regina. I teach in Milestone, SK and I keep warm by hiding out in my comfy basement with my partner @CarnegieKelli. #saskedchat
On a walk with my son tonight, I was reflecting how much of my “school learning” came from textbooks....many out of date... now we have the tools to be as relevant as needed! So we should! #saskedchat
Mine was the same. I even think back to the beginning of my teaching and some of what I believed at that time about learning and school makes me shudder a little! Ha, ha. #saskedchat
A1: students need to see relevance in what they are doing. Even as an intern I have students ask me daily why they need to learn something. When they can see real world connections, they understand the importance of what is being taught. #saskedchat
There are current issues happening all around us, everyday. Using these as resources is so important! Outdated textbooks aren't enough for students to be active/engaged citizens anymore #saskedchat
A2 - 21st C Skills like Critical Thinking, Creating, Critical Thinking, Collaboration. Help students learn how they learn and promote life long learning. #saskedchat
A2: I believe an important life skill that is necessary for Ss to develop at school is learning how to communicate and learn with the people around them. #saskedchat
Those be the seven seas....err 7Cs or competencies first highlighted by @DrTonyWagner
Communication
Critical thinking
Curiosity/Imagination (creativity)
Collaborating
Agility/Adaptability
Initiative
Accessing/analyzing info #saskedchat
A2. Teaching Ss to recognize needs among others, to be responsive, to be mindful, to be present... life skills that are modeled by engagement in their needs and desires to learn.. their life skills begin with us and what we help them value! #saskedchat
A2: Problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and self-efficacy skills are necessary for Ss to develop in school. These skills allow Ss to engage in their learning and be proud of who they are. #saskedchat
Communication is so important. One of my grade 6's told me communication was just him talking and no listening involved. Hmmm? We have some work to do. #saskedchat
Students need to be able to be critical thinkers and problem solvers. Students need to use their compression skills and apply them to the bigger picture. #saskedchat
Also with the awareness that maybe not everyone has to do five paragraph essays (I’m not reading many of those on YouTube) and awareness that good spelling is not good writing -in face great writing breaks many rules! #saskedchat
A3: Group work skills are keep for conflict resolution, social cues and communication skills. We also a connected Ed room so we are always allowing choice of communication through different apps and programs for projects, like photo editing, coding, or video. #saskedchat
A3 Reaching out beyond our classroom walls and connecting with others helps us understand differences and how being different is okay. We practice listening, collaborating and problem solving together. #saskedchat
A2: I think some of the main life skills to take away from school would be mostly to be a good person and to work hard for what YOU (the student) want in life. The rest will follow. #saskedchat
A1: Never in my life did I feel connected and motivated by a teacher or prof who said, "This is really important, even in real life." The light bulb would only turn on when I started to bridge the classroom to world experience for myself. #saskedchat
A3 - Provide students with hands on activities, give them voice and choice to help them motivate, help them effectively work with groups, celebrate attempts in learning, making outside connections. #saskedchat
Bucket filling! To create an environment that celebrates learning, we first need to create an environment where everyone feels accepted! Filling up Ss buckets, having Ss fill up their peer's buckets is a great strategy for primary classrooms. #saskedchat
A1 (continued). So I forgive myself for not repeating that line to students, and frown to myself when I let it slip. I need to set my students loose a little with what I've taught them so they can apply it themselves. #saskedchat
A3: As someone who has specialized in the elementary setting I’ll speak on that. I think teachers can bring the learning of life skills into everyday life at school- through interactions, the activities they do, and even through technology #saskedchat
That is so true. That is why it makes me cringe when people say they don't think students should use social media and their phones, etc. for learning. We need to connect with their world and help them use it wisely and safely. Lots for us to learn as well. #saskedchat
A3: Like @vendi55 said, hands on activities as well as group work assignments are great ways to incorporate life skills in primary classrooms. #saskedchat
A3 I love Project based learning - incorporates ownership with the need for thinking, collaborating (different than group work) initiative, timing, prototyping. Elements of Design Thinking, geniushour and SOLEs (self organized learning environments @sugatam ) #saskedchat
A2: Which "life skills" are necessary is one question. Which are a school responsibility as opposed to a parent responsibility to teach? That's the trickier thing to sort out. #saskedchat
A4 - Harnessing power of tech can help quite a bit and make connections to primary sources. Understand how to filter and make sense of social media. #saskedchat
A2: I'm super inspired by @FNGraham and the Financial Literacy 30 course she's teaching. But wasn't it recently that the Minister said that should be mandatory for all kids K-12? Where's the time? #saskedchat
A4 the joys of critical thinking! How much of the google tool or Wikipedia can you trust at first sight? (More than the encyclopedia, but still gotta be info savvy or fall for scams!) #saskedchat
Agreed. As educators, we have responsibility for much of this but must be a shared responsibility with home. Can be a challenge to navigate. #saskedchat
Q5. With the growing occurrences of such things as "money scams" & phishing issues, how can schools help Ss develop critical consumer skills? #saskedchat
A4: I think that we need to teach kids to do back checks on articles and be critical thinkers. We have so many perceptions of the media. Sometimes it is hard to tell what the "fake news" is. #saskedchat
A2 continued. Anything in this picture that is not taught in school? Is there any teaching responsibility left that parents will speak out in unison, saying "we got this one"? #saskedchat
A5 Integrate examples of this in as many classes as possible. Create lessons that would explore this, promote the Sask Digital Citizenship Guideline, have parent info nights as well, promote positive use of tech #saskedchat
Q5. With the growing occurrences of such things as "money scams" & phishing issues, how can schools help Ss develop critical consumer skills? #saskedchat
A4: Fake news examples are all over the media. Using situations as close to home as school takes, city news stories and media influences they admire, make them think twice about their viewing googles. Guests to get the facts on skype or in person is excellent! #saskedchat
Thematic: if it sounds too good to be true.... from advertisements on the back of comics to “you’re the millionth visitor” and email trends. Can be scaled for all ages!
#saskedchat
In reply to
@ashleesandy, @TEDTalks, @veitchtweets
A6 I think it is important and is part of our curricular outcomes in many places. We need to model and help our students develop good sustainability habits. It is through everyone doing their part that we can make a difference. #saskedchat
A:4 Skype for the classroom is Awesome for connecting! Mystery Skyped with classes around the world too. We also join other students around the world for social justice causes charity projects. Kids helping kids! Giving kids the front seat in learning.
A5: The Sask Digital Citizenship Continuum https://t.co/5dBLkTVwUX is a good resource for this. Financial literacy teaching & a focus on critical thinking too. #saskedchat
Q5. With the growing occurrences of such things as "money scams" & phishing issues, how can schools help Ss develop critical consumer skills? #saskedchat
Thanks for sharing this resource! I get spam emails all the time and the email always has two many numbers and weird letters in the email domain. #saskedchat
A6 practice and modelling. I’ll admit to having a “mixed” history with my recycling - but my current school has eco leaders who help model and support different recyclables and keep our waste level low....how low?
@GWR low: https://t.co/7XMLpELYrf#saskedchat
My Financial Literacy students LOVE real life stories about these pitfalls. Their highlight every day.... They immediately see the relevance & reality. #saskedchat
A6. When doing hands-on activities that create/use consumables its important we think of reducing waste! Working for a science camp for the past 4 years, keeping this in mind is so important. Food waste can be a trigger for some Ss. #saskedchat
A5: When we go through digital citizenship questions or community citizenship goals, we use guiding questions for safety, privacy and relevance to the information, words and actions we share. Making those a habit in life is key. Taking that time to think first. #saskedchat
We always say the future is in our classroom. If we don’t model and teach how to treat the world, they may not have one. Change is possible through those we teach because they are changing the world they will need to live in. #saskedchat
A7 - Participate in something like https://t.co/wtVjLen1ya Create and promote a positive social media campaign relating to this topic. Connect with guest speakers from around the world. #saskedchat
A6. Continuing to teach through Green Projects in schools for recycling/re-using is very important and I see it working in our school each day. The alternative is too see our Ss having to deal with so much environmentally in their near future. Teach responsibility. #saskedchat
Q8. How can schools partner with parents and the community to support Ss in developing skills necessary to be smart product consumers who understand the consequences of their choices? #saskedchat
Q5: Crash Course ten episode series on Navigating Digital Info has made me n instant fan. Episode 4 should be required watching for high schoolers. https://t.co/MyCe8tA2Yc#saskedchat
A8: The programs you can partner with in school to take growing community gardens, online safety choices and electronic recycling depots by students are a start. Our school has a recycling program for cans/juice boxes and runs a recycling depot in June. #saskedchat
Thank you all for taking time from your evening to join #saskedchat and share with us! We'll be back next Thursday at 8pm CST - we hope to see you then!
A8: Our grade 1 teacher grows pumpkins on her farm every year to sell for Halloween and her class donates all the money to Lions Club for seeing eye dogs. We also collect used glasses donations each year too. We focus on recycling and reusing at St. Josaphat #saskedchat
