My beginning with the end in mind is centered around my ultimate goal of obtaining a position in B.C. when I move at the end of June. I will be spending this December working on getting together application packages and sending them off before I head to Victoria for the Christmas break. This final assignment for this course is the final assignment for my term. Report cards were due to my principal earlier today, and while I have assignments due for other classes later this week, they have been submitted already. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief, practice on the range with my Archery team tomorrow, help more with our school's Christmas Concert, and update my IPPs. In my final vision project, I have created an online digital resume/portfolio. There are a variety of pieces to it, including audio clips, videos, pictures, letters, and student work samples. I have cataloged all of my PD that I can remember, various sessions I have run and been a part of, as well as indicated which classes I have taken toward my Teacher Librarianship Diploma. I think that my final vision project indicates fairly well the amount of effort I put into my projects, assignments, and overall work. I am thorough and meticulous, organized and reflective. I hope that my use and familiarity with technology comes through in my project, and I hope that it is well received. In an effort to make sure the site is more accessible, I have removed all of the important contact information from my references (those who could be contacted), as I want to keep their information private until requested. I have also removed the password for the site, again, for accessibility purposes. In my resume section, I have elaborated more than what I have included on a resume I would submit to a school district. Here is the link to my online portfolio and resume. Let me know what you think!
www.kristabelanger.com
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Last night, after waiting over an hour in the Edmonton airport security line, stressed about the outcome of the lineup, I landed in Victoria (well, Sidney, but that's close enough). My husband who lives in Victoria while I finish off the school year picked me up and drove me to the rental to be reunited with my cats and dog. And then, today, it rained. I knew to bring a rain jacket - but my plans were foiled for my first day of fall break. Instead, I sit in the living room with a cat on my chest, a cat on my feet, another purring in my ear, and the dog travelling between upstairs to see my in-laws and downstairs to ensure I am still here. Over the next 6 months, I'll be Victoria-bound more than two or three times, with my vision set on obtaining a job somewhere in Victoria, Sannich, Sidney, or Sooke. My vision project revolves around the single goal of finding a job. In Alberta, there are more teachers than jobs. I have heard the opposite about interior B.C., but nothing about South Vancouver Island. I have been on the Make a Future site, but have not found any Teacher Librarian positions (I'll be finishing my diploma at the end of August). I know it's early, and I know that we are only 2.5 months into this school year, but job searching is stressful for someone who plans for everything. What makes things difficult in my perspective is that I am coming in as an out-of-province teacher with no ties or connections. In Manitoba and Alberta, those were priceless in the hiring process! Doing whatever I can to be noticed and stand out may make the difference between being hired or not. The goal of my vision project is to come up with an online resume/digital portfoilo where I can showcase what I have learned over the course of this diploma, have a quick reference for anyone interested in reading about my PD, references, having a tour of my classroom, or seeing sample lessons or unit plans. I have been working on my resume for about a week now, purchased a domain, activated a password (it has contact information for my references, including two Deputy Ministers I previously worked for), and started uploading files. I consulted a few different teaching portfolios, but none fit my vision. I consulted the following:
While the end goal is to get hired (it would be pretty great to be a Teacher Librarian or have a classroom position right away), the short-term goal is to find something I can use and offer up as a reference for administrators and others in the hiring process. References Banner: Victoria – An International City. Victoria BC [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://www.victoriabc.ca/
Carnaghi, M., Ms. (n.d.). Ms. Megan Carnaghi - Professional Teaching Portfolio. Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://carnaghiteachingportfolio.weebly.com/index.html Dulmage, K. (n.d.). Kyra Dulmage • Elementary Educator. Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://kyradulmage.com/ Östergren, M. (n.d.). Online Teaching Portfolio- Monica Östergren. Retrieved November 9, 2018, from https://ostergrenm.weebly.com/ Sometimes, I am the staff member who offers to perform the role-play in front of my colleagues. Sometimes, I am the staff member who is found at the school on the weekend, straightening up to make everything "just right". Sometimes, I am the staff member who finds that one interesting tidbit of information or way to help that makes everyone else's lives just that much easier. And sometimes, I am a little too hard on myself. Source: https://womenforone.com/portfolio/grace-meeting-moments-journey-picking-back-humble-enough-learn-not-hard-michelle-peluso/ I have treated this course as a way to relax after an especially hard Monday or Tuesday at work. I have also treated this class as a way to learn at my own pace, under the direction of my own personal interests. These inquiry blog posts have been right up my alley (with the exception of the really difficult post previously). I feel like each week I have carved out a bit of PD time, just for myself. It is too easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same things over and over again. So this blog post is a celebration of all of the little things I have since made time for, all of the times I have stood up in the rut, looked out, and saw all the other teachers digging and navigating their own ruts and trenches around me. Without further ado, I bring you... Krista's list of Reminders and Learning to Herself to Escape THe Rut
Source: https://sylvaniadigitallearning.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/pd-session-basic-google-literacyg/
I needed to write this post today, because in a number of these courses, I have spent a lot of time thinking about how to be better, to do better, to know more, without expressing what I already know. Many of these courses are set up so that it's a competition in the discussion forum for who has a better idea, who is first to respond, the number of responses in a given week is counted toward/against your mark. It's just one big rat race without truly taking the time away to decide what is important for you in your specific circumstance. This inquiry, this phase 2, for me, was liberating and validating in that I am able to communicate what I know, what I have chosen to take on, and manage how it all fits together. References [Google Wormhole of Life]. (2015, October 5). Retrieved October 29, 2018, from https://sylvaniadigitallearning.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/pd-session-basic-google-literacyg/
[LifeVestInside]. (2011, August 29). Life Vest Inside - Kindness Boomerang - "One Day" [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU Kittle, P. (2013). Book love: Developing depth, stamina, and passion in adolescent readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Women For One. (2015, December 11). [Grace]. Retrieved October 29, 2018, from https://womenforone.com/portfolio/grace-meeting-moments-journey-picking-back-humble-enough-learn-not-hard-michelle-peluso/ I'll be the first to admit that teaching other teachers can be a frustrating process. In my second and third year of teaching I presented sessions at our provincial English teachers conferences. In my short 7 year career (this is year 8 for me), I've presented to well over 800 teachers in two different provinces on a variety of topics. Some of those topics have included technology, others have included literacy. I do not say this to brag, just to provide context to my point that I understand and sympathize with those who teach teachers either for a living or as a hobby (that's a thing, trust me)! One session I conducted early in my career (and likely one of the biggest sessions) was on outcome-based assessment, where I relayed what our school was doing and what I was doing in my classroom. To condense what I talked about: there are 54 outcomes in Manitoba's English curriculum. There was no way I was going to singularly assess each outcome every single assignment in my high school classes. The principal at my school had us choose around 16 outcomes for each class (you can see in the photo below I had 23), and since I taught multiple grades over the years, I chose outcomes we could build on and streamlined the English curriculum. By the end of the 3 years, I had my students addressing each of the outcomes, but I was not assessing more than 5 outcomes each time, or at least was trying not to. That discussion did not go over well with a number of veteran teachers in the audience. However, it's the way Manitoba's curriculum was/is headed, and there were a number of other schools who were about to go down the same path. I was scoffed at - because what does a teacher (in the first 5 years of their career) know about what outcomes are important in the curriculum? Surely I did not know what I was talking about. What the audience members did not know is the disaster my house was, because I had provincial exams mapped out over the last 10 years taped to my walls, I had mapped the curriculum, found trends, and happened to have the data to support just how often other teachers, courses offered through correspondence or BlackBoard Learn were addressing each of the outcomes. And how often each was assessed. I had done my own research to back that up. But hey - I was just a teacher in a small rural community who just so happened to sit on the provincial exam test development committee. I think that teaching teachers is tough. But so is being a Kindergarten teacher who has to teach and remind about nosepicking behaviour. It's just a different kind of tough. Source: https://me.me/i/stop-picking-your-nose-noses-4-price-www-bliayteans-com-%3Cp%3Ebut-there-rsquo-s-22542374 I am eternally thankful that I have such a supportive staff at my school and my heart breaks every time I think about me leaving at the end of this year. Given that I will be leaving, I have to leave my mark on them, quite literally, because they will be on their own for managing their technology and technology PD. I have been trying to pass along all of the information that I can for doing all of the little things I do on a daily basis. I know that no one is going to remember, so I have started a Google Drive Folder for all of what I do to be stored and held. This includes setting up Google Classrooms, resetting student passwords, using Microsoft HUP, and accessing the volume portal for Microsoft. All issues I have addressed in the last two weeks. Yesterday, in the hallway, after spending an hour in her classroom, I shouted down to our grade 3 teacher that I will not answer her phone calls when I am in Victoria as she is asking me to reset her password. Not that I wouldn't want to help her, mind you, but I couldn't because my school account would be inactive. I have been doing my best in my school to get teachers using Google Classroom, set up and roll over Raz Reading accounts and Prodigy accounts. I think it's fairly easy now to justify to teachers that using technology and equipping our students with ICT skills is necessary. I also think that a number of teachers who are not "technologically advanced" do not know what ICT skills look like, sound like, or can even be in their classrooms or content areas. To those teachers, I present... the Manitoba Literacy with ICT framework (link opens in a new window)! I am sure the other provinces have a similar framework, but I am really fond of Manitoba's. Source: https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/teachers/index.html The big ideas in the curriculum are always what I start with when I discuss this curriculum with teachers.
Teachers typically sigh a lot after I go over what the curriculum states. Not out of frustration, but out of relief. What the ICT curriculum asks teachers to do is no different than what they have been doing - except it just looks different (using technology), and it might feel different (uncomfortable) if they aren't familiar with using technology themselves. I believe I was in a discussion group in another class (sorry if it was someone else's post in this group!) and my colleague stated that she felt a lot of pressure to teach coding to her students. She ended up learning the basic language and letting her students go with it. I think that for those uncomfortable with using the technology themselves, being open to learning about it, and letting the kids kind of figure it out, and putting their trust in the kids is perfectly acceptable. We can't all be the best at everything (a pill I personally have found hard to swallow lately). The best part starts around 1:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPjYj0Tpwjo Overall, I think there are some things that TL's can do to support teachers in their journey with learning about and using ICT in their classrooms:
References [Stop picking your nose]. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://me.me/i/stop-picking-your-nose-noses-4-price-www-bliayteans-com-but-there-rsquo-s-22542374
[Teacher2Teacher]. (2016, September, 7)., Kid President's Pep Talk on Teacher Togetherness [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPjYj0Tpwjo Manitoba Education. Literacy with ICT for Teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2018, from https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/tech/lict/teachers/index.html Mardis, M. A., & Bishop, K. (2016). The collection program in schools: Concepts and practices. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, An imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC. As a general studies teacher in a small school known for it's high expectations, I run a pretty tight ship. Every day, I use an agenda on the SmartBoard. If I come back from break and see my students without having their supplies ready, I ask them the question: "who can read?" We are nearly five weeks into the school year and still, I have students looking at me, hands in the air, volunteering like I am asking them to read something for me. By grade 5, students in my school are fairly adept at problem solving: if they cannot read the agenda, they ask someone next to them or follow what the rest of the class is doing. I am also sensitive to the fact that if I were teaching in a different environment, I would not dare ask this question. By me asking this question, I am telling my students daily that reading is important. It is ingrained into what we need to do to function in our society. When I ask my students to complete surveys at the beginning of the year asking them about what they like to read, the amount of students saying "I don't like reading" is disheartening. How can we change that? This week's blog topic: Fostering Reading Cultures in schools is important to me for a variety of reasons. My first teaching job landed me in a school two hours from where I attended school and in a community of less than 600. Most of my students rode the bus, up to an hour and a half each way, often coming in from the neighbouring reserves. The students who chose to come to our school off-reserve were often in it for daily access to town services and the Automotive Technology program, run by a respected local plant worker turned teacher. In year three of my career in this community, I had the great idea that I would start a reading course. Our division was going through a Re-Imagining process where the staff and students in the division worked to Re-Imagine how school was done. There were some really great things that came out of the process, including programs running today such as building homes and auctioning them off in the community, becoming a Leader In Me school, and my own reading course. My great idea was that there were kids in our community who would love to have the opportunity to read for a whole class, so why not allow them to do that? I created a syllabus, talked to students, and obtained help from the school librarian. I ended up having two different courses running at the same time: creative reading and creative writing. In the first few days of class, I sat each student down at my computer and told them to go nuts on Amazon. I had them fill up an Amazon cart with all of the books they wanted to read. I then went to the principal, showed him the list, and said, "we need to buy these books for the kids." He was more than willing to finance our idea and told me to place the order and get a cheque requisition form. At the end of our first semester, most students had students reading anywhere between 3 and 30 books, with thousands of pages read between them. To bring this back to our topic: how do we foster a reading culture? I think the way this question is phrased is important. We, as teachers, teacher librarians, and even administrators simply cannot create a reading culture. We must foster it. The video above demonstrates that reading is not just important for learning in a classroom environment, but it is important for real life (like telling a girl you like her and cannot wait to spend time with her). For other examples, read Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet - the literate ones always get the girl... it's a reoccurring theme! (Forgive the endings though, those are simply tragic). I think there really are a lot of different ways we (as a school community, as teacher librarians and classroom teachers) can foster a reading culture. In one of my other classes, I created a video chronicling the recipe for success for a school library learning commons (see below). I think the items mentioned in the video are important, but I think one piece is missing from the video to answer the question of how to foster a culture of reading. The answer is this: relationships. While I would argue that relationships are likely the most effective way to foster a reading culture, Webster states in her article, Fostering a Reading Community (2017), "increasing the variety of texts students can read in the typical language arts classroom" (p. 28) is more beneficial to student learning and engagement versus whole class novel studies. I think that in my experience, the more that students are trusted and given choice (there's the relationship building!), the more ownership they take over their learning. Not only is the relationship between the classroom teacher and the student important, but Webster goes on to say that "one of the most critical components of a successful independent reading program has been the support of the school librarian" (p. 29). This role that the teacher librarian has is so important, because unlike my previous situation, most teachers do not have an unlimited budget for books - in my (limited) experience, the opposite is true: administrators believe that there are plenty of resources in the library or SLLC. If someone who was in charge of the SLLC were to say something to the contrary, I think it would have more effect. Also, refraining from limiting student choice is important, according to Webster, "[the school librarian] encourages students to check out any books that interest them rather than confining them to a certain reading level" (p. 30). I think it really is a shame that students might feel as if they were unable to check out a book because it wasn't a "good fit" for them. According to the Daily Five, there are three different ways we read a book: by reading the words, reading the pictures, and by summarizing or paraphrasing the text. Finally, using the formed relationship to engage in conversation about texts is a significant aspect to consider. Penny Kittle's book, Book Love stresses the importance of book talks. Ever since I heard her speak when I worked in Manitoba, I feel as if transferring my own love of books is so important to getting our students to love reading. Kittle warns, however, that "we need to balance pleasure [reading] with challenge, increasing volume for all readers" (p. 8). I feel like I am constantly giving my students new texts to read by giving them a bit of glimpse into the book to get them interested. I was pleased to read that "A booktalk is motivating, and when done well, grabs students’ interests immediately so as to create a sense of urgency for them to read it" (Webster, p. 31). Book talks work with students of all grade levels! To summarize, here is a list of things I personally can do to help foster a reading culture: - Student choice - Unlimited student choice - Allow students to help choose texts to bring into the SLLC - Develop relationships with staff and students - Ask for staff input - Utilize digital technology - Use warm colours, comfortable furniture, and a variety of workspaces - Involve administration - Share the variety of ways in which we read - Give booktalks! References Boushey, G., & Moser, J. (2014). The daily 5: Fostering literacy independence in the elementary grades. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
Hsu, V. [Vert Hsu]. (2006, October 15). Indigo - Love of Reading Commercial [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/h5SIONYCuLs Kittle, P. (2013). Book love: Developing depth, stamina, and passion in adolescent readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. [Logo]. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2018, from https://www.theleaderinme.org/ Webster, R. (2017, 12). Fostering a reading community. Teacher Librarian, 45, 28-31. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/docview/1979764335?accountid=14656 My topic is around online identity, which includes cyber security, online presence, and general online safety. In general, I found a significant amount of resources, but not scholarly resources. I found five resources which I have linked below, and a few other pieces for further reading on my part at the end. Findings: Creating Identity: The Online Worlds of Two English Language Learners This article examines how English Language Learners in middle-school classrooms interact with others in online spaces based on their interests. This article also looks at how students who may struggle in contemporary English speaking classrooms can easily find their niche. Image from: https://blog.vasco.com/security-tip/help-customers-keep-digital-identity-safe/ 2Learn.ca The website outlines resources for teachers, parents, and students which promotes positive online interactions, web and media literacy, copyright, and digital citizenship. From this website, there are links to external websites including Media Smarts (www.mediasmarts.ca), YouTube videos, and Statistics Canada. While this website is a wealth of information, I believe I will use this resource as a reference tool. Image from: https://aoifenimhurchucybercultures.wordpress.com/2015/03/01/online-identity/ High School Graduates' Perspectives on the Creation of Online Identities This doctoral dissertation contains numerous findings to support that creating online identities in students is ultimately for the purpose of social connection. The conclusions drawn indicate that there are multiple generated types of online identities: real, desired, enhanced, and deceptive. Few of these types of online identities can serve as a level of protection for some students. Image from: http://www.social-media-skills.org/getting-serious/creating-your-online-identity Common Sense Media As a personal favourite, I am including Common Sense Media as a source of information. I find their curriculum is appropriate and engaging for junior and high school students, and is effective when implemented. I find that Common Sense Media outlines a variety of purposeful tasks for students to complete and teachers to use for instruction. I am familiar with the grade 9 scope and sequence, having used it extensively for a number of years, but am looking forward to delving deeper into the content used in other grades. Image from: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Common_Sense_Media Online "iDENTITY" Formation and the High School Theatre Trip This article examines the sense of online identity high school students have in relation to their offline world. I appreciate how the author completed a significant amount of data collection (150 students) to understand their findings, and I also appreciated how they chose to conduct interviews as well. Richardson, the author, did not discount the single word responses, as sometimes answering in that fashion can be a part of someone's identity. This article is available through the UBC database as well as through the McGill website here. Image from: https://www.lawyersweekly.com.au/features/20821-online-identity Acceptable Use Policies I am interested in learning about acceptable use policies in my province, so I have included a list of some policies currently in effect. Calgary (Huntington Hill School): This resource lays out their acceptable use policy in a clear and concise way which I appreciate, whereas many other policies use much more legal jargon which I find confuses students more. http://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/HuntingtonHills/SiteCollectionDocuments/AUP.pdf Learning and Technology Framework (Government of Alberta): I found this framework was suitable for teachers and administrators in how technology can be used and implemented. Manitoba has a similar one I am well acquainted with, but I like the Alberta resource better. https://education.alberta.ca/media/1046/learning-and-technology-policy-framework-web.pdf Bring Your Own Device, Alberta Schools: I think this resource is a well thought out policy aimed at schools to have consistency among the province. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/5821955f-5809-4768-9fc8-3b81b78257f7/resource/631bf34c-d3e6-4648-ab77-2b36727dca0b/download/5783885-2012-07-Bring-your-own-device-a-guide-for-schools.pdf References 2Learn Your Online Presence. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2018, from http://www.2learn.ca/ydp/
Burke, A. (2013). Creating Identity: The Online Worlds of Two English Language Learners. Language and Literacy, 15(3), 31. doi:10.20360/g2ds38 Common Sense. (n.d.). Retrieved September 13, 2018, from https://www.commonsense.org/ Koh-Herlong, L. H. (2015). High School Graduates’ Perspectives on the Creation of Online Identities(Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Walden University. doi:https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2623&context=dissertations Richardson, J. M. (2016). Online “iDentity” Formation and the High School Theatre Trip. McGill Journal of Education, 51(2), 771. doi:10.7202/1038602ar With the topic I chose, I found it easy to start searching, but found it difficult (as I imagined) to find relevant information which I could use to inform my teaching surrounding the idea of cyber security and identity. One of the first tasks was doing a search in the UBC database, because I felt like I would have the most success finding some research on identity and security (see image below). Based on the image above, you will find that while there were over 100 000 results in education databases and journals, a significant portion of that was in fact not related to education in schools. Most of the results were based on education of others and how identity theft occur. Upon discovering this, I felt defeated. I was somewhat successful in this search, however, because I did find a scholarly source which was also available on the McGill University website. I will include that article in my third blog post. Next, I decided that I would spend time doing a Google search for something, anything I could use. I ended up finding a doctoral dissertation which explored the idea of online identity in middle school ELL students. Upon further inspection, I found a lot of relevant material to my idea - perhaps not related directly to the online security aspect, but certainly the identity. Going into this search, I knew I would also find hits from Common Sense Media. I have used their curriculum numerous times over the years, but since I had never spent time with the K-8 curriculum, I spent some time reading what the company finds as appropriate for those grades. Following Common Sense Media, I also came across a local (to Alberta) website called 2learn.ca (section titled Your Digital Presence) - I am not sure why the site is not promoted, because it seemed to have a wealth of information regarding online identity and safety (see links on the left in the image below). However, I may be living in my own bubble because since moving to Alberta I have only worked in an independent school which we each year contractually agree to not become members of the Alberta Teachers Association. On this website, I also found it interesting how it has sectioned off resources for different grade levels. I appreciate that they understand different grade levels have different needs. Finally, I wanted to end my search with some information about various technology agreements within the province. I found a few resources from local (to the province) schools, as well as some provincial documents about acceptable use and Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). I remember when I previously taught in Manitoba, we had to re-vamp our BYOD policy as we provided students in grades 9 and 10 their own Chromebook and upon graduation they would keep the devices. Due to the nature of the program, we found it necessary to discuss when, how, and where the devices could be used, even if in grade 12 they could go to University with them. Until graduation, they were property of the school. Image from: https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/5821955f-5809-4768-9fc8-3b81b78257f7/resource/631bf34c-d3e6-4648-ab77-2b36727dca0b/download/5783885-2012-07-Bring-your-own-device-a-guide-for-schools.pdf In my current school, we have a single page acceptable use policy which outlines that students may use school provided technology appropriately. Our students keep their devices in locked boxes in homerooms and are given access to them at lunch time, morning break, and otherwise if the teacher sees a need. I think the idea behind this thinking is that our students have less pressure to contribute to their online identity while in school. I found the juxtaposition between what I found in local schools, the province, and my school interesting. While I had hoped to find more scholarly sources, I was glad to have found other resources to use. |
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