Take a glance in Mrs. Henry's room. The students use video, iPads, desktops and laptops to infuse technology into their learning in creative and innovative ways. 

"Cloning"
in the Classroom

Posted 2/21/18

My Rockstar Neighbor

Today was one of those days that makes me so proud of my team. Mrs. Henry, who I've mentioned in other blog posts, has been working tirelessly with her class, a bunch with lots of unique needs. Maria, as I'll refer to her, is a hard-worker; the teacher who is the last to leave every night, puts in extra hours after school tutoring, and is constantly thinking of ways to make her classroom a better place. 

I can't explain how proud of Maria I've been in the past few months. The newest teacher on our SOTA I team, she is working with a new team of teachers, a whole different population of students (from our sister-school Hamilton where she moved from) and a whole new charter focus on technology and the arts. She has gone along with my crazy whims and is the first classroom teacher to try something new with technology, or come to me looking for an innovative way to use tech in her classroom. 

That brings us to today. I've often shared with staff that my favorite part of using video in my classroom is the ability to clone myself.  I can teach in the front of the room on my screen, while I am able to walk around and work with kids as well. Seeing another teacher discover this innovative way to teach today was truly magical. 

The Aha Moment

Maria came to me so thrilled today. She explained that she had read the story problems from her math test to her students, and AirDropped her Clips video to the students. She was THRILLED at the results and LOVED how she was able to clone herself through video. She explained how it was so nice to be able to give all of her students the attention they needed with regards to getting help reading the words in the story problem, while she was able to focus on the students who needed help with the actual math problems during class. Her kids loved that they could pause and go back if they needed to, and knew that they didn't have to use the video unless they needed it. 

Helping teachers discover the ways that technology can absolutely change what we do in our classrooms is one of the things I love most about my job. Sure, I love making art with the kids and building their confidence, but there is also something so special about knowing you transformed the way a teacher works in their room, and maybe made a small part of their job just a tiny bit easier (and a lot more fun and productive!) 

I can't wait to see how Maria continues to use technology to transform her classroom. With her willingness to try anything and take the initiative, I know that her class will continue to foster innovation and creativity. 

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