5 Tips for Creating Podcasts on the iPad

7th graders make up the heart of our middle school. It's a huge class, and they're sandwiched between a small 8th grade class and an even smaller 6th grade class. These 7th graders are energetic and always looking for a good time. Let's just say that for many of them school is not a priority.

Sometimes I think that's the perfect group with whom to try something innovative.

In 7th grade Media class this year, we're working through some handy applications using the iPad cart we share with our middle school. After spending a few weeks at the beginning of the year working through some free and extremely helpful commonsense.org curriculum, some typing, and some Google related activities, we dove in to creating podcasts using GarageBand on the iPads. My inspiration came from Greg Kulowiec and Holly Clark with EdTechTeacher at the Boston ETTiPad workshop I attended in July.

After working through the process, here are my 5 tips for creating podcasts in the classroom:

1. Demo the tech.
I have found this to be a terrific way to build interest. Explain what each symbol or icon does, and just let the students' minds start working through how they want to use it. They may even have questions about the app you hadn't considered, which you can explore in real time to teach creative problem solving.

2. Create a clear-cut instruction sheet and grading rubric.
Decide what you want for your students. Start backwards: determine the outcome and then fill in the steps students need to take to get there. I separated our podcasting structure into pre-production, recording, post-production, and publishing. Check out my instructions and rubric on my Google Doc here. Feel free to use it!

3. Get your students in groups.
Even though iPads are personal devices, I find that any technology lesson lends itself to group work. One student is sure to either have experience with what you're discussing or has the pre-existing skills necessary to catch on quickly. This person can be the group tutor who troubleshoots any technical issues that arise, which is also super-handy when you have 5 hands in the air and can't get to all the questions in a reasonable amount of time.

4. Let students brainstorm topics that interest them.
You have to make sure they are engaged in what they're doing. What better way to engage students than to let them explore their own interests! This works well in a computer or technology class (technology for technology's sake), but in a self-contained or core classroom, you will need to narrow it down so the technology is simply a tool for a deeper understanding of your content. For example, in History class, have students interview an historical figure. In literature, have students discuss characterization with each other.

5. Give students at least 1 class period to explore GarageBand.
This is what I think is the most effective piece of the puzzle. It is the "dramatic pause" in your classroom that allows students to become comfortable with the app and then take risks. It also sets aside time for you to visit the students 1:1 and help, suggest, problem-solve, and teach as necessary.

Give it a try! I knew very little about how I would even publish the podcasts for others to hear, but I thought I could figure that out when the time came.

Sure enough, when the podcasts were in final form and we wanted to put the GarageBand podcasts from the iPad onto our Google Sites in the computer lab, it took a go-between service. After some of my own online research, a quick question on via Twitter to Greg Kulowiec confirmed that using SoundCloud would work well. The students created an account on SoundCloud using their Google Apps for Education credentials and then uploaded their podcasts to SoundCloud. From there, they were able to open up SoundCloud on the desktop in the computer lab and insert the embed code to their Google Site for all to listen to and enjoy! I've attached my favorite one below--if you're interested in learning about almond farming from some boys pretending to be their fathers...

Calling Middle School Student Bloggers!

I've been trying to get my 6th grade English Language Arts class at Ripon Christian interested in blogging. I started blogging with students a year ago for multiple reasons:

1. It's more motivating to write for and to classmates (and others) than the teacher.
2. It's an important skill to know in our modern world.
3. Learning to comment appropriately leads to positive interactions with many people you may not know well or at all.
4. It allows kids to feel pride in their hard work when they see their writing published online.
5. It's something new and different for them.
6. Kids have interesting and meaningful stories to share.
7. Students sometimes feel more free to share in writing than in person.
8. It's fun!

Last year we had an student from our buddy class in Australia come visit our small town and school. It was very rewarding for the students. Read my blog post about it here.

With that said, I'm having trouble finding middle school students from other schools to blog with, and a good chunk of that is my fault...my search parameters are very narrow. Let me explain.

I'm reaching out to Christian schools. 

I understand that we need to connect our faith to the larger world, but I decided to play it safe and only reach out to other Christian schools so that the parents of my students feel safe about their children's first interactions online.

I'm considering schools from other countries first. 

I want my students to learn about other cultures within a Christian setting. I want them to learn that they have brothers and sisters in Christ on a global scale. The common bond we have in Jesus is enough reason to begin a relationship. At this point, though, I wouldn't mind connecting with a class from the U.S.--I just want to get my kids blogging with somebody!

I need an English speaking school. 

While I search other countries for connections, my students do not have the skills to communicate with non-English speakers.

Reliable technology is key. 

The school we connect with must have the proper technology to communicate via blog on a regular basis. We have an iPad cart in our small middle school, and I can reserve regular access for us; I just need somebody who wants do and has access like we do!

Use Kidblog as a blogging platform. 

I like Kidblog because I can set the privacy settings and change them over time. I can also set it so that the teacher must "approve" the blog post or comment only after I have read it for appropriateness and/or correctness. I have begun my year with connecting my own 6th graders to each other. They are eager now, however, to connect with some buds across the globe.

Multiple schools would be ideal. 

I want options. We've connected with one class, and it worked well last year, but technical difficulties arise, and conflicting schedules get in the way. (Especially schedules from different hemispheres--while my class goes to Christmas vacation, an Australian class has finished their school year.) My students have not been able to connect with anybody yet this year, and I'm stuck!

If anybody who's reading this feels like they can connect with us, please do! Or tell your friends. And remember my criteria that helps me keep my students safe and parents happy: 

• Christian middle school class (we're 6th graders)
• From somewhere outside (or inside) the U.S.
• Reliable technology for easy access
• Currently using Kidblog, or a willingness to set Kidblog up

I created a website last year for a certification project. It's not completely up to date, but it would help anybody who is starting blogging for the first time. Check it out at blog2buds if interested.

Who Cares? Part 2-Words

We had a chapel talk at our school the other morning. Four people shared some stories of their elementary and middle school years, specifically the things that hurt them. Those sharing included a mom of elementary kids, a high school senior, a teacher, and our principal. They all told stories of being involved in either receiving, dishing out, or seeing forms of bullying.

As I thought back to my own history as a middle school kid, I remember the words that helped me, but I even more vividly remember the words that hurt me.

My English teacher told me I was good at using semicolons in my writing; I've remembered it to this day.

My History teacher teased me for missing my shots in my basketball game. I remember slinking down in my seat as he continued on for what seemed like forever. He turned out to be one of my favorite coaches of all time, so I forgave him quite quickly after that.

As far as classmates from the past go, I don't remember many of the positives they shared, but I do remember the negatives. Just like anybody, I have a tough time getting past the criticisms I hear, even to this day.

Before we relate this to the classroom, this is one of my favorite videos to show kids at the beginning of the year.

As shared in my first "Who Cares?" post, I mentioned physical touch as a love language of children but warned of the social constraints of using this in the classroom. A second love language of kids, according to the book The Five Love Languages of Children, is words of affirmation. Please just think back to your own life and the words you heard about you, spoken to you, the words you said about others, to others. What message are you sending to your students with your words, with your tone?

I am not a proponent of the self-esteem movement because I think it's important to be real with the students, but I do believe that everybody needs to hear something genuinely encouraging about themselves from time to time. In order to reach students on a deeper level, we as teachers need to get to know them. And when we truly know them, we can find a positive aspect of our shared experience to send from teacher to student. We can find words that will lift up rather than break down.

Here are some things I try to do in my classes.

• If a student has been struggling with turning in homework, I will simply say great job when they do get the work in. (High Fives also work.)
• I like to tell a student 5 minutes before the end of class to come see me after class. As they spend a bit of time worrying that they're in trouble, the compliment I give them when they approach after everyone has left makes their day 10 times brighter.
• Be accepting when a student catches your mistake and make sure you thank them publicly.
• Keep a tally of students (even 1 per day) that you compliment from time to time. Intentionally plan to focus on one student at a time and make sure you affirm that student. You will be surprised how positive your classes become. You'll likely need to affirm multiple students...because it's contagious.
• Blog with your students and require commenting. Encourage students to keep the comments positive and to focus on their classmates who don't have a lot of comments yet. On Kidblog you can set it so the teacher must approve the comments before they're published. This way you can monitor the conversations.
• When making groups, designate group leaders whose sole job it is to keep the conversation positive. Make sure all people in the group know that this role is of utmost importance.
• When correcting students' writing, begin your comment with a specific positive, then instruct on weaknesses, and end with another positive. This takes a lot of teacher time, especially with those who struggle, but it's worth it

What else can we do to make sure our words are uplifting rather than degrading? You tell me.

Stay Safe Ripon Christian!

I don't know about your school, but it seems that elementary students take a lot of risks on the playground. I know it's difficult for a student not to run through the hallway. There are students who get confused about their play areas, and arguments follow. And it's not super fun to use playground equipment exactly how it's designed. Shucks, when I was a kid, I sure caught a lot of air jumping off the swings when the teacher wasn't watching. The elementary teachers at our school decided enough was enough, and they tasked my middle school media students and me to put together a "safety video" for kindergarten through fifth grade.

Last spring, my sixth and eight grade media classes spent 4-5 class periods with iPads planning, directing, filming, and acting in safety topics ranging from keeping the game of tag OUT of the bathrooms to only going DOWN the slide to staying OFF your school desk. Some videos were great, and some videos were, well...good. I figured I, as the teacher, would have all summer to edit the 52 short videos down and create something awesome for teachers to show on the first day of school, which happens to be in less than a week.

I can tell you right away that I did NOT spend my summer creating a safety video. I was able, however, to complete it just today using iMovie on my Mac. Let me share, though, that I labored over it to get it just right. Anyway, I think it's a great idea for a school to do, and if you can get some of your junior high/middle school students to take some ownership over it by deciding on the scenes, and even the topics, true learning occurs. Take a look at mine...if you have time. At least watch the first minute and a half. Leave a comment if you can tell which movie opening I've borrowed inspiration from. Enjoy!

8 Techs to Organize the School Year

I taught strictly 6th grade for years. While I used to identify myself as a 6th grade teacher when asked what I do, these days I just say I teach in the middle school. However, I'm still holding onto 6th grade English Language Arts, and I'm working to organize the upcoming school year for student growth. To that end, I plan to establish 8 techs that will encompass my 6th grade ELA classroom.


Smore.com

Last year Shannon Miller inspired me (unintentionally on twitter, mind you) to try out this free flyer site. She called it a mini-website, and it has transformed the way I think about communicating with parents. It is organized from top to bottom, so scrolling down is a necessity, and it allows for a good array of design, background, font, and color options. I use it to link to anything I want, be it a Google Calendar, videos, forms, etc. Check out these options:

I've used smore.com to organize resources for presentations, to set up a thematic unit on coding with kids, and as a website for my soccer team. Now I plan to use it as a class website. It's quick, easy, informative, and pleasing to the eye. It replaces my Google Site, which I had previously made way too complicated.


Remind

I started using this last year with the high school soccer team I coach. Previously called Remind101, it is a "text out only" service--no return texts. I had my players sign up via text so that I could send out text reminders to them about upcoming practice or game times or other general announcements about the season. This year I plan to give my 6th ELA parents the option to sign up for my "class" via Remind. All you have to do is set up an account, create a class, and you receive a unique phone number and code. Parents (and/or students) can text that number with the class code and voila! they are linked to your Remind account. I plan to use this when I've updated grades on our school's grading system, added something new to my smore.com site, or for other general announcements for the whole group. I'm quite curious to see how many parents take this bait at our annual "Back to School Night".


Google Docs

I've you haven't had students use Google Docs, then you haven't lived. Once all the confusing tech requirements get cleared up, students thrive when accessing their document from anywhere they have an internet connection. Beginning with the power of Google Drive (not to mention Slides, Sheets, Forms, and Drawings), students have the power to turn in paperless assignments by sharing them with the teacher or fellow students for editing purposes. Unlocking the collaborative nature of Google Docs is where the real magic happens. All you need is a Google account to get started, but your students each need one, too, which is a great reason to have your school or district on Google Apps for Education. I don't mind having students work with pencil and paper, but drafting and publishing is taken to another level with Google Docs.


Kidblog

As I've blogged about before, Kidblog has opened up opportunities for my 6th grade ELA students. We were able to connect with some Australian buddies from Canberra, and a whole different level of motivation for student writing was unleashed. You, of course, can choose another blogging platform, but what I love about Kidblog is that the teacher chooses the privacy settings. It can be as private or as public as you decide is right for your class. For us, we shared our blogs with only one class abroad. This year I hope to expand and add in a few more classes around the country or globe. Much of what we will do is create drafts in Google Docs and import or copy our writing into Kidblog as our main publishing tool. I typically grade the students on their revised and edited Google Doc, provide feedback, and then have students post their writing on Kidblog to begin their conversations with each other.


Evernote

I have used Evernote personally as a note-taking tool off and on for the last year or two, but this school year I want to take another leap with my 6th grade ELA students (and likely my other middle school classes too) in creating ePortfolios with Evernote. While Google Drive would be an effective way to organize all the students' writing, I want to have a central location for anything they might do in class, even other than writing. I plan to set up students with their own Evernote accounts using their GAfE emails. I can then teach them how to document their own work throughout the year or the semester. In Evernote, students will set up their own "notebooks", calling one of them ELA6. From there, students will create a "new note" within the "notebook" for each project or assignment we decide is worth documenting. With a free account, students will have enough space to link to their Google Docs, write reflections, and take and store pictures of their work, even annotating on top of the image if they desire. Tagging their notes allows for easy organization and retrieval. Video and audio takes up a lot of storage, so there will be little room for that. By the end of the year, they will have their own record of how they progressed. They could even add on to this the following year if they so desire, or if other teachers decide it is worth it for them. It's my first year attempting this, so we'll see how it goes!


ThreeRing

While I could use Evernote to organize student work for myself, I am fascinated with the possibilities ThreeRing offers. I first heard about ThreeRing from Drew Minock and Brad Waid while watching The Two Guys Show. ThreeRing allows a teacher to set up multiple classes, create a class roster and proper tags, and then choose a student, group, or whole class to share posts with. The main idea here is to easily document student work using an iPad. With ThreeRing I can snap a picture, add a note, record audio or video and post it under a student's name. It stays private, and I now have a record of student progress for myself, the teacher. I can use it to assess, to lead a parent-teacher conference, or simply for future reference. I think the power of this platform, however, is in the possibility of parent communication. I can set it up so that every time I post something new for a particular student, that student's parent who has a ThreeRing account receives an email stating that their child's ThreeRing has been updated. Click on the link, and there's the instant feedback that a parent often desires. They can communicate back if they want. It's that easy. Read more about it here.


Planbookedu.com

While the above platforms are free to use, I have to share just one paid service. Last year I purchased planbookedu.com, and it worked like a dream. I typed out my plans for the week, specifying steps for the lessons, as you would do in any planbook, color coded them by class, and then I printed them out for the week. You could bump your plans forward a day if you fell behind, and you could even insert links as necessary, which I opened in a new tab and projected from my computer onto the screen. And for you Common Core enthusiasts, you can even turn on the standards to show what you're covering. I will pay for this year after year until I find something as good for cheaper or for free.


Blendspace

Finally, something I just heard about this week from Richard Byrne on his Free Technology for Teachers blog is Blendspace. Formerly known as EdCanvas, its premium features have now gone free. I am still unsure of how it all will work for me, but it is marketed for face to face, blended, or online models of teaching. It looks promising for those of you who would like to try flipping your classroom from time to time. It sets up in a box-like pattern on your computer screen, and you use the video or upload functions (along with many others like research or quiz) to drag material into each box. Using it as a lesson plan, the class period is sequenced out ahead of time. I would use my iPad linked to my class computer and projector to open up box 1 to share whatever video, link, presentation, or text I want to show the students first. When that's finished, I would click on box 2, then box 3, and so on, until the lesson is finished. It looks quite promising and is worth a peek.

So there you have it. These are some of the encompassing techs I needed to flesh out so that I could organize my life as I enter a new school year. Of course, I have plans for using many different apps and websites for day to day use throughout the year...QuickKey for assessment tracking, Padlet for class brainstorming, Kahoot for fun whole class voting, and many more. Prepping for this tech so that students can have a smooth transition into the year is important for me, and now I can feel equipped to make my long term plans that will then give birth to my day to day lessons. Happy planning!

Who Cares? Part 1

Above all else, a student needs to know you care.

In teaching, we have chosen to mingle our destinies with those of the students. We rejoice with those who rejoice, we mourn with those who mourn. My feelings are often affected by students' actions and reactions. After all, teachers call their students their "kids". Of course we care for our students.

But how can you show it? As a male teacher in the 6th grade, I've been told (understandably) to never touch the students. Leave the hugs to the female teachers, especially at the primary levels.

I choose to break that rule sometimes.

My wife has been reading a great book, and I plan to read it over the summer. It's titled The Five Love Languages of Children, and it lists the ways children show and prefer to receive love. As teachers, we know kids are complex creatures, so it stands to reason that a child will latch onto a couple different "love languages". The book lists the five love languages of children this way: 1) physical touch, 2) words of affirmation, 3) quality time, 4) gifts, and 5) acts of service. I plan to write about each one of these individually at some point, but right now I'd like to quickly share my thoughts on the first one listed...physical touch.

In addition to teaching 6th graders at Ripon Christian, I have coached the boys varsity soccer team at the high school for 13 years, and I run a soccer camp for grades 1-8 every summer. I also have two of my own boys, one in 3rd grade and one in 5th grade. I am not necessarily a "touchy-feely" kind of guy (not a "hugger"), but I've learned through many of my own experiences with my students, players, and children that boys feel valued when they have that physical touch.

Just look at what boys will do to each other if left unattended. In the middle school, we're constantly on the lookout for "tackle" football at recess and "dog-piling" on each other for whatever purpose. I often have to tell boys in class to keep their hands to themselves.

On the flip side, I choose to encourage the boys I encounter in class, on my team, and even my own boys at home with my physical touch of choice: a clap on the shoulder. From above or from the side, it can accompany a verbal "good job" or a "we'll get 'em next time". It could mean "it's okay" or "I'm proud of you". Even without words, it could stand for "that was awesome" or "I feel your pain". You could easily add to this list, I imagine. As a guy who teaches, coaches, and raises guys, it's in my nature (or my love language) to whack the kid's shoulder.

Disclaimer #1: not to injure or intimidate...but to encourage. To show you care.

Disclaimer #2: not every boy appreciates the physical touch, so be wise.

Form that teacher-student relationship, and then build it up. Make sure there are boundaries, of course, but above all else, find a way to show the students you care. If a student knows you care, the rest of the day, or the year, or even his entire school experience may become more positive.

How Many Swings Does It Take?

How many sentences does it take to form a paragraph?

I have a philosophical issue with the question, "How many sentences does my paragraph have to be?"

I have taught mainly 5th grade and 6th grade throughout my career so far, and I understand these are prime years for learning proper paragraphing. I used to answer the question this way: "You're in 5th grade, so your paragraph should be about 5 sentences." Or, "You're in 6th grade, so roughly 6 sentences."

My answer to the question these days is, "It depends."

As we should know, a paragraph begins with a topic sentence which shares the main idea (hopefully in an interesting way!). Then come the supporting details with any variation of subcategories. Finally, the end of the paragraph should close down the main idea and transition into the next paragraph. This is the structure I teach.

So when the question pops up, "How many sentences?" I have to respond with a nebulous answer. It depends on your main idea and how much support you need to put into the paragraph to make it whole.

It depends when you're ready to close down the paragraph.

I had an idea the other day. A 6th grade boy walked up to my desk and asked me this forbidden question. I looked at him as he smiled at me. I smiled back at him, and then I banged my forehead on my desk. (I've tried to answer this so clearly.) Why does this question keep coming up? I think it's because students are afraid to take risks, or they're afraid to get something wrong. Or they have not been taught to think for themselves and make their own decisions. Maybe they just don't know after all the years of paragraph instruction how to do it.

So this boy who asked the question is on my son's baseball team--they love their baseball. I answered the boy this way:

"When you step up to the on deck circle, how many swings do you take to get ready for your at bat?"

He answered me, "I don't know. I swing until I feel ready to bat."

That was, of course, the answer I wanted to hear. I love using analogies with the students. Connecting a concept to an existing experience is my bread and butter, and I think it's the best way to help students learn.

If we can connect the dots here, we swing until we're ready, and then we step into the batter's box. In determining proper paragraphing, we write as many sentences as it takes to feel like we've completed the main idea. Of course, the student's idea of complete is oftentimes quite different from my idea of complete, but that's a topic for a different time.

What was cool about talking to the boy at my desk was that I got to see the light bulb ding above his head. The explanation was tailored to his strength, and that made all the difference.

Hopefully now when students attempt to determine how many sentences it takes to form a paragraph, they can understand that it could be different every time. They've got to write until it's complete. They've got to swing until they're ready.