What's This Useful Alternate Timezone in My Google Calendar?

Today I was putting something on my Google Calendar when I saw something I haven't noticed before. On the left side, next to the calendar in week view, were two time zones.

So I opened the calendar settings [hover the cursor next to the calendar name to reveal the three dots] and looked at my settings.

Here is what my settings looked like.

Right away I saw that there were two time zones (in the Time zone section). My first thought was to change the second one. But instead of having an option located inside the menu to not include it, that just allowed me to change it to a second time zone.

Instead, Google has added a tick box at the top of the section. 

 A little further down, Google has added a world clock function.

More really nice changes to Google Calendar.

QR Codes in the School

Scan to go to wikipedia.com

Aurasma and School Play Programs
When  I went to a PD event at Yokohama International School a few years ago, when walking through the building they had student work displayed, along with the Aurasma codes. It was awesome, but I couldn't see them because I had an iPod (with no internet connection). There was nothing I could do.

But the art without the explanations was nice nevertheless.

At another school, the administrator was telling the audience to access the concert program using a QR Code. I thought it was an awesome idea that saved paper, but again, how could I get a QR Code reader without having WiFi access?



The Seesaw Connection
We use Seesaw as our portfolios and parental communication. A few weeks ago I learned that student work can be printed with a QR code. This is a powerful way for students to share their work with students in other classes within the school.

We are currently in the WASC accreditation process and some of the criteria ask for ways we are teaching. In order to get that evidence, we are going to go into each other's classrooms to look for those criteria.

While I think we should be going into each others' classrooms, we could have more dynamic evidence right in the hallways.





Some ideas

1. Not everyone has a QR Code Reader App installed on their phones, so why not open up the WiFi to the public? I understand why schools don't do this, I think they should, then how about changing the Guest password each week/month? The point is to give guests access to WiFi to download apps to access the learning.
2. If you are going to go this route, it might be good to send a note to the community beforehand recommending a specific app for both Android devices and iPhones. While there are many, not all work the same, and some have annoying ads. Spend some time researching a few options, then give the community ample warning.
3. Let's get the community into schools more often. 

Recipe to Discovery

We came back from spring break and I was greeted by these colorful projects on the window.

They are mine from my class. This was my idea.

Well, I found the idea online, but it was my execution.

Since the students had many questions about it, we did this activity to see what the water cycle was physically like. The water in the bag will actually go through the water cycle when it gets heated and cooled.

But looking at the bags, I thought back to something I have heard often that goes something like, "If all the students are doing the same thing, it's not an activity, it's a recipe." (Iknow that's not right by a long shot, but I cannot find the quote right now.)

I don't regret doing this activity, but I do regret the way I did it. If I were to do it over, I would ...

1. Start by putting water in the bags and putting the bags up on the window. Then we would just wait, watch, and question.
2. We would then figure out where to go from the students' questions and wonderings.
3. I would hope that we would come to (this might need to be guided) how the water cycle works in the world. Students would research different versions of what the water cycle might look like and draw them on the sides of the bags.

My class is pushing me this year.

Paraphrasing and Active Listening

One thing the first few coaches talk about in this video is paraphrasing, or active listening.

I have read that paraphrasing is an effective way to show the person you are talking to that you are listening. It is a staple of the coaching toolkit.

I do not like paraphrasing, however.

I wish I could put my finger on why, but I think I must have had a bad experience in the past. I wonder if it was used to twist my words or trap me at one time - or many times.

The coaching position comes down for the need for trust. I believe it is imperitative for a coach to first build good relationships with those they are coaching. Without trust, there might be seeds of doubt that could hinder the coaching process.

Take Advantage When Opportunities Arise

In her book, The Power of Inquiry, Kath Murdoch has a chart of what inquiry teachers do. One of those things is to link investigation to authentic contexts (p. 21).

This has been a focus of mine for this current unit. The phrase jumped out at me because I missed out on one such opportunity about five years ago, and I have probably missed out on many opportunities since then, but I have always thought about that missed chance. Hopefully, regretting that missed chance has helped me be more confident in taking risks with my teaching and looking for opportunities when they arise.

The other day I may have caught the opportunity.

The Junior High was having a Pancake Bake Sale fundraiser, but it was during recess time. The schedule worked out so that Grade 1 had class during this time. My students were not too pleased with this development and I got an earful coming up the stairs.

We are currently looking at opinion writing, so I decided to try to make a connection to our writing by telling them that they should make their voices heard by writing letters. I gave them a choice of three people to whom they could write and set them up by saying that they should think about:

Who - who will they write to
What - what they want
Why - why they want it

There was only about 15 minutes of writing time until an assembly, and some students were not into it since we had already "done writing" in the morning. But some students were able to express themselves. And hopefully, the others started to realize that the different subjects are interconnected throughout the unit.

* While not exactly an authentic inquiry, I think it was an authentic context for which I could guide the students to make a connection. It was probably as close I could get with this group.