I'm always looking for opportunitites to learn more about integrating technology into the classroom so I made the easy decision to attend edcamphome 2.0. The first ever edcamphome (July 2103), was a blast. As a participant I engaged in conversations with other Science teachers and picked up some new tools to try. When the event was over I had a headache and my eye muscles twitched - but I was pumped full of the energy that new ideas bring.
This time around I volunteered to be a session moderator. I did my homework: lower thirds were set, "day of" instructions reviewed, Google Hangout on Air settings fixed, apps were loaded. I had never moderated anything before. But I had experience using Google Hangouts and felt confident in my abilities to invite edcamphome participants to a hangout and get the discussion rolling.
For the first session of edcamphome 2.0 I chose to moderate the session "GAFE in the classroom". We were hearing about some great apps and extensions. Participants were getting into the edcamphome spirit, contributing and asking questions. And then I noticed that I never clicked on the Start Broadcast button! I imagined a look of dissapointment on David Theriault's face. Brady, the event mascot, was probably covering his dog eyes in disbelief. How could I let the edcamphome organizers down? Didn't any of the partipants notice the ON AIR button wasn't displayed? I snapped back to reality and hit the button managing to capture the last ten minutes of the session.
I had made my first mistake as a moderator. Wonderful. It meant that I was learning.
Session two was my chance to do it right. I chose to moderate "Virtual Field Trips". On my second attempt, I was relieved to see a familiar face, Scott Bedley (@TASFair) on the participant list for the session. I knew he would have plenty to add to the conversation. This time, eveything went smoothly. At the end of the session participants thanked me for moderating and I felt the stress release from my body. I had successfully moderated my first complete Google Hangout on Air for edcamphome 2.0.
Of course I had my reservations about being a moderator. I could make a mistake while tons of people were watching across the nation. If you are thinking of being a moderator for an event like this or even a small in-house event, I urge you to do it. Events like this can't happen unless people are willing to try something new and scary. In making a googleful failure, I know that the organizers of the event are appreciative of risk-takers and challenge acceptors - even when they struggle and sometimes fail because they know that person is learning. Thank you edcamphome for allowing me to stretch my learning muscles and grow as an educator and technology integrator.
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I am no different from any other teacher. I need down time and me time. This summer though has been for me more about staying charged up rather than powering down. For instance I took a road trip with my family to northern California. On impulse my mom asked to stop in Asilomar State Beach. We parked alongside the coast trail and trudged down to the water. This brought back great memories of a Science class field trip to Monterey, Ca. when I was in 10th grade. I started poking around in the tidepools. My eyes were attracted to the colors. I started pulling out different shades of green, then brown and red slimy, plant-looking stuff...I had found a variety of algae. Ahha! It was so beautiful I had to take a picture to show my "kids". Now, when they ate their samples of dry seaweed I gave them to try in class during the "algae is not a plant" lesson they could see the fresh specimens too. This is the power of the field trip. I asked my mom if she'd ever put her finger in a sea anemone before. "What's that?", she said. "Where is it? I don't see it.", she said as I got my shoes wet trying to point it out. She gently placed her finger in the mouth of the anemone and let out a weird gasp "Ah! I didn't know they did that!" . Again, there is power in the field trip. Some experiences just can't be felt in the classroom or technology assisted virtual field trips. As a student, I remember having the opportunity along with my classmates, to investigate whatever enticed me in the tidepools. To get down into the water, observe, discover, experiment. It was pure joy. It's one of the reasons I am a Science teacher today. The power of the field trip. Onward to the Rare Seeds Seed Bank in Petaluma, California. Lots and lots of seeds. This west coast location of Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company resides in a former bank building. I was on the lookout for some varieties that my students wouldn't be able to find at the local home improvement store. Purple of Sicily cauliflower and spiral shaped Romanesco Italia Broccoli seemed fun to me! Next stop, Monterey Bay Aquarium. Although I had been to this aquarium twice before I was excited to see a new exhibit called "The Jellies Experience". Jellyfish are viewed in an artistic light with interactive displays and interpretations. The light shows created by these awesome animals are part of the "groovy" feeling of this "psychedelic" trip. Of particular interest to me was the upside-down jellyfish. They have symbiotic algae in their tissues, which photosynthesize. I will be sharing this new knowledge with my students. Perhaps a jellyfish costume with glow-stick lighted tentacles is in order? The last stop on this field trip was California Carnivores, the largest carnivorous plant nursery in the nation. It's located in Sebastopol, Ca. It's been on my summer "bucket list" ever since I purchased a Nepenthes (tropical pitcher plant). The staff was very friendly and granted me special "behind the scenes" access as soon as I played my "I'm a Science Teacher" card. They showed me how to feed a mealworm to a venus flytrap and explained the different flytrap cultivars. In their toasty greenhouse, I got to see some other rare exotics like the corpse flower, not yet in bloom. They wouldn't let me leave without showing me the propagation pools where they encouraged the plants to grow before potting them up. As I was leaving I picked up a free kids booklet they were probably trying to get rid of. It's an educational comic book style lesson/activity on the types of carnivorous plants around the world. This is some great stuff for creative student assignments on tropisms! Yes! One more field trip bonus! Now that I am home, I feel so fortunate that I was able to go out on these learning excursions, to let my curiosity guide me. I wonder why at some point in our schooling field trips seem to become impossible or at the least difficult to do. Permission slips. Funds. Transportation. Rules. Justification. You can't put a value on the type of learning that occurs on a field trip. The impression that an event or first-hand experience can give a child is priceless. This year I'm going to make a goal to give my students at least one field trip. |