Category: Weekly Reflections

In 2045 what will the classrooms look like?

In 2045, classrooms will likely be highly dynamic and immersive learning environments. Traditional desks may be replaced by flexible furniture arrangements, allowing for various group configurations. Virtual and augmented reality technologies will likely play a significant role, offering immersive simulations and interactive experiences. Walls may double as digital screens, displaying educational content and fostering collaborative learning. AI-powered assistants could provide personalized learning experiences, adapting content to individual student needs in real time. Sustainability will be a key focus, with classrooms designed to minimize environmental impact through energy-efficient lighting, recycled materials, and green spaces. Overall, classrooms in 2045 will prioritize innovation, interactivity, and sustainability to create engaging and effective learning environments. ChatGPT, prompt “In 2045 what will the classrooms look like? in short paragraph form”, March 26, 2024, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com.

It was interesting to see the difference between what ChatGPT gave for an image and a description of future classrooms. In my head, I picture the crazy classroom created in the picture whereas the description is a little less crazy but both were given the same prompt. Realistically 2045 isn’t that far away although I think lots of advancements can occur I don’t believe we will be in the state of chips and robots. I hope that in the future we as teachers can use technology to assist us and take the workload off to help reduce burnout. I already see that happening as recently Uvic gave us the go-ahead on using ChatGPT to create lesson plans for our practicum which is already a step in the direction I am hoping for.

In today’s class, we had the opportunity to take the class outside to Finnerty Garden. I really enjoyed this activity as it was such a nice day out today and having the opportunity to feel the sun on my skin and breathe in the fresh air. Some thoughts I had while walking through the garden is how you can especially create a cross-curricular activity with yoga and meditation. You could use this connection in many different ways like doing some sitting meditation on a grassy area, walking meditation and guided breathing through nature or even encouraging your students to just take a silent mindful minute. 

Additionally, I thought about how at Finnerty Garden what you hear is a lot of cars and traffic. An idea could be you bring your students to a more central garden like Finnerty listen and record what you can hear then go to a more secluded garden and record what you hear. There would probably be a drastic difference in what the students hear and this could even be connected to the anatomy of the ear if that fits the grade you are teaching.

Through our walk, I created a little vlog of some thoughts my group had while walking through.

After watching Kaori’s presentation it made me think about my own experience with learning with a disability. I am hearing impaired in both ears and didn’t get diagnosed until kindergarten. Growing up and learning to speak, I developed a lisp because I couldn’t hear certain sounds. I struggled with reading aloud and learning new languages as I continued school. A relevant memory I have is when my teacher chose to adapt the lesson and make it individualized for me so that I could succeed in my grade eight French class. We were expected to present in front of the class. Due to my hearing loss, learning the proper sounds and pronunciations in French was tricky, so presenting in front of the class when dealing with the general struggle of speaking the language became a dreadful idea. I expressed my concerns, and my teacher was able to acknowledge my efforts and adapt in a way to see me achieve my goals. He allowed me to create a recorded presentation to show in front of the class so that I could practise my speech more in-depth, re-listen to my sounds and pronunciation and have time to make sure it was correct. If he were to not be inclusive and that we all should have the same education, I would not been able to grow as a student as I would’ve struggled deeply. Due to his choice of being inclusive and adaptive, I learned the skills with an adapted task to fit my individual needs. Realizing what my teacher did for me as a learner made me reflect on what I will offer as a future teacher. I want to aim to encourage a student-centred and inclusive learning space.

Photo by Mark Paton on Unsplash

Image credit: Sylvia Duckworth, via @DavidGuerin

The SAMR model stands for Subsitute, Augmentation, Modification and Redefinition. The model offers a valuable framework for teachers to reflect on their use of technology and consider how it impacts their teaching and their students’ learning. Looking at this model I wanted to think of some reason why as a future teacher I like this method. 

Some reasons I like SAMR are the focus on transformation, guidance for progression, and empowerment through technology. SAMR helps teachers to work for higher levels of technology integration further than the substitute phase. It emphasizes the transformative ways of technology and gets teachers thinking creatively about how tech can improve teaching and learning. Additionally, the model outlines 4 distinguishable levels of how tech can be integrated this outline acts as helpful guidance for teachers. The method models the range from basic substitute to transformative redefinition. 

Furthermore, SAMR offers empowerment through technology. Tech can be a very powerful tool for educators to empower themselves and their students. The model provides a structure for using technology to aid students learning to encourage creativity and become skilled in digital tools for future life.

In conclusion, the SAMR offers me and many educators a very structured and beneficial way to approach integrating technology into our teaching. 

With this blog post, I wanted to question what benefits chatgpt has to offer for teachers. 

Human Text= Bolded and Underlined

ChatGPT can benefit teachers in various aspects of their daily lives:

1. Lesson Planning Assistance: ChatGPT can help teachers brainstorm lesson ideas, generate teaching materials, and provide suggestions for engaging activities tailored to students’ needs and learning styles.
2. Grading Support: ChatGPT can assist teachers in grading assignments, providing feedback, and identifying areas for improvement. It can also help automate certain grading tasks, saving teachers valuable time.
3. Professional Development: ChatGPT can recommend relevant professional development opportunities, such as workshops, webinars, and online courses, to help teachers stay updated on best practices and educational trends.
4. Time Management: ChatGPT can offer time management tips, organizational strategies, and productivity hacks to help teachers effectively manage their workload and balance their professional and personal responsibilities.
5. Student Support: ChatGPT can guide on addressing student concerns, managing classroom behaviour, and fostering a positive learning environment. It can also offer advice on supporting students with diverse learning needs.
6. Stress Reduction: ChatGPT can offer stress reduction techniques, mindfulness exercises, and self-care strategies to help teachers cope with the pressures of their profession and maintain their overall well-being.
7. Collaboration Opportunities: ChatGPT can facilitate collaboration among teachers by connecting them with peers, enabling knowledge sharing, idea exchange, and collaborative problem-solving.
8. Accessibility: ChatGPT’s 24/7 availability ensures that teachers can access support and resources whenever they need them, whether during the school day, evenings, or weekends.

Overall, ChatGPT can serve as a valuable companion for teachers, offering assistance, support, and resources to enhance their teaching effectiveness, professional development, and overall well-being in their daily lives.

ChatGPT, prompt “In what ways can chatgpt benefit and help in teachers’ daily life?”, February 15, 2024, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com.

After reading what chatgpt had to say I would also agree with its points. Personally as a teacher as see chat and AI being helpful in time-consuming tasks that don’t require personalization. Additionally, I find chatgpt a great place to give example lessons that maybe you would use. Still, it can be nice for a new teacher to see an example and then be able to build a new example maybe taking aspects or simply using it as a place to start your creative process and allow for it to aid in the spark of your own ideas. 

I wanted to further see what chatgpt could do for me as a teacher, so I asked it to make me a grade 3 spelling test and practice page. This was super cool to see be done as this is a simple task that could be time-consuming as a new teacher if you don’t already have pre-made sheets from past years and Chat was able to make it in seconds. Watching this happen was incredibly cool and good for my future career.

Grade 3 Spelling Test:

1. Cat
2. Dog
3. Bird
4. Tree
5. House
6. Chair
7. Book
8. Sun
9. Moon
10. Fish

Instructions for Students:

• Listen as each word is read aloud.
• Write the correct spelling of each word on the lines provided.
• Take your time and do your best!

---

Grade 3 Spelling Practice Page:

Write each spelling word three times:

1. Cat: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
2. Dog: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
3. Bird: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
4. Tree: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
5. House: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
6. Chair: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
7. Book: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
8. Sun: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
9. Moon: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________
10. Fish: 1. ___________ 2. ___________ 3. ___________

---

Instructions for Students:

• Practice writing each spelling word three times to help you remember how to spell them.
• Use your best handwriting!
• Try to use each word in a sentence to make sure you understand its meaning.

Happy practicing!

ChatGPT, prompt “create a grade 3 spelling test and simple practise page”, February 15, 2024, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com. 

Additionally, I wanted to try the same idea but with the numbers side of things because I often see chatgpt used for writing and words but I don’t see the use of numbers as often. Same with the words just like that it was able to create a resource for me.

Grade 1 Math Test: Addition and Subtraction

Part 1: Addition

1. 2 + 3 =
2. 4 + 1 =
3. 5 + 2 =
4. 3 + 4 =
5. 1 + 5 =
6. 2 + 2 =
7. 3 + 1 =
8. 4 + 3 =
9. 5 + 1 =
10. 2 + 4 =

Part 2: Subtraction

1. 5 – 2 =
2. 4 – 1 =
3. 6 – 3 =
4. 7 – 4 =
5. 8 – 5 =
6. 5 – 1 =
7. 4 – 2 =
8. 6 – 4 =
9. 7 – 3 =
10. 8 – 2 =

Instructions for Students:

• Solve each addition and subtraction problem carefully.
• Write your answers neatly in the spaces provided.
• Take your time and do your best!

---

Grade 1 Math Practice Page: Addition and Subtraction

Addition Practice:

1. 2 + 1 = ________
2. 3 + 2 = ________
3. 4 + 1 = ________
4. 5 + 2 = ________
5. 1 + 3 = ________
6. 2 + 3 = ________
7. 3 + 1 = ________
8. 4 + 2 = ________
9. 5 + 3 = ________
10. 3 + 3 = ________

Subtraction Practice:

1. 5 – 2 = ________
2. 4 – 1 = ________
3. 6 – 3 = ________
4. 7 – 4 = ________
5. 8 – 5 = ________
6. 5 – 1 = ________
7. 4 – 2 = ________
8. 6 – 4 = ________
9. 7 – 3 = ________
10. 8 – 2 = ________

Instructions for Students:

• Practice solving addition and subtraction problems.
• Write your answers neatly in the spaces provided.
• Check your work to make sure your answers are correct.

Happy practicing!

ChatGPT, prompt “create a grade 1 math test on addition and subtraction with a simple practise page”, February 15, 2024, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com.

This week we got the opportunity to explore graphics. I believe graphics can benefit me as a teacher as I can create worksheets, and interactive slides and even show 3D models. Graphics can also provide visual elements to words or steps to help to create engaging lessons. The two main graphic resources I will use in the future are PowerPoint and Canva. Today I used Canva to create a little Valentine’s morning worksheet that I could give to my students immediately upon arrival to encourage quiet independent work time to start the day. Being able to have the skill to create my own work is super beneficial as lots of teachers sell little things like this but I was able to create this little worksheet in about 15 minutes very easily, along with this routine will help give my class structure and peace in the morning. Additionally using and creating graphics is a great skill to pass on and teach my students. They could create slides of their summer, an infographic from research they did, and even try to create their own worksheets or games.

Photo by dole777 on Unsplash

Through this reflection on Jesse’s presentation, I will be using the what, ‘so what’, and ‘now what’ approaches.

What did you take away from the session?

This session was very eye-opening on the rules and professional standards with social media. I feel like I’ve heard similar presentations before and always found them intriguing but it was different listening this time, as I was listening with the mindset of a future educator. I took away that our social media and our digital footprint can have a big impact on our future careers. I already had an experience relating to this. I had sent my resume to work at 2 dance studios here in Victoria, and before I even got a response back to the email both studios followed my Instagram. This moment truly showed me the impact our social media can have on our careers.

So what does this mean for your future career as an educator?

For my future career as an educator, it means that I have a certain level of professionalism that needs to be met with the use of my social media. This level is meant to not only benefit my personal life but also a required guideline that will be provided by my district. As an educator I will be cautious with my social media but more intensely cautious at the safety of my students. I will be sure to never store any student information in an unsafe place or take any pictures of students without student and parent consent.

Now what will you do based on the information provided?

After Jesse’s presentation, I have now made my main Instagram account private, for the safety of my personal life. Additionally, I had some questions that came up during my search for my digital footprint that also relate to my inquiry. I have an account for gym/exercise content. Through this account health, fitness and being strong is the main focus, I use the account to post my progress or workouts for others to try. The part I question is due to the idea of what my exercise wear is. At the gym, I would typically wear some shorts and a T-shirt or sports bra. I’m curious when I start teaching will the account be an issue? Although maybe I wouldn’t wear biker shorts and a sports bra to work, this is the outfit I’m wearing in the gym. If a parent were to come to the gym the outfits I have on my Instagram are what they would see me in. So I wonder if it would be a problem even though my account’s main focus is health and fitness and women being strong.

Week 1: Reflection on Inquiry-Based Design 

Now although I am a huge fan of inquiry-based learning as I feel it is a way to get students more engaged and can help with future life skills, in my psych course an idea was brought up that made me wonder how inquiry projects can be both good and bad in a sense.

In our psych course, we read about positionality and how it can affect us, especially as educators. It talked about how positionality will often have a major influence on what you teach, how you teach and even how you provide feedback. Of course, we have a curriculum to follow but our opinions, past experiences and privileges will affect our teaching. This is why I think inquiry projects are very good ideas for educators to do as they allow students to find topics they are interested in and even build on to their positionality.

As well as typically when you are passionate and excited about learning you will do better and end up learning more. I know that for me as a student, anytime I have completed an inquiry project I always feel super excited and proud of myself and want to show my findings, as they often take lots of individual work and exploration. There is also something that I think is pleasing to most people about having a choice, which is what inquiry allows for. 

Now well there are many benefits I also feel that if you were to do too many free inquiry projects, students would run into the same positionality issue we sometimes have as teachers. The students would become comfortable and have something they are passionate about and continue to choose that topic, which doesn’t allow for a wide range of knowledge. However, a way you could help with that is by giving inquiry projects with open-ended topics. For example this school year this is my second inquiry project but last semester the topic was an inquiry on something we noticed in our link2practice classrooms, whereas this semester is a free inquiry. So I believe that inquiries are a very powerful way of learning if done correctly, letting students have that freedom but also recognizing how positionality could affect students’ work so encouraging and creating a wide range of topics that students can question and create from in inquiry-based learning so they can continue to build on their knowledge.

Below is a picture from my previous inquiry project from last semester and my first time getting a photo from unsplash!

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash