Using Ipads as Documentation and Reward Time

I promised an Ipad-Mini update, so here's what we've been up to:

Students in my Core French classes (both the 1/2 and the 3/4) have been practicing familiar and everyday expressions and very basic phrases. They've been working at introducing themselves and others and asking and answering simple questions, like "Comment ca va?"

These kiddos had wayyyyy too much fun:

The great thing about the Ipad Minis (what's not to love about them, really) is that assessment and evaluation is literally at my fingertips. I can have students email me the videos at the end of the class and I have all the information I need for the day. Who did well, who needs to be pushed a little harder, which groups worked well together, who was silly, who understands basic sentence conventions in French, etc... . It's not the be-all, end-all, but it's certainly a great way to assess if I'm not able to make it around to each "working group" in a day. Based on this video alone, I can tell that we need to revist the "Je m'appelle ____" introductions! One student began as "Je suis ..." and the other began as "J'ai ..." Hmm.

We've also been using the Ipad Minis as a supplement to my reward incentive program. Each of my classes is set up so that students sit in groups (they choose where they want to sit), and each group is assigned a colour. One person from each group is the "chef" and they are expected to change "chefs" each day ... The chef is in charge of the clothespins. Each group earns clothespins (les pinces) for answering questions in French, singing loudly, transitioning quickly, cleaning up their workspace, etc ... At the end of the period, the chef tells me their total (and if they tell me the number in French, they get a bonus point) and at the end of the week they cash in their clothespin totals for reward time. They've been using their reward time for Ipad Mini time!

 

Students in my classes are rewarded (A LOT and OFTEN) for small accomplishments... But these 'small' accomplishments are what make my students feel successful. And in order to move them from an A1 to an A2 (when referring to the CEFR), they need to know that they are doing well.

 

What do you use as incentives in your Core French classes?

 

TTFN,

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Listening. Really listening.

When I think of assessment, I think how students can show me what they've learned. But what I really need to think about is how students can show me what they've learned or what they know. Taking what the students say and bringing it back to the curriculum to assess whether or not "they've got it" ... Taking conversations that have been had and relating it to a ministry document and deciding whether or not they have accurately represented learned information. In a play-based environment, this is the ONLY way to assess students learning without feeling like you're a chicken with your head cut off.

By taking a few minutes every day (even if its only 5 or 10) and investing "quality" time with students (even if its only a few students every day), I feel that I can get a better sense of "where they are and what they know" ...

After all, isn't that what FDK is all about? Learning though play ... Why stop a student from building a masterpiece and ask them to count for you when you can join them at the block centre and count how high their tower is?

:)

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Learning Stories!

Learning stories are the new "wave " of assessment in FDK. In an article on the subject, Susan Hill writes:

Learning stories capture the context of the learning environment that appears to be enabling or constraining learning. Learning stories are not the same as case studies or running records about children—they are narratives or stories and they need to be a good tale.

My personal goal is to have at least one learning story completed for each student by the time the year is finished. But .. I'm having so much fun writing them that I think I may get more than just one per student. These are posted on my Instagram account (mskiddskindergarten) and I've also created a feed (using a third party website which was free) to this blog so that you don't have to actually have an Instagram account to view them online. 

As soon as I've figured out how to print to the wireless printer at school, I'll be sending home these lovely love notes. Parents and students alike will love receiving these. Not only do they tell what learning is evident, their accomplishments and progression, but they also tell what is happening in the picture to guide further instruction (for teachers). 

Here are a few examples of learning stories that I have created using Instagram:

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