Author: teaganhunt (Page 2 of 3)

This week in EDCI 336 we got to participate in an EdCamp with our class. To summarize, an EdCamp is basically a professional development opportunity for teachers to connect with others. However, the special thing about an EdCamps is that there is no pre-scheduled sessions. Everyone shows up with a topic that they are passionate about, and then the group decides what topics/sessions will occur. Educators have the opportunity to choose their own plan and path that they will take for the day.

I think that EdCamps can be extremely helpful for educators to engage with professional learning and gain applicable knowledge for their classrooms. Additionally, educators are responsible for the sessions they attend. Over the last few weeks, I had the opportunity to connect with some educators about Pro-D days. Many of the people I talked to explained how professional development days can either be really good, or really bad. Many of them stated that their best experiences have been when they had the chance to connect with their colleagues, or engage in a hands-on learning experience. I think that EdCamps can be both enjoyable and beneficial for educators.

For me, I definitely gained some interesting knowledge and information from our EdCamp. I went to a session on mental health, outdoor ed, and engaging ELL learners. I think it was really cool to engage with others and hear some of their personal stories as students, and as educators. It was nice to connect with others about similar experiences we have had in our Link2Practice, and hear some new perspectives. I really enjoyed the experience and will definitely consider engaging in something like this again in the future.

Featured Image by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

This weekend I had the opportunity to connect with family and friends that I have not got to spend time with in a while. I also got to reflect on some of the things that I am thankful for in my life!

On Saturday, my family went to my Nana’s house in Duncan. It was her birthday so we celebrated over a lovely dinner! I got to connect with some of my cousins and relatives on my dad’s side of the family. This was also my first time seeing my Nana’s new house since she moved back to the island.

On Sunday, my family hosted a big Thanksgiving dinner at my house. This was something that my family had been preparing for for a couple days (frantically cleaning the house, shopping, cooking, etc). For this particular dinner, we connected with my mom’s side of the family. My mom’s side of the family tends to be highly “family oriented” and therefore, I have always been very close to my cousins growing up. However, with all of our busy lives and schedules it has been difficult for all of us to sit down and have a big family dinner recently.

Additionally, Thanksgiving weekend always gives me the opportunity to reflect on the very privileged life I live. There are so many people, places, and things to be grateful in my life that I often overlook. I appreciated the chance to think more about this, and say “thank you” to some of the amazing people in my life<3

Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash

I think it was really interesting how Joanna started this week’s class by taking our phones and putting them in a “phone jail.” This definitely spiked my interest for the class discussion about social media, and intrigued me to dive deeper into the idea of taking student’s phones away. Personally, I have fairly mixed feelings about a “phone jail.” Although it definitely limits distractions and allows many students to focus better in class, this is not always the case. 

Thinking back on my high school experiences with phones, only a few of my high school teachers incorporated a “phone jail” system. My English 12 class was one of them. My teacher was quite “old fashioned” and encouraged us to do lots of reading, writing, and use physical resources to help us, rather than our phones. I remember being given a number, and each day I had to place my phone in my number slot for the duration of the class. For me, I felt that this system really helped to eliminate distractions and maximize learning. I knew that I was not allowed my phone in this specific class, and made sure to communicate to any friends or family that I would be unavailable during this block. 

However, for many of my peers this was a struggle. Growing up in a “tech world” we are all familiar with having our phones accessible at all times. Whether we want to send our friend a quick text message, look something up on the internet, or engage in our favorite gaming app, we cannot deny our connection to technology in the modern world. For some people, as soon as this technological resource is stripped away from them, they feel anxious. “What if someone important wants to get a hold of me?” For other people, their phone may be a tool they use to help them focus.

Ultimately, I hold an ambivalent view on “phone jails” as I see both the positives and negatives of incorporating them into the classroom. As a future educator, I strongly believe that students should at least have a chance to demonstrate that they can use their phones responsibly and at appropriate times. This helps to develop an equal, and trusting relationship between the students and their teacher. If the students prove that they can NOT use their phones responsibly, a “phone jail” system should potentially be implemented. The idea of “phone jails” is something that I hope to continue to explore on my journey to becoming a teacher.

Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash