Indicator 4.A

4.A- Dedicate planning time to collaborate with colleagues to create authentic learning experiences that leverage technology.

Reflection

Group work was an essential part of the course LLT 545: Problem Based Learning Through Instruction Technology. In the beginning of the course, we were placed with a group of teachers to collaborate in the development of a unit-long assignment. I was lucky to be placed with a group of kindergarten and first grade teachers. Having a common age group of students made it really easy to create lessons and units as a group. We learned so much from each other, especially about the different technologies that each of the group members use in their respective schools.

A group project that we created was an anti-bullying unit for a group of first grade students. We each were instructed to pick a different subject to create a lesson plan that was focused around anti-bullying. I had math. This provided a challenge for me regarding incorporating anti-bullying themes in my lesson. It was a challenge that I was excited to take on. Although I have taught anti-bullying lessons with my first graders multiple times, this was the first time that I had incorporated it into a math lesson while using technology.

After doing some research on mentor texts that incorporated anti-bullying, I was finally able to come up with an idea for my lesson. Using the book Stand Tall Molly Lou Melons by Patty Lovell, students are instructed to talk about their height differences and how that makes them all special in their own ways. Incorporated into this lesson was the use of the MimioTeach smart board to create graphs of the students’ height. I think that this lesson is engaging and fun for students while also incorporating anti-bullying. I really enjoyed that challenge that this project presented for me as a teacher and look forward to thinking outside of the box for more lessons in my teaching career.