teachers

Relax, Rejuvenate, and Reflect

/ Ritamarie Hensley / Leave a comment
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The school year has ended and the summer has just gotten underway. Educators actually have some time to themselves before thinking about the start of the next school year. What will you do with the time?

It’s essential for educators to take a step back and embrace the summer break as a time to relax, rejuvenate, and reflect. Teaching is a demanding profession that requires immense dedication, energy, and emotional investment. The constant pursuit of excellence in the classroom and desire to meet the needs of students can often lead to burnout if educators do not take the necessary time to recharge. The summer break provides the perfect opportunity to pause, breathe, and restore the balance needed to approach the new school year with renewed enthusiasm and vigor. But let’s not think about the following school year just yet. 

Taking time to relax is not just a luxury; it is a necessity for maintaining overall well-being. When educators allow themselves to unwind and engage in activities that bring joy and relaxation, they can reduce stress levels, improve mental health, and boost their overall happiness. Whether it’s spending time with loved ones, traveling, pursuing hobbies, or simply enjoying the peace and quiet, these moments of relaxation are crucial for recharging both body and mind. By prioritizing self-care during the summer, teachers can return to their classrooms feeling refreshed and ready to inspire their students with renewed energy and creativity.

The summer break offers a valuable opportunity for reflection as well. Reflecting on the past school year allows educators to celebrate their successes, acknowledge their challenges, and gain insights into their teaching practices. This period of introspection is essential for personal and professional growth. It provides a chance to identify areas for improvement and set meaningful goals for the upcoming school year. By taking the time to reflect, teachers can gain a deeper understanding of their strengths and areas for development, which ultimately leads to more effective and impactful teaching.

In essence, the summer break is not just a time to escape from the demands of the classroom but a vital period for self-care and reflection. Educators who take the time to relax and rejuvenate are better equipped to face the challenges of the new school year with resilience and enthusiasm. So, as the summer unfolds, embrace this well-deserved break, indulge in activities that bring joy, and take the time to reflect on the past year. In doing so, you’ll be investing in your well-being and ensuring that you return to your students as the best version of yourself.

Digital Literacy and Why it’s Important

/ Ritamarie Hensley / Leave a comment
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Browsing the internet is part of our everyday world. We encounter news stories, blogs, videos, advertisements and so much more. Each shares its own worldview, which influences our own opinions and outlooks. With the introduction of artificial intelligence into the field of education, we now have even more examples of bias entering the classroom. It is imperative that students have the skills to question what they are seeing and reading and feel empowered to do something about it. 

Digital literacy is not just about knowing how to use technology; it’s about understanding how it works, its implications, and its impact on society. In today’s world, where information is abundant and readily accessible, digital literacy has become a crucial skill for students to develop.

One important aspect of digital literacy is the ability to critically evaluate information found online. With the vast amount of content available on the internet, it’s easy for misinformation, bias, and fake news to spread. Students need to be equipped with the skills to discern credible sources from unreliable ones, to fact-check information, and to recognize potential biases or agendas behind the content they encounter.

Students should understand the algorithms that govern the content they see online, including those used by search engines, social media platforms, and recommendation systems. These algorithms can influence the information students are exposed to, shaping their perceptions and beliefs.Tools like ChatGPT only understand what they’ve been asked to do. They are not sentient tools and do not comprehend what they are doing. They have been trained on hundreds of thousands of data and merely respond with the most probable answer, which often includes biases.  By understanding how algorithms work and the biases they may contain, students can better navigate and interpret the digital landscape.

Digital literacy is essential for career readiness, educational success, and social interactions. With the proliferation of artificial intelligence, students must build their digital skills in order to successfully navigate online tools. They must possess an understanding of algorithms and their biases when generating AI results. It is necessary to understand the shortcomings as well as the benefits of AI. When students understand more about the biases and shortcomings that are connected to AI, they can then consider what is true and what is not. In a world of deepfakes that create false images, videos, speech and text, students must know the necessary steps to take to distinguish legitimate from illegitimate. 

In addition to being critical consumers of digital content, students should also be creators and contributors. Digital literacy involves knowing how to effectively communicate and collaborate online, as well as understanding issues related to online privacy, security, and ethics. Students should be aware of their digital footprint and how their online actions can impact their reputations and future opportunities.

Overall, digital literacy is essential for students to thrive in the digital age. By developing these skills, students can become empowered, responsible, and ethical digital citizens who are capable of navigating and contributing to an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Incorporating Critical Thinking in the Classroom

/ Ritamarie Hensley / Leave a comment
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Last week I wrote a blog about the importance of developing critical thinking skills. These skills empower individuals to navigate the complexities of life, make informed decisions, and contribute meaningfully to personal and societal progress. Since artificial intelligence has been introduced in the classroom, it is imperative students continue to develop critical thinking skills rather than relying on AI to think for them. This blog provides several activities instructors can utilize to help students hone their critical thinking skills. 

Socratic Questioning

In many classrooms teachers ask the questions and students respond. Try flipping this method and teach students how to create questions by using Bloom’s taxonomy. When students understand how to ask questions as well as the different levels of questions, class discussions become richer and a Socratic style discussion can begin to be the norm. The Socratic Method involves a shared dialogue between teacher and students. The teacher leads by posing thought-provoking questions, and students actively engage by asking questions of their own. The discussion goes back and forth. In other similar methods, students create all of the questions using the different levels of Bloom’s before the discussion. The teacher chooses which questions will be used and shares them with students before the discussion begins. Giving students the opportunity to jot down a few ideas for each question before the discussion begins allows time for processing, which often helps bolster confidence. 

Problem Based Learning

In problem based learning students solve real world problems through collaboration and research. PBL is a dynamic process where the teacher becomes the facilitator and students are given voice and choice as they develop solutions to problems. Since many topics for PBL are based on current problems, the information can change daily, so students must be fully engaged and cognizant of the research. Typically, small groups of students engage in an extended period where they find resources, conduct research, pose more questions, and apply information. They are encouraged to contact experts in the field for guidance. Although learning takes place throughout the entire process of PBL, it is during this time of inquiry when students must apply the 21st century skills of collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and problem solving. 

Debate and Discussion

Students are capable of lively and interactive discussions centered on assigned readings, case studies and assignments.  Since they are forming their beliefs and opinions as they grow, class discussions are vital to engage students and augment learning. When students are given the opportunity to ask the types of questions that create discussion, they are more willing to participate and interact with their classmates. They become excited when the questions they created stir thoughtful conversation and debate. Taking part in a discussion or debate, sharing ideas and opinions, requires critical thinking skills.

Reflective Journaling

When students are able to write down their thoughts about what they learned, they are able to consider how the different parts of learning work together. Ask them  to analyze their own thought processes, decisions, and the reasons behind them.  Reflective journaling encourages metacognition, thinking about one’s thinking. When students are metacognitively aware, they understand their strengths and weaknesses as learners. Teachers can encourage students to think about how they learn. Ask students questions such as: How did you approach the problem? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What did you find difficult about the lesson and how did you overcome the difficulty? What parts of the lesson were easy for you? These questions allow students to critically think about their process for learning and what works and what doesn’t. The more a student understands their process, the easier it is to apply what works to the next learning experience. 

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a visual tool that was developed as an effective method for generating ideas by association. In order to create a mind map, you usually start in the middle of the page with the central theme/main idea and from that point you work outward in all directions to create a growing diagram composed of keywords, phrases, concepts, facts and figures.  It is an ideal strategy to use as you brainstorm a topic. When done correctly, mind mapping helps with organizing thoughts and discovering relationships between concepts. This technique enhances analytical and organizational skills and is one of the best ways to begin a project or essay.

These are just a few of the strategies teachers can use to encourage critical thinking within the classroom. Other ideas include critical reading, field trips, ethical dilemmas, role playing and guest speakers. Exposing students to a variety of teaching strategies and diverse viewpoints help them grow as learners and human beings. In this era of AI, let’s continue to work on critical thinking skills and allow the chatbot to assist us rather than do all of the thinking for us.