Newbie User's Smart amp Tips

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A Newbie finally succeeds at using Smart amp.

During the past two school years, I’ve attempted to incorporate Smart amp into my Language Arts classes. The idea of using an “infinite” virtual whiteboard space that allowed students to collaborate in real time using text, images, video, and audio clips was just the tool that would be breathe new life into my Language Arts lessons. I also loved that I could monitor student progress and student work anywhere that had wi-fi access. Another bonus is that students would be practicing their digital learner skills.  I attended several training sessions and each time I was inspired by our resident Smart amp expert, Amy. 

One of my original workspaces. I tried to have 22 different shapes designated for each student.

I had so many ideas for how I could use Smart amp to enhance my lessons. I would eagerly sit and start to create workspaces for upcoming lessons.

Unfortunately, my enthusiasm would quickly fade as each attempt to create a workspace was impeded by stumbling blocks.

Stumbling Block  #1: Creating workspaces

Unfortunately, each time I’d attempt to create a workspace, I’d run into a problem and end up abandoning it. Originally I had tried to create workspaces for all 22 students to access at one time. I also tried to create an original design for the workspaces.

All of the workspaces I attempted to create.

As a newbie Smart amp user, these attempts proved to be too complex and daunting.  Eventually, I would get too frustrated and I would  inevitably promise myself that I would use SmartAmp next time.

Other times the stumbling blocks took so long to resolve, that I had to resort to my traditional lesson in order to not fall behind in my curriculum.

Overwhelmed by trying to control all the bookmarks and pre-designating 22 spaces, I gave up.

In March I met with a couple of our Educational Technology Integration Specialists and was once again inspired. I decided to create a workspace for my Literature Circle groups. This time was a little different. I had two tech experts sitting with me, and they helped me to simplify my workspace design. I originally wanted to create workspaces with complex graphic organizers for each literature circle role. Following their advice enabled me to successfully create workspaces.

Key to Successful Workspace Design:

Keep it simple. Creating a simple workspace, by using a ready made workspace template for groups of 4-5 students. Using the template was quick and stress free. Not only did keeping it simple save me a lot of time, it gave my students a blank canvas to be creative in their ability to demonstrate their learning.  After all, the beauty of Smart amp is that it allows students to be creative and to collaborate.

My simplified workspace. Completed in under 20 minutes. 

Stumbling Block  #2: Sharing Workspaces

I created workspaces for each of the six Literature Circle novels. Each workspace has the Literature Circle Role Descriptions, the rubric, and a calendar that detailed the assigned reading for each day.

I logged into Smart amp using my Google+ Google account information. I selected View Class, then selected Edit Class. I copied and pasted the student emails for each of my Language Arts classes. So easy!

Unfortunately, when I selected the Sharing icon and tried to Hand Out Copies, all of my student emails ended up labeled as Anonymous Student. It took several days of seeking help from several Smart amp users on campus to find a solution to this problem.

Key to Successful Sharing:

Luckily, Dr. Lee had a similar issue earlier in the year. She asked if I had ever had students log into Smart amp. Nope. This was my first attempt to use the app. She said that once students logged in, then their emails would become visible. She was right!  I was so excited! Maybe I could FINALLY use Smart amp. I crossed my fingers that there would be no surprise stumbling block ahead.

Smart amp Success:

Smart amp was easy to introduce to students. We were finally using it in Language Arts! Smart amp is a great tool for allowing students to create content, collaborate, and communicate ideas through words, images, and links. All group members have access to each other’s content at all times. The space also served as an accountability tool. Students tended to do better quality work, since their peers would have immediate access to it. I was pleasantly surprised by how honest and constructive their peer feedback was with each other.

Example of students creating their own spaces.

Student Reflections:

I like using Smart amp for our literature circles. The workspaces makes it clear that everyone did their work, and it is easy to find.you can be more creative in the workspace, instead of just using Google Drive. -B.A.

I absolutely LOVE the Smart amp workspace-it's so organized and much easier to write and work on than Notability or paper. It also is neater and more modern which I enjoy. I would give it a thumbs up because of the organization and cool gadgets. - C.K.

Their creativity and excitement to share their own spaces makes me smile.

I would give Smart amp a thumbs up. It is easy to use and a great way to work at home but still be connected with your group members. I like how you can draw on it, put pictures, put up links, and put up videos. - J.F.

I think the Smart amp use is both good and bad. It is very convenient that we can all share our work on one workspace, but sometimes the application can get quite glitchy while we are working. So, I think the Smart amp Workspaces deserve a "mid-thumb" rating.  - J.K.

(Response to these students: Have you recently closed all tabs and apps, then do a full shut down of your iPad?)

I give the Smart amp a thumbs up. I gave it a thumbs up because it is easy to see everybody's work on your iPad. Before when we did work, we'd have to look at the person's iPad, but now that we use Smart amp, when we share we can just look on our own iPad. - S.S.

Another awesome workspace. They love to personalize and organize their workspaces.

I like the Smart amp for Lit Circles because it is very organized. We can be creative and split our work up by the day. I also mostly like it because it is shared with our group. We can see what others are doing and be able to make sure we're all on the right track. It is a fun way to express our ideas about the novel. We can even message people if we are confused about something or have questions. I love using this app for our work! It is awesome! ~C.O.

I don't really like using it because it needs wifi and if you want to do it in your car you can't. ~J. S.

(Response to these students: Do your work in a Note or in another app, then copy and paste/screen shot it when you have internet.)

Tips for new Smart Amp users:

1. Design simple workspaces. A space for each student’s work, task directions, and a rubric are often all that is needed.
2. Have students log in to Smart amp, prior to assigning workspaces.
3. Be part of Smart amp communities. They inspired, guided, encouraged, and helped make using Smart amp a success in my classroom.
4. Be resilient. Persist. It’s worth it in the end.
5. Have fun!

6th Grade Classroom Library Redesign

This is what the Book Nook looked like the week before school started. 

Summer 2015 Mission: Create an awesome class library and a cozy, inviting reading area for my 6th grade ELA classes.

My inspiration: The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

Ultimate goal: To create a class full of bibliophiles. I want to instill the joy of reading in all of my students.

Background: Here is what my classroom library has looked like these past two years.

Please don't judge.

I was on survival mode.

This is my current reading corner.

It’s year two at my current school. I’ve had a different teaching partner each year.

Luckily, my current partner and I will be working together... indefinitely.

So far, here is my plan.

Step 1: Update class library

Shopping spree at the local Scholastic Warehouse. There was a sale the third week of May! This warehouse is an ELA teacher and bibliophile's paradise. I can’t wait for the December warehouse sale!

My tips: Give yourself a lot of time to shop. Use the restroom and eat a snack prior to shopping. Bring a water bottle. I easily spent three hours there, and I felt like I was rushing. Next time, I will give myself five hours to shop. Ask for a cart. I ended up with three full cases of books. The coupon for $25 off of $100 is a great deal. Register to attend the sale to get the coupon.

This is from my shopping spree!

Find a sale near you by going to the scholastic.com website and register using the link at the upper right hand corner. You’ll receive emails for the warehouse sales.

Step 2: Design the reading corner

A student survey indicated that students wish to see rugs, pillows, stuffed animals, bright or neon colors, a couch and other comfortable seating, like bean bags and bungee chairs. I’d like 24 beach mats in a tub so that we can read outside comfortably.

Current plan:

1) Use the whole front wall for the class library, along with one-third of the adjacent wall.

2) Remove two tables to make more open floor space.

3) Use rain gutters as shelves for displaying the front cover of novels. These will run along the walls above the cubbies and under the bulletin board in the reading corner.

4) Research different teacher and librarian blogs for ideas on setting up a reading corner.

Step 3: Organize class library books

1) Color code by genre

2) Reinforce the covers using Scotch Book Repair tape 2” (Place order)

3) Inventory novels

4) System to manage borrowing

Step 4: System to manage the class library

Sign out clipboards (See the first two photos) didn't work after about a month. Students kept forgetting to check in or check out books. So now it's on an honor system, which makes me a little nervous.

Some ideas that I'm toying with:

1) Bibliophile Binder with an inventory of all of the books.

2) Book lovers to help out **I need a cute name for these student helpers.

3) Use card stock strips with the students' names on it. As they borrow, the title of the book will be written on the card stock. This will be a book "bookmark" to show that a book has been borrowed. This would be a quick visual of which books are out on loan.

4) Have an honor system and cross my fingers that the books are eventually returned.

5) Use index cards with the student's names and the book borrowed. Signed and dated by the borrow. Managed by my student helpers.

6) Allow no more than 2 books borrowed at a time.

Miscellaneous ideas:

1) Literary Legacy - encourage students and families to donate books to the class library.

         Create a little sticker label with a space for the student’s name.

2) Reader's Corner/Book Nook/ Literary Lounge - I'd love a catchy, cool name.

Stay tuned for updates.

Any and all suggestions, links, and photos of your class library, reading area, and management ideas would be appreciated.

"Put It Out There!”

There he was! Graham Salisbury, author, speaker, and mentor, stood several feet in front of me draped in leis! About nine months ago, on September 14, 2014 I attended the premiere of the movie, Under the Blood Red Sun, at the Hawaii Theatre.

I was at the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans’ “Meet and Greet” Reception with well-known author, Graham Salisbury, who was being inducted as an Honorary Member of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans organization 
http://www.100thbattalion.org/.

I watched as he smiled and greeted members of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans organization, fans and old friends. I wrestled back and forth with my desire to have a photo op with him. The formal program was about to begin. I had waited too long. Shucks!

I was so excited to sit in the second row. Graham Salisbury spoke about growing up in Hawai’i and discovering his love of reading at the age of 30! I made a mental note to share this with my students. It was never too late to love to read! He discovered he was a writer at the age of 40. He later chuckled as he said, “Revising is the best part of writing. Coming up with an idea for a book is the hard part.” What?! I couldn’t believe that I didn’t record this interview! I’ve missed so many great quotes that I could’ve shared with my students! I sat there disappointed and annoyed. No photo op or video clips of the interview. Sigh...

During the dinner reception, I watched as the President of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans organization, Lloyd Kitaoka, guided Graham Salisbury toward the dining area. It looked like they were headed to our table! My friend and I quickly glanced and smiled at each other. I couldn’t believe my luck! Lloyd brought him over and sat him down right next to me! I was so excited and so nervous! I reached out and touched my iPad. Maybe, I could finally get a photo with Graham Salisbury. I tried to keep my cool as we ate dinner and made small talk. He was so friendly, humble, and easy to talk to.

His passion for writing and revising were evident during our conversations. I shared that one of my student athletes was inspired to read his novel, Under the Blood Red Sun, after attending the Hawai’i premier of the movie (the DVD is now available). This student’s enthusiasm sparked other students’ interest in reading the novel. As a result, Under the Blood Red Sun is on our 2015 summer reading list. His eyes twinkled and he smiled as he spoke to us about his life, his writing, and his latest project. He was really excited about what he was currently writing, and hoped that it would be well received.

I asked him if, once his stories were finished and off to the publisher, did he ever miss the characters that had lived in his mind for so long? He smiled and said, “Just a little.” However, he had so many stories to write, there didn’t seem to be time to miss those characters. He enjoyed writing the Calvin series because he had a chance to continue to "live" with the character.

He and our librarian discussed the series and how much our younger students enjoyed looking at the map of Calvin’s neighborhood, since many of them were familiar with Kailua, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu.

As I listened and watched, it occurred to me that having Graham Salisbury share a personal message about revising, would inspire my students. I wavered back and forth. He was still eating his dinner, and I was nervous about his reaction. I wish that I could've whispered to my friend to ask what she thought, but she was sitting across the table. Finally, I built up my courage, took a deep breath, and put on what I hoped was a charming smile, and asked if he wouldn’t mind recording a short message for my students.

I held my breath as my friend looked over with a surprised expression. Graham Salisbury glanced over with a big smile and said, "Sure." To my delight, he seemed excited to do this. Forget the photo op! I get to have a video message with Graham Salisbury! I could barely contain my enthusiasm, as my friend fumbled with my iPad to record the message. I could tell that she was taken aback by my boldness or maybe his by willingness to do the video. It took several takes, but he was such a good sport. We laughed and rolled our eyes at each other between takes. He gave me a high-five at the end of the final take. He was just as excited as I was to watch the video message. We grinned and laughed as we watched the video. I couldn't believe my good fortune. My students are going to be thrilled. I couldn't wait to see the expressions on their faces. I will definitely record that.

During dinner he had asked me if I viewed myself as a writer. I shared that I was an aspiring blogger and that I had a list of what I wanted to write. However, taking the next steps to publish my thoughts publicly, still terrified me. His response? “Put it out there! Not everybody is going to like it, but that's okay. Just put it out there." At the end of the evening, Graham Salisbury gave me a warm hug, an encouraging smile, and challenged me. Smiling and pointing his finger, he said loudly, “Put it out there!” He then added, “I’ll read your blog soon, right?”

All I could do was clutch my iPad nervously. I nodded and smiled back, “Yes, yes. I’ll send you a link to the blog.” I turned to my friend who looked amazed at what had transpired.

Talk about anxiety! The pressure was on. I had a famous author, challenging me to write and take a risk. Knowing that he would be part of my audience was exciting and overwhelming. I reminded myself, as I walked to my car, that I asked my students to take risks every day. Now it was my turn for risk taking and putting myself out there.

Thank you, Graham Salisbury, for inspiring my students to find joy in reading and for encouraging them to view revising as the best part of the writing process. Mahalo nui loa for challenging me, their teacher, to just “Put it out there!”

So here it is...my 2nd blog. Inspired by Graham Salisbury, author, speaker, and mentor.

**Thank you for reading my 2nd blog. I would love comments, but I'm not sure what I did to block them. Please leave a comment on my twitter account @mrsdyr or at google+. With appreciation and aloha!

My 5 Reasons to Blog

Passions and Ponderings is my first attempt at blogging. Thanks to my EdTech friends for encouraging and challenging me to dive into the 21st Century. Needless to say, I am terrified, yet excited.

I often ponder about my passions, and these have become my 5 reasons to blog...

1. Teaching. This is my chance to document my thoughts and tinkerings in 6th grade English Language Arts and World History.

2. Learning. I am a lifelong learner. I enjoy reading the latest research on best practices and I’m a workshop/conference addict. I can’t wait to share my latest learning experiences, and the thoughts and tinkerings that have made their way into my classroom.

3. Food and Fitness are a daily battle in my life. Here are my challenges and successes as I fight to balance my love of cooking and eating, with my attempt to remain healthy and fit with walking, Zumba, swimming, and yoga. So far, food is winning this battle.

4. Travel. I am fascinated by the world, history, cultures, traditions, stories, and ethnic foods. Darn you, Andrew Zimmern and Anthony Bourdain, for igniting my passion and curiosity to eat my way around the world! China, Japan, Palau, Hawaii, Denmark, Sweden, and Canada are just a few of the places where I’ve had my own culinary adventures.

5. Inspirations are the quotes, art, music, places, people, events, and stories that fuel my passions and cause me to ponder about the fascinating world that we live in.

Stay tuned for more posts on Passions and Ponderings.

@mrsdyr

mrsdyr@gmail.com