Full STEM/STEAM Ahead!

Our Teacher Only Day focus: What is our Vision?

This year as I start at a new school I take on board a slightly different vision for 'An Inquiring School.' A pivotal focus will be the integration of STEM throughout the school.

So what does this look like?

-Real Word Contexts
-Collaboration
-Research
-Problem Solving
-Creativity

It is a learning approach that focuses on thinking and applying knowledge and skills to foster concepts of innovation and invention.

For me this means driving these key ideas through Literacy, specifically ESOL, oral language, reading and writing. Having fun together, collaborating and learning to apply these skills in workshops and small group challenges will be the focus. So it will sometimes be a side step into STEAM but at the heart will be STEM.

So what will be the skills the Whakarongo kid will be learning from this?

The primary skills focused on in he first year will be:

-Science- Chemistry and Physics

-Electronics

-Coding

-Robotics

For me this means working alongside Toa and Pono Pods and linking with their STEM focus areas to engage students learning through literacy. 

There will also be a big focus on Computational Thinking, Pattern Recognition and Algebraic Thinking. 

So, exciting new pathways and tools to engage students in their learning. I am looking forward to branching out from Play based Learning and beginning to inquire into STEM and Literacy. Full STEM/STEAM Ahead!

Digital Photography Using iPads

Today we looked at digital photography with Innes to see how we could best integrate it into our learning spaces. I have been lucky enough to have done a macro photography course before and I really enjoyed discussing and practicing aspects of this during the day.

Simple but important things such as:

- The Rule of Thirds and turning on the iPad grid so that it was visible for students to see.
-Having a  small sticker stuck on the corner of the iPad so students are aware of where the camera is.
-Moving the sun icon to allow for more or less light in a photo.
-Pressing the screen so the small square appears and focuses on a certain area, leaving the rest of the photo purposefully out of focus.

Using Macro photography to focus on natural objects.

Having one part of the photo in focus and the rest out of focus

Using a macro photo to start conversation or spark questions and wonderings.

An important part of photography with students is also teaching them how to view their work to see if they have taken a quality photo. So they begin to think about aspects of what makes a good photo and also what doesn't work. Especially when students are taking macro photos they need to utilize problem solving skills and they can be taught and practice how to be creative in a 'technical' sense.

Hopefully students will be utilizing some of these skills as I integrate Seesaw into their learning later in the year.