Canada’s 21st Century Classroom MindShare Learning Video Contest Entry
I was at ECOO and spoke with the great folks at MindShare Learning. They have great ideas that push the use of technology to the next level. I felt a connection there as I love technology as well as the ability to keep moving with it. Below is my entry for the contest.
http://mindsharelearning.ca/videochallenge/
Time to Give Back to OUR Community – Get Involved! #scarborough #danzig
A couple weeks ago I was at a Wal-Mart and 2 TTC volunteers were outside with a bus, collecting toys as part of the “Stuff the Bus” campaign . The toys go to Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness. It is a great feeling during the holidays to provide for those, that little extra, that may not be afforded by families. It is great seeing the TTC helping out! Why not make that front page news article? We need more good news and positive stories from our communities.
I was driving by my dad’s place near Morningside and passing by Danzig. After the shootingsthat took place over the summer, donations and initiatives started coming in. I was teaching in Taiwan when I heard about it, and it was a teacher from Taiwan who was reading the world news who told me. I told him I live a 5 minute drive from there. They asked me how dangerous Toronto was? they asked how I could teach “these” students? I told him I love where I teach, I love who I teach, I love my community and the only thing I would change is to provide more opportunity for the youth.
I saw three TTC buses, police and Toronto Community Housing cars stopped at the intersection. Police officers were unloading presents from the buses along with TTC and TCH staff. They were walking to the town homes and community housing that line Morningside from Lawrence down to Danzig. It is great to see Police, TTC, TCH getting involved with the community and lending a hand. I was very happy to see this. This act though should be a sustaining process, not just a band aid solution, and one that is about prevention instead of damage control. I would like to see, for my community, youth given opportunity to engage, have say and make change in their own community. Great organizations from Pathways, Store Front, Boys and Girls Club, and City of Toronto need to work together with community youth and continue to do great work.
We are all busy with our lives, and we all have our own interests. My hope though is that if everyone could pick just one way (or more) to get involved, give back, and support a cause. Donations of presents, money, or time are all ways to make a difference. Here is a link of some places in Toronto / Scarborough to get involved.
All have a donation link or volunteer section:
The following three I have seen the positive work first hand in Scarborough/Toronto with my students and the community.
Pathways to Education
http://www.pathwaystoeducation.ca/en/toronto-scarborough-village
Store Front
http://www.thestorefront.org/
East Scarborough Boys and Girls Club
http://www.esbgc.org/
Other great ways!
Islands of Excellence and Microsoft’s Partners in Learning @MakeWavesHere
Islands of Excellence and Microsoft’s Partners in Learning
I connected with Jenn @jennzia on Twitter last spring when I was presenting my work from my masters thesis. She told me about her vision of islands of excellence of having a great meeting with great people. The event was exactly that! Taking place at the YMCA Academy, the day modelled what great learning should look like. The unconference style allowed for maximum participation and sharing amongst the many talented and experienced people.
I got to connect with teachers in all fields, admin, community activists, and everyone in between. It was great seeing so many other leaders in their fields working towards the common goal of providing the best possible learning experience for students. The conversations were great starting points for change and really challenged the status quo.
Microsoft sponsored my entrance which was greatly appreciated. I have been using many of Microsoft’s products from lessons planned, presented and interacted with the Office Suite. I use PowerPoint for my lessons, it is easy to integrate videos, pictures, and I can save the PowerPoint for my students who missed the class so they are always caught up. I use Microsoft Word to create my handouts as it is an easy platform to create in. The most memorable and innovative was connecting with a school in Kenya using Skype. The level of engagement was huge when my students got to discuss the environment with teens from Kenya. Skype allowed for a global connection and a partnership across an ocean. Here is a posted part of the call http://youtu.be/QqLEMyCZkao. I then shared skype with other teachers and they started making these connections as well.
I have also used choice board activities where students can choose programs like Microsoft Publisher, PowerPoint, and Movie Maker to present on a topic. The last time they had to design a green product and many used the above software to make brochures on the products, advertisements and commercials.
I use twitter to communicate with other teachers around the world as I can find those with the same issues. When I find specific educators I use Skype to connect. I have used Skype to chat with university professors around the world, other teachers and classrooms.
I love to integrate critical pedagogy into my science lessons and is part of my educational philosophy. With the Skype session with Kenya that was very critical. We looked at issues that affected us locally but had a global impact. We always discuss who are the key players, decision makers in science. I also stress the importance of looking how science links to society, the environment and technology. We are an interdependent system that requires a critical lens.
Why I Hate School But Love Education – spoken word!
I was tweeted this video by Fred Galang @NomadCreatives
Very interesting and lived experience with school!
Hip Hop Genius, Cool Video!
This is an awesome video by Sam Seidel. I have been following his work and just ordered his book titled hip hop genius. I am excited to read it and add to my small collection of hip hop meeting education books. Chris Emdin’s Urban Science Education for a Hip Hop Generation was the first of the collection. I am hoping to make it down to NYC for the march break to take part in a hip hop education conference! –> http://www.tc.edu/HealthDisparitiesConference/
Hip Hop Genius: Remixing High School Education from sam seidel on Vimeo.
The Interrupters A Review: Violence as a Disease #theinterrupters #urbaned
Tonight I was in Regent Park at the Regent Park Film Festival for a screening of The Interrupters. The film has not only left me speechless for the entire documentary but motivated to get even more involved with my school and community. The screening was held in the new Regent Park Arts and Culture Centre Daniel’s Spectrum. Community, front line workers, teachers, students and change makers gathered for the screening followed by a Q and A session with many activists.
The movie about stopping violence in Chicago could easily be set in Toronto or my Scarborough community. The message is strong, of an epidemic sweeping North America of violence and repeating of the status quo. We follow Ameena, Cobe and Eddie (the interrupters) around the Chicago area from the group Cease Fire. They are true heroes, mentors and role models not only for those who they work with but for any documentary watcher. The courage, love and experience they share through the film is beyond words. The idea is to confront the violence and stop the chain of retaliation. From the movie, we see the vicious cycle of poverty, broken homes, prison terms and violence. I can see where the analogy of a disease comes from, it spreads, infects and repeats.
When I think of my own students in my school and community, I see them in this film. I see a lack of opportunity for youth in my area. I am grateful for having teachers who care, community groups like Pathways to Education and Boys and Girls Club who keep the students safe and support them outside of school. The panel suggested that change needs to come from higher up, from politicians to do the right thing. Hiring of more police officers will not put an end to violence. We need to get youth engaged, educated and become meaningful members of their community.
For all the teachers reading this, making a connection with a community group with your school. For all the community groups reading this, make that connection with the local school. All those in the community, see what you can do to get involved.
The Movie: http://interrupters.kartemquin.com/
Cease Fire http://cureviolence.org/
Regent Park Film Festival http://regentparkfilmfestival.com/
Science and Hip Hop. Blood minerals in our phones! #hiphoped inspiration #STSE
Yesterday we watched Blood in the Mobile. A documentary about the mining of minerals like coltan and cassiterite from mines controlled by arms group in the Congo. We had a large class discussion about action we can take when an issue happens and we want change. It is us as consumers buying products, large companies purchasing from companies that in turn purchase raw materials from arms groups in the Congo. Our consumerism is funding civil conflict and destruction. We watched the Story of Electronics (from the creators of Story of Stuff) and then we talked about action we can take. I showed them the Phone Apes program from the Toronto Zoo that recycles the minerals in the phones so that forests don’t have to be torn down in the Congo. This is a environmental, social, and political problem all combined in one. Science and Technology do not operate in silos but infused in our lives.
An action I showed my students today was a powerful message using hip hop and spoken word to relay a message about blood minerals in our phones. Watch below:
Come Clean for Congo: http://www.enoughproject.org/
Dementia Researcher Visits Cedarbrae C.I. Virtually with VROC #TDSB #STEM #URBANED #SCIED
VROC (Virtual Researcher On Call) featured my class on their blog
See here: http://www.vroc.ca/pir/en/good-news-vroc-story/#more-4234
Thank you so much for the session today with Cedarbrae C.I., Toronto (TDSB). You shared so much of your work and experience with the students. They were amazed at how life can change with dementia. They were very shocked at the stigma and how the lives and families are affected by this diseases. The students really understood when you said the patients “lose what defines them as a human being.” They liked hearing about the different non-pharmacological therapies and strategies that are being used. They felt it is important to improve the care of the patients by training the practitioners like you do in your work. Many of the students are close to their grandparents and would expect proper care for them. We talked after about the vulnerability of the patients and the importance of treating them with dignity.
We really enjoyed watching the Alive Inside documentary you recommended and many of the students felt a strong connection with their own family members. The session opened their eyes to many career options in science and healthcare. They also made the connection with another researcher we chatted with earlier, about grant money and how important it is for research. We discussed the structure of different universities and how researchers can teach, research and apply for grants all part of the job.
Thank you very much for taking time our of your day for us! It was a very valuable and eye opening experience for our grade 10 science class and a perfect way to end our biology unit.
Thank you
Brandon Zoras and Cedarbrae C.I. Grade 10 Science Class
See Alive Inside Documentary Below
Global Collaboration – United Beyond our Diversity Through the Global Teenager Project #ECOO12
MORE INFO CLICK HERE –> http://lanyrd.com/2012/ecoo12/swbmw/
A session at ECOO Conference 2012
This presentation will highlight the use of digital learning circles and global collaboration on major world issues. Using a Wiki as a space to collaborate, students from around the world work in learning circles to, pose questions, investigate and publish answers at a global scale. The Global Teenager Project allows for highly engaging lessons that will link to the curriculum as well as the students own community. This session will provide examples of thematic learning circles grade 6- 12 and particularly highlight the journey a class of Senior students have taken. Participants will learn how to connect and start the program in their own class or school. The wiki will be shared, the research process and clips from web conferences made between a Toronto based school and a global partner from Kenya.
About the speakers
Science Teacher, TDSB,
Anita Townsend
Global Educator, Education Consultant,
Former Principal of Program SCDSB
Educational Computing Organization of Ontario
My Lesson Published! Incorporating Literacy and STSE to Engage Digital Learners in the Grade 9 Applied Science Class: Power Generation Pitch Project
I ran a demo classroom on engaging applied level students with technology and STSE education last spring and was encouraged to write to STAO. I sent in my submission and now the final lesson is available here to download:
Download Lesson HERE –> ZORAS_power_generation
Hope it is useful in your classes and please post any feedback or comments !
brandonzoras.ca 