I think I have always wanted to be a Super Hero

I think I have always wanted to be a Super Hero.  Not one that wears capes, but one that takes on challenges... and helps save the world.  I mean, isn't that what teachers are?  One of our first meetings with other Instructional Technology Specialist and Academic Specialist we had to use an app and Super Hero ourselves.  Here is mine:

 Andrea's superpower is to excite teachers in the use of technology so every person has a voice.

As the year has gone on, I have learned so many new things... and in a FAST and FURIOUS way!  I have also discovered new things about myself such as:

-I feel like I am a pretty good presenter

-I work pretty well with all teachers

-I work very well with special education students

-I work well with Destination ImagiNation

-I need work on actually working with the general education classroom

I have been reading and listening to Reality is Broken: Why Games Make us Better and How they Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal and it has inspired me so much!  Game Based Learning is something that I am learning more and more about (and am always trying to figure out how to incorporate it into my work)

So, the one thing that I need to work on the most is actually working with a large group of students.  When I say that I struggle with this.. it is not because I don't have great lessons that go along with TEKS that are being worked on (I am all for don't use technology to say to use technology) I also know that teachers are super busy (and that is the reason that I created the Tech Challenges)

This week I had a HUGE aha moment!  Doesn't everyone like a challenge?  Doesn't everyone want to feel like they have a say in how they complete something... I mean that is why the students in Destination ImagiNation thrive and the Techformers Unite and Tech Challenges have done fairly well.  I needed to take my Tech Challenges and make them kid friendly!

So, this week I sat with first grade and they are working on some great stuff.  We talked about what the students were working on and what they would like to have the outcome be.  Here is what I came up with:
You can find it here.

I started my lesson with telling students that they were going to be a mission

We started with an Academic Conversation.  Groups were divided up and partners had to talk about which picture best represented morning.

We talked about different super heroes and how they face challenges

We talked about how they were going to do the challenge.  I introduced the iPad and what apps we would be using when it was their time in the station

We talked about the evaluation piece.

After I showed the students the various apps that we would use, we made a tree map of Morning, Afternoon and Night.  Groups then talked about which time of day they wanted to showcase and which app they were going to use to do it.  The first grade teachers are going to put the iPad into one of their math rotations next week so students will be able to complete this together with their group.  Once each group has created their product it will be posted on our blog along with discussion that students had to create it.

Now, of course there is going to be some changing as I go along, but I am so thankful to those 1st grade teachers (and my fabulous 5th grade teacher who let me use her students to figure some of this out) for allowing me to brainstorm with them and join them in their classroom.  I felt like I wore a cape on Friday... and it was wonderful!  I can already see how I am going to begin making school wide challenges...and having students level up!

I am headed to TCEA next week, but I can't wait to share my Mail Call Monday blog by the AMAZING Carrie Baughcum and I will also be sharing about my new Flight Program that is already growing.

Will you be at TCEA? Come see me at the BrainPOP booth and join us on Thursday morning for the TCEA photowalk  How do you remind yourself that you are a Super Hero?  What are your Super Powers?  I love that Podstock this year the theme is Super Heroes!