Whyville, Club Penguin, and Habbo

Let's start by taking a look at our first three social worlds:  Whyville, Club Penguin, and Habbo.

Whyville 

First impressions:  One of the first things I noticed about Whyville was that they list several high-profile sponsors from both public and private sectors, including NASA, Woods Hole, the National Science Foundation, and more.  Whyville is free to play, although they do offer a limited premium subscription which gives users "clams" to purchase virtual goods.  Clams can also be earned organically through gameplay.
Age range:  The site suggests it is appropriate for children from age 8 to 15.
Pros:  Whyville is specifically being marketed to educators and schools, citing use "from elementary
schools to post-graduate courses for pre-service teachers".  Reviews on Common Sense Media note that students must take a "chat license test" in order to be able to use interactive features, teaching good digital citizenship.

Cons:  The biggest red flags I noted were also from Common Sense Media, citing the fact that despite many excellent internet safety measures, chat rooms are not monitored 24/7 and with the teen audience, some inappropriate content makes its way in.
Overall rating:  6 out of 10

Club Penguin
First impressions:  My first observation in Club Penguin was its affiliation with Disney.  The "fine print" on their advertising video noted that "some features require paid membership,"and their page for parents included a sales pitch to adults on why having a membership was important to children.  Once again, in Club Penguin, members use internet currency to purchase virtual items.
Age range:  Club Penguin is aimed at children from age 6 to 14.
Pros:  Interesting to note - Club Penguin boasts a partnership with Free The Children.  Users can "donate" some of their virtual currency to various campaigns Club Penguin advertises, and the organization has donated over $12 million so far.  A feature I was particularly interested in was their chat rooms.  To help users learn how to appropriately interact on the Web, chat will "suggest phrases" for them to use.  Seems like an interesting way to help teach digital citizenship.
Cons:  It seems to me that there is definitely an agenda for kids to get hooked and talk their parents into paying for an upgrade.  In exploring the site and reading other reviews, it seems that while you can join for free, the experience is extremely limited unless you pay up.  There is even some merchandising coming out of the site.  As an educator, I don't see an obvious link for use in the classroom.
Overall rating:  5.5 out of 10

Habbo

First impressions:  The first thing I noticed about Habbo was an ad for PayPal on the main page - not a promising beginning.  Habbo is free, but notes that "some in-game 'extras' " require purchase with "Habbo credits."
Age range:  Habbo is designed for ages 13 and up.
Pros:  Habbo is very much a virtual world.  Users can express themselves through avatars, building rooms, and more, or take on a role within the Habbo community.
Cons:  Where to begin?  My research yielded two major concerns:  inappropriate chat rooms and
abundant third-party advertisements.  The chat rooms do not seem to be well moderated, and teens will intentionally misspell words to get them through the filters.  Content quickly becomes sexual, racist, or homophobic.  In addition, new areas of the site bombard the user with ads.  These two issues severely undercut any ideas I might have for use with students.
Overall rating:  3 out of 10

Reflections
As someone who was raised in the early days of Neopets, these online worlds aren't entirely surprising to me.  Club Penguin in some ways reminds me a lot of my own childhood experience!  I think to me the more interesting direction is to see how these platforms will begin to be used in educational settings, and which will be the best tools for classroom utilization.

Here's hoping tomorrow yields some more promising results!  Until next time...

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Currently reading:  still Taming of the Queen, just a few chapters a night 'til vacation
Current high:  VS cheerleading had a stellar first performance this afternoon!
Current low:  busiest teaching day of the week tomorrow...

Social Media in Education

Greetings, readers!  Teaching with Grace will be moving in a new direction for a few posts.  As some of you may know, I have recently begun a MATESOL with a concentration in digital technologies for teaching and learning through the University of San Francisco online.  As part of my course in Digital Media Literacy, we are doing some blogging about various social media platforms and their potential for utilization as virtual learning environments.  Stay tuned for my initial observations of a few sites over the next week, and my thoughts as I begin to interact with them next week!

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Currently reading:  Taming of the Queen by Philippa Gregory
Current high:  G5 is seriously rocking their physical theatre unit
Current low:  five weeks in, a couple of early years classes are still proving to be a major management challenge...

Year End Reflection

Me oh my.  It has been quite a while!  This year has been a tumultuous roller coaster.  I have reached my breaking point more than once.  It has been an incredibly challenging year professionally and I have learned and grown a whole heck of a lot.

In the beginning of the year during returning teacher training, Ms. W had us all complete an exercise.  Everyone was given an index card upon which we were to write how we will transform students' lives this year.  We were then asked to put that card somewhere we could see it regularly and reflect on it.  I put mine in the drawer where I keep sticky notes, staples, paper clips, and items that distract tiny hands during my lessons.  Amidst all that clutter, I will occasionally stop to reread the words as I hunt around for a cough drop:

"I will transform students' lives by exposing them to a medium of self-expression they may not have known.  I will help them to find or build a new confidence.  I will lead some of them to discover a new passion." 

The year has almost officially come to a close.  Students had their last day of classes yesterday; I have packed my old classroom in preparation for moving to a new space; today is our last full day to work.  A few things in these final crazy weeks have demonstrated to me that I did meet this goal.

In my final classes with one section of Pre-K, for a final reflection, I asked them to tell me their favourite thing we had done in drama.  We reviewed our units and some activities we had done, then each child had a turn to share.  Many said puppets (because, well, four-year-old memory is not strong and that's what we just wrapped up), but then came a surprise.  About halfway through the circle, one student became suddenly shy when it was her turn.  "What was your favourite thing in drama?" I prompted.  "Drama teacher," she replied.

Well damn.

My heart absolutely melted.  Several students in the rest of the circle echoed that.  As Maya Angelou said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."  Building relationships with students is something I strive for above most else - and to have that so lovingly affirmed by a sweet five-year-old was amazing.

Later that day two of my first grade classes showcased their readers' theatre for their parents (and rocked, might I add!).  Longtime readers may recall HY, one of my best friends last year; she was back for a surprise visit and came to watch, as she taught many of those students last year.  After the showcase, we were walking back to my classroom with a parent.  The two of them chattered in Korean, although at one point they switched over to English as the parent told me that her third grade son absolutely loves drama (which he's had for about five periods this year?).  Cool that I made such an impression!

HY later shared with me that in their Korean conversation, they had been talking about me.  The parent had been saying that I have a wonderful reputation with the mums for my passion about the program and level of caring for the students.  Apparently they think I am a "solid" teacher and they hope that I will stay for a long time.

A few highlights from my G1 students' year-end reflections on "one new thing [they] learned in G1 drama":

"How actors practice."
"I learned to be confident."
"I learned that I like drama."
"I learned how not to be shy."
"It is fun."
"I learned to not talk with friends in Ms. Hudkins' class."
"I learned that when we are shy but when you do it, it's not shy."
"How to show expression and fluency.  Also I learned lots of ways to act."
"Being brave when you go to the stage."
"I learned how to have the best drama time!"
"I learned that I grew up."

A few very thoughtful responses from seven-year-olds!

Sometimes I think I might be too hard on myself.  I spend a lot of time analyzing everything I could and should do - more thoughtful lesson and unit planning, different assessment tactics, better classroom management.  While all that may be true, the last few weeks of school have reminded me that I've got at least one thing right:  the human connection.  And I've gotta say, I think that's one of the most important things.

Here's to a summer of relaxation and adventure, and an exciting new year to come.

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Currently reading:  waiting to start anything until I take off on Saturday
Current high:  2 sleeps to Europe!!!
Current low:  saying goodbye to kiddos who won't be back next year

The Days That Remind Me Why

Well, well, well.  This may be my longest hiatus yet!  And for the most part, I can chalk it up to one thing:  the all-school musical.  With grades 4 through 11, with 59 students in the cast and crew, we put on Mulan Jr.  There where trials and tribulations at every turn, but right before spring break, the kids put on an amazing show - I am so proud to call them mine :)

I may reflect on that soon, but not today.  Today is about the days that remind me why I teach.  Because today I had one of those days.

Last night while out to dinner with a couple of friends, I had to leave early because I felt horribly ill.  I slept for twelve hours straight and still had to drag myself out of bed in the morning, a headache still nagging at me.  I must say, I was not looking forward to my back-to-back-to-back kindergarten classes!  I hadn't had my kindergarteners in almost three weeks, between spring break and Mulan rehearsals, so I wasn't sure where they'd be at.  Fortunately, the first two lessons were fine - and the last one was spectacular.

The last class has sticker charts for single-subject classes, which their homeroom teachers keep.  Each time they earn a sticker, they can have extra free choice time at the end of the week.  I told the students that my goal for today was for everyone to earn a sticker.  I promised to give a "sticker reminder" if we started to get a little too silly or unfocused.

Well.  They took that idea and ran with it.  When a student saw a friend who was starting to lose control, he or she would say, "sticker reminder!"  The first time this happened, my student MK stopped what he was doing, sat down properly, and said to his friend, "Thank you for the reminder."  I was floored!  I stopped the class to call attention to the exchange, highlighting how kind and helpful the friend was, and how MK reacted in a way that was very respectful and thoughtful.  Patterns such as that continued for the rest of the period.  We got through everything I had planned as well as an extension of the lesson, setting them up for great success as we jump into rehearsals for the kindergarten play tomorrow.

Today showed me that the idea of ensemble, teamwork, and collective responsibility that I have been trying to teach all year has really taken root with these kids.  They worked together effectively and respectfully, assuming a positive intent in others and taking their advice to heart.  And they're only six years old!

Oh, and they all earned a cute cupcake sticker today.  Their teachers cried :')

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Currently reading:  Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
Current high:  a magical spring break with two of my best friends
Current low:  still not feeling 100%

Light in a Dark Space

This has been the hardest week I have had in a long time.  The MS play scheduled for last weekend was unexpectedly postponed to the middle of this week; the VS play tech was this week as well; two of the VS concerts finished off Friday; auditions for the CI musical were held throughout the week.  Not to mention continuing my regular teaching commitments, collaborative planning meetings, and fighting a nasty virus.  Of course, this is all fun and exciting stuff (except the virus) - but when it's happening all at once, it's a little much.

Despite the late nights, weekend hours, paint fumes, stress attacks, skipped meals, and intense frustration, a few gems have also made this one of the best weeks I've had.  Some highlights...

* Exchanging elementary school jokes with a music teacher during a concert rehearsal.
* An email from a MS student who we struggled with in last year's play.  This year she was a joy, and she emailed SW and me a short but sweet and sincere thank you.
* Having a heartfelt moment with a new K student who told me he was worried to come into class because he has never done drama before.  He had a great day :)
* Coming in for the afternoon of a half sick day to find a just-because card from one of my first graders who LOVES drama.
* Playing with a new PK student, who told me my nose stud is an indication that "Zombies killed [my] nose."
* Dinner with two of my dearest friends!
* An amazingly fun Open House - going on a bear hunt with prospective PK students and parents, and playing drama games with G3 prospies.

And to top it all off - my dad arrives in Korea in just a couple hours :)

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Currently reading:  PS Be Eleven by Rita Williams Garcia
Current high:  T-80 minutes to Dad's arrival!
Current low:  haven't quite kicked the virus yet...soon, soon :)

Get Up And Go

As you may recall, the other day I had a Bad Day.  I had to hold the reins pretty tight in my G3 class, so I know some of them were less than thrilled with me; then most of my kindergarteners in my back-to-back-to-back classes were out of control.  Plus a few weird interactions with kids left me slightly shaken.  By day's end, I felt defeated.  I took half an hour between my last class and drama club rehearsal to walk to Starbucks.  I strolled toward my salvation - a dirty soy chai and chocolate muffin - listening to my "Happy" playlist and musing over how to shake my funk.

One of my professional goals for this year was to improve classroom management.  Ms. W, my wonderful boss and mentor, addressed this one first in our annual goals meeting.  "It's experience," she reminded me.  "You're smart.  I know this.  You know this.  It takes time."  She was right.  I do know.  But as I mentioned, as a perfectionist, I want to get it right the first time - even though that's impossible.  My struggles with classroom management frustrate me to no end.

One suggestion Ms. W gave me was to observe my students in their homeroom classes.  Watch how the classroom teacher and intern manage them.  Steal the language they use, the signals they show, the methods they employ to keep particular students and the class as a whole under control.

As I ambled along, this advice occurred to me.  I had thought of her suggestion a few times over the past month, but there was always something more pressing.  I ought to freshen up that bulletin board, or tidy up this part of the classroom, or organize the costumes for the upcoming play.  No more, I decided - I've hit my breaking point.  It's time to make this a priority.

When I got back to school, I sat down to draft an email.  I wrote to all the PK and K teachers to inform them that I plan to observe in their classrooms on a specific day this week, assuming it suits their schedules.  (Thanks to a G1 field trip, Thursday was just waiting to be filled - serendipity!)  While I'm sure they wouldn't have minded if I just dropped in, I knew that if I sent that email, I wouldn't be able to put it off again.

I received such wonderful responses from those teachers to enthusiastically affirm my visit, confirm schedules, and even suggest guest teaching in the homeroom to change up the dynamic with the students.  What a wonderful reminder of the warm, supportive faculty community I am so lucky to be a part of.  It was such a joy to go in and take notes, engage with my students in a situation where I feel less pressure, and continue to reflect and grow.

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Currently reading:  well, do the scenes for the MS Drama Club production count?
Current high:  kindergarten hugs are the best hugs :)
Current low:  the sleep deprivation of November...

Why I Teach (Even Though I'm A Perfectionist)

As is often the case, I find that my deepest reflection - and by extension, my best posts - come from my bad days.  Today was a Bad Day.

Let me begin by saying that I am a perfectionist.  I love to do things right, I love organization, I love when everything works out just so.  This type of personality makes teaching incredibly frustrating sometimes because one never masters teaching.  I will never have foolproof classroom management or an ideal curriculum; I will never be the perfect teacher.

I have had other jobs in my life where I felt that I approached perfection.  In my summer job in middle management, coordinating overwhelming amounts of logistics, I felt pretty successful much of the time.   As a stage manager, I can call a perfect show and find common rehearsal time out of 30+ individual schedules.  And while I take a sense of pride in that work and it feels good when I "nail it," the accomplishments are not so thrilling.  Even when I do something perfectly, it does not make my heart sing.

The highs in teaching are different.  When I have a great day, an awesome student interaction, a smooth class where I can see students learning and developing - that does make my heart sing.  Even the simple joy of getting a hug from a student or hearing "I love you, Ms. H!" takes the sting out of a rough day.  The highs are higher, but the lows are lower.  And at this point, there are definitely a lot of rough days.

But of course - I am young.  I am inexperienced.  I am trying and failing (and occasionally succeeding).  I am learning so much, every single day.  As an artist; as a teacher; as a student; I should know to expect nothing different, as long as I continue to reflect and grow.

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Currently reading:  between PK report season and two plays this month, I have had precious little time to read!
Current high:  a dirty soy chai tea latte and delicious dinner made by roomie!
Current low:  November, aka the month of staying at school past 7 and continuing to work from home...