Sixth grade. It’s that in-between time, for students and teachers alike. Sometimes sixth graders are considered part of the older group, sometimes they are placed with the younger students. Think back to sixth grade – do you remember your teachers, who was president, or what you learned? My sixth grade wasn’t too memorable; I think I got my ears pierced that year.
I remember seventh grade and that Leonardo DiCaprio starred as Romeo that year; I also remember fourth grade and that was the year we learned to write in cursive. Sixth grade is a time when students are primed for becoming a teenager, finding new freedoms and responsibilities, and for maybe getting a brand-new cell phone like the older kids have.
For Brownwood sixth graders, it’s the beginning of learning to use technology. Intermediate School teacher Christine Moore has found a way to integrate tomorrow’s learning skills into today’s curriculum and her students are along for the ride. As we sat down to talk about her practices, the list of programs and projects continued to grow, from Voki’s to EdModo, Wiki and Glogster. Sound like new vocabulary to anybody else? Moore, who is working towards her PhD in Educational Technology, implements the same projects and concepts as other sixth grade classes, but uses a myriad of tools to capture the students’ attention and help them learn.
“I use books, there is nothing wrong with books, but technology is where their interest is,” Moore said. “The difference is the methodology.”
Glogster is an online program where students can create virtual, interactive posters. Voki.com allows users to create personalized speaking avatars and use them on blogs and in emails. Wikispaces are simple web pages that students can edit themselves or with their peers. EdModo is an online program similar to Facebook, but is free of advertisements and games, which allows teachers to post and track assignments, and students to post comments and questions. Quia is a program that tracks online quizzes, vocabulary tests, and learning games.
This year was a time of learning for all the members of Moore’s classes. In place of a normal book report, they made book “trailers,” utilizing text-to-speech software, in which students created digital characters from their books, put them with a background, and wrote lines from the book for the characters to say. Students also made online posters, which were then added to the website for parents to view. Moore used her school webpage to add videos the students could watch and respond from home. Students learned how to use and create WebQuests, online information scavenger hunts, went on a virtual tour of the Pyramids, created arcade games, wrote and played their own music on Garage Band, and made films using iMovie.
“Technology is where their interest is,” Moore said. “It is everywhere they go, all around them.”
Moore has found that integrating technology into education is, “more than just using a computer; it’s utilizing the technology on a regular basis,” that keeps the students interested and learning.
Transitioning from pencils and paper to computers has been a challenge, one that requires time, effort and patience. While there are countless programs available, finding ones that work the best for individual classrooms takes precious time in and out of the classroom, something which can be more of a hindrance than a help. However, Moore has found that some attitude and behavior problems have lessened with the changes.
“Sometimes it’s a struggle to get kids to interact; they will grumble when you tell them it’s time to work,” Moore said. “Then when I ask them to get online and open the e-textbook and read the story, their interest level is tripled. They are doing the same assignment, but using technology.”
These changes are a positive influence on Moore’s classroom. As she plans for the coming school year, Moore hopes to collaborate, as one example, with the Social Studies class.
“If we are working on non-fiction and she (the social studies teacher) is teaching about China, we can read some stories using podcasts and make iMovies and slideshows about China, finding ways to collaborate,” Moore said. “Interdisciplinary projects really get them interested.”
Keeping the students interested is only part of the challenge to teaching, but the push for technology brings a new atmosphere to the classroom. Quite often students will need help navigating a program, which opens up other opportunities for learning.
“I had an extremely bright student who was bored in class because he knew the material already,” Moore said. “I made him the teacher’s assistant and he helped other students figure out programs. The best part of it was that the students figured out how to do something, and we worked together to learn more about it.”
The collaborative aspect is an enjoyable piece of the classroom, where students feel free to ask questions and help each other. Moore works toward creating an environment where students feel safe to learn, create, and explore. This environment provides an opportunity for students to find new ways of learning and helping others learn as well.
“Sometimes you don’t have to know how to do something, the kids know,” Moore said. “They need to be able to use resources wisely, and how to be responsible with it, and the whole atmosphere changes when the technology is there. Even when we’re working on individual responses, there is an air around that we are all learning together and it’s okay to ask questions. And I like it.”
Pictured above is Moore with students at the 2011 BIS Summer Computer Camp.
Christine Moore is also the featured columist of Educational Notes on BrownwoodNews.com. She currently holds a degree from Howard Payne University and recently earned her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She is now working on her Ph.D. in Educational Technology at Walden University. Married with four children who attend Brownwood schools, Christine teaches 6th grade reading in Brownwood and has been working in education at various levels for the past 15 years.
