Gamer Fun with @MSMakeCode Arcade #MakerEd #PBL

Hello everyone! I wanted to share a great tool I used in my class this trimester for students to work on their computational thinking through coding. 

MakeCode Arcade is a program that allows users to create their own 8-bit arcade game for free! This Microsoft tool is free to use and does not require any sign up or login. Tutorials are provided and all of the games that are there already can be explored to see how their code works. You can build your game using block code or Javascript. This has been a huge hit in my design class and I wanted to share one project that really stood out and has taken the Middle School by storm. 

The assignment asked students to create their own video game and a commercial to advertise it. One student decided to make a game based on one of our teachers and it is very fun and the commercial is amazing. Here is the video,

Here is the game, 

Shademania!

What is great about this assignment is that the students can make the game as simple or as complex as they want. The commercial has the students explore design from a different perspective. One it is all done, the students have basically created their own game company. I'm a huge fan of MakeCode and think you should give it a try in your class. 

#MakerEd Supports #MentalHealth

There are so many different reasons why #MakerEd is important to me and helpful to students. One that stands out to me recently is the value of MakerEd when it comes to Mental Health. I could provide tons of anecdotal evidence on how students creating things improved their moods and brought joy to their life. 

I could also share how the act of making helps me when I am feeling most anxious in a way that my medication cannot. 

I'd like to share an article that links to a variety of studies that show the value of crafting (making) when it comes to supporting mental health. The article, you can find it here, shares the studies surrounding art therapy and how it impacts depression and anxiety. Art therapy is not a new trend. It has been around for decades. It is no surprise that having students create and make will improve their mental health. By removing some of the anxiety inducing elements of assessment and using Project Based Learning and MakerEd in their place, you can engage learners on a level that is supportive a strong mental health approach to learning. 

I hope you will read the article and the research and consider implementing more opportunities for students to make in your classroom. 

Hugs and High Fives, 

N Provenzano

Give #MakerEd and #PBL a Chance For Your Students #EdChat

One of the things that I have seen while working this year was how important it has been for the student to create things in class and at home. With extra screen time and the inability to collaborate like they are used to, being able to create things has helped students feel engaged in the classroom. 

I spent the past two weeks presenting at TCEA and FETC sharing the amazing things that students are capable of doing when they are given a framework that encourages them to make things to demonstrate their understanding. Students have made digital and physical objects to showcase learning and students at home feel more connected to the class when they can create and share.

My students will be designing mini-golf obstacles that others will be asked to code a Sphero through in the fewest moves. Students will be showing me their design skills and their coding skills for this specific lesson. I am very proud of the work they have been able to do during this pandemic and really want to encourage your to consider giving students a chance to create in your classroom. 

Sometimes, teachers feel the pressure to try new things and think they have to redo all of their lessons right away. That's not true. I'm asking you to consider trying one lesson that will encourage students to create something to demonstrate their understanding of the content. This can be digital or physical. Embrace that it will not be perfect and that you will be learning with the students. Heck, do not even grade it and really let the kids have a go. 

We are in a time where trying new things should be encouraged by administrators and teachers should look at the educational landscape and try something that has always interested them. I'm an advocate for PBL and MakerEd because I see the positive impact it has students every day. I want more students to have this experience. 

If you have any questions about implementing PBL and MakerEd, please reach out and we can make it happen. 

Remind Students You Are Human #EdChat

One of the things that holds true for many teachers is that students often look at us as if we are different from other people they encounter in their lives. The awkward looks a teacher gets from students when they are see out in the wild at a store is an example of this. Many students do not have any other context to consider their teachers. This can be problematic because it can cause the creation of an us and them mentality. 

I have found that it is important to humanize yourself as much as possible with students. Going about school every day all of the time sends only one message to students and that can make it hard for them to connect with you and potentially reach out if they have some non-school issues. I'm not suggesting opening up your closet and sharing your inner most feelings, but connecting with students in real ways can lead to stronger class connections and more engagement. Here are a few ways I have done this in the past. 

1. Like many teachers, I make mistakes. I will type something up and share/post it for students. At the start of the year, a student will, almost gleefully, point out the mistake on the screen. I always take this as an opportunity to talk about mistakes and share my learning disability with them. I am dyslexic. I went undiagnosed until college. Things were tough and I just had to work harder. Despite that, I still chose to be an English teacher and choose to write as a means of self-expression. I am very honest with my students about this. I do not want them to think that I think I am perfect. The mistakes are going to happen and I let them know I appreciate letting me know, but there are better ways to do that than putting me on blast in front of the class. By sharing my learning disability, I know it has made a difference with students. Parents have told me how their child has come home to tell them that I struggle like they do and it gives them hope that they can overcome it. 

2. For one of the books I wrote, I shared the first edit from the editor with my class. We had been talking about the value of proofreading for many weeks at the start of the year, but I wanted to let them know that I never expect perfection. My manuscript was read by 5-6 other people before it went to the editor and I still had plenty of mistakes and comments that needed to be addressed. Showing students that a book can still be filled with errors despite multiple people reading it over really reenforced the idea that proofreading makes pieces better. 

3. I do something called the "First Five" in my class. I dedicated, roughly, the first five minutes of class to connect with students and talk about anything of interest. It might be sports, it might be music, it could be movies, or possibly video games. No matter what it is, I engage with students, sometimes one on one or in small groups, to talk about what is important to them. I might not be knowledgeable on all of the topics, but I'm ready to listen and engage. Those small moments at the start of class build relationships with students that lead to more engaged students. 

It can be easy to get into the hustle and bustle of teaching day in and day out, but we need to make time as teachers to engage students to remind them we are human too. These small reminders can build stronger classroom relationships and increase student engagement. You don't have to the "cool" teacher, you just have to be an interested teacher.