Day 29: Community or Learners

I was just reading Jac Calder's post on the importance of a buddy. It reminded me that I have been meaning to write this post for a week!

Just before Thanksgiving weekend, Amanda Clarke and Jac Calder spent some time showing us the possibilities of SCDSBlive. Their enthusiasm for this tool inspired me to give it a try. Luckily, Nancy Astin at Maple Grove is always willing to spontaneously try something new. She and her class of Grade ones welcomed experimenting with SCDSBlive. We all felt a little nervous as live broadcasting was a new experience for all of us. The look of excitement and anticipation on the students faces just before hitting the broadcast button was worth the uncertainty. If you want a little sunshine in your day, listen to the recorded broadcast. It is saved in the Maple Grove folder on the Recording Archive page. It is impossible not to smile when you listen to their little voices talk about all the things they are thankful for. Some of my favourites were, "I'm thankful for all the teachers in the world." Closely followed by, "I'm thankful I can help my parents with their technologies." 

While the students were sharing ideas about gratitude.  I kept coming back to how grateful I am to part of such a committed community of learners. Without Jac and Amada sharing this tool with me, a colleague who was courageous enough to step into the unknown, and a class of students willing to try something new this beautiful moment never would have happened. It's the community of learners pushing thinking and supporting risks that facilitates new and meaningful learning. 

I was back in that Grade One class this week. The students were so proud of themselves. Many of them had shared the recording with their families and couldn't wait to talk about their parents or siblings reaction to their moment of radio stardom. The power of their student voices was absolutely worth the risk!