Oh Boy --- Today's Yays and Nays

Time for reflection...so, here's the thing.  I need to ask myself why I went to all the trouble to put books into Seesaw and then have the kiddos screencast.  Too many steps for the purpose at hand?

Pros to putting a book in Seesaw for fluency practice as opposed to one page of text

1.  I can pick text that is on their level and they can practice it during the week (uh, you can do that with one page of text...next?)
2. I can make the text thematic. (valid point)
3. If text is too hard, students can just read one or two pages. (yep, also valid)
4. Pictures make it more interesting. (nice but not necessary) 
5. Kids learn how to screencast on an iPad.  :)

Pros to putting one page of text in Seesaw for fluency practice and recording IN Seesaw

1. WAY easier to set up!
2. Not as cumbersome.
3.  If students choose text, it gives them more ownership and autonomy (yikes...my control freak might have been part of the above set up)
4.  More sustainable
5.  Timing more accurate

I guess I should venture into Seesaw to see what they actually did.  Ya think, Jill?  Here goes.  Wish me luck.

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Why did this happen?  Add that to the list of cons...

And in writing...

...students were matched up to publish their topic (tree ID, photosynthesis, life cycles, or trunks and roots) in any way they choose to do so.  It seemed like a good idea at the time.  I shouldn't be to discouraged yet.  Here is what I am thinking as I process.

1.  We all need to begin with the end in mind.  They didn't know they would be doing this when they got started learning about trees.  So they were not working towards the end product.

2.  I kinda threw them into the deep water and said "Swim!".  When I asked the students at the end of the day if they liked the choices, 2/3 said yes, 1/3 said no.  

3.  Many were working independently, so the proof will be in the pudding.  BUT I will want the choice to be more structured next time and I want to show more exemplar options.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

via GIPHY