Schools, Technology, and more IB

I was invited to attend an all-day technology conference for our school district yesterday. It was designed to share ideas about how to use available technology in the classroom, and I was there as a "community council" member--a parent who is involved in the schools and used as a sounding board and resource to communicate about school programs and policies. I was amazed at how much teaching tools have changed in the dozen years that I have been home. The technology classes I took in my last years as a college student didn't even mention the things that are available now. I spent all day (about 6 hours of presentations) and only saw the basics. This could have been a three day conference, and if we had learned all the tutorials, it would have turned into weeks. WOW.

Above is pictured one of our many cabable and talented presenters, Bonnie Burgeous of Clearfield High School. I chose to highlight Bonnie because she is teaching at the International Baccalaureate program that I will have my kids be a part of. There were all kinds of presentations yesterday, and a variety of uses from kindergarten through high school--all of the presenters are teachers within our school district. Rather than summarize, I'll just hand you this one article and links on some things Bonnie is doing with her students.

Standard Examiner Article, December 12, 2008
CLEARFIELD -- Bonnie Bourgeous watched her own children play "Rock Band," and realized it was the perfect vehicle to teach her students about respiratory and heart rates.

"It's fun to watch them," Bourgeous said. "There is a high interest in it and it does meet the core objectives: the respiratory system and student involvement."

This type of activity is nothing new for students of the Clearfield High School biology teacher.

Bourgeous, who also teaches advanced placement biology at Northridge High School for two periods on A days, recently received the Governor's Medal for Science and Technology in science education. She received the award because she includes technology in her classroom as often as possible.

Bourgeous received a 21st Century Classroom award, which paid for items such as the interactive white board in her classroom, laptops for her students to use and venier probes that allows them to conduct water experiments.

"Don't forget to start the data collection," she said to the students who were getting ready to play "Guitar Hero."

One of the students was hooked up to a heart rate monitor. The monitor was hooked up to a laptop so students could see immediately what the heart and respiratory rate was.

"It hurt," said Lindsey Freeman. "The others weren't as sporadic as mine. Either it was because mine (heart monitor belt) was really, really tight, or I was excited."

Bourgeous has taught at Clearfield High School for the past four years and before that she taught math at West Point Junior High School.

"I love biology because it is about life," Bourgeous said. "And science is more hands-on than math."

Hands-on is what her students said they like about her classes.

"She's a brilliant teacher," Freeman said. "Sometimes too brilliant. We have to tell her to slow down."

Bourgeous started her respiratory section by bringing in a cow's heart and lungs for the students to dissect.

Chandler Farr carried the tray with the heart and lung in from another classroom.

"She explained the respiratory system, and then she gave us each a knife and told us to go at it and have fun," Farr said.

Amanda Takaes said the dissection "was really gross, but it was really cool to see how it all went together."

Jordan Brandley is working on an extended essay and chose biology as his topic.

Bourgeous let Brandley check out a laptop and a heart rate monitor at the beginning of the year so he could test what heat did to runners.

He recorded his mother, father and brother running on a treadmill. Now he is gathering data.

When asked if his family were runners, Brandley said, "They are now."

Brandley said Bourgeous allows students to come up with their own ideas and hypothesis when conducting experiments.

"She guides us, but won't tell us what to do," Brandley said.

Matt Tse said Bourgeous is one of the most "creative" science teachers he has had.

"She gives us the materials and has us make up our own labs," Tse said. "She's there to ask for help when we need it."

Four words: Inspiring. Meaningful. Challenging. FUN!

Kudos to all those teachers who are revising their classrooms and daily lesson plans, and using new innovations to enhance the students' engagement.