TMST: Little Kids Can

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To those who know me and my obsession with puppets, this post will come as no surprise. After all, a Kindergarten teacher turned Digital Learning Coach has a huge soapbox to stand on.  Why?  

 Because little kids can.

 We've come a long way from sand tables and letter of the week. Why?

 Because little kids can.

 Our learners now have a world at their fingertips and have never known a world with no internet. They are not afraid to click and tap and explore.  Why?

 Because little kids can.

Last week, I focused my learning on exploring a range of apps by Duck Duck Moose, the makers of Chatterpix Kids. They produce a bunch of easy to use apps that are FREE.  One I loved in particular is the Draw and Tell app, which lets our kids illustrate, write and record stories that can have multiple scenes.  



I couldn't just learn on my own...so I asked some 1st graders to help.  Why not?  They took
about 10 minutes with me to learn the basics of the app and some expectations for the
lesson on the iPad using Reflector (Apple TV would work just as well) and then split up to create some masterpieces in pairs.


After only a few minutes, we had recorded age appropriate facts about bats and owls were ready to share to photos and then to their SeeSaw portfolios.  THAT SIMPLE.

This awesome experience happened because little kids CAN.

But hear me when I say this...just because little kids can, doesn't mean that they should. Our kids need to be exposed to learning that is age appropriate - in both digital and analog formats. That's what I love about Draw and Tell, but remember, it really isn't just about an app. We need to be purposeful about what we share and the experiences that we design. Our kids have so much more thinking potential in them than just an app or a game or a pencil or a card sort.

 They need to experience and talk and write and think and do just as much as they need to be engaged and excited.  They need us.  To guide them and learn with them.  To take risks and dream with them. 

 Because if we believe in little kids and their abilities to learn, then little kids will.

 And truthfully, the same is true if you substitute the word "we"  and "us" in place of "little kids" and "they".

 Because we can.  And if we keep an open mindset, then we will.
I'd love to hear about a time when YOUR learners (or you) proved that "little kids can", even if they (or you) aren't so little!  Let me know in the comments!

Comments

  1. LayneOctober 11, 2016 at 4:42 PM

    LOVE this post soooooo much & I'm excited to use this app. I'm guilty of pushing my kids a bit too fast and sometimes lose sight of the age appropriateness. This app will help me prepare them for the next steps. #love

    Evidence of #litttlekidscan #littlekidswill was 1st graders sending/receiving emails last year & them teaching themselves (and one another) how to add a signature (and understanding why signatures are important). It. Was. Amazing.

    ReplyDelete

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