Today, we touched on the topic of digital curation and took part in an Ed Camp using discussion prompts created by our peers around the classroom. An Ed Camp is a user generated conference where teachers join up and discuss different topics usually related to education. In this reflection, I will mainly be focusing on our Ed Camp discussions. I shifted to another group partway through, and have things I can reflect on about two different education related topics.

Before separating into our different groups, we got a sticky note with some time to think about potential topics and were given a set of stickers to vote for our top three favourite prompts. I had trouble coming up with an idea myself, but my classmates came up with all good ideas. Below is a picture of some of the sticky notes, taken by our instructor Dr. Michael Paskevicius.

I voted for the prompts that would discuss video games and movies in the classroom, as well as the topics covering field trips and mental health. While the one on video games and movies did not make the final vote for the whole class, the last two did and I was able to join these groups in their discussions. The prompts for these break-out groups were worded as such: “What are the best field trip ideas? + Why?” and “How can teachers help make a less anxious/depressed generation?” Below, I outline some of what we talked about in each group.

“What are the best field trip ideas? + Why?“
The first group I joined talked about field trips. Specifically, when we as teachers would decide to have them and what their focus or purpose would be. A lot of ideas were generated in this discussion, and we began with why we take students on field trips in the first place. One person said it should be related to learning something new, while another added that it should compliment what the students have learned prior. For example, the students might have a unit covering the life cycle of salmon and then go on a field trip to Goldstream Provincial Park to see the salmon run firsthand. Another person said it was fine going on a field trip just to give the students a break from their studies and let them try a new experience. For example, going to the opera would be good for them so they can get out of the school environment for a bit and say that they’ve been to the opera before.

We also talked about the logistics of planning field trips and what might be involved in this process. Some were saying to plan for field trips in August and to start applying for grants early since funding can be a nightmare. Another person said it would be ideal to wait so you can know your class before you plan, but we all recognized that this isn’t always an option. I mentioned that funding can be brought down by transporting students via the city bus (class and age dependant of course) or utilizing the cars of parent volunteers.

We also talked about “virtual” field trips, field trip location ideas, and more. Partway through, we took a short break and I navigated to the other group discussing mental health in students.

“How can teachers help make a less anxious/depressed generation?“
This group was partway through their discussion already when I joined, but I was able to keep track of a number of things that were brought up. We talked about a number of reasons why students may be struggling in today’s modern society, and we came up with a number of factors that may be related. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Screen time and it’s effects on students
• Sedentary time (generally relating to screen time)
• Upbringing and parenting style
• Biological factors, ingrained with life experiences or trauma

The group transitioned into discussing ways that we as educators can help counter some of these factors, or at least make the classroom environment a safe place for struggling students. One person talked about how many parents may watch the news in the morning, which is generally filled with negativity and shows viewers all the bad stuff that is happening locally or around the world. We thought about how we could talk about the good things that have happened in the world with students, or covering one good thing per day that has happened to boost spirits in the morning. We also talked about promoting empathy in our classrooms and encouraging students not to be too hard on themselves. One person brought up implementing health and wellness classes in younger grades and another brought up the balance between being kind and warm as a teacher but also being firm with rules and expectations.

At this point, we had to return to class but I believe I learned a lot through these discussions and am very fortunate to have learned what an Ed Camp is so I can look out for them in the future.

Included is a video I found after the second discussion that touches on student mental health and the importance of encouraging mental health days for students. The video is a Ted Talk, based in the US, but it covers the same issues faced by Canadian students and can easily be introduced in Canada if it has not been already. I highly recommend giving it a watch.

TEDx Talks. (2020, February 1). Why you should take a break: Prioritizing mental health in schools | Hailey Hardcastle | TEDxSalem [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD0w_gOEbUI