Technology Teacher and Facilitator Katie Shea shoulders a broad portfolio of responsibilities at CIS. She not only teaches Grade 6-10 Career and Technology classes, but also facilitates student clubs and schoolwide technology projects. We interviewed Shea and she offered a glimpse into her multifaceted role by recounting a typical Tuesday.
6:30 a.m.
I wake up in the morning, get ready quickly, come in on my moto (motorbike), and get to school at 7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m. | Period 1
First, I check my email and try to answer as many messages as possible.
Then I turn to lesson planning. I teach a variety of topics related to technology to students in grade 6 to 10. I teach topics such as film production, graphic design, digital art, coding, computer science and digital citizenship. For all the different subjects, I’ll look and see if I can find lessons and activities that are relevant to the students, that will be interesting or exciting, and then think about how I’m going to get that across to them in a fun way.
For example, when I was doing digital citizenship lessons with the Grade 6s, I would look up different activities, videos and games I can use to teach them topics like copyright, what to do if you’re being cyberbullied, what are real-life consequences of posting negative things online, or how to build your digital footprint. I want to create smart digital citizens who are prepared for all the challenges they may encounter online. More than that, I want them to have a positive presence online. A lot of people say “no, don’t do this online” and so we’ll talk about what can you do online that is good, so if somebody is googling you will say “Oh, that looks like a really cool kid” and maybe a potential employer might be impressed by what they find. So looking at what to do online is important.
The Grade 9s are learning about graphic design. They’re currently using Photoshop and Illustrator to create their own currency. Today, I’m preparing their next project. The Grade 10s are learning how to code with JavaScript. I am teaching them skills through developing apps. Right now they’re building small programs and applications such as a currency conversion app where you put in a dollar amount and the app converts it into riel. After this, they’re going to be working on a word-guessing game. These are just a few examples of the more basic applications they are learning how to make.
9:30 a.m. | Period 2
I have a Grade 8 technology class where the students are creating digital portraits on Illustrator. Here is how a typical class would run. The students walk in and immediately go to their assigned computer. They will sign on and I get them to pause and to look at me while I explain what the activity is for the day. I then get them to start working. During the class, I walk around and answer questions and repeat “Have you asked a friend first?” or “Maybe try googling that.” I’m trying to make them self-sufficient and independent and not just reliant on me, because it’s very easy for them to ask me questions and for me to answer right away but that’s not how the real world works! So, I’m trying to encourage them to be searching for their own answers and asking friends and trying out different things that they could do to see what works.
10:55 a.m. | Recess
I have recess where I have tea ordered in and have a quick snack. I stretch my legs and stop looking at a screen!
11:10 a.m. | Period 3
I have the period off before lunch. I continue answering emails or go to a meeting. As a part of my technology facilitator role, I help teachers if they have any technology questions or if they have a project that they want to do and they want an idea for technology. I also work on different projects that the principals might want done. I need to be flexible as my role is based on the needs of the school and my colleagues. I also look to find ways to promote the use of technology within the school, whether that be creating trainings, policies or having meetings with the principals to discuss the school’s technology philosophy
I also run The Daily Bears, our student news show broadcast on YouTube. The students produce the show at lunchtime on Tuesday. So, during this period, I will be editing videos for The Daily Bears or organizing content. Staff and students submit content for the show so, if they need a video edited, I’ll edit it for them.
One of my other tasks is getting the Makerspace up and running, so I am putting a lot of time into that. During my preparation periods, I might go to IBC or a hardware store to buy things for the Makerspace so we can have lots of tools and materials the students can use to create awesome projects! I have already purchased a broad selection of items including exacto knives, glue guns, string, zip-ties and paint. Once it is fully equipped, this space will be used for a wide variety of classes and projects. The students can use it--not just during class time but lunch time as well--to make projects and anything that’s messy and fun. I also have lego robotics kits that I am very excited to use with the students!
All in all, my preparation period is a lot of me jumping from one thing to another!
12:35 p.m. | Lunchtime
The Daily Bears production happens at 12:35 on Tuesday! So, at lunchtime I am in the green room with the Daily Bears’ news anchors. At that point, I would have already uploaded the content before the students got there and then they will produce the show. I taught the students how to use the technology to record so I’m there to make sure everything is running smoothly. Depending if we make any bloopers and whether we have to restart or not, it might take 15 to 20 minutes for the show to be recorded and uploaded. We have it down to a science!
When I am not producing The Daily Bears at lunch, I am working with the yearbook committee. I run the yearbook committee with Ms. Samantha Giannikos. We have a team of students who are creating this year’s yearbook. Before the lockdown, I was teaching the students how to use InDesign to create templates and pages. If it was a yearbook day, I would spend some time during my preparation period working on things related to the yearbook or sending emails reminding teachers to gather content for the yearbook. The yearbook will now be a website.
1:25 p.m. | Homeroom
In Middle School and High School, we have a homeroom after lunch. I spent 20 minutes with my Grade 8 homeroom class everyday. We play games together and watch The Daily Bears. Sometimes we meet a Grade 9 homeroom class to do different projects in the Makerspace. I gave them a bunch of X-Acto knives, glue, tape and cardboard and I said “I want you to make me huge things… giant things.” I let them decide what they want to make. One team is making a life-size chess game, another team is making a life-size chicken from Minecraft, another team is writing “Makerspace” in cardboard and the final group is making a clown. They are very excited to play a game of Harry Potter-esque life-size chess. While they are doing this, I ensure everything is running smoothly and safely, I make sure they’re using the X-Acto knives carefully and make sure they’re on task. But, when they’re in the Makerspace, I like to not give them any ideas, if I can, because that’s the whole point of the Makerspace--they’re told to make something and they have to figure out how. I’m there to support and to make sure they’re behaving responsibly and being safe.
1:45 p.m. | Period 4
I have grade 6 technology class in the afternoon. We’re doing film production at the moment. I help students come up with concepts for their films, writing their storyboards and editing using iMovies or WeVideo. Today, we’re looking at different camera angles and movements, and where to find copyright-free music.
3:10 p.m | Dismissal
3:30 p.m. | Staff Meeting
There is a staff meeting every Tuesday. Middle School and High School staff and faculty engage in professional development sessions, discuss school events, look at student success and review policies. It’s usually a one-hour meeting.
4:30 p.m. | Departure
Once the meeting is finished, I get my moto, go home and take a nap!
____
CIS follows the Alberta curriculum, a world-renowned, inquiry-based curriculum developed by the Government of Alberta, Canada. Read more about the Career and Technology Foundations program for Grades 5-9 and the Career and Technology Studies program for Grade 10.