Interactive Learning is Loud

It never gets old! Interactive Learning is Loud, Unpredictable, Student-Driven and Collaborative.

It’s what we live for as teachers. It’s what drives us to try new things, work harder to master new skills, and dig deeper to find ways to connect with today’s learners. The energy that comes from interactive learning that is loud, unpredictable, student-driven, and collaborative, motivates me to passionately hone my skill in designing interactive lessons. When magic happens, it is priceless. I am convinced magic happens many times because of the

integration of technology. I have many examples to share, but I’ll focus on just one today.

Interactive learning is loud

“Snowflake Music and Math” is a SMART Notebook lesson I created two years ago and brought back this past week for the Holiday season. You can read the original post here. Exploring note values while playing “Snowflake Music and Math” on the SMARTBoard creates incredible energy in my elementary music classroom, but it’s loud. Without even knowing they are doing it, students jump in, become engaged in solving musical math problems, forget where they are, learn with abandonment.

In the following video*, watch how the children, though it isn’t their turn, are totally involved in solving the musical math problem on the SMARTBoard. Watch how they are helping the one at the board, but are figuring out the solution on their own. Notice how even the quiet students are actively engaged in learning in their own way. One quiet boy announces the most efficient solution…. I didn’t realize he was thinking that deeply.

Interactive learning is unpredictable!

*There is one typo in the video… I’ll fix that asap! 🙂

Interactive learning brings freedom

There is great freedom that comes when children are allowed to learn out loud. The children are free to participate without fear of being scolded. They aren’t chained to their desks. Their loudness comes from freedom to interact with each other. I feel free from the tyranny of old-school teaching, free to dream about new ways to engage my students in ACTIVE learning, free to push myself to be the best example of one who is not afraid to learn.

Interactive learning is collaborative

It’s funny, but it seems that I’m learning much more than my students! I’m learning to step back and let my students drive the learning. What I observe is them teaching each other, asking the questions, discovering their own answers. Interactive learning is collaborative. In this video it is easy to see the students’ inter-dependency and their desire to help each other succeed – as if the outcome depends on it. Once the review game starts, the students own the learning.

Of course there has to be control, and I do have control of the students. Class? Yes! These bursts of excitement don’t last the entire class time; instead, they are like nuggets of gold found in the most unusual place and at the most unexpected time. Why is that?

How about you? What have you experienced with the integration of technology in your classroom? I would love to compare notes!!

More to come… so much is happening!!

Bio
Latest Posts

Cherie Herring

Music/Technology Integration at Hammond School

I teach elementary music, am passionate about integrating technology into my teaching, am obsessed with my SMARTBoard and iPad, and enjoy creating lessons and sharing ideas. I love technology almost as much as I love cheesecake, and with more energy and ideas than I know what to do with, I can't wait for the sun to come up each morning! I'm wife to Prince Charming and mom to three incredible girls who keep me balanced. . . sort of!