- Collaboration is important in today's classroom because it helps students build problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
- Collaborating with others while using technology supports students who aren't ready to complete a digital task independently.
- Consider partnering with a buddy classroom of older students to support the early learners when using digital tools.
In this chapter, the author mentions a project her class did with the buddy classroom using the book, Not a Box. Students used a technology tool to create something new from a plain box. Here's an idea for your own collaboration.
Consider using the book My Garden from BookFlix as an alternative to replicate the activity.
In this story, after helping her mother weed, water, and chase the rabbits from their garden, a young girl imagines her dream garden complete with jellybean bushes, chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes the size of beach balls.
Project the eBook and watch it together. Pair each of your students with an older student from the buddy classroom. Use a technology tool like Google Slides and direct students to imagine and create their own dream garden.
Reflecting on Your Learning
- Can you think of a “buddy classroom” that might be able to work collaboratively with your students to create a final product using a technology tool?
- Out of the ideas that were shared in this chapter, which one do you think you could most likely implement in your classroom?
