Shelly Fryer
Shelly Fryer is a 3rd and 4th grade teacher at Positive Tomorrows, Oklahoma's only elementary school designed specifically for homeless children. She had taught 1:1 with iPads since 2013. She was named the PBS Digital Innovater in 2015. She believes firmly in making sure students know their voice matters
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Shelly and Wes Fryer provide us with a great keynote on just how impactful the integration of technology in the classroom can be. One reason that I found to be especially impactful was their note on the effect having an audience has on their students. By creating an audience for a student’s work, they perceive it differently. The work now has meaning because they are tied to it and will be held accountable for it. This ownership and accountability ultimately produces work and lessons that are impactful and meaningful. It shows the students that their voice matters. It matters so much that we will broadcast it around the world so that we can all learn from you.
During my work with the K-State College of Education, I have made notes regarding a pervasive anti-technology bias. I have heard it all. “I’m just not a technology person.” “Why do we have to work with iPads?” “If they give me an iPad, I’m just going to keep it in my desk the whole year.” We all need to see this keynote. It is an incredible disservice to our students to be disregarding a world that is on a progressively faster track towards technology across the board. Moreover, we should not deny our students the litany of personal discoveries that can be made through technology in the classroom. Our students deserve more. That “more” can be reached through technology.
During my work with the K-State College of Education, I have made notes regarding a pervasive anti-technology bias. I have heard it all. “I’m just not a technology person.” “Why do we have to work with iPads?” “If they give me an iPad, I’m just going to keep it in my desk the whole year.” We all need to see this keynote. It is an incredible disservice to our students to be disregarding a world that is on a progressively faster track towards technology across the board. Moreover, we should not deny our students the litany of personal discoveries that can be made through technology in the classroom. Our students deserve more. That “more” can be reached through technology.
For all of my elementary school teacher friends, I thought this was brilliant. Here, Shelly’s class integrates collaborative effort, art, research, and technology into one neat package. I surmise she had each of her students draw a picture along with a researched fact about bats. From there, she wrote or had her students write a script lining up the facts and pictures. From there, each student presents their picture and fact contribution to the video and we end up with the above product.
I really enjoyed the passion project series. Take a look at Shelly's classroom Youtube channel above. Here, Shelly’s students were able to showcase some of their favorite projects and activities. These ranged from drawings, to inventing, to learning guitar, and dance. I have seen projects that promote students putting on display what they enjoy doing and part of who they are. I have even done a few as a student. However, where Shelly’s Passion Project series shines brightest in comparison is its use of a range of media styles. Similar projects I have seen done and been assigned were limited to words on a paper. This presents the obvious issue of encapsulating all that we are passionate about into just words. A student showing his/her passion is far more powerful than having them describe it. Furthermore, it provides a more enriching experience for the class.