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I enjoy trying out new apps online but not as much as my students do. On Friday morning I had meetings, and my students had French class and hearing testing, so we were running behind in whole class time. Not the best atmosphere for teaching a new skill. (Did I mention it was Friday?) I was determined to have something new to write about today for DigiLit Sunday, so with only half an hour left for our class time, I showed them Piktochart.
Last week’s Wonder theme was Hurricanes, so for this first try at an infographic, I suggested they work on hurricanes. We brainstormed information we could find: categories, safety tips, cost of hurricane damage, and location. I paired off my kids, but with an odd number, I told Vannisa I would work with her. I sat next to her at the computer and watched her go to work.
First she chose a template that she liked. The template had a circle graph. We discussed what kind of information would fit in a circle graph. We found a web site showing the number of hurricanes that occurred within each month of the 6 months of hurricane season from 1988-present. Together we worked on the data chart. Here we quickly had to figure out what data went where. Vannisa was more skilled than me.
The short time that Vannisa and I were working together I was fascinated by how quickly and easily she jumped right in to the app. She was motivated to find more information. She kept saying, “Look at this,” and “I love this,” and “Let’s find more information.”
Matthew stayed late in class because he decided to make an infographic on Houdini. He is a bit obsessed with magic and just finished a biography of Houdini. When I told him he could use the Piktochart to make his reader response on the book, he hugged me.
I can’t promise hugs, but I know your students will be motivated by Piktograph. I plan to introduce it to another group of students this week. I look forward to seeing what they will do and how much fun learning can be.
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Reflections on the Teche 
Digital Encouragement
Posted in Blogging, Digital Learning, Gifted Education, tagged blog comments on September 21, 2014| 10 Comments »
Please use this button on your site for DigiLit Sunday posts
Comments encourage. They lift me up and propel me forward, like wind beneath my wings. I strive to be a good commenter, but it takes time. Time to read the blog post thoroughly. Time to reflect. Time to connect.
Selfishly, I love comments. In the classroom, I encourage them. My students are required to comment on at least 3 blog posts a week. They read each other’s posts, but I wish they would comment more. On Friday, Matthew read Tobie’s post about Harry Potter. Matthew loves Harry Potter. He sat at the computer and laughed and said, ” I love this post, especially the end where he says…”
I replied, “Don’t forget to comment.”
Matthew said, “Oh, I don’t have time for that. I have to write my own post.”
That is exactly how I feel! I usually post on Slice of Life Tuesdays, Spiritual Thursday, and Poetry Friday. Less frequently, I review books for It’s Monday: What are you Reading and Nonfiction Wednesday. I am also posting on Celebration Saturday and here today with DigiLit Sunday. That’s a lot of writing in a week. If I want and expect others to read my posts and leave comments, then I need to do the same.
The last few days, comments have supported me in the grief for a child’s mother, in the celebration of the NCTE award, and with the reading of my poem from Summer Serenity. Thank you, blogging friends, committed commenters. You sustain my writing. You comfort my soul. You are my friends. I hereby promise to be a better commenter.
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