District Administration: 7 Tips for Teachers Who are Using Classroom Robots for the First Time
Helen Schwartz, a 1st & 2nd grade teacher at the New England Jewish Academy in West Hartford, CT shares 7 tips for teachers using robotics for the first time. The 7 tips include:
- Take the time to familiarize yourself with your robot
- Start with small groups
- Make it safe to experiment
- Give them time
- Start with a few pieces and build from there
- Simple activities are great learning opportunities
- Embrace the coding mindset
About their use of the screen-free KIBO robot:
“There are all kinds of connections to coding across the curriculum. Students love playing with the robots. I love to help them find those connections to motivate them to keep going or to understand a challenge in a new way.
For other veteran teachers considering robotics: don’t be afraid of it! My biggest surprise during my first year teaching with classroom robots was that I enjoyed it—and so did my students. I knew I was on to something when kids wanted to skip their snack to play with their robots.”
Read the full article.
