EduPuppets

I watched a recording of the webinar Learning with EDUpuppets on Classroom 2.0 Live featuring Sam Patterson. Mr. Patterson spoke about why and how he uses puppets in his teaching and some of the more technical aspects of using puppets. Patterson began using puppets in his instructional videos for students so that there would be another character in them, other than himself. He has moved to having students make videos using puppets as well. He feels that using puppets gives students a way to express themselves without taking so much personal risk. He has also seen that using puppets catches students attention and increases their engagement.

Patterson also described how he makes his own puppets and leads students to do the same. He does this so that he is able to post his videos on-line without risking a copyright issue. Patterson describes some tools and techniques to use when making puppets. He also addresses how to move and voice puppets during a lesson and a video. Lastly, Patterson speaks about the legal side of this classroom approach. Patterson suggests being open with administrators and parents about making videos using puppets. He has found that parents are more likely to allow their child's voice and puppet to be on-line rather then to have their child in the video.

Using puppets in lessons reminded me of how I am currently teaching Social Studies. I print out pictures, drawings and cartoons of the people, things, and places that I am teaching in US history. I back them on construction paper, laminate them, and add magnets to the back. When I am telling a story as my lecture, I put the pictures on my whiteboard, move them around, draw more pictures, hand them out to my students, have them act out parts and have them draw their own pictures on their mini whiteboards. I start out the year telling the story almost entirely on my own because I know that students will not feel comfortable drawing on the board, moving pictures around, and acting out parts. As the year goes on, they participate more. I think that Patterson is right, students of all ages would feel more comfortable participating in an interactive and creative class if they are able to take on the character of a puppet and act like that character. 

I wish that I had the time and artistic skill to make puppets with my students. Even adding in one per unit, such as Squanto or George Washington or Benedict Arnold would be great! Sadly, I am rushed as it is to get pictures ready for each lesson. Maybe some day I could try this! Until then, I am hoping to still integrate technology into Social Studies through a wiki for class notes. I think that I could incorporate puppets into my Language Arts class through digital storytelling apps. These apps are the reason that I chose this webinar. Over the summer, I took a digital storytelling class. I loved the story planning apps, and the voice, video, drawing, and puppet apps that I learned about. I couldn't wait to try these apps out now that my building has an iPad cart. So, when I saw webinar about using real puppets, I thought “How is using real puppets integrating technology?!” I learned that using real puppets does not mean not using technology. Students can use the puppets to make videos where they feel more comfortable and then use apps and software to edit and revise their content.

This webinar was recorded but I'm going to look for a live one to participate in. I thought that a webinar was comparable to a live on-line lecture. I did not realize that it was interactive! At the beginning of this webinar, participants marked where they were from on a map, answered polls, and asked questions of Patterson when his presentation was finished. His presentation also surprised me. It was not just him in front of a webcam. There were also slides and pictures of his puppets. After the presentation, there were also links to other readings and resources about the topic.

I believe that this webinar applies to three of the outcomes for this course. First, digital storytelling is a new technology trend. Using real puppets is just an extension of this. Using puppets and digital storytelling also teaches digital etiquette and social interactions. Students have to work together to plan, write, record, and edit videos about content. As students post their videos and comment on eachother's them, they must be appropriate. Lastly, using puppets really does seem like a way to foster learning, creativity, and innovation. Thinking back to when I was in elemetary school or even later, I would have participated a great deal more and learned a lot more if I had been able to have some of the pressure taken off by using something such as puppets. Students really can make a character, not only through the puppets appearance, but by its voice and personality. This could be an entirely different world for shy students, bored students, and artistic students.