Andrew Harris: expressing creativity through technology

Year: 2019 — Province: New Brunswick
Certificate of Achievement Recipient

Andrew Harris

All subjects, Grade 1
Riverview East School, Riverview, New Brunswick

"I have not seen Andrew ever put less than one hundred percent in what he does while working with children. He is an advocate for student success and is committed to their skill development in all aspects of the grade-level curriculum inside and out of the classroom."
— Colleague

Andrew Harris has only been teaching for roughly a decade, but is already a leader within his school and district. He scours the maker field to find out what others are doing and adapts those ideas so his young students can apply concepts they typically would not learn until middle school.

Teaching approach

Andrew believes that students can express their creativity by coding robotics and circuits, and that creativity and collaboration are just as important as literacy and numeracy. He works hard to move away from having students only show their understanding of concepts through pencil and paper.

STEM in the classroom

  • Incorporates Maker Ed within art, math, reading and writing lessons: students design and build 3D models that incorporate art and technology, and feature motors, lights, sensors and alarms.
  • Teaches children to use stop-motion animation to demonstrate their understanding of a concept or to express their ideas, and engage their interest: for example, they make stop-motion videos to complement their writing or to demonstrate counting and patterns.
  • Makes regular use of iPads: students access digital books, word and numeracy apps (which facilitates differential instruction) and learn to research with Google; record videos to share their writing or reading aloud or, using special effects apps and editing, give themselves super powers.
  • Uses technology to include parents in the classroom: his website gives parents access to student projects and his tutorial; uses the SeeSaw app so students can post pictures and video to their profiles to share with parents and get feedback.

Outstanding achievements

  • Set up a Maker Space in his classroom, filled with recycled materials, art supplies and technology, largely donated by parents; the space is accessible to the entire school.
  • Created digital assessment binder using OneNote to easily gather data to assess any student on any outcome, and plan upcoming lessons; shared approach with district as best practice.
  • Leads district in implementing units based on the New Pedagogies for Deeper Learning teaching model to promote 21st century skills and mindsets, including community and global citizenship.
  • Featured in district exemplars for best practices; receives emails from teachers throughout the district seeking advice; is the only elementary teacher on the district technology committee.

Get in touch!

Riverview East School
49 Chambers Street
Riverview NB E1P 0P5

506-856-3416
http://web1.nbed.nb.ca/sites/ASD-E/schools/rivervieweast/Pages/default.aspx