Chapters 5 and 6 Reflection

After reading chapters 5 and 6, I came to the realization, I use technology all through my school day as well as at home. Until you really sit down and think about all of the ways you use technology, I think we forget what an important part of our daily lives it really is, and, what did we do without it?

Because I have a first grade classroom, the amount of technology that they are involved in is more often teacher directed rather than letting them explore. Mostly because then I am frantically running around the room trying to fix or help them in some way. I take them to the computer lab once a week, but we have mobile labs that we use during literacy centers daily. We typically use the internet to practice their math facts with our district wide math series, or they are encouraged to visit my blog site where I have many links that allow them to practice skills that have been taught or go to websites that I use in the classroom.
At this point the only person using spreadsheets, databases, and word processing is me. What I am looking forward to next year moving to second grade, the students will have one day a week with structured computer time, learning the keyboard and finding their way on the internet. I plan to take them to the computer lab as well, but also continue to use them during literacy centers. I am hoping to use our new Ipads as well. I am looking forward to extending not only my knowledge of integrating new technology and websites into my teaching, but allowing the students more opportunities to use the computer.

I have used keynote many times with my reading groups and science lessons by allowing the students to make slideshows of the information they learned, and I helped them add clipart that would help to explain what it is they learned or read. The children are so proud when they get to share this with the classroom. I am hoping this year, I can have them work more independently with their group, and I will be a guide when needed. Keynote was also used during our reading celebration in first grade. The children helped me choose pictures from the year, we labeled them, added music, and made a slideshow for their parents.

Back to my school blog. As I was reading our book, I realized that many of the concepts listed are actual things I incorporate into my blog links. The students can go to math drill and practice, electronic stories from Bookflix or Tumblebooks, spelling practice from Spelling City, and social studies and science activities to learn about our educational units.

While I was reading this chapter I had to reflect on many people's attitude about young children and technology. I am amazed when I show them something on the computer, and think, this is going to be difficult for them, and then they take the bull by the horns and they end up teaching me something. Just yesterday, I checked out our new cart of Ipads for my class. Somewhat nervous as to what all to show them, I used my document camera to show them the basics and then let them explore. At one point a child came over and said, mine is playing music and my elbow hit an app, but I don't know how to turn it off. As I am fumbling through the different applications, a little boy comes up to me and says, " Oh, you push this and that, etc" and he figured it out for me.
I was also noting that not only am I able to teach my students using technology, but it is a great tool for me with lesson planning, using planbook, organizing district assessments as well as my personal gradebook for their classroom work. As I was reading chapters 5 and 6, I decided to copy the pages that gave the steps to design and use multimedia and hypermedia. I really want to learn more and be able to create interesting web pages to teach my students in a more exciting way. Many children need to use their different senses. Many children are kinesthetic learners or visual learners and the typical classroom setting may not be the easiest learning environment for them. I also have been thinking that, I will have special needs students next year, and I would like to find ways to incorporate their learning by using technology as well.

I am so blessed to have a district who are so encouraged and excited about integrating technology. We are all somewhat learning together to create lessons and assessments and motivating activities for our students, as well as teaching each other new techniques on how to integrate it.