September 23, 2008

teachers using technology

~cross-posted at: http://principianteglobal.blogspot.com/~





I am honored to work not only with fellow Global Learners but many other teachers who make 21st century learning a priority in their classrooms. As teachers in my school get introduced to new forms of technology they are impressed, inspired, and motivated to incorporate it into their classrooms and professional practices.
At Alsup, my team of fellow third grade teachers uses many forms of technology on a regular basis; the laptop carts, Discovery Education Streaming, websites, clickers, and document cameras. They are curious about wikis and blogs and would love their own websites. They find out more about these on their own and even try them out.

Laurie Arnold has created a student blog called Third Grade Bloggers that her students used last year and she plans to use it again this year. Brianna Sealy is always using video clips to support her teaching and she utilizes clickers with ease. Katie Coggin has started using the laptop cart during Writing and utilizes many math web based activities with her class. These are just a few of the many ways these teachers and others at my school have been proactively teaching with techonolgy.

Do teachers you work with utilize technology in their classrooms?

September 2, 2008

a new year!!!

I can't believe a new school year has begun! I've been busy learning how to use new teaching materials, getting to know my students and getting back into the routine. It is challenging being able to balance all of the different tasks for the week. I now feel ready to add using technology into the framework. I have so many ideas:
  • smart board use during writing and math
  • using the document camera instead of the overhead projector
  • using vokis to liven up student writing
  • using the classroom blog for my reading group
  • using voicethread to compel student to think more critically about many topics we're learning about
  • using a classroom wiki to collaborate with others

This is just a start! I hope to start out slowly and keep doing more and more as the students and I are able to integrate technological tools into our everyday learning.

My goals for integrating technology into my teaching this year include working more to master some tools I am already familiar with (like digital storytelling) and challenging myself to be more of a risk-taker and to try some new things (like voicethread).

Well...I better get started!