CI 556

I have learned so much about technology and the classroom.  This class as gotten me really excited to get in my own classroom. I have had so many for what I can do.  I hope I can use a lot of what I have learned when I have my own classroom.  I really like the wiki that we have.  I will use that all the time.  I have even used while subbing.  It as been a great class.  I'm so happy to be apart of it.  I think his is the best way to learn technology.

Article: How Teachers Learn Technology

In this research article they discussed different ways to teach teachers technology.  It is important the teacher knows what they are teaching their students.  They also discussed what happens when they don't have support of buying the technology. One way they thought it would be good for teachers to learn technology was by getting a district goal for every teacher and grade.  Once the district comes up with a goal the teacher are to get into small groups and come up a weekly time to meet. In their small groups they will have to come up with a goal that they want to accomplish.  When they meet each week they will work towards their goal. This is a good way teacher to learn technology.  They will be able to discuss their problems and work through them together.

Overall this was great article to read.  It was interesting to see how teachers learn technology.  It made me think of our class.  CI 556 is kind of like a little group we  discuss technology and work through problems. I have learned a lot of different technology in this class.  This article just made me think of it more.

The Article Technology: It's Effects on Children

The article discussed what technology can do to students.  They discussed the differences between good technology and bad technology.  One thing that was brought up in this article is that everyone says that children love technology but this generation has never been without technology. So is just in their blood.  After reading this article I don't think technology is a bad thing.  I think it can be abused just like anything can be.  When working with students in the classroom they love technology.  They love getting up and going to the board, even the shy students do it.  They are amazed what some people can do with a computer or an iPod.  Students don't usually see technology in that light.

Overall I thought this was an interesting article.  Many children love technology but don't know the benefit technology can bring to the classroom.

Finding a Web 2.0 Tool

So this week as I was searching for a web 2.0 tool I was having a hard time.  There are so many tools out there that don't really give anything like we discussed in class.  There are a lot of games out there that help students learn but they aren't web 2.0 tools.  I also found a bunch of tools that help students study.  One of the neatest sights I found was for helping teachers with their plans.  I think if you could put your plans online just think how easy that would make your life if you were gone.  Another teacher would just print them off.  I thought that would make life a little easier.

After all my that searched I found one about music.  It's just like garageband but it's free for everyone.  You don't even have to have a mac.  I think web 2.0 tools are really neat and I didn't know to much about them.  I have learned a lot after taking this class.

Magic Touch

So as I was working over Thanksgiving break.  I was in the a special education room.  They had the most amazing things called Magic touch screens.  These screen can make any computer screen touch.  I thought it was one of coolest things ever.  You can do just about anything with it like play games, check your e-mail, and google stuff.  I was wondering if anyone has ever seen them? 

I started to think of what doors these could open for students who fine motor skill aren't the best.  They can play learning games like doing the abc's on the computer.  They also make special websites that help students use them and learn a variety of different things.  I have seen students uses them and they love them.  It's a way they can do things on their own.  It just gives them some independence when they don't have a lot. 

My typing teacher...

So last week in class we discussed word processing.  It got me thinkingg about my typing teacher.  We started in forth grade and went till six grade.  Each year you had a nine weeks of typing class.  When we got into typing class we were not allowed to talk.  We had to turn on our computers and go to a blank word document.  Once there our teacher would start place drill instructor.  We would start with reviewing the home row.  She would be like aaaaaaa, fffffffff, afafafafaf, and so on and so on.  Then we would learn a new letter each day.  We did this every year for three years.  I will tell you I can type but during the time of learning I was so afraid of loosing a finger if I looked down at the key board. 

Now a days they don't do it like that.  My brother can all type but they learned in technology class.  They have always loved going to the computer lab but when I was in school I hated it.  I can see if you make some enjoyable for students they will love it. 

P.S.  I finished my imovie and I even made my own music!!!

Sometimes thing just don't work...

So this week I have been working on my imovie.  It is making me so made.  First I had a hard time coming up with a movie idea that would work for this class.  Then my imovie isn't working very well so it has been very frustrating. It is slowly coming together but it has not been easy.  I have had to ask my seventeen-year-old brother how to do a lot of things.

As I was working on my project and having problems I was trying to think what you would say to children if they were get frustrated with their technology.  Sometimes it can be the hardest thing to use if something is working out.  What do you do if your students are just in the mind set of giving up? Do you just tell them to save and come back to it tomorrow or do you show them how to do it?  Like especially if they are older and you want them to figure things out on their own.  In the past when I as a teacher don't know how to do something I have them ask a peer but is that always the best way to do it?

What to write about...

So I was having a hard time to figure out what to write about but then I remembered yesterday when I was teaching I was working with this math teacher who I had when I was in jr. high.  She was has an elmo, projector, computer, and smart board in her classroom.  The thing she chose to use was the overhead.  I don't understand having colored fingers when you don't have to use that anymore. Wouldn't it be so much easier to use the smart board to write the problems on then you wouldn't have to erase problems with your fingers all the time.  It was just one thing I was thinking about while I was helping in her classroom yesterday.

I guess my question is do a lot of teachers get stuck in one way?

Computer labs......

This past week of subbing has been crazy!! Every time I have been teaching in the middle school I have either been in the lab or had portable lab in the classroom.  I thought it would be more difficult subbing and having to use all these computers but it's so easy.  There were some bumps a long the way like plugging it into the wrong internet hookup or students having trouble not being able to load the website, but those were all easy to take care of.  It was a fun learning experiences.

One activity that the seventh graders did was a website online about sushi.  They had to go to this website and find where all the different parts of sushi came from.  The seventh graders thought that was boring but then when they were done with all of the information part they were able to make their own sushi but it had to be made with stuff from the midwest.  I thought it was interesting and they had a great time with it.  You should have seen the things they were creating.  bacon, corn, apples, and all different things.  I probably would never have eaten anything they created but it was interesting to see what they would come up with.  Overall it was a great week.

Blogging in the classroom

So as I have been thinking of ways to use blogging in the classroom.  I have thought of many different ones.
1. You could use it as an update for parents, kind of like an on going news letter but at the same time they could have something for the whole year.
2. They could have pen pals and write to them about different things using a blog.
3. You could use it as a reading book tracker.  Students could write what they thought about a book they read then the teacher cold respond.  It is kind of like they write letter to a teacher but they are on blog and you don't have to carry around a hundred notebooks.
4. Blogs could be used for a science project to describe something they saw.  Then other students could respond to that blog asking questions, describing what they say, and making predictions.

There are so many different things you could use blogs for.  I think they could be used in all different grades.  I also think it would help with typing.  It is something that is a good thing that should be used in the classroom.  I just can't wait to use it!!!

My week.....

So this week has been interesting.  I have been in the math intervention room for the past two days.  It was interesting to see how different teachers taught math and how they used technology.  I was in one class this week that teacher really did a good job of using TPACK.  She used a smart board but it wasn't the center of the lesson like some do.  All she did was open a word document and let students come up and write how they solved a problem on the board.  Students loved this and it seemed really easy to do. As I was standing there watching this I was trying to think of what I would do.  I think that document that they made with all the ways to solve problems would be a good use as a study guide or a hint sheet for students who have a hard time remembering the different ways to solve the problems.

Overall it has been a good week and I can't wait till I can put all my knowledge to work.  I'm getting so many ideas for reading and math I just can't wait to use them.

This week...

So it's only Tuesday but it feels like this week has taken forever.  Today I taught in a kindergarten classroom.  I really tried to look at the technology we used through out the day.  First off in the morning I used the Elmo to do the morning message.  The students did a  really good job with it. It was different then the ones I have used so the zoom was hard to figure out but I tried.

The other thing I used a lot was the cd player.  The students love singing and dancing to those song.  I had a few stuck in my all night.  Another one I used today was the television and DVD player. The students also used the the computers during center time.  Bailey's Book House was one of the games they were playing.  It was just a for fun thing they did.  Overall I used some technology that I didn't think of because it came natural.

So a funny side note that happened today with the tv and dvd.  I was having trouble with it and couldn't get it to start because some switched the mode.  Anyways the students thought because they were talking it broke the t.v.  I have never had the class be so quiet.  It was an interesting day.

Kid Pixs

So this week we worked with a bunch of different programs one of which was kid pixs. This program is one of my favorites. I love to see what students create with it.  When I was a sub in kindergarten one of the centers was computers, this program was on it.  The students would always be like Miss. K come look at this funny stamp, then they would giggle.  I think that is a good way to get students to know the software then when you want to do a project with them they will know what to do.  I have thought about some different books I would use, like If you give a mouse a cookie, the purple crayon book, with really young kids you could use Brown Bear Brown Bear what do you see. There are just so many things you can do.

As I was thinking of all these different technologies we are using I started to think about a school I taught in.  There was only five extra computers for the whole school, no computer lab.  What is a good way to get these projects in for students if you don't have the sources?  I mean sometimes it's easier to do projects as a whole group.  I was just wondering what other people thought....

Oh the places you will go!!!

This week in class we used software that would help us teach students how to make concept maps, we also discussed different softwares that we could make lessons from.  I brought in the book, "Oh the Places You Will Go!" The first software we looked at was, "Baileys Book House," this software was OK.  It wasn't my favorite but I came up with a lesson that a teacher could use this software with this book.  The second software we were shown had to deal with making your own comic strip.  There were so many lesson I could do with this software.  I just can't wait to get my own classroom and start doing this stuff!!!!

We also discussed blogging in class.  I have thought of many ways to use blogging in a class but one idea I really like is a news letter to parents.  The reason I like this is nothing has to go home with students, it's green, and it is so easy to use.  I also love the idea of students doing it each week! Just think writing, creativity, and using technology all in one. Students would also feel so cool because they are in control of telling parents, students, and other staff members what is going on in their classroom.  It's just so amazing everything you can do now in the classroom!!!

The first class in 556!!!

So this week we had our first 556 class.  We learned what the next 15 weeks are going to be like and everything we will have to do.  I think this class is going to be a lot of fun and I'm going to learn a lot.  We already did one really cool thing in class.  It was this website called Wordle.  I have thought of many ideas that I could do in a classroom with wordle.  I can't wait to see what more we get to do in class. Next week we are working with children's books, so I'll keep you posted....