Reflection

Well, I never would have thought this at the beginning of this course, but I am sad it is over. I have really begun to understand why I should incorporate technology into my classroom. It isn’t to just be entertaining…it is more about teaching in a way that our students have been wired to learn. From early on children are put in front of a TV, they use a VCR or DVD player and they can play games on handhelds or computers. As an educator it is my responsibility to train these children in the ways that my state says I need to in order to prepare them for the future.

 

At times during this class I felt pushed to my limit and out of my comfort zone. I, however, now feel more confident in “trying” new things and incorporating these activities into my classroom…even if I might fail in front of my students. Most likely they will know how to fix my error or learn right along side of me.

 

I always felt that I lead my classroom more like a tour guide. I would give the information and then allow my students to expand on their learning through small group discussions, paired activities or group projects. With this course now at an end, I realize that there is still some letting go I need to do. Although I have a room of 6 year olds, I do believe that they can do more that I am aware of. I am very excited to give it a try and see what happens. I feel that my attitude toward technology is more of a want then a have to mind set. Teachers that are complaining in my building about having to use a SMARTboard that they did not ask for infuriates me! Why wouldn’t you? They make learning so much more productive and engaging. My students, after only 53 days in school, are leaps and bounds above my previous classes, only because I can do more in the same amount of time.

 

I plan to attend the Tech Conference in Columbus, Ohio in January, to continue my learning with technology.  Now that I know what they are talking about (ie. Wikki’s and podcasts) I feel that I will benefit more than I did last year. My two long-term goals for myself are: incorporating a blog into my class website. I would also like to use valuable websites for extending lessons within my classroom. By using websites as tools to teach, I can also include these on my website to allow sick students to still get information or allow children to share what they are learning at school with their parents. Both of these goals will take some convincing with the school system. At this time there are many blocks on websites and blogs are not apart of the school approved website portal. I plan to submit my ideas and request to my building principal and then seeing where she feels I need to go next. Our district prides itself as a leader in providing technology and readying students for the future. With this in mind I am hopeful that I will be able to prove the worth of these learning tools.