In Practice

Well, we are are off to a new school year. I had a very busy summer but, my thoughts were never far away from the classroom. Going into my second year back, after a four year hiatus, really puts things into perspective. I feel like a brand new teacher, again.

Even as a new teacher I have looked at the use of technology as an opportunity to increase student learning. My early experiences included the Waterford Early Reading Program. I was amazed at how Kindergartners, that had never been exposed to a mouse and a keyboard, were able to learn use program effectively. We were the first school in California to use this program with minority students speaking no English. The program created an individual path and students did not advance to new instruction until they were ready. Regardless, I saw how this program used in conjunction with my teaching reinforced students phonemic awareness and reading readiness.

That same year. I experimented with the use of images and student voices. I took student pictures and had students record a greeting. I used the Kidpix slide program. I imported student pictures and imported wav files. (before there was a recorder in program). I then managed to convince principal to let me borrow LCD projector to use during our culmination ceremony. (We had received it the month before but no one knew how to use it). Well after adding some music, played on a CD player, I had produced my very first show. From then on, I was hooked. Technology would play an integral part of my teaching.

In my last year teaching, before taking an out of the classroom assignment, I continued to look for opportunities to use technology. I was able to secure the use of computers from classrooms that were not using them. I spent a lot of time looking for small freeware programs I could use on these Pentium II computers. I found some great programs for students to practice basic reading and math skills. I also used the early versions of Kidspiration program. I guided the students in responding to stories we had read. I liked the way they could make a graphic organizer and have it become an outline for a story. We would then export this file to word to complete writing our stories.

I had some success with these 2nd graders. By the end of the year, I incorporated the use of a webcam. It was our first digital camera. I assigned camera to students for a few days. They were to take pictures of there daily lives at school and at home. I rotated two cameras. By the end of the project we I received over 500 images. We categorized these images into ideas like; pets, family, home life, school life, friends, hobbies, and my favorite city landscapes. We created a digital album that I printed on a black laser printer and laminated for the students to take their own pictures home. I created a slide program with Power Point and played at our end of year celebration, again with music and pizza.

As I returned to teaching last year I took advantage of Web 2.0 tools. I started a classroom blog. We produced podcasts. We even entered a digital story competition in our district. Even then, most of the work was done by me. We have the ability to regress to a Web 1.0 world if we don’t allow the technology to get into our student’s hands. I found myself using technology for students to practice basic skills and not to develop higher thinking skills.

So, here I am at year 13. Web 2.0 tools make this and so much more possible. I am going to say that it really isn’t about the technology. It is more about how we use the technology we have. It IS about how our students use this technology to CREATE, COMMUNICATE and PRODUCE.  So, the first day of school as I am introducing my students to the Computer Center, I decide to take an informal survey. Raise your hand if your teacher took you to the computer lab last year. I had three students raise their hand out of sixteen. I then asked; raise your hand if you have a computer at home. I had a few more kids raise their hands, maybe six of them. I asked a follow-up question. Raise your hand if your older brothers or sisters don’t let you use the computer. I basically had the same six hands up. This IS my starting point.