Ok, I am sure that I am showing how green I am with using technology in the classroom with this post, but a classmate recently introduced me to Weebly. If you don't know about it follow this link to the Weebly homepage and get started today!
My classmates and I are using weebly as a platform for an online learning tool room for teachers to use and share in three different schools. They will be able to easily find tools, apps, and read trending articles and research. They will also be able to share and upload lesson plans and ideas.
I am personally using weebly to establish a class website, and possibly class blogs for my students. I am not sure how functional it is for a kindergarten age student, but it would be neat to post projects, spelling words, and other assignments they complete.
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Online Professional Development
When I was given the assignment to attend an online professional development (PD) seminar I wasn't too excited. I have not had very many positive experiences with PD. The topics were usually irrelevant, the speaker was not captive, or the experience was a bore as a whole.
haha if only...
Teachers First a part of Ok2Ask had an online PD Monday, February 23, 2015 entitled Inspiring and implementing: Sharing and Solutions for Technology Coaches/Trainers
The description for this seminar read:
haha if only...Teachers First a part of Ok2Ask had an online PD Monday, February 23, 2015 entitled Inspiring and implementing: Sharing and Solutions for Technology Coaches/Trainers
The description for this seminar read:
This session is for anyone (regardless of title) working as an instructional technology coach, technology integration specialist, technology facilitator, or working alongside teachers to help them integrate technology in support of effective teaching and learning. Explore resources to inspire your teachers and practical ideas to help them envision and implement effective use in their classroom. Share and exchange problems/solutions from your coaching experience. This session is appropriate for teachers at Intermediate+ technology comfort levels.
Although I did not hold a position listed, I registered and attended the PD. Upon entering the session I let everyone know that I was a kindergarten teacher and sitting in on this PD for a masters class assignment. The speaker was welcoming. I was a little apprehensive that my technology skill set would not match the requirements for this course but I was able to follow along and gain from this seminar. The seminar was a little over an hour long, and ended with a brief question and answer portion. Overall, it was an engaging PD and offered some interesting and new insights on using technology in the classroom.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
The Unchanging Classroom
This week I sat through a presentation for my masters program about the history of education, and there was a very astonishing fact brought about. In the history of education the classroom is ultimately unchanged. Lets take a look at what I mean...
school in the 1800's- desks in rows with a teacher's desk at the front
school in 1937- desks in rows
school in 1988- this is when I was born. Desks are still in rows, whiteboard and teacher at the front of the room
school in 2006- when I graduated High School. desks are still in rows, whiteboard, and ceiling mounted projector
school in 2015- desks in groups in rows, whiteboard and teacher at the front
It was shocking to see exactly how little the school classrooms have changed in over 200 years! Why hasn't there been a greater change? Grocery stores, dentist offices, and even jails have gone through changes over the years. The professor,of the presentation, made a point- if you walked into an dentist office operating like it did in the 1800's (see picture below) would you stay for the procedure? Absolutly not! So, why do we expect better results, deeper thinking, and higher learning from schools designed in the 1800's?
dentist office in early 1800's (yikes!)
school in the 1800's- desks in rows with a teacher's desk at the front school in 1937- desks in rows school in 1988- this is when I was born. Desks are still in rows, whiteboard and teacher at the front of the room school in 2006- when I graduated High School. desks are still in rows, whiteboard, and ceiling mounted projector school in 2015- desks in groups in rows, whiteboard and teacher at the frontIt was shocking to see exactly how little the school classrooms have changed in over 200 years! Why hasn't there been a greater change? Grocery stores, dentist offices, and even jails have gone through changes over the years. The professor,of the presentation, made a point- if you walked into an dentist office operating like it did in the 1800's (see picture below) would you stay for the procedure? Absolutly not! So, why do we expect better results, deeper thinking, and higher learning from schools designed in the 1800's?
dentist office in early 1800's (yikes!)
Sunday, February 8, 2015
New Tech Tool
This week I am encouraging you to check out new tech tool: OSMO
This is an iPad accessory that takes gaming to a new level. The attachment comes with a tangram, spelling, and newton games. You're thinking cool I have those apps already. No, this takes the learning off the screen. OSMO's technology bridges virtual and real life playing. One or many children can play on a table and it reflects onto the iPad gaming platform. It takes the student away from touching the screen to physically touching and manipulating pieces with their hands. I have never seen something like this. I am new to technology in the classroom, but this is amazing and I want one for my classroom now!
Want to know more?! Check out their website and see how this tool is being used in the classroom.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Kindergarten Technology
I continue in my journey of learning about technology and how it is being used in the classroom. This week I read a book iStudent by Mark Barnes. I also successfully created a Delicious account and figured out how to send tweets to different groups.
I have been exposed to many resources, ideas, and suggestions on how to use technology in the classroom. They have me excited and wanting to try new things. However, most of what I found are for grades second and higher. What about our youngest grades? How can I use more technology into my kindergarten class?
I found a great article on www.4teachers.org that answers that very question! So for all my fellow kindergarten teachers, take a minute to read this article and learn how we can use more technology too!
Please share additional ideas or comments in my comments box below!
I have been exposed to many resources, ideas, and suggestions on how to use technology in the classroom. They have me excited and wanting to try new things. However, most of what I found are for grades second and higher. What about our youngest grades? How can I use more technology into my kindergarten class?
I found a great article on www.4teachers.org that answers that very question! So for all my fellow kindergarten teachers, take a minute to read this article and learn how we can use more technology too!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Calculator fail
This week in my kindergarten class our math lesson was about the calculator and how to use its basic functions.This lesson is one of my favorites because many of my students have never seen a calculator prior that moment. One child even exclaimed, "wow its like an iPad!"
Flashback to 1994 when I was about 6 years old and at Radio Shack with my parents. I spotted the coolest electronic in the store: a teal calculator with colorful buttons that even allowed you to play addition and subtraction games! I was in love with it! I asked Santa for it for Christmas and everything. When Christmas morning came around I opened many gifts, and I am sure I was happy to have new things, but the calculator was not there. After everything had been opened my dad pointed to one last gift wedged way behind the tree with my name on it. I ripped open the paper and found my beloved calculator. I was the happiest child in that moment.
Flash forward to 2015 in math class, I demonstrated how to turn it on/off and how to solve addition and subtraction problems. The students returned to their seats ready to try out their calculators on some tough problems I has created. After a few minutes one child came up to me proclaiming that her calculator did not work. I asked her to demonstrate 2 + 2 =. She touched the 2 and nothing appeared, she touched the + and nothing appeared, she touched the other 2 and nothing appeared and looked at me with a "see I told you it was broken" look. It took me a moment to keep from laughing. She was not pushing the calculator buttons she was touching them. This child lives in the touch screen generation and did not realize she needed to physically push the buttons down in order to use the calculator correctly.
The more I thought about this I couldn't decide; Is my math lesson outdated? Should students be taught how to use the calculator app instead of an actual calculator? Do students have too much access to touch technology or is this just the future for learning?
Flashback to 1994 when I was about 6 years old and at Radio Shack with my parents. I spotted the coolest electronic in the store: a teal calculator with colorful buttons that even allowed you to play addition and subtraction games! I was in love with it! I asked Santa for it for Christmas and everything. When Christmas morning came around I opened many gifts, and I am sure I was happy to have new things, but the calculator was not there. After everything had been opened my dad pointed to one last gift wedged way behind the tree with my name on it. I ripped open the paper and found my beloved calculator. I was the happiest child in that moment.
Flash forward to 2015 in math class, I demonstrated how to turn it on/off and how to solve addition and subtraction problems. The students returned to their seats ready to try out their calculators on some tough problems I has created. After a few minutes one child came up to me proclaiming that her calculator did not work. I asked her to demonstrate 2 + 2 =. She touched the 2 and nothing appeared, she touched the + and nothing appeared, she touched the other 2 and nothing appeared and looked at me with a "see I told you it was broken" look. It took me a moment to keep from laughing. She was not pushing the calculator buttons she was touching them. This child lives in the touch screen generation and did not realize she needed to physically push the buttons down in order to use the calculator correctly.
The more I thought about this I couldn't decide; Is my math lesson outdated? Should students be taught how to use the calculator app instead of an actual calculator? Do students have too much access to touch technology or is this just the future for learning?
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Learning How to Blog
Hello!
This week has been a huge learning curve for me as I began building my Personal Learning Network (PLN). This week's activities included:
This week has been a huge learning curve for me as I began building my Personal Learning Network (PLN). This week's activities included:
- setting up a Twitter account... follow me at @acollepardi
- joining Feedly.com and began following education, educational leadership, and educational technology feeds
- learning how to link my Feedly account to my blog... see link at the bottom of my blog
- learning how to follow all my classmates blogs
- downloading the podcast app and subscribing to educational, kindergarten technology, and educational leadership podcasts
Needless to say, I have learned so much already. From learning just how to use these different programs to reading and exploring the content available- there is so much out there! I am very excited for this class and all the things I will learn about technology and how I can use it more in the classroom.
Hope everyone has a great week and stay tuned as I learn how to be a tech-savvy leader!
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