Here are this week’s blog questions. Please let us know if you have any problems. Have a good week.
- Think about what you are doing in the classroom with your students: What projects are they working on? What resources are they using? What tools are being used? Is technology use transparent and varied?
- Many teachers have started to experiment with blogs. How could you use blogs in your classroom?
- In the articles A ”Fantastic Super” Use of Technology: Closing the Digital Divide, and Sherman Oaks School: Seamless Integration of Technology examples are given on how to integrate technology into the curriculum. How could you use these ideas to integrate technology into the classroom?
- Do you agree or disagree with the statement, technology integration is important? Provide examples why you agree or disagree.
- There are plenty of examples of how various electronic media can help students achieve more. This can be seen most dramatically in the ways that assistive technologies empower students with disabilities, allowing them to contribute in ways never before possible. What technological opportunities can you provide students with disabilities?
- At Mary Scroggs Elementary and Sherman Oaks, the “teachers are treated like professionals”. Explain the importance of teacher morale in the education process. Also explain the benefits/downfalls of teacher collaboration within a school/community.
- When integrating technology into the classroom, is there a grade level/age at which time the use of computers is too advanced? Why might other methods be appropriate?
- At Sherman Oaks School, Email has been one of the aspects that has changed the way the school functions. In your experience in the classroom, how has the use of email made life easier on educators? Explain your answer.
30 comments:
In response to question #7, I do not think there is any age or level at which to use computers. For example, in the Mary Scroggs Elementary School, lab top computers are available in the classroom as well as computers being placed throughout the school. I thought it was interesting that the school put on a morning news program that consisted of varies age groups and technology. I think its great the school has started a program where students who cannot afford computers can take one home and receive reduced internet access. This just goes to show that the world is changing technologically. One parents comment was interesting when she stated “having to start now means it will be easier in the end.” Of course, a task that a fifth grader completes on the computer will surely not be the same task a first grader completes. Modifying the assignment so that first grader can do it will broaden their ways of learning and allow them to become interactive with the material.
In response to question #2: I agree with the article when it states “blogging can be a powerful educational tool.” I would consider using blogs in my classroom for student/teacher and parent/teacher communication. On the student end, I would allow my students to journal blog and blog with other students about topics discussed in school. I feel that it is important for students to know how to blog because it’s the new and upcoming way of communicating thoughts and feelings. I feel by having students journal write this way, they can have their thoughts down on paper faster. As for the parent/teacher blogging, I would have a private section in the classroom blog where parents can communicate with me their thoughts and any comments they have with things we are doing in class. I think blogging is very beneficial in a classroom but the teacher must explain the expectations and rules to the students before implementing it.
Even though I am not currently in a classroom, I feel the use of email is very important. The article sums up the use of email very well by saying “email is a way of life”. I do have experience with email when I completed my student teaching in a special education classroom. I was given an email account that was linked to a hub of teachers in the school. I used the email daily as I communicated with classroom teachers about what was going on in class for the week. Emailing them allowed them to attach worksheets and lesson plans. I think all teachers find emailing very beneficial in communicating with other teachers, staff and parents. In one of the other articles, it stated that parents are communicating more with teachers via email then face to face. I do think it’s important to keep that face to face contact though for important matters to discuss.
#4: I do agree with the statement, "technology integration is important". Technology is being used everywhere around us. It is a part of our lives. By integrating technology into our lives (i.e. - in the classroom), students will "acquire the skills they need to survive in a complex, highly technological knowledge-based economy." In my student teaching placement, I used a Smartboard for the first time. The students loved it, and it challenged them. They were engaged, they participated, and they were interacting. Integrating technology makes learning more fun for both the students and the teacher!
I really liked Heather's ideas with blogging. I think that blogging is an important tool, as well! Heather said that she would use blogging with her students just as they would write in a journal. This idea is really great because students are working on their typing skills at the same time they are becoming familiar with new technology. I also liked her idea to blog with the student's parents. By having a separate section for the parents, they can communicate any thoughts or concerns with the teacher.
Response to #6: I believe that teacher morale is very important in the education process.Teacher's need to feel like they are valued, just like students need to feel that they are valued. Teachers need to be shown that they are respected members of the school community both by administration, peer teachers and students alike. I thought it was great that the teachers at this school had their own office and personal phone to use. This is just one way the school shows that they value their teachers. Another way the school shows that it values its teachers is through giving them time to collaborate and also giving them many opportunities to participate in staff development. I thought it was fantastic that in Sherman Oaks School there is a midday block 11:30-1:00 where all teachers are released together for lunch, personal prep, collaboration and/or staff development. When I student taught in 6th grade the the entire 6th grade was split into two teams each team had a teacher from each subject. Atleast twice a week there was designated time for the teams to meet and discuss students across the curriculum. This was very helpful and it enabled us to see student patterns more easily since we could track them through all their subjects instead of just one class period. Also, it allowed us teachers to collaborate about different strategies and share assessments. So I believe that collaboration is key!
Response to # 7: I agree with Heather. I don't believe that there is any age or level at which computers are too advanced. Yes there are certain things on computers that are too advanced for lower elementary, but there are many activities that are completely appropriate for lower elementary and even preschool age. The children that I babysitt for were on the computer at approximately age 2 or 3 doing preschool activities and I thought this was great, especially since their parents were doing the activities with them! In the article "How to Integrate Technology" it talked about Kindergarten students illustrating an alphabet book using a paint program and then creating a slide show and adding their voices in saying the letter and telling what their picture for that letter was. I thought this was a great idea because every kindergarten class should have their own alphabet book and what better way to introduce them to technology! Also, when I was student teaching in first grade my students used microsoft word to study their spelling words by typing them and then after they typed them they were able to play around in word changing fonts and colors and just getting familiar with the program...they loved it! So no I don't think there is really any age where a computer is too advanced as long as the activities are age appropriate!
In my experience in the classroom email was a great benefit. In my sixth grade placement just like Heather I was assigned an email that was also linked to a hub of teachers.As teachers my collegues and I were always communicating back forth. One of the major benefits was that all the teachers from our team could email back and forth reguarding what was going on with students at any particular time. For example, if a student was having a rough day or if something in his life outside of school had happened that was effecting them that day his teacher could email all his other teachers to give them a heads up. Also, all the teachers on the team were emailed a compiled list of all students in the 6th grade absent so they knew not to expect them in class and if they were not on the list and missing then we would know to find out where they were. I thought this was a great way to keep tabs on students!
Response to # 2: In the article "Digital Discussion: Take Your Class to the Internet" it talked about how using a blog in your classroom allows class discussion to unfold 24/7. I love this idea that if students are at home doing homework and have a thought that they would be able to just go online and type in their thoughts and contribute to a class discussion! Another example of using blogs in the classroom from this article was having students take turns blogging a summary of the day on the class blog. I think that this is a great idea because then parents can go onto the blog and use the days summary as a talking point to stay engaged in their students life in the classroom. I would also contemplate allowing my students to have a blog for personal expression, but I would only do this after I had instructed them on what would be appropriate blog content! I thought that Heather's idea about having a blog for just classroom parents and the teacher was a great idea because it would be a really easy way for parents and teachers to easily communicate back and forth about their students or about what was happening in the class!
#8: "At Sherman Oaks, email is a way of life." This statement could not be anymore true. In my experience in the classroom, email has been a tool used to communicate back and forth. I was given an email address during my student teaching placement that I used for planning out each week with other teachers. For this placement, I was in 3rd grade. The 3rd grade teachers would all plan their weeks together so that they would be following the same curriculum. Quite often, we would email back and forth our plans for the following week, when we were unable to all meet. The emailing back and forth worked really well. Worksheets were sent as attachments, and all I would have to do is print a hard copy and make the rest of the copies later in the week when I had a free minute. When I was planning my own week, I emailed the other 3rd grade teachers to let them know what my plans were. They took my lead, and did the same with their students (i.e. - unit on the Amazon Rainforest). Email was very beneficial for me during this placement and I think it's definitely becoming more widely used to communicate between staff.
In response to question 8, I believe that e-mail has made a tremendous impact on the way teachers to communicate which makes their day run a lot smoother. I can remember when I was in school that the major form of communication between parents and teachers was sending notes home back and forth. The student was always the messenger and while some were really good at that, most of them were not. So notes became lost in the backpack and on the school bus and who knows where else. The next step was usually the telephone. And while this method provides a more formal way of communicating, not everyone had the same schedule so it was hard to actually talk to the parent or the teacher. Now, I see in schools that e-mail is the most popular way of communicating, not only with parents but with teachers as well. It is much easier now for teachers to e-mail parents during their prep time or anyother time during the day they have free and the parents can then e-mail them from work or home at their convenience. According to the article: "immediate feedback and the ease of getting answers without having to play phone tag" is one of the major positives of using e-mail.
I have also seen e-mail being used to communicate with building administrators. As I am sure you all know they are definitely hard to get a hold of especially when they are out of the school building. It is so much easier now to use e-mail because as I have said before teachers and administrators can e-mail eachother at their convenience and get an immediate response instead of having to wait for phone calls to be answered. For example, in the school district I substitute in, there was an issue with a recent JV soccer game. The superintendent sent out a mass e-mail to everyone in the district explaining what had happened and how the issue is going to be resolved. So instead of having to send out a mass letter to everyone, the ease of e-mail allowed all the employees in the school district to remained informed on the situation at hand.
I also like the idea of using e-mail to have students ask questions about their homework or to receive help with it when they are at home just like Janes does at Mary Scroggs Elementary school. I feel its a great way for students to get the extra help they need with their homework especially if someone at home isn't able to help them. Although I do have to say I haven't seen e-mail being used this way and I am not sure if it's because it really doesn't work very well or if teacher prefer not to because they are at home and need "down time."
amyh. question#6 As teachers we would like to be treated as professionals. Most times we are not. I think that it all depends on where you live and the respect you receive. If you are in a community of educators such as Mary Scroggs elementary you will be treated in a different way than if you were in an Black inner city school district. Mary Scroggs elementary school is right in the triangle of Duke, UNC Chapel Hill and NC State. Most of the parents are probably educators themselves. If you are in a Black inner city school you don't have many parents who think education is important. At the school I taught we had parents who blocked the schools phone number so they could not receive any calls from the school. How are you going to gain respect there? If you take a look at the definition of professional we truly are not professionals. we are semi professionals. As far as Sherman Oaks school district, I am not sure where that school is exactly. I know it is in CA and I have heard of the school.
Teacher morales are very important. When you feel defeated you will become defeated. I subbed at a school last fall and I was very close to another sub who had been a teacher for over 20 years. The first day that we walked into that school we notice that morale for Sept. felt like it was all ready June. The principal is not liked. The children pick up on this. It was a very long year. I have also worked with a principal who had so much caring and energy that she could get you to do anything that she wanted. All she had to do was ask.
I feel that it is very important for the teachers to reach out to the community or let the community see what the classroom is doing. If the community sees a good program in the school they will more than likely pass a budget to continue the growth of the school. If you are working on a special project in the classroom and you need extra funds the community will be glad to go to a bake sale or yard sale to help fund your special projects.
amyh in response to htbennett, I had a really nice blog going and then I was kicked off. So I will try again. As far as emailing goes. I think that it does have a place in schools. I like the idea of the principal and other teachers emailing you. The idea of mailing worksheets sounds great. I like the idea of the principal emailing you deadlines meetings ect. When I was looking at SHerman Oaks one of the teachers was saying you have to read your emails or else you will miss meetings and other important stuff. OK While you are checking your email several times a day who is watching the kids? Many times a teacher only has one planing period and it is at the end of the day. WHat do you do then? If you have an active group you are not at liberty to just go back to your "office" and answer emails. Also what prevents teachers from abusing the emails systems like sending little funnies or just emailing friends? This all takes time away from students. I am playing devils advocate here. I really do like the idea of emails in the school, I just know many teachers who would spend more time at their desk "checking" emails instead of working with students, which is ashame.
amyh said #8 I like the idea of the school having email. However I have never been in a school that uses email. I think it is a great tool especially for the principal. Instead of going toall of the fifth grade teachers or grades k-4 teachers to let them knowsomething you can just do a mass email.If students also had email accounts imagine how great it would be for a student to receive and email about something that she/he did well in school from the principal! I like the fact that teachers can email parents. Many times I write home special notes on how a child has done in class mostly good reports. The parents love it.Unfortunatley you run out of time by when the student leaves for home. emailing you could do after work. There are several problems that I see with this. One has to do with the delete button. How many students will go in and delete a message? Another problem is miss use of the email. How many teachers do you know would spend a lot of time on email that is not of professional nature example, personal emails, funnies, ect. I know of one teacher who would spend more time on email than with students. (No I am not talking about me). I worked with her at the winery. She would turn her back on customers to receive a text message or to answer a personal call. If she is doing it there she will do it in the classroom.So in that case where do you draw the line? Could you get fired because of your emails? Can another teacher or principal read your emails? I know in my sister's school they have it secretly set up to see how much time you are on the internet and what sites you visit. But these are just a few negatives. I really do like the idea of email in the school.
Amy, I liked your idea about using e-mail in the classroom for students to e-mail the principal. I know they would love that idea. In the school I substitute in, they have a school-wide mailing system where students can write to anyone in the school building. The students really enjoy this activity and I know they would really enjoy sending out e-mails too!
In responding to the e-mail question I never really thought of the negative aspects of using e-mail like what you mentioned with using e-mail for personal reasons. I know teachers do use it for both personal and professional reasons. I guess I don't really see a problem with using it for personal reasons as long as you are doing it on your own personal time, never during class time when students are in the room. I know that when I was student teaching and having a rough day the forwards I would get about jokes, pictures of funny pets, etc. would start to brighten up my day and would make me feel better so that I could get through the day.
I think that there is definitely an appropriate age to integrate technology into the classroom and I would say that would start around second grade, maybe third. The younger students are just trying to learn their letters, numbers, writing, etc. and I think those concepts are important for students to master before we even think about throwing a computer in the mix. I was subbing in a kindergarten classroom recently and the students were very dependent on me telling them what they needed to do. They are just learning to read and we needed to go over each assignment very slowly so they knew what they were supposed to do. While the computer would keep their attention, it would be difficult for most students because they wouldn't know where to begin in how to use the computer if there weren't exposed to it at home.
I have seen a great success in older students using the computer for not only playing educational games such as math, but also in using the computer to type. In my student teaching experience there was a student who would be allowed to type up his assignments for writing because he had difficulty writing for an extended period of time (his writing would be hard to read and he would just not want to do it anymore). Not only was the teacher able to read his writing but because he was using the computer, he was engaged in the lesson, and his writing skills seemed to improve greatly (he would write more to a story his was working on).
Question 8
E-mail has been one of the aspects that has changed the ways that schools have functioned. Not only between the teachers and the parents, but between other teachers and staff.
E-mail has helped to send information to other teachers and staff during the day about student behavior, changes in behavior, changes in meetings, emergency meetings, etc.
I have always given parents my e-mail address so that if they need something I can help them and respond to them. Parents can send information throughout the day as neccessary too. For instance, in the morning if something happened that might be upsetting to a child (like they woke up and a pet died) I would be informed and would understand where the child is emotionally that day.
Parents can also ask for help on homework if needed, ask questions about school prodecudres, etc.
Information can also be sent home via e-mail as well as with the child so that the information is ensured to be recieved.
I was hesitant at first with the whole idea of blogging in your classroom, but I have realized there are more ways to incorporate something like blogging into your teachings. One thing you could do is use the blog site as an information post... if you are doing a lesson on a famous person, or an atrist, etc, you could have the students research the person and then post their ideas. You could leave comments or add to what the posted and also ask them something more to search. Another good idea I found was in the reading "Digital Discussion: How to set up a blog in your classroom." They told of how you can use blogs as an "electronic notebook" which I thought was a great idea. You could have students respond to text, write an essay, etc. right on the blog site. There are several ways to use blogging, teachers just need to do the right research to find that out.
I also agree with the others on how emailing can be a great way to transfer information and keep in contact. I have only had experience with emailing co-workers and parents (and college professors), but I thought that including students in that mix would be a great idea. The video about the Mary Scroggs school really showed how email contact between teacher & student could be very beneficial. The students will eventually need to know hwo to use the emailing tool, and this also allows the teacher and student to be in contact quicker and easier. If the student has a question, they can just quickley send an email and if the teacher is at her computer she can respod immedietly. The emails can also help the students in their writing ability.
I believe that technology is a very important aspect of society therefore should have a large role in our schools systems. If we want our students to be engaged and to understand what is happening in their world, we need to include in our teachings things that are occuring, mainly technology.
Question 2
I would use blogs in a high school setting where students know what they can and cannot do online. They are also more aware of the dangers that are present because of the use of the internet.
The blog would also be a great asset to classroom management like the article states. This inhibits excuses from the student saying that they couldn't find it, didn't know about it, the dog ate it, etc. This allows the students and the teachers direct access to information as well enabling quick turn-around on assignments and such. As it is handed in, the teacher can grade it and return it. Some students even find their own voice through blogs because they are not afraid of being picked on or ridiculed for what they have to say (if their names are not easily paired with their screen name).
The article points out that it can be an "online notebook" monitoring progress which is a wonderful tool for the teacher!
With that in mind, blogs can be used to have mini-discussions that time may not allow for in class. Students can also hand in homework assignments online via the discussions. The blog can even be used to ask questions and lead discussions within the class.
amyh answeing question #3 In the article A fantastic Super Use of Technology: Closing the digital Divide and SHerman Oaks School I found it fascinating the amount they received in donations. I am afraid in this economy those days may be gone for awhile. Isn't that sad. Thank God for Bill gates. This would be interesting to set up your announcements in video. that would be great fun for all. I don't know if you saw the video on the school but it was really great. If you get a chance please do.
Well I am not sure how well this would go over in the one school that I sub in. 95% of the students are on free or reduced lunches now. I am not sure how you would get the parents in to learn the technology to help their student. Most have difficulty in helping them with normal homework. It is also hard for teachers to receive homkework and when the parents are approached they yell at the kid and then they walk out and the kid still doesn't have homework.
As far as using iddeas I guess you could do quite a bit with that. You could do the morning announcements, you could do the atta boy good job emails, you could do live shots with scientists from around the world, you could do history, art, music,. You could tape the concerts and show them in a nursing home. You could do an adopt a pet spot for the spca. Show a pet that needs to be adopted in school (Won't parents love you) You could go out into the community and show how some people are becoming green. Go to the nursing homes and do interviews with the elderly and discuss what it was like during the depression or WWII or like to go to school . Unfortunately our valuable historical resources are dying off. You can do so much with all of the technology today.
#8
In my experiences, the use of email in the classroom has greatly benefitted the school community. For one, teachers are able to communicate with one another very easily. This has made it possible to collaborate with one another without having to meet. Teachers can also discuss the needs of students, and email plans to special education teachers so they can be modified accordingly. I have also had a lot of success using email to communicate with parents. They can email homework or project questions, and it opens the door to other communication about his/her child.
I have used email with students as well. We set up pen pal accounts with IBM employees and the class wrote weekly emails. It ended up working really well and the younger students became very familiar with how to use email. The other nice thing about email is that it very rarely "crashes" or creates other technology errors. Everyone that uses it seems very comfortable with it.
#2 Blogs maybe used in the classroom for many purposes. One of the purposes is to transmit communication to students in an ever changing technological world. Blogs can be used as another source of assessment for getting students to do homework. Instead of your typical pencil/worksheet assignments, it can be done electronically just as we are doing now. Blogs can also be helpful for teachers to teacher communication as well. Instead of searching for a particular topic or idea to teach over the internet, a blog can be used to share information.
#4 I agree that "technology integration is important" because technology is ever changing and we as teachers need to make every effort to keep up with the different technological integration as time changes. Young people(students)seem to adjust/adapt to technological changes faster than adults(teachers) in some cases. Teachers should and need to keep pace with the rapid changes the technology brings so we as teachers are not short changing students.
#6. The importance of teacher morale in the education process is very important. Without teacher morale students will fall short of their educational goals because the teachers are falling behind because of lack of support from either the administrators, directors, and the board of education. If administrators, directors etc..treat teacher with professionalism the teacher will be motivated to try new ides. The benefits of collaboration has many advantages. In the school collaboration is used to make sure everyone is on the same page when delivering instruction and planning. The community may act in the same manner as the school however, the disadvantage plays a bigger role because of the magnitude of getting everyone on the same page.(Bigger the community, the more disagreement and more time trying to come up with a common solution).
#8 Email has made my life easier in the classroom because email provides instant information from both the teachers end as well as the parent, administrators, as well as others. It also eliminates paper waste and most of the time redundancy.For students email works in the same way but in the sense of students communicating effectively if they have missed class. Email also is a great technological tool because it (for the most part)eliminates phone tagging. Instead of missing calls or waiting by the phone to call you may send information out while on the go.
kay…At Mary Scroggs Elementary and Sherman Oaks, the “teachers are treated like professionals”. Explain the importance of teacher morale in the education process. Also explain the benefits/downfalls of teacher collaboration within a school/community.
All educators should be treated as professionals. This is so vital to our teacher morale and it’s what keeps us going and working collaboratively, cooperatively, and positively to be effective together within the education of our future. At Mary Scroggs Elementary there was a prestigious honor that each teacher or administrator exhibited that he or she was proud of their district (sorry, I cannot provide a quote, it was shown through their body language). Each educator was proud of the technology integration that they all involved in. It is such a relief to see that there are still educators out there who love to teach!
At the school district that I substitute teach at, a small, rural school nearby. The school is the community; it’s the heart of the town. There are many benefits that I see between the teachers working together within the community because the majority of the teachers and staff do live here. However, this particular district is also known as a “stepping stone” district. Teachers get their first job here, receive tenure, and then transfer elsewhere. These are the teachers that do not live here and rarely become involved in community events. As for teachers working collaboratively in the school; I believe that this must be positive and effective in order for the education process to work for our students. With inclusion nowadays, teachers are team-teaching, parallel teaching, co-teaching, etc. more and more each day. I believe that this will work out to provide the ultimate teaching and learning experience for everyone involved. However, if the educators do not get along… it will be complicated and ineffective.
At Sherman Oaks School, Email has been one of the aspects that has changed the way the school functions. In your experience in the classroom, how has the use of email made life easier on educators? Explain your answer.
So at Sherman Oaks, email is a way of life. Hmmm…can I get a job there? I absolutely love email. It is my way of life. When I first began using email, I began typing in normal friendly letter for, and I still do. I probably will for the rest of my life. However-
everyone who responds to me writes back to me like this without any punctuation or capitalization and ever pressing there enter key to space out their thoughts and it just absolutely drives me nuts but I deal with it because I understand that others may have missed the whole friendly letter lesson
Okay, so maybe not, but I had to bring up that point. When a teacher can receive announcements, memos, copies of meeting minutes, agenda outlines, and etc. through email- THIS ROCKS! Save the planet Baby! Don’t kill all of our trees by printing out 100’s of announcements that will just end up in the garbage. I love it! I do despise reading off the computer screen because I get a headache, but oh well; it’s definitely a small price to pay!
Communication with other teachers, parents, administration, and etc. is yet another way that email is effective. I do agree with Kathyrn, face-to-face meetings should still take place. Basically, you have to keep up on a professional relationship with those who you teach with. If students ask you a question about a fellow teacher’s shirt that was worn days before, and you respond, hmmm…I haven’t seen it, and our email conversation did not include the cool shirt she wore yesterday…possibly, you may need to make some time in your day to visit your colleagues. Social factors do play in and time is of the essence. We must make time for all… email included.
I am currently in a first grade classroom. All projects being worked on use construction paper, crayons, glue much like in an art room. There is no technology being used when working on such projects. The only time technology is transparent in the classroom is when the computers are used as one of the centers. They also go to the computer lab every 6th day.
I agree that technology integration is important. I believe this because technology plays such a large role in the lives of our children outside the classroom. It is important to use technology as an engaging tool. Children may find a task easy that they would have otherwise have found difficult without using technology that they are familiar with. I also believe that it is important to use technology in the classroom to show the positive ways technology can be used due to some overwhelming negative usage and content used outside of the classroom.
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