Week 3 Digital Storytelling Reflection

Unfortunately, I have been a teacher who rarely uses video in the classroom past the usual Unitedstreaming clip or library video tape. I have created videos before using a Mac, but since we don't have them in my current school, I haven't had the students create any. Only after reading Chapter 2 did I really open up my pc's Windows Movie Maker and start playing around. I now regret not using it earlier in the classroom. As my students are in fourth grade and we have such a big emphasis on reading and writing, I immediately started picturing the ways my students could create stories using videos. However, I also see the value in accessing science content, creating videos about life cycles and plants, slowing down the effects of magnets, or recording the nightly images of the moon in the night sky. I also have loved the idea of displaying a photo, or video for that matter, and creating a writing prompt for the photo. So often I know my team and I get stuck in the idea that writing is reserved for the writing period of the day, but I would love to incorporate more writing based on photos and videos into science. I think it's a great way to start off a unit, whether it be about personal experience and background knowledge or formulating questions. Even though we don't have any type of cameras yet in our school I am still excited to get back in the classroom and try out the various modes of pictures and recordings.

Literacy and Common Core Standards: Week 2 Reflection

As a fourth grade teacher in a Title 1 school where almost all the emphasis is on reading (or communication skills as we call it) and math, somehow science and social studies gets pushed to the side. Especially in fourth grade because our end of the year state tests are only in reading and math, while all subjects are tested in third and fifth grade. We are forced to integrate science and social studies reading passages into our daily literacy block if we want to get through all of the science and s.s. curriculum. Also, our students tend to struggle with nonfiction texts more than they do with fictional, so reading over the Core standards reminded me of the uses the web can have in presenting students with informational texts. For example, one of our standards in Virginia in 4th grade is to evaluate and synthesize information from multiple sources. Evaluating informational texts from multiple web sites, videos, blogs, wikis, etc, would be a great way for students to evaluate the validity of a text, compare and contrast different points of views, and form their own ideas based on multiple readings. I'm sure there's a whole host of other things that I haven't considered yet, but I'm hoping to as I play with all the tools.

Guiding Principles

My guiding principles for using technology:

1. Creativity: I will be creative and I will not be afraid to explore new uses for technology to inspire my students to do the same. I will constantly look for new ways to use "old" technology through peers, workshops, trainings, classes, and the Internet.

2. Safety: I will teach safe practices for using technology for educational or personal use.

3. Knowledge: I will do my best to fully understand the technology before using it in the classroom so my students can truly benefit from its use. However, I will not be ashamed of having to make mistakes or having to learn from my students and accept their help when it comes to technology in the classroom.

4. Use: When I use technology in the classroom, I will use it to benefit the students and expand their learning. I will not simply use it because its there.

Setting the Stage reflection

After reading through the articles and watching another variation of the "Did You Know?" video I couldn't help but think about my present school. I teach at a Title 1 school where we have so much technology, but only use a fraction of it on a daily basis. I feel that we've only reached a small percentage of its actual potential in the classroom, yet its there every day, begging to be used. I don't completely agree that web 2.0 is the future of education, but I certainly think it needs to be, and will be, a bigger part of education in the future. However, I also think that educators need more training in how to use it appropriately, creatively, and effectively before America is going to make any sort of advancement in the area. I sincerely want to become one of these educators for my students who can help spark their creativity, partially by using technology in the classroom.

Welcome

Well I guess I actually already had a blog from an ed tech course I took in college so while I may have done this before... I certainly don't remember much of it! I'm a fourth grade teacher so of course my students are already surpassing me with their web skills. Hopefully this course will catch me up : )