Shifting Focus

This is a very recent and "in-progress" topic for me.  How to help students see their devices as learning tools is something I am still working on.  I am currently teaching 6th grade and this is my first year and the students' first year in using netbooks.  We started off just using email and using office to turn in work.  Most students were very capable of using the netbook in those 2 capacities.  I did however, have several students who did not know how to bookmark sites, download, upload, compose emails, or even to find programs.  It took a lot of patience and some peer help for those students.  We are still working on a few students whose only exposure to technology is at school.

I try to give students many resources to help them research, show their learning, and practice skills.  I will confess that I am still learning.  I tell the students everyday that we are learning together.  I find programs and they help me try them out and show me things.  I let them know that it is okay to try and fail because we learn through those failures...which makes them a success instead.

I do have students who will still turn on their netbooks and go straight to games or social networking.  They have to be redirected and we now turn so that I can see all netbooks at all times.  I must walk around the room and closely monitor the students.  I also found I had to push some of them into it.  I signed them up for My Big Campus and just started putting assignments on there and not passing assignments out.  It worked with a few and they even keep me trying new things.  I wish I had started things differently, but hind sight......

I tried giving explicit instructions for my first project and I discovered that it didn't work for everyone.  I am always looking for ways to engage students and help them discover their own ways to present their learning.  I find that they love helping each other and can learn a lot from each other.  I think that I will probably change the way I use technology 100 more times before the school year is over.  I also feel that using technology in any way is better than no way.  I am teaching students that we are all always learning and growing and letting them help me!

Classroom Management Challenges

This year I am experiencing my first with 1 to 1 computing.  It is sixth grade and they are a wonderful group of students.  I did not think that I would have as many small frequent issues as I do.  The small issues aside, I have experienced some problems with students off-task and simply frustrated with their technology.

My students have varied levels of technology familiarity.  I have students that are wonderful and can help others.  I have other students who do not even know how to turn the computer on.  They get frustrated and easily give up when they cannot log in or figure out how to work something.  Right now I am back-tracking to try to help those students.  Some days it is difficult to get through the assignment.  I would love to offer a class to help with some of the basic skills of those who need it.
 


A big frustration right now is helping organize students.  Students cannot keep track of all of their passwords.  I am currently trying to use My Big Campus to keep the students in one place and their work organized.  I wish I had started the year with this program and started it off better.  In all honesty, I didn't even know what I was doing when we started!  I am hoping that by January I have it all worked out and the students on board too.   I would love to have advice from others who have gone through this. 

With the lack of organization and the differentiated levels of technology, an average day is difficult.  We cannot just do the lesson, we have to deal with all of the other aspects.  Classroom management is difficult, when I am running around the room trying to help students log in, remember passwords, get a netbook to turn on, find their files or assignments, or upload documents.  This is a constant struggle that I am working on overcoming! 

Communicating with stakeholders

Integrating technology is hard enough on all involved.  Make it easier on yourself with the support of your stakeholders!  If the students, parents, administration, and community does not understand the purpose or timeline of technology integration, the road to implementation will be more difficult than necessary. When communicating with those involved they need to know where you are, where you want to go, and how you plan to get there.  I have found it is also important to take their suggestions and at least try their suggestions if at all possible.  Everyone wants to be informed and involved.

It is important that administration has a clear expectation or what will happen in and out of the classroom.  They need to understand how it will work, when it will work, and the support that everyone involved will need.  The community will need this information as well.  In addition, the community needs to know the importance of teaching and learning with technology.  They must understand the "big picture" and the means necessary to achieve it.

As for the students and parents, we need to communicate with them any way possible.  I have parents who have cell phones and no internet at home.  Therefore, I need to text them or use social media that they can access on their phones easily.  My students love Google and emailing to communicate.  We have tried sending notes home, publishing newsletters online, Twitter communication, Facebook posts, and phone calls.  I like to keep the parents and students as informed as possible, through many venues.

I have a long way to go to make sure everyone involved is informed and comfortable with technology integration, but no one can say we aren't trying as a school.  There is sometimes too much information and too many portals we go through.  I like to try everything and then back off on what does not work.  It is important to track and monitor the usage and effectiveness of the communication outlets and choose no more than you can handle.  I like to stay to 3, but at times I am trying many different ways.  Always growing, always learning!

Technology in my life!

In my personal life......I will not lie, I use technology all day, every day.  However, it may not be in the most productive or efficient way.  I use social media to communicate and track my friends and family.  I use my Google, Twitter, and Pinterest for professional development.  I love reading what is happening in other schools, with other teachers, and sharing ideas.  I use technology to collaborate, communicate, get creative ideas, and for entertainment of course

Professionally, I use technology daily as well.  I have a website and a Facebook page to communicate with parents.  I also use and online grade book system that allows me to communicate grades via email to my parents.  I use many programs to make presentation for the class.  I use my Pro board to teach.  I use my computer and many online programs to communicate and teach my students. 

I would like to improve with my effective use of technology.  So many times, I have too many programs I want to use, too many websites I want to share with students, and too many apps open on my phone.  I would like to find a place to "house" all of the apps and websites I use daily.  I am always on technology overload so to speak.  I need help deciding what best practice is for me and my students.  I am hoping this course will help me with this!!

I feel that is important to be organized and efficient.  I want the students to see that they can use technology and not overwhelm them.  Sometimes, I feel like I need to slow down and help the students think through and use those critical thinking skills instead of just doing it for them and moving them on.  I have seen the students get frustrated and not want to use technology and I want to help them and be a good role model in the way I use technology.

My Educational Philosophy

Philosophy of Education

Melissa Daniels

October 20, 2013

 The purpose of education is to help students reach their full potential.  Education is responsible for preparing students for life.  Students need education to become productive citizens that contribute to society. Education must be ever-changing, all-encompassing, and applicable to all students’ lives.  There are many contributing factors to consider when ensuring that education is successful.  The student, parents, teachers, administration, and community must each do their part in order for education to achieve its purpose.

The role of the students in their education is to be willing to learn.  All students can achieve their individual goals, as long as they are willing to do the work and listen.  Collaboration and communication are necessary throughout our lives.  Students must be held accountable for their education and their behavior.  It is the responsibility of the students to come prepared to learn, grow, and work.  Students should be allowed to explore their own interests, yet also be able to meet the expectations of others. 

As an educator, it is my responsibility to guide, motivate, and prepare students for life.  In my classroom, I strive to meet the needs of each child and help them reach their full potential.  As a teacher, I want to encourage students explore, experiment, and discover.  It is my goal to create a community of learners that have the confidence and skills necessary to be independent thinkers and leaders.  It is also my duty to help parents understand how important education is to their child and how to help them achieve. 

In order to fulfill my responsibilities as an educator, I must differentiate, help student develop social skills, and to incorporate 21^st century skills.  Technology allows me to do that and more.  The use of technology in the classroom allows me to engage students, [provide remediation, challenge, asses, and teach students how to use social media responsibly.  By exposing the students to current devices and software, they will feel more prepared and confident in their higher education or the workforce.    

Technology Integration Online Course - Reflection

As I was taking the survey for the course today, I realized that I have come further this year in my technology integration than last year.  I also realized that I have a long way to go!

I am so happy to have the opportunity to learn even more.  I am excited to flip part of my class this year.  I am also looking forward to creating my Infusion Plan.  I am nervous to comment with my classmates!  Being in elementary, and somewhat limited in my experience, I am feeling that I will not be able to lend much to my coursemates.

I feel I will learn a lot from my peers in this course.  I will take everything I learn and apply it immediately.  My goal is to do it right and do it now (as much as possible that is).  I am excited that my students will benefit from my learning!!

Let's get started!!

Take Aways

I took so much away from this course, I don't have time to list it all.  What I came away most with was the desire to do more.  I want to change the way I teach, collaborate, and learn.  I really want to use My Big Campus more and share that with my peers.  I feel that we still have a long way to go, but I know that even  baby steps are possible.   

As technology coordinator, I feel that I need to show my colleagues how easy it is to use technology.   It seems difficult and scary, but once you have experienced all that is out there, the excitement of thinking and teaching out-of-the-box will fuel your fire.  I also see the need to get our school to 1:1 computers!  I am more determined to have that discussion and keep having it, until we complete the task.

I am excited to build my PLN and help others develop their own.  I am thrilled with the new tools and online learning communities that I have learned about.  I will be taking the next course, with the goal of making 2013-2014 my most successful and exciting for myself and my students!!

Thanks Five Star!!

Using Facebook and Twitter in the classroom

The great debate!  To facebook/twitter or not!!  I personally let my oldest daughter sign up for a facebook when she was 12, I think.  I had her password and checked it frequently.  She was my facebook friend and I had other family memebers checking on her as well.  We had a few incidents where her friends were using language we did not approve of and strangers wanting to be her friend.  Now, I have an 11 year old and she wants a facebook and I have not let her have one.  After experiencing what I did with my oldest, I decided she should wait until she was 13 or starting high school. 

Now, as a teacher, I teach second grade so of course we don't even consider that for them.  We have sixth graders who have netbooks and use online learning this year.  I still would not recommend facebook or twitter for them either.  I feel there are other social media products, like wikispaces, that are made for the purpose of collaborating and communicating in school. 

Even with wikispaces, we had students changing other's work or bullying online.  The difference is I could monitor them very easily and handle the inappropriate situations.  I don't feel that facebook and twitter were setup for school use, at least not elementary or middle school.

I would say in high school it would be fine, but there would be rules like allowing the teacher to be friends and see posts.  The normal monitoring.  I also think the parents should have a say in whether they want their child to have those accounts. 

Online Course Tools

This online class is really opening my eyes to the teacher I want to be!!  I am so excited to use TED-Ed to begin flipping the way I present mini-lessons, as well as Voki and Animoto.  I am also excited to create new assessments that are more true to real life expectations of students, using Socrative or ThatQuiz.  I would like to be better at using my google account and become more familiar with new programs (new to me) like, Edmodo and Moodle.  I want to let my students collaborate more with programs like Wikispaces and edublog.

My biggest struggle is going to be taking my time to implement and teach these new programs.  I will have to pace myself and make sure it is fully understood before teaching something new.  There is so much I want to share with my colleagues and students!!

What I will take from this course

This online course has made me look at the way I currently use technology in my classroom.  I have realized that I can be doing so much more!  It also makes me really want to have one-to-one computers/tablets in my room so I can do more and do it more often! 

I think I will be able to use some of the tools I have learned about.  I also think that I will look in to how to let my second graders use technology to learn more collaboratively.  It is going to be difficult for me to use online assessments and to let my second graders use the exploratory method.  They are so limited on their knowledge and right now they only want to use technology to play the games they are familiar with and play at home.  I have to be okay with them playing and teach them that you can play and learn at the same time.

I also find it difficult in the second grade finding safe ways for them to explore and not see inappropriate things.  They are so immature as this age and love to share the wrong types of information! 

I am excited and nervous at the same time about what the future holds!

Technology Integration Matrix

I believe that I fall in the Adaptation/Collaboration level on the Technology Integration Matrix.  We use our promethean daily, but I mostly present lessons on it.  At least 2 days per week students work together in a small group to use the board, but with activities I have created.  We are on the laptops 5 days per week.  I use the laptops to take AR quizzes, type their spelling words, play games on my Symbaloo that are based on the skill for the week, and to do Acuity lessons they have been assigned individually.  I encourage the students to use their technology at home and have communicated this to their parents as well.  Realistically, I believe I could be at the Adaptation/Constructive level by the end of our year.  In order to do this, I will need to let the students work more independently on the laptops and proboard.  I will also need to let them explore independently and choose their tool and product.  I feel the students are ready for this and plan to make this my goal! 

Reflecting on blogging.....

I am not sure the world is ready to hear what I have to say!  This is exciting!!