Final Reflection

Yet another course draws to a close in my road to obtaining my Masters degree. Throughout the last several weeks, there have been many ups and downs, successes and failures. My GAME plan proved to be a good one. I am now a part of several PLCs, and am in the process of creating one for my school to use to integrate technology, specifically online collaboration with students. I am excited for this new adventure in learning!
I found PD360 to be highly effective in helping me learn about PLCs as well as any subject I wished to research. This site gave me many valuable ideas as to things I can do better in my classroom, and how I can become a better teacher. I found that working with my colleagues on various projects and issues has deepened my sense of connection to the school system, as well as the content I teach. I will continue working on my GAME plan, even as I end this course.
Though it is not on this blog, I did begin implementing a content area unit plan with my students. This unit plan incorporates problem based learning, online collaboration, and s=digital storytelling. I am excited to work through this unit plan in the coming weeks, because I have already seen the excitement bloom in my first grade students. They have begun researching and creating a project about ocean animals, which I know will lead to high levels of understanding about ocean animals, and their importance in the marine food chain. Using the GAME plan process to create lessons for my students has been a highly rewarding experience for me, and will continue to be for my students. As I progress through the unit plan, I see how the planning has really helped to make this a smooth, cohesive unit, which I can tweek for the coming school years. I do think that I chose a topic which was really too large for my initial GAME plan project, but the large amount of work has been worth the benefits I am seeing in motivation and high quality products I am seeing my students create. 
As I continue on in my learning to become a more effective teacher, I will think back on this course, and will continue to apply what I learned about the GAME plan into my teaching. I am excited to move on to the next chapter in my studies!

References
Cennamo, K., Ross, J., Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use.

I've Got GAME

Goodness this has been a long and difficult week! Before I begin, please let me apologize for the lateness of this posting. I live in Hawaii, but have had to make an emergency trip to Connecticut to help my grandmother who fell down a few weeks ago. Though I wrote this initial post several days ago, I have been unable to post it (or go) online because my Connecticut relations do not have internet access at this time! 2012 and no internet access? Who does that? Apparently, my relations…. Anyway, I apologize for the lateness, and will find another means of getting internet access than this small library as soon as humanly possible!

Due to lack of internet access for several days this week, I have hit quite a snag in the process of gaining information critical to PLCs and of course integrating technology into my own classroom. Yet, I look at this week as one in which I have learned a great deal. Why you ask? I have spent many hours (especially in tiny seats on packed planes) thinking about my own teaching and reflecting on what I could do to improve my teaching, and specificially areas in which I could more readily address technology standards for my students.
Initially, my reflections were rather despondent, with me thinking that I was doing as much as I could with what I have. I then took my reflections in a different direction and began thinking about ways in which using technology could help me and make my job a little bit easier. My first thought was simply finding resources online and using these, yet I want my students to do more than simply use resources I provide, I want them to create. This was when I realized that allowing my students the choice in how they wished to convey their learning would make my job much easier. By providing my students with the technology tools and know-how they need, I can give them much more reign with which to create. This would mean that I no longer have to create their projects for them, and allow the students to fill in the blanks, which will save me a great deal of time! From here I began mapping out ideas on what kinds of projects I would like my students to create as the school year progresses. This requires that I teach my students how to use the technology efficiently, but I believe that my students will be motivated by the fact that they want to use the technology, so they will learn the skills quickly.

Though I have hit a communication snag this week, I believe that my action plan remains a good one. I will continue to contact colleagues and use PD360 as a resource for learning. In addition to these things, I will be contacting an old professor of mine who is working on creating a better technology class for undergraduate students. I am hoping that she will be able to provide me with contacts for people who are in the field of exploring technology resources for classrooms, and I can begin to dialogue with them.
New questions have arisen for me through these reflections. What exactly are the skills I absolutely need to teach my students in order for them to independently use KeyNote, Word, and Kidspiration? How can I teach these skills to all of my students, including those with spatial difficulties? I am finding that the questions are limitless, and am excited for the possibilities ahead!

Implementing my GAME Plan

          Over the last week, I have been doing a great deal of research about Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), focusing on those geared toward integrating technology throughout the educational experiences of students. I have found pd360 to be a very helpful tool in this search. There are several PLCs available for integrating technology. There are also many videos and articles regarding this topic. I quickly became overwhelmed by the available resources! 

          As my research continued, I turned to colleagues for help in determining PLCs in which to participate, as well as for ideas for technology integration. I found several colleagues who were highly motivated, like myself, to integrate technology into the daily educational experiences of students. I have found these colleagues to be very helpful in finding resources, as well as discussing these resources from various perspectives. The Tech Coordinator at my school has been particularly helpful in helping me to become more aware of the technology resources available to me at my school. After speaking with her, I became overwhelmed with the possibilities, and decided to focus my attention on helping my students to more efficiently navigate websites so that I can build on this skill so that they can conduct research and create products later in the school year. One resource I found was Edmodo, which allows me to post links to websites, which I want my students to view and navigate through. I plan to use this resource to expose my students to educational websites so that they become used to navigating through websites with a specific purpose in mind. 

          I do want to do more research about specific strategies for integrating technology in the first grade classroom. There is a great deal of research for students and teachers working at higher reading and maturity levels, but first graders must be first introduced to the technology, and taught how to use it in appropriate and efficient ways. I will use this as a filter for my searches in pd360 in the future. I also will work on creating an Edmodo group for my colleagues and myself to share resources and ideas. By linking all of my colleagues, I will create a PLC which has the focus we want, as well as meet the standard regarding providing leadership in PLCs regarding technology. 

GAME Plan

          As I embark down another road through my Masters course, I find that while I am aware of the NETS-T standards, there are several indicators in which I would like to strengthen my teaching abilities. The first area in which I would like to become more adept is Standard 5: “Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership” (International Society for Technology in Education, 2008). I especially want to work on participating in professional learning communities which are dedicated to integrating technology into classrooms with the focus on improving the learning of students. My first step toward this goal is to locate PLCs which are dedicated to this focus. I will begin by signing into pd360, which is a professional development program provided by my school. I believe that this resource will help me to find PLCs which fit what I specifically want to focus upon.

          The second area which I want to focus on is Standard 2: “Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments”(International Society for Technology in Education, 2008). I do spend a great deal of time working to integrate technology into every subject area, but I want this to become a much more seamless experience for my students, in which most of their learning is rooted in the use of various levels and kinds of technology. Again, I think that reviewing the offerings of pd360 will be helpful, though I think that participating in the a PLC, like the one described above, will help me to become a much better teacher, and especially a teacher of 21st Century Skills.  

          I am excited to begin this new journey toward improving my teaching, especially in regards to integrating technology more readily into my classroom. My goal, since beginning this Masters degree has been to improve my teaching, now I finally feel that I am gaining the tools to really make a positive impact on my teaching, and subsequently the learning of my students!

References

Cennamo, K., Ross, J., Ertmer, P. (2009). Technology integration for meaningful classroom use.
International Society for Technology in Education. (2008). National education standards for teachers (NETS-T). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/Libraries/PDFs/NETS_for_Teachers_2008_EN.sflb.ashx

Final Reflection

As a result of my learning in this course, I have developed an even more eclectic theory of learning than previously. I believe that behaviorism can be very helpful in managing behaviors in the classroom, especially in respect to positive behavior supports. But, I believe that behaviorism is not a strong enough theory to explain learning in general. Students must be actively engaged in their learning, and make their own meaning from the world around them, including their peers. Students do not learn in isolation, they need language, adults, and their peers to help them taking events in their lives, reflect upon and make meaning from them. Social interaction is key, along with being actively engaged in learning, for students to be able to make the most connections to their prior knowledge, and therefore make the most meaning for themselves. It is the job of teachers to provide opportunities for students to be actively engaged in their leaning, including making products to showcase their learning. Teachers need to focus their attention of what the students can do, not on what the teacher can do to present information. Students are not simply sponges to absorb information, they must take information and apply it to their own lives so that it makes sense to them, and is generalizable to other aspects of their lives and knowledge. Learning is useless if it is not applied in some way to the real lives of students.
As a result of this course, I am more committed to using social media to expand the communication and learning of my students. I am committed to using Edmodo to help my students share their learning with others, and modify their work based upon feedback they receive from others. These skills are very important, and will help my students to be highly engaged, active members of the classroom, and community. While my teaching practices will stay largely the same, my experience with technology in this course has helped me to think of new ways to incorporate technology in projects for my students which will better help them learn real-world skills along with the assigned curriculum. Edmodo will be a very helpful tool for my students because it will allow them to learn how to post work, and give and receive feedback. Another tool I plan on implementing in my classroom is Voice Thread. This tool, like Edmodo, will help my students make their work available for others to view and comment upon, but it is able to reach a wider range of groups. Edmodo is limited to only those within the group to which the student is assigned, but through Voice Thread, the students can share their work with family and friends outside the immediate school community. This broadens the group from which the students can interact and learn, thus broadening the knowledge base available to the students.
My long term goals are to incorporate the use of Voice Thread and Edmodo into my classroom throughout the school year, and across the curriculum. I will begin by teaching my students basic computer skills such as logging into the computer, and how to access and navigate around a webpage. From there I will teach my students how to use Edmodo to access new projects and information to complete individual and group projects to share with others within the group. The students can then learn how to give constructive feedback to others, and receive feedback in order to edit and revise their work. These skills will help them all year long to create projects to share with others.
By the end of the school year, my goal is for my students to be able to access and use both Edmodo and Voice Thread on a regular basis to create products to showcase their learning. These skills will help my students to be actively engaged in their learning, and share their learning with others, which is an important 21st century skill.

Resources

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved

from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Social Learning Theory and Technology

Vygotsky taught us that learning occurs through social interaction (Orey, 2001). I agree with this idea. From the time babies are born, they begin to learn language from the people around them. They listen and make connections between objects or people and their names, then slowly learn more abstract concepts which are represented by words. As children grow older, they learn by using language, asking and answering questions of those around them, and slowly gain an understanding of their world. Children do learn directly from the environment. For example, a child will learn that when a burner is red, it is hot, but it is through reflection upon what happened, which is dependent upon the use of language, that this same child will learn how to make their finger not burn, and why they should not touch the red burner, beyond the idea that it hurts. All abstract, or deep thought, is dependent upon language, and the reflection of things that happen. Language is dependent upon social interaction. By interacting with people in the immediate environment, we all learn concepts we might not be able to without the social interaction (Orey, 2001).

That being the case, technology provides us with valuable social and communication tools which expand our learning capabilities exponentially. Through social media such as Edmodo, or Voice Thread, students and adults are able to post ideas, thoughts, or questions, and receive comments and suggestions from people outside the physical environment of the classroom, or even the state in which the child is living. By being able to communicate with people around the world, children can now learn how the destruction of rain forests effect the lives of people who live in these remote locations, as well as the businesses who profit, or learn from zoologists around the world regarding how this issue effects plant and animal life around the world. The possibilities for learning are limitless today, due to technology which allows people around the world to communicate and socialize on an almost-immediate time frame.

For classroom use, social media allows students to communicate about projects, not only with people outside their classroom environment, but they are better able to coordinate projects with their peers as well. Students can make changes and post suggestions at any time, which allows them the flexibility to work on projects when they are interested, and motivated to do so.

I am even more dedicated than I was prior to reading the resources this week regarding social learning, to better incorporate social learning into my classroom. My students are capable to posting work, and receiving comments, and then possibly revising work based upon feedback they receive. I think a good goal for me to have in my classroom would be that my students be able to post a piece of work and revise it based upon feedback their receive to make their work better. Technology has given me the tools to meet this goal, I just have to figure out how I will use them to best reach my students and help them succeed.

Resources

Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved

from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom

instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

VoiceThread

Here is a link to the very first Voice Thread I made! I realized that the teachers in my school have a difficult time initially incorporating technology into their classrooms. I think that the answer to this problem is starting small, and enjoying the process.

The Link: http://voicethread.com/share/3153012/

Constructivist Learning Theory

In this week's resources for my masters class, we were provided with resources to help us incorporate constructivist learning theories into our classrooms. Many of the resources from the previous week apply to the constructivist theory as well, making both theories work well together.
Starting with last weeks’ resources, making a cognitive map fits nicely into the constructivist learning theory because the students are provided with resources by the teacher, and they construct, or create something from this new learning, which they can then share with others. The concept map is one general means through which teachers can start students on the journey of creating a larger, more real-world applicable project which exemplifies the learning which is being created in the classroom.
In all honesty, I found that any form of technology available in schools could be used to incorporate the constructivist learning theory into the classroom. Students could use Power Point or KeyNote to create presentations for their peers, or adults in the community to share their learning, or propose how to fix a problem (Pitler, 2007). Word processing programs, or spreadsheets could be incorporated into a presentation to help students present their ideas (Pitler, 2007). A website or blog could be an effective means for students to post their ideas and receive feedback, with the ability to limit the audience to the approved group, or simply to track the progress students make. One study found that blogs were an effective means of communicating with people outside the school environment to improve upon an ongoing class project, as well as academic motivation (Drexler, Dawson, Ferdig, 2007).
Taking all of these resources into consideration, I think that the possibilities of using the constructivist learning theory and linking it with technology are only limited by the imagination of the teacher. The key to all of the projects is the teacher understanding what she really wants the students to learn, and incorporating as real-world projects as she is able into her classroom which link the students to the learning (Orey, 2001). The constructivist teachers’ job is never done when it comes to creating real-world applications from classroom learnings.


Resources
Drexler, W., Dawson, K., & Ferdig, R. E. (2007). Collaborative blogging as a means to develop
elementary expository writing skills. Electronic Journal for the Integration of Technology in Education, 6, 140–160.
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved
from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom
instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

       This week we were provided with resources regarding ways to incorporate cognitive learning theory into the classroom. One of the most helpful tools I have learned about is Inspiration, or for younger students Kidspiration. I have used this tool many times in my classroom, though never with the plan to use it with the cognitive learning theory in mind.
     Upon reflection, I think that these tools do fit very nicely in with cognitive learning theory. The students use this software to create links between the concepts they have learned, which provides a visual model of their own thinking and learning. Because no two students are exactly alike, neither will the concept maps they make be alike. These tools also could be helpful to teachers in understanding where students might have misunderstandings, or possibly weaknesses in their thinking or content knowledge.
     Kidspiration (because I teach first grade) could be an even more powerful learning tool in my classroom with more use as a tool to assess student understanding on topics. For example, I could have my students create a concept map on a topic prior to teaching the subject. These I could then review to get an idea for where the students are in their knowledge already, and could clear up any misconceptions before they become linked to new learning and cause further misunderstandings. Then, as I progress through the unit, I could have the students revise their concept maps as a formative assessment to make sure all of the students are gaining the needed understandings along the way. Finally, the students could present their understandings to a small group of students, and they could compare and contrast the different thinking that each of them had. This might help students make stronger links between their understandings as they have to explain and possibly defend their individual way of thinking.
Resources
Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

        Behaviorist learning theory has an important role in today’s classroom. The first thought that comes to mind is behavior management of course. The students in my classroom (a 1st grade inclusion classroom on a military post in Hawaii) have a great deal of trouble with following classroom and school rules. Many of the students in my classroom go home to highly unstructured home environments due to parental deployments, or frequent moves. The inconsistencies at home spill over into school, and negatively impact the classroom environment, and of course the academics. The behaviorist learning theory gives teachers home that they can change behaviors with hard work and a watchful eye on their students. I know that rewarding students for approximations of the behavior I want will eventually lead my students to behaving in the way I wish them to, so that they can earn the rewards. I believe that before any other accomplishments can be expected, teachers need to get classroom management under control, then teachers can focus on academics, and integrating technology into the various subject areas.
Technology fits directly into the behaviorist learning theory in several ways. First of all, technology use can be a great motivator for students, therefore teachers can use technology as a reward for work completion, good behavior, etc (Orey, 2001). On a more advanced level, teachers can use software programs which reward correct answers or time spent in the program, which increases the likelihood that the student will respond in the same way in the future (Orey, 2001). This keeps the students actively engaged in their learning, and allows for repeated contact with the curriculum, which helps to reinforce the knowledge for use later (Smith, 1999). The use of technology also provides easier access to materials and resources, which can be rewarding to students. Finally, through the use of blogs, wikis, or other web 2.0 resources, students could receive feedback from people other than their teachers who are interested in rewarding good work (through incentives or positive comments) as well as improving upon what the student is currently able to do. By broadening who can give feedback on work, teachers help to bring the community into the classroom to reward good work, and create incentives for high-quality work in the future. 
The behaviorist learning theory does have its place in the modern classroom, and links well with technology. The only thing that teachers need to be aware of is that behaviorism, like any other theory, does not explain everything that goes on in a classroom, and often times teachers must be prepared to look deeper into a problem to find a true answer. 


Resources
Orey, M. (Ed.). (2001). Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/index.php?title=Main_Page
Smith, K. (1999). The behaviourist orientation to learning. In The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/biblio/learning-behavourist.htm

Reflection

While looking back at my most recent Walden course, EDUC 6710-Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society, I am amazed at how my understanding of how technology should be used in the classroom.

I am much more aware of what technology (especially web 2.0) is available to me as a teaching professional, and have gained a new understanding of how these technologies work. I am now confident in my ability to produce a wiki myself, and am determined to develop this skill so that I am able to aid my students in developing their own wikis. I think that the wiki, like the blog, could be a valuable teaching tool in my classroom, though it will require a lot of preparation to ensure this is true.

I now understand that technology needs to help us do different things, not do the same old things, just in a different way. The blog, for example, could be simply a way for kids to journal, like they do now, or it could be a way for students to post their work for editing comments and revision before it is submitted as a final product in a portfolio.  Due to the abundance of technology, the skills needed, and the subsequent learning which is optimized, teachers in technology-rich classrooms should be more facilitators than directors. It is my job, as the facilitating teacher, to help my students gain the skills they need to use technology to learn things they find interesting and important. Due to the internet, students have much more knowledge at their fingertips. They no longer need to practice rote memorization of facts, because they can easily find these facts online. Instead, I need to teach my students how to apply this information in ways that help them to understand the world around them, and cause positive change in their own lives. In other words, for the first time in history, teachers need to teach students to be free-thinkers, or come to their own conclusions about information, not just follow the knowledge of the people who came before.  This idea will revolutionize education, once teachers stop being afraid that they will educate themselves out of a job. Technology will never replace teachers, but it will, hopefully, make their lives better.

I want to continue down this track of learning how to incorporate technology into my classroom to increase student achievement. For this reason, I have agreed to become grade level chair next school year so that  I can help to incorporate more technology in all of the classrooms, and attend trainings on new technology which is being offered to our school. In the next two years, I would like to make my classroom “almost paperless”. I teach first grade, and believe that my students need to learn the technology skills necessary to compete in the global economy, yet, I think that they are still first graders who need to learn how to form letters, paint, draw, use chalk and pastels, and participate in group art projects. Other than for these activities, though, I would like to make my classroom paperless, meaning that the students complete projects only on computers, and submit them electronically. I think that this will be a huge challenge to implement because my school believes very strongly that the old ways worked fine, so I will have to find grants to supply the needed technology, and present my idea with the monetary backing already in place.  I would love to be able to watch my students work through their centers, and while they use the manipulatives to find answers to math problems for example, record their findings on a tablet, and have their documentation saved, and possibly emailed to the parents to show them how much learning their child is gaining every day! This is a very large goal, so I have broken it down into two smaller milestones. I will need to find grants which will supply the needed money, which means I will have to produce a number of technology projects in the coming year to provide examples of how I plan to incorporate this idea into my classroom. First I will have my students make an online portfolio through Weebly (an online web-page hosting program). This way my students can show all of their technology work in one safe format, and parents can view student progress throughout the school year. Secondly, I will use my classroom computers, and the tech lab as much as possible to help the students create, create, create! I already have in place a breadth of projects for my students, I will just need to show how consistently I implement technology in my classroom, and my plans to do even more in the future.

When I started this course I understood how important technology was in schools, and had a vague thought in my mind that I would like to produce a “paperless” classroom. Now, I have a clear vision of what I want my classroom to look like in two years, and I will work tirelessly to achieve it.

Integrating Technology in the Classroom

This week, while I was researching standards for my lesson plan for my masters program, I ran across this implementation wiki. There are many resources for different grade levels, regarding incorporating technology in classrooms. I really liked all of the links in the K-2 area. I got several ideas from this area, which I would like to begin implementing in my classroom this year, and hopefully use in a more full way next school year. Check it out!

http://nets-implementation.iste.wikispaces.net/

A First Shot at Podcasting

     This week, for my grad school class, I was supposed to investigate how my students use technology, and what their current skill level is. Because I teach first grade, this was both an easy and challenging task. My students, when they came to my classroom, had very little knowledge of how to use technology, and now they are much more confident with many technology uses, both at school and at home. Unfortunately, due to the age of my students, it was difficult to ascertain exactly what my students did with their technology at home. After speaking with most of the parents I realized that the only computer use most of my students get is when I assign computer homework, otherwise the students do not have a lot of access to the home computers. I have embedded the presentation I created about my students and their technology usage. I have to admit, I was shocked at how little computer time my students get, and yet how many gains they have made in their computer skills thus far this school year!

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

     I have spent a great deal of time this week exploring the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website. At first glance, the website appeared dry, and downright boring. It certainly did not have the colorful and appealing pictures which usually attract my attention to a website.

     Upon further scrutiny, though, I found this website to be full of resources for teachers, administrators, and parents. The purpose of this organization is the preparation of students in grades K-12 for the 21st century workplace they will be entering as adults. This organization encourages a dialogue about what 21st century skills really are, and provide a framework for their implementation in the school environment.

     One aspect of this site which I found particularly helpful was the "MILE Guide Self Assessment Survey". This survey made me think critically about what my students actually know and are able to do, not only with the factual knowledge presented, but the skills I teach in my classroom. After critically analyzing my school, and my classroom, I am much more aware of where my students are right now in terms of the 21st century skills, and where they need to go next. This survey made me even more committed to working with my students on the 21st century skills because I can see clearly how the basic skills I teach in my 1st grade classroom (reading, writing, and basic math) will help shape and will be shaped by the use of technology in their future class and work environments.

One aspect of the website which I did not agree with was it's report from 2006: Virtual Schools and 21st Century Skills. While I agree that virtual schools can be a very good way to reach students who are less comfortable working in the traditional classroom environment, I worry that virtual schools do not provide the socialization skills necessary for success in the workplace. Children already spend a great deal of time working with computers, and I agree that using computers to teach is a magnificent idea, but I think that this needs to be balanced with active social situations, which one can only find in the classroom environment. Students need to learn how to socialize and work with people who look, act, or think differently than themselves. Students need to learn how to listen to others in a large group discussion, and how to actively think and participate without the option of deleting and editing before posting. In the workforce, during corporate meetings, there is no delete button when a sarcastic comment comes out, and no way to hide facial features showing agreement or disagreement. These are skills students need to learn when they are young, and unfortunately students who only attend virtual schools miss out on these skills, and they have difficulty with face-to-face communication as a result.

I agree that 21st century skills MUST be incorporated into schools and individual classrooms, but I think we must not forget the importance of social interaction in a face-to-face setting as well.

Reference:
Grant brings e-learning, accelerated courses to Hawaii schools. Retrieved from:http://hawaiidoereform.org/enews/2012-03/Grant-brings-e-learning,-accelerated-courses-to-Hawaii-schools

Partnership for 21st Century Skills. http://www.p21.org

A First Grade Blog

There are many ways to use blogs in classrooms, and I think that all of them are relevant in many ways.

Using blogs as a means through which teachers can communicate with parents would probably be the first step in using a blog in the classroom.A teacher could set up a class blog from which parents could get updated information about assignments, or upcoming events. The blog could also be a portal through which the parents could ask questions about events in the classroom, or the teacher could let parents know when help will be needed.

Another way in which a blog could be useful in the first grade classroom is as a portfolio. I particularly like this idea because this portfolio could follow the student throughout their school career. I currently work in a school with 100% military families, so we have a huge transiency rate each year. We struggle to find a means through which we can track the progress of students, and a blog portfolio could be an answer to that dilemma. The blog could start in kindergarten or first grade, and trace the progress of the students as they move through the grade levels. In kindergarten and first grade, we could scan and upload examples of student work, and then allow the students to comment on their work (why they are proud of it, what they want to work on in the future, etc). In this way, students who move many times in their lives would be able to keep their most important work, and not add extra boxes which need to be moved from one post to another.

I know there are many applications of blogging in classrooms, but these two seem the most relevant to me, given my first grade classroom. I look forward to moving my classroom to one in which blogging becomes an every-day occurrence.

A New Start

So, here we go! I am not completely new to blogging, but using a blog for teaching is a new experience for me. I can't wait to get started!