Hi! This is Elizabeth Brindley and this is my blogging page. I am very excited about learning how to intergrate technology into my classroom. Being a teacher of twenty-three fourth graders, most of them use technology on a daily basis. In obtaining my Masters degree in technology from Walden University, I am hoping to provide my students with the knowledge of technology use. Our world is becoming more technological each day and as teachers, we need to make sure that we are aware of these changes.
With having four computers in my classroom, students are able to take turns or pair up with assignments given to them. As the next school year approaches, my building is becoming very anxious waiting to hear back from a grant that we asked for. This grant would provide each classroom with an eMINTS room. There will be a computer for every two students as well as a wall mounted SMARTboard. With knowing that there will be many hours put after receiving this grant, we are still all very excited! I hope to be able to use the device more as a teaching tool where my students can explore and become creative. Below, you will find my post on how exactly I use technology in my classroom. I look forward to hearing all of your ideas as well!
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Hello! This is my second year as a fourth grade teacher in a self contained classroom. I would use a blog in my classroom for book discussions or chapter or lesson discussions. The purpose that this blog would serve would be that affer I assigned a chapter from a lesson, I could post questions and ask my students to comment. Students would be able to interact, and more likely, be able to put more thoughts into their comments since it will be posted. Using a blog would enhance the lesson because they would receive immediate feedback from me, their teacher, as well as from other students. Students would be able to make posts multiple times. What are some ways you use blogging in your classroom?
ReplyDeleteSarah Horner to Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteElizabeth,
That is a great idea. How do you use technology now? What resources are available to you? I think your idea is very appropriate for this grade level. Normally in a classroom, it takes valuable teaching time for students to share anything, including writing. I know at my level, one-at-a-time sharing, can take a whole block of ILA. If blogs were used to share and collaborate, so much time could be saved! I was also thinking that your students could use a blog to make book recomendations for eachother! This yeah my 2nd graders did that on dry erase boards, and loved it! I can only imagine that using a blog would be even better. I will have to accomodate differently for my kindergartners this year!
Sarah Horner
In my room, I am set up with four computers. The students are able to create Power Points for projects, find research for ideas, and publish their work. We also attend the computer lab at least once a week. Next school year, we are hoping to receive a grant where our whole entire school would be provided with an eMINTS classroo. There would be a computer for every two students and I would also receive a SMARTboard. I think it sounds like a great way of using technology.
ReplyDeleteI love your thoughts on book recommendations. Out in the hallway of my classroom, I created a huge tree. On the tree, I would change the title saying "Fall Into A Good Book," "Snowed In With A Good Book," and "Spring Into A Good Book." With each change in the season, the look of the tree would also change to match the weather. Posted all around the tree was book recommendations from my students to share with kids in the school. That was a lot of work. If my students could create a blog for the whole school to visit with book recommendations, where they could also receive feedback, they would love it! It could be there very own book club! Thanks for the idea!
Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteThe idea of giving fourth grade students a book to discuss on through blogging also provides reluctant writers with different media to be successful. It will give the students immediate editing without erasing and writing with a pencil. This gives them more motivation to write.
I also have four computers in my classroom which means all of my students are able to use them every day. I use stations in every content area each day so that students have opportunities to use the internet for each area we are learning about.
I had a though this week as I read through our blogs: what happens if we introduce our students to blogs and more ways of using technology at a younger age and they get so articulate in it that when they are in older grades they are far more advanced than their peers and their teachers? Do you think that it will get to a stage where classrooms and schools as they are now may become redundant and that students will be able to learn remotely as we are for this masters?
I think students no matter what are constantly learning. As teachers we need to be up to date with the lastest in EVERYTHING! I think that if you have students that are going above and beyond with what they know with technology, you modify a lesson for that particular student. Have them create something using blogs or other forms of technology and have them present it to the class. Just like any lesson you teach, you are going to get a wide range of learners. Being that we are teachers, we already know how to group students with curriculum and their ability!
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