Reflection 5

The article I have recently read talked about teachers making cell phones work in classrooms. This article interviewed a teacher that  let's his students use their cell phone in his classroom. When they first enter his room, he send out a mass text that ask the students a challenging question about that days topic. He also would use a poll taking application for when his students were going to take a quiz.  Another interview they had in the article was from a teacher that did not use cell phones in his classroom but used 'Poll Everywhere' for both multiple- choice and open- ended exit poll questions. One important thing that we teachers need to do is teach digital citizenship if we are going to incorporate any kind of technology in our classrooms. It is our responsibility as educators to teach students how to interact with the world. 

Blog 5 Article

How teachers make cell phones work in the classroom

There are many ways to incorporate cell phone usage in a classroom. Cell phones can gauge student's understanding of a concept, can capture notes and ideas to be used and studied later, to calculate, to communicate, and to express ideas. Cell phones can be used as a warm up. As the students walk into the classroom, you can send out a mass text asking a challenging question that is related to that day's lesson. Students can also use a poll taking application to take multiple-choice and short-answer quizzes. When using cell phones in a classroom, it is important to remember that all your students may not have a cell phone, and that before using you will need to go over digital citizenship.  

Entry 2

Book Fair!! 
The Scholastic Book Fair will be visiting our library February 24th-28th. Your child will be visiting the book fair during his or her regularly scheduled library time. Be on the lookout for a flier in the "Take Home" pocket in your child's folder that will advertise what books will be on sale. Please send your child to school with the appropriate amount of money on their library day.

Reflection 4

I really enjoyed the recent article that I have read on keeping it simple in the classroom. Snyder talks about how in a social studies classroom, software could set up an international political standoff and the students can role play to various officials. Also in a science classroom you could do more of a "shop-class" approach and the students could learn how to take apart,  rebuild and creat their own software. In a math lesson though, Albrecht would just use a Tupperware full of  dice and base ten blocks. He said he could do more with these kinds of manipulatively than he could with computers. This article very well explained why and how to make technology easy and keeping it simple in the classroom.

Blog 4 Article

Tech Made Easy: Keeping it Simple in the Classroom 

Schools can apply simplicity to technology for an optimum classroom experience in a variety of ways. The following are some examples. 

Complexity- in the right place 

For a social studies lesson, software would set up an international political standoff. Students role-played various officials- the U.S. President, the American Secretary of State, the foreign minister of Israel or Iraq. 

Real computer Science 

Most high-tech schools do not teach true computer science. It would make more sense if schools taught computer skills the way they do every subject. Schools should take a "shop-class" approach to outdated or broken computers. Students would be able to take them apart, rebuild, and create their own software programs. 

Ten-Dollar Technology 

Albrecht says "I do a lot more with blocks and cubes than I do with computers, because they are powerful and cheap. And teachers can leant to use them." His point is that youngsters are fascinated by tools, especially when they're used doe real world projects. In you gets grades, computers usually mean lots of mechanical hassle and wasted time teaching students to do things on a screen they can more easily accomplish with paper, pencil, and crayons. 

Reflection 3

The article I have recently read about assistive technology helped me understand exactly what assistive technology is and how to engage it into my classroom for every student. Assistive technology is a set of mandated services and equipment for students with disabilities. Items such as a triangular pencil grip, a talking calculator, a larger computer monitor, or a voice amplifier can be considered assistive technology. In this article, they also give many examples of assistive technology being used in the classroom. In the examples students are using transparent yellow film to increase the contrast in the print, a black card with a long horizontal window cut to concentrate on a single line, and a computer with headphones that will read the story aloud to them. Assistive technology can be simple things such as the items listed above, and can still have such a major impact on a student to keep them engaged during class.

Blog 3 Article

Assistive Technology: Enhanced Learning for All
Assistive technology includes a set of federally mandated services and equipment for students with disabilities, the term also refers to valuable tools and strategies for including students with a wide range of learning styles in classroom activities. Examples of Assistive technology can be anything from triangular pencil grips, a talking calculator, a larger computer, or a voice amplifier for a teacher with vocal cord strain. A couple of struggles that educators are dealing with are considering each student's need for assistive technology and also the lack of AT-experienced teachers and related personnel, few sources of staff training focusing on education, and the need for additional funding. Even with these barriers, there are many examples of success using assistive technology.