Learning Summary

Throughout the weeks of this course (EME 5050), I have discovered several things about myself as an educator and as someone who is gaining confidence daily in the field of technology and how it pertains to education. I have always been fairly comfortable with the use of technology in the classroom. I have used interactive programs for my students when reviewing content and other practice applications. I was initially overwhelmed during the beginning of this course, due to all of the different kinds of pages and resources I would be manipulating. I must say, of the four course I have taken thus far in my Master’s program, this is the one I know I will use on a daily basis in my classroom. The knowledge I have learned and gained through this course is beyond helpful for me and my students. Everything I have learned in this class can be directly taken into my classroom. I am much more confident in my ability to teach new technologies to my students. Mostly, I have learned that communication is key when becoming and effective educator. Through the many communication techniques given to us in the online course, I now know how important it is to keep this communication with my students and with parent. 

Digital Storytelling Follow-Up

In the post below, you will see the Digital Story I created as an example for my students to have as and example. I teach 5th Grade, and will be requiring my students to create a Digital Story summarizing their favorite novel from this year. We read several novels throughout the year, and this Digital Storytelling project will be one they complete at the end of the year.

Students need to:
1. Choose novel.
2. Choose the project medium (Prezi, PowerPoint, Slide Share).
3. Write their summary and have it approved my Ms. Wilson.
4. Choose a minimum of 6 pictures that help to portray their text better to the reader.
5. Create project draft and have peer review complete.
6. Create Final Draft and Present to class.

Digital Storytelling Example

Digital Storytelling and the 5th Grade Classroom

As a 5th Grade teacher, I have dreams of using Digital Storytelling in the classroom. I need more time and technology for it to take off and to be effective in my classroom environment. I see Digital Storytelling working very well in the Social Studies content area (where instructional and educational value is lacking in 5th grade).

Digital Storytelling in Social Studies would be a way for students to open their minds and creatively bring historical events to life! Below is my dream "Digital Story Social Studies Lesson":

Lesson: A History Book "Hello" (Digital Storytelling)

Purpose: Students will recreate a historical event through a fictional characters eyes, using multi-media tools such as computers, PowerPoint or Prezi, audio and video recordings to accurately explain the event in history with detail.

Materials: Access to computer or laptop, PowerPoint, Prezi Student account, video recording technology, and audio recording technology.

Groups of 2-3 Students

Plan: Students will first choose a historical event that they are interested in. Once they have established this, they will then create a fictional character that live(s) during the time period of the historical event. Students will explain the event through that characters' Point of View (this is cross-curricular integration as Point of View is a heavily tested standard in the Literature Framework for students. Student will use PowerPoint or Prezi to give the meat of their presentation. Through audio and video, students can get creative with costumes or scenes to "bring to life". Students would need to have their entire plan for the Digital Story written down on paper before they would begin integrating it with technology.


This is obviously just a very basic and simple draft idea, but students would be able to creatively show their understanding of multiple standards for Literature, Social Studies, and technology. By introducing students to the idea of presenting stories Digitally, they are being exposed to the limitless opportunity technology provides education.

Digital Storytelling in the Elementary Classroom

The "Hard" Situation with Hardware

Welcome to my 21st Century Classroom! 

Most would imagine walking in to find interactive whiteboards, computers and/or iPads for every student, and teachers leading students through technology-integrated instruction...

Not here. 

In this little 5th grade teacher's classroom, you'll find a single interactive projector (that stopped working interactively the beginning of last year), one "teacher" desktop computer, and two "student" desktop computers. THAT'S IT. Now, don't get me wrong.... We have access to our grade level laptop cart (28 laptops for 150 students). Good odds, right?

Frustrated
is the only word that comes to mind when thinking about the hardware situation in my school. There are so. many. amazing. software resources for education today, but we do not have the hardware capacity to support them, nor do we have enough for all of my students to have access to. Too many teachers today are looking to pages like Go Fund Me, in hopes of earning monetary donations to purchase class sets of iPads or computers for their students... Something that shouldn't be happening in my opinion.

I'm also frustrated
because I am working in an affluent school district where our resources and funds could and should be used for educational technology. I walk into other schools in my district and I see these amazing technology resources available to students and teachers, so why isn't there continuity throughout the classrooms and schools.

We have 21st Century Learners who do not basic Word Processing Skills. We have 21st Century Learners who do not have access to computers and internet outside the classroom walls. We have 21st Century Learners who do not have education courses that teach them internet safety and computer skills.

As I continue to read resources regarding technology increasing in today's classroom, I am hopeful. I'm just not seeing or feeling the impacts of this yet. And the even more frustrating part is that my students are the one receiving a disservice in their education.

Not me.

Technology "Ten Commandments"

As a 5th grade teacher, I am surrounded by students who have access to all kinds of technology (and let's be real... They know how to operate them better than ME.) Students today have smart phones (fancier than mine), personal iPads, laptops, and all are very active on many social network sites. While their parents are the ones providing their children with these resources (which include access to the Internet), I am finding that these same parents are not always teaching their students the correct and SAFE ways to use their technology and the Internet.

After reading many online sources in regards to Technology and Internet "ethics", I found something that I will be using in my classroom to attempt to expose and educate my students to the Ten Commandments of Technology.

Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics http://cpsr.org/issues/ethics/cei/, which I'm lovingly calling the Technology Ten!

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.
1. Don't use technology to hurt others.
2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people's computer work.
1. Don't use technology to distract you from your work.
3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people's computer files.
1. Don't use other people's technology. Respect their privacy.
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.
1. Don't use technology for illegal things.
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.
1. Don't use technology to tell lies about other people.
6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid.
1. Don't use technology unless you have paid for the things you are using.
7. Thou shalt not use other people's computer resources without authorization or proper compensation.
1. Don't use other people's technology without permission.
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people's intellectual output.
1. Don't alter anything that is not yours with your technology.
9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are designing.
1. Don't do inappropriate things with your technology.
10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your fellow humans.
1. Use your technology for good. Always be respectful of other people.

My hope is that my students will know how to be safe and smart when exploring the many resources of the internet with the many technologies they are equipped with. 

Communication is Key

Classroom teachers are "masters of communication", or at least they should be in my opinion. Teachers must be able to fluidly communicate with their students, parents, colleagues, and administration. As educators, we are always looking for ways to make this communication simple, seamless, and current with technological trends. 

As a classroom teacher, I try to communicate with parents multiple ways--mostly to make sure I can get information to them without relying on the ten year old "always forgetful" children that I have in my care every day. 

[Most] parents want to be actively involved in their child's education, so communicating what is occurring in the classroom is important as an educator. I communicate weekly with all of my parents, and daily with parents of certain children. 

I communicate three ways weekly through the following modes:
     1. Classroom Newsletters
     2. Remind 101
     3. eCampus

Classroom Newsletters
I create classroom newsletters to send home with students in their planners on Fridays with information for what is happening in the classroom the following week. The newsletter is honestly a snapshot of my lesson plans. Parents will be given the standards and skills taught that week in Reading, Writing, Social Studies, as well as the Weekly Spelling Word list and the Grammar Skill. I also include in this any important tests or assignments coming up. 

Remind 101
Most parents have phones with texting, so this is a perfect way for me to text parents important information without using my personal number. I use Remind 101 to send home weekly reminders of important tests and quizzes. I also use it to let parents know if I have sent home any information with their child that needs to be seen. Remind 101 is perfect for quick texts to parents about events and things happening at school! Here is the link to Remind 101, in case you haven't checked it out. https://www.remind.com/

eCampus
eCampus is Seminole County Public School's version of Canvas and online courses. This is place where students have access to homework help, tests, quizzes, and online resources that I provide based on the content that I am teaching. Parents can sign up to have access as well, to monitor their child's progress.

Some students require daily communication to their parents. I use e-mail to reach out to these parents. That way, I also have easy documentation to prove that I was being proactive in connecting with parents. 

I have also been looking into creating blog for my classroom as a way for students to reflect on their learning in a way where their parents can see it too. 

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes on communication...

“When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective.” 
― Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Technology in the Classroom: Words from 2016 Teacher of the Year

As a classroom teacher, technology is one of those things... Either you love it and use it all the time OR you could just do without it. Irregardless of your thoughts on technology, it is a big part of our students' daily lives and should be a big part of our instruction and our curriculum frameworks and plans.

With my personal experience as a classroom teacher, I have experienced a school with LOTS of hands-on, accessible technology for students and another school with little to no types of technology. These schools are both in the same school district with the same standards and academic expectations-- yet there is such a gap when it comes to having accessible technology for ALL students.

In the article below, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year (Jahana Hayes) responds in an interview about technology in the classrooms and how we as educators are unable to "keep up" with the constant changes and trends. I have to agree with Hayes, in that our classrooms are not up to date and our teachers are not being trained to adequately keep up with the always changing technologies. As a teacher, I find myself getting excited about new classroom technologies, but my current school does not have the hands on technology much of the instructional practices require to be performed by our students. Hayes is echoing what I feel as a teacher, when she talks about how we are introduced to new technologies but within a year or two they are gone or completely useless. In the amount of time I have to make myself comfortable to teach new technology to a student, they are out of date or something BETTER is out for use.

Our school districts and schools need to make sure they are on the same page when it comes to using technology in the classroom, like iPads, computers, and other educational softwares. We need to be providing teachers with proper training and tools to feel comfortable with these technologies and how to best use them for student success and growth. Our world of technology is ever-changing, and our classrooms and schools need to learn to move with it.


https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-08-02-we-don-t-have-resources-to-keep-up-with-technology-2016-teacher-of-the-year-jahana-hayes-talks-to-edsurge

Hello Fellow Educators,

Welcome to the Blog I will be using for this semester. This blog is something I may continue to use as an outlet to share some of my classroom joys and experiences. I have a personal blog entitled Glorifying Jesus and Wearing' Pearls, which I use(d) to share some of my most challenging life moments in my life thus far. I feel that reflection and journaling is a healthy way to deal with these hard situations. Feel free to take a look.

The name is something that my sweet, hardworking man gets total credit for. He loves the fact that I LOVE to wear dresses to school, and he lovingly calls them my "cute little teacher dresses". So I ran with it!

Here's to a wonderful semester of collaboration and learning.

Kalee :)