Technology will be incorporated
into many aspects of my classroom, just like it has the world. My goal is to utilize the technology
available to me, as a teacher, in order to supplement and enhance my students’
learning objectives. It would be in a waste of money for the technology to sit
in a corner of the room and not be used for its intended purpose; therefore, in
an effort to help my students, I will request training or assistance with any
piece of technology that I cannot use proficiently. In order to help my
students grow, I need to use technology for communication, learning (to
supplement material covered in class and provide a social element), and
assessment.
Communication with other teachers
and parents is vital for students to be successful. Teachers outside of my
classroom need to know where in the pacing guide my class is in order to
effectively help students with special learning needs or to help plan themed
school days. By utilizing Google Drive, I can share my pacing guide with other
teachers, check off what my students have already completed, and share examples
of student work.
Parents need to know what their
students are learning and how they can help their students. My hope is for my
school district to utilize a program, like Skyward, that allows parents to
access their student’s grades online at home or from another computer. I will
be able to leave a message to the parent explaining the reasoning for that
grade or any concerns I might have about their child. What is nice about the
program is that parents can also message me with any concerns they might have.
I will also utilize newsletter programs to give parents periodic updates about
what is going on in my classroom, the grade, and the school.
A SmartBoard is a piece of
technology that is necessary in my classroom. Using the NoteBook, I will create
engaging and interactive lessons. Students will be able to come up to the board
and use the tools to manipulate objects on the board in order to discover new
information or practice skills. Additionally, the SmartBoard will be used
during centers time – there might be a game or an activity on the SmartBoard
for students to complete.
To help my students become social
learners, it is important for my classroom to have laptops available to students.
I prefer laptops to desktop computers because they allow mobility. Students are
not stuck in one place or in the computer lab. They can take the laptops around
the classroom to an area that is most conducive for their work. Laptops have a
broad range of uses in the elementary classroom. They allow my students to
conduct research, create interactive presentations, engage in simulations,
practice challenging concepts and publish and post work on secure forums in
order to share with their peers and family.
Technology will play an important
role in the assessment of my students. Some assessments will be presentations
or videos they have created, while others might be published writing samples.
In order to reduce test anxiety, some tests will be given on the computer since
many of the standardized tests required in Virginia are given on the computer.
I am excited for all of the
opportunities that I will have to incorporate innovative technology into my
classroom for communication, learning, and assessment. There is a wealth of educational programs
and software available. Edudemic compiled a list of fifty tools that every
teacher should know (but they aren’t limited to teachers!), which can be found
at:
