Role of Technology in My Classroom

    The role of technology in the classroom can be a very powerful tool. It can play music that helps sooth and develop a classroom environment, allow access to resources from around the world, help communicate to others, and can create interactive and personal lessons. These tools can be used to help develop the students into strong individuals who can later on use the technologies they learned from early on to develop and strengthen our world.

    As a future elementary educator I believe technology in the classroom is not just a tool but a necessity. I think that as these students are growing up in the digital era, that the classroom itself must reflect these technologies. I believe computers are a must for students, to not only gain hand-eye coordination but so that they can get a glimpse at technology that they will be using later in their education. Also, an Ipod containing books, music, and educational applications will be used by the students to heighten their technology experience. Also I believe that a Smartboard, would be an amazing technology source in the classroom as well. A Smartboard is an interactive white board that uses a projector screen to display its information. This is a great technology resource because on it interactive, touch screen games can be played (word play, Elkonian boxes, etc.) but also movies and interactive study programs. All of these technologies also allow me to model proper digital responsibility. This can be done by showing the students how to use technology safely and accurately through classroom activities and setting up guidelines that are easy to follow and posted within the classroom.  With just these few technological resources a student will be able to learn by visual, auditory and kinesthetic cues.  But in the end, how will these resources shape our students in the future if they are such great tools?

    With the guidelines/netiquette, covered and posted, technology in the classroom will allow students to start from the basics. Being that most students will not know how to use a computer in early elementary, the basic skills will be developed in class and will allow students to grow in their knowledge. With the education of netiquette being covered so early, children will know not to bully, post negative pictures/posts or pass personal information to strangers, thus making our students responsible digital citizens with responsibility and great leadership abilities. Technology is a great resource in the classroom and can have amazing effects on a child’s learning, development and in the end great personal growth through new tools and resources.

Teacher's Vision & Future Goals

Teacher's Vision

   The feeling of comfort overwhelms you as you walk into the bright, warm classroom. Pictures of people from around the world are posted on the adjacent wall circling a big world map. The colors invite you to explore the room and all the manipulatives that are set out on the table, along with the bins that line the far wall.  You have just walked into my multi-cultural first grade classroom.

   Centers, centers and more centers. I think that centers secure students independence yet still allow for a structured atmosphere.  There is a math center with an Abacus, colorful beads for counting, dice and a lightbrite that all enhance mathematical counting principles. Next to the math center is beautifully draped, vibrant cloth from around the world, which is to invite all who want to experience the multi-cultural reading center. Animal printed pillows, bean bags and comfortable blankets all lay within the open tent structure. More centers, like the writing workshop, mad science center, and history mystery, are positioned throughout the classroom. 

   The students work is hung on the walls, off of their desks and from the ceiling on a clothespin and laundry line. The teacher is there to assist and encourage the students to explore and has a flexible schedule of when things are done, but strict enough that all the criteria will be covered according to how the person of the day wants it set up. Parents are always welcome to assist in class. Whether they are grading papers, assisting students or cutting out projects, the parental role will always be included in classroom activities.

Future Goals 

   As the finish line is fast approaching for my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary education, I must start setting goals for my future. My main goal is to simply get a job at a school. Rural or inner-city, I would love to teach at either as long as it is low-income. It must a be low-income school because I received government aid called the “TEACH” grant, in which you must teach in a low-income school for the amount of years you used the aid. I will achieve this by continually volunteering in schools that have a need for a teacher with a literacy endorsement, which I will have with my Bachelors. This is a necessary endorsement, especially in a low-income school, because a lot of low-income students don’t have enough support at home.

   After a few years of teaching I would like to start accomplishing my master’s in education. By taking classes each summer, to not only fulfill my upkeep on my teaching credentials but to also expand my learning and teaching philosophies.  I would like to get to my doctorate degree, but I am not going to set myself up for failure and ridiculous expectations. I would like to eventually get married (I personally need to find a man for that first) and then have some children (also need a man for that). Depending on that and my energy level I will keep that objective as a not a priority.

   Another main objective of mine is to get some traveling in. I am a huge advocate for exploring other places to become a better, well-rounded multi-cultural educator. By simply putting away some of my paycheck into a travel fund, I am hoping that I will be able to travel to China, Japan, India and Norway. With these travels I will be able to furnish my class with personal experiences and fun decorations.  These are just a few of my future goals and objectives that I would like to accomplish before I kick the bucket, which may be very soon being that I am going to be an elementary school teacher.

Reflections of Assistive Technologies

   With access to more extensive technology available, students with disabilities are finally able to have a voice in the classroom. New devices are being implemented in our schools and universities which are allowing students to succeed at rates like never before. Students with disabilities are now reaching for the stars and are accomplish things like playing an instrument, completing college or simply communicating with people with the assistance of technology.

   Lucas is a high school student who has a debilitating disease that causes all his limbs to lose muscle control and freeze up. He had the dream of playing an instrument in the band, the euphonium horn, which needs the fingers to push the buttons over the valves. Though he was unable to push any of the buttons, Lucas persevered and simply waited for that one note that he could play to come around. After some great ingenuity and some time, a device that used a joystick to control the instruments valves was produced. The joystick enabled Lucas to play his instrument with ease and not just one note, either.

   Technology has also assisted a young woman named Suzanna who was born with Cerebral Palsy. She was unable to function in school or do her homework because she couldn’t control her feet and had minimal use of her hands. The school refused to get her a desk that adjusted heights and a laptop to help her complete her homework, but after some coercing the laptop was provided. Suzanna, now at the University of Washington, uses voice-activated software on her laptop to help her complete her homework and a joystick controlled wheelchair to get around campus. These technologies will help Suzanna complete her degree in Communications and fulfill her dream of becoming a news anchor.

Autism has been setting young children back for decades. However, now with technology, these children are being assisted and the doors of communication are being thrown open.  Lucas, a six year old with autism, has struggled to communicate for years and usually is found throwing tantrums because of the frustrational  level at which he finds himself. His preschool teacher was aware that these drawbacks were because of the lack of communication between both him and the world around him. She started recognizing that he was drawn to cause-an-effect toys and had a natural curiosity of books.  This gave her an idea to introduce the Ablenet-SuperTalker, which gave Josh buttons to push to communicate what activities he wanted to participate in. She, seeing his draw to books, also introduced the AblenetBookworm.  This bookworm, allows the teacher to enter any book Josh is interested in, and it reads to him. This was helping with his pre-literacy skills and even led to developed eye contact because he was becoming confident in his reading and verbal skills. These simple tools have changed Josh’s life and the lives of his family, who are now able to communicate with him.

   From its original form, technology has simply made leaps and bounds in discovering new ways to make life easier. For these student,s it has not just made their lives easier, it has actually made their lives possible.  It has given these students the ability to do whatever they put their minds to and has opened new avenues that would not normally be available.