Reflection

This is week seven of our course, and I cannot believe how quickly it has gone.  I have learned how to create, maintain, and edit a blog, collaborate on a wiki, and create and share a podcast.  I have also found ways that I can use each of these tools in the classroom.

I have a deeper understanding of how students today learn and expectations for 21^st century learners.  Students today learn in many different ways, and teachers need to think about the needs of all students.  The needs of students have also changed because as teachers, we need to prepare them with 21^st century skills, for the job world they will someday enter.  Part of the 21^st century skills are collaboration.  To prepare students to be able to collaborate in the working environment, we need to move towards student-centered classrooms.  In student-centered classrooms, learners have a deeper understanding of the topics and subjects they are learning.  Students will experience more inquiry and they will determine where the curriculum will go.

I am currently enrolled in a master’s program; Integrating Technology in the Classroom.  I hope that the courses I am taking will continue to prepare me for the technology rich classrooms I hope to have.  Even after I am finished with this program, I think I will need continual development on the up and coming tools for the 21^st century. 

 

Over the next two years, I hope to achieve two goals.  One goal is to use technology in my classroom on a daily basis.  Not only do I want to use technology on a daily basis, but I want the technology to be used by students and not just me as the teacher.  I do have iPads available to use anytime during the day, but the challenge for me will be to determine different ways to incorporate them into my intervention groups.  I know that I may not be able to do this every day with each group I see, but I hope to be able to do it at least a couple times a week with each group.  I hope the iPads will become a tool to enhance instruction and not just something we use for a couple of fun apps.  Not only do I want to use the iPads on a daily basis, but I want them to be an essential tool in my instruction.  Currently they are a tool we use if we have the time or as a reward on Fridays.  When we use the iPads on Fridays we stick to educational apps specific to the intervention topic (reading or math), but I want the iPads to be more than that. 

 

A second goal I have is to obtain a SMARTBoard (interactive whiteboard) in my classroom.  I feel they would be an engaging tool for intervention students, and I would be able to create more versatile and interactive lessons.  This will be a challenge for me as many of our district administrators feel they are a technology tool of the past.  We will be adopting a new math curriculum starting next year, and there are many interactive manipulatives available that would enhance our lessons.  I also hope that a SMARTBoard would be a positive addition to an intervention classroom for students that struggle.  As I continue through my courses and grow as a professional, I hope that I will be able to meet these goals.

 In week one of this course, I filled out a checklist about my practices to support 21^st century skills and developing technology skills for the school and workplace environments.  Looking back at this checklist, I see a few areas where I have made a lot of improvements.  I have worked very hard to model appropriate practices of integration in my classroom.  Throughout this class, I have been able to network, share, and learn from other professionals in our field.  I will continue to work on improve all of these skills throughout this program and my professional career.  I am excited to continue this learning journey!