When does one integrate technology on a regular basis with first graders when the technology isn't easily accessible? My district is very open in regards to technology and what we are allowed to access. It's wonderful, but at the same time it makes a person want to just dig in all the time. Don't get me wrong, I want to dig in, and I'm trying to dig in...my students are definitely interested and more engaged when we dig in as well but it's difficult at this level to really do some of the things I want in the time frame that we have available. I know the key is to embed the technology into our current curriculum versus doing something just for the sake of doing it, but boy it's just not that easy. I'm hoping that it will become easier as I am in the grade level longer and know the curriculum better as this is my first year in 1st grade and that alone brings its own set of challenges. When I taught 2nd the kids were just so much more capable and we WERE digging in. I'm convinced that a year can't make THAT much of a difference and so I am bound and determined to make my 2 passions (1st grade and technology) mesh together more seemlessly. It's happening with my SMARTboard as I can honestly say that I can't imagine teaching without it and 2 years ago and coudn't imagine teaching with it on a regular daily basis. My how times have changed- I'm even ready to completely say goodbye, adios, and au revoir, to my "that's so yesterday" overhead- although I want to keep the cart (storage is always a postive). Ok, I'm rambling with this post, but I'm hoping that as I come back to this post in 6 months, a year, or even two, that I will giggle and wonder why I was having such a difficult time. All good things come in due time right? Bring on the integration!
Edited: Interestingly enough, I found this article which ties in nicely with my philosophy of technology in education. It still doesn't answer my question, but does reaffirm what I know about technology, kids and engagement.
Great post! Thanks for sharing the article. I am trying to encourage more technology usage in my district, but not just for the sake of saying we're using it. Making sure we are being purposeful with what we are using all in the name of increasing our students' achievement! lhilton@morning-sun.k12.ia.us
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment and the follow! It's always great to know others are out there looking for purposeful ways to integrate technology as well. I'm hoping that through this blog I will be lucky enough to network with others such as yourself to share more while also helping others realize ways that they CAN integrate in purposeful ways.
ReplyDeleteHello Mrs. Malchow! I have been teaching first grade for three years now and LOVE technology. We do not have smartboards, but we have a tool called MIMIO which makes our regular whiteboard a smart board basically. We use it daily, in every subject just about. I use youtube daily as well. I find raps of all kinds for different subjects. My students favorite to date is coins in my hands. We use Google Earth to look at different monuments. We use google sketch up to look at 3d models of monuments. My school has a subscription to Educationcity.com which is fabulous with a smartboard! My students LOVE it! Our last tool is the webcam. We use the webcam to buddy read our decodable story or our basal story for the week with another class in our grade. Yes, the class is just right down the hall, but its a neat motivating tool during reading. My students also love to make "movies" or digital storytelling and post it on youtube for the whole world to see. Check out my blog to see some of their work. I feel like I have rambled, but I get excited to see others looking for ways to use technology in the classroom! My students love to make "movies" or digital storytelling and post it on youtube for the whole world to see.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Adcock thejoyoffirstgrade.blogspot.com
Hello Mrs. Adcock! Sounds like we both have a love for technology. I've found several good videos on youtube as well that I have embedded into my calendar routine on the SMARTboard. LOVE them!!! It's amazing too how quickly some of the kids pick up on the concepts when you add a little funk, fun and rhythm to their learning. Case in point, I have a days of the week song from youtube on my board that I play at the end of the day sometimes to give my strugglers another dose so to speak. Well, my son is one of those kids who struggles with his days of the week and the other day I hear him singing the song he heard on my board to help him remember! Yay!!!
ReplyDeleteI love those moments!! Thats why we do what we do!
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