In the Classroom

Learning about all the technology that is possible to use in a classroom is very exciting and opens many opportunities to your classroom, but I still don't think I want to center my teaching around it. In the classrooms that I have been in there are active boards, many computers,document cameras and some type of controller that hooks into the main computer that all the students use to answer questions (I'm not sure what it is called). And it seems like half the time, something isn't working and can't be used. For example, in the 6th grade that I'm in, the teacher uses a math program called accelerated math. Each student works individually and at their own pace on extra math work, when the students finish a section, they put their answers on a scan tron, and scan it into the computer where it is put in a data base, and then out prints what the need next. This program has helped a lot in the classroom...when it is working. At the beginning of the year, all the computers were up-graded to vista, and it turns out that the math program isn't compatible, so there was un-installing and a few other things, which took a few days, so the students were behind. This has also happened with other tech equipment which makes me a little weary on totally relying on technology to teach a lesson.

I know it can be a wonderful assets, I just worry that if it doesn't work, it will ruin the whole lesson.
I also believe there needs to be more training in using all the technology that is put in the classroom. It's changed all the time, and sometimes the teachers don't even know it, they just come in a do it, leaving the teachers in the dark, and I hate to say it, but the older teachers that I have been around are very much in the dark with all the technology. They are given all these different things and not really getting enough instruction on how to use them, so they just sit their collecting dust.
So, I guess what I'm saying is, I'm not so sure all the time about technology. Much of it is very exciting, but unless someone is willing to sit down with me, or give me the option of going to multiply classes about the new technology, I'm not going to know how to use it, and I also want to learn how to trouble shoot problems, because if it can happen, its going to happen and most likely, right in the middle of a lesson. I want to use all the cool technology, but I'm not sure how it's going to all fit in.

Dormant Technology

I have been thinking this week and pondering how little I have seen technology used in the classroom. Every classroom I have been in has had an active board, but I have yet to see it taken advantage of. In talking to these teachers about their active boards, I found that they didn't feel comfortable with all of the different attributes of the board to use it with their classes. They also expressed frustration over the fact that when they have tried incorporating the boards, something went wrong and resetting the machine didn't work. My thoughts lie in trying to think about how to educate myself so that I have the knowledge to integrate the active board on a regular basis and am able to resolve unexpected issues that may arise.

I realize that technology is an everchanging tool that we have to better instruction and provide students with challenging learning opportunities. How can we not use these valuable tools? As an education student, what steps can I take to ensure that I will be prepared? I feel slightly overwhelmed by all of the options available in the technology world. I can see where the teachers I mentioned earlier reach a point of frustration that causes them to neglect the use of technology. I also can see that we are asking our students to constantly be challenging themselves. Is technology my constant challenge?

Pizza dough recipe

Pizza Crust

1 c. Flat beer 2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. Sugar 1 tsp. salt
2 ½ c. flour 1 pkg. yeast

Dissolve yeast in bear. Place sugar over beer. Mix the rest and let rise until double. Brush with vegetable oil. Cook till golden brown @ 350°

Video used for 7th Grade poetry intro

This was used to introduce poetry to my 7th grade dyad...

The-Simpsons-The-Raven

Test Movie

Cool Middle School Tech Project

Check out this link from Room 9:

http://schools.shorelineschools.org/room9/Ballard/Poems/A-R/Alessandro.html

The 6th-8th grade students wrote a preposition poem, then using GarageBand, PowerPoint, and iMovie they put it all together and published thier work!!

What we are doing!

Group Blogg To Do:

You must each post at least once a week.

You much each upload at least one image.

You must each embed at least one video.

You must "tag" your posts.

You must each comment on at least two other education blogs written by those outside the cohort.

So, whats this blog all about?

So, what are we blogging about? Tech stuff? tech stuff we see in the classroom? I'm ready to start!