Edmodo, Flocabulary, Front Row all new technological apps that are promoting the Common Core and standards for students and the ability to individualize to their needs.
TenMark Math, IXL, Study Island - more programs that are suppose to have the ability to individualize to student needs.
I'm sure there are numerous other apps and programs out there that do the same thing - my question or problem is - When do teachers find the time to explore these new technologies, plan and organize them and implement them? Am I becoming less efficient that I'm struggling with this? There are still the other classes which need planning and prep along with students who need additional help with curriculum during most spare moments of the day.
All teachers have the same demands on their time, staffings, meetings, parent calls, committee meetings and the list goes on......
Do teachers just "jump in" with both feet and try to figure it out on the go? Way out of my comfort level.
Devices is probably the other deterrent - limited amounts available to use with students. It would be more convenient to have more than 1 device so students could partner up and work together at first and during this Testing State in our district entire lab use is limited.
Time, devices, curriculum and other factors. Somehow I need to figure out how to find/make time to make it all fit and implement. Any suggestions are most welcome!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Blogging and a Modern Teacher
After reading the Edudemic article about 10 skills a modern teacher must have, I must say I feel like a dinosaur. There seems to be way too many options with technology to try and figure out what is best to use with my classroom.
My head spins when I read the words Blogs, Glogs, Google+, Learnist, Digg, , , I feel like I can barely "Tweet" correctly, although I now have 117 tweets to my name instead of the 4 I had a month or so ago - so there is progress. I also must admit to participating in a first twitter chat over spring break... I can honestly say I wouldn't have thought I would have done it except the question intrigued me - it was about Blogging of all things!
I agree that we need to surround ourselves with people who have the resources we need and are willing to share their knowledge and successes and failures with those of us just starting to test the waters of the vast technology ocean.
I also appreciate the comment about using only what you think will work in your classroom and if you don't see a purpose in 15 seconds (note it may take me a full minute) then pass it by. If only the latest and greatest would slow down for just a minute to let me think about how I might use it - my mind clearly isn't as fast as it once was.
Self admittedly, the biggest hurdle I face is the fear of failure. I know the adage "If at first you don't succeed try, try again." But when all the technology seems to be flying at and around me it is overwhelming and I want to succeed.
I may not be the modernist teacher, but I will carefully look, listen and observe my fellow teachers who are embracing it all; try to implement a couple of new technology ideas when they seem to fit and maybe when they don't and hope that I learn along with my class.
Now to figure out how to delete the first blog post I had for this blog - as in retrospect it seems way out of place.
My head spins when I read the words Blogs, Glogs, Google+, Learnist, Digg, , , I feel like I can barely "Tweet" correctly, although I now have 117 tweets to my name instead of the 4 I had a month or so ago - so there is progress. I also must admit to participating in a first twitter chat over spring break... I can honestly say I wouldn't have thought I would have done it except the question intrigued me - it was about Blogging of all things!
I agree that we need to surround ourselves with people who have the resources we need and are willing to share their knowledge and successes and failures with those of us just starting to test the waters of the vast technology ocean.
I also appreciate the comment about using only what you think will work in your classroom and if you don't see a purpose in 15 seconds (note it may take me a full minute) then pass it by. If only the latest and greatest would slow down for just a minute to let me think about how I might use it - my mind clearly isn't as fast as it once was.
Self admittedly, the biggest hurdle I face is the fear of failure. I know the adage "If at first you don't succeed try, try again." But when all the technology seems to be flying at and around me it is overwhelming and I want to succeed.
I may not be the modernist teacher, but I will carefully look, listen and observe my fellow teachers who are embracing it all; try to implement a couple of new technology ideas when they seem to fit and maybe when they don't and hope that I learn along with my class.
Now to figure out how to delete the first blog post I had for this blog - as in retrospect it seems way out of place.
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