As I am reading the book Disrupting Class for Instructional Technology a lot of ideas flood my brain for my classroom for next year. I was hired right before school started and coming into a new district I had to learn an all new curriculum as well as a new report card that went along with the student learning expectations. While I was trying to catch up and learn everything technology was not a priority, unfortunately. I didn't have my website up all year and my kids had 60 minutes total of computer time each week if we were lucky! 30 minutes of that time was taking our weekly reading assessment and the other 30 minutes was working on type to learn. Next year my hope is to step it up in the technology department as much as I can for 2nd graders.
It is mentioned in the book several times "that people in the United States have spent billions of dollars putting computers into U.S. Schools, it has resulted in little change in how students learn." As an elementary teacher I would like to address this statement. The first point I would like to make is in order for teachers to focus more on technology the standards have to also focus more on technology. Right now a second grader has only one expectation on their report card under technology which is knowing how to shut down a computer. As a teacher when you look at just one expectation under technology and 15 or more under reading and math, what does the system think we are going to spend more time on???? With the Iowa Core Curriculum I believe that will change and maybe we will have a chance to do more than just shut down a computer. I know that is not an excuse not to incorporate more technology across curriculum but there are other factors that stop us. I have a small room that barely fits the 26 desks I have for each student. We only have room for one computer in our classroom and it sit in an open closet. The students rotate turns during work time after their work is done. But with 26 kids and not being able to get on until they are finished with their work doesn't give them much time to use it throughout the year. Of course with people spending "billions of dollars on computer" I bet your thinking why don't you use the computer lab??? I would if I could get the time in there. With 13 classes all needing the computer lab its a fight to see who signs up first. 2nd graders also need more time then the older kids because they are still trying to manage a computer.
I would also like to take the time and ask where are the parents???? Why is everything solely on the shoulders of a teacher??? Yes it's my job to educate them in the best possible way for them to learn and I do just that. I also think that it's the parents job to continue helping their child grow at home. Maybe the parent should allow their child more time on the computer to explore all it has to offer as well.
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Sounds like you like a challenge. I can see how frustrated you might be about integrating technology into your curriculum. The tech requirement for 2nd graders is a decade old. Here is a link to the profile we should expect from 2nd graders http://tinyurl.com/5jz6ek (sorry but Blogger doesn't allow me to make this a hot link)
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about "Where are the parents?" The question is, do they know what to do? Perhaps you will need to educate them and one way is to create an ongoing blog that is written for the parents as well as the students.
Leigh Zeitz
http://drzreflects.com
I completely agree with you!! Our school district spent a lot of time before the Iowa Core came out deciding what our technology standards were for each grade level. Of course, all the teachers in the group were techies so we had high expectations of students and teachers. I dont know if these expectations were being met, but now with the Core 21st Century Skills being out there it seems like that should be our focus. But, where does the money come from?
ReplyDeleteI liked Dr. Z's idea about a blog, I have a classroom wiki that I used when I taught American History and Government. My parents loved it because they could ask me questions, their child could never say they forgot their homework at school, and I could give 24 hour support.