iPad Usage in the School System

I came across an article online that questioned what is the appropriate age for students to use iPads. I thought this article was interesting because iPads are becoming more popular due to all they can offer. The iPads are a great way to learn in an accessable way, however the article proposed a good point. At what age is it appropriate to use iPads in the schooling system? The article questioned:

Isn't there a stage in early childhood development where kids don't know the difference between abstract notions and real objects? For example, one where they think the apple on the page is a real apple, or that if they close their eyes they really do become invisible?

The article continued to question is it better for a child to learn in concrete ways, such as learning about shapes by playing with blocks, or by virtually playing with blocks. I personally believe that there should be an integration with technology at an early age, to promote technoligical knowledge, however, technology cannot constitute for the actual hands on learning. I think that children should be more hands on than anything else because that information is better embedded in their minds, however, the iPad can come in at a later stage to review and be an alternate form of learning, just as long as it comes after the inital hands on learning. I believe technology, and an iPad can be a great tool in the classroom, however it cannot take away ones own capabilities in the real world, with real life objects.


To read this article on your own, the link is: http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/ipad-for-the-right-age

Volunteering Experience

Last week, I traveled with a friend to an elementary school in Ithaca, and was able to observe in a Kindergarten classroom. Although it does not fall under my certifications, it was still a great experience. I was able to sit in and interact with the children of a Kindergarten classroom and even help out by sitting at a station! I was able to play Letter Bingo with a group of 7 little ones to enhance letter identification. It was great helping students with their sounds, letter pronunciation, and their identifying skills. The kids were so happy to interact with myself, and each other, and their teacher was amazing. The teacher of this classroom was very warm and had a very effective way of teaching her students. After lunch, a monitor told the teacher that the children were having a bad case of tattle tailing, and with that, their teacher decided to approach the situation in an effective way. My friend and I, were going to help her find a way to show the kids that tattle tailing is not a good thing, and in order to do that, we did a little role play. My friend and I, got in the middle of the classroom and acted out a situation, and from there the teacher showed the students how to solve the problem, without resorting to telling on each other. The children understood, and came up with new ways to express themselves without tattle tailing.

It was a great experience volunteering in the Kindergarten classroom, and it was a great contrast to the usual 4th and 5th grade classrooms I observe in weekly!

Technology in the 5th grade Classroom

During my practicum I have seen many teachers use technology during their lessons. I follow around a special education teacher who spends time within a fourth and fifth classroom. I have taken notice to how closely the fifth grade classroom works with technology. In the 5th grade classroom, the teacher is constantly using the SmartBoard. Her students have many handouts that are passed to them, as well as shown on the SmartBoard, so that the teacher can draw, highlight, and work on the problems with the students. When learning a new subject, the teacher put the problems on the board, and had students come and write on the problems, in order to complete it. It was easy for the teacher to stop, correct, and even erase the mistakes, and have them continue on. The students within the classroom do understand how the SmartBoard works, and even orientated it when the programs were running slowly. In this day in age, the students are very "tech savy", and really know what is going on, which is very beneficial due to all the technological advances are society lives by. I think that if more classrooms were given the opportunity to use technology they would grow learning the programs and would know how to better themselves, and their learning through technology.

Ms. Martha Reads

As I was traveling through different websites, I came across a Tumblr that entails children's books and quotes. I think this is a great example on how technology can be a source for children.

This can be used in the classroom in many ways. If a teacher creates a blog sit, or a Tumblr, the class can follow other Tumblr's and keep up with the new entries posted.

The website for Ms. Martha Reads is:
http://msmarthareads.tumblr.com/

Enjoy :)

My Teaching Plan

After taking mental notes on my host teachers performance on Friday, I have a better understanding of how I want to be a teacher. I personally feel that the student's emotional well being comes first in line of priorities. Although many people may not agree with that, I feel that if a child is comfortable in the classroom and feels as if they are important and understood, they will be more willing to open up and express themselves in a better way. My host teacher did a great job of meeting certain students in the morning and worked hard at getting them on the right track for the day. She met one student with a book she thought he would enjoy and tried reading it to him before he began his day, as if to clear his mind with an easy read, and to get his mind flowing in more of an educational thought process. I think greeting my students in the morning will be beneficial to them and make them feel comforted.

I also believe that making the lessons fun for the student's is important because once they are engaged in the material and lesson, their retention process will be stronger. I want to make my lessons enjoyable and refreshing for the children in my classroom.

Being available to the student's is also very important. I think that if a child knows he or she is cared about, they will come to the teacher on good days, and bad days. Open communication is very important and if a child feels safe and secure in the eyes of their teacher, they will feel comfortable coming to their teacher with any problems or concerns they may have. After observing, I saw that some students felt more comfortable with my host teacher, than their own general education teacher and it made me realize that children want to be nurtured, and feel safe, and that is what I intend on implementing in my classroom.

I feel that blogging is a great way to begin my path to becoming a teacher, because within this blog I can share my thoughts, concerns, experiences, and follow peers within my class. Positive feedback is important because it implements a sense of good feeling and this blog will allow that to happen. I also think this blog can spark new ideas for different teaching methods, which is very important

Obama Appoints Shakira to Education Commission

After reading the article Obama appoints Shakira to education commission, I was shocked to know that the singer that we have all known for her music, has contributed so much to the educational system of children in Colombia, South Africa, and Haiti. The article stated facts such that "there are more than 11 million Hispanic students in America's public elementary and secondary schools, or more than 22 percent of all pre-K-12 students. Yet according to the White House, only about half of all Hispanic students earn their high school diploma on time". Hearing something such as this is alarming because everyone deserves an education, but there is clearly something along the lines that is discouraging these students from completing their education. I think it is wonderful that someone such as Shakira is doing something to help the cause.

Shakria has been awarded for many things, such as her songs, dances, and record producing, but it was new to see and read that she also founded the Barefoot Foundation in 1995, which operates schools and educational projects, as well as feeds and educates 6,000 children. She has also been apart of distributing educational and developmental programs for children across Latin America by partnering with World Bank and the Barefoot Foundation.


I think it is great that a celebrity, such as Shakira has put some of her focus on the educational system of those less fortunate, and if more celebrities got involved in this support system, many more children would probably be granted the chance to gain an education. I think it is a humble and noble contribution on her part, and with help from more people like her, as well as more people within the government system, education can become a part of every child's life across the world.



Obama Appoints Shakria to Education Commission

Observing Experience

This Friday I had my first encounter observing at the elementary school. At first I was rather nervous about what to expect, but once I got settled in with my host teacher, I enjoyed walking around and following her. My host teacher is a Special Education teacher who spends her day popping into a 4th and 5th grade classroom, to assist the general education teacher, as well as the students who are having trouble in the class. My host teacher has a select few children who she takes out of the room for testing, reads to them, and creates work sheets that allows the students to better understand material that is hard for them. I enjoyed seeing how different students work during the day, and how different accommodations do make a difference. I also thought it was very helpful to see how the students go about their day, as well as seeing those children with behavioral issues deal with their emotions. One child in the 4th grade classroom experienced a meltdown in which consisted of tossing a book and excluding himself from the group activity. It was helpful to see how my host teacher went about making situations like that calm and better for the student, and everyone else in the classroom, including the general education teacher. I wonder whats in store for me next week!

Observing

Last week I was meant to have my first encounter with observing, but to my dismay my teacher was not going to be in, so he skipped a week and was expecting me to come this upcoming Friday. Over the weekend, I was told that I would have to switch my host teacher and begin with a different one. Although I am going along with a new host teacher, I am still very excited to observe this week! I have never been put in a classroom setting to observe a student's class day, and I am very much looking forward to putting all that I've learned this semester to use! I hope to do well in the classroom and hope the students enjoy my time with them.