Blog Assignment 11

Little Kids... Big Potential

In Ms. Cassidy's video, she introduces to the viewer her first grade class and how they use technology to learn in their classroom. I think it is remarkable that these first graders are using the same technology that I am learning to use right now. Even though it is used on a simpler level and with facilitation of Ms. Cassidy, they seem to be very knowledgable and interested in what they are learning. It is also very impressive that they are aware that they learning and are still excited to do the work.

I used to be concerned that, once I began to teach, I would be limited in the technologies that I could introduce to my students because of their age but Ms. Cassidy has shown me through this video that even at the young ages of 6-7, students are able to understand and appreciate technology used for learning. I fully intend to use technology to educate my students because technology exposes students to any information they want/need but it also exposes them to different cultures. To show them that technology is not simply for entertainment, is to provoke a curiosity in what else they can do with technology. I love what I am learning and hope that my students share my excitement for it when I introduce it to them.


Interview with Mrs. Cassidy
Mrs. Cassidy shares some of the techniques that she uses to teach with technology in her first grade classroom through this interview. She started using computers in her classroom around the year 2000 when her classroom was given five computers. Mrs. Cassidy took the initiative to learn how to make web pages to incorporate in her classroom, which lead to blogging, wikis and videos. One of the benefits of the techniques that Mrs. Cassidy uses in her classroom is the students are much more engaged and excited to learn. Mrs. Cassidy says in this interview that this is because students do not have to "power down" when they come to school.She also mentions that both the student and educator are handicapped when they are not able to use the technologies that are part of their everyday life. Another benefit is that the parents are able to follow the progress of their children throughout the school year with their blogs.

I will definitely use Mrs. Cassidy's blogging, video and web page techniques with my students. Blogging is a great way to keep track of and record lessons taught throughout the school year(which is good for my students, their parents and myself). Also, I believe that having students work on their own blogs increases their confidence in their work and also their motivation to do a good job. When students receive comments on their blogs because their work has been seen and shared, they become more involved and excited. I do expect, just as Mrs. Cassidy suggested, that some parents and administrators will be opposed to exposing the students to the Internet. To address this problem, I plan on sending home a letter explaining exactly how I intend to teach the students and that I will not provide personal information like last names or a picture with a first name attached(just as Mrs. Cassidy did). In addition to the letter home to the parents, I will invite the parents and administrators to a meeting or presentation to discuss what the children will be working on. I will show examples of the work that the students will do and hopefully by showing the parents and administrators that I have a plan and that I have considered the dangers and how to avoid them that they will feel more at ease with what I intend to teach to the students.