Throughout this degree program, I have learning about all of these exciting programs and/or online systems to use in my classroom. The conflict I am currently facing is what to use that will best fit my students? At my district, we are learning a lot about new technologies and what it is new that can help students better learn the material. However with all of the information on what is new and always changing, I do not want to become a teacher who constantly switches between programs. I don't think it is an issue of always wanting the newest/best option, it is more about settling down with one choice and I have not found that one system yet that does everyone I want it to do. Should I lower my expectations and realize that every piece of technology has its limitations? Given that technology is so advanced and in a constant state of flux, I don't believe I should sacrifice my high expectations. I expect the best out of my students and I hope that my students expect the best from me.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Reflection on strategies this week
It's funny, but I have been thinking about this post for a while now and have discovered that I recall much easier the lessons that have gone bad compared to those that have gone well. Is that unusual? I find myself evaluating why a specific lesson had gone badly and reflected on how to make improvements. However when I think back to lessons that have gone well, I guess I did not make the mental reflection or spent time thinking about it again because it went well.
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I found that it was best to pick one or two new applications/tools at a time and work with them to get a feel for all that was possible for the kids with each. As the kids get more advanced, I added more that I found and that they had found. One tool that really helped me was Diigo - the site offers a sign-up to get daily education updates on different web 2.0 tools. I have found so many tools and how to use them just from getting a daily update. I am just over a year in to adding technology applications to my classes, and I have quite a repertoire now. Don't wait for one app to do everything: find some that will do some of the work and then let the kids help you find other tools.
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteIt is not unusual to remember the "lessons gone wrong" more readily than those gone right. I think it would be very unusual in the reverse. I definitely remember more vividly the big mistakes I have made in my life rather than the little ones. You learn more from a "big mistake". I can recall like it was yesterday, the day I was trying to teach my students that the plural form of radius is radii and focus is foci. I used the examples of deer and deer and beer and beers, then I got a little crazy and told my students an erroneous plural form for octopus...
I'll never forget the look on my students faces after that one!