Theresa

=Flood's page!=

Week 6 reflections

After reading the article, "Reaching Digital Natives on Their Terms." I sent the Superintendent and the Chief Academic Officer an email full of questions focusing around technology, new teacher's programs and induction, professional workshops for all staff of NASD, etc. I am still waiting for a response. The digital age is what it is all about. Technology is forever changing and we need to keep up with it. We have not had extensive trainings on the sites you have introduced to us. after going through the sites, I feel like I have missed out on programs that my students and peers could really benefit from. I did not know how much there was available to us today. This class has truly opened my eyes and many doors that will bring learning to life in my classroom. As a leader, I need not only to know these programs, but be able to use them. When you are excited about teaching, students follow. When you are excited about technology, teachers will jump on board!

Interesting statement: "digital divide" "learning divide" and steering away from the "sole guide" Educate to Innovate: where is the funding? I agree with "teachers teach the way they were taught themselves" I broke away from that, many teachers are stuck there/complacent "old-time professors" do we blame them like the state blames teachers and the NCLB issues???? Like: building partnerships with colleges Like: technology training every month Not so keen on giving every shild a laptop as much as providing every child with equitable time on learning programs... Agree with "...digital environment builds on the interests and needs of students "putting students in the driver's seat" I agree with teaching without using textbooks, but using them as supplemental resources to the lessons. Not a PRIMARY tool. I absolutely agree that we are doing what we did 30 years ago. Even though we have the technology in the classrooms, I do not feel that we have received the right training, on-going training, that we need to truly understand and effectively use technology in and out of the classroom. I know that I need more training...

The best way to help my faculty select and evaluate Web 2.0 resources that supports their curriculum objectives, while integrating technology, is through professional development trainings, FLEX workshops, inservice days, Common Planning Times, and early dismissals. The trainings would need to be consecutive and be done by content areas so that teachers could work together using their curriculum to design developmentally appropriate lessons, be able to reflect on the lessons, and create/update more lessons integrating the technology. It is important for a leader to understand this technology in order to promote its use. Just as it is important to know your content in order to teach it. Teachers would be more willing to use technology if they see their leaders using it and modeling it. The most critical aspect to using technology in the classroom is giving the teachers ample time to learn the programs, evaluate the programs, and receive on-going trainings.

Week 5 presentation!

Week 4 reflections Part III and Part IV

I would say that reading these last two sections of the text was very dismal. To think these are our average schools that are not implementing technology properly due to administrative and budget problems. The reoccurring theme that I hear from the administrators and staff is time and space. We all know from our own experiences that we are not given enough time to go through software programs that are supplied with our curriculum or receive proper training on new technology and equipment. The district puts demands on the teachers to use certain software programs or technology and we either can’t access it or have no idea how to work it. We are left to figure it out on our own. Some teachers were completely frustrated and many were not even interested in implementing technology into the curriculum due to the high stakes testing and reaching proficiency.

Many of the classroom teachers used the computer programs as fillers. I laughed when the students of an AP English class were giving power point presentations and there was a hush whisper of “cut and paste.” That is all the presentations were with the exception of one. Reading through these two sections made me a little weary of how technology is currently being used in the classrooms and how it should be used in the classrooms. I would have to agree that technology courses should be a 90 minute block versus a 45 minute period to effectively teach skills students need. I also agree that it should be cross-curricular in all content areas so there is more substance and less glamour and glitz. “Students must be taught with structure, care, and abundant opportunity for practice.”

On-line Mentors Phonics programs Designating a certain number of computers to go home with families throughout the year Release time during the school day for technology workshops Videoconferencing: **I used SKYPE for the first time this weekend to talk to a friend in Iraq. It was an incredible experience** Authorization Policies for Parents and Students! Using digital camera and pictures for writing prompts Creating Video streaming/educational broadcasts, modeling parenting skills and demonstrating ways for parents to help their children, for parent viewing and trainings.
 * __ IDEAS: __**

Teacher: “This is Serena’s second day. She can’t read and speaks very little English. Just let her look at the pictures.” Serena: Opens her book and looks at me with a shy smile. Then she starts to read, aloud and in English.
 * __ Sad, but Funny: __**

“We can’t be complacent if we are going to teach them to live in the 21st century.” “Whatever technologies value, though, it will never replace good teaching.” Mac vs PC???? “…computers have negligible impact on measured student performance.” “I’m the center, not a facilitator” - Are we not supposed to be more of a facilitator and creating student centered classrooms? “Technology is something you can’t ignore.” New Teachers- they are more focused on the content and classroom management. Technology is not of importance. It is the experienced teachers who know the students and the content that can effectively implement technology into the content.
 * __ Points to Ponder: __**

Federal State Grant writing is a necessity! Creating community business partners who are invested in education
 * __ Funding: __**

//Theresa,

So glad to hear that this class is "making your wheels turn" and that you are thinking about why we do what we do. I need to remind myself often that the available technology, however powerful, must be purposeful and must make our lives easier. That is not to say less rigorous, but streamlined enough so that it does not create even more work for us. Technology can and should be selected and implemented to make our work life easier and better. I liked your comment about defraying costs through partnerships. The tax deductions alone could be enough motivation for businesses to get involved.

Fitting it all in to 40 minute periods is challenging, but not impossible. Like they preach in differentiated instruction research...start small. Pick one or two ways that you can intergrate technology effectively and consistently, then scaffold from there. Perhaps it is a wikispace, or collaborative writing pieces using google docs, or starting a class blog. So many options, so little time!

David//

Weekly Reflection #3

Well I must begin by saying that I could not relate to the schools in this section of the book. I teach in a title 1 district where we rely heavily on federal funding, opposite of the schools in this text. These students are not at risk of failing the state assessments, there classroom sizes are small, their faculties are stable, there are strong support services available to students, and the district leaders saw themselves as supports for teachers and building-level administrations, not as their adversaries. I wish that I knew what that was like! What I can relate to is that we are leading in the technology evolution. Our middle school classrooms are smart rooms! Do all teachers use it? Are we using it for our benefit or to facilitate the learning in the classroom to be student centered? I believe it is based on the views of the individual teacher and how comfortable they are in implementing something new.

We had a very good discussion in class last week on using technology in the classroom and whether we are using it effectively and meeting the needs of all the students that walk through our classroom doors. The comment that sparked me was, “Young teachers, don’t know how to integrate technology into the curriculum. Teachers with 25 to 30 years’ experience often resist, and then embrace it.” This is a point that I was trying to make during our debate. It wasn’t accepted widely, but supported here in the text. I agree with this statement.

All of the schools were interested in transforming their districts and interested in the link between technology and performance growth of students. All I here is data, data, data. We are trying to save administrators and teacher’s time by finding new advanced tools to pull student data from; however, training is always an issue and teachers are left to figure it out on their own. When we have it figured out, they change the program. Is it beneficial? I would have to agree that it is. I can pull up so much information on individual students, but do I use the information appropriately?

Who would have thought that a stuffed animal, those that we collect for every holiday, could be recycled and used as a classroom management tool and to clean off computers. I got a great idea from reading this! I also liked the models of the combined content areas of the western Hills School District. I could see that working in our district as co-teachers. After all we are all teachers of reading and writing.

One thing is for sure, students love technology and become engaged if using the right programs and are guided through learning. I am also curious as to what would be the best arrangement for placement of computers in a classroom so that students can see you and you can see their screens.

What I think that districts should spend more time doing to defray the costs of advancing technology is to build industry and community partnerships. Bring them into the buildings and let them see what technology can do for students and teachers, and how it can foster student performance. Businesses are willing to donate and invest in schools especially if they are tax-deductible contributions.

I am really enjoying reading this book based on observations. I am able to relate and get some really good ideas on what to do and what not to do! I am not doing enough! I can say that I have gotten my feet wet, but there is so much to learn and so much I could be doing. I also have the fear of letting go of some of that control/power in the classroom. I am using laptops in literacy cents (reading their text-book on-line, or audio for students who struggle, watching united streaming videos, leveled readers on-line, and a compass odyssey program), smart board lessons for every unit with graphic organizers, vocabulary games, picture matching, and so many other hands-on activities, I project digital videos for units and mini lessons, work word processing skills in my enrichment classes, etc. What I would like to do is teach research skills (but with six classes a day and only one computer lab, I cannot get in. I would like to use a wikispace program for my advanced class, and have students create power point presentations either building background knowledge or eliciting prior knowledge at the beginning of a lesson and to end a lesson as a culminating activity. I only have 40-minute periods so I am not sure how to do all of this. This class is making my wheels turn, but I do not know how to fit all of this in to my classes.

Weekly Reflection #2 This was a smooth read with real life scenarios. What I enjoyed was reading a book based on the author’s viewpoint based on interviews, discussions, knowledge, and observation. Most of the schools in the book resembled that of Norristown. I believe that the Harriet Tubman School may be using the program that we have just implemented for our below and below basic students. All 5 schools are trying to make the best use of technology to best serve low-income and low-performing students. What stood out for me? St. Mary’s

Harriet Tubman Longworth High School
 * Developed Technology Plan
 * New teachers, new technological era
 * “Committed to technology”
 * “Problem for them” Why not two level classes at the high school?
 * Each child has a folder- differentiated J
 * Cross-curricular team project
 * Critical thinking is really essential
 * Classroom computers were not being used!
 * Leadership is essential
 * Teachers need a sense of ownership, as do our students
 * Reading is our number one priority
 * Computer-based reading program
 * Impacts budgets
 * Three years end- only a handful of the students are still enrolled (validity of program is difficult to measure)
 * Individual attention
 * Centers and differentiated learning
 * Engagement
 * Success
 * Microphone/recorded voice
 * Teach and monitor progress
 * Reading is key to future success
 * Parents are hooked
 * Reading motivation
 * Data analysis
 * Building communities
 * Technology magnet school
 * Oracle programming
 * Students didn’t have computer at home

Washington-Connors Mitchell
 * Computers in classrooms sat unused
 * Community College used labs and benefited students for H.S. and College credit
 * Federal Grants!
 * Increased measured performance
 * Authorized Use Policy!
 * Student centered AP Biology class J
 * Everyone here will succeed
 * Corporate concepts have seeped into education
 * Not enough time to evaluate, learn about, use software
 * Professional Development a must
 * Limited exposure at inservice workshops
 * “shift away from the computer’s role as teaching machine and towards its role as information source, productivity tool, and data processor.”
 * Fall of industrial center
 * Veteran school administrator
 * Low teacher and student turnover
 * Nothing replaces a good teacher who cares about kids
 * Faculty helped design building
 * Outdoor science classes
 * Sculptures and visiting artist
 * Books!
 * Teachers attended the schools as children
 * Data
 * God???
 * Auditory support program J
 * Teachers are important as the software; they have to understand the programs
 * Technology plan and equipment
 * Immediate results for students
 * Labs
 * Administrator doesn’t know how to use the data
 * Pride, energy, data
 * District policy
 * 100% free reduced-cost lunches
 * 20% Special Education
 * 150 IEPs a year
 * Supported reading instruction program
 * Engagement
 * Management system
 * Not all computers are being used in the labs (why not put them in classrooms)
 * Every minute counts
 * “The school is the only way out for most of the kids here”
 * Do not believe in welfare, wow!
 * Computer technology offers greatest support to students at the low end of the performance curve
 * “Program does not work itself…remove any, and the equation just wouldn’t have balanced.”

Weekly Reflection #1:

Even though the school board has voted unanimously to furlough 38 employees, repairs need to be made to buildings, and they are claiming that there is no funding for healthcare, the school district is spending enormous sums of money to make each classroom a smart room, wiring schools, purchasing and maintaining technology and software, and training teachers. The training; however, is not intensive and not followed up with additional training. Teachers are basically introduced to a program and expected to use it properly. Our Professional Development is not what it could be.

Recent research does support that technology really makes a difference in how much and quickly students learn. The use of educational technology can lead directly to significant gains in K-6 students’ reading, math, and language skills. Our district currently purchased a program called Read 180 which its largest component is a software program students navigate through based on reading abilities and performance.

According to NETS our district is keeping up with the digital world and our students, with the guidance of educators, are doing the following: -collaborating and discussing ideas, possible solutions -project-based learning, real world context -connecting with other students around the world -immersing students in a learning experience that allows them to solve problems, gain higher-order thinking skills, etc.

What we need to focus on is Digital Citizenship. Every day many students are spending countless hours immersed in popular technologies such as; facebook, MySpace, and Sim City. Social Networking, Digital Gaming, and Simulations should be looked at closely, deeper, to look at what’s actually going on. These technologies are more than just entertainment, they are impacting the way we think, learn, and interact. They have shaped the new ways in which people are communicating, collaborating, operating, and forming social constructs. Technologies are shaping the way we think, work, and live.

What also needs to be addressed is Digital Citizenship for educators. We have limited free speech as government employees and educators should revisit what they are posting on social networking sights. We have had teachers fired in Montgomery County for pictures and comments made on these sites. In the classroom, teachers need to remember that the computer belongs to the district and they may access it at anytime. Policies are now being addressed and rewritten for districts making teachers more accountable for how they use technology in their classrooms.

As administrators, we should be reaching out to community partners, writing grants, and providing professional development to maximize the use of technologies/digital-age resources, in our buildings, to enhance student learning.

What our district is doing right: -creating smart classrooms -computer labs in each school -professional development (although not as intense as it should be) -designing digital citizenship policies for students, parents, and staff -laptop carts in building (although there are not enough for a full class and repairs are constantly needed) -ensuring that all teachers are infusing technology into their classrooms for engagement and to meet the needs of the learners media type="custom" key="5598499"