Exploring the WWW with young learners

This weeks discussion really lead me to think about using the world wide web with young learners. And by young learners I am speaking of primary elementary students- grades K-3. There are so many amazing resources out there, as we have explored throughout this course, however it is difficult to manage these resources with young students who are just learning the ropes of using a computer and the internet. In our conference this week, there were many great points made about the authenticity of a website and making sure that its content was appropriate and acceptable for students. However, students in the lower elementary grades do not even know those words, let alone how to judge if a website contains such material. I think that, as a teacher of a lower grade, we need to be very conscientious of our decision to put students on the web. There have been many times in my teaching career where I find a great website or resource and stick in on the computer for my students without fully exploring it. I then look over during math centers to find my students on a random web page playing a game that has no tie to our subject area. With a few clicks of the mouse the students were lead astray, and don't even realize it.

Unfortunately I think the only way around this is through very clear and explicit lessons about how to use websites with the students. I go through each game or computer site with my students before I put them on it now, and show them exactly where to click and how to click to get them from place to place. We go over the back button and how to get back "home" so that they don't get too lost. And I try to monitor them or have another adult monitor the computer center whenever they are on it. The best place to start with kindergarteners is through education and exploration. Hopefully that way, by the time they get to the upper grades where they might be doing research or free exploration, they have the background knowledge and experience for how to navigate effectively.

Finding the time...

I hope that this post is appropriate because I am more venting a frustration this week, but it has been on my mind with all of this blog talk....

As I said in my last post, I love using technologies in my classroom. I try to incorporate it whenever I can. Through the masters program, I have learned so many amazing resources that are perfect for the classroom, and I am always trying to figure out how to utilize them with my kindergarteners. However lately I have been feeling a lot of pressure and frustration about when to find the time to fit it all in. For example, I mentioned that I usually do a weekly podcast with my students. Last year this was done every Friday afternoon- this was the one day that we did not have specials and my students usually got "free time" at the end of the day. It was a perfect time to review the week and, while the students were in free choice, 2 kids came over to do the podcast. Well this year we are implementing a new curriculum, and we don't have this free choice time on Friday's. In order to fit my podcast in, I will have to take out some aspect of our regular day. It's such a struggle to find time to do ANYTHING outside of the curriculum. I also wanted to make a video with my kids after we learned the school rules. I was going to take video of them acting out the different rules that we made. But again, when do I find the time to do that? We have no extra time in our day to do these fun activities. I don't mind putting in the work after the school day is over, however I have to spend some time with the kids in class making the videos, and there just isn't the time.

I will continue to make technology integration a priority, but I think until the county realizes that it should be a part of our curriculum and actually gives us the time to be flexible and creative with it, it's going to be very difficult to do. I will always have to "cut out" one subject in order to implement a big technology project. However, I guess I just have to prioritize and decide what is important to me. My kids love it, my parents love it, and I love it - so for now I am going to continue to try and use it as often as possible.

Blogging in the Classroom

After only a few weeks in this class, I have to say that I am truly excited and inspired by what I have learned so far. I have used a blog in my classroom for the past 3 years, however I am learning so much more about how they work and what I can do with them. I think blogs are a great way to communicate information with parents at home. Especially for primary students, the parents are more interested in what is happening everyday in school then anything else. The blog that I have for my class allows me to show the parents exactly that. I can post updates about fun lessons and activities, pictures, and videos to share with families at home. The parents can comment on things that they found interesting or helpful, and the kids even enjoy commenting too. I use the blog instead of a website because there is little information that I feel stays the same in the class- I don't have to post about rules or homework assignments, etc. So the blog allows me to give parents what they want- a window into the class. I love that blogger gives you an opportunity to create multiple pages, which makes the site feel like a website anyways. I'm excited to continue to learn more and see what I can integrate into my own classroom and on my class blog.