Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Blog Post Number 11

First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class and Skype Interview with Ms. Cassidy
In Ms. Cassidy's first grade class, the students use a lot of technology. They have blogs, websites, wiki's, and they also use skype to connect to other people. I think the thing that is most useful are the student blogs. This helps them to read and write. The students even said that having the blogs have improved their spelling. They also love that their family members comment on their blogs because this makes them feel like they are doing something right, and every child needs support. To me, blogs are a very interactive way to get the students involved, because they are typing what they want to say and learning how to spell and how to use grammar correctly while doing it.
Another tool that I know I will use is skype. This is a fun way that changes up the everyday routine of classroom procedures. I think it would be really neat to skype with another class who is from somewhere other than the US so that the students could compare what they are learning and also learn from each other.
I'm sure that while being a teacher I will run into some problems with parents. The problem would probably be a parent doesn't want their child to learn technology, they want them to learn the way they learned. If that was to happen, then I would invite them into my classroom for a day so they could see what goes on while their child is at school. I think once they were to see how interactive technology makes the classroom that they wouldn't have a problem with their child learning through technology, instead of just books!

3 comments:

  1. Emily,
    Me being the stereotypical "English teacher" type that I am, I would like to say that I am glad that you acknowledged the development of spelling and grammar as a good reason to implement blogs in your classroom!
    I think it is also imperative that children, in this highly digital age we live in, be given the opportunity to see what's out there. If we have the chance to link them with another part of the world, another culture, in a very real, up close and personal way, how could we not take advantage of that? Skype (and other instruments of technology) allow us to do this! Also, I think we can all expect complaints to arise from parents who see no harm in their child learning the same old school way that they did. These parents need to be turned on to the fact that education is changing for the better, and burying their heads in the sand will only hold their children back! They might need to be eased into it and using Miss Cassidy's class as an example of how you would like to model your classroom might be a great help.
    Great post :)
    Carly

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  2. Blogs and Skype. An excellent pair of tools!

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  3. Lola,
    I also want to use Skype in my classroom with a buddy class! Blogging is great for everything, school use or just writing about your life for others such as family to see. I would not mind using blogging over Facebook. We need a new phase to go through in life and technology! I hope that one day when we get our classrooms we can Skype one day with our students:)

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