A Story from the Classroom: The Promethean Experience
If you visit our classroom you will see something that looks like a big, white, dry erase board, but bring a marker anywhere near that board and get ready for a lecture from a five or six year old. They will tell you that the big, white, board on wheels is a very expensive, state-of-the-art piece of equipment that is called a Promethean board. They will also tell you that you can only use it with a 'magic pen' that makes learning a very fun experience. Most importantly, they will show you that they "CAN" use it.
At the begining of the week, I will introduce one or two lessons on the Promethean board that correlate to our theme of study for the week. The purpose of the whole group demonstration is for the children to be exposed to the skill as either a new concept or a review of something they have already learned. After I explain the lesson, the children always look forward to interacting with the board on their own.
During literacy center time, the children have access in a small group to go through the lesson on their own and at their own pace. I usually view from a distance what they are capable of doing with great amazement. They have access to the Promethean board in groups of four to five students, and each student has an opportunity to use the board at least two or three times a week.
Collaboration and communication between the children is at its best during the times they use the board. Only one child at a time can use the "magic pen", but the other children watch the user intently and offer advice when needed. What one student does not know, another usually picked up during my lesson and is able to relate it in "kid terms" to the user. In a sense, they are teaching one another and learning together. The motivation to learn is infectious and truly an amazing sight.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Document Camera
A Story from the Classroom: The Document Camera
A few weeks ago, we received a document camera to use in our classroom. As with the Promethean board, we use the camera one week of the month as we share it with three other kindergarten classes.
The document camera is a piece of technology equipment that projects any image that is placed under its lens on to a board or wall. It is a great tool to use for demonstrations or even to show something small up close to the entire class. While working on a writing activity, I picked up a student's writing piece and placed it under the document camera. I directed the attention of the other students to the paper under the lens and pointed out how nicely the writer had used spacing between words. In a matter of minutes everyone was remembering to space between words and I was placing paper after paper under the lens for the entire class to see. Seeing their work recognized under the lens was a wonderful motivator for all students and once again I was amazed by the power that the effective use of technology can have on learning.
That demonstration proved to be such a positive experience that I decided to open the "document camera" as a literacy center one day. I placed several books in a bin by the camera and told the students that they could place the books under the lens and read the projected books to their friends. I sat back and watched in amazement once again as my digital natives enjoyed this experience all while practicing their reading skills.
One of my students who up to that time had shown little interest in books and reading placed a book under the lens and began reading the book to his classmates. When he got stuck on a word, the other children did not jump in and tell him the word, but instead sounded just like me and reminded him to look at the first letter and get his mouth ready for the sound and look at the picture for a clue. As he finished, the look of pride and accomplishment in his little face brought tears of joy to my eyes. He took his book from under the lens and ran to me to tell me that he loves to read and he loves the books. He asked if he could take the book and camera home to read the book to his mom and dad. I told him that I was sure that now that he could read, that he could read with and without the camera. He sat at his table and read the book once more to himself. This time without the camera and then asked once more if he could take the book home. He skipped all the way to his backpack as he put it away with a new level of confidence that has made all the difference in not only this particular student's reading, but writing confidence as well.
A few weeks ago, we received a document camera to use in our classroom. As with the Promethean board, we use the camera one week of the month as we share it with three other kindergarten classes.
The document camera is a piece of technology equipment that projects any image that is placed under its lens on to a board or wall. It is a great tool to use for demonstrations or even to show something small up close to the entire class. While working on a writing activity, I picked up a student's writing piece and placed it under the document camera. I directed the attention of the other students to the paper under the lens and pointed out how nicely the writer had used spacing between words. In a matter of minutes everyone was remembering to space between words and I was placing paper after paper under the lens for the entire class to see. Seeing their work recognized under the lens was a wonderful motivator for all students and once again I was amazed by the power that the effective use of technology can have on learning.
That demonstration proved to be such a positive experience that I decided to open the "document camera" as a literacy center one day. I placed several books in a bin by the camera and told the students that they could place the books under the lens and read the projected books to their friends. I sat back and watched in amazement once again as my digital natives enjoyed this experience all while practicing their reading skills.
One of my students who up to that time had shown little interest in books and reading placed a book under the lens and began reading the book to his classmates. When he got stuck on a word, the other children did not jump in and tell him the word, but instead sounded just like me and reminded him to look at the first letter and get his mouth ready for the sound and look at the picture for a clue. As he finished, the look of pride and accomplishment in his little face brought tears of joy to my eyes. He took his book from under the lens and ran to me to tell me that he loves to read and he loves the books. He asked if he could take the book and camera home to read the book to his mom and dad. I told him that I was sure that now that he could read, that he could read with and without the camera. He sat at his table and read the book once more to himself. This time without the camera and then asked once more if he could take the book home. He skipped all the way to his backpack as he put it away with a new level of confidence that has made all the difference in not only this particular student's reading, but writing confidence as well.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Technology and the Digital Natives
Today's kindergarten students were born into a technological world.
Technology savvy children, are as comfortable with technology as they are with building with Legos. They have been referred to as the "N generation" or the "D generation". Why these names? The "N" is for "net", while the "D" stands for "digital." However, my favorite term for my young students is what educational author and speaker, Marc Prensky, refers to as "Digital Natives."
My digital natives are fearless when it comes to using a computer, a Promethean board, or projector. They value the experience when using technology tools and are very focused on what they are learning.
They were born to a world of buttons and clicks which allow them and their significant adults quick access to entertainment, communication, and learning.
In our classroom we use technology to teach and reinforce new skills. I develop lessons that integrate the use of technology and allow the children to interact with the technology on their own to discover and reinforce their own learning.
Please share with me how your "digital native" uses technology at home and what he/she has to say about using technology at school.
Technology savvy children, are as comfortable with technology as they are with building with Legos. They have been referred to as the "N generation" or the "D generation". Why these names? The "N" is for "net", while the "D" stands for "digital." However, my favorite term for my young students is what educational author and speaker, Marc Prensky, refers to as "Digital Natives."
My digital natives are fearless when it comes to using a computer, a Promethean board, or projector. They value the experience when using technology tools and are very focused on what they are learning.
They were born to a world of buttons and clicks which allow them and their significant adults quick access to entertainment, communication, and learning.
In our classroom we use technology to teach and reinforce new skills. I develop lessons that integrate the use of technology and allow the children to interact with the technology on their own to discover and reinforce their own learning.
Please share with me how your "digital native" uses technology at home and what he/she has to say about using technology at school.
Mrs. McNally's Story
I began toying with the idea of working on a Ph.D. about five years ago, but decided to pursue National Board Teaching certification first as the process would range from one to three years at most. After two years of documenting and analyzing my teaching, I achieved National Board Certification in December of 2006 and soon began thinking about continuing my education once again. I thought about a Ph.D. with a concentration on educational leadership. It seemed like a logical step for me to continue my education and move on to maybe someday becoming a school principal. However, my heart just was not into being an administrator. As a principal I figured I would have to focus on different areas which do not always involve teaching, such as budgeting. Yuck! I think I was born to teach and that is where my heart lies.
In November of 2007 I began teaching for American Military University/American Public University as an adjunct instructor. Talk about extremes! I was not sure if teaching college would be something that I would enjoy or even do well. I knew that if I did not enjoy it or was passionate about it, I would not do well and would not want to continue. After all, I had been teaching young children for so many years of my adult life. However, I quickly discovered that I looked forward to coming home and interacting with my adult learners just as much as I looked forward to going to see my kindergarteners each day.
My passion for teaching my little and big people led me to pursue a Ph.D. with a concentration on e-Learning and Educational Technology. I found a program of study at Northcentral University (online) which allows me to apply what I am learning with both my child and adult learners. With two jobs that I love, and which keep me very busy (I am currently an Assistant Professor and working full time for AMU/APU), I can only take one Ph.D. class at a time, except during the summer months. Time management, organization, and prioritazing have become a way of life. I never knew I could be so disciplined, but when you love what you do, like I do, you find a way to make it work. I even find a way to bowl in a league with my mom every Wednesday night and I also travel as much as I can (one of the perks of working and studying online and having a day job with many days off and long summers).
I love to learn and love to share with both my little and big students that I, just like them, am a student. Learning can be challenging at times, but the gift of education opens up endless doors. It has for me! I feel blessed to have the opportunity to share what I learn with others and hopefully make a difference in the lives of the people I teach.
As a student, one of my assignments is a creation of a blog, so here is my first attempt at communicating inforrmation about how technology is being used in the classroom through the use of a blog. I hope that parents of my students, parents who are friends, and teaching partners enjoy the stories of how technology has impacted my teaching and how it impacts my students directly. Through this blog I hope to accomplish communication about technology use in an educational environment and share my excitement with what educational technology has to offer today's generation of students.
Heidi McNally
In November of 2007 I began teaching for American Military University/American Public University as an adjunct instructor. Talk about extremes! I was not sure if teaching college would be something that I would enjoy or even do well. I knew that if I did not enjoy it or was passionate about it, I would not do well and would not want to continue. After all, I had been teaching young children for so many years of my adult life. However, I quickly discovered that I looked forward to coming home and interacting with my adult learners just as much as I looked forward to going to see my kindergarteners each day.
My passion for teaching my little and big people led me to pursue a Ph.D. with a concentration on e-Learning and Educational Technology. I found a program of study at Northcentral University (online) which allows me to apply what I am learning with both my child and adult learners. With two jobs that I love, and which keep me very busy (I am currently an Assistant Professor and working full time for AMU/APU), I can only take one Ph.D. class at a time, except during the summer months. Time management, organization, and prioritazing have become a way of life. I never knew I could be so disciplined, but when you love what you do, like I do, you find a way to make it work. I even find a way to bowl in a league with my mom every Wednesday night and I also travel as much as I can (one of the perks of working and studying online and having a day job with many days off and long summers).
I love to learn and love to share with both my little and big students that I, just like them, am a student. Learning can be challenging at times, but the gift of education opens up endless doors. It has for me! I feel blessed to have the opportunity to share what I learn with others and hopefully make a difference in the lives of the people I teach.
As a student, one of my assignments is a creation of a blog, so here is my first attempt at communicating inforrmation about how technology is being used in the classroom through the use of a blog. I hope that parents of my students, parents who are friends, and teaching partners enjoy the stories of how technology has impacted my teaching and how it impacts my students directly. Through this blog I hope to accomplish communication about technology use in an educational environment and share my excitement with what educational technology has to offer today's generation of students.
Heidi McNally
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
