I'm done... Now what?

I can't believe it!  It has been a long 18 months in my mind, but I when I really look back and reflect, it has gone pretty quick.  I can't believe all that I have accomplished and what all I have learned from the beginning.  However, as we (educators) know our learning never stops!  Just when you think you know everything something changes and new advances are made. Knowing this, I will look to several people for support and to create my Personal Learning Network.

First, I will continue to collaborate and look to my teammate, and mentor from this practicum, for advice and constant advances in regards to integrating technology into my daily instruction in my classroom.  He has been a great role model and mentor, and I look forward to years to come of working together in this aspect, but more collaboratively. 

I will also continue to look to Kim Benfield, our school's technology instructor.  She is constantly going to trainings and meetings both conducted by the district and through college level courses.  She is completely and totally on top of the new technological advances for curriculum.  She takes her profession seriously is always trying to find new ways to enhance and improve our instruction while integrating technology.

Another guide that I will use in my Personal Learning Network is my district personnel in the Technology department. They have been able to help me incorporate so many different pieces that I never even knew were possible before this experience.  Additionally, they are willing to come out to my school and support me anytime and any day of the week.  I am thankful for this!  I am lucky to be in a district where this is possible.

Three professional experts that I will continue to lean to for support are; Rajan Sheth, the creator of the Chromebook, http://techieclassroom.wordpress.com/ blog, and http://blog.isaacpineda.com/ blog.  I have looked to Rajan quite a bit in my classroom, seeing that I have 75 Chromebooks that we use on a daily basis.  He has been able to do GoogleChats with us and made everything so much easier.  Also, he is willing to help for years to come.  Both blogs I have referenced and used throughout my time on my Master's and therefore, I plan to continue to use them, as they have been really helpful.

Some other resources that I will continue to use as a tool, and support throughout my teaching career is edutopia.org.  This site has had some great articles and tools with technology for 21st Century learning.  I frequently look to this site for new ideas and resources.

The Scholastic website also provides many different technology related resources and allows for many intergration opportunities with their materials.  All of which I have access to in my classroom, so I use the Scholastic website and suggestions with technology almost daily.

My learning is not over!  In fact, it is just beginning.  I look forward to embracing all the changes and new opportunities ahead.

Assessment!  A dreaded word to most students and more importantly to teachers.  Students in this day and age now know that assessment means TEST.  Teachers view assessment as the only objective tool and measure on student growth.  Is it right?  NO!

Unfortunately, teachers have to think this way with the expecations from administrators, performance pay and more.  Teachers require their students to perform at a higher level and standard, so they can simply pass the test or assessment and see whether or not their students are learning.  Student growth and measurement is only determined from data, that is directly correlated with assessments and learning.

Once upon a time teachers could determine student growth and learning from observations and practice that occurred in the classroom.  Anymore that is not sufficient enough and it doesn't matter what the teacher "thinks" but only what the teacher's data "shows."

I believe that teachers who really know their students and are invested in their student learning don't need data all the time (some data of course, but not to the level today).  I can tell you how a student in my class is doing at any given moment from my teacher "gut" but that isn't enough anymore.  My teacher "gut" needs to be backed up with data.  Data from many different forms of tests and assessments.  This is the day we are teaching in, clear and simple.

Visual Literacy and Internet in the Classroom

As I sit here looking at the cute faces of my eight and nine year old students I see one similarity.  They are all 21st Century Learners.  They are the future.  The future will and is revolved around technology but more specifically the Internet.  The internet provides one key element for learning- visuals.  What once teachers had to create to provide a visual can be found through a simple search engine with the use of the Internet.  The Internet should be used consistently and frequently in the classroom.  Teachers need to address and teach the NETS standards, just like they teach every other standard in their classroom.










Visuals are everywhere.  Every place you look you can find a visual of some format.  Visuals are used to help create and sell a product.  Think about all the visual associations that each child makes with fast food restaurants.  Do you know what the golden arches are??  You bet, McDonalds!  What about the red bullseye?  That is Target!  Visuals are associated with many different elements.

I know I use visuals and visual literacy to get my students to understand many different concepts.  I also have my student color coordinate everything to instill it in their brain and remember the color association with a concept.  This is visualization with color memorization.  It works

Not only does visual literacy need to be incorporated in every classroom, but the Internet does too!  It shouldn't be optional.