Class overview

The last 8 weeks has come and gone!  I am now finished with Technology to Enhance literacy for my MET degree.  It was an experience where I got to create a digital story from beginning to end and also create an info graphic to use in my classroom. 

 I now feel like I can assign a digital story and understand all of the work that goes into making one.  I am not sure that I will use all of the steps that I used in this class, but some of them were very important.  

The main assignment that I enjoyed working on was the info graphic.  I never have done this kind of assignment and enjoyed working with Piktochart!  I love the endless possibilities that I can create with this program. 

I also got to get back to blog writing! Something that I like to do and also read, but yet cannot get to until I am doing a class that requires it.  Hopefully it is something that I can find time to keep doing!

So until we meet again blog!! 

Infographic

I made my info graphic something that I could use on a daily basis in the early childhood setting. I used Piktochart to create.  
 I am very excited to start using this with my kiddos once we get started through all the program changes.  Here it is:

Digital Story

I choose to do my digital story about our family vacation 2013.  This vacation holds such fond memories and I cannot share enough about it.  Enjoy!

the writing process and digital storytelling

Digital storytelling is a technological way to involve the writing process.  I believe that the brainstorming web you do for writing is just done in a different way on the computer.  Then you take that web and create a script or a rough draft.  Once the rough draft, or rough script, is complete, you then edit with either a peer or a teacher. After the edits are finished, you need to think about a final product, or a published piece.  
I believe that students will enjoy digital storytelling because it takes different route besides paper and pencil writing.  Most students are so uncomfortable with their writing skills that just sitting down with a paper and pencil to write something seems so overwhelming to them.  Yet, if you tell your students that we are going to create a digital storytelling unit--- WOW!!! They don't seem to uncomfortable anymore!!!  Computers---- yeah they can do that!!!

I have enjoyed learning about the digital storytelling piece.  I am just like those kids that do not like to sit down and write a story with a pencil and paper.  But tell me to create something on the computer with pictures, songs and more!! How exciting is that?!?!?!?   

What do you think of the digital storytelling unit??

Classroom website

3.  Many teachers have a classroom website with varying levels of success.  How have you made your classroom website more useful to students, families, and other educators?  What gaps still remain?


I currently have a Early childhood Center website that I maintain for the whole center. We just started using the website this past school year.  I would say that at the current level, we have had beginning success with the website.  We have current news for parents to see at any time.  This is good in case parent have forgotten important dates or information that they need to know.

  Another factor that is huge for parents and families is the weekly newsletter.  I upload the current newsletter every Friday for the following week.  This has been very helpful for families who are split or parents who are divorced.  Sometimes it is hard to get school information to those family members who do not transport to school or even live out of town.  This has been something very huge for us.  In the past, we have had to mail school information to parents and now we can just direct them to our website.  
The website is still not being used by students.  But there are links for parents to get on for students to practice skills.  

I would like there to be more communication between parents and families between each other.  I have currently downloaded a chat piece to the website for that reason.  I just did that this summer so hopefully I will see some growth with that this next school year.
  
What kinds of things do you use your website for in an Early childhood center?

Tiger Cubs Early Childhood Center website

Incorporating literacy

Incorporating literacy into the early childhood classroom, is just like making sure that your PB & J has peanut butter.  Literacy is all around the early childhood classroom.  We live and breath literacy every minute of every day!  From as many read-a-louds that we can fit into a day, to a reading center, to teaching those beginning reading skills, that is what our day consists of!  Math, science, and social studies, all get taught in our building through literacy!  

I feel like most teachers have to find a fun and exciting way to introduce something new.  Yet, literacy is the only way that has already been created for you by an author to do that exact thing.

During circle time, we incorporate literacy by reading books.  We encourage students to bring in their favorite books when they are star of the week.  We want to instill the love of reading in their little hearts.  Just as it was done to the teachers in our building, many years ago.  Math is focused off of books that incorporate numbers and number sense.  All three teachers in our building plan our themes around literacy!  Then we build from there!!  Literacy is our peanut butter to our sandwich!  It's the foundation to our program!  

What do you consider the foundation to your program?

Wiki review

When I began my search for a wiki, I started out with early childhood wiki pages.  I didn't come across any, so I changed my search to the next best thing- kindergarten wiki pages.  I found this one- http://riverdalekindergarten.wikispaces.com/.  I began exploring the pages and soon discovered that this isn't what I was looking for, but thought it would give a good review.  I found that this is more of a bookmarking site that are organized into themes that different teachers in the district could use.  This didn't really serve a instructional purpose, besides linking to activities on each theme.  I believe that they could use Diigo or some other bookmarking site that would help these educators use a wiki more for instruction rather than bookmarking sites.

So I continued my search.... and come across nothing for kindergarten that was instructional focused.  So I changed my search to a 1st grade wiki page.  I was really searching for something instruction for the students and not just a communication tool for parents or other teachers.  So I found this wiki http://commoncoretasks.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/First+Grade+Tasks .  This is a math wiki, but the students have to write their answers to further explain their understanding.  This is a way that students can not only strengthen their math skills, but also their writing skills.  I really thought this documentation was great to see what tasks the children have completed throughout the year.  I think this wiki is great!  And I saw that they also have kindergarten and second grade as well.   

Have you found any wiki pages for early childhood?

Week 2- Tech in the EC classroom

Technology in the Early childhood classroom has a different feel and look than typical classroom settings.   We have a SMARTboard and iPads to use in our center.  Since the children are much younger (ages 3-5),  we have yet to expand on much more than this technology.  

I would like to become more technologically savvy with parents.  I would like to start a blog for parents to use and communicate with.  This would allow for extra events communication that would be something more than just a newsletter.  Parents would be seeing what we do in our center with pictures as well.  This might help strengthen that home-school connection. 

 I would also like to do a blog for other teachers to use.  I follow several blogs that give great advice and ideas that I incorporate into my classroom.  There is no reason to re-invent the wheel.  I have been getting and now it needs to be my turn at giving back too.  

We send out a survey to parents after 1st quarter and at the end of the school year for feedback.  This would be another way that we could get these results but in a different way.  We could post the survey online and also have weekly feedback from parents about our center.  

Early childhood centers are not only based on children, but also families.  Technology needs to not only be focused on the students but also on the families.  

Are you an early educator?  What kinds of ways do you use technology with students and families?

EDET 573 week 1 blog

Back to the blogging world for me!  I really enjoy blogging and reading others blogs, but for some reason..... I don't ever have time!  So let's try again!!!  
I am beginning a new class for my MET master's classes.  This class is focused on technology and literacy!  I am so excited!! Literacy is my favorite aspect of teaching!!!! I love to read and I love to share that love with others, and create that love in my students.  I am excited to learn new ways that I can combine my love for literacy and my love for technology to better benefit my students.  

My biggest take away this week came from the Solutions Book.  I never really thought about it, but students not only have to learn how to read and write, but they also have to learn technology.  And then using both of them together and how to make literacy and technology combine... WOW!!!! I honestly believe that using the 2 together can make learning so much more fun and easier!  When I was a kid, books rarely came to live.... unless I had a teacher that knew how to do read alouds creatively!  Now the books can come to life for the students, with the use of technology!  And just imagine, no more workbook pages for practice, but now IPAD apps and games to learn and practice with!!!   
So what do you think?? Does technology help or hinder the learning? Does it make it more difficult?

Also... don't forget to check out my introduction post!  It is the 1st one of this blog!!! And check out my website to see a little more into my teaching world: http://tigercubsstj.weebly.com/

Twitter Chat

I DID IT!!!

I participated in my very first twitter chat!  I did my research and found just the right chat (or so I thought). The chat I found was an autism chat based at LA Children's hospital.  Being an early educator, I knew that this would give me some great tips and tricks for Autism. So I put the date and time in my phone so I would not forget!  It was still 3 weeks away.... that would give me time to research other chats and make sure I knew what I was doing.

FINALLY... the sound of my phone.....and the reminder #AutismCHLAChat!!!   I was logged in and ready for go! I made sure my hashtag was in the right place and announced... my very first chat!  I had heard so much great information from my fellow peeps about how much information they gained during their chats.  I just knew this was going to be great!  As 6:30 pm came, an announcement came, there would be a guest person stepping in tonight-  Dr. Leslie Richard is a developmental behavioral pediatrician at CHLA.  Just what I needed more information in!!!  I'm so pumped for this!!!!

15 minutes in...... I was the only person interacting with the facilitator.   I asked some questions and was given no helpful information. I was told that I needed to get advice from a professional....wait.... I thought that this was a professional.  

45 minutes in.... I was still getting only warning red flag signs of autism.  I was hoping for so much more.  

I'm not going to give up.  I am still on the lookout for great early childhood twitter chats.  Do you know of any??   

 

Glogster EDU- Web 2.0 tool

Glogster EDU is a web 2.0 tool that is an interactive design tool.  You can create online multimedia posters that can include text, graphics, audio, video, or web links.  

Students can use Glogster EDU  to make any kind of interactive posters.  At our center, we have a student that is star of the week.  I thought this would be a great idea to have the students make their poster online instead of a paper copy that we have to display.  This would be a better way to have parents help their student create online, instead of sending home a huge paper copy each week that they have to fill out and return.  

Please see the Glogster EDU that I created  about myself.

Amanda Gibson's Glog

Here is a youtube video that will help you create your own Glogster.  Glogster EDU tutorial   

Social networking

Social Networking + Educator = Professional development

Image courtesy of http://www.someecards.com/usercards/viewcard/MjAxMi0xMTBhM2ZiYTdkYzQ3NTgw

Social media can be a great way for educators to create PLN's to increase their knowledge in many areas.  Listed below are some social media that I have used.

Facebook: I have had a Facebook account for several years.  I believe that it is a great way to stay in contact with others.  I think that it would be great media to inform parents of dates and events within your school. I like that you can live miles away from family and friends and still stay in contact.  I am still searching for a way to use it more professionally and really build my knowledge. 

Pinterest:  Pinterest is a growing community of shared ideas and thoughts.  I have been a member about 3 years and continue to really enjoy the benefits of Pinterest, not only by finding new recipes and craft ideas, but also for links to new early childhood blogs that I enjoy reading.  I have searched and found many new ideas for teaching concepts in other ways that I know.  This can be helpful for reteaching concepts or just thinking of a "better way" to do something. I recently did a search on Pinterest for communication board ideas for autistic children.  I had an endless supply of new fresh ideas and links to create communication boards.  I have also found great packets of  common core curriculum ideas for teaching kindergarten math and ELA. These are creative ideas that my students love to do.  Pinterest seems to be an on going resource for new fresh ideas. 

Twitter:  The newest social media that I have started using is Twitter.  It took me awhile to get started using it, just because it was so different and seemed to be such an overwhelming place.  I started using Twitter a few months ago, but just started really "using" Twitter the past month.  I am amazed at the amount of professional articles that you can find on Twitter.  I really enjoy not only looking for early childhood resources, but also great faith based articles as well.  I believe that Twitter has the best options professionally.  Don't have a Twitter account?  Feel free to roam around online and just explore before you create an account.  I believe the best way to really get to use Twitter is just exploring with it!  

What kinds of social media do you like to use to stay socially networked?   






 

Networked Classrooms

Networked classroom, can it work in early childhood?

This is still a question that I ask frequently!  Early childhood is such a different world and using technology with 3, 4, and 5 year old students can be tricky.  First of all, what is a networked classroom? 

A network-based classroom looks like a computer lab, with each student sitting in front of a computer. The computers are connected through a local-area network to the server on the teacher's desk. That part is true of many ordinary computer labs. What turns the lab into a network-based classroom is the use of communications software that supports synchronous, written conversation. Various software packages support this, including CB Utility, Realtime Writer, Daedalus Interchange, and Carnegie Mellon's CECE Talk (Neuwirth, Palmquist, & Gillespie, 1988). 

 

 

Do I think that networked classrooms have both positives and negatives?  Of course, just like everything that involves teaching and technology! Students can be able to participate in classroom discussions and not worry about speaking out loud.  I know that this would help reduce lots of anxiety among those who have trouble speaking in front of a group of others.  Yet, at the same time I feel like that is such a life skill that everyone needs to be able to do.  The big trick with early childhood is that many students are not even ready for this skill.  Also many times early childhood has those developmental delays, which can sometimes put a student at a 12-18 month old level.  How are those students going to participate in a networked discussion?  I am sure that it is possibly, with lots of support and training by both teacher and student. 

How do you get to that point in your early childhood classroom when you are ready to start that transition?  I believe you have to ready to jump in with both feet.  You have to have a child that you feel is ready for the challenge ahead as well.  You need to pick a student that is making lots of success in the classroom.  The teacher needs to be well trained in networked classrooms.  It would be best for that student and teacher to just try a few times with just the two of them before they attempt to join or add any other students.  The content needs to start simple as well.

 

Can you see the difference that a networked classroom can make for those diverse learners?  I just keep thinking of those special education students that benefit from this.  Deaf students could actually communicate with others in the class without having to stand in the front and sign to others who would not understand.  Gifted learners can raise the expectations and not be "bored".  

 

I believe that a networked classroom can be a very positive experience but you would have to figure out how to deal with all the "growing pains" of technology.  Who knows, maybe one day I will even try it in my classroom?  

Twitter

Twitter?  Tweets? Teaching?

Twitter can be an awesome PLN for educators.  Here are some main points that explain why Twitter can be used as such.

1. It's FREE!  What educator doesn't love free resources?

2.  Connections!  How else could you build connections with other educators all around the world?

3. Hashtags (for those of you who don't know it is also known as the # sign)  

4. Expert advice!  It's true..... teachers don't know everything, there I said it!   But we are the best at finding answers to things that we don't know.  Twitter can be a great tool to use for finding those answers.

 

 image source: http://www.watblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/twitter_education.JPG


 After just a few short weeks of exploring Twitter, I feel like one of the best things that I did to learn more about it was to go to another person's Twitter page and just look.  I found out what tweets really are and how to do it myself, what things are "tweet worthy" and also if I really want to follow that person or not.  Wonder if I could copyright this as "Twitter stalking"?!?!?!  New to Twitter and tweeting, just give it a try!! 



Here is a link that I found that gives some great tips- Twitter Tips for Educators

Professional Learning Networks

Professional Learning Networks..... How can we use them as educators?

As an early childhood teacher, professional learning networks (PLNs) are very important to me. Wikipedia says, "A personal learning network is an informal learning network that consists of the people a learner interacts with and derives knowledge from in a personal learning environment. In a PLN, a person makes a connection with another person with the specific intent that some type of learning will occur because of that connection."( Wikipedia, January 19 2014)

Here are a few examples of some social media PLNs that are beneficial to educators.  

* Facebook

*Twitter

* Edmodo

These social media PLNs are the type that I prefer.  I feel more comfortable with these and can build on more than the information aggregation PLN.  

Here are a few examples of an information aggregation PLNs.

*blogs

*wikis

*websites

*podcasts

*digital bookmarking

*RSS reader (Freedly)

  I believe that great teachers share their wonderful ideas to other teachers for the betterment of the students involved. We all have to be in this together and we need to share information to help each other along. 

So basically to me a  PLN is nothing short of paying it forward.  I wanted to add a link to this YouTube video for a quick glimpse of paying it forward.

 

Introduction

Welcome to my blog.  I will be posting through out the next few months while completing the course Applications of Technology Collaboration, while working on my Masters of Educational Technology. 

I am currently an Early childhood special education teacher.  I love the beach, Chick-Fil-a, my family, and God.