Technology in the Classroom
Digital Citizenship is critical learning for all students.
While parents may be "digital immigrants" our students are "digital natives"! They still need to learn how to search safely, text and blog appropriately and discern information online. With this in mind, I focus on teaching digital citizenship for all students.
Parents can access information provided by Ventura Unified School District about Digital Citizenship here.
We are fortunate to have in Room 14 a class set of Chromebooks as well as an interactive Smart Board. With all this available to us, Room 14 spends a good part of our day going beyond the typical, traditional classroom model.
School is not like school was when we were kids!
Students read, interpret, and review literature through research and differentiated instruction. By having Google Classroom available, I am able to assign readings and information to students to best meet their needs. Consequently students are more flexible in their learning and able to advance at their own pace.
To check out Google classroom and all the cool features for the 21st century student, go to this link Google Classroom You can see videos and read about all the schools that are using Google to help advance their students.
Frequently I will assign projects or lessons through Google classroom
Here is a district link to many sources of online learning that students can access for additional support. These are great resources for students over holidays and breaks. There is something for every grade level, every subject and every age!
Our Homework is Online!
And can be completed wherever a student can access the internet!
The classroom is open everyday from 2:30 - 3:30 for students to access computers and teacher help!
Because I know we all have busy schedules, I have not made homework a nightly task but one that can be completed around your family life and busy schedules. I am also considering the benefits to our environment.
Here is a video to give you some information about Moby Max math. You can learn about it's benefits and see why it is a great tool for advancing students in their math at their pace.
I also will be utilizing Moby Max for other areas of the curriculum like reading and geography.
By not making paper copies, we reduce waste and costs form the replication of worksheets. (For a class of 30 students, getting a page of math and a page of reading each day is a lot of paper!)
60 pieces of paper for 4 days = 240 pieces of paper a week that we save by completing homework online!
That is 8640 pieces of paper saved in homework alone!
Transforming Learning!
Blogging allows students to digitally journal their learning .
Building a website teaches life skills and starts students on the process of creating a digital portfolio, reference source and the documentation of their growth and learning!
I want students to enjoy reading and writing. With this in mind I have adapted our writing homework to include online opportunities to blog and to post onto their own Blogger site (click to see the one that is set up for the kids to access!) or website.
This will be a way for them to collect evidence of their learning and share it with other students within our district.
Also check out my page about Becoming a Connected Educator.