Week 3 Current Event

     For this week, The Pue'o's found an article on the website Edutopia that focus on differentiated learning using modern technology.  Samantha Hamilton found the article entitled, "Differentiated Instruction:  Getting Personal with Technology".  This article focuses on a school in South Carolina, Forest Lake Elementary School, and how they use computers to engage students in the learning process calibrated to their individual needs and abilities.   This includes incorporating  technology into all classrooms, including interactive white boards and computers.  The teachers use a diverse range of technologies in their classrooms to help their students become successful.  In this article, there was a quote that stood out to us:  "These veteran educators are living proof that success lies not in the flashiness of the gizmos you have but in how well you use them."  We like this quote because, as teachers, this is an important factor.  We truly need to understand the technology and how it operates so that we can use it appropriately for differentiated learning.  This way, both teachers and students are using technology to its fullest potential in the classroom.  The website also provides information on how technology is being used at all grade levels.  Here is a link to the video in the article that includes lesson plans and activities for using technology in differentiated instruction.

www.edutopia.org/stw-differentiated-instruction-technology-elementary

If at first you don't succeed.....

Okay, so this is my third attempt at publishing a blog that I can actually transmit. Technology can be both a blessing and a curse. My greatest gizmo is simply a laptop not plugged into any power source or cable that can do all that it can do. Of course, when I was growing up, just having cable TV was the latest and greatest. So, now that I have dated myself, let me just say that I do not want to be one of those people who are glued to their i-Phones. Seriously folks, my smart phone is smarter than I am. And Siri scares me to death. I do not wish to be so connected that I am disconnected from the world and people around me. That said, I can see how having a classroom blog someday would be a fun and efficient way to communicate with students and their families. Maybe by the time that I have my own classroom, I will get this blogging thing right. I think that I would be an asset to an online working group because I am obsessed with getting things done well and done on time. I never thought that I would ever get to go to college, but here I am. So in the words of a line from a movie, "I'm just glad to be here!" My video is entitled "10 Reasons to Use Technology in the classroom" or something like that. I am afraid if I go to youtube to check on the correct title that I will lose this blog (again). I like the video because it is fun and to the point. You may get discovered as the world's best teacher if your mom posts videos of you (just think: Justin Bieber). I really like the idea of doing homework in the classroom and watching video lectures at home. Works for me, as I think that kids have too much homework. Or how about just looking at the fun factor: technology is fun. As it says in the video: technology will not replace teachers, but teachers who use technology will replace teachers who do not. Food for thought. Now excuse me while I try to upload my video and post my blog. Have a great semester everyone!

Okay, let's try this again. Technology can be a blessing and a curse. This is my second attempt at a blog post. When I was growing up, cable television was the latest technology. Well now that I have dated myself, let me just say that I think that my laptop and printer are just amazing. My smartphone is smarter than I am (smile). I don't need anymore gizmos. I know that i-phones are great, but I don't want to be one of those people who are glued to their i-phones and, frankly, Siri scares me. I think that I would be an asset to a group project in that I am very diligent about getting things done well and done on time. I am just grateful to be able to go to school, because I honestly never thought I would go to college at all. So, hey, to quote the line of a movie, "I'm just glad to be here. Here is my link to a video from youtube.com.  It is entitled top 10 reasons to use technology in the classroom.  Just think, you could be like Justin Bieber and get discovered as the world's best teacher.  No seriously, there are some great reasons here in this video.  How about edoing homework in the classroom on computers and limiting lectures to computers at home?  Or what about the "fun factor" in the classroom.  Of special interest to me was the fact that technology is especially useful in special educationc classrooms because that is where I want to work.  Bottom line:  technology will not replace teachers; but teachers who use technology will be replaced by teachers who do not.  So we had better learn this stuff and learn it well.  Happy blogging!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzi2RIt8_nk