Blog Post #8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT4RXcYEY-E

The folloing link above, shows a video that I found on Youtube that helps children learn different Spanish words.

I tried to add it with the "add video" tool, but I could not save the video onto my computer, and you have to have it on your computer in order to upload it as a video here on the blog.

Blog Post #7

I think that things are going pretty well. I was extremely glad to get that iMovie out of the way, because these next projects seem a littler easier and more relaxed. I feel that there is always a lot of work for this class and I sometimes find myself very overwhelmed with all the work assigned, but with that said I have learned a lot about technology and how I may use it in my classroom in the future. I think that technology in early education is key. Technology is a major part of our society today and it is a means of communication and obviously much more. I think it is important for children to learn things that are used within our society often, at a young age. There are many different things you can do with technology in the classroom, and it gives children another tool to use rather than a pencil and paper. I also think technology can make learning more fun for some students if not all. The most important lesson/concept I have learned so far is the safety involved with technology for students. It is important to teach students how to use each technology tool and to teach them safety precautions. (For example: what is good information to give out on the internet and what not to give out and do).

Blog Post #6

1). There are many different pros and cons for using the internet in early elementary classrooms. As for pros, the internet, as well all know has many different resources that are available for students. The internet can also enhance different skills for students. Some skills that can be enhance are communication skills, writing skills and depending on what activity is being used on the internet it can also enhance and improve critical thinking, problem solving and group work skills. Students can also learn to explore things on their own, see different and multiply view points on specific topics, and it also provides the opportunity for students to participate in student-centered learning. Some disadvantages to the use of the internet in an early childhood classroom are, the easily accessible resources to students that may lead children to wrong information, bad/ not appropriate web sites, some students may not be aware of how much personal information to share (safety concerns). Another disadvantage that some may seem to have is the cost that is put into having these tools available to students and to maintain and fix them if any problems arise. Personally, I feel that internet in an early childhood classroom is crucial. Technology is a main part of our society today and it is important to teach children about current things and give them an opportunity to start and learn at a young age. Although there are many cons to internet in the classroom, I think the pros over power them. Schools have to of course limit the sites the students are allowed to be on and teach them safety rules when using a computer. It is also important when students are on the internet to have assistance and someone monitoring their work. If teachers and schools make the right precautions and teach how to work and view the internet it is a very educational, useful, and powerful tool.

2). My favorite education website so far is probably Academic Skills Builders. I really like this website because it gives students a chance to enhance their basic math, language arts, vocabulary and thinking skills through a variety of different games. An example of one game that this website provides is a game called, Grand Prix. It is a multiplication game (obviously not a game for an early childhood classroom) and it gives students a chance to race again each other to get to the Multiplication Cup first. The faster the students correctly answer the problem determines how fast their race car goes. I think that these kind of educational games make students have more fun and it makes them want to learn. The better they know their facts, the faster the will go and become the winner. The link to this website is: http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/
(to get to the games look in the right hand corner at the different tabs and click on games)

Blog Post #5

I have sometimes heard of teachers being frustrated because they are limited to what they can teach and what they can teach. Teachers have said that there is no leway in what they can do and it is so structured anymore that they can not do activities that they had planned because they have to cover things that the state is making them. After reading this article though it really made me think again about my feelings and thoughts on this topic. I am kind of torn between how I feel because I am not yet a teacher and I have never been put strongly into that position. I can understand how frustrating it must be as teachers and when the state makes these benchmarks it is frustrating because teachers are basically limited to their creativity and what they want to teach. At the same time I think it is good to have these benchmarks and a list of ideas on ways to teach each skill. It is important so that teachers know what the children are expected to know for the following grade/grades. This also puts most teachers on the same level so all the children are learning the same material and if they were to swtich schools/ classes they would not be "lost". Again I am pretty torn about the way I feel about this article, but I agree with what Veronica Rieck said at the end of the article, "It's easy to miss things when you're new and to forget things when you're old". I may not be old yet but I do tend to forget things (everyone does) and as a future teacher I am sure to miss things as well, so these benchmarks for me, I feel would be as a benefit.
-Kaitlyn Imbus