Blog Post #9

Dr. Strange has us watch First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class. The students in her class are very familiar with the internet and how to search for things needed for class. They have a Facebook page, where they use it to read their class books and use it for their resources and homework in their class. They use their class computers in centers and play different games to enhance their learning. This video gives future educators like myself great ideas on how to use technology in our classrooms.

After watching the interviews with Ms. Cassidy, her idea of having a blog, a Facebook page, and using Skype to talk to other classrooms and experts that help expand and explain the process of their different projects. I think the Facebook page is a great idea, this gives the students a sense of freedom and responsibility. Facebook is a site most kids know they're parents or even older siblings are using, this may make them feel like they are on the same level as everybody else and that they are not to young to use Facebook. When I first decided I would go back to school to pursue my dream career, even with the technology that was coming out then, I never thought I would be using it in my classroom. After watching this video it has made me want to use the idea of Skyping in my classroom. To hear from a expert on a particular project your class may be working on will only excite the students to go further and do their best on their school work. What child doesn't like when they can show off their work and get a great response from it? I don't know a child that wouldn't love that.

I listened to Ms. Cassidy's reasoning for blogging in her classroom. You would never think of how much of an impact it has on not only the students but on the people who stop and read their work. This not only helps students with their social skills but it also helps them with communication and writing. Blogging is something I'm still amazed that I do. Sometimes I think it's the hardest thing in the world, then Dr. Strange shares a video or we have to do our comment for kids and I feel a completely different way about it. If first graders can blog with so much enthusiasm, then why can't I suck it up and do the same. I even get excited when I get my email notifications to say I have a comment. I want nothing but to make my post better, I know if I'm getting that feeling I can only imagine how a child would feel when it happens to them. I think Ms. Cassidy's idea for technology will eventually if it hasn't already branch off and before we know it all schools and students will be using this idea of teaching. I appreciate teachers like her who go the extra mile to make sure students expand their minds to use other things to learn instead of just paper and pencil.