Goodbye Wordle

Reflection of EDUC 584

Reflection of EDUC 584. During this class I had a whole host of emotions. Trepedation, excitement, nevrousness, enjoyment, frustration and much much more. It was a very bi-polar class for me. I learned a plethora of information and tools that I will continue to use in my personal and professional life. The tools I will use the most are My Diigo, Wiki and Google Documents. I was able to learn new things to enclude in my classroom wiki. Since my students are so young I will not use quite as much as others in my classroom with my students. I did find though that much of what I have learned I was able to share with collegues and my friends. It seems that much of this has extended beyond my expectations since the first day I entered this computer lab.

Final Literacy Project

This is my final Literacy Project. It is book that my preschoolers made after reading the story Polar Bear Polar Bear What Do You Hear? By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle. My students were unable to read the sentences to narrate the story. I collaborated with the Kindergarten teacher next to my classroom. My students were the authors and illustrators. The Kindergarten students were the narrators. We created a digital story literally. I hope you enjoy it. NETS for Teachers:1,2,3; NETS for Students:1,2

Digital Citizenship

I feel it is very important to teach digital citizenship.  However, I feel if we teach citizenship globally the digital piece will be included in that.  Growing up my parents taught me that a good person does not lie, cheat, steal or disrespect.  I took those words as gold!  If only our society would too we wouldn't have to teach citizenship so blatantly.   That saddens me.  I digress.
Digital Citizenship as well as citizenship itself has to be taught throughout the areas of learning.  Not only how you treat others, but also how others treat you. Learning how to be safe in society to today and what to do  when you feel unsafe.  Thank you to all who posted the resources on our wiki page.  Although I can not truly use them for preschool they will be welcomed resources if I am bummed up in the grade levels.

Early Childhood Websites

Since the websites featured in the homework all related to early childhood I researched them all.  The ones I found to be most useful for myself would be starfall, kindersite, the google doc listing, and PBS kids.  I feel that K-Crew,  and Read Write Think would be added to the list if I was teaching kindergarten.  I enjoyed the site Scholastic: Interactive Learning and Reading Activities but it was obviously not for my age group.  All of the above mentioned I put on my Diigo resource list.  There were a few sites I didn't like.  Wikijunior was confusing and hard for me to understand.  I feel if I could not understand then how could my students.  Hubbards Cupboard was very religious and not for me.  One More Story looked good but it was not free so I really was not able to research it.
Altogether, this list is very helpful for me and I hope for others.
NETS for Students-  3,4

Digital Story and My Wiki

So I started the Weebly page yesterday and thought, why am I reinventing the wheel.  I already have a Wiki page for my parents.  So I decided I would start spending more time further developing my page.  Then, on the way home from class, I started thinking about how I want to make an Animoto for my end of the year slide show.  How am I going to show, that, the digital story and the farm Animoto to the parents in one sitting.  Holy Cow, would that be visual and auditory over stimulation for the parents, the students and myself!  IDEA! put the digital story and the Farm Animoto on my wiki page and email the parents telling them.  This way they have it at home and can watch at their leisure.  After much trial and error with the digital story I was able to embed it and my Animoto into a new page called Classroom Videos.  I will add my literacy project on to it also when it is finished.  If you would like, check out my Wiki .

NETS for Teachers 2,3,4

Age and Digital Literacy

In Darcie's blog Technology in the Pre-K Classroom she states that Technology should begin in the preschool classroom.  I agree not only as a preschool teacher but also as a mother of a preschooler. Many of my students come to me with some experience and knowledge using computers, iPads and hand helds like Nintendo DS or iTouch.  Under my supervision my own three year old uses the iPad and iTouch.  I believe he has gained great learning from these devises in the all areas of academic development.  He is able to maneuver websites and Apps I have set up for him as well as Utube videos.  However, like all things these devices are not babysitters and need to be supervised and contain appropriate rules and regulations.
By having a computer, iPad and or iTouch in the classroom it gives all children the advantages of technology that they may not have at home.  These advantages are not only for regular education but should also be used in specialized instruction.  In my preschool classroom we (mainly the students) use the Promethean Board daily to take attendance, make KWL charts, interactive literacy and math flip charts, music and movement and art projects.  Our SLP uses an iPad for vocabulary development and problem solving activities.  We are only at the tip of the iceberg in what we can do with preschoolers and the Internet.  With this said my hope is that preschool teachers understand the need for a balanced curriculum where technology has it's place.  Some websites I use with my students are starfall.com, helpkidzlearn.com, kidpix, pbskids.com, and bookflix