Renewed Commitment to All Things Tech

I haven't posted anything in a long while....

It has been a little crazy around here in Barker land.  I have lost students ( to a move) and I have gained students (again to a move). I admit my focus has been on treading water and keeping my head above said water.  I was invited to attend a VirtCon this pass weekend and was glad I went.  I met up with coworkers and colleagues that I haven't seen in a while and got some valuable tips and resources.  I also renewed a promise to myself to embrace the technology that has been so graciously entrusted to me and to build my tech presence. I am going to start reading my twitter feeds and attend webinars and figure out new ways to use technology to reach my students with communication deficits.  I am taking the next few weeks to finish out the year and research things I can use next year. 

My Favorite Tech Tool

You may find my favorite Tech Tool a little surprising....

       Out of all of the things that I have access to and use in my classroom, the simple touchscreen is my favorite.  It is relatively inexpensive, easy to install and makes a world of differences for students who have difficulty accessing technology due to a disability. My students who are unable or unwilling to use a mouse to control software programs designed to reinforce vocabulary and targeted skills are showing enthusiasm when its their turn. I think of it as a mini-Smart Board for my desktop computers.  I am glad to see the marriage of touchscreen technology with laptops and can't wait to upgrade my home laptop. Now if only they would make a touchscreen for existing laptops. 

Top 10  Reasons Why I Became A Pinnacle Leader

10. Professional Development and License Renewal Credits-
      No need to fight to get into Tech seminars at Teaching and Learning Conference.
9.   Professional Learning Network -
      I have an instant PLN at my fingertips.
8.   Up to Date Training Opportunities
      I get advanced training on new technology.
7.   RSS feed readers-
      I learned about how to direct the stream of information to come to me.
6.  Collaborative Opportunities-
      Throughout the year I have the opportunity to collaborate with others to make learning fun.
5.   Twitter Presence-
      I have learned a lot from tweets and twitter. There is some pretty cool stuff out there once you learn how  
      to access it.
4.   Flippin' My Classroom-
      I have learned what a flipped classroom is and would love to have one someday.
3.   Sharing the Love- ( teaching the teachers)
      Discovering new software and technology and sharing it with others or taking something old and tired
      and reviving it with a new twist and new ideas.
2.   Access to Technology-
      Cool tools and techie gadgets that can make students excited about learning.
1.  Representing The BEST school district!
     Being given the opportunity to shine and show others around the world the we are the best school district
     and are striving to help our students learn and love learning in new and exciting ways!!!!!!!
 

A new semester has begun and with it I have a new resolve to overcome challenges that may arise in my classroom. In early December I met with fellow colleagues and we were given the challenge to describe our first semester in the framework of a favorite Christmas movie.  I chose the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and specifically the scene from the movie when the cat clawed the strand of lights from the tree and electrocuted itself. I felt like that I had bitten off more than I could chew with trying to implement laptop usage into my classroom with students who have special needs that require adapted technology to access the curriculum. Most of my students have difficulty recognizing letters and numbers so it has been very difficult teaching them to login to the network. Other areas of difficulty for some of my students has been the use of a mouse. Two of my students have used touch screens on desktop computers but it is hard to adapt that with laptops. Two of my students have had very limited exposure to laptops and desktop computers. Going back to the framework of  the Christmas Vacation movie I have decided that this semester I am going to be like Clark W. Griswald when he meticulously checks each individual light bulb on the roof. I am going to focus on  little details with just one or two of my students with vision that they will have the Aha moment just like Clark W. Griswald does when the lights blaze.

1st semester reflections.....

Where has the time gone??????? 

Thus far,  there have been so many changes to the way we teach and what we teach, that I feel like I don't know my head from tail. Common Core has changed the expectations of how we deliver instruction and I feel as if there is not enough time in the day to get everything in that needs to be taught. Can I get an AMEN?

    

My students are taught a little differently than most as I have students with special needs. Where as many of my colleagues can  teach a mini-lesson on the technology and how to use it and then integrate and incorporate technology into their lessons so it appears seamless, I struggle to just get my students to understand how to use the technology appropriately. We are still struggling to log in to our laptops and computers. Not because of technical issues but due to student capabilities. Some of my students are still unable to use a mouse. All of these little things end up causing big headaches for me as I am constantly trying to figure out to climb what appears to me at times an insurmountable problem.   

I use my laptops and classroom computers as centers for the students as a way to access adapted books on the internet and I use them to enhance receptive vocabulary through software programs.  My plans for the future are to teach at least one of my students how to use the laptop to produce some type of student product based on their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goal. I am also working on creating adaptive books for my students to use. 

I as a teacher have been trying to utilize resources on Pinterest to find interesting and unique ways to incorporate Common Core materials and technology into my teaching. Suffice it to say, it has been a struggle to find ways to seamlessly integrate technology into meaningful activities that provide for and demonstrate student progress. 

Technology Hiccups and First Grading Period Woes

October has flown right by like a witch on her broom. With the autumn breezes many changes have taken place in my room surrounding the use of technology.  My hopes were that we would be further along with being able to use technology independently at this point in the year. Unfortunately our hiccups in the room have not been due to technology itself but in  trying to get a schedule and routine in place that meets all the needs of my students.  Currently I am utilizing the laptops in my classroom as a morning center for students in order to give individualized instruction to each of my students during reading block. During my reading block I rotate 3 of my students between the computers while an assistant monitors independent work and computer usage. My students still struggle with logging in to the computer and to combat this problem they have their own card with username and password in order to give them a visual support to complete login procedures as independently as possible. Once each student is logged into the laptop they have a choice of software programs and online sites to use.  I am trying to determine how to adapt laptop usage for my students to make it a worthwhile learning tool for them.

As September,  Yes!  September draws to a close I can say that time has flown by. My students have transitioned fairly well to life at a new school. We are blessed to have a staff that is welcoming and sensitive to the needs of our children. We had a great lesson on force and motion during the middle of September. Our regular education third grade class joined with three out of the four classes in our department and participated in activities and races using various items that produced force and motion. We had an old-fashioned tug of war, airplane test flights, push and pull scooter races, sling shot target practice and straw and ping pong ball blowing races. This past week we utilized our reading resources from News-2-You and the Ryder Cup Golf story that was featured and attempted golfing (putting) and bowling. Needless to say it has been a busy month and trying  to get students to attend to and follow a schedule has been challenging. We are slowly making progress in the use of technology within the classroom. I have plans to begin using laptops within the classroom in the coming weeks. I have already introduced the laptops during small group instruction this past week.
      During my introductory lesson I had to move away from the laptop to help one of the students and when I looked down a student had pulled the laptop in front of him, turned it on and proceeded to imitate typing. It was obvious to myself and the assistants in the room that he has been exposed to a laptop before and new exactly how to use one. When I relayed the information to his mother she started laughing and said that when she is doing work from home is constantly trying to get on her computer. On the other hand, I have a student who would never go to a computer and to have her sit for periods of time was almost out of the question. Just in the past week we have gotten her to sit in front of a computer and choose by pointing to an activity that she would like to do.
     I am fortunate to have an assistant, a student specific assistant and the occupational therapist willing to help with laptop usage. All of my students will be paired with an adult when learning how to log in and complete lessons on how to use a mouse to control the cursor which will be a lesson that will need to be repeated until my students are able to log in and control a mouse with minimal adult prompting.

   I am stilling looking for and researching ideas for using laptops as centers within the classroom. I ideas and activities that can be modified for verbal and non-verbal students. Please let me know if you have any ideas.