Techno-Bloggo-Boy!

I had the privilege/horror to attend yet another workshop last Wednesday. I say horror as I was dreading yet another day away from my kids (why is it so much work to get ready for a supply teacher?). However, I was looking forward to sitting down and spending the day with my principal and lead literacy teacher (I am the lead math teacher: Numeracy PLC chair).

In this workshop was a cheesy slide show that blew me away! Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIqk4agzKPE

In it were references of technology which got me to thinking: How do I use technology in my daily teaching? The sad answer is that I don’t. Which then begs the critical question: WHY?

Why, in a world so technology driven is it that I am doing little to nothing to prepare my kids to live in a world dependent upon it. Is the weekly trips to the lab really doing it, where all they really do is surf to pre-determined sites or play banal games that only slightly challenge their intellect?

I think I am so resistant to using technology because I cannot see how to integrate it within my practice. Yet, this yet another case of doing what I am doing simply because it is always what I have done. It is a fundamental failure of imagination, a paralysis of paradigm (I love that line!). In the video, it said that the most in demand jobs of the future haven’t even been invented yet! And yet again, I ask, what am I doing?

I have always been dependent upon my imagination. I need to see something in order for me to get it to work. I haven’t seen anyone truly use technology in their classroom, besides just an add-on. So, my mind has been racing the past couple of days (thus not being able to sleep on a Sunday morning) with the possibilities.

So here is what I’ve come up with so far. I started with the idea of doing a classroom blog - not everyone contributing to one blog, but each student having their own blog under the umbrella of the teacher’s blog. I came across a website that seems to offer this, and browsed the possibilities - they seem really amazing! I am also being driven by the desire to get rid of paper. If I can do more on the computer, then I will have less paper to use. Also, if I keep all the information on the web - then, theoretically, it is much more accessible, right?

I’ve been trying to break it down into subjects. For reading, they could engage in reading projects where they are reading traditional books (please, let’s not get rid of those!) and searching for information on the web. This could be a mixture of guided reading groups with me, independent at their desks and then groups out on the computers. I need some way to track, or to hold the kids accountable for what they are reading. I thought of a simple T-chart, with information listed on one side, and response on the other side (depending on the type of strategy we are learning, would be the response for my kids.). For writing, they can go through the traditional paper writing, complete with process and all (as provincial testing is still paper bound), and have personal descriptive narrative/response journal-ing happening on line on the blog site. They are also responsible for responding (positively) to other members in the class.

For math, I can assign homework linked to the website, and have a math journal component as part of the homework expectations. This all is dependent on organization. How do I manage all of this?

I had some training in the spring to run an on-line course for the local university - this inspired me to post assignments that are expected from my kids. I think it is possible, yet it is dependent on me being able to visualize and organize it! Again, dependent upon my imagination!

So we’ll see how it works. The ball is rolling, so to speak. The summer will give me time to un-paralyze my paradigm!