Social Bookmarks

I really enjoyed my experience using social bookmarks. I can see how I can use this tool in the future. I find that I will find a good resource on the Internet, and I won't remember the URL in a few weeks or will misplace where I wrote it down. With this site all of my information will be in a central location. Also, it would be a great resource for teachers to work jointly to stockpile information to help each other to work more effectively in the classroom.

It was so easy to use this program. All I had to do was use the button to capture or bookmark the information that I wanted for future use. Through all of the classes I am taking this semester, I was able to bookmark the information for future use. I am so excited about all of the technology resources that I found and bookmarked for use this next year a school. Here is my URL for my social bookmarks: http://www.diigo.com/user/amhatcher31

Here is my wordle:

Google Reader

I have really enjoyed using Google Reader. I have never used anything like this before, so this was an interesting experience for me to say the least. In fact, this is my first experience with blogging or reading a blog. I have obtain a lot of educational information from reading the information found through this site. Through this site I have gained information about free technology, tips for classroom management, links to helpful sites, and other information. I did  not realize there was a place I could obtain all of this information in one central location. It is almost like reading a newspaper with different sections. I read the following blogs:

CoolCatTeacher Blog-- http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/
 Will Richardson-- http://willrichardson.com/
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day-- http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/
Free Technology for Teachers-- http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
A Media Specialist’s Guide to the Internet http://mediaspecialistsguide.blogspot.com/
Angela Maiers, Speaker, Educator, #YOUMATTER »http://www.angelamaiers.com/blog
Smart Classroom Management »http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/


My favorite blog was the media specialist blog. There were so many different resources available for teachers on this site. As a teacher, I don't always have time to spend time on the Internet finding resources for my classroom. In fact, the few times I have tried I have spend hours on the computer and ended up with little or sometimes nothing for my efforts. As a teacher, I believe we should provide technology for our students to prepare them for the world. This blog will help me do that more effectively.


Since I teach elementary students, my favorite blog post would have to coincide with resources needed for that grade. I really enjoy teaching Reading. I believe that the key to teaching reading is encourage students to read. If you can get a student to be passionate about reading, you will see a student who can succeed in many areas. I was reading the different posts and came across the post titled "43 Authors for Elementary Students." This blog provided links to the websites of different popular authors and the titles of the books they wrote. I will use these links to spark that desire in my students.

Digital Citizenship

As a teacher, it is important for me to think about the implications of internet use in my classroom. One problem that I have as a teacher with the internet is students accessing in appropriate material. At school we do have filtering software that helps to ensure that students will not be able to access these sites. Another aspect is social networking sites. Some students are unaware of the dangers of these sites. Online predators are a big concern. Another concern I have is that students do not realize that once you put something on the internet it is always there in some form. The things you put on the internet can impact your life for years to come. Also, the growing problem of cyber bullying is prevalent. Other problems are things like fraud, viruses, and hacking. These are concerns that should be addressed with everyone, so they are aware of the dangers. Also, another item that is directly related to students is plagiarism. Copying items from the internet is very easy to accomplish. Students need to be aware of the consequences of doing this illegal act.

Being a good digital citizen is very important. The choices you make when using the internet have consequences. The information you share or pictures you post on social networking sites can implicate your life in regard to your future endeavors. Also plagiarism is a very important concern especially when software has been developed to catch these offenders.

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 tools are a very important part of technology that can be used for the collaboration of students. I looked at each tool that was available for use in the classroom. If I had to pick three, I would pick Wikis, video and photo sharing communities, and Podcasts.

I would use wikis because I teach 1st graders. With the last assignment that we completed, I was able to see how I could design a page that would help the students to better understand a concept through links and video not just through a basic powerpoint. Through a powerpoint there is no interaction. With the wiki the students would be able to interact with each other. When using the wiki, they could also add to the page and learn from each other.

I would also use the video and photo sharing communities. I already use youtube in my classroom. A lot of my students do not have the experiences that other people have in regard to concepts. Through the use of youtube, I can show the students videos of concepts such as animals, plant growth, and etc. I could also see how you could help the students to make a video to post to youtube about a concept.

The last tool I picked was Podcasts. Most of my students have iPods or a relative has this item. Podcasts could be another outlet for students to express their ideas. It would also be good for auditory learners to learn new concepts.

software

There are five types of instructional software. The first kind that I will discuss is the drill-and-practice. When you are using this software, the student needs practice on a particular skill. This software does exactly what it says. It provides practice over and over on a skill. The program also provides feedback for the students which is a positive aspect. An example is http://www.resourceroom.net/math/1timestables.asp. The program is easy for the typical student to maneuver. The teacher does not have control over the site. The program does have a wide variety of skill level. The program does function without very many problems.

Another type of software is the tutorial teaching software. When using this type of software, the student learns a skill without having help from the teacher. The software encompasses teaching the student and providing practice for the student. The program should also assess whether the student is comprehending the lessons. An example is http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/Lessons/ . This software is kid friendly. The teacher is not able to see the students' progress. Students do receive feedback on their work.

The third type of software is the simulations. When using simulations you are hading your students to learn how a system works. The teacher can use this as a problem solving activity in her classroom. They can also be used where labs were used in the past. An example is http://digitalfrog.com/products/frog.html The program is user friendly. The directions are easy to follow and would be a valuable resource.

The fourth type of software is instructional games. I use these a lot in my classroom. These games are colorful and exciting while also providing practice for the user. The teacher has to take into consideration the educational value of the game. The game cannot just be fun it must have some value.An example is http://gameclassroom.com The site is colorful and user friendly for an older student. I am not so sure about the younger students.

The last type of software is problem solving. Problem solving software does just what it says it focuses on problem solving. The student is actively engaged in problem solving. Many problems solving sites focus on math skills. An example of a problem solving site is http://toolfactory.com. Again, the site is very engaging. The site looks easy to use.

Web 2.0

I really enjoyed using the technology to create these tools. I first completed the concept map. I chose to do my project on story elements on first grade level. Although I really like this tool, I feel like first graders would have a difficult time understanding the webs. I wish I would have known about this tool when I taught 4th grade. Also, I have a mimio board in my classroom. I have templates that are student friendly for the grade I teach. Here is my web.

Next I worked on the gloster activity. I really enjoyed this activity although it was time consuming. I really like the fact that the graphics are so engaging. I will be using gloster in my classroom in the fall. Here is the link.

http://www.glogster.com/ahatcher31/story-elements/g-6lg0smlnu1kaknuatjlata0

The animoto part of this project was not my favorite part. If I had the full version, I would have enjoyed the experience more at the time. I was very frustrated with having the 30 second time limit. I did not feel that I was about to put enough information in the video. I do feel that it is something that would engage my students.

http://animoto.com/play/ZetCAgzjYcNdbE0pidbrWA

I chose to use Classtools for my last part of the assignment. I chose this site because my students love games. I really liked this site. I love the fact that it is so easy to use and gives the teacher control of the questions. I can't wait to use it to design games for my students. Here are my games.

http://classtools.net/widgets/quiz_7/IYQrx.htm

http://classtools.net/widgets/dustbin_0/Q2knR.htm

Video (Reading A-Z)

This past year I started using this program in my first grade classroom. I was impressed as a teacher at the progress my students made  last year. Next year, I am going to invest in providing students with RAZ which is the companion program to this program.

1. Why would a teacher want to use Reading A-Z in their classroom?

2. What resources are provided for teachers using this site?

3. How do teacher know books are leveled correctly?

4. What makes this program better than using the traditional textbooks?

5. How could a teacher use this program to differentiate instruction?

Introduction

Hello! My name is Amy Hatcher. I am a first grade teacher at Nanih Waiya Attendance Center. It is located in Louisville, MS.  I have been teaching for 4 years now. I started my career in 4th grade, but have recently moved to first. I love teaching 1st graders. I like seeing the look of accomplishment on their face. I am 31 and single. I have a great family. I have an older sister who lives in Georgia. She has two children, who will be spending a great deal of time with me this summer. I also have a mother who helps with my classroom. She is a seamstress and helps with those needed items. My nephew lives with my mother and helps when I have technological problems. This seems to happen quite often. I hope this class will help in that area.