Develop...Professionally!

The state also requires a certain amount of professional development; initial teaching certificate - 30 hours over 4 years, reactivated certificate - 24 hours annually, career certificate - 15 hours annually, exempt from requirements after 10 years experience AND master's degree OR national certification.  Many districts have criteria that goes beyond these.

What are the benefits and drawbacks to these requirements?

 

There are many benefits to the professional development requirements.  It forces teachers who would normally resist to get the much needed refresher courses.  We all know those teachers who have done things one way their entire careers and hate any type of change.  This is a way to try to eliminate that type of attitude.  There are also drawbacks.  It is hard enough trying to get everything done as a teacher without having to complete all of these refresher courses.  I know finding time to finish everything would be difficult. Perhaps have the sessions during the summers?? Regardless of the cons,  professional development is a great tool and should be used as much as possible.

Get in the Game!

As we have looked at some of these emerging technologies, what are your thoughts on the adoption process. Would you prefer your district be an early adopter, or wait for the data to prove its worth? If you are given leeway to use new technologies, will you be an early adopter or wait for the proof to come in?



This is a tricky one. In my opinion, you don't want to adopt these new technologies too soon but you also don't want to wait longer than necessary.  I believe that schools should wait until the first round of data is collected.  This usually gives a hint as to whether or not the benefits of the technology justify the time and money that will be spent to adopt it.  It will show you how it has effected students performance and allow you to decide if it is a risk you want to take.


I would want to be part of a school district that is an early adopter over a district that would wait until ALL of the data has been collected.  I like to experiment with new things and I think using these technologies will help add life to the somewhat boring classroom setting.  We are long past the pencil and paper classroom.  To be successful teachers we HAVE to step outside of our comfort zone and try new things...even if it's scary! Our students WILL benefit from this.  They will learn more and enjoy school much better than without these new technologies!

What are the benefits of using multimedia in the classroom?  Are there any drawbacks/problems with using multimedia?  What are some specific ways you might use multimedia in your classroom?

There are many benefits of using multimedia in the room! It gets students interested in the topic being discussed far more than reading through a text book. They can watch a movie over a book you just read to find differences between the two. The could also make a music video on a topic they researched and show it to the class. There are drawbacks. Students might become uniterestwd if the material used is out of date. As a teacher I will include multimedia into my lessons as much as possible and will be sure to keep only recent materials in use.

Internet in the Classroom

What are the advantages of using the Internet in our classrooms? In what ways might it be used?  Are there any concerns or problems with using the Internet?  How can these problems be overcome? 

     The Internet is an amazing resource.  It can allow us to experience things that we normally could not in our everyday lives.  One advantage to using the Internet is that there are many reliable resources that can be found for almost any topic.  The disadvantage, however, is that sometimes those reliable resources are difficult to find and students might become discouraged if they get lost in their search. You could try to lessen this problem by having students research in pairs; two heads are better than one.  Students might find those resources more easily and if not, they do not feel stupid. 

     Another fun activity that can be done using the Internet is to go on a virtual field trip.  This allows students to experience a place that they could not visit otherwise.  Students will enjoy using technology to discover a place they have never before seen! 

     I plan on using the Internet frequently in my classroom. This means that my students will be exposed to potentially bad sites.  I will make sure to keep an eye out for inappropriate sites and encourage proper computer navigation.

To blog, or not to blog?

I believe that blogs can be used in the classroom setting. I don't think it would be appropriate in an elementary classroom as much as it would be for middle school and high school settings. One way teachers can use blogs within the classroom is to discuss a book te entire class is reading. The teacher could post a question aboutthe reading and have students respond. This is just one of the many ways in which blogs could be used. There would of course be risks that come with it, however. Students using the Internet are always at risk for opening pages or sites that are inappropriate. Teachers using this method would have to closely monitor the students computer use. If the school I teach in allows blogs, I would definitely use them as long as the students are mature enough for it. It will get then interested more than worksheets ever could.

I'm Lindsey and I'm with the Constructivists...

Hello all. I am Lindsey and I am in your class. Yea! I have freckles and big black glasses.  I am getting my degree in Elementary Education because I want to be rich.  If I had to pick a theory of learning I identify with, I would have to choose the Constructivist theory.  This theory holds that we learn through our experiences.  We reflect on the experiences we have and our learning is derived form that reflection.  I believe the students learn from hands on activities an experiences.  Students must be shown how the topic of study is used in the real world.  This allows them to relate it to prior knowledge and enhance their learning.  The days of hour-long lectures are gone.  For teachers to be successful, they must allow students to have experiences with the topics so that they may construct their own learning from them. It has been a pleasure blogging with you this week.  Chao!

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html