Let the Fire Burn

In two days, the school year will begin. My position of K-12 Technology Integrator has been made permanent. As I begin year two, I reflect back on last year.

I didn’t know what to expect last year. The talk of technology integration across the district, had never been talked about by the administration. Technology use in the district was just a little spark.
I knew it would not be an easy task, but was eager to begin working with the teachers that I had met during my summer staff development workshop. They of course were the first to contact me for help, and were eager to learn how to integrate technology into their curriculum.

Housing my office in our K-1 building was also a great idea. The Kindergarten and first grade teachers were craving technology, but nobody had ever spent time with them. They really didn’t know what they didn’t know. Even the principal at that building began a blog to keep her parents informed of the happenings in the building.

Little by little, word began to spread and I began to meet and work with great teachers throughout the district. A spark had turned into a flame and the fire is now lit.

Fortunately the high school was a recipient of the Classrooms for the Future grant and appointed Aly as the CFF coach. Aly has become a big supporter and an ally. Aly helped add fuel to the fire. When things are not working, or not going the way they should be, I can always count her to help get things moving in the right direction.

Aly and I had the privilege of adding fuel to the fire this summer through technology staff development workshops. We had a great group of teachers coming in to learn about Moodle, wikis, digital cameras, Web 2.0, and podcasting. Many of our teachers are pumped and ready for the school year. They have a new understanding of what technology is out there, and how it can seamlessly be integrated into their curriculum.

I am also excited to begin year two of my journey through education with technology. I had the pleasure of attending the KTI Summit at Bucknell this summer. I learned some great new tools, met lots of great Pennsylvania teachers, and have made some great contacts with people who are willing to collaborate.

Hopefully by the end of the year we will have a blazing inferno that can’t be put out!

Yes! Kindergarten Students Can Use Technology!

There only in school for 1/2 a day and really not even a 1/2 day. With all they need to learn, is there room for technology? So many people believe that we should not waste time having Kindergarten students use technology. Well I totally disagree. This week I have had the opportunity to work with the youngest students in my district and they were so excited to be using the technology. First, a class of kindergarten students are writing a book about animals that they each selected. They wanted to find some simple facts about their animals to include in their writing. Their teacher brought them to the computer lab and they were able to use web sites that I had previously bookmarked to find and print facts about their animals. Yes, they weren't really doing the searching, but they were using literacy skills because they had to find their animals from lists of animals on the websites I provided. In addition, they will need to read the facts and incorporate them into their reports. In addition, they needed to use listening skills, and basic computer skills(click, double click, maximize windows, minimize windows and access the print command) in order to get the information they needed. While they waited for their information to print many of them spent time exploring other animals. They were truly engaged in the activity and I can't wait to read their book when they are finished.

The second activity involved the wedding of the Letter Q and U. Our Kindergarten teacher conducts a mock wedding, complete with food (UTZ potato chips and Queen of Heart Strawberry or Cherry Tarts), and dancing at the reception. I took our digital camera kit into the classroom and allowed the students to photograph the wedding and reception. Their eyes lit up when I gave them the cameras, and yes, I had to delete lots of shoes, floors and people missing heads, but they were able to capture the ceremony, reception and dancing. We are in the process of putting Mr. and Mrs. QU's wedding album together. Let's face it, this is the world these children, while they are only 5 have grown-up in and it is time that it becomes part of their daily school life.

The Kindergarten, Transition and First Grader's Voted!

I know it has been a while since I've posted, but this journey through technology has been a wild ride. Teachers within the district are slowly beginning to see how computers and technology can be a learning tool to enhance instruction and student learning. I feel the biggest building that I have had an impact on is our K-1 building. The teachers in this building are thirsty for technology and I love to sit and talk and share with them.

Because today was the primary election in Pennsylvania our principal decided it would be a great day to conduct an election in the building. Yesterday, she read five books to the students and handed out bookmarks with the five book covers on them. The students were to take the bookmarks home and discuss the books with their parents and then decide on their favorite book. To help tabulate the votes, and to give the students a more realistic way of voting, I created a Google form using a Google spreadsheet, and the students came to the computer lab to cast their votes. To assist the Kindergarten students, many of the first grade classes were partnered with a kindergarten student. After I led the first graders through the voting process, they cast their vote and traded places with the kindergarten student. The first graders were then responsible to help the kindergarten students complete the voting process.

What an experience: 1. To see the students participating in the democratic process by voting.
2. To see 1st grade students take on the serious role of making sure that the kindergarten students were able to cast their votes. 3. To see kindergarten students truly thankful for the help their 1st grade buddies provided.

After the students voted, I even gave them an "I VOTED" sticker complete with our school mascot on. The teachers were thrilled to participate in this exercise, it was short, simple, but tied technology and the computer classroom to the real world!

What a great day! Tomorrow, the teachers will share graphs of the voting results with their students, as they begin to analyze the results by school and by individual class.