Many new things to try

     For the past six weeks I have been immersed in the world of educational technology applications. My eyes have been opened up to whole new world of possibilities. I am now  blogging weekly about my preschool technology adventures, creating eBooks through my very own eBook site, using publisher to enhance my monthly classroom news letters, designing and implementing webquests with my preschoolers, developing digital stories with my students using the live movie maker program and staying connected to my parents though a classroom website. My what a little knowledge can do to empower a person. I have never been one to just sit back and let life happen to me, and now that I have a better understanding and grasp on what technology can do to enhance the quality of instruction and overall experience that my students receive I cannot seem to remember a time when I was not utilizing technology. 
     Technology has now become even more a part of who I am, in it I have found an outlet for my creative nature. I have always dreamed big, and now with technology applications like, digital storytelling, blogging, webquests, and personal websites, I am better equipped to teach who I am and what I know to my students.  "Fear not", is the perfect battle cry when facing the challenges this digital world throws my way, because if I had not taken some risks and overcome my apprehensions of using technology with my preschoolers, I would have been limiting the possibilities of not only myself, but my students. 

Encouraging colleagues to learn about and integrate technology into their classrooms

  I think I can encourage my professional colleagues to engage in on going professional development opportunities that integrate more technology by demonstrating how the use of technology allows my daily lessons to take on more relevance and meaning for my students. I think also pointing out that in today's digital world to be an effective educator and best prepare our students for life as productive citizens we need to be integrating the technological tools and skills that are required for day to day interaction and overall success. By doing so we will be producing digitally responsible citizens that can  think critically to solve problems in collaboration with peers while utilizing the latest technology available to them.
  I can serve as a teacher leader in this process by sharing information and knowledge that I have gained. For instance, outlining the benefits of incorporation web quests as a supplement to my lesson plan to engage and reach more learning styles. Or the development of my own website to strengthen the partnership and communication with parents. Or even something as simple as a blog, either following others or creating your own as a way to expand your knowledge and bounce ideas off of other like-minded educators. Technology is all around us every day, it is not something to be feared, but rather explored and embraced for the benefits it can bestow on us in all parts of our lives.

Concerns about using technology with Preschoolers

  When contemplating the integration of more technology into my preschool classroom, I think that my biggest concern is making sure the information and resources I use are relevant and meaningful to my students and that the information and technologies are reliable and valid. There is so much digital information and applications available at the click of a button, that it can sometimes be difficult to sort through the good and the not so good. I also have concerns about always making sure that I credit technology and information in the appropriate way. I know I would not want someone else to claim my hard work as their own, so I try to give credit where credit is due. Teaching the rights and responsibilities of use that go hand in hand with the use of technology is very important. And I think that preschool is not to early to lay the ground work for developing strong skills in this area.
  I think that I could alleviate these concerns by not being afraid to ask questions when I am not clear on something and do research so I am comfortable and familiar with the technologies I am integrating into my daily lessons. I think that by researching and asking questions when I am unclear, I am setting a good example for my students and they will begin to understand the rights and responsibilities that go along with the use of technologies throughout daily life. Because of the example I am setting for them now, I feel that the knowledge and skills needed to use technologies responsibly will become habit for my students, and engaging in them will become second nature.

Software used in my preschool classroom: What else could I be doing?

During my day to day practices I use software like Microsoft word, for completing lesson plans, creating home project assignments, progress reports, or supplemental classroom materials. I also regularly use Board maker and writing with symbols software to create games, word cards, visual communication materials like., individualized schedules, class rule charts, lunch menus, rebus charts, and many other materials to enhance learning experiences and meet a variety of learning styles. I also use e-mail to communicate with colleges and share information and materials.

     As I continue my journey to be a life -long learner, I would like to become more familiar with software applications like Microsoft publisher, eBook creation, blogs, teacher websites, podcasting, Google Doc, and smart board technologies. I think that, by increasing my knowledge of the technology  resources available to the education field, I will be better equipped to meet the diverse needs of all of my students, while preparing them to be successful in the 21^st century world.

     To achieve professional proficiency in technology resources, the best way for me to achieve my goal is to researching how these technology resources work and reflect on what applications would best meet the needs of the learning environment I am trying to create. Throughout the next year I want to develop a monthly classroom newsletter to keep parents connected with my classroom specifically, and I also want to create a teacher website. By creating a teacher website I could include the classroom newsletter and parents could have access to it anytime. I have already created an eBook site where my students and myself can create virtual versions of our classroom created stories. This would be a great tool embedded in my teacher website, to be used as a resource for families allowing them access to our stories at home. As I progress with the eBook site, I would also like to give families the opportunity to create and share their own created stories. The site I found will allow for this, and I think after explanation and guidelines are set for the students and their families it will be a great way to increase parent involvement.  I think my starting point is creating a teacher website, and then researching relevant and meaningful resources to embedded wit in it.

Preparing the 21st Century Learner

As I reflect on my ability to teach the 21st century learner, I think that I am as prepared as any educator can be in the face of such a fast paced world of change. The latest skills, techquineques, technologies and buzz words are changing rapidly, and in order to be an effective teacher you have to be committed to the school of life- long learning. But, I really think that this idea is not only about being able to teach 21st century skills, but more the need to stay current on how to best meet all the diverse needs of your student population. No matter if we are talking about teaching strengths today or ten years from now, preparation and adaptability are the hallmark of an effective or ‘good’ teacher.

   I think that by providing exposure to a variety of different experiences prepares my preschoolers. We are working in collaboration to build baseline knowledge for all future learning. I want my students to love everything about learning, so I think diversity in the opportunities I provide for them gives them the strong foundation the need to start growing into their future self. My vision for my students is simple, what I am doing with them in preschool sets the tone for success today, tomorrow, and always.

   No matter what area you are teaching in there are always challenges to face. For me, teaching in the 21^st century is challenging because, I have limited technologies available to me.  So it becomes challenging to find innovative ways to incorporate the technological aspects that I know my students need exposure to, which will help the rate of future success in my classroom and beyond.  However, I do think my strength in my ability to adapt to situations and be creative with the resources I do have available to me. I am also self -motivated to learn by doing, so I think that allows me to see situations from the perspective of my students. So when planning my lessons I am better able to tailor learning to individual needs. I am very much a life- long learner and I think that as the world of teaching changes around me, my teaching style will reflect my growth, knowledge and adaptability.

Thoughts on Technology in my preschool classroom

     The idea of technology and preschool going hand in hand is something many people would not consider a good match. However, preschool is the perfect time to introduce and incorporate technology into daily learning. As a preschool teacher I understand that birth to age five it key to not only the physical growth and development of a child but it is also the optimal time for exploring and learning. So in my mind, introducing technology to  preschool age students sets them up to be more successful throughout their entire school career as well as preparing them for the demands of 21st century society.  With in my preschool classroom, the students use computers to play interactive games that cover all developmental areas, we have a classroom digital camera that we use to create classroom books, and document student work that might not otherwise be recordable. I also have a classroom laptop that has Internet access and we use that to do research on relevant topics, like the phases of the moon, volcano eruptions, listening to music, or any other idea that the students come up with. Using the Internet in that way, I think makes learning more meaningful and interesting to my students and they retain more information because they can really make it their own.
   If I consider the NETS for teachers' standards I think that with the limited resources that I have access to I am taking steps in the right direction towards building a strong technological future for my classroom. I know there is so much more that I could be doing and so much more that I can and will learn.
   One of the biggest barriers I face as well as many other educators face in regards to incorporating more technology is limited funding. It seems like every year budgets are getting smaller while the demands for a well rounded education are getting bigger. So, the challenge for educators becomes how to balance the needs of every student, a limited budget, and the demands of society.
  I would say I am not very fearful of technology and the application of technology in my classroom, but rather unfamiliar with all of the technology options that are available to me that would enhance my lessons and the learning experiences that my preschoolers receive.
  I look forward to expanding my knowledge of the technologies that are available to me so I can enhance and supplement my daily lesson plans and expose my preschoolers to many more technology based learning opportunities. I believe that gaining knowledge in a subject matter that offers you challenges gives you the power to better not only yourself but influence everyone you come into contact with.  I hope to gain a stronger baseline knowledge of the available technologies, so I will be more comfortable using them in my preschool classroom, as well as more comfortable with sharing that knowledge with others.