Technology Inventory

Mrs. Blanch's 3rd grade classroom at the Noah Webster Academy has:

A digital camera they can check out,a computer, an over head projector, microphones they use with a sound system that the teachers wear all day and it's projected over a sound system connected to the intercom (that's in every classroom), there is also a separate microphone for the students to use when they are reading aloud or doing group work/corrections, a computer projector, access to a classroom set of laptops they can check out, the school is also working on having a computer lab with desk tops. There are VCR/DVD players they can check out as well as a T.V., they also have a wireless network system for the computers, a stereo, a copy machine, and a scanner (for the entire school to use).

She wishes she has "smart boards" in her classroom, which is something every 4th-6th grade classroom has. The reason why is because it is very interactive. It comes with special software, you could disect a frog or do a geometry lesson on it, and you can use it to manipulate things. Another thing is a reading program where the children are to read together in groups, first listening to someone read aloud and then they practice themselves (like a tape player or a disc man). She also thought it would be nice to have an opaque projector so she doesn't have to use transparencies.

She uses the internet A LOT to get ideas and plan. Whether it be teacher websites, or national curriculum posted on line such as the "chore knowledge" website. she also uses the internet to check information and websites like dictionary.com to find definitions of words. She finds a lot of worksheets on the computer for different activities they can use and modifies them to teach the students at their learning level. She also likes to get ideas or lesson plans from other teachers who posted them on line. The curriculum they use is often above age appropriateness so they go online to get ideas to make it DAP. She also does all of her lesson plans on excel and emails them each week. Grades are also accessable online as well as documents they use in the classroom so parents can see them. She can also send out a mass email to the parents using a certain program. Each of her teaching files are saved on her computer, which helps for other teachers coming in as well.

She has taught at three different schools. At the title one school verses your current school (Noah Webster Academy) a charter school, how has the differences in technology helped the kids? Well, you need to prepare the kids for the future, but the technology available is different in each school. Now from 3rd grade and up, kids do end of level testing online. Having technology available opens up your options and allows the students to prepare for the future. It's a lot easier and less expensive to replicate things using technology than doing the actual thing (for example a field trip). It simplifies things and allows her and the students to access a lot more information. Computer literacy is just the same concept as concepts of print and language literacy. At this point, they really need to understand the fundamental principles on how to use technology/ computers so that they can learn from them in the future.

I have completed part 1 & 2 of the PLE assignment for this week.