Tech for Kinders

Emi's research and use of Common Curriculum looks very organized (love that!) and comprehensive. It looks like  Common Curriculum can be used to do long-range planning and to adjust those plans as needed while incorporating Common Core Standards. It looks like there is a lot that it can do to help teachers stay on top of their planning and teaching. I will need to take a closer and longer look to fully understand all of it.

 

As I've said before, and totally unlike Emi, computer and tech work does not come naturally to me. It is through a lot of effort and persistence (and my insatiable desire to learn and grow) that I make any progress at all. So, I am very excited to report that I have just hooked up my Elmo and computer directly to my TV and can now do tons of great things in my classroom. Previously, my Elmo and projector were "kind of" hooked up but tethered to the TV and outlet by a short cord. Suffice it to say that it wasn't an optimal situation and I rarely used it as it meant rearranging my classroom a bit each time. So, bypassing the projector changed everything for me.

Sooo, I am really thrilled to be able to use Brain Pop Jr. with the kids now. Thank you PTA for purchasing both Brain Pop Jr. and Brain Pop for us - teachers and students (to use at home). Wow!!!   It is so cool. I found a great Math video and the kids loved it. Brain Pop Jr.(and Brain Pop) has terrific graphics and explains concepts really well. The kids love it as do I!!

Then I got on Discovery Education and we had even more fun searching and finding many things that we want to learn about and will go back to again. I had them just tell me topics and I'd look them up so they would see just how much is available to learn about.

Then I did a simple Journal Lesson using the Elmo and the TV and that was really fun too.  The kids really seem to pay attention well to everything on the big screen.

Technology is such a big part of our students lives. I feel like I have one more method to reach them in a way that they really are in tune with. It took me a few hours after school one day to rearrange some furniture, take things off of the bulletin boards and move them and get the cord hook-ups to reach and work but I feel it is a really good thing.  I also think is is a good thing for my students to see me struggle a bit and do the hard things and keep learning and growing as it is just what I want them to do in their lives as well. It's taken me awhile to get here but here I am raring to go. Yay Learning!!