What do you think your classroom will look like in 5 years? (Week Fourteen)

I can only make a guess at what my classroom will look like in five years and I bet my guess will be very different from reality. It would be interesting if I am to become one of those teachers who teach Brit. Lit. through a pod cast from England or perhaps from another exotic country like – Morocco. My class will be in another country and consist of beautiful ethnic faces and smiles eager to learn about Shakespeare, theatre, or creative writing. The technology we have will depend on the grants and outside supports we are able to gather. If I am teaching in the states, I hope my classroom will incorporate new technology. The SMART Board is only the beginning. There is so much out there to discover and yet to be invented. How about a SMART Board that is voice activated but the interaction is set up in a way in which each student has a mic in order not to confuse sounds. Another interesting technology might be a map of the world on a screen (like SMART Board) in which you touch the screen to connect to a specific country, then encounter a drop down list that will give the individual choices of other students (same age and grade level) in which to email, telephone, blog, playing an interactive learning games, etc. all with the student from the country they chose. Also, in this interactive resource of classroom technology, the classroom as a whole can converse with classes from other nations and learn about their culture, language, etc. using preprogrammed lessons, suggestions or activities I have designed. Cultures will be able to share life with one another. It would also be cool, when sharing ethnic foods, if we could smell the aroma through the screen.

Sharing in the classroom (Week Thirteen)

In one of the classrooms I observe, the teacher reads stories the students have written. After each story, the class is given opportunity to guess if the author is a boy or a girl and to share comments about what they like or what they think would make it better. Sometimes, the stories are so funny, I cannot help but laugh out loud with the class. I must be honest in sharing that sometimes my laugh is much louder than the rest until I get embarrassed at the realization of this fact and quiet down. During these times, I have been known to laugh so hard that I cry. Why do I share this story? This has been the breaking down of barriers in which students will say my name and talk about the fact that I am cracking up and laugh along with me. When class starts, they are now more apt to chat and interact -- more so than when I first showed up on "their door step." It has brightened my soul to not only have this interaction with the students but to see the progress in the building of relationships within the classroom setting through such a simple thing as laughter.

Questions for Panel Members (Week Twelve)

1. What % of students have you found to actually not be technology savvy?

2. Which technology tools have you found to spark the most interest and interaction from students?

3. After all is said and done, can each of you tell me the one thing I should not/cannot go into the classroom not knowing or having for my students?

More Reflection Regarding SMART Board (Week Eleven)

I found teaching the SMART Board to be quite fun. I deviated a little from my original plan. Instead of presenting my presentation to the students, I first went through my presentation and then explained how I created it. I also showed how and where I got my information, how to find already made presentation and then add your own flair. I took them step by step from opening up the software to saving the new creation. Their response was a very positive one. It was the most fun I’ve had with the SMART Board and I thoroughly enjoyed the class!

Assignment #4: SMART Board Activity

This is a chronological list to show planning of the activity:
I first went into the SMART Board program and opened it. To the right side of the board are tabs; and I chose the tab labeled "Gallery." Next, I chose "on-line resources." Then: lesson activities, United States, subject and grade level. From the next tab down chose grade: 12/subject: English Language Arts. The most interactive lessons for this grade that I could find was: "What Makes it Newsworthy?" I clicked on my selection, downloaded XBK and the SMART Board Notebook pop up with my lesson on it. From there, I deleted a couple of pages that did not pertain to my lesson. I added a feature (screen shade) to hide the answer choices and added sound (applause) to the last page. The lesson was then saved to the computer to be used for teaching others how to use a SMART Board. Participation from the class will be in the form of the student coming up to the board and using either their finger or a pen to choose an answer. Students will also learn how to use the eraser as well as the screen shade feature. This will be assessed through class/individual involvement, recall and questions answered correctly to determine understanding. Students will also have an opportunity to ask questions regarding the lesson.

Assignment #4.notebook

NETS standards for students this activity will fulfill (number sequence coordinates with NETS -- not all NETS were used for this project):

1. Basic operations and concepts

• Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.

2. Social, ethical, and human issues

• Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
• Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
• Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

3. Technology productivity tools

• Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

4. Technology communications tools

• Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.

6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools

• Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions

I believe most would feel that secondary classrooms would benefit from an interactive board. Based on what I have seen, I feel that there are not very many creative or age appropriate lesson plans created for the convenience of the secondary teacher to interest students. There is the option to create your own lessons plans conducive to the classroom with age appropriate activities only limited by the imagination of the instructor; however, it would be very time consuming to create lessons from scratch for the software. On the other hand, elementary teachers not only have the opportunity to create their own activities but have a plethora of creative age appropriate lessons available to them within the program and on-line.

One great thing about the SMART Board is the fact that a teacher can use it to meet diverse needs in the classroom such as students with special needs or gifted students, as well as peak the interest of every student in the classroom with some aspect of the SMART Board activities which include: hands on (touching the board to answer questions/moving objects), visual (seeing text, graphics, and Q&A), and audio (either included or can add) aides to lessons.