Blog Post #10

What can we learn from Mrs. Cassdiy?

Mrs. Cassidy is a first grade teacher in Moose Jaw, Canada who has incorporated technology into her classroom in many exciting ways. Mrs. Cassidy uses a variety of different technologies such as Nintendo DS, Skype, a classroom webpage, and student blogs. Mrs. Cassidy believes that "You are handicapping your students and yourself by not taking advantage of those tools (technology)." I strongly agree with this statement and it is a goal of mine to be up-to-date on new technology that can enhance my methods of teaching.

In the video Little Kids...Big Potential we heard from some of Mrs. Cassidy's students about some of the things they are doing in her class. In the videos Interview with Mrs. Cassidy part one, part two, and part three Mrs. Cassidy gives us some insight of how she uses technology in her classroom. One of the things That Mrs. Cassidy uses that I would like to use in my classroom is student blogging. This offers many benefits not only to the teacher but to the students and their parents as well. Students love the fact that they have an audience for their work and parents are able to view their child's process and leave comments on their work.

Another tool I want to use in my classroom is Skype. A benefit of Skype is the ability to bring experts right into your classroom and to connect your class with other classrooms. I also love the classroom webpage that she uses. Students are able to access games and other educational tools that allow them to practice different subjects . This is something I definitely want to create for my future classes. I believe using these tools and techniques will better engage students, help them gain a deeper knowledge of what they learn, allow parents to feel more evolved, and make me a better teacher.

However, with all the benefits there may be some impediments to over come. Two main obstacles I think I may encounter would be parent's hesitation and students safety online. I think some parents may want a more traditional education for their children and may not see all the benefits of technology in the classroom. If this comes up then I would talk to the parents to explain why I choose to incorporate technology in my classroom. I would explain the safety measure I have taken to keep their children safe on the web and reassure that everything serves and education purpose. I would tell parents that in our world today technology is a major part of everyday life and will continue to grow, their children are learning skills that they can build upon to serve them throughout their lives.

Another obstacle I may face is students safety on the web, I will make sure to address this before students ever go on the internet. I will go over safety rules such as do not post your last name, only go to the links I provide, and never put your personal information on the web such as your address or home phone number. Overall I enjoyed these videos and look forward to using some of these tools in my future classroom.