Pam Bernard Reflection

I would like to first tell you what I hope to learn and what I hope will happen

I strongly hope that the children who are having trouble now with their writing and concentration become so absorbed in this project that they are able to write.  We have several children who have wonderful thoughts but when it comes to putting them on paper they have a very hard time.  I hope that through technology they will be able to show us what they are thinking about in their wonderful young, creative little brains!  

Through the MITTEN program I have learned how valuable the implementation of technology can be.  The things that children achieved by using the computer could not be done on paper.  Before being selected to do this project I didn't realize what I was capable of in regards to technology.  This program gave me the opportunity to assess my knowledge and skills in technology. 

How did the use of technology help my students to learn this subject
matter in a way that is more effective than or would not be possible
otherwise?

• We had several children in the class that had trouble putting their ideas on paper; my goal was to get these children to use the computer as an outlet to get their ideas out.  It worked, I was proud and surprised that the children were so excited to use the computer they put all their inhibitions aside and just let their creativity flow.  We were able to view things virtually that otherwise we would not have had access to.  For example during the study of penguins, I found a virtual zoo website and we were able to view penguins during feeding time.  There was a live feed into the penguin area of the zoo, we could watch them eat, play, swim, etc.  This was a wonderful experience for the children and when we went to the zoo at the end of the year they were comparing what the penguins were doing with what they saw on the Internet.  This was fascinating because they are only first graders.  It was important to me to be able to show the children what we were learning about in every possible light available to them. 

What worked and didn't work in the lesson you planned?

• I found it difficult only having two computers in the classroom the school would not allow us to download anything on the lab computers, so we had to make due with what we had available.  Because of my cooperating teacher, I was able to make special computer time everyday, which was how we got the project done.  I also had some children that were computer buffs and they wanted to work on their project all day so I had to find a way to encourage them to finish without discouraging them from enjoying their work.  One thing that happened was we were unable to furnish enough time for each child to create to Kid Pix designs simply because we only had it installed on two computers and each page took about ten to fifteen minutes depending on the child’s level of computer knowledge.  To resolve this I told the children to illustrate their stories on paper and that I was going to take a very special picture of their drawing to put it on the computer.  The results were wonderful and even though this wasn’t my original intention I would do it again because the children loved seeing their drawings on the screen.  It was almost cartoon like.  The twists in teaching that force you to change something are what keep it interesting. 

What would you change to improve the lesson in the future?

• I would add more whole group activities to my unit.  The children really learned how to work in groups and answer questions as teams.  I would also want to have more children work in groups to complete a graphic of their ideas.  That worked very well.  We played some games as a whole group; I feel that would have been more effective in smaller groups.  I also think I would do some exercises first on how to answer questions as a team, because they had it in their heads that the smartest kid had to answer the questions so they would get it right.  When they were creating their graphics it was amazing to see how quickly they got the hang of dropping and dragging items.  To have a computer in the classroom does not take away from creativity but it boosts it in a way that cannot be achieved on paper.  It is my hope that I am lucky enough in my career to never be without a computer because it has amazing effects on how kids value their works. 

How has teaching this lesson changed the way you think about
integrating technology into teaching?

• I was skeptical at first of the ease of integrating technology into an early childhood classroom because It seemed more time would be spent teaching the children how to use computers then actually letting them do anything.  However, I was very pleasantly surprised by how easily the kids picked up on using a computer.  I learned so much from the children about what worked and what didn’t work.  They easily showed when they didn’t like an activity by seeming bored and dis-enchanted with it.  I like all of my general activities that I used in the portfolio because they can be used with other animals and topics making them changeable for other grade levels.  I would like to use technology for a whole year and see if there is a difference greater then what I saw only using it for several weeks. 

As a result of this experience, what learning (both formal
professional development and informal self-teaching) do you think you
need to continue your professional growth?

• I think that everyone can benefit from time management skills, without that where do you fit in the computer time, especially when it needs instruction.  I would like to master some of the top kids graphic software, because it is hard to teach someone something if you are not excellent at it.  I am familiar with many of the programs but I think to know more about them would be beneficial to my teaching career.  I also think that if there was a way to get together like we did at the MITTEN workshops and just share ideas I would definitely be interested in that type of professional development because I learned more from those sessions then reading several books about internet use in the classroom.  I feel better rounded as an elementary school teacher, I feel like I have a second way to teach the entire core curriculum.  I am very comfortable using technology and aligning it with the Michigan standards and benchmarks.  Until participating in MITTEN I was unaware of what I was capable of.  MITTEN opened my eyes to what I had learned and gave me a way to utilize it in the classroom.