Our Third Why:
This is the third in a series of four to share our firm belief that when we purposefully integrate technology in our classrooms ... even with the littlest learners ... we can build skills for the future. For additional thoughts and insights, please watch our video, then read below from both perspectives.
The Video:
From the Classroom Teacher:
As a classroom teacher, the main goal is to give your students tools that they will carry with them and use confidently throughout their school careers and beyond. I have seen first hand how technology is one of the most beneficial tools you can give to your students.
Our students are coming to us, having already had experiences with technology in some capacity. We can’t control how they are interacting with tech outside of the classroom but let's think about how we can use that to mold the way they learn to use it in the classroom. We are the influencers of good choices. The good choices we model, practice and make concrete for students are the same good choices that will become ingrained in their minds and take with them in the future. We have the opportunity to show students that tech is a tool in which they can help themselves and be good problem solvers. Students yearn for the chance to do this. We just have to provide the opportunities for them to do so.
By providing these learning experiences, we are allowing our students to connect to a world that is driven by technology. They are connecting with and opening doors to possibility. Our job, as teachers, is to facilitate that learning and point them in the right direction.
From the Technology Integration Specialist:
As a technology integration specialist, my entire job focuses on the "why" and the "how" to integrate tech. In our modern world, technology is no longer a luxury - it is a constant. When our youngest learners entered school in the past, it was anyone's guess whether they had access to technology. Today, not only do most have access, most have "too much" access. And it's not guaranteed to support learning. That is where our focus to build their skills for the future needs to happen at the youngest ages.
More and more devices are available, and often, required at all ages. Using these devices with intention can scaffold our littlest learners with technology in the same way we scaffold with reading and math. With time and focus - and plenty of patience - technology will soon be a benefit to your classroom.
For our youngest learners, often the log in process is the most daunting. I always remind teachers it will take several times, but if we do it in a step-by-step manner, the students will catch on quickly. Asking for another set of hands can also make this process a little more manageable the first few times. If you don't have a devoted tech person, maybe it would be a good time for a principal or a counselor to visit, or even a para-professional who has 15 minutes open. It's a great time to see our students in a different light than in the academic spotlight.
Involve your students in each step. Show them how to properly carry their device. I work closely with our media specialist/librarian who teaches the students to "hug" their library books and carry them carefully. I use this same method with carrying devices. Placing them down carefully, keeping them on their desks, put writing utensils away, all water bottles on the floor, etc. Keep their "work area" clean and free of obstacles that might get in the way. Log in together, one step at a time.
My BIGGEST & most important suggestion is to do your absolute best to encourage the students to do each task independently. Resist the urge to take over and "do" because it will be quicker. It might be quicker TODAY, but you've taught this student that you will "do" for them. Yes, this means you might not do much more than logging in the first time or two, but practice, practice, practice. Use creative and fun names to direct them to what they need to click on. Projecting your screen is a great visual. Keep in mind they are also learning letters and numbers, so using visual cues "the green square" or "the world's skinniest snowman" or "the picture with a robot on it" will give them an association to a program or link you want to call their attention to.
Honestly - if WE take the time to slow down, and scaffold our technology use and expectations, these skills will build on each other just as the reading and math skills do. Our youngest learners are little sponges and they will soak it up. Promise.
What's Next? Connect!
Soon, we will share our final "why". You can check out our previous videos & explanations here:
* Our 1st Why: Teacher Video: Purposefully Integrate Technology to Enhance Learning
* Our 2nd Why: Teacher Video: Purposefully Integrate Technology to Utilized District Provided Tools
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