Blog+Reflections


 * So, I have to be** honest. When I set up this wiki, I intended to be blogging quite a bit. Now I find myself just doing what I need to complete this part of PI. I guess that's what happens when you dive in and go gung ho with technologies you know nothing about. I decided to throw caution to the wind and let the kids run with the projects. I tried to start with the end in mind. Unfortunately for me, I'm creative and as I go, I am inspired to do more and more and more. I think the kids have really enjoyed all of the technology PI has inspired in my classroom. I'm not using it just because. I've found more ways to give them time to explore specific programs that they wouldn't do without having a specific assignment. I've also found out interesting things about our "digital natives." Being an English teacher, I shouldn't have assumed that my natives would have the skills to use the technology correctly or even well. After all, there are some people who think that because English is our native language, we should speak and use it well. I can tell you that the use of English in this country is sad and definitely not well. I work hard to change that. This provided me with a shift of definition and understanding.


 * What I am learning** from all my students, not just the ones that I am working with for my initial project, is that they want to use the devices in every way they can, but they still give up easily. I think that the 21st century skills are so important, but there are more things at the middle level that we need to teach with it. For instance, I think that we need to teach our students that it is important to take time away from the technology. I always tell my students that I expect them to be wrong sometimes. Otherwise what would they learn? They need to adopt that to their technology skill set as well. They also need problem-solving skills so much because they need to be able to analyze the computer and what it isn't doing or where to look for information.

I can't say that **this journey** has been easy for me. At first when I would assign something tech related I would panic wondering what questions I wouldn't answer. I've abandoned that. Now I say from the beginning, "I don't know all of the answers to your questions, but I bet together we can find out." I've also tried really hard to stop answering the questions. I try to instead answer with a guiding question. My brain is tired at night!


 * My first lesson** went mostly how I planned. I am always pleasantly surprised when the students bring in other things that we studied earlier. I know I shouldn't be. I've trained them. But it is always a shock to hear, "Man, those sentences are choppy," from a kid I don't expect it from. I guess that's because I focus too hard on the things I really want from the lesson. That's the exciting part about teaching. In my first class, I asked for a show of hands as to how many didn't really know what to do if I said to them that their word choice needed to be improved. By my count, it was about 80%. This just proved to me that my initial assessment that this would be a good standard for this project was accurate. When we are done with the unit, I will ask again, hoping more will say that they know what to do. I showed them how Word has an internal thesaurus. I showed them an online one and pointed out the books in my room. Realistically when I surveyed the first class, only one or two were willing to use the books. Different from me. I love the smell of a book. I have a much harder time with technology. But I'm learning.


 * After talking through** my unit with Jennifer, I realized there were many more areas of assessment. Sometimes I feel anxious as a teacher. With all of this new terminology I don't always know what others are talking about. Ten years has passed quickly! I realized that I was defining formative assessment the wrong way. It sure helped to clear up for me what I was supposed to be tracking for my research plan! One of my interns was with me during our discussion and piped in, "Right, they've taught us that formative is FOR learning..." It reminded me that I can just as easily do that to my students; use a term they don't know and panic them thinking I'm looking for something else. I don't say that as a criticism. I just need to remember that this is my field. I'm an expert, which it feels funny to say, and I need to make sure my students feel comfortable enough to say, "I think I know what you mean, but can you explain?" without feeling embarrassed.


 * I am excited** to see the podcasts. I have learned so much about the software from the kids. I love it when they say, "Mrs. Neuman, I figured out how to... but now how do I?" And my response is, "Well, here is where I would search for the info!" I really had to abandon my fear of not knowing. Now I feel like the door is open. And the best part is, without me, using technology mostly is seamless in my room. They come in, know what to do and get to it. Behavior other than sometimes just dinking around on the computer isn't really an issue on those days. Sometimes I really wish we were a one-to-one school. Maybe I'll have the privilege of teaching long enough to find out what that would be like! My students are excited too. Like wildfire, the originality bug is catching among them as they are finishing the tough parts. They have learned now that Keynote isn't scary, it's just different and that they can find ways to imprint their fingerprints of creativity all over their projects. When they are done, I will link a few on my wiki to share.


 * This is my** last post on my wiki for this year. When I started with this project, I was excited to see what would happen. Little did I know how much I would change in my time involved. I work at a school where sometimes the great things you do go unnoticed by those above you. I'm really proud of myself because I feel like I've started an important transformation. I can't take the credit for this. Some has come from the reading from the class we took with Dr. Geary. Some has come from working with my two interns. Some has come from a realization that I was becoming antiquated and in a desperate attempt to make myself up-to-date, I discovered something my students could really benefit from. It started with a change in the way I ask and answer questions. That is incredibly important. I had to admit to my kids that I didn't know everything (that wasn't so bad...it's actually a relief). I had to be willing to try. I often thought about the concept of the movie "The Yes Man." Instead of telling the kids that we couldn't do it, thinking I didn't know, I told them yes, and we learned together. One student tentatively showed me how to run ichat. Another student showed me a great online citation machine. Today, we were playing with the concept of a green screen. I decided that next year, we should have technology show-off days in class where we show something we've learned that's new. Whether my principal and superintendent know it or not, I've become a technology facilitator. My students and I have worked together to create great things we are proud of. As an end to this blog, I'd like to share something that one of my smartest kids said to me. "How cool is it that we get to do these things at school. Thank you, Mrs. Neuman."