Welcome MTI 562!
Several weeks ago I decided that it was time for me to take an on-line class and magically the email for this course popped up in my email at school. I teach in a relatively poor school but this year the board surprised us and passed an initiative that each of our students would receive a brand new Google Chrome book at registration to use during their tenure at LP high.
Next year my honors students will enter my room on the first day with a computer in their hand. This excites me and makes me nervous and I have never been a nervous teacher. I have always loved technology and tried to keep up with whatever our school had to offer. Our administration has announced that we all must change our teaching and integrate technology 24/7. But we are all unsure what that should look like. This is what has drawn me to this course.
I am excited to learn some new tricks and how to integrate some old ones into my teaching. I know my subject area like the back of my hand but I feel I have been given an opportunity and wish to start the fall semester a bit more tech savvy and able to show my students something new they have never done before. Six years ago we wrote a grant and were able to put promethean boards into 21 classrooms. This new technology expanded how I present information to my students and I have loved every minute of it. Now my students will have the capability to move beyond the board and I am hopeful I can offer them some new ideas learned from this course and am able to use technology in a whole new way.
It looks like we are in the same boat! When I return to school in the Fall (I must add that I am still in school until the very end of June!), my first and second grade students will have access to Chrome Books, and my Kindergarteners to iPads. Classroom teachers will be relying on me for ideas, support, and troubleshooting. Although I find it a bit intimidating seeing the kids are so young, I am excited for this opportunity.
ReplyDeleteMegan - have you had a chance to work with a chrome book? We haven't even seen one but I suspect the kids will adapt easier than the teachers.
DeleteJill- I have one from the school to "play" with over the summer. I will be attending a two day workshop next week. I am also going to a conference in Boston this summer. I am hoping to learn a lot at the ISTE conference in Philadelphia at the end of the month. I signed up for BYOD classes for both the Chrome Books and iPads...
DeleteMegan--I hope you post about ISTE and your Chromebook training on your blog so I can read it. I can't get to ISTE and I am soaking up everything I can about Chromebooks.
DeleteI am very excited to be a part of this class. I have learned many things already this week.
ReplyDeleteHow lucky to have computers for all of your students! You will enjoy watching them explore and learn each and every day. Don't forget to show them your learning curve! You're all in this new adventure together and you'll have so much fun! I can't wait to learn some new technology and learn how to integrate it into our lessons!!
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