If at first you don't succeed, you're normal. — Kid President.
The biggest obstacle for me in using technology in the classroom is the learning curve that you experience when introducing completely new programs. Ultimately technology can be a huge time saver and lead to more productivity and engagement. But initially it is hard for me to break away from the way I have learned to do things, especially if at first it seems more tedious and can take more time initially. I am hoping to learn and perfect many new ways to use technology this summer while I have the time, so that I can return to my classroom in August ready to implement them.
Why Bother Learning About Technology?
The most relevant use that I have found for technology lately has been to use it for self empowerment. There are so many ways to use technology as a teacher to help meet the specific needs of your school, classroom, and students. I teach in a Language Immersion school where all resources for language classes including worksheets, text books, and classroom decorations have to be in the target language.
I attended this elementary school as a child in the early 2000's when the applications for technology use int he classroom were not so easy and relevant. It was extremely difficult for teachers to get access to classroom materials in Spanish or French to use in the classroom. However, now as a teacher in 2019, I have been able to use technology to easily access classroom materials that I need in Spanish for my classroom. I have also been able to use technology to create specific worksheets, behavior systems, and classroom decorations in Spanish to meet the specific needs of my school and my students. Technology has also allowed me to share these resources with teachers around the world who have classrooms similar to mine through mediums like Teachers pay teachers and Instagram. It is incredible how empowering technology can be for teachers!
Blogging in Education
There are so many innovative ways to use a blog within the domain of education. I have been wanting to explore the use of a blog to share my own experiences and perspective as a Kindergarten Immersion teacher. I have also been dreaming about creating a blog to showcase resources that I create for my Teacher's Pay Teachers store. This is my first step in exploring that option so I am very excited to have the opportunity to learn more about blogging and ways to use technology!
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