Final Reflection

  

  As a final reflection for this course, I created a Voki.  I did not have a chance to create a Voki this semester but was very interested in giving it a try after viewing some of my classmates. 

Voki

     Entering this class, I had a background with many of the tools this course offered.  Even though I had a background, I did not have much time to spend with the tools in the classroom due to the state requirements that need to be met.  This course allowed me to take a set back and seek creative ways that technology can be incorporated while sticking to the requirements.  I feel I needed a "refresher" on many of the tools, like StoryBird, in order to ensure proper use with my students.  I have also found myself eager to incorporate more activities within my teaching.  My students absolutely loved completing the VoiceThread project and are eager for another.  I have even widen my professional learning community in this course, where I have been able to add many professionals to my Twitter account!

Literacy Project

Literacy Project

 

I created a VoiceThread with my first grade students.  For this VoiceThread students had to research information an animals of choice to support a science unit recently completed.  While researching they were asked to explore Internet sites and at least one informational text.  As series of questions were offered to formulate and organize the information they discovered.  From the information, the students needed to present what they learned being sure to highlight key words and concepts from their literature and science studies. Then students commented on each others projects!  Follow the link and let me know what you think!

Another Digital Story

Below is a link to another digital story I did with Kindergarten students.  We completed an author's study on Eric Carle and then the students choose their favorite book of his to share.  Students worked in pairs for this project.  My main goal was to work on reading comprehension and fluency.  Let me know what you think!
Eric Carle

Pre-K Digital Storytelling Book Example

I really enjoyed this resource.  The students were some cute!  It is great to see, as a first grade teacher, that Preschool teachers are working on sight words.  You can tell that a lot of time was put into this as the students are singing fluently and know how to spell Kindergarten words along with some popular songs.  It was very creative of this teacher to use something most Preschool know, the songs, to teach students the words!  Wonderful resource that I will share with the Preschool Coordinator in my building.  

Google Reader

I love using Google Reader! I have been using Google Reader for two years now and have about 40 subscriptions that I follow.  I view my reader on a daily basis like a newspaper.  I log-on everyone morning to see what is happening, what others are posting.  This is an easy access to other's blogs and posting.  I follow many other blogs.  Below is a list of some blogs I follow.  My recommendations are in bold.  


BLOGCEA
Educdemic
Edutopia RSS
entertainment zone
Free Technology for Teachers
iLearn Technology
Larry Felazzo's Websites of the day
LD OnLine Daily News
RSD6 Elementary Technology Showcase
Saint Joseph College Campus News and Current Events
sites4primary.com
Stump The Teacher
Teacher Reboot Camp
Teaching 2 and 3 year olds
Dairy of a First Grade Teacher
Kindergarten Hoppenings
Ladybug's Teacher Files
RSD6 Math Blog
Tales From a K-1 Classroom
The First Grade Parade

Weebly

I was not aware of Weebly before this course and I am disappointed that I missed the class discussion on this tool.      Since I missed the class, I created a log-in on the website and began exploring examples of websites and the benefits.  Our school offers us websites for us to much like this site offers, however, I found the Weebly site easier to use as it is user friendly and easy to assess for students.  This would be another great place to post information to parents and offer students a place to access work they missed or games and activities they enjoy using in the classroom.  I am hoping to create my own Weebly in the near future to replace my current website.  

Skyping with Mike G. and Students

When skyping with Mike and his students it was interesting to see how important collaboration is.   I have not done much skyping prior to this course so being about to talk with five different people through this site was amazing to me but very educational.  I was great to hear from high school students, getting ready for college, on how they use technology in their lives including the restrictions, boundaries, and problems they are facing in this 21st century world.  This made me wish that I had the same opportunities when I was in high school because I think if I did, I would have a deeper grasp on them now and have more experience under my belt to share with my own students.