Blog Post #9 Mrs. Cassidy

First Grade With Mrs. Cassidy
Mrs. Cassidy teaches 1st Grade, but she does it with a technological flair. About 13 years ago her class was given 5 computers, and in an effort to utilize them she began her technology journey. Since the computers could only access the internet, no programs could be loaded onto them, she began searching for sites that would support curriculum and lessons she was teaching. With the support of key staff, things began to happen. Now, 13 years later, her class of first graders blog regularly, make and post movies, present their work to an international audience and enjoy the fruit of an audience consisting of more than their teacher.
Mrs. Cassidy approaches the use of technology with an attitude of discovery. She admits to not knowing how to use all of it, learning and expanding the work of other professionals and focusing on what she can do with her class. Not all teachers in her school want to learn how technology works, but she does not focus on changing their minds but on doing her best for her students. She encourages new teachers to begin their journey by deciding what interests them. Is is videos? Learn how to utilize YouTube. Is it photography? See how Flickr works. Is writing your passion? Build a blog. Identify what your favorite thing is and then begin searching.
Some of the problems I foresee are the attitudes of parents and administration. I need to be ready with ways I will keep children safe. Mrs. Cassidy's policy is to teach children to use only their first name, never associate a picture with a name, and stay on web sites the teacher gives. To further clarify, she tells her students to stay in the middle of the web site she sends them to and for them to stay away from the flashing lights on the perimeter of their screen. This also leads me to my second concern. How do I find enough credible sites to support the lessons I am expected to teach? The best solution for that can be my new best friend and enemy, Twitter. Twitter truly has the ability to expand access to incredible, credible sites, professionals and places that will enhance any class lesson. My biggest hurtle is doing it and understanding how it works. I was relieved when she said she felt silly when she began to use it. I keep wondering who really cares if I tweet? But, I must keep trying.
The major benefit of using blogs, wikis or YouTube is excitement. I never considered how excited a child would be to have grand parents and other relatives replying to their blog posts. Children would want to do it more frequently and get better because they have an authentic audience. The younger the child, the greater the potential for a future that easily transitions into a collaborative position. Collaborating can be difficult for many people, but if a child gradually learns the skill the transition would be seamless. Confidence is another product. Success on the smallest level breeds more success. Students are familiar with numerous technologies so using it in class is second nature. It leaves one less thing for a struggling student to over come. Students who are confident succeed.
I will use PLNs and Twitter to expand my arsenal of ever-changing technologies in my classroom. I will use blogging to let the world and Dr. Strange know how much I and my students are learning. I will use technology that is not even discovered because I just know I am going to learn about it through my PLN and Twitter!