I want my classroom to be based around the Dr. Seuss quote, "the more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." I plan on incorporating this idea by having an "airport lounge" for the students to read in. I will encourage them to mark on the classroom map the different places they have visited while reading their books. Students will work in groups named after various airlines. Assignments will focus on what the students have learned from their travels. The reality of students seeing new places and learning new things will strongly depend on the use of technology in the classroom.
As mentioned in both the article "Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?" and the "Technology Integration" video on Edutopia, technology allows for the student-teacher relationship to become stronger. The teacher takes on a facilitator/coach role and the student is able to take ownership of their learning by creating. Almost all educators have struggled with students' engagement while still successfully meeting different educational objectives. If all of the available technological resources and tools were used students and teachers would be more satisfied with their learning.
Personally, I can see myself using endless technological resources in the classroom. I would like to have a classroom website with a calendar, blog, pictures, and links so that my parents are aware of what is happening in my classroom. This website will also provide more opportunities for student learning through educational links related to the content we are currently studying. I want to have consistent, technology routines in my classroom too. Allowing students to use Google Docs to peer edit will be an engaging tool for them. I have also seen other teachers use Google Forms to have students complete weekly "check-ins" with their teacher to see how they are doing academically and personally. Students can use the internet to research and make presentations on various authors and settings. I have also seen several graphic organizers inspired by technology, such as a Facebook profile page for a character. Interactive activities would be possible through the use of a SmartBoard and other technology where I can post grammar exercises for students to practice and show their skills. Students could interact with other students from different cultures through online pen-pals. Using various sites and videos would promote reading and specific books. I can trust that my students will also be creative on ideas for other curriculum ideas including reading comprehension, vocabulary, oral presentations, and any other component evaluated by SOLs or Common Core State Standards.
It is obvious that using technology in the classroom only allows my students to learn, read, and travel more!
Ann,
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the idea of basing your classroom around the Dr. Seuss quote, and having a map where students can pinpoint the places they have traveled to in books is such a cool idea. I think viewing books as a means to travel will get students excited about reading; that's how I have always viewed books! I am curious though- which grade level are you planning to teach? I worry that older high school students might be "too cool" for this type of activity and to work in airplane labeled groups. Hopefully you can motivate them no matter what because it's such a cute idea.
You also do a great job of pointing out many ways technology can be used in an English classroom. Using "Google Forms to have students complete weekly 'check-ins' with their teacher" is something I can definitely see myself utilizing in the classroom. Being able to communicate with students about their academic AND personal lives is so important in relationship-building and will help build trust between teacher and student. Students often feel that none of their teachers actually care about them, so using a tool like Google Forms in this way will help break down walls between student and teacher.
I also love the idea of using technology to have international pen pals. I had a pen pal from South Korea for several years, and it was such a fun experience. Students can communicate with people of various cultures and research those culture simultaneously. Giving students novels to read about the culture of their pen pal would further student engagement with alternative ways of life, and students can put together one big presentation (or several presentations along the way) about their pen pal, the culture they live in, and the novels they have read.
Thank you for your comments. I will be willing to teach at any grade level and I would have to modify the theme and its implications depending on the grade level. For upper level high school, the names would be more for organizational matters (for example: If you're in Delta group you will be at the computer stations, American Airlines you'll be doing editing, etc.). This will also be a way for me to offer differentiation between the assignments without the students identifying the level by the group name.
DeleteWhat a wonderful idea for a classroom theme! It is such a great way for students to think outside of their hometown or state, which they might never have left before. By encouraging students to "travel" using their books, I'm sure reading will become a more engaging and enjoyable activity for many of your students.
ReplyDeleteAlso I love the idea of using Google Docs to help students peer edit. Its an excellent opportunity for students to become better analytic thinkers and writers. My question for you is how will you keep students on task and get them to edit inappropriately? This is even a challenge with pen and paper peer editing.
Thanks for such a great post full of imaginative ways to use technology in your classroom! You've got me thinking of ways they could be incorporated into a social studies class as well!
You make a great point with keeping the students on track while having them use Google Docs for editing. As the practice is first introduced in the classroom I would most likely follow different guides like "Rainbow Editing." Each student would be responsible for editing one component of the paper. As they became more comfortable with the resource and I could judge their trust I would give them more flexibility. One great thing about the Google Docs is that you can track the changes and who made them, therefore you are able to monitor students.
DeleteI love the ideas that you have for your future classroom! Having a quote is a great way to have an idea of where you want to go with your classroom. I love your traveling idea as well, I think that as a foreign language teacher I would be able to use that to get students interested in geography and other cultures as well. And isn't google an amazing thing? With it we can keep all of our students and parents "in the loop" with whats going on in our classroom and different resources for them. I think that students will definitely be able to use the skills you have implemented in your classroom in the outside world.
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