Making Technology Inclusive in my Classroom

Becoming a teacher is one of the most rewarding feelings I believe will happen throughout my life. Along with this reward is the feeling of knowing you are going to change your students' lives in some form or another. As discussed in the previous blog, I do intend to include technology in my classroom. Technology is fun, fast, and extremely useful when teaching children in the 21st century. Although technology can be very helpful in ways such as researching the internet for a project, it can also be used to assist students who are struggling, advanced, or right on target. All classrooms in the 21st century should be inclusive with regards to all their students' ability levels.

As a future teacher, I am well aware that I will have students in my classroom that are either struggling or advanced. Both types of students can benefit from technology. Students who are having trouble with pen and paper may benefit from using the "alphasmart". With this tool, students can type what they want into a mini computer/keyboard and save their work onto a word document and print. This allows students to express their ideas without stressing over the correct way to use a pen and pencil. Students who are advanced may also use the "alphasmart" to help them work on their typing skills. There are many uses to this tool for many different age groups and ability levels.

Another great technological tool that students could benefit from is the "big keys". This tool is an over sized keyboard. It could be used once again for children in higher grades who are having trouble typing on a normal sized keyboard which may be too small for them. It could also be for students in lower grades who want to practice their keyboard skills in a fun manner. This tool can be plugged into any computer and students will love having something designed especially for their small hands.

Finally, one of the most beneficial technological tools I have learned about is the "Tango" or any other touch screen appliances that help children talk, learn words, etc. These devices are made for children who maybe have speech problems and can not form words, for deaf children who can not sign, and for students who simply may just be shy. Tools like the tango include touch screen pictures which you can replace with your own pictures, program any voice, etc. The tango also has a digital camera which can store and print digital photos. Children will not feel ashamed that they may not be able to perform at the same level as their peers, instead they can express themselves openly and also teach their peers about their tool.

To wrap up this blog entry on the use of technology and how to include all your students, I have to say how fun it can be to have these tools in your classroom. Not only are they beneficial to your students, but to you as a teacher as well. Teachers can stop stressing about the child who misspells his words on a keyboard because the keys are too small, and about the child who has a hard time communicating with her peers because she has a speech problem. Technology is there to help us, our students, and their families better communicate with one another.

Technology Today

Teaching today is no where near what it was like even 10 years ago. Today, more and more technology is being introduced to our students both inside and outside of the classroom. Teachers are finding it harder to grasp the attention of their students and engage them in school work. Some people view technology as a downfall, thinking students will not learn because they are too pre-occupied by the internet or video games. The fact of the matter is that we can use technology to our advantage when teaching children. In an ever growing technological world, by brining in new tools such as video games and computers/internet to the classroom, we can more effectively engage our students and also make it fun for them to learn.

To be an educator in the 21st century, being technologically inclined is almost a must. Technology such as computers are becoming must haves in classrooms all across the country, and the world. Computers are gateways to new worlds, they provide learning games that can grab the attention of students and effectively teach them while they have fun. Computers also allow access to the internet, a demanding asset in classrooms today. The internet is not always a bad thing, as some may assume. With the right knowledge the internet can be a very powerful tool. Anything can be researched, things not found in books, in your city, or even your state. Children are becoming familiar with the computer at very young ages, and they enjoy it. As teachers of the 21st century we need to work with this new idea that computers can be used to enhance our classrooms instead of making it more difficult to teach the "old" way.

The article about students using the internet to find information they could not find in their text book is a prime example of how the internet can be more useful. It does not hold back as much information as formal textbooks. These students learned a great deal not only about which presidents owned slaves but about how much information is being with held from them.

Another great example of using the internet to help students learn is the sister classes from Canada and Greece. All the students learned a new language, words that were traditional but not basic in the other language, and made new friends across the world at the same time.

Technology is a great tool no matter what the age. College students are using the internet every day for fun, if we can engage our younger generations in using the computer we can show them that the internet is not only fun but a great resource to help us learn things we never thought imaginable.

My Introduction

My name is Amanda and I'm a third year student at UMF. I'd have to agree that it is a great school, small, and amazing people. I live with two other girls in an apartment and we have a kitten named Nacho. I played soccer in HS and also love to snowboard. I like running and chocolate cake. Breakfast foods are my all time favorite and can eat them anytime of day. As much as I love being up here at school, I always enjoy a trip home to visit family and friends. I love Maine and enjoy all four seasons. Fall is the best.