week 12 reflection

I saw my teaching partner use a laptop and a projector to present a prepared powerpoint. I also used a laptop and the overhead projector to show the students a video about the first Thanksgiving. My partner's experience seemed to go very well, and mine also worked, but it stopped two times, and I wasn't the one who was able to fix it either of those times. My facilitator had to fix it for me so that we could finish the video, which didn't disrupt the class too much, but it would have been a big disappointment to the students if my facilitator hadn't been there to fix the problem. Also, the students still had computer lab this week and the regular overhead was used for several lessons, so I saw quite a bit of technology used this week. Some experiences went very well, and others had glitches, but overall they seemed to be effective because the students seemed to be more engaged and the teacher had less stress in remembering the material as the technology was either providing a lot of the teaching material or it was a prompt for what needed to be taught. I was thinking that I would like to use a smart board for a literacy lesson, but I asked my facilitator (who is the technology specialist at my school) and she said that they don't have any. I still plan on using the overhead for lessons and possibly doing another video or possibly a powerpoint lesson as the students' seemed to respond very well to those.

11/14/08 reflection

This week didn't introduce any new technology in the actual classroom. However, I did go with the students during their computer time where they went to a lab and they all had their own mac computer to work on. They had previously written letters to veterans for the veterans' day holiday, so they typed up those letters at the computer lab on some sort of kids' program that lets you type and add/draw pictures onto the same document. I tried to use the microphone device that the teacher has, but it wasn't necessary. I also turned on the tv one morning for their morning announcements which are broadcast into every classroom on channel 3 every morning at 8:30. One idea I have for using technology is to use the overhead for modeling new concepts and also to use the resources available in the computer lab more often, especially to teach computer skills to the students. It is even more convenient because the computer lab is right next to our classroom.

11/8/08 reflection

This last week showed a lot more technology in the classroom. My teacher used her laptop (mac), hooked up to the overhead projector to show online pictures of and information about clouds. My BYU partner, Ms. Hauser, tried to use an ELMO for a math lesson about weight, but it wouldn't work so she wasn't able to. My teacher uses her portable microphone every day, and I have now considered using it for when I teach longer lessons. This week I got a cold and realized that I could use the microphone if they weren't able to hear me since my voice was a little weaker than ususal. I didn't need it, but I was grateful for and aware of the option. At the faculty meeting Friday morning, the teachers were taught how to sign up for and use delicious.com for organizing websites and see others' ideas as well. It was kind of confusing so I helped teachers do it and since my teacher's laptop wasn't working during the meeting, I set it all up for her afterwards and showed her how to use it. This was a good experience because I felt helpful and was also able to answer the questions of another second grade teacher. This next week, I want to use the laptop to project something (like an online storyreading of a book) and I also think I might use the microphone at some point and see if it helps my lessons.