Techno Classrooms

A technology-infused classroom is one where a teacher just doesn't use technology tools as a fun prop for the day - it is a fundamental application into the daily lessons.  Students could work in collaborative groups to develop projects.  These projects are more of the teacher giving the students an outline they follow to learn the material while creating their final product.  Teachers teach from the interative boards to enhance the lessons.

I have a Promethean board, and it's fun to see students wanting to answer questions - just to write on the board.  It's funny how the simplest things in life can bring so much joy :)  In my math class, we do a lot of work with the TI calculators.  The students become familiar with the shortcuts they can make with them and which keystrokes can give an automatic answer.  We can hook these calculators to a computer to see if a students in punching in the keystrokes correctly or have a student demonstrate the process to the class.  We also connect motion detectors, heart monitors, scales, and other devices to create graphs, scatter plots, or lists with the calculators.

 
I would love to work in the iPad into my classroom to where the students can take notes with them or turn in homework.  The following site contains a video of the iPad in example classrooms and several features that it could bring (iPads in Education).

The problem most of us teachers have is taking the time to learn about the newest developments and implementing them into our already stressed schedules - but it's important for the kids.  Their whole lives have been surrounded by technology.  Why should it be any different in our classrooms.  It will take time, but we must make an effort to bring what we can to the schools.  The following is a video from YouTube about having technology in our schools.

Instructional Strategies

One of the most important things I have learned in my limited number of years teaching is that my students learn in so many different ways.  As I am teaching the numerous math skills, I try to develop at least two ways of explaining the process, and I will still have students ask questions to work the problems in different ways.  I have used flow charts, graphic organizers, colors representing different steps on the Promethean board, and other ways to teach concepts.  Students are used to things changing constantly these days, so with using a variety of teaching methods they will not get bored with class.  It also keeps me interested in teaching.  I sometimes get in a rut and have to change the routine in the classroom to keep me from getting too bored with class.

                                              
I have the great opportunity to have a Promethean board and a visual presenter (some people call the Elmos) in my room - below is a picture of one of the pages of my flipcharts.  I can use the text features and download other fonts from the internet.  I went to a math sites and got the image of all the different conic cuts, and I used the drawing features to create the graphs.  The students love these things.  I am able to have visuals all throughout my lessons.  The students love coming to the board to work problems.  I believe all they really want to do is change the color I am currently writing in.  It really is fun to watch how thrilled they get when they can use the eraser.  Sometimes I think they make "mistakes" just so they can play with the board a little longer.  I have fun with the board creating lessons, and it is great when students are absent because all I have to do is save the notes from that day and print them.  I keep wondering that if I were to change schools and it did not have a Promethean board, would I be able to still teach :)