Technology Jitters

Even though I’ve come across the word “podcast” in everyday life through advertisements and conversations I have never stopped to ask what a podcast is and how one is created. Generally I tend to steer away from new technologies because I am afraid they will be too complicated to operate and leave me feeling incapable and frustrated. When I hear words like “podcast”, “smartboard”, or even “ipad” I think of the problems that could spring up and the time I could waste trying to solve them. Although I have always seen these types of technologies as useful I have labeled them as not my thing. As a future educator I realize that I will need to overcome my fear of new and growing technologies, as today’s students are growing up in an advanced technological society.

Now that I understand that podcasts are audio recordings that can be downloaded from the web I have started to think about how they can be used to teach children. For example students can easily use podcasts to listen to their favorite stories, get caught up on world news, and listen to interviews on interesting topics. Furthermore children can make their own podcasts! For example, students can interview each other on school issues such as bullying or act out a scene from a book. What I feel makes the creation of podcasts an exciting and unique experience for students is the ability to share them with the rest of the world via the web. Although it can be exciting to share ideas with the world and publish students’ creations one must be aware of students’ individual privacy and safety.

A willingness and understanding of podcasts as well as other new technologies however is often not enough to successfully incorporate them into a class. Unfortunately many schools may not have the resources and tools to make a podcast project happen. The good news is that today many families have new technologies in their homes. Therefore, one might make the creation of a podcast one of two or three choices a student can complete for a homework project. For example, after reading J. R. R. Tolkien’s the Hobbit a teacher could ask students to either make a diorama of their favorite scene or make a podcast of an interview with one of the main characters. Furthermore, if a teacher is dedicated to bringing a particular technology into the class they can take action by applying for grants or asking the school community for donations. I hope that when I start working in a school I will be able to overcome my fear of new and complicated technologies and embrace and use all the tools and resources available to me.

INTERESTING LINKS :
http://www.kid-cast.com/
http://www.technologybitsbytesnibbles.info/archives/1455 

First Impressions of English Language Arts in the BC Curriculum

Upon my initial reading of the Integrated Resource Package (IRP) for English Language Arts I was scared as I found it was a lot of information that was difficult to read. I found the idea of using this document daunting because I knew that it was something I would be working with for the rest of my career. Although there was a lot of information that seemed overwhelming one quote in particular stood out, “ “A literacy of thoughtfulness is primarily a process of making meaning (not just receiving it) and negotiating it with others (not just thinking alone).  It is fundamentally constructive” (Brown, as cited in Ministry of Education and Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights, Vol. 1, 1991, p. 29)”(IRP, 17) Before entering the education program I thought that literacy simply meant being able to read a piece of text and understand it. Now, from reading the IRPs and participating in class discussions I realize that it is much more than that. Being literate means being able to extract meaning and discuss one’s findings from written words, images, songs and more. Furthermore, it is the ability to express your thoughts in any medium and explain them.

Upon further digging in the IRPs and getting a chance to read and discuss the Prescribed Learning Outcomes (PLOs) I discovered how important and useful the IRPs were for teaching. I feel that the PLO’s are valuable because they provide teachers with a list of guidelines, which provide a framework in which to teach and clear goals to focus on. For example, in the PLO’s one thing that grade threes are expected to do is listen purposefully to understand ideas and information, by identifying the main ideas and supporting details, generating questions and visualizing and sharing (IRP, 60). In addition to outlining what students need to learn, statements like this one give teachers the freedom to choose how they want to teach. As a result, teachers are allowed to be creative with their lessons and put their own personal stamp on their classroom. Also, teachers may gain a better understanding of the class they are about to teach by reading the PLO’s pertaining to the grade below. Although I was initially afraid of working with the IRPs, I am now excited as in them I see the potential for interesting, fun and meaningful lessons.

Classroom Portraits

While volunteering at an elementary school I came across a bulletin board full of Van Gough inspired portraits completed by a group of grade three students. I remember being struck by how diverse the paintings were. Not only were the students’ individual faces different but also the expressions, artistic styles, and colours they incorporated. Looking back I find myself thinking about how well that board depicted the diversity of that class and how every class that one teaches will be full of unique individuals with varying backgrounds.

In the text Constructing Meaning the authors, Joyce Bainbridge, Rachel Heydon and Grace Malicky pose the question, “Who are the children in front of us?” In their response to this question they talk about the presence of cultural and linguistic diversity and variations in socioeconomic status in the classroom.  After reading this section I started to think about some of the differences teachers encounter under these categories. When I picture a classroom full of students who have varying cultural backgrounds, I anticipate several challenges. I see students who speak other languages or dialects at home, who may struggle when it comes to understanding English in the classroom. Furthermore, when I think about encountering cultural diversity I anticipate varying outlooks on the world due to different upbringings and religious beliefs.

An issue I see arising from variations in socioeconomic status is differences in students’ knowledge and abilities when they enter the school system. For instance, children who come from middle class families will probably have attended pre-school and been involved in activities such as dance. A child who has not had these experiences may be at a different stage in his or her social, physical, and intellectual development. Also, socioeconomics may have an impact on a parent’s ability to contribute to the school community and the availability of good nutrition in the household. If a student lacks good nutrition they may have low energy levels and find it difficult to focus.

In Constructing Meaning the authors also mention that gender plays an important role in students’ levels of achievement. Currently, it appears that classrooms are more conducive to girls’ learning styles. Often boys struggle sitting down to learn, as they prefer more active learning. Although not mentioned in this section of the text other factors that I feel contribute to the diversity of a class include varying personalities, different learning styles, and the presence of students with learning disabilities. For example, you may have one student who is very outgoing who learns best by working with others and one who is very quiet and learns best working alone. On top of this you may have children in your class diagnosed with autism or Down syndrome.

            After contemplating the question, “Who are the children in front of us?” the next question that comes to my mind is, “How does one teach to such a diverse group of students?” I feel that the first thing teachers must do is embrace and celebrate the diversity in front of them and see it as an opportunity instead of a burden. I believe that embracing diversity involves being sensitive and inclusive to the different cultures and beliefs within the classroom. I feel that in the presence of diversity teachers must be observant, supportive, understanding, patient and helpful as it can often be challenging to be the “different” student. When it comes to teaching different subjects I think that teachers need to develop lessons that are accessible to all students. This, I feel can be achieved by incorporating different teaching methods into one’s lessons and making them easily adaptable.