Encouraging my colleagues to jump on the technology train.

To encourage my colleagues to engage in ongoing development in terms of technology integration I will begin using it in my classroom first.  I will gage my instruction to learn what students are interested in and what helps to motivate them.  Many of the teachers in my school are motivated by data so I will offer a pre - test for whatever content I'm using the technology to help teach and then I will offer a post-test.  If results are in favor of using technology I will present this to my staff and encourage them try similar lessons.  I really believe if I can show the staff how much students enjoy technology and engage in technology lessons they will begin to integrate this in their class.  I will also share with my teachers how important technology integration is for our 21st century learners. 

I can serve as a teacher leader for technology by first modeling technology in my classroom.  I plan to share lessons I create through technology with other colleagues in my subject area.   I will also make myself available to answer questions and alleviate concerns.  This week I decided to begin using twitter to connect with other educators around the world.  I believe with me getting started with this technology and being able to share what I learn will also help me serve as a leader.  Technology is a fearful area for many educators, but being a leader I will take the risk of using new areas of technology in my classroom.  I will also introduce them to personal learning networks so they can find others with similar interests and concerns.  In the end I hope to help educators see how the benefits will outweigh our fears. 

The tool I would use to facilitate training would first be a blog within our school community or even individual departments. This would help teachers begin to use technology first hand while reflecting on successes, concerns and fears with each other.  As teachers become more familiar with blogging I would motivate them to begin a new blog that is geared toward their students or family.  I would also encourage teachers to stay connected with each other through their blogs by sharing lessons they have created with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or any other useful tools.

Internet technology concerns

This week I realize there are a lot of new and exciting technology options on the Internet that I would love to introduce into my classroom.  As I prepare to use more Internet technologies in my classroom there are a few concerns that come to mind.  First, I wonder how prepared I am to help navigate my students in the right direction.  Though I feel I am a digital native, I have not done a great job of staying current on the newest Internet resources available.  Technology is always changing so I fear what I teach my students may actually be outdated.  Secondly, I fear that my students may begin to use the Internet in ways other than intended.  I want them to feel free to explore and learn in a way that is best suited for them.  However, I also realize that guidelines need to be set.  Lastly, I fear that with so much technology being introduced how sure can I be that schools will be able to keep up with the demand. 

There are many ways to alleviate these fears.  I realize that I can't expect myself to know everything that is available right now.  I just have to be open and willing to learn new things.  I have to put myself in a position where I will prepared to learn.  Many times I feel time is a huge hindrance in my life, but allowing myself to stay open and take time to learn new things I can be better prepared and feel more confident in teaching my students new things.  In the process of introducing my students new things, I realize that teaching and reteaching Internet expectations are important.  I feel these skills will be just as critical as teaching any other expectation.  If students know what is expected at all times then I think I can alleviate my fear somewhat of them misusing Internet technology.  Lastly, in order to be sure Internet technology is available for my students I will need to plan ahead and ensure websites are not blocked.  I will also need to keep the lines of communication open with my technology coordinator.  That way I can have a heads up regarding new things, available things and Internet technology that is not available.

Though the amount of concerns I feel seem enormous, I feel the learning my students will have outweigh my fears.  Therefore, I have motivation and determination to work towards making myself aware of more things and being flexible enough within my classroom to allow learning, mistakes and relearning to take place. 

Software Usage

I love technology and my school district provides teacher computers with updated software.  As a teacher I mainly use Power Teacher to take attendance, keep a running track of grades and find useful information regarding my students.  I also use Microsoft Word to create handouts, worksheets, and anything else that requires a professional appearance.  I use PowerPoint for presentations to staff and students as well as YouTube and the Internet to find helpful material to use in the classroom.  My students use many of the above applications including READ 180 software provided by the school.

There are many software skills I would like to improve in order to increase my professional efficacy.  Learning how to use Microsoft Publisher would be very beneficial.  There are so many templates available within the program.  Microsoft Excel is another important program, I know how to use it to input data, but I am definitely not familiar with the formulas and everything else. 

This year writing has been a focus in my school and I'm sure students are overwhelmed with pressure from the school district.  Therefore, I thought creating a monthly newsletter or a monthly report to parents discussing what strategies we are using in the classroom and perhaps include a chart to help parents and students track their growth. 

To do this I will use a newsletter template from Microsoft Publisher.  I plan to research tutorial information on the Internet, consult the Technology Coordinator in my building and other teachers that create newsletters.  Hopefully in January I will be able to begin my project.  I hope students will be able to use the information to understand their strengths and weaknesses in writing.