Create - Article Overview: ELA Technology (10/31 web day)

My favorite ELA technology is a website called "Front Row".  The website offers resources for both Math and ELA, both of which my students use.  The ELA portion of the website is an excellent way for students to get extra practice with skills that are being taught in the classroom.  The teacher can assign things for students such as articles to read, word studies, or assessments.  I often use Front Row as a center rotation during our reading block each day.  The students do an assignment and earn tokens, which makes it very exciting for 2nd graders!  I love that this website is user-friendly and easy to access for both students and parents.  As the teacher, I can log-in and view the progress of each child as well as see how many minutes they have spent on the website.  I use the free teacher version of the website and it meets all of the needs I have.  There is a a  school site version that has a fee associated with it.

Kelli Iverson
10/1/17

Reflective Post #5: Five Things Every Educator Should Know About Digital Equity (10/31 web day)

I have previously thought about digital equity in the school system but not to the degree that these 5 articles discussed it.  It is a conversation that needs to be discussed and one that educators and school districts must work to remedy or at least lessen the negative effects that it has on our children.   I know children who do not have a device to bring to school and do not have access to the internet at home.  These children are at a disadvantage with regards to technology and learning in todays society.  

The article that I will discuss is called "How Digital Equity Can Help Close the Homework Gap" written by  Keith R. Krueger and Marie Bjerede.  The authors begin by stating an obvious fact, that Digital Equity is "easier to define than solve."  A point they brought up that is often overlooked is that Digital Equity is not just an income issue.  It can also be seen with children who have physical or learning challenges.  That is a valid concern that I had not previously considered.  All children must have access and ability to use technology equally.  This article focused on the homework gap that technology can cause.  I was encouraged to read about the ways that some school districts are using to help bridge that gap.  Our children must know that the adults in their lives are working fervently to make an even playing field for them.  They must know that regardless of race, income, or the location of their home, that their teacher wants every student to have Digital Equity. 

Create: Article Overview - Technology App (10/3 web day)

The article I found about Nearpod is "Nearpod VR:  Real-world experiences without leaving the classroom" written by Guido Kovalskys i April 2016.  In this article, Kovalskys discusses a variety of reasons that Nearpod is beneficial to students.  He says that the "real-world experiences" students are exposed to can "inspire and engage students."  (Kovalskys, 2016).  The author also makes it clear that the VR component of Nearpod enhances that experience, but is not the only way to use the app.

My elementary school uses the "Nearpod" app. It is an interactive website/app that can teach lessons through presentations and can also be used for assessments.  Teachers and students simultaneously use this app and learn about a huge variety of topics and lessons. I integrate this technology into my 2nd grade classroom by using presentations to introduce new topics (nouns in grammar, for example).  I also use it to do a brief assessment to gauge my students' understanding of a topic.  The topics of Nearpod cover Math, Science, Social Studies, ELA, and more.  One of the features that I regularly use on the app is the filter which you can choose to only view presentations that are Common Core aligned.  This makes finding the right presentation simple and easy.  The basic version of Nearpod, called Nearpod Silver, is free and offers all that most classrooms would need.  

Overall, the Nearpod app is user friendly, teacher and student approved!  It is a great resource for K-12 classrooms. 

Kelli Iverson
10/1/17

Reflective Post #6 - Caine's Arcade: All it Takes is a Cardboard Box and a Little Bit of Imagination (10/3 web day)

Wow!  Who knew that an 11 minute video could light a spark in my heart that will make me a better teacher?  The story of Caine Monroy, a 9 year old with an huge imagination and the support of his dad has encouraged me both as a teacher and as a parent.  Caine had a dream to have an arcade and he worked hard to make it happen.  With creativity and imagination, this child made a cardboard arcade and his dreams came true when people came to play it.  Caine inspired me because he did not get discouraged when he ran into an obstacle; instead, he found a solution. The example his dad gave of the game that needed a "claw" proves that Caine was using his mind to make his arcade work.  Caine built his own claw with a string and a hook.  He even climbed into the machines to dispense tickets when someone won a game.  Caine Monroy created a business - and that is inspiring to me.

What this video showed me (both as a parent and as a 2nd grade teacher), is that I need to let children have freedom to create and use their imagination.  So often, adults dictate how a child should do something and quickly correct if the child veers from what adults think is best.  The story of Caine Monroy proves how capable children are to be successful and it demonstrates how important it is for adults to support children while allowing them to explore and make decisions on their own.  In my classroom, I will speak less and listen more to my students.  I want my students to know that they have awesome ideas and that I support those ideas.  I want each of my students to be able to say what Caine said at the end of the video:  "I was proud!"

I will share this video with other teachers because it is inspiring and the message needs to be heard.  

Kelli Iverson

10/1/17

Create: Article Overview - Digital Learning and Grade Level Standards (9/19 web day)

I found an article on www.readingrockets.org entitled "Literacy Instruction with Digital and Media Technologies" by Diane Barone and Todd E. Wright.  The basic overview of this article is about how a classroom teacher incorporates technology and media into her classroom.  The technologies became a support for regular instruction, and therefore, a valuable resource.  One of the (many) positive aspects of incorporating media and technology was that it provides a scaffolding for students and a means of differentiation as well.


In my 2nd grade class, we incorporate technology in many different ways, always looking to see how we can integrate it with other subjects and meet standards as well.  One assignment my students do (in small groups) is to go through the entire writing process and create a biography about a famous person.  Once they write it on paper, they are then required to access Google Docs to type it and then add a picture as well.  Once published, the groups of students present the report to the class.  One of the writing standards that this assignment meets is 2.W.PDW.6  "With guidance and support from adults, and in collaboration with peers, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing."

Kelli Iverson
9/19/17

Reflective Post #4: Growth Mindset Introduction: What it is, How it Works, and Why it Matters (9/19 web day)

Growth Mindset is the theory or idea that what we believe - how we think- can play a role in our achievement and success.  There is a spectrum that ranges from Fixed Mindset>Mixed>Growth Mindset.  People, including myself, who believe in the effectiveness of Growth Mindset hold to the fact that skills are built, that people are in control of their abilities, and that you can learn and grow.  On the contrary, people who hold to the Fixed Mindset way of thinking assume that they cannot get better than what they already are (intelligence, talents, etc).  

After viewing the video about Growth Mindset ("Introduction:  What is it, How it Works, and Why it Matters"/https://youtu.be/75GFzikmRY0), I believe that the most important factors in achieving success and accomplishing goals are belief and focus.  I took the Growth Mindset survey and scored 48 out of 60 points which put me in the "Strong Growth Mindset" category.  I was pleased with that score because I do agree that dialogue teachers incorporate with their students (i.e.: "You do not understand YET") is a valuable tool in the classroom.  This way of thinking can help students understand that growth can occur and that they should not give up.  

Kelli Iverson
9/19/17