Assignment 10

Once I have my own classroom I envision it being an inclusive space where all children can learn and have the best opportunity to be successful. The classroom would have a lot of assistive technology for those children who have a need for it. Children will have access to iPad's with communication apps and alternative switches for other adaptable equipment. The children in my classroom will always have the technology available for them to use and can use it all day. One concern I would have is for the children who don't need the technology because of their ability feeling left out when the other children use it. I could remedy this by creating a time for them when they can use it each day. 

The students in my classroom will be ages 3-5 both with and without disabilities. These children may encounter challenges in the classroom with learning how to use their technology. Some students may have to use multiple technologies in the classroom and will only have that time to learn how they work because of how widely it may be available elsewhere. The technology that the children in my classroom will use might be too expensive to have in the home and the world for the most part isn't adapted for many disabilities. In my classroom we will always make the best attempt to give the children what they need to effectively communicate and interact with others in the classroom since this may be the only opportunities they have. Some people would argue that technology in the classroom negatively affects the children because of access to the internet but because the children in my classroom will be so young that is not a concern of mine. 

Throughout this last semester I've been reflecting a lot about the best ways to incorporate technology into an early childhood classroom. I'm a firm believer in children learning best through play and when it is child directed. I had a main concern of technology being a more of a hindrance than a help with this group of children. After reflecting on everything I've learned in this course, I now believe there is a place for technology in the classroom and it can be a benefit to many children. I didn't grow up with a lot of varying technology but I'm not brand new to it so it is mostly a challenge for me to find different types of technology to use. I'll always be wary of technology becoming too prevalent in the classroom and taking the place of some hands on play but a healthy balance can be maintained. Using different technologies in my classroom excites me because it gives the group of children an opportunity to express themselves and have an environment that is the least restrictive. The classroom may be the only chance these children have to take that opportunity and I'm happy to be a part of it.  

Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials (3)

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Sequencing by Heather Russell on Scribd

Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials (3)

This supplemental material is an extension for those children who may need an extra challenge with this activity. This example is made for the book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie". This is a sequencing activity that can be accessed through a word document and can be arranged on the computer or printed out and moved physically. Parents would be given access to these sequencing charts or a physical copy could be presented.

Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials (2)

SafeShare.TV - The safest way to share YouTube and Vimeo videos

SafeShare.tv reduces advertisements and other unwanted distractions from Vimeo and YouTube videos, so they can be viewed safely. Perfect for Schools!

Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials (2)

This supplemental material is a way for families to access the whole list of family safe read aloud without having the QR codes available. With the current situation in the world this technology would be helpful because children are not able to be in their classroom. The educator can add videos and links to this format and share it with the families in the classroom. All the families have to do is make a free account and they can then access the library.

Lesson Plan Supplemental Materials (1)

The prepared lesson plan supports the child's interest in early reading and supports their desire for independence. Students can learn early reading comprehension and language skills by being read to. Sometimes it isn't always possible to do this as often as children want, which is the benefit to having a technology like this. Children are able to use the technology to have their favorite books read to them. Students will be expected to learn how to use the QR codes to access their read aloud.



The first supplemental material to this activity is a sample of the created QR codes that are referenced in the plan. These codes are the ones that can be scanned on a device that connects to a webpage. I would provide a copy of these codes to parents of the children in my classroom so they could access the same activites from home if they'd like to read along with their own book.

 If You Give a Moose a Muffin

 If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

 If You Give a Pig a Party

My Technology Lesson Plan

ECDE 2220 Assignment 8 by Heather Russell on Scribd

Pinterest for Educators

1.What did you learn from using an aggregator in this way?

        I learned that many educators use Pinterest for classroom inspirations and ideas for lesson plans and curriculum. Pinterest is much more than a socialization site because it offers content that covers many topics. 

2.How do you believe you will utilize aggregators as a teacher?  

       I will use aggregators as an educator to support families at home who can access the page for activity ideas as well as a place to compile ideas of things I would implement in the classroom. 

3.What are the strengths of Pinterest as an aggregator?

       Pinterest is very user friendly and does not require a paid subscription to use. Pinterest also allows users to directly follow other pages to see their content and create their own inspiration. 

4.What are some of the challenges of using Pinterest?

       One challenge I noticed while using this aggregator is that some of the pins have trouble editing comments and the tech support aspect is lacking. The error codes do not offer a troubleshoot and it leaves the user feeling frustrated. 

5.What comments, questions, thoughts, opinions, and/or feedback do you have about Pinterest?

        I believe that Pinterest is a very easy way to compile ideas and leave instructions for families who may access your page. It is also available that they can see inspired pins based off of what the educator has made available. I enjoy Pinterest in my personal time and can see myself using it in a professional capacity. 

Assignment 6

With the current pandemic sweeping the globe I've been relying on technology even more than I have in the past. I am mainly engaging with google platforms and blackboard for my online school work. The biggest impact of the social distancing order is on my personal life. I'm still working a few days a week under reduced hours so the impact on that is smaller than some. One positive to come out of the distancing order is that my family is spending a lot more time together. Looking forward to when some of the restrictions are lifted I think people will be excited to get back to normal but they may be more cautious of how they spend money. They also may be more prepared year round as a precaution if something like this should ever happen again. It could also change how families raise their children and the potential issues that could come with their immune systems. As a future educator, I think this pandemic could reduce classroom sizes and creating more strict hygiene policies around hand washing. I also believe the janitorial staff will have a harder job of cleaning because they will be deep cleaning more frequently to avoid the spread of any sickness.

Tech Tool Review

Assistive Technology

Assignment 3

According to the article “The Online Disinhibition Effect: How Technology Has Changed the Way We Communicate” by Schuler, the invisibility aspect of being online gives people the courage to go places and do things that they otherwise wouldn’t. I chose to write about this aspect because it has impacted me the most out of all the others. Academically I have experienced this by taking many online classes throughout the semesters. Normally I’m the type of person to sit quietly and not speak in groups or share my opinions because of how others in the past have made me feel. However online I feel more able to share what I’m thinking because no one knows who I am. Even if someone says something negative it doesn’t feel as real or as hurtful as it would in person. This could make educational environments challenging if someone uses the invisibility to make others feel poorly about themselves. This negativity could be remedied by not fueling the fire and responding cordially even though the invisibility works two ways. I think online disinhibition will get worse over time as more things move to online communication. People will be meeting less in person and it will be much easier to fall into the invisibility of being anonymous online. One way to deal with this in an educational setting is to open many opportunities to share personal things with others in a group and creating a community rather than just a class. If people feel supported, then they will be more likely to branch out and become involved.

Assignment 2 (Prezi)

Teacher Blogs

http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/

• Teacher Tom is a preschool teacher that uses his blog to post photos of his class doing imaginative activities and explains what's happening in the photographs as well as what the children are learning. He also gives teaching tips from personal experiences about how to interact with young children and how to get them to accept you into their play. Teacher Tom's blog also offers side tabs for the student's artwork or parenting tips and resources for families.

http://primarypunch.blogspot.com/

• I really like the therapy aspect of this blog and all the activities that can be done with young children and those with different abilities. I'm currently in a classroom that has a mixture of children and this blog explains how these activities can be adapted for different groups of children. This blog also has embedded printable portions for easier access to the materials for educators to use in their own classrooms.   

https://ladybugsteacherfiles.com/

• The main thing I really like about this blog is how well the technology usage is explained. Even something as simple as creating a chart or graph is broken down with pictures along the way of each step and how it was done. There are also child friendly music ideas on the blog and other ideas for teachers. One part that really stuck out to me was the organization portion of the blog and how many ways an educator can organize their classroom with just bins and separating tabs. 

Welcome to my Blog

Hi everyone! 

I'm Heather and I love to travel. Over the past few years I've spent some time in 4 different European countries. My favorite of those being Austria and Denmark as a close second. All of the people I met were very welcoming even though in some cases there was a language barrier. Being in another country definitely brought out the foodie in me. Everything was delicious, but the desserts were on another level. I tried a chocolate pastry while I was in Denmark and I'm still searching to find something just as good in the states. I love baking for all my family and friends so much that I've been given the nickname of Betty Crocker. One of my longest passions is choral singing. I've been singing for as long as I can remember and still am involved in different adult groups.

As a future educator, one thing I would like all my students to know is that mistakes are proof that you're growing. I never want my students to feel so afraid of making mistakes that they don't try. I want to impact the lives of students in such a way that they know how great they are and the qualities that they bring to the classroom. Children should be taught as a whole. Meaning supporting them in cognitive, emotional, and physical development. Treating them in that way will help them create deeper relationships with me as an educator because they will feel like I've taken the time to really get to know them and understand who they are. I always want my students to know how special and loved they are because I may not always know their home situation and I want my classroom to be a safe haven for everyone.