Technology in the Classroom

Recently I talked with some preschool teachers about using technology in the preschool classroom. Sometimes that can be a subject with lots of opinions. I believe that kids having hands-on experiences and playing are the best ways to learn. Technology can be a part of a hands-on playing classroom, too.

Here are a few ideas from around the blogosphere for using technology in the preschool classroom.

QR Code Listening Center (Pre-K Pages)
I love this idea for an updated or different way for kids to listen to reading. I'm familiar with QR codes and have explored them for use with older kids in the classroom. But this is a fun way to use them with preschoolers...and have a listening center with less expense and less hassle. And I found a new online tool - QRStuff.

Shapes Photo Book (Pre-K Pages)
I love to use my camera. And we've made our own books with photos I've taken. But I like this idea of going on a shapes scavenger hunt and taking photos to create your own book. And it's connected to the book So Many Circles, So Many Squares.


Teach Syllables with Children's Photos (Prekinders)
Here's another idea with photos - the children's photos. Sort them according to syllables in their names. Kids' photos make great resources in the classroom...and if you add names printed on the photos you can use them for all kinds of activities.

Building with Blocks and Technology (Hands on As We Grow)
You know I love my kids love using blocks. Photos of block structures on a tablet add some technology to the blocks center and offer challenges and opportunities for problem-solving. Fun!


Make a Music Video with Preschoolers (Handmade Kids Art)
I've never done this but I can see that it would be a fun thing to do with a familiar song. This post has the quick and easy version (probably the way I would do it) and the more involved but better result version. Just may need to put this on my list for our preschool choir activities this year.

And here are a few of my own posts related to technology and the preschool classroom:

Repurposing Old Technology (Pre-K and K Sharing)
My post on this collaborative blog that shows how we've used outdated technology in the classroom.

Exploring Writing in a Different Way
We use an old laptop as part of our writing center.

Using Photos to Build Parent Relationships
Two quick ideas about using photos in parent communications.

To Plug In or Not Plug In?
Part of my reflection on the book What If Everybody Understood Child Development by Rae Pica.

A few years ago I was a part of a blog book study on the book Teaching in the Digital Age by Brian Puerling. Those book study posts are on Preschool Spot.

Some Inspiration from Blogosphere As School Year Starts

It's that time of year. School has started here where I live. Other teachers and students are headed back in the coming weeks.

Here are some things I've read recently that have interested me and have me thinking as school gears up again.

• Opening Up My Technology Can of Worms (Living Avivaloca)
  Aviva muses on technology and self-regulation. She makes some interesting points and made me think.
  
• My Take on Curriculum (The Road Traveled)
  Faige writes that curriculum cannot be one size fits all - and room for genius hour, maker spaces, and the like is important.
  
• Your Classroom Does Not Need to Be Pinterest Worthy to Be Effective (Pernille Ripp)
  Pernille is preaching my sermon. "I advocate for giving the room back to the students" she writes.
  
• 15 Years of What Not to Do (EdWords)
  William reviews some lessons he's learned in his 15 years of teaching. Some good considerations for all teachers as the year begins.
  
• Ideas for Using Environmental Print (Pre-K Pages)
  I love to reuse materials, especially those that would be tossed anyway. I helped Vanessa compile this list of different ways to use familiar words and logos for the classroom.
  
• 5 Quick Classroom Tricks (Really Good Teachers)
  I wrote this article of a few quick tricks and tips that helped me in the classroom. Nothing revolutionary - but sometimes those small things can really cause difficulty.

What have you been reading that has inspired you or caused you to think? Let me know below! I'm always looking for more to think about.

Follow me on Twitter for other links that inspire me.

Thinking About Screen Play

I am reading and reflecting on the book The Power of Play by David Elkind.


Chapter 3 - Screen Play and Iconic Literacy


When I started this chapter, I thought I knew exactly what David Elkind would say about screens. I was wrong. Well, maybe it would be better to say I was not altogether right.

David says that screens have contributed to the change in children's play. That screens have aided the shift from active outdoor play to more indoor sedentary play. Those were things I expected. But then he writes that the relationship of children and media is complex and multifaceted. And, while I agree, I was surprised with some of his discussion.

He connects screen play with his theory of play: "To leave a lasting impression, the media have to give the viewer a chance to take some initiative (play), to be emotionally involved (love), and to learn something about the world (work)." As we think about screens and children, "the extent of the child's active participation as a viewer...determines the media's impact."

A lot of this chapter's discussion about media reflects on work by Marshall McLuhan. McLuhan noted that media and its content exist on a continuum from hot to cold. "Hot" media have more intense images and situations, are more highly defined, are usually more visually arresting and stimulating, and require less participation (thinking) from the viewer. "Cool" media are more quiet and slow-paced, have more visually interesting images, and require more thinking about what's happening (more participation).

Elkind states that to evaluate media impact (positively or negatively) on children, we must look at the content (on this hot-cold continuum), think about individual differences among children (some like more hot media while others prefer cooler media), and personal emotional connections with the content. Some children will disengage from media that's too intense while others enjoy that type of action. Some children will connect emotionally with characters or plot and derive learning from that content while others will just be entertained. We cannot simply make cause-and-effect connections between what children watch and how they behave (or what they learn, if anything).

The most interesting (or at least new) idea for me in this chapter was the concept of iconic literacy. All this screen media has created a "new" literacy of reading icons (pictures) and gaining information from them and using them to solve problems. Adults often struggle with remembering what different icons mean and how to use them. Since children are more preliterate, they easily grasp the images and how they are used. This may be a reason children more readily use media and intuitively manipulate it. Iconic literacy is a new concept for me. I'm going to need to think about this more. What does it mean? Is is transferrable to learning in other ways?

David Elkind reviews TV, computer games, and other media for children. He gives some insights to the use of media with different age groups. Here are a couple of key quotes (at least for me):

• "Parents who talk, play with, or sing to their young infants to toddlers give them much more than any DVD or television program ever could. The most important stimulus to healthy growth and development for infants and young children is affectionate human interaction."
• "Young children have a lot of energy and need time to engage in active play. Watching videos should not infringe on that time."
• "If we recognize that it takes a certain amount of maturity to use an automobile, why is it so hard to appreciate that the same holds true for computers?"

These quotes make it sound like he is opposed to screens with children. While he does advocate not using them with children under 2, he has a more nuanced approach to them with older preschoolers and children. He's not opposed to screen play in principle; the issue is how to use screen play in healthy and responsible ways. (And not replace active, hands-on play with screen play.)

One thing I had to remember as I read through this chapter. This book was published in 2006. A lot of screen play has changed with tablets and phone apps. David Elkind does not address this type of screen play but I think his thinking does translate to those, too.

Overall, I think David Elkind is advocating a more balanced approach. He calls for recognizing differences among children; some may enjoy screens (or particular types of media) more than others. He recognizes that things are changing and we need to adjust as needed. But he also strongly advocates children interacting with people and the "real world" to develop understanding. He dismisses claims from companies about the effectiveness of electronic media for very young kids. They need the real world experience, he argues.

And I agree. As I read this chapter, I remembered my reflection on related topics in Rae Pica's book. I think we need a balanced and reasoned approach to screen play. And exploration and play with real objects should take priority, especially in the early years.

To Plug In or Not Plug In?

This summer I'm reading and commenting on the book What If Everybody Understood Child Development? by Rae Pica.

Chapter 21: Should We Teach Handwriting in the Digital Age?
Chapter 22: Just Say "No" to Keyboarding in Kindergarten
Chapter 23: iPads or Play Dough?

These three chapters focused on issues related to technology and young children. As Rae Pica states in the book, the opinions on this larger topic run the gamut--from those who advocate full-on technology usage in the youngest classrooms to those who think all electronics should be banned for young kids.

Some say that we should be teaching those keyboarding skills to kids since they will use them their entire lives. Handwriting is obsolete or soon will be, they say. Kids can communicate their ideas more completely using technology since they don't have think about letter formation or stamina in writing. Technology is better because kids can focus on the ideas rather than the mechanics.

While I agree that some kids struggle with the physical demands of handwriting, I do think that kids (and adults) lose something when writing on a computer rather than by hand. When writing by hand, the writer can ponder and make a more physical connection with what is written. Ideas percolate more and can be refined before being put down on paper.

Using more technology often leads to less physical activities and less exploration with "real world" materials. While kids may love using screens for all kinds of things, they also enjoy and learn more from using their senses, moving their bodies, and handling all kinds of things. More understanding of trial and error, cause and effect, and learning from failure happens when kids are using a variety of materials and exploring and experimenting.

I think too often we see technology as THE answer. Technology (just like play dough or blocks or paint and brushes) is a tool that can aid a child's learning and pique his curiosity. I think technology should be just one part of what happens in a child's life. As with anything that comes into the classroom, it should be used intentionally and judiciously.

I would advocate a balanced and reasoned approach. Technology exists in the world of kids and should be a part of the classroom. But when it's used, it should be purposeful and intentional. It should fit with the play dough and crayons and dolls and dishes. It should follow the child's lead and interest. It should be part of the authentic learning that's happening in the classroom.

P.S. A personal peeve: "They'll need it later so we should give it to them now." Let's teach who our kids are now, not who they will be or what they might become. Let's give them what they need now. And give them what they need later when it is later.

Some links from the book---

• Why Learning to Write by Hand Matters
• Why Handwriting Still Matters in the Digital Age
• Is Teaching Keyboarding in Kindergarten Developmentally Appropriate
• How Much Technology in the Classroom Is Too Much?
• Is Technology Sapping Children's Creativity?

And a few more---

• Figuring Out Those Damned ATMs
• Technology and Young Children (NAEYC)
• Book Study - Teaching in the Digital Age
• The Importance of Teaching Handwriting

Time to Refocus

When I began this blog - gosh, 5 years ago - my intent was to think about and talk about how young kids learn and to share my ideas for teaching them. In recent years, this blog has been more about my personal journey instead of ideas about teaching. Thank you for following that journey. I really appreciate it.

Now, I face a transition. (That's for a later post.) And I think my blog needs one, too. I would like to refocus the blog back on teaching and ideas about teaching. My reflections will always be a part of my blog - after all that's who I am.

But the blog should be about teaching and kids and ideas - not me. In light of that refocus, here are some posts that inspired me this week.

Inspiration from the Blogosphere

How to Make Ice Cream in a Coffee Can (Twodaloo) - I've done this before and it's a lot of fun. I enjoyed reading this post and being reminded of this great idea!

PVC Pipes + Connectors + Water = Physics (rubberbooks and elf shoes) - I always enjoy using PVC pipes. My kids have asked for water before but I haven't been set up to include it. This post shows me that we need to do it! (One of my top posts on PVC pipes)

Play or Work (Elementary My Dear, or Far From It) - Jenny sums up in this post what I've been feeling all year. I think I've been living with "messages that go against everything I believe." I'm not sure where to go from here, but things are going to change. This post reminds me of that.

Environmental Print Bingo (Pre-K Pages) - I love using environmental print and this post is a fun game using environmental print. And you can get a free printable!

Selfie Puzzle (Getting Messy with Ms. Jessi) - Combining technology, a favorite trend (selfies), and craft sticks? A great combination. And building number sense by adding numerals.


Thanks for being a part of my online community. I have learned so much from each of you and hope to continue to share and learn with you.


P.S. Have you seen this book by Deborah Stewart? She's the hardest working preschool blogger and teacher and writer and queen-of-all-media. And a great online friend. This book helps parents know more about developing skills and supporting learning so kids will be ready for the start of kindergarten.

Favorite 2013 Posts from the Blogosphere

I love using Evernote. I use it to store ideas and posts that I want to remember and use. What I discovered as I looked through the notes I made during 2013 - I save a lot of things and don't review those ideas. I rediscovered some ideas that I really want to try. 

As I looked through those ideas and thought about this past year, I chose some top posts that inspired (or will continue to inspire) me. 

Starting with the Answer (Matt B. Gomez) - Give kids the answer and ask them to come up with the story/question. This post echoed in my mind for a while. And it's the inspiration for our morning math routine.

Ten Ways to Deal with a Hard Year (Education Rethink) - Okay, technically this post was in 2012, but I have continued to reread it through 2013. John Spencer states some truths about hard years. My first year last year was challenging...and this year has had some challenges, too. John's post reminds me to look for the successes and to look for the learning.

Two Words the World Needs (Jon Acuff) - This post is no longer active. Jon has moved and his old posts have disappeared. (One reason I love Evernote. I copied the post into my notes and can still read it offline even though it's gone online.) Jon wrote: "The world has a lot of stuff. It does. .... But there is one thing that the world is lacking. One thing it is desperate for. More you." This post challenged me to think about what my class really needs - it needs for me to bring my own unique perspective and talents to help my kids learn.

How a Second Grader Got Me to Stop Teaching and Start Listening (Elementary Math Maniac) - I'd recommend this post just for you to see how a second grader is thinking about addition. But this post also challenges me to remember that my students are thinking and building understanding in different ways. Sometimes I need to guide it and sometimes I need to listen and understand it.

Using Twitter in the Primary Classroom (Learning and Sharing with Ms. Lirenman) - This post is inspiring and I wanted to start using Twitter in my classroom this year. I tried and ran into connection problems. Then I moved schools and was confronted with starting over - so I haven't accomplished this goal. But I still want to do it and this post continues to remind me why.

25 Clever Classroom Tips for Elementary School Teachers (Buzzfeed) - I love quick ideas, especially reuse or repurpose ideas. These are some fun ones. (I use binder clips to label my student mailboxes and Angry Bird beanbags go on desks when students leave the room.)

As I read through all those notes, I discovered these top ideas from 2013 that I want to try--

Interactive Notebook (Matt B. Gomez)

Early Finisher Board (Teaching in the Early Years)

Junk Drawer in a Box (Education Rethink)

Brain Chains (Teacher Tipster)

Got any great links to share with me?

Should I Be Less Connected?

I'm thinking of becoming a less connected educator. Blasphemy, I know.

I have come to love social media. I enjoy discovering what Matt Gomez is doing with his kindergartners and what challenging thoughts Teacher Tom will bring me. I try to keep up with all the thoughts (and good natured ribbing) flying through #kinderchat and wonder again how John Spencer seems to be writing what I am thinking about (but much more coherently).

I gather ideas from a multitude of blogs and Twitter links. I lurk on Pinterest from time to time. (I still haven't joined - I'm afraid of what that will do to me.) I am so grateful for the inspiration and challenge and thoughts.

And that's the problem.

I see all the great ways that teachers are engaging their students. All the wonderful activities that are tied to standards and creativity and the most up-to-date technology that I have just heard about. I drop info into my Evernote notebooks and create bookmarks to all kinds of things.

And I look at my class and my teaching. I see so much less.

I look back at this week. I think someone distilled the "full moon effect" and put it in the water of my students' neighborhoods. We were turned up a notch this week.

And I've been so tired. Working on lesson plans and working on stuff for my university class (that seems to be taking sooo much more time this semester). So my edge has been honed this week.

I see the super teachers achieving and I see me...well...not so much. And I ponder and I wonder and I begin to think that, maybe, I'm not the teacher I think I am.

Time disappears. My kids don't seem to progress as they should. My class cannot compare to what I see  as a connected, online educator.

I love being connected to other teachers. I love learning new things and thinking new thoughts. But the temptation is to compare and come up short. Someone, I think it was Jon Acuff*, said to not compare your regular self to someone's (online) best self. Many times bloggers post what works and how it works. Their posts may not show an overall picture of their classes. (At least I'm hoping they have crazy days, too.)

So I'm thinking I may need to back off of reading 1,005 blog posts every week and comparing those ideas to my class. It's only my second year in a mid-life career change. And, two weeks after school started, I was moved to a new school and new grade level.

My class is loud and rowdy. I'm working to keep us on track. I'm learning that a fast pace and some independent center work keeps things humming. And that losing control of my patience doesn't yield the best results.

So...I may not read every blog post and tweet. I may not comment or post as much as I may have in the past. I may love your idea and save it but not think about it again until year 3 or 4 or 5. (I'd like to think I'm in for the long haul.) If I'm not online, don't worry. I'm probably taking a nap.

[[*Jon, if you read this and it is your quote, please let me know and I'll modify this post for proper attribution. And, if you're not Jon and this is your quote, let me know and I'll change it, too.]]

Baby Steps with Technology

I love reading about people using technology in their classrooms. People like Matt Gomez, Ms. Lirenman, Mrs. Wideen, and many others challenge me, inspire me, and make me want to use it more in my classroom.

My goal this year was to start tweeting with my class. I tried to get it started with my new first graders but ran into some access issues. I couldn't get on to Twitter at school and HootSuite decided to act up when I was trying to use it. Then I moved to a new school and to a new grade level.

I'm still working to get back into my "flow" of teaching after the move and reboot. Twitter is still on my list of goals, but we're working up to it. As a step, we are reflecting on our day and listing things that "stuck with us" on sticky notes and put on a poster. This will evolve into tweeting (if I can work out the access stuff).

The instructional coach at my new school pointed me toward some new (to me) online resources. One that I have been using regularly is We Give Books. I use it during our morning snack. As kids eat, I project a book and read it to the class. We have read several books (some more than once) and talk about characters and plot. We find words that match our focus for the week (vowel sounds or other types of words). We talk about illustrations and how they support the text. Things that we would do with any read-aloud. But this book is projected and easy for all to see. 

I like that the pages turn like a "real book" and that we see the cover, title page, and back cover, too. This has helped me add more reading in the day and keep kids focused on instructional things during a time that could easily become wasted time. (Yes, we talk and have conversations and build our community. That's important, too.)

Another resource is portaportal. You can sign up and create your own bookmarks that can be accessed anywhere. The coach has set up a school set of bookmarks and given us the visitor sign in. Links to We Give Books, online support for our reading resources, links for math resources, and other pertinent links are all there. I don't need to remember how to get to a place or create bookmarks (that I can only access when I'm at school). I can use this to check out resources from school, home, or wherever I am on whatever Internet device I'm on.

I have also taken my "old" iPad to school. We've mostly used it for music. I play "thinking music" while kids work on some tasks. I'll put on some "dancing music" so we can move for a few minutes and energize our brains. I'm looking forward to integrating it into our day in other ways, too.

I'm happy with these "baby steps" in using technology and will continue to work toward being like those inspirational teachers.

Repurpose Your Outdated Tech

In today's world, we have lots of outdated technology. New devices are always coming out; upgrade and you have old technology lying around. Repurpose some of that for your kids to use.

On the PreK and K Sharing collaborative blog I have posted ways to use outdated technology with your kids.

How do you use outdated technology with your kids?

I'm also interested in using current technology with your kids. What kids of apps and devices do you use with your kids?

I recently found the blog Digital Kindergarten, with information about technology and kids. What blogs would you recommend?

(This summer I was a part of a great blog book study. Check out the posts and comments regarding Teaching in the Digital Age.)

Teaching in the Digital Age, Chapter 6

Sharing Knowledge and Learning Through Publication and Presentation Tools

Today I am hosting the book study blog party, focusing on chapter 6. Maybe I'm just a slow learner...or slow thinker. But as I read this chapter, a thought hit me about this entire book. Throughout the book I think Brian Puerling is showing ways to use technology to do things that we already do. I know, big revelation. But I think I almost saw a lightning bolt when I thought of this. 

In this chapter, Puerling focuses on ways teachers can provide experiences in which children use publication and presentation tools to create:

• Classroom newsletters
• Invitations to class and other events
• Informational articles
• Nonfiction books
• Books inspired by authors
• Video books

I've created newsletters and invitations for the classroom. But I haven't involved the children in doing so. It would be easy to incorporate technology in these experiences. Puerling talks a lot about using teams of kids to tackle different jobs - gathering information, develop content, upload and assemble newsletters, review content and finalize newsletter, make copies or publish electronically. I could see how these steps could be a long-term project for older preschoolers and younger elementary kids. And word processing software could be fairly easy for kids to use.

Puerling also talks about using online services to create and publish books—nonfiction books, original books, and books based on favorite books. These books (from places like Shutterfly) are bound like regular books. 

We've published our own books, too. But I've used PowerPoint software, inserting photos and asking kids to provide captions. Then I print them out and bind with binder rings, brads, or chenille stems. More low tech, but cheaper and quicker. However, I may upload some of our books to create a more "real" book from the online services.

Puerling's summary provides some great food for thought: "Too often the learning that happens in a classroom stays in the classroom. Particularly in early childhood classrooms, too often investigations, new ideas, questions, process, and conclusions are not shared with families, school, and community." The strategies in this chapter provide some appropriate ways to develop resources and share learning with families.

Once again, this book has challenged my thinking and helped me consider ways that technology could be integrated in the classroom as another tool for learning.

Check out Preschool Spot for past chapters.

Teaching in the Digital Age, Chapter 4

I'm learning more and more from our book study blog party. Chapter 4 focuses on using audio recordings in the classroom. Deborah at Teach Preschool did a great job reviewing this chapter. Deborah focused on creating a listening center, a great way to implement using audio recordings.

Brian Puerling (author of the book) makes a statement in this chapter that I think sums up his approach and viewpoint on technology in the classroom: "The use of technology was a single experience among many ways to contribute to the understanding of a particular concept."

As I've been reading more and more about technology in the classroom (both in this book and in other sources), my own viewpoint is taking on the same tone. Technology can be a tool in the classroom, but it should be only a tool - one of many ways to explore and discover a concept. Like with other tools, the child should explore and discover in his own way and the teacher should use technology when it makes sense and in conjunction with other tools. I'm continuing to think about how to do this in my classroom and in my context.

Right now, I haven't been using audio recording as a tool. But Puerling has made me want to explore this. Here are a few ideas that resonated with me.

• Record kids as they are doing activities. Then you can use the recording as a "time machine" to go back and experience that again. Kids can talk about what they did and extend the learning by building on what they did before.
• Listening to kids and their explorations can give insights to the teacher. Just like I review photos and see things I missed before, I could review recordings and catch things I had not heard before.  I hear some great things each week from my kids. But I'm also missing some great things (either by forgetting them or not hearing them in the first place).
• Record guests in the classroom so kids can revisit the experience...or learn what they missed the first time. You can get more mileage from a classroom visitor than just the "in person" visit.
• Recordings can be used to "publish" learning. Just like creating books publishes learning in picture or written form, recordings can publish songs and stories in audio form. I'm thinking of ways to record kids telling stories, singing songs, and using instruments.

I'm learning a lot and seeing technology in a different light through this book. Here are some links to bloggers' comments on other chapters.

• My reflections on chapter 1 and on chapters 2-3.
• Pre-K Pages - Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3
• Dr. Jean - Chapter 2
• Look at My Happy Rainbow - Chapter 3
• Teach Preschool - Chapter 4
• PreKinders - Chapter 1; Chapter 2; Chapter 3
• Follow the book study blog party at Preschool Spot

Teaching in the Digital Age, Chapters 2-3

The book we're reading for the book study blog party is not exactly what I was expecting. But my surprise has been all good. Since I've been running a little behind in my reading, I read chapters 2-3 together. And I'm glad I did. The ideas and activities fit together perfectly.

Chapter 2 focuses on taking and using photographs in the classroom. Dr. Jean hosted this chapter and her recap gave me more to think about.

I use my camera all the time and take lots of photos. (You could probably guess from this blog!) As suggested in the book, I use photos to capture thinking and learning, especially things that are not permanent - like block structures or dramatic play or drawing on the dry erase boards.

I also try to review the photos so I can assess what is working in the classroom...and maybe what is not. Sometimes seeing how kids are using materials helps me see what needs to be done a little differently. Photos also remind me of things we've done in the past and I want to try again. Or record how well something worked.

We share photos with parents. Sometimes we use photos in projects for kids to take home (such as making a frame and including a photo). At the end of the year, we send home a CD with photos of what the child has done all year. (Each child gets a personalized CD.)

Chapter 3 focuses on using projectors in the classroom (and a lot of that chapter talked about photos, too). Matt hosted this chapter; his post reviews lots of details in this chapter.

I've never used a projector or document camera in my classroom - but after this chapter I definitely would like to try one out. I like the idea of using projectors to show books or other things to larger groups of kids. The idea of projecting photos, other kids' work, and other objects for inspiration also intrigued me.

Here are a few things I want to try in the classroom:

• Displaying photos of kids' block structures or drawings to inspire ideas in other kids.
• Use photos of an activity for kids to recall what they did and how they did it. Maybe even create a sequence game with a series of photos.
• Project a photo, drawing, or book page as a backdrop for kids' dramatic play.
• Photograph a kid's drawing for a backdrop for further play (blocks or dramatic play).
• Work out ways kids can take their own photos.

Lots of other ideas, too. I'm enjoying reading this book.

Here are some other links for these chapters--

Prekinders - Chapter 2

Pre-K Pages - Chapter 2

Prekinders - Chapter 3

Technology in the Classroom

Today starts the book study blog party. We are reading and discussing the book Teaching in the Digital Age by Brian Puerling. Hop over to the discussion of chapter 1 at Pre-K Pages. Vanessa does a great job covering the chapter - helping us think about technology and the classroom. She identified some great quotes. Here are my two favorites—

From the introduction: "Embrace the uncertainty and look forward to what you and your students can learn. Like children learning about cause and effect in a water table, you need to explore today's technology to learn the possibilities."

From chapter 1: "Technology is never to supplant; it is to supplement."

Ultimately the book begins to help us teachers begin to think of technology as another tool...another avenue of teaching - just like blocks or water table or play dough. Use it with purpose. Use it intentionally. Play around with the possibilities. Allow kids to embrace and use it at their own pace and in their own ways.

This chapter made me begin to think of how I've been using technology in my classroom. And how I can begin to lead the kids to use it more.

Puerling mentions that teachers should set goals for what they want to accomplish with technology (a specific measurable step for a specific technology). One goal that I have had (at least in a general way) is to provide a digital camera for kids to use and document what they choose. I need to purchase a classroom camera (because I want to keep my OWN camera!). And begin to think of ways to help kids use it. That's my first goal. (And it dovetails nicely with chapter 2 - using digital cameras. But that's next week.)

Are you reading along? Want to share your ideas or goals for technology? You can share them below or go to Vanessa's post and add your comments there.

Book Study Blog Party 2012

Whew! Being gone for over a week makes you seriously out of touch. I'm a little late to the "party" but I want you to know about this summer's book study blog party!

Maybe you were a part of last year's book study. If not, here's what you need to know.

The Book:
Teaching in the Digital Age by Brian Puerling
From the back of the book--"Technology can enhance your classroom's complete curriculum and assessment and help you create and capture meaningful experiences, support inquiry, and expand your classroom's walls."

The Host:
PreschoolSpot - Each Wednesday (beginning on June 6), PreschoolSpot will have a link to a post about a chapter from this book. One of the team (below) will discuss the chapter. The other team members may also blog about that chapter. Get more details (and a discount code for the book from Redleaf Press).

The Team:
Karen Cox from Prekinders
Jean Feldman from Dr. Jean and Friends
Matt from Look at My Happy Rainbow
Vanessa Levin from Pre-K Pages
Deborah J. Stewart from Teach Preschool
Scott Wiley from Brick by Brick (me!)

The Party:
Get the book and read along. Read the blog posts each week and comment. Post your thoughts and comments on your blog and link up. (Linky code will be on the first chapter post on June 6.) Have fun, learn, and network together.

I just got my copy of the book and it looks really interesting. Hope you'll join us for the discussion.

Quick Tips: Using Photos to Build Parent Relationships

This weekend at the TBC Weekday Early Education Conference, I led a conference about using technology in the preschool classroom. Here are a couple of "new" ideas about using cameras to build or strengthen relationships with parents.

1. I'm Calm Now - One of the teachers mentioned an idea that I had not heard before. We all know that sometimes a child comes into the room crying and is still crying when the parent leaves. When the child is happy and playing, the teacher takes a photo and sends it to the parent (text or email). This helps the parent know that the child is happy and calm - and eases the parent's concern. I thought this was a great idea! The teacher said that they try to take and send the photo as soon as possible, so the parent knows the child calmed down quickly.

2. My First Day - This week we had our new group of "baby" kindergartners in my Sunday School classroom. As I was taking photos of the action, a new thought popped into my head. I took at least 1 or 2 photos of each child playing and working in the classroom. I'm going to print them and add "My First Day in K Sunday School" and the date. I'll give these to parents next week. I've not done this before - but thought it may be a good memory for parents - and a way for parents to see that we work and play hard as we learn.

What ways do you use cameras to build strong relationships between parents and church/school?

Exploring Writing in a Different Way

At this point in the year, the kids are writing and reading really well. Most of them write notes and books. They experiment with spelling and sounds. They use writing implements of various types and mix them to get the results they want.

This week I brought an old laptop for the kids to use. The kids enjoyed typing on the computer. The computer gives another way to explore writing, creating type.

Some typed familiar words - a name or another word.

Others explored repeating a letter or alternating letters.

Some just typed and typed and typed, exploring pressing letters and seeing them appear on the screen.

The kids have learned that writing has a purpose. We used our writing this week for a waiting list. I printed names...and then the kids printed their names...for turns on the computer.

Our timer helped kids know when their turns were over. Some immediately added their name to the list for another turn.

We'll continue to use the computer throughout the month. We're continuing to explore reading, writing, and print, building our strong foundations for more learning.

One More Cool Thing - Squishy Circuits

Yesterday my post was about cool things I discovered in the blogosphere this week. I forgot to add squishy circuits.

Here's the video I watched on another blog.

This Web site has information and recipes. I was immediately intrigued by this. I have never seen anything like this and I can't wait to figure out things to do with this in my class.

(And I think maybe Teacher Tom could power his entire school with play dough! Or at least his robots.)

Sir Ken Robinson

A few days ago I posted some of my favorite tech tools. The Internet is a great place to learn and expand your thinking. Blogs are great for that. So are online videos. The videos from TED are great - you can get ideas about all kinds of things from these speeches and presentations.

Two of my favorites are from Sir Ken Robinson. In his first TED appearance, he said that schools kill creativity. My favorite quote from this one is: "My contention is that creativity now is as important in education as literacy, and we should treat it with the same status." But lots of what he says is great. Here, watch for yourself.

His second appearance at TED is entitled "Bring on the Revolution." This one had several memorable moments for me. The highlight for me, though, is this quote: "I came across a policy statement, very well-intentioned, which said, 'College begins in kindergarten.' No, it doesn't.... Kindergarten begins in kindergarten." Here's that presentation, full of great lines.

I think Sir Ken Robinson is one of my new heroes. I discovered some of his books, so those are probably leaping to the top of my list.

Check out other stuff on TED. You can get inspired by lots of different people.

Some Basic Tech Tools

I love the Internet and all the help that it has given me as a teacher and a learner. By far the biggest "gain" for me has been connecting with other teachers/bloggers. I've learned so many new things, discovered new ways to do things, and "met" some of the greatest people.

I've also discovered that connecting and interacting with others online is like drinking from a fire hose - lots of stuff coming at you in an overwhelming fashion. Along the way I've found a few tools that have helped me keep some of that under control. Here are a few of my favorites.

1-2. Facebook and Twitter. I would have to put these two at the top, of course. These have helped me keep track of my new friends and to find all kinds of information. I had to list these first.

3. Google Reader. At first, I tried to keep up with reading blogs by bookmarking them and making the rounds regularly. That quickly grew to be a problem. I love Google Reader, feeding all my blogs to one place. And if I don't get to it each day (or a few days), then the new posts are all still waiting for me. I can keep track, even if things are too busy. Or I can just hit "mark as read" and those posts are gone. I also like that Google Reader will suggest other blogs similar to what I already follow.

4. Evernote. I find so many great ideas and so many things I want to remember. I tried to take notes or print out ideas to keep and use. But then I discovered Evernote. I can "clip" blog posts for later review...and even file them away in categories. And I can go back to the original link if I want. And I can access it from whatever computer or place I am. And I can create notes to myself of other things - like those ideas that may hit at an inopportune time. It's a great tool.

5. Hoot Suite. This one is a relatively new one for me. It keeps track of Twitter and Facebook in one place. (And can keep track of other things, too. I'm just learning.) Also, I can tell it to track a certain list or subject and it will create a "stream" of just those tweets. It's a great tool to keep track of various interests in addition to my general feed. I look forward to finding out more about it.

These are some of the tools that help me online. And I still find things falling through the cracks sometimes. But I wouldn't trade the info overload for anything. I'm having fun learning so much new stuff.

What tech tools have you found helpful?

Take a Picture!

Recently I led a conference at LifeWay Kids Conference about technology as a tool for preschool and kindergarten teachers. (Specifically we looked at ways to use laptops/computers and digital cameras to help as we teach children about the Bible.) One point in that conference was TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES.

This year, I think I'm going to set a record on number of pictures taken in a given Sunday School year. Depending on what is happening, I take about 10-20 pictures each week. Why so many pictures?

1. I can make "permanent" some ideas or creations that are, by nature, impermanent. (Block structures get taken down; dramatic play experiences are forgotten; an unusual idea is overlooked.) A few weeks ago, a boy was painting at the easel. He decided to experiment with painting backward. He turned around and used the brushes over his shoulder, painting behind his back. I have a picture of that experimental idea.

2. I can preserve memories. At the end of the year last year, we used pictures from the year to make a book about Sunday School. Each child received a CD with a PDF of the book...and a few special pictures of himself in Sunday School. These become great memories for kids and parents. (And I get to look at those pictures and remember, too, since I have them on my computer or on a CD.)

3. I can capture important moments--ones that I think are important or ones that the children think are important. Last year, I saw a child (who normally plays alone and resists interaction from other kids) invite/allow another child to sit with him and look at a book together. I have a photo of that. This year, the boys build an elaborate building and call for me to take a photo. Or girls want me to photograph their paintings. I've used the camera so much this year, they are asking (or telling) me when something may deem a photo. A few weeks ago, the camera was left at home. I'll never forget the dejected sounds the boys made when I was unable to photograph their structure. (And I don't think I'll ever forget the camera again!)

4. I use cropped photos on our class blog. Parents can see the structures we built, the process we used to create art, or the active learning that happens throughout the room. I show only hands and bodies of kids, never faces. But you can see the fun things they are doing and being to see how we learn about the Bible in a myriad of ways.

5. Photos can be used to create matching games or puzzles. How fun to work a puzzle with your own picture on it!

I'm thinking about investing in a sturdy (but inexpensive) camera so kids can begin to take photos, too. I can only imagine what they would capture each week...and I'm excited about that idea.

How do you use cameras to enhance your teaching?


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