Student Choice

I guess today is a wondering kind of day.  I am wondering how to I guide my students with sooo many choices available.  How to I determine out of the thousands of apps available which ones will allow them the best opportunity to express their thoughts?  Although they are tech savvy and play games, do they know how to create?  Are their readiness skills proficient enough? For example Toondoo, they need to know some basic writing skills to fill in the speaking bubbles. I am in the process of creating an assignment and rubric and having trouble starting.  I need to percolate some more...

Reflection

Our reflection question for TIA was:

What is the value of modeling 21st century skills such as creating an ePortfolio, blogging or curating? 

It is really hard for me to write. I wish that the ideas that pop into my head would flow more easily to the written word. Back in the olden days, you wrote to answer the questions on the test and that was about the extent of it. I have always struggled with this as a student myself and I can relate to my reluctant writers. 


My response to the question was:

For me first and foremost, the value is modeling writing for my students. My education did not include writing like we do now and I did not like it. Blogging provides another avenue for students to express their ideas and thinking. A reluctant writer with pencil and paper may embrace the opportunity to use technology to make comments regarding the topic. Another type of student my may be shy about telling their ideas, but writing their opinion on a blog may feel less threatening. 

Embarkment

To blog or not to blog that is the question.  I have read many blogs the last few years  and have decided to meet the technology challenge of Technology Integration Academy at Northwest ISD in TX! Thus the worded escapade begins….

Let me introduce myself. I am Debbie Kahler and I wear many hats throughout the course of a day;    teacher of first grade students, spouse, mom to adult children and golden retrievers, daughter,  co-worker, friend, and scrap booker.  Welcome to my teaching blog!

This TIA (Technology Integration Academy) has forced me to step out of my comfort zone by introducing me to the vast technological world outside my classroom.  This has given me the opportunity to use applications such as thinglink and Google docs that I normally would not have tried on my own.  

Stay tuned for more and embark on a Teacher’s Technology Ventures with me.