Field Experience 3

I have finished my field work at Edgemont Elementary School with cooperating teacher, Mr. Jennings. He was very informative on the technological view of teaching. He has been on the tech training staff at his school for many years, so some of the things he was doing in the classroom was amazing. He would assign his students a report that would be due on a given date, and he would let his students explore options on on the web. His classroom was unique because he was able to have Macs in the classroom. Each student had to share the computer with one other student. This made it possible for Mr. Jennings to effectively show the students what needed to be done. One thing in particular that made the computers even better was the method of sharing what Mr. Jennings had on his laptop with all the monitors in the classroom. It was difficult for some of the students to see the smart board on the wall so they were able to view what the teacher was showing directly in front of them on the screen. Each student could see what was being done on the board and it would be seen on the screen as well. For one of my lessons I had a website about ancient Rome that the students needed to view. Mr.Jennings was able to place it in a folder on the desktop of each student. We did it the day before the lesson was taught. When it came time for the students to view the website, each student clicked on the folder and the site came up on every screen in the classroom. I could have all the class view the page and split up into groups to do the project I prepared for them to do.

I know it is not possible for all the classrooms to have computers like Mr. Jennings' class, but I can see how the technology really helps students to be better learners. Mr. Jennings gave an assignment to do a comic book about a made up superstar. The class was engaged in doing the project, all but one I heard liked it and was really excited about the assignment. The assignment was to take pictures that could be used in the comic and write the comic all on the computer. Mr. Jennings did not have to explain how to do it because the class already knew anything there was to know about the computer and it's programs. It amazed me how the students knew how to do the things they were required to do. I would not know how to do many of these things. This is why it is so important for the teachers to experience technology classes in order to learn what these students are learning in the classroom. I will be prepared to do what is required of me to be one step ahead of the students in my future classroom.

Video: Cyber Summit on 21st century skills

This is not hard for me to believe after I have seen what is going on in the today's classroom. I see the students involvement much more than if the technology was not there. In class we have had many videos showing how technology is going to be in all the classrooms while we are a teacher. We have to remember that we are preparing students for jobs that are not even created yet. How can a teacher teach skills that are not invented yet? It is all about teaching the basics and having them grow them into what that will be someday. Technology is the only way we are going to be able to accomplish the task at hand. Teach a child computer basics and have them master them and they will be unstoppable later.