To Education Excellence...and Beyond!!
By Stacie Green
I was recently interviewed by a young college student who was once a high school cadet teacher in my then 3rd grade classroom. She asked, “What do you think makes you a good teacher?” I thought for a moment, trying to think of the “right” answer. I know many teachers would say their compassion, dedication, patience, and so on. I gave her an honest answer. “I do my best teaching when I take classes myself. I am a much better teacher when I’m also a student.” I truly believe this. I have done some amazing things the last few years as part of this program, things I would have never imagined doing on my own. My current students are really getting the best of me as I started the program with them in 3rd grade and am now completing it with them as 5th graders.
My road to educational technology splendor hasn’t been easy. I was a newbie, a technology immigrant when I began the program. To be honest, my initial interest in the program was because it was online. I knew with 2 young sons and working in 1 city while living in another that I could never make it to an actual class. I was really interested in the literacy program through MSU, but the more I looked at the MAET program, I realized the importance in having those technology skills to keep myself ahead of the game and ahead of all the new, young teachers coming out of college. I thought the classes sound great, to the point that I couldn’t narrow down my elective choices, I wanted to take everything! Still now, I want to figure out how I can eventually get CEP 813 on electronic portfolios in!!
As I said, it hasn’t been easy. I’m so excited to be finishing and graduating in a few months! I look forward to wearing the “fancy” cap and gown and walk on May 6th! This time last year, I should have been writing this paper and finishing then. I was pregnant with my 3rd son and just had complication after complication to the point that I couldn’t keep up with everything and I had to give classes up. At this time last year, I honestly didn’t think I would get back and be here now! I had some amazing help along the way from Leigh Graves Wolf to Robin Dickinson to Mike DeShryver. I was luckily granted a deferment for CEP 815 and 807. It was hard still trying to finish up. I finally completed work for CEP 815 because I needed closure on it. I look at the items from that class now and realize how much I missed by not being part of a class and a community of peers, how much I missed by just putting some items together in order to have a grade. My “digital footprint” that told my technology journey is probably my best work from that class. It very accurately tells where I was personally when I started and how I used technology then to the useful, educational tools that I use now. Mike was great! He patiently worked with me on the assignments and offered feedback and suggestions as I tried to complete things.
As I look back, there are a few significant courses and assignments that really helped to shape the technology integrated teacher that I am today. I took CEP 811 in the Spring of 2009 with Melissa White. This was my first taste of what technology in education had to offer. The concept of the STair or Stand Alone Instructional Resource is so powerful to me. I never knew that power point had such capabilities! Using this piece as an interactive review that the students can actively engage in makes the learning more meaningful. The STair I created for the course as focused on 3rd grade forces and motion science GLCE’s. Normally, we would verbally review concept by concept or do short writing activities for morning work. The STair got them engaged and involved. Using the STair as an interactive review where the students were actively engaged really creates much more meaningful learning. They began having conversations about their science activities and learning in order to make sense of and/or support their answer. At the time, I was a 1 computer classroom so I had the STair projected on the screen via the Elmo and designated each corner of the room A, B, C, or D. We would read the question and choices. The students would then have conversation and decide their answer and physically move to that corner. The discussion we had as we checked the answers to verify the right one was really powerful in helping the students review and really make the material make sense to them. I use this same STair in 5th grade as a brief review to refamiliarize ourselves with the 3rd grade forces and motion GLCE’s as we begin the 5th grade science unit of forces and motion. I felt so strongly last year about the benefit of the STair that I also created one for our Objects in the Sky science unit, as well as our unit on animal survival and adaptations. Students are now able to complete it individually or in pairs with the 1:1 laptops in the classroom.
CEP 811 also introduced me to the WebQuest. I remember when I was in about 4th grade playing the Oregon Trail game for reading. It was on the wall with a big map, handwritten questions, and so on. The purpose was to sharpen the reading skills in a fun, engaging way while also learning about westward expansion, math, map skills, and so on. I have since learned that Oregon Trail has gone to the computer. Back in the day, I feel this was my WebQuest, as close as I could get to an interactive scavenger hunt without a computer that is. Reading is such a struggle for my students. We work so hard to get them to read for the sheer pleasure of it and then they turn on us when we read for information. I decided the WebQuest and the online scavenger hunt aspect was a very compelling way to get my students engaged and reading for information. We have completed two WebQuests that I created myself; one on French Explorers for 3rd grade and then a 5th grade Forces and Motion one as well. I enjoyed making those and thoroughly intend on making more, but let’s be realistic…I don’t have enough time in the day to begin with, let alone for an added project.
This leads me to the beauty of Web 2.0 tools. I have the ability to go to creativecommons.org or simply google.com and search for tried and tested WebQuests for the content that I need. I’m able to read blogs and listen to podcasts of other tech savvy educators and use the things I learn in my own classroom. I have my favorite blogs and websites that I regularly go to as I search for ideas for my own classroom. I know how to keep all the blogs, podcasts, RSS feeds organized through either Netvibes or Google Reader. The Web 2.0 tools allow others and myself to share and collaborate world-wide without ever having to leave my house.
Also in the Spring of 2009, I took CEP 812 with Susan Wright. I was asked to create a techquest project, one that integrated technology in an area of compelling concern for my students. I wrestled with the topic for what seemed like forever and continued to go back to the same idea of writing. This is the course that introduced me and my students to digital storytelling. My current 5th graders completed their 1st digital story with me and will be completing another one this year. This time, we are taking a literature project book that they individually made and scanning those images. Students will be using Audacity to record themselves reading their stories aloud and will be guided as we put it all together for our annual showcase of work in May.
The summer of 2009 I had the opportunity to take CEP 820, "Teaching K-12 Students Online" with Robin Dickinson. This was an amazing course and really helped to lay the path and groundwork for the technology integration I aspire to do while also re-affirming the importance of professional collaboration via the web to share ideas and experiences. I may have dropped the ball a bit on keeping up with my own blog and netvibes page, but I consistently utilize my delicious account to bookmark all my favorites and regularly check out the sites of my network. I created my forces and motion webquest for this course and utilized the benefits of Google sites for this. I was also moving into a new technology role at my school, 1:1 laptop integration in 5th grade. Teaching K-12 students online was a great course to have at that time. I created a “Benefits of Online Learning” as part of the course requirements but personalized it for my role as 5th grade teacher and technology integrationist. I laid out for the parents the benefits the 1:1 laptops and online learning would have for their children and how the online learning would look like in the classroom. It was very refreshing reviewing that as I added it to my weebly portfolio. I was able to reflect on the learning I was engaging in at that time and the focus and drive I had to make that all a reality in my classroom. I was able to be honest and reflect on how I had begun to lose my way and have begun to address the needed areas to get myself back to that. The one thing this program has done consistently is provide opportunities to reflect on who I was then and who I am now.
The MAET program introduced me to MACUL. I organized a group of teachers in my building and we are now a MiChampion CoHort 4 member meaning we have the opportunity to work with a technology coach for 1 year and our integrated technology lessons will be on display at the MACUL conference in 2012. I just returned from the MACUL 2011 conference. The endless possibilities that were opened to me was unbelieveable. I have the opportunity for summer training and online courses. I will be required to create and utilize at least 2 technology integrated lessons which for me is a drop in the hat. It amazed me as I sat in sessions that interested me how much I already knew about the topics. There were some that I did leave and find something else because I wasn’t learning anything new. Wikis and Web 2.0 tools were introduced to me 2 years ago. Having that amazing exposure and hearing the amazing things other schools in the state are doing has really inspired me. I would have never been in the position to attend this conference and others like the Michigan Joint Education Conference if it wasn’t for this Masters Program. I have reflected on my own words in my own creation of “The Benefits of Online Learning”. I know where I want my 5th graders to go for the remainder of this school year. More importantly, I am already working on my vision and plan for next year. Because of my exposure and learning in this program I know how I want to use the 1:1 laptops more specifically. Moodle will be utilized to the fullest next year. We will create a more technology literate environment from day one. Students and I will work together to create our expectations and guidelines for technology use. I want to have more of a project based learning environment where subjects are truly integrated and technology is a common occurrence.
The MAET program has really inspired me to become a better, more meaningful teacher. Before I started, technology was the classroom computer I had and I put students on grade level sites like Starfall.com during center time. It never really served a specific purpose or was used to drive instruction and enhance student achievement. As I now complete the program, I realize that technology goes way beyond just a computer with an internet connection. My students and I are very fortunate to have the 1:1 laptops. We utilize them daily in all subject areas. Now I know that what students do on those laptops matters and must serve a specific purpose in their learning or there's no point in using them. Students have specific websites they use for "free time" that tie specifically into our GLCE's for our current science and math learning. We have specific websites to engage in informational reading to coincide with science and social studies. I've learned that those laptops are an extension of the student and the curriculum, they are a tool just like their pencil. I have really let go of alot of the control in the classroom now as well. I started the year really trying to set up expectations and guidelines especially where the laptops were concerned. Now as we enter the 4th quarter, I really try to be more of "guide on the side" and let the students troubleshoot issues themselves and allow the tech-savvy kids to shine. Technology in the classroom is overwhelming, but I firmly believe that there's no point to using it if it's just for frills and show. I have definitely embraced the idea that education is constantly changing just like the technology in today's age. My students will be adults in a very techno-friendly world, more so than right now. I don't know what type of jobs will be around when they turn 18 or what the techie-gadgets will be. But I do know that I can prepare them for this world as best as possible by using the technology resources I have to the best of my ability. Probably the 2 biggests impressions the MAET program has left upon me is the need and importance to integrate technology across all subjects in a meaningful way so that students are self-sufficient as 21st Century learners and the importance in sharing my knowledge and helping teach other teachers about technology and the positive impact it has on student learning, achievement, and success.
I’ve learned that I can’t stop learning. Technology in education is ever-changing. If I drop the ball even for the slightest second, I will miss so much new information and ideas and be so far behind. I don’t want that! I want to be in the game and right in there with new ideas and up to date best practices with technology in the classroom. I want to set a standard in my building and then my district for technology integration and present the community with a positive example of how technology can enhance learning and impact student achievement as well as create motivation and desire to excel. The MAET program has provided me with the tools and knowledge to create this goal. It is up to me to make it happen!
