Mrs. Sian's Teacher Blog

Mimio Interactive Wireless

2008-03-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

This is new equipment I ordered after attending the Macul Techology conference in Grand Rapids. The mimio attaches to the existing whiteboard and turns it into an interactive board. I really wanted a smartboard, but I saw the Mimio demostrated and decided it would be a cheaper alternative to the smartboard and essentially does the same thing. So, I came home and ordered the mimio. It just came in and we haven't had much time to use it. I am in the process of getting lessons ready so we can start using it next week. I am making some activities and there are a lot of lessons available on the internet. The kids were excited to use it.

Daily Message on the Digital Notebook

2008-03-18T06:13:00.000-07:00

We have started to do the morning message on the digital notebook. The student of the day writes the message while the other students are eating breakfast. When we begin class, we start by reading the message. I save the message and then we can print the message and they can take their message home. We can also make copies for everyone and can do many activities with the message. We circle sight words, find punctuation, point to the date... The students love to write on the digital notebook.

Digital Notebook

2008-03-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best lessons happen spontaneously. Today, Julia asked to stay in from recess. I don't usually allow them to stay in so I asked her what she thought she would do if she stayed in. "Well, I thought I could write on that paper that shows the writing on the computer (digital notebook). My first thought was "Yeah, she wants to write," and then I thought "why not try it". So, she stayed in and I set her up on the computer and notebook, but before I walked away to do prep work for the next lesson, I pressed the 'record' button. She did not even know the computer was recording her pen strokes and she just wrote away (she wrote for 20 minutes without stopping. When the kids came in from recess, we gathered on the carpet and I pressed the 'play' button. To her amazement and her classmates, her writing started to show up on the screen. We saw how she formed her letters, paused to think, edited her writing and so much more. From just watching her free writing, I could tell what she knows about writing. She knows to make her letters from the top down (very important), she uses known sight words and beginning, middle and end sounds, knows "ing", leaves spaces between her words, writes from left to right, rereads what she has written and edits, knows that it is ok to change her mind and start over, and I could go on and on. Of course, now everyone wants to do it. I am thinking that I will let one person each day stay in to write and record their writing. I will be able to assess everyone's writing and learn what they know about writing. It is much less time consuming than my old assessment technique. The other benefit is that I can save their writing and look at it when I record grades. The next thing to think about is how I could create digital portfolios that can be shared with parents.

Computer Talk

2008-03-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

I am to the point that I have technology fully integrated into our day. The students are becoming proficient computer users. At the computer lab the student conversation sounds like this: "Mrs. Sian I lost the icon to our class on my screen", "Hey, how did you get there?", "Show me how you did that?", "Can I print my story?", "I forgot how to maximize my screen (a friend will ultimately help), " Can I print my starfall story?" "You're not supposed to turn the hard dive (monitor, headphones, etc. ) off (kindergarten students love to tell on each other), "my monitor won't come on".
It is amazing to me how children who did not have much experience on the computer when they came to school have picked up the terminology and are using it appropriately and are able to problem solve and confidently move around to different programs. I introduce the programs in class and give them an overview, but they figure out what to do through trial and error. Today I just stepped back and watched. Everyone was engaged and excited about what they were doing. In the beginning, they would ask to get drinks, go to the bathroom, would ask when are we done..., but now they are engaged and can't wait for computer time. The best part is they are learning and problem solving!

Macul Conference

2008-03-09T20:29:00.001-07:00

AWESOME! That is the only word that can describe the conference. I learned so much and I can't wait to share the new technology I learned with the students. I learned that I was not using my iPod to its full potential. I did not realize all the possible uses in the classroom. I learned how to fine tune my podcast (expect a new one soon), millions of ways to tie the curriculum and technology together. We saw and heard about what other teachers were doing, learned about the Michigan E library, the top 10 uses for Web 2.0, where to buy more gadgets (I REALLY want a smartboard), digital camera tricks, a ton of sites that support the standards and GLCEs and so much more. I will definitely attend this conference again and highly recommend it to others.
Everyone was so nice in explaining things. I was actually surprised to discover how much I already knew. Considering I knew nothing 2 years ago. Thanks to Marilyn Western for inspiring me to use technology in the classroom. Marilyn is the technology teacher of the year and she definitely deserves the award. If you get a chance to take the Cool Tools through our RESD, I highly recommend it. She is so enthusiastic about technology. I left saying "I HAVE to do what she is doing!" Technolgy is my new soapbox. If you teach in my district, I would be more than happy to help you get started.

Read Around the Planet

2008-03-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

We participated in the Read Around the Planet program for reading month. Kay Hauck from the RESD brought the equipment and made the match for us. We were matched with Rusk Elementary in El Paso, Texas. They did a presentation for us and we had a presentation for them and had a chance to ask each other questions. The program itself is great, but when you take the time to embed it into the curriculum and build lessons around it, it is that much more meaningful.
We started by going to Google Earth and looked at where we live and then we "flew" to their school. We were able to use that experience to talk about the difference between city and country. We talked about the different landforms in Texas and Michigan and the climate. The students were given a map of the USA and colored in Michigan and Texas. They could draw a line for their flight plan if they wanted to.
Another day, we looked up Michigan and Texas on the internet and found the state symbols. We printed them out, cut the pictures out and used them to make a double bubble map to compare Michigan and Texas. We talked about what was the same in Texas and Michigan and what was different. Libby realized that she had a state stone at home and brought it in the next day (her own connection and idea)!
We also had to plan a presentation. We read Dr. Seuss' book "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut" and decided to make our own "I Can Read Book". We made a bubble map to show all the places we could read in Michigan and the students each chose a location. They made their illustrations and wrote their sentences. When we presented, they each read their page. It turned out great and I plan on having them read the book again and videotape it. I wasn't able to videotape it that day. I was too busy watching the other class and helping my students know when to go up.
We spent time over 4 days learning about Texas and Michigan and preparing for our presentation. The students kept talking about it and asking "when are we going to talk to the kids in Texas". It was a great experience and the students were very involved and engaged. We also had to think about the question and answer time. We talked about what they could ask (although when the time came they were all too shy to ask them) and talked about what we could tell them about Michigan. It was a valuable learning experience and I encourage other teachers to try this. I will definitely have my students participate every year.

A side note-The thinking map training has proved to be very valuable. We find many ways to use them. The students even make them on their own during writing workshop without being prompted. One student made a circle map at home on her homework. The thinking maps really help the students focus on what we are discussing and help them to organize their thinking.

Our Circle Maps

2008-02-25T19:45:00.001-08:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by julisian

I am taking a professional development course at the GIRESD. After the first 2 sessions, I came back to school excited to implement thinking maps. We started with the circle maps and the kids loved making them. They are making circle maps for everything. It was amazing how fast they caught on. This week we are adding bubble maps. They look forward to making maps now. It was a great training and I highly recommend it.

Digital Cyberpad In Use

2008-01-22T10:49:00.000-08:00

Cameron was the first to use the digital notepad. He was the student of the day and used the digital notebook for his writing. It worked out great. The students could see his writing on the screen and could watch as he wrote. They helped sound words out and were his editors (they let him know if there was a mistake). The picture is his finished product.
It was great for assessment too. I was able to do an informal assessment and I can add the picture and notes I took to his portfolio. I will be able go back and check his writing when I need to. I watched for: Letter formation, spacing, directionality, and punctuation... I also observed his reading skills. After his writing was finished, he used a pointer to read it to the class. Again, I could quickly check concepts of print (directionality, one-to-one matching...)

Note on writing: I use Building Blocks by Hall and Cunningham. We start the year with these sentences on a poster and fill in the blanks. Each round of student of the day the activity becomes a little more complex. By this time of the year, we are writing the sentences with some assistance.

Writing Workshop

2008-01-20T20:24:00.000-08:00

I happened to have the video camera out at the perfect time to catch a great writing workshop. Cameron is trying to figure out how to spell school and he asks Benny for help. At first, he thinks he needs the /qu/ sound, but by talking it over with Benny he realizes he needs the /k/ and tries to decide if he should use 'c' or 'k'. He makes his decision and moves on. He knows that it is important to get the sounds down and if he didn't choose the right letter, it can be fixed in editing. It was an awesome example of students applying strategies that have been taught. Actually, the whole class was right on that day. Everyone was engaged and they were all using strategies to write. So, I got out the video camera and went around and caught lots of great writing. I am in the process of putting the videos together to make a movie. I will post it as soon as I get it done. I am just learning to make movies, so it may take a little time. Besides uploading the videos to the web for others to view, we watched them all on the big screen and talked about all the strategies that were being used. They commented on each others videos and it was a great way to reflect on their own writing and learn from each others writing.

Low Tech Fun

2008-01-20T17:04:00.000-08:00

You don't always need the high tech stuff to keep the students interest. Add a microphone and cheap cd player and you can turn any lesson into a game show. The beginning of the year, Jacob, was our announcer for "Patterns Are Right". He called a student to go up to the board and make a pattern with magnetic shapes on the whiteboard and then called another student "to come on down" and extend the pattern. The students love it anytime we turn a lesson into a gameshow.

New Computer Equipment

2008-01-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

My family often gets me new computer gadgets for Christmas and birthdays. They always know what to get me thanks to the Amazon wish list. This year I was given an Adesso Cyberpad and I was late getting home from school tonight because I was showing my new gadget to another teacher (Mrs. Lewis). She also uses a lot of technology and is one of the reasons I have done so much in technology (think partner in crime). Anyway, the Adesso Cyperpad is awesome. I used it with the kids today and they were as excited as I was. The possibilities for its use in the classroom are endless.

I have often used the Wacom pen tablet, but this does so much more and is easier for the kids to use. It comes with a few software programs and its easy to use (for anyone, not just techies). The Adesso Cyperpad is a digital notepad that records your handwritten notes so they can be transferred to your computer and manipulated electronically. It uses a digital pen and regular legal sized paper. The pen writes smooth and the handwritten notes transfer nicely to the computer. It also comes with presentation software to use with powerpoint. In addition to being a digital notebook, it can turn your computer into a blackboard/whiteboard (If you can't afford a smartboard, this is a good alternative). This is the feature the kids used today. A couple students wrote on the pad and the other students could watch them on our big screen as they were writing. The difference in this versus the Wacom is that the kids write on paper so they can see what they are writing (they can't with the Wacom and they weren't able to coordinate their writing). They were able to easily show their writing. We talked about how we are going to use it in the future and they were excited. When they are student of the day they will do their student interview and their writing on the cyberpad and we will use their writing as lessons for that day. When we are using it effortlessly and as I come up with new uses and ideas for using it in the classroom, I will post updates.

In addition to classroom use, I can think of a lot of ways to use the cyberpad personally. I wish I would have had this when I was in college. It will be great for taking notes at meetings, conferences, recording student observations or taking notes during student parent-teacher conferences. The possibilities are numerous.
Thank you Bill, Autumn and Austin for a great gift!

You can go to www.adesso.com to read more about the cyberpad.

Help Feed the Hungry

2007-12-30T17:08:00.000-08:00

This isn't kindergarten level, but I thought I would let everyone know about this program. It is a simple way to contribute to the hungry. When you go to www.freerice.com you are given a vocabulary word and have to choose the word that best matches. Rice is donated by sponsors for each correct answer. Within a short period of time I donated 2000 pieces of rice. It is an activity that keeps a mind sharp while helping to feed others. My son (8th grade) said he spent some time in his computer class helping to feed the hungry. He was proud that he helped out and I am happy he spent time working on his vocabulary. If you have time, it might be something to try.

XO Laptops

2007-12-30T15:04:00.000-08:00

I have had some time to surf the internet while on vacation and I found this XO Laptop program. They have a buy one/get one program. I decided to participate and one laptop will be sent to a child in another country and I will get one for my classroom. I took some time to research them and it looks like it is a great program. The laptops are durable, have long battery life, connect to other XO laptops and have some programs on them. I am anxious for our computer to come so the students can use it. I am hoping we will be able to do some awesome things with it. I will post an update when it comes. Unfortunately, the program ends Dec. 31st, but if anyone else is interested maybe the deadline will be extended (it was extended once) or they may open up the buy one/get one program again. I think you would still be able to contribute money and have one sent to a child in another country.

Reflections on using technology in the classroom

2007-12-29T11:33:00.000-08:00

I am on Christmas break and I am taking some time to update the blogs and website. I have been reflecting on technology use in the classroom. While I love teaching using technology and know the students like it too, there have been a few frustrations. One frustration is time. Finding the time to update the sites has been challenging. In looking over my work, I see that technology took a backseat to other things in November and December. I have incorporated technology into my lessons and use it every day when teaching, but I have not updated the sites as much as I would have liked. This was due to many factors. The writing I would have had the students do for the classroom blog was replaced by a writing for a different purpose (one more important). We were writing to one of our classmates who was very ill and was hospitalized for a few weeks. Then, we had assessments to do and parent teacher conferences which took up lots of time in November. Which left us ten days in December before break, but we had 3 snow days and a party, which left us with only 6 days to work. We were so busy with our holiday projects that it was hard to find time to even get our Christmas wishes posted.
The second obstacle was equipment failure. The projector went down in November (Be sure to check the warranty on the projector when you buy it. Fortunately, mine came with a 3 year express warranty and I had it back within a week of sending it out.) While the projector was out we weren't able to use the laptop or the ELMO for our lessons. We were able to borrow the school projector for a couple days. The projector came back as good as new and then, the hard drive on my computer went out. Thank goodness it didn't go down until after conferences and I was able to have it fixed quickly at Nitro computers in town.
When people realized my equipment was down, I was often asked "So, do you still like using technology?" My answer was "yes". Even with the time and equipment obstacles, I really like teaching with technology. The time without the equipment made me realize how much I have come to rely on technology and I found out that the students had come to depend on it and look forward to the lessons we do with the computer and ELMO, too.
My New Year's resolution will be to make sure I update my websites more often and to make sure the students start to blog on their own.

Using ELMO & the projector to share reading strategies

2007-10-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

When students are reading to self (Daily 5) I have been walking around the room and noting the reading behaviors of the students. Friday, I noticed that Julia was using a reading strategy we had been working on (using her reading finger, pointing to each word and making sure that what she says matches what she is touching). I stopped and talked with her about what she was doing and asked her if she would share her reading strategy with the class using the ELMO. When we came back from lunch, she was anxious to share and the video shows her demonstration to the class. Using the ELMO and the projector the students were able to see the book and what she was doing better than if she had just sat in front of them in a chair and read the book.

More Uses for ELMO, the projector and the laptop

2007-10-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

We (Tammie Lewis, Eileen Walsh and I)had a training after school for teachers who are interested in using ELMO in the classroom. We showed how to hook the ELMO up to the projector and discussed some of the uses in the classroom. Every day I find more things to use the ELMO for.
For example, when we came back from the Snow White play the students took a quick bathroom break while I downloaded the pictures I took at the play. By the time they were done using the restroom and getting drinks, I had a the pictures downloaded and a photoshow made. We then had pictures to help our discussion and retelling of the play. We watched the show, discussed the play and the student of the day picked one of the pictures to put in our daily message. We went on the do the daily message which entails the student of the day telling the message while I type it in Microsoft word. The other students watch as I type. When I am finished typing the message we decide which letters and words we want to target. I print the message, Mrs. Keyser takes the message to the office to make copies and then, 3 to 4 students go up to the board with a pointer and take turns reading the message. The students take turns circling the target items. When we are finished Mrs. Keyser is back and everyone gets a copy of the message to highlight the target items. This is the part that is different from previous years. The students would not have had a chance to take the lesson to the individual level. The technology takes the lesson that I have always done a step further and the students were excited that they had a picture of the play to take home.

Using ELMO-the document camera

2007-10-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

Using technology in the classroom enhances lessons I have done in the past. This picture shows one of the ways we use ELMO in the classroom. We build names with letter manipulatives and project them on the wall. The students are able to use the pointer to name letters, count letters, read names. They like to use ELMO to project their work on the screen. It makes it large enough for everyone to see and draws the students' attention to it. Before ELMO, we would have used sentence strips and pocket charts. Using ELMO accomplishes the same tasks, but allows us to view it better. I have also found that it cuts down on preparation time that I would have had before using technology. I would have had to have sentence strips, pocket charts, markers, and scissors ready. Now, I just need the letter manipulatives and we can spell and rearrange the letters with ELMO and the students like being able to use the pointer on the screen. The other students are able to see the words better. I am finding many benefits to using technology in the classroom.

To begin with...

2007-10-01T19:29:00.000-07:00

I spent a lot of time exploring the web and looking at what other educators were doing. I took 18 credit hours in technology classes (it helped me to get a raise so I could pay for the equipment) and then I set goals for what I personally wanted to accomplish. The best classes were the Cool Tools classes offered through our own RESD. The great thing about the web and web 2.0 is that everyone is willing to share and offer ideas and suggestions. It seems that everyone is excited about what they are doing and they want to get others involved. When I can remember where an idea came from I will document the source and give the person credit. One site I rely on a lot for ideas is Rachel Boyd's blog. (www.rachelboyd.blogspot.com)She is a teacher in New Zealand and is doing a lot with technology.
Setting goals helps me to focus on what is important to me and what I want to accomplish. There is so much available it can be very overwhelming. I have to focus on my goals so I don't get bogged down. In beginning this journey my goals were to:
make a webpage to improve parent communication
learn more about the web and available technology
integrate technology (in a meaningful way, not for play or superficial, showy lessons). The goal was to increase student achievement and improve my teaching skills.

Equipment I am Using

2007-10-01T19:07:00.001-07:00

I have purchased the computer equipment I use in the classroom. I have bought it piece by piece as I can afford it (I also received some of it as gifts from my family). The equipment I currently have:
HP Laptop with a media package
Sony projector (2000 lumens)
ELMO document camera
Kodak digital camera (one for my use and one for student use)
HP Color Scanner/Copier/Printer
Wacom Pen Tablet
Logitech Webcam
RCA Small Wonder Digital Movie Camera (This is awesome. It was inexpensive and is great for short videos. It plugs right into the computer with a USB and the videos can be downloaded quickly.
Accessories: speakers, headphones, microphone
Screen-A 7'x8' frame made out of PVC pipe (by my husband). I sewed green material to a white sheet (kind of like you would make a pillow case) and slipped it over the frame so one side is white to show things on and the other side is green for green screen movies. The cool tools class got me interested in movie making as as a hobby.

Technology in the Classroom

2007-10-01T18:56:00.001-07:00

School has begun and I am not just playing with technology. I am finding ways to use it and integrate it throughout the day to enhance my lessons. It is so exciting. Taking lessons that I would normally do and adding a technology piece to enhance them really makes a difference in the students' learning and their involvement in the lessons. I do not have it down yet, but am working on incorporating technology piece by piece. I am not the type of person to publish what I do. I do not feel comfortable putting myself out there for the world to see, but I have been asked by others to document what I am doing so they can learn from it. So, with this blog I am going to attempt to do that. This is just technology use as I have figured it out. There is a lot out there and there is no path to follow. I think about the goals I want to achieve and then look for technology to use to help meet those goals and in future blog entries I will talk about how I am incorporating technology.

My Journey into technology

2007-06-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

I have always had at least one computer in the classroom, but never knew how to use it for more than games. Incorporating technology was always something that was on my to do list, but there was always something more pressing to pursue. I have now made it my goal to learn more about technology and how to use technology to teach (not just play games). I began my journey into technology after taking a class through our RESD last summer. It was taught by Marilyn Western and Deb Goodrich. They inspired me to use technology in the classroom. That week I purchased a new laptop and dove in. I made and found powerpoints and was on my way. Before school started, I purchased a projector and set my classroom up to incorporate technology. Little by little I have been adding more and more ways to use technology in my room. In February, after taking another class (taught by Joel Woolston through Marygrove) I added to the equipment in my classroom. I bought a document camera and things really took off. I now had a great technology setup and my students were really excited about learning. In May, I took another class through the RESD with Kay Hauck and Carlene Shortz. I had no idea what the classes were about and wasn't sure if they were even appropriate for kindergaten, but I quickly found out about blogging, wikis, podcasts, fickr and more. Yes, they are apropriate for kindergarten and before the year was up my students had the opportunity to add our class blog twice and were able to access it at home. I am taking more classes this summer and am anxious to see what I can add next.