Screen Chomp recordable whiteboard app

A new app is out today that is fun and could be a powerful tool for teachers. Screen Chomp for iPad is a recordable whiteboard (in a previous post I mentioned ShowMe a similar app). Screen Chomp is more intuitive- my 7 yr old was recording a birthday greeting in moments for his uncle.

Use it for assessments, send home homework and instructions to a sick student, record your lesson and play it on the board while you circulate and help students.
As of today it was free, so go get it!

click here >>> for a Screen Chomp recording of me playing with it!

WASA Conference

Today I presented "A Digital Age Classroom & Tools You Can Use"at the WA Small Schools Conference.  For those attending, I want to give you some of the resources I mentioned.

Canby School District has some data collected about their 1:1 ipod program: http://wiki.canby.k12.or.us/sandbox/groups/ipodusergroup/weblog/6a110/attachments/daa48/ipodachievementdata-20092010.pdf?sessionID=ce76f4bd163b934541fb3d7467215dd5e7e7fd34

I showed you my colleague's site on how to use iPads in HighSchool: Ipads In The Classroom

This is another site that has great info about tech; and some specific info for schools using iPads on a large scale:  http://learninginhand.com/ipad/

www.atomiclearning.com has technology tutorials and lessons

To get to my tizmo's page go to: www.tizmos.com/kgrade (has links to spelling city, googledocs, and more.)

storybird.com

I use the mimio interactive whiteboard in my class: http://www.mimioconnect.com/

Some of the iPad apps I mentioned were:  Montessori 100 Board,  Montessori Crosswords, Starfall ABC's (and their awesome website www.starfall.com), Louie Letter Challenge, Make a Word, Rocket Math, Park Math, Mathboard, Montessori Approach to Geography, Teach Me K and 1st, Tales2Go, Talking Tom, Tap to Talk, Dragon Dictation

A couple of sites I didn't get to: http://livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=63074 has resources for tech savvy teachers, and http://ieducationappsreview.ning.com/ is a site for educators to review apps, and lastly, some software I use to assess students; http://www.esgisoftware.com/ESGI/  -I love the reports I can generate from this program.

Some of the info I shared:


 "Three principles from brain research: emotional safety, appropriate challenges, and self constructed meaning suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to classroom instruction teaching
is ineffective for most students and harmful to some." 
Teach Me Teach My Brain – A Call For Differentiated Classrooms - Carol Ann Tomlinson

Do not waste teaching time with technology; enhance teaching with technology.

improve traditional learning activities by:
1.)  saving time.
2.)  allow for differentiation to meet each child's learning needs.
3.)  motivating reluctant learners.
4.)  make learning fun.

Technology is NOT going to go away, and we are in the midst of a major sociocultural quantum shift. These technologies are revolutionizing the world our children will live in. So our task is to balance appropriate skill-development with technologies with the core principles and experiences necessary to raise healthy children.”
Modern technologies are very powerful because they rely on one of the most powerful genetic biases we do have — the preference for visually presented information. The human brain has a tremendous bias for visually presented information. Television, movies, videos, and most computer programs are very visually oriented and therefore attract and maintain the attention of young children. The problem with this is that many of the modern technologies are very passive.
The technologies that benefit young children the greatest are those that are interactive and allow children to develop their curiosity and problem-solving and independent-thinking skills.
ECT Interview: Bruce Perry Discusses the Effects of Technology on the Brain


Thank you for attending the session and asking such wonderful questions and sharing your own experiences.

Digital natives are taking over my classroom!

My students, all 25 of them this year- active and loud, quiet and mild, boys and girls... LOVE technology. They are truly "digital natives." They do not shy away from new experiences- in fact they beg to be the first to try! When I run into a problem- and there is almost always going to be a problem with something when you have 25 bodies watching and waiting on you- they are often the ones to help ME figure out the problem.

My husband is the "computer guy" for our district. I was on the internet back when it first started up... and I am not THAT old, but it makes me feel ancient. So much is changing in our fast paced digital world that even a self-professed tech lover like me married to a techie feels lost facing new technology. Recently I was faced with using an iPad for the first time. I clearly recall the uncertainty and feeling of stupidity I felt not knowing how to work the thing. I couldn't figure out how to close the "apps." I know you might feel the same way when facing newfangled technology- so I hope this blog can be a little help to you. And I hope you'll share your experiences with me.

My reward for being the most tech-savy (or most gullible) teacher in our elementary building is that I often request and get new technology first. Our tech goals included starting to use interactive whiteboards... which of course arrived just days before school started. So I jumped in using it the first days of school and had lots of "uh- what do I do now?" moments. One day when it just WOULDN'T work and I really, really, really needed it to- my students began to threaten revolt- a 5 year old said to me- "I think it's unplugged Mrs. H."

Teaching with Technology Rule Number 1. ALWAYS check the power cords first.

Computer Tech's- even when they have to come because they are married to you- DO NOT like being rushed down to "fix" a problem that involves an unplugged cord. And, don't forget- cords usually hook up to the wall & the machine. Check both before you call for help!

Why are today's children "technology natives?" You and I (assuming you are in your 20's at least!) grew up along with the current technology. Today's kids are born into a technological world. For adults, computerese is like a second language- for the little munchkins I teach- it is natural and normal.

So, in my classroom I capture the minds of my little ones through any means possible- and increasingly, through the use of technology. Some teachers resist technology, saying "They need a break from being "entertained" and that the old instructional methods work just fine."

Consider- a few decades ago microwaves were new technology. Is there a house without one on your block? Would you not use your microwave because it doesn't cook the way people did for generations?

A hundred years ago, cars were new. Unless you have an Amish community nearby I doubt you know anyone who doesn't use a vehicle of some type to get around.

I am committed to staying current to meet the needs of my learners. Are you?