Reflecting on Educational Tech

Hi guys! I'm glad to have made it this far into my blog. In my last post, I told you all about my dream school. A school that includes everything that I feel a child needs to succeed including tech throughout the classroom with projectors, computers, iPads and websites/applications to keep learning updated and fun. I already teach in an Infant Room so the things I need are a little different now, of course. My classroom tries to limit technology use to promote the basics and get all of our infants talking, exercising/playing, eating and sleeping independently before they transition over to the Toddler Room. This leaves us using little tech like iPads, a television and radio in class. These come in handy for the lesson plans and when we have the young toddlers engage in baby yoga. Although when I begin to teach K-3, I hope that it will be an abundance of technology to choose from to make my students experience the importance of technology in learning. My only concern is becoming so tech-centered that I allow it to overshadow the things that would be learned better with hands-on experience, or reading a good book. I've been working on researching how often technology should be used in a classroom and while I haven't decided from myself yet, I plan to have another post coming soon with my findings.

I will be working with children from the ages of 5-9 years old after I graduate with my BA. The biggest issue that I'm concerned about is accessibility outside of school. The other thing that comes to mind when I think of the age range I'll be teaching is the importance of good classroom management with children this young around expensive technology. I think that schools that send home tablets are working towards closing the gap in resources that may not be available at home. In the classroom for the classroom management, it is important to set rules for the students to follow. The hardest part is knowing that students won't always have help with the technology at home due to parents working, lack of time, etc. I think a website with videos explaining all the assignments again in depth is something I'd like to look into to help students.

I grew as a digital native, it was always technology all around me especially in middle and high school. I think that the issue that I've been running into is if I think that technology is as important in elementary education as it is in secondary education. I think that it is so many things at a early age that is better taught on paper and hands-on. I think getting passed that mindset and finding a nice balance will be my biggest challenge. I also recongize that because technology is such a big movement in modern day that it needs to be taught in the classroom at earlier ages now so learning how to type is fundmental in lesson planning now because it would be unlikely from them to not need that knowledge/skill in everyday life. I have mixed emotions with technology in the classroom but mostly it is just an adjustment that I'm excited to make.