Blog Post #11

Ms.Cassidy's Youtube video,Little Kids... Big Potential was awesome! I was amazed at how these young kids were able to use technology in their classroom. But, what really caught my attention was the students blogging. I am all about blogging and using technology in classrooms, but thought it was not really a good idea for young students. After watching this video, I can see that it can be done!

I enjoyed watching the Skype video. I learned a lot about technology use in the classroom. Technology use in classrooms is growing rapidly and Ms. Cassidy has embraced it and uses it effectively, which allows her students to grow technologically with the rest of the world. As I said in my thoughts about the video, Little Kids... Big potential, I felt like blogging was for more mature, older students. However, my view has shifted a little from that. I like that Ms. Cassidy allows her students to blog, even if it is just one sentence. I think that is what has had me hung up on young students blogging in the classroom. I now realize that young students should not be expected to blog paragraphs of information and thoughts, but can be expected type their thoughts in a sentence or two even if it takes a while and the spelling isn't correct. So, blogging is something I can see myself incorporating in my future classroom. Who knows maybe my future students will be on the EDM 310 list for Comments for kids.

One technique I will definitely use when I start teaching is, video. I love watching students share their work and talking about what they are learning. As a parent I would love to see my kids in videos learning and talking about what is going on in their classroom.

Ms. Cassidy mentioned, Ning a few times. I don't know what this is, but I am definitely going to look it up and see what it is all about.

One problem that could arise getting students to blog, is not having enough computers. At my children's school, there are not enough computers for every student, there is usually 3 or 4 per class. This would be a problem as far as blogging as a group. Computer labs may be the answer to that, but most times the students are doing another assignment. Another solution to this issue would be to let 4 students blog during their center time each day, so that by the end of the week all of the students will have been able to blog.

Ms. Cassidy had some great ideas and I am totally inspired by her enthusiasm for using technology in her classroom!