Week One

What did you learn this week that you will use immediately in your classroom?
One thing I learned this week is how far education has come in the last several years.  Many changes have been made, and with those changes, technology has played a large role.  This week I learned how important it is to  integrate technology into the classroom by using technology as a teaching tool and also as an interactive method for students to explore and learn.  Although I do not see myself as someone who is real "with it" when it comes to technology, I hope this course will help me to become more technologically literate.  Our school has recently purchased several Mimios.  This is similar to a Smart Board, but without the board.  I have just begun playing around with it, and plan on using it as a method of instruction in my classroom.

What steps will you take to implement this into your classroom?
We got the Mimios in our building several weeks ago, and many teachers have already been using them in their classrooms.  I am a very visual learner, so I am hoping to visit some of the teachers who already feel comfortable with the Mimio and have them show me around.  I would also like to attend a professional development training to learn more about the program.  I know there are lots of webiste available where teachers have created and posted Mimio lessons, but I would also like to learn how to create my own interactive lessons to use that are appropriate for my students and their learning needs.  As I learn more about the program, I also plan to use it in my classroom to get some hands on experience with my students.

What challenges will you face when using this in your classroom?

I'm sure I will come across many challenges when using this avenue of technology in my classroom.  Like any other form of technology, I'm sure there will be a learning curve as I get aquainted with the program.   One challenge will be learning all of the different ways to implement this program into my teaching.  Another challenge will be teaching my students to use the interactive part of this program.  As kindergarteners, they tend to get overly excited about new technology and want to jump right in.

What will you do to overcome the challenges?

To overcome the challenge of teaching my students to interact with this program, I will first have to become very comfortable with the program myself.  To make our lessons the most efficient, I will need to know how to navigate the program well, so that when my students are using it, I am able to instruct them properly.  It will definitely be a learning process for everyone.