In the future, I would like to see more interactive technology experiences in the classroom. Taking students out of the book and enabling them to see, hear, tough and interact with the lesson at hand. I believe this creates a deeper connection and allows the students to become a critical decision maker, drawing from a wealth of personal knowledge. Online learning opportunities for students are also important. Giving students the chance to work about grade level, re-mediate, or even have access to information or learning not offered at the school is an exciting prospect. Giving these same students the skill to manipulate the technology is essential. Incorporating keyboarding, Internet research skills, and presentation software in the elementary school has to become the norm. Funding to support student learning and the integration of technology has to be in place.
I recently asked our board for $45,000 for technology! We need to have a better infrastructure and new server! But, if I only had $10,000, I would prototype 2-3 classrooms with technology essentials and work hard to document my students' learning progress through test scores over the year. I would purchase:
2 Smart Board Kits with projector and arm mount - $4,200.00
2 Document Cameras - $2,000.00
1 Student Response System - $3,000.00
1 Digital Camera - $250.00
2 Web Cameras - $160.00
2 Microphones - $100.00
1 Digital Video Camera - $400.00
Total - $10,110.00
This equipment would support a more interactive learning environment and create excitement throughout the school. Currently, we have none of these items!
MET 6203 Module 11 - Portfolios
Portfolios are a great way to organize artifacts that verify professional growth. They provide a record so that personal progress can be assessed. Working portfolios that contain large amounts of work over time can be used to organize lesson plans, pictures, multimedia, and other materials used in the classroom or on the job. As a teacher learns, works through and creates curriculum, portfolios can document instruction that works and ways of adapting that instruction for all students. Assessments portfolios can be used to keep track of individual student progress. Items saved by the students themselves or by the teacher. During my student teaching, I was assigned to oversee this in a fourth grade classroom. Students were both asked to save certain pieces and were able to choose some of their own that they felt best showcased their work. I was surprised at how easy parent/teacher conferences were when the portfolio was used in a student led conference. They were much harder on themselves and more honest. I used student folder on our server to have students archive work over the year, creating a type of assessment portfolio that they are able to save to a jump drive at the end. Resource room and lower achieving students use this to encourage continued progress and I am able to document accommodations.
The showcase portfolio is certainly what teachers bring to job interviews! It is designed to showcase the best work within representative categories. For our kindergarten graduation, I am using voice over power point slides and a small web cam to create mini showcase portfolios for each kindergartner. I is amazing to me how much they have grown over the course of this short school year. My fourth grade portfolios were traditional print based, but more telling information can be stored with a digital portfolio.
I have scanned and saved awards, certificates, letters of recommendation and added multimedia projects in my portfolio. It was set up to follow basic guidelines highlighting Michigan's teaching standards. Now I would certainly focus more on the integration of technology into my lessons and teaching along with spotlighting my role as a technology leader in my building. Certainly the additional training of my graduate course work and being a part of MI Champions will be great additions to a professional teaching portfolio. I also think my goals should be more specific and I would weed through the items I have collected to really pick the best of the best. My reflective statements also need to focus on technology infusion and planning that supports a documented increase in student achievement. Being able to leave behind a digital portfolio with a wealth of information definitely gives an advantage. If you keep up with saving good artifacts and attaching them to standards right away, the creation and fine tuning of a professional portfolio is so much easier.
The showcase portfolio is certainly what teachers bring to job interviews! It is designed to showcase the best work within representative categories. For our kindergarten graduation, I am using voice over power point slides and a small web cam to create mini showcase portfolios for each kindergartner. I is amazing to me how much they have grown over the course of this short school year. My fourth grade portfolios were traditional print based, but more telling information can be stored with a digital portfolio.
I have scanned and saved awards, certificates, letters of recommendation and added multimedia projects in my portfolio. It was set up to follow basic guidelines highlighting Michigan's teaching standards. Now I would certainly focus more on the integration of technology into my lessons and teaching along with spotlighting my role as a technology leader in my building. Certainly the additional training of my graduate course work and being a part of MI Champions will be great additions to a professional teaching portfolio. I also think my goals should be more specific and I would weed through the items I have collected to really pick the best of the best. My reflective statements also need to focus on technology infusion and planning that supports a documented increase in student achievement. Being able to leave behind a digital portfolio with a wealth of information definitely gives an advantage. If you keep up with saving good artifacts and attaching them to standards right away, the creation and fine tuning of a professional portfolio is so much easier.
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