"Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire."
This course has helped to ignite that fire within so many of us.
The hands on approach to this course and the ability to "play" and learn brings a whole new meaning to playbased learning. As Primary educators know, playbased learning helps to engage and enhance a students through oral language, exploration and collaboration. This course has done that and so much more.
Throughout the last few weeks I have often reflected on my own teaching and how I can utilize AT to help support the students that I work with.
Since the beginning of the year I have been working with a student to develop his fine-motor skills. (I am quite certain that he came to school without ever holding a pencil/crayon.) I must admit in the beginning I was quite discouraged and felt that I might never make solid gains with him. As the weeks went on and I learned new apps to help engage him in his learning I have seen a complete change in his approach to his own learning. He is like a sponge, absorbing everything we have done, always wanting more and giving it his best effort. He now looks forward to our literacy activities and the "Work Work" apps we are using on the iPads. Not only do they engage him in English Language Arts learning, they have helped to support and facilitate his finemotor development.
All of this "reflecting" brings me to the words of Ross Greene,
"Kids do well if they can."
This applies to all children, not just the explosive children he talks about on his website Lives in the Balance.
Check out this video:
Blogger is not allowing me to insert this YouTube video right now, sorry :(
So, it's off on a new journey. Blogging for this class has motivated me to start a classroom blog with my students utilzing KidBlog. (For those of you concerned about PIIDPA legislation, KidBlog has servers in Canada where they store their info.)
KidBlog Tutorial
Happy Blogging!
Theresa
P.S. Hearing all of your case studies and the overwhelming need for technology in our schools prompted me to do a little search for technology funding.
Keep a watchful eye of the following sites for upcoming info about future technology grants.
Future Shop - Tech Lab Grants
Telus - Technology for Teachers Grant
Best Buy - The Best in Class Fund
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