Technology in the Classroom

There are many lessons for all elementary grades that could make use of podcasts. I reviewed many on voice thread and it seemed that, for the most part, the children were eager to use this technology. Podcasts can be used to relay information. I saw one school use a voice thread to produce an informative video about bullying. They used video clips that they had created of scenarios that included bullying behavior, then provided information on what one should do in that situation. I also saw another school use voice thread to present their weather poetry and pictures. Each student presented their art and read aloud the poem they had created about specific weather. It covered many different prescribed learning outcomes. The range of what could be produced with this technology is as endless as lesson plans that can be created from picture books.
Technology can be used to enhance classroom learning, it just has to be used with care. I believe that children are spending a considerable amount of their time already on computers and other screen activities, so to add more to that must be taking time away from other non-screen activities. This is probably why I would be more inclined to do podcasts than voice threads or video posts. Podcasts need only "a digital audio recorder that can create an MP3 file, space on a server to host the file, a blog , and something to say "(Chris Tougus). Podcasts engage children and create an enthusiastic environment for learning language arts. They are not only using their oracy skills (speaking and listening) but also writing and representing and possibly reading and viewing depending on the project. Due to their simplicity, podcasts do not take much time to set up or upload. As podcasts use only children's voices, there is a lower security risk and perhaps more parents would be willing to allow their children to participate.
It is important for teachers to remember that not all children will want to do podcasts and provide another way of participating for children reluctant to record their voices, perhaps they could direct the podcast or provide sound effects. Also children that are not fluent in their speech may or may not benefit from hearing their voice recorded. Teachers must be sensitive to these matters and could benefit by first having a good knowledge of his/her students before introducing podcasting.
I think I would like to introduce grade 4-5 students to the Orsen Wells radio play War of the worlds that scared people in 1938 and talk about what kind of event would lead to people being scared like that now and perhaps try to do our own version of War of the worlds. I also like the idea of presenting poetry and art together as a class presentation. I think creating a Peter and the Wolf sound piece would be interesting too. Perhaps initially have the students listen to an original Peter and the Wolf recording and make up our own telling or create another story where each character has their own sound or phrase to announce their arrival. Another way I would consider using podcasts is to ask the students what they would like to create with the technology. Perhaps I would just introduce a book and let the class decide how we use podcasts to further our understanding of the material. Students really are a wealth of ideas and I think I would be pleasantly surprised by their thoughts on the matter.

The road to understanding can take many paths. The B.C. Integrated Resource Package(IRP) allows teachers to find their own paths in creating meaning for students in English Language Arts(ELA). Of course, the IRP provides guidance and support in the form of Prescribed Learning Outcomes(PLOs) for each grade and principles to keep in mind while lesson planning. The actual lessons are left to the teachers to create, but the IRP keeps teachers from veering too far off the beaten path. The creation of the IRP ensures that all BC students are at the same competence level when completing each grade.


How does IRP help you as a beginning teacher?
The amount of material available to teach each grade level can seem overwhelming to a beginning teacher. There are so many different ideas of lesson plans floating through our brains. However, without the experience of teaching different grades or in some cases even having an idea of a child's skill level at different ages, it is difficult to correctly anticipate whether certain lesson plans will be appropriate. This is where the IRP is helpful. It provides a guideline for what is expected at every age level. It is good when starting out to have a reference point and be able to tie the lessons back to that point. So the prescribed learning outcomes are a wonderful framework . They describe in detail not only what each grade should be competent at, but also the developmental level of each grade, which can be alien for a new teacher.They are a good place to find the keys to ELA assessment for all elementary grades. It is interesting that the IRP not only states what teachers should do, but also what exceptional teachers are doing . The IRP uses research to validate the importance of early literacy.They also support all suggested teaching and assessment methods with relevant research and principles. The IRP wording can provide new teachers with a source of enthusiasm and fear.

How does the IRP hinder you as a beginning teacher?
The sheer enormity of the IRP is the first reason for a shiver of fear to run through a new teacher. "Evaluation, reporting, and student placement, with respect to these (prescribed learning) outcomes are dependent on the professional judgement and experience of the teachers, guided by provincial policy"(pg. 45) makes me realize the immense responsibility being placed on my shoulders. I worry that without much experience, my judgements might not be as reliable as that of a seasoned teacher.The importance of the ELA in children's lives is paramount to all other subjects and the studies have shown how critical the early grades are to a student's future academic success. This again places huge responsibility on new teachers. Many of the expectations within the IRP are relying on teacher experience to know how to correctly apply lessons to fulfill the PLOs. " Students become and remain engaged when the are provided with meaningful and relevant, while challenging but achievable literacy experiences" as stated by the IRP on page 35 is heart warming to read as a parent, but scary as a new teacher. I am unsure how to walk the tightrope of challenging but achievable and meaningful and relevant because these variables are relative to each class and each child. What might be challenging to one child, might be boring to the next. I believe that with experience, a teacher is able to construct lesson plans with varying degrees of difficulty so that they apply to each learner. However, with the diverse nature of the students today, it is hard to for a new teacher to produce challenging yet achievable, and relevant, meaningful instruction without knowing the students one is planning to teach. The IRP is great for boundaries, but does not provide many examples of the way their expectations can be practically met in a classroom. Most of the document is theory and principles to aspire to, but lacks any day to day lesson examples of how these principles can actually be met.


Description of today's ELA students
Today's English Language Arts students are bombarded with more messages than ever before. They are not only reading books and comics, they are reading advertisements, TV commercials, video and computer games and of course online reading in terms of social networking and the internet. All these types of literacy vary greatly to the almost incomprehensible text messages and posts to technical gaming language to formal english in books. Our students are in need now more than ever of help to navigate safely through this colossal amount of literature. Our students come from all over the world, their family backgrounds vary widely as do their socio-economic status. They may require learning assistance or may be exceptional learners, they can be excited about learning or reluctant.Our students may be urban or rural, they may be learning English as a second language. They might be able to focus on a task for long periods of time, or just short bursts. Each learner is an individual and their personalities together form the classroom. I believe this is the reason experience plays such a fundamental role in teaching because one cannot prepare for all the different personalities and classroom dynamics without actually experiencing them. The diversity in our students calls for an increase in the diversity in the ELA materials used so that everyone feels connected to the learning process."Students need knowledge, skills and strategies in the six language arts to compose, comprehend, and respond effectively to a range of texts"(pg. 15) realizes this not only in terms of multiculturalism, but also non-fiction, fiction, poetry, written, oral and visual forms.


Description of how today's ELA students learn
Considerable research has been produced to ascertain the best, most effective methods of teaching. We have learned in class that the old standard version of passive learning is not as an effective tool as previously believed. Sharing the stage, pen and authority with students has led to more enthusiastic and engaged students. As the IRP states"learning requires the active participation of the student". This means that they must be involved and interested in the lesson. Technology surrounds today's learner and must be integrated into the presentation of lessons not only to interest children, but to create an understanding of how to use these technologies appropriately and responsibly.


The IRP is there to guide teachers in their lesson plans for their students. The document was created to help teachers enable their students to do their best work and learn in the most effective methods possible. It empowers teachers to strive to create meaning and connections for their students and to help students become able, critical, problem solvers. We know that the best learning occurs when the learners are engaged and enthusiastic so the IRP provides strategies and principles to enable this type of learning. Our students are diverse and their learning styles reflect this. We as teachers must find paths that include everyone and help all students to connect to the lesson. After all, no matter how our students differ, they all need and deserve to feel valued,  respected, safe and cared for in the classroom.