Technology in my classroom

                                           

Now, I would like to share my experience of using technology in my classes. If you are a preschool teacher the technological tools are mainly I pad or interactive boards. Online LMS’s are rarely used. Small kids might have some difficulty managing instructions independently. That is why it is better to use the super easiest LMS that mommies and their little ones can access and operate easily. I use mainly interactive boards during my lessons to watch videos to better understand the topic. The videos may be about weather songs, greeting songs, some facts about the rainbow, living and non-living things, and much general knowledge about the world which surrounds us.

                        

As an additional tool to work on at home, I shared with my students an abcmouse.com site. It is an ESL learning site for preschoolers that contains a lot of activities and fun games and consolidates what they have learned in class. However, during quarantine time I used zoom to teach small kids. There were some hardships with handling the lesson in terms of concentration for all students and other parts. Then, I realized that the ILTEP module is the one I need to discover the ways how to overcome the hardships of online teaching in my study path. During the module, I learned a bunch of LMSes that I did not know before. I thought the only way of teaching is through zoom, and I mistakenly considered that it was the best one compared to other online teaching resources. Studying in ILTEP I become familiar with LMS called “seesaw” which gives an opportunity to teach both fully online or partly as an extra tool. 

Well, as i teach pre-K and K students ESL utilizing STEAM and Montessori I rarely use technology during my classes. I focus more on learning through hands-on activities and help little ones to discover the world by live and real things. For instance, if I want to teach a plant and plant parts, i bring a live flower or any kind of plant and plant them in a pot and explain the roots, the leaves, and all biological parts. I consider that this learning is much more effective and exciting for kids. Afterward, when we have cookie time I put a video on YouTube using an interactive board about plants, and they may watch and tighten what they have learned. 

Most teachers look for the technological tools that are going to enhance the learning of their students. Today’s youth are growing up in a time where technology is constantly at their fingertips. The growing world of social media applications and internet sites spike interest in children. furthermore cell phones, computers, tablets, gaming systems and electronic based toys are all the passion in today’s society. According to Klopfer, et al. (2009) every day, the majority of students are spending countless hours using popular technologies - such as Facebook, MySpace, World of Warcraft, or Sim City. In today’s classroom, technology is becoming a more prominent form of learning. With the ever-changing world of technology, teachers work  hard to incorporate technology into their everyday instruction in order to connect student passion with learning. 

Today’s educators Harris (2006) are under pressure to provide 21st-century students with a quality education based on 21st century standards. Those standards include providing students with the technological and informational skills needed to compete in an ever-changing, technology-driven world.

I use an interactive board to practice letters, and numbers and play some games with my little ones.

             

  Recently, I found a new online app called Toontastic. It is a creative storytelling app where kids may choose characters and make their own stories. They make animations and record their own voice. Especially my elder groups liked that very much. This app helps to develop the creativity and speaking skills of kids. 

References:

1. Klopfer, E., Osterweil, S., Groff, J., & Hass, J. (2009). The instructional power of digital games, social networking, simulation, and how teachers can leverage them. The Education Arcade, 1-21. Retrieved August 10, 2020, from

 

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