The Year End Review from the New CTP

Well readers, I made it!   Year one on the ride to digital fruition completed.  How can I define it?  Mind stretching, exciting, and frustrating (plus a whole lot more).  I'm trying to remember where I was last year at this time.  I had just said, "See ya later", to awesome bunch of 4th graders.  I was debating whether or not to apply for this position. A position that allows a classroom teacher to leave the classroom for a couple of years to learn technology and help teachers incorporate it into their curriculum. I didn't actually turn in the application until midnight of the date it was due.  I didn't want to leave the classroom. I didn't want to give up the newly acquired Interactive Whiteboard that I was so fond of.   I didn't want to learn a new position.  I didn't want to leave my co-workers and the families that I'd grown to know.  I really didn't want to leave the group of new students who were just informed I'd be their next year's teacher.  BUT I did know that what I was doing in the classroom was missing "something."  I had a conversation with my principal at the time about the lack of  "love for learning" I'm noticing with kids today that hadn't existed years ago.  But that the learning that happened when our projects went digital was amazing.  Why was it amazing?  What was the difference?  How can I make that happen in the classroom all the time?  How can I make that happen with all the barriers we have- one mainly being lack of computers for all kids? How do I install a flash that a game needed? What do I do when the kids can't log onto the server, or the airport won't light up, or the screen freezes?  How do kids use the digital information safely?  and on and on and on.  I guess my message is this:  "I" didn't want to change but the "students" were demanding it.  Like so many other teachers, I was holding them back.  I recognized it.  I embraced the change and here I am today.

So what have I learned?

1. Students today are digital natives.  Cell phones, smart phones, iPods, iPads, computers, mp3 players, television, radio, netflix, youtube, blogging, websites, facebook, game systems, on-line shopping, bill paying, searching.... and the list goes on and on.  Even if we try to limit the amount our kids are digitally active, it still exists and kids today will need it to function tomorrow.  This means that we need to teach them in a way that connects to this world.  We need to teach them how to do this safely.  Social skills are always going to remain important.  With easy access to information and audiences, kids need to learn this more than ever.  Students today are visual learners.  Multimedia engages them.  We need to use this more than ever also.  It's time to for us to meet them in the middle.  I realize this and it helps me understand the need to engage our kids using 21st Century Skills.
2. Technology offers us tools to reach those digital natives.  I used to be frustrated at the time it took for kids to get on the server to save projects.  I use to be turned off by the barriers that made technology projects seem like a chaotic nightmare!  I'm not anymore.  I realize that it took a lot of time because I wasn't giving them chance to practice and use it on a regular basis.  They used their pencils every day.  They used computers once a month.  There will always be barriers with technology because it is changing every day.  I needed to be a problem solver.
3. Teachers need to be problem solvers.  Those who had gone before me raved about how fun and easy this position was.  I'd have to say that using technology was something that usually came easy to me. But I've got to admit that the first month of this new job about put me in the nut house.  Of course, I kept that on the down low.  But ask my husband- there were sleepless nights, headaches, and tears.  (I kid you not, lots of TEARS!)  I'm not trying to scare you off or in anyway discourage anyone from applying for this in the future because, although I didn't know that at the time, that first month was an absolute blessing.  I literally felt my brain change.  I was the only new tech partner hired this year.  I worked with a wonderfully talented bunch of people but when you're so lost, you're not even sure what to ask, well- you just don't ask.  New vocabulary was introduced every day, so much I couldn't keep up.  21st Century philosophy usually ended in a heated discussion, which left me more confused each week. One day our leader said, "Figure it out, you need to independent."  I was so ticked off!  How am I supposed to "figure it out" when I have no clue what you are all talking about.  Well readers, that was THE turning point for me.  I knew if I didn't learn to "figure this out", I'd be in for a really long year.  So I did it.  I started searching terms, ideas, following blogs, until eventually I had enough knowledge to begin asking questions.  Questions lead to more ideas and more searching.  I finally began to problem solve without much effort.  I kid you not, there isn't a thing you can't learn on the internet!  Thank goodness for youtube, google, and the blog world.  
4. The key word is CURRICULUM. Core Standards + ISTE Standards + Technology =  Productive and Engaging Curriculum.  The classroom teacher was a whiz at standards, and I knew the ISTE standards but neither of us really knew the tools too well.  It took me about 2 months to learn enough tools to suggest a short menu of ideas.  I'd plan with teachers, give them an idea that was comfortable for me, then stay up all night learning the ins and outs of the program so management would be easier.  It's now the end of the year, and now I know LOTS of tools.  I'm excited to begin this planning stage with teachers next year, because now that I know the tools, I can suggest a longer menu of different tools and plans that will BEST FIT their curriculum.  
5. Students need time to learn the skills.  Students need time to play so they can build those skills and use them confidently. It's important for K-5th grade student to learn computer skills as they help with hand-eye coordination, teach fundamental use, and reinforce basic knowledge in areas like math, reading, and grammar.  A way to do this is through use of online games.  Be sure to review games to assure they are teaching the sills you want the kiddos to learn. A couple of my favorites this year were Abcya, Knowledge Adventure, and PlayKidsGames.
   
6. Students need lessons in digital citizenship.  With so much accessible information, students need to learn to use it wisely and safely.  Take the time to do this!
7. Blogs are amazing!  They are so 21st Century.   Students can create, collaborate, and communicate on them.  Many times teachers give students an assignment and then they write about the assigned prompt.  This worked beautifully but I'm wondering if next year, some will let their students build their own blog. An assignment can be given, and students can comment directly on the that post on the teacher's page.  But, the students will have the freedom to decide on a purpose for their blog.  Maybe one will be a travel blog, maybe one will assess widgets, maybe another will write about animals, and another about space.  They would have the opportunity to set up their own blog page and invite people to follow their blog. This seems like a more 21st Century way to blog. Plus it will make writing REALTIME both motivating and authentic for our students.  I'll also encourage teachers and students to invite parents to visit the classroom on a blogging day.  What a better way for them to become involved and encourage other family members to connect to their blogger. I could go on forever with blogging- I think it's one motivating way a classroom teacher could bring their classroom to the 21st Century.
8. Google docs, blogs, wikis, websites, livebinders, nings, delicious, diigo, etc. all have different purposes.  Websites are made by one author and are meant to inform and present information. A wiki is a site where more than one can collaborate and add to the site.   A blog is place to write, collaborate, and communicate with an audience who has a similiar interest.  Livebinders is a site to organize favorite websites much like you would organize your 3 ring binder, delicious and diigo are sites where you can tag and keep track of favorite sites, nings are discussion strings. Google docs are documents where more than one person can write and collaborate on a document at the same time from different places.  Whew!  I'm sure someone out there can describe this better :0)
9. Build a PLN (Personal Learning Network).  A PLN is group of people (some virtual) who you can collaborate and communicate with to learn.  We weren't able to attend any conventions (TIES, ISTE, Google etc) this year that dealt strictly with technology.  BUT I was able to live vicariously through others by following their blogs and websites.  I'm feeling so fortunate to have had my PLN to help me learn and grow in the technically technological world!  View my blog list on the right hand side of my blog page.
10. Reflection is important.  I'm working on pages for each grade level.  Each page will contain projects, websites, etc. that were used in each grade level.  It's my goal to reflect on them over the summer and find ways to improve and make them 21st Century, manageable, and inviting for teachers to try next year. 

So there it is, my first year as a CTP.  A year of brain changing, tool gaining, PLN loving, digital fruition.  I wonder where I'll be at the end of next year, hopefully iPad and Netbook literate.

I welcome any ideas or input that anyone in the blog world or beyond can give me! 

Enjoy your summer :0)