Skype with Aviva

https://twitter.com/#!/Grade1

           We seemed to more comfortable as a class Skyping and asking another teacher questions as opposed to a well known author.  Aviva shared many wonderful insights on how she incorporates technology into her grade 1/2 classroom.  I enjoyed listening to her students describe the tools they like to use and how it helps them learn.   It was interesting that both girls blog from home.  None of my third graders know how to blog yet!!  One of the questions asked was the demographics of the community which Aviva comes from.  I was not surprised to hear it was a wealthy community.  They have the funding for the most up to date technology and are fortunate enough to have the resources available to provide her students with various forms of technology.  It reminded me of a book I was assigned to read in undergraduate school titled,  Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol.  The book takes you on a journey into several public schools across the country.  To quote the summary of the book, "Kozol believes that children from poor families are cheated out of a future by grossly underequipped, understaffed and underfunded schools in U.S. inner cities and less affluent suburbs." 

http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Inequalities-Children-Americas-Schools/dp/0060974990 

What do you think can be done to ensure that students from impoverished communities get the same advantages technology wise as those students from wealthy districts? 

        The school I am working in is in between the middle income and the extremely poor.  We are incredibly underfunded, underequipped, and understaffed.  However, I do believe we are headed in the right direction.  If not by choice by necessity.  With the new standards, comes an increased demand on the rigor of instruction.  The switch from skill based to inquiry based learning was evident in Aviva's class.  I appreciate the comment that Aviva made that technology is just one tool they can use in her class.  They choose.  They have they control.  If the tool takes more than 5 minutes to explain than it's not for her.  Who has the time to explain each resource to each student.  Differientiation becomes easier because students control how they learn.  The teacher provides the objective and the goal, the students select the tool in which to reach the goal.  Awesome!!!

https://www.google.com/

        During my internship with SJC at Smith School of Science, Math and Technology I learned great ways to use technology as a tool.  Smith School is a Magnet school that had Livestreaming and ceiling mounted projectors in which to show all types of videos and lessons.  They had drawing tablets and Smartboards.  This was 5 years ago, I can only imagine where they are now with technology.  I wouldn't be surprised if students had handhelds in each class.  Unfortunately, if I don't use the tool enough after I have lessons I forget how to use the tool.  I have been to so many workshops and seminars and because I don't have the tools to use in my school I forget how.