Are you stuck? In mud, maybe concrete (you might be screwed), or perhaps quicksand and you are going down fast! Many educators are in the same situation as you and I, if I am being honest. When you hear those four little words, twenty-first century learner, do you also swallow hard while your pulse begins to beat rapidly? The first question that is always asked is, "How do you expect me to do
that?" I have accepted the fact that since I am entering into my 4th year of teaching that I, along with many others, must learn to adapt to this technology, change, and embrace it.
First things first, what do you think it means to be a twenty-first century learner? I automatically picture my now grown and college bound, 18 year old sister, Tabitha. I think of her mainly because I am not a typical sister but instead a surrogate mother that is, as she would put it, "in her business." I have seen her struggle in the many transitions that have challenged her, such as new standards, a shift in technology, and her too many to count math teachers (close to 9, I think). I believe a twenty-first century learner means someone who is
tech savvy, someone who can maneuver programs, someone who can keep up with the ever changing social media networks, because as this generation will put it, "there's an app for that!" This describes my students that enter my room on a daily basis. Those eager little eyes willing to learn new concepts but unable to because we, as educators, struggle to keep up with the technology that is "floating" around on the web.
So here is my solution...I will be your gateway to the world of the unknown. I am always finding and using programs and websites to better the technology used in my classroom. Some of you might ask, "is it hard?", "what works?", "what doesn't work?" Here is where you can be introduced to new ideas, and from there, the possibilities are unlimited. I will give you an overview of a "product" (program
or site), guide you through how to get set up, and then tell you how I use it, what benefits it has given my students, and from there, the rest is up to you!
First project is to come... Edmodo (a classroom version of Facebook!)
that?" I have accepted the fact that since I am entering into my 4th year of teaching that I, along with many others, must learn to adapt to this technology, change, and embrace it.
First things first, what do you think it means to be a twenty-first century learner? I automatically picture my now grown and college bound, 18 year old sister, Tabitha. I think of her mainly because I am not a typical sister but instead a surrogate mother that is, as she would put it, "in her business." I have seen her struggle in the many transitions that have challenged her, such as new standards, a shift in technology, and her too many to count math teachers (close to 9, I think). I believe a twenty-first century learner means someone who is
tech savvy, someone who can maneuver programs, someone who can keep up with the ever changing social media networks, because as this generation will put it, "there's an app for that!" This describes my students that enter my room on a daily basis. Those eager little eyes willing to learn new concepts but unable to because we, as educators, struggle to keep up with the technology that is "floating" around on the web.
So here is my solution...I will be your gateway to the world of the unknown. I am always finding and using programs and websites to better the technology used in my classroom. Some of you might ask, "is it hard?", "what works?", "what doesn't work?" Here is where you can be introduced to new ideas, and from there, the possibilities are unlimited. I will give you an overview of a "product" (program
or site), guide you through how to get set up, and then tell you how I use it, what benefits it has given my students, and from there, the rest is up to you!
First project is to come... Edmodo (a classroom version of Facebook!)
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