At Harrisburg High School, it is
safe to say that my classroom is filled with what Bauer (2014) describes as digital
natives. For the post part, all of my students have computers at home, or at
the very least easy access to a computer with Internet, and it is guaranteed
that nearly 100 % of my students have a smart phone. As I travel to my elementary school to teach 5th
grade each afternoon, digital natives again surround me. Several times a week when I am working
with my younger students, I am reminded how normal it is for them to work with
technology and how most of them would be lost without it. On the rare occasion my phone rings or
I get a text during a beginning band lesson that I have to respond to, I will
take out my phone and it never fails that a student comments on how they either
have that same phone or how they just upgraded to the most recent iPhone. I always think to myself that at the
age of 10 in 1994, I had never “upgraded” or even heard of a cell phone. Like most people my age, it wasn’t
until I got my driver’s license that I used a cell phone regularly and that was
only for emergencies when I was driving.
In 2015, technology is not a luxury to most. It is a necessity. It is everywhere we go. Although I would consider myself a digital immigrant, I enjoy my iPhone and on the extremely rare occasion I leave home without it, I am completely lost! I try to remember what I did before being able to text in mere seconds. I’m sure life was much simpler, but not nearly as convenient as it is now. That being said, I know there are many ways in which I can improve my own technological understanding. Incorporating technology is something that I can vastly improve upon in my own classroom. Lack of resources and my classroom set-up deter me from using any technology in my classroom with any sort of regularity.
In 2015, technology is not a luxury to most. It is a necessity. It is everywhere we go. Although I would consider myself a digital immigrant, I enjoy my iPhone and on the extremely rare occasion I leave home without it, I am completely lost! I try to remember what I did before being able to text in mere seconds. I’m sure life was much simpler, but not nearly as convenient as it is now. That being said, I know there are many ways in which I can improve my own technological understanding. Incorporating technology is something that I can vastly improve upon in my own classroom. Lack of resources and my classroom set-up deter me from using any technology in my classroom with any sort of regularity.
After
watching this week’s lecture, I found myself reflecting on my own
classroom. During my time as an
undergrad, I was not exposed to nearly enough music technology. I was fresh out of college when I got
my first teaching job, and I have stayed in that position ever since. The first year it felt like the goal
was just to survive. Now that I
have been there for six years, I am always trying to look for ways to
improve. Incorporating technology
is now my number goal. I strongly
feel my students need this in order to receive the best and most well-rounded
education I can offer them. Sights like Feedly allow teachers to explore and get new ideas for their own classroom. I have loved reading through articles on iPad and technology in music education. I use my iPad regularly so these tips and articles are relevant to my current teaching practices. With all of the recent changes to education exploring the NAfME site has been very helpful. While watching
the edutopia video, I was particularly struck by a statement from Adam Bellow;
“If
you can do this lesson without technology that’s great, but if you can do it
better with technology then that’s why you use it. That’s why you use tools.”
While
I feel I am offering my students a solid music education, technology can make
me a better teacher and give them a stronger education, and that is something
we should all strive for. This
class is providing me that opportunity.
Hannah,
ReplyDeleteWhile I was reading your post, it felt like I was reading my own blog post or a story about my life! I was also fresh out of college when I got my first job and spent the first couple years just getting through. I have since moved to a new position in a new state, but that has almost made it more difficult try new things because I feel like I’m starting all over. The students I teach are also complete technology natives, and most have smart phones, or at least a phone or an ipod touch where they still have texting abilities. In fact, I can remember one time I was speaking with the students and they began talking about Instagram. They asked me if I was on Instagram, to which I responded no. They all began to giggle a little bit, which I joined it too, but I reminded them that I grew up before the Internet was invented or used frequently. Many faces became flabbergasted and one girl stated, "no we're not talking about the internet we're talking about Instagram!" It dawned on me that these children do not even understand that all those programs and Apps are the Internet! They are born into the age where the Internet and technology is a part of life, and for us "immigrants" we must attempt to catch up in order to offer the students the best lessons possible.
I saw that you also teach elementary beginning band. It would be great to hear of any technologies that you have had success with in your classroom, and I will be more than happy to share any of mine! Right now all I am really using is just basic Microsoft office programs for things like grades, attendance, printing papers for the students to take home to their parents etc… I do require the students to keep a practice journal to log their hours of practice. Recently I have allowed them to email their logs to my work email, which seems to be working out very well since they get more excited to use the internet than to write in a journal.
The quote you brought up about how technology shouldn’t be used unless it can enhance a lesson is something I also loved from the readings this week. I do get the feeling of being “forced” to use technology in the classroom, especially after I have been observed by administration. And, like you, I also struggle with the lack of exposure in undergrad as well as professional development now. How can we be expected to use something we have never heard of or don’t understand? I agree that this course will be very useful to us “tech immigrants” who use technology and can understand the basics, but need help incorporating it into our daily lessons.
Hannah-
ReplyDeleteYour post was easy to relate to. I have found that technology is becoming a necessity and I am thankful for this class we are in together. I liked Adam Bellow's statement about making the lesson better with technology. My next step is to figure out how I can integrate technology more easily into my high school choral classroom.
Hannah
ReplyDeleteWhat a great Post. Technology is definitely an important part of our current world, and here to stay. I am probably the last person at my school to get a twitter account. Yesterday my students were like "Ms. Walker why are you on twitter?" I told them it was part of my class and they said "Ok, well we blocked you?" lol Technology connects us in ways that are effortless and lasting. I now realize that learning technology is way to connect with my students much like asking about their favorite tv show or their dog. Learning technology is good for application and teaching, but it is also a wonderful way to relate to students. I am looking forward to being able to manipulate feedly and the other websites effortlessly. "Don't despise small beginnings." :)
I so agree with the idea of only using tech if it makes your instruction better! Whenever I come across new tech ideas, I don't just ask 'does this make my instruction better,' but also 'how can this make my instruction better'. I think it's pretty easy to discount something because it doesn't fit into what we're doing at the moment, but in the long run it could be beneficial and make our instruction more dynamic and responsive. Just another way of looking at things!
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