Learning something new everyday!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Spring Break and Looking back on the Year!

This spring break has brought a much needed opportunity to relax and reenergize. I was fortunate enough to trade our wacky and unpredictable BC weather for the 90+ degree Arizona climate for a few days (thanks mom!).  It felt great to put the worries of the day (current job action stresses, family & household chores, homework - my own as well as my grade 8, 6 & 4 kids to help) aside and spend some time by the pool with my iPad, visit and shop!

Now that I'm back home, I'm continuing with the goal of improving my teaching! In the course of this past year achieving this has morphed into a more dedicated focus on technology.  This is a challenge for me as I am not  a "techie"!  In preparing to return to the classroom full time this year, I spent last summer covering related blogs and Pinterest for ideas. I was challenged in my thinking and gained many lesson ideas from talented professionals. I jumped into full-time teaching as I tried to keep up with my own professional development on line as well as opportunities through my district.  It was at our district ed-camp that my plans to use technology to a greater extent in the classroom really took root. I had just got a Smartboard installed in the classroom and my students and I love using it, but can my grade ones do more?

The short answer is - Yes!  My friend, Niki and I met fellow grade 1 educator Karen Lirenman, also from our district, who is using technology in so many other ways with her 6 year olds! After some great discussion we made arrangements to meet again where she graciously helped set me up in the world of blogging and showed me how she gives her students a greater voice with their own blogs. Soooooo, here I am jumping out of my comfort zone with this blog as well as preparing to start my students with individual blogs. I have also been introduced to Twitter which is fast becoming another valuable professional development tool and yes, using iPads in the classroom!

This has been a fantastic year in so many ways for me as a teacher and I have never before been so excited about learning.  The more I learn, the opportunities I can see......!

1 comment:

  1. Lora, thank you so much for your kind words. I too took a big leap into technology this school year and I am so pleased with the journey I've been on with my class. I can't wait to see where you continue to go. I'm also super excited to have another fellow grade one teacher speaking up for our students, and pushing them to places that others think they are too young to go. We'll certainly prove them all wrong!

    Karen

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