Wow, this video was absolutely amazing! These first graders in Mrs. Cassidy's class in Moose Jaw, Canada represent how America should be learning. Her students write blog posts, Skype, play with Nintendo DS's, and even use WIKIs. I think this is so wonderful. I just learned to do all of this stuff and I am 22 years old! If I was taught with these materials at that young of an age, I could only imagine the knowledge I would have today!This classroom is the perfect example of how I want my future classroom to be ran. The students are learning a tremendous amount of information, and you can clearly see that they really do enjoy learning. As a future teacher, I believe there is nothing better than having students in your classroom who love learning and want to go to school. These children are inspiring and this video really made me realize why I am going to college to become an educator. We can all make a difference, we just have to strive for the best for our students!
Skype Conversation with Mrs. Cassidy
I really enjoy Mrs. Cassidy's method of teaching. She does not simply drill facts into her student's little heads, she uses technology to her advantage. I would use everything in my classroom that Mrs. Cassidy uses in her own classroom. I think a class blog is a must and I also would encourage my students to use Wikis, Skype, and other forms of technology. I am still not convinced about the importance of Twitter, but I am not totally removing the idea from my mind. I think it would be difficult for me to do something that administration does not support, however, I do think that if something is important you need to do your best to make it happen. Mrs. Cassidy discussed the unsupportive administration, but I was pleasantly surprised that the parents were delighted with her use of technology in the classroom. We did not use technology much growing up, so I think it is wonderful that so many parents are supportive of this change. Mrs. Cassidy's approaches are extremely beneficial! Her classroom consists of a creative and fun learning environment where children actually WANT to gain knowledge, and that is what we should all strive for as educators. I cannot wait to see what her first graders will be able to do by the time they are in High School!
Hey Skye,
ReplyDeleteI too am just learning to do many of the things presented in Ms. Cassidy's classroom. What exactly do you plan to implement in your own classroom? What would you say is the most valuable?
I can definitely see parents loving the class website and blogs. As a parent I think you always wonder what exactly your child is doing in the classroom, but you may not because you think you are being a bother to the teacher. Blogs and a class website are a great way for parents to check in on their child's progress.
Even without full support from administration I think you should be able to implement using technology in the classroom. I guess one of the problems you may run into is finding the funds for it.
Hey Skye,
ReplyDeleteI found Ms. Cassidy's interview/movie to be very informative. Like you, I like the idea of a class blog; I specifically like the idea for communicating with parents. The days of telephone calls are gone, I hope.
I think every teacher that is willing to put in the time and effort into teaching with technology should have sufficient means to that end. Unfortunately, tax money is often squandered. Even if your future school has extreme budget problems, you can still teach with technology because most of it isn't extremely expensive.
Have a great week,
Kevin White
Hey Skye,
ReplyDeleteI like you comment that says: "As a future teacher, I believe there is nothing better than having students in your classroom who love learning and want to go to school." This is a great way to look at your future and to keep a good attitude about your students' ability.
I hope you keep on giving Twitter a chance. I really think that Twitter is a very useful tool and universal to each individual.
Good post Skye,
Stephen Akins