Standard #11
Demonstrate sufficient technology skills and the ability to integrate technology into classroom teaching/learning
In order to suffice standard #12, it is crucial for educators to keep up with the rapidly changing, and evolving world of technology. While traditional, pen, and paper practices are important to develop students’ skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, in terms of today's age, there are a new set of skills, and abilities that must be met, and included into the curriculums. As educators, we must foster, probe, and continue to heed way for ‘21 century literacies’ to prosper in the classroom. Traditional learning is something that occurs within my classroom at Westbury High School, a district whose budget fails year, after year. A school that has limited resources, and a lack of "technology" capabilities in room 146. I have, unfortunately had to teach my second semester classes without a Smart Board, without classroom computers, and without any type of projection, or Elmo screen. I do have a T.V., though, which I have used, alongside NPR radio recordings, other types of oral "texts," art, and music. I simply have attempted to incorporate whatever I could, technology wise, with what I was given.
According to, “Digital Information Fluency [DIF] is the ability to find, evaluate, and use digital information effectively, efficiently, and ethically.” (1). As professionals, and even as students, knowing how to use the right information is crucial. By using five important features when attaining information online, “ethics, questioning, searching, strategical, and evaluation,” the more reliable the information should be.
As reality sets in for many prospective literacy teachers, technology integration, “in a pedagogical,” constantly comes into question. How are we going to make enough time to begin any such integration within our own classrooms? How will we be sure students don’t abuse their internet privileges? If we use technology in our classrooms, are we going to be alone? Naturally, the list goes on. In reference to Will Richardson’s blog post, entitled The Next Generation of Teachers, the inherent predicament is: How can literacy teachers provide their students with the necessary “devices we give kids as connections,” while removing the barrier between their classrooms, and the outside world? If future literacy teachers want to succeed in creating a 21st century classroom environment loaded with educational technologies: challenges must be surpassed. As a future literacy teacher myself, I need to “accept that challenge.”
Just as the world changes, so does technology, and the ways we learn. English Language Arts is being replaced with the term literacy because the profession is no longer limited to the receptive/ producing literacy’s: reading, listening, writing or speaking. In today’s age, I am hoping more educators begin to adopt the 21st literacies into their classroom, which consist of: viewing, adding, and composing. As the field is changing it is imperative that literacy educators already in practice, and future literacy teachers teach their students these skills as well. Going forward, in reference to my persuasive writing lesson, rather than printing out pictures of persuasive ads, I would love to project Super Bowl commercials for students to physically watch and interpret. Since I do not have access to a smart board, I did the best I could by bringing in visual aids for the students, placing them around the room and grouping students accordingly. I believe it would have worked better if I was able to keep everyone on the same page and show something extremely engaging. Many of the Super Bowl commercials are ads, which would work perfectly with the persuasive writing lesson I taught my seniors.
The education system simply can not wait for the new generation of teachers to come in and take over: Let’s take a look into the future, now. What are the future generation of students going to need in order to become successful, life long learners? If your answer only consisted of learning how to read and write… than something is very wrong. Let’s forget about the future generation of teacher’s for one minute. If anyone has something to contribute; then do so. All it takes is one voice to begin making a difference. As for me, I will continue blogging about the need to revamp our education system in hopes to spark change. We need to teach today’s educators that learning by doing is more authentic; it creates a limitless engagement with the world outside of our four classroom walls. All of our students are going to bring different literacies/ discourses from home; our job is to find out what they are, and give our children the chance to create academic literacies. I would love to further my study of student literacy's "by exploring and interrogating the identities they are constructing and the discourses they are acquiring in order to construct those identities" (Hobson, S). By showing students multiple editions of texts, especially for Huck Finn, since there is an abridged version, which replaces the word "nigger" with "slave," I could enable kids to interrogate how producers are designing and producing texts and cultural practices. Also, in attempt to fulfill this element, I did a brief study of Mark Twain's background and lifestyle, which enabled students to explore "reasons" that, perhaps, influenced his writing style. Additionally, Twain incorporate references to Shakespeare in Huck Finn and once we established this I explained reasons why this was done. So, let's stop waiting, and start doing.
Nickel and Dimed: NPR Radio Recording: Immigrant worked turned brain surgeon
lesson plan including technology for 8th graders during first placement
Radio Recording attached to lesson plan for 8th grade class
transition: how to write with coherence with a musical incorporation
lyrics for transition lesson
According to, “Digital Information Fluency [DIF] is the ability to find, evaluate, and use digital information effectively, efficiently, and ethically.” (1). As professionals, and even as students, knowing how to use the right information is crucial. By using five important features when attaining information online, “ethics, questioning, searching, strategical, and evaluation,” the more reliable the information should be.
As reality sets in for many prospective literacy teachers, technology integration, “in a pedagogical,” constantly comes into question. How are we going to make enough time to begin any such integration within our own classrooms? How will we be sure students don’t abuse their internet privileges? If we use technology in our classrooms, are we going to be alone? Naturally, the list goes on. In reference to Will Richardson’s blog post, entitled The Next Generation of Teachers, the inherent predicament is: How can literacy teachers provide their students with the necessary “devices we give kids as connections,” while removing the barrier between their classrooms, and the outside world? If future literacy teachers want to succeed in creating a 21st century classroom environment loaded with educational technologies: challenges must be surpassed. As a future literacy teacher myself, I need to “accept that challenge.”
Just as the world changes, so does technology, and the ways we learn. English Language Arts is being replaced with the term literacy because the profession is no longer limited to the receptive/ producing literacy’s: reading, listening, writing or speaking. In today’s age, I am hoping more educators begin to adopt the 21st literacies into their classroom, which consist of: viewing, adding, and composing. As the field is changing it is imperative that literacy educators already in practice, and future literacy teachers teach their students these skills as well. Going forward, in reference to my persuasive writing lesson, rather than printing out pictures of persuasive ads, I would love to project Super Bowl commercials for students to physically watch and interpret. Since I do not have access to a smart board, I did the best I could by bringing in visual aids for the students, placing them around the room and grouping students accordingly. I believe it would have worked better if I was able to keep everyone on the same page and show something extremely engaging. Many of the Super Bowl commercials are ads, which would work perfectly with the persuasive writing lesson I taught my seniors.
The education system simply can not wait for the new generation of teachers to come in and take over: Let’s take a look into the future, now. What are the future generation of students going to need in order to become successful, life long learners? If your answer only consisted of learning how to read and write… than something is very wrong. Let’s forget about the future generation of teacher’s for one minute. If anyone has something to contribute; then do so. All it takes is one voice to begin making a difference. As for me, I will continue blogging about the need to revamp our education system in hopes to spark change. We need to teach today’s educators that learning by doing is more authentic; it creates a limitless engagement with the world outside of our four classroom walls. All of our students are going to bring different literacies/ discourses from home; our job is to find out what they are, and give our children the chance to create academic literacies. I would love to further my study of student literacy's "by exploring and interrogating the identities they are constructing and the discourses they are acquiring in order to construct those identities" (Hobson, S). By showing students multiple editions of texts, especially for Huck Finn, since there is an abridged version, which replaces the word "nigger" with "slave," I could enable kids to interrogate how producers are designing and producing texts and cultural practices. Also, in attempt to fulfill this element, I did a brief study of Mark Twain's background and lifestyle, which enabled students to explore "reasons" that, perhaps, influenced his writing style. Additionally, Twain incorporate references to Shakespeare in Huck Finn and once we established this I explained reasons why this was done. So, let's stop waiting, and start doing.
Nickel and Dimed: NPR Radio Recording: Immigrant worked turned brain surgeon
lesson plan including technology for 8th graders during first placement
Radio Recording attached to lesson plan for 8th grade class
transition: how to write with coherence with a musical incorporation
lyrics for transition lesson