Week 10

Assignment 2:

I believe that one of my strongest goals as a teacher should be to create a classroom environment where each and every student is calm, safe, focused and happy. I know that the only way to ensure this atmosphere in my classroom is if all students know exactly what is expected of them as an individual throughout every moment of the day. Children are so vulnerable. Children need to be empowered. In order for a child to succeed they need to feel that they have power. The feeling of empowerment comes to children when they know exactly what is expected of them and they have all the right tools to succeed. Integrating technology and New Literacies in the classroom is a very effective motivational tool and empowers all students including those with higher needs. Integrating technology in the early childhood classroom requires more than just bringing in computers and iPads or using videos and other multimedia content in the classroom. To integrate technology effectively, the ISTE standards for teachers and students must be clearly understood and constantly reviewed to ensure that all standards are met. My goal as a teacher is to help my students tap into their previous knowledge and build on it with the right technological tools. It is equally important for me to teach my students how to use digital media properly and guide them to use the internet safely. Using the internet can be very dangerous if students aren’t aware of the dangers and risks involved. Therefore, I understand the importance of constantly reviewing the internet safety rules and providing specific examples and pointed tips. At the same time, I will use technology in my classroom to motivate my students, help them build on their critical thinking skills, and inspire their creativity so that they can use the internet in the future in the most productive way possible. As a result, my hope is that my students have only the benefits of digital media without any losses in the way.

Assignment 3:

This is the URL to view my summary of the article "Formative and Summative Assessments in the Classroom"
http://www.screencast.com/t/3buK9LZ4WYh