Technology in my classroom

In my first grade classroom, the technology that is in the classroom is a set of 5 Ipads, and the projector at the front of the room. The projector connects to both the laptop computer that the teacher has as well as the document camera which is similar to an ELMO.
As of right now, the IPADS do not get used very often because there are only 5 and we have 26 students in the classroom. We use them during our language arts centers in the mornings which we call Daily 5. The students at that station work on the RAZkids app for usually about 15 minutes before they have to switch to a different group. That app requires the student to follow along with a story and answer comprehension questions. I like it because it is based on their skill level.
The only other time the Ipads are used are for our ELL students. Sometimes if there is an assignment or something going on that they will not understand, they will work on an app which is similar to Rosetta Stone. They work on just learning basic letters and numbers.
There is a computer lab in the school which they usually go to once a week and typically work on a website similar to RazKids.
The projector at the front of the classroom is hooked to the document camera which is just used to project work to help explain work to students. The computer is hooked to the projector when they want to use GoNoodle or to show Youtube videos but that is usually about it. 

I would like the IPads to be used as a center for another subject, such as math. I think the kids would enjoy using apps from other content areas. 

Feedly

I have created a Feedly account and I now follow my blog via Feedly.

50 word bio

My name is Sarah Park and I am a future teacher leader studying mathematics and elementary education. I am a believer of the integration of technology in the classroom and I love the implementation of a "flipped" classroom. I strongly believe that building trust amongst your students is key.

Blogs in Education

A blog is a great tool for the classroom and there are many great ways of using them!

If you are thinking about the English content area, blogging can improve your students' writing skills. They can help build confidence in writing and give your students a voice. I would love to use blogging as an extra component in writing because it is more creative and can spark students interested in writing when they may otherwise not be interested.

Unlike other writing platforms, I think blogs are great at organizing student work. This makes it easier for the teacher and the student. I know I would have loved that aspect of having all of my work in one place as a student.

For my classroom, I would love to have one blog that is for the whole class, much like some of the ones I found in my last post. I would link videos and articles that are relevant to the students and give them additional web sources and tools that could help them if they are struggling with homework. But I also love that they then could have their own blog. I think they would take their work seriously if they knew it is being published to the world. It teaches them great skills that they need to know later in life.

Educator Blogs

http://deltascape.blogspot.com/ This blog is written by David Coffey, a math education professor at GVSU. His posts are about educational practices as well as math activities that he has performed in classrooms or works on with preservice teachers.

https://mrpullen.wordpress.com/ This blog is written by Mark Pullen, a third grade teacher in a 1:1 classroom in East Grand Rapids. He also manages a math league website. He adds a lot of informational links that can be used in any K-8 classroom.

http://itsnotallflowersandsausages.blogspot.com/ This blog tells it like it is- putting a funny take on education. She gives helpful insights on how to manage your classroom without getting too stressed!

http://kauaimark.blogspot.com Mark is a funny guy who works as a substitute teacher. I love it because he has been blogging for many years so there is a lot of archived material.

http://creatinglifelonglearners.com This K-5 teacher discusses ways that teachers can incorporate technology into the classroom in order to aid in the creating of life-long learners. I love a lot of her posts because they are really focused on math ed.

http://denisegaskins.com I like this blog because Denise is a homeschool teacher who aims to help all math teachers. Her philiosophy is that math can be taught and be thought of as games.

http://mvankoev.edublogs.org This blog is for the P.E. department of an elementary school. I like it because it is well organized and because I do not know much information pertaining to P.E/health education.

http://booksforellkids.blogspot.com Helps students learning English as a second language in the K-8 years. I like this site because I was able to find good resources for my classroom, which has many ELL students.

http://www.principalspage.com/theblog/ Michael talks about education at an administrative level. You can tell that he once was a teacher and principal and is now a superintendent. I like this blog because that is the career path I myself would like to take.

http://www.survivingateacherssalary.com I like Crystal's blog because I had not seen one like this before. She discusses how to survive on your salary so that you can focus on the important things in life, like your classroom and students!

Educators on social media

Twitter:

@mathhombre: Math Professor from GVSU who tweets often about teaching, math, games and Geogebra.

@delta_dc: GVSU math ed. professor who is interested in engagement, math literacy and design thinking. 

@beckysteele: 6th grade math teacher at Bursley Elementary 

@tmaynard5: 8th grade math teacher in Zeeland who discusses a lot of technology 

@abusch38: a math teacher in Boulder, CO who discusses a lot about the NCTM practices 

@ddmeyer: CAO of Desmos 

@DrEugeniaCheng: Pure Mathematician and writer 

@TypeAMathLand: 4th grade math teacher in North Carolina

@amymasko: GVSU professor of English Education 

Youtube:

www.youtube.com/user/derekowens: Math educator that creates videos for homeschooled students in Atlanta. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/professorleonard57/ Math professor that makes lessons public 

https://www.youtube.com/user/HarryKindergarten Educational videos in all subject areas 

Instagram: 

PylesofMath: Middle School math teacher 

CrewtonRamone: Math Tutor

Teachability: Teachers leading discussions on what goes on in their classrooms 

Blocht574: Math teacher who posts activities happening in his classroom 

Dbraman: Math teacher and edtech enthusiast

HappyChappies: highly educational montessori school in Kuwait

NCTM and MICTM

The NCTM is the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. It is the world's largest mathematics education organization. You can find out more about them through their social media outlets:
Facebook Twitter There are different options for a membership. An individual membership is $90 a year, while a student membership is $45 a year. There are also options for schools to be members. Full individual membership is designed to meet the needs of those reaching students, including teachers, administrators, specialists, coaches, teacher-educators, and others. Individuals who care about the quality of mathematics education provided to students, who want to ensure they are engaging students and encouraging them to meet their fullest potential are members of NCTM. Members get access to many newsletters, articles and professional development opportunities for free or at a reduced cost. You also become a part of a network of thousands of math ed. educators that you can connect with. Members also get access to lessons, problems applets and more to use in your classroom. There is a research journal which can be included in your membership for an additional cost. 

There are many different conferences and events throughout the year. For example, in February they are having a conference on Effective Teaching with Principles to Actions. Principles to Actions is one of their textbooks. The conference is 2 days in Dallas and it costs $380 for an individual if they are a member or $420 if not a member. There are also discounts for schools and groups. There is also an annual meeting and exposition which is in San Fransisco in April of this year. There are many different pricing options for this conference as well. There is even a student registration price of $182. 

I really like this organization and I have worked a lot with their standards and text, Principles to Action in some of my previous classes. 

The MICTM is the Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics. I could not find them on any social media websites. 

They have a few membership options. It costs $35 for a regular membership or $17.50 for a student. A membership gives you access to their newsletter which comes out 3-4 times a year, their journal which is published twice a year and their annual report. You also have access to other outsides resources like links and assessment tools. 

They do have an annual conference which is being held in July this year in Traverse City. 

This organization works closely with the Michigan Department of Education and even offers many scholarships for teachers.