Blogging Challenge Day 2

Reflective Teaching: A 30-Day Blogging Challenge For Teachers

Day 2: Write about one piece of technology that you would like to try this year, and why. You might also write about what you’re hoping to see out of this edtech integration.

Hmm, ok so prompts like this might be more of an explanation of why I haven't been blogging. I can't think of anything new. I've got a routine going with technology that I'm pretty happy with. Also I'm super picky about technology. Whenever I hear about a new app or program I look at what it can do for me that I couldn't do without it. If it doesn't offer anything that I can't currently do I usually won't use it. I absolutely can't stand using technology just for the sake of technology. I don't like it when teachers use it just for the cool factor. 

If you came into my classroom you'd probably think that I don't actually use all that much technology. I don't show videos everyday. I don't post my handouts online instead of printing them. I don't use edmodo to post class announcements or have discussions.

Remind101 is still my favorite piece of technology. It lets me do something I otherwise couldn't do- get in touch with kids outside of class. I like my extra help livebinders. They let me offer help outside of class. I love IXL. It lets all of the kids sit in the same room and practice different things and get instant feedback on how they're doing.


There is something new I'd like to start, it's not new technology but just a new (for me) way of using it. I advise a school group (SkillsUSA- it's awesome, look it up!) and every year we've been expanding the group and what we're doing. This past year we implemented student officers that were thrilled to be so involved in all the planning parts of running the group. This year I'd like to do more of that. I want to start using google docs a lot more with them. This year they were responsible for creating meeting agendas and it was great for us all to be able to open the document and work together. This year I want to get a spreadsheet up and have them take over doing the financial record keeping as well. Have them manage all the income and expenses and decide if we have the money to do things. I also want to have them take over more of the website planning. We have a website and a blog that I didn't do a wonderful job of updating regularly so I want them to take over this part too. Give them a schedule and update it every week on what we did that week. I had them write a couple times this year and they loved the responsibility of it. The big thing that I saw this year was that the more responsibility we gave them, the more they rose to the occasion and became leaders that I was really proud of. So this year that'll be my goal. To turn over the technological responsibilities to them as well (while I keep a close watch over whatever goes up of course!).