Week 10: Assignment 2

In the 21^st century, technology is a given, and in a classroom that is geared to prepare its students to be 21st-century citizens, it needs to be a given as well.

Teaching is about connecting to the students and showing that you care. It’s about engaging them, arousing their curiosity, motivating them to improve and strive for more, and fostering in them a belief in their own worth and abilities. It’s about nurturing their capacity to think critically and independently and showing them how to work with and value their peers. It’s about giving them skills they can use for life that goes beyond the four walls of the classroom. In our modern world, not only can technology be helpful in allowing a teacher to effectively achieve the above, in many cases is it necessary, which is why as a teacher I believe so strongly in integrating technology in my classroom and lessons.

As a teacher I plan on using technology to help expose my students to relevant and current issues, connected to what we are learning in the classroom, that are affecting  the world, our community, and even our school, By exploring the headlines on the web and chatting with students from other schools and professionals in the community using chat rooms and video conferencing tools, my goal is to empower my students to explore these issues on their own, work together to create solutions, and find a creative medium to present these solutions. In this way, technology will enable them to work cooperatively not only with their classmates but with people worldwide. It will also afford them greater opportunity to practice their independent and critical thinking skills and will engage them in meaningful learning while teaching them the ins and outs of becoming a digital citizen.

I also plan on using technology to help students keep track of their own progress.  Using tools such as online portfolios, and allowing them to receive feedback from other professionals,  will give my students a sense of their progress and confidence in their abilities to make a meaningful impact.

As a teacher, I am always trying to improve and learn new things, and technology can be a valuable instrument of learning for me, as it can be for my students. It allows me to stay up to date on all the latest research, to participate in educational webinars, and gives me access to a plethora of ideas from some of the most innovative educational minds. Not only do I plan on using technology to push my students to reach their greatest potential, but I am constantly using it in an attempt to reach mine as well, and that requires a lifetime of learning.