Technology tools and classroom meetings
I introduce my second graders to a lot of technology in my classroom and am currently the technology coordinator for my building. In my attempt to obtain a Master in Applied Technology degree, I have been fortunate enough to have taken classes that have not only enhanced my instructional strategies but have gotten me away from the typical pencil-and-paper type of instruction and taken my students and me in a totally different educational direction.
Two tools that I will use in this unit to enhance both student learning and interest are WebQuests and GoogleDocs. Another research-based teaching tool that I use to enhance and extend my teaching time is called the Responsive Classroom, which I discuss later in this section.
WebQuest
A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which some or all the information that learners interact with comes from resources on the internet, optionally supplemented with videoconferencing. There are at least two levels of WebQuests that should be distinguished from one another. WebQuests follow an organized format and depending what your instructional goal is, there are two different levels of WebQuests that are based solely on your instructional time line. The WebQuest that I designed for this unit is considered a Long Term WebQuest because of the two week time period that I will allot to teach the content of the unit. My instructional goal is to extend and refine knowledge. After completing this longer term WebQuest, students will analyze a body of knowledge and demonstrate an understanding of the material by creating the GoogleDoc at the end of the unit, which is considered the on-line finished product to a WebQuest. A Short Term WebQuest centers around acquisition and integration and has a shorter time line of one to three class periods.
In order to keep this unit organized and enticing for the students, I have created a WebQuest that will be the map that I use to complete this unit. Because students truly look forward to the use of technology, the first activity we will complete will be to introduce what a WebQuest is and how we will utilize the WebQuest both from school and home. Because students already have access to my WikiSpace site, which creates an online e-mail for them, I will use that e-mail for my WebQuest account and then share the WebQuest with each student so he or she can access the site and get to work.
There are six components to a WebQuest that I had to create and correlate to this unit topic of consumerism. They are an introduction, task, process, resources, evaluation, and conclusion. These components allow me to create and store all essential elements, worksheets and resources that I will use through the course of this unit. The WebQuest site that I have created is found under Teacher Annotated Bibliography at the end of this unit.
GoogleDoc
A GoogleDoc is a non-linear, easy-to-use online word processor, spreadsheet and presentation editor that enables you and your students to create, store and share instantly and securely, and collaborate online in real time. You can create new documents from scratch or upload existing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. There's no software to download, and all your work is stored safely online and can be accessed from any computer.
The Responsive Classroom
The Responsive Classroom (RC) is a widely used, research-based approach to elementary education that increases academic achievement, decreases problem behaviors, improves social skills, and leads to more high-quality instruction.(11) The components of the RC program that are woven throughout this student behavior modification are morning meeting, rule creation, interactive modeling, positive teacher language, logical consequences.(12) This has been recently implemented in our school, so we are slowly adding the different components each year. Currently, we have implemented both the morning meeting and teacher language components into our school schedule. Morning meetings will be used to discuss the center of this unit: their possession, selection and explanation of their personal object; this is the reason I want to include background information on the RC program in this narrative.
To hold an effective morning meeting, it is extremely important to supervise the rhythm of the process and to implement all of the elements daily to promote consistency for students. When my students enter my classroom in the morning, they enter to the sound of soft jazz being played on my computer using the Pandora website; this is not a facet of the RC program but it is just as important and sets the tone for our day. The next thing that they routinely look for is my morning message, which I prepare for them each day.
Each daily message is different and is based on the "big ideas" that we will address on that particular day. This important message is written on a large easel and sits by the entrance of my classroom door. There is also a participation survey question that accompanies the daily message; students are expected to participate by way of writing, tallying, or simply just thinking and sharing when called to the rug to share. Following our morning announcements, the students understand, without being asked, to quietly "join me on the rug." I have a large rug that is positioned in the front of my classroom which the students use to read and complete activities on, but the main function of the rug is a meeting place for our daily morning meetings. They all know to sit on the perimeter of the rug, allowing personal space for each of them and making sure that no one is left out and not part of the circle. Sharing-time begins with those first four children who signed up on the easel as they entered. In order to model both fairness and fidelity, I keep track of the sharing participants so that those that are reluctant to speak in front of the class are also given a chance and are gently encouraged by both their peers and me. These classroom meetings are the forum that encourages rich and engaging discussion, and it will be through those whole group discussions that the students will gain understanding of the essential questions to be asked and answered throughout this unit.
As mentioned above, the implementation of the RC program in its initial stages within our building; of the six components we have implemented two of these behavior modifications. I described the importance and usefulness of conducting classroom meetings; the second behavior modification is the importance of using "teacher language." Teacher language involves being cognizant of how we speak and communicate with students, families, and staff within our school family.
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