Finally a story with no sports...unless you consider technology and teaching a sport, and some may :)
Technology Teaches in the Classroom
Sitting alone at the bottom of the hill, in a quaint rural town near Alexandria is Garfield Elementary. A building known for its salmon-pink tin siding and the abundance of learning that provides for approximately 100 students. However, inside there is something that is hard to find in schools these days.
Her classroom is unique compared to most elementary classrooms in a typical elementary school. Garfield Elementary arranges their classrooms centering around the media center, which is sunken in the middle of the school. Kindergarten through sixth grade surrounds the media center. None of the classrooms have closing doors to shut out noise or students walking outside the classroom. Andrews shares a sink with the neighboring third-grade classroom which open the room even more, and allows more noise to travel into the second grade classroom.
The students follow Mrs. Andrews back to the classroom and hurry to the corner for story time. With her feet barely reaching the floor, this small, petite figure almost looks like Goldie Locks sitting in the papa bear chair. They crowd around the forest-green plastic lawn chair backed into the corner, amongst the pink, blue, green, and red balloons that list the names of birthdays this month. This may seem like a traditional exercise for students to be read to; however, Andrews incorporates technology with the story she is currently reading to her students.
Mrs. Andrews holds the brick-red book cover in front of her students crowded around her feet. Their eyes gleam up at the title: “Heidi.”
Karen Andrews has been a teacher for 21 years. She first started teaching in Fargo, N.D., at L.E. Berger High School teaching fifth and sixth grade. She moved with her husband and two children to Glenwood, Minn., where she was a substitute teacher throughout the district. She came to Alexandria in 1992 to be the media specialist for the specialty schools comprised of Garfield, Carlos, and Miltona. She began teaching full-time at Garfield Elementary in 1994 and has been there ever since and is learning something new every day.
Andrews found a calling when she had the title of media specialist and wanted to continue to use technology in her own classroom whenever the opportunity became available.
Today, her students are using technology the moment they step into her classroom. Six Compaq computers sit on a counter each with a different name: John Adams, ect. The students begin training on the various centers right after school starts in September. This is an opportunity for Mrs. Andrews to assess which students have had previous computer use, and which students may need extra attention when first learning the rules of the centers.
The centers are a way for students to be introduced to technology. Some of her students have computers at home and know more about what a computer can do, where as some of her students don’t even know how to turn a computer on, she said.
“The students who have computers at home become my experts to help and teach those with less experience,” Andrews said.
Andrews finds that the technology in the classroom helps integrate the curriculum of math, reading, science, health, and current events.
“If we are talking about frogs, I’ll have a student go on the computer and Google more information,” Andrews said. “They learn more because they like it.”
Working with the computers in the classroom also gives the students a chance to work together and learn from one another, rather than just listening to their teacher.
While some students sit in their desks taking a spelling test rescheduled due to a snow storm the previous Friday, the rest of them are able to play a math game, read, or work on unfinished assignments. The students have their own opinion about technology in the classroom.
The eyes of Andrews’ students glow with excitement when given the opportunity to talk about technology. They crowd around one another wanting to give their opinion and say what their favorite thing about classroom technology.
Cally, a girl with a hot pink t-shirt, a round face, and chocolate dark hair sputters like a motor boat explaining her love for technology.
“I like writing on[in] Microsoft Word,” Cally said. “You can add pictures and make your own stories.”
Dressed in a baby blue sweat shirt with large letters spelling Adidas across her chest Kaia was happy to share her love for math and reading.
“I like CCC,” Kaia said. “It’s different stations of math and reading games.”
Mrs. Andrews’ students, even at their young age, can recognize her passion for technology.
“She knows a lot about technology, “Colten said, a boy with bright red hair, and missing front teeth.
While the students are away at “phy. ed,” Mrs. Andrews sets up the SmartBoard for the students to use for more practice with adverbs. The SmartBoard looks just like a white board and allows for students to write with electronic markers that show up on the screen, but doesn’t leave a permanent mark on the board.
“I’m able to show movies on the ‘big screen’,” Andrews said.
The SmartBoard isn’t just used for working with vocab and parts of speech. Andrews uses the board for various math chapters such as money, and learning how to borrow from the hundreds and tens places.
“They love it,” Andrews said.
Her class returns from gym with rosy checks, and lots of stories about the game they played. A few students were a little too competitive and took a fall to the hard linoleum floor, which also serves as their cafeteria. Mrs. Andrews stands at the head of the line, and announces they will be using the SmartBoard before media. A few kids arc their arms to the side as if they were celebrating a victorious race and say “yes!” The squirrely girls in the back grab each other’s hands in excitement, and smiles seem pasted on their faces.
The classroom is dark and the SmartBoard illuminates the front of the room, displaying a horse, with a cowboy and a lasso saying, “Join me for an Adventure with Adverbs.” As Andrews asks for a volunteer to go to the SmartBoard and place the correct adverb in the appropriate category of how, when, or where, hands shoot up in the air.
One student races up to the white-board like screen and immediately knows what to do. She takes her pointer finger and drags the word to the correct category. Cally raises her hand, and walks up to the board and moves the word without any effort. Another student stands in front of the SmartBoard and stares. She looks confused as to what to do. She attempts to move the word into the “how” category, but it just won’t move. She tries and tries, and soon needs help from her fellow classmates. She finally drags the word under the correct heading and heads back to her desk.
“I like the SmartBoard because I’m good at it,” Cally said. “But we don’t get to use it that often.”
The students seem receptive to this new concept of technology and truly enjoy using it at any given opportunity.
“It’s the best tool because it’s so new,” Andrews said. “And I don’t use it every day.”
Andrews is currently working on a grant that would allow for new technology to become part of her classroom. She is looking at MP3 players and hopes her students would be able to listen to instructions on how to solve math problems.
“This way, the students would be able to take the players home with them, and be able to understand the math concept,” Andrews said.
The grant has a minimum amount of $5,000. Andrews hopes to purchase an entire set of 25 MP3 players for her classroom with the money. The players alone cost about $100 a piece. The money would also help with training and various programs for the players.
“I want to incorporate reading as well,” Andrews said. “I like technology, and practicing technology.”
Second grade will be relocated next year to the kindergarten room, which leaves Andrews wondering whether or not her technology will follow.
“A place is planned for all the computers to come with, “she said. “But we’ll see.”
At the end of the day, Andrews is a still excited about teaching and using technology in her classroom but things have changed immensely with the implementation of classroom technology.
When technology was first introduced, Andrews had to make clear lists on paper of how to open a document saved in Word, she said.
“It’s a lot easier now,” she said. “They just go to the computers, turn them on, and start working on their assignment. Before, it took so much time to teach the students one simple process as to open a document, or even sign onto the computer.”
Technology has brought another aspect into the classroom, according to Andrews.
“They are more in charge of their own learning,” she said. “If they want to learn more about something, they can get on the computer and Google the question or topic.”
Andrews has a true passion for teaching, technology, and learning.
“I love it,” Andrews said. “It excites the kids, and makes teaching more fun. I like learning new ideas too.”
Technology Teaches in the Classroom
Sitting alone at the bottom of the hill, in a quaint rural town near Alexandria is Garfield Elementary. A building known for its salmon-pink tin siding and the abundance of learning that provides for approximately 100 students. However, inside there is something that is hard to find in schools these days.
Her classroom is unique compared to most elementary classrooms in a typical elementary school. Garfield Elementary arranges their classrooms centering around the media center, which is sunken in the middle of the school. Kindergarten through sixth grade surrounds the media center. None of the classrooms have closing doors to shut out noise or students walking outside the classroom. Andrews shares a sink with the neighboring third-grade classroom which open the room even more, and allows more noise to travel into the second grade classroom.
The students follow Mrs. Andrews back to the classroom and hurry to the corner for story time. With her feet barely reaching the floor, this small, petite figure almost looks like Goldie Locks sitting in the papa bear chair. They crowd around the forest-green plastic lawn chair backed into the corner, amongst the pink, blue, green, and red balloons that list the names of birthdays this month. This may seem like a traditional exercise for students to be read to; however, Andrews incorporates technology with the story she is currently reading to her students.
Mrs. Andrews holds the brick-red book cover in front of her students crowded around her feet. Their eyes gleam up at the title: “Heidi.”
Karen Andrews has been a teacher for 21 years. She first started teaching in Fargo, N.D., at L.E. Berger High School teaching fifth and sixth grade. She moved with her husband and two children to Glenwood, Minn., where she was a substitute teacher throughout the district. She came to Alexandria in 1992 to be the media specialist for the specialty schools comprised of Garfield, Carlos, and Miltona. She began teaching full-time at Garfield Elementary in 1994 and has been there ever since and is learning something new every day.
Andrews found a calling when she had the title of media specialist and wanted to continue to use technology in her own classroom whenever the opportunity became available.
Today, her students are using technology the moment they step into her classroom. Six Compaq computers sit on a counter each with a different name: John Adams, ect. The students begin training on the various centers right after school starts in September. This is an opportunity for Mrs. Andrews to assess which students have had previous computer use, and which students may need extra attention when first learning the rules of the centers.
The centers are a way for students to be introduced to technology. Some of her students have computers at home and know more about what a computer can do, where as some of her students don’t even know how to turn a computer on, she said.
“The students who have computers at home become my experts to help and teach those with less experience,” Andrews said.
Andrews finds that the technology in the classroom helps integrate the curriculum of math, reading, science, health, and current events.
“If we are talking about frogs, I’ll have a student go on the computer and Google more information,” Andrews said. “They learn more because they like it.”
Working with the computers in the classroom also gives the students a chance to work together and learn from one another, rather than just listening to their teacher.
While some students sit in their desks taking a spelling test rescheduled due to a snow storm the previous Friday, the rest of them are able to play a math game, read, or work on unfinished assignments. The students have their own opinion about technology in the classroom.
The eyes of Andrews’ students glow with excitement when given the opportunity to talk about technology. They crowd around one another wanting to give their opinion and say what their favorite thing about classroom technology.
Cally, a girl with a hot pink t-shirt, a round face, and chocolate dark hair sputters like a motor boat explaining her love for technology.
“I like writing on[in] Microsoft Word,” Cally said. “You can add pictures and make your own stories.”
Dressed in a baby blue sweat shirt with large letters spelling Adidas across her chest Kaia was happy to share her love for math and reading.
“I like CCC,” Kaia said. “It’s different stations of math and reading games.”
Mrs. Andrews’ students, even at their young age, can recognize her passion for technology.
“She knows a lot about technology, “Colten said, a boy with bright red hair, and missing front teeth.
While the students are away at “phy. ed,” Mrs. Andrews sets up the SmartBoard for the students to use for more practice with adverbs. The SmartBoard looks just like a white board and allows for students to write with electronic markers that show up on the screen, but doesn’t leave a permanent mark on the board.
“I’m able to show movies on the ‘big screen’,” Andrews said.
The SmartBoard isn’t just used for working with vocab and parts of speech. Andrews uses the board for various math chapters such as money, and learning how to borrow from the hundreds and tens places.
“They love it,” Andrews said.
Her class returns from gym with rosy checks, and lots of stories about the game they played. A few students were a little too competitive and took a fall to the hard linoleum floor, which also serves as their cafeteria. Mrs. Andrews stands at the head of the line, and announces they will be using the SmartBoard before media. A few kids arc their arms to the side as if they were celebrating a victorious race and say “yes!” The squirrely girls in the back grab each other’s hands in excitement, and smiles seem pasted on their faces.
The classroom is dark and the SmartBoard illuminates the front of the room, displaying a horse, with a cowboy and a lasso saying, “Join me for an Adventure with Adverbs.” As Andrews asks for a volunteer to go to the SmartBoard and place the correct adverb in the appropriate category of how, when, or where, hands shoot up in the air.
One student races up to the white-board like screen and immediately knows what to do. She takes her pointer finger and drags the word to the correct category. Cally raises her hand, and walks up to the board and moves the word without any effort. Another student stands in front of the SmartBoard and stares. She looks confused as to what to do. She attempts to move the word into the “how” category, but it just won’t move. She tries and tries, and soon needs help from her fellow classmates. She finally drags the word under the correct heading and heads back to her desk.
“I like the SmartBoard because I’m good at it,” Cally said. “But we don’t get to use it that often.”
The students seem receptive to this new concept of technology and truly enjoy using it at any given opportunity.
“It’s the best tool because it’s so new,” Andrews said. “And I don’t use it every day.”
Andrews is currently working on a grant that would allow for new technology to become part of her classroom. She is looking at MP3 players and hopes her students would be able to listen to instructions on how to solve math problems.
“This way, the students would be able to take the players home with them, and be able to understand the math concept,” Andrews said.
The grant has a minimum amount of $5,000. Andrews hopes to purchase an entire set of 25 MP3 players for her classroom with the money. The players alone cost about $100 a piece. The money would also help with training and various programs for the players.
“I want to incorporate reading as well,” Andrews said. “I like technology, and practicing technology.”
Second grade will be relocated next year to the kindergarten room, which leaves Andrews wondering whether or not her technology will follow.
“A place is planned for all the computers to come with, “she said. “But we’ll see.”
At the end of the day, Andrews is a still excited about teaching and using technology in her classroom but things have changed immensely with the implementation of classroom technology.
When technology was first introduced, Andrews had to make clear lists on paper of how to open a document saved in Word, she said.
“It’s a lot easier now,” she said. “They just go to the computers, turn them on, and start working on their assignment. Before, it took so much time to teach the students one simple process as to open a document, or even sign onto the computer.”
Technology has brought another aspect into the classroom, according to Andrews.
“They are more in charge of their own learning,” she said. “If they want to learn more about something, they can get on the computer and Google the question or topic.”
Andrews has a true passion for teaching, technology, and learning.
“I love it,” Andrews said. “It excites the kids, and makes teaching more fun. I like learning new ideas too.”
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