Thing 23: Reflection

I truly feel like I've had a rebirth of sorts, and am ready for my life as a 21st Century Teacher! Before taking this course, I always wanted to experiment with more technology, but fear kept me from actually taking the plunge to try it. After seeing the video about the 21st Century Learner, I realized that the traditional way of teaching is just not going to reach the students of today. I no longer fear technology, in fact, I feel like I've jumped in with both feet and am not planning on turning back. I feel like my knowledge has grown leaps and bounds in just a few short weeks. This knowledge makes me excited for the year to come and all of the wonderful "tools" I have now acquired in my toolbox.

There are so many new tools that I'd like to incorporate into my classroom and to share with my colleagues. The first of which is a class wiki. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful Technology Specialist who is willing to collaborate with me on ways to make responding to literature on a wiki happen. I'd also like to begin utilizing screencasting as a means of showing students how to perform certain tasks on the computer and web. Part of the reason that I have been fearful of trying new things in technology is because the minute a new concept is introduced to fifth graders, half of their hands are up before you've finished saying the last word. I run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to help students for the entire period. With screencasting, if students are having difficulty remembering what I did when I presented it, or if a student is absent, all they have to do is go to the screencast and it'll go over the directions again. Furthermore, I'm planning to continue collaborating with my Library Media Specialist and I hope to incorporate tools like Delicious and EasyBib into our Japan and Africa Units.

There is so much more that I'd like to incorporate into my curriculum and I plan to continue practicing and learning. I plan to do this by continuing to seek out and try the other Web 2.0 tools that we didn't get to. I now know that there is nothing to fear and that if I just take some time to "play" with the tool, I'll be able to pick it up in no time. I am also currently reading Web 2.0: New Tools, New Schools, written by Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum.

The Big Take Away for me is that a 21st Century Learner needs a 21st Century Teacher. I am no longer afraid. With this new knowledge, brings new opportunities for collaboration with colleagues as well. With greater collaboration, comes greater learning for the students.