There are many reasons to incorporate digital writing into the classroom. Children are coming to school with an understanding of technology. "Students today maybe "born digital", but it is our job to help them become purposeful and creative digital writers" (Hicks, page 25). We need to embrace their knowledge and teach them how to use the technology appropriately. Students will also be asked to use different technologies during college or in their professions. Making sure students are equipped to face the tasks ahead of them is part of our job.
Setbacks in the Classroom
One big setback for me would be the lack of technology. My school has been really good at keeping up with technology, we just do not have enough of everything to go around. The computer labs are booked, the laptop carts are with the upper elementary students, and the Ipads are shared between the elementary teachers. I just don't have enough of one device for all my students to be able to do a big group project.
Technology in Kindergarten
I would love to use this blog as a tool for parents to get a glimpse of what happens in kindergarten. I had the best intentions when I started, but it was quickly lost. I want to be better about sharing what happens during our day. I also wanted to start a Facebook page for my kindergarten parents. I would use Facebook as a way to give reminders about what is coming up for the week, instead of always having to write notes. Notes are good, but many parents don't get them or don't read them. A majority of parents have Facebook connected to their phone, so they would be able to get instant updates when I post to the page.
One app I use in my classroom to help with writing is Handwriting Without Tears. I use Handwriting without tears to teach handwriting skills. The kids love the app because they get to use the Ipad and practice their letters. Parents also like this app, because they can download it at home for their children to practice.
A new website I read about is Fun to Type . This is a website to practice keyboarding skills. My kiddos go to keyboarding once a week for 20 minutes and I would like to see if this would be something they could do.
One website a few teachers at my school use is Class DOJO. Class DOJO is a behavior system that is all electronic. It works the same way as a "clip" system, but parents can add the app to their phone and get updates of their child's behavior. The teachers who use it at our school love it! They have received a lot of positive feedback from the parents. They like that the app messages they get when their child gains or loses a point. They also like that they can write messages back and forth to the teacher. It's also free!
Conclusion
Technology is all around us. We want to embrace what students already know about technology and teach them how to use it appropriately. "...research in the fields of digital writing and adolescent literacy shows that students become more engaged when we invite them to compose with digital media" (Hicks, page 4). Students can get excited about sharing their creativity through writing by using digital media.
I hope you are able to keep up your blog -- it's a great way to keep parents informed on what your class is doing!
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