Chris Gathers' Experience

The article “Using Technology with Kindergarten Students” by Chris Gathers, explains how Ms. Gathers as a Kindergarten teacher incorporated technology into her classroom. Gathers had been a teacher for many years, and throughout her article she explains the step by step process she takes to ensure that her Kindergarteners learn how to use the computer. What really caught my attention about the article, was that she wasn’t just showing them how to use different parents of the computer, and different types of software, she was using the computer and the software, to not only teach her students how the software and computer worked, but also used it as a means of teaching. For example, she used the stamps in KidPix as a way to teach counting, which I found to be a great idea and was simply to use for Kindergarteners.  Gathers also explained how she used the computer for recess and reinforcement of what she taught in the computer lab, and throughout that day, by using other forms of software, some of which I had used when I was in Elementary School.  Incorporating technology into the classroom just as Ms. Gathers explains is very important in educating children of today. Her use of incorporation shows that students can be taught at even as young as Kindergarten and will help these students be prepared for other technology based information that they will learn in the future, because they already have the basic steps down.

Gathers’ article is a great read for teachers and future teachers who have pondered about how they should use technology in the classroom, or just want to get an idea of how other teachers use technology in the classroom. If all teachers shared how they use technology in their classroom, it would make adapting to adding technology into all classrooms easier.  For the link to the article click here:  http://www.4teachers.org/testimony/gathers/index.shtml

Learning Planet

LearningPlanet.com  is a fun interactive learning game site for students. There is a particular section just for students that enables to students to select their current grade. Once students have selected their grade, they have a variety of learning style games that they can choose from.  There is also section for teachers that allow teachers to select the grade they teach and see which games work best for their classroom. The teacher’s section allows the teacher to keep track of each of the students that log onto the site, and the website will keep a record of how well the student does, and shows that information on the teachers roster when he/she logs into their account. This ensures that the teacher can make sure the student is doing the right activities that he or she is suppose to, and enables the teacher to see if learning is being acquired. There is also a section that provides plenty of worksheets that can be printed out and used throughout the classroom for more learning activities. The website does offer a variety of tools that are helpful to the teacher and students. However, the only downfall to this website is that a membership must be paid in order to attain all the tools. But the low price of the membership is worth all the tools and activities that the teacher will be able to use.