Blog Post #10

I thought that Ms. Cassidy has a very unique approach to teaching her students. In the video First Graders in Ms. Cassidy's Class, she has her students telling the viewers all of the different types of technology they use in their classroom. She has her students use blogs to write about what they do in class. Anyone can see the blogs, and even some of the students family members comment back on what their 1st grader blogged about. I think having the parents involved with the blogs was a great idea. It makes them involved with their child's learning, but also gives the child a boost of confidence knowing that their parent's liked what they blogged about. Blogging also helps the students writing get better. They also use webpages to find information on things. They use wikis to make lists like a "ritual" list or on the alphabet. Ms. Cassidy's class also makes videos to put on their blogs and she says that that is her students favorite thing to do.

In Part 1, Ms. Cassidy talks about how the video that we watched was a progression of the students over the course of the year. In Part 2, Dr. Strange asks what type of technology we should use or what was the best, and I really liked Ms. Cassidy's response. She said "You should use technology with what you are interested in." So if you like to make videos, use Youtube. If you want your students to become better writers, use a blog website. There are so many different ways to enhance learning in the classroom, especially with the use of technology. In Part 3, Ms. Cassidy explains that she has her students use a blog at least once a week. She brings her whole class to the school's computer lab and they all blog together. I love the idea of having your students blog. I think it is a great way to have them learn how to properly use a computer, and it helps them improve their writing skills. Some impediments I may encounter is myself. I may not be all that knowledgable on how to use Youtube, or the different blogging websites. I would have to educate myself on the different uses of technology. I feel as though students would benefit tremendously from the things Ms. Cassidy does in her classroom. The students look like they enjoy blogging and making videos. They are learning and having fun at the same time!