Blog Journal 6

http://lb.nyackschools.org/classes/10854

• On Ms. Perry's webpage for her 3rd grade class at Liberty Elementary School is very informational for both students and parents. Her email is posted online closing any gap of communication between teachers and parents. There is also announcements section of the webpage that you can scroll through. One of the highlighted announcements is their homework reminder. This webpage is helping the parents stay on top of what their children should be doing at home so they don't get behind or forget to do homework. There is also one about snack time encouraging parents to pack their kids healthy snacks like fruit and veggies instead of potato chips. If you scroll down, you reach a part of the webpage that informs the reader of what the students will be learning that week which is about their culture, diversity, as well as the beginning of learning division. There is also another homework reminder, and a note to remind students and parents that library day is every Wednesday. Lastly, there is an "Important Letters, Memos and Lists" section that has a document for parents stating that no food can be brought in for students on their birthday, but they do get to create their own birthday poster to hang in the hallway and share with classmates as an alternative. 
• Technology can be a huge help to teachers if it known how to take full advantage of it. In the podcast the point that giving students paperwork to take home to their parents is NOT the most effective way to communicate with parents because the papers often get lost or destroyed. However, if teachers made a webpage with all of the information for parents and students to access, it is more likely that parents will be up to date with everything their student needs. I will definitely be using this method to communicate with parents because printing out papers just for students to lose does not make sense for communication purposes or environmental purposes. I would like to even make two separate webpages, one for students and one for parents, making the students page more fun and interactive to get them involved in learning, and the parents page more informational! I also plan on using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint! I would use Word to make worksheets and tests for my students. Excel is a good way to calculate grades because it eliminates the issue of human error as the podcast mentions. Excel also, is a great way for students to be able to calculate their own grades, given the formulas! Outlook is an easy to use Email app which is an important way to communicate not only with parents but with fellow teachers and administrators. Lastly, I believe that PowerPoint is one of the best ways to display information to students because it is so easy to use but gives you so many possibilities!
• In the technology sandbox I learned about the Clear Touch Interactive Display for the first time and I fell in love with it! The best way to describe it is a giant iPad. It could be used similarly to a SmartBoard, so hung in the front of the classroom, displaying PowerPoints, videos, and could be "written" on! However, you could also turn it on its base, and it looks like a table workspace. Now it can be programed to have certain games and activities on it for students to interact with and play with to learn in a fun way! Multiple students can use it at once because it can be touched at 10 places at one time! To me this is the best bang for the schools buck because it is not just a projector that can be only used by the teachers, but can be a fun interactive learning tool for students! Also, SmartBoards need a projector, the special markers/eraser etc. which could easily get lost in an elementary school classroom. None of that is needed with the  Clear Touch Interactive Display which will save the school money in the long run!