Blog #8

Blog #7- Half-Way Reflection

I feel like I am learning a lot in this class. I think that technology in the classroom is a must. Especially after brainstorming about Internet uses in the classroom. I feel that even Imovie may be useable in our classrooms. I am not sure if it is necessarily the most important concept I have learned, but I really valued learning about spreadsheets. My skills regarding spreadsheets were extremely limited and now I have grasped the basic concepts of using it and I feel confident.

Blog #6

Part 1
There are various pros and cons for using internet in early childhood classrooms. The Internet gives people the opportunity to exhange ideas and information quickly throughout the world. For example, students could become pen pals with other students on the other side of the world. The students across the world would get the e-mail instantly, compared to through the postal service which would take weeks. Also, i think sometimes we underestimate the abilities of young people to learn the basdics of computers and the Internet. Most students can learn new languages quickly. The Internet is kind of like another language. It can serve the students in many areas of their lives for years to come. The Internet gives students audio, visual and kinesthetic experiences. They could potentially develop sophisticated search and retrieval strategies as they explore new topics. It also can help with students critical thinking skills amd problem solving skills. As a teacher, I think I could create challenging, appropriate projects for my students. It would be convienient as well, because time and space are not as relevant on the Internet, since Spain is as close as our neighbors. A con of the internet is that, there are few child-friendly sites. Visiting boring, uninvolving or irrelevent sites discourages the value of using the Internet. The teacher of course can select a few good sites in advance for the students to use so that they are not just searching aimlessly. Another con is that for a lot of schools there are not enough computers to accommadate all the children. Although, this is an issue that can be fixed.
The benefits of using the Internet in an Early Childhood classroom, I briefly described earlier. I feel that giving children the opportunity to connect to the world through the Internet would be a beneficial experience for them. By using the Internet students have audio, visual and kinesthetic experiences. Also, as a teacher I could create activities revolving around interesting sites that I provide for the students. I personally believe that the Internet is useful in these ways.

Part 2
This website is www.funbrain.com which is a program encourages creative behavior and fun ways of building knowledge through math games, english games, reading activities, a "playground", short tales, and lots of fun stuff!

Thoughts on the article about revamping the kindergarten standards

I think it is interesting how the state and/or our society wants students to know more at a younger age. Also, I think it's is great that we are expecting a lot out of our students and teachers, but just as long as the amount of information we are expecting the students to know and teachers to teach is realistic.

I feel that by the state providing the teachers with a guide, they are serious about having these "benchmarks" met. Also, I think that as a teacher, it would be phenominal to have set standards that I need to meet and guidance in that. I think Illionois did a fabulous job, thus far, of creating these benchmarks and helping teachers impliment work and teachings so that students will reach these goals. As a teacher to be, I hope that Ohio has some teaching training of this sort because I am sure it is very helpful and beneficial in reaching these goals.