Maggie+Ward

Implications for your Classroom **﻿**
 * I attended the ISTE conference this Summer and I was really amazed by all of the technology that we can use to help our 21st century students apply their learning in real world situations as well as throug the virtual world. I understand that our students are inundated with visual information every day whether it is computers, television, phone applications, gaming consoles, etc. As a teacher, we are constantly thinking how to get through to our students and what makes them "tick," the conference put many creative ideas into my head as far as how I can accelerate my students thinking on a higher level even though some may be performing in my classroom at a lower level.**
 * I spoke to Littleton Public School teachers at (East Elementary Title I school) on how they use technology in their classroom. These fifth graders are writing on little laptops and blogging to each other every day. A student that I spoke to explained that her writing has improved greatly from writing in a notebook to a computer and was complimented by a college professor about her memoir and how it compared to college students!**
 * I also attended some sessions on how to use technology in the classroom. I was astonished to see that there are many web 2.0 tools we can use for our classroom that are free. I learned about global relationships we can have by Skyping to other countries and seeing other cultures through webcams int he comfort of our classroom. Discovery Education is an amazing resource for these web 2.0 tools.**
 * Another session I went to was how to use technology in the elementary classroom by listening to a first grade teacher from an all girls school. She had many great ideas on Digital Storytelling, Blogging, using Glogster to do interactive posters, as well as letting students use a digital camera to do "field projects" outside of the classroom.**
 * I am fortunate to be working at Teller Elementary where we have an amazing PTA and they have blessed us with a wonderful Technology fund. If we want to help our students succeed in their future, Denver Public Schools need to invest in our 21st and 22nd century learners and we will see a difference in writing, math, science, and reading. I appreciate the opportunity to go to this conference and I would like to go to one every year!** **This conference has also encouraged me to complete my M.Ed. in Instructional Technology at Regis University.**