Regular updates and musings on curriculum and technology in the Salisbury Township School District in Allentown, PA.
Technology is Alive and Well at Western!
As a third grade teacher, I integrate technology into my curriculum as often as possible. Our classroom experiences are not confined to the computer lab. Allow me to share with you one of my recent technology adventures.
On Tuesday, January 22, the entire 3rd grade at WSE traveled via technology to the Mariner’s Museum in Newport News, VA. The purpose of this activity was to supplement our Language Arts curriculum. Our current reading program explores several disasters and this particular program offered insight into the voyage of the Titanic.
Our third grade students were active participants throughout the hour. They were engaged with the presenter and found bits and pieces of new information regarding this historic voyage. This program was originally scheduled during the disaster unit of study, however, the museum encountered several personnel and equipment problems which forced a cancellation on the day of the online reservation.
As with any outside presentation, there are always positive and negative issues to address. The last minute cancellation was only one issue I had to bear. Prior to the original booking, I was sent information regarding the presentation. Several concepts sent up a red flag for me; suicide aboard ship, socially unacceptable gestures and the memorable “car” scene from the movie. All three of these items were not appropriate for this age group. After several phone calls, we were assured that the content would be appropriate.
I have found with integrating technology into my classroom, up-front work is necessary and often time consuming. I spent approximately four hours investigating and planning with this activity. I realize that this may not have been the normal experience, and I will try again this spring to bring another program into our class. I now know more specific questions to ask when inquiring about a program.
Our technology growth is a team effort. Debbie Caldwell, our building computer technician, spent time and effort testing our equipment for both scheduled presentations. Planning and preparation from both the sponsor of the event and the school are essential to a successful production.
Kathy DeBona - Third Grade Teacher, Western Salisbury Elementary School
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Comments
Kathy, I am sure the virtual trip to the Mariner’s Museum enhanced your students’ understanding of the concept of disasters. It is exciting to hear the stories of district teachers as they seek ways to seamlessly integrate technology into the learning environment. I look forward to hearing about your experience in the spring.
Thanks Kathy for sharing your adventures with technology. As we move forward with technology it will be so important for us to share our stories and support each other.
I know it took Kathy a great deal of time to plan the 3rd grade trip to the Mariner’s Museum in Newport, VA, but I also know how much she relished the ability of her students to dialogue and question with the curator thus allowing her to feel very validated in the teaching and learning that evolved through the disasters theme that permeated the stories her students and she read and discussed. Thankfully Kathy took the time to address the concerns she felt and made additional phone calls before the presentation ensuring age appropriate experiences. Thank you for crediting the support of Debbie Caldwell, Computer Technican, in supporting this videoconference. Although Kathy learned a great deal from this experience, it will help all of us as we continue to plan and prepare for further educational trips “outside of the classroom”.
At some point maybe Kathy can share the discussion board she is facilitating with a group of her third grade students as they read and respond to a novel.