Choosing Technology for the Classroom

In integrating technology in the classroom, there are so many choices on what games, websites, and activities we can use in our classroom.  At Dreambox, there are ways that we as teachers should evaluate our choice of online activities by matching students needs, as well as teachers.

I will use this in my classroom as a way to evaluate the websites and software that I choose for use in my classroom.  It is important for me to chose what benefits my students and helps them learn as well as having fun. 

This can be found at: http://www.dreambox.com/blog/ten-steps-choosing-digital-curricula-blended-learning

Rethinking Calculator Use

 In the day of the technology age, students seek to find the easiest way out of solving a math problem.  There are so many sides against the argument of calculator use, whether it be used for everything, or not used at all.  Yet, the point is how we use them and the purpose of allowing our students to use this technology.  Allowing students to use the calculator as the sole way of solving problems set them up for failure.  Teachers have to find a balance of how to teach their students to problem solve as well as use tools to help them work through the problem. 

In my classroom, I want to give my students all the resources that I can to help enhance their learning and see math as a useful subject.  Giving my students a calculator and teaching them how to use it is only beneficial if I attach it to the content and problem solving skills.  I have to teach my students the way that a calculator is a tool, rather than the method.  There is a balance between everything that we teach with technology in the way that we do not lean to one side or the other in being dependent on one method over another.

What do you think about calculators? 

Article found at:   Rethinking How we Use Calculators

Math in the Classroom-How do I do it?

As a new teacher, the first question that we have to ask is "How will I teach effectively and with what resources?" Math is a topic in the schools that can be very abstract and hard to teach as an interactive activity sometimes. 


In this website presentation found below and at SlideShare, there are several websites that allow practice, activities, and teacher sites where we can integrate this in the classroom.  In this website, I found that there are countless ways to use websites as an educational tool and not only a way to put a child on a computer.  I do want my students to be engaged in the lessons and find learning to be fun and beneficial, rather than thinking that school is a place where you have to go every day.  With these websites, students can also bring school into the home and parents can have an educational way to keep their children away from mindless tasks. 

In my classroom, I would use these sites to supplement my teaching in providing students with individual instruction, as well as reinforcement of the math concept that has been shared that day.  There are good and bad sites, which I will have to find those that benefit learning rather than turning it into an activity that takes away from learning.  This is a good tool for teachers to have, as it keeps several websites in one place. 

Using Technology In Mathematics (Elementary) from Trace Tech Tips

Differentiating Instruction through Technology

The way to teach math is normally through the reading of the textbook, a lecture, and a worksheet.  Yet, there is not much progress made with those students that may need more help than another student.  As one teacher in the classroom with 20-30 students, the ability to help each student is not possible every moment that they need the one-on-one instruction.

In this day and age, technology is available and can help advance student learning in a positive way.  Using tech tools, students can receive differentiated instruction and learn the content that everyone else is learning.  In the video below, Robert Pronovost uses technology received by grants to help accelerate and differentiate instruction in a way that he can help students that show a need for more one-on-one instruction.  He also shares various educational software that is used to teach math.

For more links and resources, visit Edutopia.

Math Class Needs a Makeover

As we go through the daily teaching of math via the textbook curriculum, we are losing our students to true problem solving and intuition. We have to transform our curriculum to match the needs of our students to stop and think through problem solving.  As teachers, we also need to learn how to be patient problem solvers in the classroom.

In the following video, Dan Meyers gives a TED Talk about how we need to change teaching from the samples given by the textbook and create student-led problem solving and application.  TED Talks are talks given by various people from around the world on riveting topics.

You can find Dan Meyer's blog here for more math insight:  Dan Meyer Blog