Sorry I have been lax in posting to this blog. It's been a very busy semester! Hopefully, this marks a return to more consistent entries. However, this entry is not my own. I have received permission to share with you a blog written by a fellow teacher, Stephanie Hime, of Clinton, Oklahoma. She has connections to McCurtain County, and I thought you would enjoy her discussion on how she uses technology in her third grade classroom. If you like what you read and want to learn more, you can find her at mrshime.com.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Teacher. Parent. Communication. Technology
As I was updating my weekly classroom blog I stopped and thought where it had began and what it has turned into... my next thought was, I need to share! There are so many teachers, just like me, who are afraid to make the move into technology, but if I can do it, so can you!
There are three ways that I communicate through technology each week to the Parents, Grandparents,Friends, and my Awesome Third Graders:
1. Classroom Blog: In October 2012 I began to write a blog each week (Hime's Homeroom) on the happenings in my third grade classroom. There is so much negativity surrounding education, writing a weekly classroom blog shines a positive light into our little world. There are many blogging sites, find one that you are comfortable with. Be yourself, there is no right or wrong way to blog. I had no idea if anyone would read mine, but I thought back to when my kiddos were growing up and how amazing it would of been to read about the exciting things happening in their classrooms. Parents, grandparents, friends and students have expressed how much they enjoy reading about our day, week, and year. If I can do it, you can too!
2. Twitter: I set up a twitter account (@mrshime) a few years ago and didn't do much with it, what in the world could an elementary teacher do with Twitter? Then, the summer of 2012 I began to read professional articles on the use of twitter for PD, so I thought I would give it a try. I have built an outstanding PLN on Twitter, it is amazing! I also set up a class Twitter account @himetimers. With this class account I only follow other classrooms, but anyone can follow us. At the beginning of the year I gave each family our twitter address so they can follow us throughout the day. The families that do not have twitter follow us using the 40404 method, they receive every tweet on their cell phone. I try to tweet at least twice a day, parents love to be in the know!
3. Shuttercal: My husband shared this amazing site with me that he actually discovered on Twitter. Parents can look at the amazing things happening in your classroom by the day, week, or even the whole year. I have had so many wonderful compliments from parents, they can even download the pictures of their kiddos!
Teacher. Parent. Communication. Technology. If I can do it, so can you!
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Teacher. Parent. Communication. Technology
As I was updating my weekly classroom blog I stopped and thought where it had began and what it has turned into... my next thought was, I need to share! There are so many teachers, just like me, who are afraid to make the move into technology, but if I can do it, so can you!
There are three ways that I communicate through technology each week to the Parents, Grandparents,Friends, and my Awesome Third Graders:
1. Classroom Blog: In October 2012 I began to write a blog each week (Hime's Homeroom) on the happenings in my third grade classroom. There is so much negativity surrounding education, writing a weekly classroom blog shines a positive light into our little world. There are many blogging sites, find one that you are comfortable with. Be yourself, there is no right or wrong way to blog. I had no idea if anyone would read mine, but I thought back to when my kiddos were growing up and how amazing it would of been to read about the exciting things happening in their classrooms. Parents, grandparents, friends and students have expressed how much they enjoy reading about our day, week, and year. If I can do it, you can too!
2. Twitter: I set up a twitter account (@mrshime) a few years ago and didn't do much with it, what in the world could an elementary teacher do with Twitter? Then, the summer of 2012 I began to read professional articles on the use of twitter for PD, so I thought I would give it a try. I have built an outstanding PLN on Twitter, it is amazing! I also set up a class Twitter account @himetimers. With this class account I only follow other classrooms, but anyone can follow us. At the beginning of the year I gave each family our twitter address so they can follow us throughout the day. The families that do not have twitter follow us using the 40404 method, they receive every tweet on their cell phone. I try to tweet at least twice a day, parents love to be in the know!
3. Shuttercal: My husband shared this amazing site with me that he actually discovered on Twitter. Parents can look at the amazing things happening in your classroom by the day, week, or even the whole year. I have had so many wonderful compliments from parents, they can even download the pictures of their kiddos!
Teacher. Parent. Communication. Technology. If I can do it, so can you!