Thing 1: Blogging

Hi my name is Lynne Ronan. I currently am employed as a teacher assistant at Brasher Falls Central School in Brasher Falls NY. I am responsible for our elementary library and our elementary computer lab. Our school runs on a six day cycle and every other day I am either in the library or the lab. I am responsible for whole class- to class and a half instruction grades K-4.

My motivation in education began with my parents and numerous extended family all working in the education field. I then returned to my hometown with my children and they attended the same school I attended and my parents taught at. I also have the honor of working at my alma mater. My new motivation is my beautiful granddaughter (above with her mom) and where the future of education needs to go for our future generations.

We are in the process of updating our curriculum in both the library and the lab. Our goal is to have the library embedded with maker space experiences and to provide a computer lab that has STEAM challenges and collaboration stations available to our students.

I recently attended the NYSCATE conference and received many ideas pertaining to setting up both of these environments. I believe cool tools will give me the tools to enrich both atmospheres and to provide everyday support for our teachers and students.

In this blogging lesson I have learned that there are many more uses for a blog platform then I was aware of. I was especially impressed with the blogfolios. I have shared this idea with our administrator and few of our one on one classrooms.

I am still reflecting on how we might transition into the use of some of these tools for our elementary students. We have a few resources that the students are using now and are proficient in the use of. I think this is one of the challenges I find in our elementary community is that once we have mastered a skill- we struggle a bit moving on to something new.

It is our goal to continue growing our technology based learning. On the SAMR model I find myself stuck in the substitution mode. My goal with the information from cool tools is to move my instruction and lessons beyond substitution and ultimately to redefinition.

One myth that I run into often is that technology will leave behind the struggling student. I have heard from my colleagues that many students need more one on one attention than technology offers. I find that technology and now this concept of blogfolios gives every student an equal voice. I think many of our struggling students would feel empowered by this.

I also like the concept of blogging being cross curricular. I believe this is a forum that would allow students to reflect on how they could use for example a math lesson in a writing piece or in a science project or beyond to their future. I think as students make the connections for themselves- they become life lessons not just a lesson in school. Technology and specifically blogging in this case provides a platform for students to move beyond school lessons and into life lessons.


Post Note: In discussion with our staff   Seesaw  is being used in our district as a blogging and communication tool. I am not sure if it would be possible to keep a portfolio from this throughout a students school career but will be looking into the possiblities.