I really enjoyed today it was great having members of the class share their knowledge of the topic. It gave us a change getting to listen to each other and I am looking forward to the rest of the groups work. Having someone explain a topic they have only just learnt about themselves I think helped me understand moe easy as they put it inot words i understaood straight away.

My classroom did not have an over head projector or pull down screen to go with it which would make it easier to show something rather then having to print off sheets to show an example. Another option to make the classroom environment better would to be to purchase a smart board, this would help get the students engaged in their learning and is also an effective teaching tool. If the classroom had these  technology resources I believe it would help get the students ready for the work force.

I think if the classroom purchased either an over head projector and screen or a smart board it would improve my teaching because I will have access to more resources. This means I will be able to do a range of different interesting lessons using a range of resources. Things will be clear and easy to read as they will be in front of the students. This will also help cater for students with different learning needs as I will be able to read out for the students who learn vocally and then students who learn visually will be able to read/look at the screen or board.

Having enough computers for a class set and having access to the internet would increase the teaching opportunities. I could have students complete their writing lessons using different programmes on the computer which would increase their knowledge of computers. use the internet to contact their parents. Instead of the students wrting their diarys in their books they could keep them using a blog, and this is only a few opportunities the students would get. This would mean to make the most of the technology within their school teachers would need to attend personal development courses to make the most of these learning opportunities which would help make teachers become better.

I believe I would become a much better teacher if I had the resources of different technologies, creating different original lessons, up-skilling the students so they keep up to date with the new technology out their.

From what I have seen on placement, it seems the learning environment has changed compared to what it was like when I was at school. Classrooms are using technology/computers for a more educational purpose these days. When I was in primary school we only used the computer in our classroom before school to play a chicken game, where as today classes are using laptops during the day for lessons, e.g for practicing their spelling. The students have access to computers to do their work and teachers are using them to develop students’ knowledge. They have access to over head projectors and each syndicate has a digital camera to use where teachers/students can take photos of work they are doing/done. Which is another way of sharing, recapping and retelling learning experiences they have had. This helps teachers cater for different learning styles within their classroom having the help from these technologies.

I think the environment has changed because as technology develops students are exposed to it more and more. They use it at home and see it being used through out their every day activities and so teachers can use this to their advantage in the classroom, using the childrens knowledge of technology to extend their learning experiences. There is more technology available to teachers these days to enhance students learning in the classroom, instead of using handouts/worksheets teachers can now use overhead projectors or smart boards instead which enhance their learning experiences because it ensures students can see the work. Having something  new for the students to try engages them in the learning experience more, as they are more excited to experience using something new. Classrooms are using technology as a different way to complete learning tasks, for example, using digital cameras to help retell experiences, using computers to complete writing activities, e.g keeping a diary. Teachers are using computers to contact parents at home and to show parents what they are doing at school. This keeps the parents informed in what is happening at school and in the classroom without them having to come in. The outside world is using technology more and more and so developing the childrens technological skills while at school will help them gain jobs when they get into the outside working world.

I agree with what my associate said as you would need two people in the classroom so that one is working with half the class on laptops while the other is taking the rest of the class. I also agree that the teachers to not feel confident in using the laptops to the best they can as they do not know what they are doing. The teachers are unsure how to use the internet correctly and so are not confident in using it within the classroom, unless they are only pulling something up they prepared earlier. I think as new technology is being introduced to schools teachers should attend a course teaching how to use them.

I talked to a younger teacher who wishes she could use more technology within her classroom as she has experienced schools with computer labs for the students and having a smart board in her classroom. She believes having this technology available to classrooms enhances students learning and as children become more familiar with technology at home it is growing more important to involve it at school.  i found when we used the computers in the classroom the students were more willing to learn/wanted to learn which is one of the main emphasis of education. I found that half of the students know more about computers then the teachers do.

I also agree that it is growing more and more important for technology to be included in the classroom. For example when we usually did spelling the students hated it but as soon as they got to use the laptops they were so enthusiastic it was like they loved spelling. If teachers were trained in these areas they could use it to help enhance their learning experiences.

Within my teaching today I used laptops for spelling, it was the second time the class had every used them. The students were extremely excited about using them. We had to go step by step very slowly from turning them on to shutting them down. We used a spelling website called spelling city, I thought it was great as the students typed in their spelling words and then the students could either choose one of the three options: test me, teach me, and play me.

Within my school each classroom is equipped with head pieces and speakers set around the classroom, this enables teachers to ensure all students can hear them within the classroom. It means you do not have to raise your voice as much as you do when not using one as no matter where the students are within the classroom they can hear you. I find this adds to my teaching approach as it helps get the students attention twice as fast as when I do not use it. I take it off when work with a group on the mat as the rest of the class does not need to hear what we are learning. I allow the students to use the headpiece when they are sharing stories with the class. This allows them to speak clearly and ones with quiet voices are more confident in sharing their work.

Today for writing we were writing up our science experiments. I had to write parts of the experiments on the blackboard for the students to write on their procedure sheets. I could only fit small parts on the blackboard at a time which meant the students who finished early had to sit and wait around for the rest of the class to finish before we could move onto the next bit of the experiment.  

In our classroom we do not have any whiteboard space to put work up on and so I have to write it on large pieces of paper or on the blackboard when doing examples. I think that if our classroom had an over head projector with a screen to pull down it would enhance the students learning experiences as they would be able to see the board a lot clearer and I could fit the whole example on the board which would mean the students will not be waiting around for the next step.

In maths today used mini whiteboards for the students to do their equations on so they could rub them out and change around. I believe that if the classroom had a smart board it would mean the students can show their working to the rest of the group and also show what they are meaning on the board instead of trying to explain what they have done. Students in the group would be able to see the smart board a lot easier and we would also be able to compare each others answers to an equation with all of their working on the board.

revisit tommorw:
I am still comfussed about our assignment, with what topic we are doing for the assignment that is being marked and the assignment we do in class. could we please re visit this on friday to make sure we are all clear before we leave on placement.

concerns: group we better get going on this assignment T.E is going to fly passed and we have alot of othe assignments due around the same time. ahhhh!!!

What I have learnt?
This lesson being a collaborative one i learnt that you can leanr so mush of each other as we all look at things differently and just listening to others can clear up and missunderstandings you have easy as.