Reading Response

1.     This semester I student observed at PS 37 and St. Barnabas Elementary School, both in the Bronx. In the classroom at PS 37, my cooperating teacher used technology in the classroom through the SMART board. Mrs. Altobelli would show videos, PowerPoint Presentation, and different activities using the SMART board. The students knew how to use the SMART board from coming up to answer different questions. In St. Barnabas Elementary, I observed in two classrooms that were polar opposites in regard to using technology. In one classroom, each student had their own tablet on which they took notes on Google Chrome. I am not sure how I felt about that, because a lot of them have obviously figured how that they can just share the notes so they weren't all taking the notes. The students also gave their own presentations using the SMART board on a religion lesson they were doing. In the other classroom, the teacher didn't really use any technology. Mrs. Macias, who was actually my teacher when I attended St. Barnabas, explained to me that she understands the need for the use of technology in the classroom, but believes that the overuse of it is unnecessary and takes away from learning. 

2.     I think that this is the case with current working teacher versus incoming teachers because most of the current working teachers weren’t introduced to technology as we were. This is something new to them and something we are used to always having. They also probably weren’t taught the proper way of using technology and most likely taught themselves as they went. The higher percentages always pertaining to aspiring teachers because we are coming in with this knowledge and are comfortable with it, rather than learning it when we have already been teaching a different way.

3.     Principals want to hire new teachers with creative ideas on how technology can be leveraged to create authentic and differentiated learning experience, according to the Project Tomorrow report. The report states that the principals are looking for new teacher who are able to use technology to create authentic learning experiences for children and know how to leverage technology to differentiate instruction. They also want new teachers who use social media to communicate and connect with students and parents. These principals want new teachers who use mobile devices, social media, and other digital instruction into their everyday teaching. They also want strong classroom management skills from new teachers. The incoming teacher explained that they only are trained focusing on the simple management tools. These teachers-in-training believe they are well-prepared to use technology in the classroom because this is the generation that grew up using technology. They also incorporate social media, online discussion, and other Internet tools. We are caught in between because we use technology constantly in our own lives, but we’re being taught by professionals who aren’t as up to date with current technology. 

4.     My Education and Computer courses are Manhattan College really have helped me learned how to incorporate technology in the classroom. We have been taught how to use the SMART board and other digital technology tools in the classroom. 

5.     Chart 1 shows that principal expectations are higher across all boards in comparison to aspiring teachers’actual experiences. These including ability to create and use video, podcasts and other media, identify and evaluating quality digital content to use in class, incorporating student owned mobile devices content to use in class, incorporating student owned mobile devices, using social media within instruction with students, and how to teach an online class. I agree with this because I feel like principals hold new teachers to a very high standard. The aspiring teachers have a higher percentage of impact of technology within the classroom versus the current teachers. Personally, I saw this first hand in the classroom. The newer teachers use an abundance of technology in the classroom versus veteran teachers who don’t find the need for it.