SueLoughrie

Sue Loughrie, MA Akron Public Schools Early Learning Program Early Childhood Intervention Specialist Itinerant Teacher Email: sloughnie@neo.rr.com Skype Address: sueloug Website: [|www.sueloughrie.weebly.com] =__My favorite personal/professional use of technology:__= I love using my computer to help keep me organized personally and professionally. I use email, facebook, skype, and twitter to keep me entertained and also to provide professional information.I use the internet for everything from recipes to phone numbers. I truly don't know how I lived without the internet. I also enjoy using a digital camera to take pictures of my family. I use an iphone to keep up to the minute email and to search the internet when I need to.

__The most frustrating aspect of using "technology":__
The most frustrating aspect of using technology has to be the limited amount of time I have. Unfortunately, I do not have the time "on the job" to research and incorporate more technology. It is hoped that by taking this class, I will have the information to become more creative in my teaching. =__Vision statement:__= I would like to incorporate more technology into my position as an itinerant teacher. I could use various types of technology as teaching tools as well as a way to keep me more organized. I would also use my increased knowledge of technology as a way to help my 12 year old daughter with her school work :) =__How are you currently engaging students through use of technology:__= I have used the flip camera to take videos of the children during their center time. I use the videos to illicit langage and to encourage interaction among the children. I have been using the digital cam to take pictures and to allow the children to take some pictures. In the classrooms I visit, I find that some teachers are reluctant to actually let the children use the cameras. (I am an itinerant teacher. I do not have my own classroom.) =__Snapfish link to Hawaii photo book completed in April '09:__ []=

=__Class Assignment: 2/05/09__= 1. Think about the materials you created/used or the ways that you used your camera or Flip: **I video taped some children doing "The Bear Hunt".** a. What was your objective for this activity? **My objective was for the child to use language more effectively. I wanted to illicit more language.** b. How did you plan to monitor/assess children's learning? **I assessed the objective through taking language samples**. c. How did you incorporate UDL principles into this? **The UDL principles are naturally incorporated in this activity. The children were "engaged" through my turning on the video. They were provided multiple means of expression by my allowing them to use the video camera to tape their peers. They were provided multiple means of representation through my various ways of providing the information. They children watched the video in small groups by watching the actual camera and in large groups by watching it on a tv.** d. How did you represent the ideas/concepts/skills in different ways? **I talked about the activity prior to showing the video. The children were asked to recall the events as they occurred in the video.** e. What options did children have for expression? **The children were encouraged to talk about what they saw on the video. We worked on using descriptor words and expanding sentence length.** f. In what types of ways were children engaged? **The children were engaged through watching the video, editing the video, and making their own video.** g. What behaviors did you observe to let you know that your children were engaged? **The children were "excited" and talking excessively about the activity. They were all very anxious to share their story.** 2. What websites that we explored at our last session did you use? **I have not "used" the websites but I did share them with all of my colleagues. I do not have a classroom of my own (itinerant)** a. How did they fit into your lesson plan? **Again, I do not have a lesson plan with my children. I follow the teacher's lessons to provide my intervention. Again, I made the information available to my colleagues.** b.How did your children respond? **NA** c.What types of materials did you download and use? **NA

Favorite Websites: [|Facebook]** [|Weebly] [|Akron Schools] [|Snapfish] [|Wordle] [|Google]

__** Class Assignment: 03/26/2010 **__ (Chapter 3) __BIG IDEAS__: __STRATEGIES:__
 * // Picture Science: Using Digital Photography to Teach Young Children //**
 * Photography now becomes a tool to support children’s reflection on the process ofinquiry itself
 * Photographs can be used to document the choices and decisions that children make while carrying out their investigations.
 * Photographs help children develop the skills that make up metacognition (thinking about thinking)
 * Because photographs can make the past come alive, they are very helpful in reminding children __what__ they did and in prompting them to think about __why__ they did it.
 * Photographs make it easier for young children to remember and articulate their thoughts during a particular exploration.
 * Photographs provide children opportunities to revisit specific explorations and encourage them to talk about why they did what they did. *Photos help them recall the steps they took and prompt them to reconsider the challenges in each step.
 * When sharing the photographs of the children’s work, you are showing them that what they did was important.
 * When reviewing the photographs with the children, prompt them to talk about the pictures through questions like: a.) what were you doing in this picture; b.) why did you do it; c.)what did you find out; d.) How did you know

__**Action Plan Reflection** __ 1. How far have I come? Where have I made progress?
 * This class has been driving me to try some technological things I never would have done. I used to be one of those teachers who were afraid of technology and afraid of letting the children use my equipment. I am happy to say that my students have used my flip cam as well as my digital cam...and neither are broken :)
 * I have also started using my IPHONE with my children. I have a few "child aps" and the children LOVE using them (with supervision, of course). I am finding that using my IPHONE works particularly well in "if_ then IPHONE" works very well :) I highly suggest the "five little monkeys" app....**

2. Am I challenging myself to learn about technologies that are outside my comfort zone?
 * I would say I am challenging myself, but I lack the time I need to investigate my ideas. I am certainly very open to using technology, but my position limits what I can do as I do not have my own classroom. I am at the mercy of the classroom teacher :).

3. What has been successful?
 * Everything I have tried has been successful. I have used videos and still picture to ellicit language. (Most of the children on my caseload are delayed in speech and language). I have used my cameras to record the children so other professionals can "screen" the children for possible delays (PT).

4. As I reflect on my practices using technology I realize I need to...
 * MAKE time to work on plans to incorporate more technological activities into my position
 * Think about how technology can make my job easier (documentation, etc)

5. My goals for the next year are...
 * As above, finds ways to use technology to make myself more efficient
 * Share my technological knowledge and tooks with fellow staff members
 * Develop a website that can be used to communicate with the classroom teachers to which I provide consultation.
 * Develop a website that can be used to communicate with the parents of the children I serve