The past year has been a bit of a whirlwind for me. My teaching philosophy has been tested, pushed and expanded -all in a positive way. I have created this short video clip to share how I went from not believing and understanding how technology does have a place in the primary classroom to now recognizing how technology supports many of the aims and goals I have as an educator.
I want to emphasize that technology has changed our way of learning in a positive way; however, technology is not the be all end all of my program. My program is based on inviting learners to share their wonders, their ideas and most of celebrate how each child is a bearer of knowledge and capable of learning and succeeding. Yes, our learning has grown and become more visible thanks to technology, but I truly believe that it is the way we are interacting with technology, as a tool, that deepens our learning and furthers our learning process.
I recognize that technology is NOT something new, but it was something new to me. I recognize that each school has different tools and different focuses. I recognize that each teacher is entitled to lead a program that best fits their learners and is pedagogically sound with the curriculum. I recognize that each class cohort composition is different. I want to reemphasize that technology is NOT something new, but it has become a part of my teaching journey and fits well with my inquiry-based philosophy.
The learning in my classroom has changed and many doors have opened for both myself and my learners. Our inquiry projects have become more meaningful through creating documentation projects to share our learning and make our thinking visible to others, it has invited and allowed us to connect with other audiences than just our classroom wall, our connection with the families in our room has become daily and meaningful and this tool is another way we are empowering learners to follow their interests. My professional learning network has significantly grown and has supported me to the greatest extent. The professional development opportunities that have arose from being open and trying something new have been irreplaceable, I am extremely grateful. Stepping out of my comfort zone has been a fabulous learning experience.
Overall, I would like to remind my audience that I believe that technology is just another tool, and as educators we juggle many tools and strategies in our philosophy and programs. For me, just simply having technology in my room does not fully meet my needs nor does it meet the needs of my learners. For me, technology must be integrated into our learning in purposeful ways that further our learning, make our learning visible, connect us with various audiences and help to highlight our passions through research and ongoing learning projects.
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