Journal+-+Tina

=Instructions=
 * For your first entry, double-click the text below and replace it with your content
 * Place each new entry at the top (in reverse chronological order)
 * Begin each entry with the day's date

=Entries=

January 30, 2010 The routine in the classroom has changed because of the video storytelling entering the classroom. As the classroom teacher, I have to organize the instructional day around being able to find time to integrate digital storytelling into the day. So for instance, I have included digital storytelling into my writing projects and also within the reading curriculum. We are learning about fossils in reading and so we have started organizing and planning a video on fossils. This video will illustrate all that we have learned about fossils as well as tackle some of the more difficult topics within this unit of study. Integrating the video across content areas allows the video work to integrate the state standards and curriculum for second grade.The time is limited in that I teach ELD students and I do not have enough time in the day to teach all of the subjects the allotted time and still cover a separate time for video. I have also found that video motivates students to learn reading routines such as blending words and they have also voiced that they would like to make a video based on learning to read words with long vowel patterns. This is exciting to me because I just earned my masters degree in reading instruction and curriculum and gives me a chance to practice some of the techniques and strategies I learned from my masters program. Another motivating factor the video has provided for my students is when they are preparing their writing projects for presentation they have voiced a desire to record themselves reading their work on video (like practicing for a speech) which this idea has also benefitted the teachers standpoint because they have been working hard to turn in quality work that represents their zone of proximal development and pushes them to reach their reading and writing goals.

September 19, 2009 Challenges in video: Finding the time to work with the video and train the students is challenging. I teach an ELD classroom and our time is limited during the school day. I am working on finding more time to integrate technology into writing, reading, math, social studies. I will get there! One great thing is that the technology and video motivates the students to want to work hard to earn the time with the video and camera. I really enjoy working with my partner and her classroom and our students are always so excited for "Video Friday" where we work with both of our classes and teach them the fundamentals of creating a video. I am excited now to do more work with the video and feel like I am "refreshed" to work with my classroom and start our video. I know that the video will help students to think more metacognitive about their own learning and provide them with opportunities to reflect on their progress throughout the school year. I will work even harder this week to integrate the video into the daily classroom learning. This has been a great experience and I am looking forward to the rest of the year! Tina Helmecke