What Path Should We Take Now? Readings Response

“Historically, there has always been a close relationship between literacy, technology, and literacy instruction.” (Karchmer, 2001).  The world has been changed with this relationship.  It’s such a powerful relationship as educators we don’t always see the divide anymore.  This past semester with both classes I have had the chance to analyze that relationship.  During each module I created a lesson that highlighted that specific areas, Online Collaborative Inquiry, Online Reading Comprehension, Online Content Construction, Digital Identity, and the Path Moving Forward for my students.  Each lesson has technology woven into it one way or another and my students loved it. 

My classroom is their first real exposure to school and I try to provide a safe, fun, learning environment for my students.  As soon as someone enters my classroom they can see that close relationship between literacy, technology, and literacy instruction. 

My classroom library is busting at the seams!  I’m lucky enough to have had a lot of books donated to my classroom and I have a small “problem” buying new books for my students to enjoy.  I organized everything by categories, the Froggy series, Popular Characters, books about Transportation, reading levels, etc.  I want my students to be fully immersed in great books that unlock their imagination and really get them to think. 

Of course any visitor to my classroom can also see how much technology surrounds my classroom.  First thing my students do in the morning is choose their lunch (they have FIVE choices) using the smart board.  Then through out the day students and myself are interactively using the smart board, not as giant whiteboard as with lunch count but instead as an interactive learning tool.  It’s much more than a giant screen on the wall it is part of their learning.  I get such joy when my students use it and their parents are amazed.  Parents want to know how students know how to use all of the technology in our classroom and all of the things students can do.  It’s always showing dice addition on the smart board to classroom visitors that gets people excited, I always say, “Next stop Mohegan Sun!”

Literacy instruction is the ENTIRE day in Kindergarten.  I am constantly trying to expose my students to anything literacy related.  Concepts of Print, matching upper and lower case letters, practicing letter formation with our phonics program, learning sight words, and learning to read.  All day, every day that is what I am immersing my students in literacy instruction and the best part of it is they see it as fun learning and don’t realize it’s learning!

So yes, Rachel Karchmer, there is there close relationship between, literacy, technology, and literacy instruction and it’s AMAZING to watch in my classroom everyday!

Harrison then talks about the different ways Karchmer approached her findings.  Harrison highlighted the piece about Cindy’s district limiting their internet searching (Harrison, 2008).  My district just gave us access at YouTube this past year after blocking it for years and it has opened so many doors.  Students continue to have limited searching, which I have discovered is a good thing.  Sometimes my students don’t know what they are typing and clicking on and it’s good to be blocked for some things.  But for teachers we are above to show students interesting videos about the life cycle of the butterfly, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and much more.  As Karchmer and Harrison said teachers need to grow with all of the changing in technology and be willing to develop to give students the chance to learn a world beyond their own.

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