Day 1

Hey Everyone, I know this is a little sporadic, and hopefully I will do this correctly, but at any rate let me tell you a little bit about my experience in the Tech Club at Longfellow Elementary. First and foremost, I have been an employee at Longfellow Elementary for the since October. This fact has given me a slight advantage working with the kids. I already know there names, many of their interests, their grade levels, and since I work with them on their homework, where they stand (basically) academically. I really do love these kids, and they have been the bright spot in my day, and sometimes it seems like, in my semester. They are always full of energy and always have a million and one stories to tell me which makes me very excited and enthusiastic about my job.

When I found out I would be taking this particular class online, I started began planning on how I might be able to work in the after school program where I was already spending so much time. I was excited about the material and doing more individual work with some of the students, but didn't know really where to begin. I was really excited to speak with the "Computer Lady" at Longfellow, Clarissa. Clarissa suggested that since the focus was on incorporating technology into education, and since the weather had been so nice, that I combine working with the kids outside, with teaching them about birds on the internet. This sounded like a phenomenal idea and I decided to build from there.

The first day I met my fellow Tech Club member Andrew, we decided to work outside with the kids. We took them outside and handed them a sheet of paper and pencil. We asked them to write down what they see about birds outside, and what interests them. For the younger students we asked them to simply draw a picture.

The end result was quite astonishing, many students wrote about sounds, and drew pictures of the birds that they had seen. Truly their contributions, and imaginations were boundless, plus the added bonus of being outside couldn't have hurt. I was so impressed with my students. At the end of the day we collected the pictures and each student got to share the information they had collected and share what interested them. Midst the pictures of robins, and magpies, there were a few owls and even one ostrich. I could tell this was going to be a great unit, and I couldn't wait to teach the kids more about Birds!