SBTS EdTech

As an SBTS neighborhood we have celebrated many successes this past school year both instructionally and technically. However, the main focus of our job is the impact we have on teachers and instruction. Here are some of our favorite instructional technology celebrations from the 2007-2008 school year.

• As a group we organized a mini- conference entitled “Ed Tech Expo.” Teachers from over 20 schools were invited to attend and learn new and innovative ways to infuse technology into their instruction. We had a great turn out, of both presenters and attendees. However, the real power or impact this conference had, happened not during the conference, but afterward when teachers applied what they learned there. One instance was with a second grade teacher who was introduced to a program called ”Scratch,” a free program where students can use creativity and problem solving skills to create and animate pictures and scenes.  (Learn more about scratch here http://scratch.mit.edu/.)  The teacher was so impressed she went back to her home school to share with her teammates so that they could begin using it as tool in their classroom. (Franklin Sherman)
• Essential vocabulary is an instructional focus for teachers particularly in the clusters where Marzano’s Building Background Knowledge, book had been emphasized. To promote the learning of essential vocabulary and giving the students control of their learning, Lemon Road ES began using recorders (small mp3 players) to make digital dictionaries. The students were responsible for researching the term and then creating the recording. The recordings were then put into a PowerPoint to create an index using a simple teacher created template of an image, definition of the word, use in a sentence, and the recording.  This project really helped focus on essential knowledge and brought in several learning styles for differentiating instruction.  Sally Bryan, the school SBTS, wrote a Best Buy grant and from it recieved $2000 to purchase the mp3 players.
• Over at Shrevewood ES, the teachers began to use audacity to check for fluency for their ESOL students.
• New SBTS, Carrie, used audacity and mp3 players last year in her 4th grade classroom to help differentiate lessons for students without a lot of parental support at home to help with homework not on their own grade level.  They posted recordings of the teacher or other students reading the assignments to the students. They received a grant through speech and language, to help pay for the mp3 players.

We had a great year last year, making a difference in the lives of teachers and students in FCPS. We look forward to posting many more celebrations this year too!

The blog is about celebrating all of the great ways elementary teachers in FCPS use technology to enhance learning.  As the year goes on, we hope you will return often to read and use the ideas we have posted here.

-Karen