I read an article titled “Using Technology With Kindergarten Students" by Chris Gathers. The article is a testimonial about how a kindergarten teacher uses technology to enhance teaching in the classroom. The teacher has three computers in her classroom and access to a computer lab. In the computer lab, she uses a program called Mouse Practice (Apple Computer, Inc.) that teaches the children to click and drag. Once that skill is mastered she introduces another program called Kid Pix Studio Deluxe, which has many different learning activities and allows students to use their imagination. For example, she has the children use the pencil tool to draw a self portrait at the beginning and end of the year to see the improvement in their work.
The students are able to use the classroom computers during free play, rest time, and when their work is finished. Each child uses the computer at least 10 minutes every other day. During this time, the students can practice what they learned in the computer lab or play educational games. Chris Gathers also uses technology in the classroom by finding web sites that correspond to the lesson, which helps to get the children excited about learning.
I found this article useful because I want to teach kindergarten and did not know the extent of what a kindergartener is able to learn on a computer or how to use classroom computers when you only have two or three available. I was surprised to find out that a kindergarten teacher has computers available in the classroom to use. I would assume that the computers would be given to the higher grade level classrooms. You should read this article if you need to get ideas on how to integrate technology into the kindergarten classroom.
At the school I work at, all of our classrooms have at least four computers per room, including kindergarten. They are taught basic skills and computer safety in their computer class each week. The hard part is how to constructively use computer time when you have limited access. This article seems to have a lot of good information that can be used in all classrooms. Thanks for the insight.
ReplyDeleteI think it's important that this site teaches kids how to physically and literally use the computer before plunging them into subject matter. Teaching fundamental processes before implementing them is something I think is really important because too many times the teacher just assumes that the kid knows what they are doing, and then the student can get lost.
ReplyDeleteI think that this is a good article in that it points out how the computer can be used in kindergarten. Our school does not have student computers in kindergarten, but does have one student computer in each elementary classroom, grades one through five. I think learning the basics of using a computer is like learning a language these days - the earlier you start, the better. All our students use the computer to take their reading level tests.
ReplyDeleteThat is really great Carla. I love that they are really pushing for students to have computer skills younger and younger. Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteI think student interaction on computers is very important for their fine and gross motor skills. I also like how Gathers explains how the teacher has them do one picture in the beginning of the class and at the end in order to see the children’s’ progress. Good article find!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Heather on developing fine and gross motor skills. The website seems like it would be great for that seeing how it is built on student interaction on computers. Everything today is about computers or electronics the earlier they learn it the faster another electronic gadget will be developed. Great Website.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the comments. I think it is great that children are learning how to use computers at such a young age.
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