Educational Blogging

Educational blogging allows teachers to share their thoughts, ideas, opinions, and/or current events. Blogging enables teachers to voice their opinions publicly while still maintaining professionalism. Blogging in elementary schools is more of a platform for parents to check rather than the students, but it still could be beneficial to discuss the same topics with your students so they can be in the loop. 

The word "education" spelled out in Scrabble pieces.

I had the opportunity to learn about more educational topics from a few of my peers by reading their blog posts. First, I read about the benefits of reading to children in Maggie Beeler's blog posts. Maggie agrees with my views on how beneficial literature is to children's development. Books can be used to read aloud or independently by children and provide them with new skills and knowledge. Then, I read a post from Ava Holder's blog. She discussed the "whole child approach" in one of her posts which I was very interested in. The whole child approach is when educators focus on social, emotional, physical, intellectual, and health development. This approach ensures that we are focusing on each child as a person, not just a "test taker". Lastly, I read a few posts from Cat Dillard's blog. In one of her posts, she discussed school safety which I believe is a huge concern in schools today, unfortunately. Administration plays a big role in keeping the school physically safe from any potentially scary situations/people. It is also a job of a teacher to make sure their students feel emotionally safe at school by gaining trust and allowing students to open up and share anything going on in their lives that could potentially be damaging. Overall, I really enjoyed getting to read and learn from a few of my peers because we all chose to write about different topics that were important to us regarding education.

I have enjoyed getting to experiment with blogging. Previously, I would not have thought of a blog as a beneficial tool for teachers, but now I can see the benefits. Blogging has allowed me to select topics to write about that are important to me. I have been able to write informatively and share my opinion on these topics. Future parents might enjoy getting to read my stance on some controversial issues that are currently going on in the education system.

Standardized Testing in Elementary Schools

Standardized testing...everyone has an opinion, whether positive or negative. Standardized testing is essentially a way to measure and compare students' skills or abilities at a given point under controlled conditions. These tests are administered and scored by a standard measure, usually a machine. The same test is given, the same time allotment is given, and the tests are graded in the same way. Standardized testing has become a prevalent issue in public schools in recent years with educators and parents split on whether they do more harm than good.

Bubbling in answers on a bubble sheet

I believe that standardized testing can be a useful tool to use occasionally. When teachers begin to teach so their students do well on a test rather than teaching to make sure students understand a concept is where there become discrepancies. Teachers begin to "teach the test" instead of teaching the material to the students. I think that standardized tests can be beneficial to get statistics to see where children have missing parts in a curriculum, but that should not be the teacher's focus. If teachers teach the material that they have to according to their curriculum and standards, then children should be able to excel when taking a standardized test. This is where there is a crossroad between teachers versus the state requirements.

Standardized testing has and will continue to cause conflict within school systems between administrators, teachers, and parents. Standardized testing provides statistics in order to see where students are at in order to improve the quality of teaching and learning. These tests do not measure students' natural abilities though, and should not be used as an indicator of intelligence level. That is when teachers feel the pressure to "teach the test" instead of teaching the students.  School systems and parents should look at standardized testing as a data checkpoint that can provide helpful feedback. 

The Problem with Teacher Salaries in Public Schools

Teachers have such a prevalent role in public schools in America, yet the salaries they earn do not reflect their importance. Teachers' jobs are vital in preparing the younger generations to come. Public school classrooms are beginning to become overcrowded because of the lack of teachers. This scenario is neither benefiting the children nor the teacher. These low salaries are making this rewarding profession less attractive and retainable. Teachers are getting frustrated when their efforts go unnoticed, leading them to find other professions.

Women protesting for an increase in teacher salaries

I believe that if we invested in our teachers, their efforts, and their education, we would attract better teachers as a society. Many steps need to happen to draw enough attention to this devastating problem before we can go forward in fixing it. There is research that shows that teacher pay is directly correlated to student performance. The government, in the past, has seen teacher salaries to be one of the first budget cuts. Teachers are beginning to really stand up for themselves which is what must happen in order for anything to change. 

Passionate teachers put their heart and soul into their job because they care about their students so much. Some teachers might stay late after school or get to school super early in the morning in order to prepare. Some teachers might do work, whether it be grading papers or planning new material, at home in their free time. These are just a few ways teachers can overexert themselves which will oftentimes lead to burnout on top of being underpaid. The change in teacher salaries ultimately comes down to our priorities as a nation and as a society. Everyone needs to realize the importance a teacher's job has on the overall success and health of our economy and society.

Impact of Technology in Elementary Classrooms

The use of technology in elementary classrooms has allowed teachers and students to be involved in a more connected and accessible learning environment. Technology boosts classroom engagement by allowing students to have a more interactive learning experience. Technology has also provided better comprehension, practical learning, time management, and a chance for students to explore independently. Technology allows students to become familiar with programs and software that will be used now and in the future of their learning. It is better for them to become accustomed to it early on because technology is the wave of the future in our society. I do not see it going anywhere anytime soon, so it will be beneficial for educators to introduce it early.

Technology will be a very prevalent part of my classroom one day. Technology provides new various ways teachers can present information to students. Technology can also be utilized by the students for them to physically interact with educational materials in various programs, apps, websites, and more. I believe that school-owned technology is the best option when possible because the content is able to be tracked and monitored. Technology is constantly evolving and getting better and with that comes better educational materials I will be able to present to children in an educational setting.

Students sit at their desks using his/her own laptop while two teachers circulate to assist

There are several ways teachers can introduce technology into an elementary classroom setting. One of these ways is gamified learning. Putting curriculum into games is an amazing way to encourage engagement. Many students are motivated by achievement and being competitive with their peers. Virtual field trips could be another way technology enhances a child's learning experience in the classroom. Virtual field trips take away the logistics of planning an actual field trip while still being able "visit" places the students may have never been before. Utilizing technology in the classroom has many more benefits, but those ideas are a few starting points.

Technology can provide a modern method for teaching students. Making technology accessible and appropriate for the elementary age is crucial to maximize the available benefits. Technology can be integrated into the curriculum to make learning more engaging.