Amplify! 2nd Chapter

Chapter 2 was a quick read!  Out of this chapter I took away three main ideas:

1. Find like minded teachers:  seek out school cohorts, online learning communities, teacher blogs, webinars, conferences, social media, or "your tribe".  It is really important to have someone to share, discuss, and brainstorm with when it comes to integrating technology in the classroom.  This is the one thing I missed the most teaching third grade.  There was none to collaborate with or discuss content with.  I found some teachers in Pendleton who are amazing...but they are so involved in their own PLC's in their district they really didn't want to give up more time to work together.  Now that I am moving back to middle school science I feel like I have a whole network I can tap into!  Also, I have another science teacher (HS--one of my former students) to collaborate with!  She is young, but seems willing to learn!  We will be attending the NSTA convention this fall!  I can't wait to see what else I discover and can share with her and my new colleagues!  
2. Play time is important:  We all know that when introducing new content or new tools it is important to provide students time to play with it!  Just like students, teachers also need to take the time also play with technology!  When choosing technology we as teachers have to know not only why we are choosing this tool, but also how to use the tool, at least the basics.  After that, the students will explore and take over the teaching part!  They are natural leaders when it comes to technology!
3. Technology should allow kids to do 3 things: create, collaborate, and connect!  I think this might be one of the most important pieces to consider when picking apps for classroom use.  This idea has been presented at every workshop, conference, blog and webinar I have taken.  They all say, choose one app/tool that does a variety of things--create, interact with others and share with the world--and become a professional at it!  The piece I am struggling with is the sharing piece.  Last year I used SeeSaw to share my third graders work with their families...I didn't teach my kids to upload content themselves and this was a problem.  It definitely made too much work for me to keep up with and I won't do that again with middle schoolers.  I am wondering at this point if using a blog is a better option--like Kidblog.  I wish that I could get other teachers at the school to use it as well, and perhaps they will if I can model for them how to use it!  This might open the door for a PLC at my own school.   It will be interesting to see where this leads within my own school district!

One questions I still have:  on p. 32 (second paragraph), last three lines talks about using Twitter and Youtube in the classroom by demonstrating  their students learning.  I would like to know how these tools are used to enhance learning in their Chicago classrooms. 

Time for chapter 3!