When I was first introduced to the idea of blogging, I was unsure about how it would help me to become a 'reflective practitioner'. I was already quite used to reflecting on my experiences, and honestly, I could not really see how this blog would help me to build upon this.
Having read through my posts however, I can see a dialogue has emerged, as I reflect on the uses of ICT within the primary curriculum. I hadn't even realised this is what I had been doing! So from having not a lot to say about how ICT can impact upon the work in the classroom, I have a long, and often interesting list of my own developed thoughts and feelings toward s the subject.
This blog has been a space where I can say what I feel, I can admit to uncertainty and I can question anything. They are questions that may not be answered (as who in fact am I asking?), but they are questions that allow me to progress to the next stage in my thinking. Teachers always hark on about key questions for pupils, but to become effect practitioners surely we need to ask ourselves some key questions too? By posing questions and admitting uncertainties we are being honest, we can hold up our hands up and say, 'what is that about?' or 'I'm not sure I understand'. Again, these are things we encourage children to do in our classrooms, surely we should learn from what we teach.
Having mentioned that a blog has been a good place for me to do this, it would then suggest that it is a good way for a child to also do the same. I have mentioned in a previous blog that I wanted to use one for the children to reflect on what they learned in their practical maths lesson, sadly however, the resources were not available.
I have begun to realise how effective and instrumental ICT can be in teaching and learning. For some children, 'computer' or 'ninendo' are such bizz words, that you will command their attention immediately. If this is the case, why not use these things in your teaching. the children will instantly be interested, and they will put time and effort into the learning. Afterall, what is more engaging and exciting, 30 mintues writing the answers to maths word problems in a book, or 30 minutes maths training on the nintendo DS? Of course, there are implications on cost and resources in this example, but it needn't be as extreme. Children, as I did here, respond to ICT and we should be giving them every opportunity to do so.
And, to answer a previous question posed in a blog of mine, to blog is definately the answer.
Tuesday 3 March 2009
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