Labor Day

Happy Labor Day Parents and Students! 
This is a reminder that we do NOT have school on Monday September 5th! See you all Tuesday morning! 


Enjoy the holiday!
- Ms. Pickrel

What are my thoughts of using this tool or other social networking tools in k-12 education?

I think that with the way technology has been advancing and has become such a big part of our lives in the past few years that it is important to integrate it into our classrooms. I really like the idea of teachers having websites and blogs to keep parents informed about what happens during the school day. I also think that integrating other social networking sites such as Twitter and Skype are a good tool for the classroom too! Skype can be used in connecting students with other students across the country and even the world. Tools like these can build students understanding of culture while also navigating modern technology!

 

What are the limitations to using this tool?

As great of a classroom tool that this is, it still has some limitations. Blogger is not a place where I am able to have conversations with parents. I can post answers to questions but the comment section is not an appropriate place to have an on going conversation with my parents. I don't really see too many other limitations that this tool has. 

What are the benefits to using this tool?

There are many benefits to using this tool. This is an easily accessible place for me to post about the happenings of my classroom. Parents are able to come to one universal location and find anything they need for their child to be successful in my classroom. I can post directions and assignments for students who may have been absent from class or for students who have miss placed worksheets. I can answer questions one time by creating a new post rather than responding to 20 different emails. Parents are able to comment on my posts and have conversations with other parents in my classroom regarding the blog post topic.

How can I use Blogger in my classroom?

I think that Blogger can be a helpful tool to use in the classroom. I can use blogger in many ways that will keep my parents informed and my students on track. I can update parents on what is going on in the classroom and update the blog with what we do on a daily basis. I can also use blogger to post assignments for students that may have been absent or for students who may have lost assignments or directions between school and home. Example:

This week in the classroom we will be starting our Fundations program in the classroom. This is a program that we have found to be very successful with our students and hope that you will support us in helping your child through this program. I have attached todays math homework to this post, this work is due tomorrow. Have a great night!

Welcome to School!

We are very excited about the 2011-2012  school year!  I will include a list of supplies that you child will need for kindergarten  this year at the end of this post! You will receive a phone call from me when we return to school from summer vacation to set up a Meet the Teacher meeting.  Mark your calendars as this meeting will most likely take place the day before we start school (August 22nd). We encourage you to bring your child's supplies to the Meet the Teacher session so that you don't have to worry about this on the first day of school! :) I am excited to spend this year with your child and look forward to meeting you and your family!


School Supplies:


All Students Need:

1 Pair Child Appropriate Ear Buds
Book bag or back pack
1 box of 24 yellow #2 pencils (no mechanicals) 
2 glue sticks
2 box of tissues
Student scissors (age appropriate)
1 oversized T-shirt for art
1 anitbacterial/disinfecting wipes 


Kindergarten Specific:

1 box 24-pack of crayons
1 large rest towel
1 antibacterial hand sanitizer

Boys-paper plates, snack & gallon zip-lock bags 
Girls-hand soap, quart & sandwich zip-lock bags