Teachers' & students' tech standards

The key points that stood out to me when reading about technology standards for teachers and students related to the issues that I am currently dealing with in the classroom. I strive to effectively address the needs of a diverse groups of learners. There are so many on-line resources that I definitely appreciate the help in identifying resources. I believe in equitable access. I do not want to see technology become another way to dichotomize low-income students of color (my school's student body) and privileged white children. I am glad to be learning about ethical practices with regard to the internet. I had no idea about the copyright laws on the internet until this class.

Technology has a definite impact on my teaching. I have a photojournalism class and a Spanish class. In my photojournalism class, I co-teach with a colleague from Youth Radio who has a more profound knowledge of Photoshop. I am learning from her. We use the computers on a regular basis. In my Spanish Combo class, technology helps me to differentiate learning. I have students of all levels, from Spanish II to native speakers. The internet brings a world of helpful resources in Spanish that can engage all of my students.

Recently, my students did their own projects in the forms of children's stories, poems, power point presentations, and cooking demonstrations. Computers were an integral part of almost every students work. Unfortunately the dependence on technology can sometimes hurt deeply. Last Thursday, our school's ten portable laptops were stolen. A few of my students had not sent their projects to me yet and their work is now lost forever. I was ecstatic to learn about Gmail this weekend. I have asked that everyone, the entire school, sign up for a gmail account. As we try to piece back together their beautiful presentations, at least one student is still a little hesitant to use technology and has decided to make a book instead of a powerpoint presentation.