Teacher Interview

She said that every classroom in the school has four computers for students and one for the teacher. All the computers that the students use have a connection to the internet. The students have limited access to the internet, and are allowed to go to approved websites. The computers have programs that will help facilitate learning in the core subjects of math and reading. Students are allowed to use the computers in the classroom during indoor recess and when there is free time. Her class also goes to the school’s computer lab every sixth day as one of their daily specials. While in the lab the students will learn basic skills of using the computer. The school has educational games that the students can play while in the computer lab. These games will help improve students’ math, reading and social studies skills. She said the students really enjoy their trips to the computer lab and work hard to do their best while they are using the computers. Since the majority of the students have computers at home, mastering tasks at school is usually not a problem.

The teacher integrates technology into the curriculum by having  students use computer programs to do some of their reading lessons. The reading textbook they have has a disc that goes along with it. This gives the students another way to learn the information from the story. The teacher also recently has started to do more clerical tasks such as entering grades, e-mail  and keeping track of attendance on the computer.

The school district is trying to promote the use of technology in classrooms. They provide mandatory workshops about every month to help train the teachers in new forms of technology. The district also has optional workshops that teachers can attend if they would like to learn more about specific types of technology. The district has a technician that can assist the teacher  directly in the classroom if needed.

In conclusion the teacher believes that having her students learn technology in school will help prepare the students for their future. She also feels that students need to still learn the basics of reading and writing. Technology is good, but we can not forget the basics.