Children today have grown up in a world where there has always been technology. They have never known a world that didn't include cell phones, laptops, and gaming systems. Schools can't afford all of the updates and technology that will help push these students.
In my 2nd grade classroom, I have a wide spectrum of students. I have students at all learning levels from gifted to special needs. I have English Language Learners as well as students who need extra intervention in reading and self-esteem. I also have "average" families with the mom, dad, two kids, and pets, to the lower income families where they face many obstacles and have only one provider.
Helping all of these students across this large spectrum is a rewarding challenge. In the early elementary grades, we put a huge emphasis on reading, however most of the students do not read for fun, they read when they have to, and therefore it is harder for their reading to grow. The lower readers struggle through reading, so it is a chore for them. They are still working on sounding out words, fluency, and seeing if the words they read make sense. The higher readers have the phonics and fluency skills, however have a harder time with comprehension, thinking about what they read and recalling information, as well as looking beyond what is written in front of them and seeing underlying meanings. All of these things are something that we work on daily, but it does not help drum up interest in books.
I would like to bring the technology that many children have at home, into our classroom by adding iPods into our classroom listening center. Right now our listening center is cassette Walkman with books and tapes, and a CD player with multiple headphones to listen to books on CD. However, the students are not using these resources and have a hard time even working the cassette players. Bringing in iPods would help generate interest in reading again. Most students already know how to work iPods and it would take up less space than the older models. I would be able to download children's books from iTunes to put on there as well as burn the books I already have on CD. I would also be able to differentiate the stories the students read so each child is having their literacy needs met. The students would be excited to use the iPods and the listening center would be utilized more often causing students to reach their literacy goals or pass them.
By helping bring iPods into our classroom, you will help ensure that my students are engaged in learning and reading and helping to meet their literacy needs.
More than a third of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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