Teaching and Technology

Some of the technologies that teachers need to be proficient in are email, I know of a few people who don't have email. All schools now have them but how many actually use them? Email can be used in so many ways, instead of sending home a note and hopingthat it gets there, or sending home a newsletter about an upcoming event and hardly anyone shows up or brings in anything. You could send these things via email to the parents who have email and know it was sent. Those who don't have email you could still send out a paper copy to. Another thing that is very important to know is a smart board. I personally don't know how to use these and would LOVE to learn how. So many classrooms have these, if you have never been taught how to use them they more than likely will never be used. Teachers should also know how to use MP3 players. There are so many books on MP3 that are available. If you are having a quiet time with your students and need to get some papers graded, put that book reading on and let your students listen to it. This doesn't mean that it is OK to not read to your students but who wouldn't want to listen to a book on MP3? Teachers should also know how to use the computer! My husband is so computer illiterate, granted he is not going to be a teacher but it just suprises me how many know nothing about computers or even how to do basic tasks on the computer! I know that I am always learning how to do new things on the computer, it just goes to show that you are never too young to learn new things! Computers are so important in this day and age, I think everyone should learn how to use computers, and technologies in general!

I do have to tell a funny story. My father-in-law is so technologially lost. He had the hardest time learning how to use his computer. At their house they have a lot of electronics that go along with their TV, DVD players, CD player, surround sound...etc. A long with all of these technologies come a lot of remote controls. He keeps saying that my Mother-In-Law can't die yet because he doesn't know how to use the remotes...we always laugh about that. What will he do with out her to do everything for him? It just goes to show that so many people are lost when it comes to technology.