3.7 Communication & Collaboration
Candidates utilize digital communication and collaboration tools to communicate locally and globally with students, parents, peers, and the larger community. (PSC 3.7/ISTE 3g)
Artifact: Classroom Website
Reflection:
This classroom website serves as a method communicating with parents and giving administrators a peek into the classroom. This method of communicating reduces trips to the telephone answering parents’ questions. The school obtains permission from parents to allow their child to be photographed. I am then able to share with parents the same photographs I use as evidence of mastering content. Through these photographs students can reflect on their learning with their parents and the parents have a reference to start the conversation.
This artifact shows mastery of standard 3.7 as it shows the use of digital tools to communicate and collaborate with parents, administrators and the larger community. Every week the class newsletter is required by administration to be uploaded to the webpage. This is an excellent way to communicate with parents and especially for those students who may have lost their paper copy or move between households. The webpage includes not only glimpses of students at work, but also gives parents tools to help their child succeed in the classroom. The tools on the webpage include songs and games for downloading that help their child master some of the standards we are teaching.
I have learned a great deal in creating and updating this webpage. It is not as friendly as Weebly and it takes a great deal of work to upload and move items around on the page. My goal is to learn to work around it better and use some of the design features we have learned to enhance the site and make it more appealing for parents. However, through email I have had many positive comments from parents and grandparents on the information and photographs they have viewed. This website is also open to the public, therefore, even future student’s parents are able to view it and get a glimpse of what to expect in kindergarten. Additionally, students have come to school and commented, “We played the sight word song last night!” As many of the students sight word assessment scores were up this year, I know the webpage had a positive impact on their learning.
This classroom website serves as a method communicating with parents and giving administrators a peek into the classroom. This method of communicating reduces trips to the telephone answering parents’ questions. The school obtains permission from parents to allow their child to be photographed. I am then able to share with parents the same photographs I use as evidence of mastering content. Through these photographs students can reflect on their learning with their parents and the parents have a reference to start the conversation.
This artifact shows mastery of standard 3.7 as it shows the use of digital tools to communicate and collaborate with parents, administrators and the larger community. Every week the class newsletter is required by administration to be uploaded to the webpage. This is an excellent way to communicate with parents and especially for those students who may have lost their paper copy or move between households. The webpage includes not only glimpses of students at work, but also gives parents tools to help their child succeed in the classroom. The tools on the webpage include songs and games for downloading that help their child master some of the standards we are teaching.
I have learned a great deal in creating and updating this webpage. It is not as friendly as Weebly and it takes a great deal of work to upload and move items around on the page. My goal is to learn to work around it better and use some of the design features we have learned to enhance the site and make it more appealing for parents. However, through email I have had many positive comments from parents and grandparents on the information and photographs they have viewed. This website is also open to the public, therefore, even future student’s parents are able to view it and get a glimpse of what to expect in kindergarten. Additionally, students have come to school and commented, “We played the sight word song last night!” As many of the students sight word assessment scores were up this year, I know the webpage had a positive impact on their learning.