New Years Resolution- Technology!

As the year comes to an end, our minds begin to wonder to the new year. It's a time of reflection and renewal....and I absolutely LOVE it! New Years Eve is my favorite holiday....probably because I am a hopeless romantic and am waiting for my "When Harry Met Sally" moment. You know the one where he is running through the streets of New York to find Sally because he just realized that he is totally in love her! I guess that is the magic of New Year's Eve!  New beginnings and fresh starts.....

So, I am linking up with Kathleen of Growing Kinder to share a few of my New Year's Resolutions for my classroom! First step....technology!

I am so blessed to have so much technology at my finger tips. A few years ago, my district started this awesome program called INTERACT. It is a week long technology training that was all about integrating technology into lessons, classroom activities and assessments.We also earned a ton of technology to use in our classrooms. Jackpot!

So here are a few ways that I plan to use MORE technology in what I do with my kiddos everyday...

1. Utilize my smartboard more. Not just in my lessons or as a glorified chalkboard but really incorporate it into my classroom activities. I plan to use activotes more and allow students access to the smart board during stations. It will take some practice of routines (so that the smart board doesn't become the station all the kids gather around) but will be so beneficial to my students. So in short....more activotes, more time for students to use the smart board independently.

2. Freshen up my stations using technology. My stations are in need of a makeover. I plan to add new apps to my ipads and create stations with QR Codes to raise interest and  so that the kiddos have more choices as they practice key concepts.

3. Listening Station and Technology. My librarian was able to get several Play Aways for the library but I think that I am going to get small mp3 players and put books on them. It would be much easier for the kiddos and I think it would be so fun to open it up to the students to record themselves as they read for others to use in the station! That would definitely get them excited about our listening station again.

Now, this one is a personal goal because I know that I need to do this.....seriously....like yesterday!

4. Organize my digital files.

Oh my word....that is a huge task!! I have thousands...no joke....thousands of digital files that I need to streamline so that I can really use them! What is the use of having all these great resources if it takes me forever to fins them! I will get organized.....more on that tomorrow!

So, what are you planning to do to bring technology to life in your classroom?