Top 10 Tips for Cell Phone Safety for Teens - C. Fields

Cyber Bullying Report Card - C. Fields

iTune Apps in the Classroom - C. Fields

If you are familiar with the iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad, then you know about apps. Available on iTunes is a limitless amount of free and costly apps for all the above mentioned items. If you have students that use these  items in the classroom without permission, why not stop the fighting and make them useful for learning and teaching. I believe technology is a tool for teachers to use, if they can find ways to implement them into their lessons. Using these items can promote student interest in learning, help teachers combine teaching strategies and learning styles and teach the content needed to stay in line with core content and academic expectations.

I have searched out a few apps for educational purposes. One such app is "Wolfram." It is available for Algebra, Calculus, and Music Theory for high school age students. The website below is available to learn more about this app.

http://products.wolframalpha.com/courseassistants/

Another app for learning phonics is "ABC Alphabet Phonics." This app is for the preschool age group, but could work wonderfully with Kindergarten students are need an extra push for learning phonics.

http://www.grasshopperapps.com/

As an educator you should be willing and able to find new technology innovations to help you put teaching and learning at the fingertips of your students. If these technological items are going to be in the hands of our students, why not make learning equally part of the process.

Using cellphones to help classroom instruction (Lora Beth Warren)

A very important part of helping students be successful at the primary level is communicating with their parents. I write letters, emails, and make phone calls as much as possible in order to stay in touch with my student's parents. However, as most educators will agree teachers are pressed for time but I do try hard to communicate with my parents as much as possible, but I still do not get to as much as I would like. After I thought about better ways to help improve my communication I thought about using my cellphone. I always have my iphone no matter where I go and I am constantly on the internet. I have now decided to start a facebook account just for my parents. This will be awesome because I always have my phone with me and I can use the internet to get on facebook to send parents quick messages to give them updates on their childs behavior, homework, upcoming tests, and much more. I am very excited to use my cellphone to help me be a better teacher and communicator.

Poll your students, even if cell phones are not allowed in the school

Here is an interesting website that lets you allow students to use their cell phones in the class, or if they are not allowed, they can vote on the poll when they leave the school.  I have used it in the classroom before.  Give them a polling question before they leave the class and use the results the very next day for a bellringer at the start.  It gets great emotion from the students and they love cell phones being a part of the class.

Here is the link.

http://www.polleverywhere.com/

Schools use Nintendo DS in the classroom

Chris Speck talks how he used the Nintendo DS to teach Math and English in his classroom.  Everyone should take a look at this link.

http://chrisspeck.wordpress.com/2010/05/08/teaching-with-the-nintendo-ds-mobile-technology-in-the-classroom-chatrooms/