Support from donors like you has made a tremendous difference in my classroom in ways worth sharing with the world! First, my students have made friends around the world! They are in a global pen-pal group with students in Colombia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Finland, Colorado, and Australia. Skyping with other countries requires staying after school for a late pizza party, and we're working on those arrangements now. Most recently, we Skyped with a 4th grade classroom in Indiana that wanted first-hand knowledge of the Iditarod and of living in Alaska! We've Skyped with classrooms in Massachusetts, Colorado, and Pennsylvania!
Second, we have used our Skype camera to offer a student in our classroom who has disabilities the best opportunities to learn from the teacher (me) and the other students. This student processes information out loud, and this became problematic for other students and interfered with their ability to listen to the teacher. So we set him up in a small room with an aide, and he Skypes into our classroom (with his sound muted). We use our camera, which you provided for us, to give a wide-angle view of the classroom. He is able to see the Smartboard, the teacher, and some of his classmates during a lesson. He responds to questions by holding up answers on a small whiteboard in front of his camera, which we can see on the side of the Smartboard. In this way, he is totally integrated into the learning environment in the most beneficial way for everyoneânot to mention that he LOVES technology and thinks it's a blast to Skype the classroom.
I believe in a cooperative learning environment, so I spend as little time as possible standing up front being a talking head. I always think back to Charlie Brown's teacher and the sound she made (on the cartoon) that went something like this: "waaaaaa wa wa waa waaaaa." If I catch myself talking too long, I switch to my Charlie Brown teacher-voice as a signal to my students that it's THEIR turn to learn together. This is when our student with special needs comes back into the classroom to participate in Learning Stations. During the Stations in the early morning, one group of students is responsible for using the Internet to look up the weather forecast, convert Fahrenheit into Celsius, and post this information on our global Wiki to share with our pen pals around the world. Currently, we are also putting sunrise/sunset information on the Wiki too. This group uses the wireless keyboard and mouse from the back table, which is their Learning Station, to access the Internet and type in their data.
We have also used the wireless keyboard and mouse in a rhyming game, where students pass the keyboard and add a rhyming word to the open document on the Smartboard. We have other lessons that also give students the chance to manipulate the Smartboard from their desks, using the wireless keyboard and mouse (including learning games).
Last but not least, we are so happy that we can "Skype Without Static!" If you recall, my original request mentioned that we had an old camera (borrowed from someone) that was so full of static and problems that Skyping never worked. To be able to freely Skype with the assurance that it will work makes us feel like a 21st century classroom (instead of one stuck in the 90s, when equipment was bulky and erratic).
As you can tell, we have found many creative ways to use the equipment that you so kindly donated to our classroom. It has enriched our learning environment in many, many ways. I am so grateful for your kindness! I am thankful that you felt my request for help was worth your time and donations. You HAVE made a good difference in the lives of my 22 students. Thank you!”
With gratitude,
Mrs. Ray