| Educators worldwide have been issued the same | | | | reading passages. Using an overhead projector |
| challenge: integrate technology into your | | | | instead of paper is also a great start towards a |
| curriculum. Still, teachers are hard pressed to find | | | | greener classroom. |
| concrete suggestions for using technology. Never | | | | 4. Refer to the Text. Use text messaging to |
| fear. There are many ideas on this page. What | | | | send quick reminders. Imagine a text to students |
| follows are six easy ways to integrate technology | | | | about important projects or homework |
| into your curriculum. These suggestions will make | | | | assignments. Imagine a text to parents reminding |
| your tech use organic to your classroom and | | | | them about permission slips or parent-teacher |
| user-friendly for you and your students. | | | | meetings. Texting is greener, quicker, and more |
| 1. Appoint an Librarian. During readings and | | | | reliable than paper notices. |
| discussions, appoint a student as the class librarian. | | | | 5. Fan the Flames. Start a Facebook fan page. |
| This student can use a computer to access online | | | | Use this page to post discussion questions and |
| encyclopedias, dictionaries, author websites, and | | | | website links. This page can also be used to initiate |
| other references. As unknown references come | | | | conversations about books or current events |
| up, have the librarian do quick research and then | | | | related to themes and activities in your class. |
| report back while the class moves forward. | | | | 6. Add Hype with Skype. Skype is an Internet |
| Appointing a class librarian is a great way to | | | | service that offers free calling and video |
| increase understanding without interrupting the | | | | conferencing between computers. Imagine |
| flow of the lesson. | | | | facilitating a discussion with students from a |
| 2. Add Commentary. Have students submit | | | | school across the country, or across the globe, |
| writing assignments to you as email attachments. | | | | about a novel or a current event. Many authors |
| Then, use the Comment function in Microsoft | | | | offer free or inexpensive online book chats. Use |
| Word to post responses on student writing. Save | | | | Skype to bring experts into the classroom |
| each draft to create an electronic portfolio for | | | | without the hassle or expense of airfare, hotels, |
| each student. You can refer to this portfolio in | | | | cabs, or other scheduling nightmares. |
| parent conferences, specialist meetings, and | | | | Integrating technology in the classroom need not |
| student meetings. You can also use these | | | | be frustrating or gratuitous. Moreover, using |
| comments to help with your progress report | | | | technology does not require that you teach at a |
| writing. | | | | school with millions in endowment or |
| 3. Go Over Their Heads. Use an overhead | | | | Ivy-League-level resources. The above strategies |
| projector or an LCD projector instead of | | | | will help you incorporate technology into your |
| handouts. This is especially useful for pop quizzes, | | | | classroom in ways that are easy, valuable, and |
| directions to activities, or short whole-group | | | | inexpensive. |