MIT Reflections-Mary Nisewander

In the first year of participating with the MIT grant, I definitely had more time to spend working specifically on my classroom math projects, and technology related activities. However, in the second year of the MIT grant, with the new language arts adoption, I found Treasures had an incredible impact on splitting my teacher preparation and planning time. Therefore, I tried very hard to integrate the use of technology with both curricula.

I strongly believe that the use of the document camera, laptop, camera, etc. had and continues to have a powerful affect and effect with young children in the classroom environment. The use of this type of technology has empowered my students to an entire different level of learning. I find they are more engaged and have a firmer sense of knowledge base in which ever academic area we are engaged in.

The children loved sharing with their families and our community all their projects at our annual "Project Fair": Math Trails power point presentations, photos of their completed work or written thoughts on certain math and language arts skills, and just sharing being a part of the instructional process during our learning times throughout the school year.

Overall, the children and I have learned to utilize discourse in math to be implemented throughout our learning in ALL academic areas. It has been a challenge for myself and the children, and yet the changes has brought forth for new methods and strategies us both to pave a different avenue of learning and teaching.