As we end the school year, I am wondering how much technology I should integrate into my summer school class.  Another teacher and I teach pre-school students who will be entering kindergarten next year.  I think it might be beneficial to introduce them to the tablets that they will be using the second semester.  When I get my tablet and become acclimated to it I might begin allowing the summer school students to use it for certain activities.  These might include videoing them as they act out a story and letting them watch or using certain letter recognition aps while working in small groups.  This coming year will bring a lot of exciting changes and, I am sure,  a few challenges.  But as my pastor said this morning, we don't want to take away any of the obstacles we might have to encounter for they help us to grow as much if not more as our successes.  We will just embrace each day and each student that we have and start them on their way to becoming

responsible digital citizens.

My oldest son knows how much I love (am addicted to) children's books.  For Christmas and Mother's Day he has given me a children's book.  The one he got me for Christmas is especially relevant to the topic of technology and goes along with my thoughts that too much technology can take away from experiences and opportunities.  I found this book plus another shared on YouTube.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3nVxt6_lAc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ouOwpYQqic

If you have read any of my other blogs you might realize that I am not a tech fanatic.  Don't get me wrong, I appreciate catching up with friends and family on Facebook and getting ideas from Pinterest.  I am not sure how I ever survived my teenage years without a cellphone. Filling out forms and composing letters and papers has been made so much easier with Word Document programs.  However, I feel that some of these (not all) technological "upgrades" are taking away from face to face conversation and social etiquette.   I have found a slideshare presentation that shares how technology can hinder social skills.  http://www.slideshare.net/MichelleJCouperthwaite/technology-affecting-social-skills

I have several milestones coming up in the next month.  In three weeks my mischievous, fun loving baby boy will graduate from high school.  In four weeks, my male mini me will turn 21 and the next day will be my 30th class reunion.  It seems like yesterday that I was graduating from high school.  I can't believe it has been 30 years.  The change in technology from 1985 until now has been unbelievable.