Goals

The goal of this portfolio is to display work for the course "School Change and the Internet," for the ultimate purpose of more successfully integrating technology into instruction.

Background

My name is Holly Matthews and I am a kindergarten English language development educator in Nashville, TN. I have been teaching for eight years. I am currently pursuing an add-on endorsement to become a library information specialist.  

Experience

As an educator committed to best practice, I strive to integrate technology into my students' learning experiences. During our community helpers unit, students research their favorite helper at http://teacher.scholastic.com/commclub/. Then we create a class book after using maps on Kidspiration to organize our learning. We place our class book in our book center for children to read and enjoy. I also frequently utilize Safari Montage to introduce students to appropriate media connected to topics of study; we frequently pause to discuss the vocabulary and themes of the clips (which are powerful for English learners who need visuals and explicit vocabulary instruction.) One technology piece I plan to integrate is the use of flip cameras for assessment. I look forward to learning more strategies for integrating technology into students' learning experiences.