Ana Buckmaster is a fifth grade teacher at Peeler Open School for the Performing Arts, a magnet school in Greensboro, North Carolina. Ms. Buckmaster is considered a “thought leader” by her peers, incorporating technology into her classroom. In addition, she also teaches a continuing education course through the North Carolina Teacher’s Academy (NCTA) on how to utilize on-line tools in the classroom.
By Christi Grab, Contributing Editor, Parentella
Q: Why do you add technological tools into your classroom instead of teaching the old fashioned way?
A: I find that technological tools tend to increase two things: student engagement and motivation. Students are more engaged when they have access to different tools. I find they want to learn, want to do the assignments, and the assignments are more meaningful to them. For example, we have a blog with a global audience. Knowing that people in other countries are looking at their work makes the students want to do the best work possible. Our website has a map, and every time we have someone from a different city visit our site, a dot appears on the map. The kids get excited every time they see a new dot, particularly if it is from a different country.
Q: What kinds of technological tools do you utilize?
A: I generally use web based tools that are free: blogs, wikis, and podcasting are the primary tools. I also let students work with digital cameras and laptops. The kids tend to be surprisingly adept with the applications. They often come up with exciting uses for the applications that I never thought of, and they give me new ideas.
Q: Do you still use the traditional educational tools, like books and chalkboards?
A: Yes, I do. The kids each have own notebooks that are organized. I believe that being organized with papers is a valuable skill and I don’t want to handicap them by leaving that skill out of their education. Of course, being organized digitally is an important skill, too, and I teach both. Kids love to write on the chalkboard – it is one of their favorite things to do, so doing certain activities on the chalkboard is also a good educational tool.
Q: Do kids learn any more or less using technology than they do the old fashioned way? Or are they learning the exact same thing in a different method?
A: I think students learn the same things either way, but they definitely learn differently using technology. It is difficult to measure whether it is more or less. In the traditional method, the parents and teacher are the students’ only audience. By utilizing technology, my students have a wider audience within both the local community and the global community. Having a wider audience gives them more opportunity to talk about their learning with others and to see other perspectives, which further encourages development.
Q: How does utilizing technology in the classroom affect the parents? Does it alienate parents who are not technologically savvy, draw the parents in who are savvy, or does it simply have no impact on the parents?
A: I think parents are excited about their kids having the opportunity to use some of these tools. Having so many tools available helps draw parents in to the education process. By being able to see work and activity recaps on line, they can be involved even if they can’t physically come in to the classroom, which is a bonus for most parents. Parents are quick to pick up on things like where to find the homework and current events in the classroom on the website. I don’t think the technology has alienated anyone yet.
Q: Do you believe that parental involvement has an impact on how well the child performs in the classroom? Do you do anything to try to further encourage the parents to participate in their child’s education?
A: I think parental involvement is directly related to a child’s academic performance, so I try hard to draw parents into the education process. I have an open door policy where a parent can call or email me any time – 24 hours a day – if they have a concern.
I also visit like to visit families in their homes. I feel like meeting families on “their turf” helps them to relate to me as a person as opposed to an authority figure, and I think that helps to open lines of communication. I visit specifically to talk about expectations. I want to know what the family’s individual expectations are of me, and I want them to know what I expect from them to as it relates to the child’s education.
Q: What are some of the things you expect from the families of your students?
A: The obvious ones are that they know that I think it is important that they call me with any concerns and that it is important that they follow their child’s progress on the website. Beyond that, I encourage parents to read to their children, talk to their children and that they keep the lines of communication open with both me and the kids.
Q: Are the teachers that take your continuing education course enthusiastic or resistant about adding on-line technology to their classes?
A: At first they are a little resistant because they have doubts that they can afford the equipment/software, and they aren’t confident in their ability to learn to use the tools. After they have seen what I and others have done with the tools, they get excited and motivated and can’t wait to try it out. Our main goal is for teachers to see what is currently being done and to help them find ways to implement these tools in their own schools.
Q: Why do you think schools on the whole have been slow to incorporate technology into the classroom?
A: I think there are two main impediments, both of which I alluded to above. The first is the learning curve. Some teachers have been doing things one way for a long time and don’t think they can learn new technologies.
The other impediment is the cost. Most of the tools we use are free, but there may need to be training costs, and hardware and/or software might need to be purchased. I think there are ways around those costs, which we try to show at the teacher academy. At the academy, we focus on what teachers can do with that they already have. For example, if you already have an internet connection, you can set up a class website for free. There are also free sites to host podcasts, and podcasts can be done with a low cost digital camera found in most media centers.
Q: Ms. Buckmaster, Parentella applauds your innovation. We wish you continued success and that you inspire others.
A: Thank you.
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Christi Grab is contributing editor and writer for Parentella. She is a native of Southern California. After graduating from San Diego State University, she went on to be a successful business woman. In April of 2007, she and her husband decided to put their careers on hold and travel the world for two years. Ms. Grab has recently returned from her travels and is currently writing a book about their adventure. For more information on the trip, visit http://kosmos.liveflux.net/blog.
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- Parent Teacher Communication: A Teacher’s Perspective
- Bloom Science Club
- Parental Involvement Through the PTA
- The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
- Part 3: Every Child is Smart
Tags: Ana Buckmaster, education, K through 12, North Carolina, teacher, Technology
Great discussion, I’m a 57 year old grandmother and I look forward to seeing what Mrs Buckmaster and her class kids are going to do next. I’ve checked out a few teachers school pages and find them under construction or blank. She seem to have a happy well rounded class of learners, adventures. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Louise. We think the world of Ana.