Preparing Teachers Of Younger Learners To Be Tech Ready

Ask The Tech Coach

In this episode of “Ask the Tech Coach,” Jeff and Susan welcome our guest Sarah Kiefer as we talk about a topic of discussion from The Tech Coaches Network. We discuss ways that we have prepared teachers of younger learners to be tech ready with ever changing ways to do school.

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In this episode, we discuss:

As we have experienced over the past year, education can begin to look a lot different at the spur of a moment and in the blink of an eye. If you are a tech coach who deals with elementary teachers this discussion is for you. It is important that we coach teachers to feel comfortable themselves with using technology for instruction and feel even more comfortable to acclimate their students to what they might see both during in school learning and virtual learning.

• Getting started
• It’s not about the tool or the tech
• Keep it simple
• Plan for moving in and out of remote learning or different situations before they happen to provide seamless transitions, especially for our younger students.
• Maximize transferability from a traditional classroom setting to online learning. The key thing to keep in mind is if something can be done in the traditional classroom setting in a digital manner than can be transferred to virtual learning, it is best to train students in this way from the beginning of the school year.
• Have the teachers try things bit by bit. E.g. if Google Classroom is being implemented at the Kindergarten level, encourage them to begin by posting something simple like a newsletter. This way it gets parents used to the navigation if they suddenly find themselves at home trying to help their child during a time of remote learning.
  • Another example here would be the use of videos. Get acclimated to using videos to introduce a lesson if you are face to face this way it transfers easily into a remote situation.
  
  
• Standardize as much as possible without stifling innovation.
  • Example of Susan’s Technology Standardization / Maximization Document
  
  
• Practice while face to face for virtual situations. YES!
• Get administrator buy in and support (& guidance/expectations)

About our Guest: Sarah Kiefer

After graduating from The University of Dayton, Sarah taught 5th grade, then 7th & 8th grade Social Studies for 14 years. She's currently a Technology Integration Specialist for Ross Local Schools where she thoroughly enjoys supporting 2 elementaries of energetic teachers and students. She is also a Google for Education Certified Innovator (#NYC19), Trainer and Educator, Levels 1 and 2. She also writes the blog "Tech You Can Do" where she shares tips & activities any teacher can do with their students.

Links of Interest

• Twitter: @kiefersj
• Wakelet: https://wakelet.com/@Kiefersj
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.w.kiefer
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS_F0rWwgQfNStIdsCFp9Sw

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