Thoughtful Analysis

     In our article today , we read about early childhood, 4 and 5 year kids, and the use of technology in the classroom. As amazing an asset the use of technology is within the classroom. I think the most important part of my article was the constant option and reference back to the old method of pen and paper. In the early years, children are exposed constantly to technology from their toys to the world around them. However technology does have its cost on human development. Fine and gross motor skills rely on children actually using a pen and paper to build up the muscle and skills needed to hold a pencil and write with legible penmanship. In my classroom, especially if I teach at this young of an age, I will remember and encourage the importance of the old ways as equally important to the technological new ways.
    This being said, I can still see great uses of all the technology mentioned in my article. Electronic newsletters are a fast and efficient way to get important information to parents without having to rely solely on the memory of a four year old. Also, in the classroom the use of a digital camera is so great. By including photos of families and step by step instructions, students will be surrounded by powerful stimuli to help them throughout their days.
     In listening to other people present their articles, I greatly disagree with the article about removing computers completely from school settings. Mot only is it irrational, but its downright insane to take ten steps back by removing this important asset from the classroom. Instead of going to the extreme of removing these classroom elements, monitoring and restrictions can be made to limit the variance from assigned tasks.

Communication: Sign Language and More

The past two weeks we have been practicing our alphabet in sign language. 

Now that we know how to make all the letters on our own, I would like you to practice the alphabet by watching the video below and signing the alphabet along to the video. 

In case you forgot any of the letters, on the right hand side of the video is a hand showing you how to do each letter. 

Watch the video once and then watch again to see if you can do the letters along with the video. Then, complete the activity under the video on our blog.

***********Activity************

Many people use sign language to communicate with each other if they cannot hear voices the way that we do. 

Can you think of a way that someone else may communicate? 

Does anyone you know communicate differently than we do in our classroom? 

What about pets? How do they communicate?

On our blog tell me about someone or something that you know who communicates differently than us. Write at least three sentences about how they communicate and who they communicate with.

***Hint: Look at the picture below what are they using to communicate with?

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