QR Codes in the Classroom

Technology is ever so changing in today’s typical classroom.  A lot of schools are getting iPads, netbooks, laptops or another type of tablet.  If your school has a tech tool that has the ability to scan QR Codes, then I would look into adapting this new way to teach.  In the classroom I am currently assisting, 3^rd Grade, with we have used QR Codes for mathematics.  We have had QR Codes placed around the classroom and students would scan the code which would then lead them to a story problem they would have to solve.  This was a fun interactive way for students to solve story problems.    We have also had students create and record their own division story problems.  We then showed them how they can use the URL from their video to create a QR Code.  They now have a set of QR Codes in the classroom full of division story problems that they have created, to can scan and solve.

There are many other ways to use QR Codes in the classroom.  You could do a virtual field trip; have the code go to a poem, videos and many more.  I found this nice article written by Mary Beth Hertz, which explains other ways we can use QR Cods in the classroom.  You could have some fun and scan the QR Code below or click on the following link.

Using QR Codes in the Classroom 

Lighting of a Fire

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire" - William Butler Yeats

This being the first blog as a future educator I want to start off with a bang.  I think this quote sums up what this blog will become and what I believe as an educator.  Yeats says that education is the lighting of a fire, and I believe this to be the same for this blog.  I am looking for the spark that is needed to start a fire for my blogging.  I know that blogging is a great tool for teachers to communicate and for students to see the that teachers are humans as well.  

Reading this quote I have so many takes on it, but I will share my most important.  As teachers we should know that we don't want to feed students with a ton of facts and knowledge that may not be useful.  Therefore we don't want to fill their pails.  Instead we want to give students sparks of new information, knowledge or learning that will grow into a much bigger fire.  We need to provide these sparks for students so they can learn on their own and not always rely on others.  Once we find the spark that needs to be started in each student, then we can say that we are successful educators.  But if we don't find the sparks that are needed for each topic we have failed and need to try and try again.