1. Computer access for student in the classroom would greatly enhance learning for many students. Although we have the carts of computers to use, they are not necessarily available as often as we might need to make regular use secondary nature for the students. Practice online testing would improve scores. Regular computer use would also help with differentiated lessons. The faster students could be challenged while the slower students are being remediated.

2. It would be very helpful to have more time to incorporate new technologies. Learning the ins and out of new technology is time consuming at first. We have such little time to practice and learn. The first week of school gives us very little plan time to do anything new. I like the idea of the layered lesson plans. but I need more time to learn and incorporate.

3. I agree with Chris about online textbook use. With computer use in the classroom, we could better teach the students how to use the online book at home. Since students generally don't correctly use the textbook as a resource, regardless of how we try to help them with it, they might possibly use the online version as a resource since they are used to using the internet for a resource in other subjects.

I use Safari Montage to introduce topics, using the guided notes and practice problems that are part of the Algebra 's cool series..
I am lesson planning in promethean flipcharts everyday. The students can move things around to group or make list. I think it is much more visual than anything else I have tried to master.
I know that MPT education site has some interesting math supplements but I have not yet investigated them.
There are some good math lesson on youtube which I downloaded but they did not show up well in school. The originals was much better.

I like the layered curriculum idea where students have the perception of choice and control. The trig example had several assignments listed with the clevel notes being mandatory. Students can then pick from other assigments as long as their points total 25. Oral defense on all assignments is developed. Students can do many hw practice problems or as few as 5 but they must show me that they understand the material. Using the flip cam while a student explains a problem to show the rest of the class, picking a problem from stack of index card and completeing it correctly. Using the interwrite tablet and the smart board to show the steps to the correct answer. The differentiation is great and I think that the students who do less and less work because they "know it already" and are board might get a new lease on the subject!

I'm still behind many times so my penalties may be less than some. I still keep a paper calender with me at all times. I do feel like I personally do many things more than once as I must hit an incorrect button and things dissappear or I'm suddenly writing in the middle of a sentence instead of the end. Sharing interwrite tablets and active expressions can be very frustrating as you must restart the computer to have these plug in devices recognized. Time comsuming and inconvient especially when teachers share the equipment. Drill time can be replced with login time. I will be getting a smart board and have been putting my lesson together in ActivInspire. I like the results and I am looking forward the student interaction with the smart board lessons but it is very time consuming the 1st time around especially since I am still have much to learn about the software. I always count on the students to figure out the technology that is new to me. My plan is to be more prepared next semester and only have to tweak lesson instead of built them through technology.

I think his observations are very accurate for my classroom and for our school. I know that the students are accustomed to lots of color and action which is difficult to reproduce in the classroom. My brain is programmed old school and even when I try new things I'm processing it through my brain. I think it will be easier to step forward a little with the Promethian board and Activinspire. A school where every child has access to a computer would make the steps into the digital world easier. I think that music can be an asset to learning and is for me because I grew up in a house where music was always playing. I have been able to train my brain to listen to a book on cd while doing math problems and other activities, so I am sure that we can reprogram, just not sure how long it takes to become 2nd nature. I'd love for my lesson to be like video games but I haven't played them so that puts a crimp in the learning scale.