To: Ms. Tiffany Bennett

                   From: Chastity (Charlie) Crissman 

                   RE: Blended Learning in my First Grade Classroom   

                                                                                                                        

Dear Ms. Bennett:

 

Education has changed so much in the last couple of years and so have our students.  Students are getting bored, distracted, and dis-engaged.  We teachers are having to change the way we teach, and we are needing to adapt to the ever changing world and evolving classroom environment.  In the last 18 months, the classroom as we know it has taken on many forms.  It has shifted from traditional paper and pencil to 100% digital online learning to a mix of paper and pencil and technology back to the original paper and pencil.  We have put the use of technology to an afterthought instead of using it to enhance our students’ learning.    

 

During the pandemic, our students at Genoa Elementary got accustomed to using technology as a learning modality, then we took it away from them as soon as they got back in the classroom. We are expecting them to go back to the old ways of paper and pencil only, but this is not the best fit for our students anymore.  The daily use of technology within the classroom needs to be embraced to help our students become innovators in this world today.  The best way that I can help this is by creating a  classroom where blended learning is at the forefront.

 

Blended learning is the best way to bring our students into the 21st century classroom.  I would like to transform my classroom into a blended classroom by adding technology in a meaningful and purposeful way.  I want to give my students ownership of their learning and I want to start to move toward a more student-centered environment that is more engaging and fun for my students. 

 

I am proposing to be given the opportunity to transform my classroom into a blended learning environment where my students will have the opportunity to extend their own learning of the grade level content through the use of technology.  There will be more opportunities for personalized learning for all of my students and differentiated direct teaching from me with a focus on small group instruction.

 

As we all know, TTESS is attempting to shift the focus from teacher-led lessons to student-led learning.  The use of blended learning in the classroom would foster this type of learning.  Students will have more choices and will have the opportunity to own their learning through a station rotation model.  My students’ love of learning will grow through the use of personalized learning by way of technology.

 

I know that there is a concern of putting students on computers daily, and many people feel that our students should only use technology once in a while.  Blended learning in my classroom will not just be a play time on the computers.  All students will utilize their computers to enhance their own learning.  I ask that my students are given the opportunity to learn online in a purposeful and predicted way through blended learning.   I also ask that I am given the opportunity to utilize a blended learning environment in my classroom to increase engagement and foster a love of student-led learning for all of my students.

 

Sincerely,

Chastity Crissman, M. Ed.