Dana Bauer
Dana Bauer teaches fourth grade at Middleton Elementary
School in Sherwood, Oregon. Last summer she participated
in one of OPB's National Teacher Training Institute
workshops at Northwest Regional ESD. All of the workshop
participants had the opportunity to submit a lesson plan
for college credit, as well as enter a contest for a $500
award for best NTTI lesson plan. Dana's language arts lesson
plan, "In The Mood for Jazz," was selected as OPB's
NTTI Lesson Plan Award Winner for 2002-2203. udging criteria
included: use of the NTTI lesson plan template and multiple
NTTI lesson plan strategies, inclusion of at least one video,
Web and hands-on component, and inclusion of detailed, engaging
activities.
Dana's Lesson Plan: In the Mood
for Jazz (MS Word) |
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Q&A with Dana Bauer
Fourth-grade teacher and NTTI workshop participant Dana Bauer
discusses her strategies for integrating digital media into the
classroom.
How many students are in your class?
I have 28 students in my class.
How long have you been a teacher?
I have taught for six years.
How will NTTI change the way you teach?
The course I took with NTTI will change the way I teach in that
I now feel more comfortable using technology with my students.
What do you like best about how your lesson turned out?
My lesson will allow me to teach in a more engaging way. The technology
will make lessons come alive, motivating and reaching students
with diverse learning styles.
What frustrations or struggles did you experience in planning
your lesson?
I felt a little overwhelmed by the vast resources online and through
Video on Demand, so it was challenging to find those that best
fit my needs. Also, the workshop lasted only two days, so it was
difficult to develop lesson plans that incorporated the technology
in such a short time.
Beyond the resources used in your lesson, what digital
media resources have you discovered to be especially helpful?
I purchased a digital camera after taking the NTTI workshop, which
I've used to take photos and video of my students. I'm
taking digital photos that I can use as writing prompts and I'm
photographing examples of quality work that I see to share with
my students.
What advice would you give to other teachers about using digital
media in the classroom?
Start small. Commit to using digital media in at least one lesson
this year. After you see that it's achievable, fun and effective,
you'll want to do more.
How have your students reacted to your new way of teaching?
They love technology and are eager to learn in new ways.
How often do you use digital media in the classroom?
I'm just starting out, so I am hoping to use digital media
for at least one unit each trimester this year.
What has been the most important thing you've learned from your
NTTI experience about using digital media in the classroom?
The most important thing I’ve learned is that I CAN use digital
media in my classroom. I feel more confident with the technology,
I have a better idea of what resources are available and I have
a specific lesson plan to implement that fits with the curriculum
that I already teach.
What role do you see digital video best serving in your classroom?
I love the way that digital video can bring children’s literature
alive. The fact that I can select short clips of stories and teach
between segments is a bonus, and the music, sound effects, movement
and authentic readers’ voices add depth to the experience.
Are there any other things that you'd like to say about your experience
or advice you'd give others about NTTI or OPB's Teacher Resource
Service?
Get your feet wet! I encourage other teachers to take advantage
of the free OPB/NTTI workshops. By doing so, they’ll discover
technology resources, learn skills and have time to develop engaging
lesson plans that utilize digital media.
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