5 uses for the digital camera in the classroom

1- Taking pictures to put on blogs. I think that the students and the teachers can use this. I plan on having a blog for that class that the students can share photo's of projects and activities in the classroom with their family and friends. Also I am going to post the assignment plan for the week on there so that parents and students can get on and check what is due. I think that this will help the parents especially because the kids may say that they do not have homework, because they do not want to do it, but they can then get on line and check the blog. Depending on what grade I decide to teach, the kids could also have a blog and want to take pictures and post them on their own blog to share with family and friends. You would have to keep a close monitor of what kods posted on their blogs.

2- Capturing memories to make scrapbook pages. Scrap booking has become very popular with families, so in the class room we can take pictures of the children and let them also take the camera home to take pictures in order to make prints of memories, that they or their family could scrap book together. I think it would be fun to make a scrap book in class with the students for the year, and they all be required to make at least one page to contribute to the book. Kids may not have a family atmosphere to take pictures of, so you would have to help them be creative with memories and ideas.

3- Taking pictures during the school year and making a CD for the kids to take home at the end of the year. I think that this would be a great memory for the students to have. They can help select the photo's of different activities through out the year, like field trips, plays, assemblies and other activities. We could even include personal photos of the kids doing their own activities with their family. The students can help me choose the music to add and make it fun and memorable for them. You would have to make sure that you did not have too many of one child and get a good variety of all the students.

4- Have students take pictures of them and their family to make a family tree book. This will come in as a really good keepsake for later in life. They will be able to take pictures of great grandma and grandpas that they will have forever. It is good to show the students where they come from, generation to generation. With the book they can also do some research to have the students learn their family history and background. The students may not have a large family, or may be adopted so you would have to becareful how you worded and treated the students.

5- Use photos for attendance charts. I like this idea, especially for substitute teachers. You know that when they have a substitute they try to sit with their friends and trick the substitute, with photos on their name tag and on a seating chart, the substitute will know exactly where the students should be at all times. Also I would make it so the pictures on the name tag change, when the student has a new photo to display. I cannot think of any major cons on using this, I think it would be very helpful.

I am so glad that I have to write all these ideas down on the blog, so that when I am a teacher I will remember first where I put them and remember them period, because they are written out. I know that there are so many ideas that cross my head about what I want to use and teach in my classroom, and I need to start putting my ideas on here so that I will always have them.