Inspiration

Finding the main idea...

that was the subject for one of my reading lessons last week. What better way to visually dissect the main idea from the details than by using the program Inspiration?

A couple weeks prior to the lesson, I had been piddling around on my cooperating teacher's laptop and discovered that each computer in the classroom has a copy of the program Kidspiration. WOW!

I started playing with this version of my favorite concept map program and found...I like the original version better.

I'm so glad I made this discovery when I did, because when I thought to use Inspiration for my "main idea" lesson weeks later, I knew right away that:
A) I'd better spend more time getting familiar with all the details and different buttons on Kidspiration...or....
B) I'd better download the 30day trial version of Inspiration, the version I'm already familiar with.

I went with option B. This saved me both time and energy (two commodities I had in short supply because I was full-time teaching last week).

The children LOVED Inspiration and asked me if they could play with the program during recess. I had only thought that this program would be perfect to visualize the concept I wanted to get across, but the children's response taught me that I should be enabling the children to make their own discoveries using these tools, not just limiting them to the "discoveries" I WANT them to make.

I keep forgetting that I'm not just limited to teaching other teachers how to use technology. I should really be handing over these tools to my 2nd graders...

and I have the feeling that pretty soon, THEY will be the ones teaching me how to use THEIR programs (Kidspiration).