Gimme More Grouch!

I loved Sesame Street! I loved the characters, especially Guy Smiley, Count von Count and Maria. I loved the theme song. I loved that really long slide at the start of the show. I loved the songs. I would watch Sesame Street every day while at my babysitter’s house. This was my first exposure to letters and numbers. And this was my first exposure to kids and grown ups that looked “different” than myself. 

Sesame Street is such an engaging and memorable show for children as they build foundational knowledge. Postman wrote: “…We now know that “Sesame Street” encourages children to love school only if school is like “Sesame Street.” However, Sesame Street can be viewed in a similar fashion as the technology that we use in a classroom now. Sesame Street is fun, mostly lighthearted, engaging, and designed to be memorable. Who doesn’t remember the Pinball Number Count song?

Similarly, the technologies we are using in schools creates a more exciting and engaging lesson. And likely more memorable when we can combine audio and visual technologies. For example, students love to play Blooket. The games on Blooket are exciting, visually stimulating and the music fun. Most of the games also include zapping noises that go along with the games. Kahoot is also engaging in a similar fashion, as students play, music is played.

In my own classroom, we daily use an interactive projector, chromebooks and most students have their own devices such as cell phones. This allows for a student-centered learning approach. I am able to use Google Classroom to tailor programs specifically for students’ learning needs, students are able to work and turn in work at their own pace, and at their fingertips is a wealth of information. I am also able to provide immediate feedback within Google docs using the ‘comment’ tool or the ‘suggestion’ tool. 

This has been a great way to assess students and ensure students are keeping up with assignments.

One of the coolest AV technologies that I have used to keep students engaged is virtual field trips. There are several different ways this can be done; however, through VR or YouTube have been what I have found most. My students love these, remember these and talk about them for a long time. This is such an exciting way to visit places that we would otherwise NEVER see!

The technology that we have at our fingertips is constantly evolving and is exciting. Just as Sesame Street was fun and exciting as it was evolving. School should be engaging and memorable.