I was fortunate to do my internship at
Moorsbridge
Elementary in Portage,
Michigan. Approximately 555 students attend Moorsbridge, a school which serves grades
K through 5. Moorsbridge is known for its abundance of technology resources for students and
teachers. Each classroom is equipped with one IBM student computer, a television and VCR.
My classroom also had its own laptop and
projector that my mentor teacher received through a grant. A cart of approximately thirty
AlphaSmarts are also available for each grade level and is shared between classrooms.
Moorsbridge Elementary has a computer lab which houses thirty computers, two printers
and a scanner. The students are able to use programs in Microsoft Office, which includes Word
and Power Point, as well as software such as Math Blaster, KidPix, Inspiration, and much more.
Additionally, the media center has many resources for teachers including video
cameras, digital cameras, a video library, laser disc player, and video projectors.
Moorsbridge's Cafeteria/Auditorium is equipped with a mixer board and professional sound
amplification. Lastly, Moorsbridge is focused on keeping their teachers up-to-date
with technology. Courses in technology are offered to teachers, which are also taught by the
teachers. I was fortunate to attend a few of these classes myself.
I interned in a fourth grade classroom of twenty-four students. 87% of these students had
computer access at home, however only 83% had Internet access. We were able to utilize the AlphaSmarts
program on an average of three times a week. The classroom also reserved the computer lab for
one hour, with additional opportunities for more time. Through my unit about The United States
I was able to utilize many of the technology resources available for Moorsbridge Elementary.
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