Ms. Amy's Blog @Child Central Station

One of the pieces of technology that I have been using in my classroom for a long period of time is the program-audacity. I LOVE THIS technology! Audacity is a free voice recording and editing software. I often set up our own recording studio for the children to sing songs, record music, and to tell stories.  The software is really easy to use, and you can easily adjust the output volumes, edit out pieces of dead air, etc. The children love to hear their own songs and stories! We are also going to be using Audacity to increase the selections for our listening center. We have asked the parents to read their favorite books using the program. This will allow us to have more selections available in our listening library- AND bring in some more of our families cultures.  Do you use voice recording software in your classroom? If so, we'd love to hear about it! You can find and download Audacity here. Here are a couple of other posts where I mention our...

Last week, I introduced you to my new weekly topic for posting on Tuesdays, "Let's Talk Tech Tuesdays".  If you missed that post, you can find it here! Last week, I spent a little bit of time sharing with you an app that I use for taking anecdotal notes on my iphone/ipad. This week, I have a computer program/app that is more universal for use as you can utilize it from your computer, iphone/ipad, or android phone. This program allows you to track your daily information sheets through the program and to link individual children to their parents. Parents will then have the opportunity to receive up to the minute information on their child in care or opt to have a daily digest of information. You can log all activities including arrival/departures, feedings/meals/snacks, naps, learning activities, first aid, etc. You an also add photos and videos! I know that many sites use paper versions of daily sheets. This app is handy because it saves paper, and there is a lasti...

If you've been following my blog or spent any time at our place, you know that the children in our care have limited access to "technology".  I try to encourage creativity and exploration through play, real unplugged play.  We don't even have a television in the main area for our childcare. Out of sight, out of mind. As far as I'm concerned, children spend enough time watching television elsewhere, and it is not my place to make the decisions in terms of what is or is not appropriate for children to watch. (That is the job of the parent.) That does not mean that the children have no connection to technology here. They have all become quite good at taking photos, and I use voice recording software on my phone and computer to record some of their stories and songs. We do spend time looking at photos and recalling previous activities and events. There are even a couple of programs on my computer that I allow the children to use.  However, my primary foc...