Brian Puerling - Teaching in the Digital Age for Preschool and Kindergarten: Enhancing Curriculum with Technology

Published by Redleaf Press

10 Yorkton Court

St. Paul, MN 55117

www.redleafpress.org

2018 by Brian Puerling

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted on a specific page, no portion of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or capturing on any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a critical article or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper, or electronically transmitted on radio, television, or the Internet.

First edition 2018

Cover design by Jim Handrigan

Cover photographs by iStock.com/Asergieiev and Jim Handrigan

Interior design by Jim Handrigan

Typeset in Minion Pro

Interior photos by David Recksieck

24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This book contains names of numerous products and the companies that produce them. Redleaf Press is not responsible for any dissatisfaction you may experience with any of the products or businesses referred to herein.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Puerling, Brian, author.

Title: Teaching in the digital age for preschool and kindergarten: enriching curriculum with technology / Brian Puerling.

Description: St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017031654 (print) | LCCN 2017049849 (ebook) | ISBN 9781605546025 (e-book)

Subjects: LCSH: Education, Preschool--Computer-assisted instruction. | Education, Preschool--Curricula. | Education--Effect of technological innovations on. | Educational technology.

Classification: LCC LB1140.35.C64 (ebook) | LCC LB1140.35.C64 P84 2018 (print) | DDC 372.21--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017031654

Printed on acid-free paper

To my daughter, Lydia Joy

Contents

Table of Contents

AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FRED ROGERS CENTER, I have the good fortune to work with leading experts at the crossroads of child development, technology, and education. Given the rapidly changing technology landscape, using digital media and technology to support the social-emotional well-being and cognitive skills of children is vitally important. Just as Fred Rogers used televisionthe technology of his dayto inspire, nurture, and educate young children, todays technology has the potential to enrich learning.

Recently, we released a new report in collaboration with TEC Center at Erikson Institute, Technology and Interactive Media for Young Children: A Whole Child Approach Connecting the Vision of Fred Rogers with Research and Practice. The report highlighted that media, technology, and social-emotional development are not mutually exclusive and that there is considerable room for growth in how media and technology is designed and utilized to support whole child development. For many, including myself, translating this into practice is often challenging.

So, when Fred Rogers Center Early Career Fellow Brian Puerling asked me if I would consider writing the foreword to his latest book the answer was a quick yes. I first met Brian when I joined the Fred Rogers Center in 2014, and through the years we have connected at conferences and professional development conventions. But it wasnt until I visited Brian at Chicagos Catherine Cook School that I fully appreciated his natural talent for taking technology and translating it into practice that is mindful of childrens social-emotional development and cognitive skills.

As we walked around the school, I had the opportunity to witness how he integrated technology in the teaching environment. It was clear that Brian had a special gift. The way the children and their teachers used technology was seamlessit wasnt using technology for technologys sake. In one classroom, I watched as children and teachers engaged with one another as they were creating a stop-motion video. The collaboration and persistence skills the children were learning will serve them well throughout their lives. Technology didnt get in the wayit enhanced their interactions and promoted deeper learning.

As I finished my tour with Brian, I was both impressed and saddened. Impressed because I had just experienced what many of us have envisioned as the potential for technology to transform the classroom. Then it hit me, even if schools had all the technologies at their disposal, they still dont have the luxury of a dedicated person such as Brian to help develop curriculum and work side by side with teachers to support professional development and best practices.

Thats why I was thrilled when Brian told me about his new book, which allows him to bring his years of experience and finely-honed practices to a wider audience. His straightforward examples in each subject area allow educators to quickly connect the dots and then apply that knowledge to any new technology that may come their way in a wide variety of subjects. Brians background in child development truly shines through in his approach.

While there are many respected books, surveys, reports, and positions statements on the topic of technology use in the classroom, such as the joint position statement by the National Association of Education of Young Children and Fred Rogers Center, they always encourage using technology in alignment with child development practices, but they rarely say how. In this book, Brian clearly states numerous practical examples on how technology can be used to expand childrens learning and encourages teachers to build on what they already know about pedagogy.

In chapter seven, Brian tells the story of a current student who was moving away with her family. Because she was aware of some of the ways in which people can keep in touch, she chose to stay connected to her school and classroom through video messaging. This experience not only changed students understanding of geography, but enabled them to maintain a strong social connection.

In the same chapter, he goes through the process of creating a feelings book/e-reader and corresponding with digital pen pals. These are all opportunities that young children who wouldnt necessarily have the advanced writing skills, or emotional vocabulary to express themselves on paper, are now able to have. To quote Brian from the book, Developing social-emotional skills does not only happen face to face. There are other ways children can connect and develop relationships with people while still in the classroom, in the home, on the playground, at the pool, and in the car.

To help teachers decide which social platforms to use for sharing information, Brian has seven questions that will guide making a selection. Brian says, No matter what the experience is, it is important that teachers are well aware of the social-emotional state of the group and use that as the guide for the tools they decide to use with the group, rather than choosing a tool or resource first, and then finding a way to make it work for the social-emotional state of the group. Brians gentle reminder to not forget about emotionssomething all of us bring to learningis something I will be quoting again and again.

Although Teaching in the Digital Age for Preschool and Kindergarten is intended for educators, it is incredibly helpful for parents as well. As the father of two amazing young daughters, I see how my children and their teachers use technology in the classroom and how technology integration continuously evolves. This book is a great resource as I think about my own technology interactions with my daughters and how it can enhance and strengthen our relationship as a family. Many of us are learning as quickly as we can when it comes to technology use with children, and this book can be our trusted companion in guiding us forward.