Katie Felix is a kindergarten teacher at Point Defiance Elementary School in Tacoma, Washington.
When Katie was a kindergartner in 1984, she had her first experience with an Apple IIc in computer class. The teachers were not sure if kindergartners could do it, but they learned the fastest. This led Katie to believe this of her students. She has been teaching for 17 years and has taught kindergarten for 16 years. Previously, she was granted a Teaching and Learning 21st Century Grant with Washington State, which focused on lesson design while integrating technology into her classroom. Ever since, she has taken that experience and current technology to innovate lessons that met her student’s needs.
“Accessibility tools are a great tool for every student. When students are typing a piece of work, have them use Immersive Reader to read back their writing. Does it make sense? In kindergarten, you can use it to see if someone could read their writing. Did they put spaces between words? Could the computer read their letter combinations to form that word? Immersive Reader is a great tool to help you edit your work. Powerful Learning includes making learning accessible and personal. When students get feedback on their work, they can improve. Immersive Reader is a tool that they have access to even when a teacher is working with other students.”
“Reach out to me if you are an early childhood teacher! So often, K-2 teachers have not had focused trainings on the needs of the early and emergent readers who are using technology. They can do it! Let’s talk about how technology and play can be integrated into your learning environment.”
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