Initially, I thought to myself, what will I write for this first prompt?? I teach grade three and, with these young learners, I typically don’t use a lot of tech. Having 25 eight year olds successfully working on laptops is no easy feat, to say the least. In grade three, we still do a lot of work pen/paper style, and, especially in French Immersion, face-to-face interaction, with an oral emphasis, is the priority!
Upon further reflection, I considered all of the tech that dictates MY DAY. Technology aids, supports, enhances my teaching all day long. Once I began a list of tech tools I use regularly, the list went on…and on. Here is my ‘typical’ day in the classroom, in regards to technology, teaching and learning:
6:00 am: RING RING! My day starts bright and early with my cell phone alarm. Of course, this is followed by some snoozing of said alarm, and then, some procrastination scrolling because, really, who gets up before checking their messages, emails, socials, the weather, etc? Next, I tell my HomePod to play some music and begin my morning routine.
8:00 am: I arrive at school and immediately turn on the overhead projector/screen beam. Then, I put on my wearable, necklace-style microphone (my fabulous accessory for the day) that amplifies my voice through the overhead speaker – this is an absolute voice-saver. Next, I’ll turn on my division laptop (and hope I remembered to charge it!) and connect wirelessly to the projector; my laptop stays connected ALL DAY. I open up my ‘EVERYDAY’ bookmark tab in Google Chrome that contains 10 (ish) websites that I use in the classroom everyday – think Edsby, Seesaw, Apple Music, Linguee, GoNoodle, Canva, etc.
8:55 am: The first bell rings and students start coming in. I get our morning music ready; I find Instrumental Pop Covers on Apple Music helps set a nice and relaxing tone as the kiddos (and their boisterous morning energy) enter. I project the work students will be doing for their travail du matin (morning work), such as a copy of a worksheet or other instructions for them to follow.
9:00 – 11:55 am: Throughout the morning, my computer allows me to project the work we are doing – Math lesson, English fairy tale, French writing activity, Science diagram, you name it. Having the big and bright visual of our work is so helpful in instruction. As well, I will often include in short videos, in my lessons, to either introduce or support the topic or simply increase student engagement (a break from my droning voice). I frequently access YouTube (channels like: NumberRock, ONF, Kids Tv Française, MindYeti), Khan Academy and other sites for educational clips. At some point, we’ll stop for a ‘pause active’ and do one of our favourite GoNoodle brain breaks. A few other common morning tech engagements include:
- Submit attendance on Edsby
- Check Seesaw to approve student work or see parent messages
- Keep an eye on emails from colleagues and parents
12 pm – lunchtime! My laptop stays connected and is blasting our co-created class playlist for the students to enjoy; each kiddo submits their current favourite song and I create an Apple playlist for us to listen to everyday. They love it!
1-3:30 pm: Afternoons begin with our reading centers; one center uses our classroom tablets as students connect to one of our online reading resources – RazKids or Je lis je lis – to practice their reading. These sites provide a nice change from a physical book and have options for students to listen to the book (especially helpful with French reading!), record themselves reading and complete comprehension activities. Also, reading on a tablet is quite the novelty, so engagement is high! A few other afternoon tech engagements include:
- Submit afternoon attendance on Edsby
- See staff reminders in our school WhatsApp group
- Continue projecting work and sharing multimedia resources on projector, often using Canva slides
- Student laptop use – a couple times a week – using a school laptop cart (I need much coffee and patience for these periods!)
- Send end day emails as needed
SO, it turns out I rely on tech quite heavily to teach. The odd day when something isn’t quite working properly: my projector won’t connect, laptop doesn’t have WiFi, I can’t sign into my usual websites, etc., it causes a lot of frustration and is time consuming to work around. While times like these have me cursing the tech gods, I believe the convenience and enhancement tech usually adds to my teaching practice is worth the odd headache.
I found this great article on “brilliant ways” to use tech in the classroom – it features a few ways that I already use tech and offers many new and interesting other ways to incorporate it:
https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/27-brilliant-ways-to-use-technology-in-the-classroom
Aside from my daily use, I consider the prominence of tech in the teaching resources available to me. Online programs seem to be quickly replacing the typical textbooks or hard copy resources that, even when I started teaching eight years ago, were prevalent. For example, our division is promoting MathUp as a primary Math education resource – I haven’t used a physical Math textbook in years. Our Religion resource is completely available in an online version, often making it quicker and easier to just project the material whole-class. Short, free science videos available on YouTube – ie. parts of a flower – are quick and easy to access, making my ‘les plantes’ unit a lot more engaging. Seesaw is our division’s chosen online portfolio platform that allows students to post work, me to post learning activities and families to regularly engage in their child’s learning. Edsby is used for attendance and communication purposes; instead of email, families can send a direct message to teachers, instead of calling in an absence, parents can input it themselves on Edsby, etc. You get the point. Tech (for better or worse) drives our daily work as educators and is quickly altering how we do our jobs.
This reflection has me really looking forward to our first debate topic next week: Technology in the classroom enhances learning. My first reaction is, well of course it does…but then I consider, at what cost? Is there such a thing as too much tech in learning?
Look forward to reading how my classmates engage with tech in their daily work. Thanks for reading! 🙂
-Teagan
5 Comments
Danielle Ryhorchuk
Hey Teagan, I really like how you laid out your day, it was super clear and easy to follow. Even though I teach a different grade, a lot of what you described mirrors how my day flows too. It’s actually kind of wild when you stop and think about just how much technology we use throughout a regular school day as I mentioned that in my own post as well.
Now that everyone in our division is getting 1:1 devices, I feel like the expectation to use tech is only going to grow. As for your question, “Is there too much tech in learning?”, that’s a tough one! I honestly see both sides. On one hand, the reliance on it can feel like a lot, and I do worry that some basic skills are slowly fading. But on the other hand, there are so many great apps and tools out there that can really enhance learning, and it would be a missed opportunity not to make use of them.
So, I guess I didn’t totally answer your question either… and now I’m still thinking about it too, haha!
Leanne Meili
Hi Teagan,
Thank you for sharing what a typical “tech” day looks like in your world! I really enjoyed how you walked us through your day hour by hour—it was easy to follow, and you painted a clear picture of how technology is woven into your routine.
You mentioned relying heavily on technology, and I do as well. I went from a high school were every student had a Chromebook to a school where I had to book ChromeCarts or computer labs, often limited by availability. As a result, I felt very limited to what I could and how I could engage my students in the lesson. Furthermore, I used much more paper this past year—and it felt like a step backward.
I completely agree that the amount of technology we use is changing how we teach—and nearly every aspect of what we do in schools. But at this point, I feel like we don’t have much of a choice. So much of our work now includes a digital component, and if we resist “changing with the times” and embracing technology, we risk falling behind in how we engage students, communicate with families, and manage our daily responsibilities as educators. Personally, my biggest challenge is finding a healthy balance with my tech use throughout the day and ensuring that I am using it with purpose and intention.
Once again, great post!!
Nofisat Adefila
Wow, just wow. Thank you for this vivid and honest look into your day! I found myself nodding the whole time, especially at the part about juggling 25 eight-year-olds and laptops… I can totally relate to the “coffee and patience” that tech time requires in early years classrooms!
What stood out most to me was your awareness of how deeply tech supports your teaching, even in ways that don’t always look flashy or digital on the surface. From your wearable mic (genius!) to co-created playlists, you’ve created a classroom environment that’s both tech-savvy and full of personal connection. That balance is so inspiring. Your use of platforms like Seesaw, Edsby, Canva, and Raz-Kids shows how well technology can support differentiated learning, communication, and creativity—without replacing hands-on, oral, and face-to-face interactions, which are so crucial in French Immersion.
I also appreciated your reflection at the end, especially the question: “At what cost?” It’s a great reminder that while tech can absolutely enhance learning, we have to stay intentional and grounded in what works best for our students at their age and stage.
Looking forward to hearing your voice in the upcoming debate and it is so nice to be in another class with you, you bring such a thoughtful perspective!
Kaela
Loved your post! It’s so relatable—at first, it’s easy to think we don’t use that much tech, but once you list it all out… wow. From your wearable mic to that trusty Chrome bookmark folder, your day run
I especially loved the class playlist idea—such a fun way to build community. Balancing oral language development with digital tools like Je lis je lis is smart and intentional.
People don’t talk about this enough- how helping 25 Grade 3s log into laptops? Total test of patience and very painful.
You also nailed it with your final thought: tech enhances learning, but at what cost? Looking forward to hearing more in the debate!
Thanks for sharing your day!
Maherun
Great Post Teagan !! it really resonated with me!. I soon realized how much technology supports my teaching every single day. From using my phone to play morning music, to projecting visuals for stories or songs, to relying on platforms like ClassDojo or Seesaw for communication and documentation—tech is deeply embedded in how I plan, teach, and connect with families. We also use YouTube for movement breaks and language-rich videos that engage the kids in fun, interactive ways.
Your mention of tech hiccups made me smile—I’ve had those moments too, when one tool stops working and suddenly the whole flow of the day is disrupted. It really shows how essential tech has become, even when it’s working quietly in the background.
Thanks for sharing your routine—it helped me reflect more deeply on my own and how much tech shapes my work too.