COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL introdUCtion tH e s tr ateg i e s The strategies described in the book have been carried out by teachers just like you. The anecdotes and examples of actual learning experiences are from my classroom or from friends’ and colleagues’ classrooms. Though specific examples are provided, I am not suggesting that you replicate them in your classroom. I see the strategies as seeds. Each seed, no matter where it is planted, will grow differently depending on the environment and what resources it has. While the settings and age groups may not be exactly like yours, I do hope that you can connect with and be inspired by what you read. Know that you shouldn’t expect to exactly replicate a strategy in the book. The strategies are here to inspire you—make them your own by connecting them to the children you work with and the technology that is available to you. It is important for you to be cognizant of the resources available to you and your students’ abilities and background experiences so that these strategies are implemented in ways that best meet the needs of each unique group of children. Some of the technology presented in this book may be new to you. Or the capabilities and operations may be unfamiliar. Because much of today’s technology is new, teachers can easily become overwhelmed and unmotivated. I have worked with educators from various programs, and several have said, “Brian, there are so many things I want to try, but I don’t know where to start. What do I do?” If this is how you feel, I recommend you identify one strategy in this book and try it in your classroom. Choosing the strategy will be a dif- ferent process for each individual. To help you begin thinking about where to start, I suggest that while reading, you think about these important factors to determine which strategy to select: • age of children, • developmental level of children, • each family’s technological competencies, • your own technological competencies, COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL xxiii