The Final Push

This week has been a hard one to get through because of all the homework that I’ve had to get done. It has also been difficult because I have been sick this whole week but having to do all this homework in order to get ready for finals has taught me something. It has reiterated to me that procrastination is not a good thing. There is always going to be something that gets pushed aside until the end but as long as we make good use of our time then things will work out better than we could have imagined. So I have learned that it’s important to get things done in a timely manner because that’s when you’ll really be proud of your work. As I’ve worked on the final project it has been hard. There is so much that has to be put into a project of this size but I think that it is good preparation for the future as a teacher. I mean these are things that we are going to have to create on a day to day basis and this is a good stepping stone for the future. I think that as teachers’ it’s important that we learn to do these things because once we become them we will have to do them ourselves, no one will be there to hold our hands. Also as I look back I feel a sense of satisfaction based on the work that I have done and the effort that I’ve put into it. I think that with any assignment whether it be teacher or student based should feel this way and I hope that as I learn to become a great teacher I can pass this on to my students.

Facebook

One of the favorite things that we have learned and utilized in our class is facebook. I think that it's neat how you can customize it and make it your own. Also it's very nice how you can connect with all your friends and stay in touch with them. Now people are using facebook to rekindle old friendships and to meet new people. This way it's easy for people to stay in touch and is very accessible to all around the world. Another cool thing is that as of right now facebook does not charge any money to make an account, it's completely free! This way more people will be inclined to join. Another aspect of facebook that is really cool is the fact that they have games on there. On these games you can play with other people, not just people you know either so this way you get to know others.
On facebook there are places to leave messages so it's a good way to contact your students or parents if they are in older grades. This way it's a more informal way to talk to them, and also it lets them know that you care about them and want them to do well in class. I don't think however that I would use facebook for younger grades because I'd rather not have to deal with it and honesly I think there are better things that kids can do then be on the computer all day. But for older grades I think that using facebook would make me as a teacher seem more real and cool to the students. This way I think they will be more willing to talk to us because they won't think that we are old and dry.
Along with keeping in contact with people facebook is yet another way to talk to the other teachers that you work with. This way there is more communication throughout the school and the teachers can correlate what they're teaching the students. :) All around facebook is a nice way to stay in contact with friends and to communicate with the students so that everyone is on the same page.

Kidspiration and Inspiration

These tools are pretty much my favorite thing that we have learned thus far. I really enjoyed playing around and experimenting with the programs because I think it's important for us as teachers, to try the things we have our students do. This way we have the experience and can help them if needed because we actually know what we're talking about. I've had some teachers in the past who didn't know the assignment/program so when we as students had questions they were not able to help us. Not only is this frustrating but it makes the students think that because the teacher doesn't know it we as students, don't need to either.
I think that one of the best aspects of this tool is that there is one for older grades and one for younger grades. This way each grade can work from their own skill and expertise level. For example, I love on Inspiration how the diagrams are more complex and intriguing. This way the students can think critically while completing any assignment given to them. On Inspiration I played around with the dream poem diagram. This was so fun! It takes something I already know how to do but presents it in a new, interesting way. I already knew how diagrams work but to be able to put pictures and thoughts into it was a great way to add personality to something so generic. Also I like the fact that the templates are there for them to use. This way the students can focus more on the content then the actual layout which will make for a better performance from them in the long run.
In Kidspiration I like that the first thing it brings up is an option for the students to make their own work or to add and change one that is already available. Also there are different subjects that they can choose from to help them know what to do. One of my favorite things in Kidspiration is the math adding it up activity. Usually I steer clear of math because I do not like it but this activity is very user friendly and fun. Even if all the students have to do this activity i like that each and every one will be different since they can use colors, as well as any number they want depending on the assignment. The one that I did had to be adding and the number had to add to six so this makes it a little more limited but still fun. Plus I like at the top how it tells them exactly what they need to do. This allows the students to always be able to see the instructions instead of having to keep asking someone what to do.
All in all I enjoyed these programs very much. They are user friendly and fun for the whole class! It's a new way to look at 'busywork'. By incorporating these activities the assignments will not seem so time consuming and boring. Making it so the students actually want to do them!

Group Projects

This weeks tool was really cool to me. I liked that we were able to work in groups because to me, group projects help me learn more. With different views and different brians it brings something completely new to the table that you might not have thought about before. It's always nice to see the different points of view of people as well. Also I like that we had to do three different projects. I think my favorite powerpoint was the one we did with the digital cameras though. It was cool that we were able to choose our own topic and that we were also able to add our own ideas to it. For me it's important to do this because the students will be more engaged with the project and they will be able to be more focused. When i was playing around with the powerpoint program on my computer i was so fascinated because there were so many cool things that I was able to play around with and incorperate into it. It is nice because no matter if all the students have to make a powerpoint they will each be unique because each student adds their own flavor to them. For our powerpoints i like that we were able to have transitions and that each of us had a specific job because this way it isn't so stressful. I think powerpoints are a good way to help students reach out of their comfort zone and also they will be able to learn to work with other kids. Powerpoints can be helpful for people who are scared of technology because they are so user friendly and easy to work with. :)

Digital Cameras

1. Take photos to illustrate stories or poems
2. Take photos or videos for illustrating emotions
3. Take photos to prompt creative writing
4. Use photos for passports during a travel unit
5. Take photos or videos in Physical Education to record events and skills

These are my five favorite uses for video cameras that were included in the list. I love that there are so many different ways that a camera can be used. Each way appeals to the diverse characters of the classroom making it easier for them to learn and progress. I really enjoy the idea of using pictures to stimulate the mind because that is how people remember things. Whether it is by word association or picture association it’s the same idea of making the kids want to learn hard or less fun subjects.
I especially love the idea of using photos to prompt creative writing. When I was younger and in elementary and middle school we would do free writes but for me finding a topic was sometimes a hard thing to do. I think that if a picture was provided for such occasions it would give the students more to think about which would fuel their writing. It would be cool to use the same picture for the entire class and see what different perceptions are taken on by each member of the class. It would also be fun to see how many ideas the students could get from one picture. I love the idea of using digital cameras in the classroom because not only is it a good way to learn but a way to add some flavor to the classroom.

Digital Cameras

When I read the three articles I was amazed at all the cool things that can be done with digital cameras! Personally, I love using them but I don't have my own so i have to use my moms which is fine when I'm with her but since we're not together 24\7 it presents a problem. I like the fact that digital cameras leave room for more mistakes then a film camera. When using film there are only a certain amount of shots that you can take before it's gone and in those shots there's no way to tell(until after they're developed) whether they're good or not. But with digital cameras you can look then and there to see if it's a keep it or leave it picture. I like this also because when using digital cameras the picture doesn't have to be right the very first time it's taken, there is room for improvement each time and with a digital you can see that progression.

One thing that the 100 uses for digital cameras said that I like is to us the photographs to make a postcard. This idea to me is so fun and such a unique idea. There can be so much learning with this project! Postcards remind me of traveling and I love to travel so I think that would be an interesting aspect to add to that project for the students. This way we can pretend we're going on a trip and learn about different things while we're in different locations! Then each time we learn something new we can send a postcard home which we have all created in class forom the pictures we have taken. Just talking about it is getting me so excited for when I can actually do this! I think that digital cameras are a great thing to incorperate in the classroom because they offer a different learning experience, one that maybe a teacher couldn't get across without it. :)

Power Points

So basically my new favorite thing in the whole world is power point. I have used it before for school but I didn't really put much effort into it since it was just a high school assignment. Also I didn't have my own computer so I really wasn't motivated to do anything too extravagant. So when I was practicing using it there were so many new things that I discovered. In fact, I made a power point about my roommate and there was so many fun things that I was able to do with it. I think that it's a good way to introduce new ideas to students and to other teachers. This way the information can be exciting and fun.

But i think that there is a fine line when using power points. In my opinion it's not good to make the power point jam packed with too much information. Power points can reach people if they are done well. If there is fun information and is presented in an interesting way then the students will be interested and engaged. Also with power points so many things can be added to them with being able to add slides, and rearrange things. One of my favorite tools of power points is the sounds that can be added to any slide. When I was putting together my friends power point I used this witch cackle and it was the funnest thing ever! Another good tool of power points is the bulleting options. On the same slide where i added the sound I made the bullets witch hats instead of just dots. This part was so cool to me because I had no idea that i could do this before. It's a fun and easy way to tie the slides together and I have really enjoyed using it.

All in all i think that power points are an effective way to teach students or to reach parents and colleagues.

UEN

I think it's important to use the internet in education because there are so many resources on it. This way all the information the studetns need is right at thier fingertips and they can get it so much faster. Also I think that there are so many fun things that the internet has to offer! There's games and activities and so much more that can help students learn. The internet is important in education because it offers so many different mediums to students so each one can learn at their own individual pace. We should evaluate the sites we use because not everything we get on the internet is good or helpful. There are things that might come up that we don't want or that is not pertinent to what we're doing. It helps us to see if the source is credible and whether the information is fact or opinion. By evaluating these sites we can determine which ones will be good for our students and which ones will not. The quetions that I will ask myself are;

1. Is this article taken out of context?
2. Is the author one with authority?
3. Is this an objective website?
4. How current was the last update of this website?
5. How accurate is the information provided?
6. How much is covered about this topic?
7. Is the content pertinent to the topic?

One way I can keep my students safe is by having a internet guidelines paper by all the computers in use. This way they will be able to see what is acceptable and what is not. It will also remind them of everything we talked about and went over. Another way to help keep my students safe is by discussing all the computer rules in class when we first use the computers. But not only then, I think it will be important to do this everytime we use the computers, this way it will always be fresh in their mind! I think its nice how Kathy involves the internet in her work because so many more things are opened up to you that way. I also think that it's very cool how we can get ideas from her to use and incorperate them in our teaching!

UEN website

Okay honestly I think this whole UEN website thing is a good idea not only for the students but for their parents as well. I think this is a good way for the parents to get to know their kids teacher a little better and to also keep up with the students. This way they can know what is going on in class and any homework they might have. I think also it is a good way for us as teachers to keep organized. This website has everything you need on it in one convievnent location and is user friendly. I like how this program allows for different personalities to shine and that each one you come across is different. I also think it will be good because if any other teachers want to know what you're doing you can just have them come here and they can see everything that you do. This is a good way to incorperate; beg, borrow and steal. :) Not only will it be good for parents and students as well as other teachers it will be good for me as a teacher. This way I can have a hard copy of all my curriculum and whatever else I may need. It's a central location for all my stuff and it is easy to access. Another reason i think it will be good is because it shows parents and students that I am amped about their education and learning. It will help them connect to me more and relate better to their dear old teacher. I think it's important to be able to relate to the students because this way they will respect and listen to you. It will engage them more in the learning process and that is really what I want to trigger in kids. I want them to be excited about learning and the fun that they can have with it. I think this will be a good way to do that because it will show mpre pf my fun side. I'm excited to sit and play with it some more but I think that once I understand it better I will like it more. Right now I'm just confused at how to set everything up and get it going. But once I figure that out then this website will be really cool and helpful to my students and me.

Microsoft Word

I think that microsoft word would be a great thing to use in my class. I like the fact that there's more to it then just writing papers because that's usually what I do on it. It was nice to see that there was more to it then i knew previously. It would be good also to use in presentations to my co-workers. There is a lot of cool ways to liven up meetings with pictures and I think that not only could you use them in the meetings but also in the classroom. This way the students will not be bored with the same old stuff. It's interesting how using new things in the classroom can make the kids attention stay and can keep them engaged in the class.

When I taught preschool I saw this all the time. Of course they are not old enough to use the techniques we will learn but I had to do new things to keep their focus. That is why it will be good to incorperate microsoft word into the students lessons. This way they can learn new ways to learn, ways that they think are fun and exciting. In art we use different mediums so I think it's great that we can do that also in other aspects of teaching. Also I think it's important to use microsoft word when teaching people because it opens thier eyes to new ways of learning and I love that! It's really cool to be able to learn new ways to teach and I love learning all the tricks of the trade!

Incorperating Blogs

Okay all this is my first blog ever so bare with me! I'm excited to use the technologies we'll learn in this class for my future teaching. I think it's very cool that there are so many ways we can incorperate computers into our teaching. Honestly I don't know how many computer technologies I'll use in elementary school but so far I think it would be fun to use any of the ones we have already talked about. Although I've never blogged before I think it would be cool to incorperate that into my lesson plans. I remember when I was in elementary school we had to have this journal type thing for reflections and small one page papers so I think that I could use this for that instead of the good ol' pen and paper. This way not only I could read them but the parents too. Also I think it would be a good display of their personalities. :)