Final Blog post

It's interesting to me all the different technological options available in the classroom. I had no idea how many opportunities and programs were available for not only students, but also teachers. My attitude has changed on my opinion for technology in the classroom, before this class I knew how technology savvy kids were becoming, but didn't think technology had a place because what I thought was available were essentially video games and how can a child truly learn through video games?  I see now how it's not all video games and how effective a simple program such as power point can help students evolve and grow. There is a lot even in the fine motor skills that progresses from creating presentations, working a digital camera and even a mouse. I also enjoyed being able to learn how much kids connect visually through technology and how it can help nurture productivity and attention spans.

I usually considered myself a pretty computer literate person, but this class has shown me how little I knew about basic programs. I really feel I learned a lot about Google as well. Who knew you could have your own website? I an excited to utilize my knowledge of Google and also in power point not only one day in my classroom, but in everyday life. 

I think technology has come such a long way bring interested into the classroom setting and I hope to utilize a lot of these programs with my future students. I truly like the idea of using power point to have a student portray an idea especially in the realms of science, social studies and health. I hope to one day be able to have my students create a power point project on a state report as well as learning about the human body and them giving a report on an organ in the body and the basic function of that organ in regards to the rest of the body. I'd also like to use digital cameras to have students find shapes and basic angles as part of a math project, I think it is important for children to recognize shapes in the real world and be able to identify them, describe them and know angles associated with the shape. This will only help them in math classes in junior high and high school.  The last thing I'd really like to see in my classroom is the use of video conferencing. I would live to have a sister classroom somewhere in the world do that my students can learn from another culture, learn foreign language, exchange weather reports, but also build friendships.

I've really enjoyed this class and opening my eyes to not only the advances made with technological programs, but also knowing how much children connect with it and can learn using these programs. 

Digital Camera Ideas..

Digital cameras are a great way to teach students to visually put their knowledge to use, and can be used in all aspects of education, language arts, math, social studies, and science. 

In language arts I would have my second grade class take pictures of nouns, verbs and adjectives, and use these pictures to create sentences with. As the student went around and took pictures of people, places and things as well as things that could even describe the word they would be able to place these pictures in order to create a sentence on a poster board displaying their picture sentences. This activity would give the student a chance to see visually the word and hopefully get them to connect to sentence structure. 

Math, I would have the student use the camera to take pictures of different types of shapes. As they placed these pictures in a slide show they would be able to describe each shape by it's amount of sides. We could split the shapes into different groups so that we could combine them into a big class slideshow so that the students would be able to see each shape in a real life situation. 

Social Studies, I could have the students the students take pictures of their town; government buildings, parks, flags, schools, and important landmarks. Have them make a travel brochure with these pictures and why they should visit this town. Have a list of facts about our town; date it was founded, mayor, size etc.

Science, I would have the student take pictures of different plant life and have them make a power point describing to me what type of leaf, or tree the plant comes from, and how a plant grows. This would give the student a chance to apply their science knowledge in their Earth and plant units. I would also have the student record their voice to create a complete program and have another student take notes on it and test their knowledge from what they've learned from that student's presentation. 

Tellagami Ideas

The Tellagami program could be a great way to introduce students to the idea of speaking and presenting ideas and projects, this program could be used for the following ways in each subject:

Literacy/Language Arts, I would use Tellagami to have the students read a story, so I could hear them read. I would also have them write their own sentences or short story and have them read it back, practicing the use of punctuation and infliction. 

Math, I would have the student create a picture using a series of geometric shape pieces, I would then have the student use the Tellagami to explain to the class step by step describing each shape, without using name, but by describing each shape and it's placement in the picture. Once the class is done creating the design I would have the student show their design to see if their designs match.

Social Studies, I would have the student present a small report about a state, using the background picture from their state, I would have them do a news report, which they would report on the date of it's statehood, state flower, special state holiday, and one tourist attraction within the state. 

Science, Tellagami would be used during the Earth and Space units. I would have the student describe a rock they would get out of the rock box (part of the unit); describing it's shape, color, is it hard? Is it soft? What is it's texture? Is it sedimentary?  Igneous, metamorphic?

I think the Tellagami program could be beneficial in all aspects of learning. I think it gives the student a creative outlet while letting students express their ideas, without getting too nervous, flustered or distracting.

Who am I?

I think the main reason I want to teach is because of my teachers, good and bad. I grew up idolizing them, aside from when they would drink coffee and get right in my face. I loved how they dressed, the way the accessorized, did their hair, the way they wrote on the board, the way they decorated their classroom, but most of all how they cared about me, or didn't. I want to be a teacher because I know how fun it can be in a classroom with children, the way they think, their imaginations, their somewhat untouched innocence. I knew my teachers knew me and I saw kids growing up around me who didn't have the support I did at home, connect with the teacher, why? Because they showed interest and made coming to school and fun and exciting.

I want to do that! I also had an experience in the 3rd grade where I had a rotten teacher who made fun of me in front of the class and cut other students down for what she thought wasn't smart, effective, or just had different learning styles from her. This period in my life has really driven how I see myself as a perspective teacher. I want to be a positive role model for the student because I realize how important self image is and to a child confidence is everything, it carries over into adult life. This is why I want to teach, not only do I want to be the one with a teacher wardrobe, but to be the positive influence in someone's life.

 I am the oldest of five children, I grew up just west of Seattle, Washington and am a Pacific Northwest girl, thru and thru. I enjoy the rain, hiking in the mountains, dirt biking, grunge and indie music, and a good warm drink from Starbucks. I have also enjoyed living in Arizona, California and currently Utah. 

In my spare time I enjoy golfing, running, playing board games, I love watching movies, finding new music, and perfecting my skills in the kitchen by baking different masterpieces.

I am also a self diagnosed Disney nerd. Any chance I get you'll find me in Disneyland and enjoying Disney movies, cleaning to Disney music and reading Disney blogs. Also, if I have an opportunity I love to see the world. My next adventure will hopefully take me to England and France. My favorite trip abroad has been to Ireland, and would love to go again. 

How can you help me this semester? As long as I know how to stay on top of my class, as far as how to properly use technology, I will be a happy girl. I know how much technology plays a part of the World and especially how tech savvy kids are these days, so I am interested in learning the best way to stay on top of that growth with kids, and also proper ways to stay in touch outside the classroom with the students and more importantly the parents.