Chapter 7 Reflection

I have watched so many people use databases and have been able to see their importance. Until this chapter, however, I did not see the power of them. I love Social Studies. I think it is probably my favorite thing to teach. I also love the organization of a database. The idea of using the two together is very exciting to me. Of course on closer inspection and more understanding of what exactly a database is, I realized that I have been using them all along( or a least for quite some time). I guess I just didn't think of what I was using. I wonder how often we do this. I use things automatically. By having more of an understanding of what it is I have been using, I able better able to see into my future classrooms and see how vitally important it is that I have my students use databases also.

Chapter 5 Reflection

Until I started reading this chapter and really taking a closer look around me in the classrooms, I never quite realized how little teachers use the media and technology. Every curriculum area can and should integrate technology. I think I am often a little intimidated with technology (although I am getting more comfortable all the time). I wonder if the majority of teachers who do not use very much technology are also, or it they simply don't think about it. I understand and appreciate the importance of technology in the classroom and in ALL curriculum areas.

Chapter 3B

This chapter taught me how many different ways there are to communicate with people. What an amazing thing to be able to share information with colleagues in a variety of ways. Of course I have always imagined talking to mentors on my team and even in my community about lessons and teaching in general, but I guess I didn't really think of the resources available to me outside my community. I love the thought of being able to share ideas with others and draw from them. I strongly believe that by working together we strengthen ourselves as teachers.

Chapter 4

I have learned some wonderful new things in this chapter and been refreshed on some things that I don't know if I ever really learned very well. The grade book tool is one that I will use regularly and I love the spreadsheet that was created for the unit. I think it amazes me to think of all the different ways technology can be used in the classroom, and what I really like is that even the small things that we can do introduces students to the larger ideas. I feel that the more comfortable I become the more I am able to open these ideas to my intern students and then to my future classroom. I am excited.

Chapter 3

Word Processing is amazing to me. I think back to the days when I was in high school and really the only thing I was doing in terms of word processing was sitting down at a typewriter. I remember thinking how cool it was when we got a computer when I was a senior in high school and that poor computer must have taken up half a room and done little more than the type writer did, but what excitement. I think I get a little overwhelmed now with the vast number of things that can be done with computers in general, but this chapter and the things we learned in class about word processing were such an eye opener to me. I am excited to continue to learn and teach my students the ways writing will be available to them.
I think my son might have an easier time writing using the computer instead of pencil and paper sometimes. The process of writing and erasing over and over is very daunting to him at times. I still think there is great beauty in using paper and pen, but I wonder if I am old fashioned? I wonder if that is simply because this helps my processing and I should rethink this for my students. It is certainly something I need to consider and look at more closely........investigate, and perhaps experiment a little with.

Chapter 2A Reflection

To be quite honest I felt a little lost in this chapter. I understand the idea of composing things on the web, or at least I understand the possibilities, but I wonder how on earth this will become clearer to me. After watching the movie, I became even more overwhelmed. I have always just looked at these things and thought how cool they were but that is where it stopped. I never thought about the specifics and certainly never thought in terms of myself as a creator. Yikes, I find it sort of overwhelming. I've only done one PowerPoint.......ever, and even the idea of creating another gets me a little stressed (although with mine taking form it is not as bad as I make it out to be). I hope to feel less overwhelmed with the wonderful ideas in this chapter within the next few weeks.

Chapter 10 Reflection

I so enjoyed so many of the ideas in this chapter. I looked and searched and got so many wonderful ideas about keeping students, parents and administration involved and knowledgeable about my classroom and what goes will go on in it. I really had no idea of how many technology resources there are out there. I guess I thought there were computers and it stopped there.
I went home and had a field trip around the world with my children on Google Earth and I am not sure who was more excited them or me? I think of all the incredible things that can be done with the click of the mouse. I can show them what the Eiffel Tower looks like, but somehow it makes more of an impact by flying them over the ocean and zooming in to Paris.
The idea of possibly being able to teach a lesson in my class and have another class see it, or see a great lesson another teacher does all through technology is an idea that really intrigues me. I often think that there are so many great ideas that other teachers have, but no good way to share the ideas with students. Now I see how this could be done, not only in the same school, but possibly across the ocean. Wow!!!

Texas Canyonland

This is a picture of a section of Palo Duro Canyon outside Canyon, Texas. It could be used to teach landforms.

Chapter 1 Reflection

After reading Chapter One I think about technology and how incredibly far it has come just in the past 20 years. I think I get a little overwhelmed and even nervous about the responsibility to teach computers to students. I have often thought this would be on someone else's shoulders, but now wonder if perhaps that is a cop out? I wonder at times how I will use technology effectively in my classroom. My comfort level is limited in this area but I feel I will be doing my students a great disservice by not using computers in the classroom. My worry is that I will try and the effort will be ridiculous. I would like to use computers to enhance students learning in all areas of curriculum but depending on the level I teach I like the idea of using them to teach map reading and making. Certainly reguardless of the age level I could use them to help with spatial skills, but I don't want to use some boring program. I want to grab the students attention, I want to challenge and keep them. I guess because I am not very comfortable with computers I worry how am I going to use them in my class?

Summer

What a wonderful summer. We went to Northern Ireland. I got to meet the rest of my husband's family. I got to walk the same streets that he walked as a child, see the houses he grew up in and the schools where he learned. There is something wonderful about that, something quite spectacular. I have been to other places over seas but this was so different. This had such importance placed on it. I loved walking these streets. Listening to all the people talk the same as Keith. I don't just mean the accent, I mean the phrases and the gestures. There was an ease that came over him almost the moment we walked off the plane. It was as if a weight had been lifted. He chose me and America, my kids and our home. But as he entered Belfast city limits he was home and he became a person I had waited all this time to really know, and oh what a person. He became just a bit funnier, just a little happier, more, well I don't know just himself I guess. He was not a quiet man in Belfast. He spoke freely and laughed openly and I will be ever thankful of the 3 weeks we spent there!

First day

Today is the first day of class. I will start intern tomorrow so will write more later.