My Beliefs

I have learned since elementary school that technology is important and as I got older it became a greater part of my life.  As a future teacher, I want my students to understand that technology isn't something to be scared of or something to be taken lightly.  I want them to see what it does for us and how it can enhance their learning.  

I believe that without technology, life would not progress.  We would still be in the dark ages were people died because of disease and only the wealthy were educated.  I want them to realize that technology doesn't just mean things that are electronic because that is what most people believe.  I people that technology are things that have been invented to make our lives better.  For example: electric lights, TV, cars, prescription classes, laser eye surgery, heaters, indoor plumbing, etc.

I want my students to appreciate technology as much or more than I do.  I want them to be able to use it in everyday life and to teach  others how to use it.

Lessons Learned

Videos:Millennial Generation - In this video, high school students are asked questions about technology.  They are asked what they would like technology to be, how their parents deal with it, and what it would be like in the future.  Some of their ideas about the future were really amazing. The idea that their could be no identity theft because fingerprints are used for everything is really cool and amazing.  It would be awesome if some of their ideas actually came true.  Some of them are coming true now.  One student suggested that we will be able to control things with just the movement of our bodies.  Now companies are coming out with gaming systems that react to your bodies movements without a controller.
Wow this movie was really eye opening.  The fact that China is one of the smartest countries in the world and one of the biggest is amazing.  It is amazing at how much is going to change over the next fifteen to twenty years technology wise.  It’s kind of scary thinking that the students I’ll teach will have jobs that haven’t been invented yet.  It was also interesting to see how much the job turnover rate was in the United States.

Create learning experiences that are realistic, rich, and relevant.  We are now using what is known as 3rd generation or 3G networking.  It will soon be changing to 4G.  Getting whatever we want, whenever, and wherever we want to is making our society enter a downward spiral of lost expectations.  May put assembly line education out of its misery.  Using a ClassAct Portal or a classroom website will help the students learn about a specific topic.  There can be links to sites about the topic, student work on the topic, and even a blog.


There is more technology in our homes than in schools.  It makes learning more enjoyable and keeps the students focus for longer periods of time.  It also helps with management issues.  It is a great way to get current accurate information and talk to experts.
Many teenagers do not believe that writing with technology (IM’s, email, texting) is connecting to their writing for school.  Many say that they do not see a difference in their writing if they do it on a computer.  Many do, however, edit and revise more.

Strengths and Weaknesses

After looking at the UNI and the NET Standards, I have a lot of strengths in technology.  I know how to use it well and I know how to integrate it into a classroom.  I can teach students how to use different form of technology.  If I don’t know how to do something than I know how to find out how to do it.

In the UNI Survey, almost all of my answers are at Apprentice and in the NET Standards I can do everything except number two.  This is because I have not yet been able to design a learning environment or activities to teach my students about computers although I am sure that I could do it with a little bit of practice and further instruction.

I can use UEN to find different resources to help me create lessons to teach my students. I could also borrow lessons from other professionals.

Reflection

1. Provide demographics of school, number of students in class and who your cooperating teacher is.

• The students are in the fifth grade, which is approximately ages ten to eleven.
• There are thirteen girls and eleven boys
• There are five Hispanic students, four of which speak Spanish at home and are in resource for help with English. There was one Pacific Islander who does not speak English at home, she too is  in resource for English. The rest of the class is Caucasian and speaks English.  Another student comes into class, checks in with the teacher and then goes to resource for the rest of the day. He will sometimes come back for computers, PE and science. One other student goes to resource for math.
• There is one high functioning Autistic child, one student that gets pulled out once a week and taken by his father to visit a psychologist ( this same student has a peanut allergy), and one student that is diabetic.  
• Our cooperating teacher is Barbara Steele. She has been teaching for the past five years but received her degree about twenty five years ago.

2. How is your relationship with your cooperating teacher? Explain. I really enjoyed my time with Mrs. Steele. The first time that we met, a week before field, she seemed excited to have us and asked us what we needed to fulfil our assignments. When we told her that we needed to teach five social studies lessons she told us that she was getting ready to start teaching a unit on colonization, specifically Jamestown, the Mayflower voyage and Plymouth. She asked if we would like to teach the entire unit. She also gave us stacks of resources to help us develop our lesson plans.

• When we finished teaching a lesson she would meet with us after and ask us how we felt it went, then give us her feed back. She was wonderful to work with and I really learned a lot.  She was very open about certain situations with students and asked us for ideas on how to help the students to feel better about themselves and what they could accomplish in school.  She enjoyed talking to us about becoming teachers and how we could become great ones.

3. How does he/she feel about the technology piece you created? We had not finished our digital story but we showed her our own personal vid-casts. She liked them. She thought that a digital story would be a fun way to start a lesson or unit.  

4. How does he/she feel about the lesson you completed? For our digitally enhanced lesson we took the students to the computer lab and assigned them certain activities to complete on the  http://plimoth.org/education/olc/index_js2.html web site. For our last lesson I created a Jeopardy game using jeopardylabs.com . If you would like to see or play the game go to jeopardylabs.com/play/enter-title24772.  We were able to use a smart board for the Jeopardy Game.  It was fun to use and see how we each understood how to control it.  The teacher said that she really enjoyed the jeopardy game. We had the students feel out a survey listing in order of most favorite lesson to least favorite lessons. The two lessons that were the most enjoyed were the plimoth.org and the Jeopardy game.

5. How did the the training session go? Explain. The training session did not go as well as I had hoped. I have never used a mac before so I didn’t know how to work iMovies and our teacher who owns a Mac didn’t either.  Krystal and I both brought in our lap tops but we couldn't get Internet access to show her how to find pictures and put them into a digital story. We tried to show her by using pictures we already had on our hard drives but she basically said that she didn’t think she would ever have the time to do something like that and to not worry about trying to show her anymore. Her room is full of technology but she said she would be the first to admit that she didn’t know how to use it very well but that she wanted to take some classes to help her learn it better.

6. How do you feel about this service-learning experience? I really enjoyed my time in field. It was fun to watch the students explore the plimoth site and get into the Jeopardy game. I loved working with the students and I already miss them.

• .

7. What did your cooperating teacher gain from the experience? I think that our teacher learned that not only does she need to expose her students to more technology and different varieties of it but that she needs to learn more about it her self.

8. What did you gain from the experience? I learned that I too need to become more familiar with different kinds of technology. I want to take as many continuing education classes in the field of technology that I can and until then I need to keep using, playing with exploring the things that I have been taught.  I really, really want to learn how to use a Mac.

9. Was it worth why or why not? This experience was definitely worth it. When you teach someone else something new one of a couple of things can happen. You become even better at the thing you are teaching or you realize that you don’t know as much as you think you did. I had a little bit of both. I can’t wait to continue to learn and grow both as a student of technology and as a teacher of technology.

More Field

So this past week we taught a media enriched lesson.  It went really well.  We had the students use the computers to go onto pilgrim.org to learn about the First Thanksgiving and what life was like in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621.  The students had fun exploring the site and learning about different things.  The only thing we would change was have enough headphones for each student so that they could listen and read at the same time.  If we couldn't get headphones we would have them turn the volume completely off so that we didn't have to listen to the annoying sounds in some of the games.  Next week we are going to play Jeopardy as review of the unit.  There is a great website (jeopardylabs.com) that can be used  to create a Jeopardy game.  It keeps track of the scores and teams for you.  You can return to edit any games that you create but no one else can have access to them without a password.

More Field

This past week has gone by so fast.  I have learned a lot from field and there is a lot more that I want to learn.  Vineyard has Apple computers in there computer labs, the library, and the teacher each have an Apple laptop.  The students use these computers to take math tests.  Their scores are recorded and the teacher can access the whole classes scores at see what progress they have made and who needs more improvement.  Our cooperating teacher also has a smart board that she uses every week.  Yesterday we watched a live broadcast from Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts.  It was cool to see how technology is used in schools and how I will be able to use it.  Today we also began to teach our teacher about Digital Stories.  She likes the idea of using them to strengthen a unit or lesson.

Field Experience

This past week in field we have had the experience to see how a smart board is used and the opportunity to watch the students use Mac computers.  I learned how to use the copy machine and how to use a machine that can kick out a lot of copies in seconds but that costs a lot to operate.  It has been fun to see exactly how much technology is used in the classroom each day and how much the students know about it.

Digital Story Part Three

What?
This week we were to continue working on our Digital Stories with our field partners.  We were able to start getting free use copyrighted images to use in our digital story.

So What?
It was really interesting to see exactly how many images were available for use through creative commons.  For some searches there wasn't a lot but for others there was more than was needed.  We were able to get a lot of pictures to use in our digital story without breaking any copyright laws.

Now What?
Students who know how to use this type of resource are going to have greater success in school and life.  I have never even considered copyright laws beyond plagerism before this class.  I want my students to be able to understand what copyright laws are and how to find resources that are licensed for reuse.

Digital Stories Part 2

What?
This week we discussed and learned about copyright laws and how they will effect any work that we may do on our digital stories.

So What?
It is really important to know all copyright laws because if you use something that is copyrighted for a lesson within the classroom, you can get sued.  It is also helpful to know the Fair Use law as a teacher.  It takes a lot of worry away about whether or not something can be used in the classroom.

Now What?
I have never really known or understood copyright laws before and now that I do, I will be able to teach and discuss them with my students.  They will need to know these laws because they will most likely being using technology more than my generation has used it.

Vidcast Reflection

This week we created a vidcast based on a standard from the Utah Core Curriculum. As a group we created a vidcast on the Sixth Grade Social Studies Core Curriculum. Once we had picked out the core, create our script, and picked out our images, it was easy to create the vidcast using Photo Story 3. The photos were easy to download once they were saved to my computer. Making slides in PowerPoint was easy and once I was able to figure out how to save them as a picture, it was easy to put them in Photo Story.

I really like that in Photo Story, a voice can be recorded and then immediately listened to from that slide. I also liked the fact that the time for each slide was automatically determined by how much voice was recorded. The recording was clear and easy to understand (after a few tries) and easy to do. It was easy to record, transition, order pictures, save, upload, and finally create. The steps were easy to follow and the directions easy to understand.

Once the vidcast was complete, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be to upload to Youtube. Just the press of a button and customizing it and saving. I absolutely loved that. It was also really easy to put it on my Site. Once I understood the instructions, it was easy to actually put the full video onto my Class Site and keep it there.

I really liked this assignment because it was something that I have never done before and it was really easy.

Vidcasts

What?
This week we began working on creating a vidcast with our partners.  This is a key assignment that will be included in our portfolio.  We discussed different ways to create a vidcast.

So What?
I am really excited to know how to create a vidcast because I will be able to create vidcasts to introduce units and lessons to my students.  I also will be able to use it in my school work to present ideas and lesson plans.  I can also create videos of my photos and of my brother's mission photos.

Now What?
As a future teacher, I can create vidcasts to instruct my students.  I can also teach my students how to create vidcasts for their own personal use.  I will be able to use vidcasts as a resource for future lessons.  I can also create a vidcast of my students and the things they do throughout the year as a portfolio.

Podcast

What?
This week we discussed podcasts and what they are used for.  We had to with either a partner or on our own, make a Public Service Announcement Podcast.

So What?
Making a podcast was a lot easy than I thought it would be.  Using Garage Band was easy.  It is a rather cool tool that I would really like to have if I could ever figure out how to use a Mac.  As a student, I can create a podcast to help me prepare and study for exams, record lectures, and make announcements or give instructions to my classmates.  I believe that by knowing mutiple ways to create a podcast, I will not only be able to create one where ever I am but I will be able to use those tools for other things.  I like the idea of creating a podcast of ideas and recipes instead of writing them down and misplacing them.  A podcast can be uploaded to the internet and stay there permanently.

Now What?
As a future teacher, any tool that I can use to help my students learn is great.  Podcasts can be used to give instructions, explain sub plans, and a place to store primary sources of speeches.  I can teach my students how to create a podcast to use for presentations and other activities.  It is also a great way to share information and ideas with colleagues when we don't want to spend extra time away from home.

Google Part 2

What?
This week we discussed how to create a Google Site and how to edit it.  Our assignment this week was to create a site with six sections that could be used in a classroom.

So What?
I loved learning how to use Google Sites because it is easy to do and easy to follow.  I can create sites for everything from school work to a place for my family to find things.  I like the way it follows the layout of all other Google products.  The save, cancel, and edit buttons are all located in the same place.

I am really excited to use this tool in my everyday life.  I can create a site for my family to post pictures, and update everyone on each others lives.  I will be able to give them the site without having to worry about other people finding out things from status updates and writing wall to wall like on facebook.

Now What?
As a teacher, I can use Google Sites for my classroom.  I can create a site for my classroom that has deadlines, announcements, information about myself and my classroom, a calendar to show when certain events are going to occur, and a place for parents and students to know what will be happening in the future.

I can also teach my students how to create their own sites.  They can use their sites to keep track of what they are doing.  Life today is so busy that a place where everything can be shown and kept will help students and their families keep track of their crazy lives.

Google Part One

What?
This week we looked at Google docs and calendar.  We are to collaborate with our partner to find information about a subject for our Digital Story using Google docs.

So What?
As a current student and future teacher, these are great tools for me to use to communicate and collaborate with others without actually having to be in the same room or talk to them on the phone.  I am able to save my documents in a place where they can be accessed from any computer with access to the internet.  I am also able to see my schedule for different events and activities all in the same place.

This not only makes my life easier but the lives of people that I will have to work and collaborate with in the future.  It will give all of us the time to do what we need to do and have time with our family and friends.  Time today is everything.

Now What?
I believe that knowing how to use these programs that are available for me online and being able to teach them to my students will help broaden their knowledge of the internet.  I am confident that my students will be able to safely use these resources without the fear of finding something they should not. 

I can also use it with my colleaques.  We can share ideas about lesson plans, classroom management, and anything that may be going on in the school without leaving the comforts of home.  They will always be available on the internet to access and update without rewriting.

Why Be A Teacher?

I honestly do not know exactly were the idea to become a teacher came from.  I have always been good with children and love to be around them (most of the time).  The idea most likely began when I was in fourth or fifth grade.  I loved those teachers and loved to help around the classroom.  Another teacher the influenced me was my Orientation and Mobility teacher Jalayne Jermain.  During one of our activities, I helped a little first grade student who was nearly blind, keep her balance while we were ice skating.  Jalayne told me that I would make a great Special Education teacher.

I decided that was exactly what I wanted to be.  Special Ed teacher are in high demand.  I thought it would be great working with Special Needs students.  Throughout Junior High and High School, I peer tutored the special needs students at my school.  I also began taking a Sign Language class and decided I wanted to be a Deaf-Blind specialist.  Once I graduated from high school and started at UVU, I realized that to fullfill that teaching goal, I would have to go to another school.  I decided to get my Elementary teaching degree and if I still wanted to become a Special Ed teacher, I could take classes at a later time at another school.

Tool of Choice

What?
During this weeks class, we dicussed tools that we can use to make different forms and documents. Our assignment this week is to make a brochure, newsletter, and/or flyer for our classroom or school. We will present them on Tuesday during the final. We also discussed the final and what is expected of us.

So What?
As a student, I can use the technology that I have learned from this class in my studies. I will be able to create a larger variety of documents using a variety of different programs. By understanding multiple programs and how to make each of these documents in them will help my life be less stressful. If one program is not working, I can use another one without the hassle of learning how to use it.

I will also be able to show my peers, family, friends and collegues how to use these programs. I can show the not so tech savvy easier programs that are not as complicated to use. I can help them understand the vast amount of programs there are and help them choose that one that best fits their personality. I can also encourage them to save things in more than one place, so that they will almost always have access to it.

Now What?
As for my future students, I will be able to show them the different programs and how to use them. Growing up, I only ever used Microsoft Word in school and at home. It was the only program that I understood and knew how to use. I can pull my students away from that and show them Google and other programs that will not limit their abilities to create.

I will also have the oppurtunity to teach the parents of my students and my collegues how to use these programs and create knew and exciting ways to teach. I hope that by knowing these things, I will be able to better the education of my students and help my school advance as technology advances.

Video
This video is so old but it still is a good one, although I don't think kids would know what a record player was. It teaches what a noun is really well and repeats it over and over again until a person cannot get it out of their head. I like that it does have a song and animations to go with it. The only problem I see with it is that it is out dated.

Video

What?
For this week we discussed videos and how to search for them and convert them to different formats. Our assignment for this week is to convert a short video to MP4.

So What?
By being able to understand how this technology works now, I will be able to help others who do not understand it (like my mom) and use it in my school work. I can work with classmates and family members and for enjoyment.

Now What?
I will be able to teach and show my students how to use YouTube safely and to learn. I can show them how to convert videos into different formats. By being able to show them this, I can expand their understanding of videos and technology.

Video
This video was interesting. It shows how teenagers see technology and how they hope to see it grow. I can relate to the kids who have to help their parents with the technology at their fingertips.

What?
This past week we discussed vidcasts and podcasts. Our assignment this week is to make either a podcast or vidcast in our teams.

So What?
Being able to have these resources and to be able to make them now can expand my computer and technology skills. I can use them in my classes to teach my classmates. I can use a podcast to take notes and leave myself reminders for later.

By understanding this technology now, I won't have to catch up later as it advances. I will also be able to teach it others.

Now What?
By being able to create both of these, I will be able to reach children that learn differently. My students' will have the technology in their hands to be able to learn the best way they can. If they are visual, then the vidcast would work for them. If they are more linquistic, they may be better with the podcast. Because children learn differently, it is better to have options.

I will also be able to use them with my colleagues. We will be able to exchange information on how we taught or created a certain project. My students will be able to create them as well to show their parents and other students what they have learned.

Video
This video had great points on why a teacher should let their students blog. I agree with everything that was said, although it was kind of dull to watch. It was more centered round kids trying to convince their teachers to let them blog.

PowerPoint

What?
This week we discussed how to show students how to make a PowerPoint presentation using step-by-step instructions.

So What?
Being able to understand how these programs work now and how to use them will help me in my future classroom. Being able give instructions and know how to follow those instructions, I will be able to help my own peers and classmates use it as well.

It took me awhile to understand the assignment but once I did, it was an easy concept. Having these skills will also help me in other programs and advance further with my computer skills.

Now What?
Being able to understand how this program works, I can teach the process to my students to help them become more technologically independent. In my classroom, I will be able to use PowerPoint to teach my students concepts in the Core Curicullum to help them better understand what they must learn.

I hope that someday, I will be able to encourage my students to explore things that they are uncomfortable with and help them learn. I want them to be able to feel like they are safe and that they can learn from me.

Video
It was interesting how much information Jordan knew about chickens and how interested she was in them. I never knew chickens could lay green and pink eggs. It was cool to see the different species she had and how much she knew about each of them. I liked how she incooperated different subjects into the video and what she had learned from those subjects that applied to chickens.

Picasa

What?
This week we went over Picasa. We were to explore Picasa and discover how it works.

So What?
Using Picasa in my life now will help keep my photos organized and will make my life easier. By being able to keep them all in one place, I can find them easy and edit them in the same spot. I found pictures that I didn't know I had. It even pulled my movies and pictures off of iTunes.

It was easier then I thought it would be. When I was trying to use it on the school's computer it did not want to cooporate, I did not think that I was going to like it. When I got Picasa 3 on my computer, I found that it worked better and was alot more organized. I liked how all the pictures were together how I had put them on my computers.

Now What?
I have found that I really like the collage feature. I'll be able to use this specific feature in my classroom to make a seating chart and get to know my students better. I liked how I could put names on it and that it had different options.

My students will be able to use this tool to make collages of their school year. Each child can pick and chose pictures of themselves, family, and friends and put it into one big picture to show what they have learned or what they like to do, their lives, etc.

Video
I blogged on the Picasa video, how not to use a powerpoint, in last weeks blog.

Digital Cameras and Picassa

What?
This week we were supposed to do Picassa and the digital photos presentation with our group. Since Doc Waters was ill, we did not do Picassa.

So What?
By being able to use a digital camera and the programs available to me to help utualize the best possible pictures. I can use these in my everyday life and in my schooling. I can show concepts as they apply to the world and without having to worry about copyrights.

I can create unique documents and use them in my daily life. By being able to understand the uses of a camera, I can document my life. I can show who I am and what I am accomplishing.

Now What?
Being able to use photos to show my students how what they are learning applies to the real world. I can show them different concepts and ideas that are seen everwhere in a world that they are familiar with.

I can also let them explore their own world and find the concepts that they are learning. Letting them take the photos, they will be more invovled in their learning and most likely understand it clearer. Letting them explore and answer their own questions will give them the opputunity to learn and grow on their own.

Video
That movie was awesome and it is so true. Reading the powerpoint word for word is terribly boring for the people watching. As someone who already has issues with color contrasts, I can totally understand the crazy color schemes that people use. Data is completely confusing especially to children. As fun as they are, flashy logos and pop ups are distracting if over used. Overall, I really do not like powerpoints but I will use them if needed.

What?
This week we discussed the uses of a digital camera in the classroom. We are to take ten picture with our group based on the Core Curriculum for our grade. We must also write the Pros of camera use in our reflection.

So What?
Being able to use a digital camera in the classroom can help a teacher obtain the following (Pros):

• Help visual learners learn better.
• Improve computer and technology skills.
• Help students develop reading, writing and math skills faster.
• Give students confidence in the work that they are doing.
• Show parents and other facutly members what your classroom is doing each day.
• Help the students remember what they have learned clearer.
• Show students how to be responsible.
• Show students that they can be trusted.

I chose these specific pros because I believe that they are the most important ones that should be seen in a classroom. Students who love to learn, are trusted in their learning, and are able to learn through their own learning style will enjoy learning more. I have seen students in observations, and my own schooling that do not like to learn because they never understood what was being taught. They are almost always in trouble and feel like nobody cares about them. By showing kids that you can trust them to be responsible with digital cameras may help them learn better. It is also a way to get away from the normal "I lecture, you listen" senario and let the students explore and learn on their own.

Now What?
I have never really though about this much before. In elementary school, my third grade class was each given a disposable camera to take pictures with but we had to wait for them to be developed. Being able to use a digital camera in my classroom will help me and my students and their parents communicate better. I will be able to show parents what their students are doing and the students will be able to take pride in the work they have done. I will also be able to get to know my students faster if I have a picture of them to go along with their name.

The pictures that they students will take will be a great reminder of the things that they have done during the year. I don't remember a whole lot about my elementary years. Being able to see the pictures and what they have learned will hopefully help my students remember a whole lot better than I have.

Video
This weeks video, Mashup, was awesome. I loved how the different clips were used to create one giant song that actually sounded like a song. I found myself keeping time with the beat. Being able to pull things together into a mashup in my classroom will help me be the best teacher I can be.

Internet Safety

Internet Reflection

Why we should or should not use the internet in education?

The internet is an important tool that when used properly can provide a vast amount of information for the user. Begin able to use it in education will help students and teachers learn more and to communicate better. Teachers can find information for lesson plans, activities, and questions their students may have. They may also motivate their students to find those answers for themselves. Students are able to use the internet in research, games, and activities that will help them learn and develop.

Why we should evaluate the sites we use?

The sites that students and teachers use need to be evaluated to determine if they are reliable and accurate. Students who know what to look for can better judge the content that sites are trying to provide. Using the eight questions below and the Internet Safety Web Activity, students will be able to understand the sites they are using and whether they are safe and reliable.


Internet Safety Questions

1.Are there links and do they work correctly?
2.Don't have to subscribe or add any software to use completely?
3.What is the domain? (org, com, edu, gov, mil, etc.)
4.Does the URL lead to a personal home page? (personal name, tidle, percent sign, the words user, member or people)
5.Is it easy to navigate and follow?
6.Is the grammar and spelling correct?
7.Is it up to date?
8.Does it have an author that can be contacted?

Ways to keep students safe while surfing

•Use UEN as much as possible. Other sites such as google are only about ten percent accuracy when it comes to information.
•Always have an adult present when surfing the web. If you come upon anything that you should not, an adult will be close by that you can tell.
•If you do not feel good about it, do not use it.
•Remember, if some sites want you to give them your personal information, do not visit them ever again.
•Use the internet safety tools in the tools menu/internet options link. If you do not know what to do, have a grown up set them up.
•Always get your parents/guardians permission before going online.

Video Relfection

I really liked this video because it has the most important points about internet safety in it. It isn't very long and the music adds to it. The pictures were somewhat random. The only thing I would probably change it the rule that scrolls across the screen left to right in really big letters. It's kind of hard to read.

UEN

what?
This past week we learned how to use UEN and Pioneer Library. We had to explore and discover what was at our fingertips in these programs and search them with the scavenger hunt and reflect on it. Since I posted my reflection last week, I am just going to post a normal blog.

so what?
Being able to use these resources is a great advantage for me and those around me. I know that the resources are reliable and informative. I would recommend them to anyone. I believe that we are learning about these sites because they are reliable and teacher recommended. Teachers use it everyday.

By using these sites, I'll be able to search hundreds and thousands of different articles on specific subjects and get as much information as possible. I have used Pioneer before through my library. I absolutely loved using it for papers. I did not have spend hours at the library doing research.

now what?
In my future classroom, I will gladly let my students explore Pioneer and UEN as much as they like because it is reliable and accurate. I also liked the interactive games that are appealing to children and adults. I have learned that children learn better when they have visual stimulations.

I will also use the lesson plans and the core curicullum daily in my classroom. Having them at my fingertips will help keep my life a little less stress free. I will be able to refresh my memory of the core curicullum and get more ideas for lesson plans. It can be easy to adapt lesson plans from other grades under the same standard to the grade level of my students.

video reflection
Oh my gosh!!! I absolutely loved this video because it is completely true. Children need to be able to move and express themselves in ways that schools are no longer allowiing. I have seen first hand what children who are encouraged to be creative and follow their dreams can do. They have a better love of education and enjoy learning more. I have noticed that because children are not given the oppurtunities now that they used to get to run and express themselves, more of them are being diagnosed as ADD. If children are able to move more instead of sitting at a desk reading and writing all day, they will be happier and more focused.

UEN Reflection

After having completed the Scavenger Hunt, I am completely brained out but I understand why UEN is important for a classroom. Being able to explore these things now has helped me to realize the vast amount of resources that are available to me that are reliable. I have used Pioneer before through my local library but I didn't realize the extent of it. I really liked that both of these sites are centered around children and families. The content was child appropriate yet it was engaging for adults.

I loved the Pioneer Library and the resources that it had. I was amazed by how much information there was and how easy it was to access. The biggest thing that I did not like was how often I had to login because I wasn't on the site constantly. It became rathar annoying.

The core curriculum and the lesson plans that are available on UEN are such a huge help to me as a beginning teacher because they will give me ideas and help for my own lessons. I will be able to understand what I am expected to teach to my students and ideas on how to do so. I like that they are available to me completed and organized by grade and Standard/Subject.

I am not so sure about the interactives. They were hard to find for a certain age group. They were listed under the standard that they applied to in the grade that I selected. It would be a lot more efficient if all of the links were listed together like they are but with better organization. Have the grade or age level and the standard(s) that they apply to.

Overall it was a good experience. By using these resources in my classroom and with my students, I will be able to be a better teacher. I will know that all of my information is accurate and that my students are learning that information. By letting my students have access to these sites, I am hoping that they will have a better understanding of what they are learning and that they will be able to explore and find answers to their questions.

Video Reflection
It was interesting to see what the President had to say about education in our country. I liked how he encouraged the students to believe in themselves more than anything. I did not think, however, that it was directed towards a younger audience. Lower elementary students probably wouldn't have understood what he was trying to say and probably wouldn't care if they did. To me he was addressing teenagers whose lives suck because of family situations.

Google Part Two

What?
This week we learned more about Google and how to use the online programs. We were assigned to create a presentation with our partner of classroom rules. It was quite fun picking out the backgrounds.

So What?
Being able to use this information and programs in my life will make it so much easier. I have found already that I do not have to worry about making sure they are saved on a portable device to take with me. I love the fact that they automatically save so that is one less thing that I have to worry about. I am still getting used to the fact that it doesn't always to what I want it to do.

Being able to learn this now will help me in the future with homework and in my professional life. I will be able to colloborate with other students when assigned to do group work without having to take the time to meet together and discuss what to do. Being able to save time will help me out a lot.

Now What?
I will be able to use this information for my future classroom to store presentations for students, lesson plans, fun projects, etc. I will be able to keep the information I need for my lessons and be able to change them when needed. The information that I have ever used before will be stored and I will be able to look it up if needed. My students and their parents will be able to send me messages. Parents involved with my class will be able to sent me bulletins, newsletters, etc. for me to approve without having to waste paper if it needs to be revised.

I will be able to use these programs with my collegues to pass around lesson plans that work and tweak them to fit their own classrooms. I loved finding the different backgrounds for this week homework assignment and making them interesting to children. One of my goals for my future students is to make learning fun. I hope by being able to use these programs that I will have a larger variety to choose from.

Video Reflection
The video this week was very interesting. It was amazing to see the perspective of a teenage boy who wants to go to college and why. I liked the examples he used of other successful directore in Hollywood and how they went to college. He is absolutely right about all of it. The only way to have a good job now-a-days is to have a bachelors degree of some form or another.

Google Part One

What?
This week I learned how to use Google Documents and Calendar. The assignement this week is the Welcome Letter using Google Documents and exploring Calendar.

So What?
I loved working with these programs. I was introduced to Google Documents last semester by another students and did not like it. I did not understand how to use it and thought that Mocrosoft Office. Now that I understand how to use it, I like it so much better. I am looking forward to exploring it more and being able to use it better.

My entire life has been put into a Google Calendar. It makes it so much easier to see everything that I have to do in a day. I am more organized because of it. All of my classes and homework are in one place so that I do not have to search through dozens of papers and documents to find what needs to be done.

Now What?
I will be able to use Google Documents to keep newsletters, assignments, and lessons plans for myself and substitutes. I will be able to change and see what I have done in the past. It will help me keep track of the things that work and do not work in my classroom. They will all be compiled in the same place with easy access.

Google Calendar will be used to keep parents updated on what is happening each week at the school and in my classroom. I will be able to show them what their students are learning and what homework they have for the night. I will also be able to keep myself organized. Being able to communicate with students and parents without having to make dozens of phone calls will make my life easier. Keeping a schedule makes students more comfortable with their learning and keeps me from going crazy.

Video
Wow, that video was amazing. It gets you really thinking about what you have done for yourself in your life. I really liked how Rene is motivating kids in situations like his to be all that they can be. I have learned that hearing something from a peer has more impact on a child, especially teens, that hearing it from an adult. His video will hopefully influence kids everywhere to become the best that they can be.

My Ideal Classroom

My ideal classroom would be a second grade classroom. The desks would be arranged in groups for the maximium amount of space available. I would have different colors on the walls that will be soothing and calming. There would be posters of different cultures, languages, places, etc. throughout the room. Students work would be displayed. I want a lot of storage space in my room. My desk would be neat and organized. I'll have a folder for assignments that need to graded and one for assignments that need to be returned. I'll have a book area and an area where students can go to escape. It will be clean and everything will have a place that will be labeled. Music will be playing in the background during quiet time when students are working.

I will teach using Developmentally Appropriate Practices. Students will interact with each other and ask questions. We will not use worksheets on a daily bases. I will encourage students to ask questions and to research the things that they want to know.

My students will be respectful of me, of themselves, others, and property. They will pay attention when I need them to and will enjoy learning. Students who have trouble with assignments will not be afraid to ask for help.

Parents will be involved in their students' educations. I will have at least one parent volunteer in my classroom at least once a week. Parents will have questions about what their students are learning but will not question how I teach them.

My colleagues will be supportive of me and my teaching methods. I will feel comfortable enough to approach my colleagues if I ever have questions or need help with a problem. They will comfortable enough to come to me if they ever need help.

I will enjoy my classroom, students, parents, and colleagues so much that I will look forward to going to work everyday and being able to interact with them.