Final reflection

I learned a lot of information regarding using computers in today's classroom. I thought I was pretty good at using computers and knew all I had too. To my surprise I was so behind! After taking this class, I am aware of the many usage computers can add to a classroom. The Smartboard is just one aspect. Now I know about blogs, personal websites, Wiki and so many more. I feel I will use blogs and maybe personal websites in my future classroom. Technology is a huge part in most people's lives, so it is important to bring it into the classroom, considering those students are our future!

Final Wiki Post

My WIKI I must say is pretty cool. I decided to do it on the fifty states for a fifth grade class. I remember learning about the fifty states and it would have been nice if my teacher had done a WIKI or something like that to help us learn the needed information. My WIKI only had one link because within the link was another link and there was beyond enough information for students to use to find out about their states. I used very colorful designs. I feel students learn the best when it is colorful because it grasps their attentions. The directions and what was needed from the students was presented quite clearly. So teachers or students should have no problem using my WIKI.

Final personal website

After I completed my personal website, I was very pleased to see how it turned out. At first I was a bit nervous that it would not be good, but to my surprise I like how it looks a lot! I added all that was needed and added my own personal touch as well. The pictures in my website made it more alive and fun! I had general and special education websites, so that teachers would benefit from both because in most general ed classes there will be children with special needs. Overall my personal website is awesome in my opinion.
At first I did not think I would use this website for my future classroom, yet as I finished mine, I realized I think I will. I am not sure how I would go about using it, but I would like to have my students in upper elementary use it to express their feelings about my teaching and assignments. This way a shy child could express what he or she was feeling and wouldn't have to do it in front of the class.

Final Class

Our final class was a little over two hours and we presented our final projects. The system was not working too well again, so some people's voices had echos as did mine. I was able to communicate at first, but then when it was time to present my project, my voice echoed a lot. Eventually it turned out ok and I was ready to go. Then I got kicked off the site as I was presenting! To be honest I got pretty mad! I was going along and had a good pace and then "pow" I'm kicked out.. I guess that's technology so I can't complain too much. I have never given a presentation online before. It was quite a first time experience and I did enjoy watching the other projects. All the topics were interesting and educational. It seemed most people did use slideshow like I did, but then there were some who used other sites which were pretty cool.

Newsletter

Communication between parents and teachers is very important. Most parents work hours out of the normal school day and it is important for both parties to still communicate on a regular basics. At times children have lost papers when teachers are trying to contact parents and letting them know what is going on in the classroom. Placing important information online is a terrific way to have parents capable of obtaining information when they want. My group used Letterpop to create the newletter. Our first impression was that it would be fairly easy, yet we were shocked to see that it actually wasn't. It was hard to create an account and login in each time! I am still not sure why. Getting together was difficult once again, but we did our best to make time. Our schedules are just so different, that one person was available yet another wasn't. We made it though! Yay! Next time we felt we would use another website to make this newsletter.

Engrade

I liked engrade alot. It was very useful to have the opportunity to have my classes grade book at my finger tips. It is much easier than using an old fashion grade book. Erasing information and changing grades can be done in a simple touch of a delete button. Also saving information is just as easy. I don't have my own classroom just yet, but I have student taught and have used a grade book before. An old fashion paper grade book that is. Now with the chance to use a grade book online, is something I will use when I do have my own classroom.

A is for apple

I was surprised by the video. The very first saying that stuck to me was "if the school fails and isn't meeting standards, close it down!" How in the world could that man say it that easily. Closing schools shouldn't be done so easily. I understand that schools need to meet all their requirements, but to close a school because they didn't meet it is something that shouldn't be done. Maybe changing teachers rather than closing a school. I agree with the fact that students should be involved in learning. The more they have an input in a lesson, the more things will be remembered. I also agree that schools now focus on standardize tests, rather than the curriculum. Tests have become something that takes over the learning environment and too much time is focused on them. I think standardize tests are important, but to a limit.