Professional Development Profile

My Opinion of Students with Technology

I think we have so many useful resources in our day and age and we should use and benefit from the technology we have at our fingertips. When our students use technology, they need to be careful because it can be dangerous when not used with caution. I think having technology (cell phones, I pods, Mp3 players) in the class room setting is very distracting and shouldn’t be allowed; however I think if you need to contact a parent or guardian then take the call in the hall, so you aren’t distracting the other students.

Millennials

I found this site to be quite imaginative… I thought some of the ideas were hilarious and then I remembered the ideas came from children. Here are a few examples of the cute/funny ideas…

-having a calculator built into you pencil

-having a robot or a digital teacher

-automatically transferring knowledge to your brain using pills, gum or a hat

I thought these were fun ideas, but I think its quite ridiculous how lazy this generation has become. Students want everything handed to them and they don’t want to work for the knowledge, an example would be having a calculator built into a pencil… oh come on, why has it come to the fact we can’t do simple math? It’s because we have relied on other sources to do the work for us.

I think having online games and classes would be a great resource for the students. I also think it would be great to have your textbooks online, because you can easily access the info. The school would be saving a lot of money buying the books and the money being saved could benefit the students in other ways.

Social Networking

I really enjoyed this video I think it is fascinating how quickly the social networking is growing. I think it's great that students are learning technology skills, creativity, being open to new points of view and communication skills. I think having online classes and ebooks will of course save money and be quite the time saver in the long run. I am a social networker believer and I keep in contact with all of my old friends through Facebook and Myspace.

New Tech Trends

There is new technology coming out everyday for example the iPhone; the manufactures are trying to accommodate prices so more people will use and buy. What I found interesting from this video was how the internet companies like Comcast and AT&T are willing to charge customers who use it more than others. I think it is ridiculous how teachers want their students to get online and do research and homework, and now they are going to be charged if they go over their monthly time limit. This topic is a hard one to discuss especially when you are a parent who wants to support the school, yet you can't afford it.

Study: Teens See Disconnect Between Personal and School Writing

The article states, "According to the study, 73 percent of the teens surveyed said their electronic communications have no impact on on their formal (school) writing, and 63 percent said that "using computers to write makes no difference in the quality of the writing they produce" I don't completely agree with this article, I think there is a new language of texting and IM and it gets mixed in with our daily discussions and writings. I've read students' work and the texting lingo comes in on accident and it's hard to understand.
The article also stated, "Eighty-six percent of teens surveyed said they thought "good writing ability" would be important for later success in life, according to the survey, and 82 percent said they thought their writing would improve if their teachers spent more time on it in class." I agree with this quote and I think it would be great if teachers spend more time on writing.

Millennial Generation

This video was on media mobility and having your media on the go. The students on this video talk about what they want for the future for example smaller computers. They also discussed how credit cards will become obsolete and they will use finger printing; thus there will be no identity theft. I think this idea is amazing and smart!

A Vision of K-12 Students Today

I thought this was an insightful video and I think we need to take the advice students are giving us and help them grow mentally and physically. Teachers are creating future generations and they need to grow and accept technology and use it in daily teaching.

Why Integrate Technology into the Curriculum?

Having technology in the classroom for sure makes it more fun and interactive. The article states, "Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. Effective tech integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. In particular, it must support four key components of learning: active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts." I think having technology in classrooms will help the teacher and the students grow, and become experts in the real world. If you aren't continually learning then you will get let behind in the real world.

UNI Teacher Technology Compentencies

After I took the UNI survey I realized I have some work to do. I thought I was tech savy, however I guess I only know the basics. I want to help my students to their fullest potential, therefore I want to learn as much as I can, so I will be able to use technology in my classroom daily.

NETS for Teachers

I looked at the site, NETS FOR Teachers 2000, and I feel like it's something I can achieve, the format and wording makes it less overwhelming compared to the UNI survey. NETS site states, "Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology." I agree with this statement, I think we should invite technology into the classroom; by doing this it will help the students develop higher technology skills and creativity.

Strengths and Weaknesses

I think some of my strengths would be relating to the students, and creating something they would enjoy and learn from. I enjoy learning new information and teaching those around me about it. I think one of my weakness might be having the patience to work with and practice on the technology, but once I know what I am doing then I enjoy it... kind of like this whole blog thing!

Did You Know Video

I thought this was a very insightful video clip, I was shocked with the facts. A few examples of the facts I enjoyed were...

-Many of today's college majors didn’t even exist 10 years ago

-Today’s 21year old has watched 20,000 hrs of TV, 10,000 hrs of video games, 10,000 hrs on the phone and has sent or received 250,000 emails of instant messages

-More than 70% of the US 4 year olds have used a computer.

Watching these facts pop up on the screen blew me away, I know we are constantly surrounded with technology; however I think we should manage our time and use it when it is necessary; instead of being glued to your TV or phone.

WebQuest

I think using WebQuest is a great way to get technology into the classrroom. I think it is great that you can create a WebQuest on any topic, and it is also a great opporunity to be creative. I am looking forward to creating my own WebQuest, it will be quite the journey! C.J., Shelly and I created a WebQuest on Germs. We chose germs because it is flu season and we thought it would be a great recap to have! As a group we had some ups and downs, but we all worked together and got it done!

Week 3 of Student Teaching

Oh my goodness what a week! I taught on Wednesday about direction, and how to use the stars, sun, and compass when lost. On Thursday from 8-9 am I took my students into the computer lab, and we did a lesson on comparing and contrasting the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. When we got back to class, the regular teacher was no where to be found. However, I knew the schedule and I got the students started on their next project. My supervisor from UVU was observing me and asked to speak with me in the hall; during this time I asked one of the parents grading papers to locate the teacher. While I was in the hall, the parent told me that she found out that the teacher was in a meeting. I was quite surprised, yet I knew everything was going to be fine. About 5 minutes past, and a different teacher came up to me and told me that my teacher went home sick. She then explained to me, that I would be substituting for the rest of the AM group. At this point I was really surprised, yet I smiled and said, "No problem, I have everything under control." My UVU supervisor seemed speechless, and ask me if I would be okay. I reassured her and she left. I then walked into the classroom, and followed the rest of the lesson plans for that day. When I was getting ready to leave, one of the teachers came up to me and explained that my teacher was going to be sick on Friday and that I would be substituting again. I smiled and said, "Sounds good!" I came in on Friday and following the lesson plans according to the schedule and everything went very smoothly. When the bell rang the students were sad to see me go, they all hugged me goodbye. I had a wonderful experience student teaching, and I will miss seeing my students everyday!

Week 2 Student Teaching!!!

This week was very smooth and easy going because, I felt like I had the routine down. On Wednesday I taught about Northern Explorers and Settlers. On Thursday we had a recap of what we learned the previous day, and then students presented their posters they made on their explorers. On Friday we discussed Gratitude, and the different things we should be grateful for. Then my students made turkeys to give to their Kindergarten Buddies. This activity was a great way to end the week!

Week 1 Student Teaching!!!

This has been such a fun week! The first 2 days I was basically observing and helping out when I could. I would make sure the students were on task while the actually teacher was teaching. I would also help with a assignments and grading. On Wednesday the class had a substitute and I was mainly in charge, because I knew how the class functioned. The week continued with me taking on more responsibilities and I loved every minute of it. On Friday when I was getting my things to go, the teacher told me that I was a natural, and that I would make a great teacher. I was touched by that comment and I am truly looking forward to the next 2 weeks.

Welcome Students

Welcome new students! I am excited to start this new school year off with such an exciting bunch! This year holds so many possibilities. I look forward to your ideas and feed back on ways to make this a fun year!