Well, maybe I was jumping a bit overboard complaining about the available technologies....fact of the matter is, ever since I made that comment, I have been proven wrong over and over again.
I really enjoyed reading others' blogs regarding the power point presentation - that seems to be what most blogged on. I know that was not my best work, but I did enjoy the movie project quite a bit, although I did have a very hard time with text font and timing...everything else was quite fun and I look forward to making a nicer one to use in the classroom eventually and this is something I would definitely have my students do!
I was talking to my daughter about a project she is doing in school - she is in the sixth grade. She said she needed to make up a power point presentation, and I was like "can you do it at home, or does it have to be done at school?" She said that it all had to be done in school. I mentioned that I learned some pretty neat effects that I would show her if she wanted to incorporate into her project and she said "I already know how to do all of that mom. We play around with it all the time. It's fun."
This said two things to me 1) Technology is play for kids....for many adults (including myself) it is just another thing to master that I stress finding the time to squeeze in, and 2) I am further behind in the technological revolution than I had EVER imagined. Apparently knowing more than my mother and grandmother does not count as being tech savvy. I need to know more than my children - or at least as much as they know in order to even be on the same page as them.
While I am still the most important "tool" in that classroom for helping students learn, these technologies are what they want to use to explore and play with the topics/knowledge they have to see how it fits into their world and their understanding. To be able to do that, I have to learn these things, or I will be a boring, old teacher.....sigh....that's not so neat....
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
ahhh....college!
I should seriously be working on my power point presentation. I feel the pressure to make this assignment top notch, but I'm doubting my ability to meet the expectations on this particular assignment, and I'm certain that my lack of enthusiasm or drive has quite a bit to do with that!
When I decided to come back to school to pursue my teaching license, I had a good 8 years of teaching experience under my belt in various age ranges and subjects. I thought...this is just a formality. Well, what a time consuming, expensive, draining "formality" this has turned out to be!
I LOVE learning. I LOVE helping people learn things. I dislike feeling so stressed that I am not enjoying my free time or my time with my family. I dislike the nagging in the back of my brain that is saying "you should really be working on your homework instead of doing a puzzle with your baby". I've chosen to ignore this nagging. I may not fare well on my power point, but I really don't care - not to sound like I don't care about my work or my grades because I do - but there are tons of other things that are way more important to me, and quite frankly - the level of student I will be working with will not really need fancy or interactive power points, but then again, you never know.
My philosophy is that if I had NONE of this technology available to me, I could still teach my students. I am the most important and influential element of their learning. If I am a master of my subject, they will learn more because I will know more. Sure, we can use this other stuff for enhanced exploration, but I don't need ANY of it.
I must say, though, that I am glad that this power point assignment is asking us to incorporate different elements because if a teacher is going to use a power point, it may as well be worth using. Too many times I've seen useless power points that were essentially the instructor's notes and heard them read verbatim. How boring is that. It actually makes the teacher LESS effective.
On another note, I think that I may be taking some time off from my quest for certification after the summer term. When I started this endeavor, I had the full support of my family and friends; however, I have yet to see anyone volunteer to babysit, drive my children, cook a meal, or clean a house. I have a young man ready to learn to drive and a little one trying to potty train. I think it's time for mommy to be back home. I simply don't have time for student teaching right now, but I will have all of my other credits under my belt, so I walk away accomplished.
My only hope is that if I do decide to complete the certification process through AU that I do not have to do another lengthy power point :)
When I decided to come back to school to pursue my teaching license, I had a good 8 years of teaching experience under my belt in various age ranges and subjects. I thought...this is just a formality. Well, what a time consuming, expensive, draining "formality" this has turned out to be!
I LOVE learning. I LOVE helping people learn things. I dislike feeling so stressed that I am not enjoying my free time or my time with my family. I dislike the nagging in the back of my brain that is saying "you should really be working on your homework instead of doing a puzzle with your baby". I've chosen to ignore this nagging. I may not fare well on my power point, but I really don't care - not to sound like I don't care about my work or my grades because I do - but there are tons of other things that are way more important to me, and quite frankly - the level of student I will be working with will not really need fancy or interactive power points, but then again, you never know.
My philosophy is that if I had NONE of this technology available to me, I could still teach my students. I am the most important and influential element of their learning. If I am a master of my subject, they will learn more because I will know more. Sure, we can use this other stuff for enhanced exploration, but I don't need ANY of it.
I must say, though, that I am glad that this power point assignment is asking us to incorporate different elements because if a teacher is going to use a power point, it may as well be worth using. Too many times I've seen useless power points that were essentially the instructor's notes and heard them read verbatim. How boring is that. It actually makes the teacher LESS effective.
On another note, I think that I may be taking some time off from my quest for certification after the summer term. When I started this endeavor, I had the full support of my family and friends; however, I have yet to see anyone volunteer to babysit, drive my children, cook a meal, or clean a house. I have a young man ready to learn to drive and a little one trying to potty train. I think it's time for mommy to be back home. I simply don't have time for student teaching right now, but I will have all of my other credits under my belt, so I walk away accomplished.
My only hope is that if I do decide to complete the certification process through AU that I do not have to do another lengthy power point :)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
So far...so...wow
I thought I knew a ton about technology, but really, I have no idea how to do this stuff. Once it is shown to me, however, I have no problem picking it up and doing it. I guess I really just do not have the time or desire to do this stuff in my free time.
I can see how having the knowledge to utilize these tools will be important as a classroom teacher; communicating with parents and students will be easier, and I can help families find resources for their own specific needs by offering links and other tools for them to use together to enhance their education and their personal lives.
I'm looking forward to using more of these tools and creating projects that I can build on in the future!
I can see how having the knowledge to utilize these tools will be important as a classroom teacher; communicating with parents and students will be easier, and I can help families find resources for their own specific needs by offering links and other tools for them to use together to enhance their education and their personal lives.
I'm looking forward to using more of these tools and creating projects that I can build on in the future!
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