My thoughts on SMART Board

To be honest, learning to use the SMART Board seems to be really overwhelming. However, I'm really excited about all the neat things that teachers can use the board for. I'm really hoping that when I begin teaching, I will have one in my classroom or at least one available for use. Like we saw in class today, you could easily design a math lesson that would allow students to interact with the material. You could easily take any subject and create an interactive lesson that could involve all of your students. Using the SMART Board could allow the teacher to get students involved instead of just "talking at" them all day. Another interesting way that a teacher can use the SMART Board is to make an interactive geography lesson. I noticed that they have images of different countries and you could easily label key locations. There are no limitations to the way the teachers can use the SMART Board in their classrooms.

Integrating Successfully

I chose this article because I am interested in how to integrate technology into the classroom. I know that more technology is needed but I want to know how to bring it in and make it a part of the classroom. I am also interested in the SMART Board and so this article caught my interest. It sounds as if they are extremely successful in schools- not only for students but for teachers as well. It appears that students and teachers are more excited about school and look forward to the school day. It was also a way for teachers to connect with each other on a technological level, helping each other and teaching one another new things. Even the parents had a positive reaction to the SMART Boards and saw that it had a positive affect on their children. Reading this article makes me want to learn more about the SMART Board and learn how it can be affective in the classroom.

Making a web site...

My Web Site

I really enjoyed learning how to make a website (even though I'm not really good at it). It is amazing what you can do within a matter of minutes. Trying to design a website using HTML code was really frustrating and can take a really long time. Using Google to design a web page took a matter of minutes and was really easy. I think it is great that Google makes this available to everyone who wants to make a web site. I can use this source to design a website for my students and parents of students to inform them of what is going on in the classroom.

Assignment #1 Technology Literacy

I have always been interested in the different avenues of technology. Ever since I can remember we have always had a computer in our home. Out of my family, I was usually the one who was on the computer the most and usually was the one who could fix any problems that we were having with it. I have always been comfortable using a computer and can usually fend for myself. As far as using other sorts of technology I would consider myself to be an average user. I know how to use items such as an iPod, cell phone, and other items that society can't seem to live without these days. However, I am well aware of the fact that I don't know it all and that there is a lot left to learn.

There are many areas that I would like to improve in this semester. I would like to learn how to use the smart board and hopefully be able to use in my classroom someday. Since technology is so essential, I really want to incorporate it in my classroom and allow my students to become comfortable with technology. It would be interesting to find out ways to incorporate technology into all areas of the curriculum. Making all of these things accessible to students may be a challenge but it is so essential. Another issue that I would like to learn about is how to incorporate technology and students who have special needs. I don't know anything about this and would like to learn the most beneficial way to get students who have special needs involved in using technology.

I believe that technology belongs in the classroom. As teachers, we are supposed to be preparing our students well- and to do that I believe we need technology. Technology is such a large part of society today that we would be harming our students if we did not teach them how to use it. In addition, most children today are already familiar with technology and are able to learn better when their teachers use computer games and other technology in the classroom. I think it is really sad that most students know way more than their teachers do about technology.

It is important that teachers are aware of the NETS standards. I had never heard of them before and I found them really interesting. For students who are in pre-K through second grade, it would be interesting to have students get a pen-pal from a different country, using e-mail. This way students can learn about people from different countries while learning how to use e-mail. This will allow children to learn about multiple cultures through technology.
Pen Pals International

Another way that I could help my students meet the NETS standards for their age would be to have them do a project on a historical figure using the internet. Since this could be difficult for younger students it may be necessary to send home a newsletter and have parents help their child do research on the computer.

I think it would be really interesting to have the students practice reading on the internet with electronic books. There are some really great resources online with good children's literature. If I had a smart board in my classroom I could pull up electronic books and have students read out loud from it. This activity would familiarize students with the internet and cause them to realize how much is available on the internet and through technology.
International Children's Digital Library

There are so many great things that we can use as teachers to enhance our students' understanding of technology. I realize that I have a lot to learn about how technology can be used in the classroom but I'm looking forward to learning as much as possible.

Northshore Christian Academy Website Analysis

http://www.northshorechristianschools.org/

This website is really helpful for people who are interested in Northshore Christian Academy. As soon as you pull up the website there is a really nice picture of the school campus and some of the students. Right off, viewers will notice that the students wear uniforms because the picture indicates as much. The site lets viewers know what is happening by providing a current calendar. There is also a news section that lets viewers know about open houses and the like.
Probably the most useful aspect of this website is that the viewer can look up the educational standards for the grade level they wish to investigate. The viewer can read about the curriculum of any given age group- what is expected from students, what goals are established, and many other aspects.
The website does a good job of providing directions and the number of the school office. However, I would have found it more useful if the website would provide e-mail or phone numbers of faculty members. If a viewer wants to get a hold of a teacher, they would have no way of doing it. Otherwise, I feel that this website is really helpful and complete.

Engage Me or Enrage Me: What Today's Learners Demand

This article drew to my attention the fact that the education system needs to be revolutionized. Considerable changes need to be made so that students can be successful and engaged in the classroom setting. As I future teacher, I realize that if I want to be successful, I need to integrate technology into my subjects.
As a nanny I have already begun to notice how children become enamored with technology even at a surprisingly young age. One of my girls, age 6, showed me her new iPod today and expressed her wishes for a cell phone on her next birthday. To be honest, I was completely shocked. However, after reading this article, it only makes sense to me that children are becoming attached to technology and a younger age. As educators, we need to realize this phenomenon and do something about it.
One of the questions this article raised in my mind was how we can incorporate more technology into the classroom. What tools do we need? I realize that the education system needs a group of leaders and managers to make this happen. The leaders must devise a plan, and the managers must implement and execute the plan. I do believe this change in education needs to take place sooner rather than later.

Why I want to be a teacher...

If you would have asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up when I was younger, I doubt I would have answered teacher. However my dreams of being a ballerina ( I lack the coordination) or a doctor (I have a severe fear of blood and needles) have faded and I now pursue a new dream. I want to be a teacher. I began college as a business major, mostly because I had no idea what I really wanted to do. Halfway through my first semester I decided that I wanted to become an elementary teacher.
Why? Perhaps one of the most important reasons why I desire to become a teacher is that I have a passion for working with children. I could think of nothing better than to spend a day "at work" interacting, teaching, and essentially learning from children. I also believe that God has called me to be a teacher and has been preparing me for that occupation my entire life.
I am looking forward to getting into the classroom and experiencing what it is like to be a teacher. I am not completely sure what grade I want to teach when I begin my career. I do feel that I would be the most effective teaching students in lower grades, such as kindergarten or first. However, the grade level I wish to teach is not priority. My desire is to be in a place where I can be involved in the journey of learning with a group of young people and be able to have a front row seat as students begin to learn and discover on their own.