Reflection #3 - Podcasting

What: I liked that we partnered up during this class to create a psa podcast on any topic we wanted. Thanks so much for breaking up the assignments from really time-consuming the last two weeks, to one that we could acutally finish in class. It was fun and cool to see how Podcasts are made.

So What: It was neat to consider the possibilities of using this medium to record me giving a lesson, or even record a spelling test, or a song the students need to learn. (Btw, it would most likely not be me actually singing...). My only concern is that I don't have easy access to a Mac computer to use garage band. I am sure there are other ways to create an MP3, so I'll have to call upon my spirit of discovery to find a way...

Now What: When I am a teacher, I want to remember to not always assign long, time-consuming projects without breaking them up by placing a shorter assignment in-between. I really appreciated Doc Waters doing that this week. :) Thanks. I am also looking forward to learning about vidcasts. I can't wait until the next class!

Google Sites 2 Reflection

WHAT:

This last class was full of many tasks to learn and utilize Google in order for us to catch up with the Wednesday classes. Going over Google programs and creating our own Google site is very helpful and I appreciate knowing what more technology is out there for our benefit.

SO WHAT:

I have LOVED and also struggled to complete this assignment. All of the many google programs are so ingenious and I can see the value of using these options in many aspects of my life. When I told my husband about this assignment he smugly reminded me that he had tried to show me Google calendar months ago and the value of sharing calendars with others. (He had set up all birthdays from each side of our families using two separate calendars.) I guess it is true that you have to be told from two different sources until you will consider something to be valuable information!

My daughter is on an accelerated soccer league and they have quite a few practice changes and game locations changing as well. Right after class I went to their website and noticed the soccer schedule was created using Google Calendar and so I clicked on the link to add it to my calendar. It was very exciting to see Thursday's change of game already updated on my calendar without me doing one thing! Thanks to you, Doc Waters!!! (ok and a little bit of thanks to my husband who, technically was the "first" one to introduce me to Google Calendars)

NOW WHAT?

I am very excited to use this idea of a website in my future teaching career. I can easily see how setting up a place where my students and their parents can go to get any needed information is very valuable. I love the idea of having files saved to this site, thus allowing access to these files from any computer. Also, the homework list topics will not only help a student who has missed class, but will help me plan ahead for future lessons and keep on top of things.

I was exercising my spirit of discovery and totally embedded a video to play a song about the sun. You'll have to check it out on my Resources page. I also put a link to the website where to find this video, but the ability to play the video right from my site was so neat! Thanks for the great assignment!

Reflection #1 Fear of the Future?

What:

Starting as a full-time student this semester in the Elementary Education Cohort has been an eye opener for me. I have always felt VERY ready to step in and have my own class to teach, but I now realize the old adage is true: The more you know, the more you realize there is so much more to learn!!!!

So What:

I am already loving taking all 7 prescheduled classes for this semester. There is so much information to learn and as I learn I am increasing the prospect that I will become an even more phenomenal teacher. One very valid fear of mine is that I will never be able to remember and apply everything that I come in contact with during my schooling at UVU. It is not possible, is it? What if, after a few years of teaching, I get in a "rut" and don't utilize this gold mine of knowledge?

Now What:

My focus in facing my fear (alliteration --I love it) will be to take in as much as possible while I am here at school. After schooling, I plan to research whenever needed to relearn or learn new strategies especially in the technology side of teaching. After my own experience, technology will be my greatest asset when I offer only the best to my students. Then I really won't need to fear the future after all.