Chapter 13 Reflection

I found the article on filtering the internet very interesting. At first I was shocked that someone was suggesting that we do not protect our students for dangers. Then I thought about it as I read on. We cannot create bubble around our students and act as if these things do not exist. There are dangers out there in the world. We cannot protect the students when we are not there, unless we teach them how to protect ourselves.

Now that I agree with the article, I think it will be very hard to convience some community members of this. I can show them the article, but they may not agree with what the article says. I'm sure that things like drug education and sex eduction must have gotten resistance too when it was suggested at first. I know there are still parents that will not allow their students to sit through sex eduction done by the school. Why would they allow their students to use a computer without a filter or list to a lesson on how to navigate the internet safely?

Chapter 10 Reflection

This chapter brought up some good statistics on North Carolina Schools in our first reading. It noted the statistics on technology/internet/computer use for the state of North Carolina being higher than the national average. I think that is wonderful, but I'm wondering if schools are reporting accurately.

I wonder this because in my classroom where I am doing my internship, we have 4 computers for the students that are online all the time. The teacher also has her computer that is also online all the time. There is also another computer in the room, which is not accessible to the students because it is my personal laptop. It is not online in the classroom. (Only when the mobile lab is there, then I get the wireless connection.) So 5 out of the 6 computers in our classroom can be used with our students. Our largest class is 25 students. We have 1 computer for every 5 students. We have used these computers for 1 week on 1 project thus far this year. Why have the computers in the classroom if we are not going to use it. I am wondering how many of the other classrooms in the North Carolina are expereincing the same thing.

The students do get a 6 week section of keyboarding during the school year. The school also uses programs like Study Island, but this is just an additional activity. It's not an integration of technology in the classroom.

I am very fortunate to be working with a teacher that went to a workshop with the Science House in Asheville over the summer. She is what the Science House calls a "Pioneer Teacher." This intitles her to the use of the Science House materials during 3 weeks through out the school year. This is wonderful for our students to be able to use this equipment. It is also wonderful to see this equipment being used.

So, computers are being used at my school, juts not the computers that are sitting in our classroom.

Chapter 9 Post

Thing this semester just keep getting more hetic and more hetic. I can't wait until the end of the semester. Only 3 more weeks left. I don't even get a break over Thanksgiving. I have to work on my technology portfolio and all of this homework for this class. I am so far behind not just in this class, but in all of my classes. I can't believe the amount of work I have to do. I feel like I'm drowning.

I enjoyed looking for instructional software for this portion. My favorite that I've used is GeoSketch pad, but it has nothing to do with my unit plan. I also enjoyed using the turtles. Geometry is one of my favorite parts of Mathematics and that could explain why I like both of these programs.

Chapter 8 Reflection

I have just finished everything for Chapter 8. I am a few days late, but that's what happens when you have a cold, a job fair, the Praxis II in less than week, and all these classes with things due. It's been a very busy couple of weeks. Only a few more weeks left in the semester! Thank goodness!!!

I really enjoyed actually incorporating technology into my lessons. It was interesting to see how it just logically flows into my lessons. It seems like the technologies I have put in the two lessons I've written belong there. Granted, I am a Mathematics teacher. Technology and Mathematics go very well together. I wonder if my classmates are finding this as easy as I am.

What I liked best is I haven't used the technology that all teachers over depend on in Mathematics yet. I do not have a calculator in use in any of my lessons. I do have it listed as a supply in my first lesson, just in case. I do not have it planned as a use.

After our initial class on the Technology Portfolio, I'm a little less worried about it. It is going to take a lot of work, but I do not think it is going to be hard. It will be time consuming, but it is not going to be difficult. I think I want to do mine online. I think it will be an easier way to organize. Papers have a way of becoming disorganized, even after you organize them. I find it a lot harder to become lost in webpage organization. Maybe it's because I'm a Math person.

When I was at the Gwinnett County Job Fair on November 6, I saw some people hand a CD in with their resumes. It was a portfolio of some sort. They had a paper copy with them as they walked around the job fair. The principals and teachers at the job fair saw hundreds of potential teachers. By giving the school as CD of their work, these teachers have ensured that their portfolios are going to be remembered by the people that are hiring for the county. I think it was a wise thing to do, and I intend on doing the exact same thing for my next job fair.

Chapter 7 Reflection

This unit was a good review of Access. It's been years since I've used this program. (Since I had Computers in Business in 1998 with my first Bachelor's.) It was a great refresher on how to use a program that is often over looked. When you say database, most people think of Excell. Everyone forgets about Access.

I have used Access to create a database of all the middle schools in Gwinnett County, Georgia. I included the principal, the school name, street, city, state and zip code. There are 20 middle schools in that county. I created my cover letter and using mail merge, personalize each cover letter to each principal. I have a job fair on Saturday in Gwinnett County. When I'm at the job fair, I'll have a resume, cover letter, transcript packet peronsalized for each school in the county.

Chapter 6 Reflection

I'm having to catch up on everything. We did Chapter 6 about 2 weeks ago and I just remembered I never did the reflection on it.

I enjoyed the video project. It was very fun to put together. I had never been video taped like that before. It was a good experience learning how to make prompts and read from them. I also enjoyed editing. My husband is excited because now I can video tape him kayaking and he can edit it and put it on his webpage.

I liked that we got to use the Macs. Some may of us are afraid of Macs. I have had some experience on Macs, but I'm more comfortable with PCs.

I am wondering how likely it is for schools to have the equipment for students to be able to check out. These video camaras are very expensive. The schools do not even have a computer for each on the of the students. How can they justify buying a video camara?