The semester is over...

YEAH! This semester is over! I only have to turn in a videotaped lesson to my University Supervisor and I'll offically be on break! The best part of this, I can actually use this blog for myself instead of a class. Who knows if I'll actually use this, but I'm going to give it my best try.

So, this has been the hardest semester I have ever been through. Since this is my second bachelor's degree, that's saying a lot. Not only did I have to deal with three very demanding classes, I also have to teach at least one lesson per week. It's been hard to keep up with everything. Now I'll only have stuff for internship to do. I won't have other classes to worry about. I will have seminar, but that won't be as hard as 3 classes and going to school two days a week. Now that I've said that, next semester is going to be 10 times harder...

Over Christmas Break, Brandon and I are going to Michigan. I have a brand new niece to meet! I'm very very excited. So, now I have one of each. Her name is Abigail Lee. She's a month and a half old. we meet her in 6 days!!!!!!

My husband, Brandon, graduates from college on Saturday. It's been a long journey, but we're excited that he's finally done. He'll have a short break before starting seminary at Candler. He starts next fall. So, for now, he'll be supporting me as I finish up my teaching degree and get my license.

Well, I'm pretty tired and I have to get up really early to tutor a high school student in Geometry. His EOC is tomorrow and he's pretty nervous about it. Hopefully I'll get back to this blogging thing...

Chapter 11--Last Chapter for the semester!! YEAH!!

Chapter 11 was very interesting. Though I have taken SPED 335, I do not feel totally confident that I can meet the special needs of the students in my classroom. This chapter addressed ways technology can help me help my students.

I really liked the portion of the chapter where we checked our webpages for accessibilty for blind people. I had never realized that internet could be accessible to the blind. It really taught me there's a lot out there I do not know.

Chapter 12

Putting Chapter 12 after Chapter 13 and before Chapter 11 makes me feel like I don't know how to count. But this is the order the chapters were assigned, so that is the order I will post in.

I enjoyed reading about how to fully integrate technology into the curriculum. I enjoyed reading the lessons that were provided with this chapter. It is amazing to think about all students can learn from doing one of the authentic problems that were presented in The Road Ahead. Not only students learning about technology, but mathematics, language arts, science, social studies...you name it, it's probably in there.

Each one of our subject areas does not exist in a bubble. I believe for a successful middle school program the subject areas need to be integrated as much as possible. These cannot be "add ins." They have to authentic purposes for our students to fully grasp what they are trying to learn and what we are trying to teach them. Giving students work to just do work does not produce authentic learning experiences. Students must be excited and interested to get the full effect of the assignment. That's why these must be authentic.