REFLECTION #2

The tools we have been learning about in class so far are going to be so helpful for me as a teacher, for the students, the parents of the students, my co-workers, and people in general dealing with education. The tools we have recently learned how to use are so great, convenient, and fun. Google sites will be so great for my students and parents to always know whats going on in the class and to also help parents better communicate with me. They are also so fun to personalize and make my own for my classes each and every year. I think teachers need to stay very organized and on top of things, and the Google calendar is great for that. IGoogle also helps people stay in contact with the things around them, and in tune with the world. The Google groups will be so greatly used among co-workers, and other people through the school district and among other school districts to help share ideas and communicate.

I have noticed it's very hard for parents, grandparents and other family members to get through to teachers, especially during school hours. These different, fun, and easy technologies are just the tool for fast communication at all times. These all provide a fast easy and convenient way to find answers to questions, and to also communicate when needed. The telephone just isn't the most convenient and easy thing for educators and parents to use.

I feel by having the correct things listed on the Google site with much detail and information and keep it up to date, that is a big way to also help communication. Although there are so many pros to these new technologies, there may also be some cons especially for those teachers that aren't technology savvy. It may be very time consuming and hard for those just learning it and getting the hang of it. The telephone just may be easier for them, but over time it can be learned. It may also take some time for parents to get the hang of it also, but it can be so beneficial once its learned.

These tools can also be used to achieve classroom objectives, such as being the organized teacher that can teach the students what they need to learn in that day, it can help the students be more prepared with reminders and help online for class the next day. It can also give the children the chance to also become more technology friendly and more familiar with the technology out there for their education.

It's so amazing to me from when I was in elementary to now how much technology all around us has changed and progressed, and how many great and convenient things there are for educators, students, and parents to use. Teachers basically used the grading system and roll taking on the computer, and a few emails here and there and that's it. As I got into the upper grades I started seeing more power point presentations and more technology, but nothing like today. I'm so excited to be able to use and learn these different technologies to better my teaching ability, my classroom, and my communication line.

VIDEO
DR.DUEY FRACTIONS--WEB 2.0

The Dr. Duey clip was very interesting and also very fun. I think the boys would really enjoy this way of learning, and would probably really remember the different things being taught. It's an easy way of remembering things when put to mucic or a rap.
The web 2.0 clip was also very interesting to be able to see all the different things on the web for educators and for others to use, all in which I think is free which is always helpful. It is so helpful to have easy ways to share ideas to help better your teaching and curriculum. There is blogging, wiki, tagging, podcast, google, and so many great web resources for us as teachers to use in our teaching and become familiar with. It definitely takes powerful thinking and coming together to make these technologies work and be effective. This clip would have been much for effective to me, if they showed actual examples of what each of these web resources were. It would have got me that much more interested than I already am. This clip made me very excited to learn all these new things out there.