End of Semester Reflection

This semester I have learned that technology is not something that teachers should fear, but it is actually something we should value.  I have realized that it is a very helpful tool that can make learning more enjoyable for students.  Our classrooms do not need to revolve around technology, instead, technology can be used in ways that simply enhances students learning. 
Some specific things that I have learned this semester is how to use the SmartBoard, this will definitely be helpful in my future classroom, knowing how to navigate through the settings and find pre-made slides off the Internet is a great source to know about.  I also enjoyed learning about the document camera, Storybird, Prezi's, Ted Talks, Blogging, Podcasting, Wordle, and many other helpful resources that I will definitely use in my future classrooms.
The teacher NET that i focused on this semester was 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  I feel that after learning so many different resources I can use technology through, I have been able to begin to think of ways i can fulfil this teacher NET.  I have found out about many sources students can use to make presentations with their own photos they've taken, students can create videos with other students to share information, they can create videos showing work they are doing on a computer while speaking into a microphone to explain the process, they can do things as simple as making a PowerPoint presentation, the possibilities are endless in the ways students can do creative learning and sharing of information in the classroom while using technology.

Reflection #12

Facebook has become a part of many students lives these days.  When the three teachers came to our class to talk, they mentioned that it is best to be very wise about who we accept as friends, and how our facebook page looks to the public eye.  My husband is currently student teaching at a Junior High, and his observing teacher (whom I have as a teacher this year as well) informed me that he heard while observing my husband that my husbands picture is on a students facebook (they took his photo off the NU men's soccer website), and that girls have been commenting saying that he is cute.  This took me by surprise that a student had the guts to put something like that up about a teacher on a public site such as facebook. Even though we do not know who did it, and we probably will never take the time to figure it out, it made me think that teachers do need to be very careful about what they have on facebook, but also, students should also be wise about what they post.  Something like that could be dangerous for a teacher, my husband has no idea who may have posted this on their facebook, but if girls were to comment and say something inappropriate as a joke, it could potentially get my husband, or any teacher into trouble.  Even though we cannot control what our students do, this has just reaffirmed me that as teachers, we need to be extra careful about what we put online, and very particular on who we accept as friends on facebook and other social networking sites.

Comments on Classmates Blogs

Sara's Reflection #10
Jordan's Reflection
Rich's Reflection #11
Jessica's Reflection #6 
Sara's Reflection #9

Reflection #11

I have recently been hearing that many schools are getting rid of recess so that there is more classroom time for the kids to learn so that they do well on the state tests.  The thought of this makes me very sad.  Have we forgotten what it is like to be a kid? Recess was always one of my favorite parts of the day! If I didn't have recess, I would have gone crazy with energy in the classroom, and I know I would not have been able to focus all day long on what the teacher was saying.  I cannot imagine that taking away recess has actually improved test scores, if anything, I imagine that it would make them worse.  So many kids these days are diagnosed with ADHD, and we wonder why, well if we allowed students a good amount of time to release energy and take their mind off of learning all day, they would be more likely to pay attention when it was necessary.  Overall, I feel that the idea of taking away recess is not wise at all, if we want to raise a generation to be physically and mentally healthy, then we need to teach our kids that it is good to take a break and have fun every once in a while.

Reflection #10

Knowing that the Kirkland area has a lot of technology in the public schools is motivation for us as future teachers to be prepared to know how to use the technology.  At the same time, there are still school districts in which do not have very much technology at all. Even though I do not want to rely on technology as a teacher, I do know its benefits, and I feel that it would be great to be in a school with technology to use.  I wonder if it would be very difficult to go from knowing about all of the technology out there in classrooms to working in a school that has none.  I begin to realize that I would rather work in a school that has the option of using technology rather than being restricted to very little resources.  This being said, I have found that technology in the classroom definitely is beneficial and I understand why so many people are fighting to get it in the classrooms.

Reflection #9

Talking to the teachers tonight in class showed me that as a teacher, we do not have to have everything figured out.  Sometimes I get nervous thinking that a child's education will be in my hands. I get even more nervous when I think about student teaching, the thought of being in another persons classroom, trying to do what they do seems somewhat scary. But to see these teachers and know that they had to go through the same things and even though it can be difficult, they still love their job is very encouraging. 

Reflection #8

As I have been creating my own lesson plans for our instructional design class, I realize how beneficial it has been to know how to use the technology in the classroom.  It has made my life easier just being able to create a slide show on the SmartBoard, or even getting part of a lesson from the SmartBoard exchange website online.  Being able to have games and or quizzes on the Board has also allowed the students to get more involved in their learning.  I have already found technology very helpful in just the 30 minute presentations I have done.

Reflection #7

In my elementary school, we had a lot of hearing impaired students.  Our school had a program for a couple of years that was available to everyone which taught kids how to do sign language.  I took this class in 2nd grade and loved it, my mom also knows sign language so I was able to practice with her every once in a while, but over time, I forgot the language, and now I wish I still knew it.  My high school did not have sign language as one of the language classes, and I always thought it would have been really cool to have taken it.  Though it is helpful to know Spanish and German, those languages as well are difficult to remember if they are not used on a regular basis.  I realize that many people who are hearing impaired are now able to get surgery to help them hear, but I still feel it would be very helpful for teachers especially to know sign language so that we can connect with the deaf community.  I would love to see sign language being taught in schools and even in colleges so that this language isn't lost entirely while there are still many people who rely on it.

Assignment #14- week 14

Word: I use word on a regular basis to write papers, take notes, and copy important information from online resources to my desktop so that it is easy to access.  I use fonts, color texts, clip art, pasting pictures,

Excel: I rarely use excel, what I have used it for is keeping track of my work hours and how much I get paid, and turning it in as a time sheet to my boss. It would add up my hours and calculate what my paycheck would be, just by entering numbers into the format.

PowerPoint: I have used PowerPoint's to give presentations and share information, to display pictures and create slide shows. It is a helpful tool to sort out information and keep a presentation on track.  PowerPoint can display photos, text, links to websites, they can have different settings, words can fade in and out, or spin, there are a lot of different features that can be used on PowerPoint.

3 Projects:
Word- I could have students write a story and have a picture on the page with it, I could also have them use different fonts and settings so they learn the features.

Excel- I could have students create their own grade book for themselves so that they can keep track of what their grade is in the class.

PowerPoint- Students can share their family background by using PowerPoint to show pictures of their family and what life is like for them.

Week 12 Assignment

Week 12 Assignement

Assignment #4

My Class website with blog and homework assignments


I used the K12lessonplans.com for my project.  I was thinking originally that it may be somewhat difficult to set up a website for my students where they could see my blog, get pdf's of homework, have a photo gallery and much more all from one website, but it was actually fairly simple with this particular website.  There is a setup page that has all the options a teacher would need, all you have to do is click on it and it brings you to the page where you can write or download whatever you need.   It made me less afraid of creating a website like this in the future.  I was even able to create a link to the Storybird I had made in class with my partner.  This website has a section for a home page, homework pages, blogs, photos, online quizzes, calendars, announcements and much more. 


I didn't have any huge issues while creating this website, it was much easier than I expected.  The only thing is that it didn't have very many options on how the website design looked.  I wasn't able to find a better setting that may be more appealing to the eye, especially a student's eye.  Along with that, I was not able to choose where my links were at on the page, so some are along the top and some are along the side.  These were minor issues, so I did the best I could to make it look good until I can possibly figure out a different way to make it look better.


This project will be helpful as a teacher and for the students.  It will be a site that parents can go to to check calendar events that the school as well as our personal class are doing, they can see when homework is due, when students are sick, this website will be a tool they can use to print off their homework and get it done so they don't get behind.  Since this website also has a blog section, I will be able to hear feedback from parents and students about what I have written or what we did in class.  Lastly, I think that this website will help me stay somewhat organized because it is a place where a lot of information is stored in one place, so it will be an easy resource to go to.

TEACHER NET5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:

a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning

-This website allows the teacher to communicate with students and parents through technology, it makes access to activities and homework very easy, which will allow the students to succeed much easier.
 
STUDENT NET
6. Technology operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students
a.understand and use technology systems
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
c. troubleshoot systems and applications
d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies

 -This website allows the students to physically use a tool that allows them to find resources that contribute to their classroom.  It keeps them involved and gives them a resource that is appropriate for school use.

Assignment #12- week 12

There are endless ways to use technology in classroom lessons, it can simply be allowing students time to work on the computers and create PowerPoint's or other types of projects, it can involve using the SmartBoard during a lesson, technology can be used by students making podcasts, videos, or blogs.  Technology can be easily used by showing a video or playing music.  The best way to use technology in the classroom though, is to allow the students to work with it hands on.
The difference between technology being integrated into other subjects and technology education is that if technology is being integrated, then it is not the main thing they are learning, the technology is just a tool so that they can learn more about he subject at hand.  But technology education is when students learn specifically how to use technology and they learn the skills of how to work and manage technology correctly.
Some lessons that can be used with technology:
-If the unit is on poetry, technology can be used by creating a video, the students can read the poem as the video shows pictures and the words. 
-If the subject is math, the class can play a math game together using the SmartBoard.  It can be competitive as well as fun.
-A simple way to integrate technology is by allowing students to share their work with their classmates by having them come forward and use the document camera to project their work on the screen. 

Assignment #11- week 11

Link to my comment on Mrs. Yollis' Blog

I commented on Mrs. Yollis' Class Blog, on her post about a pirate poem.  I told them that I really enjoyed the poem because it was a video where the kids read the poem and the words were shown as they read.  I told them about storybird because it is a fun writing and technology oriented projected that kids their age might enjoy, and teachers would enjoy as well.

Assignement #3- Tool Box

MY TOOLBOX

I found my sources for my toolbox by searching on google and choosing sites that looked like they could be helpful for teachers and students.

I have a section that is teacher resources that teachers can go to to get ideas for lesson plans and activities, or ways to turn homework in online.  Then there is a section for students to go to.  The student website has games and websites they can go to to look up information and do math activities and online activities to keep their minds active and engaged.

I will use my toolbox if I am ever having a hard time thinking of something fun and engaging to do in my class, and since I made it a blog, it will be easy for me to send other teachers there by giving them a link to the page.  Other teachers could also comment on it, leaving ideas for more websites that have been helpful for them.

http://hoodamath.com/games/ I like this site, because even though it is one that the students will use, it is a way I can incorporate fun math learning in the classroom by using technology.  So when students have free time or are working independently I can set up this website and the kids could play math games. I think this will help with classroom management for certain students, and it will make learning fun.

http://www.lessonplans.ws/ This website looks like it could be very helpful in finding lesson plans that can be long and short.  It doesn't have a large amount of lesson plans for each subject, but if I needed to find something to do last minute, maybe for a sub or something, I could send them a link to this website, and it is mapped out so that they would easily be able to follow what it says.

http://abcteach.com/ This website looks very helpful.  The first thing I noticed on it is that it has a section dedicated to activities that can be done using an interactive whiteboard.  Along with this it also has activities that can be done in the classroom and helpful tips and resources teachers can go to for ESL students and special needs students.  This seems like a very helpful website that I could use in the future as a teacher.

Tool Box

My Tool Box Link

Assignment #10- week 10

Questions for NU Educators Panel:
1. My friend said it's harder to get hired with a Masters degree (because that means they have to pay you more) is this true? And do you think it is better to receive a Masters after getting a teaching position or before?
2. What piece of technology is most beneficial to middle school students?
3. What does the Educators Panel do?

Assignment #9- week 9

Bob Spankle's blog made some good points.  It showed me great ways to use video in the classroom.  I liked the idea of taping the students questions at the beginning of the unit, and then having them answer their own questions at the end of the unit.  I also never really thought of taping students while they do work in class and then emailing it to their parents, this could be a great way to encourage students.  He had some really great ideas for video taping, in reality, it may be difficult to actually tape students all the time or have time to sort out the videos and email them to each parent, but to do something like this every once in a while could be very encouraging for students.

Assignment #8- week 8

I looked at Cascade View Elementary's website, it is where I used to go to school and where my mom currently teaches.  I think that the website is set up very conveniently, there is a side menu that gives you options of what you want to look at.  The website is simple and is very easy to navigate through.  The main page introduces the school in a short summary, and it gives a link that goes straight to all of the teachers email addresses so that parents can contact teachers easily.  If I could add two things to the website, it would be a link to a page with photos of the students and activities that the school has done, and I would also add a link that could connect to specific class websites if the teachers have one, that way a parent could go to the schools website to find everything they may be searching for.

Technology Project Plan

I am going to create a class website or blog for my technology project. My students can go to the website to find homework assignments. The blog/website will also have pictures of my class throughout the year so that parents can look at them and see what their child has been doing. I will see if I can put a Storybird on the website as an example of a project my class will be doing. The website will also have a basic schedule of what is going on in class. I will also have a letter for the parents to introduce myself and give them my contact information.

Comments

Rich

Jessica

Sara

Jordan

George

Assignment #7- Week 7

Newton High School Blog

I liked this blog because it was a PE classes blog.  It was a fun website to view because it had pictures of the students doing their activities with a little explanation about what the class had been up to lately.  It seemed like a great source for parents to look at so they get a feel of what their child is doing in PE and it also was a place where the teacher could give out helpful information, such as how the lockers should be used during class.  The blog itself is fairly simple, it has the date on each blog entry, pictures and links to different discussions.  It seems like a great place for students to look back and see all the fun things they had done in class.  This was an example of the type of blog I would want to keep if I had one.  A blog that tells what is going on in class and had pictures so that students and parents could look at it and be informed.

Reflection #6

I was talking to the lady I nanny for and she was saying how her sons school put him in a lower math level than his grade.  He is in third grade, and this bothers her because she feels her son should be in a higher level.  This is the feeling many parents have, they want their kids to succeed and be at grade level in all things.  Sometimes I wonder though, why do we choose to put kids in certain math levels at such an early age? Sometimes it is obvious that a student needs extra help or time to learn something, but other times it may seem that a child is randomly thrown into a group.  This made me think back to when I was in 6th grade.  I have always been pretty good at math, and throughout elementary school I did very well.  But when 6th grade rolled around, I noticed a group of about 20 students got to go and do more challenging math while the rest of us didn't.  I didn't understand why I was never given the chance to be part of that group, because some of my friends were in it, and I felt I was at the same level as them.  It upset me at the time, because I thought they were learning things earlier than the rest of us, which gave them a head start in middle school and high school, and it turns out that it did.  Many of them remained in higher math classes, while the rest of us were stuck taking the "required" classes that they got to skip.  Looking back, I realize that teachers see our capabilities more than we think.  But I still wonder why we were never given a test or even an opportunity to be bumped up to the next level.  So I question what the best method of placement for students is. Should it be up to tests or just the teachers opinions?

Reflection #5

I love making and creating things with my own two hands.  I love to draw, knit hats, and I recently started painting.  I think about this and realize that in school growing up, much of the projects we made were with our hands, so it makes sense why I love to do things with my hands.  Times are changing, and more and more kids love creating things with technology.  Lots of it is still a form of art, just a different kind of art.  I think that making things from scratch, like painting and drawing, is still important for kids to do, but now it may be more important for kids to be able to create things with technology.  Since this is where our future is heading, and our kids need to be prepared for what's to come, as teachers it is important that we allow our students to challenge themselves and create new things using technology to express themselves.

Reflection #4

This semester I have realized how much I will probably use technology in my classroom.  When I think about lesson plans I have to make for my other classes, I think, what would be a fun way to engage the students right off the bat? or what is a quick and easy way to present this information that will also allow my class to flow smoothly.  The answer to this is often technology.  In the past when I had to give presentations, I often would use PowerPoint, now with the use of SmartBoards and other cool websites, I realize that those are simple tools I can use to create a lesson that my students will engage in easier.  Technology may not be the focus in my classroom, but I'm realizing more that it will be a tool that I will use often, and probably more than I expect.

Reflection #3

Tests are always a part of schooling.  And often times students feel that they deserve better grades than they earned because the test was "too hard" or "everyone did bad" or "the questions were confusing."  As a student, it is easy to hope for better grades than you've received.  But as a teacher, is it good for the students if you grade on a curve? or give them points because a question was confusing?  Obviously I think there that there are good times for curves or omitting a test question, and other times it may not be necessary.  As teachers it is important to look at how the class as a whole did, and to see if curving a test is a good idea or not.  Grades are very important for many students.  So being aware and flexible is a good characteristic for a teacher to have.  I think as long as tests scores are not changed just so that kids feel good about themselves, then adjusting a grade may be good.  Sometimes tests are harder than expected or confusing.  As teachers I think it is important to challenge students and not just give out good grades, but instead be fair in knowing whether or not tests were more difficult than intending.  One of the best things teachers can do is adjust the next test to fit their class more so they have the opportunity to succeed next time.

Assignment 1- Technology Literacy

ARTICLE LINK
I read a short article called "Avoiding the Digital Abyss: Getting Started in the Classroom with YouTube, Digital Stories, and Blogs" by Rebecca Mullen and Linda Wedwick. This article talked about a middle school language arts teacher who uses all three of those technology tools in her classroom.  She is from a rural area with very few students.  The schools technology is pretty much a computer lab with internet and basic Microsoft software.  The article tells about these three tools that she includes in the classroom in order to help her students gain wisdom on technology while also learning great skills in language arts.  I learned about the digital stories, which sounds very familiar to a podcast type of thing, except it can have pictures along with it as well.  What I appreciated about this article is that it was about a school that did not have all the new technology, but it used the few resources it had in order to help the students grow in their academics while still learning how to use high tech resources using mostly internet servers.  The digital stories are definitely something I will look into doing for my future classes because it sounds like a fun activity that inspires students to write well, and it also allows them to perform their writing by recording their own voices and putting pictures with their stories.

The teacher NET that I want to focus on this semester is 1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity.  I feel that in order to fully allow a student to learn and grow with/through technology is by allowing them to be creative and try projects that they may not come up with on their own.  Technology can be used in different ways, having students create projects with friends can help them grow in the subject area as well as socially and technologically.  When students are challenged to create something that they know they will share in class, they will put more effort into it knowing that their peers will see the finished product.  This semester I hope to learn more sources I can refer to for my students to use on their projects, learn about projects teachers have done in the past that have worked well in the classroom, and also the best way to incorporate learning through the technology projects given.  Students learn best when they have a passion for what they do, and if technology is part of their passion, then allowing them to learn through technology would be a great gift to the students.  The student NET that I would also like to focus on is 3. Research and Information Fluency. I find that this NET is very important because research is still something I have a difficulty doing sometimes.  Finding reliable sources on the web can be difficult, so I want to help my students learn at a younger age what resources are reliable and how to cite them correctly.  Some ways I could do this is simply by having them do a research project and I would be there to help them find good sources and teach them how to cite things and do effective research.  Another way I could help students succeed at this NET is by simply showing them resources that are free that can be used by anyone yet are reliable and safe for student's to use.

Assignment #6- week 6

Generation IM article review:

I often hear about the amount of hours kids spend looking at a screen after school, and it always surprises me.  I figure that if a child gets out of school at 3, then 6.5 hours of using technology puts them at 9:30 at night, this being said, it seems as though kids spend all their time at home doing nothing but technology based activities, and this is a very sad reality to me.  I don't think that much technology use is necessary in a child's life. 
On the other hand, as we all know, technology is the future, and it is important for our kids to know how to use it and understand it.  The article clearly tells the importance that technology has in the younger generation and how even the littlest kids know how to use it in some form or fashion.  I thought the seven tips for teachers at the end of the article were good ideas that could definitely be incorporated in the classroom.  The best way for students to learn is when they get to do things for themselves, so watching a teacher use technology is not always the best method of teaching. This is why I liked the seven tips given, they give examples of projects students can work on that provide a safe way for students to express themselves through technology in an appropriate manner.  Overall the article had many good ideas and strong arguments as to why technology is important in the classroom as well as having students use it at home for homework activities.

Assignment #5- week 5

Promethean ActivBoard 387 Pro Article

This article tells the pros and cons of an ActivBoard.  For the most part, the author was a fan of the ActivBoard.  It said that the ActivBoard could only be written on with the digital pen, which is both a pro and con because it is nice to be able to rest your arm on the screen while writing and not mess up what is written (like it does with the SmartBoard), but it is a con because if the pen is lost, then there is no way to write on the board without getting a replacement.  The article also mentioned that the projector is put in a place where the speakers shadow will not be in the way of the light, so the teacher is able to stand right in front of it and students will still be able to see what is on the board at all times.  Much of the tools and hardware are very similar to the SmartBoard, but this article did lean towards liking the AcitvBoard's technology a little more than the SmartBoard. 
The article mentioned much of the uses an AcitvBoard can have in the classroom, and that using it for lessons, student interaction, and trivia games is very beneficial to student learning.  Like with most technology, when it is used correctly, it has a very positive effect on the students.  The question I have about the ActivBoard is if it has templates set up for lessons that can just be filled in so that teachers don't have to worry about the fancy touches that can make a presentation a little more appealing to students?

Assignment 2

presentation

Smart Board tools I will use:
-pen
-word chooser
-timer

Teacher NET
Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.

-The teacher NET is met because I will allow students to interact with the technology while also using it myself as a way to engage students in my lesson.

Student NET
 Technology Operations and Concepts
           Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
-The student NET is met because I am allowing the students to use the Smart Board a little throughout my lesson, allowing them to learn how to use the Smart Board technology as well.

An interactive whiteboard can improve student learning in my future class because it is a tool that I can use to engage students as well as get them involved in the lesson.  Interactive whiteboards are also nice for when I have students to technology based projects, and I can show their work using the interactive board i.e. videos and presentations.

What I Learned About SMART Boards- week 4

In class on Tuesday, I continued to learn more about SMART Boards.  I learned how to create more slides similar to a PowerPoint, and how to put a background on the slides.  I learned how to use the tools such as pens, erasers, and highlighters.  Some cool tools that we found as a class were the timers, the timers will definitely be helpful in the classroom because it can be used for timing the students to do work on their own, and they will know the whole time how much time remains for them to work.  Another fun tool was the word chooser, this is great because you can put students names into this and it will randomly select a name.  I also found many pictures that have noises with them.  Along with these tools, I also played with the actual SMART Board and found that the pen delays a little before writing, so it will be something to get used to.  There are so many different tools and settings that I need to figure out the best way to navigate through things to find them.  Also on the SMART Board website, when I search for good lesson plan slides, they tend to come up as games and quizzes, so I would like to know how to find better lessons.

Interactive White Boards in the Classroom

I read an article called "Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards" by Robert J. Marzano.  This article explained that interactive whiteboards can have a very positive effect on students and their learning, but if the whiteboards are used poorly, then they can have the opposite effect.  From this point the article gave a few examples of positive and negative ways a whiteboard can be used, which is very important for all teachers to know.  Though this article was fairly short and to the point, it has a lot of positive information for teachers to think about.  Technology in the classroom can be very beneficial to most students, and as teachers, we need to know the tricks and skills in the technology we use to make it most impactful for our students. 

Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards  <-- The article

Reflection #2

In one of my other classes we are talking about different special needs that our students will very possibly have in the classroom, and how we are going to adjust or accommodate to their needs.  Thinking about ways to make learning easier for certain students, I realize that technology has, and will, make a great difference for how students with special needs can learn.  Students who are hearing impaired can have hearing aids, speakers near their desk, and will benefit from reading from smart boards.  Kids in wheel chairs have motorized wheelchairs that they can steer with a joy stick at their fingertips. If a child has a hard time reading small print, there are machines that magnify the page onto a computer screen so that they are able to read it.  These examples are things that I remember my fellow classmates using in elementary school.  That was at least ten years ago, I know that technology has grown so much more since then, and that technology that special needs students use today has made a very positive impact on their lives.  While I feel that technology should not take over the lives of students, I also realize that it can be the one thing that makes learning a greater possibility for them, and I feel technology for special needs students is a very important part of technology that schools should continue to invest in. 

Links to other blogs

Sara Kochel
Jordan Henderson
Rich Skillman
George Mazurets
Jessica Henderson
Professor Adair

Reflection #1

I was nannying the other day, the mother is sometimes home while I am there so I just help watch the kids while she does other things.  When her boys got home from school around 4 o'clock, the oldest who is 9 asked if he could play video games, she said he could play until 5 and then he had to do homework.  When she was thinking about whether or not to let him play I thought to myself, should kids be allowed the priveledge to play video games before doing homework? I realize that this decision all depends on the parent, but it is still a topic to be thought about.  In this particular situation, the mother said she lets him play games before doing homework because it seems to get rid of some distractions for him, so that when it is time to do the homework, he's not thinking about when he gets to play games.  Though this logic makes sense, I couldn't help but think that video games are a priveledge that kids should earn.  If kids wanted to play after being at school all day, I'd rather send them outside to get fresh air and release some stored energy before doing homework, then once they finished their homework, allow them to settle down and play video games. 
There's no right answer to this situation, but it just became evident to me that technology really is what kids think about these days, and they turn to it first as entertainment.  Should kids at this age be given so much time and priority to video game playing even though that's where our future is heading? Or should parents somewhat force their kids to use their imagination to entertain themselves and have their kids go outside to play or do something artsy?  Like I said, there's technically no right answer to this question.  This little situation did show me the role that technology plays in a childs life, and also how far technology has come since I was 9 years old.  It makes sense why kids learn so much quicker using technology once you see what they have available to them in their own living rooms.

Turning on the Lights

This article was very interesting to me.  I never really thought about school being the place where students today "turn off the lights" since they have to turn off their technology gadgets.  This is because I know that things such as computers and cell phones can be a great distraction from learning in the classroom.  On the other hand, computers can be a great tool, if used correctly, to help students learn and not be bored out of their minds.  It is easy to see that the younger generation knows so much more about the world and technology than our older generations knew at their age.  This just means that as educators, we need to remain flexible and willing to change with the times. 
I personally do not want to have my classroom in the future be based solely on technology, I want my students to have an imagination outside of computers and television.  I am an outdoorsy person, and I love being active, and this is something that I feel the next generation is going to lose a passion for.  I can picture camping becoming a trip with RVs, TVs, video games, and eating out at meal times.  Getting out in the nature, away from phones and technology, is very refreshing and an aspect of life that I hope my students will want to venture out and do.  This being said, in my classroom, I think I will use technology enough to keep my students engaged, to allow them to use their creativity as they know it, to keep them learning about their future, but I will also have times where I put technology aside, we will learn in the more classic way, understanding there is another side to life that we need to explore and be a part of. 
This article made some very good points to why technology should be used in the classroom and why it is beneficial.  But I do not agree with everything said, for example in Prensky's Principles for Principals, he mentions that computerized exercise games should be introduced.  I feel that this is taking technology one step too far in schools.  Kids can play those games on their own at home, but when in school, students should interact with each other, learn new skills, know what it is like to work towards a common goal with a peer, and exercise in the fresh air playing games that make the mind think beyond looking at a TV.  Fitness in school is an opportunity to let our brains relax and take a break from technology, and a time to rejuvenate and allow our bodies to be fit and healthy.  All in all, this article had many good points to it and opened my mind to the idea of using more technology in the classroom, it also makes me a little nervous as to how much technology is going to take over our school system in the future.

First Reflection

When I was in middle school, I loved all of my teachers and they each had a big impact on my life.  From this experience I decided I someday wanted to be like them.  My mom is also a first and second grade teacher, so growing up I have helped in my mom's classroom many times.  These two experiences along with many others helped me come to the conclusion that one day I wanted to be a teacher, specifically a middle school teacher.  I have always loved kids, and teaching is one way I can have an impact on their life. As of now, I have not decided what subject I want to teach, but I am getting a humanities endorsement which will probably influence my decision.  Whatever I end up teaching, I know I will love it because I have a passion for kids and I want to be a positive role model for my students.
Looking specifically at what I want to learn this year I would say I want to learn about smart boards, using programs specifically used when teaching, and having technology in the classroom while still having the kids being interactive with each other and balancing how much time they spend on technology.  These are a few things I would like to look at this semester. I have not had a whole lot of experience with technology. I know the basics of internet, PowerPoint, and word.  I have not worked with much new technology other than iphones and ipods, classroom technology is fairly foreign to me, although I can usually catch on pretty quickly.