My beliefs

I believe by using new technology is a great idea. There is so much stuff we can offer our students. This would be the new way of learning and I think its great. Not only are we in the day of change but it will just keep getting better. During field the students had a computer to every two students.

Mrs. Gardner is a very respected teacher by her students. She allows free time to her students who finish their work early. One of things I was really surprised at was, how every two students share a Mac computer in her classroom. I was so impressed to think how far we have come with technology and how everything is dependent on computers now days in classrooms. All of the students assignments were on the computer, the teacher never had to print anything out. Everything was submitted online and graded in an instant. The teacher showed me so many different learning website’s that kids can go and play games and learn material by playing games.


My teacher promotes social skills by having collaborative learning. She requires group work and partner work. No one is left to be alone, which is good because you always have someone to lean on for help if you don’t understand something. She treats her 6th graders on a high maturity level and has high expectations for them to follow. She believes they should be respected and she should get respect back. She has rules for them to follow and expects them to be followed at all time. She states something and always follows through with what she says. The kids are motivated and willing to work hard because they know if they do everything they wont get homework for the night. They are motivated by others also because they have to share a computer with another student. So they both have to be reading and moving at the same pace in order to complete their assignments. I think overall their relationships with one another are very friendly and welcoming to each other. They don’t bully or make fun of each other, which is very pleasing for me to see. They manage their time very good and keep on working hard and are allowed free times on fun online sites when they complete their work. I felt like the overall emotion of the class was very motivated and hard workers that had a great instructor to guide them through what needed to be taught each day (core).

Lessons Learned

High tech learning refers to the constantly evolving hardware, software, and networking tools and resources available to those wishing to acquire knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values through formal instruction or free inquiry. I believe high tech learning is just the beginning, the technology is just getting better and better. Just in my life time I have seen so many changes and I can only imagine what’s going to be invented in the next 20 years.
Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, like small rural communities or a neighborhood subdivision, if you will. Although social networking is possible in person, especially in the workplace, universities, and high schools, it is most popular online. We all know facebook has become so popular over the past 5 years. I think wow to myself to think I can talk to all my old friends now who a few years ago I couldn’t of ever talked too. I think social networking is great and is only going to keep growing over time. I think it’s a great way to communicate to people. In a classroom you could have a facebook group for your class to get information to them as needed. Great things happen with social networking in my eyes.
Integrating technology into classroom instruction means more than teaching basic computer skills and software programs in a separate computer class. Effective tech integration must happen across the curriculum in ways that research shows deepen and enhance the learning process. As I was in field, all I saw was technology being used. She didn’t even have papers to pass out to the students. Her classroom was field with computers, and things of technology oriented. It was so over my head of all the stuff she used, that I was blown away. She showed me so many cool websites to use and showed how they can be incorporated into her lessons. I now realize the importance of why we need to know how to use technology.

Strengths and Weaknesses

According to the survey my stregths were, that I knew how to operate basic functions of technology such as scanners, VCRs, digital cameras, and video cameras. I also know the basic terminology of computers. I also am aware of multimedia, such as installing programs and files on to the computer. I know how to delete files, organize, but I don’t know how to set up back up files. I am bad with basic trouble shooting and really don’t know how to fix problems with things when they appear. I know the real basic of technology and that’s about it.

I don’t know much about equity, ethics and legal and human issues concerning computers. I found some cool stuff on YouTube that is very helpful with stuff helping you with technology. Now days they almost have every movie posted dealing with new technology and how to use it. So I found some good stuff on youtube dealing with how to make backup files so if your computer crashes I will not lose my pictures and stuff of importance to me.

Another weakness I have is going in-depth with using programs like Photoshop. I really like taking pictures but would like to know how to make them have cool effects. So I found some tutorials online to help me understand step by step of how to use Photoshop. I think learning how to use multimedia is very important, because now days the classroom is very heavily dependant on technology as observed in field.

14 April 2011 - My Field Experience

During my field experience I learn a lot. I realize teachers never have enough time in the year to cover all the material needed for end of the year testing. I got to go to Timpanogos Elementary in Provo, and actually loved my time there. In fact I would rather be going to school there instead of going to UVU. I have a more appreciation for how hard teachers have to work and what discipline is needed to have an successful classroom. I learned myself that management is the key element of a classroom. How you manage your class makes or breaks what kind of teacher you are.
I was placed into Mrs. Gardner’s 6th grade class. I was kind of scared at first because I had heard some things about this teacher from other students in the after school program that I taught at. I didn’t know what to expect at all, and I was scared because I was all alone with no partner like everyone else got. My first day everyone I knew from the after school program was excited to see me, and even some of my trouble causers from after school in the end started to like me. I knew I was going to have a good time.
Mrs. Gardner you would say Is a pretty nice teacher if you are nice back. She allows free time to her students who finish their work early. One of things I was really surprised at was, how every two students share a Mac computer in her classroom. I was so impressed to think how far we have come with technology and how everything is dependent on computers now days in classrooms. All of the students assignments were all the computer, the teacher never had to print anything out. Everything was submitted online and graded in an instant. Which is awesome! The teacher showed me so many different learning website’s that kids can go and play games and learn material by playing games.
Another main thing the school focuses really heavy on is reading and math. Everyday the students would have time to read a book on their reading level. Which all the students are on different levels. They would have to write summaries of what they read and share it in group settings. Everyday the students would have at least 1-2 different math lessons where the teacher would set a goal of what they we need to learn for the day. This teacher was very into cooperative learning which I think is the best way! She used a lot of group work and a lot of partner work. Which led to more noise in the classroom, but then no one felt left behind if they didn’t get something learned that day because they could always get help from their partner.
My experience went very well and I am happy to know that one day I can be doing this for a career and have a classroom to myself. I am so excited to be working with kids everyday, and during my field experience I looked forward to my everyday with my 6th graders. Its like they became my life and I loved it. I don’t think I could ever teach 6th grade due to me getting attached to those students and then having to send them off to Jr. High the next year would make me really sad. I hope to be able to teach the 3rd grade or younger. I know my time doing field work will just make me that more excited to become a teacher! I want to be a teacher that students can look up too and come to when they need to talk or need help with a problem. I am so happy I got to go to Mrs. Gardner’s class and she taught me a lot of things I need to know to become more accomplished with handling students.

10 March - License

Last week we learned how to license our own digital stories. You can either pick to make it private of have it where people can edit your work. Its nice to know you have options like this. I didn't realize that you had to license your work you make. I relized the importance of licensing and I now know that its a good way to show that its yours.
I have not yet started on my digital story because I was waiting for my two partners to talk to thier field teacher. I talked to mine and I am leaning towards doing my digital story on space. Which I am excited for because space is a real interest of mine. My teacher seems pretty fair with me and I am excited for field and to teach students.

3 March 2011 - Copyright laws

Last week had to make a slideshow about the many copy right laws. I had no clue that everything had to have its own copyright. I now relize you can't use other peoples works unless you have thier permission to use what they made. I know now how to use the copyright laws and I feel like this is very important so you dont just steal other peoples great ideas they came up with. Its thier work so they should be credited for it, even though its hard to sometimes get ahold of someone to get the permission its not worth being sued and stuck in a lawcase which is bound to lose in the end. I know if I teach my future students how to site thier sources from the beggining they won't get in trouble for plagerism and they will learn all the rules to copyrights that there is. Growing up in school I never knew copyrights laws were so important and I now feel that everything you use should always be given credit to the owner of the work used.

24 February 2011 - Digital Story 1

Last week we learned about making of digital story boards. It seems really complex to me but its weird how little kids can catch on to something more easilly then an adult can. There are alot of options to use when making a storyboard. During class we watched the holacoast stories. I felt the emotion and it felt like I could understand better what the holacoast was really about. I think thats why story boards are so great, it gives a feeling of emotion that is hard to express through a lecture. A story board contains music, pictures, fast and slow speed, and so much more. I think digital stories are great for visual learners and can really give you a sense of emotion on a subject. I would for sure use them in my future classroom, I just have a feeling its pretty time consuming and usually has alot of thought behide the topic. I know by watching digital stories we can learn alot and its a new way for students to learn.
I still have not contacted my field teacher yet due to me changing schools, so Richard has not yet gave me the information on who to contact. I do not have a partner for field and I know its going to be challenging for me to do everything on my own. I would like to do my story board with someone in class and I need to get placed into group because I feel its not fair to me to be alone for this assignment. I already get singled out in class and I should not have to be singled out further. I would like to get assigned a partner for this assignment and this will help me to succeed further with my schooling.

10 February 2011 - Vidcasts

Greater than, Less than and Equal too


My core requirements for learning this concept if for the first grade studying math. I chose to do this topic due to me always never remember the rules for this concept. I still get very mixed up and I always hated learning math. I feel like math has always been my struggle so I felt like teaching this concept in my video. Due to my lack of knowledge even today I cant get this concept fully understood. Understanding this concept is a core requirement for any 1st grader. Understanding this will only get them better understanding for learning more math concepts. I think in my future classroom I will still have troubles teaching this concept due to my lack of knowledge never know how to figure out whether it was greater than or less than. I now know the most important rule that the opening of the arrow always opens up towards the bigger number and if you can remember that concept you will always get these problems correct. I plan to use this rule when teaching this concept and hopefully my students can fully understand and know how to get these kinds of problems right. I know sometimes this can be a tricky concept and I see why I never understood it. But as long as you know the rule there’s no going wrong.

3 February 2011 - Podcasts

Last week we learned about podcasts which I actually had no clue what it was. I now know that its a general annoucement to a audience to warn about something. For our homework we had to make our own podcast and me and my partner decided to do an earthquake drill for are announcement. I know that its very important in schools to have drills and practice them so students will know what to do in case of a real emergency. I know podcasts can be used for alot of things, like say you want to give verbal instructions for a homework assignment. I could attach a podcast to my site then students could listen to the instructions instead of reading them. Sometimes verbal can help a student understand how to do something more easily. I could definatly see podcasts being a major benifit for my future classroom!

27 January 2011 - Google Part 2

Last week we learned about how to add things onto our own personal website. We learned how to make a homework page, a test page, a calender page, a cabinet page and a personal page. Making all these pages were not all easy but I learned how and it will be helpful to know this for my future classroom. I am now thinking this class will really help me learn the technologies I need to know. Obviously technology is a necessity today for the modern day classroom, so for me to learn how to use the free google site is very beneficial for me!

20 January - Google Part One

Last week we learned all about google docs. Which I didn't know very much about. We learned how to share things with others and keep documents private. We also reviewed how to use the personal calender and public calender. I think its cool that you can set up reminders for yourself from this calender. The best thing about these programs are they are all free which mean anyone can access them. Most software costs money so you can safe by using the free software online. I would definatly consider using this in my classroom. You can also make online quizes and assignments online. Instead of using so much paper you can save by just telling your students the online address and have them do it and the time post of when they have completed the assignment. All these resources are great and will be able to help me in my future classroom. I am glad to learn about these programs cause i really had no clue there were so many cool features to use online.

13 January - Introduction

When I was little I was shy conservative person. My dad knew me very well and showed me how to become affective with my communication. He taught me how to talk to people and how to get things done my way. He would always tell me “don’t let people get their way try and always get your way first.” I learned social skills and ways not to be shy. At first I was not willing to talk to other adults and when I was in a situation where I would have to talk to others, I would just give up. I was so scared of talking to others I would actually shake and no words would come out of my month. It was not easy at first for me, and in fact I gave up a lot. I would doubt what my dad told me and not try. But I soon found what he said very useful and it actually worked for me once I knew how to communicate. He showed me the best things in talking to people, like what to say to get it done my way. Like how to talk to teachers, friends, bankers, how to buy a car, and in many other social settings. He taught me I don’t have to be shy anymore! He told me that shy people get all walked over and I didn’t want to be like that. He would tell me to always put myself first and not worry about other people. When I changed, my dad gave me council and it was me who had to decide to change. I wanted to become more successful with my language I really have done a lot better and I am not scared to talk to adults now.