Scenario

My strongest attributes are truly caring about children. I love to work with them and watch them learn new material. I also am very organized and love to create new activities that I believe will interest the students. My weaker attribute is not being flexible. I like to stay on a schedule but I know that every day will be different with the students and lessons won't go as they are planned. A couple of years from now, I see myself beginning my teaching career. I want to either stay in Manhattan or move to Kansas City. My family is really important to me and I want to stay close to them. I will continue to strive to learn to a better teacher. Helping me get there is to stay dedicated to school and to stay involved in volunteering in the classroom.
Staying up with technology is key to teaching. Technology presents material in new ways that can be more engaging to the students. In return, the students will have a better chance to learn the material. Technology is very interactive covering many different learning styles. A lot of technology applications can also be personal creating connections to the students. Podcasts are a great resource to keep up with new software and technology. A few of my favorite Podcasts are from Tech Chicks or Driving Questions. These are constantly updated with new information on new technology. It also leads to new resources.  CDK's Education Technology Place is also a great place to start looking for resources.
The older I have gotten, the more I've learned and seen technology in the classroom. When I was in elementary school, we mostly used Word or Powerpoint. Now there are new resources like Prezi or Google Docs to better collaborate and more interactive. They are new and and interesting. I will try to integrate technology in my classroom as much as I can and collaborate with other teachers on different technology they may like to use. There will be inservice days and presentations to keep up with different types of technology used in the classroom. A few resources that I really like are Prezi, Animoto, and Celebrating Kansas Voices.

My Wow Moment

My Wow moment was my effort I put into my website after I changed from Google to Weebly. It's easier to keep up with something that you're proud of and like than something you struggle with getting the way you want it. Weebly was easier to organize my information, projects, and pictures. It will be beneficial to go back to my DED 318 Projects to use in my future classroom.
Another Wow moment I had was when working with Prezi. It was a little bit difficult to work with a group on this project but it could really be used in a classroom because it's a little bit more fancy than the standard powerpoints.

Podcast Favorites

These podcasts are great resources that can be used in my future classroom. They are constantly updated and are an easy way to keep up with technology. Going through these podcast websites like Driving Questions or Tech Chicks leads to tons of other resources for the classroom. My favorite podcasts were from Driving Questions. These were more interesting because they have videos involved with them. He uses a lot of interviews to learn about new materials. Personally, it's hard for me to keep up with technology because I use my computer and phone for the same things over and over again. Thinking out of the box is key to engaging the students.

Semester Favorites

One of my favorite resources that we have worked with is Animoto. This is a great resource that gives free 30 second videos and paid longer videos. These videos are easily put together by choosing the pictures, music, and text. These videos could be used in a beginning, middle, or end of a lesson. It is an attention getter and the students will be more engaged and have a better chance to remember the material. The easy-friendly videos also make it possible for any age of student to make their own video. Students could be grouped together or work individually. They can have the choice on the topic they feel that is important and what pictures they would like to choose.

Another resource I like and will use in my future classroom is Celebrate Kansas Voices. This was particularly special to me because I was able to tell the story of my Grandpa and show my family something I was proud about making. This resource is another video but is could be more personal. This is also something important individually but for the State of Kansas also. It tells personal stories about important places or people in our history told in our own personal stories. Students could have the choice on what to do like we had. (Something from our hometown) They could also choose from a list of choices may be easier for students to decide and find pictures on. After the videos are made and published, they can be put on the website which is a growing collaboration that is incredible.

Reflection #12 - Moving at the Speed of Creativity Podcast 340

This is an interview is taken place on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. The person being interviewed is with Ryan L'Esperance. This is an amazing opportunity. It is a non profit recording facilitiy. They stay up to date with the latest technology and have young people be able to share their music with everyone. These young people are able to meet famous people and learn to write, perform, record, and produce original songs. The bus travels the country visiting many schools. This would be an amazing opportunity for students that are interested in music. They would find resources that would help them believe in their dreams of recording music.

Reflection #11 - Chuck Todd

This Podcast interviews Chuck Todd who is a NBC political expert. He touches on that he doesn't surf the internet. He goes to specific websites and really relies on e-mail. He also touches on how he uses Mac instead of PC. I find myself not surfing the internet like I used to but usually checking the same websites over and over. I heavily rely on my e-mail especially my K-State e-mail. Technology is really changing and I believe that as a future educator, I need to surf the internet and find the resources that are available to me online. I'm also new to using a Mac this year and absolutely love it. It will be useful that I am able to use a Mac but can also use a PC.

Reflection # 10 - Driving Questions - First Year Tech Integration

One of the important things to look at it in my future school that I may teach at is the technology they have available. Having a person at a school that is a Tech Integration Specialist would be very beneficial. It was be really helpful and nice to have one on one computers with the students. I know that is it beneficial for me to be able to bring my laptop to class and type my notes instead having to handwrite them. Letting the students work on their own computers keeps the them engaged. It is a great resource and a tool. The only problem would be keeping the students on task and not going on websites they are not allowed on.