Lesson Plan

I didn't have a partner for my lesson plan, but I think I did really well. The only problem I seemed to have was coming up with a topic. Once I did that everything just came together. I decided that I was going to teach the class about the different parts of speech. I am going to use a powerpoint and a in class activity. I think my presentation is going to go good and the class is going to learn alot.

I have enjoyed taking this course. I have learned many things that I did not know about technology. CK is a fantastic professor. I enjoyed coming to this class every Monday and Wednesday and learning about different ways to use technology in the classroom. This course gave me many ideas about what I want to do when I finally get into my own classroom and start teaching.

The only thing that I think should be different is that I did not like having that many group projects. One to two group projects is fine, but I did not like having three. That is why I did my lesson plan alone, because when we present the lesson plan we are suppose to be teaching the class. I thought it would be helpful for me to do this on my own, since when I am going to start teaching I will be all by myself.

I have learned many things from this class. One thing that I learned was how to use wikis. I had never used one before and I thought it was a great idea. Also I got to have a refresher course on all the other programs. One of them was Microsoft Powerpoint, I had not used Powerpoint since I took BCIS in high school. It was great getting to learn new things. I never learned how to put music and a youtube video in a powerpoint.

I do think that all teachers should know how to use technology in the clasroom. Our students are going to be of the technology generation, which means we are going to need to find different ways to keep them interested. The best way for teachers to be able to accomplish this is to use the technologies that these kids are use to. I know that money can be an issue with many of the technologies that students are use to, but using blogs and having a wiki project would not cost the school anything. I believe that if there is a way for teachers to use technology in the classroom they should.

Week 7

I believe that as educators we should find ways to get are students interested in what they are learning. That means that we have to use the technologies that our students are use to. When I become a teacher I plan to utilize any technologies that are avaliable to me. My students are of the technology generation, and most likely will be the only thing they will respond to.

I think that online chats and instant messaging can be of use in a classroom (to a point). When the teacher is teaching the students something new in the classroom it can be a distraction. They will want to be chatting with their friends instead of paying attention to the lesson. When students are working on homework in the classroom I think online chat can be helpful. They will be able to discuss things with their classmates, and with me. It is a fast and easy way of answering questions without having the student feel embarrassed to come and ask me a question.

I think there are benefits to asynchronous communication over sychronous. The most beneficial situation is one that I have already mentioned. It is a faster way to answer questions and the students do not have to feel embarrassed by coming up and asking me a question. I know that some students express themselves better through technology rather than face-to-face communication. However, I am still more of a fan of sychronous communication, I believe that it is the better way to explain things to students.

I believe that podcasting is just a newer version of passively delievering information. Podcasting is basically the same as teaching the information, so why not actually be in front of a class teaching. I am not saying it is not a good way for them to review the information, but I am a firm believer of actually being in front of a class to teach information. I believe that it is the best way to learn a particular lesson.

When a student plays videogames I believe that it can help in their studying. It depends on the type of videogame because some games don't require any thought at all, while others are more strategy related. These types of videogames help the student think which helps them get their brain going. The most important skill we can gain from videogames is time managment. The students cannot sit around and play videogames all day when they have homework. In order for them to get everything done they have to manage their time better. I agree with the article on some things. I especially agree that videogames help students intergrate content around other subjects, and depending on the game it can help them learn the material. As I said earlier my students will be more technology oriented and they need technology to keep them entertained in the lesson. When I have children it will be up to them whether they want to play videogames or not everyday. I want them to be able to learn how to manage their time more efficiently and to be able to think on their own. The only time I will say something is when I notice they are spending too much time playing videogames.

April Brown

Week 5: Personalities

I enjoyed taking the personality test, I never thought of myself as a Duty Fulfiller. I do believe that the different personalities that everyone has gives them different learning styles. Some people, like me, tend to work toward perfection and are usually hard on themselves when something goes wrong. While others still try hard, but they don't try and grab perfection.

I think that the personality test that I took will help me understand my students better. I know that each person is different, which means that we learn differently. I will still grade everyone equally, but I can now see that some students just don't feel the need to work as hard as others. That still doesn't excuse them from not doing the work that will be assigned.

April Brown

Week 4: Thoughts on Excel

I am more use to using Microsoft Word, but I enjoy using Excel. I really liked what I learned this week in class, some of the things I didn't know or didn't remember. It was nice to have a refresher course in Excel. I can see me using this in my classroom, especially when I am calculating grades.

Teachers use the Spreadsheet for their gradbook, it is an easy way to keep up with grades, and calculate them. I can see myself using Spreadsheet rather than the calculator, because the Spreadsheets can calculate averages simlutaneously. This helps save time for teachers, so they can get back to planning lessons and getting ready to teach. I like all the primary functions of a Spreadsheet. It is an organized way to store information, and as I have already said it helps teachers calculate grades at the end of the semester, and for business it is an easy way to look at a lot of information by using the graph and charts. I cannot think of anything else that the spreadsheet can be used for because I think those three cover everything.

April Brown

Inspiration Discussion

I enjoyed the Inspiration video, it was very helpful in teaching how to use the software. It even showed how teachers can use this in the classroom. As an English/ Secondary Education major I can see several reasons why teachers would use the Inspiration software in their classrooms. I would use the Inspiration software in my classroom so that it can be easier on the students to start their writing assignments. I would have them do a diagram, or an outline so that they can brainstorm and put their thoughts together. Also, I know from experience that the first words a person puts on a paper are the hardest to find. Maybe if the students had a way to organize their thoughts, before they started to write, they would be able to start a paper without a problem. In using this software in my classroom, maybe my student's papers will be more organized and thought out instead of the first thing they put on paper. I really believe the Inspiration software should be added to every schools lesson plans.


When I finish college I am planning to be an English teacher, so technology plays an important role in my lesson plan. The main way I plan to use techonology is with essays. All of my students essays are going to be typed, but I also plan to have a blog with daily writing assignments, such as journals, and short writing prompts. This is suppose to promote students to start thinking and to help them with their writing skills. I will also have the student's classmates comment on the different entries so that they will know exactly where they need to improve. As my teaching time is limited, and I do not have the time to look at their essays twice I will have my students do peer review. Sometimes this might be in class, or they will upload their essays onto the blog and their classmates will read and revise their essays. This way it saves me some teaching time, and this can also help the students with their writing skills. In recalling the last time I had to teach a class, I remember I did not know the material very well. I was nervous because I did not think I was going to get the idea across to the class. Once, I was finished they knew the material and I knew the lesson better as well. This is usually how things happen for me, reinforcing a certain area of a lesson helps me to understand exactly what is being taught.

Week 2 Assignment

I believe that using blogs is a great idea. It helps people come together by finding common ideas, and being able to discuss them freely. Blogs would be useful in education because not all students enjoy speaking out in class discussions. By having a class blog students can post ideas about what was discussed in class, and also respond to other classmates posts. This way all students get to participate, this helps if there is a participation grade. Teachers can also put the daily homework assignments on the blog, that way students who missed class can still know what happened that day, this is even helpful to students who attended class. I disagree with people that say "using a blog in class is a waste of the students time." I believe that it can help students become more involved in the class, and it can make the subject more interesting to the students. This is a technology based generation; making a blog a part of the curriculum is useful for the students. That way students, who do not feel comfortable using computers, can raise their confidence level.

I am planning on being an English teacher, and as I was reading Chapter 6 I thought of some ways of how I could use a blog in my curriculum. One way is to post practice quizzes and tests, that way my students can have another way to study. This also helps them have an idea of how the different exams are going to be designed. I thought that posting the daily homework assignments might be beneficial to the students, and I can also post a copy of my lectures on the blog. This way the class can have another way to keep track of their assignments, and to have more to add to their notes. Posting daily writing discussions for the students to answer, gets the class to start thinking and helps them with their writing skills. I believe that all these things can not only be helpful to the students, but also the teacher. The students can post comments on the blog about how they liked the class, they can also tell me what they think should be changed. This can help me become a better teacher by letting me know what needs to be changed, or what I did well. I believe that a class blog is useful for all who are concerned.

April Brown

Introduction

Hi!

My name is April Brown, and I am an English/Secondary Education Major at Texas A&M University Commerce and this is the second semester of my Sophmore year. Some of my personal hobbies include reading, singing, and playing the flute. My favorite author is Jane Austen.

I have one older brother, Brian Brown, who also attends Texas A&M University Commerce as a history/Secondary Education Major, but this is his last semester. He is begining to student teach at West Mesquite High School. I live with my mom, Della Brown, who works in the Mesquite Independent School Districts Payroll Department. My father, James Mack Brown Jr., died of lung cancer when I was six years old. We miss him everyday. My family is very musical. As I have previously mentioned I sing and play the flute. My mom and brother both sing and play an instrument. My mom plays the piano, she is actually the backup pianoist at our church, and my brother plays the guitar.

I have enjoyed going to college. I have made many new friends and started some great classes. I hope that I learn a lot from this course so I will be able to use these skills when I start teaching.

April Brown