President Obama's Message for America's Students (video #4)

This video was SO inspiring. It is hard to succeed, and it is true that we will not enjoy every moment in school, but just because we do not enjoy some moments does not mean we should give up. It is up to us to make our own future and to become successful. It does not come easy, but that is what is going to make us stronger. I loved when the President said, "We become good at things by working hard." This is so true! We will not always be the best at something the first time we try it. We are going to have to do the problem a few times before getting right, read something a couple times before understanding it, and write many drafts before it is good enough to hand in. It is up to each one of us to become successful. In order to become successful in today's world it is very important for us to get a good education. I believe 100% in sticking with school, because I want to be successful in my career/life. My contribution to the Country is going to be waking up each morning and teaching children the knowledge that I have obtained while in school. I will not let down my future students, parents, country, and most of all I will not let down myself. A good education is key, and I will stick with it no matter what.

REFLECTION #3 (UEN pt.1)

WHAT:
In class this week we were learning the basics of UEN and what it had to offer. We were able to set up our own UEN personal and public pages. Our homework is to play around on UEN and to add an "about me" paragraph.

SO WHAT:
I think that this website is very useful because it offers so much. There are different activities that you can have the children do, lessons plans you can teach to the children, different curriculum's, etc. There is so much useful information that is website offers. I think that it is going to be very useful when I become a teacher because I am going to be able to give my students/parents access to my public UEN page, and they will be able to access information about me, my classroom, certain websites I bookmark, and assignments. These tools are very helpful in staying organized within your classroom, and also keeping your information organized for your student's parents. I also think it would be very handy for your colleagues to have access to because they would be able to get a hold of information such as certain websites, documents, etc. This would be a lot more convenient for them to get this information off this website rather than in hand.

I think that this is going to change the way we collaborate because just like I said above all information is going to be accessed online. I think it is very handy to be able to get information online, maybe that you have missed or lost from before. I think it would be more convenient as a teacher because you could just tell your students, colleagues, and student's parents to go to your website and access the information there. How nice would that be?!

NOW WHAT?:
I think that learning this information will change the type of teacher I am by making my classroom more technology based, and also helping me be more organized. This website will also help my students be able to access the information I need them to more conveniently. I think it is very important to make sure the information that you want your class to know is easy to get a hold of because not only is it better for you but it is better for the people around you.

I know that when I become a teacher I am going to have my children do some of the fun activities that UEN has to offer on their website. There was a lot of very informational/fun activities that I was able to find and play around with. I think that it would be fun for the children but also very informational at the same time. This would help them "WANT" to learn. I believe that this website is going to be very useful. Especially how it posts the different curriculum of all the ages. This will help keep me and my colleagues on top of what we need to be teaching to our students. Another thing that I love about this site it is there for everyone to access which makes it very handy for me, as a teacher. I really am glad that we were able to set up our own private/public pages. I can't wait to learn more about UEN this week in class!

I Am What I Learn (video #3)

This video makes perfect sense. My favorite part of the video was the end when he was talking about not wasting your time. I think that this is very true. We should not be wasting our time by not trying and putting off our education. Getting an education is very essential now days especially with the way the economy is. Places that are hiring really are only looking for people who have somewhat of an education. I know that I am not going to waste my time or money. I am going to try my hardest in school, and I am going to make sure that no matter what I am finishing my degrees! I want my dream to come true, and by getting my education I am making huge progress in achieving that goal. I agree with him when he says that getting an education builds character, and it truely gives you the feeling of completing hard work. School is not easy by any means, but I know that all that hard work paid off when I was awarded my Associates of Science degree this last semester. I was so proud of myself, and it was seriously the best feeling ever. EDUCATION is important, and everyone should get a great one!

REFLECTION #2 (google pt. 2)

WHAT?:
In class this week we learned more applications that Google offers. This week we talked about Google Spreadsheets, Google Forms, and Google Presentations. Our assignment for this week is to create a Google Presentation that shows our students ten classroom rules that they must follow throughout the school year.

SO WHAT?:
This week was very informational. It was nice to learn how to use these three applications. I think that these applications are very important to learn because for one they are all free! That way if your students do not have the Microsoft versi0ns of these applications they can still use Google Spreadsheets, Presentation, and Forms. I think that these will be really useful as a future teacher, student, and collegue because they are all really easy accessed and very self-explanatory to use. My favorite thing we learned today was about the forms. These are going to be very useful when I become a teacher and collegue because I will be able to put together forms for my students/parents and my co-workers. I am very excited to put these to use.

This technology is very essential for me to learn and for me to teach my future students. I think it is a great way to put together presentations for school, meetings, take-home letters, etc. Also, it is going to be very helpful to use these Google applications because you can send them to other people to have them edit it or even work as a team to put the project together. I think it is so awesome that we are able to do this.

NOW WHAT?:
I think that this information is going to be very important for my future students to learn because these applications are very easy to use. I will be able to give my students assignments where they will be able to put a slideshow presentation together and be able to present it to their fellow students. Also, I can give them assignments to put together in Spreadsheets whether it be math data, seating charts, presentations, etc. Working as a group will be a lot easier through using these Google applications because they will be allowed to send the project to their team members, and then they will all be able to edit and add their own taste to the final project. This comes in handy when not everyone is able to meet up together. They can just work on their project together at home. Also, I will be able to make take-home letters, surveys, and tests through using Google Forms. I am sure I will use this application tons when I become a teacher.

I truely believe that these applications are very essential to learn. I think that they are very beneficial and very easy to use. I believe that they will make projects a lot easier to put together as a student, future teacher, and collegue. These applications are not only handy for work and school, but also very conivenent for personal life. Spreadsheets make it very easy to stay organized with bills and personal information. I am still amazed with these applications because I think it is very crazy that you are able to edit a project at the same time as your team members. I think it makes it so easy to work in groups! I seriously am so grateful that I learned how to use these applications. THANKS!

I Am What I Learn (video #2)

I really enjoyed this video! I think that when Obama is talking at first is very inspirational and very true. I believe that here in America we really do write our own destiny, and most of the time we decide how to live our lives. When Rene said that, "Passion is something that sticks with you through your whole life" I really stopped and thought about what she said. I think that she is a 100% right. In life there is always going to be passion with us, whether we be passionate for different things throughout our life we ALWAYS have passion. My next favorite thing in the video was when she said, "we have to make the best of ourselves." I believe that this is true, no matter what the situation may be we always have to make the best of it. We can't change when bad issues occur, but we can try to change our attitude about them to get through the situation easier. Everyone has bad days or bad situations they are faced with but how you get through those situations is based on how you act. Make the BEST of everything! If you do, trust me, you will succeed in everyone's eyes!

REFLECTION #1 (google pt. 1)

WHAT?:
In class this week we learned more about Google, and two of the different applications that Google provides for us to use! We learned how to use Google Calendars, Google Docs, and we are to create a "welcome letter" for our future students with other classmates from our class.

SO WHAT?:
I think that all the stuff we learned in class today was very cool! I never knew about Google Docs or Google Calendars. I was highly impressed with both of them. I think that these are very essential to me as a student, future teacher, and collegue because all of these are very well organized. As a teacher I will be able to post calendars to my website so that kids/parents can see what we are going to go over that day, what is due, etc. Also, I will be able to use the calendars for my personal use that way I can stay organized and know exactly what my schedule is for that day. I think that Google Docs could be highly useful in working with collegues especially if you want them to edit your papers, or even work on a paper together.
I am very glad that we learned about these two applications in Google, because I have already started adding things to my calendars from other classes of when things are due, class time, when I need to go to work, etc. It has been very helpful! I feel like this technology is going to be a huge benefit for me not only now, but also when I become a teacher. This is probably the most organized calender/word documents I have seen. I am thoroughly amazed with the calender settings, the fact that you can work on the same word document with others, and that people can just simply edit your paper and email it back to you! It is truly amazing.

NOW WHAT?:
I think learning this different applications not only was beneficial to me but also to my future students. Google Calendar is going to make me more organized as a teacher, which in turn is easier for my students. Also, I can't even tell you how nice it is to be able to go to a website, see a calendar, and to know exactly what is due that day and what we are going to be going over in class. It is a huge benefit, and I know it would be a huge benefit for my students as well. I think that Google Docs are great! Being able to work on assignment with a group and not even having to meet up is such a nice feature, because not everyone's schedules are the same. I think as a teacher I would give out multiple assignments throughout the year that the children could work through Google Docs together. They could meet together in class and talk about ideas, then work outside of the classroom to put the final project together. Whether it be a little research paper, a letter, a book report, etc. With Google Docs I definitely think it will change how I work on different projects with my collegues. I will just send them it through this, and we can then work on our project together through Google Docs. Also, when I am working on a project myself having someone edit my paper is going to be so much easier, because I won't have to meet up with them ever. All I will do is send my paper through email, have them give me ideas, and have them edit my paper. It is going to be so simple!

I honestly believe that the future is going to become more and more technologically inclined, and so I believe it is essential that I learned these different applications and that I teach my students these as well. Google Calendar and Google Docs are going to make me more organized as a student, teacher, and collegue. I cannot wait to teach my classroom the important features of technology. I think it is essential for children to learn. All the "new" things coming out in technology kind of scare me in a way. We are getting so advanced, but I believe it is important to stay on top of all the new advancements because it will help my classroom and me, as a teacher, be successful!

Do you believe in me? (Video #1)

I really enjoyed this video! I think that Dalton was a great inspiration. He definitely made me see how grateful some children really are for us teachers. I think that everything he stated is very true. When people believe in us I think that we are more apt to succeed and even more importantly with their support we are able to believe in ourselves. If people have doubts in you or something you want to do, you start having doubts in yourself. I truly believe I am going into one of the most important professions out there just like Dalton stated, and I know when I become a teacher that my support for the students is the number one thing that they need in order to succed! Do YOU believe in me!??!

Crissa's Ideal Classrom

I want my Ideal Classroom to be placed in a rural setting, because this is what I have grown up around. I loved school as a kid, and I think that the enviromental setting helped out a ton. I knew everyone in my school, and this is how I would want my classroom to be also. Very PERSONAL, so we all grow really close. I would really like to teach the third grade. Since my goal is to become a Elementary school teacher I will be teaching all subjects. However, teaching English would be my favorite! My ideal school would be a public school, and no uniforms for the children. I think by letting the kids have this freedom you can really tell their personality by how they dress.
I would want my ideal classroom to be a large room. I am big into decorating and making the places where I am feel like home. I would make sure all my walls were well decorated! I think that I would mostly decorate with inspirational quotes, educational tips, and educational posters. My student's desks would be the individual desks with the basket on the bottom. I always loved those kind of desks, because you had the storage for your things in the bottom, plus you got a desk to yourself. It beats having to share a table with your classmates. I would prefer having whiteboards over chalkboards anyday, and I would want atleast two different white boards. I would want one placed at the front of the room and one at the back of the room. The one in the front of the room I would use for class disscusion, and the board in the back of the room I would use to post what homework is due, the class schedule for that day, etc. I would also want an "elmo" in my room (I think that is what they are called.) They are the projectors that you can have the computer screen shine onto the wall, or just use them as a regular projector.
I would want my students to have a variety of personalities that way I would never get bored! I would always have something new everyday with each student. I would want all types of personalities for example: the funny kids, the "I'm Lazy" kids, the "I love" school kids, the class clown, the energetic kids, etc. I believe with the variation of kids in the classroom you would learn how to deal with each and every student in a different way! For my Ideal Classroom I would want the parents to be very involved with their children's lives at school. I think that a very important aspect in kid's succeeding, is to know that their parents care and are proud of them for what they do. I would want my collegues to be nice, funny, and helpful that way we could work together to make a great school! I am very people oriented, and I would hope that the students, parents, and collegues would all be this way as well.
I would be sure that my students knew all the classroom goals very well. Some of the goals I would use would be: Respect! Responsibility! Making an effort to succeed, SUCCEED, Everyone is equal, etc. Also, I would be sure the children knew that they should never be afraid to ask questions, because there is no such thing as a dumb question. Without questions we would never learn! I want my children to know that I LOVE what I do, because when students can feel how much their teachers love to teach them it makes them want to learn that much more! I cannot wait to have my "IDEAL CLASSROOM!"