Inconceivably conceivable

Brutally Honest

2008-11-02T20:40:00.000-08:00

So I have not written in a long time. But there is a time when writing seems to be the only thing to do and as my title suggests, I am going for it...putting it all on the table...insert phrase here.

I am dating this fantastic boy. We have been dating for nearly two years, which is insanity in my mind. But there is this truth about relationships that I have recently acquired: RELATIONSHIPS ARE FREAKISHLY HARD!!!! We are at the stage when it is comfortable. The fireworks are still there at times, but they are not constant. I do not look at him with overwhelming emotion every five minutes and songs do not cause me to weep because I miss him so much. And all of the above totally freak me out. This is my first relationship and as such, I really have no idea what to expect. How do I calm down? How do I accept this new stage? At many times, I am fine. We laugh and carry on and have the best times. But at other times, I find myself wondering if something is wrong with me. Or even worse, wrong with us. Am I crazy?

In the fast lane

2008-07-10T15:53:00.000-07:00

So my life is stretching out before me. I am twenty years old and I am a grown-up. To a point, of course.

I mean, I still am a child in many ways. For example, my current obsession is Guitar Hero III. Oh yeah. Last night, I spent 35 minutes watching YouTube videos all about this new-fangled contraption. (SIDENOTE: is new-fangled even a word? Should know that considering my degree. Awesome.) Plus today I took the nanny children to the apartment under the guise of having fun, but really it was so I could play GHIII. I need to get a better hobby.

My days are filled with making snacks, making myself coffee, breaking up sibling spats, driving to swimming lessons, wrapping towels around cold bodies, loading the dishwasher, making sandwhiches, driving back to the pool, getting a tan, reading, reading, reading, and hanging with the boyfriend whose new nickname is EL Fuego. Which supposedly is Spanish. I really have no idea.

I like my life. Like everyone I wish it was more exciting sometimes, but what is more exciting than sprinting across sidewalks and lawns in order to catch the beginning of So You Think You Can Dance. We made it with only a minute to spare.

This is a dis-jointed post, but I kind of like that aspect. My life is dis-jointed. There is really no rhyme or reason and though I do the same thing everyday, something always changes, or makes me laugh, or causes me to think.

So here is to sunblock and summer days and good books. and cute boyfriends. and my mom.

Defying Gravity

2008-06-11T21:44:00.001-07:00

I need boldness. In speech, in action, in faith, in life.

Tell me how to find this elusive character quality that I lack so greatly.

I have words to say, deeds to be done, faith to be questioned, and life to live.

But I am afraid.

BOLD. Even the word intimidates me.

I need words of wisdom. Bold words of wisdom. Tell me like it is. And I will try to not be afraid.

Give me an taffy, I've got a million of 'em

2008-05-12T21:09:00.000-07:00

So I am finally living my dream. I am William Keating, Mrs. Ferris, Dr. Kress, and my immensely talented parents. I am a teacher. I stand on top of desks, grade endless papers, and clean up my classroom from the Senior Prank this morning. I fight paper jams, broken pencil tips, and confusing literature. And most of the time, I hate it.
I hate living my dream. It was not suppose to be like this. My students are suppose to stop talking when I ask them. They are suppose to be excited about learning the complex societal impact of The Crucible. They are suppose to respect me, since I am the TEACHER. I have the name and everything. But they don't and I hate it.
Honestly though, I do love this. This experience so far has been the hardest and most frustrating thing that I have ever done and I am only a week and a day in. But I am going to keep trying, even for one or two students. One of the boys in third block came to me after class and thanked me for teaching today. He didn't understand the content and I was able to answer his questions. One of the girls came to me and told me she would pray for my sister that was involved in the Wiccan religion.
Those are the students that I need to remember at the end of the day. Not the ones that were disrespectful and adolescent (though I will deal with them harshly tomorrow). No. I remember the ones that smiled at me as they left the classroom. I taught them something. I did that. I am their teacher.

giggle, chortle, guffaw

2008-03-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

From the beginning of life, laughter is sought after. We bend over bassinets, contorting our faces hoping to be the first one to make the baby laugh. We try and try and try to no avail. And then suddenly, all at once, it happens. A laugh pierces the still air with life and joy. To me, the first laugh is the utmost sound of happiness.
As the years continue, so does the laughter. We laugh our way through elementary school, giggling at every possible situation. A silly song, a funny haircut, or a picture that the teacher drew can all elicit a laugh that still sounds of innocence.
As my life continues, laughter has become a wind chime sailing in the breeze. The tinkling sound of chimes brushing together reaches across the plains and touches you somewhere deep. It reaches that place inside of you that you think couldn’t be reached. Filling you with joy, the echo of chimes remains within and never leaves you. That is what laughter does. It meets you in your very own place and enables a change to come.
Laughter is life giving. It brings a friendship to a level of exhilarating happiness. It brings families into sharing life together and finding joy even when struggles arise. It enables me to live and to celebrate my life. To me, laughter is joy that you can listen to

I have to be a girl sometimes....

2008-01-17T23:29:00.001-08:00

I am in love. with Jim Halpert. Always and Forever.

Shadow of the Day

2008-01-10T23:10:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I feel as if there is no way I could be stretched any thinner. Like I am so thin and brittle that anything, small or large, could barely breathe on me and I would shatter into a million little pieces. And yet, I still have a constant reassurance that I can do it. I can be a full-time teacher, educating 3 classes of 25 juniors. I can graduate from college in May at the age of 20. I can work full-time and take 7 classes.
I think that I have this hope because of a simple image that keeps repeating in my head.
Every morning I drive to King's High School. In order to get there, I have to cross the 520 bridge at 8:15 in the morning. And every single morning, without fail, there are endless red taillights that greet me. But there are times when I barely notice them because I am looking at the lake. The bridge separates Lake Washington like a belt. On right side, the water is tumultuous. There are always angry hissing waves that reach toward the sides of the bridge with eager arms. But on the left side, the water is calm, tranquil. A barrier of concrete creates this phenomenon.
Currently, that is my life. Crazy on one side and peaceful on the other. But my "barrier" is not feet of concrete that cars constantly pass upon. My "barrier", my "belt", my "separation" between the chaotic and the calm is God. I am slowly learning just how great my concrete God is.

In My Head

2008-01-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

I sat in a coffeeshop last week, sipping a tall cinnamon dulce latte. Across me sat a boy that I barely knew. We had been introduced ealier that week and instantly became friends. As such, when he came to my work a few hours prior, I accepted his invitation to coffee. We had pleasant conversation about music and movies and life in general. He then said to me, "You don't like to be vunerable." I was taken aback. 1) How could a boy I know virtually nothing about see through me so quickly, and 2) he was right.
I thought about this comment and still am. I don't let people into the essence of who I am. I hate to be seen as someone with holes. I hate thinking that I am not happy. I make people laugh when I am hurting. I don't know how to accept my failings and move on. I am not sure where I fit. I lie constantly about how I am. I feel more alone now than I ever have in my life. I never let anyone see me crying. I drive in a circle around Kirkland in order to hide from my pain. But as soon as I park, everything crashes in.
I don't want this anymore.

My final post for now and Constantly Blinded

2007-12-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe that I have a blog. My sister has had one for quite some time and I was always shocked by the things that she did on it. She had pictures, links, etc. I even told her that I would never be able to have something like that and now I do. I am definetly going to keep posting and I hope very much to integrate a blog into my classroom when I teach. I think it is an excellent tool, especially for a future English teacher!!!!

Luddites and Someday

2007-12-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

I was talking with a co-worker on Sunday night about technology. He carries around a Blackberry and I was shocked when he showed me the tiny myspace screen that he was able to conjure up. Our Point of Sale system had been acting up all night and one of my other coworkers was texting instead of working. At that moment, I declared how much I was against technology. My male co-worker then called me a luddite, which I didn't really understand. So I went home and looked them up. I am not completely Luddite, but at times I feel that way. Here is the definition of Luddites:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite

The Great Gatsby and Music of the Night

2007-12-11T13:35:00.000-08:00

For my final presentation for Instructional Design, I did a lesson intro on The Great Gatsby. I wanted to incorporate some kind of technology into the lesson plan and so I went to You Tube where I found the greatest idea. Several high school English classes had posted movie trailers for The Great Gatsby that they had made themselves. This is a great end of the unit assignment that I would love to do in my classroom.

The following link is to one of my favorite trailers done by students:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aYAzg_aDA4M

A Proposal and The Wind Beneath my Wings

2007-12-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

The following link takes you to an interesting proposal done by Phil Coogan. He proposes a technology infused English classroom, equipped with computers, flat screens, multi-media machine, telephone, fax machine, etc. All would be in two different classrooms: 1 in Oregon and 1 in New Zealand. Case studies would occur at these two schools to see how technology aided in learning.

http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~iejll/volume4/Coogan/

Blackle and La Vie Boheme

2007-12-11T13:11:00.000-08:00

I have become rather concerned about the current state of our environment. I am not an extremist, but I do believe in global warming and the excessive waste of the United States. I feel that every little things that is done can make a difference. I hope that the recycling project here on campus begins soon. In fact, my cooperating teacher at King's has started such a recycling project at King's. I believe that is very important to indoctrinate students into taking care of their world.
One of the things I have found while searching is http://blackle.com/. This is a search engine site that is powered by Google. So when you type in anything, the same results will come up as would on Google. But what makes this search different is that the screen is predominantly black. Because of this modification, energy is saved. In fact, as of today, 350, 521.131 watt hours have been saved. This is small, but everything counts. I would encourage other to use this search engine.

Voki and Mandy

2007-12-11T12:58:00.000-08:00

My aunt blogs religiously. Nearly everyday she posts about her life, her family, her dreams, etc. I love to read her blog because it is just like talking directly to her. Recently I noticed that on her blog, she had put a Voki on several different occasions. A Voki is an animated avatar character. You can make them look as closely to yourself as possible. You then pick a voice and type something for your Voki to say. At first, it is a little creepy, but also fun. I thought that as a teacher, you could use this one your blog or on a class website to relate messages to students or recount the assignment for the day. Below is the Voki homepage and my aunt's blog, in case anyone is interested.

http://www.voki.com/

http://dothedishesfirst.blogspot.com/

Technology Tips and Jumpin' Jack Flash

2007-12-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

I came across this website for teachers. It is all about technology and website that teachers could find useful. It has different catergories such as Stuff you gotta try, Handouts, Fun Powerpoints, Tutorials, Articles, and Interesting Tech workshops. If you go under Stuff you gotta try, the author of the website-Marilyn Western- has different site that you can go to for your specific subject matter. There are tons of great website and just some fantastic ideas. I was so impressed not only with this website, but also with the amount of time and energy spent on finding all this information for other teachers!! I am definetly going to use this website in the future!!!

http://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/

Mind Google and One Song Glory

2007-12-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

I was surfing the Web earlier today and I came upon this article.
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=7032011443887998212

It seems odd to me to compare the human brain to a man-made Internet search engine, but the article makes a rather convincing argument. Any thoughts?

Old Friends and My technological experience

2007-12-11T12:31:00.001-08:00

I have had one actual technological experience while at King's this semester.

I was able to teach one class and I decided that I wanted to make an overhead of a photograph by Robert Capa. This photograph is surreal and incredibly gripping. I thought that it would do go very well with the unit that I was teaching. You can see it directly left.

But, I had no idea how to make an overhead. Yes, it is a simple process, but I had never done it myself. Using the help of my cooperating teacher, the school secretary, and the school librarian, I was finally able to make my overhead.

I have had such a respect for those who a technologically savvy. I wanted in those moments to impress these women with my technology skills. But I have a long way to go. But at the same time, I have learned so much this semester that I will take with me.

King's High School and My Love

2007-12-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

This semester, I did my practicum at King's High School. It is a rather prestigious school, known for both sport and academics. I was in awe by the school buildings themselves. They are rather stately and grand. There is much history behind the school.
I was also suprised by the verocity that the students attacked school studies. I have been in an Advanced English junior class and nearly every student gives 100% in every class. They are also very active in SAT prep and the like.
But almost most shocking to me was the lack of technology throughout the entire school. In my classroom, there is a tv mounted to the ceiling with a VCR and DVD player. The teacher has a computer, and the only other technology is an overhead projector. I have been in other classrooms and they all have virtually the same equipment. In the library, there are several computer stations, but they are older computers.
It is just interesting to me how technology is downplayed so greatly at King's. But students do incredibly well, so something must be going well.

Smart Boards and Sexy Back

2007-12-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

I was doing some research on Smart Boards. Before this semester, I had never even heard of a interactive classroom board. I thought such things were just shown in space televsion. But once I saw and actually touched the board, my mind was blown. Honestly, I was rather afraid of the whole thing at the beginning. I always seem to break technological things. But I was shocked at how easy the whole things was to do. I am by no means a master, but I would like to integrate a Smart Board into my classroom someday. As such, I did some research on Smart Board grants and such. I found them all very interesting and informative for a future teacher.

http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Classroom+solutions/Get+SMART+in+your+classroom/Grants+Funds/Find+grants/US+National.htm

2007-12-05T20:33:00.001-08:00

_x007E_$Sweaty-toothed Madman.pptx

My classroom in 5 years and Time after Time

2007-11-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

When I think of my classroom 5 years from now, I think of computers everywhere. I think that laptops will be integrated much more into student's everyday practices. I feel that everything will be posted (assignments, homework, etc) directly onto the Internet. Everything will be quick, fast, and efficient. Students will be increasingly adept with all things technological.

And that is what scares me. Though I feel that technology is a great tool that should be used, I am afraid that it will take over the classroom. No longer will students be required to read books, discuss in class, or turn in group projects. There will no growth or richness in teaching if technology become the center of everything.

I love to hold a book in my hand and turn the pages. I love seeing student's notes in the margin and pages turned down. I am not willing for that to go away, regardless of the greatness of technology.

My technology project and Wonderwall

2007-11-27T17:03:00.000-08:00

http://public.box.net/emma71967

Technology Project and She came in through the bathroom window

2007-11-27T16:46:00.000-08:00

I am not very good with technology. I know that. My parents know that. My roommates certainly know that since they have to listen to my muffled cursing that undoubtedly goes on while working on my computer. But this class has taught me an exceptional amount about technology and the importance of having it within your classroom. I hope to make technology an integral part of my teaching.

For this final technology project, I wanted to put together a Power Point presentation on Walt Whitman. I choose Power Point because I have seen countless bad Power Point presentations in my time as a student. I wanted to be able to create something that had the needed information and was interesting to listen and watch. As such, along with the Power Point, I will use Smart Board technology in order to highlight particular sections of my presentation. Using the Smart Board will also captivate my students and give them the desire to watch and see what I am going to do. I also put in two Internet links. The first is a You Tube video. It is a brief, 2 minute clip from the film Dead Poet's Society. Within this scene the teacher is encouraging the student to recite poetry by using Walt Whitman as an aid. It is an incredibly powerful scene and gives a great introduction of Walt Whitman. I also included a audio link of Walt Whitman reading the poem "America". This will interest students greatly and will allow them to have a audible example of what Whitman sounded like.

The above paragraph clearly shows that I am becoming adept with using the Internet as a learning tool, especially when using Power Point. Throughout this entire course, I have learned about Smart Board, Web 3.0 tools, blogging, wikis, Google and it's accoutrement's, etc. I feel that there is so much more that I would like to be adept in, specifically the programs that come with every computer: Word, Power Point, and Excel. I feel that there is so much that I don't know about these programs. It would be fundamentally important to know these programs inside and out since I am going to have access to them as an educator. Also, I have some slight problem with box.net. It seems to never like me, but maybe this time :)!!!

Happenings in my classroom and Flowers

2007-11-18T21:52:00.000-08:00

This semester has been challenging. I have had to stretch myself greatly, both academically and emotionally. My classroom, AP Juniors English at King's High School, has been amazing. My cooperating teacher is an absolute genius. She has taught me how to truly evaluate the things that I read, watch, and listen to. Everything has a purpose and a message behind it. As a member of society, you must always be cognitively aware of what is being put into your mind.

Last week, I was surprised while at King's. I was prepared to lead a short discussion on an article, but as I was discussing it with my cooperating teacher, she said, "Why don't you just take the class?" I was shocked and instantly nervous. In that moment, I almost wished that I wasn't there, that someone could have taken my spot and been the teacher. But then I realized that this moment was what I had been waiting for. This was my time to step in front of class and teach them something of importance. So I took a deep breath in, tried to calm my shaking knees, put a confident smile on my face, and walked to the front of the class. My class, if only for a moment.

Panel question and I'll be there for you

2007-11-13T15:54:00.000-08:00

1) How do you see technology continuing to change?
2) How vital is technology within the classroom?
3) What are some upcoming technology items that can be used within the classroom?
4) How can we bring technology into the homes of students, especially those who live in a lower income?
5) Where can educators find out information about new technology?
6) Where can we find information about grants?

Productivity software and unchained melody

2007-11-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

I realized that I forgot to do a blog for the productivity software class period. When it comes to my students, sadly, many of them will teach me things about Word, Powerpoint, Excel, etc. I think that I would like to enroll in some kind of class before I begin teaching in order to learn all the little tricks that are within each program. That way, I would be able to introduce them and have students use them whenever I had an assignment. I think that productivity software is extremely important and that it is vital for students and teachers to use these programs to the best of their ability.

SmartBoard Lesson plan

2007-11-06T16:04:00.000-08:00

http://http://education.smarttech.com/ste/en-US/Ed+Resource/Lesson+activities/Notebook+activities/Browse+Notebook/United+States/Secondary/7-9/English/Punctuating+sentences+1.htm

SmartBoard presentation and smiling like you mean it

2007-11-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

My SmartBoard presentation is going to be on simple punctuation for a 7th to 9th grade level.

The specefic standards that the activity will fulfill are found within the GLE or grade level expectations for 7th grade.
Writing GLE 1.1.1: Analyzes and selects effective strategies for
generating ideas and planning writing.
Writing GLE 1.2.1: Anayzes task and composes multiple drafts when
appropriate.
Writing GLE 1.3.1: Revises text, including changes in words, sentences,
paragraphs, and ideas.
Writing GLE 1.4.1: Edits for convention.
After I, as the teacher, presented the SmartBoard presentation, I would have students write a paper using the only the punctuation that we had gone over. The students would have to follow each one of the GlE's in order to make a final crisp paper.

Activity plan:
1) Description of activity: In this SmartBoard presentation, students will be introduced to periods, question marks, and exclamation points. They will be shown example of the punctuation being used in sentences, and then they will come up and write their own on the board. Students will also get to use this practice in order to fill in the correct punctuation within a paragraph. Students will have to interact directly with the board several times. They will use the eraser and the key board abilities of the board also.
2) Preparation for the activity: I had to acclimate myself to the presentation in order to have a concise and well-planned lesson. I also had to relearn how to turn script into text and how to use the eraser. I, myself, had to become comfortable with the board in order to get my lesson across. Also, I had to decide what my follow-up assingment would be for the class.
3) How learning will be assessed: Within the SmartBoard lesson, there is one instance when the students will be assessed, and that is when they have to put punctuation into a blank paragraph. Because of this, I would have a follow-up essay assignment in which the students would have to demonstrate their ability to use the punctuation.

I believe that the SmartBoard would be a great asset to any classroom, and specifically my own. It instantly catches students attention because it is so much more interactive, compared to just discussion or lecture. Student are able to come to the board and touch it themselves, which is something they have never really experienced before. Students, especially those who learn visually, would be much more educationally engaged within the lesson. There are many diverse needs that my students are going to have and the SmartBoard can help with many of them. It give students something to concentrate on, it reads large enough that those who are visually impaired would be able to see all the information, etc. The SmartBoard would help in any classroom at any school.

Technology in my lesson plan and Summer Love

2007-10-25T17:41:00.000-07:00

1)What tools would you need to add this technology to your lesson? Some things to consider would be software, number & set up of computers and presentation materials.

In order to add techonology to my lesson, I would have to have access to at least one computer, both at home and in the classroom. I would also need to have a projection screen to show the Martin Luther King Jr. video on. My students would need to have use of a computer either at home or at school within a lab in order to go onto the class website. Parents would need to have some kind of basic internet searching skill in order to navigate to the class website. Perhaps there could be some kind of training or a handout at the beginning of the year.

2)How would technology change the learning environment? How does it make the lesson more learner-centered?

Technology within the actual classroom would allow students to be visually stimulated as soon as I started the lesson. They would be able to watch a video online that would give them a clear example of how persuasive speech works. This would help students tremendously and hopefully, change their opinions about speaking in general. Also, the website would allow them to know what was goin on at all times in the classroom. Students would also be able to post their papers before they were do and be able to get feedback from their peers before turning in the assignment to me. These two aspects make the lesson more learner-centered because students are able to take things into their own minds and decide what they are going to do with them. It gives them responsibility.

3)What are some possible challenges to adding this technology and how could they be overcome?

One of the challenges would be whether or not I have a projection screen to show the video on. If I didn't, I could either just show it on the board or perhaps I could raise funding to get a projection board. Also, if students didn't have computers at home, I could make sure that they had access to computer labs after school. I would also tell them where there was computer access in the community, such as a library. I would do the same for parents.

4) What NETS for Students does this cover for your students?
NETS 1) Basic operations and concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
Students are proficient in the use of technology. My thoughts on this is that students would half to have a basic knowledge of how to access the internet and my class website.
NETS 3) Technology productivity tools
Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. My thoughts on this is that student's learning would be enhanced because they would able to view things visually, including the Martin Luther King Jr. video and the website.
NETS 4) Technology communications tools
Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences. My thoughts, finally, are that students would be able to present their papers in an online format in order to interact with their peers. Students would be able to review papers and make corrections. This would enable students to interact even outside the classroom.

Internet Issues and A Beautiful Lie

2007-10-23T15:07:00.001-07:00

There are two Internet issues that I can think of that could appear when I am an educator. One could be simply the access to the Internet. This will depend on the socio-economic status of the area. If I stayed in the Kirkland/Seattle area, most of my students will have computers of their own, and if they don't, their family most assuredly will. But if I am in a poorer community, there is a higher possibility that some of the students do not have access to the Internet in their homes. When this occurs, I will have to make accommodations, whether that is showing the students that they can use the computer lab or a local library. The second issue is that students seem to be stuck in somewhat of an Internet search rut. In my experience, students use dictionary.com and Google frequently. These are easy and provide many examples, but there are so many other search engines and helpful sites online. It will be my job to educate my students in navigating the Internet in order for my classroom in to run in a more efficient manner.

Reflecting on the web conference

2007-10-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

For my participation with the K-12 online conference, I watched a video presentation by Derek Wenmoth. He was located in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was part of an organization called Core Education, which helped to integrate technology into the classroom. He began his presentation by speaking about mirrors and how they serve to reflect many things, including our actions. As educators, we need to reflect on how we run our classroom and how we present information onto our students. His point of view was that technology is able to engage students at such a greater level as opposed to ordinary lecture/paperwork. He talked about teachers being excited when they are shown different technological items, such as the smartboard, wikis, etc. What I gleaned from this presentation was that as a future educator, I need to reflect on how I can present the information in the most pertinent way. Technology, because of the day and age that we live in, can serve in improving students mental cognition by an enormous amount. When I am a teacher, I need to make sure that I am constantly reflecting on my performance, especially when it comes to technology. Here is a link to my online conference.

http://http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=181

Inspiration software lesson

2007-10-11T15:42:00.001-07:00

Hester Prim.isf

2007-10-11T15:41:00.001-07:00

Hester Prim.isf

Great American Authors.

2007-10-01T22:44:00.000-07:00

Several authors are listed on my site including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck. When the time comes for students to study the works of one of these men, I would have information readily available on my website for them to access. I would also be able to use these websites in order to glean information for my lectures and assignments. The internet is a great source of information and these website will be extremely helpful.

Great American Poets.

2007-10-01T22:40:00.000-07:00

This list links student directly with pages of several important American poets including T.S. Eliot, Robert Browning, Robert Frost, and Emily Dickinson. There will most certainly be a section of the curriculum dedicated to American poets. Students will be able to click on the links that I have set up and go directly to sites that include works and a biography of each poet. This way students will have easy access to information and to actual works.

Writing Aids.

2007-10-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Each one of my students, regardless of the level, will undoubtley need some kind of help with writing papers. With these links, they will be able to access sites throughout their time in my class. Whenever they have a question about MLA or APA, they will be able to go onto my blog and instantly access the site which will answer any of the questions that they have. This way students will have to take their own intiative and depend upon themselves. They will also be able to find the correct spelling of words and references sites. Students will have plenty of information to use in their papers.

Teaching Aids.

2007-10-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

My first year of teaching is going to be extremely hard and as such, access to other lesson plans done by experienced teachers will be extremely helpful. That is why I created a list with several links to site with sure-fire lesson plans. If my creative well-spring runs dry, I would be able to go to these sites and get new and fresh ideas. These websites are geared specifically toward high school English classes.

Great Playwrights.

2007-10-01T19:23:00.001-07:00

These are excellent links to website about 4 prominent playwrights: Oscar Wilde, William Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams, and Arthur Miller. Throughout my years of teaching, I am bound to run into a curriculum that instructs me to do a unit on a play written by one of these men. As such, I will have these links to provide me with the text of plays, plus a biography of each man. Because I have the knowledge of these links, my students will be able to have access to them as well. This will provide them with background information and text to actually read from.

Quicksand and Web 2.0

2007-10-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

I would love to use Web 2.0 in my classroom in a number of ways. After reading of what a technological classroom/school could look like, I could definetly see bringing technonology directly to the students. There are countless usages under Web 2.0, but I would like to focus on podcasts, blogging, and wikis. I believe that those would be the most useful within my high school English class.
The idea of recording my lectures and then posting them in the form of podcasts online completely makes sense. Students would then be able to go back and listen to my lectures in order to make sure they didn't miss anything in their notes, or to review for an upcoming test. Parents would also be able to listen to them, which could pacify their natural desire to know what thier childen are being taught.
I would also encourage my students to have online blogs, posting thier thoughts about reading assignments. The blogs would function as journals postings.
Finally, I would like to use the wikis as virtual sign up sheets. Students would be able to sign up for presentations, ect. and then be able to look online as their date approached.

What's your name?

2007-09-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

Plug in baby.

2007-09-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

I would absolutely love to use the Smart Board in my classroom. It instantly captivates your attention whenever it is being used. I think that Smart Board could be used in any classroom, ranging from elementary to secondary. As a secondary teacher, I would use the Smart Board for daily presentations. I think that the Smart Board could virtually take the place of an overhead projector. You would be able to make presentation that would both engage and inform your students. I would also use the Smart Board as a review tool. For example, if I was doing a unit on American poets, I could devise some kind of game on the Smart Board. Students would want to play, instead of filling in a boring worksheet. There is also the opportunity for students to directly interact with the Smart Board. They can come up and touch the screen themselves. This gives them the experience in case a career in education is in their future. The Smart Board is going to provide countless opportunities for educators and students alike.

Hit me with your best shot.

2007-09-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

1) Technology should be used in education for the benefit of the students. We are living in an age of technology. Students are constantly using computers, cell phones, i-pods, and other such technological devices. In order to reach students, it is incredibly important to use technology, not just in teaching, but also in order to truly engage the students.

As a teaching aid, technology opens up many different opportunities within the classroom. It could start simple, such as taking attendance and recording grades on a computer. This easy process will save time for teachers and help keep their abundance of papers down to some extent. Technology could also help teachers to captivate their students directly to their lesson. Perhaps I am teaching Romeo and Juliet. I could use a DVD to show clips from several different versions of the movie in order for students to have a visual to go along with the text. Technology can serve in several different ways to benefit the classroom.

2) I have only been in my classroom once, which poses a difficulty for me to know exactly what technology my students have/use. However, I did see one girl today bring in a flash drive, containing her homework assignment for that day. I did not see any cell phones, though I am sure students have them. Also, there were no laptops. Students wrote in notebooks. As I work more in the classroom, I am sure that I will be able to see more of the technology that the students themselves have.

Of the technology that I have seen, I believe that I could definitely use flash drives with my students. But I would have to make sure that they had somewhere to connect and print their documents.

3) Again, I have only been observing in my classroom once, so I am not 100% sure of all the technology that is used in the classroom. I did see however that the teacher had a computer on her desk. I also saw an overhead projector. As time goes by, I may see more technology, but at this time I am not entirely sure. I know that she has open e-mail communication with her students, which is both profitable for her and the students. But most of her work is done by hand, with paper and a pen.

I think that several things could be added to my classroom. One such thing could be a class website. Mrs. Warren, my cooperating teacher, does not at this time have a website to post assignments. I think that would be very helpful for my students. They are incredibly busy and I think they would find this extremely helpful. Also, being that my class is an AP junior English class, I believe that technological aids would be extremely helpful. For example, the class is reading The Scarlet Letter. They are mainly using just discussion to study the book. I would want to bring in outside sources and maybe show clips from the performed play. Visual representations help to solidify the text into the student's minds.

4) Currently, the classroom that I am observing has very little technology. I am not sure if at there is a computer class/program that my students have to take in order to meet the NETS standards. So it is difficult for me to say how I could help my students with technology standards, especially since my class is solely an English class.

If this was my personal classroom, I would probably have my students help me design a website for the class and then implement some kind of discussion forum so that students could ask questions and receive answers from their classmates. This would help them understand what it is like to use html and to format their own website. This would work in the basic operations and concepts. I would also make sure to address that class on how to correctly format a document for completion of an assignment, which would work under the demonstration of understanding technological systems. Finally, I would have my students read about technology changes and growth, etc. through newspapers and websites and then have them write their thoughts. This would work under the information management section of the NETS.

5) My Professional Preparation Performance Profile
http://www.box.net/files#0:f:9423549

Mrs. Darcy

2007-09-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

http://deadpoets1.googlepages.com/home

Where does the good go.

2007-09-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

The King's School website is excellent. The page opens with a picture of students and above them reads, "Inspiration happens here." This opening thought instantly attracts the eye and sets the tone for the whole website. Below the picture is information about everyday events that occur at school. To the left is a directory listing all the places you can go from the school's home page including High School, Staff, Calendar, etc. When my observation begins, I will be working at the high school. As such, I clicked on the high school page in order to find out more. As the page opened, I read of the high school's philosophy and expectations. On the left, again a directory appeared for me to look at Student Life, Academic Life, etc.
I found this website to be very accessible and easy to understand. I knew exactly where I was going when I clicked on the directory. I believe that I received an accurate picture of King's school.
The only thing that I would want to change would be for there to be access to classroom's websites. Through the King's website, I could only see basic pages. I did not see anything that had to do with a subject matter or a class.

http://www.kingsschools.org/

A whole new world.

2007-09-03T20:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight I read the article, "Engage me or Enrage: What Today's Learners Demand". I found it incredibly eye-opening. The article began with a description of three types of students: 1) those who are self-motivated, 2) those who go through the motions, and 3) those that "tune out". I recognized myself within that list. I am a student who goes through the motions. If I enter a class that does not engage or interest me, I will do whatever I need to do to get an okay grade, but nothing more. I can also be a student that tunes out. I have sat through countless classes imagining what I would say to the cute guy in my next class or doodling on the side of my paper. I was so completely bored in one class that I spent three consecutive class periods listing all of the movies I had seen.

I completely understand what Marc Prensky was attempting to reveal. Kids these days need to want to learn. They need to be challenged. They need to have options and some kind of control over what they are doing. They need to be impressed with a class, instead of put to sleep. Many students live for their technology, ie. laptops, i-pods, cell phones. As educators, we need to understand the importance and relevance of these items. It is our job to bring recognizable technology into the classroom in order for students to feel intrigued. There is so much out there that can be used to light up a classroom. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to find that light and let it shine.

That thing you do.

2007-09-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

I have always know that I wanted to be a teacher. The passion fills me. I make up lesson plans in my head. I adore red pens. Literature is my life. Teaching is how I am going to spend my days. As such, I entered the concrete pathways of Northwest University with anticipation and great excitement. I had heard through connections that the education program was fantastic and as I bought my school supplies, my heart lept at the chance that I was getting.

I moved into the dorms, carefully placing my overflowing boxes on the floor. I looked around, catching a glimpse of Lake Washington out my window. Everything seemed perfect. Roomate was friendly. Floor seemed amazing. There were next door neighbors to chat with. And then....

I had to go downstairs to get my computer hooked to the wireless internet. 2 hours later, frustrated and angry, I finally had access. On that day, I realized once again how much I truly hated technology. Not technology on the whole, but the fact that I didn't have any conceivable idea how to do anything.

Now I am writing a blog. On a computer. Using the internet. Being forced to use technology. But I think I am going to get the hang of this. During our first class, we were introduced to the Smart Board. I was instantly intrigued and began thinking of ways to use it while teaching. It was at that moment that I realized how much technology can benefit a classroom. Technology will impress students into learning. They will want to use clickers to answer questions about Edgar Allen Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart or use the Smart Board as a game of Jeopardy about the themes, setting, and characters of Romeo and Juliet.

I am going to give technology a go. There will b e times when Iwill get frustrated and "hate" it once more, but in the end, I believe it will be worth it.