Tools I have learned to use

This school year (Spring 2010) I have learned so much about different technologies. A lot of the technologies I have learned can be used when I begin teaching. I would like to incorporate technology in my special education classroom.

Microsoft Office-

• Microsoft Works
• Powerpoint- I love working in Powerpoint and creating slide shows. It's a great tool for creating lectures to introduce new material to the students.
  

Google

• Google Sites
• Google Earth- GE is a great tool for finding places around the world. I have been able to look at places outside of the United States. Google Earth also is created for making your tour of different places.
• Google Docs- I have used Google Docs to create surveys for others to respond to. Also through the Google Presentation, which is similar to Powerpoint, but I would rather use Powerpoint because I can do more in Powerpoint than in the Google Docs presentation.
  

Blogger- I have learned to create a blog and comment on others blog post. I would describe Blogger as my online journal for my thoughts on different topics and issues. It's also a great learning tool because people can learn about different information that you have talked about on your blog that they may not have known before. I have learned a lot by looking at other teachers blog. Also with blogging has allowed me to see students from other countries class blogs that their teacher created for them.

I would like to use Blogger to create a class blog which will give students information about the class and show assignments and other activities students could look at. Parents would also be able to access the website and look at their child's work in the classroom. It would be very safe and private.

Educational Websites:
I have found many websites that can be very helpful in my classroom.

• BrainPop- This is a great website for students of all ages. I found it very informational for every subject that is used in the classroom. It also has a separate website for Spanish speaking students. BrainPop provides educational videos for different subjects and also provides lab activities for the students to do in class.
  
• Crayola is also another great websites similar to BrainPop. Worksheets can be printed off for students to work on in class.
  

PLN
I have learned to create a Personal Learning Network which are websites that are useful to me and my teaching career. The websites that I use give me information regarding teaching careers. I follow different teachers who are from different states and teach different subjects.

Timeline TimeToast
Timeline Timetoast is an website where I can create timelines on different events. It's a very great and useful website.

My methods of Teaching

I would like for all of my students to be able to learn and know what they are learning. I do not believe that every student learns the same way. Some students learn and understand a lesson through hands on activities and others can read something and understand. We all learn different ways and I would like to teach them through different methods. I can understand a lesson if I learn it through visual learning.

Since I have learned so much from my technology class, I would like to bring the technology I learned into my classroom and introduce it to my students. I know that they could learn something through the technological tools I show them.

Class Blog- I would like to create a blog for the students in my class. It would be available for parents to look at their child's work and see how much they are learning. Also if a student is absent they can look back at their class blog and see what exactly they missed that day they were absent.

There are so many educational websites available that would be very helpful to any student and I will use those websites to create activities and assignments for my students.

I'm really looking forward to teaching and getting to know my students. I really hope that I can make some type of impact in my students lives and give them helpful information that they can do anything they set their mind too.

Discipline

I'm hoping that during my teaching career discipline will not be an issue in my classroom. I was a told a true story a few months ago from a current teacher who did not discipline his students. He didn't have a discipline problem in his class. When a student would misbehave he didn't send the student to the office or write up that student, but he would reward the other students which is punishment for the misbehaved student. When I heard that story, I knew then that method of discipline is what I want to have in my classroom. When students feel left out of a game or fun activity due to misbehaving they do feel left out. It's not a good feeling and so it's helps them to act better so that they could be included in all of the fun activities.

Of course every student is different and that method may or may not help every student so I will have to think of more ideas regarding discipline before I begin teaching.

Creativity-Making the Classroom FUN!

Being creative is a must when becoming a teacher. You should always think of different ways to make your classroom fun and exciting for the students. Kids always enjoy having fun wherever they are. If you are not very creative there are many websites that will show you different fun activities you can do in class. Also some teachers may not have a problem sharing their ideas with you.

I definitely want to be a creative and fun teacher. I can remember back to having many boring classes where all the teacher did was lecture and never tried to make the class more interesting and fun. A lot of my classmates would fall asleep when she began to lecture. I don't want that in my classroom. I want my students to be focused and ready for fun everyday when they come to class. I want to be able to have my students want to come to school and learn in my classroom. I don't want them to dread coming to school or my class.

Also I will allow any ideas or suggestions from my students to make the class more fun. I want to make learning fun for them. They will feel included if they are able to come up with some ideas for learning.

Know Your Students

Once the school year starts for my students I want to be able to get to know all of my students. I want to them not just by their name and face, but know their personality and likes/dislikes. I also want to know what type of neighborhood they are living in. I want them to be able to feel comfortable around me and their classmates. When students see their teachers really trying to get to know them they feel more comfortable and open in the classroom. They have that sense that this is a person I can rely on because they are taking the time out to get to know and my classmates.

On the first day of school, We all will get to know one another by playing fun games and I will give out different awards for each child who can remember there classmates name. That first day most students are wondering who will be their friend and what type of teacher they will have. There also a bit shy that first day especially if they are in school for the first time or starting a new school altogether. I want each student to have a sense of being in Ms. Perkins classroom is a home away from home.

Make your students first day of school, a day they will remember as being an Awesome first day!