I think that the 2 hardest aspects of being a teacher will be for me is gaining the respect of my students and the parents!
I am a very tiny person. I am only 4'11" and 100 pounds. That's about the size of an average 4th or 5th grader these days. I want to work with middle schoolers, so it is quite intimidating walking into a school where you are supposed to be the authority and the students are taller than you! I have spent many hours helping out at Hillsdale Middle School and I have an issue with the students respecting me virtually every time I visit. Right now I don't care what they say and just laugh it off but I know that I am going to have to take this seriously and make sure they know that I am in charge and they are just a child. I hope by the time I graduate, I will start to look more like an adult and possibly grow and I won't have this problem.
The students parents are my only other concern I have about being a teacher. Again, working at Hillsdale I would just be in the office and have to deal with a parent who would come in with accusations and not listen to what was really going on. That's one parent that scared me, but one day I will have 100's of parents or maybe more to deal with each and every term. That may be overwhelming. The only suggestion I have for myself is to go with the flow and be respectful at all times. I am there to help their child, not hurt them. I can only hope they understand that,
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Reason Why I Want to Be a Teacher
The only dream I have ever had was to be a teacher. I am an only child, and when I was younger I would play school with all of my stuffed animals. I did not decide what I wanted to teach until my senior year in high school when my teacher asked me if I considered being an English teacher since I enjoyed it so much. I love to write and I always try to encourage people to do so no matter what the occasion is. I believe the best way to improve writing skills is to do it all the time whether it is for school purposes or just because you feel like it.
I also love kids because I feel like the innocent always has the best ideas and are able to be taught anything if they don't know. For a small time of their days I hope to fill their minds with something new and refreshing everyday. Whether it is English related or some sort of fact I came across and decided to share. I am random and sporadic so my students will never be able to predict what I will have in store for them. I hope that they will be excited to come to my class because they will be excited to learn something new.
I also love kids because I feel like the innocent always has the best ideas and are able to be taught anything if they don't know. For a small time of their days I hope to fill their minds with something new and refreshing everyday. Whether it is English related or some sort of fact I came across and decided to share. I am random and sporadic so my students will never be able to predict what I will have in store for them. I hope that they will be excited to come to my class because they will be excited to learn something new.
Monday, April 27, 2009
I have always been a user of Google, but it was not until I took my EDM 310 requirement class that I really explored all the many amazing things it offers. For example, I never used the e-mail service they provide called g-mail, but I was required to set up an account. Since I use Google virtually everyday, seeing my mail pop right on the screen of my home page makes it super convenient. I can also design my iGoogle page any way I like. There are all sorts of gadgets from a twitter, to my e-mail, latest news, facts, hangman, you tube... you name it and there is probably a gadget for it.
There is also Google Docs. Here you can make documents, forms, spreadsheets, and presentations. I had to make a presentation about myself and it was so easy! I will defintely use this in my classroom because it can allow my students to visually see images and it takes no time at all to put together. Spreadsheets are quite helpful as well. I admit, I do struggle with all the formulas and what nots, but its easy to just mess around to figure it out.
To me though the best part Google offers is Google Earth. It's a way better mapquest because you can see anywhere in the world up the house or business you are looking for. If you want to see whats going on in Disney World, you can type in the address and visit there via your computer.
Google is simply amazing and is way more than just a search engine if you sign up and get an account. It's everything you need on one website and I recommend everyone to use it!
There is also Google Docs. Here you can make documents, forms, spreadsheets, and presentations. I had to make a presentation about myself and it was so easy! I will defintely use this in my classroom because it can allow my students to visually see images and it takes no time at all to put together. Spreadsheets are quite helpful as well. I admit, I do struggle with all the formulas and what nots, but its easy to just mess around to figure it out.
To me though the best part Google offers is Google Earth. It's a way better mapquest because you can see anywhere in the world up the house or business you are looking for. If you want to see whats going on in Disney World, you can type in the address and visit there via your computer.
Google is simply amazing and is way more than just a search engine if you sign up and get an account. It's everything you need on one website and I recommend everyone to use it!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
School time, school days
When I was in grade school, sometimes I dreaded going to class because I could not stand my teacher. Either they were not teaching me a single things or their attitude about teaching was nothing positive. School was no fun at all! But then there were those times that I had an amazing teacher that I could not wait to get to class to learn and see what new ideas they had to offer me.
That's the kind of teacher I want to be! I completely understand that kids have issues too. Sometimes their days will be terrible and a nerve wrecking teacher is the last thing they need to worry about. I want my students to know that I am there for them to talk to and listen to. I am also there to teach them about literature and writing and how important it is to have those skills in life! Personally I think writing is the most brilliant form of communication. Fiction or non fiction it came from someones brain, maybe even from their heart. Its a sad but true fact that not everyone has the gift of writing. It's quite the talent to posses.
I hope to make my class a fun environment that 20 years later my students will be telling their kids about this one teacher they had that really made a difference or they truly learned something in my class. My biggest goal in life is to make a difference in the world, and I believe teaching the talent I love so much is the way to do it. And it's just an extra goody that I am compassionate and caring for all.
That's the kind of teacher I want to be! I completely understand that kids have issues too. Sometimes their days will be terrible and a nerve wrecking teacher is the last thing they need to worry about. I want my students to know that I am there for them to talk to and listen to. I am also there to teach them about literature and writing and how important it is to have those skills in life! Personally I think writing is the most brilliant form of communication. Fiction or non fiction it came from someones brain, maybe even from their heart. Its a sad but true fact that not everyone has the gift of writing. It's quite the talent to posses.
I hope to make my class a fun environment that 20 years later my students will be telling their kids about this one teacher they had that really made a difference or they truly learned something in my class. My biggest goal in life is to make a difference in the world, and I believe teaching the talent I love so much is the way to do it. And it's just an extra goody that I am compassionate and caring for all.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Twitter is a popular name in the world these days. I'm glad Dr. Strange encouraged us to use it because I'm not really into what "everybody is talking about". I guess maybe I should be because twitter can be useful in many ways... though I believe as a teaching tool it has its limits.
First of all, when I become a teacher I will make an account and give the link out to my students so they can check it regularly with cool and useful links. I will update on things they may be interested in and even update about project that are coming up. I would require the student to make an account because they may only have access to the internet at school. This would be there just because.
Since twitter limits what you have to say I honestly cannot see what else I can do to have students use this site. Maybe they can conversation with each other about homework and missed assignments. They could also get closer to their classmates. This is proven to be true because I have made new friends from my EDM 310 class just by using twitter.
Twitter is a good way to communicate in short with all the extra jibber jabber in the middle!
First of all, when I become a teacher I will make an account and give the link out to my students so they can check it regularly with cool and useful links. I will update on things they may be interested in and even update about project that are coming up. I would require the student to make an account because they may only have access to the internet at school. This would be there just because.
Since twitter limits what you have to say I honestly cannot see what else I can do to have students use this site. Maybe they can conversation with each other about homework and missed assignments. They could also get closer to their classmates. This is proven to be true because I have made new friends from my EDM 310 class just by using twitter.
Twitter is a good way to communicate in short with all the extra jibber jabber in the middle!
Teaching and Technology
I am very happy to say that I am part of an era where technology is on the rise. It is funny to think that maybe 20 years ago using the internet as a source of communication, learning, and research was virtually unheard of. I think that using technology in the classroom will be a very important tool for me to incorporate.
For example, I love the thought of using blogs to record your work. For my EDM 310 class I have to take as a prerequisite for my degree, I have to post blogs every week on a particular subject my teacher assigns the class. It just seems to be easier just to log on to my blog and type up the assignment. There is no extra paper I have to keep up with or turn in. Everything is just a click of a button a way. A downside to this in the classroom, is that every one may not have access to a computer or internet. I feel that by the time I have a class of my own, technology will be easier and perhaps cheaper to come by so this will not be an issue.
I believe that technology is a great learning tool , because who doesn't like to get on the computer? I know that children and teenagers seem to not be able to keep their fingers off some sort of keyboard, so why not throw in class work among the other things that they do online. As a future I have to help figure out a way to engage students into wanting to learn.
For example, I love the thought of using blogs to record your work. For my EDM 310 class I have to take as a prerequisite for my degree, I have to post blogs every week on a particular subject my teacher assigns the class. It just seems to be easier just to log on to my blog and type up the assignment. There is no extra paper I have to keep up with or turn in. Everything is just a click of a button a way. A downside to this in the classroom, is that every one may not have access to a computer or internet. I feel that by the time I have a class of my own, technology will be easier and perhaps cheaper to come by so this will not be an issue.
I believe that technology is a great learning tool , because who doesn't like to get on the computer? I know that children and teenagers seem to not be able to keep their fingers off some sort of keyboard, so why not throw in class work among the other things that they do online. As a future I have to help figure out a way to engage students into wanting to learn.
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