Reflection # 2

This week in class we learned all about google!!! I think google is a fascinating site. There are ENDLESS things you can do and use. From previously having Doc. Waters computer tech class i had already created a google site with a google calender. However, I still learned a lot about the basics and really it refreshed my memory. Something new i learned about was called iGoogle, this was a really cool addition to my knowledge of google! I think i will use this application a lot in the future. Another thing i learned was about the google calendar, i learned that you can send your recently added information to your cell phone or email to remind yourself of upcoming events. I think as a teacher, these tools will be very helpful to keep me on track and organized. Also, from having a google site, my students can access it at any time with any questions or homework help. It will also be a great way for the parents of the students to stay updated on what is going on in their child's classroom and puts me, as a teacher at a more personal level. I feel that having a google site will be easy for the children to communicate with me at any time by emailing me or chatting with me by the tools available. These tools will also help me achieve classroom objectives just like doc waters has on her site. It really is an organized way of letting students know a head of time what to be prepared for.
The video this week was describing different tools that are available on the web, they are used for communication. It talked a lot about google and the different applications it had. One thing i did int like about the video was that it was really fast so for some, it would be hard to process the information before the next slide was shown. Overall, i like the videos that are shown, they talk a lot about how technology on the web is rapidly increasing every day and there are so many forms of communication available now.

My Ideal Classroom

When I think about what i want my classroom to be when I start teaching, my mind goes wild! My ideal classroom obviously wont be comparable to the classroom I will have but its fun to think about... I want my students to love coming to school everyday, some children wont have the best home or family life so i want my classroom to be a safe and enjoyable environment. The physical aspects of my classroom will include bright colors, I would like to have my students create decorations for the room instead of myself decorating it. That way, my students can feel like they contributed to the room. If possible i would like all the parents to be involved, i feel that it is really important to have them contribute to the activities their children will be a part of. I want the latest and greatest technologies in my classroom because the children i will teach will need to be prepared to handle such technologies! It would be great to get every child a computer to use and do their projects in, that way they will be more familiar with computers in the future. My goals will be fairly high because i want my students to push themselves and exceed what they imagined. However, the most important goal is that they will enjoy coming to school an learning new things. I hope to teach my students that they are important and can all become spectacular people if they are determined and try!
The video for the week was awesome! It fascinates me how technology is growing so rapidly, it was cool how they focused on children, and the technologies they will be introduced to. In two years when i am a teacher i am sure technologies will be even greater than i can imagine!