Final Reflection - Field Experience

                Before going to field, I knew I would love teaching.  However, I did not know if I would enjoy teaching in the sixth grade.  The primary grades have always been my preference, but after this field experience, I can say I have a greater appreciation for teaching the older grades!

                I learned a lot about management styles while I was in Mrs. Castro’s sixth grade class.  It was interesting to see how I initially felt like I couldn’t relate to Mrs. Castro’s management style, but toward the end of the first week I could see why she chose to manage the way she did.  At first, I thought the students didn’t get enough time to interact socially.  They don’t have a first recess, and were not allowed to talk most of the time.  As the experience went on, I saw that my initial impression was just because of the activities of the first couple of days. The schedule was packed, for both days, and Mrs. Castro needed the student’s full cooperation in order to move from one activity to the next as quickly and smoothly as possible.  The rest of the time they were able to have more peer interaction.

                In my shared teaching with my partner, Laura, our first lesson was a struggle.  We had prepared a lesson, but there was a substitute teacher that day and the students were enjoying their “freedom”.  There were some instances of smart remarks which I was (naïvely) not expecting. However, by the second lesson (with Mrs. Castro present) it went much smoother.  Laura and I found what presentation formats we preferred with one another, as well as what we felt comfortable doing, as a class.  It was difficult not having a text book to refer to, so a lot of our research had to be completed on the internet, and we spent a lot of lesson preparation time researching the finer details of our topic. I learned the importance of needing to know as much as you can about a topic because the children will ask questions that go further than the presented material.  I also learned the necessity of having a way to calm the students when the noise level rises too high.  One technique I found to be rather successful, was holding my hand in the air and counting down from five. The room was almost always silent by the time I got to one.  Looking back, one thing we could’ve done better is stating the behavioral expectations more clearly for the students.  We would give clear instructions as far as the activities and lessons were concerned, but I can state more clearly the behavioral expectations I would like from the students.

                I learned so much in field about my management style, things I need to improve on, as well as things I like about my teaching.  I was able to take what I’d learned in my classes and apply it in a real life situation.  It was also good to watch the students’ real teacher, and observe her when I wasn’t teaching because I could implement what I liked about her style and adjust some things to better fit my personality.  I had a great field experience and can’t wait to work in the elementary classroom as a student teacher!

My Beliefs

I personally believe that technology is one of the most essential resources for a classroom in today's world.  Technology is not just a resource for thousands of pieces of information, but an increasing part of these young students' every day lives. We, as educators, are responsible for providing technological tools and resources for these students.

Students who have been more exposed to technology during school are that much more ready for progress when they graduate.  Think of how far technology could advance if students began their technological education at earlier ages. Even the rate at which technology is expanding and changing is astounding, and it could be twice as much, if students were given the chance.  This gives teachers a major responsibility. We need to be informed on the advancements of technology, to know what's out there and how to use it, so we can teach our students.  

There are students who are more tech-savvy than their own teachers.  In this day and age, that is likely.  Many of the baby-boomers struggle with technology because it has advanced so much from the time they were young. Many of these baby-boomers are, or were, teachers, such as my grandpa.  My grandpa was involved in the creation of the initial computers. He is an exception to the baby-boomer rule and knows just about as much as anyone when it comes to computers.  However, there are times when he takes the long way out of a document or doesn't use "control" "C" to copy, simply because he hasn't been told how.  That is why it is important to attend classes, or research and do whatever is necessary to stay up to date and informed.  Knowing "control" "C" isn't essential to being tech-savvy. It is important, though, to stay informed to help those students who aren't quite up to par with technology skills as the other students.  I know I could do a lot better at this, and have found some help online to keep me updated (as stated in the last blog).  Using technology in the classroom is fun, useful, and necessary for today's world.  Students will enjoy it, and teachers will, too!

Lessons Learned

There are many positive uses for technology as a resource for learning.  There are also many negative side effects.  First, I'll focus on the positive.  In the video under "Why Integrate" students of Harrison High School, in Mississippi, used technology  for so many things. Harrison High integrated technology for real science experiments outdoors (as they would if they were actually performing an experiment - not for an assignment).  Even the cheerleaders used technology to improve their performance. The "Tools for Change" PowerPoint emphasizes the difference technology has made in the classroom since so many years ago.  Students and teachers have access to thousands of pieces of information at the click of a button. However, there were some negative points to technology being so easily accessible.

"The New WWW" document,  describes the cons of having "whatever, whenever, wherever".  Is it really a good thing for people, especially children, to get whatever they want when they want it?  This argument can go for both positive and negative. When it comes to monetary issues, the WWW isn't such a great thing for most young children.  They can spend money at any moment they want something, and this does not teach children responsible practices for adult life. Media mobility is discussed in the video "Millennial Generation": having whatever we want through technology, on the go.  The students express their desire for the further expansion of media mobility.  What a great resource and tool for exploration field trips, or homework away from home.  It becomes a problem when media mobility is used to spend money any time, anywhere, or TV is accessible via phone so sitting down to study becomes second priority.

In the article "Teen Disconnect" students take a survey through texting - very useful. One response said that the students were more likely to re-check their information for correctness if they write on computers.  This is true for me.  However, they also said that sometimes their short hand texting creeps into their school writing, simply out of habit.  So, you can see that technology has definite pros, and is accompanied by some cons in the world of education.  Whether personally or externally enforced, keeping technology useful is a matter of discipline.  Teachers who recognize this will find a way to use technology in the classroom and provide resources for their students.

Strengths and Weaknesses

According to the NETS standards and the UNI I and II surveys I am good at presenting lessons that involve technology, such as videos and PowerPoints.  That information also tells me that I know technology etiquette and proper usage.  My weaknesses included keeping up with technology and branching out.  I was also weak in the area of using technology for hands on learning with my students.  I used it for presentations but not for interactive parts of my lessons.

My goals, based on my weaknesses, include a few ideas: 1. Instead of only using technology to present information, I will integrate it into activities where the children can use technology to create projects. Secondly, I will try to keep more up to date on new technology programs and devices by researching the internet.

I found some places on line that I can go to to learn more about how to improve my weaknesses.  The URL's for these sites were:
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/on-line2.htm
which has many great resources and tutorials about different programs and software. This will be a very useful site.

http://education.podcast.com/show/34333/Hands-On-Learning/ 

This is a podcast of a science teacher who implements the use of technology in many lessons.

The tutorial will help keep me updated on the programs that are available to me, and to my students.  The podcast can help me learn ways to involve technology as an activity tool in the classroom.  Both of these resources will be beneficial for my students and me in my future classroom.

3 March - Copyright

Knowing about copyrights helps you handle things well and not use copyrighted information incorrectly.  I can teach my students about this too. Copyright laws have changed and progressed over time.  The best modification that has been made so far is probably the Creative Commons licensing. However, knowing that your information can be copyrighted for up to fifty years (as with the Berne Convention).

As I do digital projects like the one for this class, I can make sure I'm not using copyrighted images or photos incorrectly or illegally. I can cite the information, give proper credit, or even email the creators and ask for permission. I've always tried to cite my work, but now I know the reason behind that requirement even more.

In my future classrooms I will continue to check for copyrights in work I use, to make sure I am giving proper credit or not using something illegally. I will teach my students to aware of where they get their information from and to give the proper credit. I believe this will also help my students learn honesty! Images and audio with copyrights aren't something to be afraid but to just be cautious about giving credit and using legally.

10 March - Copyright

I didn't know it was possible to "semi-copyright" you're own work. The creative commons license is a good idea because you can get your thoughts and projects out into the world but still claim them as your own. You can get the credit any way you want to. Because of that, you also need to be very specific in how you want the credit verified by other users of your "product".

In the publishing of my videos during school I will most likely use a Creative Commons License, when ever possible. I don't mind others using my work, but you never know if someone is really going to like it and want to use it for a potentially profitable project.  It's always nice to have those options! I appreciate learning about this because I like to share my work, but keep tabs on how its being used.

I can use this in my teaching as well. Virtual lesson activities are great to share, and with a Creative Commons License I can do that. I know I will use the UEN.org lesson plans that other teachers have posted. I would like to be able to contribute my work for other teachers, but know that it is still my own! This is a great concept and I'm glad we learned about it!

24 February - Digital Stories

Digital stories are a fun way to share information or introduce a topic with students! The digital story we watched in class about the heroes of history that was made out to be a movie trailer was so fun to watch.  The music, along with the pictures, actually got my attention and made me want to learn more about the topic it was presenting.  The music and visuals you choose to use in a digital story have a big part in how effective the digital story is.

I can create digital stories for my class presentations, today.  I've used PowerPoint presentations before, but I've never tried a digital story. I'm excited to try a new approach! I believe that a digital story helps rouse emotions, and when emotions are a part of learning, it is more easily remembered.  Visual images, with music that flows into the main idea, create a captivating story line.  I, personally, am greatly affected by the music. If there is a lame commercial with a good song in the background, I listen to the message and enjoy the experience. I can do this in my presentations today and in my field work.

In my future classrooms, I can use digital stories to introduce an upcoming topic.  As we experienced in class, I can also present important pieces of information on a topic by simply using visuals and music. I can teach my students how to create their own digital stories for class presentations.  I can use digital stories in weekly class podcasts.  It is an effective and great way to teach a topic, as well as get students excited and ready to learn!