Still have so much to learn..

After last weeks 21st century class, I began to feel even more anxious about all the tasks I will need to accomplish during my two courses this semester. My goal for this week is to create a contract for 21st century, that will allow me to discover new programs and devices that I can use to enhance my creative thinking and teaching. The biggest thing that pops into my head, is to discover how to use my SMARTtable that I currently have in my classroom. In addition to learning to use it, I would also love to create a video tutorial that would help other teachers in my school learn how to use it as well. In addition to these tasks, I am also interested in creating a resource toolbox with all the tools I have currently used and hope to use in the future. One of the resources I plan on adding will be ProProfs. I had the chance, last week, to create a quiz, with my classmate Kim, with questions for our other classmates to answer regarding our syllabus.  It was an easy to use(once we learned how) program that I could definitely see myself using in the future. 

Once I finalize my contract,  I will be adding many links to my blog that hopefully others will find useful as well. So check back and please use whatever you find useful! =) 

Back at it!

Well it's been about 6 months since the last time I blogged. I really need to start keeping up with this blog so I can keep all my thoughts in order for this program! During this semester, I will be taking 2 courses. I will take INTC5001 Instructional Tech and 21st Century Learning on Monday nights and INTC5560 eLearning in the Workplace on Wednesday nights. While I know this is a lot to take on (in addition to teaching my 17 five-year-olds all day) I am very excited!


Goal this semester: create products, in both courses, that I can use to enhance my experiences both as a teacher and a student.

Fears this semester: Do I have time, during the school day, to utilize the programs I discover?? Are my kids going to be capable of using the programs/equipment on their own? Or will I need to spend lots of time directing them?

With these fears I began to research various sites and discovered I am not the only teacher in the world who has the same exact concerns. I was very excited to find a true testimony from Denyell Suomi, a Kindergarten teacher. Through this article, "Technology and Kindergarten: Is It Possible?," she expresses all of my same fears; however, she also celebrates all of the wonderful successes her five and six year olds experience in the school year. From this article, I gained confidence and now know that it is definitely possible to achieve my goals this year.....and so it begins!!