Jennifer+Final+Reflection

I learned (although I already knew this!) that I really am lacking in the technology department; however, I also learned that I am more capable of learning the material than I thought. Granted, it may take a lot more effort, and it certainly doesn't come to me naturally, but at least now I can see what I am capable of.

I learned how my own directions may not always be clear enough for my students. Stepping into unknown territory, and having to rely on your instructions through the internet, made me remember how important our instructions are--especially when what we are teaching is considered easy because easy is relative to the learner. I also learned that there is so much more I can be doing in my classroom with technology that will enhance my lessons, as well as make them multimodal. I honestly am just proud that I was able to complete everything. This was an awful semester (not because of the class!), and I really didn't think I would be able to finish. Outside of that, I am really proud of the fact that I was able to create my podcasts. I was terrified when I found out I had to do those! The thought of having to record my voice is intimidating, but it was even harder because in order to do so, I had to remove my hearing aids and record without being able to hear myself clearly. I was quite surprised at the way all these turned out!

I know from my classroom, I always have to have a backup plan in place, so I think I might have another technology plan in place instead of just scrapping the technology altogether. I know now that I won't feel as overwhelmed by the prospect of using technology because I know now with a deep breath, time and some patience I can learn how to use all of this, as well as implement it effectively.

Keeping up is a concern because the technology changes so much and there is so much out there. I need to make plans and set goals for myself to make sure I don't lag behind. I plan to use my district's professional development courses, along with PD360, to seek out learning opportunities, as well as to stay abreast of new information. I still have a lot to learn, but I after this course, I feel like I have some of the basics, and now I know I can dive into some of these web tools and sites on my own and play around. I also have resources to get started with.

I am concerned that my lesson may flop. I need to make sure I am secure in what I am teaching with the technology, so I can transfer that knowledge into an effective lesson. I am also concerned that I may not teach as effectively as I would like to. I think to overcome this, I will focus on implementing one thing at a time, so I can get comfortable with it and move ahead from there--after all, one thing is one thing more than what I was doing!

I am most excited about making my lessons more engaging and multimodal. I am excited about reaching my young learners, captivating and challenging them. I am intrigued to see what assessment scores reflect after I start implementing technology. I am also excited about finding ways to use technology with mathematics--I think this subject area frequently gets left out!

I will be teaching in the twenty-first century. Granted, it will take me a bit to get there 100%, but that is my goal! One major indicator is my SMARTBoard will be used as a SMARTBoard and not a DUMBBoard--basically a very expensive whiteboard. I do a lot with my SMARTBoard now, but after this class, I have found many ways I can increase its use, along with the iPods and Nooks we have. I am really excited to get some things implemented!

I hope the difference I will make is getting other teachers excited about technology as well, increasing my students' learning and in turn increasing my own learning. I hope by me embracing technology and getting comfortable with it, my students will also embrace technology and have it be a normal part of their lives. If I can make a difference in just one student, I will have accomplished my goal of taking this class!