Reflective Post - Dec. 24, 2009

As a grad student who is proudly half way through the selected program, I have sharpened my skills as an educator, and learned a great deal about myself along the way. When one enters the field of education, it is natural to want to change the aspects that were not desirable throughout personal experience K-12. One of the things I hated most about high school were the teachers who treated students like middle school students. Those that felt the need to tell you every little detail about everything, and were determined to not allow you to think on your own and move at your own pace (even if that was faster than some others), really drove me crazy. I hadn't really taken the time to realize the impact my own frustration as a student has had on my teaching practice until I designed a unit plan that integrated more technology. This plan made me really think of the time that would be needed to introduce each step of the lesson, provide guided practice, sufficient time to complete the assignment, and a back-up plan for those who were absent or needed other modifications. Throughout the design of the unit that would integrate new literacy skills, I realized that I often do not provide sufficient preparation time for my students. As digital natives, I presume that they should have the same technological literacy I had in high school; therefore, are not in need of, and would be hindered by, detailed explanation of how to effectively use the basic tools set before them.

This realization will help transform my teaching practices as I continue to incorporate more twenty-first century learning skills and technological literacies into my classroom. I will be more conscious during the planning stages to ensure that sufficient time, direct instruction, and guided practice are provided for students who may not have adequate technological skills. Furthermore, my personal experience from high school will allow those who are confident to begin the assignment on their own and work at a comfortable pace. It is not a crime for a student to finish early, or to be the last one to finish. In a time when students can be as busy as adults, those who finish early can manage their time productively and complete other work to benefit their busy schedules.

As I continue to incorporate new literacy skills into my classroom, it is my goal to stay current on technological developments that can benefit the educational process. Although my school lacks equipment, I want to be prepared for the day when more technology is available for my use. In order to further my knowledge, I would like to locate professional development classes that will demonstrate the usage of electronic portfolios, flip cameras, and distance learning technology. By seeking professional development opportunities that will increase my knowledge, not only will I benefit, but my current and future students will also benefit through the incorporation of increased technological literacies and educational networking.

Reflection for Preparation

Throughout my progress in the first ed.technology course at Walden, I can reflect on my newly developed abilities and say without hesitation, that I have grown professionally as a result of this class. As a result of the assignments provided, I have been nudged further into the technological realm with practical application, not simply discussion. I have created products I previously had no knowledge of, and have learned of other methods to use the tools I currently have at my disposal. I have gained a better perspective of what it means to be a facilitator of my classroom, and providing a learner centered environment. I have been forced to reflect on the practices of the past, that were the educational norm when I was a student, and reluctantly admit that some of those old practices have been evident in my own classroom. One of the greatest things I have gained throughout this experience is the opportunity to network with other educators that are trying to go "against the flow" and create a new educational environment for the 21st century student.

As I continue to become a more dedicated blogger and wiki enthusiast, I hope that with the help of my fellow colleagues as online "tech support," I will further develop my skills and learn of more practical uses in the classroom. I will avidly search out new uses for the tools I have access to, and maintain an awareness of new technological developments that will benefit the educational community. In order to transform my classroom into the 21st century environment my students deserve, I will continue to enhance my classroom wiki and forum, while defining goals for the future. My first long term goal is to revolutionize a magazine publication into an online version. I am currently the advisor for a student literary publication. Together, with my students, we collect, revise, and publish student writings, songs, and art work. We are not part of the journalism department, and could change our current mode of publication into that of a world wide audience. How exciting! The obstacle to overcome will be having permission to publish to the world. Not only may parents be reluctant, the greater obstacle of administration must still be overcome. The second long term goal is to attempt to become a paperless environment. While I know I can't be completely paperless, I hope to greatly reduce the amount of paper based assignments, and to provide all documentation for students and parents in electronic form, unless a paper copy is necessary. In order to allow students to complete the majority of large assignments and projects online, I will have to overcome the shortage of resources. Perhaps this can be done with strategic planning with the computer lab or reserving the portable lab well in advance. In order to accomplish both of these goals, I intend to spend a great deal of time over the summer preparing my virtual environment for student access, gaining proficiency in the details of each program, and hopefully obtaining permission from administration to allow students to publish to a world wide audience. As I step away from this experience, I feel that I am much more knowledgeable as an educator and am excited to forge ahead into what some consider the unknown. Of course there will be challenges and days that technology seems to be the enemy, when things don't function as they should, but dealing with adversity and utilizing problem solving skills to accomplish a goal are some of the very skills we desire to teach our students. It is an exciting time to unleash our creativity...the possibilities are endless!

Podcast

Hello everyone! After days (no joke) of struggling with this assiginment, I think I finally have it finished. I hope you will be patient and willing to download the necessary files to listen to my podcast. I ended up with the technology guy from the board office to help convert files, as nothing was working, and he had to create an MP4 file. (I did not know that there was anything other than an MP3!) I hope that there is an easier process to create a podcast. I know that my students could not complete an assignment of this nature with the materials we have at our school. A collaborative effort has been required in order for me to find what I needed for the assignment.

You may visit my podcast at http://sgracew.podbean.com/

Classroom Usage

Hello everyone! As an educator who is new to blogging, I've been thinking of practical ways I could use this tool in the classroom. I must confess, that I have become somewhat addicted to checking my blog and reading comments on the blogs of other Walden classmates. As the school year comes to a close, and I begin to prepare my summer reading assignment for honors 10 English, I am strongly considering creating a blog for the summer assignments. This blog would provide a place for students to communicate with me and each other about the text and other assignments. Blogging about the assignments, along with what to expect in the fall, could greatly reduce stress for the incoming freshmen, and provide a sense of camaraderie within the classroom before we arrive again for the next school year. If the blog is a success, students could respond to questions I post to further discussion of the texts and continue the blog once school has resumed. Blogging would be an option, not a requirement for the summer assignment, as some students may not have Internet access at home. What do you think? Any suggestions for creating a blog for summer reading?

Teaching High School is Tough

Hello everyone! As the school year quickly approaches an end, we typically take time to reflect on the progress, joys, and frustrations of the year. Please share your most rewarding or frustrating teaching moments of the year, and at least one best practice idea.