HTML (entry 4)

Working with html can be very confusing. I had trouble remembering each little marking that needed to be inserted in order for the text to read right. One mark off, and the whole thing could show up wrong. It makes me glad that there are resources out there for creating websites without having to know the html code. I can see how it can be very useful to be able to create a page exactly how you want, but also time consuming, making it inefficient for those who are already strapped for time (i.e. teachers) :)

Silver Firs Elementary website (entry 3)

I searched my sons' elementary school website in the Everett school district. One of the best parts of this site is that it is always updated and the students participate in these updates. The school tour was completely done by students. One of the negative issues I found was that only 6 teachers made and maintain websites for their classes. Out of those 6 teachers, 4 were in 1st or 2nd grade and none were in the 5th grade (students who are using computers regularly on their own). This could be a useful tool for class calendars, assignments, and news, especially for parents who are online regularly. I do understand that not everyone in our district would have a computer handy or even be computer savvy, but given the demographics of this school, I would guess a very high percentage do use computers daily. A website would create a sense of connection between the home and school. Students could see some of their work posted and keep up with class assignments. A great deal of paper would be conserved as well, since you wouldnt need to hand out paper reminders to students if the website was kept up to date.
Other than that, I found it attractive and easy to use, containing many useful links to other educational websites.

Turning on the Lights - Article (entry 2)

I found this article to be extremely necessary for educators who want to make a difference in their classrooms. It was filled with great ideas for using technology in meaningful ways. As some one who is a generation beyond even the typical college student, I constantly need to be reminded how connected to the world today's students are. In evaluating past teaching experiences, while I always desired to "keep current" I didnt have the knowledge necessary to keep up with the technological changes in the world. Taking this class, reading articles like this one, and familiarizing myself with the available technology will put me worlds ahead of where I was. We as educators need to come to grips with the fact that our age-old modes of education will be boring and mundane to today's students. The information itself does not have to change, just the methods we use to aquire and convey this information. It's time for me to think outside the box and constantly find ways to teach students that will meet them where they are. This definitely includes the use of many different types of technology that students are already familiar with.

Why do I want to teach? (entry 1)

I first knew I wanted to teach when I was in the 4th grade. My teacher allowed me to help other classmates as long as I did not give out information. She noticed that I had skill in guiding and explaining concepts and mentioned that I would be a good teacher. From that time on I watched each teacher I had and catalogued the good practices and those I would not use in a classroom. In college, while working on my first elementary education degree I worked in a school as a teacher's aide and was able to put to use what I was learning as well as see "behind the scenes" in teaching. I graduated in 1996 with my Bachelors Degree and South Carolina teaching certificate and went right to teaching 4th grade. Two years later I moved up to 6th grade literature and language arts and after another 2 years, I moved to 7th grade. I have learned from those experiences that my heart is in middle school. When I moved to Washington in 2003, I found that my first degree would not be accepted in this state since it was from a non-accredited school. Since I had 2 kids already and wanted another, I put my teaching on the backburner to raise my children. In 2007, my husband and I revisited the idea of me teaching in WA and started doing some research on schools in the area that might accept my credits. We found Northwest University and met with Dr. Newbill, the Dean of Education. Thankfully, Northwest transferred 94 credits and after one year (33 credits) at Northwest, I will have a second bachelor's degree that will be recognized by Washington state and be certified to teach here once my 3rd son enters kindergarten.