My Technology Philosophy

I strongly feel that not only can technology be seamlessly integrated into the English classroom, but that it can boost the effectiveness of the teacher's instruction greatly. This is not to say that incorporating technology is easy, quite the contrary, but like all things, with a little practice, it will become second nature. From Web Quests, to blogging, to Digital Stories, the opportunities are endless. Plus, technology does not have to always be the star of the show. It could be something so simple as to show a movie clip after reading a novel, or playing an audio tape of a poet reading his or her work. While this may not be as flashy as some other forms of technology, it is still an effective way to boost students' comprehension of a work.

The most important thing to remember is that a teacher should find technology that compliments the rest of the lesson and that they are excited to use. If the teacher is not motivated, then odds are, the students will not be either. The teacher must also know how to use and direct students in the use of the technology. Lastly, the teacher must be able to be flexible and be patient, because at the beginning, set backs are likely to occur and if the instructor is not willing to make adjustments as needed, the lesson will turn into a stressful and counterproductive experience for the students.

My "About Me" Post

Here is my "About Me" post from the beginning of the semester:

Hey! My name is Danna and I am a junior. I was born and raised in Tallahassee on the north side of town. I am really outgoing and I talk a lot. I love to laugh/smile and make others laugh/smile. (Cliche, I know, but it's true) I have one big brother that just graduated from FSU in the Spring and I have a dog named Baxter. (He's a boxer and I love him to pieces)
As for what makes me tick... I am a Christian. My faith is the most important thing in my life and it is what drives most of what I do. Don't get me wrong, I am FAR from perfect, but I try. I also love doing anything outside, from fishing, to going to the beach, to playing in the woods. What ticks me off... I don't like when anyone thinks they are better than another person. That really gets under my skin. I don't like when yogurt has chunks of fruit in it. If I wanted whole fruit, I would have bought a whole piece of fruit. I also don't like awkward silences, when people bite popsicles, or when people take life, or themselves for that matter, too seriously.
I want to teach 11th or 12th grade English. My mother is an English teacher and she taught me to love reading and writing, which is not a luxury most children have. So many students would rather have a root canal than read a book on their free time. And don't even try to ask them to write a poem or short story for fun! I hope to help them rediscover the joy that can be found in these endeavors. I want to teach older students because I would like being able to delve deeper into the subject matter and I just enjoy that age group in general.
Any other questions, just ask! :)

Technology Article

Here is an article on technology in the English classroom that I found on JSTOR:

http://www.jstor.org/view/00138274/ap030805/03a00160/0?currentResult=00138274%2bap030805%2b03a00160%2b0%2c3F&searchUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fsearch%2FAdvancedResults%3Fhp%3D25%26si%3D1%26q0%3Dtechnology%26f0%3D%26c0%3DAND%26q1%3Denglish%2Bclass%26f1%3D%26c1%3DAND%26wc%3Don%26sd%3D%26ed%3D%26la%3D

Here was my article from my discussion board post:

http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/columnists/johnson/johnson022.shtml

Useful Websites

Here are some websites that I have found to be helpful:

www.youtube.com - You can actually find great instructional videos on here.

www.lib.fsu.edu - While you still have access to FSU's resources, read some articles from the English Journal to get some good ideas.

www.atozteacherstuff.com - Free lesson plans and such. You might have to scroll past an add once you open the lesson plan, but hey, that's not too bad considering it's free.

www.sparknotes.com - Beat the kids at their own game! Find out what they would know if they were to only read the spark notes.

PowerPoint Reflection

I thought this assignment served the purpose for which it was designed. While I have done too many PowerPoint presentations to count, I have never incorporated a video into one. Yes, it was a little crazy trying to figure out just how to embed the video, but sometimes the greatest learning experiences come from semi-hectic situations. Now I know that I should always check You Tube to see if someone has happened to make a video on what I am trying to figure out. :o) But I enjoyed learning new things about PowerPoint and how I can apply it to my classroom from the instructional end of the spectrum.

Chapter 6 Presentation

Use the comments feature in word processors or Adobe Acrobat to annotate writing.

What is the comments feature?
The comments feature is a means of providing feedback on written text in word processors and Adobe Acrobat.
The comments are embedded into the actual text to annotate personal writing as well as reflection on others’ works.

Pros for the use of the comments feature:
Convenience (saves paper)
Accessibility (lack of technology)
Absent Student (email comments)

Cons for the use of the comments feature:
Overwhelming (too many corrections)
Legibility (less clutter, ink stains)
Incompatibility (different versions of Word)

Here is how you use the comments feature in Microsoft Word. (Demonstration)

Use the example paragraph on the following website in order to practice using this feature:
http://kariteachtech.blogspot.com/

The kidnapping and ransom of individuals for profit has dramatically increased in the past decade throughout the world. While the majority of victims are wealthy businessmen, more recently, the average tourist has become a target for kidnappers looking for monetary and material gain. In recent years, kidnappers have also become more organized and are demanding more money for the safe return of hostages.

Use the comments feature to indicate five fictitious errors in the paragraph.

WebQuest Reflection

I really enjoyed the program Microsoft Publisher, although, I am not sure I would use it in my classroom. I think it would be just as easy, and less time consuming to type up the directions, or to dictate the directions to the students. There is no real benefit, that I can see, for having the assignments on a website, other than the fact that it looks impressive. However, I will certainly have my students complete online searches and activities.
That being said, I do think that it was good to be able to gain more familiarity with Publisher. Plus, Publisher was much less strenuous than designing a web page from scratch with HTML code, so that made it more enjoyable. Maybe one day I will develop a class website where I can post daily assignments and information about my class. I could also include handouts and helpful notes or links to scholarly websites on my class page. This would be very beneficial if a child ever wanted extra help on a specific task. Also, it would be helpful for students who missed a day of class to enable them to catch up on their work.