Google Presentation & Timetoast

I will start teaching Google Presentation and Timetoast in my classroom. To access these sites go to http://www.gmail.com/ for Google Presentation and http://www.timetoast.com/. For my classroom I will teach these applications by way of small group instruction. I believe that each application will be beneficial to my students. I will offer various topics to be researched and then use the given information to build a time line with timetoast and a slideshow with the gmail presentation application. I believe these lessons will interest each of my students and will give them a great way of communicating will each other in a positive way. They will be closely supervised and not allowed to have total access to any mail or public posts. If I see that they are responsible enough and it is going well enough then I will see how far we can go with these assignments.

Classroom Blogging

There are so many different technologies that I would like to use in the classroom. My classroom is a bit different from a public school classroom. My students aren't allowed as much freedom on the Internet due to behavior issues. They cannot freely contact blogs or have any email accounts. We only use the computers for educational games and installed educational programs. We are currently using my personal laptop for daily video journaling. I have had a problem coming up with ways for my students to utilize applications and various areas of technology. I think I could set up the students for blogging. I would have to sign the students up for their blogs and not them have their passwords. The could do daily or weekly blogs about assigned material. They could learn how to appropriately comment on each others blogs. I am sure the possibilities are endless and I will find numerous ways to use technology in the classroom.

Video Journals

My class has began keeping their daily journal with my webcam. I cannot post them due to the nature of my students residential status at my school. They absolutely love it. They each pick their daily topic and make a few notes about what they want to talk about. They can talk up to 10 minutes each day on their chosen topic. I do ask that they turn in topic they have chosen for documentation. We are still working on the rules and guidelines. When we began this they were aware that it was a new idea and proper use of the webcam was expected. And that we may have to change the quidelines as we go. They understood and have very responsible with assignment. I believe that they are very interested because of the freedom to talk about a subject and not have to write. I rotate each day and review the video with them. We now talk about proper grammar and how to talk to an audience. They can hear how they sound and they do correct themselves often. It has been a wonderful experience and I will continue to use this tool.

My Approach to New Technological Tools

I enjoy learning new applications and presenting them to others. There are several approaches that I can take. I can get help from colleagues and friends, that works very well. I can teach myself online how to do things. Or I can participate in professional development classes that are offered in the area of technology. I believe that I will utilize all of these approaches. I will do my best to continue educating myself and passing that knowledge along to my coworkers and students. In my situation we are developing a new school, we have only been open two years. There are many new computer programs we have had installed. We have educational sites that we use and teach the students. So we must first learn them ourselves. We are continuously learning these new programs. If we did not, everything would be hand created and quite boring. I do at this time try to learn as many new educational tools as possible. So my approach will be one of an open minded, willing to learn teacher.

The Use of Technology in the Classroom

Since my situation is different and we are much more restricted in the area of technology, I will have to be very creative in how I utilize the various areas of technology. I have already started by using the web cam for video journaling. The use of technology will be a slow process in my classroom but it will proceed. I intend to participate in as many workshops that I can. I want to learn to benefit my students and myself. I want to help create technologically literate students. To do this I will learn also. There will be challenges. But if I can step up and get started then we will all benefit in the end. The students are more than willing to learn and by capturing that spirit and willingness to learn, we will all be successful in becoming more technologically literate.

Getting Started

This would be my first post in my professional blog. There will be much more to come and hopefully some insight to what happens in a classroom setting. Anyone out there who may have questions, such as new teachers, please let me know. I may have some qustions also. Please help me out. There are all kinds of ideas out there and things I have never thought of. New ways to approach situations. I know I get caught up in a daily grind and need new ideas and such. I will continue to search and develop my Professional Learning Network any way I can to help my students and improve my teaching.