Week 2

What?

This week we learned how to use different options that google has to offer. I really think that google docs and google sites will be a huge tool in my classroom in the future. One of our first big assignments was introduced and this week we are creating our rough draft of the letter we will send to a faculty member at a local school. In this letter Dave and I will be asking them if we can create a podcast for their classroom.

So what?

Learning about all these google options is going to give me so many awesome tools as a teacher. A lot of students are technology driven and having them use computers and google programs will hopefully catch an interest. Being able to run these programs as a teacher will make it easier for students to learn digitally and I think it will really improve the motivation in any modern classroom.

Also, I really liked the idea of having them use google docs to collaborate online with their classmates. High school kids would really eat that assignment up, being that they are always texting and using instant messengers on their free time anyway. Why not include these hobbies in our education and have kids enjoy online working environments? I am already thinking of fun activities and assignments I can create to take advantage of what I am learning in instructional media.

Now what?

I honestly think that using google docs, sites and even the calendar will make me a more efficient and responsible teacher. If I can keep my calendar up to date it will be easier to not only direct my students with an agenda, but also help my colleagues and I track what I have been doing in my classroom throughout the year. These programs will minimize the amount of paper and supplies I will have to use in my classroom, while also making grading and assignment management easier. Organization can be one of the hardest and most time consuming responsibilities as a teacher; I am hoping that learning how to use these programs properly and thoroughly will help to cut this time down and leave me more time for lesson plans and individual work with students.

Learning all these new strategies for teaching has really opened my eyes to new ideas and options as a teacher. I honestly cannot wait to exercise these new tools in my classroom and hopefully they will catch my students interest in my English class by using modern technology and digital learning to motivate them to read and write. English is a subject that a lot of kids do not enjoy because it is challenging and considered boring, I will take advantage of any skill or strategy to spice up my subject and classroom!