Amber Romance (EME 2040)

For the ILP project I decided to complete a LinkedIn Learning course. I picked the course called "Improving Your Focus" by Dave Crenshaw. The main goal of the course was learning how to protect and grow your personal focus. I found the course very helpful in providing tips to complete these goals and they were also very practical tips. This meaning that there was no need to buy any specific and expensive product that would magically improve your focus.

While looking at the ELA technology standards for firs grade, I feel that I am currently prepared to teach students about basic computer literacy. These things would include logging on to the computer, navigating kid-friendly websites, and using online practice websites for reading or math. I would need to learn more about using a SmartBoard or a Promethean Board. I had both of those types of technology throughout my schooling, but I have never really used it in the context of teaching, so I would need more training on how to actually operate the boards. Things that are also listed on the ELA technology standards list are websites such as StoryJumper, pixlr, and Mystorybook.com, none of which I am familiar with. I would have to sit down and go through these websites myself so I could learn how they work.  Within the CPALMS educator toolkit, there are many resources and tools to help teachers with all things in their classroom. The resource that I would use from the grade 1 Toolki...

As a student, I have always used Microsoft Word to complete written assignments for my classes. It has mostly been to write an essay or discussion post and never really on creating a fun document like a newsletter or something of that sort. During high school, the focus was more on using the various Microsoft Office applications for practical uses rather than creative uses. I feel that in my high school experience, the more creative aspects were focused on using paper to create a visual representation rather than using a software program. My teachers have used it in the same way, as a way to present information to the students in a formal way. Some of my teachers would open a Word document to write our ideas down for a class discussion or to show an example piece of writing. The only other more creative way my teacher used Word was to sometimes create a flyer or poster or a club or organization. In an educational environment, I have only encountered copyright and fair use of materi...

Teachers and students use technology in the classroom because it is the standard way of learning. The biggest influence has been the large shift away from using textbooks and libraries as the main sources for teaching. The push for going digital, that being online textbooks, libraries, and sources for academic sources, has created an easier and more convenient way for both teachers and students to find they information they need. School districts have also kind of forced technology on to teachers with the implementation of smart boards as well as computer and iPad carts physically in the classroom.  The facilitator standard for teachers is meaningful to me because I love seeing the kids I’ve been working with have growth and show that they have learned something from my teaching. As a teacher, one of the most important things you can do for your students is create a classroom environment that makes them feel comfortable and ready to learn. The more comfortable in their environmen...