Thursday, March 27, 2008
Field Experience Week One!
This week has been absolutely incredible! I couldn't of ever imagined that I would be loving it this much. My partner Audra and I started on Monday bright and early. We were both super nervous and it was funny cause we both wore dresses and we got a compliment from an office lady that we looked very nice. I thought to myself, "well maybe since I look like a teacher I can pull it off!" and then I quickly doubted myself and thought oh boy here goes nothing. We are assigned to a 6th grade class in a local elementary school in Pleasant Grove. Our cooperating teacher is a perfect match for my partner and I. She is super friendly, outgoing, and very good on keeping us up to date with what she is doing in the classroom and why she is doing it that way. We have 31 students (welcome to Utah public education :) ) 16 boys and 15 girls. We have one boy that is autisitc, but one of the sweetest people I have ever met, and very bright! And, we have two students with a hearing impairment so when we teach we have to wear a microphone to help them hear better. Monday, our first day, was absolutely crazy! Our cooperating teacher was not in the room for the first hour and the kids totally took advantage of the classroom mom that was here to help. When we left on Monday I seriously thought I can't do this everyday for three weeks if today is what it is going to be like everyday! Tuesday was a VERY nice turn around. They were well behaved and very cooperative with the lessons we were doing. Wednesday was actually my birthday and the class sang to Ms. Hatch. Hmm Ms. Hatch who is that, holy cow I am getting old!! :) Today, Thursday, was their world fair. Each student in the sixth grade has been working on a research paper and a poster board all on one country that they picked. It was so funny they were all so nervous this morning when they got there for people to look at their board. And, they dressed up to represent their country and walked down a "cat walk". As the whole entire school watched! It was so cool and I was so proud of my little class. To say the least I am already attached and loving it! Next week will be exciting we are teaching a unit on WWII! Wish me luck!!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Digital Story Reflection
The Digital Story is DONE!
Like I previously mentioned I have been working on a digital story for my technology class. I chose to do my story on Ellis Island. I wrote my script as if I were a small child coming to America with my parents from a far land. I really did learn quite a bit of information and small facts on exactly how big of an immigration hub Ellis Island was back at the begining of the 1900's. I learned about countless families and their stories. I read over names and names, along with some of those names were pictures which made it even more interesting to read their story when I had a picture of their face to go along with their name.
I am not a so-called "techy" person. I love technology don't get me wrong but, perhaps you could say my confidence level is not so high in that area. I loved Photostory I found it to be easy and a very user friendly program. The only technological problems I ran into were on my part of lacking the knowledge of some of the special effects I would have liked to add.
I would have never thought that a simple story like this would actually require so much planning. I am so glad that I listened to Dr. Hudgins about starting with writing a script first, and then story boards. It would have been so complicating to start from the pictures back.
I would love to use this as a teacher in the future. I would also like to do more if I can find the time!
Through this project I learned how important our history is to who we are now. I very rarely think about the past as having an effect on my from my day to day life. It is so exciting to study history and use it and not only use it but, think about it!
Like I previously mentioned I have been working on a digital story for my technology class. I chose to do my story on Ellis Island. I wrote my script as if I were a small child coming to America with my parents from a far land. I really did learn quite a bit of information and small facts on exactly how big of an immigration hub Ellis Island was back at the begining of the 1900's. I learned about countless families and their stories. I read over names and names, along with some of those names were pictures which made it even more interesting to read their story when I had a picture of their face to go along with their name.
I am not a so-called "techy" person. I love technology don't get me wrong but, perhaps you could say my confidence level is not so high in that area. I loved Photostory I found it to be easy and a very user friendly program. The only technological problems I ran into were on my part of lacking the knowledge of some of the special effects I would have liked to add.
I would have never thought that a simple story like this would actually require so much planning. I am so glad that I listened to Dr. Hudgins about starting with writing a script first, and then story boards. It would have been so complicating to start from the pictures back.
I would love to use this as a teacher in the future. I would also like to do more if I can find the time!
Through this project I learned how important our history is to who we are now. I very rarely think about the past as having an effect on my from my day to day life. It is so exciting to study history and use it and not only use it but, think about it!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Spring Semester
The first semester in the program is continuing to hold true to its reputation, it is getting very hard to keep up with all that we have to do. I am now working on a digital story for my technology class. I am doing my digital story on Ellis Island, it is supposed to teach about immigrants coming to America. So far I have had a lot of fun working on it, but now I am down to the timing and counting the seconds isn't too much fun. I am also getting ready to go out into the "field". They send us to a local elementary school in the Utah County area. My field partner and I got assigned to a 6th grade classroom. We will spend 3 weeks in the same class and get to teach five lesson plans, which is very exciting because I have never taught a "real" lesson plan when I have actually had training what it should be like. I was VERY excited about getting a 6th grade class because I have been leaning towards teaching the upper grades lately. I hope that I LOVE it, and I am sure I will. Spring break is coming right around the corner and could not get here faster! One digital story and an Educational Psychology test and Vegas here I come!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)