My EDM 310 Blog Assignments

My blog assignments are now complete. I truly enjoyed this class and learning so many new things about technology. I know many of you are just starting out as teachers and I want to say that you have chosen a wonderful profession. However, this is a career that can be so frustrating and so rewarding at the same time. There will be times when you feel that your students do not care and you are not getting through to them. However, never doubt that you are having an impact on students and their futures. It may not be evident at the time, but believe me, you are. Blessing to each of you as you walk this path as an educator of children.

EDM 310

I learned so many things in this class. I have been out of the classroom for almost 13 years now and technology has changed tremendously. When I walked out of my classroom of ten years, I left behind a plain white board and an overhead projector. Now ready to walk back in to the classroom, I find SMART boards, computerized overheads, computers for every student, and cameras for distance learning. It is truly amazing how much has changed. I already knew programs such as Excel and Word, but blogging was new to me and I enjoyed learning how to set up and use a blog. iGoogle is another thing I enjoyed learning how to use. I know that I will implement these items into my teaching. Now that I have taken this class, I feel much more prepared to walk back into the classroom.

Electronic Contact


My electronic contact was Becky York, a 5th grade teacher at Sanford Middle School in Lee County, Alabama. Mrs. York teaches Language Arts and math. I asked Mrs. York what kind of technology she uses in her classroom. She explained that she has four computers in her classroom. With these computers she is able to use the Accelerated Reading Program and STAR Math. She also uses a website for the spelling and vocabulary for their reading series. She also uses many different websites to enrich learning with whatever topic she may be teaching at the time.

Mrs. York is a strong believer of technology enhancing leaning. In her Language Arts classes students have a blog site for journaling. She believes that her students enjoy blogging instead of using notebooks for journaling. All of Mrs. York’s students take keyboarding class. She feels that her class also helps her students practice their keyboarding skills. She knows that these technology skills are very important.

I feel there is no limit to how technology can be used in the classroom. There is so much available for teachers to use now days. I hope to be able to really incorporate the things I have learned from this class into my classroom. This is such a great way to help students stay focused and engaged in learning. So much of today’s culture is wrapped up in technology. For students to learn these skills early is very important.

Visiting Daphne High School ACCESS Lab

I visited the ACCESS lab at Daphne High School. Their lab was located in newest addition to the school. This building has once been a church and the high school was able to purchase this property which allowed them to have the space for this lab. John Roh heads up the ACCESS lab at Daphne and he gave us a grand tour by demonstrating the technology in the lab.

The room was set up with rows on rectangular tables and chairs. There was a white board on the right wall of the room and a promethean board in the front of the class. Also, there was a camera suspended from the ceiling and a large desk in the front of the room with laptop. In the back of the room was a storage closet where 24 student laptops are stored.

This is such as awesome form of technology. A student getting the opportunity to take subjects that are not taught at his high schools is so important. Especially if these students are college bound and need the subject to help them prepare for their major. For example if a student wants to major in engineering but can only take up to Pre-Cal then that is a problem when he goes to college. He will have needed to take Calculus also or else he will be playing catch up his freshman math classes. With the ACCESS lab and distance learning available it is possible for students to get the classes needed. However, there are problems that can arise with scheduling. Mr. Roh explained that bell schedules do not always match with other schools and sometimes breaks do not either such as spring break and Christmas break. These are some of the issues that must be worked out when using this program.

Mr. Roh showed us how to use the promethean board and how a teacher can go online and pull up a lesson on a particular topic for her subject area and grade level. This can really get a student’s attention and keep him focused. Mr. Roh also showed us the website for his distance learning class AP Biology. He is teaching students that are in a small high school in north Alabama. He showed us how the site worked and how he goes in and checks on the student’s progress. However there are a few problems with this also. The lessons are all located online and will refer to particular websites. Sometimes when students go to these websites, they are no longer active. This creates a problem because quizzes and test questions come from these websites. For the most part, the opportunity to use this technology is so beneficial for students and I believe as time passes, these problems will be resolved and more and more students will be using the ACCESS lab.

"The Edible School Yard" and "A Night in the Global Village"

The first podcast I listen to was “The Edible School Yard.” This podcast was recorded at the Martin Luther King Junior Middle School in Berkley, California. In this video podcast a garden is the center of learning. Middle school students are not just sitting at a desk and doing worksheets to learn math and science but outside doing “hands on” activities. Students work in their garden growing food then learn to cook the food they have grown. These students are not only learning about the water cycle and the stages of plant life but life skills. This is a great example of “hands on” leaning.

The second podcast I listen to was “A Night in the Global Village.” This video podcast was recorded at Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas. In this podcast students and teachers are given the chance to experience life as someone who must deal with poverty.
Heifer Ranch is set up to close resemble life in third world countries such as Guatemala, and Zambia. Students and teachers visit these campsites and spend time there learning to survive on the minimal resources they are given. They learn to trade resources for resources. Later everyone is given a time to express how this experience has affected them.

I loved these podcasts because it took learning outside the classroom and dealt with real life issues. I believe when students can really get their “hands dirty” in learning it is an awesome experience. In both of these podcasts that is exactly what the students were being able to do. The life lessons they gained were extremely valuable. Teachers need to constantly be looking for ways to do this.

Podcasts are such a great technology tool for the classroom today. Just being able to show these podcasts to students in the classroom is a great idea. This would even give students any opportunity to think of other ways to get out of the classroom to learn. I plan to use this type of technology in the future in my classroom. I am anxious to see what my own students would come up with.

Blogging

I have learned so much in this class this semester and learning what and how to blog is one of the things I have found to be very useful. I knew what blogs were and have many friends who are bloggers but had never really thought about it being a useful tool in the classroom. I know for me this is just a different way of journaling thoughts and ideas which is something I always had my students do in my class. However what makes blogging more interesting is it can be share with so many others. Not just others in the same class, but other classes in other schools in other parts of not only the state or country but the world. What an awesome opportunity students have today to have the ability to do this.

Blogging have so many advantages. First it gets the students thinking and putting his or hers ideas in words. Students really seem to connect more to a computer than to just pen and paper. Teachers can use blogs to not only get students to answer and discuss particular topics but also have class discussions with other classes studying the same thing. For example as an English teacher, my students always had a novel to be reading. I love the idea of having my students blogging about the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This is a piece of southern literature that students from another part of the country may have differing opinions about the book than my students here in the South. How great is it that my students could discuss this with a class of students from somewhere in the north or Midwest part of the country.

The only thing I can think of as a minus or disadvantage to blogging would be some students being more reluctant to share their thoughts or ideas because it is “out there” for everyone to see and read. This could be quite intimidating for students who tend to be on the shy side. I remember when teaching and I would ask students to journal about a certain topic. I was almost always asked the question if anyone besides me would be reading their journal or if I would be reading it aloud to the class. It may seem strange that high school students would be this shy or insecure, but it does happen.

I read Briana Browder’s class blog and thought she did an excellent job with all the topics. Each one was well researched and well written. One of the things that she had mentioned in her blog on International Blogs was the use of Skype. This is another great technology tool. I have used Skype in communicating with my sister who lives in Barcelona, Spain. I had never thought about it being used in the classroom as a technology tool to communicate with other students. I think all of us have learned a great deal about technology in the classroom and are now better prepared to incorporate it in with our teaching styles.

Podcasts from EDM 310

The first podcast I listened to was “Burp Back Education: How It Can Be Eliminated” by Nikki Hunter, Christi Turner and Tiffany Blocker. They begin by explaining “burp back” education and what that means. This is a technique that teachers have used for years in the classroom. The teacher lectures or uses handouts for students to basically memorize and then later be tested on this material. It has been shown through research that students do not retain this information for very long. It is stored in short term memory and is soon forgotten after being tested. Their suggestions that are discussed are using alternative ways of presenting the information through games or other interactive activities. Using different speakers in the classroom is also suggested. These are ways that students can focus in on what is being taught instead of just memorizing the information. Most teachers are aware that this is not the best way to teach, however, with the growing pressure of standardized testing; sometimes there is not enough time to use the alternative methods which are more time consuming.

The second podcast I listened to was ACCESS Distance Learning: A Work in Progress by Henryetta Alexander, April Jones and Ashley Reed. They begin by explaining What ACCESS which is a website that connects all Alabama high school statewide. This is a way for students to be able to take courses that are not available at their school because of the lack of certified teachers. These are courses for advanced students who are seeking courses in dual enrollment and advanced placement. This is one way of getting 9th grade students on the college track and helping them stay there. This also provides a way for students to better individualize their education. Students do not need to feel limited because there school does not offer what they need for college. ACCESS has also added courses for remedial students. These students can take a basic reading class and not feel pressure from a teacher or other students. This can help these students “catch up.”

Both of these podcasts were well done. The students researched their topics and seemed very knowledgeable. They were interesting and kept my attention while listening. I did notice that there were some pauses that probably could have been avoided and the use of “um” and “and um.” When recording a podcast, I do not even think you are aware of how many times this can happen. Also making sure you are using a conversational tone instead of sounding like you are reading off the page. The only other suggestion I could make would be to be careful about pronouncing certain words such as “thing” sounding like “thang.” Overall, I think both podcasts were good.

Technology and the Math Classroom

The first podcast I listened to was “Mathematics with Technology” from the Maine University and recorded by Judy Chandler. In this podcast Chandler is discussing how many teachers, especially math, are reluctant to include technology in the classroom. Some of their reasons being it is too time consuming, it is additional work to use, not necessary, and students are successful enough. However, technology is essential even in the math classroom. These technology tools for enhancing math skills are tools that engage the students. The tools demonstrate learning and give them authentic experiences. All of this together promotes greater understanding which is what every teacher should be striving for in their classroom.

The second podcast was “Thinking Mathematically.” This podcast was also recorded by Judy Chandler. Again Chandler is discussing how teachers of math should use technology in the classroom because it is effective learning. Students are more engaged when using technology instead of going from page to page in a math book. Technology helps the subject come “alive.” Students use “hands on” techniques to learning new concepts. Teachers should always be looking for new and better way to teach their content. Technology is one of these ways.

I feel that technology is extremely important today. It should be used in very subject area taught. Today’s world is surrounded by technology so for us as teachers to give our students the best education possible we must implement technology tools where ever we can. I feel that using technology in the classroom does help a student focus more on the task at hand. “Hands On” learning has been proven over and over again to be the most effective learning and technology provides this in some many ways. Chandler also discusses how technology can motivate students who may not be interested in the subject otherwise.

When teaching I remember hearing teachers say how they did not have enough time to learn a new computer program or some new technology tool. However, I feel that as teachers it is our job to stay current with any new ideas that promote better understanding. I know that is class has helped me tremendously understand what is available in technology. I feel I will be better equipped to go back into the classroom and make use of some of these tools.

“Growth vs. “Fixed” Minds – Stanford University Challenge

This video podcast “Growth” vs. “Fixed” Minds is a part of a Stanford University series. In this video podcast two different mindsets regarding learning were discussed. One was the “fixed” mindset and the other “growth” mindset. One group of students believed that their intelligence was based on a fixed trait and that no growth was involved in learning. These students worried about how smart they were and were they smart enough to complete a particular task. The other group of students believed that learning has to do with growth. They believed that learning is a process and were given the example of a baby. Babies must learn but in order to do that, they must grow also.

In the group of “fixed” mindset, students were given a set of study skills in order to complete certain learning tasks. However, the students’ grades ended up declining instead of improving because of the lack of motivation. The students that were in the “growth” mindset group excelled in their learning and their grades increased. They applied the concepts of learning comes through growth. When combined in class, teachers could actually tell which students came from which group. These learning concepts have not only been applied to students but also to race car drivers and people in the business world. People who have the mindset of learning comes through growth make better managers and race car drivers because they are not afraid to make mistakes and know how to overcome them.

I think that it is very important that teachers impress on their students that learning is a process. Students should not be afraid to make mistakes and teachers need to teach students how to overcome their mistakes when they are made. I want my students to be curious and motivated to learn new things. This comes through the “growth” mindset. I want them to always be yearning for more. This is also a good reminder for teachers also. Teachers need to realize that they also need to have a “growth” mindset. Learning never stops for anyone.

iTunes Video Podcast

I watched and listened to the video podcast Top 50 Things about SMARTboard with David Sladkey and Scott Miller. I really liked this video podcast because I am fascinated with SMARTboard. I cannot believe all the things this can do and how much it enhances teaching. In this podcast, there are slides with the list of the top 50 reasons SMARTboard is awesome. As the speakers are going through the list they are able to demonstrate all the capabilities of the SMARTboard. I loved being able to see what they were talking about rather than just hearing it.

Some of the great features that were discussed about SMARTboard were the magic pen that also can spotlight items, the fun pen that adds colors and graphics, a gallery that stores photos, and a virtual calculator. With almost any lesson, the teacher can also magnify things that need to be emphasized, clone items, and even add sound links from an MP3 player. Talk about keeping a students attention! The SMARTboard also includes a camera. This camera allows the teacher to be able to take a picture of anything on the internet and be able to use it in the lesson. Importing and exporting other documents from other places is so simple with SMARTboard. Color and different fonts are also great features to make a lesson eye-catching. My feature that I think is really valuable is being able to record a screencast. This is a great feature for substitute teachers. I would love to be able to record myself teaching the lesson when having to use a substitute teacher.

This video podcast was very informative and helped me understand SMARTboard even better. I feel that podcasts are very useful in the classroom and adding slides or video to these enhance student learning even more. There are so many new forms of technology for the classroom. It makes me very excited to think about all the different ways lessons can be presented to students. Today’s student seems to be so visual and hands on learning because of all the technology they are surrounded with in cell phones, mp3 players and video games. To be able to keep a students attention and focused, teachers have got to use the technology available to them. I know that I will be incorporating many of these ways in my class. I especially hope to be able to use a SMARTboard.

Previous Podcasts

The first podcasting I listened to was Useful Internet Websites for Elementary Teachers by Erica Sledge, Ashley Cleveland and Shyane Fant. I chose this one to listen to because my topic is similar only for high schools instead of elementary teachers. I wanted to hear how they had organized their topic. I think that these girls did a great job discussing their research. Each seemed well prepared. I feel that these girls did practice which makes a huge difference when recording. There were a few um’s and places where the speaker needed to speaker at a slower pace, but as a whole I thought it was well done.

The second podcast I listened to was another group whose topic was Useful Internet Websites for Elementary Teachers by Tomeka Washington, Rosilyn Harris, and Marlena Marsh. I feel that these girls also did a good job with their podcast. These girls did seem a little more nervous than some of the other podcast. This could be due to the fact that they did not practice before the actual recording. There seem to be background noise also. This could be the paper they were using for notes and just did not realize the noise was being picked up by the microphone.

I feel listening to the podcasts will help me be more conscience of what I did to be aware of when recording. Speak slowly and clearly. Try to not get in a hurry. Use a conversational tone of voice instead of reading notes. Be aware of background noise that may be picked up. Hopefully, mine and Kim’s podcast will be successful and next semester students will not pick it apart.

Podcasting

Listening to these different podcasts was very interesting. This is definitely a useful technology tool to use in the classroom. SmartBoard Lessons #149 focused on different ways to use a SmartBoard in the classroom. First of all it helps focus the class’s attention and gets them thinking about the lesson content. Also, the teacher can put notes about the content by using SmartBoard. SmartBoard is also great for group work too because it is a larger area for students to work around. SmartBoard also allows video conferencing outside the class which is a great resource tool. It also allows any file to be uploaded. SmartBoard is a great tool for the classroom.

KidCast #53 is a podcast about field trips. Here it is being discussed how to take field trips to the next level by using podcasting. It is suggested that the teacher asked the students to think about two things – what they know about what they are going to see and what they think they know about what they are going to see. Also the teacher must think about what she wants to teach the students about what they are going to see. These thoughts are recorded. During the field trip students are to record things they experience at different times of the field trip. This is a great way for students to get more out of a field trip than just getting out of the classroom.

Another podcast that was very interesting was Podcast for Teachers (Techpod). This was a discussion about students being tested on their technology ability. This is will apparently go into effect in 2012. Technology has become a huge part of everyday life and it is time to start accessing student’s skills with technology. It is no longer good enough for a student to just be able to read and write but he/she must know basic technology skills. Distance learning is also discussed in this podcast. Distance learning is being used more and more in higher education so K-12 needs to step up using this tool. Students need to be familiar with how this works before going off to college.

Ed Tech Talk is a podcast discussing the creation of virtual worlds. Here students are being encouraged to work with students from other school and create a virtual world of their own. Two students from two different schools decided to work together to create their own virtual school. What a great learning experience for them. Here it is also discussed about how to create a network of people who are interested in discussing different types of technology and ways to use these in the classroom. This would be a much more effect way to develop teams than using professional development days which most teachers hate.

MacBreak Weekly and This Week in Photography are discussions about how technology has changed photography. Again another example of how technology is changing our everyday world. Podcasting is definitely a use tool in the classroom.

The Last Lecture

Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture is filled with great lessons not just for teaching but for living life. He begins by explaining the three different areas, his childhood dreams, the dreams of others and lessons learned, as the topics he will discuss. Pausch had several dreams as a child. Floating in space, playing in the NFL, and being a Disney Imaginer were just a few of these dreams. These are by no means small dreams. But as Pausch explains, dreams are worth pursuing. Pausch states in this lecture, “If a brick wall is in front of you then you must work harder to achieve it because the brick walls only determine how badly you want to achieve this.”

Pausch discusses how important it has become to him to make the dreams of others a reality. This is when he develops the course at MIT for Building Virtual Worlds and the Master’s program for the Dream Fulfillment Factory and ALICE. Pausch’s teaching method is to basically put peers into groups and let their imaginations go wild. He is amazed by what his students come up with for different projects. He strongly believes that students at the Master’s level had all the book learning they needed. Now it was time to make something. Pausch focuses on grouping peers together, left brains with right brains, and watching what ideas would develop from the group. By the end of the project, peers graded each other on cooperation within the group. This is a great life lesson because life is filled with so many different types of people and we must teach students how to work within those many different personalities. However, fun is at the top of this man’s list. He truly believes in the “head fake” which is learning something hard while doing something fun. This was his professional legacy ALICE. Students learning computer programming while playing video games. This is an awesome concept.

Pausch also talks about lessons learned. He discusses how great his parents were while he was growing up. The mentors, students and friends he has had along the way and the important roles each has played in his life. From all these people, he has learned to listen, to work hard, to help others, and to look for the best in everyone. These are incredible life lessons that everyone needs to understand in leading a successful and fulfilling life. Pausch also explains the important of showing gratitude and he is definitely doing this through this lecture.

In the end of the lecture, Pausch explains that this last talk of his is a “head fake.” We believe that he is talking to us about childhood dreams and achieving these. That is not really the case. Pausch is really explaining how to live life. It is not really meant for this audience but for his children. This is an awesome gift he has given by sharing what he feels is so important as an educator of future generations.

The second school I found using blogs was also in Scotland, Pencaitland Primary School. This blog also includes school events, photos, educational games, and upcoming school projects. It also includes other web links. In this photo are projects created with materials that have been recycled. Students are studying this in their art class. Blogging is such a great way to actually see what is going on in other classrooms. We have the ability to observe classrooms not just in our country but around the world. http://edubuzz.org/blogs/pencaitland/

Blogging in Scottland

Athelstaneford Primary School in East Lothian, Scotland definitely makes great use of blogs in the classroom. This is a rural school of 52 students and the head teacher is Mr. Grieve. This blog is filled with school information, events, photos, assignments and other web links. Both students and teachers are able to contribute to this blog about the activities going on in their school. In this photo students are celebrating National Tree Week. Blogs are such a useful means of communication not only between student and teachers but parents as well. Also, it is a fun way to communicate. http://edubuzz.org/blogs/athelstaneford/

Blogging about "Grapes"

Mrs. Elliott, a high school English teacher, uses a blog to discuss the novel Grapes of Wrath. Here students post assignments given by her such as comparing and contrasting characters in the book. She also has other categories listed such as reading assignments and the timeline. She also has other books listed such as Catcher in the Rye. She also has a place for students to post different opinions about what they are reading. This kind of blog is very different from blogs of elementary teachers, not nearly as “busy.” However this is still an excellent way for students to use technology in the classroom.
http://grapesofwrath2.learnerblogs.org/category/uncategorized/ben-clark/

Mr. C gets an A+

Mr. C’s class blog is the official class blog of the fifth grade at Noel Elementary School in Missouri. This is an interesting blog because it is for the entire fifth grade instead of just one class. These fifth graders have many interesting things on this blog. For today’s posting is a field trip to Pea Ridge National Military Park. Listed are many interesting facts about this particular battle that students will benefit knowing before going on field trip. Also listed are honor roll students with their pictures, various activities past and present such as cheerleaders and basketball players performing. There are postings for different discussions of environmental issues that concern students. Also educational games and upcoming projects are a part of this fifth grade blog. This is a great teaching tool and a way for students to understand technology by using events and activities student centered. http://mrcsclassblog.blogspot.com/

ACCESS for Teachers

ACCESS, Alabama Connecting Classroom, Educators and Students Statewide, is a great resource not only for students but for teachers. Teachers have so many options with today’s technology to motivate their students. With ACCESS teachers can share ideas and expand their own teaching skills by using this resource. This is also a great way for students to be taught how distance learning works. This is an important skill necessary for college bound students since many courses in college are taught this way. This website not only gives learning strategies but also ways to evaluate online learning.

Through this resource, teachers can grow professional by gaining new knowledge and experiencing another school’s culture. This is of great value to a teacher. By experiencing new ideas helps keep a teacher from “burn out.” This resource allows teachers to be a part of team teaching, but with teachers from other schools. ACCESS is a great tool not only for the students we teach, but for us as teachers. Education has come a long way from the one room school house.

ACCESS

ACCESS, Alabama Connecting Classrooms, Educators and Students Statewide, is a technology resource that makes possible the opportunity for all students to receive advanced high school diplomas. This is done by students using the internet to take classes that are offered throughout the state. Some school districts are just not able to offer advanced courses that are required for this type of diploma because of funding. ACCESS allows students to “access” courses not offered at their school through this distance learning program. Through this program, students can have the opportunity to receive an excellent high school education and be better prepared for college.

This is a great step forward for Alabama in improving the education our students receive. I feel it is important for today’s student to understand how distance learning classes work because many college courses are taught this way. Students need to be familiar and comfortable with a computer being the classroom before entering college. In today’s quickly changing world, students must understand as much technology as possible. ACCESS is not yet available in all schools. However, the state’s goal is to have this program implemented by 2010

Plagiarism and Copyrights

Plagiarism is basically when you are taking credit for someone else’s idea, thought, or art. This can happen intentionally and unintentionally. Intentional plagiarism happens when ideas are out right bought or stolen. Unintentional plagiarism is usually because the student has failed to cite the source of the information obtained. One of the most common forms of plagiarism is paraphrasing too closely to the original text. Students sometimes think if they just change a few words around then they are safe from plagiarizing. As teachers, we must teach students what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in gathering information and using it.

The Copyright Act basically protects the reproducing and distributing of art, literature and music without the creator’s permission to do so. This law protects the creator from someone taking their work and using or distributing it for their own benefit. This also protects unpublished work as well as published. One common violation of this copyright act is burning DVDs of movies and music CDs then distributing them to the public through friends. By doing this, the creator, whether an individual or large company, is being robbed. Even though this law has been in affect since 1976, many people tend to disregard it.

ALEX

ALEX, Alabama Learning Exchange, is a very useful website that has been set up for educators, administrators, parents and students. This website offers information on every course offered in public schools from English to Drivers’ Education. It is not only has each course listed but by grade level also. For instance a teacher, who is looking for a create way to teach a particular concept can go to this website and click on a subject area then the grade level to look at lesson plans that have been shared on that particular concept or skill. This is a great way teachers can share their expertise and communicate with other educators across the country. ALEX is constantly changing and being updated to offer its users the very best and most current information.

Teachers can create an account which allows them to have their own personal workspace. This is where they can work on their individual lesson plans. Not only does it help teachers with their subject area but also offers professional development for teachers and administrators. Even parents can use this resource during the summer to help reinforce what was taught over the school year. ALEX was not around when I first started teaching, so I am excited that such a resource is now available. This is a valuable tool to use for enhancing the classroom. http://alex.state.al.us/

Mr. Sullivan’s power point presentation demonstrates what it means for the web to be accessible for everyone regardless of a disability or handicap. In 1973 this became the law with the passing of The Rehabilitation Act. There is so much available in software and hardware. Teachers need to be aware of what is available be able to best meet the needs of the students. Not only is this important for students who have a particular disability such as a hearing or vision impairment, but also for other students to see that even with a disability, goals can be accomplished. These can serve as greater life lessons.

During my third year of teaching, I had a deaf student in my classroom. This student did not use sign language but had learned to read lips. I had to make sure he could always see my lips moving which meant remembering to not turn my back to him. During that time, there was not much technology in the classroom. Today with so much technology being used it in education, I think it has become easier to meet the needs of these students in mainstream classrooms. I would have loved for my student Andy to have had access to a laptop where I could have interacted with him more.

Greetings! My name is Anne Gardner and it has been awhile since I have played the role of a student. However, I am excited to be in this class and learning about all the changes in technology that have happened in the classroom since I left to become a full time mom. I locked the door to my classroom of nine years for the last time twelve years ago, but even though I left that teaching position, I began a new one with the birth of my boys. I have three – Drew (15), Josh (12) and Luke (7). My husband and I have been married for 21 years and feel very blessed to have such wonderful sons. Our family lived in Pensacola, Florida for 14 years before moving here to Daphne and we love living here on the Eastern Shore.

Now that my youngest son Luke is in elementary school, I have decided it is time to unlock the classroom door and walk back inside. I am very excited about this because I have really missed teaching! I taught 10th and 11th grade English at Escambia High School in Pensacola Florida and was the head coach of the three cheerleading squads. Go Gators! This phrase did not come out easily since I am an Auburn graduate. To be able to return to the classroom, I must reinstate my Alabama certification. This course, EDU310, is the first of the three courses I need to accomplish this.