Inspiration and Microsoft Publisher

What?

Some of the new tools that we have used in the past week will be so helpful when becoming a teacher. We learned how to use the basics of Inspiration and Microsoft Publisher. The Inspiration program is quick and easy to create outlines for a class. You can become very detailed or stay as broad as you would like. You can create weekly lesson plans or a yearly overview of a single class. It was very nice to have my outline because it made my work easier and a lot faster. The tools on this program were clear and easy to understand. You could also use it as a technique for grading a class. You could start with your main topic and continue my adding skills they have mastered and what you haven't covered yet. This program can be great technique for looking back over your year to see the lessons you've done and where you would like to change. The other program we used had a variety of things you could use. In Publisher we used the newsletter, brochure, and flyer. What was so great about this program was the variety of things they had to choose from. You could use whatever was best for your interests, purpose and the audience you were targeting. The brochure was great for giving it to teachers because it was small but you could still fit enough information on it to get across your topic. This program was also very easy to understand and use. As a teacher you could put together a project for all your classes that is clear and easy for the parent, students, and other colleagues to understand. This is nice because you can do it in bulk. You could make a brochure and print out the amount you need whether it five or one hundred. The parent's newsletter is a great way to fit a lot of information without using tons of paper. It is efficient yet informational. The tools you used in this program were a lot like a normal word document which makes it nice because then you aren't learning a whole new program. As a teacher using your time wisely is very important, with this program you can do that. Everything you need to use is on one page. Also if you know the audience you plan on giving the information too you can use different layout that can be more professional or just casual.

So What?

Being professional is part of becoming a teacher. With this programs you can help accomplish this. Providing information that is clear for students, parents, and other colleagues is important. Another thing that is needed to help you become a good teacher is organization. With both of these programs especially inspiration you can be extremely organized and ready for class. Having brochures, newsletters, and flyers for the first day of class will help get your classes out on the right foot. It will give the parents a great idea of the professionalism you have and the qualifications you have as a teacher. Parents want to know their children are getting the best education possible and by communicating with the parents helps them feel more confident with your ability as a teacher. Providing information on a newsletter or brochure will have more affect than just calling or talking with the students or parent. You can have proof of a document that could really be beneficial if anything happened in your class. You can show the parents or students the information you gave them the first day of class and it can keep you safe when we live in a world were liability is a big issue. Also as a teacher time is of the essence. These programs help a teacher use their time wisely and for the best interest of the class.

Now What?

The best way to go now is to experiment. Get a lot of experience with these programs. This can help with time management. Since I'm becoming a PE teacher liability is extremely important. I plan on having a letter that will be sent home to the parents of what we will be doing in our class, the purpose of my class, and the goals I have in mind. I will also do the same thing with my students. Having documents will help me be liability safe. I also want to show professionalism and this is a great way to do so. I think that there could be other programs that each individual might understand better and will like better. I plan on doing my research to find programs that I will like. I really enjoyed both of these programs because of there simplicity. They were efficient and very easy to understand. I like to be very organized with anything I do. Finding a way to do this in my class will be essential for my success. I also like to be continually learning and with these organization skills I will always be able to look back and critique myself from week to week, month to month, and year to year. One area I would like to learn more about is knowing the best ways to use these documents to make my class run efficiently. I believe that these are techniques that can help me do so. I would like to put into practice the things I've learned with these tools. I plan on finding teachers who do use programs like these and the ones that don't and observe and evaluate the differences.

Internet Safety

When reading all those articles it has made me see in a better light the dangers of the Internet. Part of the reason I am so naive is because I've never been taught the proper way to use and stay safe on the Internet. Because of my experience I believe Internet should definitely be used in our education. Today the Internet is our number one communication and link to the world. As educator our job is to prepare our students, to give them the education they need to succeed in this world. We must teach them about the Internet to give them a chance to success. Using the Internet can be so helpful if it is used properly. Many students will be using the Internet whether we teach them the correct way or not. Providing the Internet in our education we can teach our students how to be safe when on the Internet. Using the Internet responsibly can help our students to reach their potentials. Because the Internet has so much to offer the learning comprehension is endless for our students. We can provide our students the opportunity to go above and beyond, but we must first teach them the correct way to use the Internet for their benefits rather than a poor outcome.

The Internet can be so beneficial for our students when used correctly, part of that process is evaluating what sites we want our students to learn from. Finding reliable content is also why evaluating is important. If we provide our students the opportunity to use the Internet it our responsibility as educator to keep them safe and part of that is evaluating what the students will learn from. Liability concerns can come about if precautions aren't taken. The process of evaluation can be hard and time consuming when trying to find out if an article, author, or topic is reliable in our class, but it is definitely worth the time. If we give are students content to learn about evaluating how recent the information is can help us to gain knowledge we are looking for. Being a Physical Education teacher knowing the validity of an article is very important. There are many topics and articles that aren't true and can give students a bad impression of what they should be following. Athletes are looked at as role models and evaluating and determining which ones will benefit my students is a process I will go through.

Having our students learn from the Internet means having them surf the web. There are a variety of ways to help keep them safe but my top three are:

1. Provide a safety course for my students with tips on using the Internet and also providing them with class rules that can obtain safety guidelines. With the class rules I will provide a contract that they can sign for following class procedures and being responsible on the computer.
2. When having the students' research topics I will use the Advanced Search Tool on Google to secure the articles I want them read.
3. Being a Pe teacher means not being in the computer lab much so while I'm in there being observant with what the students are doing will be helpful to keep them safe as well. Being active by walking around and helping the students will keep them on task better.

UEN

While learning and using UEN I was amazed to discover the different sites and the variety of things to use. I never knew about UEN but now I plan on continuing to learn and use this site. I believe there is still so much to learn from this site that I can implement into my teaching. In my classroom I will be implementing the core curriculum that is provided. I will structure my lesson plans from the ones done on UEN. I can prepare outlines that I will follow using different grade levels with the curriculum that matches it. Using both of these two area will help me to feel confident with the lessons I choose and I will know I am following the core curriculum to benefit the students in the best way possible. I will use UEN because it provides a vast opportunity to prepare me and the students for the future. I really enjoy using UEN and plan on continuing to use this site daily for my teaching career.

I plan on having the students use UEN for a variety of things but especially for the Pioneer Library. In the beginning of the year I would like to implement a day in the lab to have the students complete a web activity to learn about UEN and the opportunities through this site. From the teachers perspective I can prepare the topics I want them to learn about and feel confident that the students are using a secure site. Interactives are a fun way my students will learn about the health of their bodies. Finding their body mass index is an example of an activity i would like my students to participate in. In physical Fitness sometimes it can get boring and repetitious learning about nutrition, but through interactives I can provide fun insightful activities to help my students learn.

I definitely plan on using both sites for my personal use but as for my students I will be using Google Sites. My classroom web sites will be through Google. I plan on becoming a high school teacher and with all the different classes I believe I will have more options and flexibility with Google Sites mainly because it is easier to function a variety of things at one time from a single page. I like UEN because it seems so educated based, therefore I plan on still finding research articles from UEN that my students will be able to read. Having my class websites through Google Sites will help me be more efficient as a teacher by being able to make changes quickly. My students will have the option to submit work through Google Documents but will also have the opportunity to submit work in other ways if they are unable to submit through a computer outside of the classroom. I would really like the opportunity through the year to go to the computer lab and complete a couple activities through UEN. I think it could benefit the students if we are able to in a PE class.

Google Tools Reflection

Google Tools: Reflection

Documents: Documents can be a great tool for students to work together. Working on projects can be much easier when used through Google documents. Communicating with your group, and working on a document can whenever and wherever you want. For my personal productivity I would use it as a tool to see the work that the students were doing. I would use it to see the progression of each group and who was contributing with the project.

Presentations: Presentation is a great way for teacher and student to communicate work that has been done. The students can work one with another to create a presentation and for the teacher to see what has been done. This tool can be used in my class to presents projects and assignments.

Spreadsheets: Using spreadsheets can be a great place to keep track of student's scores for assignments, tests, and daily participation.

Forms: At the end of the year this can be a great place to have student surveys about the class and how the topics were given in class. This tool will format the information for me so it can be a quick and easy way to read the information given to me from the students.

Calendar: Calendars are a great way to keep the students informed. I can include assignments, tests, and content that will be covered in class that day. I will include birthdays and school activities that will be going on. I plan on using it to keep myself organized as well as informed. Keeping a calendar will help me to be better prepared for my lesson of that week and month.

iGoogle: This tool can bring a whole variety for the students to choose from. They can have their own calendars and sites. iGoogle is a great link to any Google tool. Students can navigate their homework, projects, or discussion through iGoogle. For my personal use I plan on using this tool also as a navigation and guide. Providing calendars and looking at group projects and their progression in them. Students and I can communicate about projects and the different instructions given to them.

Blogger: I like submitting my homework through blogger it seems to make homework a little more enjoyable. With students it can be an easy way to reflect and communicate with the teacher or other students. Creating a blog is like creating your own personality on the web. It's fun and exciting and can involve a lot of creativity to be shown. For my personal use I can keep a class blog. I can communicate with my students about assignments or tasks we will be doing in the class through our emails on the page.

Reader: This tool is great for keeping up on all information given from my students and other colleagues. On iGoogle it can inform me of new posts and readings that I haven't gone to yet. This can make it easy to grade and follow students work. This can also make it easy for me to comment on any post I want.

Google Maps: Using Google maps can help me find locations throughout the world. As a PE teacher I can find where different colleges are that can provide different strengths in a certain sport area. Students could also use this to help with their projects (for example: recruiting)

Google Earth: This can be a wonderful place to see the earth and where different sports might have originated. Google Earth could also be a research site to find different areas of the world.

Groups: For my personal use it could be great to communicate with different colleagues about a study we could be doing together or different lessons that we have compiled together. This could also be used as a site for the class to work together on a project. The teacher could also work together with the students to create a project or research study.

Google Search Engine: This can be great to prepare the sites I want my students to be looking at and the take out the one I don't want them getting information from. My students could be finding research about different topics given in class. Finding the history and background of the different sports we cover in class could also be used at this site.

Notebook: This tool could be great at saving the sites or articles that you would like to read more fully in depth another time. It's like taking notes on a piece of paper. It can help highlight the things of importance that you as the teacher or student are looking for. It creates a good foundation for information that you are collecting. This can help my students with their projects and assignments.

Scholar: This site is great for finding reliable information, giving you facts and research that can benefit the classroom. This can be great for students and the teacher to find sources that can help with getting answers to a question or problem.

In my class I plan to use Google docs, Google presentations, Google spreadsheets, Forms, Calendar, iGoogle, Blogger, Google Search Engine. I believe that these sites can help with my classroom and benefit myself and the students. Google docs will be used in the partner and group projects to work together outside of the school, it will also help me grade each student to see the work completed by each student. Google presentations will also be used in groups but also in individual projects. Presentations will be done for the student's end of the year projects. I will use Google Spreadsheets to organize scores of the students. I will be using the forms at the end of the year for student surveys. These forms will help me to build my teaching knowledge and foundation to help the students who come next even more. Google calendar will be used in my classroom for announcements, homework assignment, and a layout of the semester, and anything else to help the students be organized and on task. iGoogle will help to navigate with my calendars and will be a great site for the students to use a variety of outlets to help with the class assignments. Blogger will be one way I have student's submit different assignments. I will also use it to communicate back and forth with the students about their assignments or everyday class topics. Google search engine will be great to find research articles that I want the students to be using in their projects or presentations.

These are the main one that I see could be most beneficial for a PE class, although others may help and throughout my teaching career I'm sure I will experiment with many of them to see the outcomes that come with each tool. Many of these Google tools provide a variety of ways to communicate with the students and for them to complete homework assignments. I think that these tools provide great avenues for the students to really explore their topics.

Google Sites Reflection

1. What do you see as the potential benefits of Google Sites and/or other website development systems for you as a teacher?
With Google Sites it opens up a whole new world with teaching. Google Sites creates such a new level of communication. Communication can come from student to student about projects or from students to teacher to clear up questions. The great part is you can still communicate even outside of the classroom. In physical education sometimes it is hard for students to really understand what they are doing because they are unable to see the skills they are performing, but with technology like filming it can be easy to assess skills at a higher level. Keeping class calendars, web pages with announcements and assignments is another way I plan on using Google Sites. Posting when events begin and when exams are taking place will be another strategy I will use. Doing projects with Google Sites can be a big benefit for students and the teacher when working in groups. Again communication can take place without having to meet in one place to go over the topic. When I become a teacher I plan on using Google websites to help teach my class. One day I would like to develop a project over a specific content unit where the students are put in the role of a head coach. This project will be developed where they can use their imaginations by using the different Google websites and tools to create plays, strategies, and more while working in a group. Filming of games and plays that can be downloaded onto the computer is an example of something I would be looking for by students using Google Sites and/or other website systems.

2. What do you see as the potential drawbacks of Google Sites and/or other website development systems for you as a teacher?
One area that can create using Google Sites hard is knowing that every student can't have access to a computer outside of the school. I'm pretty sure not every student will have equal opportunities to have or use a computer. Each students background is different whether they provide for siblings, poor incomes, or have a broken environment can be a problem when having students find information or complete homework over the website. Another area that kind of relates to this is the previous experience that the student might or might not have had with computers and the technology provided these days. Asking a student to use Google Sites when they have never really had the opportunity to run a computer puts them at a unfair advantage compared to the students who have had those opportunities. One finally thing that could cause issues is the fact that it is outside of the classroom that they have to find and complete work. I would be worried it would only frustrate and turn the students away from wanting to learn and participate with the website. I want the students to be motivated and excited to participate with a fun and insightful website, but know there will probably be a couple of students who have no desire to be a part of the website.

3. Do you plan to have a class website? Why or why not? If so, what would you include on that website? Why?
Yes I plan on having a website because I think it can help the students prepare for the future. When I started college I had no idea I would have to check and send assignment through these websites. I also think that it could be a fun way to keep the students posted and enjoy the class. I would include a class calendar of important events, things involving both in my class and the whole school. Important announcement will be posted, although I will announce them in class as well. I will post grades and assignments through the website. I will do student of the week because I think that would be an exciting thing for students to look up and see. Even though I will be having a website I will make sure all information given through the website will be reported in class. I won't make assignments mandatory through the webpage because of the chance of students being unable to obtain a computer outside of the school. I will give the option for student to submit assignment through the website. I will also allow students to ask questions about assignment, projects, or other questions they might have. I'm excited to develop a website for my class. I think it can be very useful for students and me as the teacher.

My Beliefs

I believe that technology can improve our society by teaching it in the classrooms. We have so much to learn the scope seems endless. I believe new technology won't just benefit the youth but all who want to learn from it. As a people it is natural to fear the unknown and put it behind us, but we as teachers especially must jump into the great unknown and learn the new ways to develop knowledge and learning.

I believe we need to combine both the old with the new. I don't think that just because we have all these new ideas the old ones should be thrown out. As an education system we have come so far and the best way to proceed is to build upon the foundation we have not start all over. It is good for our youth to be well balanced as well for our teachers to be. It seems that the youth is so one sided we need to teach all aspects of learning. They should know how to learn differently besides just using technology. With every student they will learn differently and I believe the best way to help them is to find the best way for them to learn and succeed.

Lessons Learned

The first thing I learned was the criteria that the teachers should have with the use of technology. I had no idea it was so in depth. Before taking the survey I thought I was absolutely hopeless with technology but found out I know more than what I thought, even though I have much more to learn. Another eye opener was the fact that there are web sites and facilities that I can learn so much from but as a teacher I need to look and have that desire to learn.

With all the different readings, web sites, and videos I didn't know there was so much out there that I could look at to learn from. With the articles it was fun to read about the students and where they are today. Seeing how much students already know about technology makes made me a little nervous but also made me realize I have a lot of work to do before I go out to teach a class. One article that really stood out to me was the park city one. I knew that they had closed down the school but wondered how they were still going to teach the students. It was incredible to see what different teachers were doing and it made me think how I would have handled the situation and still feel comfortable with the lessons and knowledge the students were receiving. I never would have thought that the just through technology and computers that school would be able to continue even though the students weren't right in front of you.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Because I have had many classes that have taught me to research using a variety of sources helping students with research topics and sites is one of my strengths. One of my strengths from the NET Standard is facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity. I've worked in many programs and facilities where motivating and inspiring youth is our main goal. I've had much experience and understand how to motivate and excite students. Throughout my experiences of being a student I always wanted to try harder and succeed with the teachers that supported and encouraged me to succeed. Therefore, I've developed and practiced the same attributes that has helped me so often in my success. With the use of technology I would say another strength would be my adaptability to relate technology with learning in the classroom. Technology can be such a great learning tool for physical education in so many ways. Communication between parent, students, and the teacher is critical but I believe this is a strength I can take into my teaching career.

Even though I have used the internet and technology a lot I would still say I am naive of the safety precautions one should use. I understand the ethical part but am not sure how to aviod finding the unethical issues on the computer. It seems that things popup even when you are not looking for them. When given a new technology that is taught to me I catch on pretty quick on how to use them, but teaching myself and finding different technologies would be a major weakness for me. Another weakness that I have yet to learn is providing a good learning environment when only given limited time in the computer lab. For example in the survey it asks if I would be beneficial given a two hour segment every two weeks in the computer lab and I don't know if I would. Preparation wouldn't be the problem it would be learning hands on in the computer lab and being able to teach all that is needed of me.

My goals are to research what I can do to improve my weaknesses. Another part of my goals is to talk to teacher who have taught for many years and have developed if they didn't already have those strengths and the process that they went through to develop the strengths needed of them. Then I would to practice and put into action the things I have learned. Taking each problem a step at a time while continuing to have an open mind to becoming better each day. One way I plan to evaluate myself is to write a journal of my thoughts and outcomes with individual students and the classroom as a whole.

First day of class, first day to the blog world!!!!
I am a physical education major. I love to be involved with sports and activities. being outside and active is my favorite pass time. I've been able to be involved with many sports and activities so I want to share that with others.