Blog #1

 

    Who Are You as a Learner, Teacher, and Tech User?

    

  My Learning Story: When thinking about myself as a learner, I realized that I am a hands-on learner. I enjoy doing work independently and listening to music while doing work. When I listen to music, I get in a groove and get my work done pretty fast. When learning, I like it when teachers give examples and explain them in detail of why they are using this as an example. I enjoy working in more of a quieter environment, but don't mind when people are talking during work time. What tends to challenge me as a learner is distractions. I tend to get distracted easily, which is why I enjoy listening to music while working, because I stay more focused when listening to music and get my work done on time and done well.

   My Teaching Story: In high school, I had three really good teachers who made me really enjoy the topics that were being taught. These teachers had great qualities like being energetic and understanding the concept of students, not only being students but also athletes, taking into account that students have a life outside of school. In my senior year of high school, we had a Cadet Teaching program, which was the first 3 periods of our day. We would go to our assigned classroom in our local Elementary Schools and would be in the classroom helping students, the teacher, and even teaching lessons to the classroom, and doing other small activities that teachers would normally do in the classroom. This class really helped me lock in the fact that I wanted to go into Education in college, this class also helped me develop more qualities that I want to carry into the classroom when I become a teacher. Things I want to bring into my future classroom would be a safe place for students to talk about their needs/wants, and creating a comfortable environment for students to be in can help build a sense of trust between the students and teacher in the classroom. I also want to have a fun and energetic classroom so that learning will be fun. Doing things that are fun but still educational seems important to me because going to school should be something that students enjoy and almost like a little getaway from things that are going on outside of school.

   My Technology Story: Technology has been a big thing that has grown so much in my life. From using computers in a computer lab, to having school issued chromebooks that I could take anywhere, but it's still a school computer, to buying my own computer and using it for school, but still being my own. Technology plays a big role in most things that I do because almost everything we do we have to use technology. Whether it be online shopping or classes, most people use technology as a source of communication between one another. I have used technology to communicate with classmates, teachers, coaches, and family members. It is a fast and easy way to keep people informed. I am both excited and nervous about using technology in the classroom, this being because it can be so easily misused right under my nose. Students can open other tabs and do other things on their school computers. Yes, there are sites where you can watch the students' screens to make sure that they are doing the work they need, but when stepping away from my own work computer, I lose that access. Technology is a powerful thing that students should learn how to use properly so that when they grow, they have the proper function of using technology.

   Looking Ahead: What I look forward to in this course is just learning about technology itself and all the ways that I can use it in the classroom. And hopefully learn how to help other students in the classroom develop more of a sense of how to truly use the technology we are given.