This semester has been a wild ride learning how to use new technology and how to integrate it into the classroom. My eyes have been opened to all the different sites and apps that can make our lives better in the classroom. Not just my life either but also my students. Especially when the resources have been free things that anyone can access and won't take a toll on my wallet. I have picked up so many new skills and have reached a better comfort level with myself and self-recording. I also learned to contribute with other people in my class via zoom and other apps. We were able to work together without having to meet up in person. We even recorded a project together virtually which was amazing. I will share about three key projects that reached me and will have an effect on how I run my future classroom. I will focus on the bullying campaign, the Magic school Ai app, and the resources pages.
Project reflections:
Project #1 - The first project I want to share on is the bullying campaign. It was powerful because bullying is an issue that affects all grades across all ages. I chose to focus on high school because that's where it seems to be of greatest concern with consequences. It was a good project because it allowed us to look at bullying from the student's perspective and how we could help the students manage this crisis. It was also good because these initiatives are important for a school to focus on because we need more attention to the subject. Also, if my videos could be used across grades and schools like intended, I would love to know just how much I have made a difference across a district.
During the bullying project I had to learn how to add videos to multiple slides. How to incorporate more of myself and my thoughts into a subject. How to think of how to reach a certain age group and keep their attention through a hard to talk about subject without being like a lecture. I didn't want to lose them or sound like a broken record just getting after them. I wanted it to be something that they could relate to and would hit them in the heart, so as to stay with them better.
Project #2- The next project I did was the Magic School AI project. I am in love with this app. I wish more people knew about it because I hadn't heard of it before the assignment. This assignment was important because you are given a new thing to learn about and told to come up with good uses for it to benefit us and our students. It's a free app so it's even better. It encompasses so many things in the app that it is truly invaluable.
I really enjoyed learning about this one because I had to get out of my comfort zone and show someone something new. Not just teach someone something new, but also in the format. I had to use screen recording like I see in YouTube videos and that was exciting. I felt so professional doing a screen recording teaching this new app. This new skill I will continue to use across my teaching profession and also the app. The app has things that even if I wasn't a teacher I think I would still like to learn about. Especially as a mother. I would recommend that parents become acclimated with the app also as it can help them at home with their kids. When their kids are struggling, or during the summer, or just as a way to check their homework.
Project #3 - The final project I wanted to share about was the resources pages we had to create. It was a digital resource discovery portfolio. This is important to have as a teacher because you want to be able to give resources to your students and parents to aid them at times when you can't be there or won't be available to teach them and guide them through a subject. Also, it was a range of resources. So that kids of all abilities would be able to learn from them. Either through video, or game or just information.
This assignment was a good one because it asked for me to create a one stop shop for a specific grade and subject. I chose math. I really enjoy Math, but many people struggle with it. So, we had to find a variety of resources to be assessable for parents and student. I thought it was weird to include an auditory one but never realized just how many people have gotten into podcasts lately. There is so much to be learned in that form, and I was behind on that train. Since there are so many types of learning styles, I am glad we were asked to include them all. I like how I got to try them out and post them in a new format. I had never used a google site. this is something I will create for my future classes for them to use during breaks and summer. But also, just in general so that the kids have extra support.
Overall reflection- My journey throughout this class has been huge. I went from someone who had never done self-recordings, zoom meetings, screen recordings and more to someone who feels so much more comfortable in the subject. I was asked to do things well out of my comfort zone. I was made to hear myself speak every time I recorded myself. Work on my voice, my pace and how I come across. I had to learn to use programs I didn't feel very safe about. I didn't even want to download things onto my computer for fear of viruses. But I accomplished it. I was able to find new apps and technology to get me across all the assignment hurdles. Especially when meeting with people on zoom. I don't know how teachers did it during the pandemic and I guess this is why we have these classes because we as teachers need to be flexible to the everyday changing world.
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