College "Weeks 4 & 5"

WOW! Time has really flown by. I feel after today I am going to make it through this class! This class has been difficult but I now see the light at the end of the tunnel! I feel like the instructions for this class are very hard to follow. I am still not happy this is an online class. The concepts we are teaching ourselves is not common sense to everyone. Withour proper instruction it is next to impossible to complete the assignments. If it weren't for a few people in this class I would be sinking. I am flustered but continue to do my best!

College "Week 3"

This past weeks has been nuts! It took for what seemed like forever to get the web site finished! I had help from a classmate and that is the only way it got finished. I am really annoyed we are not being taught how to do our assignments. This class should be taught in a classroom, not over the Internet. Due dates are not the same in all places and I am having trouble figuring out when things are due. I am just going through each week and turning things in when they get finished and hope it is close to the due date! I am lost and flustered!

College "Week 2"

I am so happy this week is over! EDU 531 is finished and now I can focus on this class. I am having trouble with the website but I am sure with time I will be able to figure things out. This past week has been a full one. We have a new President and I can say I am happy I won't be receiving campaign ads in the mail anymore! I am learning a lot in this class and I am glad we figured out the deadlines for all of the assignments, this really helps my state of mind!

College "Week 1"

What a week it has been! Life is much harder with two classes to deal with instead of one! With assignments wrapping up in my Learning Theory and Practice class, things have been crazy. I am having a hard time balancing work, school, family and self time. I am very interested in this class but at the same time very frustrated. I look at the syllabus and it scares me! I am not a technology savvy person. It really would have been nice to at least meet once. This class seems to be a bit disorganized. It is very difficult to see when assignments are due because they aren't all in the same place. I find this class hard to follow due to its lack of organization. I haven't been around blogs, pod casts or making my own website before. I am looking forward to learning new skills as they will be beneficial for me as a teacher.

Using blogs in the classroom

Up until this class I had no idea what a blog was. I now understand they can be a wonderful tool for the classroom. Staying connected with parents can be a difficult task. Using a blog is an easy and effective way for parents to know what is going on in their children's classroom. I plan on using a blog to keep parents up to date on what is happening in my classroom. I will be able to upload pictures which I think gives a personal touch. In terms of using blogs for students I think using a blog instead of a piece of paper to write a story is a great idea. My students can post their papers and this way other students, parents and school members will be able to read their work.
Don't Feed the Trolls was an interesting article. Not knowing anything about blogs, I found this article very useful. I am not sure though how I feel about ignoring the "troll". I understand that with some issues it is best to ignore in hopes it will go away. I also feel it is important to put a stop to Trolls to make sure every child has a safe and positive environment. I know life isn't all roses and chocolates but I do feel it is our job as teachers to do our best to keep blogs clean and respected by all. Blogs are a wonderful addition to the classroom. I am looking forward to learning more about them and using them in my classroom.